The Wilted Rose

Chapter 18: Rebirth

Mantle

1:21 AM

3 Years To The Fall

Red Hood Pov

The gangsters that I needed were at the SDC factory in front of me. I was perched up on a crane looking down at them. Most of the nightshift workers that were here were executed. More people that I failed.... I jumped down, not even bothering to hide my semblance as I descended. I petal burst onto a guard tower that had a sniper on it. The guy really sucked at his job. I had already picked out a couple of workers who thought they were well hidden.

I snuck up behind him and wrapped an arm around his neck as I kicked his knee out from under him. He struggled for a second before I jerked his head violently, hearing the satisfying snap that was accompanied by this asshole going limp. There was another sniper on the catwalk on the outside of the building. He was the next that needed to go.

I wanted to keep this quiet since there were still civilians in the area. Didn't need them getting caught in the crossfire. I leaped off the balcony and used the grapple gun to zip to the shipping crate below the catwalk. I hit the release on the grapple and holstered it as I landed. I then jumped onto the catwalk, hanging off the edge. This dipshit was to focused on what was happening in his scope to realize me. I quickly jumped up and grabbed him by the head and using my body weight and momentum to slam his head into the railing.

With the snipers out of the way, I could hit the guys down below. I petal burst down to the ground and crouched low behind the shipping container. As a gangster walked up, I redirected his gun away from me while pulling my knife and slashing his throat. As he gurgled, I pulled him behind the shipping container and planted the knife into his heart, speeding up his death.

I didn't wait around for him to finish dying before moving on. As I moved cover to cover, I saw two gangsters walking side by side talking. I stalked them for a bit to eavesdrop and to find a better place to off them.

Gangster 1: Did you hear about what happened at the SDC Trade Center?

Gangster 2: Did I hear? Who hasn't heard?! The Hood is a fucking psycho, man. Killed all our boys in seconds flat!

Gangster 1: I heard it was three minutes....

Noticing that they weren't talking about anything useful and the fact that I was getting bored. I decided to correct them both...

Red Hood: It was actually a minute and ten seconds.

The gangsters turned around shocked but I was ready. I had Black and White already aimed at their heads and as they turned around...

*Bang* *Bang*

The two collapsed on top of one another and I petal burst up to a stack of shipping containers. The other gangsters didn't think much of the gunfire. A few of them were laughing about it, thinking that they got another worker bagged. I used the grapple gun to zip up to the roof. I then took the time to identify who the Lieutenant was. Once I found him, I took note that I should save him for last. It would be a shame if we were interrupted before I was finished with him.

It was around this time that one of the gangsters noticed that their buddies were missing. They immediately started to group up and search around. I pulled out Black and White and merged them together into a rifle with the scope engaged. One of the gangsters poked his head out from around the shipping containers and saw the two that I shot before. As he and his friend ran up, I fired a round into the first guys chest.