The Vigilante & The Dragon - Book 1 of the Guardians Saga [COMPLETED]

Who's The Damsel In Distress? Ch. 2.3

Rile pointed down an alley, a white glow reflecting in the garbage cans at the entrance. "Check out the strange fire, like from that human female in the video we found."

"Circle around and cut off the exit." Cale pulled out his staff, as did Rile.

They skirted the garbage cans at each end of the alley and crept closer, avoiding the cans and beer bottles strewn among the cobblestones. They saw a female kneeling over Gabe, who was slumped against the alley wall. Her hands were the source of the light, and she held them against his chest.

Rile swung his staff at Alex. "What are you doing to my brother!?"

His white-hot anger focused on Alex and a tremendous blow from his staff flung her backwards. Alex slammed into the wall and crumpled into a heap.

"What a lightweight," Rile said. "Taken out with one swing."

Cale bent over his brother and felt his pulse. "Gabe, are you okay? Can you say something?" Cale looked up at Rile. "Unconscious. Whatever she did to him, it knocked him out."

"Glad I returned the favor. How's Gabe?"

"His heart is strong, as is his breath."

"Let's take him home." Rile bent to help Cale lift their brother.

"What about her?" Cale asked.

"We'll take care of her." The voice froze Cale and Rile.

Three figures blocked the end of the alley. One man slung his rifle over his shoulder in order to stoop and click clunky metallic cuffs onto Alex. His partners kept their rifles trained on Rile and Cale.

Rile caught the flicker of motion of the rifleman as he fired, so he dumped Gabe and deflected the large, feathered tranquilizer dart. Cale staggered under the sudden weight of his unconscious brother, but the drop to his knees caused the second dart to miss him.

Cale lowered Gabe the rest of the way to the ground, then came up swinging. The tip of his staff missed the rifle by a hair as the man jerked it back. Before he could recover, Rile jammed his staff into the man's belly, making him double over. Two shots were fired, with one striking Cale. Rile turned to face the other riflemen. He charged, deflecting the first dart but the second nicked his neck and he stumbled.

Alex stirred and opened her eyes as one brother thudded down beside her. She saw Gabe lying prone and the other brother outnumbered by oh-so-familiar riflemen. She flared brilliantly and everyone was white-blinded.

Gabe groaned, rubbed his eye, and then propped himself up on one arm. "Alex, are you all right? What happened?"

The three riflemen were still, sprawled figures, their rifles scattered among the garbage. Rile leaned against the spray painted alley wall, holding his head. Cale struggled to sit up and dislodged a pile of greasy pizza boxes.

"Neuro-electric burst. It woke you up since you were sedated, but was a knockout to the others," Alex answered, lifting her head. She tried to sit up, failed, and instead raised an arm. "Bet these cuffs were power dampers." The pieces of metal fell away.

"You woke me up, too." Cale pulled the tranquilizer dart out with distaste and threw it across the alley. "I'm relieved to see you again, Gabe. We were really worried. What happened to you? Are you hurt?"

"What are you?" Rile demanded of Alex, ignoring his brothers.

"This is my city. I ask you that." Alex propped up on one elbow.

"She can see our true faces," Gabe said.

Cale blinked in surprise, but Rile narrowed his eyes and shook his head in disgust.

"She helped me, helped us." Gabe shot a warning glare at Rile.

Cale stood and helped Gabe to his feet. Rile stayed where he was, staff at the ready. Cale unobtrusively braced Gabe when his brother offered his own hand to Alex. She took it gratefully enough, but didn't rise. She looked at her legs with panic. Gabe started to pick her up, but Rile intervened.

"Stop the noble stuff. You're too weak." Rile sheathed his staff and then hefted Alex.

Alex's eyes widened when he picked her up and she clenched his shirt in her fists automatically.

I'm being carried like some damsel in distress? This sucks more and more.

"Where to? Where does she live?" Rile asked Gabe and ignored Alex, his current cargo.

"We will take her home with us." Gabe's tone dared contradiction. "There are complications at her apartment."

"Complications?" Rile scoffed, but another glare from his oldest brother silenced him.

******

A/N
I imagine Alex's power as the welder fire coming from the dancer's hands in this video.

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