Blood of the Innocent

File 12: Ambush

"I didn't think that we'd be taking a field trip to Florence," smiled Exodus, clearly excited, "Florence is from one of those popular Assassin games that I played."

"It's not a field trip, Exodus," replied Wraith, "Minny has important matters to attend to there. Also you have to remember that Florence is Draiocht territory. We've all got to be on guard."

Exodus and Wraith headed to the van rental, where they were supposed to get a vehicle for long distance use to Florence.

"What's an RV stand for?" asked Exodus, confused.

"Recreational Vehicle," replied Wraith, "I don't know if you've watched this show, but it was called Nate 8. It's about this boy who finds this really cool looking watch and had the ability to transform into eight different types of aliens. In the TV show, Nate, his sister, and his grandpa drove in an RV to get to their places."

"Oh I get it! I still have one of those Nate watch toys."

The rental employee returned from his trip to fetch the keys and gave it to Wraith.

"Have fun on your trip, you two," smiled the rental employee.

As the duo walked away and headed to the RV, Exodus whispered, "That guy was creepy."

"Did you say something, Exodus?" replied Wraith.

"I said that guy was creepy."

"Speak louder."

"You're hopeless."

When Exodus opened the door, she was suddenly sprayed in the face with a grain-like material.

"My eyes!" she yelled as she took out her revolver instinctively, "Bullets, shoot anything that moves, damn it!"

She shot two bullets out of her revolver, both reflecting off of plates and hitting the arm and leg of Wraith.

"Agh!" he yelled, "Stop shooting, Exodus! We're being targeted! Someone's after us and blinded you!"

"Who do you think it could be?"

"Wha? Speak louder!" replied Wraith as he fell to the ground, clutching his wounds.

"I said who do you think it could be, idiot!?"

"Speak louder I can't hear what you're saying!"

"..I understand now," explained Exodus, as she kept rubbing her eyes trying to remove the sand, "I'm being blinded, and Wraith has lost his hearing. This is definitely Magia."

Soon, Exodus pointed at the direction of Wraith's voice and used her other arm to close one of her ears.

"What are you doing with your hands?" replied Wraith, "Oh wait.. you're telling me that I can't hear. So there has to be two Magia users.. one that controls sand to blind people and another to take away someone's hearing."

From inside the RV, Sandman radioed Soundman from the rental shop, "Your idea worked, Soundman! Exodus is blinded, preventing her accuracy, and Wraith can't hear. Not to mention that Exodus wounded Wraith. But I think they're catching on to our abilities!"

"Execute them immediately then!" replied Soundman.

Sandman bust out of the RV, shooting two rounds out of his shotgun. However, he noticed that Wraith and Exodus weren't there anymore. He looked around confused.

"Alright, Exodus," whispered Wraith, "I've managed to hide you behind the back of the RV's entrance. Don't leave until your vision returns. I'm going to try assassinating the Sand Magia user."

Exodus put her hands together, imitating a gun and began to flick it in the air.

"I know you want to shoot the person who blinded you, but that's not the point right now. First we have to get you unblin— AGGHHH!!"

Suddenly, Wraith covered his ears. A loud blaring noise was being shot into it, like a megaphone being used right next to a person's ear.

"There they are!" smiled Sandman.

Exodus used one hand to feel the ground and the other to pull on Wraith's collar, trying to get them to safety. However, it seemed like it was useless to escape.

Wraith tried to suggest, "Exodus, shoot your arm-AGHHHHH!"

The blaring noise grew louder in Wraith's ear. Exodus didn't know what Wraith was talking about when shooting her arm, but she did it, shouting in agony as a hole punctured through her forearm.

"Unwounded-AGHHH!" Wraith yelled.

Wraith's plan finally clicked in Exodus' head. Soon, Sandman appeared from the front of the RV, his shotgun readied.

"Killing the Bangtan Gang was so easy!" yelled Sandman in joy as his fingers slightly pulled on the trigger.

"Bullets, shoot anything that's unwounded! Make sure you hit the vital points!" yelled Exodus.

She fired three shots in the air, and the bullets reflected off of the appearing plates.

TCHK TCHK TCHK!

A bullet lodged in the heart, a bullet lodged in the throat, and a bullet lodged in the forehead. Sandman fell to the ground. The shotgun fired but it hit a few trees in the background.

Wraith was still in agonizing pain, covering his ears. Exodus reloaded her revolver and looked at Wraith.

"I know you probably can't hear this," she said, "But please be quiet. I'll try to surprise the other Magia User and end your suffering."

Wraith yelled.

"So much for being quiet, Wraith."

"Sandman didn't kill Wraith?," yelled Soundman in surprise, hanging out in the rental shop, "If Sandman didn't kill them, he must be dead. That must mean that Exodus must be still alive, and with her vision restored as well. I've got to escape!"

When Soundman burst through the backdoor, he immediately found Exodus pointing her revolver at him.

"I've found you!" she yelled, pointing the gun.

"No way!" yelled Soundman as she began to transfer the loud blaring sounds towards Exodus.

In pain she cuffed her ears with her hands, dropping the revolver and crouching on the ground. She began to yell. Soundman took this opportunity to pull out his pistol and aimed at the head of Exodus. However, he was stopped when a hand phased through his belly.

"The truth is," whispered Wraith, "The game was rigged from the start."

Wraith immediately pulled his hand out of Soundman's chest, leaving a large gaping hole in his stomach. Soundman fell, dying on impact.

—

"And that's how we grabbed the RV," smiled Exodus, playing around with her revolver.

"So these guys," said Minny, "Did you identify them?"

Wraith and Exodus looked at each other in confusion. It was as if they both were saying, Did you check to identify the guys?

"Uh.. we forgot," replied Wraith.

"Hey Wraith," smiled Persona, "Wasn't your lesson for me to check all of your surroundings?"

"Oh, shut up, Persona," he replied, "I was happy to get the kill for a moment."

"That doesn't change the fact that we're being targeted by what is possibly a group of superheroes or another gang," said Minny, "From now on to our trip to Florence, we all have to be very careful."