Blood of the Innocent

File 17: Bird of Prey

Minny was carried by Dante towards the RV as Wraith and Persona checked the map.

"Hey!" said Lettuce, "Hold it! If we're being targeted because of Minny's position as a Capo, wouldn't that mean that our RV could be rigged? Find a different car, like that van over there."

"But that's not ours," replied Inferno.

"It's alright," said Exodus, pulling out cash from her wallet, "We can just pay them back for the van."

Lettuce opened the van door with his Telekinetic Magia and got inside. He could shift the keyhole and turn on the engine without the key just by using his Magia. Dante got inside the van and laid Minny on the floor. Exodus and Inferno got on as well. As Wraith and Persona got on the van, they began discussing about where to go next.

"So we know that they're in Rome," said Persona, "But where in Rome exactly?"

"They set up meetings late at night at the colosseum," added Lettuce, "They didn't think anyone would notice, but we've got some members in the gang that has all the intel on the whereabouts. That's probably how they found out where we were."

"So we're driving to the colosseum?" asked Wraith.

Lettuce nodded and began to reverse the van from the parking lot. Exodus jumped out and ran over to the parking lot where the van was. She pulled out the cash and placed them carefully on the ground before going back inside the van.

"That should cover it," smiled Exodus as she flashed a thumbs up.

"Since the day is dawning," said Lettuce as he drove the van on the highway, "We'll stop at Siena and stay there at a hotel. We should be careful though. One of us should remain awake just in case any attack may occur."

Wraith grabbed Lettuce's headphones and put them on, listening to Lettuce's music.

"You really listen to this stuff, Lettuce?" asked Wraith, disgusted, "For a man of your attitude, I'd expected a more darker tone."

"If you mention to anyone what I listen to," replied Lettuce, looking visibly annoyed, "I will stop this van and kill you myself."

"Ha, like you could reach me in my dimensional phase," taunted Wraith.

"Once I target you with my Telekinetic Magia, which I already have, I could move you even in your dimensional phase. Who knows? Maybe I can throw you out of the van."

Wraith gulped at the warning and carefully placed Lettuce's headphones on the table. As he placed them, he noticed a small hole in the side of the van.

"This vans kinda cheap compared to our RV that we rented," commented Wraith, "This vans got little holes in it."

"Odd.." replied Dante, "No.. hole.. enter.. van.."

"You didn't see a hole?" asked Exodus, "I see another one over there."

There was another hole in the other side of the van, nearing the ceiling.

"If you guys are talking about holes," said Lettuce, "We've already defeated Kerstagg. Shouldn't really worry about a Magia user."

Suddenly, Dante was knocked down to the ground. What just happened? It was a good thing he had his reinforced skin. That knockdown was full of force that could've ripped through his body.

"Hey," asked Persona, "Where'd Wraith go?"

"He must be in his dimensional phase," explained Inferno, "Wraith is almost like a tracker as well, just like Dante. However, unlike Dante, who sniffs a scent to track things, Wraith goes into his dimensional phase. There, almost everything within the dimension is slowed down, allowing him to see where attacks are coming from."

Wraith immediately popped out of nowhere, ready to warn his gang members. However, the van had already crashed into the rail guard of the highway. Inferno, Dante, and the rest of the gang was knocked out of commission. Wraith needed to think fast before he would get knocked out as well.

"Where are you coming from, you damn bird?" yelled Wraith.

He wasn't going crazy. He knew what had caused the holes. It was only a tiny glimpse, but he saw a metal falcon pierce through the vans walls, almost as fast as a bullet. The bird had to have some sort of Magia. Suddenly the falcon swooped in from the side of the van, hitting Wraith's arm and causing a bruise.

"I think I understand now," thought Wraith as he inspected his wound, "The bird has Metallic Magia, which allows it to turn its body into pure metal. It can then use gravity and the flap of its wings to simulate speeds just as fast as a bullet. With that sharp beak and large body, the consequences could be threatening.

I could easily destroy the metallic body by phasing through it, but the bird's too fast for me to see, even inside the dimension. I can't figure out where it's coming from. It's either the left side or the right side of the van. However, if I choose wrong, it would lead me in a vulnerable position."

Wraith was then struck by the bird again! This time his legs were critically injured, making him fall down to the ground. Wraith's eyes widened as he found out how to catch the bird. He fell silent before the bird swooped through the van's sides once again. The bird didn't hit anything, for there wasn't any other conscious person in the van.

KRSHK!

The falcon had exploded into multiple metallic pieces. Wraith fell to the ground, looking over the metallic pieces and looking at where Lettuce began to wake up.

"How lucky," smiled Wraith, as he slowly grew unconscious, "If it hadn't been for the side view and rear view mirrors of the van, I wouldn't have been able to guess where the bird was coming from accurately. It was a 50/50 chance of death!"

Lettuce walked over and stepped on Wraith's face before sitting in the drivers seat again, "Hopefully this experience will make you forget all about the music I listen to."