Chapter 14
Vi was just about done cleaning all the empty boxes when someone stormed in. She immediately stood on guard, clenching her fists.
"I need your help," the voice rang out.
Vi shrugged her shoulders and picked up the trash can. "Help with what?" she asked, glancing at Sevika.
Sevika stepped further into the bar. "The Chem-barons invaded one of the factories," Sevika said hurriedly. "I don't have enough people to take down two monsters."
Vi chuckled a little. "I would like to help out, but..." She raised her bandaged fist. "I don't have the gloves," she said, picking up some trash.
Sevika followed Vi toward the bar. "I watched younger you take down grown adults and one of those monsters in one night. You can't just say you're nothing without those things," Sevika said, raising her voice slightly.
"It's different this time," Vi said with a heavy sigh.
She placed the trash in the bin and dusted off her hands. Back when she was younger, she had a reason to fight. People to fight for. Now, it was different.
Sevika took a deep breath. "Look. Caitlyn told me to do this as discreetly as possible so the council won't know about it. If Caitlyn brings enforcers down here, they'll talk about it, and that will get their attention. Which means someone needs to be locked up." Vi put her hands on her hips, listening to Sevika.
"I don't know if you noticed, but if I go back to her with open knuckles or something else, the both of us will be in trouble," Vi said.
Sevika smirked and walked back toward the entrance.
Vi looked at her, confused, as Sevika opened the door. She picked something up off the ground and threw it near Vi.
Vi scoffed, a small smile tugging at her face. "I hope these will do?" Sevika raised her eyebrows, hoping Vi would give in.
Cast irons. It felt like ages she last put them on. Vi picked them up from the ground and looked at Sevika.
"Do you have a plan?" she asked.
Sevika held the door open. "I'll tell you on the way there," She said with a smirk on her face. Vi grabbed her jacket and locked the place up.
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The night air bit at Vi's skin as she and Sevika made their way through the winding streets of Zaun, heading toward the factory hidden deep within the mines. The further they walked, the more tense the atmosphere grew.
Vi could feel it—this wasn't just a fight for control. This was bigger. The Chem-barons wanted more than just a factory; they wanted dominance again.
Sevika kept her pace steady, her eyes scanning the dark alleys. Vi, on the other hand, was more on edge than usual. She couldn’t help it. The weight of the iron gauntlets was both comforting and infuriating. It had been a while since she fought big threats, and Caitlyn's face, glaring in the back of her mind, didn’t help.
As they arrived at the entrance to the factory, a massive underground complex surrounded by rusted machinery and remnants of past battles, Sevika gestured for everyone to take position. She turned to Vi.
"You know what to do," she said, her voice quiet but intense.
Vi nodded, cracking her knuckles as she stepped forward.
The weight of her fists made her feel both powerful and grounded. The monsters—freakish, mutated beasts—had already torn through the outer defenses. Their big bodies glowed with the eerie shimmer that powered them, turning them into unstoppable forces. Vi’s stomach tightened at the thought, but she pushed it aside. There was no time to think, only time to act.
The first wave of monsters lunged from the shadows, their massive forms crashing toward the group. Vi didn't hesitate. She launched herself forward, her iron fists smashing into the nearest beast with a bone-shattering crunch. The impact sent it sprawling, but the others were closing in fast.
She spun, ducking under the swipe of another creature's massive claws. Her gauntlet-clad fist came up, connecting with its chest with a sickening thud. It staggered back, stunned, giving her a split second to glance around. Sevika and her crew were handling their own, but the numbers of monsters and Chem-barons were starting to pile up. Vi growled under her breath, frustration growing.
She took on another beast, this one larger, more menacing. Its jaw gaped open, exposing rows of sharp teeth, and it lunged at her, claws extended. Vi ducked just in time, the monster's claws raking across the side of her face. Pain shot through her, but she fought through it, gritting her teeth. She retaliated with a quick uppercut, her gauntlets landing squarely under the monster’s jaw, sending it flying backward.
But then she miscalculated. A second, smaller beast came from behind, its claws slashing across her stomach. She felt the burn of the wound and staggered, but before it could strike again, another figure stepped into the fray.
Sevika's blade slashed through the air, cutting the creature down before it could reach Vi. "You’re getting sloppy," she muttered, pulling Vi to her feet. Vi wiped the blood from her face and smirked.
"I’m just warming up," she shot back, but before they could take a breath, the ground shook beneath their feet. More monsters poured from the depths of the factory, their bloodshot eyes glowing with hunger.
"How many of them did you make?" Vi asked Sevika, standing ready to attack.
"Too many," Sevika said, gritting her teeth.
Vi growled and charged again, determined to make a dent in their numbers. But as she lunged at one of the creatures, she felt a sharp, searing pain in her side. She glanced down. The monster’s claws had cut deeply, the wound bleeding freely. She gritted her teeth, refusing to show weakness.
But just as she was about to strike again, she found herself surrounded.
Three monsters had her cornered, their massive bodies closing in, trapping her against a rusted column. She swung her fist wildly, but the creatures were fast—too fast. One of them slashed her across the chest, and she let out a grunt of pain. Blood poured from the wound, but her focus remained on the fight.
Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and the air crackled with energy. A loud shot rang out, followed by another. The monsters froze for a moment before one of them staggered back, a smoking hole in its side. Vi’s head snapped up. She saw a figure standing in the shadows, her form outlined by the flash of Hextech energy.
Caitlyn.
The enforcers. Vi’s heart skipped a beat. What the hell was she doing here?
“Vi, move!” Caitlyn called out, her voice a perfect mix of calm and command. She fired again, her Hextech rifle cutting through the air with precision. One of the monsters fell, its body crumpling to the ground. A few more enforcers appeared, guns drawn, clearing the path.
Vi didn’t need to be told twice. She darted forward, using the opportunity to break free from the corner. She threw a punch, knocking one of the monsters back as the others tried to regroup. The enforcers were covering her now, the sound of their gunfire ringing in her ears.
They fought until all the monsters were finished, and the enforcers held some members of the Chem-barons at gunpoint.
The factory was silent now, save for the soft hiss of steam from the wreckage and the groaning of damaged machinery. The last of the monsters had been dispatched, and the Chem-barons fled, leaving only a few behind.
Vi wiped blood from her face, her gaze flicking toward Sevika, who was already scanning the area, making sure everything was in place.
Caitlyn stepped through the haze of smoke and rubble, her sharp eyes taking in the scene. She looked at the fallen monsters, then at the few Chem-baron members, and finally at Vi and Sevika. Her lips were set in a tight line, her expression unreadable as she approached them.
Vi took a step back, feeling the weight of Caitlyn’s gaze. The last thing she wanted was to explain herself.
“You two… follow me.” Caitlyn’s voice was low, controlled, but there was an unmistakable anger simmering beneath it.She led them to a more private area, and Vi sat down, avoiding Caitlyn's eyes.
"What are you doing? I told you to keep this quiet. Now I see members of the Chem-barons here. If the councillors hear about this, they'll have their eyes all over this mess," Caitlyn said, her voice tight with frustration.
Sevika crossed her arms, unfazed. “We did what needed to be done. The Chem-barons found a way to capture the factory. We couldn’t keep it quiet.”
Caitlyn’s gaze hardened as she turned to Sevika. “And what exactly were you planning to tell the councillors when they find out about this?”
Her voice rose with growing frustration. “What happened here”—she gestured to the wreckage and the cuffed Chem-barons—“will require a lot of explaining.”
"They won’t know what happened here, "Sevika snapped, defensive. "This was our fight, Caitlyn. None of us will tell anyone about it."
Vi stayed silent, her eyes on the ground. The sharp, metallic taste of blood lingered in her mouth, but it wasn’t as unpleasant as the tension in the air. Caitlyn’s eyes were on her, hot with unspoken questions, seeking the truth Vi wasn’t ready to share.
“Vi,” Caitlyn’s voice softened, but still carried an edge.
Vi’s gaze flicked up, meeting Caitlyn's eyes for a brief moment. The words hung in the air like a weight, heavier than the silence that followed.
Caitlyn was waiting for something—an explanation, an apology, anything that might untangle the mess they were in.
But Vi just… looked away. She couldn’t give Caitlyn the reassurance she wanted.
Sevika let out a low chuckle, breaking the tension. "Caitlyn, this will stay between us." She glanced at the fallen Chem-barons. “We’ll lock them up down here. The job’s done. Now, we just clean up.”
Caitlyn’s expression twisted with frustration. "You think you can just ignore the consequences? This isn’t about 'doing the job,' Sevika. There are still Chem-barons out there. This," Caitlyn pointed at the cuffed prisoners, "isn’t enough. If the council finds out, they need details. They need leaders."
Vi winced at the words, but didn’t speak. There was nothing she could say that would make the situation better.
Caitlyn turned back to Vi, her eyes narrowing. She opened her mouth, but instead of shouting, she just shook her head.
Vi swallowed hard, her throat tight. She could hear Sevika saying something, but her focus was on Caitlyn, who was the only one who really mattered in that moment.
“Cait,” Vi grunted, breaking the silence.
Caitlyn’s eyes softened just a fraction, but the anger still simmered beneath the surface. She took a step closer, her voice lowering but still firm. "Vi, this is not how things work. There are injured people here, without any body armor, no skills except for throwing hands."
Vi looked around, taking in the sight of lifeless bodies and Enforcers checking on the injured Zaunites. The destruction was staggering.
Sevika glanced at Vi, then Caitlyn, her posture stiffening. "This is how we survive, always have," she shot back, her voice sharp. "You really think the council cares about what happens down here?!"
Caitlyn met Sevika’s gaze with a fierce glare, walking closer, her rifle still in hand. "Well, they sure as hell notice when one of their own shows up to a meeting covered in bruises," she snapped. They stood off, eyes locked, neither one backing down.
Vi took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension. "What are we going to do about the other factory?" she asked, standing up, her voice cutting through the standoff. Both women looked at her.
"Easy, we destroy it," Sevika said, her tone calmer now. Vi turned to Caitlyn, who seemed lost in thought. After a beat, Caitlyn looked at Vi, then back at the ground, deep in contemplation. "We need to come up with a story," she muttered. "We’ll tell them it was the Chem-barons' fault."
Sevika shook her head, about to protest, but Caitlyn interrupted her.
"It’s the only way, Sevika. We give them the blame," Caitlyn said firmly. Sevika sat down, her expression tight with frustration.
"I’m not turning someone in," Sevika muttered, running a hand through her hair.
"Well, maybe you should’ve thought about that from the beginning," Caitlyn spat.
"What else can we do?" Vi asked, sitting back down with a loud grunt. Caitlyn motioned for Steb to come over.
Steb approached, checking Vi’s wounds while muttering a small "hey."
"We’ll lock the members up down here," Caitlyn said, her voice quiet but resolute. "I’ll tell everyone this is top secret and to keep it quiet."
Sevika nodded in agreement. "I’ll have the Enforcers guard the other factory so we can take it down tomorrow. If you want any of the Zaunites to help guard, I’ll need to put them in uniform to avoid causing further harm." Sevika stood and walked closer to Caitlyn, extending her hand.
"If the council finds out, there’ll be no choice but to blame someone for it," Caitlyn said, shaking Sevika’s hand.
"Deal," Sevika said, her voice steady.She whistled to regroup her people.
Caitlyn sat down next to Vi, her brow furrowed. "How bad is it?" she asked Steb.
"She definitely needs stitches," he said, carefully covering the cuts with bandages and applying pressure to stop the bleeding. His hand trembled slightly, betraying the tension in the air. He cleaned up his mess and walked away, letting a breath out he had been holding in.
Caitlyn rubbed her forehead, frustration still clear in her face. "What were you thinking, helping out here? You know the consequences."
"She asked for help, and I didn’t want to involve you," Vi said quietly, her eyes on the ground.
"I was involved from the beginning, Vi," Caitlyn said, her voice rising a little.
Vi glanced around the factory. It was a warzone—puddles of shimmer, shards of glass, and metal scattered across the floor. Lifeless bodies had been attacked by the monsters.
"I'm sorry," she muttered as the adrenaline drained from her body.
Caitlyn let go of her rifle, sighing heavily. "It’s not your fault," she said, her tone softening as she placed Vi’s arm around her shoulder.
They both stood, Caitlyn helping Vi walk. "Let’s get you stitched up," she said, guiding her out of the factory.