Chapter 42
Thursday 7pm, two months since Abyss attack
It was slow night at Casa de lobos.
Unusual for Madrid’s new gay bar, but their owners weren’t worried with lack of customers. They knew this bar will be flooded with people tomorrow. All whom want to celebrate their Friday night and the start of the weekend, especially celebrating surviving their week.
Mary served the few customers down one end of the bar. While Lilith mixed drinks for Serita and Camila down the other end. Black and red furniture with red neon lights highlighting the room. Two-foot stage in the back corner next to the door for the mechanic workshop. decorated with red velvet curtains either side. In front was a dance floor where few people danced to the gentle pop music. Beyond that, several round tables and chairs, a few booths lining the wall, surrounded by bookshelves near overflowing with LGBTQIA+ literature and the single timber board bar opposite. A large glass shelves decorated in green vines and yellow fairy lights.
“Here you go” Lilith announced, sliding two glasses of Long Island Ice tea.
“Thank you” the couple cheered and raised their glasses.
“Cheers to a good night” Camila spoke.
“I’ll drink to that” Serita comment.
They clinked their glasses and took a sip. Lilith smiled, she poured herself a glass of water and took a sip. “So” she began. “Got any date plans tonight?”
“No, we just want to spent time here” Camila answered.
“Then work tomorrow” Serita explained. “I got a mission starting tomorrow so I won’t be in the Cradle for least a week, maybe two”
Lilith hummed, she leaned over and crossed her elbows on the bar. “What kind of mission?” She asked curiously.
“The diplomatic kind” Serita sighed. “One of those a priest asks for a favour and it goes up the line till the Pope offers the service of the OCS to build a stronger status reputation among the church”
“Ah it’s been a while since I done one of those”
“More intelligence recon then combat from what I heard”
“Well I’m here if you need an extra hand” Camila offered merrily.
Serita turned to her girlfriend and replied “thank you sweetie”. She grabbed her girlfriend’s empty hand, leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’ll let you know”
“Good luck for tomorrow, break their legs” Lilith wished.
Serita smiled “why thank you, now where’s the kids?”
“They’re gone to the parias”
Down the road, past the twisted alleyway was a hidden Punk theatre called Parias. During the day the old shop will be abandon for the elements. At night it transformed to a hideaway theatre. Only way to find it, was the follow the punk grapevine.
Kit led the Crew inside. With her girlfriend on her arm and the others following behind them, hand in hand. The theatre was jammed packed full of punks. Neon lights, music and graffiti paintings drawn all over the walls.
“Goddess I love this place” Kit exclaimed. She looked around with awe and wonder, as if tonight is the first time she’s been here.
“Me too” Addams agreed. She turned to Kit and asked “Remember our first date?”
“How could I forget” Kit answered. She turned to her girlfriend and said in a dreamy tone “we watched Silence of the Lambs, had chips and danced under the full moon till the sun came up”
“What a night” Addams sighed. “I heard they are replaying that movie soon”
“Just in time for our anniversary”
Addams chuckled for a moment, then whispered in a knowing tone “Perfect timing sweetie”. “Come, let’s get the tickets” she said and turned to face Persephone and Hanna, “You girls get the snacks and we’ll meet you inside”. Addams turned to her girlfriend, stepped back a few steps, coaxing her girlfriend to follow.
Kit smirked as she was led away from the others. She twisted her hand, encouraging Addams to spin in place, before she suddenly pulled her girlfriend back into her arms. She wrapped an arm around the witch’s waist and led her to the ticket booth. As they walked, Kit turned back to the other couple and reminded “Don’t forget the sarsaparilla”
“No probs Dude” Hanna answered with a two-finger salute.
Persephone playfully rolled her eyes “You know you are the only one who drinks that crap”
“Good more for me!” Kit laughed.
“Alright let’s go” Persephone groaned affectionately.
Hanna smiled down at her girlfriend, she wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her to the snack bar.
As they waited in line, the couple talked about school.
When suddenly, the angel wings on Hanna’s back perked up and turned to her right. Hanna blinked confused, then turned around to follow her Angel’s sight. Across the room in the crowd, she caught the flash of red hair mohawk. She followed the red, till the face of Cira Sandra came into view. The red head stopped and turned to face her. Their eyes locked with each other and the world seem to melt away, leaving only them. Hanna swore she knew this stranger, but her mind wouldn’t place where. Yet that confident smirk didn’t help Hanna remember.
“Hanna?” Persephone’s voice called.
Hanna turned to her girlfriend, then glanced back behind her. The red head disappeared in the sea of punks. Hanna sighed, then turned back to her girlfriend. “Sorry, did you say something?” she apologised.
“No” Persephone replied with a light shake of her head. “You’re distracted, what were you looking at?”
“Dunno, thought I saw someone I knew, but I can’t place where”
Persephone hummed, she looked around Hanna then turned back to her with a small smile. “Well we can find them later and say Hi”
“Sounds good”
Persephone just turned her head when she caught the flash of red hair. She turned down the bar, five people down, to Cira Sandra. The red head’s back was turned, but Persephone knew in her heart it was her. Dressed to the nines in red leather punk jacket and chains. Cira soon felt Persephone’s eyes on her, she turned and flashed Persephone a knowing smirk. Persephone’s frown deepen, she tighten her grip on Hanna.
Hanna looked down confused, then turned to her girlfriend and laughed “now who’s acting weird, what are you looking at?” Hanna asked. She followed her girlfriend’s gaze, but found nothing out of the ordinary.
Persephone sighed, shaking her head. “it’s fine” she whispered. She looked up to her girlfriend and grinned “Let’s forget about it okay?”
“Okay”
“Cool, your usual?”
“Yeah sounds good”
“Great my shout”
Hanna chuckled “fine, but I am shouting us Dinner on Saturday”
Tonight’s movie was the Exorcist
Hanna never seen the movie in her life, so she watched transfixed on the screen. Addams and Kit seen the movie plenty of times and so laidback in their seats quietly judging the possession. Persephone never seen the film either, but her attention was primarily focused on Cira Sandra.
Ever since they took their seats and the red-haired punk sauntered by them. Taking a seat four rows down, with their legs crossed and sitting on the next seat below her. Tried as she might, Persephone couldn’t focus on the movie when Cira was in the room.
Soon she felt something hit her head sideways. She looked up to find Hanna curled into her side. Watching the movie fascinated.
“you okay?” Hanna whispered.
“yeah, I’m fine” Persephone answered.
Hanna smiled, she twisted her head and planted a kiss in Persephone’s gold locks. Then turned back to the movie.
All good things came to an abrupt end when the exist doors burst open and torch light flooded the theatre with people screaming “POLICE!”
“FUCK RUN!” Kit screamed. The Gang jumped to their feet and started climbing down the chair rows.
The whole theatre was thrown into chaos. The rest of the punks fled to the walkways trying to escape. Police charged head first into the masses, capturing people and dragging them out of the theatre. Screams echoed as the punks fought off the police. Somewhere amongst the shouts, was someone laughing.
As the Gang neared the last row of chairs, Persephone turned back to find Cira Sandra was the source of the laughter. The punk was watching the chaos way too comfortably for Persephone’s liking. Persephone was too busy judging the woman to notice a policeman sprinting down the walkway straight for her. He darted into the second row of chairs and dove for Persephone. Capturing her hand and dragging her away. “LET ME GO!” Persephone shouted.
“HEY!” Hanna growled. She leapt onto the chair backs, running across them, then jumped last second and performed a swinging kick. Sending the policeman through the chair behind him. She landed on her feet and he struggled to get up. He collapsed back into the mess of broken lounge chair and reached for his gun. Hanna quickly punched him square in the face, knocking the man out cold. She turned back to her girlfriend, grabbed both her hands and asked worriedly “Are you okay?”
“Yeah I’m okay”
“Good lets go”
“COME ON HURRY UP!” Kit shouted from the stage. Where Addams stood nearby, holding the door open for the few down their end running away.
Hanna and Persephone tore down the chair row and down the walkway to them. The others ran inside when Persephone suddenly stopped at the door. Suddenly she noticed the lack of laughter. She turned around back to the chairs and found Cira Sandra watching them. Cira waved at Persephone, then stood up, cracking her neck left and right. Four policemen on either side of the theatre ran from the walkways and sprinted straight for Cira Sandra.
Persephone watched amazed as Cira took on the police with nothing more then her fist.
Hanna turned back to her girlfriend, sprinted after her, grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the theatre. Inside, she grabbed the door and slammed it shut.
“POLICE OPEN UP!” a voice screamed from the other side, rattling their fist against the door.
Hanna held the door shut with one hand, she turned to her girlfriend and ordered “GO RUN I’M RIGHT BEHIND YOU!”. Persephone nodded then sprinted away to the others. Hanna turned back to the door handle, clenched her fist tight and shattered the handle. With the door locked and the police’s fists still banging, Hanna turned down the hall and sprinted after her Crew.
Hanna sprinted into the back alleyway and skidded to a halt. Police cars blocked one end of the alley and a van blocked the opposite end. Police were fighting her Crew down the car end while the other end of the alley had people being loaded into the van.
Hanna turned to her friends and sprinted towards them.
Hanna jumped up onto the wall beside them, running over her friends before she kicked off the wall and flew straight for the four police officers. She kicked one in the face, sending him crashing into another by his side. She landed on her feet, turned to her right and punched the man in the face, check, then grabbed his arm. She twisted her body till her back was facing him, lifted him up and swung the man around. Body slamming him into the next officer. One hit to send the man flat on his face and another body slam to knock both men out at once. She turned back to her left as the last jumped to his feet, gun raised. He shot her twice. Hanna’s body twitched under each hit. She glared at the man then stormed forward. Her arm wing stretched out one foot past her hand. Before the fourth bullet could be fired, she swung her wing out and slashed the gun in two. Then punched the man in the stomach with her left hand. He collapsed forward, holding his hands pressed to his stomach. Hanna grabbed his back and lifted her knee at the same time, slamming his face on her knee. Then threw him into the back wall.
Hanna turned back to her Crew and asked “you girls okay?”
The girls received various injuries, but mainly bruised knuckles. Kit had a new black eye and broken nose. Addams had a bloodied lip. Persephone had a bruised cut forming on her cheek. Despite this, the girls answered various “okays”.
The backway cinema door burst open again and out was thrown a policeman. Flying across the alleyway and slamming back first into the brick wall.
The Crew turned back to find Cira Serita stumbling backwards into the alley. Policeman hot on her trail with knife in hand. She turned to the man, wiping the blood from her lip with an amused grin. Four more came storming out of the alley straight for her, with batons in hand. She met their furious gaze and wiggled her fingers back and forth, coaxing them to her.
Hanna looked at them, then past them to the van and the punks being loaded inside. “I have a plan”
“Good plan or bad plan?” Kit asked.
“Meet me at the van on my signal” Hanna answered before she sprinted to Cira.
“What’s YOUR SIGNAL?” Kit called after. Kit groaned, shaking her head “It’s the bad plan isn’t it”
“Looks like, come on!” Addams stated. She snatched one of the policeman’s baton then sprinted after. The others followed her lead.
The policeman with the knife darted forward knife raised. Cira was ready for him.
Hanna reached the man first, grabbing his hand and the knife, then forced it down into his groin. She let him go, swung her leg high and twisted body around. The man flew back towards his men and landed by the foot of the Theatre door.
Cira flinched; her eyes widen confused.
Hanna turned to her and flashed a smile, then focused on the policemen. The men sprinted forward with batons raised. She met them head on with her angel wing.
Cira watched Hanna fight and her confusion quickly morphed into one impressed. Her view was suddenly obscured when Hanna’s Crew grabbed her and dragged her away from the fight. “What are you girls doing?” Cira asked as Addams and Kit dragged her away.
“Getting out of here, what’s it look like” Persephone stated, bit breathless and very pissed. “Your welcome by the way”
“Oh please I can handle a few men by myself” Cira scoffed.
“I’ll remember that next time”
“Oh shut up you two and get ready for Hanna’s signal!” Addams stated as they ran for the Van.
“What’s her signal?” Cira asked. She looked back to Hanna and watched the woman throw a man twice her side across the alleyway, then fling herself at the next, wrap her legs around his neck, twisted his body around and slam him into the ground.
“Just get ready for it” Kit advised, causing Cira Sandra to look back at her. Kit shrugged. “Most likely duck”
“Ah”
When they stopped outside the van, they found it already half full with many more punks being shoved inside and another van parked just down the road. A Police’s Sargent dressed old man walked forward to the group and growled with a twisted smile. “Here to turn yourself in?”
“Nope, but have you considered your surrender?” Kit proposed.
The Sargent laughed. “That’s cute, you’re under arrest”. He reached out his hand and Addams stepped forward, whacked him in the face. He reached a hand to his face and growled.
“Get the fuck away from my girlfriend!” Addams growled.
The Sargent growled “ARREST THEM!” he shouted. He took out his cuffs and stepped forward again.
Suddenly a body flew past the group and slammed into the Sargent. The two crashed into the Van, denting the side, then collapsed to the ground in a tangled embrace. The policemen around sprinted to his aid. Hanna ran onto the scene, tackling the next closet man to the ground. She punched him in the face, turned to the others and rolled her body to her feet. The second policeman took out his gun and aimed for Hanna. She grabbed his gun and shattered it in hand, twisted her body around and elbowed him in the chest, then slammed the back of her head into his face. The body dropped and she turned to the last. The man threw a punch and she caught the fist, slammed his fist into his face. Then grabbed his leg and pulled it up, making him fall on the ground. She slammed her boot down on his face then dropped his leg. She turned to the Crew and stated “Get in the Van!” then marched for the Van. “Kit, you can drive right?” she asked as she marched, her wing shrinking back under her jacket.
“Dude of course” Kit dismissed.
“I got shotgun!” Addams stated.
The couple made their way to the front while Hanna hopped onto the edge of the van door. She helped Persephone inside and turned to the punks inside. “Don’t worry we’re getting out of here!” she reassured. She turned back and offered her hand to Cira.
Cira took the hand offered, allowing herself to be pulled inside. Cira smiled as she asked, taking a stand next to the van door “Is this a usual Thursday night?”
“Not particularly, this is more a Monday night”
The Van roared to life and the police from the next van were alerted.
“DON’T!” The Sargent called, half dazed and very confused. “Get out. Of. The van”
Hanna and Cira turned their attention out of the van.
“Well make up your mind, do you want us in or out!” Cira laughed.
Hanna laughed, rolling her eyes. She turned to the drivers and called out “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR LET’S GO!”
“DUDE I’M TRYING TO WORK THEIR RADIO!”
The shouts of men alerted Hanna and Cira to outside the van. Seeing more police running towards them.
“HURRY UP DUDE!” Hanna called.
Rock music rose from the speakers, followed by a triumph shout from Kit. “Alright Dudes hold onto your butts and hope for the best!”
Hanna reached for both doors and quickly slammed them shut. The van screeched to life, tearing onto the road. Nearly everyone was thrown to the ground. Both Hanna and Cira grabbed hold of the roof, stopping themselves from falling over. Hanna turned to her girlfriend, helping her sit upright before turning back to the window. Watching as several police bikes started driving after them. “Dude we’re being followed!”
“Just relax dude I got this!” Kit stated.
Addams twisted on her chair and called out “Hey Perse!”
Persephone turned to her and crawled to her feet to Addams.
Addams reached into her pocket and pulled out a set of keys. She pushed them through the bars, declaring “set these poor souls free for us”
“You got it”
Cira watched amused as the policemen tried following after them. Smiling every time Kit made a sudden sharp turn, sending many tumbling across the ground. She soon turned Hanna, starring at the woman in front of her.
Hanna soon realised the eyes were on her and she did a double take to Cira. “Hi?”
“Don’t I know you?” Cira asked.
The van hit a speed bump and the group started bouncing along the ground. Many of the punks complained loudly at Kit’s driving.
“ONE MORE COMPLAINT AND YOU WILL BE THROWN OUT!” Addams threatened.
Hanna turned back to Cira and comment “You know I was wondering that to, have we met before?”
Cira was about to answer when rapid gunfire distracted them. Everyone, but Cira and Hanna flinched at the sudden noise. Cira turned for the door, then back to Hanna. “Perhaps this is not the time for introductions” she said. Cira opened the door one side, stepped out onto the edge and stated “Looks like my stop is here, get them out of here while I hold these fuckers off!”
“You seriously going to fight them?” Hanna asked, more impressed then shocked.
“Yeah, as I told your friends, I can handle a few men” she flashed a smirk, then gave her a two-finger salute. “See you around” Cira dropped out of the van. She rolled to her feet, then walked calmly to the policemen.
Hanna moved to the open door, watching Cira approach the motorbikes. The van suddenly swung to the left and she forcibly grabbed the door and slammed it shut. Hanna fell to her knees and turned to her girlfriend.
“She’s insane” her girlfriend scoffed.
“Very” Hanna comment, impressed. “Hope she’s okay”
“Why!” Persephone scoffed annoyed.
Hanna frowned at her girlfriend’s comment. She never heard her girlfriend ever be mean to another person, even her own asshole fake father. “Because she’s just saved our lives”
Persephone didn’t reply. Hanna watched her girlfriend move through the punks, releasing their cuffs one by one. She gulped, then turned to the door. Listening out for danger.
Meanwhile at the theatre.
A man, Swedish descent, dressed in black suite walked out of the police van. Cigarette in his mouth, saved to the skin hair and thick beard. The man watched the punks being round up before he turned down the road. To the direction the stolen van fled.
The Sargent moved to the suited man, afraid. He gulped and looked down to the ground ashamed. “We lost them Sir”
“You did, not us”
“Rovdjur-“
Rovdjur pulled out a gun and shot one bullet into the Sargent’s head. The man collapsed to the ground at Rovdjur’s feet. The punks jumped at the gunfire, but the rest of the police didn’t flinch. Rovdjur turned back to the road, starred for a minute longer, then turned to the van and his men. “Keep going!” he ordered and they did.
His men cleaned up the scene, locking the van and driving off. Two other officers picked up the Sargent and carried him into the building. A third came out of the alleyway, pouring gasoline as he walked. He stopped a foot from Rovdjur, then left. Rovdjur walked over, pulled out a pack of matches, strike a match and flicked it on the ground. Fire sparked and trailed off to the theatre. He and his men walked away as the theatre caught alight.
Kit drove them through town, making sure they lost the trail before dumping the van. Under the Crew’s guidance, they led the punks back into the town and from there, everyone went their separate ways.
The smell of chemical smoke made the Crew divert their path. They sprinted for the source and soon found their beloved punk theatre set blaze.
“no” Kit cried, heart broke by the destruction before her eyes.
Persephone turned her gaze, shielding herself against Hanna. Hanna held her girlfriend, staring up at the inferno shocked. Addams turned to her girlfriend and grasped her hand tight.
“how could this happen, what-“ Addams question.
“Not what” Kit interrupted. “Who” Kit’s suddenly paled, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed. The last she heard was their voices calling out her name, but the last face she saw was theirs, but something far more evil.