The Eternal #5

The Eternal #5

Link:

https://x.com/OmarvinG94/status/1715420235983962576

-----

A man's body stumbled backwards onto the floor. His nose was broken and bleeding from the nostrils.

"Ah, geez... I think you broke my damn nose, you one-eyed bitch!" He cursed with a groan afterwards.

In front of him, standing to look down on him, was Aguri Dojima, a member of the Laine Family.

Somewhere behind her was Vanessa Chō, a fellow member of the Laine Family; their boss's hitman and personal bodyguard. She was currently putting her silenced pistol into it's holster inside her suit, having dealt with two of the man's associates who now had bleeding potholes on their foreheads.

"D-Do you know who you're dealing with? who you're fucking with!?" The man exclaimed from behind his hand that covered his bloody nose. He would be picked up by Aguri, gripped by his collar with both hands before being slammed and pinned against the wall of an alleyway somewhere in Manhattan.

Aguri didn't pay no heed to his question. Instead, with a firm grip, slammed him again against those gray colored bricks of the building behind him. A dull pain spreads across the back of his head. The japanese woman would then ask him, "Where are you getting your stash from?"

"Stash...? What are you talking about," the man hesitated for a brief time to answer her.

Again, he was slammed against the wall and grunted from the pain.

"Your supplier, dipshit. Tell me about your supplier, or I'm gonna do more than hit you against the wall." She gave him a cold-hearted glare with her only eye reflecting his bloody face. "You've been tresing on Laine Family turf, and selling your drugs too, making my boss very unhappy...and myself included. So you're going to be a good fat bastard and tell me everything you know or I'm going to beat you to death. And warning: I tend to enjoy putting down scumbags like you. So try me."

Her words came from hate, coming from a personal place in her heart that forged her path to the west -- to America with her employer, Diana Laine. Aguri hated drugs, more than anything that the world could offer; utterly despising anyone who enjoyed selling them on the streets to make a profit.

It was some months ago, when she was bound to a chair by people she trusted, Aguri learned that even criminals of organized crime can have no honor, and sink lower to that of scum; degenerates who think the end justifies the means when a needle is put in someone's arm and they themselves racking up the dough without seeing the corruption they have made.

Drugs were -- ARE -- a cancer to Aguri who wanted to kill this man in front of her. But information was key, and needed for the objective that Diana has her, and the stoic Vanessa are undertaking.

But boy, was the temptation so alluring.

Vanessa would approach her coworker from the side.

"Restrain yourself," said Vanessa in her tone that was levelheaded and with an accent. "He must tell us what we need before anything else."

"Don't remind me. So you gonna fess up or do I gotta take an ear or two before you squeal, little piggy?"

Their eyes focused on the man at their mercy.

"L-Look ladies, I can't go talking to you guys about my work, it's bad for business," the man started with a fumbling of words, "If I tell you, I'm gonna be dead before the sun even sets today!"

Aguri scoffed and soon grabbed him by the ear with a pinch of her index and thumb. With a strong grip, a pain followed the man who couldn't do anything else but cry out. "Do you know how EASY it is to actually rip off someone's ear? With a firm grip, and a TUG, it just tears like a band-aid, and it's S-O-O-O satisfying. Want me to demonstrate?" She mockingly spoke to the man in her grasp. She would yank and yank and yank, pulling to make the pain more potent.

The man screamed out, hunched with his head pulled up by that ear that felt close to get ripped off.

"O-Okay! Damnit, agh! OKAY! I'll talk!"

Soon afterwards, he was singing like a bird for their ears.

-----

"You have the look of a person wanting to kill," said Vanessa while taking a walk beside Aguri.

It had been about ten minutes since they had interrogated the drug dealer about the whereabouts of the hideout used to distribute the merch that had been found on the streets. What they have learned was that the place of distribution was of a small warehouse in the area, once a place for storage for the city's imported wares. Their task was simple -- to dispose of anyone involved with drug trade that was growing on the streets.

And ever since that information was given to them, Aguri's face remained sour with a looming glare. It was her hate for the men and women who dare sold such things on the streets; having been a witness to some people indulging in a needle or a powder to get themselves sky-high, and causing grief to people around them. It was sickening to her, and more so now to find the city no better than the place she had come from.

So, yes, angry she was at those involved.

"I'm surprised you're not," replied Aguri to the cold faced woman, "I lost everything I loved because of crap like this. People who dish out drugs and taking the money without seeing the damage make my blood boil. So yeah, Chō, I'm pissed off."

"Hm... Even so, this won't end here. These types are a dime a dozen, no matter how many we may have to dispose of from our mistress's territory."

"As long as we kill every one of these scumbags, I'm sure the rest will learn not to be around here after."

"Just why we're here. Do not let your emotions dictate your judgement. Let us carry on, we're almost there."

A moment later, after walking to and fro, they were in front of the small warehouse that was told to be their destination by the loathsome drug dealer whom they had at their mercy.

"Here we are...bout frickin' time."

Aguri, rolling up her sleeves, intended to march right into enemy territory barehanded. But her shoulder was grabbed, held back by Vanessa, who said, "What are you, a fool? You intend to fight without a weapon? Don't be reckless in your fury."

With the shift of her shoulder that she gripped, Aguri turned to her and asked her, "Not like I carry a gun on me, so what do you expect me to do?"

Upon this question did Vanessa draw out her phone, and made a phone call to a fellow Laine Family associate; speaking in her native language of Taiwanese, before hanging the phone up, and gesturing with a finger for Aguri to follow her. The fellow associate followed with a confused look as she and Vanessa walked a block away, where a small antique shop was located. They entered, and was met with a room filled with many antiques. Decorated and fine china was on display, with porcelain dolls lined up on the shelves on the walls. Naturally, Aguri flinched a bit at the sight of their eyes that were lifeless and feared them to be following her as she walked by.

Vanessa had approached the counter where a small asian man was waiting for her with a friendly smile.

He greeted her with a bow, and in the same language she spoke. Likewise, she returns the bow with the same tongue to communicate with.

"Been awhile, my dear," said the old man with that smile at the woman who returned it with a pokerface. "Are you here for any specific? Maybe a plate or a dragon statue for a coffee table?"

"No. No, I'm here for...the priceless china," said Vanessa, which made the old man's smile grow wider.

"Ah yes," he clapped this hands together, "very good. Come around back, my dear. I'm sure we have exactly what you need. Is she with you too?"

He asked this about Aguri who was staring intently at the dolls above her, and seemed to be in a one-sided game of a staring contest. She would blink and look at the two, which Vanessa would say, "no, she's an associate. She is with me."

The old man nodded to this and gestured the two to follow him behind the counter and into the backroom, where he pulled on a string to a ceiling bulb that lightened the room. Two lockers were present, with the old man turning around and saying, "I have made sure your equipment is secured, dear. I was relieved to find you to have called me after so much time had ed." He watched Vanessa approach one of the lockers, opening it and seeing it filled with weapons. Small firearms, knives, vials, and a set of clothing was present inside. These were her things she used as her profession as a contract killer under Diana Laine's employ.

"Arm yourself, Aguri," said Vanessa as she went to collect her choice of gear.

Aguri looked at her then the other locker, going over to check inside. When opening it, she saw many firearms; small-arms mostly with a rifle hanging on the side. None of which caught Aguri's attention. She grumbled at them before starting to close the locker. "Hm?" She paused at the sight of a sheathed blade.

A tanto sheathed in black and adorning the pattern of cherry blossoms.

"Well, hello..." She said and grabbed it, and unsheathed it to see the blade shimmer under the light. A smile appeared on her face to see it. "Oh yeah," said Aguri, "I'm definitely taking this!"

Vanessa would glance as she changed from her skirted suit, into attire fitting for one who kills. She would already be armed with her twin nine-millimeter pistols, adorned with blades underneath their barrels.

Her attire consisted of black boots, dark blue jeans, with black gloves, and a matching black t-shirt with a collar similar to that of a turtleneck. When seeing her associate choose the knife, she turned to her and asked, "Why that? Don't you know that these guys may be armed with guns? Why would you intentionally go a more difficult route to fight?"

"I've always had a knife on me when I was Yakuza back home. There's no better weapon than a knife, since it doesn't run out of bullets, or jam up on you because of some stupid spring or a bullet stuck in the chamber." Aguri turned and smiled widely as she showed her weapon, and said, "Trust me, a knife is all I need to get the job done."

"Hm. So be it. But I won't be saving you should you find yourself under fire."

"Fair enough, spooky."

They soon marched back to the warehouse, and thanking the owner of the shop before doing so.

-----

Inside that warehouse were two tables stretching from one side to another, with people lined up and tending to the items that were on top of them.

These people were men and women, stripped down to nothing but their underwear with aprons covering the front, and masks that covered their mouth and goggles to cover their eyes.

The contents of the table were drugs being packed by those tending to it; a white powder that had been seen around Manhattan, and distributed in the territory of the city which the Laine Family resided over.

Watching over them nearby were the armed guards. Men both tall and small watched them like hawks to make sure no trouble was to be made, and watching both them and the workers at the tables was the one controlling it all together -- Victor Franchitti.

He was on the metal catwalk that connected to a small office -- his office -- as he observed everything below them.

Out of nowhere, the sound of a loud metallic bang, followed by the sight of a guard collapsing to the floor with a puddle of blood forming underneath him.

From the shadow did Aguri Dojima and Vanessa Chō emerged; themselves armed and ready for those who intended to fight against them.

"Hope you idiots made peace with yourself, because I'm gonna make sure to turn you into pieces!" Aguri twirled the knife between her fingers, smiling at their opposition.

"Don't be arrogant," said Vanessa with her guns aimed at those ahead of them.

Victor Franchitti looked at them, confused before recognizing the woman with the long bob cut and smiled.

"Why Ms. Chō," he said to her, "how lovely it is to see you again. Never expected that redhead skank to send you, instead of being her ass-kisser. Kind of honored really."

"Victor..." Vanessa's eyes sharpened to a glare, recognizing him. She knew Victor to be one of the Laine Family's higher ups and being the boss of a sector in Manhattan under Diana Laine's command. What could he be doing here? That question was obvious to her, but not so for Aguri, who saw the man smiling at them, and asked her about him. Vanessa answered.

"This man was Ms. Laine's closers who maintained this part of town. He also was the one that ensured no drugs made their way into our territory, up until a month ago when he suddenly disappeared and the drugs started coming in from the dealers in town. I suppose now we know and who to kill."

Victor laughed when hearing her proclaim his death at their hands. "You two think you can kill me," he snorted with a grin added to it. "Go ahead and try! I'll send your bodies back to Laine, and show her that I can take this city alone without her! Get 'em boys!"

And so it began. A hailstorm of gunfire that resonated with the screams of fleeing men and women who were caught in the crossfire. Victor's men fired at the pair, who returned their own form of attacks with their weapons.

Vanessa fired her pistols and pirouettes against a metal beam underneath the catwalk, using the cover to shoot from.

Aguri rolled into a stack of crates, knife clenched tight in a fist as she heard the footsteps of a guard who intended to flank their position. He would never see her coming, who slashed across his throat to carve a red flowing line that bled profusely as he fell dead on the floor.

Victor watched the fight from where he stood above them, observing the coolheaded hitman who was gunning down his guards with little effort before noticing the one-eyed woman wielding only a dagger that carved lethal cuts into those who didn't notice her approach. It was interesting to see, to find such a strange sight in the middle of a gunfight; the way she moved was nearly a blur as the dagger sliced, carved, and stabbed into those fighting against them. There was no fear of death, nor hesitation to rush headlong into danger.

He grinned widely.

The guards would be reduced to a heap of bodies, with a small few close to death.

The workers who were watched by those now defeated guards were leaving the warehouse quickly to avoid being more involved with them.

Victor hummed at the sight of the dead below the catwalk and gave the two women a round of applause and saying, "Bravo! Bravo! You are as efficient as you are dangerous, Chō. And your friend is a spitfire with that fancy knife. I take it she's like you -- assassin or something?"

"Hah," laughed Aguri, "I'm not like this ice queen at all. I'm just someone who likes cutting scumbags like you down. So why don't you come down here, make this easy, and we all go home happy."

"Tempting offer, but I think that's impossible to do. But, I will make you a deal, kid. Ditch the dead-eyed broad you're with and me. I can make you rich, and have fun doing it too."

"Nah, I don't think so."

"Then I guess we're at an im--Whoops!"

A bullet, fired by Vanessa, sped quickly at Victor, who stepped quickly to the side to barely avoid it hitting him.

He laughed at her, then said, "Nice try! It appears your element of surprise is lacking that surprise for it!"

Vanessa scoffed at him, reloading the magazine of her gun as she said to Aguri, "We can't let him run. Ms. Laine wishes to capture him, so don't hesitate on him."

"Hesitate?" said Aguri, "I got no mercy for this drugged-up quack. A broken bone or two to make him cry is all I need to feel satisfied. Get ready, because here I come!"

-----

In the office room above the Sicilian restaurant in Little Italy, Diana Laine stood in front of the dealer who was interrogated earlier by the two under her employ. He was escorted by another assiciate to meet with her and explain the workings of his boss.

Diana was standing over him while he was bound to a chair.

An anxiousness came over him from those strange eyes and that friendly smile that hid her true motives for him.

"Listen lady," stammered the dealer, "I didn't know your territory, and if I had, I would not have agreed to help out Victor. I swear, I won't stick around; you have my word on that. I-I'll make sure to leave Manhattan and you won't see me around here again."

Diana remained quiet still. Those eyes never blinking, and the curve of her lips unchanged as she looked at her dealer, making him more anxious.

"I believe you," said Diana while lowering her head a bit. "You are but a victim of circumstances after all. But before I allow you to leave, I must ask you something, if you don't mind."

"What is it," asked the dealer.

"Has victor spoken about his...gift to anyone? Other than you, of course," asked Diana with herself moving from the desk she leaned on. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Just wanted to make sure is all. I do so love how close you are to him... makes this so much easier."

"Easier--??"

Diana would grab the bound dealer's head underneath her armpit, and with a sudden lift of the arm, broke his neck. A soft exhale from the exert of strength she performed was made, and she let his head go as he was limp in the chair he was in.

With a snap of her fingers, two men entered as she told them to take the body in a sack and dump it in the harbor. As they left, she smiled still and was amused at the situation.

"How fun," said Diana to herself. "Everything is going so well. Let's see how it ends."

Her eyes were then on the window behind her desk.

-----

The chase was on for Victor Franchitti. The leader of the drug distribution was currently fleeing upstairs, with Vanessa Chō and Aguri Dojima following some ways behind him. Hey had been under orders to dispose of the distribution of drugs and return with the one in charge of it all.

But they were shocked by his speed that barely had them at a disadvantage; moving swiftly like a fox as he moved up the steps in a stride. Their determination to catch remained strong though.

With his forearm had Victor crashed through the door of the warehouse's rooftop and see the grey clouds above that barely had sunlight.

Not far behind, the two Laine associates appeared and readied their weapons in case he were to resist.

"Well now, this definitely stinks." He turned to them, smiling confidently as he raised his hands. "I guess this means I come willingly," he said and chuckled. However, he and Aguri would be surprised when Vanessa fired her gun and put a bullet each into his knees.

"The hell, Chō?" Exclaimed Aguri at the sight of her ruthless action.

"Do not be so naive," replied Vanessa, "If we had gotten close, he would have used a razor to cut at you or me.

She was right, you know. Victor was on his side from being immobilized. And on the ground just near the sleeve of his coat was a razor, small but enough to cut someone and bleed them heavily. A sharp eye did the hitman have for threats such as these.

"Let's take him back before anyone notices," said Vanessa while Aguri scratched the back of her head and went over to him to pick him up by the arm.

A laughter abruptly came from him. "You stupid, slant-eyed bitches," he cursed at them with an expression mixed with pain and excitement. "Did you really think this can stop me? You are as dumb as sheep!"

Both his legs twitched. The blood that once spread on his the kneecaps were regressing; time appearing to rewind on his wounds right before Aguri's lone eye. He was healed with no signs of ever being harmed, with the only evidence of such a thing happening were the holes which the bullets had made on his tros. The sight of his legs restoring themselves right before her eye was baffling to Aguri, who was unfortunately met with a hard kick that sent her backwards and onto the ground.

Victor rose from the ground, and saw Vanessa close in the distance to fire another shot. This time he was prepared and steps to the left, and then to the right at a speed he showed like when scaling the stairwell not five minutes ago. He dodged those bullets, barely, and reached a hand outwards to grab Vanessa's wrist that held the gun. However, he would be pushed back by her own hand, and the blade underneath the gun would cut into his wrists, and then kicked back to stagger him.

Yet, like before, his blood that was now revealed to all had started to return to those wounds; flesh quickly sealing up like a ziplock until they no longer remained those wounds.

"I see now," thought Vanessa as she observed this odd regeneration. And out loud, she said, "You're one of them aren't you?"

Victor laughed at the question. "Cat's out the bag now," he said through a snicker and a stroke of his beard. "When I first ed Laine's little posse, she gave me some of her blood and viola~! I can now heal fast, hit harder, and run faster! I'm a fricking demigod!"

"... Must be the demigod of mules...jackass," said Aguri from the floor as she got up slowly. The kick matched with what he said; a blow heavy as a sledgehammer, yet swift like the wave of one's hand. That kicked would've indeed broke her ribs, if not for blocking the blow seconds before it landed. Her arms tingled from the dull pain brought from such a hit, and remained capable of gripping the dagger in her hand.

Vanessa would see her rise up with a quiet groan, and was asked by her partner about what to do with a man who seemed to regenerate quickly and without drawback.

She looked at Victor and said to Aguri, "He heals fast, but he isn't unstoppable. Just like us, he too can be beaten."

"Okay...how?" Aguri had asked Vanessa.

"If he's healing fast, then that means he's used to certain injuries, perhaps done them intentionall to adapt and recover more so than normal," explained Vanessa. "However, regeneration or not, he still feels pain, can be knocked out even. So we'll have to put some work into doing so. Go for his vital points and he'll have to fall eventually until he recovers again."

Aguri grinned at her, which made Vanessa notice with a confused expression.

"You're a pretty intelligent sort, Vanny-chan," she said to Vanessa, earning an annoyance from the stoic female between them.

Their focus returned to Victor. The confidence he has was brimming from his nigh-unstoppable healing.

Ready.

Set.

Go!

It begins -- the battle against one bearing a fraction of eternal life.

Whether they succeed or not is left in the next installment!

To be continued