Don't Fear the Reaper: Part 5 (Sequence 1)
It had been a while; the darkness was creeping up and over the two as they stood in the shadows.
Scarecrow stood motionless, waiting, unmoving for anything, even the nagging mare at his back.
"Scarecrow, we can move up, there's no way she could know we're coming!" she whispered hoarsely. Scarecrow looked back at her and shook her off lightly.
"No touchy," he said quietly and continued to stand. Their target was an old, decrepit building surrounded by barbed wire fences. The top floor's roof had been destroyed, and a few equally decrepit columns which once held a strong roof now cast pillar-like shadows over the cloud-shaded earth. In between the large spans of shadows however, Scarecrow could see a dark figure zip back and forth between pillars every so often.
"She's nervous," he thought to himself. "She's beginning to suspect they've sent someone...good."
"Whatcha thinking?" Trisha whispered as quietly as she could. Scarecrow would have heard if she had simply breathed it. He shushed her once, and then turned back her.
"You're going to walk out there, act unsuspicious. Don't make any kind of hint that you know anything about anything. Don't act like you have any kind of mission or any kind of goal. When you reach a certain point, you're going to feel a light warming sensation on a specific point of your body, extremely specific. That would be a gun laser. You won't see it but you'll feel it if you concentrate on even the tiniest change in temperature," he explained. Trisha began to look nervous at the mention of "gun laser". "If she sees you pull something like a cell phone or an iPod out of your pocket, she'll shoot you. So don't do that. If you do exactly as I've told you, I'll get to her before she begins to suspect. Please...please do exactly as I've told you."
Trisha looked a little unsure for a second or two, and then nodded her head once. Her features hardened and her face became determined for success. Scarecrow nodded back and pointed up at a spot on a nearby hill. It was shrouded in brush, and a perfect place to "emerge from the woods, lost and confused".
"Go," was all Scarecrow said. Trisha moved quickly and quietly up to the spot, and then gathered herself for the task. She got into her character, calmed herself, removed all goals, and then started walking.
She walked out into the open and started making her way towards the building. She was trying to feel for that gun laser, but so far could feel nothing...maybe Scarecrow was wrong in his analysis? She scratched an annoying itch on her cheek and continued walking. Trisha stopped and began to think out loud, trying to make her character seem more believable.
"Alright, so let's see, what do we recognize? Nothing...perfect," she faked. "Near a creepy old building and totally lost...wonderful! Maybe I can find my way through the roads behind it."
Trisha started walking again, scratching an equally annoying itch on her forehead. She brought her hand back down, but then immediately brought it back up to scratch the persistent itch! Then she stopped.
She put her hand in front of her forehead and the itch moved to the back of her palm...when she moved her hand back again; the itch was in the same spot on her forehead! She gasped and then played it off like she had just swatted some gross-looking bug. That was the gun laser! The itch wasn't an itch; it was heat from the infrared! She realized she was in an experienced sniper's sights...
She looked back at the spot from which she had come. Scarecrow was nowhere to be seen, but that wasn't particularly surprising...
She looked back around and the continued walking towards the city, making it seem like the building was just in her way.
Meanwhile, Scarecrow was through the fence and scaling the side of the building! With each step, he made sure he wouldn't do three things: drop any rubble, make any noise, or lose his hat. His favorite hat he had decided to bring along for old times' sake with Mantis when they made contact. He usually didn't bring along the hat simply for the dynamics of it; a hat would get in the way of form and function without a doubt. This time however, it felt right...it felt like he wouldn't be complete without it.
He looked over at his distraction. She was pulling it off fantastically! She was non-threatening, yet remaining a constant factor, so he knew Mantis wouldn't take her eyes off of her!
"That's my girl," he thought. He reached the ledge finally and let his scaling claws dig in just beneath the rim, so as not to be seen. Perfect position...
Time to analyze...
Target: One Skinner. Female. Extensive combat training coupled with years of stealth tactics and infiltration/evasion. Small build. Species unknown.
Armament: Ultrahigh-grade Stealth Recon Scout rifle. Customized. Exact weapon count unknown. Packed light, predicted weapon count: 20. Elite Skinner battlesuit (Green). Elite Skinner helmet.
Predicted movements: (if caught off-guard) will attempt one-legged mule kick at lower abdomen. Block, then sweep out supporting leg. On ground, mount. Deliver stun pulse to central nervous system, restrain. Complete.
(If aware)...
...Wing it.
Scarecrow leapt upwards and was already above the dilapidated pillars. He placed a gentle foot on the nearest one on his landing and pushed back into the air. He soared like a butterfly and locked onto his target. Mantis was kneeling against the far wall, aiming her rifle at her target, the little red dot pointed directly at her forehead! Trisha couldn't see it, but Scarecrow's crosshairs picked up the infrared and he saw it clear as day. The dot didn't even waver; at least it didn't when Mantis was aiming at Trisha...
Mantis began to move her whole body, she let go of her gun and started bounding away from her current position! Scarecrow noticed and jumped the opposite direction when he saw his target rapidly bursting away! He finally began to fly now, zooming towards the green-suited Skinner with intense speed. She was fast though, too fast, and Scarecrow could never beat her in a race...
She zipped behind a pillar with Scarecrow close behind. He spun around the opposite side of the pillar, gazing directly into the large insectoid eyes of an old friend...
"Crow?" a small whisper echoed from the green-tinted Skinner. Scarecrow moved in slow-motion, clenching his fist as small sparks jumped from within his palm. Mantis' crosshairs spun rapidly for a moment, then stopped completely when she felt a hand on the back of her neck. She jolted once, and then flopped lazily into the powerful arms of her friend. Scarecrow held her tightly, taking great care to lower her gently onto the ragged floor of the roof.
"I've got you, don't worry," he whispered.
He heard footsteps pounding behind him, rushing up the crooked stairs to the roof. His crosshairs didn't flitter for a second between Trisha running up behind him and the stunned Skinner in his arms. Trisha leaned over his shoulder, looking at the semi-conscious woman he laid against the ground.
"Is that her?" she asked.
"No, this is the other Skinner I was sent to apprehend," he mocked and chuckled.
"Humph! I was only asking," she crossed her arms and stepped away childishly.
Scarecrow took out a pair of silver rings attached to eachother through magnets and slid them over Mantis' wrists. They tightened slightly and held her hands in place. She stirred at the new sensation.
"Scare..." she whispered. "What in the hell made you think it was ok to hit me in the CNS?! That could've fried me you son of a bitch!"
"Well, somebody's cheery today aren't they?" Scarecrow hoisted her to her feet, and then gripped her shoulders tightly when she wobbled against the nearby pillar.
"Oh yea why wouldn't I be? I've only been on the run for months from my own damn organization! No reason to be down right?" Mantis scoffed and turned her head, looking directly at Trisha. "And what the hell is this?! What is she, a civilian? Where'd you find her and why haven't I ever seen her before?"
"Ok, you need to stop talking," Scarecrow said and held a finger up to where her nose should have been. She took a breath to begin again, but Scarecrow wrapped his hand around her throat. "Now."
Mantis released the breath and looked back at Trisha, then at Scarecrow.
"You go first with the explaining," she said calmly. Scarecrow's crosshairs spun wildly for a second and he wrapped his long arms around Mantis' shoulders!
"Good to see you again Bug," he said happily. "I missed ya."
"Good to see you too Crow," she said and nustled her head against his chest. "It's been a while."
After the three of them went inside the building, they sat down in a circle in the middle of the ruined main hall, Mantis leaning against a nearby half-wall.
"Hey...I'm sorry about how I acted," Mantis apologized to Trisha, rubbing her head against the mare's shoulder. "I'm a little bit paranoid; as I'm sure you've noticed. I'm a real sweetheart once ya get to know me!"
"Don't worry about it, I've had experience dealing with it," Trisha said and smiled. "Half of it in dealing with him."
When she pointed towards Scarecrow, he reacted as though she was pointing to someone behind him jokingly.
"What, me? I'm not paranoid am I? What are you trying to say?" Scarecrow joked. Mantis giggled and Trisha tried to conceal a smile. She really was beginning to fall for him, he pertained a delicate charm under his terrifying outer shell.
"I wanna know Bug," Scarecrow suddenly became serious. "Why'd you run?"
"Scarecrow...there's something that...this really isn't what I want to discuss right now," she began. "It's something that I can't quite fathom myself..."
"That doesn't sound good," Trisha piped. Scarecrow's look silenced her.
"All I want to know is what happened," Scarecrow said again to Mantis. Trisha had never seen him so serious before. "What did you do that made Mother so worried about you?"
"It wasn't what I did...it was what I found," Mantis began, but a low thump from outside made the trio's heads snap quickly towards the doors. Scarecrow stood up and started making his way towards the nearest hole in the wall.
"Scarecrow, release the magnets," Mantis asked from the ground. She looked over at Trisha. "Help me up."
Trisha put an arm under Mantis' and helped the Skinner to her feet. The other two made their way over to Scarecrow, who quickly put a hand up to stop them. Mantis stopped immediately, but Trisha took a cautious step before Mantis reached out to stop her.
"When your comrade gives you an order, you listen," she whispered. Trisha took a second to look back at Scarecrow then nodded.
Scarecrow looked back at Mantis and held up one finger, then curled it slightly and pointed at the wall on the other side of the hole through which he looked. Mantis stepped carefully up to the wall to face her friend.
"Mantis, its Mother," Scarecrow said and looked at her. Mantis shook her head.
"I'm not going back home Crow, I won't," she said defiantly. Scarecrow looked tired and rubbed the front of his mask exhaustedly.
"C'mon Mantis! What the hell do you expect me to do? I don't wanna toast you again but I will dammit...if you leave me no other choice," Scarecrow warned. Mantis glared at him, her crosshairs narrowing to show her concentration.
"If you bring me back there, you're damning me...they'll kill me for what I know Scarecrow!" Mantis said loudly. There was a buzzing noise outside.
"No they won't! I won't let them!" Scarecrow retaliated. Mantis looked unconvinced.
"You expect to change Mother's mind? Go for it...I'm not going back there conscious, be I dead or alive," Mantis stood fast by her word. The buzzing noise outside grew louder. Both Scarecrow and Mantis were unaware, but Trisha could hear it.
"Guys?" she tried.
"Mantis I swear, there's nothing that can be so terrible that Mother won't forgive you," Scarecrow tried to sway her.
"Dammit Scarecrow! You have no idea what's going on do you?!" Mantis yelled. The buzzing grew even louder. Trisha became worried.
"Guys?!" she walked up to them, holding her hand out to tap Scarecrow on the shoulder as she looked around the building worriedly.
"Stay out of this!" they both said in unison then turned back to eachother.
"Mother has ALWAYS forgiven you or me for anything we've fucked up on!" Scarecrow yelled. "There's no way she'd have you terminated!"
"She's not the Mother we knew in the Academy! She's different now, and you might not see it but I sure as hell do! She won't think twice about putting a bullet in my brain right now! At this point, she's probably gonna kill you too!" Mantis yelled back.
"GUYS!!!" Trisha screamed. Both of them turned to look at her.
"WHAT?!" was their response.
"What is that?" she asked in reference to the buzzing noise.
"What's what?" Scarecrow asked, sounding fed up.
"It sounds like buzzing," Trisha explained. Scarecrow's crosshairs immediately spun so fast, the blurred into two large circles on his eye-panels.
"Buzzing?" he asked once more. Trisha nodded emphatically.
"Bad?" she asked.
"Very bad," he looked out the hole once again. He looked out the window and then back to Mantis. "ASM-131 Abaia?"
"Most likely."
"Wonderful GET DOWN!"
END OF PART 1... STAY TUNED...