The Scarman Enigma

[|Scarecrow|]

POST BY SCARECROW [2023]

Starwood Hotel, Ground Level.

Kurt gritted his teeth and glared at the deputy before him. The carnage around the entrance was plain to see. Sayne had carved a brutally rapid path through the gathered armed law enforcement.
“I don’t have time for this,” Manning growled, looking past the deputy to the hotel’s ruined frontal façade.
“You’ll make time!” The deputy said angrily, standing squarely in front of the bounty hunter.

“Officer!” Miyu Greer shouted from where she had parked her energy bike. She had dismounted and was walking towards the front of the hotel. “Detaining us is a mistake, the threat is moving into the building as we speak!”
“Detain her!” The deputy yelled at an adjacent comrade.
Manning didn’t need any encouragement. He took Miyu’s distraction and rolled with it, darting neatly around the law, whose back was now almost fully turned to him.

“We will not stand for- Hey,” The deputy spun around, “Wait!”
But Manning was already gone. He made a break for the entrance to the hotel, sprinting hard.
“Stop or we’ll shoot!” Another voice warned loudly from somewhere behind him. He wasn’t sure who it was.
Manning pushed forward, ignoring the alert. Sure enough, the growl of small arms fire opened up behind him. He made it to the threshold of the shattered hotel frontage just as the gunfire sounded. Diving into a long forward roll, Manning crossed into the ruined reception, sparks and debris kicking up around him as projectiles peppered his surroundings. A bullet nicked his leg as he rolled through the destroyed windows.
“Fuck!” He snarled as he ducked into cover, drawing his shotguns.

He glanced down at the wound. A dark red stain was beginning to seep through the fabric of his trousers. No time!
Be broke cover again and sprinted for the central elevators. The onslaught from behind continued, but this time it didn’t seem to be coming at him.

He didn’t look behind. He didn’t need to. He knew that Miyu was buying him the precious seconds he needed. He slammed into the wall beside the elevator doors and jammed his elbow into the call button. An LACPD officer rounded the far side of the reception area, aiming a small submachinegun in his direction. Kurt fired at the floor, aiming short of the man’s feet. The combat shotgun let off with a rending howl, flechettes of plasma-lined debris punching into the tiled flooring. The officer floundered, just in time for the lift doors to chime and open.

* * *

Starwood Hotel, Centre for Commerce, Floor 73.

Tyrant Scarman dragged the bound and gagged form of Victoria Wade roughly along the adjoining corridor, towards the next conference room. The Black Flag had taken up positions all throughout the top ten floors of the hotel, and the centre for commerce had been their headquarters for the operations against the Freedom Fighters. Now the centre was almost redundant, as the enemy were upon them. Pirates from the remaining ranks of the Black Flag were scattered throughout the rooms, laying traps and securing doorways and windows. Scarman threw Victoria in front of him as he entered the next chamber. Two of his Corsairs skittered away in fear as he emerged.

Victoria had once again been able to work her gag from her mouth. She scowled at Marcus as he stooped to grab her by the ankles.
“He’ll kill you. My Marcus will be here in minutes, and when he gets here, he’s going to end this.”
“The big hero, is he?” The Tyrant snarled has he snatched at Victoria’s feet. She pulled away, trying to evade his grasp. “Always there to rescue you?”
Victoria wormed away from the monstrous alternate version of her friend. As she moved, she worked frantically at her wrist bindings.
“He is-” She grunted as she wrenched her hands free, “But sometimes, I don’t need rescuing!”

Victoria grabbed out at the Tyrant’s wrists, barely catching them as he reeled backwards. Building momentum with her body, she pulled inward with her hands whilst angling upward with her hips, knees, and feet. Her boots caught the Tyrant squarely in the jaw with a sickening smack. She released his wrists as she made contact, sending him sprawling backwards. Tyrant Scarman howled in pain as he toppled over.

Victoria frantically set to work at the tape wound around her ankles. She dug her fingers into the tough bindings and pulled. The sticky tape shifted slightly under grasp, but nowhere near enough to loosen the grip.
“Shit, shit, shit-” She cursed as she tugged.
Tyrant Scarman was recovering from the blow. With his head in his hands, he was slowly pulling himself to his feet.
“Come on, come on-” Victoria desperately pried at the tape as she pushed herself backwards along the floor, trying to gather distance from her attacker.
Tyrant Scarman started laughing. It was a cold chuckle at first, but it opened as he broke out into a full belly-laugh. His cackle seemed to be the only sound in the room, despite the ongoing battle outside.
“Very good. Very good.” He wiped blood from beneath his nose and slowly began to walk toward Victoria. “Fighting is good. Keep that spirit up. You'll need it.”

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| S C A R E C R O W |

"See you space cowboy..."