In the face of Danger

From the corner of his eye, Chance saw Bright's hands, which seemed to be covered by leathered gloves judging by their thickness. As appropriate of his clothes, the crimson Dripper's gloves were also dripping of crimson.

Whether or not that's blood was a whole different story.

"Detective! The police are on their way-" Amato Fallaci spoke as he ran out from the back of his apartment building, before he stopped to see who the Haverton was facing.

"Mr. Fallaci. Get inside." Chance spoke to the Italian man. He gently placed Dead Air onto the ground, before he took off the gloves. "Wear those gloves. It'll protect you from the Hellfire Arm. Keep it safe by the time HAST arrived."

"But-"

"I can manage." Chance replied as Amato became silent, before the Italian did as he was suggested to do. As he put on the gloves, Amato grabbed Dead Air, before he went back into his living quarters with his wife and son.

I need to drag him away from this place, Chance thought of Bright, still standing still wielding his Crimson '45. These civilians don't deserve to be in the crosshairs.

"I'm not as low as the next criminal." Bright spoke. His voice was disemboweled, yet it was heard unbelievably clearly by Chance's ears.

Chance furrowed his eyebrows. "How did it feel then, putting a lot of people into the next life?"

"I'm just doing my part detective, as you're doing yours."

"I am not you." Chance spoke. "I've only killed men when the situation demands it, like war. It's not something to be proud of. Don't give me the criminal status bullshit, your victims were people too."

"But not the most well deserved in a society like Morissey." Bright spoke. "This situation could have been easier to be blunt, you could have handed me Dead Air and I would have been on my way, but I suppose you're a man that doesn't like the easy way, does he?"

"I figured." Bright continued. "You're lacking a Hellfire Arm, but I���ll try to make it fair for you." the crimson Dripper pulled out a silver pocket watch. There was a small ounce of blood on it. "A minute headstart. Go wherever you want. I admire people who dedicate themselves to their jobs, even if it puts their life on the thin line that is this city, or the world for that matter."

Chance clenched his fists. His heart started to beat, faster than it was normally. He didn't remember exactly, but the doctors who were at his hospital told him that there was an average number for the human heart to beat per minute.

That wasn't going to be of significant importance, because right now the numbers don't matter, and Chance let out a breath.

He turned swiftly before he ran. Bright saw adversary run back towards the street level, as the hands on his pocket watch began to move slightly.

Chance made a break for it as he approached his Deckard. He saw midway that something was rising from the tires.

Crimson mist.

That car was a gift from his father. Chance winced as one of the tires bursted, prompting several people to flinch in fear, in addition to various screaming and panic troubles.

"Detective!" said a voice. It was Fermor. "I was patrolling the area here. What brings you here?"

"I've recovered a Hellfire Arm, it's at Amato Fallaci's place." Chance spoke as he soon saw streams of mist forming into a figure, The figure was medium in size, and its long head grew a beak. On the sides of its body, grew wings.

"What the hell." Chance spoke as the crimson Eagle shouted loudly, and flew down to Chance's position. He turned to see other civilians of Little Italy, then at Fermor. "HEY!" he shouted at the eagle. "You want me? Come and get me!"

The eagle responded by flying down to his location. It's beak was facing the front first.

"Everyone in the area! Bring yourselves and those around you inside. NOW!" Chance yelled as he ran past Amethyst Avenue, heading out of Little Italy. He saw in front of the streets that there were now posters of warnings regarding the Hellfire Arm crisis.

One poster had the image of a criminal silhouette holding a gun. Beneath the poster was the writing: SERVE YOUR COUNTRY. FIND AND GET RID OF THE HELLFIRE ARMS.

On his right, there was another poster. This poster had a large image of the palm of a hand and a gun crossed out. REJECT THE TEMPTATION, it said. SAY NO TO HELLFIRE.

"Detective!" Chance saw an MPD officer raising his hand.

"Get these people to safety!"

"Safety?" the officer asked before he turned to see what was behind Chance a few miles away. Soon he saw a glimpse of the crimson Eagle.

"You want me!" Chance yelled as he ran passing the cars that were in a traffic jam heading to Central. He yelled out to the people in their cars as well as those on the street. "A Dripper is among us! Get yourselves and those around you safe! This is NOT an exercise!"

Soon came a large siren from the speaker, it was booming and alarming, piercing the ears of many.

"Citizens of Morrisey!" the usual spokesperson began. "A large and terrible attack has occurred on the west end of Port Pembroke. Many brave officers of the Morrisey Police Department and a number of Haverton agents have died in what appears to be a raid of crimson like creatures, according to witnesses."

What? Chance spoke as he looked at his watch. It was high noon.

Earl Wayne Johnson. The meeting Galley had with him.

Haverton agents? His mind went into a frenzy as to who could have been involved? Freddie? Stacy? What about Higgins himself? Even if he was the boss of the Morissey Havertons that didn't mean he sat on his own ass all day on that comfy chair of his, in an equally comfortable officer over in the North part of town.

The spokesperson said more of his announcement. "All citizens are required to be on higher alert of Hellfire Arm users or the Arms themselves! By reporting the hostile users or helping recovering the Arms, you are doing a service to the city and your country!"

Chance made a sharp left on an intersection, he zig zagged through the people. Some were annoyed at his impact crashing into them, but their eyes widened in terror as the crimson eagle screeched.

The eagle's talons grasped onto the back collar of Chance's suit, they slowly embedded themselves into his flesh. The Haverton detective winced in pain as his feet were no longer touching the ground.

He began to see the upper floors of buildings. Windows just passed by him as he continued to go up. His head started to get dizzy as the eagle brought him up the building with all its strength. He felt the world and air around him striking into his head.

The eagle went above a roof. Chance wasn't familiar with all the buildings in Morissey. What he did know was that very rarely in Central there would be a short building. Higher buildings were the hotels, the companies, the headquarters of some boss or billionaire.

Chance felt the crimson eagle open its talons to let him go and he dropped onto the ground of the roof. He landed on his knees. Surprisingly the eagle didn't drop him at the highest distance, but his knees were going through the pain, he winced as he slapped his hands onto the ground as he landed.

The Haverton detective clenched onto his minor wounds from the crimson eagle. He felt tiny holes embedded into his upper back. As he touched the wounds, he winced again, before he saw his blood becoming darker than how human blood would have looked. The blood was even more wet as Chance felt it between his fingers.

Chance felt his head banging as a miniscule amount of mist began to appear from out of his upper back. He was panting out of sheer tiredness and pain.

This was the third time he was up against a Hellfire Arm user, but unlike his encounter with Graham or The Rat King, he was the lone wolf.

All alone.

Chance placed his right hand onto his heart. He was feeling the fast beating of it, as streams of crimson mist started to come to his view. Just like before, it all meddled into one before Bright arrived with his usual stature, landing.

This was a much closer view of the Dripper than before. These Hellfire Arms really did give him such an appearance.

Chance saw Bright appear in front of him, the Dripper had his hands in his pockets, as the Haverton detective threw a left handed punch towards the Dripper's chest. Chance's fist became embedded into Bright's chest, as the Dripper himself extended his arm and put Chance into a chokehold.

Chance saw at the corner of his eye, within a millisecond a pointy spear came out of Bright's shoulder, piercing Chance in the chest, making contact with his ribcage.

The Haverton detective caught up blood, and it splattered onto the ground.