4 --- 1

  Nate didn't like this one bit. Apparently after ten weeks of being double-crossed by Charlie in the warehouse, Victor had poured all his resources into looking for the location where King was kept.

Victor didn't like the idea of attacking the Harlem territory knowing Charlie could be holding King as ransom. All of Victor's efforts were in vain until this morning when he said he received a tip about a willer having a party near his part of the city. After much scrutiny, he found out that it was Charlie's younger cousin throwing a birthday party in New York City.

Nate wasn't buying it. Many a time, Victor would tell them there is a new willer in his territory or some new breakout they had in town that they had to monitor all from the confines of his office or dining table. It was like he could sense willers all around the city and Nate knew no willer could ever have that kind of range or perception. Especially Victor, who was already endowed in other aspects of will manipulation.

Nate reduced the speed of the car as they approached their destination.

"Are we there yet?"

Nate groaned inwardly. This was another part of the mission he did not like. Nate was being saddled alone with Minx for the mission. Victor had tagged it an avenue for her to gain experience on how business was done but to Nate it was all bullshit.

They were crashing a party that had to involve humans and their mission was to roughen up the boy to expose where Charlie was keeping King. Nate might have lost his memories but he knew about the truce and what the elders did to wilers who hurt or kill humans.

If anything went wrong, he knew for sure that Victor was going to them to the wolves. Nate and Minx were the latest additions to the team and the most expendable.

"I am tired of you asking that question, Minx."

"I am sorry, I just really excited. I am finally getting a chance to fight. The last time that happened was well… that time I got to knock you out."

Nate's jaw tightened at the memory. He parked the car as they reached their destination. "We are here." He announced to Minx's delight.

"So how are we going to do this?" she asked.

"Well, I –"

"Actually, I have some ideas I think will help." To Nate's dismay, she actually brought out a notepad where she had scribbled her ideas.

"We could go in good cop bad cop style."  

"I don't think-"

"Or we could try a sneak attack."

"That won't be-"

"Or maybe we could just go in and rip everybody to shreds. We could also do a-"

"Minx."  He raised his voice and finally managed to cut her off. "How about I just let you handle all the fighting and talking. I will simply back you up."

Her eyes went so wide that for a second, Nate thought they were going to pop off. "You are really going to let me be in charge."

"Yup." She squealed and threw her arms around him in a hug. Nate cringed in discomfort but allowed it for a few seconds. "Minx, that is enough. We should get to the mission."

"Right." She disengaged from him and exited the car. Nate followed suit.

The neighborhood was lined up with beautiful and expensive looking houses. He could hear faint music emanating from the house their target should be in."

There was a bouncer stationed in the late afternoon sun. He was wearing a black suit with dark sunshades.

Minx brought out dark glasses of her own. "It's show time." She said and went toward the gate leaving Nate shaking his head in bewilderment as he followed her a few feet behind.

The bouncer snapped to attention when he saw them approaching. "What do you want?" He asked in a gruff voice.

"We are here to attend the party." Minx replied with a smile.

"I don't see no invitations."

"Oh invitations, where did I put them?" She made a show of digging through her pink jacket pocket where she retrieved a glowing fist from her pocket. Nate could see the bouncer's face widen behind the sun glasses.

He had no time to react before Minx punched him hard in the chest. He went off his feet and crashed against gate. He bounced back and crumpled to the ground. He was unconscious in seconds.

Minx grabbed the man's arm and dragged him into the compound to the front door. She gripped the man with both hands and threw him against the door. Nate watched as the man's huge frame crashed the front door open.

She walked in and shouted. "Hello everybody." Nobody answered because the house was empty. "Where is everybody?"

"Let's follow the music." Nate offered.

"Okay." She chirped and went in the wrong direction.

"Minx."  He called her back. "It's this way." He said, pointing in the right direction. She gave him thumbs up and clicked her tongue.

Nate had no idea of how to respond to that and just followed behind her.

They walked fast, barely having time to admire beautiful décor of the house. Almost everything was polished oak wood that glistened in the low yellow light. It was definitely a house for the well-to-do. He wondered if this boy had bought the house or it belonged to his cousin. The grand house was obviously built or paid for by crime deals in Harlem. Nevertheless it was stupid to throw a party in enemy territory.

They followed the sound to the backyard of the house where there was a pool party. There were ladies of different shapes and sizes scantily clad in bikinis showing off a lot of skin. Virtually everybody was half naked so they stood out from the small crowd. The bouncer who had his back turned to them faced them.

As if on cue, the music stopped and everybody stared at them. The bouncer's face went into violent mode. "Who the fuck are you? And how did you get past Joe?"

Minx gave him a wide grin "We are the party crashers." She motioned to herself and Nate.

Nate fought hard not to smack his forehead in frustration with the stupid name. The bouncer reached behind a chair and grabbed an aluminum baseball bat.

"Get out of here before I beat you into a pulp."  

Minx's grin remained. "Try me."

The man swung his bat towards her face. Minx grabbed it at the last second. Her hand glowed and the bat disintegrated into dust. The bouncer gave of a huff of surprise.

Nate had seen the damage Minx could do with her hands and fingers. Any willer could pour a certain amount of will into her hands but Minx was always able to pour excessive energy into her hands without it burning up or any other side effects.

He could see steam wisping from her fingers but they did not seem to bother her as she punched the man squarely in the jaw and threw him aside.

She removed her sunglasses and everyone recognized her instantly.

"GET OUT!!" She shouted and the voice echoed loudly in everybody's ears.

There were screams of panic as people picked themselves from the pool and other fun spots for safety. They ran past Minx and him to get out. A particular girl tripped right in front of him, a boy who was also hurrying out stamped on her ankle. She screamed in pain. Nate bent down and helped her up. He could see the quivering fear on her face.

"Get out of here." He told her calmly.

Everybody had cleared out except two boys and a young woman. Nate scanned them but it only confirmed what he already knew. Willers.

A boy was standing, another was lounging on a bench, and the woman was in the pool. They all looked drunk and uncertain.

Minx stepped forward confidently. "Now which one of you is Nico?"

"Why are you asking?" The boy on the bench asked.

"We've got some questions for you."

"I ain't telling you shit."

Minx's lips turned downwards. "That is unfortunate."

The boy standing right in front of her broke into a fighting stance, ready to charge at her.

She looked back at Nate."This might be a good time for that back up you were talking about."

The boy suddenly accelerated towards her but ran headfirst into a shield Nate had conjured up in front of her. He was momentarily stunned. Minx didn't waste time. She thrust a glowing hand into his chest and extracted his heart with ease. The boy spluttered blood from his mouth and died instantly.

The other two sobered up immediately. The woman rose out of the water hovering at the surface of the pool. She looked like a formidable opponent with muscles rippling off her dark skin.

She struck first with an energy whip that Nate barely sidestepped. Their target, Nico had engaged Minx and the boy seemed to be a little bit too skilled for her match.

He had no time to help her because the woman struck at him with more intent. He flipped away and fired his own burst of energy in mid air. With no intent to let her recover, he sprinted towards her but the woman was ready. She smashed a glowing fist into Nate's incoming face. He grunted in pain and went to ground. The woman at him with another whip, he conjured up a weak shield with a raised arm. The whip tore through the shield and opened up skin on his arm. He shouted in pain and anger and rolled away from the woman's energy onslaught.

He blasted a ball of energy at her with his good arm but it was met with a solid shield of hers. Nate focused his will into his eyes and shone them as brightly as he could. She looked away in reflex, Nate wasted no time and flew towards her with a punch to the face. The woman was dazed. Nate followed up with punches to the abdomen and neck.

The woman slacked tiredly; he took a look at Minx and Nico. Minx was conjuring up shield after shield and Nico was tearing them up with ease each time taking a step closer to her. Minx didn't have much time left.

Nate grabbed the woman and threw her across the pool to hit Nico away and land right in front of Minx. Minx flashed the woman a vicious smile. She focused her will to turn her hand to a sharp edge and stabbed the woman's neck. The woman convulsed violently as blood spluttered and ran down her neck as she died.

Nico looked up with fear in his eyes. It was two against one. He tried to hit Minx a panicked punch, she easily side stepped it and with wave of her hand she launched him into the pool.

Nate put his hand into the pool and focused his will into the water, he drastically reduced the temperature. The water froze up quickly, suspending Nico's body from the neck down into the water.

Minx looked at him in awe. "You've got to teach me that."

Nico whimpered. Minx stuck a boot on the ice testing its strength. When she saw it was strong enough, she strode over to Nico's head which was afloat.

"Where is King?" She asked.

"Leave me the fuck alone."

She flashed him a vicious smile and extended her pinkie and brought it to his forehead. Nico screamed, so suddenly that it startled Nate.

Minx didn't let up. She continued to smile at his screaming head.

"Please… stop…please, I will tell you. Please just stop."

Minx removed her finger and he stopped screaming. He muttered out something amid tears that Nate didn't hear.

"What?" Minx asked.

"Devil's eye." He said clearly, still crying. All the defiance gone from his voice. Minx removed her phone from her pocket and looked the place up.

"Got it." She announced. "Are you sure about this? If you are lying…" She let the word hang threatening.

"I swear, I am telling the truth; saw him there myself this morning."

Nate knew he was telling the truth and so did Minx. She looked at Nate. "What do we do with him?"

Nate looked back at her while holding his charred arm. He knew what they had to do but didn't want a hand in it. He shrugged instead. "You are in charge, what do think we should do?"

She looked down at Nico who had gone pale. She extended a glowing middle finger and put it the middle of his head for a few seconds. He didn't scream this time as his head exploded into a thousand bits.

Minx looked back at him. "We should this more often." She said with the feral smile of a fifteen-year-old killer.