Part I: The Raven | Chapter 2: Witch Hunt

After our shift in the dockyard had ended, my intrepid coworkers and I packed some equipment and headed towards the bar. We mainly brought some protection and guns, though I wouldn't be using one. One of the protections that I suggested we use were masks or balaclavas, as she might want to take her revenge if she were to slip away.

Knowing her, she would definitely try to take her revenge on us.

After a long walk, we finally arrived at the bar. We were already hearing the laughter coming from inside the wooden establishment, as the name ' Charles' ' illuminated the façade of the building with a bright orange neon. We walked into the bar, and were instantly greeted by the bar's owner and namesake of the establishment: Charles, a small yet energetic old man in his late sixties; a rare sight in the caverns. He had been notified of our arrival by his bartender, who had overheard the conversations of two other fellows we were meant to meet up with. He wanted to thank us for our courage in coming here as we were the first and only people who were willing to stand up to the Girl. Because of this, he allowed to drink to our heart's content, and it would be on the house. We all celebrated as if we had already captured our target, even though the night had barely even started.

By the time the bar was closed, Charles had given me - the only sober one - the keys, in case our foe were to decide to attack some other day. We all put on our gear and loaded our guns, though I was going to fight with my bare fists to avoid injuring her. I was also not to use my thermal powers, because of the powerful fears and superstitions surrounding psionic users and their powers.

We waited and waited, as I started feeling drowsy behind my steel mask. I looked at the others and realised they were already sleeping. My mind was ready to give in to the temptation, until the doors at the entrance flung open, to reveal the silhouette everyone was waiting for, as a feminine figure appeared before us five.

Everyone suddenly awoke. One guy shot his rifle, only to miss, but the others followed suit. In a mix of adrenaline and fear, they all started shooting yet missing, much to my relief. She hopped behind a counter as she threw knives at us with pin-point accuracy, pining the guy with a rifle to the wall. I let the others be taken out, so that I could fight her one on one, just like the good old days. She then proceeded to throw what I could only hope to be tranquilising darts to the two other wannabe militiamen. She finally leapt out the counter the moment she heard the familiar click of a gun's empty clip. She approached who I think was George as he backed up, step by step, away from this terrifying women of the dark. He plead for mercy, as she simply pistol-whipped him strongly enough to knock him out.

I was thus the only one left, and was happy to see that she didn't forget a single thing from training. She lunged at me. We traded and evaded jabs, hooks and even roundhouse kicks. I could see her facial expression change from that of confidence to that of surprise, though it reverted back to before once she realised I was beginning to slow down from fatigue. There was no way for me to reveal who I was either, as I noticed one of the other guys was still conscious and observing with a look of shock as our dance of martial arts flung fist and foot at one another. Eventually I was bested, but not without a good fight. She was able to grab on to me whilst I was unbalanced and shoved me head-first into a wall, rendering me unconscious until the next morning.

When I woke up, I was surprised to find myself in my bed with my head buzzing with pain. As I looked around me, I saw a small note on my desk, reading: "Reckoned that you'd rather wake up in your bed than on concrete floor. -Charles". That old man is definitely starting to grow on me. I headed out, painfully ended my shift, not without noticing my buddies from yesterday were missing, probably at a clinic. I grabbed something to eat at Eddy's bar, and started thinking about my next course of action, preferably one that didn't involve fighting. As I was eating, I overheard some sailors' conversation: they had had another sighting of her downstream of the Saphine much farther from the town, as if she were hunting at proximity. Now, I knew exactly what to do.

I called up Eddy, who was serving beer to some dockyard worker.

"You haven't even finished your meal that you already want more, huh!" he chuckled. "What's up?"

"Remember that knife?" I asked. "Do you still have it?"

"Sure," he replied. "Why?"

"Oh, I was just wondering if I could borrow it for the night, maybe see if I could study it or something."

He raised an eyebrow, but didn't question my intentions. He searched under his counter, and handed it over to me. I thanked him, finished my meal and left.

I headed back to my apartment, as I awaited the closing hours of the docks for my next move. When the moment came, I moved out, wearing my mask again in case anyone were to witness what I was about to do. I was able to infiltrate the docks through a side gate that was only available to employees. I then proceeded to quietly hop on a fisher's row boat, then started drifting on the Saphine's slow current, towards the section the sailors were talking about. Once there, I pulled out the knife Eddy had given me. I raised it above my head and stood up. 

"Hey! I've got that knife of yours! I know you came here a few nights ago!" I paused. I could hear my voice echo throughout the tunnel. "Come on and show yourself!"

I then felt the cold, sharp steel of a knife on my throat, as she appeared behind me. 

"You've got some balls coming all the way out here."

"Oh, do I..." I started heating the metal of her knife with my mind, in turn almost burning her hand as the heat melted the handle. I turn around to face her and took off my mask to see her expression of fear and utter shock.

"Isabella."