The Bridge Staredown

The light goes green and Arnold steps on the pedal, driving away. He speeds through the roads, swerving passed cars and trucks.

Marialette: "Hey! Slow down. You're gonna crash."

Arnold continues at that pace, while being followed by both Lucia and her group, as well as Valeria and her group. Kassius looks at the side mirror.

Kassius: "Mhm. Looks like they're still following us."

Arnold: "I'll try shake them off."

Arnold makes a sharp turn and changes roads. The police car chases them but Valeria's group misses the turn.

Valeria: "Dammit!"

Valeria's goon 1: "Phone call. It's the boss."

Valeria: "Hand it over!"

He gives her the phone.

Boss: "Valeria."

Valeria: "Boss."

Boss: "The news is very interesting tonight, isn't it? Unknown boy kidnaps the president's daughter? On top of that, the diamond has been stolen too? Now, the last time I saw you, I'm pretty sure you weren't a boy hehehe."

Valeria: "I'm currently working on the problem. I just need you to trust m-"

Boss: "Trust? Trust isn't given. It's earned. I expect results. I don't need to remind you of the consequences of failure."

He hangs up the phone. Valeria gives the phone back to the goon.

Valeria: "Seems like I'm in the mood of killing tonight after all."

Kassius and Arnold continue driving down the road. They eventually reach a highway, where at the end, there is a police barricade with many officers waiting with guns.

Kassius: "Oh crap! That's like, one... two... ahh! Too many to count."

Marialette: "This is crazy! Slow down and just turn yourselves in."

Arnold: "..."

Marialette: "Are you nuts?! Slow down!"

Arnold continues driving. The officers duck away for cover and Arnold rams through the car barricade. The front of the car gets damaged but Arnold manages to get the car through and they continue driving on. Lucia and her group continue following through the space Arnold made with the crash.

Lucia: "Hmm. They may be harder to catch than we thought. We may need to call back up."

Back in the car, Kassius breaks out into a laugh.

Marialette: "What the hell is so funny?! We could've died."

Kassius: "Exactly. That's the funny part."

Arnold: "Ulqora, are you alright?"

Ulqora: "Mhm."

Arnold: "Good. And you, Maria?"

Marialette: "I... I'm fine."

Arnold: "That's good."

Kassius looks to the side and notices a van. He looks away but immediately looks back and notices Valeria aiming at him.

Kassius: "Crap! Go, go, go!"

Arnold steps on the pedal. Valeria starts shooting, breaking the passenger's window and damaging the passenger's side mirror. They drive ahead, moving passed the van.

Kassius: "What the... where did she come from?"

Arnold: "Was that Yveline?"

Kassius: "Wait, you know her?"

Arnold: "She was leading the tour. But why would she be chasing us?"

Kassius: "I think at the door when I was trying to leave, she said something about splitting the reward for the girl. You think that's all she wants?"

Marialette: "Her name isn't Yveline."

Kassius: "Huh?"

Marialette: "I got a good look at her when she was trying to take me away. From the similar look to the emblem on her arm, that's definitely Valeria Kilna of the Black Sand Bandits."

Kassius: "Black Sand Bandits?"

Marialette: "They're a rising group of criminals from the desert nation of Thari. Their leader is on yellow notice so he's naturally a big deal for the ACO."

Kassius: "Whoa! Yellow notice."

The van pulls near the left side of the car. The side door of the van slides open. A man breaks the window and grabs Marialette.

Kassius: "Crap!"

Kassius tries to turn around and grab the man's arm but another guy behind him aims a gun at him. Arnold swerves the car to the right and the guy pulls Marialette out of the window into the van.

Marialette: "Ahh! Let go!"

The van door closes and they drive off.

Kassius: "Crap! They got her."

Arnold: "We're going after them."

Kassius: "We're saving her?"

Arnold looks at him angrily.

Kassius: "Ugh, fine."

Arnold follows the van, going faster and faster. He passes the car and drives in front of them. Kassius heads out of the window and climbs on top of the car. He's adjusts his tie.

Valeria: "What the..."

Arnold: "Kas, you can jump now."

Kassius: "Five... Four... Thr-"

Arnold: "Kas!"

Kas: "Fine, I'm going, I'm going."

Kassius jumps towards the van and lands on the bonnet. He starts tumbling over the windshield but catches himself before he flies off.

Goon 1: "Miss Valeria!"

Valeria: "Where did he go?!"

Kassius pulls himself over to the edge and pops his head down to where the driver can see him through the window.

Kassius: "You're going a bit too fast. Do you mind slowing down?"

Valeria aims her gun at the window and shoots but Kassius pops back up before she can get the shot off. They reach the end of the highway and the van takes a left turn. Arnold tries to follow but a police car gets in his way on the side and he's forced to drive forward.

Arnold: "Dammit! Kas, they cut me off."

(Earpiece) Kassius: "It's fine! Just try shake the others off and I'll tell you my location when I stop the van!"

Arnold continues ahead on the road, followed by a police car but Lucia and her other squad cars take the left turn and follow Valeria's group.

Lucia: "Don't lose sight of them. The president's daughter is in that van."

ACO officer 1: "Do you know who that man is?"

Lucia: "I'm not sure who he is exactly. But the woman leading that group is definitely Valeria Kilna of the black sand bandits."

Lucia and her squad car continue following the van as it nears a mall in the North West side of the city. As the van continues ahead, the side door slides open. One of the men grabs the top of the car and tries to climb up.

Kassius: "Here goes nothing."

Kassius lets go off the car, but grabs the left side with his right hand. His body spins to the side and he gains grip with his left hand. He swings into the door, and kicks the man into the van.

Kassius: "Yo."

The other man tries attacking Kassius, throwing punches but Kassius dodges them. As he tries throwing another punch, Kassius leans back and shoves him out the door of the van. The man falls out and lands on the road, taking a hard tumble before he comes to a stop. Kassius closes the side door.

Valeria: "What the- Shit!"

Goon 1: "Miss Valeria. What do we do?"

Valeria: "Continue driving. I'll go deal with them."

Kassius walks up to Marialette and unties her.

Kassius: "Let's get going."

Marialette: "Go where?! We're in a moving van."

Kassius: "Riiiight. Stay here and I'll go take control of this van, alr-"

Valeria comes swinging through the door and kicks Kassius into the wall of the car. He falls to the floor.

Valeria: "You just had to play hero didn't you?"

She reloads her gun and aims it at Kassius.

Valeria: "I gave you a chance and you didn't take it. This is where you stop."

Just as she's about to pull the trigger, Marialette runs into her and they both fall onto the floor, knocking the gun out of her hand. Valeria tries grabbing the gun but Marialette kicks it out the van.

Valeria: "You little shit!"

Valeria gets up and grabs Marialette by the hair.

Marialette: "Ahh!"

Valeria: "You're getting on my last nerves. You're lucky the boss wants you alive. But I'm sure your state doesn't matter if you're breathing. Don't worry though, I'll try my best not to kill you."

Kassius: "Hold on, hold on."

Valeria: "Huh?"

Kassius is stood up behind Valeria, holding his head. He shuts the door of the van.

Kassius: "Dammit! All this falling gave me a headache."

Valeria: "Still up?"

Kassius: "It seems so. Are we going to do this or...? You couldn't have put your all into that kick now."

Valeria lets go of Marialette's hair.

Valeria: "Challenge accepted."

Valeria runs up to him and they start fighting. Meanwhile while the van is driving, Arnold is driving away from the police.

Arnold: "I think I finally lost them. But I've gone pretty far."

Arnold steps on the gas and goes faster.

Arnold: "Kas, if you can hear me, you're going to have to stall for a while."

As Arnold heads to the bridge, the van approaches it slowly. Inside the van, Valeria and Kassius are fighting. Valeria throws attacks towards Kassius, and he stays on the defensive, blocking and dodging, not making attacks as much. She fakes a sweep and kicks him, hitting the thigh. He backs up, holding his leg.

Valeria: "What's the matter? Leg hurting?"

Kassius goes on the offensive, throwing attacks which puts pressure on her. He fakes a sweep and tries kicking her but she jumps back.

Kassius: "Looks like someone is afraid of getting hit."

They continue fighting as the van gets on the bridge. Up ahead at the centre, there is an officer barricade made by the nation's police. In front of that is a spike strip, that covers the entire road of the bridge. As the goon is driving, bullets are fired at the van. The goon gets shot by one of the bullets fired by the officers. He loses control of the vehicle and drives the van over the spike strip, which cut the tires. The van starts swerving from side to side.

Kassius: "Wh-Whoa."

Valeria: "What the hell?!"

Kassius throws a punch but she blocks. He misses and hits the side of the van.

Kassius: "Ow!"

The van slows down and stops at the middle point of the bridge.

Valeria: "Shit! You... are coming with me!"

She grabs Marialette and opens the van door. She tosses her out and jumps out herself. She shuts the door behind her. Valeria picks up Marialette off the ground and takes her around to the front seat. She opens up the compartment and pulls out another gun. She continues walking with Marialette, until they are out in the open. With a few evacuated cars on the road of the bridge, Valeria gains the attention of the police.

Police speaker: "Release the President's daughter at once!"

Valeria: "No chance! Now, you'll let me go unless you'd prefer her dead!"

At the police barricade, a man is escorted towards the police and handed the speaker.

Man (on speaker): "Marialette?! Are you there?!"

Marialette: "Father? Father! I'm here!"

Valeria: "Shut it."

Valeria pistol whips her and she falls to the ground.

Valeria: "You're daughter's fine for now Mr President. And she will remain to be, if you just tell your men to stand down!"

Valeria notices the goon crawling away from the van, bleeding out.

Goon: "Hel..p..."

Valeria: "You've been shot... You're time is up."

Goon: "I... can still b-"

The goon starts coughing up blood.

Valeria: "You know the rules."

Back at the barricade, the officer leading the crew is Officer Jenkins.

Officer Jenkins: "Prepare to fire men!"

President: "You cannot shoot! My daughter is over there."

Officer Jenkins: "Alright. I need a few men to follow me. We'll go and attempt an intercept."

The goon pleads for help but Valeria walks up closer to him.

Valeria: "Do not make your last moments a pitiful beg for help."

Goon: "Plea-"

The goon coughs up even more blood.

Valeria: "The sun shall be our guiding light. Our death shall free us of our suffering. May the black sand rid you of all sin."

Goon: "Wai-"

Valeria: "Majaanan Ruh!"

Valeria shoots the guard, taking his life. His body, swimming in his blood, is being stared at by Marialette as she lays on the floor weak.

Marialette: "H... How? How can you take a life like that?"

Valeria: "I didn't take a life. I aided an unavoidable death. It's the code of the Black Sand Bandits after all."

Kassius: "That emblem on your arm..."

Valeria: "Ah. Mister Slip and fall wants to play again?"

Kassius walks closer to them.

Kassius: "It's the same one Ayana has."

Valeria: "Ayana? How do you know her?"

Kassius: "I'm her friend."

Valeria: "Her friend? Hahahahahaha! Oh, stop. You're too funny. Ayana? Friends?"

Kassius: "What's so funny?"

Valeria: "You might need to learn to pick better friends. That girl will use anybody to get what she wants. There's a reason the boss let her live for this long. She is cold beyond belief"

Kassius: "Your boss... he's the yellow notice criminal right?"

Valeria: "Correct. And one day, he'll become the biggest criminal in the world."

Kassius: "He won't be the biggest."

Valeria: "Why not?"

Kassius: "Because that'll be me."

Valeria bursts into a laugh uncontrollably.

Valeria: "You sure are a funny kid, I'll give you that. But the boss isn't concerned with ants like you."

Kassius: "Then I'll make him concerned."

Lucia: "Stop!"

Lucia is stood near them, aiming her gun at Valeria.

Valeria: "You stop! Unless you want me to blow her head all the way to her father?"

From the distance, a van is seen driving towards the centre of the bridge. It stops before it reaches that point and a group of Black Sand Bandits goons walk out and start shooting. From the other side, the police also arrive just short of the centre. They start shooting back at them. While Lucia ducks to hide behind one car, Kassius runs up to Valeria while she is distracted and kicks her back. She falls to the ground and Kassius carries Marialette to the van. Valeria tries to stand up and chase him but the wild bullet shots push her to hide behind a car. He runs to the covered side and opens the van door. He places her inside.

Kassius: "Alright just stay here and don't move."

Kassius shuts the door. The shots stop from both sides. Both groups decide to rush at each other. The police start attacking the bandits. Kassius, Lucia and Valeria all come out into the open.

Valeria: "No more games. I'm going to kill you!"

Lucia: "Valeria Kilna as I suspected."

Valeria: "In the flesh."

Lucia: "Where's your boss?"

Valeria: "None of your business."

Lucia: "And you. You're that guy from the station. State your name."

Kassius: "I'm not sure I can right now."

Lucia: "You can remain silent if you choose. You are being detained nonetheless."

Rain starts pouring as the three staredown at the centre of the bridge.