Cheeto girl. {2}

Alexius leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. "Oh, you know... she's slept with pretty much everyone at the academy. And let me tell you something... she's got the whole collection. Gonorrhea, syphilis, crabs... you name it, she's got it. She's like a walking museum of infections. And I'm pretty sure none of you brought condoms, am I right?"

{Come on, bite, bite, bite...}

The gang leader's face twisted in disgust, his bravado wavering as he took a subtle step back. His men exchanged uneasy glances, their laughter dying down.

"W-well... ehem, in that case..." the gang leader stammered, clearly second-guessing his earlier proposition.

But before Alexius could seal the deal, the Cheeto Girl exploded.

"What are you talking about? WHO'S THE BUNNY!? I'M NOT A WHORE, AND LET ME TELL YOU, I'M AS PURE AS THE AETHER!" Her voice rang out like a thunderclap, sharp and indignant, cutting through the tension like a knife.

Alexius froze, his hand instinctively rising to cover his face in a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

{Oh, for the love of!! Cheeto Girl, why now? WHY NOW?!}

The gang leader's eyes widened, his earlier hesitation evaporating as a wicked grin spread across his face. "Well, well... looks like someone's got a temper. Maybe she's not as pure as she claims, huh?"

The gang erupted into laughter again, louder this time, their earlier unease forgotten. Alexius sighed, his mind racing for a new plan as the situation spiraled further out of control.

"You heard her, lads! She's as pure as the Aether! That means I've hit the jackpot today! Never had a virgin in my life! This one's mine first!" The gang leader's voice was a mix of triumph and menace as he took a step toward the Cheeto Girl, his grin widening with every inch he closed between them.

But the Cheeto Girl didn't flinch. Instead, her hand moved like lightning, pulling her handgun from its holster and leveling it at the gang leader's chest. Her eyes burned with defiance, her finger hovering over the trigger.

{Haaaaaaaaa, here we go again...}

Alexius let out a silent sigh, his fists clenching as he activated the hidden mechanism in his palm. The faint hum of his steam-powered gauntlets vibrated through his hands, ready to unleash their deadly payload.

The moment the Cheeto Girl drew her weapon, the street erupted into chaos. The gangsters mirrored her movement, their guns snapping up in unison, while the cadets fumbled with their own weapons; their movements were slower and clumsier, betraying their inexperience.

The gang leader laughed with a harsh, grating sound that echoed off the walls. "Hahaha, look at this, lads! The ginger girl's got fire! I wonder if she's just as wild in bed! I can't wait to find out!"

"Don't you dare move!" the Cheeto Girl shouted, her voice sharp and commanding. "Drop your weapons, or we'll open fire! You're all under arrest, according to Code 10 of the Police Law—"

Her words were cut off by another burst of laughter from the gang. "Hahaha, did you hear that, boys? We're under arrest!" One of them mocked her, doubling over with exaggerated laughter.

"Oh no, I've been a bad guy! Please punish me, Miss Police!" Another jeered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

The gang leader raised his hand, his grin turning sinister as he prepared to signal the snipers on the rooftops.

{Three on the roofs, seven in the station... ten in total. This is going to be a pain in the ass...}

Alexius' mind raced, his eyes darting to the rooftops.

{I really hate you, Cheeto Girl... Did we have some kind of feud in a past life or something?}

But before the gang leader could give the signal, Alexius moved. His fist shot forward like a piston, slamming into the gang leader's face with a sickening sound. The force of the punch sent the man flying into the wall, his body crumpling to the ground in a heap.

"EVERYONE! TAKE COVER! Get into the station and keep your heads down! THE ENEMY'S ON THE ROOFS!" Alexius shouted out, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.

He didn't wait for a response, already turning to the next gangster, his gauntlets humming as he delivered another punch. The hidden mechanism fired a 4-centimeter nail with each strike, piercing skin and bone with brutal efficiency.

But his weapon had its limits... six shots per clip and a range of only 30 centimeters. Every move had to count.

The cadets scrambled into the station, their training kicking in as they returned fire on the gang members inside. Alexius moved like a whirlwind, his fists and feet a blur as he disarmed and incapacitated anyone who dared to raise a weapon. The air was thick with smoke and the sound of gunfire, shouts, and the hiss of steam from his gauntlets.

Finally, the chaos subsided, leaving the cadets in control of the station. The gangsters on the rooftops hesitated, their advantage slipping away as Alexius and his squad secured their position.

Alexius leaned against the wall while reloading his gauntlets with practiced ease. He glanced at the Cheeto Girl, his expression a mix of exasperation and grudging respect. "Sigh... I hope you're happy with this, Cheeto Girl."

"Ha? Who are you calling Cheeto Girl!?" She snapped, her face flushing with anger. "Just you wait! I'm reporting you to the prefect!"

Alexius raised an eyebrow with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Oh? And what's the reason for that?"

"Of course, it's because you're making de—" She didn't get to finish. Alexius moved faster than she could react, his hand clamping over her mouth as he pushed her against the wall.

{I know I was the one calling her Cheeto Girl... but is her head really full of air, like the snack? Has no one taught her what to say and what not to say?}

"Listen to me, Cheeto Girl," Alexius said, his voice low and dangerous. "There are things you can say and things you can't say. If you want to stay alive and out of trouble, you'd better learn to shut that mouth of yours. Do you hear me?"

He turned his gaze to the other cadets, his eyes hard and unyielding. "And the same goes for all of you. Did you hear me?"

The cadets nodded quickly, their voices overlapping in a chorus of agreement.

"Y-yes, sir!"

"Of course!"

"We saw nothing, sir!"

Alexius stepped back, releasing the Cheeto Girl with a final warning glare. 

{Mmm, these guys are at least sensible... or is it really true that the Cheeto Girl's head is full of air?}

Alexius released his grip on the Cheeto Girl's mouth and strode toward the window, his movements deliberate and calm despite the tension crackling in the air. From his pocket, he retrieved a small clockwatch with a mirror, a gift from his aunt Evangeline on his 15th birthday.

She'd insisted he take better care of his appearance, scolding him for looking like a "damn homeless." He'd rolled his eyes at the time, but now the mirror proved useful.

He angled the watch carefully, using the mirror to peek outside the window and scan the rooftops. His sharp eyes darted across the skyline, searching for any sign of movement.

{Mmm, it doesn't look like they're still there... but that's not good. If they've pulled back, it means they're planning something worse.}

"Listen up, everyone," Alexius said, his voice being low but commanding. "The snipers have left the area, but that's not good news for us. We need to get the hell out of here now. Follow me to the train station. We'll regroup with the Valorian Ironclads stationed there."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and delivered a powerful kick to the rusted metal door of the oxygen station. The corroded hinges gave way with a loud clang, and the door crumpled under the force of his boot.

He gestured for his squad to follow, leading them through a maze of narrow pipes and corridors until they emerged onto the main street of the lower districts.

The street was alive with activity from vendors hawking their wares, steam-powered carriages rumbling by, and crowds of people weaving through the chaos. Alexius allowed himself a small smirk.

{With this many people around, it'll be harder for them to take us out. Plenty of walking cover.}

"Keep moving! Stay close and don't stop for anything!" Alexius commaded, his squad falling in line behind him as they sprinted toward the train station. The cadets moved with urgency, their boots pounding against the cobblestones as they weaved through the bustling crowd.

Meanwhile, the snipers who had abandoned their posts regrouped a few blocks away. They approached a sleek steam car, its polished brass fittings gleaming in the dim light. Inside, a well-dressed man sat comfortably, a cigar in one hand and a newspaper in the other.

His demeanor was calm, almost bored, as if the chaos unfolding around him was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

"My Lord," one of the snipers spoke while bowing slightly. "The cadets we were monitoring have eliminated the gang members we hired to disrupt the Clockwork Cult's operations. What are your orders?"

The man didn't look up from his newspaper. He took a slow drag from his cigar, exhaling a plume of smoke before speaking in a smooth, unhurried tone. "Mmm, just kill them. Send one of our hitmen. Remember, discretion is key. We're men of business, after all. We don't want to draw unnecessary attention or invite the army to meddle in our affairs."

The sniper nodded while handing a stack of bills to another man in a brown suit before turning back to his employer. "Understood, My Lord. It will be done immediately."

The man in the car gave a slight nod, his attention still fixed on the newspaper. The sniper hurried off to the nearest telegraph station controlled by their organization, sending a coded message to one of their hitmen.

Target: Cadet squad on the lower districts. Objective: Eliminate with extreme urgency. Ensure no witnesses.