Two Mercs, One Kill (Malik Karver) COMPLETE

It was much easier for Malik to find the trail than it had been for Svetlana. She was trying to find the scent of the banker who had already run. Malik found the fresh scent of Svetlana's blood and followed it. His wounds ached, especially the few places that still had rebar that he couldn't reach to remove. Still, he pressed on, and ran through the rubble strewn abandoned city blocks. Malik was not built for speed and by far the slowest of the werecreatures. What he did have however was stamina. He rain at the pace he was trained to, the pace he knew he could keep up for hours before he dropped. She had the lead and was faster, but his prey was easier to find than hers.

Malik eventually followed the scent trails going into a building, but he did not follow it in right away. The door frame was small and he would be vulnerable when he tried to squeeze his girth through the doorway. It was the perfect spot for an ambush. Instead he great cat's ears flicked about, straining for the slightest sounds. He heard rustling and voices through a broken window on the second floor. That was where his prey and his opponent were. Amber eyes turned to lock onto the window where the sounds were strongest, and they searched the surfaces around it. There was truly nothing for him to climb up on, or support his weight while he tried to squeeze through the window. He was going to have to take a different approach. Without hesitating Malik ran away from the building a few strides, then turned back, and ran towards it. He laid his body forward so that his large paws could touch the ground and create the catlike loping run for more speed and power.

There was no thought in his movements, only instincts. His body flowed like churning waters, muscles rippling, and limbs moved to singular purpose. Malik gave a powerful leap upward, and his body flew through the air toward the window. In mid flight Malik's body compressed. Right before he reached the window, the great Lion thrust his arms forward with paws spread wide. Clawed paws slammed into the outer wall of the building just at the windows edge. The brick, mortar, and wood gave way to the force, and the small opening became a gaping hole. His back legs planted feet on the now destroyed opening, balancing him easily. Through the dust and debris floating in the air, Malik's amber eyes easily found his targets. The banker was there, but the she-wolf was gone. In her place was the red headed woman whose skin she hid beneath. It was no matter to him what form she held, because his focus was what the banker unknowingly carried. The moment his back paws found purchase on the rooms floor, Malik surged forward. Reaching across the room with a long arm, Malik spread his paw, pushing forward massive claws, and swiped at the banker who was hanging by his throat in the woman's grip. He was probably already dead, but Malik didn't care for his life, nor did he care that she was also in the path of his claw.

Malik's target was the banker's stomach and he would not be kept from it. Talons sank into bare skin, rending flesh, and tearing open the man's gut. Its contents spilled forth with blood and viscera. Amid the gore was a shimmering green gem. The psychic worm now pulsed with power to display that it had completed its task, and was filled with the desired information. The other paw that stood ready reached down and scooped up the gem and everything around it. Closed in a tight fist around the gem, Malik now turned his attention to Svetlana. Looming over her even crouched beneath this ceiling, his fur was stained red with the wounds he had sustained while fighting her. The gashes in his chest from her back paws bled freely, and he had plumes of steel Rebar sticking up from his back that he had not yet pulled out. Blazing eyes fell on her and watched her every move. He didn't know if she would still fight now that the banker was near cut in two. This was the moment of the unknown. He had no reason to fight her now, but a fight wasn't over until both parties agreed it was.

“He’s mine.” The oversized house cat was too late now. Whatever reason he was keeping the banker alive, Lana was the object within his path to that goal. The hand around the banker’s throat started to squeeze; forcing his windpipe closed and crushing his trachea as her thumb pushed the Adams apple back into his neck. A twist of her wrist would see that his neck was completely severed from the rest of his spine so the banker’s head lolled at an unnatural angle on his shoulders.

She did not often complete her mission by hand, preferring to use guns from a distance, but with the werelion’s presence, she’d been forced to improvise. A guttural growl drew her green gaze away from the corpse she held off the floor to the 9ft werelion crouched in the room with her. One of his massive paws struck out towards her and instinctively she raised the banker’s lifeless body up to shield herself; thinking the extended claws were meant for her. Instead of batting the dead body out of his way, Malik tore through his stomach to spill his innards onto the floor.

Along with them fell out a glittering green gem that Malik promptly scooped into his big paw and cradled protectively while looking suspiciously at her. So that’s what you were keeping safe, thought the werewolf as she dropped the mangled body of the banker onto the floor. Blood pooled around her bare feet, in which she wiggled her toes amidst the warm liquid that was puddling on the floor.

“If you had told me sooner, I would have offered to wait while your trinket did its job.” But like all men, he was too eager or proud and so they both now looked like Hell. She was wearing the dead guys shirt, which now she was noticing sported less buttons than before. Looking down at the garment, a small tear at the fabric told her one of Malik’s claws must have caught it as he was taking a swing at the banker. It hung open down to the start of her abdomen; revealing an indecent amount of cleavage along with more of the open wounds left by the werelion.

Whatever, as soon as she got transport assistance from Umbra, she’d be able to change clothes. “Just so you know, I wouldn’t have killed you. Not unless I felt like my life was in danger.” Lifting one shoulder in a shrug, she turned to leave him with his glowing device. She needed to find a way to get in contact with Flynn. Sometime during the fight her ear bud had fallen out so she was left without a direct link to her superior until she got back to base.

With the gem tight in fist, Malik turned his massive head to Svetlana and prepared for her to attack him again.  No attack came though.  Instead she offered words.  Even though he was incapable of forming words in this form, he was more than able to understand her perfectly well.  She offered understanding, but hindsight was 20/20.  He had made his decision to keep his mission a secret and defend the banker's life while he needed it.  He did not regret that, nor did he regret the fight.  He didn't know how she would react to the information. What if she knew what a psychic worm was and tried to take the stolen knowledge for herself.  Even if she hadn't, Malik refused to betray the confidence of his employers.   That was what set his reputation apart from those of other mercenaries.   


The fight had been an unexpected boon as well.  During the war the New Breed were born for a purpose and had no choice in being soldiers.  Some werewolves had joined the ranks of the army, but most of them choose to stay neutral.  Malik had always wanted to test himself against a Wolf.  The New Breed knew the stories of their origins.  They knew where the came from, and secretly every one of them wanted to see how they measured up to the creatures they were born from.  He was satisfied by her.  This wolf had lived up to his expectations and given as good as she had gotten.  Part of him was relieved that this was no longer a fight to the death.  He also had no desire to kill her if he didn't have to.  


His muzzle wrinkled as a wary growl escaped passed his fangs.  It wasn't a sign of aggression.  He lowered his head in a deliberately slow nod to convey his understanding.  A thick red tongue lolled out to lick his chops before the muzzle relaxed.  His fierce amber eyes moved over her face, then followed her red hair to her shoulders, and from there to the rest of her body.  He saw that he had been a bit over zealous in his attempt to retrieve the crystal from the banker   Her shirt was ripped open to show flesh that had once been covered by fir and the form of a beast.  Now she was human and quite alluring.  Even the beast in him could appreciate her athletic form.  He raised his head slightly and inhaled through his nostrils.  Whiskers pushed forward to take in every aspect of her scent.  He was going to remember her.


She turned and left first, showing some measure of trust that he would not pounce on her from behind.  It showed that she was brave, confident, and possibly saw him as a fellow warrior.  Malik watched as she disappeared through the doorway.  This fight was over and he needed to take care of business now.  He had what he came for and his employers wanted it as soon as possible.  Turning around, Malik cautiously left through the massive hole he had made in the wall.  He needed to get back to the warehouse and revert to his human form.  His shirt could be ripped to wrap around his lower half so he didn't give the world a free show, and his jacket would cover the rest.  It would take him a few hours to extract the information and verify it.  If he had been successful, this was going to be one hell of a payday.  


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