The Mob Strikes Back - Page 11

The words stung Tylix, the room feeling unbearably quiet as the Spanish girl tried to treat Connan, but didn’t know how. “Jefe, estas bien?” she murmured as she tries to stop the bleeding. His blood was everywhere, seeping out from the gut wound, splashed on the floor, and coated on her claws.

The consequence of her actions pressed in on Tylix like a strange fear, making her run out from the room in panicked haste. As she flew down the stairs, Tyler began to rein in herself, her human sense of duty and responsibility overtaking Tylix’s more bestial nature. From the outside, her appearance reflected this change, Tylix retreating inwards as the human side reappeared.

By the time Tyler regained her senses, she was already at the back alley of the derelict building, fully clothed with no one in sight. Tyler replayed the fight scene in her mind, wondering if the battle crazed Tylix was herself or the symbiote. But that’s not important for now, Tyler thought as the policewoman in her took action, it’s time to make things right.

The next events went by in a blur, Tyler seemingly to operate without much thought as she called in an ambulance and a police car. Going back up the room, she announced herself as if she just came in, taking stock of the pile of henchmen, the Spanish girl, and Connan bleeding in the corner.

First off, she slapped a couple of cuffs onto the henchmen, tying them up together. Approaching the “hostage”, Tyler told her an ambulance is coming, and she’ll carry Connan downstairs. The Spanish girl seemed more relieved, now that Tyler is handling things. Then Tyler asked her, “What happened here?”

“The Diablo Negro!”, the woman cried, “It…it suddenly came and attacked us, Dios mío.”

“Aren’t these guys your kidnappers?” Tyler asked, pointing towards the pile to mask her confusion, “There was a report you were missing.”

“No, claro que no!” she replied, “The boys and I had a fight, nada serio but el diablo just barged in and start fighting everyone!”

Tyler felt her insides going cold at that statement, but the sirens outside signaled the arrival of the ambulance.

“I’ll carry him down, but I’ll need you to stay and wait for the police, comprende?”, Tyler instructed.

“No! I can’t stay”, the woman cried out, a hint of hysteria in her voice, “El diablo might come back!”

Tyler couldn’t prove her wrong, but she couldn’t let her go either. “She won’t come back. Please do as I say!”, Tyler repeated with authority, but the Spanish woman was already eyeing the exit. Feeling the mounting desperation, Tyler grabbed hold of her, slapping cuffs on one hand and cuffing the other end to the henchmen.

Ignoring the woman’s screaming objection, Tyler then hoisted Connan onto her back, and carried the wounded fighter down to the arriving medics.

More concerned with making sure Connan survives, Tyler rode along with the ambulance as the medics struggled to patch him up. On the ride, Tyler tried to make sense of the unfolding situation, but all she felt is a deepening sense of dread.

Artist’s Note:

Quite a lot to cover, and all happening quickly too, hence the packed format at the bottom half.