The Redeemer Read online

When I stepped into my apartment, I was too overwhelmed to feel anything. I threw my keys on the end table by the door and kicked off my shoes as I walked over to the couch. I plopped down on it and rolled myself to a point where I was looking up. I closed my eyes for five seconds before I heard a creak. I quickly looked up to see a shadow standing above me. Before I could move, the figure grabbed me by the neck and began pressing down on it. As I choked, I kicked violently. I brought my foot up, kicking the figure in the face. He staggered back and I took the time to roll off the couch and over to the end table, where I quickly pulled out a gun. When I stood again, the figure was gone. I took a few steps forward into the dark apartment before stopping. There was another creak before I ducked and twirled the gun around, but a hand grabbed the gun and twisted it, causing me to groan in pain. I quickly elbowed him in the stomach and rolled backwards. As I stood again, I felt a fist go by my head and I quickly spun around, bending the figure over. I brought my leg up, kneeing him in the face. I began towards the door, but the figure pushed me and I slammed into the door. I rolled over onto my back and looked up as Maksim hopped on top of me. He was staring down at me with a blank expression and I frowned. There was a loud whack before the door broke off its hinges. Maksim was thrown off me and skidded to a stop. In an instant, David was standing over me with his hand held out. I accepted it and he lifted me. I wanted to say thank you or something witty but all I ended up doing was staring at him. This was before Maksim made it to his feet and rushed us! David pushed me away and got the full brunt of the attack while I watched as he went through a wall. I quickly stood and spotted my pistol a few feet away. I started towards the gun and stopped when Maksim stood in front of me, his own gun pointed at me.

  “Don’t make me use this.” Maksim said with a monotone voice.

  I looked from the gun on the floor to him, “Don’t point a gun unless you’re going to use it.” I frowned.

  “If you cooperate—“

  “Like you?” I asked, “No thanks.”

  His gun clicked and I frowned to myself. He wasn’t kidding. Somewhere inside, I knew he wasn’t kidding. My thoughts were a flurry and every combat plan ended with me getting shot in the face. Maksim was waiting for some kind of reply. I stood, wide-eyed and, for the first time, speechlessness.

  “Final chance.”

  I watched as David appeared behind him and he turned, the gun firing off a few shots. I rolled over to the gun and picked it up. Maksim had taken down David in the chaos and was now looking at me as I pulled the trigger. Maksim moved with a speed no human being should have. There was a blur before he disappeared from the apartment. I walked over to David, my gun pointed at the door.

  I bent down to David, “You alright?” I asked.

  “Just broke my pride.” David groaned. He made his way to his feet and stared at me, “How’s it possible that he’s that strong.”

  “Maybe his dad has experimental super-genes like yours.” I said, still watching the door, “What are you doing here?”

  David looked to the door, “I came to ask you to come back.” He frowned, “I don’t think he’s coming back.”

  “Yeah, but why? Why was he here? Why’d he leave without what he came for?” I asked.

  David frowned and looked around, “Do you hear that?” he asked.

  “What?” I asked.

  David walked over to the fridge, “A ticking.”

  He pulled the fridge out with ease as I walked over. I stopped when I saw what he saw. It was a bomb rigged to explode in seven seconds. David and I looked at each other before he grabbed me and rushed to the window, throwing both of us out of it. As we crashed through the window, the explosion blew everything out and we sped towards the ground. David pulled me over him and when we hit the ground, he absorbed the impact. This knocked him out. I groaned as I looked up at the debris coming down at us. I rolled over the top of David and pulled him out of the way of the remains of my charred couch. I looked up at the place where my apartment used to be to see a blazing inferno. I felt fearful. This was the first time since the Medusa battle that I had felt so fearful. I looked over at David, who was starting to regain consciousness and sighed. People were beginning to come out of their apartments and run out of my building. I couldn’t find the words…all my stuff was gone.