BAD HEROINES

6. Just In Time

He was walking down a dimlight alley as he made his way towards his apartment. Most nights, he had taken this same route, hopping to catch a glimpe of a mysterious woman he had dropped off here.

Thoughts of the mysterious woman he had encountered before lingered in his mind.

But for two days, she had not shown up. That should have brought relief but only served to deepen his unease.

The card she had given him, just a hotel address, was a distant memory now and wondered if she toyed with him.

As he turned a corner, a powerful hand shot out of the shadows, grabbing his collar and throwing him violently to the ground.

He tried to make sense of what happened, and he blinked up at the figure looming over him. His forehead wrinkled as his eyes focused on the heavyset man, a menacing beast tattoo marking his bald head like a brand.

Recognition hit Lian's eyes. "Jake." He cursed his luck under his breath."Why is it so hard to leave the past behind?" He groaned, pushing himself up.

The thug took a long drug from his cigarette. Looking at Lian, he grinned as he closed in. "Six months, huh? It's been a long time coming, hasn't it? All that time in juvie, just waiting for this moment."

Lian didn’t move, his eyes narrowing as the thug drew closer and moved his cigarette dangerously to his face. Jaked waved it inches from his left eye. However, he remained rigid.

"You don’t feel pain, do you?" The thug's words dripped with malice. "I've always wondered how far your freak body could take go. How much I could break you before you beg"

He was right, of course. Lian had the Congenital Insensitivity to Pain. The absence of pain had made him resilient, but it also held him captive in a never-ending cycle of violence. But that didn’t mean he was invincible.

They met in juvie, sworn enemies. Lian had walked free six months ago, but it was clear Jake hadn't let go of his grudges.

Jake's grin widened as he puffed a smoke to him. "I swore I'd find you, Chop you up, and feed you to the fish."

Then he noticed the arrival of ten men from the shadows and stood behind Jake clearly to back up their leader. The arrival of more men signalled the gravity of the situation.

Jake finished. "This is where it ends, freak!"

Lian lips twisted in a calm smile. "Six months... and you still don't know when to quit, huh? How many times have I kicked your ass?"

Jake grin faded. His face darkened with fury. "Get him!"

His men rushed forward towards him bloodlust in their eyes.

The first one swung a fist wildly at Lian's face. Lian sidestepped with ease, his long leg shooting out in a brutal kick to the man's back, sending him sprawling on the ground.

Another thug tried to grab him, but Lian ducked low, slamming a heavy punch into the man stomach. The thug doubled over gasping for air.

A third came in fast, aiming a kick at Lian’s ribs. Lian dodged and drove his knee into the man's groin. He dropped to the ground with a chocked scream.

Lian moved and kept dodging blows and striking back with calculated force. He dismantled his attackers one by one.

Jake face twisted in frustration as one after another, his men crumbled. "You useless idiots!" He snarled, grabbing a heavy wooden club.

With a furious roar, Jake charged towards Lian. But Lian saw the attack coming. Jake swung the club, aiming to smash someone's skull. But Lian dodged, feeling the breeze passing him. But just as he was about to follow up, something interrupted them.

A blinding light flooded the alley, freezing both men in place. Lian squinted, turning his head to the source.

A motorcycle roared, and the next moment, the sleek bike tore through the alley at full speed.

A driver dressed in black swerved to a stop, the tires screeching on the pavement, stopping just inches from Lian.

Jake barely managed to leap out of the way, stumbling as the bike came to a halt.

The driver turned his helmet head to Jake and then to Lian. "Looks like I have got here just in time."