Chereads / Shadows of Sanguine / Chapter 22 - XXII: The Man in the Black Suit

Chapter 22 - XXII: The Man in the Black Suit

Kaizer made his exit from the movie theater, casually tossing his empty popcorn bag and drink cup into the nearby trash bin. Stepping onto the well-lit sidewalk, he took a deep breath, savoring the refreshing coolness of the air. The evening sky was a mesmerizing blend of fading blues and vibrant oranges. He checked his phone; the date was March 26, 2024. It was his birthday, and Kaizer realized he was now sixteen as he did the math in his head. With a satisfied smirk and a relaxed stride, he headed toward the inviting glow of a nearby McDonald's, musing to himself, "What better way to celebrate than McDonald's?"

This fast-food haven held a special place in Kaizer's heart, now more than ever. It evoked a sense of nostalgia for his parents and the cherished memories they'd created here. He could vividly recall their laughter, birthday parties, and the countless snapshots taken within these familiar walls. Simply entering the building seemed to shed years from his shoulders, making him feel lighter and temporarily detached from the haunting traumas of Sanguine.

Approaching one of the terminals, Kaizer placed an order, tapping on the screen with an awkward hand, for he was still adapting to the Overworld's advanced technology, which was a stark contrast to the medieval-like technology he had grown used to in Sanguine.

Using a simple app, Kaizer ordered a simple yet satisfying combination of a spicy chicken sandwich, a modest serving of fries, and a large Sprite. He knew he had to make do with the limited resources available outside of Sanguine, where Bloodcoins held no sway. He was aware that he was spending the last bit of money he had left from his last venture into the Humans' world.

Balancing his tray of food, Kaizer found a comfortable spot at one of the tables. As he settled in, he couldn't help but scan the restaurant, taking in the familiar sights and sounds.

However, his gaze inadvertently locked onto a stranger. A man in a black suit was staring at him through black-tinted sunglasses. The man's mouth was twisted in a shape of intense anger, and his body language was hostile, as though Kaizer's mere presence offended him deeply. Kaizer, maintaining his composure, responded with a nonchalant shrug, chewing his food with an expression that clearly questioned, "What are you looking at?"

To Kaizer's shock, the man's reaction was anything but ordinary. The stranger hissed, revealing a reptilian tongue and menacing fangs, before inexplicably returning to his meal with a warm smile, as if the bizarre incident had never occurred. Kaizer's jaw dropped mid-swallow, and he quickly washed down the shock with a long sip of his Sprite.

"That's a Reptilian," he mused, a sly smirk spreading across his face. "He doesn't seem to like me that much."

Kaizer polished off his meal with swift efficiency, then settled in to watch YouTube videos on his phone. He had become engrossed in a video game walkthrough of the new God of War, knowing that such indulgences were forbidden in Sanguine.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the man in the black suit rising from his table and disposing of his trash. The man passed by Kaizer, walking out of the fast-food establishment without a second glance.

A surge of energy coursed through Kaizer's brain, igniting an impulsive idea. In one fluid motion, he sprang from his seat and phased through the exit on his way out.

It was now late evening, and the setting sun painted the sky with a breathtaking palette of orange, pink, and yellow hues, and the moon could be seen rising into the sky. The clouds resembled fluffy cotton candy, and Kaizer could almost taste their sweetness.

His focus honed in on the man in the suit getting into a luxurious BMW. Kaizer strode boldly toward the car until he stood by the driver's side window, his presence impossible to ignore. With a confident knock on the glass, the man in the black suit rolled down his window, his eyes hidden behind black-framed sunglasses.

"What do you want?"

In a sudden burst of aggression, Kaizer's hand shot through the open car window, fingers closing like a vice around the man's throat. With a ruthless swiftness, he yanked the man's head forward, brutally slamming it against the leather-clad driver's seat in two savage jolts.

The impact left the man dazed, blood trickling from his forehead. His glasses had fell off, revealing two bright, green slit eyes. He was no ordinary adversary. With an unsettling grin, he hissed once more, revealing his menacing Reptilian nature, and retaliated with a swift, clawed strike to Kaizer's face. Crimson lines of pain marked Kaizer's cheek, but it only fueled his fury.

Growling, Kaizer tightened his grip on the man's throat, restricting his airflow. In a desperate bid for survival, the man clawed at Kaizer's arm, but Kaizer's resolve remained unyielding. He twisted his wrist, eliciting a sickening crack as he dislocated the man's jaw.

Blood mixed with saliva sprayed from the man's mouth as he let out a guttural, otherworldly hiss. Blood sprayed, covering the whole driver's side of the car. His eyes, filled with primal rage, met Kaizer's, and he retaliated with a gnash of his sharp fangs, sinking them into Kaizer's forearm.

Pain surged through Kaizer, but he refused to relent. With a swift, brutal motion, he tore the man's fangs from his flesh, eliciting a guttural shriek from his adversary. Blood coated Kaizer's arm, the metallic scent filling the air.

In a surge of rage, Kaizer's hand snaked through the open car window, clamping down on the man's throat with a vice-like grip. With ruthless determination, he hauled the man out of the car, dragging him onto the unforgiving pavement. As they both landed on the ground, Kaizer released his grip on the man's throat, giving him a brief moment to ready himself for the impending fight.

The man, disoriented but not defeated, scrambled to his feet, bloodied and determined to retaliate. With a fierce glare, the Reptilian lunged forward, clawed hands extended, aiming for Kaizer's face. Kaizer swiftly sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the rake of the man's sharp claws, which instead tore into the car's door, leaving deep gouges in the metal.

Seizing the opportunity to counter, Kaizer delivered a brutal kick to the man's side, sending him sprawling back onto the pavement. The man grunted in pain but quickly rolled to his feet, his Reptilian eyes filled with a mix of rage and cunning.

The man abruptly reached into a concealed holster and produced a strange-looking weapon, unlike anything Kaizer had seen before.

The firearm had an otherworldly design, with a sleek, metallic frame that seemed to shimmer with an eerie, bluish glow. Its shape was unlike any conventional gun, featuring curves and contours that appeared both elegant and menacing. Along the barrel's length, intricate patterns of iridescent circuitry pulsed with an ethereal energy.

Instead of a conventional trigger, the weapon had a touch-sensitive panel embedded into the grip, almost like a piece of living technology. The muzzle of the firearm bore a series of crystal-like protrusions, each emitting a faint hum. With the man's finger hovering over the touchpad, the weapon appeared to be charged and ready to unleash its mysterious power.

With the unearthly firearm now in play, the man in the black suit wasted no time. He aimed the strange weapon at Kaizer, and a pulse of vibrant, bluish energy surged down the barrel, accompanied by a spine-tingling, high-pitched whine. The shot fired with a burst, streaking toward Kaizer like a bolt of alien lightning.

Kaizer's reflexes kicked into overdrive. He twisted and ducked, narrowly avoiding the searing energy blast that sailed past him, leaving behind a trail of scorched air and melting pavement. The ground where the shot had struck glowed with an eerie afterglow, radiating unnatural heat.

As Kaizer regained his footing, he closed the distance between them with astonishing speed. With a fierce battle cry, he unleashed a flurry of blows upon the man, his fists striking like thunderbolts. The man staggered back, the firearm momentarily forgotten as Kaizer's relentless assault took its toll.

But the man was far from defenseless. He unleashed another shot from the alien weapon, this time with a rapid succession of pulses. Kaizer, reacting with uncanny agility, dodged and weaved, each near-miss leaving trails of destruction in its wake. The surrounding environment bore witness to their brutal duel, with shattered windows, scorch marks, and disintegrating concrete evidence of their power.

Undeterred, Kaizer closed the gap once more, his fists connecting with bone-crushing force. The man retaliated with a vicious swing of the firearm, striking Kaizer across the face. It wasn't a direct hit, but the weapon's touch left searing, agonizing burns on Kaizer's skin.

Bloodied and battered, both combatants fought on with a primal determination, locked in a brutal contest of strength and unearthly technology. The night air crackled with tension, and the battle's outcome remained uncertain as they clashed amidst the chaos they had unleashed.