Kal stood still, his muscles tensed, as
he slowly backed away from the two
towering cyborgs. His eyes flicked
between Vance Korros and Brakkar
Torsk, calculating his next move. They
were too strong for a straight-up fight,
even with his enhancements. The air
was thick with tension, and he could
feel the weight of the bar's remaining
patrons watching the encounter from
the shadows, hoping to stay out of the
crossfire.
Brakkar grinned, his massive frame
looming over Kal. "Too late to run, little
man. We'll crush you faster than you
can blink."
Kal's hand drifted toward his pocket, his
movements deliberate. "Who said
anything about running?" he muttered,
grabbing a small sphere tucked inside
his jacket. He kept his hand low, trying
to hide the ball from view.
But Korros, the leaner of the two, saw
the motion and charged. His cybernetic
fist swung toward Kal with deadly
speed. Kal reacted just in time,
grabbing Korros's arm and slamming
the kinetic ball against his chest. As he
jumped to the side, he swept Korros's
legs out from under him.
A sharp boom echoed through the bar
as the kinetic ball detonated, sending
Korros crashing to the ground. Kal
rolled to his feet, his heart pounding,
only to realize Brakkar was gone from
where he had stood.
A crushing force slammed into Kal's
back, sending him flying nearly four
meters into the far wall. His body
crumpled against the solid metal
surface, a shock of pain shooting
through his entire frame. Blood dripped
down his face from a gash on his
forehead.
Brakkar stood there, laughing
mockingly as he watched Kal struggle
to stand. "You think you can take us,
bounty hunter? Pathetic."
Kal spat blood onto the floor, wiping hi:
mouth with the back of his hand.
Brakkar charged again, this time
throwing a series of powerful punches.
Kal ducked and weaved, his body barely
keeping up as he dodged the brutal
assault. Every near miss sent a rush of
adrenaline through him, and Brakkar's
frustration grew with each evaded blow
"You can't dodge forever!" Brakkar
roared, dropping low and sweeping his
leg toward Kal's knees.
Kal sidestepped at the last second,
planting his foot on Brakkar's massive
leg and using the momentum to launch
himself into the air. As he flew over
Brakkar's head, he tossed a pair of
kinetic balls behind him, landing and
kicking Brakkar hard in the back, driving
him toward the explosives. The blast
threw Brakkar forward, sending him
crashing into a nearby table.
Before Kal could catch his breath,
Korros reappeared, grabbing him from
behind in a crushing grip. His
mechanical arms squeezed tighter,
threatening to break Kal's spine.
Kal grunted, struggling to free himself,
but Korros's grip was relentless. "I'm
gonna snap you in half" Korros
growled.
With a pained shout, Kal activated the
kinetic shock built into his gear. A pulse
of energy shot through his body, forcing
Korros to release his hold as the jolt
rippled through him. Kal staggered free,
gasping for breath, while Korros
clutched his chest, dazed.
Both fugitives stood, blood trickling
from their wounds, their expressions
dark with rage. "You're dead," Brakkar
snarled, his voice filled with fury. "We'll
finish this right here, right now."
from their wounds, their expressions
dark with rage. "You're dead, Brakkar
snarled, his voice filled with fury. "We'll
finish this right here, right now."
Kal wiped the blood from his face,
reaching into his bag. His hand
emerged gripping a tactical baton, the
weapon crackling with energy as it
extended to full length. "You're
welcome to try" he said, his voice
steady.
The room seemed to close in, the
sound of Brakkar's footsteps heavy in
the smoky haze. Kal tossed a smoke
ball to the ground, enveloping Brakkar
in a thick, blinding cloud. Without
hesitation, Kal darted toward Korros,
who was already bracing himself for
another strike.
Korros swung his fist, but Kal leaped
Over his head with a quick, acrobatic
flip. The baton came down hard on the
back of Korros's neck, sending him
stumbling forward. With a grunt, Korros
lashed out, grabbing Kal by the arm and
throwing him to the ground, but Kal
twisted mid-air, wrapping his legs
around Korros's arm to break his fall.
Using the momentum, he swung his
body upward and jammed the baton
into Korros's throat, sending a jolt of
energy through him.
Korros fell to the ground, his body
convulsing before he lay still. Kal stood
over him, breathing heavily, his heart
racing. He delivered the final blow,
ending Korros's life with a swift strike to
the neck.
Brakkar emerged from the smoke, his
massive frame bulldozing through the
wreckage. He tackled Kal with the force
of a charging beast, slamming him into
the bar counter and shattering glasses
and bottles in a shower of broken glass.
Kal cried out as the impact cracked
several of his ribs, the pain blinding him
for a moment.
Brakkar didn't stop. He dragged Kal
across the floor, slamming him into
walls and hurling him across the room.
Kal's body was battered and broken, but
his mind remained sharp. He could still
feel the kinetic balls in his pocket, his
one remaining chance.
As Brakkar charged for the final blow,
Kal rolled to the side, planting the
remaining kinetic balls in Brakkar's
path. The explosion rocked the bar,
sending debris flying in all directions.
Kal collapsed onto the ground, his body
aching as he leaned against the
shattered bar.
For a moment, everything was silent,
save for the crackling of broken lights
and the soft groan of shifting metal. Kal
sat there, his chest heaving, waiting for
the smoke to clear.
A figure stood in the center of the room,
barely visible through the haze. Kal's
heart sank. He's still standing?
But then, with a heavy thud, Brakkar's
massive form hit the ground,
motionless.
Kal let out a weak laugh, the adrenaline
finally leaving his system as he
slumped back against the wall. He had
done it. He had brought them both
down.
As the dust settled and the silence of
the wrecked bar surrounded him, Kal
allowed himself a moment of rest. His
body was bruised, bloodied, and broken
-but alive.
He smirked to himself, leaning his head
back against the wall. "Guess I'm not
done yet."
And with that, he closed his eyes,
letting the darkness take him for just a
little while.