Burning Mirrors [Part 3]

“Sorry, I need this one alive.” Josefine declared, carrying her signature smirk.

Chima and Zuma were in blatant shock at the impossible action this one person just achieved. Somehow stopping Chima’s powerful strike with a single arm. For Chima’s caught fist to be manipulated upward by Josefine, while the growing sound of Chima’s cybernetic components in his arm overtook the alleyway, revving furiously with resistance trying to overpower this stranger’s might. All that energy just to be easily shoved away from Zuma’s frail body.

“You're with him?” Chima grunted, after he regained his balance from Josefine’s surprisingly powerful shove.

“Not really, are you going to be a problem?” Josefine directly asked Chima.

“That depends, why do you need him?” Chima asked as he understood that Josefine is a strong opponent and carefully took subtle movements to prepare for an attack.

“I’d be happy to tell—”

Josefine’s words were cut short as Chima jumped forward to her, but Josefine is more than a strong opponent to Chima, she is superior in every way. Chima was easily flung into a nearby wall, as if she was tossing a soccer ball.

“Nice try.” Josefine mocked, as the dense thud of Chima’s body hit the floor. She then turned to Zuma, who had his hidden machine gun arm ready once more. Josefine seemed that she had no time to dodge, instead, she simply allowed the bullets to collide with her body as each and every bullet bounced off of her like oil and water.

“Oh, come one, I just got these.” Josefine complained as she stuck her fingers in the holes made in her clothes from the bullets.

“What… What the hell are you?” Zuma asked with clear unnerved concern.

“Danish.” Josefine simply replied, maintaining her smirk.

“What, what do you want?” Chima questioned, greatly weakened from Josefine’s counter attack.

“That’s none of your concern, big guy.” Josefine remarked walking over to Zuma. “As far as you know, I was never here—” She began but stopped herself the nanosecond she heard a light clink on the ground. She sprung towards the sound, grabbed ahold of whatever it was and threw it in the opposing direction. In that moment it exploded with a bright light, she recognized that it was a flashbang and shielded her eyes.

As if time was slowed for Josefine sees a masked individual in the moments of a powerful attack. Espectro: Has been known for hastily made rescues, but those were always against adversaries of Nuevo Eztli. In spite of his best efforts, Josefine countered each of his incredibly calculated strikes, clever gadgets, and well hidden array of guns. Just to get surprisingly annoyed with the one sided conflict. Espectro jumps away from the scuffle, to slowly reveal what some seldom have seen as his secret weapon. A clear sword of some design, but a blade with a striking blue, and a hilt dark as night. With his hand in a particular position to activate the odd technological sword. However, just as he was ready, he stopped his actions.

From the cover of the night, Carmen slowly walks to Josefine with her hands held out and open. Posing no threat to her. Carmen has seen enough conflict to know that Espectro’s odds of winning were challenging to guess. Coupled with the lack of knowledge over the opponent, as they are possibly restraining themselves from a true fight.

“Hello… Let me guess, one of these two is your idiot?” Josefine calmly asked.

“Yeah, unfortunately.” Carmen answered, eyes full of fear for what might happen. “Hey! What are you two doing?!” She then shouted in great confusion as Tenoch and Cash hopped in front of her taking protective action.

“Protecting you!” Tenoch quickly answered.

“Why?!” Carmen shouted.

“What do you mean ‘why’?! That chick just jumped upward!” Cash quickly explained.

“What?! No, that chick hasn’t moved!” Carmen roared with annoyed confusion, while both Tenoch and Cash twitched with equal confusion.

“Your crew there is pretty tech heavy, no?” Josefine mocked.

“Did-did you just hack their eyes?” Carmen asked with apprehension. “She didn’t jump away, she hacked your eyes.” Carmen announced to Tenoch and Cash, ending with a sigh.

“HUH?!!!” Cash screamed in unbridled confusion.

“I told you that those eyes were shit!” Tenoch sneered in frustration at Cash.

“Whatever!!! My guy knows her shit!” Cash instantly retaliated.

“You better tell me which one is yours, I only need one of them.” Josefine mentioned with a hint of impatience, easily breaking the comical interaction of Tenoch and Cash as she directed her own firearm at Chima.

“The bulky one!” Carmen shouted in a panic.

“Perfect… He’s all yours.” Josefine mentioned lowering her weapon, then walked to Zuma to put him in restraints.

Carmen ran to Chima’s side, embracing him with great relief. “I’m sorry Carmen.” Chima spoke as Carmen tried to lift him up on his feet followed by Espectro’s assistance.

“Hush, we’ll talk about this later…” Carmen mentioned softly.

“These two were about to kill each other. Why is that?” Josefine asked, once she finished detained Zuma.

“Bad blood, disagreements from when they were in the service.” Carmen answered, as Tenoch lent his aid to hold Chima.

“Interesting…” Josefine quietly remarked to herself, clearly pondering something deep within her thoughts.

“Listen…” Josefine spoke openly to Carmen, walking up to her. “You seem like a respectable woman. Let me use your place as an interrogation room for this one… I think it's the least you can do, considering that I stopped this blood feud between those two.” She then proposed to Carmen.

“Bartering already? You don’t even know who we are.” Carmen grinned.

“I know enough… I know that you rescue selective people who were kidnapped, got that from those two.” Josefine pointed at Tenoch and Cash, still frustrated. “I also know that Van a few blocks aways has a kid inside it with some highly volatile technology, the very same that this one is after.” She then pointed to Zuma.

“You’re clearly not from here…” Carmen examined.

“What gave me away?”

“But… I think we can work something out.”

“Perfect.” Josefine simply smiled.

“I’m sure you have some outlets to some powerful tech.”

“Perhaps.”

“Let's just start there, as you already demonstrated… We could use a few upgrades.”

“I think that can be arranged.” Josefine agreed, extending her hand forward.

“Good.” Carmen reached out to professionally shake Josefine’s hand in mutual agreement. “We’re just trying to survive out here.” She then declared in earnest.

“I understand, as long as you help me, I’ll do what I can to help you.” Josefine focused on Carmen’s honesty, having seen much of the downfalls of this corner of the world. She believes that helping them will not only benefit her but them as well.

“Alright, let's get out of here before any Constables, or other unwanted company shows up.” Carmen declared to her Team and new acquaintance. As the hellish night finally came to a close, the newly formed alliance shined just as bright as did the approaching morning sun.