Paranormal Link-20
"Ughhh...."
"...Ugh...! M-my, my arm...."
Looking down at the neutralized thugs, Isan's next-door neighbor, Melissa, fidgeted with her fingers. Her expression showed no change, but she seemed itchy somehow—or perhaps holding something back—as she stood there staring at the gang for a long while.
"...Hoooh...."
After a deep breath, she approached the cat-eared man she'd knocked out first, Bail.
Thud!
"Ugh...!"
He let out a small groan as she kicked him with her foot, opening his eyes.
"...Ha, haha...."
When their eyes met, Bail gave an awkward laugh. Tougher than Melissa had expected, he'd only been out briefly. By the time the room was cleared, he'd already come to. So why pretend to be unconscious? The reason was...
"Why is someone like you here, ...!"
He felt the cold metal touch on his lips and shut his mouth. Melissa had pressed the flat of the scythe protruding from her arm against them.
"Shh."
"......"
At her warning gesture, Bail swallowed dryly and nodded. Seeing him nod, Melissa smiled faintly and retracted the scythe into her arm. Watching the blade fold neatly away, Bail slowly stood.
"You're the least banged up...."
"Take 'em all and get lost quietly."
To make it clear he had no fight left, Bail raised both arms as he went to hoist the fallen Dex, then tried to slip out with the rest of the gang fast.
With her butting in, whatever was really back there didn't matter—they were better off not getting involved.
"Oh, one last thing."
"...What?"
Held up last by Dex, Bail asked reluctantly.
"What you're looking for ain't in here, so search outside."
"......"
"What, still curious what's behind here?"
"...No, ...I'll make sure to tell 'em. There's nothing there."
"Good boy."
Her voice carried a chilling lilt. Bail dragged Dex like a ragdoll and bolted.
"You fucking mercenary bastards!!"
"What?! W-wait... Aaaagh!"
Bam!!
Isan's sudden flying kick sent Bail and Dex tumbling right to Melissa's feet.
"......"
"Yes! ...What?"
Having blasted the mercs back inside to cut off escape and landed coolly, Isan locked eyes with Melissa standing blankly before the workshop's steel door.
///
"...W-what...?"
After the screams cut off into sudden silence beyond the door, Blanca gripped her pipe wrench tight and crept forward slowly. Faint voices drifted from outside, too muffled to make out.
What happened?
Half terror, half curiosity, she edged toward the door—then:
[You fucking mercenary bastards!!]
A familiar voice roared, followed by the sound of something getting smacked and rolling.
"Eek?!"
Startled into a yelp, she rushed to the door and powered up the electronic lock.
> [BEEP!]
Whirr.
Clunk, clunk.
"...Ah...."
The lock disengaged, but the dented door from earlier was jammed. No matter how hard she pulled, it wouldn't budge. After struggling a bit, a grinding noise came from the other side—someone pushing with force, the metal screeching as the door began to creak open slowly.
It's big bro Isan.
Guessing from the voice she'd heard, she added her pull.
Grind.
Clang.
The door swung fully open.
"Hi."
"...What are you doing here?"
Seeing who stood across, she blurted it out.
"...Hm, taking a stroll?"
She waved hello with a cryptic question.
///
You fucking mercenary bastards! Don't you fucking move from there! I'm sprinting over right now to crack every one of your skulls!
Hoping Blanca had gotten my warning in time and held out, I poured on the speed. All that external martial training paid off—I reached Iron Valley in one dash without much internal energy. Spotting the half-built concrete building, I unleashed Step Thunder Flash and spotted mercs emerging just as I arrived.
Too late?
The thought flashed, but they looked off—beat to hell already, uglier than before.
Dunno the situation, but strike first.
I shifted mid-Step Thunder Flash dash.
"You fucking mercenary bastards!!"
Falcon kick!
"What?! W-wait... Aaaagh!"
Bam!!
Seemed like cat ears—must be a trick of the light. No way that freakish powerhouse roams in broad daylight, right?
Snap!
"Yes!"
Kicked 'em back inside to block escape, landed slick. A few had slipped away already, but small fry like these spill easy after a little massage.
Nowhere to run—time to see what went down...
"...What?"
Someone was already inside. Clothes torn at the sleeves, standing in the concrete shade—a woman.
"Hi. Blanca's safe."
"......"
Not just her usual greeting—extra words. I nodded got it and scanned the room. Less gore than expected, surprisingly. Smeared some blood spatters with my shoe and eyed the steel door behind her. Dented in the middle, but no biggie.
"...Thanks."
"No biggie, happened to be nearby."
If she hadn't shown, I might've been late. So I thanked her straight; she shook her head with a slight smile.
> [BEEP!]
Whirr.
Clunk, clunk.
Then an electronic beep from the steel door—it rattled. Dented, probably stuck. As I stepped up, she turned first.
"I'll get it."
She whispered and approached, grabbing the dented steel with one hand and yanking it open effortlessly. I pulled my comms.
"Yeah, Rom old man. Kid's safe. Tell Lopez couple and Gustaf. I'll bring her back."
Reported Blanca safe, hung up—then a man's voice from the side.
"...Can we go now...?"
"Whoa! Holy shit!"
Monster cat! The freakish thing emerged from the dark; my fist flew on reflex.
"Gahk!"
But true to monster cat, reflexes weren't normal—he shoved his meatshield forward to block. The lump's forehead already swollen from earlier now sported a matching bump opposite.
Oops.
"Calm down, Mr. Isan."
The cat-freak called me politely, tone reluctant.
"Misunderstanding—just cleared it with her. She said we can head out. That cool?"
"......"
I glanced back at Blanca.
"Hey."
"Y-yeah."
"Yeah?"
"...Yes."
Pervert gets it quick. Still holding that grudge over the shitty cola, but if that's all they had at the shop, can't blame 'em. Hooked an arm around his neck, spun him to face what I saw.
"See that?"
"...What? The kid?"
"Don't look at the kid."
Looking at her's a crime in itself, cat-boy. He grimaced, averted eyes. Pointed firmly at the door so he'd see.
"What's with the door?"
"That was... Dex...."
"...Dex?"
Rang a bell, so I asked—got a you serious? look back.
"Stare like that, rip off the cat ears or gouge those eyes."
"Nah, I didn't put these on 'cause I like 'em!"
"...Uh-huh. Sure... probably."
"......"
Perverted freaks always deny being pervs. Pointless arguing with the deviant—back to business.
"Look at the door. Won't open."
"......"
I pressed my three-fingered claw to his real ear, not the cat one.
Hold tight, claw—ain't thrilled stroking dude ears either.
"Can't understand? Don't need four ears then."
His muscled bulk froze in fear. Big guy, no balls—wimping already.
"Answer."
"...Make Dex pay for it."
"Good."
"And cat ears ain't my taste. Sis..."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
No time for perv excuses—let him go, nodded along.
"......"
Wearing max grievance, he sighed, hauled his meatshield, and left.