BUSINESS, NOT PERSONAL!

I sat down in the armchair for more than a few minutes. Everything about this passageway was all too comfortable. If it weren’t for the sudden tremor I would have probably dozed off. I looked down the hall and back again to see if something had crashed, then finally realized that the shock could have come from one of the other tunnels. Of course now I have to worry if Terra was ok.

I began to hover. I needed to move faster and flying was definitely better than walking. I had barely picked up any pace, yet, when I felt a sharp sting on my upper back. I turned around and felt three more on my chest and stomach.

“What the…” I dropped to my feet and focused down the hallway.

“We just wanted to get your attention, Leroy.” Raz called out.

“Tomieka…, Jada? What are you doing here?” I was a bit surprised to see Raz and Tam. I don’t remember Terra calling for more back-up.

“We came to get Christopher.” Tam was playing her hair.

“Why?” I was genuinely clueless.

“Dispatch doesn’t want you guys to hurt him. So, just look at us and the neighborhood repo gals.” Raz turned to one of the pictures on the wall. “Oh, this is niiiiice!”

“I think it’s best we let Terra and Christopher work thier own issues out. Dispatch has too many undercover reasons for his actions.” I bent my brow to show I was serious.

“Not an option, Leroy-baby.” Raz was pouty.

Raz reached into her side pouch for more marbles. Just then, Tam jabbed me in the side and kicked me forward to the ground. How could I forget that Tam liked a fight almost as much as I did.

I stood from the floor. “Why are we fighting ladies?”

“No hard feelings, babe. We’ll take you for drinks when it’s all over.” Raz hurled two more of her fire-red charged bearings.

My back felt like it did when I was a kid and mom hit me a few times with the belt for gluing her favorite wig to the cat. I didn’t think it was fair, though. Whose idea was it to have a bald cat for a pet? Once Lady Godiva (our cat) got out the hospital, mom took her to grandma’s house to live. Lady Godiva ran away a few weeks later.

Tam stepped up to me and planted some sort of flip kick maneuver in the center of my chest. “I’m starting to get really pissed off ladies.” I tried to warn them.

Three more of Raz’s energy bearings on my thighs and calves and suddenly I was slammed against the wall by one of Tam’s force fields. It’s official; I’m really angry.

I breathed in deep and positioned myself to push back. You couldn’t see the invisible wall that Tam had just slammed at me, but you damn sure felt it. I felt like a mime pushing to get out of the box, all the while Raz picked up her scorched marbles and began skipping down the corridor.

If I’ve never mentioned it before, my sonic power works from all the stored up energy my body takes from every impact. I take enough hits and my body starts to feel energized. My head gets light, as if I’d been drinking and eventually I feel jittery. Once that shaking feeling kicks in, I have to start letting it out. My favorite way to do that is to hit something. The impact of my attack causes a booming sound wave that creates short ranged damage.

The best thing about this power is the bang – it’s a heavy-hitting ability. The downside is the build-up – you have to get hit or there is no boom. In this case, I’ve taken in enough to break this field that Tam is projecting. I let out a loud roar and pushed back on Tam’s force field. When I had enough room to cocked my right arm back , I gripped my fist and punched. BAM! Almost like a gun. The sonic wave from the impact shattered Tam’s field and knocked her back.

I took advantage of the shock Tam felt to push her aside and go after Raz. She was a fast runner, but I wasn’t on foot. I caught up to Raz near a door at the end of the corridor. I assumed that Christopher was on the other side. Another tremor shocked the room and knocked Raz against the wall. Just enough diversion for me to catch her.

Raz ignited into a series of punches and kicks, leaping against the wall and flipping over me. Down to a foot sweep and back up with a scissor kick, this sista was no joke. I caught her foot coming down and yanked her to the ground. I pinned her down and begged her to stop.

Raz panted heavily, but smiled. “What’s the matter, Leroy? Are you worried I might tell all of your friends you got beat by a girl?” She was still taunting me.

“You can’t beat me, Raz. You aren’t strong enough.” I could feel the emotion in my anger. These were supposed to be friends. This wasn’t the same thrill as fighting Brice.

“…but I can!”

I felt the force of Tam’s kick in the center of my back. I think this chick wanted to break my spine or something. Raz got up and immediately tossed more of her hyper-charged exploding marbles at me. I covered my face, but the rest of me felt the punishment. When I uncovered my face, Raz was right there with another assault of kicks and punches.

I grabbed Raz’s wrist and hurled her around before she could find a way to kick free. Tam charged toward me. We lounged at each other as if we were sworn enemies. I really didn’t want to hit her or Raz, since I try not to hit women. But it shouldn’t count if the women are as super as me. Tam was a strong sista and she could hold her own. She kicked me into the wall, I grabbed her leg and swung her into the wall beside me. She rolled over and punched, missing my face by inches. I grabbed her neck and slammed her into the opposite wall. We went on like this for more than a few minutes.

By now, I’m lightheaded and my body is burning up. I could feel that jittery feeling – like when you have a fever and your body won’t stop trembling. Raz stepped back up, side by side with Tam. I dropped to the ground, pounding hard to release a sonic wave. They calculated, leaped into the air, using the walls for more height to flip over. Tam retaliated, pushing an invisible field toward me. The impact sent me through the door, rolling into a much larger room.

I looked up and saw Terra, shocked from the BANG of me exploding through the door.

“Hey Terra!” I took in a breath and ran back into the corridor.

Raz tried to run right by me, but I grabbed her arm. I pulled her right into Tam, knocking her off balance. With a heavy hand, I slammed my hand onto the wall. The wave exploded like a bomb. Both Raz and Tam fell to the ground, fanning the dust and debris. I grabbed them both by their wrists and threw them one by one through the exit.

The ceiling was beginning to fall. I was still light-headed. I could go a few more rounds, but Raz and Tam looked exhausted. Raz smiled and me and Tam gave me the middle finger. The ceiling and walls crashed behind me. Maybe we played too rough with each other, back there?

Terra’s expression was priceless. I managed a smile and a light laugh through all the heavy breathing.

“Hey, Terra…” Catching my breath. “Raz and Tam are here.”

“Hey, girl!” Raz and Tam said in unison.