He could hear Sachin's quivering voice, its echo haunting him.
He could feel his shivers in his nerves.
Though he couldn't see his face, he knew without a doubt that tears streamed down his cheeks.
Sachin is the closest thing he has to a family, he can't abandon him like the people who left them at the doorsteps of a down-ridden orphanage.
He has to return. He has to go back home—for her.
Get up, get up…GET UP!! His will screamed repeatedly like a beating drum, and that's what he did. Mustering all of his strength he pulled his knees, he slammed his fists and he got up.
"You're right. This guy doesn't have what it takes, not even to harm a fly," He uttered as he pulled his mask off, revealing a broad face, an undercut hairstyle, a small scar above his eye and a grin signaling something crazy. "Not surprising to be honest, after all he is not a scum like me"
"Rashul! You are okay. Oh, thank god, together we might just have a chance" Just like always Rashul's firm stand put an end to Sachin's speeding heart. Unfortunately, this was the last time.
"NO, you leave. Drop that thing, grab the money and make a run for it"
"What are you talking about?? I can't just…"
"YES, you can, and you will, if you get caught then all of this was pointless."
As Rashul looked at him Sachin saw a message etched in his eyes. A kind he has never seen before. This was the end of the line, so Sachin did what he did best. He obeyed.
"Okay... oh... key," he stuttered, hastening towards the bags. Grabbing them tightly by their straps, he slung two over his back and clutched the other two in his hands. He turned to look at him once more, one last time, before leaving his brother behind.
"Sachin no matter what happens do not look back"
"Yes Rashul"
Rashul didn't bother to look back. His gaze remained fixed on his foe, only to realize that the enemy had stopped approaching them. The ACE stood there, arms crossed, waiting for their conversation to end, a smug grin across his face.
"I appreciate you letting us finish, very kind of you" Rashul said being blunt with his sarcasm.
There was a clear difference between the two and it was not just of power. The ACE was wearing a light green tactical uniform custom made to suit his reaction. It was tucked in over-reaching gloves and boots with metal plates strapped on them. His helmet leaving his hair exposed, concealed the ears, chin, and nose, while a pair of goggles with striking orange lenses shielded the eyes.
He also wore a vest with metal plates around the nape of his neck, neatly tucked in by a brown utility belt adorned with three pouches on each side.
On the other hand Rashul was simply wearing something black.
"Hah, it's no bother, least I could do. Your sacrifice for your friend is admirable. Futile but admirable. He won't be able to leave. I WILL catch him."
It was not what he said but how he said it. Rashul had heard about this ACE, Akshar Nayak fresh out of training, appointed to Panaha just a mere 3 months ago and he had already killed someone.
It was an unlicensed Catalyst; word around the street was that he did something to piss Akshar off. So, he in a fit of rage shredded the man to pieces. Were he and Sachin next?
"Not on my watch!! Reaction activate!"
From his elbows to his fingertips bones pierced out of his skin taking a much larger shape. Then cluster of muscles began to pop from the stem of those bones mirroring the outline. He clashed his fists against each other repeatedly and as he did his heartbeat became faster and louder so much so that the ACE could hear it clearly.
When he stopped heat dissipated from his knuckles. With clenched fists his hands looked like overgrown hammers. His large frame began to sweat, his veins became more prominent, and his eyes glowed reflecting the newfound power within. In this form, a single strike from him had the strength to cement a bull into the ground.
But was it enough to take down an ACE?
Rashul lunged, shattering the surface beneath, he reared his red-hot fists behind his head, poised to strike the ACE's skull. Within seconds his imposing figure loomed over Akshar. He launched his punches towards his face despite him wearing an indifferent smile.
Akshar swung his arms, splashing powerful gusts of air that deflected the punches with sheer force. His eyes locked into Rashul's gut, he raised his palms drawing in the surrounding air with a swift inhale. Power surged within him as he channeled the gathered energy downward, concentrating it into his leg.
"Have a safe ride" Akshar sneered.
With an explosive burst, he unleashed the pent-up force, propelling his leg forward in a devastating kick. The released air acted as a booster, magnifying the impact as his foot connected with the opponent's gut, launching them backward with a bone-jarring force. The gust expelled from his leg created a whirlwind effect, whipping through the air.
Rashul was propelled through backwards like a bullet, crashing onto his shoulders with his knees tucked to his chest. He rolled to a stop, covered in cuts and bruises. But the worst was the piercing pain in his gut, leaving him breathless and his limbs widespread.
"Gamba gauntlets, now there's a reaction I have only ever seen in books" With absolute certainty of his victory, Akshar strode toward his broken prey.
"You do realize that reaction uses a host's heartbeat to regulate its temperature, right? The higher the heartbeat the hotter it gets. And, let's face it, there's a limit to how much a human body can handle, even with heightened strength."
Rashul was barely able to keep his eyes open. His flesh had small, crumb-like burn marks, releasing thin trails of smoky fumes that hung in the air.
"You are literally burning yourself from the inside out right now." Akshar said as he stood at Rashul's feet, witnessing the collapse of his body and the triumph of his sacrifice.
Though he was almost beaten, Rashul found a flicker of strength while lying on the ground. He pushed himself up, propping his upper body on his elbows in a somewhat crooked position. From there, he locked eyes with Akshar, a resolute determination shining through his gaze.
"deh,..dehs..desperate times, desperate measures…"
Akshar crouched down, bringing himself to eye level with his defeated opponent, creating an intimate space for a brief word of advice.
"Listen, I understand life is hard, but robbing a bank is no way to deal with it. No one was harmed, except you of course, my bad. But WDA will go easy on you if you surrender. Once you have done time, we will make sure you get a fresh start, a chance at a respectable life, a safe life"
Akshar offered a hand with the hint of a smile. An attempt to get this man back on his feet and save him from a sacrifice he believed to be unnecessary. "What do you say?"
Rashul turned his head, his lifelong friend was now a silhouette almost at the end of the bridge, far from him, yet not far enough from the ACE's reach.
He turned again this time with a teething chuckle, serenely locking his palm with Akshar's—"My hero"
He tightened his grip, pulling the ACE closer than ever. Placing his palm on Akshar's goggles, he unleashed a blast of energy from his left arm. A radiant heat spread wide, engulfing the area in a brilliance akin to a burning star. The blinding light vanished in an instant as Akshar crumpled to the ground, now unconscious.
"GGaaahh" Rashul howled in agony holding onto his left arm which was now burnt beyond repair. Not a trace of skin remained most of the flesh and almost all of the blood had just evaporated.
Most people would either die off the pain or cry till their voice gave out but not him. He just sat their gasping with a faint smile proud of his sacrifice, surprised that he took down an ACE, even if only temporarily.
He thought it would take more, but he was glad it didn't. A hand was a small price to pay for a dear friend and now it was over.
"MYYYY MONNNEEEEYYYYYYYY!!!!"
The maddening roar from behind reeled in Rashul's eyes. "Oh no"
Jageet was awake; his haunting gaze was set on Sachin running away with the bags. Rage had his face, madness had his eyes and together they had gripped the firefly bomb through his hand.
The night had not been darker than right now, Rashul could feel it in his bones; all hell was about break to lose.
"Hey, Jageet listen to me, you will get your money I promise"
"He ran away with my money" Jageet clenched the Firefly's antenna between his fingers.
"Don't be stupid Jageet"
"Nobody runs with MY MONEY" He gave it a pull
"JAGEET NO!!"
"Kill him" Jageet threw the firefly and it fluttered its wings spreading a purplish gas along its trail.
Rashul didn't think twice and blasted the Gamba gauntlet in his right arm. The explosion shot him directly into the gas cloud, like he was gulped by it.
"It's no use" Jageet said as a grim smile took shape through his mask "everyone dies"
On the other side of the bridge Sachin turned for just a brief moment becoming audience to a firefly along with a purplish cloud just steps away from him.-"What th.."
"GEEETTT DOOWWNNN!" Rashul emerged from the cloud, screaming with his guts out. He clenched the firefly tightly in his withering palms, and in a tone as soft as a whisper, uttered, "Goodbye." The clouds detonated into an inferno, liquefying the concrete beneath, unleashing gusts of wind in every direction. Like a leaf Sachin was thrown away losing the bags in the hellish flames.
Dusty clouds enveloped the small skirting where Sachin laid like a beaten dog hacking coughs and blood dripping down his forehead. His attempt to get back on his feet ended in slippery tumbles and his vision was reduced to a mere haze where everything was gray.
"Rash....huhh...huhhhh.....RASHUULLLLL!!!" He called his name, but all he could hear was the flickering sound of flames.
He raised his arm hoping that Rashul would jump and catch it, but he felt only the passing wind between his fingers.
Streaming tears wiped the haze in his eyes; he scanned all over, looking for him. Not a trace, not even an inch of him was left. It was as if he was never there, just a dream that burnt to ashes.