Klaz

KLAZ

C inta stumbled, her body sagging against mine. The scent of burnt flesh assaulted my nostrils, and I caught her, my heart hammering against my ribs.

“Laser burn,” she hissed through gritted teeth.

I scanned her body, locating the angry red wound on her shoulder. Relief flooded through me – painful, but not fatal.

“I’m fine,” Cinta whispered, her eyes burning with determination. “Focus, . We need a new plan.”

She was right. I forced my racing thoughts to calm, assessing our surroundings. The explosive anklet lay discarded on the bridge, a deadly reminder of our predicament. Behind Mama Raza’s advancing gang loomed the warehouse – our intended rendezvous point, now a potential weapon.

An idea crystallized in my mind, dangerous and desperate.

“Your earring,” I said, locking eyes with Cinta. “I need it.”

Confusion flickered across her face, but she didn’t hesitate. Her fingers fumbled at her ear, pressing the small adornment into my palm.

I worked swiftly, detaching the communication dot from the earring and mating it with the one from my cufflink. The tiny devices clicked together satisfyingly. I pulled a small transmitter from a hidden pocket in my jacket – a contingency I’d hoped never to use.

Cinta’s eyes widened as understanding dawned. I gave her a tiny nod, preparing her for what came next.

A rumble of floodwaters shook the bridge, drawing everyone’s eyes upstream, giving me a chance to scoop up the discarded anklet. Its weight felt ominous in my hand as I calculated trajectories, accounting for wind and the device’s awkward shape.

Mama Raza’s voice cut through the howling wind. “Hand over the diamond, Renka! Now!”

I locked eyes with the Nazok crime boss, letting my shoulders sag. My fingers closed around the Larain Diamond in my pocket.

“Fine,” I called out, my voice carrying just enough resignation to be believable. “You win.”

I made a show of withdrawing my hand, the movement exaggerated to draw all eyes. In that crucial moment of distraction, I hurled the anklet with all my strength.

The explosive device arced through the air, a deadly projectile hurtling towards the warehouse. Time seemed to stretch, each heartbeat an eternity as all eyes tracked its path.

My thumb found the transmitter’s activation switch. A burst of data raced from the coupled communication dots to the anklet’s receiver.

The world erupted.

The warehouse disintegrated in a blinding flash. The concussive force slammed into us, a wall of heat and debris. I threw myself over Cinta, shielding her body with mine as chunks of metal and concrete rained down.

The dust settled, revealing a scene of utter destruction. Chunks of twisted metal and shattered concrete littered the ground where the warehouse once stood. I helped Cinta to her feet, my hand lingering on her waist.

“You okay?” I asked, scanning her for new injuries.

She nodded, wincing as she tested her shoulder. “I’ll live. Nice trick with the anklet.”

“Let’s secure these bastards before they come to their senses,” I said, eyeing the stunned Nazoks sprawled nearby.

Cinta reached for her wrist, unclasping an intricate braided bracelet. “Here,” she said, handing it to me. “High-tensile wire. Should do the trick.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Always prepared, aren’t you?”

“A girl’s gotta have her secrets,” she replied with a wink, then shook from the cold.

“Hold on,” I said, spotting a fallen coat nearby. I retrieved it, draping it gently over her shoulders. “Can’t have you freezing to death after all this.”

Her fingers brushed mine as she pulled the coat tighter. “My hero,” she teased, but there was warmth in her eyes.

“That’s stretching things,” I grumbled.

As we finished securing the last of Mama Raza’s gang, the howling wind began to die down. The storm was finally breaking.

“So,” Cinta said, leaning against a chunk of debris. “What’s our next move, oh great strategist?”

Movement caught my eye. Dark shapes emerged from the storm, resolving into large humanoid figures approaching our position.

“Down!” I hissed, pulling Cinta behind cover.

“Friends of yours?” she whispered.

“Doubt it,” I replied, straining to make out details through the clearing storm.

A familiar voice carried on the wind. “Well, well. Looks like has been busy.”