Blind Confrontations
Chapter 11: A new threat and an old acquaintance.
The rain fell thick and heavy striking the sidewalk so hard they bounced back up creating a mist that blanketed the ground. Man or beast wouldn't be out on a night like this with out a choice. Unfortunately for Alexander Dante he did not have that choice. He could hear the sounds of his pursuers behind him and he skidded to a stop in the rain almost losing his balance on the wet pavements and pressed himself against the brick wall. Drawing his wand from his pocket he rapped himself solidly on the head with it inducing a feeling like an egg being cracked. He shivered as the cold feeling slithered down his spine as the Disillusionment took effect. His eyes close and his skin colour seems to shift till he seems to melt into the shadows and pattern of the wall he is pressed against.
The retrieval squad round the corner, the tyres of their Hum-vee spraying water in a wave as it passes through the puddles that slowly grow from the torrential rain. Soon the Hum-Vee had driven past Dante's hiding place and he let out a breath of air and stepped away from the wall letting his disillusionment fade and his skin revert to its normal fleshy tones. He turned and started to run back the opposite way from the way the Hum-Vee had just past.
He never got far. As he was running a figure appeared out of the rain and the shadows dressed in black cargo pants and a black vest of black rubbery material and drove his shoulder into Alexander, slamming the young man into the side of a car. Alexander bounced off the car and landed in a heap on the ground, he rolled and pushed himself to his feet and found himself facing his attacker.
"What do you want!" Alexander yelled trying to fight down the rising panic he felt swelling in his chest. The figure just flashed him a lopsided grin and lifted his arm up till his wrist was level with his mouth.
"Primary target has been acquired, lock onto my signal and prepare for pick up." There was a metallic scrape and the man drew a wicked looking knife from a sheath on his hip and slipped into a loose combat stance.
"Please just leave me alone!" Alexander backed away trying to put distance between him and his attacker before he turned as quick as he could to try and run. He got two steps before he felt a burning sensation along his ribs and he stumbled falling to his hands and knees in the rain. He looked up trying desperately to get to his feet and found his attacker literally in his face. Alexander whimpered as he stared into a pair of eyes so dark they were almost black.
"Night, night."
Alexander whimpered as he felt the strength leave his limbs and he fell face first into the pavement and the blackness of unconsciousness swallowed him.
"Too easy." The figure sheathed the knife back in its sheathe and he stood and waited patiently, moments later the Hum-Vee pulled up beside him and the doors opened and three men in black combat pants and black wool sweaters climbed out. One opened the trunk while the other two were gathering up the inert form of Alexander and then dumped him into the back. Then the three men and the man with the knife climb into the Hum-Vee and it pulled away from the sidewalk and drove down the rain soaked streets before soon it's black exterior vanished into the night.
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It had been a lousy day for Hermione. Her classes had been rough; seven years in a magical school did not translate well for starting at a muggle university. The cafeteria food was lousy and to top it all off she was lost in the rain. She stood underneath the awning of the store as she studied the street signs trying to find out which street she was supposed to take. She had noticed the advertisement for classes at a local Dojo, and with her training maybe she could find a part time job helping teach the women's self-defence classes. Her brown hair cut short for simplicity was plastered to her face from the downpour but she finally let loose a frustrated sigh when she saw the street the Dojo was located on.
Soon enough she was inside and waited patiently for the Dojo sensei before she ventured any further inside. She could hear the Sensei bark commands at his students as she glanced around the corner drawing his attention. Nodding to one of his student assistants he stepped off the mats and crossed the distance between himself and Hermione. Hermione glanced once more at the students as a familiar voice began to call out the commands before she turned and bowed. The Sensei, a man clearly in his twilight years but still strong with grey shoulder length hair towered over her at almost six ft three inches smiled politely and bowed in return.
"Welcome to Stone's Dojo, how may I help you?"
Hermione smiled as she straightened. "Greetings Sensei, I saw your ad for classes at the University, and well I was hoping I could sign up to continue my own training and to find out if possible if you were willing to hire me on part time to help with the women's Self-defence class."
Stone stared down at Hermione with a calculating look on his face. "Joining the classes are no problem Miss, as for Teaching, well a woman's instruction would be more welcome amongst my female students, but I have no idea if you can actually spar. So I will make you and offer, If you can last fifteen minutes against my personal student, then I will agree to let you help teach the self-defence class."
Hermione flashed him a confident grin. "Do you have someplace I can get changed?" Stone laughed at her confidence and pointed towards the changing rooms.
"Don't be to long…what is your name Miss?"
Hermione picked up her bag and bowed to Stone. "I am Hermione Granger."
"Well Hermione we will await you on the mats." With that Stone turned his back to prepare his class for the up and coming demonstration. Hermione slipped into the women's locker room and grabbed her towel from her bag and quickly dried the worst of the water from her hair before slipping a hair band around her short hair to keep it from her eyes. Before she left the locker room she performed a series of stretches to limber up before she proceeded out the room to the mats where she bowed to Master Stone and turned to face her opponent and almost fainted in shock.
"HARRY?"
TBC…
AN: What can I say…EVIL!
Yours truly
The Evil Known as Kai Lun Mau