Red Valkyrie - Chapter 4, Family
26 Sep 2021Nathan Crest
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Red Valkyrie
Chapter 4, Family
A red haired teenage girl hid in the shadows. The street was poorly maintained. Through cracks and potholes, even the inner support structure of the orbital mining outpost was visible. But this was her street, and she knew every nook and cranny.
There was a lot of commotion tonight at the dilapidated apartment building near the end of the street. Numerous corp-sec personnel could be seen entering and exiting the low-cost housing. Julia brushed a lock of red hair away from her face, and continued to watch from her vantage point.
A man was carried out by a couple of corp-sec guards and unceremoniously dumped onto the grimy street. He slumped over and did not react. A hushed gasp escaped as Julia covered her mouth with her hand. Even though she was too far away to see clearly, the girl knew the man was her father. Moments later, a woman's body was dropped carelessly next to her father's unmoving form. That must have been Brooke. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Tonight, a Senior Principle Regional Director was killed. Corp-sec was told not to hold back. Perhaps it was a sense of duty, perhaps a sense of sadistic pleasure, these corp-sec guards certainly did just that. In addition to executing anyone found in the apartment unit, even the neighbors endured severe beatings. Luckily, Julia's mother was away working the night shift at the processing plant.
"I have to go get mom, we need to get away." Julia thought to herself. She did not have a plan of where she could possible run to, trapped in this orbital mining outpost. But she had no other options.
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By the time Julia neared the processing plant, corp-sec was already there. From a distance, she could see the silhouette of her mother right outside the entrance, flanked by several corp-sec guards. The woman was on her knees, arms behind her back. A guard appeared to be shouting at her.
Julia started to sprint toward her mother. A rough hand grabbed her arm and spun her around.
"What are you crazy girl? Those corp-sec dogs are all fired up tonight, stay outta their business."
He was an older man with side-parted graying brown hair. His toughened and wrinkled face betrayed his age, but his sinewy body seemed capable of athleticism that would rival anyone much younger. Next to him was a woman perhaps in her mid thirties. Flowing jet black hair framed her pale and slender face. Her eyes shined with dangerous energy. They were both wearing dark gray ballistic vests and tactical pants.
"Let me go!" Julia fought against the tight grip digging into her arm. She threw a punch.
The man was not expecting this; his gaze was focused on the corp-secs in front of the processing plant. The punch landed squarely on his nose.
"You little..." with quick weight shift and a kick, he swept Julia's legs out from under her. She landed flat on her back, knocking the wind out of her. The man stepped his foot on the girl's neck, applying enough pressure to stop her from moving.
He leaned over. "Look crazy, I'm trying to save you." A drop of blood dripped onto Julia's shirt.
The raven haired woman burst into laughter, "This little girl broke your nose Issac. You're getting old."
Issac wiped his nostrils and looked at his bloodied fingers. "Heh, well, that was quite a punch. You are a feisty one." He turned to the woman, "Judith, do you think this is the one that stabbed the suit?"
Judith shrugged.
"Are you girl?" Issac asked, "You certainly have that fire."
Julia stared back defiantly, "Maybe I did, what's it to you?"
"Huh, impressive, but we need to get you out of here."
Issac and Judith grabbed Julia, and despite her protests, forcefully ushered her down the street. As they turned the corner, a gunshot rang out in the distance.
Blood drained from her face, "Mom! No!" Julia screamed. Tears welled from her eyes and she redoubled her efforts to break free.
"Look girl, I'm really sorry about your mom." Judith tried to speak with her most motherly voice, although that proved impossible for someone with an affinity for violence instead of nurture. "Stay alive today, we'll kill those corporate dogs together tomorrow."
After that night, Julia never cried again.
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Red Valkyrie looked at her handiwork. Blood and brain of the Chardin Group CFO splattered on the wall, creating some sort of macabre nouveau art piece. With each kill, she anticipated the gratification of vengeance, only to be met with hollow disappointment. It was a void that devoured blood and death, but gave back nothing in return. Perhaps Julia would manage find what she was looking for with her next kill. After all, it was what she did best.
"Time to leave." Jackson's voice came through. "Corp-sec is about to break through the stairwell doors."
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To be continued. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental. |