Crystalline Universe: Team Fortress 2 Overwatch - Volume 3: Crystalline Universe: Bloodline's Curse Chapter 54 The Rectangular Bullet

The boxes of yellow and crispy fries on the table let out a slight stream of steam while in the meantime, four bottles of beer laid around the plates of hot fresh pizza mozzarella.

As Azur ate her food with appetite and enthusiasm, Karson quietly tapped his finger on the table while he stared at the girl with hidden anger and annoyance.

[Mergiann] (in a whisper) – “You didn’t tell her yet? ”

[Karson] (in a whisper) – “I will probably regret this but I will spare her ass of pain and embarrassment once more. But, if another executioner comes after my bloody knackered ass, I will be drivin’ her face down the f.u.c.kin’ graveyard. ”

[Mergiann] – “Well, if I’m being honest, La Squadra di arresto has 4 members in total… ”

[Karson] – “And we have one more to deal with… A’right, I get it… Now, can we just sit down and enjoy for a minute this wonderful silence? ”

With a sign of hand, Karson called a waiter to their booth.

[Waiter] – “Yes? What would be your order? ”

[Karson] – “A fine bucket of chicken, please! ”

[Waiter] – “Crispy or grilled, sir? ”

[Karson] – “Crispy to the point, dear sir. ”

[Waiter] – “Right away, sir. ”

After the waiter walked away from them, Karson and Mergiann stared at the television fixed to the ceiling.

[news reporter] – “Greetings, ladies, gentlemen and omnics, you are watching BBC One. ”

The image beside the reporter suddenly changed to a picture of Mike.

[news reporter] – “Mike G. Mundy, the most abhorrent international terrorist of all time, a man with such a malevolent heart that he could even be compared to Adolf Hitler, is still running free around the globe. ”

The image beside the reporter quickly changed to the image of a burned city.

[news reporter] – “No human word could describe the atrocity committed against the citizens of Singapore. No one was spared, not even the women and children. At 5:56 PM yesterday, Mike burned down the city of Singapore as an act of vandalism against the locals that are loyal to the imperial cause. Let us have a moment of silence for all the poor souls who died in this act of genocide. ”

[Karson] (confused) – “What the bloody hell is this? ”

[Mergiann] – “Nothing more than imperial propaganda against Mike. Sniper must really hate Mike to the point where he needs to publicly humiliate him. This poor guy! ”

[Darlynn] – “So they set a city on fire just to put him at blame? ”

[Mergiann] – “Not really, it’s more to cover the real incident. A few days ago, the imperial facility in Singapore was damaged by a small local resistance group and the fuel cells exploded. Thus, the city was detonated in a fiery hell which they blamed Mike to cover up the true story. ”

[Azur] – “Jeez, they would do anything to make him look bad and to make him suffer… The guy just wants to live a quiet life with his wife. ”

[Waiter] – “Your chickens, sir! Are they to your liking? ”

[Karson] – “Thank you, I’m chuffed to bits! ”

*Later

[news reporter] – “A reward of 20 billion dollars is put on this criminal’s head. A reward will be given for any information concerning his presence, action and alliance. And that’s for tonight, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and this is BBC One news you are watching. ”

As Mergiann and the rest finished eating, a sudden loud sound of shattered glass was heard in the distance. Triggered by the noise, Karson abruptly activated his crystals and stood up in an over the top sense of alert.

[Mergiann, while pulling Karson down] – “It’s fine, don’t get too excited, it’s just the family beside us, they broke their wine glass. ”

[Karson] – “Oh… Jesus, I think I’m becoming paranoid because of the fights we had in these recent days. ”

Sitting beside the team was a family of 4 with one of the couple’s children being a handicapped young man in a wheelchair. The other child was a young woman with a grim look in her eyes.

[Mergiann] – “It’s fine, you have to relax. In any case, we cannot go back on our ways anymore so we’ll have to get used to it. ”

Suddenly, Darlynn’s glass also fell to the ground and caused a loud ear-shattering bang.

[Karson] (triggered) – “Darlynn! Come on! ”

[Darlynn] (puzzled) – “I didn’t even touch my glass! ”

[Azur] – “The glass shattered before it hit the ground! Except if one of you guys used your ability to troll, I suggest that we are under attack! ”

[Karson] (in a whisper) – “Shut your mouth, we know! We just don’t want the enemy to know that we know! ”

[Mergiann] (in a whisper) – “Who could the culprit be? ”

[Karson] – “Anyone! There like 30 people in this restaurant! ”

[Azur] – “I don’t think there is still 30! ”

Karson rapidly observed his surroundings and saw that most of the people inside the restaurant were killed by something that pierced their skulls.

[Karson] – “Holy shit… He’s serious! The executioner that want us dead is damn serious about it! ”

[Mergiann] – “Shut! ”

Mergiann secretly glanced at the booth beside theirs which were the family of four. The family was fine before an invisible object suddenly killed the mother and the father by penetrating their skulls. Then the unseen mass stabbed the son through the abdomen and the daughter through the chest.

Mergiann hastily jumped under the table along with the rest joining her shortly after.

[Karson] – Don’t worry, I got us covered! I activated my shield around us, it should be able to blo-… ”

Before Karson could finish his phrase, the crystals on his forearms cracked as his shoulder was pierced by an invisible mass at the size of a bullet.

[Karson] (in pain and surprise) – “Whaaat??? ”

[Darlynn] – “His ability is too dense! Withdraw your shield, Karson, his ability can punch through shielding ability like yours! ”

[Mergiann] – “A dense invisible bullet… This is the ability of [Rectangular bullet], the leader of La Squadra di arresto! This ability is called [Predator] and it… ”

Before Mergiann could finish, the air bullet abruptly shot her through the throat.

Mergiann coughed out a puddle of gore and fell to the floor while blood constantly leaked out of her jugular vein. Azur promptly used her sapphires to seal the young girl’s wound and pulled her back toward her.

[Darlynn] – “We need to know where is he! ”

Azur immediately launched a bomb from Mergiann’s arsenal in front of them.

[Karson] (in a panic) – “Where are you launchin’ this bomb? You want us blown to pieces? ”

[Azur] – “It’s a Frigusium dioxide bomb, the same used by Sherlock to cover himself in the bar’s bas.e.m.e.nt. If our enemy is tracking us by our heat signature or by the n.a.k.e.d eyes, then he wouldn’t be able to see. ”

A white smog soon filled the restaurant as no one could see or smell anything around them.

[Karson] (in a whisper) – “Now what? We escape or we fight? Both ways, we will be doomed! ”

[Azur] – “No! We must move now! ”

The group slowly and carefully moved toward another booth where they hid under the table.

Darlynn rapidly pulled out her rapier and waved the weapon in the air as if she was searching for something.

[Darlynn] – “My rapier is equipped with a movement detector, I will try to track the bullet’s moves! I need you to get ready if it comes near our position! ”

[Karson] – “What can that serve? ”

[Darlynn] – “We need to move out of this restaurant! We need to figure out who’s the enemy or we will just be fighting the unknown, which is the worst possible outcome. ”

Darlynn gradually moved out of her hiding place and started to lead the way while wavering her blade in the air. Unfortunately, the smog quickly dispersed due to the air conditioning unit on the ceiling.

As the smoke moved away, Darlynn instantly felt a heavy vibration on her sword.

[Darlynn] (in a panic) – “It’s here! ”

The rest only had time to return down below the table before Darlynn was hit in the sternum by the bolt. Azur hastily grabbed the blonde-haired girl by the shoulders and dragged her back below inside the booth.

[Karson] – “This is just bloody great! All because of your sorry ass! You left blood behind on every single mission which allowed them to track us down! I shouldn’t have accepted you into the team in the first place, you useless piece of a hopeless excuse for a living! ”

[Azur] (shocked) – “Wha… what? I did? Why didn’t you tell me? ”

[Karson] (in frustration) – “Oh, cut the f.u.c.k.i.n.g crap already! If you were trained properly and were smarter, you wouldn’t be hanging with us today! The only reason why we rejected you is because you sucked! ”

[Azur] (in a depressed and sorry voice) – “It’s true… I know… I just want to believe and try… ”

[Karson] (in anger) – “Screw you, Azur! All this because of you! You useless good for nothing piece of shit! ”

The two shared a moment of silence before Karson restarted talking.

[Karson] – “Oh! And I even forgot, you f.u.c.kin’ wanker, that we are going to die anyway so why don’t you just kill yourself already! ”

Azur looked down upon Darlynn on the ground and closed her eyes while taking a deep breath.

[Karson] – “Also, you… ”

[Azur] (abruptly speaking) – “Karson, please shut the f.u.c.k up! If I’m going to pay for my action, I will be paying it with my life but not with a pointless death! ”

[Karson] (in rage) – “You little bitch! How dare you have the gut to talk back at me at a time like this! ”

[Azur] – “Help me with your shield ability, since we are going to die anyway then let’s give it a final go! ”

[Karson] – “Do it with your life! Don’t ask me for help! ”

Azur angerly slapped Karson on the face and grasped the man by the tie.

[Azur, while menacingly staring into Karson’s eyes] – “If I’m going to pay, don’t make the two of them pay with their lives too! ”

Karson stared back at Azur in surprise and shock to her behaviour but still, in the end, nodded in agreement with her plan.

Azur exited from her hideout and stood proudly in plain sight.

She immediately covered her vital parts with her remaining gems while Karson’s shield secretly protected her entire body.

[Azur] – “Crystal users all have one single weakness! Do you know what is it, Rectangular bullet? ”

Suddenly, the invisible bullet hit Azur on the leg while it damaged Karson’s crystal furthermore.

In agony, Azur kneeled to the floor and looked up to find the light switch.

[Azur] – “Let me tell you the single weakness we have! ”

The bolt came back and hit Azur on her forehead but was barely blocked her sapphire protecting her head.

[Azur] – “Our weakness is that we could not hide our true nature as executioners when justice calls upon our sins! ”

Using her crystal, Azur swiftly turned the light off inside the restaurant and revealed the glowing screen of a computer and the shining light of crystals inside the family’s booth.

[Azur] – “There you are! ”

[Rectangular bullet] – “Hold it! ”

Azur stood and frozen when she heard the man in shadow finally speaking and revealing himself.

[Rectangular bullet] – “Maybe you should consider what will happen to your friends before you finish me off for good. My bullet can travel at incredible speed, you wouldn’t be able to stop them from getting hit. ”

[Azur] – “Don’t be silly, I already thought of that possible outcome so I told Karson to move them away when I close the light. Now, the only logical thing for you to do is to kill me… but who draws faster between you and me? ”

[Rectangular bullet] (in a fit of rage) – “You little… ”

[Azur] – “Little useless blue-haired dumbass! ”

[Azur, in her mind] – (“Mike, you told me to not shoot if my heart is wavering but now, I’m ready! I’m ready to fully commit to redeeming myself. My mind is clear, my actions are planned and I know what to do to bring down my enemy. “)

In a sudden movement, Azur jumped on the floor while her gem flew toward the executioner.

In precise timing, the bullet hit Azur while her crystal stabbed the man through the back of his head.

Azur laid on the ground while the man instantly died from his injury. Karson promptly ran toward Azur and kneeled on the ground before grabbing her lifeless body.

[Karson] (in a worried voice) – “Azur! You useless dumbass! Are you alright?

[Azur] (in anguish) – *Cough* “I’m fine. ”

The girl was coughing out droplets of blood as her left lung was punctured by the bullet.

[Karson] – “How are we going to get ourselves out of this mess? Every one of you is injured to the bones. ”

[Azur] (painfully) – “Let me help, I can still use my ability. I can lift them up. ”

[Karson] – “I will carry them to the ship, you search the executioner of any possible intel we can steal from him. ”

[Azur] – “Ok… let’s do that then. ”

While Karson carried Mergiann on his back toward the aircraft, Azur sat beside the dead executioner in a wheelchair. She quickly looked into his still opened computer and downloaded all the information she could find.

[Azur] – “Project Crystalline 2.1, operation Argentina, operation final order, project golden rectangle, project A.U., personalized files… ”

Azur clicked on the file bank and looked further into the executioner’s specialized domains.

[Azur] – “These must be the files I’m looking for! Let’s see… Paxton Valentine, Cheaper Than Cheap, Sherlock, Krafton, Locuzione… Jeez, he has files on everyone and… Kady, operation vendetta… What is this? ”

Azur opened the five pages file about [operation vendetta].

[Azur] – “What is this? ”

[Karson] – “We are going! Come on! ”

[Azur] – “Coming! ”

The girl took everything she could get her hand on through the executioner’s computer and left after cleaning her and her team’s bloodstains inside the restaurant.

To be continued… Next Chapter: [Lapidazione (part 1)]

*EXTRA

-Profile: Rectangular bullet

-Real name: Zuthimalin Hamia

-Ability: [Predator] “Allows Rectangular bullet to control an invisible dense air bullet formed from energy from his crystals to attack his foes with extreme speed and penetration power. ”

-Affiliation and occupation: Talon/leader of La Squadra di arresto

-Rle: Minor antagonist

-Backstory: “Born in Algeria, he was amongst the firsts to join Talon’s crystalline project after he was given to the association’s recruitment by his poor family. The man served faithfully in the association until when he was selected to join La Squadra di arresto. Due to his bullet forming a rectangle while moving around, Zuthimalin nicknamed himself Rectangular bullet. ”

ABILITY STATS:

Power – C

Speed – A

Sub. Speed – E

Range – C or B, if helped by a camera.

Durability – A

Sub. Durability – E

Precision – B

Potential – B