Chapter 46: Chapter 46: The Unexpected Fighter
Ethan and Jason moved silently between a stack of pallets and cement bags. The objective was clear: neutralize at least one guard and execute the excavator plan.
Ethan stopped behind a large container, peering around the corner where the silhouette of a guard was visible, distractedly smoking a cigarette. Ethan was already mapping out his move: The distance is about fifty feet. I need to close the distance through his blind spot. Too much debris. If I move fast, I can use the jab and crossover to disorient him and land the knockout...
While Ethan was calculating angles, Jason, the frail, anxious man from minutes ago, moved.
It wasn’t a move. It was a blur.
In an instant, Jason covered the distance with impossible agility and silence. The guard didn’t even finish drawing on his cigarette before Jason slammed into him from behind, his forearm locking around the man’s neck with the precision of a hunter. The guard convulsed for a second, his cigarette dropping to the cement, and then he slumped, utterly silent.
Ethan stared, his mouth slightly open, completely awestruck.
[Well, look at that, champ!] the System scoffed. [The beggar has tricks! See? You were planning a boxing routine, and the old man just needed his elbow and knee to shut him down. Pfft. Amateur.]
Jason dragged the inert body into the deepest shadow of the wall. As he did, his torn shirt ripped slightly more. Ethan noticed the difference: despite the dirt and ragged appearance, the man had a surprisingly lean and defined physique. Flat abs, broad shoulders. Jason wasn’t a scared vagrant; he was an experienced fighter.
"Ready," Jason said, his breath barely labored. "One down. Let’s get what we came for."
"Wait, Jason," Ethan said, recovering his breath. "Let’s check what he has. There might be useful things."
They quickly patted him down. They found a communication radio, a 9mm pistol with a full nine-round magazine, two extra magazines, a flashlight, a taser gun, handcuffs, and a police baton.
"This looks more dangerous than it seems," Ethan commented, looking at the arsenal. If this low-level guard was armed to the teeth, it was almost certain the others would be too.
"Yes," Jason nodded. "Take the gun. I’m fine without weapons, but you need to be able to defend yourself."
Despite having a hundred questions about Jason’s agility and physical condition, Ethan kept them stored away. He took the 9mm, feeling its familiar weight in his hand.
"Good," said Ethan. "What’s the next step?"
They saw two figures walking slowly in the distance, out in the open. Approaching directly was impossible.
"I have an idea," Jason said, taking the radio. He turned it on. His voice came out distorted and raspy through the speaker.
"Delta 31 here," Jason whispered into the mic. "I have movement in the south zone of the construction. Need backup."
The radio crackled, and a tired voice responded. "Acknowledged. Delta 20 and Delta 21 en route."
Ethan looked at him, his eyes narrowed. "How did you know that? Delta 20 and 21?"
"I’ve been spying on this place," Jason explained. "The last time I came, they almost caught me, and I heard that same officer request exactly that. They seem to be the only two who respond. I’m not sure, but it seems they treat these calls like false alarms, and they never change their post."
Ethan gave him a thumbs-up and a tight smile. "Excellent thinking."
Ethan handed Jason the gun, and they positioned themselves behind a low concrete block wall. The two officers approached without haste, as if not giving the support call any real importance.
As they passed, Ethan overheard their whispers.
"That kid again," one said with contempt. "He sees a rat, he calls us. He sees a dog, he calls us. He wants us to come even for bums. I swear, if this is nothing again, I’m going to teach that damned fag a lesson."
"Yeah," the second replied. "Let’s go and beat him up for being a crybaby. If you don’t have the balls, you shouldn’t be working in this shit place at night."
As the two walked past, still facing away from the hideout, Jason lunged out. He racked the slide of the 9mm loudly to make a sound and yelled, "Hands up! Freeze, and no one gets hurt!"
The two guards were stunned. They didn’t expect an ambush. One of them slightly rotated his torso to hide his hand while cautiously reaching towards his waistband.
Jason reacted instantly to the subtle movement. "Move that damn hand again, and you’ll lose more than just that!" he roared.
The guard froze and slowly raised his hands again. Jason commanded, "Ethan, cuff these idiots!"
Ethan moved to take the handcuffs from the first guard’s belt. At that instant, both guards moved with surprising speed, spinning around to try and trap him. They could almost taste taking him prisoner to neutralize his partner.
But Ethan’s Professional Boxer skill was faster.
He reacted instantly, taking a small jump to the side to dodge the turn and launched an upper-cut that came from nowhere. The blow connected squarely with the first guard’s jaw. The man was instantly knocked out before his brain could register the pain.
Without losing a beat, Ethan confused the second guard with a lightning-fast skip from right to left, lunged forward with a jab, followed by a hook to the side that made the guard double over in agony, and finished with a brutal straight to the chin. The second guard dropped like a sack of potatoes.
The entire exchange took less than three seconds.
Jason stood there, stunned, slowly lowering the pistol. He hadn’t had time to scream or even use the weapon.
"Impressive!" Jason exclaimed, his voice full of amazement. "I didn’t know you could fight like that, kid."
Ethan shrugged, brushing the dust from his hands. "It’s nothing. Just a little boxing."
[Yeah, ’a little boxing,’] the System scoffed. [With the precision of a world champion, pfft. Just a little. You looked like Mike Tyson on meth.]