Chapter 13: See them Running for their Lives

Griffon knocked Eddie away from him and was ready to fight. I knew he wouldn’t be able to do it all by himself so I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him into the pitch blackness.

 

“The window.” I said low enough for Aaron’s team not to hear. Griffon held on to me as I led him through the darkness. We climbed out of the window and leaped to the closest rooftop. It was cold out but right now wasn’t the time to worry about that. We started to run. 

 

“They’re behind us.” Griffon said. I looked back and sure enough they were chasing, and gaining fast.

 

“Let’s head for Central Park, we can shake them off there.” I said. Griffon nodded in agreement. We continued on and tried to get to the park as soon as possible. There was an entrance by E 104 St. I looked back to see the team still keeping up. As Griffon and I leaped to the next rooftop, I started to focus my chakra. Soon enough, my irises changed to onyx and my hands were surrounded by a black fog.  Griffon looked over at me with an unreadable expression. He’d never seen my ability before. I ignored him at the moment and looked back again at the team. They were on the same roof now. I pushed myself to go faster and at the next leap, I turned and sent a swoosh of dark energy to throw them off. I turned back around in time to land on the next roof. Griffon looked at me with the same expression.

“What?” I asked.

 

“I don’t know how to feel about that ability.” He said with a slight smile on his face. I rolled my eyes with a smile of my own. I looked up ahead to see the park about three more blocks away. I looked back now and saw the team nowhere in sight.

 

“The park is up ahead.” I informed. Griffon nodded and looked back after I did.

 

“They’re going to change tactics. You think they figured out where we’re headed?” He asked. I thought about it for a minute.

 

“I wouldn’t put it past them.” I replied jumping down all the way down into the park grass. Griffon landed next to me. We continued our run and started to look around.

 

“The trees are bare so we can’t hide there.” He pointed out. I nodded and looked out to the frozen pond.

 

“All water is frozen too.” I said. We needed a place to hide out and fast. I then had an idea and headed toward the trails.

 

“The trails.” I said as the idea popped in my head.�"“There are trees there we can’t hide up in the tree but maybe behind them.”

 

“Better than nothing.” Griffon said following me to a bundle of trees. I stopped behind one of them. Griffon did the same not too far from me. I stood against the tree trying to stay in the shadows. I went to grab the external hard drive in my pocket when I didn’t feel it there anymore. My eyes widened and I began to pat my body down looking for the most vital thing in my life at the time. Griffon looked over at me and cocked his head to the side.

 

“The hard drive.” I mouthed. Griffon didn’t get what I said I first until it finally processed the second time. His eyes went wide too.

 

“I thought you took it.” He whispered harshly.

 

“I did.” I said.

 

“Ughh f**k Ria.” Griffon said running a hand through his gelled hair. I was freaking out inside wondering if the team had stopped chasing us because they found it. A whole bunch of possibilities were running through my mind when I heard a crunch of snow. I immediately focused my senses on who was in the area. I looked over at Griffon who seemed to be doing the same thing. I looked down tuning my hearing to the steps. I heard silent steps after the crunches in the snow. Two people…but where? I wondered trying to now use my nose. I sniffed the air.

My heart stopped. The scent was familiar. Eddie and Mai. I identified. My assumption was confirmed when I heard Mai’s voice.

 

“We know you’re here.” She said murderously. I froze in place hearing her closer than I expected. I her scent filled the air after a chilly breeze passed. I shivered slightly and stood still.

Wait…I smell her…that means Aaron isn’t there…Did they split up? So they don’t have the hard drive? I thought piecing different possibilities together. I went to look up at Griffon and tell him what I had just figured out, when I saw him about to leave the safety of his position. I tried to get  his attention and distract him from Mai’s luring. I failed horribly. He revealed himself and seemed to not see Eddie coming from behind him. Son of a b***h I thought in frustration. I ran out and use a nearby tree to kick off and take Eddie down from mid-air but I was tackled myself. I remember going from midair to crashing to the ground on my side. I stumbled getting up and found Mai standing across from me with her weapon at hand. I studied it.

“You like my new katana?” She asked with a smirk. I looked at the handle to see the same designs on my dragon.

“That’s my katana.” I stated. She smiled evilly and nodded in confirmation. I growled at her. The b***h took my weapon! I went at her with my hands surrounded by the familiar black fog and eyes now onyx. She smirked slashing the katana around. I dogged her swings getting minor cuts in the process. I decided to pull away from the close combat. I didn’t have a weapon to defend myself so it probably wasn’t the best idea. Acting on my choice, I leaned back dogging another swing. I took the opportunity to blast her with dark energy in her torso. Mai flew back from impact. I stood up straight and went after her with the intentions of tiring her out from repeated strikes. I ran to where Mai was about to land and kicked up hitting her mid back. I then landed another kick to her side sending her toward the nearest tree. I went to go attack again when Mai punched the tree causing the snow on top to fall on the ground. I stopped and used my arms to shield myself from the falling snow. She took that opportunity to tackle me down. She held the katana to my neck. I looked up at her and saw her eyes ablaze with determination and anger.

 

“Now I gottcha.” She said slightly out of breath. I looked at the blade and followed it till it was out of view. I then looked back up at Mai and smirked.

 

“I don’t think so.” I said mushing Mai’s face away and kicking her in the gut hard enough to send her a good distance. I stood up and took a quick look around to see where Griffon was. He was about ten yards away. He was looking at Mai though. I looked to see too and saw Mai was clutching her side in pain. Eddie was already at her side. I didn’t want to stick around for Eddie’s rampage and booked it. I grabbed Griffon’s wrist and ran away from the scene. We reached one of the exits. As we were about to pass through the threshold of the park, a figure landed in front of us. Griffon and I skidded to a stop. The figure stepped out into the light. It was Aaron. I ran to him entering his embrace.

“Aaron.” I said holding on to him tightly. He held me just as tightly. He let go of me more conscious of the situation than I was.

 

“We’re gunna be here for a while…Take this and go to Shannon’s.” He said handing me the hard drive. I hugged him again thankful that he found it.�"“I want you to take the subway, it’ll be harder for us to find you.”

I nodded.  

 

“What about Griffon?” I asked, looking back at Griffon. He was standing awkwardly with his hands in his pockets.

 

“Bring him too, but if he has another place to go, I’d prefer that.” Aaron said staring at Griffon weirdly. He can’t seriously be jealous of him now, can he? I thought. I pushed the thought away trying to focus. I nodded and called Griffon over. He walked up to me and Aaron.

 

“Aaron said that you can stay at Shannon’s for tonight. You can call Austin and X to tell them about what happened okay?” I informed. Griffon nodded emotionlessly. I nodded then too looking to Aaron.

 

“Okay then now get going. I love you.” He said giving me a quick yet passionate kiss. I smiled pulling away and running out of the park with Griffon. I couldn’t get out of my head though the feeling in Aaron’s kiss. It was different than all the others. It seemed almost more possessive. He didn’t kiss me because he wanted to, he wanted to show Griffon who I belonged to.