Category Hard Boiled

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

Eddy woke up to the smell of coffee. Yep… he loved that woman. He had been surprised to see her so early last night, but not disappointed. Now if his body would just start working without the pain, life would be perfect.

Vivian hadn’t explained her rapid return, but he didn’t really care. If it meant she wouldn’t be working with some wildcard he didn’t know and trusted even less, that was okay by him. Eddy didn’t like bounty hunters. He’d had one bad experience too many working with their ilk.

After a quick shower, a quick three cups of coffee, and innumerable glances across the table at his lady, Eddy was ready to go. They hadn’t said much over breakfast, Viv seemed to be thinking about something pretty seriously, but now Eddy was all words...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

“I’ve done a lifetime of meditation and self-searching. Being raised by monks will do that to a guy. A lot of folks don’t buy into the whole soul, spirit thing.” ‘Wolf’ stared into his coffee, it’s thick organic smell filling his nostrils. “I’d hate to make assumptions about you, but I’m pretty comfortable in saying that you’re soul isn’t dull. It isn’t dark.”

‘Ryu took another sip, “I’d hope that were true, otherwise I wouldn’t have been granted the power i have in the first place.” He tipped his cup in ‘Aaron’s direction, “Nor would you.”

Ryu half bowed Aaron’s head as if in thanks. “Except beneath all that bright clear energy was this dull blue sphere.”

“Ok, I see where this is going.” He set down his cup.

“Psyche pulled the essence of you out and stuck it in me, and vice versa...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

Aaron – actually Ryu – propped himself up on an elbow, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His dream vision was still very prevalent in his mind, but the smell of brewing coffee wafting up from the kitchen, was a reminder that he had a houseguest whom was apparently awake. He stood, tossing the pillows back onto the bed as Enry flowed back over his upper body to give the appearance of a tight-fitting black T-shirt. Glancing into the large mirror hanging above Kaye’s dresser, he wondered how much control he could exert over the symbiote.

He concentrated and watched as the black faded into a deep blue-gray. Another thought, and he was covered in yellow with pink polka dots. Yet another shift of thought and he found himself wearing a crisp herringbone dress shirt. Interesting. Enry reverted ...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

Birds were chirping not too far off. He’d known that morning had a smell to it. It varied slightly season to season, but it was a general freshness. Capin opened his eyes slowly with a yawn. The thin light of a late autumn dawn barely filtered through Wolf’s curtains. The young man’s brow furrowed in a rest filled yawn as he left the comforts of Aaron Matthew’s couch.

He opened the screen door and stepped out onto a short balcony that looked over the lawn of Mr. Matthew’s brownstone. The early November breeze was a bit chilly, but he didn’t mind. Cold was mostly mind over matter, and growing up it had always been cold. At least Capin still had his mind. Wolf’s body, with all its attributes, also seemed more resistant to the bite in the air...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

Enry was squeezing, wrenching, and throttling him. Capin’s slick black cape, a sentient symbiotic being, had bunched itself around its host’s shoulders and neck. Somehow Psyche had swapped their consciousnesses, the only question was, how long would it last, and will Enry have choked the life out of him before the effect fades. Wolf’s mind flashed, but the visions were not solely his own. Bits and pieces of what had to be Capin’s memories were playing randomly in his head. His peripheral vision began to fade, as he slumped to the floor. Great, he thought, I’m going to die here in the basement of a mental hospital, and it’s not even going to be my own life that flashes before my eyes.

A short distance away, his body writhed...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

Capin slowly started to close on Psyche and Super Ego. “You have no idea… and what took you so long anyway?”

Psyche looked from Capin to Bluewolf and back again. They were both breathing heavily, but she wasn’t a match for either, much less both. At least, not physically. Super-Ego seemed to be a bit worried as well, her eyes darting feverishly between the two costumed men.

“It’s over,” Bluewolf said, taking a half-step forward. Mistress Psyche simply began to laugh. It didn’t frighten Bluewolf, not in the least, but it did give him momentary pause. He cast a sidelong glance to Capin.

The dapper detective took a step to his left, widening the distance between Bluewolf and him. “She ages people… but it seems to take time,” Capin said as Psyche laughed...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

The four man-mountains began moving in close around him, boxing Capin in. His hands closed into tight fists held out from his body. Enry floated off the ground, ready to take the two men behind him to the ground. Behind them, Mistress Psyche’s laughter ran chills down his spine. Capin looked over the two men nearer to his front. They’re expressions were blank. Not dead, but calm. “Ok, boys, I don’t suppose it would do me any good to mention ‘the easy way’.” Nothing.

The bulk to his left started drawing back his arm. “Right.” A soon as his wrist moved, the Dapper Detective was three steps ahead of him. The thick fist cut through the air and Capin was under it. He felt it whip by the back of his head by mere inches...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

Capin’s sleek black cape loosened, readying for that moment before one of those thugs made a hint of a move.

But that moment never came. Instead, the leather-clad woman standing before him turned her back on him and began walking into the darkness. After a few steps, she paused and looked back over her shoulder at the dapper detective. “Are you just going to stand there looking like all menacing and penguin-like, or are you going to come see my operation.”

“It’s that easy?” Capin asked, his usual wit buried by the surprise of her offer.

“Well,” she answered, the leather of her mask reshaping slightly as she smiled beneath it. “There is that pesky walking.” To emphasize her intent, she held her arms in front of her, signaling a direction...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

Bluewolf heeded Capin’s gesture of caution. It really wouldn’t do for both of them to be made, and he did intend to follow along anyway. From his concealed position and enhanced aural sense, Wolf managed to pick up both ends of the conversation and smiled, despite what could be a potentially dangerous situation. Capin slid into the car and pulled the door closed with a muffled click. Wolf raised his left arm, and with a shot of compressed gas, fired a tracking device that landed securely on the limo’s bumper. Just in case, he thought. Things didn’t always go according to plan, even when the plans were made up as he went along.

The sleek black limo wove its way northeast through Garrison...

No comments In Hard Boiled On October 9, 2015  

Fox was a block away from the appointed meeting spot when she stopped atop an apartment building for a rest. Noises from the street below grabbed her attention and she looked over the edge of the building. Below was a young couple, perhaps her age. They looked like they had just gotten out of a car and were entering the building. They sounded happy, laughing and teasing each other. There was a rather long kiss and then they moved out of sight.

What are you doing? she asked herself. You’ve finally found the right guy and you’ve left him home, battered and with a death wish. There was a moment of internal conflict as the old Fox and Vivian struggled. She wanted revenge against the man who sent Savate after her. So much easier for her to run on autopilot: anger, revenge… her old ways.

Aft...