A professional killer? Does such a thing exist in a lawless world for sinners? Wouldn't they take it upon themselves to settle scores? Don't tell me this Reticle is skilled to such an extent. What are the chances we run into him on my first mission? Too low...
Pariah studied the man calmly. "No point in running if he's so dangerous; doing so will only lessen our chances. It's two against one."
"Never underestimate an enemy, no matter the situation," Leo responded whilst crouching in front of Red Fox. "Can you stand?"
The ginger-haired man nodded. "Yeah, I can fight. This coat is layered, so the knife wounds are shallow. Just don't leave me in the dust with the fancy tricks." He laughed in a pained manner, blatantly lacking awareness of the seriousness of the situation. Leo, giving a nod, reached out, and the fox took his hand rising to his feet. "Three against one." Leo corrected Pariah.
The young man nodded indiscriminately scrutinizing the situation.
Three against one. The fox has been beaten by me and has shallow stab wounds from Reticle. Leo is at full strength, and I have been beaten on superfically. Versus a man who strikes enough fear into the former two to work together without hesitation. If the appearance of sinners is based on their personality and he is a professional killer, the reticle theme could mean he never fails to kill a target. Or, it could mean he never fails to miss a target.
"We need more space," Pariah said flatly, looking over to the doorway to the unlit living room, deliberating when another issue occurred. "Why isn't he attacking?"
Leo sighed. "Unadulterated confidence. He awaits us to formulate a clear plan to fight us at our best."
That level of confidence is a double-edged sword, we can use it.
"The best at hand-to-hand combat will fight here; the other two will wait in the living room," Leo called out.
The Red Fox and Pariah agreed, not having a better plan themselves. The fox walked to the living room doorway, and the two others looked at each other. "What are you doing?" They both asked in sync.
"I said the best at hand-to-hand," Leo affirmed.
"Hence, why I stayed. You were tied up by the fox, so I assumed you were less skilled."
Leo refuted, "I was taken by surprise. I have years of experience."
Red Fox sighed, "Get in the room, black and white, the kid's got you beat."
Leo stared in disbelief before walking into the doorway, partly saddened by the lack of support from a former enemy.
Watching the two recede into the darkness, Pariah averted his focus to the end of the corridor. Clenching his fists, he focused on the knives in his opponent's hand.
If he is proficient at ranged combat, I need to close the distance; let's hope it is metaphorical for general killing.
Pariah lept forward into a sprint. Reticle tossing the two knives in his right hand into the air, he caught one between his index and thumb in each hand and threw them. Taken aback by the speed, he was unable to avoid it as one pierced the coat of his left shoulder and then the right. However, the coat softened the blow. Tearing the knives out, he threw them to the ground behind him. Closing in on Reticle, he swung, but the foe rolled behind Pariah, grabbing one of the knives and throwing it into his side as he turned. Grunting in pain, he had no time to rip it out when the second knife was in front of his face, grazing an eye and piercing the doorway frame.
He's fast.
Stepping in, he threw a left, right combo. Reticle weaved each and swung his own. Blocked by the rabbit, the assailant suffered two jabs to the nose, causing him to stumble back.
Fast.
Reticle thought as he continued to attack up close with military tactics. However, they were no match for Pariah's quick responses and boxer-like techniques. Staggering backwards, he blocked a high kick, but it still knocked him into a brick wall. Before he could bounce back a jab, then a right cross into a left hook ended by a spinning jump left kick sent Reticle into the dark living room where he was welcomed by a right hook from Leo into an elbow strike to the eye from Red Fox.
The Red Fox's mask allows him to see in the dark. Taking away Reticle's ability to see his most lethal skill is rendered useless, bringing it to a one-on-one.
Red Fox effortlessly weaving each attempt at Reticle's defense in the dark he returned with swift blows to the face over and over hitting the eye sockets beneath the pull over mask when possible in case of moonlight shining in. Punch after punch, Reticle failed to hit his target and eventually fell back onto a coffee table and chair, knocking the two objects over. Landing on his back, he groaned painfully. Rummaging for anything that could have been on the coffee table, Red Fox walked over to drop on top of the man when the enemy found an ash-pan and threw it into the side of the fox's head, knocking him unconscious before he hit the ground.
Leo, hearing a thud, sighed in relief. "Good work. I'm glad my plan was a success." Turning to see Pariah in the entrance, the ash-pan hit the back of his helmet, knocking him down, followed by a stomp to the neck. Looking Pariah in the eyes, he smiled under the crosshair spray-painted mask, "Then there was one."
"Who hired you?" Pariah questioned. "We weren't with the fox, and I only recently met Leo."
The man tsked and shook his head. "Selling out your friends? I wouldn't want you for an ally. I'm not here for them. I am here for you, Black Rabbit."
Pariah felt awash with confusion. "This is my first mission. Who could have heard of me?"
Unless Leo or the artist put a hit out on me. But how could it be done in such a short amount of time?
"You know I can't tell you that. You are wanted alive."
"I will come with you if you spare them."
Reticle walked forward, picking up the ash-pan and tossing it into the air. "It doesn't matter what you say, what you do, all your efforts are in vain."
Pariah, anticipating the throw, darted to his right as he wound up the throw, but Reticle accounted for the attempt in his initial throw and threw it into the young man's head, knocking him out. Walking over to the man, he looked down. "Night, night, little rabbit."