Chapter 10

Charlotte, as Katherine had come to think of her spyder was a joy to ride. Open to the world, yet stable, it was the perfect cross of motorcycle and car for Kat. That was probably one of the reasons she went past the exit and had to take the next one and loop around back the way she came. If not for that mistake she might not have noticed the mini-van that was following her, it was obvious once they had to make the same turns as her. Slowing down as she neared her Uncle's house the young lady tried to think of what to do about this. It was scary knowing that there was someone stalking her but she wasn't sure going to the police was the right thing to do. She wasn't really sure she knew where the local station was located, or if the officers could handle whatever might step out of that van.

Uncle George, was the council's sheriff, he should be able to handle whoever followed her home. She pulled Charlotte up the drive and right up to the front steps, honking the little horn as she got close to the house. It didn't look good for her when no one came to the door and none of the lights came on inside. So much for the law then, time for fight or flight. Something inside her didn't really like the flight option, a little voice of frustration or predator. Instead she turned her back to the house and took off her gloves. Hopefully the riding gear would act as armor and not restrict her too much. It was a shame she still had the blue hemp lined leather on, or she could have just stepped out as her shadow and tried to scare them off.

The van was parked at the bottom of the driveway blocking her from riding back into the street. Six wererats climbed out of the caravan, five carrying makeshift weapons the last with a pair of heavy manacles and a gun tucked in the front of his pants. They spread out into a rough semi-circle as the advanced slowly up the small hill leading to the house.

"This doesn't have to be a fight Miss Ruxton, we're just here to escort you to the boss. If you relax this can be pain free" the oldest said stepping forward with the cuffs.

"My name is Ms. Sebastian, and there will be pain, starting in about ten seconds if you don't get back in that clown car and go to the circus." she said still bopping from one foot to the other. Strange thing is she didn't need to warm up, it was really just to settle her nerves. Six on one didn't look good for her, but damned if she was just going to go quietly with them.

At this point, the leader backed up a couple of paces to let the others move forward. Kat knew that the most dangerous pair were the two with the wooden bats. The others could break her body, but those pieces of wood could hurt her.

Exhale, stop heart, expand senses, and take it to them was her plan. Unlike most martial arts movies, they didn't take turns to come at her one at a time or in pairs. Instead the five flunkies rushed in at the same time swinging as they moved. Kat got in one good palm strike before it was a mass tangle of limbs all trying to wrestle her to the ground. Unfortunately for them, this worked in her favor, she pulled energy from one assailant knocking him unconscious, and pushed that same energy (throwing up in her own way) into the next. The sudden burst of energy caused his heart to double in speed almost instantly. Capillaries exploded from the sudden increase in blood pressure, and pain racked throughout his body. The same attack twice more and all five were down for the count.

A minute later, Katherine was the only one to stand up. Pain throbbed from all the places the bats had pounded, her left side was pretty much useless. She didn't need to touch them to know that two died just then, both ones she had pushed energy into. The others were all unconscious and likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future. Tipsy with excess energy, Kat wobbled some staring at the last rat standing. He stood there shaking just a little, cuffs forgotten at his feet, a automatic pistol in his hand.

"Wooden bullets?" Kat asked trying to stand straight and still. When his head shook no, she continued,"Then grab this trash and go before I eat your soul!"

He dropped the gun next to the cuffs and did just that. In just a short time the only sign of a struggle were the weapons left in place. Kat thought about leaving them, but what if some kids came by? It was close to midnight but kids snuck out sometimes and there was the possibility of her Uncle running over them in the dark if he came home tonight. She wasn't sure if a gun could fire off if it was run over, but she didn't want to find out either. It was weird gathering them up and taking them inside. Her left arm was broken but still obeyed her will and moved like normal until any weight was put on it. Then the muscles couldn't keep it from bending at odd angles no normal arm could. Without blood flowing there wasn't any bruising and no pain from her body but she felt like she bruised on the inside from where ever the bats had hit.

Once in the house Kat called out but no one was home like she thought. Everything neat but with a little dust, it was had to tell how long it had been since someone was here. It was amusing in a twisted way to Kat that she could beat up five men and even kill two but she found being home alone creepy. About then was when her nerves gave out on her and she curled up on the living room carpet and cried. She had killed people, sure people who wanted to kidnap her but they were still dead.

She fell asleep there, in the middle of the living room. Morning light throughout the living room and the sounds of birds singing woke Kat the next day. The pain from the beating mostly gone, it was only a bit later that she realized that if she had slept without the suit she might have woke to the feeling of being on fire instead of bird song. It was a sobering fact to think about as she put the weapons from last night in the garage, except for the gun which she didn't know what to do with. They didn't have a gun safe and Kat couldn't imagine just leaving it laying around unlocked in a drawer. For now it pulled her down on one side while residing in her largest pocket.