Mortis told Bill to call the police and tell them about the car, which Bill delegated to Lazlo, the young man just chased after Mortis as the Detective sprinted to the first floor following his trusty canine companion as Cicero had picked up the scent of the killer.
"I told you to stay behind!" pointed Mortis as Cicero reoriented himself outside the Parking Lot.
"That guy took one of ours, he needs to pay" rebutted Bill. Mortis saw that the man was unwilling to back down from the chase, and the Detective reasoned he may prove useful to get help from other members, so Mortis changed tactics.
"In that case keep the gun hidden and don't pull it until is that or die. Too many people around" ordered Mortis.
"You got it chief" Bill followed instructions and pocketed the gun.
Cicero got the trail back, Cicero darted towards Commerce Street, a road parallel to Broadway but with not nearly the same amount of buzz, a perfect place to find a dark corner and ambush a tipsy patron wanting to get away from the noise. Mortis followed Cicero and Bill was right behind him. The street was light on people, mostly individuals and small groups avoiding the noise of Broadway's Music Venues and choosing calmer experiences. Evaluating the situation Mortis changed his approach.
"Cicero, close to me, walk speed. Bill, keep your distance, if we see the target we will flank it. Be careful and don't pull your gun unless told" ordered Mortis.
Bill nodded and the trio marched into the street at brisk speed, people gave way at the two men as Cicero tracked. The dog picked up speed as 5th Avenue came and went Cicero made a turn and all of a sudden the open space disappeared, the broad road was behind them, now it was St. Cloud Alley, a long narrow alley extending two whole blocks with enough blind spots and dark corners for the perfect ambush.
Cicero stopped, he the dog did not bark, he just stopped on his tracks at the edge of church street, St.Cloud was behind and ahead. Mortis paused and noticed Cicero was staring at something. Following the gaze of his dog Mortis saw across the street, deep into the other side of St.Cloud Alley, a lone figure standing; it wore an oversized hood to cover its features, not as if the night would allow to see clearly that far away, but Mortis knew that thing was looking at them, looking and smiling. Whoever was under that hood it was their killer, and he was aware that he was being chased.
"Is that the bastard?"
Mortis had completely forgotten Bill was behind him. The Detective tried to stop the mafia grunt from acting. "Bill Stop" was not enough, the younger man pulled his gun and rushed after the figure that blended into the shadows on the other side of the street. Short of options and not wanting to see another corpse tonight Mortis rushed after. This is why he preferred to work alone.
Mortis followed Bill into the shadows of St. Cloud Alley, hidden corners and parking lots became the battleground, and by the time Bill became aware of his mistake it was too late, both men stood in the darkest point of the alley with a dark parking lot and too many shadows to know who was there.
"I lost him" said Bill.
"He is here" corrected Mortis. Quickly Mortis drew his Messer, the sword, forged in the style of a Bowie Knife, shone under the few droplets of moonlight seeping among the shadows of the buildings. The Detective held the blade with astonishing ease, while on the other he had drawn one of is trusty semi-automatic pistols, Mortis was ready for the enemy to strike.
The seconds slugged in the alley, Mortis and Bill stood back to back in search of the hooded figure.
"Where is it?" asked the grunt nervously.
"He is there" Mortis spoke from experience, he knew what he was dealing with and he could feel its eyes preying on them.
The warning came in the form of a loud "Woof! Woof!" Mortis looked as his trusty companion and saw the dog looking up; instinctively Mortis pushed Bill away and jumped to safety as their attacker fell from the sky and stroke the place where the two men had been not two seconds ago, If Mortis had been any slower he would have become one-armed, or worst.
"Stay down or I'll shoot!" ordered Mortis pointing his gun at the assailant who remained fixed in place. "Stand up slowly, hands where I can see them".
The attacker stood up but not slowly, it just stood without a care in the world and take a good look at Bill, the young mafioso had stood up and rush to put some distance between his attacker and himself before pointing his gun at the swordsman.
"You heard the man! Do it or I'll shoot, I swear" shouted Bill in a way that sounded somewhat threatening.
The attacker did not turned his head to look at Mortis, the eyes of the man where hidden by the obnoxious hood and the darkness, but the smile was one hundred percent visible: a crooked smile, scarred, one tooth broken in half, nor normal In every sense. He lifted his right hand slowly, showing a strange straight blade at least four feet long, it was neither elegant, nor clean, but it was dangerous, that much the Detective knew.
Once again Mortis was saved by his instincts, when he realized Bill was right behind the attacker, right in the line of fire if he dared to shoot, Mortis dropped his gun and took to handle his Messer with both hands, an action that saved him from the impact of the sword going for his neck. The attacker had closed distance with him at astonishing speed, and before he knew it both where clashing swords like medieval duelists.
"Holly Hell" cursed the Detective he could feel the impact of the attacker and it was heavy. The swordsman went against Mortis with a series of repeated strikes that seemed heavily intimidating at first, but besides their striking prowess had nothing special to them. Mortis had fought swordsmen before and he noticed something strange on this one: it had power, it knew the technique to a degree, but the way it moved was odd, awkward, choppy, the strikes lacked the finesse of a trained swordsman, but somehow the attacker knew very well how to use the blade, moving it with unsettling ease.
On the other side Bill struggled to aim, with Mortis directly in the line of fire the young gangster cursed and bid his time, keeping eyes on the mysterious swordsman.
After a few more attacks Mortis got used to the attackers range and strength, and was ready to close the deal with a well placed strike to the wrist to disarm the man. With grace and skill the Detective parried and strike from the hand wielding the enemy's sword, but did not find the tender flesh, instead there was a scraping noise that made Mortis thing of forearm protection. Was this man really a proper swordsman? It seemed, yet it seemed not.
Mortis saw the attacker smirk at Mortis's failed attempt and retaliated with an attack that should have been to short, key word being should. The blade nearly graced Mortis's nose, only because he saw the metal glimmer Mortis could notice the blade, swung out of range, somehow could reach him. The reaction of the Detective was swift, earning him a sort of amused approval from his attacker.
"Very good, you are the first in a very long time that dodges that attack" the words came weird and hollow. The voice of the man did not came as one of a foreigner having trouble commanding the English language, more that of wind being blown out of the lungs and filtered through the vocal cords as if an instrument being played by a novice musician. Mortis had met no man ever speaking like that, not alive, dead, undead, possessed, or otherwise; this was new and stranger, and Mortis knew that in his job this could be an easy ticket to an afterlife.
"Who or what are you?" The Detective was not sure about asking questions, but he banked in the possibility that whatever this was may be willing to tell, and through that Mortis find a strategy to fight back, or at least buy time to formulate a plan.
The attacker rose his sword one handed, pointing it at Mortis. The swordsman seemed to be very confident of his skills to stand in such position, so open.
"I am the God of Death, here to claim this world for myself! Fear me and worship me before I make you a part of me" the words came in a voice familiar yet alien with a rhythm to them that seemed from another time.
"Hey God of Death! Eat lead!" Bill shouted as he unleashed his entire revolver upon the attacker. Bill's gun skills were not great, but a few shots found their target. Seeing that the killer did little more than flinch Mortis used the opportunity to pour his energy into the sword, the mana, the mystical energy coursing through all life was focused by Mortis into his sword; on the hilt an octagonal Nordic rune with the inscription for wind gleamed, the letter lighting up, transforming the energy granted into a membrane of wind that permeated the edge of the blade increasing its sharpness exponentially. When the bored swordsman finally noticed Mortis slashed in his direction. The strike of the Detective was swift but measured, targeting the assailant's blade, which with one swing of Mortis's messer saw the enemy blade cleaved clean in half.
Mortis placed the tip of his blade against the throat of his assailant. For the first time since he had meet the man Mortis saw him change his expression, from a wide grin to a gaping mouth that could be constructed as an expression of raw fear but the eyes of the attacker were still not accessible to the Detective.
"End of the line 'God'! Drop the weapon!" ordered Mortis.
"We better kill the bastard!" said Bill as he approached Mortis.
"Stand back!" ordered Mortis, he knew something was wrong.
The attacker did not reacted how Mortis expected, instead of focusing on the sword on his throat the killer began to howl, a strange and hollow scream that was full of confusion and terror.
"Kill him!" ordered Bill as he tried to reload his gun in a panic.
Mortis noticed the movement on the man's belly, something told Mortis that if he moved forward he would die. Mortis jumped back as four foot spikes emerged from the body of the killer, they were sharp and dark like giant nails.
"Son of a Bitch!" screamed Bill as the horrifying nails threw the young gangster into a panic, Billy only managed to load a single bullet and fire it to the killer, hitting the man square in the face. The gunfire seemed to have worked at first, the attacker stumbled back, and for a moment it it appeared that the chase was over, but instead the killer pushed forward, sprinting at full speed.
"Move you idiot!" shouted Mortis, but Bill was too slow. The killer rushed forward as the nails retreated into his body, Bill tried to protect himself but the killer stroke him with the broken sword, Bill felt to the side as the killer kept running away.
Mortis rushed besides Bill to tend his wound; the nasty cut extended from left shoulder to slightly under the right armpit, but besides the blood it seemed that the strike had done little besides cutting skin.
"Forget me! The guy!" said Bill. Mortis turned to Cicero and ordered the Canine to stay with Bill until help arrived. Mortis then sprinted after his man.
Before Mortis exited the alleyway he could hear the sound of tires screeching on the pavement, and a concerned driver asking "Are you okay?" followed by the sound of glass and metal being crashed. When Mortis finally exited the alley he could see a large SUV having its driver's door torn open, and the driver being tossed out his car by the killer, who jumped into the vehicle and drove it away at full speed.
The Detective went to check on the victim of Grand Theft, he was shocked but unharmed, but the killer was getting away.
Mortis cursed, a bad night was getting worst by the minute.