Chapter 17 Attrition

John looked as the cyclist speed off and disappeared into the distance. He looked at the letter in his hand. “Too Warlord Kyle and the beast of bullet town” it said on the front of the letter. The writing was very dainty, most likely written by a woman. John figured Kyle had read the names and guessed that it was addressed to both of them, who else then John could be the beast of bullet town?

John carefully opened the letter and started reading it out loud. “To the Beast of bullet town. We have seen your prowess both against Molotov and your subsequent evolution when facing the union. We therefor feel you are worthy of Joining our group. If you are interested, then come to Charleston town in three days and we will answer all your questions. With regards -Attrition group.”

The letter was quite short. John didn’t know what to make of it. “Is it a trap?” Kyle chimed in. “I doesn’t feel like one, but one can never be too careful” John responded. After his previous mistake, John was in no rush to fuck up again. Yet, he still felt this letter was credible, why send an invitation instead of just ambushing him? With that though John had decided to go. He wanted to know who this group was and why they were contacting him. “I will go and check it out. Will you come Kyle?” John asked. “Mm, no. If this is a trap then they might be aiming for bullet town, too risky to leave it unprotected” Kyle answered. Indeed, if that was their goal, for Kyle to stay behind was a good idea. John also liked this idea, since Alice was staying here.

The next three days passed quickly. John did what he usually did, talking, walking and eating. After finding the best route to Charleston town, John was ready to head out. Charleston town wasn’t to far away, only a couple hours for John at full sprint. Of course, he would be bringing Luna so he could travel at 100%. In hindsight, John probably should have left a bit earlier, but it was already to late now.

Luna and John raced off southwards next to the interstate. They could cut straight through the forest but with no sense of direction, that would only make their trip slower. The creatures in the forest wasn’t something he wanted to bump into either.

After a few hours at top speed, they eventually saw the sign for Charleston town. They arrived at the edge of town. This town like so many others, was barren. With no activity and no one around. However, leaning against a building right on the edge of town, he saw the cyclist. He stood there in his leather clothes smoking a cigarette and nonchalantly looked at John.

John was quite surprised that he seemed completely unfazed by his huge stature. John was after all gigantic and very scary looking. “So you came, the others are just about to start” he said in a relaxed tone. “Start what and who others?” John asked suspicious. “Calm down wolf boy, you will see. Come on” he said before he sauntered off. John was quite annoyed by this guy. “You will be the first to die if this is a trap” John stated. “Yeah, yeah save me the drama” the man said even more relaxed, only further infuriating John.

Eventually they arrived at what looked like an old bar. However, all the windows were welded shut with steel plates. The door was also made of thick metal with just a small port at head height to look through. The cyclist knocked on the door. the small port promptly slid open. The man inside who looked outward could only see a massive black hairy chest filled with muscles. “Hey its me and the beast, let us inn” the cyclist said. The man behind the door looked at the cyclist and then attempted to get a view of John’s face, before he opened the door.

John crouched down and just barely made it through the door, with Luna right behind doing the same. Inside the bar he saw lots of weapons strew around, with some people sitting at the far left drinking beer. However, when he looked to his right, John saw the weirdest group of people he had ever seen.

A bunch of people were sitting and standing around a coffee table. The woman in the middle saw John. “Ahh, the beast of bullet town, welcome. We have been expecting you” she said with a sweet voice. John walked forward until he stood in front of these people. “Well we haven’t meet before, so I suppose introductions is expected. Why don’t everyone introduce themselves?” the woman in the middle said, who John assumed was the leader.

To John’s immediate left stood a man straight as a rod. He was wearing a set of electric blue track clothes. However that wasn’t the most striking thing about him. His hair was long and flowing, except not flowing downwards, but backwards. It was as if he was underwater, his hair laid horizontally backwards and was slowly and slightly waving back and forth, like there was a stream of water around him. When he turned to look at John, his hair slowly floated to the left, so that it was straight behind him. “Nice to meet you, names McGee, Lightning McGee” he said in a stern voice. Suddenly John heard someone chime in “Pft, more like lightning McQueen”. “Shut up Alec” McGee responded angrily.

Next to him sat a woman in a comfy reclining chair. She was wearing a long summer dress with some flowers on it. She looked quite normal. However, as John looked at her one of the straps for the dress going across her shoulder moved a bit, and then slowly retracted behind her back. “Hello, my name is Donna, but people call me Arachne” she said with a sweet smile. As John heard her introduction, he realized the implications and shuddered.

To the left of this woman, sat another woman. Who was wearing some regular clothes. A pair of Chinos and a sweater. “Hello, I am Matilda. Nice to meet you. I suppose I am the leader of this bunch”. she said with a bitter sweet smile

The next person to introduce himself was the same man who had heckled McGee. He was wearing a leather duster and a leather fedora, looking like a 1950s reporter. “Good day, to you. You might not be able to tell but I am a mage” he exclaimed with glee, obviously wanting to show off. He lifted his hand and made some glitter in his hand. Which didn’t impress John at all.

“Haha, careful there, glitter boy” McGee who had seen his chance, started heckling him. “What did you call me!?” Glitter boy exclaimed angrily and stretched his hand towards McGee, with two fingers stretched outwards like he was pretending it was a gun. However, immediately afterwards an incredibly bright light started coalescing at the end of his fingertips. A small ball, no bigger than a pearl hanged stationary in front of his two fingers. The light was so bright that everyone in the room had to squint to be able to see.

McGee responded by making a bow of pure lightning and pulling it back. As he did an arrow started forming until he had drawn back completely. “try me glitter boy, I don’t believe you dare to let that thing off so close to yourself” McGee responded smugly.

Suddenly Matilda chimed in angrily “Stop it both of you and Alec put away that thing before you kill all of us. We have company”. After staring at each other for a moment they both retracted their abilities. John felt a bit of cold sweet running down his back, what did she mean by “kill us all” could that small ball of light kill everyone here? “You will have to excuse these two brats” Matilda said apologetically.

After everyone had settled down John looked at the old man holding a bamboo cane sitting in the corner looking at the ground. Right after John looked at him, the old man’s head shot- up and looked at John with milky white eyes. John immediately understood that this man was blind. Even so, when he looked in to those eyes John felt a bit of fear. He could feel that this man was exceptionally strong. The old man looked at John “This old man is just here to repay a favor” he said with a bit of melancholy and went back to staring at the ground. He obviously didn’t want to say his name or stay with this group any longer than he needed to.

“Ok then. Well my name is John and this is Luna” John said a bit awkwardly, no amount of strength could make one rise above awkward situations. “Welcome John and Luna and with you two arriving, this meeting can begin” Matilda said with a smile, obviously trying to gloss over the previous events.