LotS/The Story/Playing with Fire (Part 1)/She's On Fire

"Don't move!"

The speaker mopped his shaggy, rain-soaked hair off his face, revealing an equally shaggy and rain-soaked beard, and waved a handgun at Ali's client. Wet footsteps squelched behind her.

"Call the others," he said, looking past Ali to whoever stood there.

There were a few electronic noises, and the unseen man began muttering.

"You..." The gunman glared at the man in the hat and trench coat once more. "Give it here."

"No! You can't have it!" He clutched the plastic packet against his chest. "Help! Someone help!"

"Don't bother," Ali said. "We're in the middle of nowhere, because some idiot thought it'd be a good place for the handover..."

"Then you help! Help!"

Ali rolled her eyes.

You should have let us kill him, they said. Look how annoying he is! We could have killed him, taken his coat, and-

"Oh, shut up!"

"You can't let them do this!" wailed Mr. Trench Coat (as Ali was beginning to think of him). "We had a deal!"

"Hey, you paid me to bring it to you. I did that."

"They're going to rob me!"

"And we'll murder you too," the gunman said, "if you don't hurry up!"

"I'll... I'll... I'll pay extra!"

"How much?" Ali asked.

"Watch it, bitch!" The gunman pointed his weapon at her.

Alison Haelia smirked. That was a big mistake...

They seethed. This bastard, this wretched shaggy-haired bastard, was pointing a gun at their mistress! They'd put a stop to that...

Ali's left hand shot out. The gunman shrieked, but not for long. The ball of fire that exploded in his face saw to that.

His partner lunged at Ali from behind. Her backfist caught him on the point of the jaw. Then she turned round, and there was more fire. This time there was no screaming. Two bodies burned and smoked in the mud and the rain, sending out wispy tendrils that smelled like roasted pork.

Finally! They'd been allowed to feed! Now, if she just let them take Mr. Trench Coat as well...

"No."

It'd been worth a try...

Mr. Trench Coat stared at Ali. He gawped at the corpses. He looked at Ali again.

"So," she said, "about that extra payment..."

An engine roared in the distance. Mr. Trench Coat squealed. Ali sighed.