3 months later
Suburbs south ofLas Vegas
Kathryn watched the church burn. The heat was intense and her own anger only added to the intensity of what she was watching. Her grip tightened on the collar of the punk she caught. He was limp with a few bruises to the face. Her hands were slightly bruised but the pain was washing away with the waves of heat.
She looked down at the punk in disgust then around the field and noticed the three other accomplices lying around where they fell from her blows of revenge. A grim smirk appeared and she was satisfied with what she did even though she couldn’t save the church. Once she found these four vandals she knew she could do something. It was within her ability. Kathryn started to feel as if she had the “right” to take action when no one else could do it.
As she mused over such thoughts, there was a slight tug and moan from the punk at her feet. “Bitch, do you realize who you are fu-“, Kathryn reached around with her other hand and punched him in the face from above. He went crashing to the ground unconscious. She flexed her gloved hand and saw the blood shine from the light of fire.
Sirens could be heard approaching, both fire and police. Kathryn quickly gathered the four together and piled them in a sitting position then waited. As the first police car raced down the street, she turned and ran for the bushes. She would make sure the punks were taken care of before she made her quiet escape.
A couple of officers looked at the situation cautiously. One took to the task of handcuffing the arsonists while the other tried to track the area for anyone else. “Time to go”, she whispered and broke into a sprint away from the scene.
---
Kathryn entered the loft from the elevator and saw Daikar meditating in front of the large dusty windows, as usual. She unhooked the tactical visor she purchased off the black market from her ears and striped off her metal-padded gloves. The gloves would have to be washed since blood left an awful stench that was hard to get rid of.
“How was it tonight?” Daikar asked smoothly as he began to stand with only his legs lifting him.
Kathryn sighed, “One robbery, two car-jackings, and one arson. Nine people.”
“Not bad for three hours. You are finding them with more ease.”
Kathryn went to the sink and started to gather the chemicals needed to clean the gloves. “Yes, the arson was a half-win though. I got the four that started it but the church was already lit. There was nothing I could do beyond teaching the lesson.”
“Were you seen?”
“No, Grand Battler.” She dipped her hands under the water and washed her face.
“So formal,” Daikar stood near Kathryn. “I can sense you are troubled.”
Kathryn put her wet hands on the counter edge and leaned into her shoulders. “It never ends does it?”
Daikar stood motionless. “No. Things are as they should be.”
Kathryn looked up. “I’ve heard you say that often. What does that mean?” She pointed a finger to his chest. “And don’t give me philosophical. Just say it.”
Daikar turned and returned to his mediation mat. “As I have said before Kathy, you were chosen. It was not chance nor a random conglomeration of events. There is only fate and destiny. This is a part of my faith, a faith in something that exists. But to enforce that idea upon you takes away your freedom of choice.”
Kathryn rolled her eye and silently grumbled to herself, “Another lesson in words.”
She sat on her mat. Kathryn prepared herself for the mental joust that would happen and said, “Choice to believe in fate and destiny? So you’re saying there is no personal freedom of choice? That’s contradictory.”
“No, you can still choose your path. But every decision you make has consequences which will affect a series of events that will force another decision you will have to make. All these decisions must be made of your own freewill separate from influences upon you. The trick is that you must decide what to believe: whether existence is a series of random events or part of a grand vision. Then follow that belief to the end. The point is that you believe.”
“Believe in what?
Daikar smirked, something he picked up from Kathryn. “If a priest tells you God exists, would that be enough for you to believe in God?”
“Of course not, I need more than someone else’s conviction.” Then she realized what was happening. “Alright then, tell me what you know. I’ll see if I can accept that or not.”
Daikar took a deep breath and exhaled just as long. He looked at her one eye and his face became dour. “The gods of old still exist. The ones commonly referred to as the Olympians. They still reside in the Heavens and use people as instruments of their will.”
Silence.
Kathryn blinked twice.
“That’s it?”
“What more should I say?”
“You just told me that Zeus and Apollo walk among the clouds and decide to have things happen as if they were playing a game of chess! There is a lot more to say!” Kathryn was physically tired and now she started to get a headache.
Suburbs south of
Kathryn watched the church burn. The heat was intense and her own anger only added to the intensity of what she was watching. Her grip tightened on the collar of the punk she caught. He was limp with a few bruises to the face. Her hands were slightly bruised but the pain was washing away with the waves of heat.
She looked down at the punk in disgust then around the field and noticed the three other accomplices lying around where they fell from her blows of revenge. A grim smirk appeared and she was satisfied with what she did even though she couldn’t save the church. Once she found these four vandals she knew she could do something. It was within her ability. Kathryn started to feel as if she had the “right” to take action when no one else could do it.
As she mused over such thoughts, there was a slight tug and moan from the punk at her feet. “Bitch, do you realize who you are fu-“, Kathryn reached around with her other hand and punched him in the face from above. He went crashing to the ground unconscious. She flexed her gloved hand and saw the blood shine from the light of fire.
Sirens could be heard approaching, both fire and police. Kathryn quickly gathered the four together and piled them in a sitting position then waited. As the first police car raced down the street, she turned and ran for the bushes. She would make sure the punks were taken care of before she made her quiet escape.
A couple of officers looked at the situation cautiously. One took to the task of handcuffing the arsonists while the other tried to track the area for anyone else. “Time to go”, she whispered and broke into a sprint away from the scene.
---
Kathryn entered the loft from the elevator and saw Daikar meditating in front of the large dusty windows, as usual. She unhooked the tactical visor she purchased off the black market from her ears and striped off her metal-padded gloves. The gloves would have to be washed since blood left an awful stench that was hard to get rid of.
“How was it tonight?” Daikar asked smoothly as he began to stand with only his legs lifting him.
Kathryn sighed, “One robbery, two car-jackings, and one arson. Nine people.”
“Not bad for three hours. You are finding them with more ease.”
Kathryn went to the sink and started to gather the chemicals needed to clean the gloves. “Yes, the arson was a half-win though. I got the four that started it but the church was already lit. There was nothing I could do beyond teaching the lesson.”
“Were you seen?”
“No, Grand Battler.” She dipped her hands under the water and washed her face.
“So formal,” Daikar stood near Kathryn. “I can sense you are troubled.”
Kathryn put her wet hands on the counter edge and leaned into her shoulders. “It never ends does it?”
Daikar stood motionless. “No. Things are as they should be.”
Kathryn looked up. “I’ve heard you say that often. What does that mean?” She pointed a finger to his chest. “And don’t give me philosophical. Just say it.”
Daikar turned and returned to his mediation mat. “As I have said before Kathy, you were chosen. It was not chance nor a random conglomeration of events. There is only fate and destiny. This is a part of my faith, a faith in something that exists. But to enforce that idea upon you takes away your freedom of choice.”
Kathryn rolled her eye and silently grumbled to herself, “Another lesson in words.”
She sat on her mat. Kathryn prepared herself for the mental joust that would happen and said, “Choice to believe in fate and destiny? So you’re saying there is no personal freedom of choice? That’s contradictory.”
“No, you can still choose your path. But every decision you make has consequences which will affect a series of events that will force another decision you will have to make. All these decisions must be made of your own freewill separate from influences upon you. The trick is that you must decide what to believe: whether existence is a series of random events or part of a grand vision. Then follow that belief to the end. The point is that you believe.”
“Believe in what?
Daikar smirked, something he picked up from Kathryn. “If a priest tells you God exists, would that be enough for you to believe in God?”
“Of course not, I need more than someone else’s conviction.” Then she realized what was happening. “Alright then, tell me what you know. I’ll see if I can accept that or not.”
Daikar took a deep breath and exhaled just as long. He looked at her one eye and his face became dour. “The gods of old still exist. The ones commonly referred to as the Olympians. They still reside in the Heavens and use people as instruments of their will.”
Silence.
Kathryn blinked twice.
“That’s it?”
“What more should I say?”
“You just told me that Zeus and Apollo walk among the clouds and decide to have things happen as if they were playing a game of chess! There is a lot more to say!” Kathryn was physically tired and now she started to get a headache.
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