72. Turnabout is Fair Play

In a flurry of white, Kaidu dropped from the sky. Startled, Jeff leaped back, but too late. He shouted and raised a hand to his face. Blood spurted where Kaidu’s razor carved a line down his forehead and cheek, barely jumping Jeff’s eye.

The red circle around Rowan and Ikara faded, and Rowan found himself able to move again. They split in opposite directions, rushing away from the mark on the ground.

“Break Concealment,” Jeff growled.

Three forms faded in from the shadows behind him. Whip-thin, Marlene charged Kaidu, her daggers as fast as his razors. Jacob charged Rowan and Ikara, head down like a bull. Amy threw her hands up, and the water rose with the gesture, towering over Rowan and Ikara. Rowan had enough time to gasp a breath before the pillar of water washed over him.

It picked him up and threw him. He tumbled head-over-heels as if caught in a wave in the ocean, except instead of forgiving sand underfoot, he smashed into hard stone over and over. Curling his hands over his head, he spun helplessly, unable to stop. Can’t—breathe…

The water stopped spinning at last. Lost, Rowan flailed until he found the ground, then pushed himself upright and gasped for air just in time to watch Jacob bear down on him.

The massive man hit him like a semitruck. Rowan flew backward and slammed into the wall behind him. His head hit stone with a crack that resounded in his skull. The world went black for a second, and he opened his eyes blearily a second later to find a message awaiting him.

You have been defeated! Points: 0

No! We worked so hard for those! Rowan struggled to climb his way upright, but his legs wouldn’t hold his weight.

Across the alleyway, Jacob bore down on a bedraggled Ikara. She stared, half-propped up on her arms, legs splayed in the water.

“Manifest!” Rowan mumbled, lifting his hand enough to point at Jacob.

His Garden Box appeared and smashed down on Jacob’s head. The man paused for a moment, then shook his head and started again. The box fell to the ground by his side.

Dammit! It wasn’t enough!

The plant twitched. Its leaf coincidentally passed across its stalk. There was a hiss, loud enough Jacob spun and raised his hands defensively. Milky white sap sprayed through the air, a faint mist, and coated his face and arms.

Jacob furrowed his brows and looked at his arms. He took another step toward Ikara.

Suddenly, he flinched. He grabbed his arms, then his face, then threw himself into the water.

“Jacob! What’s wrong?” Amy asked.

“It burns!” he shouted.

“It burns? What burns?” Amy said, moving closer.

Rowan’s vision blurred. Barely loud enough he could hear, he mumbled, “Ikara, run.”

She stared at him, wide-eyed, then sprinted away, back toward the plaza. “Help!”

“The stupid plant—” Jacob hauled back his foot to kick the plant.

No! Rowan closed his hand. The Garden Box de-manifested seconds before Jacob’s foot made contact. He overbalanced and splashed into the water again.

Jeff barked out a laugh, backing away, his finger trained on a frozen Kaidu. Marlene jumped backward, sheathing her daggers. Kaidu glared viciously at them both, eyes narrowed to slits.

“Tough customer, ain’tcha. If I was back home, I’d be recruitin’ you right now. As it is…” Jeff drew closer. He reached out and put his hand on Kaidu’s neck. Kaidu flinched back, repulsed, but couldn’t retreat. “Tracking Mark. Binding Mark.”

Jacob filled up Rowan’s field of vision, blocking out his view of Kaidu. Dazed, Rowan stared up at him, unable to move. Jacob lifted him up by the apron, leather band squeezing his neck. Bringing his face down to Rowan’s, he snarled, “Stop the burning!”

“Jacob, hands off. We don’t need to kill them, now.”

“He hurt me! He hurt me bad,” Jacob complained, shaking Rowan. Rowan’s vision flickered, head bobbling around.

“Hurt you where? I don’t see nothing. Pass me the boy,” Jeff demanded, still pointing over his shoulder at Kaidu.

Jacob shook Rowan one last time, then thrust him at Jeff. A worn, leathery hand closed around Rowan’s throat. “Tracking Mark. Binding Mark.”

“You sure about marking them? I know you didn’t mark him the first time, and you’ve only got a few uses of that left,” Amy said.

“Only didn’t do it the first time ‘cuz he didn’t have no points. Didn’t know if he could collect any. Now that I know he’s got potential, the juice… is worth the squeeze.”

Amy shrugged. “Whatever you say, boss.”

Jacob threw Rowan down. Water flew around him, and his butt hit the stone floor. He flailed and tried to climb upright. The world swirled around him, off-balance. Rowan fell back to the ground. What’s wrong with me?

Jeff nodded at Marlene. “You wanna fetch me the girl?”

“No need.” Marlene tipped her head behind him.

Jeff and Rowan both craned their heads to look. Lancelot had Ikara by the arm, the latter betrayed, lips curled in disgust.

Jeff broke out into a wide smile. “Oh, darlin’, you know how to make a man happy.”

“Go fuck yourself.” Lancelot threw Ikara at him. She splashed down into the water.

Before she could jump up, Jeff’s hand closed around her neck. “Tracking Mark, Binding Mark.”

“Her points count to our total,” Lancelot demanded.

“Darlin’, you don’t get to set the rules. Now get yourself out there and fetch me some points.”

Lancelot took a step forward.

Jeff sighed, more tired than anything. “Mark activate.”

Her whole body tensed, a grimace of agony on her face. Unconsciously, she gripped at her neck, where a bright red band bit into her flesh. “S-stop!”

“Right. You gonna complain about your points, or go fetch me some more?”

“I—I’ll go,” Lancelot groaned.

“Deactivate.”

Gasping a breath, Lancelot staggered to the side. She rubbed her neck and glared, but said nothing.

Turning to Rowan, Ikara, and Kaidu, Jeff grinned. “Now listen real close here. This’s how the rules’re gonna work, now.”