Failed Attempt

At a cantina in Mexico City, “God’s Gift” Jeremiah Vastrix sits alongside Johnny Melange at the bar. Both have traditional lime margaritas along with several shots of tequila on the side.

Melange: So who you facing in the ring next, man?

Vastrix: Some big Russian guy named Boris Drago. I think some chick named Dasha pulls him around by the dick. Shot?

Melange: Shot.

Johnny and Jeremiah pick up a shot of tequila each and down them. Jeremiah makes a bit of a face as the tequila burns its way down. Johnny just smiles.

Melange: I’ve seen him in action. He’s a bit of a brute. You sure you going to be able to handle him?

Vastrix: Like a bullfighter would a prize bull.

Melange: I think Boris and Dasha are either former or current Russian military.

Jeremiah takes a sip of his margarita with a chuckle.

Vastrix: I have a little bit of military training. Well, the military training that the Shocktroopers do.

Johnny frowns, looking around the place uncomfortably.

Melange: Maybe they have their sights set on you. That, or someone is just pointing a laser pointer at your back.

Vastrix: Well, shit. Lemme expand my senses a bit and-

Jeremiah ducks down as a gunshot shatters his margarita glass, having come through the window of the cantina. Jeremiah rises up, returning fire to the direction the shot came from with a laser blast from his cybernetic eyes.

Vastrix: I think I got him! Let’s go!

Jeremiah Vastrix and Johnny Melange leave the cantina and enter the shop across the street. Jeremiah draws a gun as he sees the shop owner. The shop owner begins spouting something in Spanish, but Jeremiah just shakes his head.

Vastrix: Roof access. Where?

The shop owner shakily points to the back room where there is a stairway up to a roof access door. Jeremiah tells him thank you in Spanish and the two head to the roof.

There is a scorch mark at the edge of the roof where Jeremiah’s laser eyes struck and an abandoned sniper rifle. Jeremiah’s eyes narrow as he examines the rifle.

Melange: The sniper escaped!

Vastrix: This is a Chukavin. A relatively new sniper rifle for the Russian military service. It replaces the Dragunov SVD that was introduced in 1963. This means-

Melange: That Boris tried to kill you before the match?

Vastrix: It would seem so. He will find that I’m not so easy to kill or defeat in the ring. Let’s head back to the cantina.

Melange: What about the weapon?

Jeremiah sighs and begins taking apart the weapon to put into the case laying next to the weapon. He finishes that and the pair get to the entrance to the shop when they find themselves surrounded by Mexican police. Jeremiah sighs again as he and Johnny put their hands in the air.

Vastrix: This has all been a big misunderstanding…

Nearly a mile away, a man in a hood sits in an alley with his back against a building. He clutches at his shoulder where Jeremiah’s laser eyes burned him. He gets out his cell phone and makes a phone call.

Man: I left the Russian weapon at the scene. I’m sure he’ll think that the Russian is trying to kill him as opposed to me. I hadn’t counted on his reflexes to be able to get me so quickly, but I will get him next time.