14: The Gunfighter

Zack and Gabriella face off.

[OOC: Pardon the delay, I got a new job and it’s kept me busy and tired]

Zack looks at the door handle, his hand around it. Behind him stands Agent Gabriella, pointing a pistol at him as she turns on the lights from a switch near her with her free hand. He's been caught flat footed and he knows it. He was so close to leaving with the crucial intelligence the Agency has on the city's vampires. The woman speaks tensely:

"These bullets have been blessed by a Catholic cardinal. Don't try me. I'm a very good shot."

Zack doesn't know what to do next. He does not try to escape nor does he turn towards her. His eyes are fixed on that damn door handle he's holding, and the second light switch in this room next to it.

Blessed bullets? Those will not work against him. Not the way she thinks they might act. Garlic and stakes and all that jazz. Vamps let humans believe such things, because many bloodsuckers have been saved by an uninformed application of such folly before.

But what if she truly, truly believes it? What if she's a religious fanatic herself? A priestess even? Now that could be dangerous if wielded against him. Such as, well, right now.

But she wields a gun, and not a cross of redemption.

"Turn around, hands in the air." she commands.

Zack does as instructed, hands high up, fear running down his back. Under the electric light, she's wearing a dark purple night robe, made out of towel stuff. No makeup or earrings, and a ferocious look upon her eyes as she holds the pistol with both hands. The scope has a silencer.

"Who sent you?"
"No hablo inglés." he tries nervously.

She shoots the wall right next to Zack's ear, startling him. The plaster bits pepper the side of his face.

"Speak." she says coldly, narrowing her dark eyes. Zack needs to come up with something clever. She's probably called for reinforcements already.

Action: Keep Her Talking
Intellect 7
6, 1 - Strong, +1F +2 roll

He gathers up fake courage and mirrors her eye narrowing.

"You know who sent me, Agent Gabriella. And you know they can send others, who aren't as subtle as me."

She hesitates, her eyes shift in thought for a moment.
"Drop the backpack and drop to your knees."

He reaches behind him slowly to take off the backpack. As he does so... he tries turning off the lights.

Action: Escape!
Dexterity 6, +2 roll
8, 10 - Miss! -2H

Endure Harm
Force 5
3, 10 - Weak

She shoots him in the throat, making him gargle stolen blood. Time to rumble.

Agent Gabriella
[ | | | | | | | | | ]
Dangerous (🞻🞻)

Harm 3 | Stress 3 | Blood 4 | Focus +8

He's thrown back against the door, then lands on his feet and jumps to the side, drawing his own pistol. He thinks "SHIT SHIT SHIT".

Enter the Fray
Force 5
9, 10 - Miss! -1F

She wasn't lying when she said she's a good gunfighter. Even in half darkness she lines up a shot which disarms him! His gun rolls beneath a table. He grabs a vase and throws it at her desperately.

Clash
Force 5
4, 5 - Weak, -2H

Endure Harm
Force 5
2, 10 - Weak

Agent Gabriella
[🞻|🞻| | | | | | | | ]
Dangerous (🞻🞻)

Harm 1 | Stress 3 | Blood 4 | Focus +7

The vase travels so fast she has no time to duck. She shoots it and Zack in the gut with the same shot, but the pieces still cut at her face and she stumbles back. Zack jumps behind the couch, gritting his teeth in pain, and considers his next move frantically.

Secure an Advantage
Dexterity 6
8, 8 - Miss with a match!!!

He dives for the living room window. He's dead-dead if he stays here with this deadly enemy. He lunges for safety...
... and hits his face on the bulletproof glass. She shoots him from behind once more.

Endure Harm
Force 5
4, 3 - Strong, +1F

Harm 0 | Stress 3 | Blood 4 | Focus +8

He falls behind the couch, weak and in terrible pain. He can't hear a thing coming from her, until her voice breaks the silence:

"Give me the backpack and you can go."

He reaches out with his phone and texts Penelope, his master, with shaking fingers, "HELP" with his address.

"S-screw you!" Zack squeaks back, fighting the pain. Where's the damn gun?!

Secure an Advantage
Intellect 7
5, 9 - Weak, +1 to roll

He reaches out beneath the couch, Agent Gabriella on the other side and approaching. He closes his fingers around the cold metal and brings it up to fire at her.

Clash
Force 5, +1 roll
3, 10 - Weak, Pay the Price

Pay the Price
100: Roll twice!
58: Your supernatural abilities malfunction
34: Something of value is lost or destroyed.

Screw this. Both fire at each other, and he blasts her at the shoulder, the sound so many times louder than her own silenced pistol. He does not register a hit on himself. She bounces back against the wall, leaving a blood streak.

Agent Gabriella
[🞻|🞻|🞻|🞻|🞻|🞻| | | | ]
Dangerous (🞻🞻)

He then notices his gun has been shot and the mechanism is broken. Damn! He decides to launch himself on the offensive and punch her till submission while he has a chance.

Clash
Force 5
6, 10 - Focus burn! WOUNDED, -2F

He vaults over the couch, hissing in pain, and leaps at her, who's already recovering. Impressive discipline. He lands a punch on her cheek... as she fires and blows a hole in his chest.

Agent Gabriella
[🞻|🞻|🞻|🞻|🞻|🞻|🞻|🞻| | ]
Dangerous (🞻🞻)

Endure Harm
Force 5
2, 7: Weak

He coughs out blood as he feels his muscles wrong. He has trouble moving one of his arms and the pain is almost overwhelming. He decides to try to clock her unconscious and get out of there.

End the Fight
8 segments
2, 5: Strong

They lock eyes for a moment as she quickly brings her gun to his forehead. He slaps her weapon aside and away and snarls at her, "ENOUGH!" as he punches her again. She goes rigid, then limp and unconscious.

He's not going to kill her. But he's going to feed.

Feed
Automatic Success
Strong: +2B, she lives

He stands up with difficulty, and focuses. He needs to heal right now.

And to his horror, he realizes he can't.