Self Destructing Messenger

#16 - Drive Thru

"Hey, dick! You do realize I could destroy you, right?"

Cayce frowned, his eyes cast away from the ranting Pyro. Spine straight, body stilled, he will himself to focus on his internal idol radar. It wasn't the easiest task as the crimson crusader was about the most distracting human being alive and wasn't taking the hint that the argument was over. As fun as the bickering was, Cayce couldn't help but notice Azalea had left the immediate area. That was unexpected and he didn't like it.

"Nothing to say? Afraid to speak without Azalea around to save you?"

Eyes closed, Cayce let out a rattling breath, his throat squeezed tight from his withheld remarks. Not the time. While it wasn't a pinpoint accurate ability, the mohawked man could feel Azalea getting closer. As she was clearly not in the building, he assumed she was going around. What in the hell? She was supposed to be getting Casey. Simple errand. Something was definitely up.

As fun as verbal sparring with Pyro was, it would have to be put on hold. Cayce side stepped the taller man and strode towards the front door, hoping to catch Azalea and Casey before they got any further.

"I'm not done," Pyro yelled, matching Cayce's stride. "I'm sick of you coming between me and Azalea."

Cayce rolled his eyes but kept up the pace, that is until he was jerked around by the shoulder. Instinct took over. He dug in his heels and pulled back his fist. Torso wide towards the front doors, Cayce froze mid action, suddenly engulfed in headlights. The beams swung wide and were blocked out. Then there was the loud rev of a powerful engine followed by squealing tires and a metallic crunch.

Both men stared, wide-eyed at the death barreling down on them. The glass doors shattered as they flung themselves sideways, trying to get clear. Debris thrashed Cayce and Pyro as a car forced its way into the building. Steel twisted to accommodate the mass but the framework mostly held up. The vehicle's progression was halted midway.

Slowly, Cayce lowered his arms and propped himself up. He could see so no glass shards in his eyes. That was good. But all he could see was car. It had been forcibly parked right on top of him, one of the front tires practically touching his leg. Pretty nice tires actually as he had bought them. The car was his. It wasn't like he hadn't just gotten it fixed after the mysterious Man in Black had hexed it up only yeah, it was exactly like that.

He cursed and got to his feet. There was no one in the driver's seat. Cayce looked beyond the carnage and saw that his vehicle had been rammed by a black truck. Pyro's truck.

The crimson crusader saw it too which was evident by his expression of sheer horror. Blinking rapidly, mouth moving silently, Pyro dug in his pockets, searching for his keys. If they were there then that couldn't be his truck, his baby. His fingers trembled, touching nothing that felt like a key chain. His keys were gone. As was his wallet. And that was his baby, dented chrome, chipped paint and all. His stomach lurched and he pitched forward, hands on his knees. It took him several slow, deep breaths to avoid spewing.

No doubt, Cayce would have thoroughly enjoyed watching Pyro swallow down his own vomit. Unfortunately for the laughs, his priorities were in place. Cayce strained to see past the wreckage and through the darkened windshield of the truck. He had sensed it, guessed it even but actually observing Azalea riding shotgun evoked so many conflicting emotions. The highlights were anger and concern. Behind the wheel was a man, another idol by the feel of him. Cayce had tracked Casey to the pool hall. The idol in the truck reminded him of the boy but if it was the same person then the little guy must have endured a hellish puberty in the last few minutes.

It was nearly impossible to make out much of the interaction between the two in the cab but even so Cayce knew what would happen next yet he still had to try. He started to scale the rubble, kicking out pieces of destroyed building to allow his passing. As he squeezed himself through the entrance, the truck revved, reversed wildly then screamed out of the parking lot.