Gunshots shattered the creepy quiet at the mansion. Vixen's fiery auburn hair blazed in the moonlight as she and Nico, a shadowy figure, moved with the grace of dancers, silent and precise.
"Shhh," Vixen whispered, her voice barely audible over the thumping in her chest. "What's that ticking?"
Nico's face went all serious. "Lower your voice unless you're aiming for a BBQ," he signed, gesturing for her to take the lead so he could watch her back like a hawk.
Their journey through the maze-like paths was a nerve-wracking affair, senses on high alert for any nasty surprises lurking in the dark.
In the middle of a twist in the forest, Vixen spotted an abandoned machine gun, just sitting there all alone and ominous-like. "Now how did this pretty baby get here?" she murmured, turning to Nico just as he suddenly charged, pulling off an unexpected wild drop at her.
Vixen dropped to the floor, stabilizing her position again with a backflip.
"You should've seen this coming," Nico yelled at Vixen, a twisted lesson in his own freaky way.
It wasn't an assault; just Nico's bizarre method of keeping Vixen's instincts razor sharp.
Their showdown was epic, a fierce dance of fists and feet. "Couldn't let me have a breather after today's crazy hurdles, could you, Nico?" Vixen hollered, catching her breath between swings. "Nope, you just had to crash my moment of peace, didn't ya Nico!"
They moved with untamed fury, each hit showing off Vixen's grit and Nico's precision. Sweat dripped down Vixen's face as she matched Nico's punch for punch.
"No time to chill for a warrior, babe," Nico grunted.
These two were a riot, giving a whole new meaning to the term "training session."
Unleashing Vixen's inner beast made their training hardcore, an endless cycle pushing her past limits she didn't know she had. But even Nico was blown away by how fast she's become.
In the madness, Nico tossed Vixen a loaded gun packed with unreal bullets, who snagged it mid-air. But before she could get into action mode, Nico's barrage of shots sent her diving behind a massive tree for cover.
"Dang girl, that was insane, Vix!" Nico's voice echoed. "Thanks boss man," Vixen shouted back, all fired up. "Now watch this!" Vixen prepares to charge
As she prepped herself to attack, there was a tiny pause, as Nico's usual hardcore attitude cracked a bit. "Maybe I went a bit too hard," he pondered ironically, almost a hint of a laugh sneaking into his words.
But before they could catch their breath, an unexpected sound ripped through the night, freezing them in their tracks—a distant, creepy rumbling getting louder fast.
The rhythmic thwop-thwop-thwop of rotor blades cut through the darkness, sending a shiver down Vixen's spine. She glanced at Nico, who recognized the grim situation by the look on his face, all lit up by the moon.
"We've got company," Nico murmured, barely audible over the approaching chopper.
Vixen's breath hitched. "What now?" she asked, her hand instinctively going for her trusty gun.
"We hide and peep the scene," Nico replied, his tone brooking no argument.
They bolted deeper into the wild foliage, blending right in with the shadows. Hunkered down behind the bushes, the helicopter's searchlights lit up the place, turning the forest into a creepy, eerie show.
Vixen's heart slammed against her ribs, tension thicker than peanut butter. "Who you think they are?" she whispered, barely audible over the chopper noise.
Nico's eyes scanned the skies, worry and suspicion clouding his face. "Could be...the Syndicates of Shadows," he muttered, the words heavy with meaning. "But can't say for sure."
Vixen nodded, her brain firing up with a million questions, curiosity, and a nagging sense of urgency. "Who are these Shadow Syndicates?. "Who are they? Why are they here?" she muttered, gaze fixed upwards.
Nico stayed all poker face, a mask of calculation and concern. "Their usual creepy stuff probably. Maybe scoping their escape route before their next hit target."
"And who are they?" Vixen still wondered.
"Details for another time, Vix. Right now, surviving is priority numero uno."
Nico's gaze stayed glued to the helicopter, jaw clenched with determination. His cryptic expression hinted at urgency, possibly watching for the right time to bolt.
Nico's thoughts: "We can't remain here. Too exposed."
The helicopter lingered, doing its search thing. The tension was insane, and Nico and Vixen were playing this hide-and-seek game without even trying.
Minutes crawled by, that helicopter noise finally fading out. The forest chilled out, but that creepy vibe stayed put.
"We Got to bounce," Nico finally broke the silence. "It's not safe to chill here anymore."
Before they could think further, a sudden crack of a twig nearby jolted them, the sound piercing the forest's stillness.
Vixen startled, whispering "Nico..."
They lock eyes, both freaked out by this unexpected sound.
But before Nico can even turn with his weapon on sight, bang! Vixen's stealthy shot, eyes off from target, dropped a rushing squirrel, skills she'd honed for months.
"Dang girl, that was a killer shot!" Nico praised. Vixen gave him that look, like "Told you to watch me!" Her firearm game was on point, making Nico proud but also a bit nervous.
With a silent agreement, they know it's time to vanish into the darkness, leaving the chopper mystery and the whole Shadow Syndicate drama behind.