DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

Lex's expression didn't change, but the hand holding the gun came up and smashed into the side of his skull, dropping the guy.  Lex put his foot on the man's chest and leaned his weight on him.  "So you two were in on it," he said softly, his voice cold as steel.  Glancing at the shot man, he said, "Get limping.  I don' kill messengers.  You go tell Black Jack I'm taking blood for blood.  Argue..."  He cocked the gun though it wasn't even pointed at him.

The shot guy nodded and limped off. He didn't need to be told twice, although at the rate he was bleeding, he would be lucky to live past a couple of days. The guy under Lex's boot drew out a box cutter with his off hand and tried to stab the leg pinning him.

(More like a couple of hours.... Nit picking.)

Lex caught the gleam of the knife and looked down.  He didn't even try to move out of the way as the box cutter slashed into his booted leg.  It cut up his jeans, but barely punctured the leather boot beneath.  "Finished yet?"

(*shrugs* still would make him lucky to survive a couple of days XD)

The guy spat curses and foul names at Lex. He threw the box cutter at Lex's head now. If he was lucky, it'd hit the eye or slash him nice and good, but he was grasping for straws at this point.

(Fair point)

Lex just moved his head and let the cutter sail passed.  "Seriously?  Man, that's lame."  He reached down and grabbed the guy by the front of the shirt and hauled him to his feet.  "You're a fighter, at least.  Go on, you should get out of here before I change my mind."  Lex shoved him forward, giving him no choice as he took a few steps back.  He fingered the gun, giving the guy just enough time to hope.  Enough time to take a few steps.

(Maybe about half way o the end of the alley way, if he runs)

The guy did indeed run. Black Jack was right. Lex was a soft hearted coward.

Lex waited patiently.  Then the gun came up and sounded off.  The first bullet tore through the guy's calf.  "One," Lex said then fired again.  This one tore through the other calf.  "Two."  He started walking forward.

The guy cried out and fell forward. He dragged himself forward a short ways before turning to his side to watch Lex. Anger and fear played through his eyes, and a silent snarl contorted his face.

Lex's expression was hard as flint, but there was a madness in the blue fire that were his eyes.  He shot again, this time both thighs.  "Three.  Four."  Then the shoulders.  "Five. Six."  Then the elbows.  "Seven.  Eight.  There were nine shots in Ashton.  I'm missing one."  The last one went into the guy's abdomen.  A killing shot.  It would take him hours to bleed out, but bleed out he would.  "There we go.  Nine.  And the gun's empty.  How'd you like that?"  Lex tossed it aside and drew his blade.  It was a sweet little knife that had it's own hidden sheath in his belt.

The guy was sobbing in pain, but still swore at Lex, calling him obscenities and a madman. He couldn't do much more than yell. He knew his buddy wouldn't be able to relay the message in time for Black Jack to send men to save him, if Black Jack felt kindly today. He was at Lex's mercy, and it seemed that river had long since run dry.

Lex knelt next to the guy and hissed, "Ashton's the closest thing I got to a friend.  You hurt him.  I want you to know what he felt."  That said, he got started cutting, slicing this guy up exactly the same way they'd hurt Ashton.

The guy was crying and sobbing the whole time. He was in immense pain, and at this point, in his mind, the only way to make it stop was if he passed out from blood loss.

Finished, Lex wiped off the blade and returned it to its sheath.  "You will die," he said softly.  "It will take time, but you will die.  This is what happens when people mess with what's mine."  He seized the guy by the ankle and started dragging him toward fourth.  He ignored his sobs of pain as he drug him down the sidewalk and across the street, finally dumping him just inside Black Jack's territory for one of his gang to find him.  Turning away, Lex vanished in the shadows once more.  First to get his meat, then get back to Ashton.  He'd been gone way longer than he should have.

Ashton half got up when Lex returned, careful not to strain the stitches. "Lex! Are you okay? What kept you up?" His voice betrayed how worried he had been, especially after he himself was attacked earlier that same day.

"Sit your ars back down, Ashton, I'm fine," Lex said in a voice that was firm and yet calmer than when he'd left.  He set the package of meat next to Ashton and went to clean the blood off himself.  "I hope it's still good.  i got sidetracked.

Ashton nodded. He slowly sat and ate. He tried to eat quickly and cleanly. Ashton knew Lex wasn't a fan of his "diet," but he appreciated the effort Lex put into making him better. He wiped his mouth clean on his sleeve and his hand on his pants when he was done. "It was great. Thank you, Lex."

"Good."  Lex looked over from stripping off his ruined shirt.  "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better now that I've eaten." Ashton said honestly. "But remember, it's hard for me to feel pain in the first place. The only one that really hurt was the buck shot, and after you got the shrapnel out, it hurt a lot less."

"Good," Lex said bluntly.  He finished up then went to sit next to Ashton, pulling his foot up onto his knee so he could examine the damage done to his pants and boot.  "I loved these jeans.  Least the boots held."

"Lex, what happened?" Ashton asked. It looked like he may have been in a fight, based on the blood that was on his clothes. "Once I'm healed up a bit more, I'll find you some more jeans. I remember where I've seen those kinds of jeans."

"Forget them, they ain't important," Lex said, getting up and getting some water to heat.  "It wasn't nothing much.  The guys that did that to you, they won't be hurting nobody again."

Ashton looked down. "Thank you, Lex...."

"They touched what's mine.  They asked for it," Lex answered in a voice devoid of emotion. He put the pot on the hot plate and settled down to wait.

Ashton was quiet for a long time. He spoke only when Lex went to get the heated water. "Lex? What would you have done if they succeeded today? What would you have done if they had actually...."

Lex glanced at Ashton.  "What?  Managed to kill you?"