Here's Part 8 of Crimson Sky, titled "Absolute Maelstrom."  Things are
going to seriously change and pick up from here.  Constructive C&C are
welcome.  I hope you like it.

Shuichi Minamino
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CRIMSON SKY
Part 8 Absolute Maelstrom 


"So in other words," Ryan points out. "if the inner pressure is raised to
this point, coupled with the outer pressure and the pitch of the vibration,
it will trigger a chain reaction from the nervous system. The effect can be
so serious as to cause a person to lose control of his or her control of
the body." 

Reshion stands along side with Ryan as they give out their presentation.
Whilte Ryan is doing most of the talking, Reshion is the one who organized
the presentation. Actually, he has been the one who has come up with the
topic for the project. The ability of the blond boy to figure out mechanics
somewhat amazes him, but skills like that can be a setback. It's people
like Ryan who often end up becoming the candidate for assassins in that
underground society. 

The ringing of the bell marks the end of the day. Students of different
grade levels run out of the school with their umbrella into the pouring
rain. Ryan looks around for Reshion but again, the latter is nowhere to be
found. Oh well, Ryan shrugs, he figures that he can always tell Reshion the
next day that they've gotten an A for the project. 

Ryan opens his umbrella and crosses the street. He can't help but take
another glance at the sky as he waits for the next green light. The sky
seems even redder than usual. It's so red that even the rain water looks
red. The forecaster has said earilier the day that despite the deep color
of the rain, the acidity of the water is normal. How strange, Ryan thinks
to himself. 

The blue lightning makes a jagged cut across the crimson sky as a loud clap
of thunder follows. Ryan has never really minded rain but for some reason,
everything about today bothers him. Somewhere in the back of his mind is a
voice telling him that something bad is going to happen on this rainy day. 

The umbrella is not doing a good job of shielding him from the rainwater.
The wind is too strong to hold the umbrella straight. In frustration, Ryan
closes his umbrella and decides that he may as well walk in the rain. He
takes a short cut through the alleyway and hesitates when he hears
something behind him. 

A strong arm grabs him from behind while the other arm goes around his
neck, choking him. Ryan gasps for air as he feels himself being pulled and
dragged away. He now knows that whoever it is is definitely up to no good.
Angrily, Ryan pushes himself hard against his captive. Upon feeling the
grips loosening on him, he manages to wring himself away, spins around and
lands a hard kick on the captive's side. When he sees that the man has had
his wind knocked out of him, Ryan turns around an d starts running. But the
man tackles him to the ground and pins him there. 

Ryan struggles against the man, he knows that he has to get free. He feels
his blood freezes when the man leans down and whispers to him, "I never
thought that the son of Quicksilver is living here." Quicksilver...that
name in which he hasn't heard for years, comes back to haunt him then. He
swings his arms around and hit the man squarely on the jaws. Ryan then
manages to turn himself over and gives the man another hard kick, this time
in the groin. 

He gets up quickly as the man doubles up in pain. He kicks at the man
again, hard, in the ribs, and then again on the side of his head. He then
steps back slowly, catching his breath. When the man has not move again,
Ryan turns around and runs. He has to return home, he has to warn them all. 

However, he feels another pair of arms grabbing him and throwing him
against the wall as he s once again caught off guard. He brings up his
fists and lashes out at the new assailant. He succeeds in punching the man
several times but is restrained when the first assailant grabs him and
holds him to the spot. 

"Not bad," says the second man. "I'm impressed. Your mother must've taught
you some self-defense in the course of one short year eh?" 

Ryan remains silent as he glares at the man. So they did come for him after
all. They never do give up. "What do you want?!" he hisses at them. 

The man laughs as he takes out a needle. "We're taking you back, but first,
you're going to be our bait," he checks the content carefully before
grabbing Ryan's arm and plunging the needle into the skin. "And of course
meanwhile, my other men will take care of your 'family.'" That is the last
thing Ryan hears before everything before him turns to darkness. 

------------Crimson Sky: Absolute Maelstrom End (TO BE CONTINUED)----------