The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 52: Bar Fight

Part 1/3

As Warren’s car delved deeper downtown into the clutches of Star City, he saw the sun slowly dipping down over the horizon, casting rays of shades of red and orange all across the sky. Everything blended together like some sort of painting canvas.

It was a particularly busy day in Downtown Star City. Cars were honking at each other, and the roads were absolutely packed. Warren anxiously tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, spotting Sam’s police cruiser racing by the traffic. Cars swerved out of the way for the cruiser. Warren sighed.

“Would be pretty nice if I was with her,” Warren said. Warren shook his head in disbelief, “What did I just say?!”

It wasn’t long before they made it to a shabby looking bar. The sign posted on top was buzzing with promises for Happy Hours every Friday from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Some of the lights didn’t seem to be working, and as Warren stepped outside his car he could hear the sounds of yelling, profanity, and glass smashing. Sam stepped outside her own car, her boots clacking across the pavement. Warren looked at Sam, who looked back at Warren.

“Quite the bar fight going on here, huh?” Sam said with a tone of sarcasm.

“Yeah. We just going to arrest everyone or what?” Warren said.

“‘We’? Psh, no, I will, but you’re staying back,” Sam answered, pointing over her shoulder.

“What? Why?”

“If harm comes your way, my boss won’t be so happy. And neither will yours, so don’t try anything fishy and just stay behind me.”

Sam reached for her holster and pulled out a handgun. Warren eyed it carefully.

“Hey you sure you’re allowed to use that-”

“I’m not actually going to shoot anyone, don’t worry.”

Warren sighed, and the two stepped into the bar. It reeked of alcohol and must. Despite being in such an exquisite, expensive city, Warren could recognize the smell of cheap, poorly made beer and contaminated wine.

“Someone probably got drunk and started going haywire,” Warren deduced. Broken wooden stools and shrapnel littered the bar, and he could see shards of glass on the ground. Warren reminded himself to watch his step.

But the big attraction was the crowd of people who were going at each other. Some lay unconscious on the ground, others were still brawling with one another. What stools remained were being thrown around, bottles were being smashed on others’ heads, and some just settled with their fists and legs.

One man caught Warren’s eyes though. A big, burly, bald man with big muscles and tattoos seemed to be really kicking everyone’s butts. One rushed at him, and he just slammed his giant fist into their nose, causing them to bounce back and collapse. A rabid homeless woman tried to bite his neck, and after she chomped, he let out a yelp of pain and grabbed her by the hair, pulling her right off and throwing her to the side.

Sam aimed her gun at the fight and screamed at the top of her lungs,

“FREEZE! ALL OF YOU, NOW!”

The crowd all turned to her in dismay and disbelief. The tattooed man was now in the middle of performing an Indian burn to a helpless bartender.

Warren heard loud footsteps approaching them from the back, and he turned around to see a random guy rushing right at them with his fist pinned in the air.

“Sam, watch out!”

Sam whipped around as fast as she could, but the man bounced forward and slammed his fist right into her jaw. Sam let out a cry of pain, firing the gun at the air before dropping it and collapsing to the ground. Warren stared at the man, his eyes boiling with anger.

The man turned to Warren with a smile.

“I saved you! Uh, why do you look so mad-”

Warren moved his arm back, and then afterwards gave him a slap to his face so powerful that his face began to jiggle like jelly. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he was launched away, tumbling like a ball to the tattooed man. The tattooed man looked down at the unconscious guy, and then at Warren.

The tattooed man let go of the bartender, and the bartender quickly ran away. The tattooed man pointed a crooked finger at Warren.

“GET HIM!”

“YAGHHHHH!” the crowd shouted as they began to rush at Warren.

Warren grimaced, and took his suit jacket off, throwing it to the floor. He readied his fists, and slammed his boot into the ground. Warren made a dash forward…