There was no time to think, much less pull out a phone and dial the police. No time. He was on her. Wrestling instincts kicked in and she bent backwards and away at the waist. The suited man's backhanded strike flashed so close to her cheek and at such speed that Nakhett could feel a sharp woosh of air. She was under no illusion: he had only missed out of surprise.

Maybe they weren't used to preying on people who fought for recreational fun, but that wouldn't save her a second time. This guy was superhumanly fast, and she was guessing he had strength to go along with it. Was he on some kind of secret government steroids? A straight punch followed the attempted slap, aimed right at her chest. Rather than try to dodge and take the full brunt of the blow, the redhead threw her forearms up into a block.

She was staring at the ground, which was shifting in and out of focus. The back of her head throbbed painfully, and red crept at the edges of her vision. She was a good few yards away from where she'd been standing. Hadn't she blocked? Her head swam as she glanced at her arms, which were now an angry red and raw. What was up with this guy?! He'd hit her so hard that she'd flown into the back of the building that far behind her?

Her phone... where was it? There! It had been knocked free from her hand being jerked out of her pocket, and lay just within reach. Frantically she slid open the emergency dial option on the lock screen and punched the button. A moment later the device was kicked away into the darkness by a very polished shoe.

"Should've kept your pretty little head down," her aggressor taunted, stepping confidently forward like a panther that knew it had cornered a meal. "Now he's dead, and so are you. Pointless."

"Rather be dead than caught in that suit," Nakhett coughed, getting unsteadily to her feet. "Did your dad dress you today?"

She groaned as the man grabbed her by the throat in a vicelike grip, actually lifting her from the ground to dangle. Desperately she grabbed his wrist to support her own weight and stop from choking.

"The pathetic death rattle of a dead woman. You've got spirit, I'll give you that. More than that guy, anyway."

He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to where the other victim lay slumped near the alleyway. The suited man's similarly-garbed associate seemed to have his arm plunged past the wrist into the chest of his quarry. Nakhett blinked furiously, that couldn't be right. It had to be a trick of her oxygen-starved mind. The next instant the other government secret agent or whatever was standing straight, holding something that glowed like a miniature sun. The normally-dressed man was completely still.

No. That wasn't going to happen to her. Who cared what kind of drugs they were on, she wouldn't die here like this. Summoning every last scrap of her willpower, Nakhett swung her knee forward in the sharpest jab she could... right for the most tender spot she could. She didn't care how hopped up a man was, that would always hurt. No muscle.

She was right, and she'd caught Dark Hair off-guard. With a pained audible gasp, he dropped her and staggered backward while doubling over.

"You'll pay for that," he wheezed through gritted teeth, hands cupped over his groin.

"I've... I've heard that a lot... lately," the wrestler taunted weakly, black spots now dancing through her eyesight.

"You seriously aren't finished yet? Stop playing with your food and be done with it," Blondie sighed, obviously returning from his grisly work at the other end of the backstreet.

"She kicked me in the nuts!" Dark Hair snapped, pain evident in his voice.

Blondie covered his mouth with the back of his hand but couldn't hide his snort of laughter.

"Fine. I'll take hers as well. That'll just mean two for me tonight, and you can go home to cradle your manhood."

The wail of a police siren cut through the stillness of the night; it was close by. Red and blue patterned off the windows of the nearby buildings.

"Oho, she's quite a lucky one," Blondie amended, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "So a hospital visit due to unknown thugs and one starseed. Not a total loss due to your ineptitude."

I won't forget, Red," Dark Hair promised. "You're really easy to pick out. I'll find you again. Gives me all the time in the world to get really imaginative with how I'm going to pay you back."

"Quaint. We're leaving," his partner intoned.

The sirens sounded just around the corner. The last thing Nakhett remembered was voices calling out and a squad car filling the area with light and sound.