Bellatrix could still feel the gun's muzzle...no...that wasn't true. The muzzle was pressed against a bundle of wires encasted in lightweight metal, and she was feeling the metal press against an artificially-created crevice in the back of her neck.
"That was foolish of you. Engaging threat."
Bellatrix dove down, but at much too steep a decline for anyone on her back to stay on. Sawyer slipped off and fell towards the snowy ground below. The Harpy gave a mechanical laugh. "All too easy."
Overconfident and egotistic as always, Bellatrix didn't notice the cable Sawyer shot from his gun. It latched onto her stomach and gave an electric jolt -- enough to knock a normal human into a coma. Bellatrix rolled her eyes back and fell headfirst towards the ground.
Both man and machine hit the snow-covered rocks below them. Sawyer barreled and spun to minimize the impact, but Bellatrix was still too stunned to move. She crashed through some trees, which slowed her down just enough for her to survive the crash.
Turbines...destroyed, in need of repair. Left talon...power cords cut, in need of repair. Left talon...digits three and four destroyed. Left talon...
The list of injuries went on and on inside Bellatrix's head. She stayed on her hands and knees, waiting for her HUD display to turn back on. Nothing came up. Sawyer got up with a groan and brushed the snow off his jacket. "So, you're the crazy bitch that took out LA."
Bellatrix gritted her teeth. "Hate to burst your bubble, but you're third in line to get that particular quarry. Did you see that black kid I was hauling? He's one crazy kid. One powerful, crazy kid."
"You're shitting me. Some teenager took out LA?"
The metallic humanoid in front of him let out a groan. Sawyer could hear several gears grinding inside her body. She looked like a badly contructed child's toy -- pieces so damaged, nothing was fitting together anymore. One wing piece was hanging by wires, the other was twisted upon itself, it could no longer contract into the back. The shoulder coverings were torn off, exposing the shell of a human underneath. It was the sight of shoulders that sent Sawyer back a few steps.
She had no shoulders. There was nothing underneath the metal coverings. A metallic humerus jutted out of an artifical ball-and-socket joint. The flesh had been cleared off up to the ribs, and then seared to prevent bleeding. With the metal shoulder coverings, there was still an impression of flesh and depth underneath. With most of the armor now flung in the snow, Bellatrix was little more than a glorified amputee.
This thing was no meta...but it was human either. Sawyer put his gun away. "Whatever you are, you're coming with me. I have my orders. We'll find out if there's any truth to yours."
