How to cut a Ruby -- Chapter 1

An orange speck glinted then vanished atop the fire escape of the dilapidated apartment building. Moments later, a floating trail of smoke drifted from the metal balcony and dissipated into the night sky.

The usual group of Skulls lurked near the entrance of the alley. Their raucous jeering reverberated between the side-by-side buildings and echoed throughout the entire neighbourhood, interrupted only by the huffy slams of windows by people tired of hearing the incessant inane jabbering.

The orange speck glinted again, then soared in a shimmering arc from the top of the fire escape and landed with a shower of sparks only meters away from the gang members. The Bone Daddy leading the late night gathering watched the butt as it rolled over the ground towards them and bent over to pick it up and inspect it.

With filter in-hand, he straightened slowly and looked up at a sudden and rapidly approaching fireball. He barely had time to blink. His nose was promptly shattered by the hard steel sole of the quickly-descending Ruby's combat boot.

Blood sprayed from the Bone Daddy's nose and blanketed Ruby's boots. She grabbed his collar and lifted his stunned body with a fist smoking with dark energy.

"How many times..." She slammed her fist into his face, spattering more blood onto the two of them. "...Do I gotta tell ya..." She hoisted him off of his feet and threw him at his cowering minions. "To stay THE FUCK outta MY ALLEY???"

The group of men frantically babbled to each other before grabbing onto their boss and dragging him out of the alley. The Bone Daddy only managed to sputter more blood all over himself and his men. Ruby brought another cigarette to her lips, lit it with her thumb, and watched them stagger off into the night.



A man in a dark coat watched the scene from a dark window in a building across the street. He turned away from the window and dialed a number on his cell phone. A pause, then he spoke.

"I found the woman Lou was talking about. Looks like she won't go down without a fight."

He paused to listen to the voice on the other line.

"No, she didn't see me. The night is too dark to see in the window."

He nodded slightly as he received orders from his contact.

"Observation. Got it. I don't think it would be wise to strike her in her own territory. Too many people know her."

He hummed his agreement.

"When she is alone, I'll set the plan into motion."

Another thirty seconds passed as the voice quipped its final statement. The man smiled and snapped the cell phone shut. He watched Ruby climb back up her fire escape to her apartment window, then closed his blinds.