Chapter 02-04

Though the drug deal was happening during the day it was late in the day. Alex and Obsidian raced to the docks so that they could make it in time to do something about it. Alex wanted to start racking in some experience points.

“Do you know anything about what is going on down at the docks. There is supposed to be a drug delivery today.” Alex said. He kept his head on a swivel so that he was aware of what was going on all around him.

“It’s the Goldys. They get drugs in on the train twice a day.” Obsidian said. While they walked, she flexed her arms causing ripples of purple energy to course over her flesh. Though the skin didn’t change much there was a slight sheen to the surface.

“What kind of drugs?” Alex asked. They stopped at a corner and checked the street. On the other side the docks were surrounded by tall chain link fence. The top was crested with coiled razor wire. The gate was closed and there were a pair of guards that were standing just outside of a gate house. Alex didn’t see any other way in without scaling the fence.

“Astral-Blue.” Obsidian sighed.

“Really?” Alex turned and looked at her. Astral-Blue was a highly addictive hallucinogen that bent the laws of physics for the user. As far as Alex knew Astral-Blue had been wiped from the servers. The devs thought that it was too addictive for the community. It effected players the same as it did anyone else.

“Yeah it started to show up about a week ago. It’s selling like hot cakes.” Obsidian said shaking her head.

“Great. That stuff is a nightmare.” Alex said shaking his head. He rested his hands on his hips and let out a long sigh.

“You’re telling me.” Obsidian said with an understanding nod.

The moment that the street was clear, and the guards were not looking the pair darted across. Traffic as a whole was much lower in this part of town. They walked along the fence away from the gate. It wasn’t the best built fence on the planet, but it was fairly secure. They weren’t easily finding any gaps in its defenses.

“I can go up and over.” Alex said as he made a flying gesture up and over the fence.

“Alright. Meet you at the gate? I’ll distract the guards and you can take them out?” She asked looking back the way that they had come.

“Sounds like a plan little buddy.” He said with a playful smile.

“No.” She said, and she did not return the smile.

“Oh, come on.” Alex said with a pout.

“No.” She said walking away towards the gate.

“Please!” Alex pleaded watching her walk away.

Obsidian threw an obscene gesture up over her shoulder, but never turned back. Alex covered his mouth, made a fake gasp sound, and shook his head.

“Children these days.” He said turning to look at the fence.

It was a little more than twice his height. The razor wire was his real worry. This was the first time that he was putting his flight ability to the test.

His feet lifted from the ground as he poured his energy into the power. His lifted swiftly until he was eye level with the razor wire. He then slowed to a stop and hovered just lower than the top of the wire.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He said as he kicked his feet trying to get a couple more inches of height. He lowered himself down and put his foot into a couple links of the fence. His muscles coiled up as he knelt down holding onto the fence. He used his super strength to toss himself into the air above the fence. As he fell, he pushed himself over the top of the fence. The back of his legs just barely missed the razors as he came down.

He landed on the ground with an almost silent thud that resonated through his bones. In a dash he bolted to the shadow of a nearby building. His face peaked around the corner of the building facing the Guard house near the gate. He counted the steps that the guards took as they made their short round of the road from one side of the gate to the other.

Obsidian walked up to the fence and grabbed ahold of the metal links. She Dangled from them like she was a bubble head and spoke towards the guards. Alex couldn’t make out what she was saying.

“Get back away from the gate!” One of the guards shouted while he slammed the butt of his gun against the fence.

Alex darted from shadow to shadow while both guards were distracted yelling at Obsidian. She was laughing and taunting them as much as she could to keep them occupied.

“You so low on the totem pole that they’ve got you guarding a gate? Lame!” Obsidian raked her stone arms across the metal.

Alex shot out from the shadow behind the gate house and stopped behind the two guards. They had no idea that he had appeared. He reached up in a swift motion slammed their heads together. Both of the guards were knocked out cold and dropped to the ground.

-You’ve Defeated 2x Guards!

-Broke in.

-Defeated 2x Goldy Guards

-400xp (200 each)

-+2 Hero Point (You’re a Hero!)

-+1 Hero Tier (-3 Until Next Tier)

“I wish that I had a scan ability.” Alex commented as he reached inside of the guard building and pressed the button that opened the gate. There were no security measures that kept him from getting into the gate house.

“We use what we have.” Obsidian said shaking her head.

The docks were where the deal was going down, but as Alex scanned the area with his eyes it became clear that the drugs were not coming in by boat, they were coming by train. Alex traced the tracks back. He could see a train coming that had diverted from the main line. The train was coming towards the warehouse at blistering speeds. Attached to the engine were four cargo cars.

A stack of creates outside of the side of the warehouse offered the two of them a perfect perch so that they could look down inside on what was going on down on the platform. Alex and Obsidian both knelt so that they could wait for the perfect moment to strike.

“Alright, so we beat these guys.” Obsidian said.

“That would roughly be the plan.” Alex said with a nod.

“What are we going to do with the Astral-Blue?” Obsidian inquired.

“Take it to the police.” Alex shrugged.

“I would like you to turn your attention to the bottom left entrance of the warehouse.” She said pointing to the indicated spot.

Alex looked to see four police officers standing guard at the door. They were in full riot gear and were equipped with either an assault rifle or shotgun. Their helmets were equipped with shaded goggles and face shields.

“Fantastic.” Alex said rubbing his face with his hands in frustration.

“I tried to tell you. This city is hella corrupt.” She sighed and shook her head.

“What are the limits of your hardening abilities?” He asked.

“I haven’t found anything yet that could penetrate my skin.” She lifted her arm and activated her ability, “There was this one time that I got stabbed in a bar fight and I activated my ability a little too late and the blade broke off in my arm. You should have seen the nurse trying to stitch the wound.” She said with a crazy grin.

“You were in a bar fight?” Alex asked with a look of shocked revelation that this girl may not be the innocent ward that he first thought.

“It was crazy. I snuck in with a couple of friends. That was before the mass exodus of heroes from Winter’s Garden a few years ago.” She said leaning back on her hands.

“You claim to be hero.” Alex said shooting her a dark look.

“I never claimed to have zero villain points.” She said shoot back the same look.

“Fair enough.” He said with a slow nod.

The train that was supposedly bring the fresh supply of Astral-Blue rocked into the station and came to a stop with a low humming sound as the magnetic repulseres powered down. The entire train lowered several feet to the platform below.

Men started to open the train cars and unload creates into the warehouse. Alex watched closely until he found what he was looking for, a smoking gun. Two large henchmen pressed a button on one opening the create for a man wearing nice pressed pants that were being held up by suspenders and a nice clean white shirt. Vials and vials of the dark blue liquid that gave off a slight teal glow were crammed inside several smaller cases that were stacked neatly inside the case.

The well-dressed man took a vial from the case and opened the top. He took a sharp sniff of the contents before closing the vail. It was apparent that he was pleased with the product as a wide sharp smile stretched menacingly across his face.

“I can’t stop bullets in any way so do you want to take the cops out together?” Alex asked. He took hold of the window and prepared to jump inside.

“I can stop those bullets if you want to go after the well-dressed man.” Obsidian said nodding towards the officers.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked.

“We need to take that guy down. He is going to run. I got this.” She said as she clenched her fists sending the waves of purple energy across her skin.

“Alright, let’s do it.” Alex said with a final nod.

They both jumped through the open window. Obsidian dropped to the ground like a rock sending out a wave of energy and spawning a crater in the ground slightly larger than she was. She rebounded from the landing and ran towards where the police were guarding the door.

Alex flew across the open air only having to dodge a few rafters in his path. He was higher starting out then his ability allowed him to fly so he had to fall with style until his ability kicked in. He streaked straight towards the well-dressed man who snatched up a briefcase and took off running towards an exit.

With a burst of energy that poured on just a little more speed Alex tackled the running man. They both dropped to the ground in a heap. The well-dressed man tried to punch Alex, but he was clearly not a fighter. Alex punched him in the face, hard. The man tried to get up, but with another solid punch the well-dressed man fell to the concrete out cold.

Alex stood up and turned towards and incoming hoard of dock workers. They were armed with crowbars and lengths of wood. Alex ducked under an incoming crowbar and caught the man’s arm. He sharply kicked up sending the man back into another inbound group.

He stumbled forwards as a length of 2x4 was smashed into his back and splintered around him in a shower of wood shards. He caught himself and turned around in a blur throwing his fist out and smashing it into the attacker’s face.

He heard a number of gunshots, but with a quick glance he saw that Obsidian was indeed holding her own. He used his crowbar to block an incoming attacking crowbar. Alex sharply turned his crowbar hooking them together. With a strong yank he pulled the enemy’s crowbar from his grip.

Alex took a few deep breaths. His energy level was extremely low, but he had to push himself through it. He was attacked from the left at the same moment that a leg came in from the right. He clenched his fist and with a small portion of his energy funneled into his super strength ability he punched the fist. The man’s hand could be heard shattering. He stared to scream in agony and dropped the floor. Alex grabbed ahold of the leg, but he was too slow the blunt of the force was still transferred into his gut sending him to the floor.

With a quick roll to the left he moved before the attacker could stomp on his head. Alex swept the man’s feet out from under him and as his head hit the ground Alex was able to twist himself and drop his elbow into the attacker’s gut.

He pushed himself off the ground shaking his head. There was a ringing in his ears, but it was quickly subsiding. There were four more goons that were making their way towards Alex. With his crowbar he smashed the first in the gut and with a twist he slammed the next in the back of the head.

A foot smashed into the back of his knee. He stumbled but was able to keep himself upright. He flew into the air and tossed his crowbar at the man who had kicked him. The piece of metal rebounded off his face. With his energy so low he was unable to keep his flight ability active. He fell to the ground stumbling to keep his footing.

The final goon yelled as he came running towards Alex with a crowbar in each hand. Alex turned toward him, but he wasn’t exactly sure what he was going to do. A purple blur acted before he could. Obsidian smashed into the gut of the incoming man. The wind was knocked out of him as he crumpled to the ground.

Alex took a few shaking steps as he waited for his regeneration to kick in and do its job as soon as some of his energy returned. One of the guys that had landed an attack on Alex was moaning on the ground. He looked at him for a moment before he swiftly kicked him in the head knocking him out cold.

“I had that guy.” Alex said adjusting his footing with a limp. There was still a little pain in his calf from the earlier gunshot.

“I know.” Obsidian said with a shrug, “And I’ve got your back.”

Alex turned to the door where Obsidian and the cops had had their showdown. There was a pile of four armored men in front of the door and another pile of weapons a few feet away. The men were clearly still alive and all groaning in pain.

“Nice work.” Alex said with an approving nod.

“Thanks, been taking out those assholes for a few years now.” She said with a proud smile while clapping her hands together.

“I say we send a message.” Alex said clapping his own hands together.

“What did you have in mind?” Obsidian said with a devilish smirk.

On the verge of sunset, the two of them stood outside of the building. Behind where they stood there were two piles of bodies. All of them were still alive. Their hands and feet had been bound and the well-dressed man was tied up kneeling between the two piles.

In front of them was the entire stockpile of drugs that had just been delivered to the city. Obsidian walked around behind the well-dressed man and held his head so that he could see what they were doing. So that he had to watch.

“You’re going to want to watch this.” Alex said. He held a Molotov cocktail that he had improvised with things around the warehouse. He lit the rag handing out of the bottle with the well-dressed man’s own lighter.

The well-dressed man began to freak out on the ground fighting against Obsidian who was easily able to hold him in place. Alex threw the fireball into the creates which burst into a massive ball of bright blue flames. The fire rose high into the sky which was getting darker by the second. It was only a matter of seconds before the entire collection was completely engulfed in roaring flames.

Alex took a few steps over to the well-dressed man. He reached out and patted the man on the shoulder. Tears could be seen running down the well-dressed man’s face.

“No more drugs in the Garden.” Alex said with a proud smiled. He leaned over and picked up the man’s briefcase.

Obsidian and Alex left the complex to the sound of a mission complete chime ringing from Alex’s phone. Together the two of them collected all of the needles that they could find on the men.

-You’ve Completed a Hero Mission!

-A Dent to the Drug Trade.

-Defeated 8 Goldy Dock Goons

-600xp (75 Each)

-Defeated Well-Dressed Man

-300xp (300xp Each)

-+9 Hero Point (You’re a Hero!)

-+12 Hero Tier (-21 Until Next Tier)

~~~

-Your sidekick has completed an Encounter!

-Corrupt Cops.

-Defeated 4x Corrupt Cops (Riot Gear)

-200xp (50 Each Your Share)

-+2 Hero Point (You’re a Hero!)

-+2 Hero Tier (-19 Until Next Tier)

~~~

-Needles x15

-Total Value 7039t

-Deposit in personal account?

-Yes | No