《Stop While You're Still Beautiful》9. Reconstructing
Advertisement
" Don't even think about it." Jack snapped back to the present and saw his own somewhat pursed lips in the blued reflection. Well, as pursed as they would go anyways.
" You don't get paid to daydream there champ. Try to make me look good when we're out there, me and the big guy did train you." Canary said with a sigh. Jack followed his own eyes in the reflection as it bobbed up and down as the car rolled forward.
" Don't they have like an XL for DJ." Jack stuck his thumb towards DJ who was huddled with his neck craned forward, his knees unnaturally close to his chest.
DJ struggled to wriggle one arm free from its prison. " Just a side effect of the milk I drank as a kid. They really should have put something a warning or something on the bottle... I mean what's the game plan?" Jack could no longer see himself in the blued visor as it swung towards another victim. Jack shrunk in his seat with a sigh of relief.
" Mind filling us in there Jack?" Canary called out. Ugh. Some game of Whose Line is it anyways this turned out to be. Jack slid back up in his seat. " Some residents have reported being terrorized at night by some kind of supernatural creatures, howls at night, things moving, demands for money. Textbook stuff. Seems as if it's the work of some Grims if you ask me, which you kind of are."
DJ nodded his head. " I second that. Seems like small fry too. " DJ's hand slowly clenched into a fist. " After all we fought for together as one. All we lost. And people think it's ok to exploit that fear for a couple extra bucks." DJ patted an empty sword hilt at his waist. The hilt appeared to be both old and new, the sword was a dull black color, yet it still reflected its surroundings even in the absence of light. The guard was adorned with what looked like two upside-down scales? Not cool like a dragon, but more like the scales of justice. Fitting.
Advertisement
Jack continued." So after finding no traces of magic at the various sites, we were able to trace back one of the "spectral" notes with a little "convincing" to a nice seedy location. A great place for a hideout, the only thing missing is the thunder and lightning." Satisfied with his air quotes, Jack once again slumped in his seat. The car slowed to a stop. "Kept it under time too." He looked at Canary," No Defector conspiracy theories either." DJ and Canary looked at each other. They stayed like that for several seconds. DJ tilted his head to the side as he said. " That doesn't count right ?"
" Oh it counts," said Canary. " He said the word." DJ threw back his head. " You just lost me 20 bucks kids. You couldn't go one car ride without saying the D-word could ya?"
Oh so now it was all fun and games when it's you two, thought Jack. They had been doing this line of work for what two decades now? That was a long time. Too long.
" So what's this game plan?"
" Well, you almost got all of it right you two except one thing. Usually, we wouldn't be going after small fry like this as you said DJ but it seems like these guys have some connections. We've been tracking Grims for a while now but these particular geniuses seem a little more organized than your average con men. They're causing a lot of problems for these people that are already struggling so we're here to send a message before this gets any worse. We're just here to round em up all up and give them some time to think about what they've done DJ." She eyed his hilt. " Now let's get this done before last call."
Canary opened the door of the car and looked back in before she closed the door. " You two wait in the car until I give the signal. Time to put food on the table." She stood for a second in the cool night air. The sound of horns beeping and people coming and going did nothing to drown out her words. Jack expectantly looked down at her feet. She stood there for a second, and with a deep breath, she vanished. But Jack saw it this time. The feet were the last to go. If you were fast enough just like Jack, you could see that her feet were visible for just a half-second longer than the rest of her. Just like that, she was out of sight. SLAM. The cabin was quiet again. Jack looked at DJ, " You ever get used to that?"
Advertisement
"The attitude or the going invisible part?" countered DJ. Jack thought about it for a second. "Both?"
DJ paused for a second, his head tilting back. You could almost see the 5...4... 3... 2... counting down in his head as the private showing started in his head." Well, we've been fighting or fighting together for the better half of what 20 years now? " He rubbed the top of his helmet. " Safe to say I know her better than anyone and I have to say that woman is harder on herself than anyone I've ever met that made it through the war. There was a time when it didn't seem like there was a future for any of us. But look at us now. Look at all we have. Now it's time for us to be the best we can be so don't throw away what was gifted to us by so many people. " DJ shook his head. "Lotta innocent people got hurt or wound up dead. We never forgot that. I'll never forget it. But she always carried it a little too close to the chest. Tough to live in the present when you've got some old demons pulling you down."
Jack was silent. That was not what he was expecting. It must be a sensitive subject. Time to lighten to mood. " Well, that explains why you guys sound like an old married couple every once in a while." Jack let out a forced laugh. DJ laughed back. It wasn't his usual laugh, this laugh didn't have the same hearty energy that usually came with DJ's laugh. This laugh was short and empty. Hollow. " Once she finally fights off all those demons. One by one." DJ opened the car door and stepped outside. " Let's get some air, I'm dying in here." Jack followed suit with the massive suit of armor and stepped outside. The cold air rippled through the poorly constructed buildings. The scaffolding zigzagged from building to building as partially constructed buildings and leveled buildings filled the space. But people still hustled and bustled in this wounded section of the city. The broken cityscape was filled with light and life as people came and went.
People kept their distance from the car and especially DJ who towered over them. One small girl slowly waddled toward the armor-clad man and gave him an unsure wave. DJ returned her wave with a large silly wave that seemed to span across the entire horizon. The girl stood still for a second, a smile forming on her face until her mother reached down and snatched her back into her arms. With a quick smile, the girl disappeared back into the crowd.
" How's the air?" asked Jack who had silently watched the whole exchange.
"A Little better now," replied DJ.
" How much longer till Canary gets back to us?" Asked Jack as he stared down at his shoes.
DJ scanned the unfinished buildings, looking from rooftop to rooftop. " She'll be back once she's scouted the place out or they find her. But I doubt that'll happen-"
The skyline was engulfed in a large explosion that lit up every little imperfection as the scarred buildings were littered with debris. DJ turned towards the explosion when a familiar voice came on the radio.
" DJ, Jack, I'm gonna need a little support over here. Some asshole armed these guys with magic tech."
Advertisement
- In Serial49 Chapters
Chosen Shackles
The future came in devastation, but we bury it in the lights now, to forget. It was better once, they tell us not to say. Now, at the end of our century, we’ve rebuilt. The city neon glows brighter and casts a shadow deeper on the world. This is just the beginning. In the Pacific Megalopolis, a sickness is taking roots in the city’s guts. Dead angels are raising dark choirs to sooth our nightmares. They speak of a prophecy as old Patriots plan war. And Frode, a young sheep, can’t sleep. Even in dreams, there’s no rest no more, for a hungry God is waking up. Sing Hallelujah. The screen is running static. Face your shadow.
8 219 - In Serial20 Chapters
Reincarnate into Another World as a Bicycle
Boom, David Lee got run over as he saved his crush from being rammed down by a drunk truck driver.Why was this so? She was too busy listening to music while riding her bicycle... But in return, what does he get? He is reincarnated into another world thanks to some mysterious force. Given a second chance in life, though at first, he would had rejoiced, but the Gods seem to have laughed in his face as he is reincarnated into another world as that same bicycle with a bicycle system. So... How will David Lee fair in a world full of immortals and demons, cultivation and martial arts, beauties and scions, as a piece of scrap metal? ------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm posting this story on another site Quidian, with the exact same profile pic, and name tag as my own, but if you see my story on anything other than these two places, please report. There is proof on the synopsis of the story.
8 170 - In Serial18 Chapters
Pro Dungeon Impact
Lars Ochre had it all. Success. Fame. Fortune. A forest of back hair. A never ending hunger for snack cakes. Most of all, Lars had a passion for wrestling--he lived for that perfectly choreographed spectacle of showmanship night after night in front of thousands of adoring fans. But when a strange young man wheels into Lars' lonely life, he suddenly finds himself doing something he thought he would never do--playing that hot new video game all the kids are raving about. There's only one problem: it just might be the thing to kill him. Unless... he can figure a way out. Pro Dungeon Impact is a high stakes virtual thrill ride mashing GameLit elements with professional wrestling, and written by a dude whose passions are puns, lame jokes, and maintaining a mental encyclopedia of pop culture references. This novel is a work in progress.
8 210 - In Serial8 Chapters
Ever After
Nerdy gamer chick Claire is one of the first people to log into new Supplementary Reality game Ever After, an MMO styled after classic Dungeons & Dragons tropes. She's beyond delighted with her dwarf ranger character, despite the derision the combination attracts in the game forums, and her starter quests are going well... but is this questline really working out the way the designers intended?
8 79 - In Serial172 Chapters
Chances of Death: Seven Decks Book I
Jen wins the lottery, but not any kind of lottery you’ve ever heard of. The "prize" sends her and her best friend Sam through a rainbow portal to the Seven Decks. They must learn how to survive and grow strong in a harsh new world where magic exists and levels can be earned. However, with their experience as CIA operatives and McGyver-like inventions and skills, they may just be able to overcome the odds. Chapter 1 - 77 are book 1. Chapters 78 and forward are being released every Monday at 5:00 p.m.
8 152 - In Serial11 Chapters
Class Crystal Battles
The kingdom of Leferon was peaceful. However, after an abnormal monster subjugation by the prince and his comrades, a conspiracy that could plunge the world into war is uncovered.WARNING: Some violence, gore, language, and minor sexual descriptionsNote: This is my take on a JRPGish/CNish mixEDIT: Changing the name (from Trials of Battles and Gods) because I don't plan to introduce gods until the final arc (if I still get that far)
8 114

