Metro city to think this hell hole used to be a decent place to live, it was a safe place to walk at night…it was safe because we had guardians watching over us no criminal dared to cause trouble. They were our heroes…then one night they disappeared leaving the city at the mercy of the scum who took advantage. The police were no match not that they even tried…so they settled letting these bastards have the city at night while we hide in our homes. Well not me I won't have it I know they will return to protect the city till then I'll do what I can.

Night fall had once again fallen on metro city the gangs were running wild the people were scared all except for a slender 17yrs old girl with long blonde hair named Marian Kelly. Leading a small group known as the power corps, she was sneaking around the factory looking for a way in.

"Marian are you sure about this."

"very my inside guy says this is the place…this is where they manufacture the drugs RPM & oblivion for this sector."

"so, what do we do."

"all we need to do is get in then we plant the bombs I made then we get out & blow this place to hell…we'll deal a critical blow to the gangs in this sector."

"what about Linda lash you know this is her turf…she a member of the shadow warriors."

The shadow warriors are a massive criminal syndicate they rule over the city controlling all crime in metro city, 14yrs ago they rose to power making the deal with police giving them control of the city at night even allowing lesser gangs to run wild as long as they pay tribute.

"she won't be there she & her gang are gone at this time."

"how do you know…?"

"my inside guy, said she'd be out this time by the time she gets back we'll be long gone & this place will be rubble."

As Marian & her team found her way in they realized this was the place, the inside dimly lit factory was filled with labs & equipment to make oblivion & RPM. Oblivion is a designer drug absorbed through the skin that cause instant euphoria but causes the user to become stupidly reckless becoming a danger to those around them, RPM is no better it grants the user tremendous amount of energy but corrupt the user's mind & personality making them angrier & paranoid.

"ok set the incendiaries once we're done we get out & away one we're all far enough I set them off with the detonator."

Going to work everyone went to work setting bombs in different place in until everything was ready to go.

"ok all the bombs are set."

"ok now let's go."

"NO BODY IS GOING ANYWHERE!"

Suddenly all the gates shot up revealing trucks blocking the way, & the doors flew open with dozens of people charging in all dressed in black leather clothes surrounding the group. Through it all one person stepped through, it was Linda lash. Dressed in her black leather dominatrix outfit this blonde gang leader rules this part of the city.

"well…well you brats almost go away with it but too bad for you the rat in my gang failed to tell you about my security system…like my silent alarms"

"Damn!"

Marian continued to stare down lash her anger boiling as she looks at her, but she wasn't fazed.

"oh by the way I caught that little rat & fed him to my cat." She mocked

"you bitch."

"well this has been fun but thanks to you I had to cut my deliveries short tonight, so we'll just end you all now, so we can get back to business…OH BOYS." She said as she pulled out her whip & whipped the ground

Suddenly all her men pulled guns aiming them at the group as the men readied to fire Marian removed the safety of the detonator as she thought.

"if this is the night I go down I'm taking as many down as I can with me."

Just as everyone was about to make their move all the gate suddenly slammed down confusing everyone, then all the lights went out flashing on & off. During the confusion Marian was able to see at least two figures moving around fast taking out Lash's Men the sound of grunts & yells came from all around along with things getting smashed, as lash attempted to counter attack with her whip she was knocked to the ground by a red flash before a blue one passed by Marian. When the lights came back on all the power corps members were fine but everyone else was on the floor picking themselves up in including lash. Suddenly all the gates rose up again revealing destroyed trucks with their that all the cargo inside had been smashed.

"my cargo…My Lab…YOU FUCKING BRATS DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

"they did nothing lash." Said a voice coming from no where

"we did it." Said another voice

Getting to her feet lash looked around trying to find where the voices were coming from to the frustration.

"you bastards get out here & die."

"sorry but the night is still young."

"we have a lot of work to finish."

"we suggest you take your men & leave…we let you all live this time, but we can change our minds"

"the same goes for the power corp."

"who are you." Called out Marian

"you'll learn soon enough."

"you all will."

"this isn't over." Said lash

"no lash it isn't

"it's just getting started."

With those words lash & her men rushed out of their factory rushed out of the factory leaving the power corps, despite wanting to know more of who those voices were once they were clear an explosion went off leveling the factory.

"was that ours?" asked a group member

"no, the ones we had would have just burn the place to the ground…" said another group member

"seems new players have entered the fray."

"are the friendly or foe."

"don't but there's something about those voices…" she said leaving

Elsewhere…

As lash stormed through the city with her men in tow her rage & fear kept rising with every step.

"damn how am I going to explain to the master."

As she & her men reached a building instructing her men to watch the perimeter she walked inside. Once inside she reached an elevator, opening a panel with button that read from 1 – 9 she punches in a code activating the elevator. Taking her down, she was taken deep underground & let off into a hall way decorated like a palace. As she headed down the hallway she came upon a large throne room door on the side was a man dressed in a black male qipao with red lining this man's name was duke.

"is he there…duke?" asked lash fearfully

"yes the master here & he's aware of your failure."

Suddenly the doors opened leading to the throne room, the throne room has many black pillars with elaborate gold bases that support the roof and has black tiled floors. As lash entered the door close in locking her inside as she followed the path that led a wall of black fire. The imposing atmosphere is designed to instill awe and fear in all who enter, intimidating all who entered. As lash approached the flames through I dark glow she could see a figure sitting on what seemed to be a throne behind the black flames. As she kneeled in front of the flames they began to stir as a demonic pushed out of the flame with burning red eyes looking down at the terrified woman who kept her head down but could feel it.

"lash you really disappointed me tonight…I had high hopes for you that's why I put you in charge of manufacturing & distributing my products, but you failed…"

"master…I."

"SILENCE YOU WORTHLESS WENCH…YOU SPEAK WHEN I ALLOW IT!"

"yes sir…" she said in a low voice

"not only did you allow the shipment you were supposed to deliver tonight get destroyed but you allowed children to destroy one of MY FACTORIES!"

"please give me a moment to explain."

"now what is a suitable punishment?"

"punishment!?"

"yes my dear this failure…must be punished…killing you is too easy."

Lash became even more terrified at the thought of what horrific thing that he was going to do to her.

"I got it…maybe some time in my shadow mural will motivate you never to fail me again.

"no master not that."

Without warning a hand reached out through the flames grabbing lash bringing her over to a grey wall. Suddenly the wall transformed into a living mural revealing many twisted & disfigured people trapped inside writhing & screaming in agony reaching out to grab lash who was screaming in terror the closer. Seconds away from being tossed in the doors flew opened with duke rushing in side with news.

"mater shuko I have news."

"what is it duke."

"I just received word from ABOBO & Willy both of their organization were attacked."

"what!"

"the recruitment tournament was shut down & the arena was destroyed & the weapons cache that was on route to be transferred was attacked."

"did they say who was responsible."

"all they said that red & blue flashes moving around taking out their men."

Hearing this lash finally saw her chance to save herself from being thrown into the shadow mural.

"master please that's what happened to me & my men."

"what…"

"I was about to end those brats, but those flashes appeared saving them & destroying the factory."

Taking a moment, the mural disappeared & the black flame hand dropped her to ground.

"you earn a reprieve from your punishment…now leave."

"thank you master…I." she said getting to her feet

"GET…OUT!"

In a flash lash ran for her life leaving both duke & Shuko alone, once gone the figure behind flames stepped through revealing a person wrapped in a hooded cloak walking up to duke placing a hand onto the mural revealing his hand was made of solid black iron.

"master nothing has cause us this much trouble in 14yrs…not since them, what does this mean?"

"loose ends."

End Of Ch 1