Alright for any fans of this story, it hasn't been forgotten just put aside for the moment. Here is the next installment!
James awoke to a stinging pain on his shoulder, reminding him of the events of the previous night.
"So… what happened to your arm last night?" a distinctly deep voice rattled through the fog of his mind. "Not now Gordon, I feel like shit." He grumbled and rolled to the uninjured side of his body.
"No shit and no can do, besides I'd like my couch back at some point today. After being ignored for a few more minutes Gordon decided to try a more direct approach.
Grabbing a cup of cold water he splashed it unceremoniously on the sleeping James who spluttered awake in a flurry of curse words. "Gordon what the hell was that for?"
"That was for going to that damn Dojo and getting yourself wrapped up in the exact crap I warned you against!" the larger man scolded.
"What are you talking about, I didn't…" James sighed upon seeing the raised eyebrow on his friends face. "I don't know Gordon its' just something drew me in and now… well, I'm supposed to be back by this evening for my first job."
"I won't go any farther about your choices as it couldn't be any worse than your constant drinking but you'll be needing to find a more permanent space."
"I suppose this means I've worn out my welcome here." James grunted as he pulled on his socks and boots. "Not that permanently though, I just don't want aspects of your new job finding its way to me."
"Ah, reading you loud and clear, I'm too dangerous now to be here. I haven't even done anything yet." He said with a smirk which quickly faded as he saw the time. "6:45? Damn it I've got to hurry! We will talk later."
James hurried across town hoping that Duck would not take his lateness the wrong way. He had misjudged the man once and it ended in a bloody branding on his arm, he was not to make that mistake again. Douglas met him at the door with a few seconds to spare.
"Ack laddie do you cut it short, we were about to come after ya!" he said in his now familiar Scottish accent. James, stepping in noticed a decidedly different atmosphere, thick, dark and heavy.
"Ah so you made it then James, good, we will have a rowdy crowd tonight, we'll need all the help we can get." Oliver said with a cocky grin on his face.
"Yes a good grudge match against one of the new NWR thugs should draw quite the crowd." Duck purred from the corner of the room. "But first we've got to have you looking the part."
It was then James noticed the others in full, and to say the least he felt underdressed. Duck himself was in a full suit as was Oliver albeit without the jacket. The twins however had more exotic outfits, Black leather knee boots, black canvas pants, and black leather vests adorned with the same brand that was now on James arm. Their fingers each wore what appeared to be crest rings.
James was then drug into a room with various outfits hanging on the wall, chosen for him was a pair of boots similar to the twins but with a red outlining, matte black pants, red undershirt and a black vest, on the back a red phoenix emblazoned beautifully.
James took a moment to examine himself in his new threads, he had to admit he felt quite….different, powerful, and he had to admit he liked the feeling. It had been quite a while since he had anything new.
"Ready laddie?" Donald called from the doorway. "Lead the way." James purred confidently as they made their way down to the arena already filled with multitudes of town folks. In one corner of the ring James spied a man that immediately made his blood boil. One of the men who had been instrumental in his and the others firing and taking over of the NWR a Mr. Bernard Diesel.
"I can see you've met our guest, you see besides what he's done to you, he's been tormenting many others in this town." Duck led off. "Those under his NWR thumb were intimidated into working ungodly hours for little pay and compensation while he threatened their wives and children with starvation. The final straw being when he raped that one girl Molly and his thugs covered it up." Oliver fed both James and the crowds growing anger.
Suddenly the twins took to the stage to the crowds roar. "Now you've all come to seek a little retribution tonight! And we aim to please." Donald called above the crowd. "Mr. Diesel here thinks he can just waltz in here with all his glory, taking advantage of hardworking men and their families. Who here among the crowd will be the first to put him in his place?"
The crowd went into a frenzy of people all vying for a shot at the man, who of which just sat in the corner of the ring with a smug sneer on his face. "I know what all of you look like now, I'll have you all arrested!" he spat at the twins. Donald walked up to the man with a sneer of his own. "Laddie, your goons may wear the badges but we are the police here." And with that he gave the man a thick punch in the jaw. James found himself cheering with the rest as Diesel was left rubbing his cheek.
"Now come on then, who wants to be the first?" Douglas worked up the crowd. James fed by the thought of revenge climbed into the ring flashing a confident smile at his mentors, each cracking an identical grin.
"Alright then, our newest member James wants to come in like a lion, very well laddie on the bell!" The two left the ring as James took his fighting position across from Diesel. Truth be told the fight wasn't very fair one occupant not appearing to be much of a fighter and still in his business suit from earlier today. However James didn't care, all his mind was focused on was revenge, and even if he wasn't directly responsible for the destruction of his life he represented those who did.
"DING" before Diesel could even take a step James was on him, backing him into a corner and laying into him with more force in each punch. The other man finally managing to get out from others barrage only to get knocked off his feet with a sweeping kick from James. "Come on you old bastard at least put up a fight!" he jeered still laying into the man though this time with the toe of his boot.
"That's enough James!" he could hear from the back of the arena. "Yes leave some for the others!" With one final kick to the face earning a scream and a bit of blood on his boot he started to walk away.
"Is..that…all you've got?" he heard the man wheeze behind him. "I do remember you, James the old engineer. All of it went down the tubes with your job, by the way, Emily was right to get out when she did, not only did she get away from the alcoholic, she also said you were awful in bed."
Before the twins could stop him James was on the man again, blinded with rage and pictures of Emily and the day she left flashing through his mind he had Diesel pinned against the wall with one hand around his windpipe the other brass knuckles buried deep in his gut.
"If I ever hear those words out of your mouth again I will tear you limb from limb throw the rest in a meat grinder and feed it to the swine, such as the fate you deserve." James growled in the mans' ear as he slowly let go of the struggling diesel, one knuckled covered in blood.
Diesel fell to his knees gasping for breath as James exited the ring to a positively roaring crowd. Looking down at his blood soaked had he gave a small smile, this, what he had just done had felt good in a morbid sort of way. Perhaps he would feel remorse later, although he doubted it, chalking it up to retribution for those that man had wronged.
In the corner Oliver and Duck were talking quietly. "I haven't seen that in quite a while, I told you we picked the right guy." "Yes emotionally driven bloodlust, with skills and wit to match." They both silently toasted one another as they watched the twins continue to work the show.
James found himself working around helping the twins sanction the fights, taking fees, and breaking up overly rough fights. Somewhere along the evening James had acquired himself a top hat, adorned with silver tooled rivets and a large red feather, and in the short time he had it grown quite fond of it.
"I see you've made yourself quite a style there James." Oliver commented as the cleared out the last of the crowd for the night. "Toad take care of Mr. Diesel will you?" Duck stated as the man loaded the now unconscious man up to be taken to his house and dropped.
"Of course he has, he's our protégé!" Douglas put in as he and his brother came up to meet with the others. "I'd say your protégé outshined you two by the looks of this haul." Indeed there was enough when split between them, each ended up with $5,000 and some change in his pocket.
"Heh, revenge and cash, I'm starting to like this deal." He muttered to himself. "Good work boys, tomorrow off, we will meet again on Thursday to plan this weekend's big events."
"Ay come on laddie lets go have a drink before we go our separate ways." Donald suggested between he his twin and James. "Sounds good to me. I've got just the bar in mind."
Twenty minutes later they entered Edwards bar, to the shock of the other man. "James, what are you doing here?" "Just out getting a few drinks with friends, something wrong Eddie?"
"PFF, can you actually pay this time or Is on your tab?" "Oy, who do you think you are talkin to him like that?" Donald spat at Edward. "It's ok Donald, we're old friends, and yes I do actually have enough to cover it." With that he pulled out a $100 dollar bill and tossed it at his friend who just stared wide eyed.
After a few rounds the twins stumbled home giving James a black backpack before leaving James and Edward in a familiar situation, only this time James walked up and took a seat on his couch under his own power.
After shutting down the bar Edward went to confront him, at the front door he took in the site before him. The blood splattered boots, new clothes, vest, hat, where had he gotten this kind of money…and wait blood splattered boots? Upon closer inspection James hands were bruised and covered in the same dark sticky liquid though the brass knuckles had been removed.
"James, what happened to you?" James responded with a yawn before answering. "Busy night, I can't really explain it I just need a place to crash until I can go find an apartment tomorrow, also can I borrow your shower?" he asked making his way into the bathroom. Edward at a loss for words decided he would interrogate his friend in the morning and went straight to bed.
Turning the water on as hot as it could go he stood, letting it relax his aching muscles, tense for so long. After he had gotten out he opened up the bag the twins had given him, inside a pair of black silk pajamas, a leather coat, change of normal clothes, first aid kit, and a few toiletry items.
Slipping the pjs on, he rubbed his hands against the material, savoring the feeling, man the twins covered their bases with this stuff. Then rubbing some salve on his knuckles he took his normal place on the couch and drifted into a deep sleep.