Chapter 6: First Strike
"Everybody up!" Reynol ordered. When no one responded, he pulled out an M1911 pistol, loaded it, and fired it in the air.
Sure enough, the gunshot got everyone up in a second.
"I SURRENDER!" Phoenix screamed, hands flying up.
"I DIDN'T DO IT, OFFICER, I SWEAR!" Rook yelled, bolting up.
"What were you dreaming about?" Lunatic asked, suspiciously.
"Nothing." Rook immediately said.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's the day of our first strike." Reynol said, pacing across the room, looking at everyone with his electric blue eyes, "I want you all armed and ready to move out yesterday. Got it?"
"Yes, SIR!" everyone replied.
"Oh man, I had plans for that day..." TL mumbled.
Within ten minutes, the band of authors was armed and exited the headquarters.
"What makes you think they won't just follow us?" Nukid asked.
"The fact that our HQ is under the last place the Darksides would EVER look." Reynol replied. Everyone looked back to see that they headquarters seemed to be located in a place just below a diner with a sign that said 'The Buzzing Sign Diner'.
"Well, that explains a lot." DJ shrugged.
It was late at night. Clearly before the first hour of morning. Everyone would still be asleep. Though it probably wouldn't be for long.
"TL, could ya use your secret weapon to check out the area?" DJ asked.
"I guess so." TL said, grabbing his eye patch.
"He's been hinting at that for weeks, FINALLY we get to see it." Phoenix said, excitedly.
TL removed the patch and placed it just above his forehead. His other eye wasn't the ocean blue the left eye was. It was pale with no pupils. Immediately, the skin around his eye tightened as veins pulsed through it.
"All clear, guys." TL reported.
"Excellent." Reynol said, "Our first plan is..." the former-SOLDIER pulled out a few charges, "Blow up a building."
"Isn't this leaning towards terrorism?" Kitty asked.
"An ABANDONED one on the edge of town." Reynol added, "I have to draw the line SOMEWHERE. But if some Darksides get in the way...I don't think I need to explain."
"Sounds good." Rook said, grabbing the Cross Punisher in the machine gun position.
"DJ, TL, you guys stay here and keep a look-out." Reynol said, "Keep quiet, though."
"Roger." DJ said, saluting.
"Rook, Ross, and Kitty will provide covering fire." Reynol continued, "JC, Phoenix, and I will set the charges."
"What about me?" Nukid asked.
"AND me." Loon added.
"Well, we need more supplies, so..."
"YOU MEAN YOU BROUGHT US HERE JUST TO BE ERRAND BOYS?" the two shouted in unison.
"Basically." the former SOLDIER replied, coolly.
"You're making it so much easier for me to punch you, you know that?" Nukid growled.
"Personally, I've dealt with your punches." Sarge Ray replied, "We move NOW."
The selected authors took off after the Black Beret, leaving TL, DJ, Loon, and Nukid behind.
"Leave US behind, will he?" Nukid muttered, "Miserable bas-"
"May I ask you NOT to use that kind of language?" TL asked with a shaky grin.
"Maybe I should be more like you and use gibberish." Nukid stated, sarcastically.
"Hey, bro, where'd you get that Byakugan?" Loon asked.
"Oh, THIS?" TL asked, pointing at his eye, "I...don't know. It's just there."
"TL, take a break, I'll check things out myself." DJ said before fading into the darkness.
"Good idea." TL said, even though DJ was gone. He put the patch over his Byakugan and laid back.
Meanwhile, the operation was going smoothly for the authors planting the charges. Reynol placed two on the top floor, Phoenix placed two on the middle floor, and JC placed two in the basement.
"Alright, time to clear out." Reynol stated. He immediately took off running along with JC and Phoenix.
"Hey, what about Hikari?" Phoenix asked.
"Oh crap." JC swore.
"I know." Reynol growled as he changed directions.
Hikari tried following the members setting the charges, but upon realizing that she wasn't given any orders, she stopped in confusion, not sure whether to go back or wait for the others. She heard a gun being loaded and a barrel poking the back of her neck.
"Hikari Ino, Queen of the Balances." GS' voice said, "To be captured, not killed. Any other Author has the 'kill on sight' label. Why don't you?"
Hikari gave no answer.
"Don't feel like answering?" GS asked before saying, "Fine. You can talk in a holding cell."
"Hey!" called Ross as he sped over and tackled the Darkside hedgehog away. GS did a back-flip and regained his composure as he saw Ross in a cat-like position. The Pokemorph stood up and cracked his knuckles, "If you wanna get Hikari, you need to go through me."
"With pleasure." GS said as he reached into his jacket pockets. His left arm pulled out a device and hurled it at Ross.
The Pokemorph had a second to realize that it was an IED, improvised explosive device. He tried running, but GS already pressed the detonator. A barrage of shrapnel buried itself into the Pokemorph's back. Hikari made a silent gasp as Ross fell to the ground with blood pouring out.
"You've got more than just him, punk." Rook said as he opened-fire with his Cross Punisher. GS thrust out his left hand and a pale blue barrier appeared before flying towards Rook, sending him flying.
"I'm here, too!" Kitty shouted, thrusting out her hand and sending out a lance of pure ice. GS thrust out his right hand and the ice immediately evaporated.
"Transfiguration." GS said, "I turned your ice into water vapor."
"I've got more than that." Kitty said, sending out a blizzard of ice spikes.
GS did a combat roll and used alchemy to change his Glock pistol. It now had a gold-covered barrel with a red dragon spiraling down the handle.
"TWILIGHT DRAGON!" GS shouted, pulling the trigger. Instead of a bullet, a gold dragon head made of pure energy erupted from it. It sped towards Kitty and hit her, full-on. The dragon girl tumbled away before landing in a heap.
Hikari remained completely still, looking horrified at what was happening.
"Now, you're coming with ME." GS said, pulling out his trench knives and changing it to a pair of handcuffs. He snapped them onto Hikari before leading her away.
BANG!
GS barely dodged a bullet and wheeled over to see Sgt. Reynol holding a smoking Sig SAUER.
"You injure three of my men, try and capture another, and you expect us to just lie down and let you walk?" Reynol asked.
"Don't make me force you to." GS answered, pointing his Glock at the former SOLDIER.
"But there's ONE problem." Phoenix said as she summoned her Firebird Keyblade.
"You're dealing with three at once." JC said as his pseudo-Symbiote spread over his body.
"And you'll be dealing with THESE." GS said. He shot three bullets in the air and a group of twenty Darksides appeared, "Attack!"
The Darksides charged. Sgt. Reynol fired with his pistol, but ran out of bullets after killing one.
"Crap, I forgot these guys are hard to kill." The Black Beret cursed as he holstered his gun and pulled out his set of katana before slashing at them.
JC jumped into the trees and out of sight. The Darksides looked around, warily, as they tried to spot him. However, their target sprung down and grabbed one of their number with his mouth and vanished into the trees again.
"GRAVITY!" Phoenix shouted. A dark orb erupted from her Keyblade and flattened a group of the Darksides. She then pounded the ground with her glove and send hunks of earth flying. She looked up and called, "JC, stop the monster movie approach!"
"Sorry! Couldn't help myself!" JC answered before landing between the remaining Darksides and sent tendrils of his costume flying out, sending the Darksides flying.
"How did TL miss those?" Reynol asked as he ran a Darkside through and removed his blood-stained sword. He looked around to find GS, but quickly realized they wouldn't find him. He growled before sheathing his blades. He looked at JC and Phoenix before saying, "Get the injured out of here. NOW."
JC and Phoenix ran to their injured friends. JC put Rook and Ross on his shoulders while Phoenix hefted Kitty up in a fireman's carry. They walked off as Sgt. Reynol lagged behind with the detonator in hand.
"Consider this a message, Drake." Reynol said, putting his thumb on the trigger, "We're not laying down anymore."
He pressed it. All the bombs they placed inside the building exploded, levelling it in an instant.
The three undamaged members arrived at the resting spot for the scouts/errand boys.
"So, how'd it go?" TL asked.
"As good as it looks like." Phoenix replied.
"That bad?" DJ asked.
"GS turned up, beat up these three, captured Hikari, and took off." JC stated.
THAT got TL's attention. The hedgehog jumped up and immediately said, "We've gotta help her! Who knows what the Darksides are doing to her?"
"Stand down." Reynol stated, "I'll go after her myself. JC, you're in charge until I get back."
The Black Beret sprinted back to the spot where they saw GS. He lost allies to the Darksides in the past. He wouldn't let that happen again. He had a secret weapon of his own...
The other Authors trudged back to the Buzzing Sign Diner and entered the secret passageway to their bunker (which was under the dumpster).
"It's just day one and things are already looking bad..." DJ murmured as he helped place Rook on a bunk.
"We have to work on Ross." JC said, "NOW."
The Authors immediately began hurrying about, trying to keep their fallen comrade from death's door. At the same time, each of them wished that Dimensiondude was still alive.
Meanwhile, in a building not far away, Drake entered a room to see that every wall was riddled with bullet holes. He looked around with disdain. Why did he have to crawl to this person?
"Greetings!" said a voice. Drake saw a short person with spiky, blue hair with orange tips, brown eyes, and a large smirk on his face.
"Face." Drake simply said.
"And to what do I owe the pleasure of having the company of the guy who let psychos like me run free in this world?" The Face asked, pulling out an UZI and looking down the sights.
"You remember the Author Fighters?" Drake asked.
"Barely, considering your new methods." The Face replied before loading a fresh magazine into it and firing at a poster of Twilight: Eclipse. He blew down the barrel and said, "I do the world a favor after all the destruction I cause."
"What about Lunatic121?" Drake asked.
The Face froze before asking, "What about the person I REALLY want to rip apart after defeating me in such a humiliating manner?"
"I hear from my sources that he's back and in New York." Drake explained, "I want you to go in and...help my cause. I'm willing to pay you two hundred dollars a day."
"Drake, Drake, Drake." The Face sighed before saying, "When you brought up Lunatic, you sealed the deal. It's not about the MONEY, it's about...being the way I am."
(I do not own this song. Voltaire does.)
The Face: When the Devil is too busy
And Death's a bit too much
They call on me by name you see,
For my special touch.
The Face made a sweeping bow. Drake stood there. He always enjoyed a bit of music.
The Face: To the Gentlemen, I'm Miss Fortune
To the Ladies, I'm Sir Prize
But call me by any name
Any way it's all the same
The Face pulled out his Rotary Blades and slashed through a destroyed sofa.
The Face: I'm the fly in your soup
I'm the pebble in your shoe
I'm the pea beneath your bed
I'm a bump on every head
The Face pulled out a Makarov and began shooting the (even more) destroyed sofa.
The Face: I'm the peel on which you slip
I'm a pin in every hip
I'm the thorn in your side
Makes you wriggle and writhe
The Face's iconic smirk stretched even wider, making it look like his own mouth was trying to rip his head in half.
The Face: And it's so easy when you're evil
This is the life, you see
The Devil tips his hat to me
I do it all because I'm evil
And I do it all for free
Your tears are all the pay I'll ever need
Drake smirked. The Face never ceased to amuse him in this era...mostly because any fear that the psychopath would off him was nothing more than a bad memory.
The Face: I pledge my allegiance, to all things dark
And I promise on my damned soul
To do as I am told, Lord Beelzebub
Has never seen a soldier quite like me
Not only does his job, but does it happily.
The Face began pouring some green liquid into a set of circular, metallic balls. He tossed one up and down before putting them on his belt and putting several guns into holsters located on various parts of his abdomen, shoulders, and legs.
The Face: I'm the fear that keeps you awake
I'm the shadows on the wall
I'm the monsters they become
I'm the nightmare in your skull
I'm a dagger in your back
An extra turn upon the rack
I'm the quivering of your heart
A stabbing pain, a sudden start.
And it's so easy when you're evil
This is the life, you see
The Devil tips his hat to me
I do it all because I'm evil
And I do it all for free
Your tears are all the pay I'll ever need
And I do it all for free
Your tears are all the pay I'll ever need
And I do it all for free
Your tears are all the pay I'll ever need
He then turned to Drake with a surprisingly sad look on his face. His lower lip quivered as he continued.
The Face: It gets so lonely being evil
What I'd do to see a smile
Even for a little while
And no one loves you when you're evil
"You're not serious." Drake said.
In an instant, the Face's sad look was replaced with his insane smirk.
The Face: I'm lying through my teeth!
Your tears are all the company I need
"So, that's a yes?" Drake asked.
"It couldn't have been anything else." The Face answered before bursting into psychotic laughter.
I just HAD to make the Face sing that (albeit abridged) song.