Chapter Two
With Proctom done and Yondu and Kraglin watching both him and the events going on in other locations. Seeing who had been stopping in their tracks and all however important they may be, the people they worked with weren't.
This done, Yondu turned his attention to another member of the crew, who was elsewhere doing important work,
Watching the raid over the screens, Yondu felt a twinge of pride at how hyper-focused his Ravagers were until he heard Jamsean draw a quick gasp. Which was heard by everyone.
"Holy shit, this artwork, it's worth a fortune". This got Yondu's and the rest's attention, and from where he was standing, Jamsean was struck by the images on the walls of this rich bastard, art that was so beautiful which was wasted on someone like him, as Yondu thought it over,
"Art on the market like ours is a bastard to shift…" Yondu stated as Jamsean broke in "No I have been reading loads of information about lost artworks, stuff that was stolen, and this is it. Art galleries have rewards out for it, this stuff is worth millions, and needs to be seen!" Jamsean insisted.
This was something legit which was rare for their line of work, but what the hell he needed one of his best Ravagers on it and not distracted by works by the masters.
"Fine, you can look at it later, Jamsean", and there was a note in Yondu's voice that sounded like a disapproving dad trying to get his son's attention, which everyone picked up on but no one mentioned.
With the focus back on, the groups went through the grandest home which all their reports said was where the brutality against children had taken place. Taking what they could find, until Gunnsen, glanced over when he heard small gasps, coming from under a table, and held up his hand motioning for the other Ravagers to be silent.
Bending down, he saw the small scrap of a girl more than seven with shaved hair, a look of fright on her face. Her clothes were rags, and from the small collar around her neck, revealed that she was a house slave. The collar was primed so that even if she left the house, it would activate and blow her head off.
The fact that she had been living in the house with all that opulence and no one gave a shit grieved them all, as Jamsean leant down and stretched out his hand
"It's ok, we're here to help you", Jamsean's words were confronting, and he was about to ask the girl her name, when he noticed the vox attached to her collar and felt pissed about this, but struggled not to freak the little girl out any more.
Vox's were a barbaric device meant to punish, with the electricity that ran through them. Taking away someone's ability to speak, to keep them in silence, getting this off would take a lot of work. Jamsean didn't have the skills but knew someone who did, as Yondu who was watching the visuals, just saw them inside and knew he needed his eyes on the ground.
Whilst the girl shivered in shock, causing Jamsean to take off his jacket and wrap it around her, reputation be damned, and without Yondu even saying it, since he didn't need to as they had all discussed it.
"We're here to find children, we know there have been taken here, and we're trying to find out where they were kept, can you show us". Reiterating the possibility that children were dead.
The girl nodded and feeling that she could trust the Ravagers, walked down a corridor to a large study, filled with books, and carefully pulled one of them open to reveal a large steel door, with a voice-activating lock.
"Bullocks", Jamsean exhaled, since only one person's voice opened it and of course the bastard, was all dressed up and partying, making them lose the meaning of surprise. The waif reached up and, with bright hazel eyes brimming with tears, pointed to her neck.
And over the view screens, everyone heard Yondu Udonta, muttering "Fucking hell".
To get open this door was a voice-activated key, and it was this young girl, God what horror had she seen, Yondu needed to know but it wasn't the time.
"If we try to crack this open, it will donate, and she's just a kid" was Jamsean utter, and Yondu just clenched his jaw, he was trying to save face and not appear weak.
But a child had a bomb against her neck, and only one person he knew could sort that, and maybe for a moment he could drop the facade and he barked in a tone that made everyone jump
"That's it. We fucking go, now"
Wordlessly Charlie-27, who had expected who had been given charge of his own unit, along with Zreada, was surprised that they had been chosen to be with Yondu, for this. But Yondu remembered what Charlie-27 was capable of, and had a feeling that Zreada would be ok.
Charlie-27 saw how well they worked, and envied their lifestyle, wondering more to himself, if a transfer was possible when this was over, as he attached the Chronic Wave to the glass ceiling.
Everyone attached their harnesses and ensured their rocket boots were secure, and all signals aside from the Ravagers were jammed.
And with a nod, everyone looked up, as the priceless crystal and glass exploded into a thousand fragments, and fell to the ground, causing everyone to scream and scatter.
In the confusion, the Ravagers dropped down on their harness, which they unclipped, pulled their blasters, and it was Yondu who stepped forward with a cocky grin.
"Listen up you rich assholes, we're the Ravagers, and this is a raid".
Instantly those with ideals of bravado stepped forward, as Kraglin fired a blaster in the air letting everyone know how serious this was, as Irani Rael within the chaos, yelled at everyone to keep calm. All the while glaring at the Ravagers.
"This is an outrage, do you know who we are?" one of the dignitaries stepped forward, and Yondu's grin twisted into a sneer.
"Yes, I do Senator Kruger, I know exactly who you are, who all of you are. Rich bastards, who hoard your wealth. See this as a liberation of goods…"
"And services" finished Kraglin.
Instantly, people called for guards, only to be met with a "Don't bother, all taking a nice little nap, no distractions, no distractions at home either".
There was a hush, and a few whimpers and realisation were dawning for the group in finery.
"Oh, don't worry, your family have not been hurt, we have standards and fine taste in things".
Knowing their families were in danger, everyone's bravado faded at that moment, but Kruger, who was as arrogant as when Yondu and Kraglin encountered him at the Zoo, with their child, and whose actions had started all of this, had more to say.
"You won't get away with this, who the hell do you think you are", the fat man's chin wobbled with disgust at the Ravagers.
"Ooobeoly, bolo bolo bo", stated Yondu, which led to confusion whilst Kraglin tried to bite back a laugh under the circumstances.
"Talking like a child won't save you" Kruger insisted.
"Oppolly, bolo boo bo," Yondu said again.
Normally anyone would have realised that it would be wise to stop. But Kruger wasn't finished, and Yondu just rolled his eyes, and with a whistle, his Yaka arrow, appeared from his holster.
It moved directly in between Kruger's eyes, and now the message got across, with the red tip and the hum of radiation and the fireworks bursting under Yondu's headpiece.
"Do you get it now matey, now shut up and sit the hell down whilst I do my job". Instantly the Ravagers in the vicinity began to pull the jewels from the people surrounding them.
There were complaints, and some were reluctant, but Charlie-27, since he was a smooth-talking bastard said to a young woman who was innocent of everything, "A woman of your beauty, needs no decorations", and all she got in return was a charming smile and a story to tell her friends later.
Yondu and Kraglin got closer to Tyrolls and Lizxona, since their assistance had been invaluable, but not in this guise, as Yondu leered at the precious jewels around his neck, and not for the first time would be in his possession,
"Well, ain't those pretty. Think I'll have those too". Lizxona stopped, and acted to an inch of his life, as he fingered the finery. "These are sacred to my people".
"And they are sacred to me too, matey, those there would feed my people for months, so let's have at 'em".
Lizxona nodded to Tyrolls and Iztel, as all finery was removed, from his neck and dumped into a bag, the only things that would be returned later, and put back on display a few months after that.
"That's right, nice and pretty, Kraglin over his ear peace got a message from the crews, at Kruger's house. They had found what they were looking for, which he relayed to Yondu, who since he was in charge of all of this turned back to address the people waiting.
"So, we've gone through all your homes, and found some things real nice, but what about this. Care to explain Kruger". Yondu spat the last word since he had a fair idea.
"What's behind this door?"
Yondu activated the screen, which filled a large portion of the room, so everyone could see it.
His Ravagers, most of whom had pulled their bandannas down, explained the situation. They had found a Vox, something that drew a hushed whisper from those who were innocent.
However, Yondu saw the sweat breaking out on some people's faces, knew what they were guilty of and what lay behind that door, and decided to make this easier on him.
"You", Yondu threw a bag of cuffs to Proctom, who had come into the room, with his Blaster drawn, on the off chance, he had missed someone. Which wasn't the case in the end. Proctom expertly caught the cuffs, whilst everyone kept their eye and blasters on the party. "Cuff the lot of them, don't let them try anything stupid, and don't be a hero".
Proctom nodded, and with Zreada trailing his blaster, everyone put their hands behind their back and began to accept what was happing, since they were opposite people who would kill them in a heartbeat.
But even standing and with his hazy eyes, Iztel noted the glint of something in a sheath, and almost broke character, as the Senator burst to his feet, with the knife pulled, which almost caught Proctom by surprise, and would have buried itself into his side.
Iztel with reflexes he had forgotten about, suddenly pulled the blade out of his cane and with a flourish, pressed it to the Xandarian Senator's throat, which grew gasps of shock but also a bit of admiration, and Yondu wondered if that came for him.
"Sit your ass back down, and drop it laddo". Stated Iztel, to the Senator, who looked stunned, "And everyone else who was stupid enough to have weapons, throw them over here, you heard the Ravagers "Don't be a hero"".
Perhaps it was because Iztel with the voice of authority, that there was a clang of metal on the ground, since no one was stupid, as the Senator, took a breath "Why are you helping them, you're Xandarian like me".
To which Iztel pressed deeper and a small trickle of blue bloom emitted from his neck, and Iztel said in a cold tone. "Are you're a fool, kill him, we'll all be killed. Now sit the hell down and let the man do his job".
Proctom who had rarely seen this side of Iztel, gave the older man, and also his surrogate father a nod of respect as eventually all hands were tied.
The face of the Vox filled the screen, which led to a twist of pity at her emancipated body, and Kraglin saw, Kruger about to say some words which would blow her apart. Not caring about how this would be perceived, out of desperation.
Kraglin barked the order to gag Kruger, and in a big insult a bandanna, owned by Charlie-27 that had seen better days, was wrapped around his mouth, as he was about to form the words.
"Right, whatever's behinds that door, imagine all the riches" Yondu added for effect, "have to do it the old-fashioned way".
"You get over here". Names were being kept at a minimum, for security reasons, but it was Proctom who swaggered over the looked at the device over the screen. Knew exactly what he had to do, and what was going to happen as he turned to the one who was clearly her master.
"For those in the cheap seats who think I'm an idiot, as soon as I disable the mechanism, this wanker has to say one word, and the backup will kick in, and blow her head off. Been here before, asshole, this ain't my first trip at this circus".
Proctom told the Senator, who began to panic, as Proctom looked away and back to the screen. "Now this is what you have to do", his voice dropped to less aggressive but more assertive, if said to Gunnsen. Maybe it was for the entertainment but those who didn't looked fascinated, whilst others looked horrified at how royally screwed, they were.
Using Proctom's expert instructions that made Iztel feel proud of him, it took a few minutes but that felt like hours, as with expertise being sent over the wires, Gunnsen carefully removed the device, piece by piece.
After reassuring the girl that it was going to be ok, and hoping that he wasn't lying to her. Proctom noted the Senator looking more panicked and squirming and Proctom was concerned he was going to lose his concentration until Yondu noticed this and gave him a swift kick in the head.
Finally, until over the screen the device people clicked off, and Jamsean slid it off as gently as he could impressed that the girl was able to keep calm until the last seconds, then she broke down sobbing. Over the screens Gunnsen was ecstatic it had all gone well and missed the small instances of pride being thrown his way.
Trying to keep the reputation as Ravagers when people were watching, since most of them were honorary uncles, stumbled lightly as with gentle tones the group managed to calm the girl down and she crumpled to the ground.
But she showed them that she had been wearing the Vox for too long judging from the scars on her neck. Whilst one of them went to find her some water, she managed to get out, in a tiny whisper, "He makes me watch".
Blind fury, filled the Ravagers, whilst there was panic on the dancefloor by the senator, and bewilderment from the Head of Xander itself of all this carrying on under her nose. But the air shifted in the rooms when after some reassuring words from the Ravagers that it was going to be ok, but they had to open that door, and afterwards she would be taken to a place of safety.
Something Yondu was certain that was going to happen, and he felt his muscles tense up, as the child went to the door, and in a husky voice, created from years of wearing a Vox, said the access code as clearly as she could into a small voice panel.
The think door, opened slowly, with everyone holding their breath, as the overpowering and sickening stench hit them instantly to reveal a room drenched in blood, like the colours of a rainbow and all of them, in the room or watching over the screens uttered "Fuck me" in unison.
To be continued
