Chapter 16
Wood Oak City never felt so familiar. Blaze cautiously wanders around the streets she used to know in her dark coat, gloves with hood up. The sky is clear with some stars visible but the air is gloomy and fresh from the settled snow. The first familiar site she passes is the old Central District office where she was first transferred to from Red District. The building now is nothing but derelict and boarded up with the brand new police precinct around the block. So many memories come flooding back from this place 12 years ago. It was where she excelled the most as an officer, despite how much it annoyed her colleagues. Not to mention it being the place where she first met Axel.
Even Wood Oak's Christmas market hasn't changed. Blaze suddenly remembers the time her and Keri were here all those years ago when it was her friend's stupid idea to go into the fotune teller's tent. The old lady was right though and ever since, she had faced many dark times, far beyond what Blaze ever thought she could handle. But one thing is clear when looking at this city. If it wasn't for the sacrifices her and her team made all those years ago, especially in the run up to the war with the Lima Nations, this city would be a very different place today. There are parts of the world governed by cults of gangs with no laws where the only law is to kill. Here the people are free because of everything her and her friends have done.
She suddenly hears singing coming from Wood Oak's Central Park. It's not in Blaze's interest to go and investigate but something there draws her in.
"The 7pm Christmas Carols are about to begin, here take one of these" a lady in a pink jumper at the entrance hands her a carol sheet. A huge crowd of 2000 people fills the vicinity of the park with all ages present with the majority delving through the Christmas market stools and fairground.
Blaze manages to stand somewhere in the middle, close enough to the stage with some of the market stalls situated to her left.
"Excuse me would you like one of these plastic chairs to sit on?" One of the vendors shouts from a couple of metres away.
"Don't mind if I do! How much are those?" A man dressed smart in his mid 30s replies.
"Not you dumbass! Can't you see the lady on your right?"
"Oh, sorry!" He embarrassingly apologies.
"Me?" Blaze shouts back, puzzled.
"Yeah! I can spot a baby bump a mile away, take this!" The vendor insists.
"Ow it's ok, I'm fine standing up, you should have seen the journey I took here" she laughs.
"Well at least have a hot drink then!" The vendor insists, preparing her a cup of hot chocolate.
"Thank you," Blaze smiles back. It never ceases to amaze her how generous people can really be. For every shitty person in the world, there are at least 10 kind people. This is exactly the reason why she once fought to protect this city.
"Silent night is my favourite. That's my daughter singing at the end on the far right" the lady explains, carefully passing the hot cup to her.
"You must be so proud. Here, take this" Blaze replies, reaching for some change in her pocket.
"Don't be silly, it's on the house. Merry Christmas and congratulations" the vendor smiles.
"That's very kind of you."
Blaze can't help but stare around at all the parents, kids and couples huddled close together with their lighters in the air. It makes her feel very empty and sad that her own family is not here with her. If this is what normal life is then why can't things ever be normal for her?
She places her drink on the side then puts her hand in her pocket again, noticing the pouch wrapped in thin paper that Axel gave to her earlier when they left.
Blaze carefully unwraps it until she finds a thin chain with one of the wedding bands looped around it that he bought and picked out just before they'd left London. Inside the pouch is also a note that reads,
"You got my ring and I have yours. As soon as I'm back, I can't wait to exchange these. Love you so much x"
Axel's note makes her smile again as she places the chain with his ring around her neck. It's exactly what she's needed right now at this moment.
However, she is quickly drawn away from admiring the note and his ring as soon as the carol finishes when she spots a couple of teenagers tripping over some wires.
"Hey thanks for the hot chocolate," Blaze says to the nearby vendor, throwing in the trash can her now empty cup.
"Anytime! Can I get you anything else?"
"No thanks, I wonder why they got so many of these speakers around? It's not like the choir or band are using them….. Shit…." Blaze quietly says to herself. She instantly disappears before the vendor can finish her reply.
Blaze frantically barges her way towards the back of the staged area where all the cables to the speakers lead.
"I'm sorry maa'm but you can't come back here!" A steward halts her.
"We have to disconnect these speakers now! These people are in danger!" She urges.
"What? That's absurd! Lady, if you don't leave the backstage area, I'm gonna have to remove you…" to his surprise, Blaze roundhouse kicks him around the head, knocking him out cold where he lies on the grass.
"Sorry… I know you're only doing your job" she guiltily says as she steals his high vis jacket and backstage pass.
Blaze quickly moves towards the main power supply but instead of finding one source towards the speakers, there are at least a dozen. "Shit!" She curses again, frantically trying to figure out how to disconnect each one in the dark.
"To hell with it…!" She loses patience then decides to remove one of her gloves, placing her hand over the first cable. Using her chi, she sparks a small electrical current that breaks and disables the first power source.
"Yes!" Blaze quietly celebrates, having neglected her powers for over a year. "One down, 11 to go…" She knows that she must move fast and avoid anybody seeing her. As soon as more stewards on the other side become distracted, Blaze moves in to disable another power supply using her powers.
"Hey, have you seen Billy? He's disappeared and was supposed to be stationed here!" Another member of staff approaches.
"Oh, he asked me to watch this area for a minute, he's just gone to the bathroom".
"Okay!" The young woman replies, blowing a large bubble from her chewing gum. "Jeez, I didn't know they were gonna have house music here! Alright!" The blue-haired lady in fishnet stockings starts to dance and celebrate.
"No no no! Cover your ears!" Blaze panics whilst the steward drifts into a trance. She quickly fires at each power source one by one to try and stop the music but she also ends up cutting out the stage and Christmas lights by accident, leaving the crowd in darkness.
"Ladies, Gentlemen and Children. You are now under strict new rules of this city. Your mind now belongs to us and you will obey our every order. Stay where you are and wait for my command, even when the music stops" Mr Y's voice echoes through the remaining speakers on one side of the park. The crowds that are further away begin to panic and run when they witness their peers on the other side in a state of confusion.
Now with her hands bleeding, Blaze grabs anything possible - metal poles, stage props, whatever she can get to break the three remaining speaker outlets. She catches her breath, emerging from the back of the stage to find one side of the park running for their lives in panic mode whilst the other side is completely still and fixated in a trance where they were exposed close to the soundwaves.
"Wake up! Snap out of it!" She tries to shake one woman caught next to the last set of speakers she broke on the other side, but it's too late. The woman's expression is blank and the iris around her pupil has faded to almost white.
Blaze then spots a convoy of black cars followed by police vehicles in the far distance entering the park and approaching the stage area. She quickly runs with her hood up towards the panicking crowds on the other side to escape before someone spots her.
Less than a minute later, the convoy abruptly halts in the middle of the grass. Mr Y then angrily steps out of one of the black cars. "We were expecting at least 2000 souls standing here but there's barely 300!" He shouts at one of his female associates called Stiletto.
"Sir, there are reports that the crowd on the other side of the park fled panicking" she answers.
The young man clenches his fists then kicks the car door with frustration on his face. He is forced to take a deep breath in order to compose himself.
"I want you to find out why and how they fled! Call up Washi, make sure all of our communications through radio and devices are still operational! I also want every corner of this city searched for those vigilantes! I know Stone and the others are behind this. Do you hear me?!"
"Yes Sir," she obeys.
"There he is!" Adam clenches his fist, spotting the open rooftop arena with its array of flashing neon lights. Above it flies an air balloon displaying the words 'Wood Oak's Ultra Music Festival'. The noise of the concert gets louder and louder the closer they approach, just in time for Cherry, Max, Sammy and Estel to put in their earplugs.
"You know the plan from here" he instructs.
Floyd is first to stand on the corner of the rooftop. He hits his metallic arms together then aims them forward, firing a deadly purple lazer that rips into the bricked roof walls of the open air concert, carving out their entrance from range.
"Go, go, go!" Adam orders. The team instantly jumps into the hall, sticking to every detail of their plan.
Firstly Max, Floyd and Estel try their best to help carry away any innocent civilians to safety. The majority of which are either in a trance or phased by what's going on.
Axel, Shiva and Leon all surround the outer perimeter of the arena, destroying any speakers using their powers, whilst fighting off any guarding syndicate punks. Sammy also accompanies them, taking out a laptop device from his backpack to try to configure anywhere else where these soundwaves are being emitted to.
Lastly Adam and Cherry, the father-daughter duo go after DJ K Washi high up on his large staged area.
"Adam Hunter, we meet again" the DJ smirks whilst levitating higher in the air. Unexpectedly, he reaches his left hand forward, firing an array of small blue bolts in Cherry's direction. She quickly reacts, rolling forward and dodging his efforts.
"The two of you and your team made a big mistake coming here!" He says, floating to one side of the stage before more syndicate punks and gunmen appear to help him.
"Sworddd Strike!" Adam crashes his fist into the ground, creating a yellow energy of flames that throws their enemies off stage, giving Cherry enough time to run forward to attack Washi.
She leaps towards him, punching combinations before slamming her guitar forcefully into his chest. For a moment, the DJ pauses in the air in discomfort whilst holding onto his head which appears to be in pain. Cherry frowns, hesitant to attack but Adam makes full use of the opportunity when he strikes him again in the chest.
But Washi has not given up. He rises back up in the air from the ground, regaining his focus. This time he projects a more powerful red firebolt forward that catches Cherry's arm and forces her to fall. He then throws spinning laser green discs towards the floor that Adam has to carefully avoid. With the DJ levitating to each side of the stage at a fast pace with ease, it becomes more and more difficult to keep up with him as the pair grow more tired.
Cherry slams her fist towards the ground, creating a defensive force field from her guitar that protects her and Adam from Washi's next firebolt. Again for a moment, his own defence fails him where the DJ can't help but stand still disorientated with his hands over his head. The father and daughter attack, kicking and punching him as much as possible whilst he is weak, until he finally submits and falls to the ground with zero energy left to get back up. Washi lies on the floor, passed out as his music comes to a halt.
The rest of the team immediately run towards the stage, making sure that no more sound waves are emitted and that the father and daughter duo are ok. Shiva applies one flaming circular kick that breaks the decks in half.
"Baby girl, you ok?" Adam asks, noticing Cherry's arm bleeding.
"I'm ok daddy" she smiles, tightly wrapping her arms around him.
"So what's the verdict then?" Adam questions Sammy who is still busy on his laptop.
"They've tried to send out these soundwaves via radio, tv, streaming services - you name it! By cutting the source of the music here, the good news is we've managed to stop it".
"What's the bad then?" Estel pessimistically folds her arms.
"The bad news is the damage is done and although the majority of the city ain't under the twins' control, Wood Oak is now in a state of panic." Sammy explains.
The team glance over the edge of the roof to witness people down below in the street screaming, looting, destroying shops and homes with no regard for the law.
"This is what the twins wanted. Chaos" Adam bows his head with disappointment.
Estel places one hand on his shoulder. "We've done everything possible. The rest is in the people's hands."
"She's right" Max steps forward. "I know myself! When that music stops there's a choice. Some people want to be controlled because they have no direction. They're the ones who have to save themselves".
Adam shakes his head with disbelief at the unfolding chaos dominating the streets below.
"Estel, request for backup. Any decent officers you have left. There are innocent civilians down there, if we don't get control over this situation then they'll die and the city will fall".
"This city has already fallen, a long time ago. If you wanna stop more innocent people dying and a new order, we have to find and kill the twins first along with Visser". Axel breaks his silence.
Floyd turns towards DJ K Washi who is lying on the ground. With ease, he raises his body in the air, torturing him awake by emitting current through his body.
"Let's have a conversation shall we? About where the twins are headed next…." the fighter probes.
Washi stares back at him blankly.
"This is gonna be a long night then…" Floyd complains before he emits another electric shock through his body.
Blaze hesitantly glances around at chaotic scenes she is witnessing in every direction on the streets. Those who are still under the twins' influence start to hunt and grab innocent people to steal from, beat down or do worse. Either the police either stand by doing nothing or they brutally attack anybody that stands against the new order of the city that the twins have created. Fire burns in the streets and every criminal takes advantage with the sound of cars and shop windows breaking.
She catches her breath, just about making it around the block without being attacked or hit by flying debris. Blaze immediately bangs on one the front doors. Most people who escaped the soundwaves and streets have now locked themselves inside their homes out of fear.
"Open up, please! I need your help!" She yells with desperation.
After two minutes, there is still no answer.
"Ok then, we'll have to do this the hard way…" she glances down at her blood stained palms then gets ready to fire one more bolt of energy at the door. To Blaze's surprise however, the door suddenly begins to open.
"Thank God! Please let me in, this was the only familiar place I could find…" she pleads.
"Give me one good reason why I should allow you into my home?" Tim Murphy stands at the doorway, pissed off and shocked to see her.
"Daddy be careful! Who's at the door…..Blaze?" Lauren then appears next to him with shock on her face.
"I need your help. I know you have weapons, food and shelter. Please let me in, I can explain!" Blaze requests.
"I know you once lost your memory but have you still forgotten what happened 10 years ago when your friends practically held my family hostage? Not to mention Axel murdering my brother!" Tim angrily shouts. "I think you should find help elsewhere…" he starts to close the door.
"Wait!" Blaze halts him. In one last attempt for help, she unzips her coat so that the two of them can see her stomach.
"Daddy, we have to help her! We can't kick a pregnant woman out, especially with what's happening on these streets right now!... Come on in, it's freezing out there…" Lauren insists, forcing Tim to give in.