Chapter 3: The Wulf House
Cassia walked through the kicked-in front doors of a hidden warehouse and joined Manic in the main hallway. A slender grey ox is tossed to the floor and both hedgehogs knelt over him.
"Cayman, right? I'm Manic, this is Cassia. I don't recall meeting you before, do you?" He asked while looking at Cass.
"Nope." she answered.
"So, we'd like to know why you offered a substantial amount of money to anyone who kills us, Cayman. Why, bro?"
"You fucked with my business!" The downed ox shouted, blood spilling out his mouth.
"Well, maybe you shouldn't deal in slavery, pal." Cassia countered. "My sister was taken in an operation like this, so you can imagine I'm not the biggest fan of 'businesses' like these."
The ox turned away, clearly embarrassed. Manic just began talking when Cayman quickly pulled a gun. The green hedgehog twisted his wrist, knocked the gun away and backhanded the ox across the face.
"See, that wasn't too smart, Cayman. Don't do stupid shit like that, got me? Y'know what would be smart? Pulling the contracts off the market." Manic said.
"Fuck you, someone has to pay for this!" Cayman yelled.
"You feel like a man, selling women and children as slaves? I think you should do as I say, otherwise my friend Cass here will make you feel like less of a man than you thought you could possibly be."
The brown haired girl used the Crystal Medallion to conjure up pink energy in her hands then lightly pressed her fingers on Cayman's right thigh, causing him to wince in pain. She dragged her finger down his leg, burning through his business slacks like a knife through butter.
"OKAY! OKAY! STOP! I'll do it! Just stop!"
Cassia left him alone while Manic handed Cayman his phone back. The two elementals watched closely as the ox removed their assassination contracts from the Black Market. Cassia stood up and started collecting various firearms littered around the warehouse from their fight with Cayman's guards. Manic and Cass began to walk out of the warehouse when Cayman called out their names.
"You know Willard Wulf? They're flying him in tonight!.. him and the rest of that crazy circus! You freaks won't walk these streets when they get here, ya hear me?! These motherfuckers are crazier than you! And they got the firepower to take you out!"
Cassia glanced at Manic for a moment, then fired an energy blast at Cayman, knocking him out against the wall. Manic shut the front doors and caught up with Cass, escaping just as the police arrived.
"Whose he talking about, Willard Wulf? Who the hell is that guy?" Manic asked.
"Manic, he's bluffing, they wouldn't bring in The Wulf House just for us. It's nothing to worry about." Cassia reassured.
"The way you're referring to these guys makes me curious, who the hell are they?"
"Look, there's cops all over here, let's split up and I'll tell you about them later. Here's my number."
Cassia grabbed Manic's phone from his pocket, quickly typed her number and slid it back in, running her hand along his chest as she stepped away. She's gone before Manic can object to this decision so he ran in the opposite direction.
Down on the highway, Starr sat in the passenger side of a slow-moving truck. She looked out at the forests that surrounded the area, while the truck driver scanned her for a moment.
"You shouldn't be doing this, kid." He said, voice hoarse from a lifetime of chain smoking.
Starr hesitated to answer. "...doing what?"
"Hitch hiking. It's dangerous."
She grasped her backpack tighter in response. Her hands glowed bright purple and her heart started beating faster.
"There's the boarder. That's as far as I can take you."
"Can you drop me off at the truck stop over there? I need to make a phone call." Starr requested.
"Sure."
The black truck pulled into an industrial area with a refuelling station and a food pavilion with ten fast food restaurants indoor. Starr thanked the driver then stepped into a phone booth.
I hope this works she whispered.
She used her telekinesis ability to open up the quarter slot on the pay phone and silver coins started spilling out, which she caught with her backpack. Starr walked inside and got in line for a burger restaurant. She ordered a small meal and dumped various quarter and dollar coins on the counter to pay for it. Despite all the awkward looks others gave her, the employees served her the meal and Starr sat alone at a table in the food court.
A tall, dark haired hedgehog in his late forties was sweeping up dust on his front porch when he heard his name being called from down the street.
"Hey, Farrell! You home, old man?"
The older hedgehog looks out. "Where else would I be, rookie?"
Manic walked up a flight of stairs and gives Farrell a quick hug. They entered his house and opened a can of White Ox beer each.
"So, what's new?" Farrell asked.
"Y'know that girl I told you 'bout? The freaky one with the metal arm? Well, turns out she's fighting the local Syndicate and I'm working with her, now. Pretty cool, huh."
Farrell took a long drink then looked at him. "The same girl who stole your sister's Medallion and sucker punched you?"
"Yeah, well I learned she's like a vigilante and not at all what I thought she was. I think I might even be attracted to her." Manic leaned back in his seat and put his legs on the table.
"Son, don't let your guard down. It's girls like that who'll fuck you over the most."
"Easy, old timer. I know what I'm doing, and Cassia is cool."
"Yeah, that's what you said about uh, what's her name - Linda?"
"Lindsay, and I was like, 13 when I said that. Times are changing, pops."
A few knocks on his front door got Farrell's attention.
"Speaking of changing, here come the collectors."
Manic sipped on his beer quickly before asking, "What collectors?"
"Be cool. Just paying my rent."
The older hedgehog answered his door and handed an envelope to two much taller and younger hedgehogs, dressed in black hoodies.
"You're short, old man." one said.
"Bullshit, I counted it three times." Farrell snapped back.
"Price went up, the boss texted everyone this earlier. You read it?"
"I doubt this fossil can even use a phone, bro." the second goon laughed.
Manic pushed past Farrell and stares down the collectors. "That's all you're gettin' so beat it."
"Manic the Hedgehog, what a surprise. What, did old Farrell hire you for protection?"
"Nah, I'm a friend from the Underground. Now get outta here, you clowns." Manic warned.
"I don't care what you say, this guy is short on rent so if you wanna take it up with the boss, be my guest."
Manic's fists illuminated green and he knocked both goons back with one punch. The entire neighbourhood stopped to watch Manic lay a beating on the two collectors.
"You can tell your boss Farrell ain't paying you anymore bullshit protection money. Tell him if he's got a problem, I'm the guy to speak to." Manic growled. "Now get the fuck outta here!"
"You just signed your own death certificate, asshole!"
"Yeah, Yeah, where've I heard that before..."
Manic was walking back to Farrell's house when he noticed the neighbors still watching.
"Hey everyone, shows over. The bad men won't scare you anymore so you can go back to your houses, now."
The green hedgehog laughed as he sat down while Farrell glared at him. "What have you done?!"
"Uh, I think I just got those goons off your back, you're welcome, by the way." Manic answered.
"You don't understand, Manic!.. I wasn't paying those punks, that money goes straight to the mayor!"
Manic spit out his beer. "What?! The hell are you paying HIM for?"
"It's not just me, he's charging all the ex-cons a commission-"
"You mean extortion, Farrell. He's taxing all the criminals out the ass and he sics the police force on anyone who doesn't pay up. Jesus Christ, and to think I voted for that prick!" Manic threw his beer away. "Well, if that's true, why ain't he charging ME a commission?"
Farrell pointed to the Jade Medallion around his neck. You know why."
"Shit, maybe that's why they're bringing in The Wulf House..."
"Wait, they're actually coming here?!"
"Okay, hold on! I keep hearing this name Wulf House, who are they?" Manic asked.
Farrell handed another beer to Manic before he began. "...a long time ago when Robotnik was still in power, Willard Wulf and his cousins snuck in and beat the fat bastard into submission, then they took his weapons. They weren't credited for Robotnik's defeat so they became a mercenary group and did some awful things to local warlords and their families. The government decided to legally employ them as a special unit since they were so good, but they also needed killers who could take the fall if need be...they're called Cleaners."
"So, they call these guys in when they can't handle a situation?"
"Not a situation, Manic, a threat. These guys are legitimate killers on government payroll. They only call them in for special occasions, and they don't like to acknowledge them to the public."
"Wait, then how come everyone knows so much about 'em?" Manic asked.
"Their leader wants everyone to know who they are. The government don't."
Manic put his beer down. "...shit..."
"Kid, if they called Willard Wulf in for you, whatever you did must've pissed them right off."
The green hedgehog stood up and looked out the window. "So the mayor called them in for just me? That doesn't sound right, I'm flattered, though."
"Didn't you say that girl could do the same stuff as you? Two of you would be enough cause for this shit."
"Fuck, I need to warn Cass!"
Manic dialled her number on his phone and she picked up on the second dial tone.
"I just found out about those Wulf House assholes, you'd better lay low before they come down here."
Cassia hid behind an air duct for cover while speaking. "Too late, they're already here. Willard's got 5 truck loads full of them as his entourage. They're outside city hall, no doubt that corrupt douche Tinsel is kissing their ass right about now. By the way, y'know what they're calling us? Elementals."
"I like and hate that name at the same time. Anyway, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I can get past them. But hey, Manic; whatever you heard about these guys is still far from what they can do. Don't let them surround you, not even two of them. They have weapons specially built to take us down."
"Don't get made, got it."
Manic hung up and thought to himself for a moment.
"What're you thinking?" Farrell asked.
The green hedgehog grabbed a beer and cracked it open. "I'm thinking I need to get a buzz on, then I can figure this out."
By sun down The Wulf House's full strength of cleaners arrive in Metropolis and set up shop. Boarder check points are posted at every city exit, armoured trucks patrol the streets and a curfew is put in effect for all citizens.
Metropolis is officially under occupation.
Starr had been in a boarder checkpoint line for an hour, hardly any citizen was let through and a small number were detained for attempts to get past by force. The cleaners didn't tolerate disobedience and came down on them swiftly. Finally Starr got to the front of the line and a solider checked her I.D.
"What's your business in Metropolis, tonight?" He asked while keeping a hand on his modified pistol.
"Sir, I had to leave my house and run away from my step mom, I don't have anywhere to go! Can you please help me?!" Starr pleaded.
The guards looked up her information and saw the police have an all points bulletin on her. He read the file and learned she's listed as wanted and extremely dangerous.
"We will help you through this terrible time, young lady. Please come this way to our shuttle."
Starr walked next to the tall soldier and was hesitant to enter the white and yellow shuttle bus, but was reassured once more. The moment she sat down, the doors and windows locked her in and the solider slapped the door, signalling for the driver to leave.
"Hey! What are you doing?! LET ME OUT!"
Starr tried to use her telekinesis on the windows but nothing happened. She panicked and kept trying but her powers wouldn't work.
The driver looked at her. "Don't waste your time, kid. This bus is specifically built to prevent freaks like you from damaging it. We'll get you home, alright."
Tears began to flow from the teenagers' eyes as she banged on the windows and quietly sobs. Suddenly everyone outside starts shouting and roaring, getting Starr's attention. She saw neon green and pink flashes light up the city streets.
It's him
Manic ran at the shuttle bus to shoulder block the side, knocking it over and send it skidding across the pavement. Starr looked up and watched Manic use a jackhammer to rip through the armoured bus, then he pulled her out.
"You the only one in here? Weird.. now run, kid!" Manic shouted.
Starr could barely see but knew who he was. "M-Manic?"
"Yeah, that's me - Go! Run!"
"I need your help!"
"Whatever you need, my friends will help you with. They're right over there, now GO!" Manic ordered.
Mickie grabbed Starr's hand and they ran with a small group of civilians fleeing from The Wulf House. After running and neglecting sleep for almost two days, the teenage hedgehog could no longer stand so Thompson carried her. Her eyes grew heavy and the street lights were the last thing she remembered before passing out in the tall hedgehog's arms.