Butchered Tech
By: Bubbajack
Co-authors/Editors: IcySnowSage, First Hassan
Special Consultant: Heliosion
Note: Special Thanks go out to my Super Donors: Apostle_of_Darkness, Ben wanless, CrazymanDK, Jac, Jareth Norris, Kenni Nielson, Meraj Alimi, Scott Marchant, and Selmephren.
Ch.1.2: Being
Greg's eyes snapped open, he felt bright eyed and bushy tailed after having a solid eight hours of sleep. Then he glanced at his clock. It was 9:15 pm. He rubbed his eye and looked again. The clock read the same in digital numbers. 'I slept all of three hours? What the hell?'
"We have taken the liberty of rapidly processing your brain's information while you immediately fall into REM sleep Greggory. Thus you require much less downtime than a normal human as a result," Belisarius Cawl informed him.
"Oh… well shit, I'm basically a Noctis Cape. Nice. I can get a lot more done this way," Greg mused.
"A question," Belisarius continued, "Why do you hide your own impressive intellect?"
Running a hand through his golden locks, Greg replied, "Do you really want to go into this right now?"
"Yes, all of us were put into your head for a reason. We are not only engineers but also geniuses in our own respective fields. I was curious as to the why of it, so I began searching through your memories. You moved up several grades when you were younger showing advanced intellect but then, upon reaching highschool you quit trying to excel and allowed yourself to fall into mediocrity. I would like to know why," The Arch Magos Dominus needled.
"I too am curious dear," Dr. Halsey added. "You excelled at the sciences, history, and lagged only in language arts, art class, and Physical Education ever so slightly. Now from what we've seen of recent report cards the only class you excel above average in is Home Economics? What changed?"
"It's just pointless is all," Greg said with a shrug.
"Elaborate, Youngling Veder," Lord Vader demanded. "Such slacking shall not be allowed without a good reason as far as I'm concerned. You are being given a full education and are not taking advantage of it? What foolishness is this?"
"You don't understand Lord Vader, I figured out a long time ago that unless you have power or Powers it doesn't matter how smart you are. You're just another cog in the machine. Working under a government that doesn't really care about you, just what they can get out of you. I realized that even if I was smart, to the people with real power, political connections and the like or those that had powers, those that had triggered, my intellect meant nothing. What's intelligence going to do against a Brute that can rip people in half, or someone with so much political pull that they can sweep any scandal under the rug?"
"But here's the rub kid, you've triggered now," The Courier pointed out. "So, what're you gonna do about it?"
"True, the situation has changed," Greg agreed. "And so have the rules of engagement." Walking over to his bookshelf he took out several paperback volumes some were more slender than others he took them to a small chair, nightstand, and lamp he kept in the corner of his room and turning on the light he began speed reading. "The Prince" by Machiavelli, "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, "The Book of Five Rings" by Miyamoto Musashi, and the "Thirty-three Strategies of War" by Robert Greene.
Within an hour all the books were read, Greg noted he was reading two pages at a time, one page with each eye. That let him read as quickly as if he were just skimming the book. Once that was done, he did his homework. Properly for once. He was positive he'd get an A and probably have to have a talk with his teachers about possible cheating due to the sudden jump in the quality of his work too. Deciding he needed a drink, he left his room and went to the fridge, and got himself a cranberry sprite. He liked cranberry, being the state beverage of Massachusetts and all, but he could never drink it straight. So he sipped on his pop and was surprised to see the light was on in his dad's study. Curious as to why he was still up, when he had a 6am shift, he went and knocked.
"It's open," Jack called.
Greg, pushed the door open and entered the room. It wasn't very large, enough for a desk, computer chair, some filing cabinets that sat on the opposite wall on the plush beige carpet that covered the floor, while the one behind his dad was covered in pictures of him and shelves full of diecast cars. Since his dad didn't have money for the real thing, this was as close as he could ever get. An overhead fan was spinning slowly, creating a light breeze in the room.
Seeing who it was, Jack smiled. "Greg, are you feeling better? You look well rested for someone who slept just three hours."
"Yeah I'm feeling pretty good dad, thanks for asking. Surprised you're up, I thought you'd be in bed by now,"
"I decided to take a couple of days off," Jack told his son, "You were shot twice in the head son, that's kind of a big deal," He huffed, before motioning to the plush roller chair he kept in front of his desk. "Sit down son, let's chat."
Greg sat down, befuddled, "Did I do something wrong dad? You usually only wanna 'chat' with me to either scold me or give me manly talks and I don't think I've done anything to deserve a manly talk."
Turning, Jack splayed his hands on the table as he leaned forwards to face his son. "I've got a couple of questions for you son, and I want you to answer them honestly okay? Whatever you say will stay between you and me. Despite being a nurse, your mother gets super protective when it comes to you. Since, well, you're her son, not just any patient."
Greg nodded understandably there was a reason doctors weren't allowed to operate on their family members after all. "Yeah dad, I get it, so what did you wanna ask me?"
"Total honesty, remember?" Seeing his son nod, Jack proceeded, "First question, are you sleeping with Miss Russell?"
I… Why would you think that?" Greg asked not saying yes or no.
"Just the way she was around you, the looks she kept giving you, the subtle hints of affection. It's the way I was with your mother when we first started dating. So?"
Greg gulped but finally admitted, "We slept together, apparently I had gone so primal from the gunshot wounds, she did something just as primal to calm me down so she could help me…"
Jack nodded, "Okay… do you plan on starting a relationship with her or was it a matter of circumstance."
"I… have some kind of connection to her dad. I dunno how to explain it, I'm just drawn to her I guess," Greg shrugged.
"Even though she's twice your age? That doesn't bother you? Actually she's not married is she?" His father asked. One thing his father wouldn't condone was homewrecking.
"No not really… and she's divorced. To be honest, I still don't want to give up on Danny's girl but…" Greg fell silent.
"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing?" His father said this to him. "Yes, I understand your position Greg, you've always been mature for your age, it comes with intellect, and with increased intellect usually comes wisdom sooner than one would like."
"Ain't that the truth… What was your second question? Or did you already ask it?"
In response, Jack reached under his desk, pulled open a drawer he couldn't see and plopped his AEP7 Laser Pistol down on his desk. "You've Triggered, haven't you?"
"How'd you get that?"
"Miss Russell asked me to discreetly give it back to you. So?"
Greg nodded, "Yep, Noctis Shaker/Tinker trigger."
"Any plans to join the PRT?"
"Nope, unless you need me to? To help pay the bills?" Greg offered.
But Jack waved his son off immediately, "Don't be ridiculous. We may work long hours to pay bills, but we aren't in peril of having the house repossessed, son. No, if you don't want to join the Wards then don't."
"You know I'm not a fan of Big Gov't dad."
"Neither am I, it doesn't help that we can't get help from them when we actually need it to begin with," Jack sighed, "So you're going independent I take it? And Miss Russell is what? Bankrolling this?"
"Basically? Though I wouldn't mind learning about interior design while I'm at it I suppose."
"Careful son," Jack warned, "Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned," His father said quoting the 17th century playwright William Congreve though they often wrongfully attributed the quote to the Bard Shakespeare.
"I know dad. I will be, and I've already told her how I feel about Taylor."
To say Jack Veder was surprised was an understatement, "How'd she take that?"
Greg shrugged, "She was offering me an out due to the age difference but… I wanna see where this goes."
Jack sighed, "I wish you the best of luck son, though I don't see how this won't blow up in your face somehow if I'm being entirely honest."
"Thanks dad. Hey, do you mind if I go out to the graveyard and see if I can dig up anything useful? I've got ideas but I need parts so…"
"I wish you wouldn't call our shed that, but sure, go ahead. Just try not to get tetanus," Jack told his son. As Greg rushed out of the room Jack ran a hand down his face, "How am I going to break the Tinker thing to his mother? Dating an older woman is something I can keep quiet, but I think she's going to notice when the oven gets gutted."
(...)
The shed or "The Graveyard" as Greg had come to call it over the years was the place where all the Veder family projects went to die. From vacuums to cars, to broken electronics and saws Jack swore up and down he'd fix em all up one of these days and many a hobby his mother had tried over the years from pottery making to post-modernist art. It was a treasure trove of useful crap if one knew what they were looking for. Greg didn't, but he didn't have to, he had people who did know what was needed.
"Everyone, what do we need to make an Omni-tool? That's our first priority. Everything else can be easily made if we can get an omni-tool up and running."
"Bare minimum we'd need a 3D printer, computer parts, and a satellite uplink of some kind," Shepard replied. "I've been talking it over with Six and we think it'd be best to start out larger with the PIP-boy before downsizing."
"Fine so we still need everything we just need everything we're just building the PIP-boy first. Okay, I'm gonna sort through all this crap, and find what we need."
Using his biotics Greg lifted entire chunks of junk and using his dissection sight, he separated the wheat from the chaff, tearing apart old computers, lawnmowers, and taking any electronics he could get from them. Glass was another thing he was collecting. At the same time, scrap iron was found in abundance, an old gel based ice pack was used as padding between his arm and the device. "Okay do we have enough stuff to make a PIP-boy Six?"
"More than enough Greggy. Just fit everything together just so. That's the ticket. You should have a working PIP-boy. All you have to do is slip it on your wrist and turn it on."
Clamping the device on his arm, Greg hit the power button. Nothing happened for a moment, then the screen glowed a luminous green, and the screen was blank as if waiting for a command prompt.
"Oh shit, this thing doesn't have an OS," Greg said. "Who wants to do the coding?"
"Leave that to me dear," Dr. Halsey offered. "But I'd need something to work from,"
"On it just a sec," Greg started tinkering and within about forty minutes or so, he had built a small robot the size of a small dog, it had a box shaped body, had a camera lens for an eye, and a pair of long narrow arms that ended in clamps for hands, with its lower body ending in an old unicycle. The tiny bot was placed in front of an old box computer he'd rigged to work, one arm placed near the keyboard at the one key and the other near the zero key. "Okay, I've got this thing set up but how do I get you in there Dr. Halsey?" Greg nodded toward the bot.
"We're going to try something, Greggory dear, just try placing your hand on the little thing for a moment, would you?" Dr. Halsey requested.
"Like this?" He asked, touching the bot for a moment before he felt a small jolt go down his arm into the machine. "Okay what was that?" he asked, pulling his hand away.
"I say that was quite unnerving," Dr. Halsey's voice came from the small bot.
"Doc?" Greg asked, bending down on his knees a bit to get a good look at her.
The bot waved, "Hullo Greggory! It seems our experiment was successful!"
"What'd you do?" The blonde couldn't help but ask.
"We wanted to see what would happen if one of us tried to leave via the teleportation room provided you were touching a suitable vessel at the time," Dr. Halsey explained. "The experiment was a rousing success if I do say so myself."
Greg blinked, "Umm I hate to burst your bubble doc, but what happens if that body gets destroyed? Do you die? Do you end up back on the Enterprise or is it just," He snapped his fingers, "Lights out for you?"
"Ah… we hadn't considered that actually. We were just so wrapped up in the potential of discovery you know?" the Doctor sounded almost giddy at the prospect.
"That's great Cathy, but you could've died!," Greg pressed.
"Science never would've advanced at all if all humanity constantly concerned themselves with could haves Greggory," The Doctor chided him. "I did not die, I am here. You have transferred my consciousness successfully. We now know that at least our minds can be transferred to other receptacles. Can I go back? Will I die if this body, such as it is, is destroyed? This we don't know, but that's what it means for scientific progress. Taking risks. Now, go build things the old fashioned way, with grit and grease for a bit while I code this PIP-boy."
"Yes ma'am, be careful and if you need anything just holler," He told her.
"Yes, yes, I'm sure I can manage dear boy. Off you go," She said shooing him off.
Walking away, Greg said, "So Shep, what're the chances of me building any kind of gun you know about?"
"A gun that uses mass effect fields? Without access to an omni-tool? Close to zero," Shepard replied, "Ask Six about some of his… her? tech or Cawl. You don't have the basics to make my stuff yet."
"Fine, fine," Greg agreed, "Six… are you a guy or a girl first of all? Secondly, what can you and Cawl build out of all this crap?"
"I see a fiberglass car frame over there, you could make some body armor out of it, I see some broken ceramic pottery that could also be used for armor. A good ballistic vest is built outta crap like that. I'm a dame by the way. Names Yanaha it means brave," The Courier informed him.
"You're Native American?" Greg asked
"For what little 'that' matters in the post-apocalyptic America I came from yes," Courier Six confirmed.
"Cool, so body armor? I do need a costume now that I think about it… Maybe I'll copy your look Six, it's… functional. Plus it has full facial coverage, which Capes kinda need."
"So gasmask, body armor… jacket?" Yanaha asked.
"Gotta have the jacket," Greg replied, "It ties the whole look together,"
"True, it does, doesn't it? But more importantly, what flag will you fly under Greg? I mean that woman you've involved yourself with seems to be part of an Empire, there also seemed to be this PRT that claims to be the law of the land, and then there is that large group of Asians? Drug runners, a new group of underdogs running about… Are any of their flags worth carrying, or will you bear your own flag? And if so, what will that flag stand for?" The Courier paused for a moment before continuing, "I'm sorry I don't mean to nag you, it's just…" The Courier trailed off.
"I know Yanaha; flags are symbols and symbols should mean something. But I don't know what mine should be yet. All I do know is that I won't be subordinate to anyone. We're going independent."
Cawl interjected, "If I may make a suggestion? Why not the symbol of the Imperium?"
"Too obvious, plus that's not my symbol, it's the Emperors. I need to make my own mark," Greg argued, shaking his head. "Got any tech ideas?"
"I see enough parts lying around to make the common imperial guardsman's lasgun," Cawl commented.
Greg decided to interject, "I kinda prefer pistols but sure," He carried on, "I mean I know how to use rifles and such but I'm best with a pair of pistols and blades. That's what Mr. Wick taught me anyway."
"If that is the case then I see enough parts to make two, or one pistol and much surplus ammunition," Cawl replied.
"I just had an idea," Greg said, "Lord Vader, can we build a lightsaber with any of this stuff?"
"Almost," The Sith Lord said after a moment. "You are lacking a kyber crystal. It need not even be a kyber crystal, but something attuned to the Force, to life itself."
"Attuned to life itself huh?" Greg muttered, "I think I know just the thing actually, but my mom is gonna be pissed. Pray for me boys."
"You fool, you seek to raise the ire of your own mother? Not even 'I' was that foolish," Vader said, shaking his head at the younglings' stupidity even as Greg rushed out of the shed and back into the house.
(...)
Greg came back shortly clutching his mothers pearls. That wasn't a euphemism, he really had a pearl necklace, and no that wasn't a double entendre for a sex act. Taking apart the necklace that consisted of thirteen pearls with the largest being at the bottom end of the piece Greg gathered the pieces for both the lightsaber and the las-gun before he said, "I have a plan,"
"Oh no," Vader and Cawl said at the same time.
"Greggory dear, I'd like to go on record saying this is a bad idea," Halsey commented as she typed away at an inhumanly rapid pace on the computer.
"It may be, but it's the only one I've got at the moment so here we go," Greg replied before he entered 'the zone' and got to work.
The end result was a bronze-winged dueling gripped blaster, in the style of the imperium. He increased the size a bit to include a power pack, and parts for a lightsaber and used a trio of pearls for a kyber crystal. Using the mass effect to fold metals to make an alloy and craft folding technology, he crafted his gun so it could fold down allowing him to conserve energy by having the barrel fold down over his hand forming a knuckle guard when in lightsaber mode only to snap back into place within one sixteenth of a second when he pulled the trigger, faster than human reaction time. He had parts left over to make a second gun, and he made a duplicate this time using the big pearl for kyber parts. Once he was done, he pushed the button just below the triggers and with a snap-hiss the sabers ignited, their blades a ghostly pearlescent color. He then pulled the trigger the barrel snapped back into place near instantaneously and pulled the trigger again causing a pale bolt to fly out the end burning a melon sized hole through the wall of the shed.
"Works like a charm," Greg said, smiling a bit.
"Good job kid, now make a pair of holsters for your new six-shooters," Yanaha advised him, "Then get to work on the armor, mask and coat,"
"Right," Greg agreed.
"And don't worry we haven't given up working on the Primaris Scout idea, you require more materials than what you have on hand however," Belisarius informed Greg before a knock came at the shed door.
"Yes?" Greg called.
From outside, his father called, "Son, did I hear blaster fire coming from in there?"
"Yes, but it's okay though, I'm fine, and the place isn't burning down or anything," Greg assured his dad.
Jack popped his head in, and saw the scorch tinged hole in the wall. Before he could comment on it, a white, black, and brown blur came zooming into the shed, and leaped into Gregs arms before proceeding to lick his ears causing him to laugh.
"Daisy, Daisy down girl!" Greg told the beagle pup as he put her down and she pranced on her hind legs and pawed at him with her fore ones, trying to get his attention.
"Son," Jack said deadly seriously as he spotted something laying on the ground. "Are those pearls from your mothers necklace?"
"Umm yeah?" "OWW! Child abuse!" Greg claimed when his father slapped him full force upside the back of the head.
"That necklace," His father growled as he glowered at his son, "Has been in your mother's family for four generations, ever since your Great-Grandparents migrated here from Germany. The first thing he bought her was that necklace on their first Christmas on Long Island." Jack threw his son a shovel, "I suggest you start digging, cause your mom's gonna kill you when she sees this and we might as well have a grave prepped for you."
Greg paled, "No, nonono! I-I can fix this! Guy's ideas? Preferably fast?!" Greg said.
"Lad why don'cha just go divin' the bay for some pearlies?" Zayne suggested. "It'd be a good place chock full of salt water ones wouldn't it? Worse comes to worse, you can build a digistructer and make a copy of the pearls ya used and put the shiny bauble back together right?"
"That's a great idea, Zayne, thanks," Greg said after a second. "We don't have the parts for a digistruct anything do we?"
"Ah ya got me there laddie-buck. We really need to invest in a couple'a them 3D printers," Zayne commented.
"Looks like I'm going diving," Greg said.
"Son," His father said, placing his hands on his shoulders and forcing him to face him, "Who're you talking to just now?"
"Dad, I don't want mom to bury me in the backyard so I don't really have time to explain, I need to go diving for pearls," Greg said hurriedly.
"You will make time, boy!" His father rarely raised his voice and when he did it was done out of concern and worry. Right now Jack was worried about his son. "Your mother went into work at six and won't be home till nine in the morning dead on her feet. You have time to explain to me why you're talking to yourself and you will do so, now!"
Greg took a breath, he really wasn't going to like what he has to say, "Yes sir, my ability works similarly to the Butchers from the Teeth. Only instead of having to kill people and argue a bunch, I have a bunch of engineers in my head who help me with my project via their various specialties."
Jack reacted like Greg expected. Like he'd been punched in the gut. "Can-Can they take control of your body? Are any of them malevolent? Could they trick you into building a body for them to go on some kind of rampage?"
"Well from what we've discovered Mr. Veder, body creation and personality transference is possible," Dr. Halsey pipped up from her place at the computer. She turned her mechanical body and gave him a polite wave.
Jack turned and looked behind his son at the machine. "I…I see you're not just limited to guns… And you are, uh Miss?"
"Dr. Catherine Halsely Artificial Intelligence, Power Armor, and weapons specialist at your service sir," She introduced herself, turning away from the computer as she did so, and offering the man one of her clamp-like hands as a gesture of good will.
Reaching out gently as if he were afraid he would break her, Jack gave the arm a shake. "Nice to meet you Dr. Halsey? Is my son mentally sound?"
"Quite," She assured him in her English accented drawl. "He has a Texan, a drunken irish mercenary, myself, a man who is more machine than man, a delivery woman, a career military woman, and a geneticist in his head… oh and the sardonic cyborg. Despite or because all of that, he's quite mentally sound."
Jack looked at his son, "Explain,"
"I have The Engineer from Team Fortress Two, Zane Flynt from Borderlands 3, Catherine Hasley from Halo, Belisarius Cawl from Warhammer 40,000, Courier Six from Fallout New Vegas, Commander Shepard from Mass Effect, and Jack Ryan from Bioshock in my head dad. They are, for the most part, pretty chill."
"You deliberately left one out, who's the cyborg?"
Sighing Greg admitted, "Darth Vader,"
"Star Wars' most prolific Jedi killer, the most ansty anti-hero? That Vader?" Jack asked.
"I am not ansty, I was grief stricken!" Vader protested. "Rather I was… grieving in a rather unproductive manner. Hff, ansty. Did I really come off that way?"
"A little bit love, but you got better," Dr. Halsey's voice rang in Greg's head showing she still had a connection to his consciousness.
"He didn't like you calling him ansty dad. You offended him," Greg told his dad. "Careful or he might cut off your hand before he reveals he is your father."
"Low blow youngling Veder, I felt bad about chopping my son's hand off you know?" Vader informed him.
'Lord Vader, my dude, are you having a moment right now realizing how the fandom sees your actions?' Greg asked the Sith Lord.
"No!... maybe. I was not ansty damn it!" He protested again.
'How's about you have a beer and calm down champ?' Greg suggested.
"I find your lack of faith in my lack of angst disturbing Youngling Veder," The Sith Lord commented before he went off to get himself some Alderanian wine.
"Okay so, I'm going pearl diving, before I do, do you have any more questions dad?" Greg asked.
"So, so many son, but now isn't the time for that, unless you want your headstone to read, "Killed by his mother for destroying a family heirloom" I suggest you get going," Jack said. It was the middle of the night while being dark out, and Jack should probably be acting more responsible but desperate times call for desperate measures. And Jessica seeing her pearl necklace in pieces after coming home from a twelve hour shift was damn near apocalyptic as far as he was concerned.
"Look after Daisy for me?" Greg pleaded hopefully.
Jack grinned and shook his head, "Oh no, you're taking her with you," His father told him, "Mr. Wick is paying you to watch her. She can keep you company on the pier."
"Gee thanks dad. C'mon Daisy, we gotta go cover my ass. I need to go grab my swim trunks and a change of clothes. Man this is gonna suck," The pup yipped happily as it followed on his heels. Leaving the man of the house alone with the possessed(?) robot.
"So… Dr. Halsey, what does my son have you working on there?" He asked conversationally.
"I am coding a wrist mounted computer and micro fabrication device, though we lack a 3D printer so the fabrication bit will need to be installed later though the coding will be done for it." The Doctor replied.
"Would you mind if I keep you company or do you prefer to work in silence?"
"Company would be lovely. I have numerous questions about Capes and the current geopolitical climate. I was hoping you might be able to answer for me."
Dragging a lawn chair next to the computer, Jack said, "I'm just a dock worker but I'll tell you what I can,"
(...)
Greg wasn't the only one out working late tonight. The roar of a Boss 424 engine heralded the coming of Death Himself as the Baba Yaga, the Boogeyman, parked his car across the street from a known E88 hang out, watching, waiting. "Attacking me was one thing," John said to himself as he loaded several pistols and tucked them into his suit jacket along with several grenades and flashbangs, "But you should've left the boy alone. That was your mistake," Getting out, he slammed the door to his car and walked briskly across the street, cocking a 9mm as he did so, a blue-tinged bubble forming on the end of the barrel. As he was halfway across the street, John took aim with his gun and fired three shots at the bangers sitting outside sharing a smoke. The bullets ripped out of his gun at speeds belaying the size of his gun, and they hit home splattering the skulls of the lax guards on the walls behind them. Dismissing the bubble on his gun he placed one right in the middle of the corpses, and it grew rapidly encapsulating the bodies which began to rapidly decay, clothes bodies, and all into naught but dust. He then silently pushed open the door to the studio.
He heard the sound of numerous dogs barking. 'Dogfighting arena,' He thought before he put the bubble up over his gun barrel again, before adding another one around his shoes absorbing the sound of his footfalls. Silent as death himself John cleared room after room until he came to a large room filled with kennels, many different dog breeds were barking and had all fallen silent and started whimpering as he entered the room. He didn't care, he was a man on a mission right now. Passing through the room, He found some E88 clowns crowded around a large tv betting on a boxing match. He took aim and pulled the trigger eight times in quick succession. They all died before any of them could even so much as stand up.
He moved on to what looked to be a kitchen, only for the door to burst open and a ganger with a kitchen knife to attack him. He deflected with one hand and plunged the blade into the fools gut using his own momentum. "Who the fuck are you?" He asked as blood fell from his mouth.
"Baba Yaga," John replied before he shot him between the eyes, before replacing the clip in his gun.
Finding no one else in the building, John let the dogs go free before he got back in his car and drove down main avenue and called in a disturbance at the location. Sure he could have 'ordered a pizza for a baker's dozen' under his name at the location, but he wanted Kaiser to know he'd pissed him off. So he loaded up the Saiga 12 he had in the passenger seat and as he drove by another known E88 hangout a couple streets down, he unloaded the gun as he drove by before pulling a U-turn reloading the drum mag and doing it again. He made sure he didn't hit the girl Rune when he saw her. John was a lot of things but he didn't kill children. Everyone else though, fair game. That's what he thought as he placed acceleration bubbles under the wheels of his car making it go one thousand times faster than his car should be capable of going as he sped away from the scene of the shooting.
John was dangerous as all hell on his own, but his parahuman ability? That made him even more deadly than most. He had the ability to create time manipulating bubbles. One accelerated time a thousandfold, another stopped it, and the last rewound it, each bubble type grew at a certain rate with the acceleration bubble growing the fastests at half an inch a second, and the rewind bubble growing the slowest at an inch a minute. By using them tactically he could survive just about anything. And they had other uses too, like absorbing the noise of gunfire and accelerating the speed of a bullet, and even himself. They could also get rid of bodies. Really useful for an assassin… John still remembered his Trigger event. The day he said goodbye to his wife. He sat with her in the hospital, wishing he had more time, that he could do something to help her. But for all his skills at murder, he couldn't save anyone, not even the love of his life. So he asked the Doctor to take her off the machines, the one thing keeping her alive at that point, and then he wept until he fell asleep. He saw… something in his dreams, and when he awoke he had this ability. The one thing it couldn't do, reviving the dead. He should know, he already tried.
John grimaced and shook the memories away. They were of no use. Tossing the spent shotgun in the backseat he reached behind him and grabbed the other thing he'd placed in the backseat. A Milkor MGL grenade launcher. It was gonna get hot and loud for the E88 tonight. John hoped they had good insurance. 'They're gonna need it,' he thought as he pulled the trigger and blew up several Empire related businesses.
(...)
Tammi Herren aka Rune, had no idea what was going on. One moment she was supervising a delivery of some goods for medhall mainly to make sure the Merchants didn't steal it to get high, the next thing she knew loads of buckshot came soundlessly flying out of nowhere dropping the guys carrying the crates and tearing the merchandise apart, and ripping into the transport van flattening two of the tires facing the road.
"What the actual fuck?!" She swore as she pulled concrete up from the ground to defend herself from the deadly flying pellets. The only sound after a moment was a wheezing coming from a dying guy who she could see had been shot in the guts and chest. From the looks of things he'd lost a lung. She wanted to help him, but she didn't know if the shooter was gone, and even if she did, she didn't know if she could get him to Othala in time to get fixed up. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What the hell? Did someone put a hit out on me? Was it the Clan? Is this their way of telling me to come home or else?" She wondered this but it was cut off when the sound of a roaring engine and more silent pellets blasted into everything. Thankfully her barrier held, though she was forced to watch as the injured guy took several more hits before he lay still. Then the damn transport van exploded destroying her barrier and sending her flying back, thankfully unharmed. Unfortunately this meant she couldn't get a good look at the car. She looked around at the devastation. A dozen people dead, a month's worth of pharmaceuticals lost, and Rune could do nothing but hide. 'Yeah,' She thought, 'Kaisar is just going to love this,' Then she heard the explosions. "Tonight just keeps getting better and better!" She said through gritted teeth.
(...)
"That… is a beagle puppy sitting on the pier," Sarah said to herself, having gone with Rachel to help her walk her dogs. "Dog is waiting for its owner, the owner is currently clam fishing," Her power informed her.
"Who abandons a dog out this late at night?" Rachel said angrily.
"She, Daisy, not abandoned," Her power informed her. "She hasn't been abandoned. Her owner is clam fishing in the Bay right now, for some reason," Sarah informed her friend, mainly so she wouldn't take the dog.
"Hunting for pearls, doesn't want to get killed by mother for destruction of family heirloom," her power told her.
Just like her power said, a head of soaking wet blonde hair suddenly popped up at the foot of the pier. Pulling himself up with one hand, he used the other to dump a bucket full of clams into a much larger bucket sitting next to the now excited yipping dog that kept trying to lick his face.
"I'm fine Daisy, I'm fine… I see you've made some friends, girl. Ladies, can I help you?" The teen said flipping his soaked hair out of his face revealing his blue eyes that were burning red due to the saltwater.
"I'm Lisa, and this is Rachel and her brood," the nicely dressed blonde said as she introduced the brunette and all the dogs. "We noticed the pup here and wondered if she was a stray. Rachel was this close," She held her thumb and forefinger close, "To adding her to her collection,"
"Well Mr. Wick wouldn't thank me for that, I'm dog-sitting her at the moment," He laughed, "I'm Greg," He said offering a hand.
"Nice to meet you Greg, sorry about Rachel, she's more of an animal than a people person," Lisa apologized.
"Well, it's true," Rachel said bluntly.
He waved her off, "That's fine, I know people like that so I'm far from offended," He made a gesture towards one of her dogs who came over and sniffed him before nuzzling him.
"Brutus doesn't usually do that," Rachel said surprised, "You must be a good person,"
"I try to be," Greg replied, before he pulled out a pairing knife and started shucking the clams open before tossing the meat in a separate bucket and the shell in another. A third remained empty.
"Looking for pearls?" Lisa said a knowing smirk on her face.
"Yep, you're as smart as you are pretty Lisa," Greg complimented.
"He…she is Tinker Thinker… Shaker… maker machine… man… 50,000… fourteen, thirty-six years old… cloned… original… cyborg… biotic… Force… I have a headache. I. give. Up."
'Did my powers just throw in the towel with him?' Sarah wondered in absolute awe.
"Yes. Too much information, convoluted. System overload. 404 error. File not found. Blue screen of death, white flag waved. I surrender."
Sarah was doing her best to suppress a shit eating grin. The reason she could never date was because her power told her every dirty little secret and kink a person had. But she'd just run into someone who her ability literally went 'lol nope' on. She had a chance at being a normal girl and having an actual connection with someone. All she had to do was make that connection with him and not let him pass her by like two ships in the night. 'Oh Power of mine, give me something, anything I can use, please! I'm begging here!'
"God please no! It's like… an abyss of contradictory information. I don't wanna look at that eldritch abomination again!" Her ability was whining like a kid who was afraid of the monster under the bed. "I'll do anything, I'll try to lessen the headaches! Just please don't make me go into that swirling abyss of information again!" It was fearfully pleading with her at this point.
'Wow, you're legit scared aren't you?' Sarah realized. She almost felt bad for her power. Almost because it had clam jammed her for years and it was still trying to do so now! She wasn't having it! She wanted to get laid damnit!
"Understatement. Horrified more apt description,"
'So you can't give me anything, at all? I'd like to point out it's all your fault I can't date. You owe me!'
"B-Books!" The power told her fearfully. "The Abomination likes classical books! Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, Miyamoto Musashi, and Alexandre Dumas!"
'A bookworm huh? I can work with that,' Sarah thought as she handed the leashes to Rachel and went and sat down by him at the pier and, taking the knife from him, popped open a clam with a deft technique, by sliding the knife across the lip of the clam before prying it open, "There, see how I did that? It's much easier than trying to pry it open right away."
"Oh wow, nice. Where'd you learn how to do that?" Greg said copying her technique and finding it effective.
"One of my favorite books, "The Black Pearl" by Scott O'Dell. Have you read it?" She asked.
Greg nodded, "Oh yeah it's a classic," Greg agreed. "I didn't know the way they opened the clams to get at pearls was accurate though."
"It is, I found that out before I had to leave home… because reasons…" She didn't want to get into that right off the bat but might as well come off a bit mysterious, guys liked that.
"I see, hope it wasn't anything too bad?" Greg asked, giving her a once over.
"Looking for signs of abuse or malnourishment… For the love of God please stop!" Her power begged. "It hurts!"
Sarah ignored her power; this was its comeuppance as far as she was concerned. "No, nothing like that, my folks and I just didn't see eye to eye so I left," She assured him. "I'm having similar problems with my boss at the moment, but he's not too keen on letting me go,"
Rachel cleared her throat, "Lisa, I think we should be going, the dogs are getting antsy."
Sarah wanted to glare at Rachel 'Do not screw this up for me, Bitch!' Sarah thought, pointedly not using her preferred Cape name in her thoughts at that moment. "Focusing on Greg she said, "I live with a bunch of roommates and Rachel is one of them, but I can't really talk to any of them about literature. One's obsessed with videogames, Rachel is an animal lover, the other girl is a hard party girl and prefers the bar scene, and the last one works too many jobs trying to provide for his sister… so I was wondering if maybe… If you would like we could meet up at a bookstore sometime you're free and discuss things in detail. You know, when you're not dog-sitting and soaking wet?"
"Sure Lisa, I'd like that," Greg agreed, before he reached down and grabbed his phone, "Give me your number and we can sort out a day and time sometime soon,"
'Yess! Date acquired!' Sarah cheered in her thoughts, 'There are still like over a dozen hurdles to get over for this relationship to work, like my actual name, reason for leaving Boston, the fact that I'm really a villain being forced to work for a criminal at gunpoint but who cares! I've. Got. A. Date!' She cheered.
"Too much data headache imminent! "
"Ow," spoke Sarah as she held her head in pain from the moderate but still painful thinker headache. Her powers weren't kidding that there was too much data to look at if this is from her asking for just a little information.
"Oh Is your head hurting? I have something for that. If they are frequent I can bring them to you on our meet-up. Be careful they can be a tad addictive," mentioned Greg as he remembered mentats can help with headaches.
Despite the pain, Sarah grinned, "That'd be great Greg! I'm looking forward to our date! See you then! Bye Daisy! C'mon you yipping hoard let's get going!" She said taking half the leashes from Rachel before the dogs practically dragged her away.
"Wait… date?!" Greg said after a moment. "Aww shit, Kayden is gonna kill me."
Once they were well out of earshot of the boy, Rachel commented, "What was all that about Lisa?"
"What do you mean Rachel?" She denied trying to play innocent.
Turning her head to look at her as she walked, Rachel said, "Lisa, you're the most secretive of the lot of us. Yet with him, you opened up… like… like a flower. You hinted at things… about yourself… about us… Not like you… Plus, I think you forgot I'm a dog person. They can smell it, you know? When a bitch is in heat."
"Rachel!?" Lisa said, flushing.
"I won't tell, not my business… just… Why him?" She asked.
In response, Lisa tapped her head, "My power it… doesn't work on him. Imagine if your power worked on people like it did dogs like it told you everything about them, every dark dirty secret they had just by looking at them. That's what mine does and it makes it impossible to form a genuine connection and see people as little more than pieces on a board to play with,"
"Is that what we are Lisa?" Rachel asked. "Pieces to you?"
The blonde was quick to deny, "No, Well, I try very hard not to see you like that, we live together Rachel we're… packmates I guess would be the term you would understand the best?"
Rachel nodded, "Yes, packmates."
"Well I guess you could say I think I've just found my mate."
"Good luck courting," Rachel said after a moment… "I'm gonna be honest, when I first laid eyes on him, even I was attracted."
"You?" Lisa said, surprised.
Rachel gave her a look, "A hot almost naked blonde guy coming up soaking wet from the Bay? Yeah. I'm not a robot Lisa. I saw him for myself and I thought "Woof!"
"Why do I feel like foreplay with you would involve dog ears and a tail?" Lisa asked.
Rachel blinked, "Wait, that's a thing?"
"Yeah you know, cosplay sex… roleplay? You've surely heard about this, right?"
"Not the best with computers… I might need to look into this when we get back to the apartment… Do you think Alec is still up? I might need his help with this," Rachel said after a moment.
Lisa tried her hardest not to laugh; she just imagined Alec's freaked out face as Rachel of all people asked him to search up cosplay porn for her. She had to have her camera on her phone ready. This was blackmail worthy, especially if he went through with her request.
(...)
"Tonight, Tonight has been weird huh Daisy?" Greg asked as he walked home, the Beagle following dutifully at his side, yipped in agreement. "Yeah I mean, I got powers, built some shit, went pearl diving and got a date. And before that, I had lunch with an older hot woman, who kinda wants to see me incognito. My life sure went from zero to one-hundred real fast huh?"
Daisy yipped in agreement again. Then a white van screeched to a halt in front of him, the side door opened, and a bunch of Empire boys pulled him inside with Daisy jumping in after him before it sped off.
"Man why you all wet?" One of them said, "Did The Guy get you and dump you in the Bay?"
I… um what's going on fellas?" Greg asked.
"Didn't you hear man, Kaiser wants all hands on deck!" The driver called, "Some loon is going round blowin shit up downtown. It might be Oni Lee! Some folks are whispering that Lung might be makin' a power play for our turf, or that he might be blamin' the Empire for some punks who robbed his casino awhile back. Either way, we're all meeting up en masse. The Boss has something to say,"
"But seriously dude, why're you wet?"
"He's got scratches on his legs guys! The Guy must've given him a pair of cement shoes!" One member commented.
"What, no! I went clam diving after I destroyed my mom's heirloom pearl necklace. Cause Kaiser might be scary, but my mom? She scares me more."
"What happened to the necklace?" One asked.
"Broke it by accident, I lost some of the pearls so I, being me, decided to go diving for more like a crazy person."
One thug clapped him on the shoulder, "You've either decided to tell the craziest story ever, or you're lying about bein' jumped by The Guy. it's okay man at least you're alive after he came for you, that's more than all the others could say."
"I have buckets to prove it," Greg pointed out, pointing to the buckets that had some pearls in them along with plenty of fresh clam and oyster meat.
"Yo, yo, yo! What if… he was jumped by The Guy… while looking for pearls for his moms guys?!" One guy reasoned.
"OOh, that makes all kinda sense, that's just despicable, it's just wrong man, that a guy can do anything for his moms no more without gettin' jumped!" They all hollered various things at the same time as the van pulled into an almost full parking lot of a Denny's of all places?
'Oh this is gonna be fun,' Greg thought to himself as he was herded inside with Daisy bundled in his arms.
(...)
"Kaiser," Purity asked, sitting next to him at a semicircular booth in the corner of the Denny's he'd rented out, "Why do we always go to a Denny's when you call a meeting?"
"Three reasons Purity," Kaiser told her, "One, who would expect a group of 'villanous Nazi's' to hold court at a Dennys? Two, there are three of them in Brockton meaning our enemies can't be sure which one we'll be at, three, besides IHOP is the only restaurant open this late, and lastly, I like the coffee."
"The coffee really?" She deadpanned. 'What is it about men and coffee?' She wondered. "That was four things," She noted.
"Umm, can I get you anything else?" A nervous waitress asked.
"Hashbrowns," Hookwolf growled, his form lightly coated in shifting metal while a metallic wolf mask hid his face.
"R-Right would you like anything with them?"
"No, just hashbrowns. Lots of hashbrowns," He replied.
Cricket spoke up for her 'boss' putting the electrolarynx near her throat, and slightly mechanical voice came out of the device, "You'll have to forgive Hookwolf," She said, "He really, really likes Denny's hashbrowns for some reason."
"Denny's hashbrowns are amazing Cricket! They cook them perfectly. Every. Time!" Hookwolf defended.
Stormtiger who was sitting on Hookwolf's opposite side said, "Are you sure you're not Irish or Scottish Hookwolf? Cause you sure do love your potatoes."
"No cause if I was Gaelic I'd be a fuckin ginger and gingers don't have fucking souls, meaning they can't trigger in the first place Stormtiger,"
Cricket sighed, "I told you that was from South Park Hookwolf. It's not true,"
"Can you prove it's not? Name one ginger Cape! Just one, I'll wait… yeah I thought so," Hookwolf said folding his arms with an air of superiority after a moment of silence.
"Anyway, it looks like everyone's here so I'd better give the rabble the news," Kaiser said before he took to his feet.
Ignoring him, Purity leaned over and asked Rune "How're you holding up?"
"Fine," She said sullenly, sipping her coffee with a grimace.
"You know, none of us will think less of you for not drinking coffee, right Rune?" Purity said kindly.
"Are you sure you're okay cuz?" Othala asked. The slightly older girl had been fidgeting around Rune all night since the attack, like a worried mother hen.
"I'm fine Othala," Rune replied with a bit of force, "And the coffee is fine… I'm not a kid who needs sugar and caffeine, you know?" She told Purity not looking her directly in the face lest she go blind.
"Oh for goodness sake, will you just order a hot chocolate like we all know you want to already?" Menja said as she kept her head scanning the crowd.
"Yeah there's no shame in it, plus I've heard drinking coffee so young stops your boobs from growing," Fenja teased.
"Oh, I heard that too, our poor Rune, to be forever flat," Menja joked.
"Shut up you stupid twin barbies!" She snapped, "I'm still growing, I'll probably end up being bigger than the both of you,"
Fenja laughed, "Sure you will hon," she reached over and affectionately pinched her cheek only for Rune to smack her away before she sulked.
"Enough you two," Purity said with a bit of force in her tone, "Rune has been through enough tonight, she doesn't need teasing,"
The Valkyrie Duo shrugged, "We don't like seeing her down, plus it's fun to rile her up, it's like having a little sister," The two spoke in concert.
"You think of me as a sister?" Rune didn't know how to think of that. She thought the two hated her because they constantly picked on her. Back home with the Clan it was much the same.
Menja affectionately ruffled her hood, "Of course we do,"
"You and Othala both," Fenja repeated her sister's actions with the other girl. "We have some keen thoughts on what girls your age should be doing and be involved in too," Fenja continued as she sent a mild glare at Victor, "Like marriage,"
Victor squirmed uncomfortably in his seat under Fenja's glare. "I'm sorry?"
"If you ever lay a hand on her in an untoward way… you will be, before we kill you," Fenja promised as her sister nodded next to her.
"Message received," Victor replied nodding curtly.
"P-Please don't threaten Victor," Othala begged quietly.
Menja just patted her affectionately on the head, "We're not sweetie, we're just informing him that there will be repercussions for his actions. Like abuse, rape, or cheating on you."
"Oh… okay," Othala agreed. "I doubt Victor will do any of that but what do you plan on doing if he does?"
"Depends," Fenja began, "If he puts his hands on you, we're taking his hands," Victor looked perturbed.
"If he rapes you we're taking his balls," Menja continued. This time, Victor turned white.
"And if he cheats, we're taking his tongue, hands, eyes, balls, and his dick," The two chorused together, while Victor turned green.
Othala was quiet for a moment before she asked, "Why so much for that last one?"
"Its so he can't see, talk to, touch, or look at another woman, much less fuck one," Fenja told her, "Not until you decide to grow his missing bits back anyway. If you decide to do that, that is,"
"Victor wouldn't do any of that…" Othala said quietly. "And even if he did, it wouldn't matter,"
"What do you mean Othala? Of course it would matter," Fenja said.
The blonde shook her head, "No, you don't understand," She looked at Rune, "They don't understand Rune, tell them."
Rune sighed, "What Othala is trying to say is that the Herren Clan doesn't care. She is a piece to be used for the sake of the elevation of the Clan, same with me. That's why I'm here, to provide support for the Empire for the betterment of the Clan," Everytime she said the Clan her tone was flat and dead. The dumbest move she ever made was going back to the Clan in a fit of teenage rebellion. But there was no point in whining over spilled milk.
"That's totally barbaric," Purity said after a moment of silence, "You'd better pray they get to you before I do should you mistreat Othala Victor, because I won't leave anything to regenerate,"
"I haven't even done anything!" Victor said defensively. "You're all threatening me for no reason!"
"Ruff, Ruff!"
"See, even the dog is threatening me… wait, dog?" Victor said before a beagle puppy launched itself up from the bottom of the table and into Rune's arms where it started to lick at her earlobes.
"No, stop it, that tickles! Stop you dumb mutt!" Rune complained enough though she laughed the whole while.
"Puppy!" Othala said, brightening up as she took her from her cousin and cuddled her, "Who do you belong to huh? What're you doing here? You're so cute, yes you are, yes you are."
'Maybe I should get a dog,' Victor thought seeing how happy one made Othala.
"Rambunctious little furball aren'tch? Rune said, rubbing her belly. "She one of yours Hookwolf?"
"Nope, not mean enough," He replied pulling his plate close when he saw the dog eyeing it, "Stop that," He grunted, when the dog gave him the look. "It ain't gonna work," The look continued, "It ain't even got any meat!" The Look intensified, "Alright fine!" He gave the dog a handful of hashbrowns.
"Where did you come from… Daisy?" Purity said, reading her nametag. "Wait, that name seems familiar… he couldn't be here."
"Who couldn't be?" Rune asked.
Looking around the packed restaurant, Purity replied, "Greg,"
"The 'bigger than Kaiser and half my age' Greg?" Menja asked. "We really need to get together at some point and clear the air about the whole Fenja and I sleeping with Kaiser thing,"
"Yes him," Purity replied distractedly, "And it's fine,"
"Purity, you thought he left you for us, it's not fine," Fenja replied.
"What's he look like?" Rune asked,"
"Blonde hair, blue eyes, no tats?"
Rune looked at her and deadpanned, "Wow, that really narrows it down, should we try looking for Waldo next?"
"He's 5'6, fourteen, and in highschool, he's probably wearing-" She was interrupted by Rune who was standing on the seat.
"Not much. Hubba hubba, hot damn Pur! Any chance I can get me a slice of that beef cake?" She asked.
"What?" Purity floated out of her seat to see what Rune was going on about, then she saw Greg. He was wearing long white and red striped swim trunks, he was soaking wet, gleaming, his hair was slicked back, damp, and despite the fact he looked uncomfortably cold, he never looked hotter to her than he did right then.
"I'll take a slice too," Menja said, standing up and growing a little using her power.
"Ditto," Fenja echoed.
"Oh my… he must… be cold," Was what Othala said, but even she felt herself flushing a bit.
"I am just letting you all now. I was clam fishing," was the only thing Greg could say before the members with him pulled him along and put him in a seat next to Purity, Othala, Victor, and Rune.
The head gang member ran up to Kaiser, "Boss this new recruit is lying. We think the guy jumped him at the docks. We checked his feet and it looked like something was put on his ankles. We think someone tried to get answers out of him and when they weren't satisfied they gave him some new shoes. Concrete shoes."
Kaiser, or Max Anders raised an eyebrow inside his helmet, "I am going to be honest. That is quite strange but again. We have a gang full of drug dealers and a cape that uses garbage as armor. So I am going to just ask this. Why? What would a flunky member who just joined the Empire?"
"I haven't joined. I'm an innocent bystander I swear!" piped up Greg who Purity shushed. Kaiser felt proud the woman was still somewhat loyal and respected him.
"Okay even better. Why attack an innocent bystander?" questioned Kaiser.
Another gang member piped up, "Well here's the thing boss. I recognize that dude. He got into a scuffle with our boys and those drug dealing thugs a few days ago. He was protecting some dame and her kid in a stroller. Real hero if I do say so myself," reported the nazi thug as he patted Greg on the back.
The entire side of the Denny's grew quiet. Everyone tensed as pressure emanated from Kaiser. He was many things. Stupid was not one of them. He fully knew that his own daughter almost died because some two-bit hacks got trigger happy. Well at least he found the young …. Hero. Who saved his daughter. He would have to thank the boy somehow later.
"It seems the other gangs are making moves and targeting our members and allies. I still remember them getting to my father. Marquis killed my sister Heavy Rain to send a message. That the Empire was not untouchable. Now a lunatic is on the loose killing our men. Leaving no traces. And attacking recklessly. Who knows how many innocent people he killed in this onslaught?"
Greg found it hard to believe a white supremacist would be considered innocent but then he thought of little Aster who hadn't done anything but be born. He supposed that sometimes justice was blind in its retribution.
"Okay guys I admit. I was attacked," Greg spoke up, deciding to "stir" the pot a little.
The gasp from the woman and some of the men showed Greg got their attention.
Kaiser turned his helmeted head towards Greg, "Did you see anything? Or hear anything? Did you smell anything either? Those merchants aren't known for their cleanliness."
Greg shook his head in the negative, "I didn't hear anything, or see anything too dark honestly, but I did smell something odd. Ash and gunpowder. Like black gunpowder, you know."
Hookwolf after consuming all his hashbrowns turned his masked face to Greg, "We talking like an explosive or a gun? Sounds like in my opinion you smelt a grenade. Those things can smell pretty strong."
"I think it might have been a grenade or a bomb of some kind. All I know is I got attacked and thrown into the bay. Luckily I was actually there clam fishing. Long story. I was able to mostly survive but I scraped my legs and was able to get back up on the pier with no problems. The offender probably thought I drowned or something."
Kaiser put his gloved hand on his chin in thought, "Could it have been a ward? Shadowstalker has been known to attack our members quite aggressively? But she doesn't use explosives no no It has to be someone else? The Azn Bad Boyz? We haven't attacked them recently so why the act of aggression?"
Kayden remembering Greg's talk earlier about the Gangs piped up, "I heard word that one of Lung's casinos had been hit. I think to not show weakness, he had one of his goons attack our people in a display of power. I heard he got a new tinker recently who specializes in bombs? And his lieutenant Oni Lee is a suicide bomber cape."
"It could be Oni Lee, his teleportation leaves a trail of ash behind and he is always seen carrying grenades on that bandolier of his," Rune said, remembering some of her clashes with the sneaky cape who had blown a few of their vehicles up in strategic maneuvers.
"Okay, so to recap, we're not saying it was Oni Lee, but it was probably Oni Lee?" Greg asked.
"Sure seems that way," Cricket commented. She then looked at Kaiser, "What do we do boss?"
Putting on a show of swagger and bravado, Kaisar replied, "Do? The only thing we can do at a time like this Cricket, we are going to show the ABB that the Empire Eighty-Eight are not to be trifled with!" He raised his fist and from it came a blade, "We will take the fight to them, and show those damn slant-eyes what for! Now, who's with me!"
A cheer went up from the crowd. As Greg stood there impassively. He'd give it to Kaisar, he was one hell of an oritator. 'I'm sure Hitler would be so proud,' He thought. "Yeah fight the power and all that good shit, but can I get a damn hot chocolate before I get hypothermia?" Greg asked once the shouting died down. "And some meat for the dog?"
"Umm, make that two? Two hot chocolates I mean," Rune called out after him. If he was doing it, it didn't make her feel so kid-like. Especially since he looked pretty cool coming in all wet and sexy. Damn her teenage brain. Stupid hormones.
"So what were you even clam fishing for?," asked Othala while Victor seemed to twitch a little. If any one paid attention they would notice that he seemed to be a little stunned. His close proximity to Greg allowed him to passively absorb the skills of Greg and his eight passengers in his mind. There … Was a lot to process.
"I was clam fishing for pearls because I accidentally destroyed my mother's necklace she got from my great grandmother which she got as a gift when they immigrated from Germany," responded Greg in embarrassment.
All the men present tsked at Greg's misfortune. Even Kaiser knew not to touch his mother's jewelry.
"So does that mean you are descended from the Motherland? Hot damn kid you really are a poster child for the Empire! Are you sure you aren't one of our guys?" asked Alabaster who was simply in awe at this young Aryan youth doing good for the white race and doing such grand deeds of heroism and charity!
Greg shakes his head negatively, " I am not really into any of the gangs, PRT included mind you, I just think everyone has their arguments. I get why each gang is formed. Hell, I can even see reasons why the Empire exists on paper. You guys are here to help protect the status quo so that no one thinks it's okay to beat us up just because we aren't a minority and thus protected by another gang or group. Hell you guys don't even sell hardcore drugs like the merchants. They got more blood on their hands then every gang put together."
These were lies of course but Greg wasn't going to tell any of the people to present that, except Kayden later who seemed to understand where Greg was coming from. She felt he was being truthful about the merchants though. His uncle's passing probably left more scars then even Greg knew.
Krieg postulated, "So you don't hate them because they're black?"
"No, I hate them because they're damn dirty poison pushers and that poison killed my uncle. That's an even better reason to hate the fucking Merchants as far as I'm concerned. To hell with skin color, I'll hate a drug dealer regardless."
"Drugs make you fuckin' weak!" Hookwolf said, "I agree with the damn kid! Once we deal with Lung, let's get this damn poison out of Brockton! We'll pour it all into the damn Bay like the Settlers did with the Boston Tea!"
"Yeah… let's not do that. God only knows what it could do to the water supply around here." Greg pointed out.
"Burn it?"
"Contact high overdose," Greg said.
"Bury it?" Another suggested.
"It'll poison the soil and again, possibly get into the water supply," Greg said.
"Blow it all up?" Rune suggested.
Greg opened his mouth then closed it, "Yeah, actually that could work, If you treat it like SWAT does bomb disposal and blow it up under a dome then there shouldn't be a problem."
"We're gonna blow all that damn poison up!" Hookwolf yelled.
"YEAH!"
'Should I really be giving the neo-nazi's ideas like this… fuck it,' Greg thought as a very nervous waitress came over with his hot chocolate, and some meat for Daisy. "This is really good," He complimented.
"I'm glad you enjoy it," She said with a fake smile plastered on her face that didn't reach her eyes that looked borderline frantic.
"Relax, miss, nothing gonna happen to you, I promise," He told her, before he fished his wet coin pouch out of his pocket and gave her a gold bit. "Here, for all the trouble everyone's caused you tonight."
The woman took a breath, She was older than him wearing a ruffled Denny's uniform with auburn hair tied up in a messy bun. Her name tag read "Anne", "Thank you sir, but honestly seeing you dressed like that is tip enough," She handed him his check, and it came with her number, "Call me sometime if you really wanna make it up to me."
"What the heck is going on tonight?" Greg asked Daisy who was ignoring him in favor of cooked ground beef.
The check said, "Call me sometime, handsome"- Anne. ️ 508-665-6601.
"Wow… what's next, are zombies gonna invade the town ala "Night of the Living Dead?" he asked no one in particular.
"I hope not," Othala said, "I don't like horror movies,"
"Speak for yourself," Rune chimed in "Nothing like a horror movie, some chips, and soda. Especially since you can riff at their stupidity."
"Amen," Greg agreed. "And why do they always kill the black guy first? I mean it's kinda cliche isn't it?"
"Yeah and the whole dumb Final Girl survivor trope," Rune agreed. "Like some dumb bimbo who's been screaming her head off and crying at the drop of a hat the entire time is suddenly gonna become a badass just because she's the last woman standing? Sorry but it doesn't work like that. You've either had it in you the entire time or you haven't. It doesn't just magically appear. The only one who did that right was Riddly and she defined the trope,"
"Preaching to the choir Rune," Greg agreed. "Often imitated, never replicated."
"Hey Pur, I kinda like this guy, if you two aren't serious mind if I borrow him sometime?" Rune asked.
"Umm, is that a common question in the Herren Clan Rune?" Purity found herself asking.
"Let me put it this way Pur, for most of us in the Herren Clan, our cell number is on our door," Rune replied flatly.
"So a clan of superpowered rednecks… Tell me Rune, do the Hills Have Eyes?"
"Eyes, Leatherface, the hills have it all Greg," She shot back not missing a beat, leaning in close allowing the closeness of the table to pull her robe taut and show off her usually concealed figure she continued, "Including size,"
If Greg had a collar he'd be pulling on it right now, "Uh yeah I bet,"
"Oh please, try that line in a few years when you're not in training bras," Menja said.
Rune sent one of the Valkyrie Twins a glare from under her hood, "Ah shut up you combat ready Barbie, and I'm not in training bras," She hissed though there was a lot less venom in it than usual.
'Help me!' He mouthed to Purity who couldn't decide if she wanted to glare at him for being flirted with in front of her, or take pity on him and save them from their love-stricken clutches. She decided to go for pity in the end. "Alright, I think our new recruit has suffered enough for one night. I am going to see him home. Hopefully, before his mother gets home, he won't have to dig a shallow grave,"
Everyone shouted their goodbyes to the new guy no matter how hard he tried to say he 'wasn't affiliated with them'. As he watched them leave, Kaiser couldn't help but see the potential. Theo was, much as he loved him, a disappointment. He had no charisma, no drive to become anything. This boy though, had charisma, knowledge, and knowhow. In him Max Anders saw what he didn't see in his own son, a successor, an heir. A claimant to the throne he had built up. He just needed to be groomed properly. What better way to thank the savior of his child than to grant him the keys to the kingdom? 'Yes,' Kaiser thought, 'I have calls to make,'
(...)
Leading him out into the parking lot, Greg saw she'd come in her minivan. "You didn't fly here?" He asked.
"No, why did you expect me to fly you home in a bridal carry?" Kayden asked, letting her Breaker state wear off as they neared her van.
The two got in with Greg holding Daisy in his arms in the passenger seat. As she drove out of the parking lot Kayden commented, "Well, you seem popular with the ladies Greg?" Seeing him squirming uncomfortably, she said, "I was just teasing, I'm more mature than that, you know?"
"Yeah sorry, I have no idea how I got dragged into all this tonight. Those guys literally dragged me off the street,"
Kayden sighed, "I figured as much, I hope it wasn't too stressful,"
"I mean they weren't wearing bedsheets, carrying torches, or burning crosses so it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be… Rune was… forward?"
Kayden chuckled, "Yeah that was unexpected, but after what I learned about her clan tonight, I think they are expected to find marriable men in the Empire, and the or else is heavily implied."
"Sad… I have something I'd like to tell you?" He began hesitantly.
"Yes?" Kayden began.
"Before I got kidnapped by some of your grunts, I somehow got a date? I wasn't even trying to get a date it just kinda happened I swear!"
"Greg Greg! Calm down," Purity told him, "When you got this date were you soaking wet at the time?"
He nodded, "Yeah, I'd just come up from out of the Bay, but what does that have to do with anything?" He asked, confused.
'Does he not realize he's attractive?' Kayden asked herself. "Greg honey, you look like you literally walked out of an episode of Baywatch. Everyone was staring at you. You're a teenage heartthrob."
Greg looked down disbelievingly, "I am? I mean yeah, I've been working out a lot with Mr. Wick and I've lost some weight but heartthrob me? What do you think, Daisy?"
"Woof!" The Beagle said, wagging her tail.
"I feel like I'm being out-voted here," Greg commented dryly.
"So you seem to have a couple dates huh?" Kayden commented, giving Greg a sideways glance.
Greg shook his head, "A couple? No, just the one."
Turning and giving him a deadpan look since they were at a stoplight, Kayden deadpanned, "Greg, I saw the waitress give you her number. And you don't need to worry about my feelings, I'm not jealous."
Greg narrowed his eyes in suspicion, "Is this that thing women do where they say one thing but they mean another thing? Like when my mom tells my dad she's 'fine' even though she really wants him to do something for her?"
"Wow, you've learned a lot by watching your parents haven't you?" Kayden commented.
"Duh," Greg replied. "Men and women would get along a whole lot better if women would just literally tell us what they mean and mean what they say. Hinting and beating around the bush doesn't work on us. We're men, we are very see a problem we either find a way to fix it or to kill it, our thought process is very much 'path to goal is either a multistep process or a straight line'." He informed her.
Kayden blinked. "It can't be that simple. Men I mean,"
"It really is," He informed her. "We just need a goal and the tools to get the job done. It's usually getting the tools together and the time and effort required that make getting to the goal a multistep process. But we're getting off topic, I'll ask one more time, are you really okay with this?"
After a moment of silence, Kayden nodded, "I am. Or rather I have to be, because as much as being with you feels right, if we get outed, I'm going to jail and Aster and Theo will either be left to Kaiser's tender mercies, or put in the foster care system. So if you date girls your age… Well, that's fine, as long as I get my time with you too Greg. Besides, you still need to talk to Taylor, right?"
"Yeah, that'll go over like a lead balloon," Greg said flatly, "Oh hey Taylor, I know I previously basically stalked you like a creep and stood by like a coward while you were locked in a biohazard so bad they had to call in a hazmat team and your locker was more or less designated a domestic terrorist attack but would you like to hang out sometime?" He said with false chipperness.
"No one can change the past," Kayden paused thinking of a Cape in India named Phar Se he might actually be able to, but that wasn't the point, "All you can do is learn from your mistakes and do better in the future, and that's what you're trying to do Greg. So don't let your fear stop you from trying. Okay?"
"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain," He said to himself, quoting the Litany of Fear.
"Indeed it is Paul Atreides," Kayden commented, "So keep walking your Golden Path,"
He grinned, "You know Dune too? Where have you been all my life?" He sighed before saying, "Here's to hoping my Golden Path doesn't lead to mass genocide,"
Pulling into his driveway, Kayden turned and captured his lips before saying, "You can only know that by following the path to the end. Don't turn away, don't blind yourself to it, no matter how horrible it may be, because I'll be here, to walk it with you, even should everyone else abandon you."
"Thanks Kayden. Love you too," Greg replied, before he opened the door and collected his things, including the dog, "It seems I've got a messy love life to sort out but it's nice to know I'll have a port in this storm."
"Always a man, always a lighthouse, always a city," Kayden told him, quoting Elisabeth from Bioshock Infinite.
"I thought you didn't game anymore?" He said, confused
"I've been catching up between taking care of Aster much to Theo's confusion." She told him, "I have to have some semblance of knowing what you can do… and it's a lot."
"It is… see you after school today?" Greg asked, holding the door open.
"I'll pick you up, I have to show you your new base of operations, and who knows, maybe I'll even catch a glimpse of this Taylor girl while I'm there?" She said, smiling mischievously.
"Kayden, don't even think about trying to kill or intimidate her," Greg said seriously. "Her life is bad enough as is,"
"I would never honey," Kayden said, sounding affronted, "Her bullies, however… no promises."
Greg just smirked and shook his head as he shut the door as he walked back to his house. His wristwatch, which was thankfully waterproof, read 2:15am. He still felt wide awake. He had several hours till his mother came home. Plenty of time to fix her necklace and work on some body armor. 'Man being a Noctis has given me too much time on my hands,' He thought.
Greg being Greg, that could be really good, or really, really bad. He started planning how to approach Taylor and deal with the Trio in a couple of hours, and how to handle his tumulus love life. As he told Kayden in the car, men were straight line goal oriented, and right now, his goal was to get Taylor Hebert from depressed and alone to happy, stable, and surrounded by a support system. He had his work cut out for him, but he relished the challenge. 'Operation Happy Hebert begins in T-minus six hours forty-five minutes. Mark.' He thought while setting a countdown timer on his watch.
(...)
Word Count: 13,400 Number of Pages: 30 (single spaced) Date Completed: 4/4/2023
(...)
AN: Hello party people! This is bubbajack your future lord and master in the apocalypse… wait that's Helios, not me… or so he says anyway. But semantics. Here we are three days later at the end of another chap of Butchered Tech. Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Till next time, here is Snowy and First Hassan.
Snowy: I am gonna be honest this chapter was a WILD RIDE. I was laughing so hard at so many things happening in this chapter. I couldn't stop, especially with the dinner scene. Now remember as is commonplace in Bubba stories this will be a harem. I can only guarantee that it will be less than 30 girls. Don't worry we can make it work. Let it be known that the butterfly effect is in full swing. We got two to three more days till Taylor's first night as a cape. I wonder how much can we escalate before then? The empire is on a warpath with clear targets in sight. Hold on tight ladies and gentlemen we are about to go full tilt!
First Hassan: oh boy! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Yes! Greg has finally gotten a date, but not just anyone but Tattletale from Undersiders! Haha, you go Greg! Hey guys, bubba has been literally inspired by all of your positive feedbacks and reviews you've been giving to him. He really appreciates, he can't thank you enough. For Greg, he seems to be landed quick in a pickle when they had just basically kidnapped him in the middle of the day, not only did he score a date with Lisa but also landed in the middle of a Nazi meeting, Kaiser is already liking Greg. It's gonna be a huge mess, stay in tune. And looks like the Baba Yaga has made his debut, if it's not enough he already dangerous, he's become more deadlier than ever from his trigger event(rest his wife in peace). Get ready, John Wick will turn the world upside down. Thank you guys for reading our story, if you want more or want to be a chapter ahead, head to Bubba' account where it hasn't been edited by yours truly. I'll see you guys later! (Turning around while blue flames surrounds Hassan before disappearing)
Thanks once again for reading everyone, till next time, this has been an Inkblot Bros Production Peace!