Hey everyone, I'm hard at work on the next chapter of Dark Contract. I've just been preoccupied with a college project that has my balls in a vice, not to mention my other stories that I've simply had more inspiration for. But enough excuses, let's get on with the show. And don't worry, with luck I'll have chapters out much quicker after these first few. I've been cooking up this story way longer than any other story I have in my roster.
Scampers were some of the fastest troop transports you can find, but unfortunately, they weren't the most comfortable. There's space enough to walk to your seat, but little else. And the seats were little more than metal slabs with couch cushions duck taped onto them (similar to how much of the K.N.D builds their machines). This of course left Ed very, very anxious. Especially since the once deceitfully scrawny boy had since grown into a veritable mountain of a man, thus leaving him even less room to stretch his legs. So he was forced to be content with drumming his fingers against the board and tapping the heel of his right foot. Across from him sat Jack, who was calmly sipping a cup of tea. The older gentleman did not try to calm ed down, as he'd known ed long enough to know that it was hopeless.
Finally, the Scamper's door opened and Kira, now dressed in her camo gear, stepped in. Ed immediately shot up to his feet to greet her. "Hey Kira!" he proclaimed.
Kira smiled at Ed, patting him on the arm. "Hey big guy. Long time no see," she said, turning to Jack. "Same to you, old timer."
Jack smiled and nodded. Kira turned back to Ed. "So, we all know the job?"
"Yep," Ed replied. "Head to Genius Grove and talk to the rich guy."
"Well, okay then, let's get going." Kira pressed the button on the intercom. "Hey driver, we're ready to head out."
"Roger, setting course for genius grove," said the pilot. The scamper ascended into the air, waited for the overhead shielding above the fortress to open for them, and blasted off to the city.
Even so high up and even through the thick steel walls of the scamper, Kira could still hear the sounds of fighting down below. However, no one in the ship responded to the sound. It would've been more surprising to them to not hear gunfire and explosions in the streets below. But even though Kira didn't respond, she still heard all of it, and could only think of one thing
Whatever this rich a-hole had for them had better be worth it.
Later…
Genius Grove was, as the name implied, the home for the intellectual elite of the world. Anyone who wanted to make it big in science mathematics or art would move here if they had any sense. So, since this town was filled with so many geniuses, the streets were filled with more patrol drones than usual, and this made the streets relatively safe to travel. The scamper flew over the mansion where their contact lived. After getting clearance from the automated security system, the scamper landed on the helipad on the western end of the mansion. Ed was the first to exit, being anxious to have some open space after an hour of flying in that confined tub. Jack and Kira emerged after him, and Kira took the lead to greet the man approaching them. He was a lanky man in his mid-40's with blonde hair, dressed in a blue pinstripe suit. Kira approached him, offering her hand, but the man walked right past her to Ed and Jack. "Ah," he said, offering Ed his hand. "You must be the heroes Mr. Vera sent. My name is Albert Trevelyan. It's an honor to meet you both." Kira rolled her eyes.
Ed composed himself and shook Trevelyan's hand. "Hello, my name is Ed," Ed said, doing his best to twist his usual dunderhead tone of voice into something respectable.
Jack also accepted the offered hand and bowed afterwards. "My name is Jack, and the pleasure is ours."
"And my name is Captain Kira Niste," Kira said, walking in front of Trevelyan and offering her hand.
Trevelyan looked her up and down and let out an unimpressed "hmm," before saying, "You don't look like one of the heroes."
"Well, technically I'm not bu-"
"Then I don't see why you're here, Ms. Niste" Trevelyan interrupted.
Kira's other hand silently clenched, trying to quell her temper. Luckily, Jack intervened. "Mr. Trevelyan," he said, stepping in front of Kira. "Captain Niste has been placed in charge of this mission. Ask Mr. Vera, and you'll find he has the utmost faith in Captain Niste's abilities. Rest assured, she is just the person you need." Jack's tone and dialect were calm and respectful, but the subtle emphasis he put on Kira's rank were not lost on her.
Trevelyan put up his hands. "Alright, alright," he said. "Far be it from me to doubt Mr. Vera's judgement. If you'll follow me, I'll fill you all in." Trevelyan turned and walked back into his house, expecting the others to follow. Jack turned to Kira and gave her an assuring nod before following Trevelyan.
Ed's large hand found its way onto Kira's shoulder. "Wow," he said. "What an a-hole."
"Eh, I'm used to it," Kira said with a shrug. "People want heroes, not other people." Kira walked to the door, with Ed following her. The whole time, Ed trying to figure out something to say.
Trevelyan led the group to his study, where he sat at his desk to face them. "My grandfather was an obsessive in everything he did," he said. "Whether it was work, family or anything in between, he toiled away with every fiber in his being for whatever he deemed worth a second look. And it is this obsessive nature that ended up killing him." Trevelyan reached into his desk and pulled out a file, which he placed in front of the trio. Kira took the file and opened it to read the information within. "My grandfather was convinced that there existed an ancient weapon. A piece of alien tech even older than the alien races that Aku allowed to inhabit the planet during his reign. He called it "Orion's Hammer" that my grandfather believed could destroy entire planets."
Kira pursed her lips as she read through the file. The story was, of course, absolutely insane, but she had to admit, it was well researched insanity. "According to his notes," said Kira. "He apparently knew where in the darklands it was. So why didn't he find it?"
"He died before he could start digging," said Trevelyan. "Apparently, it's right smack dab in the middle of a fusion general's territory."
Now normally, hearing that tid bit would make Kira immediately cancel the deal. No point in throwing away soldiers on some dead man's hunch. But the more Kira read the notes, the more doubt crept in her mind. There was only one thing to do. "Huddle!" she called out to Ed and Jack. The three bolted to the other side of the room and huddle together. "Okay, I know how crazy this story sounds, but hear me out."
"Darklands fusion general are not to be trifled with, Kira," said Jack. "They have a constant link to fusion matter, making them more powerful and incapable of tiring."
"Yes, I know all this," Kira said with a roll of her eyes.
"Then why do you want us to go there so bad?" asked Ed.
"The notes are pretty damn thorough. If you wanna look at them, go ahead. I'm telling you, there is SOMETHING there, and if there is even a one percent chance of it being this planet busting super weapon that Trevelyan thinks it is, I say we take it." Ed and Jack looked to each other, then at Kira, then Ed looked down at the floor. "You've seen the reports," Kira said, her eyes pleading. "We have two years until planet Fusion is in our solar system. We have two years left to live. We need a solution, and we need it now."
Ed looked at Kira's eyes and sighed. How could he say no when she looked at him like that? "Alright, I'm in," Ed said with a smile.
Jack nodded. "You will need my knowledge of the Darklands if we are to succeed. So I will join you."
Kira smiled at her two friends. "Thank you," she said before turning back to Trevelyan. Just in time too, because Ed could no longer hold back the intense blush that was a result of them being so close. Not to mention that smile didn't help matters at all. Jack smirked and gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
Kira walked up to Trevelyan's desk. "So?" asked Trevelyan.
"We're in," said Kira. "We'll go to the Darklands."