Corey watched as Tony paced back in forth in the dilapidated building. His fists were clenched into tight, furious boulders of hate. He growled and ground his teeth. He kept his head down, his eyes burning holes into the concrete ahead of him as his feet took short furious steps to the end of the room, before turning around to do it all over again.
Corey sat cross legged on some weathered desk, her back leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Darius had told them to wait here in an abandoned office building, across from some ruined apartment complex. They were to stay put until their target arrived.
Darius had been frustratingly cryptic, perhaps his way of getting back at Tony for emasculating him in front of his fans. Either way, she was left to handle the pent up Tony by herself. She watched him, from under her zebra mask, her face as expressionless as the rubber shell she wore.
Tony's body vibrated with whatever internal demons he struggled with. Lately, he had been doing a worse and worse job of keeping them from spilling out. Corey wouldnt admit it, for a multitude of reasons, but Tony scared her. It was true they felt a kinship, together with their new faces, and Tony was just the man she needed to help push her from her comfort zone and do something about her fantasies. To help her become something more… But the reason Tony wanted kill was much different from Corey's. He was holding back a white hot anger inside of him that seeped from every pore and radiated in all directions. Corey could sense it, she could feel, she swore she could almost taste it. Standing next to him now, as he quaked in anticipation and rage, every hair on the back of her neck stood straight.
Tony let out a short but intense yell from between his tightly clenched teeth. "Do you think he's dicking us off? Do you!?" Tony yelled, suddenly turning to her. Corey's entire body flinched, first at the sudden noise, then by the burning, orange-hazel eyes under Tony's tiger mask. She gave him a non-committal shrug, keeping her arms tightly crossed in front of her. The constant pressure around her chest was a strange comfort for her.
"It's possible…" She said calmly. Tony growled in the back of his throat, and turned from her, his arms down at his sides, slightly curled, his shoulders back, his head down. "Please… just calm down Tony." Corey said softly, though she worried trying to console him would cause more damage then good. Tony whipped his head around and glared at her with one eye, from over his shoulder. "If he's fucking with us, I'm going to kill him!" Tony hissed through clenched teeth. Corey shook her head. "He might just be nervous, stalling, while he figures what we're going to actually do…" Corey said, hoping her reasoning could act as a splash of water, to the fire in Tony's head.
Tony's eyes twitched, not from rage, but concentration as he thought over Corey's words. "Stalling?" Tony asked eventually. Corey nodded. "Like you said, he's all talk so far, he doesnt really know what he's doing, right…?" Corey said smoothly. She smiled to herself under her mask, as Tony straightened, and mentally chewed on her words. "Yea… the pussy probably never thought it would ever get this far!" Tony declared with a mixture of disgust and superiority.
"He's not like us… he never planned on becoming something more… something…" Corey said, letting her sentence hang in the air unfinished. She didnt really know how to explain it anymore. The longer she and Tony talked about it, their desires and fantasies, their transformation, the less sure she found herself. Tony didnt want to transform, he wanted to vent all the violent, hostile thoughts in his head, to validate his body he sculpted so brutally.
He didnt, or perhaps wasnt capable of thinking beyond that. His dedication to violence for the sake of violence was impressive to Corey, but that would never be satisfying for her. What would be the point of reveling in carnage and blood, if there was nothing accomplished? Corey didnt want to be a super hero, or a gang buster, she knew it would be naive and childish of her, to think they could actually make a dent in the evils of humanity. But if they didnt have a purpose, a goal to strive for, then the violence and blood would be meaningless to her.
If they were to become something more, something extraordinary, the people they broke and bloodied must be worthy sacrifices. Thats what Corey wanted, to baptize her new, interesting and powerful self in the blood of a real scumbag, someone the world would be better off without. That way, it wouldnt be murder, it would be a vigilante killing. You cant be a vigilante without some criminal or oppressive entity to fight against. She hoped she could steer Tony to see things her way… or at least keep him from smashing someone at random's face in by pointing his fists towards someone who actually deserved it.
Tony studied her face, narrowing his brow in thought after she let her sentence hang for awhile. "He was never going to be something real like us!" Tony said in a firm, but matter of fact voice. Corey nodded, feeling a swelling of pride in her chest. "Yea… he's not like us." Corey said softly.
After some more time had passed, Corey pulled on one of the boards nailed over the window of the ruined office building. They had been told to sit and stay put, until Darius came back with more instructions, but she didnt see why she couldnt have a peak herself. After all, it wasnt like she could trust her life in the hands of a man she just met. The board came loose in her hands suddenly, and she staggered back a few steps. Tony watched her, his arms crossed. She couldnt see his face, but from his body language, he was as bored as he was agitated, but she would take moody boredom over explosive hostility any day.
She gently placed the board down on the ground, before kneeling down to look through the filthy but unobstructed window. Tony continued to watch her with only mild interest. Across from the building they were in, she could see what looked to be a condemned apartment building. Besides being in desperate need of upkeep, she didnt see anything special about it. Some homeless woman, with hair like a rats nest, staggered from the door of the building, taking slow, wobbly steps. Corey narrowed her eyes and watched the woman shamble off down the street. "I think we're across from a crack house or something…" She said hesitantly. Tony scoffed. "He's going to send us to clear out a crack house? Lets just join the police academy while we're at it!" Tony said, shaking his head in frustration. He uncrossed his arms and let them fall back to his sides, balled up into angry fists and resumed his pacing once more. Corey sighed softly before pressing her eye up against the glass, watching the front for any activity or clues.
Her eyes darted to the right as a big brown Pontiac pulled up alongside the front of the alleged crack house. She watched with peeked intensity as the driver, and two passengers stepped from the vehicle. She studied them carefully. The driver, and one of the passengers, wore simple grey hoodies. From the way they swaggered with each step, and protectively flanked the third passenger, she figured they were hired muscle of sorts. The third passenger wore a white tank top and jeans, and was covered in tattoo's, all the way up to his bald head.
She jumped, nearly falling onto her rump, as the back door of the office building swung open. Tony whirled around and aggressively approached Darius as he entered through the door. "Hey relax big man." Darius said, walking around Tony, who maintained his hostile composure. "You better tell me what I want to hear." Tony mumbled, more annoyed then menacing. Darius shook his head, before placing several photographs onto one of the weathered desks near the middle of the room. Corey darted towards the desk curiously, looking at the photographs from the opposite end. She studied the photographs eagerly, seeing the photographs upside down from her perspective. Tony lumbered behind Darius, glowering down at the photos.
Corey's eyes flicked across the photo's laid onto the desk. They were three photo's, two of them mugshots of, what Corey suspected to be, hardened criminals. Corey tilted her head to the side at the picture of a familiar face. "Hey I just saw this guy outside…" Corey mused, placing a finger on the photo before turning it look at it right side up.
She was certain this was the man that had stepped outside of the giant Pontiac outside, she recognized the tattoos. Darius just grinned at her knowingly. "Yea? Well thats no accident." Darius said smugly. Tony's eyes flashed with excitement, and his clenched fists shuddered in anticipation. "This is our guy?" Tony asked, his words coming out so quickly they blended into one another. Corey wondered if it was purely from anticipation, or if even Tony was nervous at the thought of finally getting their hands "wet" as he had put it.
Corey blinked as she made a realization. She was not excited, she was not even nervous. She felt calm, ready, but nothing resembling fear gnawed at her. She racked her mind at what that could mean. Perhaps she didnt think they would go through with it, that it wasnt real. Maybe it just hadnt sank in yet, that when they got the building, and their adrenaline was pumping, then she would feel something. But as it stood, Corey was calm and collected. Her mind had been sifting through details and cooking up reasons and strategies before they were even applicable. It could have been her military training taking over, or maybe, just maybe…
Corey's mind pulled one explanation deep from the depths of her insecurity, before self doubt ate it away. Perhaps… she had already changed? Maybe she more like Jacket then she thought, and like him, she prepared to face danger without even batting an eye. The thought thrilled her to levels she didnt think possible. She closed her eyes to relish the sensation.
"What the fuck you mean, we cant kill him!?" Tony bellowed. Darius darted back, holding his hands up defensively, for what little good that would do him. Tony approached him, head foreword, shoulders back, fists vibrating with angry energy. Corey shook herself from her reflections and mentally curse herself for day dreaming through such an important conversation.
Darius did his best to reason with the enraged Tony. "Hey-hey man! You can still get your rocks off!" Darius only had time to stammer, before Tony grabbed him by the collar and yanked his face next to Tony's tiger mask. "You call this thrills? Smacking some junkeys around? I can do that anytime I want!" Tony growled, giving Darius a shake. Darius glared back at Tony as he struggled to free himself. "Look you god damn psycho, I'm trying to help you!" Darius snarled back at Tony. In his struggle to free himself, his hand smacked the rubber mask to the side of Tony's head, obscuring his vision.
Corey held her breath, as Tony moved in a flurry of motion. The blind berserker moved so quickly, that he and Darius became a blur. Tony threw Darius onto the desk, clamping a hand clamped over his throat, squashing his windpipe to the back of his neck. Darius struggled futilely, as his eyes bugged from his head. He watched helplessly as Tony's fist cocked back for a savage blow.
Corey dashed to Tony's side with impressive speed. She clamped her hand down on Tony's wrist, the one attached to the hand squeezing around Darius's throat. She squeezed Tony's wrist firmly, not enough to hurt Tony (Not that she could) just enough to get his attention. Tony jerked his head towards her, his hazel-orange eyes burning like rage fueled fire balls.
Corey steeled herself, feeling her heart waver only for a moment. She stared back, her gaze firm, as if she were disciplining an unruly child. A six foot four, body building child with a murderous temper. "Tony… stop it." She said. Tony's eyes quivered with emotions, his eyelids twitching involuntarily. Corey squeezed his wrist tighter. "This wont help anyone… not even you. Let him go…" Corey said in a calm voice.
Tony's angry, death dealing fist, shuddered as if unsure where to go, before he threw it up into the air in a frustrated gesture. He turned from her and storming off into a corner of the building to stew. She watched him, his back and shoulders still radiating with hostile electricity. She smiled softly under her mask. She was proud of herself. She may not be Tony's physical equal, but emotionally, her masked self was strong, stronger then Tony's.
As Tony fumed in the corner, like a pent up toddler, she realized the stress was getting to Tony. Having the outlet to his fiery, rage filled desires so close, yet so far away, it was burning him out. Tony was feeling overwhelmed, but Corey was not.
Corey smiled to herself before turning her rubber zebra head down towards Darius. He held his throat, sucking in pained breaths of air with a bewildered look on his face. He probably thought he saw death when he looked up into Tony's eyes, and if Corey hadnt intervened, he would have been right.
"Go back, from the beginning… why cant we kill this guy?" Corey asked calmly. She was hoping to get a recap of what she had missed, while appearing like the one in control at the same time. Darius, however, looked up at her with indignant eyes. "You crazy bitch! Your partner almost breaks my neck, and you expect more favors now!?" Darius said through gritted teeth.
Corey saw Tony's head snap up in alert, like a blood hound hearing the skitter of a rabbit in the woods, before whirling around. Corey's heart skipped a beat in realization, as the furious man stormed towards them, with brutal intent. "What the fuck did I say to you!? What did I say!?" Tony bellowed. Darius had enough time to sit up, before Tony's powerful hands reached back out for his neck.
Corey stepped in the way and grabbed Darius instead, taking him by the collar and jerking him against the rubber nose of her zebra face. Darius looked at her through the eye holes with a pained expression. "It's not smart to make Tony angry…" Corey said, glancing at Tony cautiously. Tony flanked her aggressively, holding up a fist, but otherwise waited his turn with Darius. "I didnt mean it, it just slipped out!" Darius stammered at Corey. "Then talk…" Corey said, keeping her voice calm and cool. "Talk before I shove my fist down your throat!" Tony said, keeping his voice fiery and combative.
Darius took a deep breath, collecting himself, before answering as calmly as he could. His knees still shook as he spoke. "We cant kill him… because he's the, THE supplier of crack in the area. You kill him, we destabilize the flow of junk." Darius said. Tony growled at that. "I dont give a shit about this neighborhood, I just want to get some action!" Tony said.
Corey winced, she really wanted to hear about this from the beginning. While the big bad Tony didnt care about reasons and causes, she did. "Start over… from the top." Corey said, pulling Darius from the table, and stabilizing him as he stood. Darius calmly accepted her help, even though she felt his body tense, like he wanted to throw her arm off, but the looming, tiger mask kept him in line.
"Yea, yea… just let me gather my thoughts." Darius said, collecting himself. "Hurry up!" Tony commanded. Darius narrowed his brow, and nodded begrudgingly. "From the beginning…" Corey insisted, hoping the two hadn't caught on. "Right… ok… this guy, Conrad, the neo Nazi looking mother-fucker." Darius pointed at the picture of the tattooed bald man. Corey nodded. "The guy outside. So he's a drug dealer then…?" Corey asked. Darius rolled his eyes. "No, he's a supplier. He gets the drugs to the dealers, organizes it… used to run with this brother, Dio…" Darius said.
Corey glanced at the other two photo's. "Which one of them is Dio?" Corey asked. Darius and Tony looked up at her with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. "What? He's dead, remember? These two guys took over." Darius said, giving Corey a look. Corey felt a welling of embarrassment but said nothing more. Darius continued. "Anyway… we think it was the Russians who took him out. These two cats here, are heavy hitters in the Russian mob." Darius said, tapping the other two pictures.
Corey studied the photo's carefully. One of them was a large, heavy set but powerful looking man from what she could tell of his face and shoulders. He had a distant but deep look in his eyes, something Corey had heard called a "thousand yard stare". They gave Corey the chills. It was clear, he was what the Russians called a "hard man".
Darius noticed her interest in the photo, so he tapped it. "Viktor, the muscle. One hundred percent Russian, big, brutal… patient. Scary mother-fucker. If he pays you a visit, you either do what he wants, or they find you in the trunk of your car." Darius said, raising his brow.
Corey nodded and glanced at the other photo. It was of a man with a darker complexion, with short curly hair. From what Corey could tell, he had a stern look in his eyes, but unlike the other two, the quality of the photo was poor. It seemed to be just a photo someone snapped when he was getting out of his car.
She tilted her head at the photo, he looked more like a CEO then a criminal. Then again CEO's just like criminals, except they managed to trick people into thinking what they did was legal. Darius tapped the photo with a strange amount of awe and reverence. "Roman the Romanian… the brains. This guy is all business from what I know…" Darius said, hesitantly. Tony picked up on that and barked in before Corey could. "What you know? How much do you actually know about this guy?" Tony asked. Darius gave a grimace, which worried Corey. "Not a lot… actually. Only from people who talked to people. He's got a stick jammed up his ass, and he doesnt give a shit about anything or anyone that isnt about making money, unless you show him disrespect." Darius said. "Respect…?" She asked. Darius nodded. "Yea, he's chill, until you disrespect him… then he gets nasty." Darius said.
Tony snorted, unimpressed. "So what? I can get pretty nasty myself." Tony said. Darius shrugged. "Yea, we noticed… Thats all I know, one's smart, ones strong, they both got a mean streak a mile long." Darius admitted with a shrug. Tony scoffed. "Why we going after the piss ant drug dealer and not the Russians?" Tony growled. Darius shook his head. "What you got a death wish? We cant make a plan to hit the Russian mob in an afternoon, what are you crazy?" Darius said. Tony scoffed, but said nothing more.
Corey placed her hands on the desk and leaned over the photo of Conrad. "Why him?" Corey asked. Darius looked down at Conrad's photo in disgust. "This guy turned his back on the streets, on the country! He's working for the Reds. Thats why we're sending him a message." Darius answered. Tony slammed a fist down onto the desk. "And I say we kill him!" Tony yelled. Darius shook his head. "And I say, you cant send a message if the guys dead. We get him to break his alliance with the Russians, the dealers know we arent dealing with the Reds. We kill him, Roman will just put one of his guys in his place, maybe Viktor himself."
Tony shook his head. "Then we just kill him too." Tony grumbled. Darius shook his head in annoyance and Tony turned his gaze away towards the wall. Corey watched the two in silence for awhile before continuing. "So whats the plan…?" Corey asked. Darius blinked, glancing at the front door of the office building, before looking back to Corey. "You two go in there, and bust them up, send them a message, but dont kill them, you got that?" Darius said. He looked at Corey when he said this, but he clearly was speaking to Tony.
Corey shrugged. "Is that it? We go in and… bust them up?" Corey asked, unimpressed. Darius sighed in frustration. "Look, what more do you want from me? I brought you the research we've done, brought you next door from a real piece of shit, what more do you two psycho's want? A blueprint of the crack house?" Darius said, clearly frustrated. Corey nodded calmly. "Thanks… guess this will be enough… why is Conrad here anyway?" Corey said, glancing at the boarded up windows. Darius smiled proudly. "Oh, he comes here every week, gives out free samples to any teenage piece of tail that will take the bait. He's been with the same one the last three weeks, he's probably up there with the little chicken head now." Darius said, clearly proud of his intel.
Corey glanced down at the picture of Conrad again. "I guess he'll do… but we can hurt him, right?" Corey asked. Tony sneered at Corey from behind his mask. "You asking permission? From him!? The only one stopping you from hurting or killing anyone, is you Corey!" Tony said, sticking his thick, calloused- finger in her face. Corey gritted her teeth angrily, her calm, cool front melting to betray her anger. Tony just sneered more and turned away from her, turning his fiery glare to the picture of the men he was told not kill.
Corey glanced at his fists, once again, they were vibrating with pent up desire. He was right of course, even if was being an ass. Darius was not going with them. It was up to them to decide what they did when they breached the doors. It was up to Corey to decide if she would try and stop Tony from killing anybody. If someone had to be sacrificed, so they could transform, this Conrad creep would do…
She kept her eyes focused on Tony. At first he glared back at her, as if challenging her to try and change his mind. She kept her cool gaze focused on Tony, before giving him a small, subtle nod. Tony's fiery eyes squinted, trying to decipher the meaning of her gesture. Corey turned back to Darius before speaking, but she kept her gaze sidelong on Tony. "Ok Darius… we do it your way… right Tony?" She said softly.
Tony looked at Darius, then back at Corey. "Fine… whatever, lets just do this already." Tony said in aggravation. Corey wasnt sure if Tony understood. "I'll follow your lead…" Corey said to Tony, in a meaningful voice. Tony just narrowed his eyes.
She couldnt help but feel that familiar thrill begin to overtake her. She had made her decision, to cast her lot with a savage maniac. She would have to be crazy to do such a thing, but it was already done, her mind was made up. Her head swam with emotions, and she loved every moment of it. She ignored all common sense, all reservations and decided to go with whatever happened next. Only one thing was certain. Life for Corey, was about to change. How she would change with it, was the only thing she could control from here on out. She was swept away with the current, and Tony was the one steering the boat.