PART 1 : THE RECKONING
The milk came out in disgusting lumps. Spoiled.
Raiden groaned angrily as he punted the carton of milk out the window, watching in silent discontent as it shattered the glass and soared away into the distance.
Deciding that Rose shouldn't wake up to see the window destroyed, he drew the curtains together, hiding the damaged double glazing.
He spun on his heels singing to himself as he disposed of his ruined fruit loops.
"Hey Raiden, my white haired babe.." called his wife, Rose as she entered the kitchen, "was the milk expired again?"
"Yeah. It was. How did you know."
"I watched the carton fly at least a kilometre away, Jack! Who else in this sleepy town has that kind of throwing power?"
Raiden averted eye contact awkwardly, and there was a period of brief silence. Rose frowned, adjusting the night gown she wore.
"The new double glazed window is broken too. Isn't it."
Raiden slowly nodded.
"Oh Jack," Rose walked towards Raiden and held his hand, "I would've divorced you by now if you weren't a prominent enemy of the Government."
"Aw, how sweet." Raiden smiled at his wife, who didn't return the expression.
He cleared his throat and adjusted his tie.
"Well, I'm applying for my new job as a Janitor at Home Depot today."
"Have you at least got a hold of those forged identification papers...?" asked Rose absent mindedly as she uncomfortably hugged him around his cyborg shoulders.
"Yup. My name is Joseph George now. I don't think they'd care about my true identity anyway," Raiden monologued, "I think even if the Unabomber or Richard Nixon applied to the Home Depot, they'd still be hired."
"Not only are you a skilled warrior..." Rose stepped away from Raiden wincing in slight pain from his metal plates digging into her elbows, "but a deep thinker too."
Raiden and Rose smiled at each other wholesomely.
"You're always full of surprises, Mr. Lightning bolt." Rose concluded, to Raiden's dismay.
"Right, I've had it with you," Raiden angrily pointed at his wife, "I didn't get kidnapped and scientifically experimented on by the Illuminati so that you can keep bringing up my emo phase."
Rose laughed him all the way out of the house. He didn't even get to put the rest of his suit on - it was just his tie and robot bod.
He yet again groaned angrily and began to traipse down the lonely countryside lane to the nearest Home Depot, (in the city about 30 miles away.)
You see, after being responsible for the murder of three United States politicians (The president and ex president in the 2000's and a Texan Senator in 2018) crashing a giant nuclear armed submarine into New York ; also for dismembering about 80 officers of the law in Denver, he and his wife were on the run from the US government. They decided to move to New Zealand. The Kiwi military was entirely composed of sheep farmers, of which Raiden would most likely destroy with his bare fists.
The logical choice for the Authorities in New Zealand was simply allowing the cyborg freak to seek refuge on this stupid island.
As he went along his journey, he didn't encounter much interesting. Farms, a cyclist or two. And a rabid sheep? It attempted to bite Raiden's steel plated calf, and shattered all of its pathetic sheep teeth. Raiden laughed before slicing the creature to ribbons using his high frequency sword. What a fine piece o' tech.
It was the dark of dusk when he trudged over the final hill, witnessing the blood red sky of the setting sun - the lights of the lone Home Depot twinkling in his eyes.
Reinvigorated, he rushed towards the large warehouse. Hoping he would reach it before it closed. But with each step he took, the environment became noticeably darker. The wind became more windy and the clouds floated quickly overhead.
He had finally arrived - yet verily, the Home Depot had already closed. Metal shutters having slammed down into the ground.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding." Raiden cursed to himself, punching the shutters in anger.
He hung around the building for a few minutes, feeling pretty defeated until he heard the sound of a large vehicle approaching.
Raiden frantically opened his utility pouch, retrieving a handy unfolding cardboard box.
He unfolded it with his deft hands, hiding under it just as two black transport tanks rounded the corner.
What the hell is going on here? He wondered to himself.
The vans parked nearby, a few moments later there was the sound of doors being flung open and heavy boots landing on the ground and marching. Raiden did not expect a gathering of mystical robed figures to come into his view.
(in fact, he rather expected a team of Navy SEALS to try and assassinate his ass)
The figures in black robes walked solemnly, right past the viewing hole of Raiden's cardboard box, even brushing up against it... this did nothing to Raiden's nerves though since he was pretty sure that even if he was discovered, that he could beat up these guys with relative ease.
There were about two dozen of them, all who pulled up the shutters of the home depot before disappearing to the warehouse within.
Raiden jumped up, tearing apart the cardboard box in the process, and smiled.
Finally, I might get an excuse to kick the hell out of old people again!!!
And with that, he followed the robed people into the warehouse, unaware of the odyssey he would soon embark upon.
