Edwin Alva sat on his private jet, scratching at the five o’clock shadow beard he had developed over the past few weeks. Sleepless nights and significant jet lag had taken its toll on the business tycoon, and he barely paid any attention to Pierre as he plopped into the seat across from him.
“They’ve already arrived sir.” Alva’s only friend, if a man such as he even had such things, and trusted bodyguard informed him with a sigh. “If I can be frank, sir-“
Alva rolled his eyes and finally casted a loathsome look at Pierre, one he could barely manage to muster. “You don’t need to tell me anything I didn’t already anticipate. The fact that they came to Dakota at all is reason enough to worry.” Pierre’s eyes fell to his lap as Alva grunted out his ill-tempered response. “Make sure security triple sweeps the perimeter before I arrive. I’ve had enough surprises to last me a lifetime.”
“Understood sir.” Pierre fumbled for his cellular device to follow through on Alva’s instructions.
Just a half-hour later, the G-Wagon driven by Alva’s personal chauffeur creaked to a stop in front of the main headquarters for Alva Industries. Security personnel flanked around the car, with Pierre as the lead body, as Alva stepped out of the vehicle and entered the building. His group of armed guards didn’t leave his side even when he stepped onto his private elevator, one that led directly to his ever-expanding office on the 45th floor. As he stood inside the lift, watching the numbers pass above the doors, Alva felt something he honestly couldn’t remember feeling since he was a child: fear.
The doors to the private elevator opened, and the guards shuffled off the lift before Alva followed suit. He stepped between his protective entourage and felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of the man waiting for him. Vandal Savage stood in a dark plum suit near the window, admiring the sight of Dakota city from where he stood. He let out an amused chuckle once he saw the fright Alva was clearly trying to stifle.
“All that you have accomplished Edwin, and look at how you shiver. Throwing away everything just to end a man’s life. As if such a task is difficult.” Savage shakes his head, letting his disappointment ring throughout the room. Alva took a seat behind his desk and did his best to puff his chest out, but not to signal any sort of disrespect.
“This visit was most unexpected. Forgive me if I seem ill prepared.” The excuse from Alva did nothing but annoy Savage, who left the window and approached Alva’s desk. As he passed each of the bodyguards, they either recoiled or took a couple steps back from the immortal as he went. Savage stopped in front of Alva’s desk and pushed the chair across from it out of his way, opting to tower over the sitting CEO.
“We didn’t give you the opportunities you’ve been provided to hear excuses. A man of your standing here should understand that better than most.” Savage glared at him, and Alva did everything he could not to wither in his chair.
“Now you were…recruited into our S.Y.S.T.E.M. to not only be an asset but because you had lofty aspirations yourself. But it appears you have a rather grating stumbling block before you.”
“I offer no more excuses then, Savage. But a guarantee, a promise that things will return to schedule.” Alva leaned forward, not breaking away from the stare that Savage bore into him.
Savage scoffed, uninterested in Alva’s affirmation. “Your whimpering and sniveling should be saved for the Demon’s head or the Vampire queen. Blind groveling won’t sway me one way or another.”
Savage turned away from Alva and marched across the room. “Too much attention is on your facilities lately, and that is something we just cannot have at this critical juncture.” Savage paused in the center of the room, glancing down at the expensive rug that had the Alva Industries logo embroidered in the middle. “I know you consider yourself an outlier, one of a kind even. But I have lived long enough to know that there is no man on this earth like that, save the one standing before you now.”
Savage headed towards the door with one final warning to Alva as he exited. “Let us hope your usefulness was not over-exaggerated on your part. Mary is far more vicious about time being wasted than I.”
The heavy cherry wood doors slammed shut behind Vandal Savage, and Alva leaped from his chair. “I want every head of our defence and security team in this office within the hour. And get Lord on the phone. I want to know if his tech division has finished the first wave of prototypes.”
“They’ve already arrived sir.” Alva’s only friend, if a man such as he even had such things, and trusted bodyguard informed him with a sigh. “If I can be frank, sir-“
Alva rolled his eyes and finally casted a loathsome look at Pierre, one he could barely manage to muster. “You don’t need to tell me anything I didn’t already anticipate. The fact that they came to Dakota at all is reason enough to worry.” Pierre’s eyes fell to his lap as Alva grunted out his ill-tempered response. “Make sure security triple sweeps the perimeter before I arrive. I’ve had enough surprises to last me a lifetime.”
“Understood sir.” Pierre fumbled for his cellular device to follow through on Alva’s instructions.
Just a half-hour later, the G-Wagon driven by Alva’s personal chauffeur creaked to a stop in front of the main headquarters for Alva Industries. Security personnel flanked around the car, with Pierre as the lead body, as Alva stepped out of the vehicle and entered the building. His group of armed guards didn’t leave his side even when he stepped onto his private elevator, one that led directly to his ever-expanding office on the 45th floor. As he stood inside the lift, watching the numbers pass above the doors, Alva felt something he honestly couldn’t remember feeling since he was a child: fear.
The doors to the private elevator opened, and the guards shuffled off the lift before Alva followed suit. He stepped between his protective entourage and felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of the man waiting for him. Vandal Savage stood in a dark plum suit near the window, admiring the sight of Dakota city from where he stood. He let out an amused chuckle once he saw the fright Alva was clearly trying to stifle.
“All that you have accomplished Edwin, and look at how you shiver. Throwing away everything just to end a man’s life. As if such a task is difficult.” Savage shakes his head, letting his disappointment ring throughout the room. Alva took a seat behind his desk and did his best to puff his chest out, but not to signal any sort of disrespect.
“This visit was most unexpected. Forgive me if I seem ill prepared.” The excuse from Alva did nothing but annoy Savage, who left the window and approached Alva’s desk. As he passed each of the bodyguards, they either recoiled or took a couple steps back from the immortal as he went. Savage stopped in front of Alva’s desk and pushed the chair across from it out of his way, opting to tower over the sitting CEO.
“We didn’t give you the opportunities you’ve been provided to hear excuses. A man of your standing here should understand that better than most.” Savage glared at him, and Alva did everything he could not to wither in his chair.
“Now you were…recruited into our S.Y.S.T.E.M. to not only be an asset but because you had lofty aspirations yourself. But it appears you have a rather grating stumbling block before you.”
“I offer no more excuses then, Savage. But a guarantee, a promise that things will return to schedule.” Alva leaned forward, not breaking away from the stare that Savage bore into him.
Savage scoffed, uninterested in Alva’s affirmation. “Your whimpering and sniveling should be saved for the Demon’s head or the Vampire queen. Blind groveling won’t sway me one way or another.”
Savage turned away from Alva and marched across the room. “Too much attention is on your facilities lately, and that is something we just cannot have at this critical juncture.” Savage paused in the center of the room, glancing down at the expensive rug that had the Alva Industries logo embroidered in the middle. “I know you consider yourself an outlier, one of a kind even. But I have lived long enough to know that there is no man on this earth like that, save the one standing before you now.”
Savage headed towards the door with one final warning to Alva as he exited. “Let us hope your usefulness was not over-exaggerated on your part. Mary is far more vicious about time being wasted than I.”
The heavy cherry wood doors slammed shut behind Vandal Savage, and Alva leaped from his chair. “I want every head of our defence and security team in this office within the hour. And get Lord on the phone. I want to know if his tech division has finished the first wave of prototypes.”
ISSUE 14
“HARDWARE”
BY
JAKE HAWKINS
“HARDWARE”
BY
JAKE HAWKINS
SOUTHSIDE DAKOTA CITY…
THE APARTMENT OF BARRAKI YOUNG…
Barraki turned the burner off on her electric stove and pulled the lid off the large pot she had simmering. The beans and ham hock seasoned to perfection had a completely enchanting aroma that could have knocked her off her feet. Instead she set that lid aside and chopped a portion of butter into the container of white rice sitting next to. As she stirred the butter in, a crash coming from her bedroom startled her beyond belief. She rushed through the living room and stopped next to the antique piano near the hallway. Barraki removed the false panel from the side of the instrument. Pulling the glock she kept hidden out before moving towards her closed bedroom door.
She held the gun steady, her finger resting on the trigger as her other hand extended to reach the knob. Before she could place a hand on the brass, the door burst open. Curtis Metcalf stumbled forward, still in most of his HARDWARE suit and gear, but clearly worst for wear. His bloodied and cracked helmet dropped from under his arm and clattered to the floor, rolling to a stop at her feet.
“Barraki…” Curtis groaned and, somehow, he managed a smile at least for a moment before he fell face forward to the floor, unconscious.
Just an hour later, Curtis awakened in the familiar comforts of Barraki’s bed. Much to his surprise, his Hardware suit and equipment laid on the floor at the foot of it. He slid from under the sheets and realized that she even managed to depolarize the shell material he wore underneath his armor components. Amazed as he was by the genius held by his on and off again girlfriend, he knew that there were more important concerns to mull over.
Curtis stumbled into the kitchen wearing just a Polo white tee and matching designer boxers, both left the last time he had spent the evening in her apartment. He leaned in the entryway, watching as she worked at the kitchen table on her laptop. She knew he was there, but merely adjusted her glasses and continued to type away. Feeling the waves of emotion radiating off of her, Curtis broke the deafening silence first.
“This the part for the apology or the explanation?” Curtis mused, and he took a couple of steps into the kitchen.
“I made you a plate. With the way you stumbled in here I figured you could use some food.” She gestured to the full helping of beans and rice, mac and cheese, greens and cornbread on the plate across from her. Curtis raised an eyebrow and took the seat across from her. “And this is the apology part, because you need to send me the money to fix my window first and foremost.”
Curtis sighed, shaking his head at the mess he’s found himself in. “I’m sorry Barraki. I just…”
Barraki shook her head, cutting him off. She finally looked him in the eyes, the fury there unmistakable. “You ain’t got a damn thing you can say to explain this, Curtis. You know I would think I’d be used to you lying to me, or trying to play me like I’m some kind of fool.”
“Barraki...” Curtis pleaded to her, a somber frown on his face that didn’t ease her anger in the slightest. “You know that is the last thing I ever intended to do.”
“And what were you intending to do with that spacesuit you crashed in here with?” Barraki’s anger started to get the better of her, but she was done holding it in.
“Barraki, this isn’t about the money. And even though you won’t believe me, it ain’t about my pride being hurt.”
Curtis did his best to assure her, but he could tell he had work to do. “Alright I’ll keep it a buck with you. At first it was, but I wasn’t gunning after the Alva Industries you and the rest of Dakota knows.”
Barraki was completely confused, and rightfully so Curtis understood. He went on to elaborate as he got up. “For a long time, I’ve known Alva’s real wealth comes from heavy arms dealing. He’s been selling weapons on the black market in at least seven countries, and that’s just the ones I can prove.”
Barraki took a deep breath and looked up at Curtis. Curtis tapped the face of his watch and a hologram showing the inner workings of an Alva Industries warehouse. Barraki watched in clear shock at workers loading truck fulls of weaponry. “Since I’ve picked apart his gun running pipelines out of the city, he’s been hunting me. Doing whatever he can to keep me on the defensive.”
Barraki shook her head, and Curtis quickly cut off the hologram. He moved towards her with a hand extended, concerned she may have been overwhelmed. She pushed him away however and walked across the kitchen, trying to piece together what Curtis has just told her. “I know how much Alva has done for you, and I don’t want to ask what I’m about to. But I need to.”
Curtis lowered his head, already anticipating her question. “I’ve known since last year’s Christmas party.” Barraki didn’t even turn to look at him, furious at his answer. “And after he said to me that I was no more than a cog in his wheel. That’s when I decided to tear him down.”
Barraki turned back around, appalled at Curtis audacity. “I’ve seen the news, the video footage Alva put out trying to look sympathetic I guess.” Barraki approached Curtis, who could no longer meet her eyes. “I saw what your weapons did to Alva’s people. What makes you any better than him in the end of all this Curtis?”
Curtis nodded, comfortable with the light Barraki was placing on him. “I made my choice. Blood on my hands is better than doing what I’ve done all this time.”
“Which is what, Curtis?”
He finally met her eyes once again, and Barraki didn’t recognize what she saw in his. “Nothing.” He answered.
Barraki stepped back from him once again. “Then I don’t want anything to do with this, or you.”
“Barraki. I came here because I can’t stop him without you. And it was time to finally let you know.” Curtis pleaded, and he reached for her hand. Reluctantly and much to even her own surprise she let him take it. “Because things are only going to escalate from here.”
THE APARTMENT OF BARRAKI YOUNG…
Barraki turned the burner off on her electric stove and pulled the lid off the large pot she had simmering. The beans and ham hock seasoned to perfection had a completely enchanting aroma that could have knocked her off her feet. Instead she set that lid aside and chopped a portion of butter into the container of white rice sitting next to. As she stirred the butter in, a crash coming from her bedroom startled her beyond belief. She rushed through the living room and stopped next to the antique piano near the hallway. Barraki removed the false panel from the side of the instrument. Pulling the glock she kept hidden out before moving towards her closed bedroom door.
She held the gun steady, her finger resting on the trigger as her other hand extended to reach the knob. Before she could place a hand on the brass, the door burst open. Curtis Metcalf stumbled forward, still in most of his HARDWARE suit and gear, but clearly worst for wear. His bloodied and cracked helmet dropped from under his arm and clattered to the floor, rolling to a stop at her feet.
“Barraki…” Curtis groaned and, somehow, he managed a smile at least for a moment before he fell face forward to the floor, unconscious.
Just an hour later, Curtis awakened in the familiar comforts of Barraki’s bed. Much to his surprise, his Hardware suit and equipment laid on the floor at the foot of it. He slid from under the sheets and realized that she even managed to depolarize the shell material he wore underneath his armor components. Amazed as he was by the genius held by his on and off again girlfriend, he knew that there were more important concerns to mull over.
Curtis stumbled into the kitchen wearing just a Polo white tee and matching designer boxers, both left the last time he had spent the evening in her apartment. He leaned in the entryway, watching as she worked at the kitchen table on her laptop. She knew he was there, but merely adjusted her glasses and continued to type away. Feeling the waves of emotion radiating off of her, Curtis broke the deafening silence first.
“This the part for the apology or the explanation?” Curtis mused, and he took a couple of steps into the kitchen.
“I made you a plate. With the way you stumbled in here I figured you could use some food.” She gestured to the full helping of beans and rice, mac and cheese, greens and cornbread on the plate across from her. Curtis raised an eyebrow and took the seat across from her. “And this is the apology part, because you need to send me the money to fix my window first and foremost.”
Curtis sighed, shaking his head at the mess he’s found himself in. “I’m sorry Barraki. I just…”
Barraki shook her head, cutting him off. She finally looked him in the eyes, the fury there unmistakable. “You ain’t got a damn thing you can say to explain this, Curtis. You know I would think I’d be used to you lying to me, or trying to play me like I’m some kind of fool.”
“Barraki...” Curtis pleaded to her, a somber frown on his face that didn’t ease her anger in the slightest. “You know that is the last thing I ever intended to do.”
“And what were you intending to do with that spacesuit you crashed in here with?” Barraki’s anger started to get the better of her, but she was done holding it in.
“Barraki, this isn’t about the money. And even though you won’t believe me, it ain’t about my pride being hurt.”
Curtis did his best to assure her, but he could tell he had work to do. “Alright I’ll keep it a buck with you. At first it was, but I wasn’t gunning after the Alva Industries you and the rest of Dakota knows.”
Barraki was completely confused, and rightfully so Curtis understood. He went on to elaborate as he got up. “For a long time, I’ve known Alva’s real wealth comes from heavy arms dealing. He’s been selling weapons on the black market in at least seven countries, and that’s just the ones I can prove.”
Barraki took a deep breath and looked up at Curtis. Curtis tapped the face of his watch and a hologram showing the inner workings of an Alva Industries warehouse. Barraki watched in clear shock at workers loading truck fulls of weaponry. “Since I’ve picked apart his gun running pipelines out of the city, he’s been hunting me. Doing whatever he can to keep me on the defensive.”
Barraki shook her head, and Curtis quickly cut off the hologram. He moved towards her with a hand extended, concerned she may have been overwhelmed. She pushed him away however and walked across the kitchen, trying to piece together what Curtis has just told her. “I know how much Alva has done for you, and I don’t want to ask what I’m about to. But I need to.”
Curtis lowered his head, already anticipating her question. “I’ve known since last year’s Christmas party.” Barraki didn’t even turn to look at him, furious at his answer. “And after he said to me that I was no more than a cog in his wheel. That’s when I decided to tear him down.”
Barraki turned back around, appalled at Curtis audacity. “I’ve seen the news, the video footage Alva put out trying to look sympathetic I guess.” Barraki approached Curtis, who could no longer meet her eyes. “I saw what your weapons did to Alva’s people. What makes you any better than him in the end of all this Curtis?”
Curtis nodded, comfortable with the light Barraki was placing on him. “I made my choice. Blood on my hands is better than doing what I’ve done all this time.”
“Which is what, Curtis?”
He finally met her eyes once again, and Barraki didn’t recognize what she saw in his. “Nothing.” He answered.
Barraki stepped back from him once again. “Then I don’t want anything to do with this, or you.”
“Barraki. I came here because I can’t stop him without you. And it was time to finally let you know.” Curtis pleaded, and he reached for her hand. Reluctantly and much to even her own surprise she let him take it. “Because things are only going to escalate from here.”
**********
THREE NIGHTS AGO…
Pierre rushed Alva behind a shipping container as bullets sprayed behind them. Dozens of Alva’s top security were in the midst of doing everything they could to stop the assault coming from one man, Hardware. A truck tore through the yard and spun to a halt, aiming an intimidating gatling gun at the Skylark as it lowered towards the ground.
Hardware sat inside the Skylark and used his monitor to zoom in on the Gatling gun being aimed in his direction from below. “OBIE, route all power to the capacitor shields.” Hardware ordered, and he gripped the steering wheel tighter to brace for impact.
“The capacitor shields have not been fully tested.” The AI droned over the vehicle’s speaker system. “Are you positive…”
“Just do it!” Hardware barked. And the AI followed suit. The shields raised just in time as the gun unloaded high caliber bullets that rocked with Skylark but did not penetrate its shield nor the craft itself.
Alright. Now let’s get our hands dirty, Hardware thought to himself before dropping a cadre of flash bang grenades on the Alva guards doing everything they could to knock him out of the sky. The guards scrambled in disoriented confusion and terror. Edwin Alva could do nothing but watch, Pierre desperately trying to shove him into the BMW that has arrived to get him off-site before the police arrived. Alva is finally pushed into the rear seat, and he stared in pure loathing as the Skylark lowered Hardware to the ground before tearing off into the sky.
“Don’t worry Mr. Alva. They’re unloading the shipment as we speak.” Pierre assured him, but the anger on Alva’s face alerted the bodyguard that his words did no such thing.
“Has anyone been able to contact Smalls?” Alva asked to the car full of his men. The vehicle tore through downtown far above the speed limit, further away from the train yard being torn apart by Hardware.
“OBIE, scan every container for what they had delivered. I’d rather not have to cause more property damage.” Hardware managed to convey the command while warding off assault rifle fire coming from what seemed like every direction. He turned and fired a black fluid from a mount on his shoulder, and the substance hardened on impact, sticking a group of guards to a nearby forklift. He heard a Draco being reloaded behind him so in one smooth motion, Hardware pivoted ninety degrees and sliced the gunman’s arm clean off with his retractable sword.
“Unfortunately, I’ve only discovered one container, and it does not hold the weapons you were led to believe were being delivered.” OBIE alerted his creator through his helmet’s headset.
A missile fired from a desperate guard nearly catches Hardware slacking, too preoccupied with OBIE’s update. With no time to duck out of its path, Hardware gritted his teeth and stood his ground. An energy shield generated from his control pad gauntlet and took the full brunt of the blast. What little remained of Alva’s security force halted their attack for just a moment, all breathing a sigh of relief that they had managed to stop his relentless onslaught.
High above one of the shipping containers, the Skylark hovered. With one of its many enhanced cameras, it recorded a group of men unloading kilos of cocaine into the trunks of four black SUVs. The Skylark broadcasted this directly to Hardware, who was bull in a china shop mad after surviving the missile that had knocked him back about fifteen feet. Much to the awe of his attackers, he was virtually unharmed.
“Use the skylark to tail those vehicles. And page DCPD, if they’re asses aren’t on their way here already, they better be now.” Hardware fired up his jetpack, then loaded another shell into his Omnicannon.
The vehicles peel out of the shipping yard one after another, then split up in different directions. The Skylark followed the straggling vehicle as it jumped onto the freeway headed towards Paris Island. Hardware lowers his smoking Omnicannon and scans the yard for anyone still alive and conscious. He snatched up a guard doing his best to crawl out of sight by the scruff of his jacket and raised him to his eye line.
“Y’all weren’t guarding the usual cargo your boss moves around the city. So, what was so special to warrant this kind of defense?” Hardware anticipated his new found hostage resistance, so he once again extended his retractable sword. Holding the blade to the man’s neck, he leaned forward to be sure he knew that Hardware had no problems running the sword through him.
“I’d talk sooner than later if I was you. Figured jail is better than a closed casket.” The shaking guard hung his head before telling Hardware everything he wanted to hear.
Pierre rushed Alva behind a shipping container as bullets sprayed behind them. Dozens of Alva’s top security were in the midst of doing everything they could to stop the assault coming from one man, Hardware. A truck tore through the yard and spun to a halt, aiming an intimidating gatling gun at the Skylark as it lowered towards the ground.
Hardware sat inside the Skylark and used his monitor to zoom in on the Gatling gun being aimed in his direction from below. “OBIE, route all power to the capacitor shields.” Hardware ordered, and he gripped the steering wheel tighter to brace for impact.
“The capacitor shields have not been fully tested.” The AI droned over the vehicle’s speaker system. “Are you positive…”
“Just do it!” Hardware barked. And the AI followed suit. The shields raised just in time as the gun unloaded high caliber bullets that rocked with Skylark but did not penetrate its shield nor the craft itself.
Alright. Now let’s get our hands dirty, Hardware thought to himself before dropping a cadre of flash bang grenades on the Alva guards doing everything they could to knock him out of the sky. The guards scrambled in disoriented confusion and terror. Edwin Alva could do nothing but watch, Pierre desperately trying to shove him into the BMW that has arrived to get him off-site before the police arrived. Alva is finally pushed into the rear seat, and he stared in pure loathing as the Skylark lowered Hardware to the ground before tearing off into the sky.
“Don’t worry Mr. Alva. They’re unloading the shipment as we speak.” Pierre assured him, but the anger on Alva’s face alerted the bodyguard that his words did no such thing.
“Has anyone been able to contact Smalls?” Alva asked to the car full of his men. The vehicle tore through downtown far above the speed limit, further away from the train yard being torn apart by Hardware.
“OBIE, scan every container for what they had delivered. I’d rather not have to cause more property damage.” Hardware managed to convey the command while warding off assault rifle fire coming from what seemed like every direction. He turned and fired a black fluid from a mount on his shoulder, and the substance hardened on impact, sticking a group of guards to a nearby forklift. He heard a Draco being reloaded behind him so in one smooth motion, Hardware pivoted ninety degrees and sliced the gunman’s arm clean off with his retractable sword.
“Unfortunately, I’ve only discovered one container, and it does not hold the weapons you were led to believe were being delivered.” OBIE alerted his creator through his helmet’s headset.
A missile fired from a desperate guard nearly catches Hardware slacking, too preoccupied with OBIE’s update. With no time to duck out of its path, Hardware gritted his teeth and stood his ground. An energy shield generated from his control pad gauntlet and took the full brunt of the blast. What little remained of Alva’s security force halted their attack for just a moment, all breathing a sigh of relief that they had managed to stop his relentless onslaught.
High above one of the shipping containers, the Skylark hovered. With one of its many enhanced cameras, it recorded a group of men unloading kilos of cocaine into the trunks of four black SUVs. The Skylark broadcasted this directly to Hardware, who was bull in a china shop mad after surviving the missile that had knocked him back about fifteen feet. Much to the awe of his attackers, he was virtually unharmed.
“Use the skylark to tail those vehicles. And page DCPD, if they’re asses aren’t on their way here already, they better be now.” Hardware fired up his jetpack, then loaded another shell into his Omnicannon.
The vehicles peel out of the shipping yard one after another, then split up in different directions. The Skylark followed the straggling vehicle as it jumped onto the freeway headed towards Paris Island. Hardware lowers his smoking Omnicannon and scans the yard for anyone still alive and conscious. He snatched up a guard doing his best to crawl out of sight by the scruff of his jacket and raised him to his eye line.
“Y’all weren’t guarding the usual cargo your boss moves around the city. So, what was so special to warrant this kind of defense?” Hardware anticipated his new found hostage resistance, so he once again extended his retractable sword. Holding the blade to the man’s neck, he leaned forward to be sure he knew that Hardware had no problems running the sword through him.
“I’d talk sooner than later if I was you. Figured jail is better than a closed casket.” The shaking guard hung his head before telling Hardware everything he wanted to hear.
**********
In the present, Curtis sat on the edge of the tub in Barraki’s bathroom while she tended to the cuts and abrasions on his head. As she dabbed at the wound gashed open across the side of his temple, Curtis couldn’t help but be thankful she somehow hadn’t thrown him out of her home.
“So, Alva’s decided to become the biggest coke supplier in the city?” Barraki mused, trying to keep up with Curtis story.
“You’re thinking in terms of what the average man would do in his position. If I know him, he’s aiming to be the biggest in the entire mid-west. What I’m confused about is why put his neck on the line like this? It can’t be about the money.”
“Edwin’s always been the greediest bastard I’ve ever met. I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe he’d sink lower once you started hacking away at his biggest illegal revenue stream.” Barraki reasoned, but she could tell that wasn’t a good enough answer for him.
“He’s pressed, and yeah some of that is me. But I think there’s someone else with their boot on Alva that has him trying to make deals with the very same gangs his gas canisters turned into bang babies.” Curtis thought aloud. “I tracked one of his drop-off cars to a spot on the south side of Paris Island tonight. Which is how I got my head split open six different ways.”
“So, Alva’s decided to become the biggest coke supplier in the city?” Barraki mused, trying to keep up with Curtis story.
“You’re thinking in terms of what the average man would do in his position. If I know him, he’s aiming to be the biggest in the entire mid-west. What I’m confused about is why put his neck on the line like this? It can’t be about the money.”
“Edwin’s always been the greediest bastard I’ve ever met. I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe he’d sink lower once you started hacking away at his biggest illegal revenue stream.” Barraki reasoned, but she could tell that wasn’t a good enough answer for him.
“He’s pressed, and yeah some of that is me. But I think there’s someone else with their boot on Alva that has him trying to make deals with the very same gangs his gas canisters turned into bang babies.” Curtis thought aloud. “I tracked one of his drop-off cars to a spot on the south side of Paris Island tonight. Which is how I got my head split open six different ways.”
**********
JUST A FEW HOURS AGO…
The Skylark hovered high in the clouds, its cameras focused below on a few blocks in the neighborhood. “There seems to be a string of peculiar heat signatures coming from that address.” OBIE informed its creator as its monitors zoomed in on a shuttered, seemingly abandoned house.
“Run another scan, make sure this is where they made the supply drop off.” Hardware commanded, and he watched as OBIE quickly followed suit.
“I am picking up trace amounts of cocaine diluted with fentanyl.” Hardware was horrified at the diagnostics OBIE showed him on his monitor.
“They’re cutting it with pure poison. Back channel onto the Alva Industries satellites and see if we can find the other drop-off points. Keep me informed, I’m going in on foot.”
Moments later Hardware plummeted from the sky with the assistance of his jetpack, coming to a silent landing in the backyard of the trap house. “All surveillance equipment on site has been scrambled.” OBIE assured him.
Hardware approached the run down back door and pushed it in, shocked that entry was so easy. As he walked through the darkened and run down home, his helmet’s HUD alerted him to the ever-rising heat signature’s that OBIE picked up. He checked the readings the Skylark picked up of drug activity and was puzzled, something that didn’t happen to Curtis Metcalf often.
“I’m a fool. There isn’t enough here for this to be a cook house. So either Alva knew I’d track the trucks or…”
“Or yo ass got played little boy. Plain and simple. Cut and dry.” Hardware looked around to see Leonard Smalls, the man known to most authorities and government officials as the criminal Holocaust. A backwood hanging out his mouth, he straightened the tie of his red and black suit as he looked Hardware up and down, more amused than intimidated.
“Now I really wasn’t crazy about Alva begging me to do his dirt for him. But the opportunity to have the richest white man in the city in my pocket?” Holocaust lit the backwood with nothing but the tip of his finger, then blew a fat cloud of smoke in Hardware’s direction. “Ain’t shit a man like myself can pass up? Not with the times we in, no sir.”
Hardware readied his Omnicannon with a shell, unbeknownst to his new found adversary. “I know you might be struggling to belong ever since you got knocked out your old crew. But being a lapdog for Alva? Not something I expected of you.
Holocaust chuckled and took a couple steps around Hardware as he puffed on the backwood. “That’s what you think? Should have stuck with your gut on this one. I ain’t here to kiss that man’s ring and do his bidding. The hell I look like to you?”
Hardware’s eyes narrowed and his HUD assessed the power output Leonard Smalls was building up in his body. Hardware braced himself, knowing exactly how this conversation was about to end. “That cocaine he was unloading, you’re his main distributor.”
“I was the only motherfucka for the job, my boy. And since Alva cut me such a sweet deal on product, I personally volunteered to turn you into ashes.” Holocaust boasted proudly. He hands began to glow a soft red, and Hardware’s suit alerted him to the temperature in the house rising to dangerous levels.
“I don’t want to put you down Leonard. But I will without hesitation.” Hardware responded firmly, knowing full well there was no avoiding the coming confrontation.
“You betta show me why Alva shaking like a stripper over you. I came for entertainment first and foremost.”
The Skylark hovered high in the clouds, its cameras focused below on a few blocks in the neighborhood. “There seems to be a string of peculiar heat signatures coming from that address.” OBIE informed its creator as its monitors zoomed in on a shuttered, seemingly abandoned house.
“Run another scan, make sure this is where they made the supply drop off.” Hardware commanded, and he watched as OBIE quickly followed suit.
“I am picking up trace amounts of cocaine diluted with fentanyl.” Hardware was horrified at the diagnostics OBIE showed him on his monitor.
“They’re cutting it with pure poison. Back channel onto the Alva Industries satellites and see if we can find the other drop-off points. Keep me informed, I’m going in on foot.”
Moments later Hardware plummeted from the sky with the assistance of his jetpack, coming to a silent landing in the backyard of the trap house. “All surveillance equipment on site has been scrambled.” OBIE assured him.
Hardware approached the run down back door and pushed it in, shocked that entry was so easy. As he walked through the darkened and run down home, his helmet’s HUD alerted him to the ever-rising heat signature’s that OBIE picked up. He checked the readings the Skylark picked up of drug activity and was puzzled, something that didn’t happen to Curtis Metcalf often.
“I’m a fool. There isn’t enough here for this to be a cook house. So either Alva knew I’d track the trucks or…”
“Or yo ass got played little boy. Plain and simple. Cut and dry.” Hardware looked around to see Leonard Smalls, the man known to most authorities and government officials as the criminal Holocaust. A backwood hanging out his mouth, he straightened the tie of his red and black suit as he looked Hardware up and down, more amused than intimidated.
“Now I really wasn’t crazy about Alva begging me to do his dirt for him. But the opportunity to have the richest white man in the city in my pocket?” Holocaust lit the backwood with nothing but the tip of his finger, then blew a fat cloud of smoke in Hardware’s direction. “Ain’t shit a man like myself can pass up? Not with the times we in, no sir.”
Hardware readied his Omnicannon with a shell, unbeknownst to his new found adversary. “I know you might be struggling to belong ever since you got knocked out your old crew. But being a lapdog for Alva? Not something I expected of you.
Holocaust chuckled and took a couple steps around Hardware as he puffed on the backwood. “That’s what you think? Should have stuck with your gut on this one. I ain’t here to kiss that man’s ring and do his bidding. The hell I look like to you?”
Hardware’s eyes narrowed and his HUD assessed the power output Leonard Smalls was building up in his body. Hardware braced himself, knowing exactly how this conversation was about to end. “That cocaine he was unloading, you’re his main distributor.”
“I was the only motherfucka for the job, my boy. And since Alva cut me such a sweet deal on product, I personally volunteered to turn you into ashes.” Holocaust boasted proudly. He hands began to glow a soft red, and Hardware’s suit alerted him to the temperature in the house rising to dangerous levels.
“I don’t want to put you down Leonard. But I will without hesitation.” Hardware responded firmly, knowing full well there was no avoiding the coming confrontation.
“You betta show me why Alva shaking like a stripper over you. I came for entertainment first and foremost.”
To Be Continued...