ISSUE #3 (October 2018)
Written by Jake Hawkins Featuring: The Red Hood
Shiva
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COMPTON, CALIFORNIA
1:38 AM Calvin Graham tossed a Gucci duffle bag on to his shoulder as he stepped out of his Chevy Bel-Air. He looked up and down the street, careful to be sure there were no eyes on him as he headed around to the back of the house. Seated in front of the doors to the cellar was a lone man reading an old copy of the source, a Draco sub machine gun across his lap. His eyes caught Calvin as he entered the backyard, and he scooted his chair out of his way before greeting him. “They in there already?” Calvin asked as he pulled open one of the doors. “Yeah they waiting on you.” The man responded before returning to his magazine. Calvin headed downstairs and into the cellar, the sounds of Sada Baby’s “Bloxk Party” blaring out of a set of speakers near the flat screen television where a couple of guys were deep into a game of Madden. On the couch behind them sat a pair of girls chopping up lines of off yellow cocaine before going to town. In the kitchen, Terrence Graves stirred feverishly while pouring baking soda and ice into a pot, pausing only to grab the joint being passed to him by his girlfriend. “I see y’all getting litty round here tonight.” Calvin said as he dropped his bag on the kitchen counter, a broad smile on his face while he greeted Terrence. “Aye I don’t care who win, but I got next!” He called to the pair playing Playstation as he poured himself a cup of E&J and took a seat at the table near the kitchen. “You got something good for me?” Terrence asked as he scooped freshly made chunks of crack into a baking dish to dry before it would be divided into rocks. Terrence looked proudly at his work before passing the joint back to his girlfriend, who then joined a couple of women on the couch that were watching the game lazily. “Why else you think I came over here? Chop that shit up so I can get it moving.” Calvin instructed him as he watched Terrence open the Gucci bag and pull out two bricks of the very same cocaine the girls were using. “Yeah boy this the shit I like to see right here.” He exclaimed, clapping the bricks together excitedly. Suddenly his face dropped, and he shot Calvin a grim look. “You sure he don’t know you been skimming?” Terrence asked, setting the bricks down next to the stove. “If he does, he damn sure don’t give two shits. All this dope stuff just a way for Snake to flex and get his side hustle on.” Calvin assured him before getting up and cutting the crack into nuggets himself. “I got a few dudes I trust pushing some of the shit you cooked up last night now but it’s sliding heavy.” “Man if we wasn’t dealing with him I would have been said we need to run up on him for the plug.” Terrence lamented as he took a seat where Calvin once was, drinking straight from the bottle of E&J as he considered their missed opportunity. There was a loud bang from the top of the steps as the doors to the cellar could be heard clanging open, prompting Calvin to stop what he was doing and pull his pistol from his waistband. He held up a hand at Terrence, signaling to him that he had it handled. The other two men went back to their game, not the least bit concerned about the commotion. Suddenly a body came tumbling down the stairs, crashing to a stop at Calvin’s feet. Calvin’s eyes went wide as he looked down and saw the man who had been guarding the doors to the cellar unconscious, his nose broken and several lacerations across his face. “See I figured you were stupid when I stumbled upon your little racket here in the first place.” The voice of the Red Hood reached the cellar as he creaked down the stairs. Calvin stumbled back several steps when the vigilante reached the basement, his signature jagged blade twirling in his left hand. “Anybody brave enough to start turning this shit into rocks has to be a few keys short of a set ya know? But to steal from King Snake on top of it all? I usually wouldn’t consider myself the lesser of two evils but in this case, the boot fits sadly.” One of the men playing Madden, instantly dropped his controller and stood up, drawing his glock nine. Before he could fire Red Hood effortlessly knocked his hand away, sending the gun scattering and in one swift motion slashed his throat with his blade. The man’s eyes go wide as his blood splattered across the faces of the fear-stricken women on the couch. He clutched at his throat with both hands, blood gurgling from his mouth and seeping down before he finally fell on his face dead. The Red Hood stepped past the body as blood stained the wool carpet, his gaze falling on the crack nuggets in the baking dish near Calvin. He approached the counter and picked up one of the nuggets. From inside his helmet, his scanners analyzed the piece of crack before showing him a detailed graph of its purity and components. “One hit of this and that’s a wrap huh? No repeat customers for you guys I see.” Calvin and Terrence eyed each other nervously before Calvin’s set his sights on the bat symbol on Red Hood’s chest. Red Hood caught him staring at the insignia and put the crack back down, turning his attention fully to Calvin. “I know right? It puts that feeling in you doesn’t it? That complete and utter terror that you have made all the wrong decisions and the closest thing to the wrath of god on this earth is about to come down on you. I’ll admit, back in the day, I never believed in all his symbolism bullshit. But let me tell you, there is nothing more effective than a well-established brand of fear.” Red Hood explained before stepping directly into Calvin’s face. Calvin cut his eyes over at Terrence, doing his absolute best not to stare into the cold reflective slits in the Red Hood’s helmet. “It’s always a great foot forward to have your opposition second guessing their every move.” “What reason we got to be worried about you? Shit that thing on your chest don’t tell me nothing but we walking out of here alive at the very least.” Terrence brazenly interrupted, lifting his shirt to show the vigilante he was armed. “Well you know what, usually you’d be right. Unfortunately, I tend to operate pretty far off the reservation.” Without so much as glancing in Terrence’s direction, the Red Hood tossed his knife at Graves with astounding quickness. The blade sunk into Terrence’s chest with a plunk, piercing his heart on impact. Terrence fell against the table and on to the floor, his eyes wide open as he gasped his last breaths. Jason then pulled his .45 from its holster and fired a single shot at one of the men behind him who had been foolish enough to attempt to retreat up the stairs. Red Hood turned to the women huddled together on the couch, watching the entire scene too petrified to move. “I suggest you all get the fuck on. And make these the very last dope boys you decide to associate yourselves with.” The women rushed from the couch and up the stairs, the cellar doors banging noisily as they made their escape. He pulled the knife from Terrence chest, wiping the blood off on his jacket. The Red Hood pulled off his helmet once he and Calvin were alone, his streak of white hair prominent under the dim lighting in the cellar. He adjusted his half red, half white domino mask before helping himself to the rest of the bottle of E&J. He ran a hand through his hair, eyeing Calvin with vague interest. “Once I found out you were a Ghost Dragon, I figured you’d lead me to one of two things: Some of this shit...” Jason said as he held up one of the bricks of cocaine, “Or to Dorrance himself. While I’m pleased to take this off your hands, I’m disappointed to discover after tailing you for the last sixteen hours that you seem to be embarrassingly low on the totem pole. I’m going to need you to give me a reason why I shouldn’t blow your brains all over this basement, and I’m going to count to five.” Jason said before cocking his gun and putting it to Calvin’s temple. “I…I heard some stuff from a couple of the higher up guys. I think, and I swear I’m not lying but I think I know where he’ll be tomorrow night.” Calvin managed to stammer, sweat dripping down his brow as he whispered a quick prayer under his breath. “Where, why, and how trustworthy is the source?” Jason asked briskly, not moving his gun an inch from Calvin’s head. “One of his personal security was having a drink over at my boy Ray spot a couple nights back. He let slip there was gonna be a meeting between Snake and some real heavy hitters at some upscale spot downtown.” Calvin testified, dropping to his knees and putting his hands together once he finished. “ I put that on my grandmother’s daughter that’s all I know.” Jason studied him for a moment before finally lowering his gun. “I appreciate the intel, unfortunately though, you have been pushing some absolutely lethal crack the past few days. Three bodies were found in the last twelve hours alone from that garbage you two had been cooking up. Examples must be made, I’m sure a man with your credentials in the streets out here can appreciate that.” As soon as Jason finished his sentence, Calvin built up the courage to make a run for it, bolting past the vigilante and heading towards the stairs. The bottle of E&J crashes into the back of his head, shattering everywhere and sending him crashing to the ground, slamming his chin on the bottom step on the way down. Calvin’s head swam as he watched Jason step over him and begin to head up the stairs. He listened as the cellar doors closed above before finally desperately attempting to pull himself to his feet. It was once he had gotten to one knee that he realized Jason had left his helmet behind. It was also when he caught that the eye slits of the helmet had begun to glow a bright white. Jason stepped into his Porsche as the explosion from the cellar rocked the entire street. He watched the house become engulfed in flames through his side mirror before finally pulling off casually down the street. As he rounded the corner he quickly dialed a number in the burner phone he had been given by G.O.O.D. “Yeah I got something worth its weight. Send me the rendezvous point.” He answered before abruptly hanging up and tossing the phone into his passenger seat. I’d find this whole turn of events highly amusing if it hadn’t all started the way it did. Somehow, I’ve ended up a liaison alongside two of the deadliest people on the planet for a group of spies so far off the radar I’m wondering if Bruce even knows they exist. I’ll play ball with Dragon and Shiva if it gets me in front of whoever is responsible for this shit eating through the city, but I’ll be damned if I cut corners for anybody. Those rats in that basement had that coming, and so will anyone else I find trying to profit off addiction. HOTEL INDIGO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES 3:56 AM Barney Ling puffed on a Marlboro red out front of the building as a Kawasaki Ninja 250R roared up to the hotel’s valley parking service. Shiva handed the valet attendant the keys to her very much stolen bike and briskly entered the hotel. Ling tossed his cigarette away before following her inside. In the hotel’s luxury suite, Jason made himself a drink before pulling off his domino mask and lounging in a nearby arm chair. He tossed his head back and took a sip, doing his best to relax and try to keep the image of Karlee he had etched in his mind as far out of it as possible. It was then the door to the suite opened as Ling and Shiva entered. “You asked me here to meet with the pup? Where’s Dragon?” Shiva demanded, eyeing Ling with mercurial curiosity. “Richard’s chasing down a lead at my request, but the kid’s got something substantial.” Barney insisted as he approached the bar and made himself a drink as well. “King Snake’s got a meeting tonight a few blocks from here. Don’t know exactly who with but I did some more digging and he rented out the entire Nomad just to host his guests. He’s been pushing out this coke all over, Ghost Dragon territory has expanded rapidly since he’s come out here. They’ve got everything covered from Watts to Long beach.” Jason explained as he stood up. “Very pertinent information, but what do you propose we do with it?” Shiva asked, swiping Jason’s drink from his hand with deft speed and taking a sip herself. “My guess is King Snake knows exactly whose manufacturing this shit and bringing it in. Probably the same people who created those things that attacked me at Egon’s and sent Midnighter to rearrange my head. So, I’m going down to the Nomad to ask him a few questions. That is after I shoot pretty much everything in sight.” Jason responded. “While we appreciate the information and your help on this case, we can’t afford to possibly lose a lead like this on your shoot first, shoot some more, and when everyone’s dead try to ask a question or two approach.” Barney stated flatly. “We need to get in there and bring in Dorrance alive. Until Dragon makes contact, you two are our field team on this.” “I don’t have time to babysit another one of the Batman’s tired pupils. This will get us nowhere!” Shiva barked, tired of taking orders from Ling. “You want to play it that way, by all means go right ahead,” Jason told her as he headed for the door, “But I didn’t hear you coming in here with any better options, so if you want to get to the bottom of all this as quickly as possible, than I propose a little begrudging camaraderie on both our parts.” Shiva said nothing for a moment, before finally turning to Ling with her arms folded, a scowl on her face. “What is the best course of action from here?” On the other side of the city, Richard Dragon stepped through the wreckage of the crime scene where David Parker and two police officers had been brutally murdered. He ducked under the police tape and took in his surroundings, examining the puncture marks in the tire of the police cruiser. The width and angle of the slashes from the projectiles pointed to Midnighter’s favorite long-range weapons, Dragon surmised. It was then he heard the slightest hint of movement behind him that roused him from his investigation and put him on his guard. “I wouldn’t fret about me. I’m not the sort for any of what you’re known for.” the voice of the Machinist called out as the clanking sounds of metal against what was left of the convenience store floor grew louder. “Whoever you are, I hope you aren’t here to tie up any more loose ends.” Richard stated boldly as he straightened his tie and adjusted his suit jacket. He pulled his badge from his breast pocket and flashed his G.O.O.D. ID. “Interfering in one of our investigations is an automatic bid in a federal facility.” “But I came all the way down here to meet the famous dragon himself. Don’t spurn me the opportunity to gaze upon a true warrior.” It was then the Machinist stepped into Dragon’s view, his face illuminated by the street lights nearby. Richard saw to his horror that the Machinist resembled nothing close to human, his face a composite of various metal plating's and pieces thrown together. “I can’t imagine Parker was anyone of significance on your totem pole, why have him killed?” Dragon demanded, not the least bit intimidated by whatever the Machinist was. “This grand undertaking my employers have in mind for reshaping this city requires delicate precision. No matter how insignificant Mr. Parker may have been, we simply could not afford to have him be a possible problem in the future. But enough about the departed, I didn’t sully myself skulking through this cesspool of a city coming down here for him.” “Then what are you here for?” Dragon asked warily. “Research.” The Machinist answered truthfully. And with that an android similar to the ones Jason battled dropped onto the trunk of the cruiser and aimed a kick at Richard’s neck. Dragon didn’t even turn his head in the android’s direction as he raised his forearm just in time to block the blow. He promptly spun and delivered a chop to the back of the android’s knee, tripping it up and sending it crashing onto the trunk. No sooner had he turned his attention back to the Machinist that another android appeared, this one leaping at him with a flying kick he managed to step out of the way of. The android’s kick left a sizeable dent in the side of the cruiser. Dragon wasted no time offering up a counter attack, catching the android across its chin with a roundhouse kick that sent it stumbling back. Before he could follow up, the first android sprung off the trunk at Richard, who in one fluid motion used the robot’s momentum against it and drove it into the ground, completely caving in its head. Richard quickly turned and began to bombard the second android with a blinding fury of piston like punches, the robot crumpling to the floor once the assault was over. Richard checked his surroundings, ready for any other attack on the horizon. Finally coming to the conclusion the ordeal had come to an end, he pulled his cellphone from his pocket and immediately called Barney. “We’re going to need an evac team down here, immediately.” Dragon stated. Unbeknownst to the storied martial artist, A small drone hovered around the derelict convenience store, finally floating down the block and into an alley where the Machinist was waiting. “Upload all observed data to primary mainframe, then deactivate.” He ordered the drone. After a few moments the light on top the drone turned green, signaling it had completed its upload before it began to crack and fizzle and finally clunked to the ground. THE NOMAD DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES Edmund Dorrance walked through the restaurant, it’s dining area empty of customers but its kitchen stocked with busy employee’s bustling about preparing a lavish five course meal curated by Dorrance himself. Surrounding him were five of what were known as the Omega dragons, an elite circle of the ghost dragons who had been handpicked to be King Snake’s first line of defense. Shin, Rey, Osiris, Pact and Mikur had spent hours scouting and canvassing the building for any possible trouble that could be on the horizon hours before Dorrance even sat foot on the premises. A pair of hosts opened the main doors to the restaurant and Bakugo Oshimori walked in, his cane in one hand as he was flanked by six women in the most expensive kimonos one had ever seen. Edmund crossed the room and shook Oshimori’s hand, nodding politely with a curt bow to his beautiful guards. Oshimori was led to their table by one of the waitresses at the Nomad as Dorrance turned his attention to his second guest. A massive Serbian man entered the Nomad alone, removing a pair of Cartier sunglasses as he entered. He shook hands with King Snake, who in turn greeted him curtly. “Pleased to see you managed to make it in on such short notice, Sergei.” Dorrance sneered, motioning for him to join Bakugo at their table. The pair of them took their seats before the staff began to set appetizers in front of them. “While I’m sure you’re enjoying putting on this parade of elegance, I didn’t come here to watch you stroke your ego. What are the terms you’re offering?” Bakugo spat as he took a cup of tea from a waiter. “I’ll supply you both with the product, in turn I receive 30% of everything you bring in.” King Snake stated flatly as he took a sip of wine. “While your product is impressive as are the numbers you’ve been bringing in, you can’t possibly expect us to agree to 30% of our profits.” Sergei answered gruffly. “This isn’t your usual stuff smuggled across the border and stepped on before it hits the streets. This stuff- “Edmund held out his hand and Rey promptly placed a brick of the cocaine in his hand, “is the key to enslaving populations. It will redefine the way you do business. The way the world operates around you. Now here I am doing this just to get my kicks, nice little tax right off and I’ve got this shit here running through three major colleges and four different gangs. And that’s me not applying myself and ignoring the low-level bastards stealing from me.” “20%. That is the only offer you will receive from me.” Oshimori croaked. “While I appreciate you two coming all this way to hear what I have to say, you are both very foolish if you believe the numbers are in any way up for negotiation.” “But the numbers are always changing Dorrance, you of all people should know you need to roll with the punches.” A gruff voice interrupted the conversation and the three men turned to see none other than Two-Face entering the Nomad, striding over to their table and taking a seat. A nervous waiter rushed over to Dent. “Sir I’m terribly sorry but the venue has been bought for the evening. I’m going to have to ask that you leave.” Two-face turned to the waiter before flipping his coin. He glances at it before pulling one of his .45’s and promptly shooting the waiter in the head. Dent then begins to help himself to the food on the table. “As far as your terms go Dorrance, you can count me in. I’ll have the money transferred to your usual offshore account within the next two hours.” Harvey barked, bringing a crafty smile to Dorrance face. “How’d you even know about this Dent?” King Snake asked, intrigued by the fact Two-Face had strayed so far from Gotham just to do business with him. “I always keep a pair of rats in the crew of anybody who's ever done business with Gotham. Don’t bother trying to sniff em out later, I strangled both of them on the way over.” Two-Face answered before snatching a bottle of wine from a passing waitress before pouring himself a glass. 250 yards away, Jason sat on the rooftop of an abandoned building, watching the entire scene through his rifles scope. He set his sights on Sergei as he prepared to pull the trigger. “On your call Shiva.” He spoke into his communicator, itching to get the operation off the ground. TO BE CONTINUED IN ISSUE #4 |