6 Manley Be Good
Manley and Roger immediately froze up, they were ready to face gangsters but not in these numbers. Also, could they really slaughter random strangers, most of these people wouldn't have a problem going to the police. Luckily none of them were paying attention to the door.
They backed out and went back to the previous room to plan what to do now.
"Let's close and lock the front door so that no one comes in and decide to call the police." Manley walked over to the gated window while Roger headed to the front door.
Roger was able to get the front door locked and bolt, the place was prepared for when someone tried to break in. He turned around in time to see that Manley got the gate around the window booth open by reaching through the bars.
Manley jumped through the window, looked around then came back out.
"Something wrong?" asked Roger.
"No, help me block the other door so that no one of them come out here." Manley moved to crab the sparse furnishings in the room and start stacking them.
They both jumped through the window one after the other. Manley led the way around the stairs that lead to the second floor. They entered a hallway leading to another set of stairs heading down at the end. On the side of the hallway are boarded windows with wooden handles at the bottom. Lifting the handle slightly they could see into the previous room with all the spectators.
"I am thinking that the people in charge are upstairs, and the dogs are kept downstairs," said Manley.
"I think we should check the upstairs first; we could be trapped in here if they come behind us," said Roger.
"Ah…yeah good idea actually."
They doubled back to the stairs leading up and slowly tried to sneak up, but the stairs creaked loudly. They decided to walk normally as to not alarm whoever is upstairs. As they ascended the stairs they came to a door.
They opened the door, one went left, the other went right. It was a surprisingly large room, with two couches in the middle facing each other. Two men with suits sat opposite each other and two men with Thompson submachine guns, one next to each of them. Two other men a lot closer to the door, one was about to serve drinks. The other man, in a green suit jacket, turned towards the door.
"Vincent, you're already done do—"
Manley was on him before green jacket could finish his sentence. Roger spread his arms and fired off at the two men with guns. They were too far to fry but he was able to blind them.
Manley hit green jacket with a crowbar to the jaw, continued his momentum into a spin. At the end of his spin, he was hit in the face by the other man with a drink.
Manley backed up and covered his face while Roger came forward to fry the drink server.
EXP Gained 10
Manley recovered and rushed green jacket who was getting up with the icepick in his off hand.
EXP Gained 10
Manley jumped and rolled over the table behind green jacket to join Roger who was already circling around. The two bodyguards with guns were on the ground screaming. They wanted to get to them before they recover and start shooting blindly. The men in suits looked like they also plan to fight back and was close enough to get the bodyguard's gun.
Roger got to one bodyguard that was about to lift his gun from a kneeling position. His eyes were shut tightly as Roger's knee met his grimacing face. He met his end with an energy beam to the neck.
EXP Gained 20
Manley got to the other bodyguard as one of the men in a suit was reaching for the gun he held. Manley brained suit guy and stabbed bodyguard as he looked up in response to the sound.
EXP Gained 30
"Wait! I don't know who sent you, but I can pay more," said the last man in a suit.
Manley approached him as Roger hesitated. He lifted his crowbar; the man covered his head while backing up to the wall. Manley hit him in the knee, then stabbed him in his neck when he reached for his knee.
EXP Gained 10
They checked the room, collected three hundred dollars, Kabar fixed knife and sheath and the guns. Manley decided to replace the icepick with the knife.
"We should pack up what we want and collect it on the way out of here. Leave the guns, we might hurt each other with those," said Manley.
They made their way to the hallway and down the stairs at the end. At the bottom they could see two people checking cages. One of the two was talking to a third, whose voice was coming from an adjacent room. Gages line the room of the basement, half of them had dogs in them.
Manley and Roger casually walked up to the two men, that weren't paying attention to them. One got stabbed and the other, his neck was scorched, and he suffocated.
EXP Gained 15
In the connecting room, they found the other man taking care of two Labrador Retriever puppies. He turned around, looked at them, then Roger blinded him from across the room. Manley walked up and finished him.
EXP Gained 5
LEVEL UP
PARTY Members Max Increase to 2
GROUP Members Max Increase to 6
Free Attribute Points 2
"…Yeeeees," said Manley.
Manley applied the two points to his intelligence because his mental stats are the hardest to raise but will be the most useful in the long run.
Manley "Buff" Hill Race: Human/Mutant
Age: 11 EXP. 302/500 LV. 1
TITLE: Mutant [Title Effect] Reality Manipulator
HP: 200/200 MP: 160/160
ATTRIBUTES
STR 16
AGI 18
DEX 16
CON 20
WIS 13
INT 16
CHA 4
He was so excited walked up the one of the puppies and picked it up. "Ha, ha, how are you doing little guy." Manley lowered it and started petting him.
"What happened?" asked Roger.
"Finally level up buddy, and now have a clue as to how to get stronger."
"Really, how then?"
"The PARTY system. How about it, little guy, would you like to join my PARTY." Manley looked into the puppy's eyes and aske half seriously.
PARTY Accepted
GROUP Created Animal Companion
"No way, hahaha…all this time…," said Manley.
He then did the same with the other puppy and four other big dogs. Some of the dogs were very aggressive and didn't accept his invite, which he didn't know was possible. He was ultimately able to get one Bulldog and three German Shepherd to complete his group.
TRAIT Gained Pack Leader
GROUP/PARTY
PARTY
Roger "Rek" Barren
Brother's Keeper
Improved Teamwork
Mutant
Energy Projection
GROUP
Animal Companion
Pack Leader
Improved Leadership
Canine
Manley spent a couple minutes getting used to his new group. The pack leader trait gives him some control over them. Control is a strong word; it makes him understood by them and if one follows the rest eventually falls in line.
"Let's grab what we can and clear out of here. I would say release the rest of the animals but that could ruin our escape." Manley started commanding his dogs to head up the stairs they came down.
"The stuff upstairs are already in bags, how are we going to fit the dogs and ourselves in the car?" asked Roger.
"It will be a tight squeeze, but we should make it. Oh, how did you stop yourself from constantly sensing my location?"
"I just thought about it...because it was getting annoying, and it worked."
"Hopefully if I tell the dogs they will understand and not follow me home. Although we could each take a puppy home."
"I…hmm…I think my parents would like that but me or my sister would have to take care of it."
"You never mention a sister and I never saw her when I was over at your place."
"She is nine…I think she is the reason my parents stayed together…"
They packed up all the bags, although they had some trouble getting the dogs through the window into the fist room. Luckily no one from the crowd tried to leave yet, so they were able to fill up the car before someone even tried.
Driving away from the kennel wasn't comfortable with all the dogs stuffed in the backseats trying to get into the front seats. They drove back to the abandoned building they use as a base and tried to settle the dogs in.
"Let's off load the bags, then I will teach these guys to stay here. We should get them food before going home." Manley started giving the dogs commands, but he couldn't tell if they will follow. They just sat there and looked at him.
"Tell them this is their territory, and they should defend it," said Roger.
"Yo! that's a really good idea," said Manley.
Manley and Roger unloaded their spoils, settled the dogs and got them food. Roger went to the gas station to fill a gas can, and Manley got some food for the dogs. They each went home with a puppy in hand.
Manley showed his parent's the puppy, he was told he can keep it, if he cleans up after it. His family sat down for dinner.
"Did you hear what happened at the O'Leary Junkyard?" asked Ashly.
"The gangsters have been desperate, if they attack each other, we're safe. Lay, when you and your friend go out and play, be careful," said Robert.
"We will dad, it can't be that bad right dad?" asked Manley.
"There are monsters in this world son that will do terrible things to people, much less kids. As a soldier, I did things that will haunt me. As a doctor, I try to help as many people as I can. Son, I hope you can be a better man than me, and only bring good into this world." Robert smiled at his son then continued eating.
Manley went to bed but couldn't sleep, he sat on the edge of the bed and faced his parent's bedroom.
"I am not a good man dad; I wish I could describe myself as practical or rational. I made a child into a killer, including myself. The only way I could justify myself is to say that the world is a dangerous place and morality is a convenience of peace. The truth is that I am scared and desperate and I made hard but questionable choices. I am sorry I can't be the kid you deserve, but I doubt you had the option for anything good in this body." Manley talked to himself until he finally fell asleep.
