1 Chapter 1: Xander the Maw

Outside a dilapidated old house big canisters that contained fire sat, surrounded by men and women who appeared to put the definition of 'wacky' to the test. A man with dark blonde hair and tanned skin walked inside exchanging greetings along with way with those who would turn to him. Victor Kovit was the right hand of the terror that ruled the Prowlers, Xander and he had the authority everywhere in this house that they used as a headquarters and the gang itself operated mostly under his instructions. As he went inside he saw a women with a pink pixie cut stretch her hands as she yawned. She turned to look at him and he had to admit she despite having seen better days still looked beautiful in quirky way. She gave him a light grin, one which he returned.

"Xander?" he asked.

"In…with Shade," she replied. "Is there a problem?"

Victor let out a sigh. "Problems are all we have Emi."

"Care to share?" she asked.

"I will…need to talk with Xander first."

He turned to walk in and as she turned back to her walk, he looked once over her desk to see the assortment of smartphones on there along with two laptops. Emilia Pardo found information for the Prowlers. From where, he didn't know and he hadn't asked but she helped…a great deal and the boss was happy, when the boss was happy, he was happy. He navigated his way through the broken down den, moving a couple who were avidly interested in their own business aside, gently and he knocked on the glass door, covered on the inside by blinds.

***

Inside the broken down den, in the room on the farthest end, closed off by a glass door with blinds, a tomboyish girl stood next to a heavy bag. She had pale blonde hair and frightening cold ice blue eyes. She jabbed at the heavy bag occasionally layering hooks and uppercuts in. A few feet away from her on a couch sat a middle-aged man, casually watching the process in which she went at the heavy bag.

"You've gotten faster Katya," he said.

She didn't reply, instead putting more effort into punching at the bag while weaving in and out of range quickly. She jabbed again and then spun around, landing a heavy kick on the bag which sent it swinging back. With that she stood back and slicked back her short hair and she then proceeded to eye the man.

"You don't need to look at me like that," the man said with a chuckle. "You've already learned beyond what I taught you."

She balled up her wrapped wrists and eyed it carefully and the man got up off the couch and walked up to her. He bent ever so slightly coming to eye level with her.

"It's not about the number of techniques you have kiddo, it's about this thing up here," he said pointing his index at the side of her head. "You have keen instincts and you've built yourself up on the back of daily fights, trust me when I say you're strong."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Katya whipped her head around with a frown.

"Who is it?" called out Katya in voice a pitch more gruff than one would expect.

"It should be Vic," said the man, Shade.

"Does he need to talk?" she asked in her normal voice towards Shade quietly.

"He did call me," said Shade suddenly looking up at the ceiling.

"And you're telling me now?" she asked with a hiss.

"I forgot," he said smiling innocently.

She balled up her fists calming the urge to smack him upside the head and then took in a deep breath and moved towards the door when her arm was suddenly grabbed from behind.

"You forgot your coat," he said pointing at the black coat that lay on the couch.

She bit her lip at her own stupidity and then slid over to grab her coat. She flipped it on herself and pulled up the hood and then she took in another deep breath and turned towards Shade who let out a half smile. She proceeded to then pull up the patterned bandanna around her neck up to her mouth to better conceal her face.

"Now you look like Xander," he said.

Katya moved towards the door and pulled it open to come face to chest with Victor Kovit, her right hand man. He stumbled back in surprise as she lightly coughed twice.

"What do you want to talk about, Kovit?" asked Katya in her gruff voice.

Kovit looked at his boss in all her glory, concealing a secret, he had yet never even suspected. As her ice cold eyes landed on him he gulped, it was always terrifying when Xander the Maw, eyed you up like that, like you were piece of meat he was waiting to rip apart.

"There's someone that's been wanting to talk with you," said Victor. "He arrived this morning apparently, him and three others and none of them would take no for answer."

"Did you try forcing this 'no' down their throat?" asked Katya with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh…one of them did try that," said Victor with a weak smile. "It got forced back down his throat instead I believe."

"Are we going to have trouble Kovit?" asked Katya with a sigh as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Uh-," Victor had started before he was interrupted by abrupt footsteps and a sudden voice.

"You won't have any trouble from me."