2 Lost and found

When Ray got down stairs the crowd parted while Sy stood on the spiral staircase stunned by the scene that was in front of them.

Three awakened kids and two hawks were bloody and on the ground, probably unconscious with need for serious medical attention.

A tall man, probably in his twenties, with tattoos all over his arms and chest stood over them. His fists covered in blood and a wicked smile on his face.

"Jack!" Ray shouted.

Jack looked up and sneered.

"The name is Hammer." He stepped over the teens he had beaten down and walked to Ray. "Long time no see, RayRay."

Jack, commonly known as Hammer, was the leader of a gang of awakened runaways. They terrorised small businesses getting them to pay protection money only to turn around and steal from them.

Over a year ago, Silas started hanging out with some of Jack's crew. They gave him a couple things and partied together. They made it seem like they were all friends and would do anything for each other but in truth, they were trying to recruit him.

When they found out that Silas could teleport, they were excited but when they figured out that his range was unlimited they immediately ran to tell Jack.

Jack had long been wanting Silas to join his gang because he could use someone use teleport range was unlimited. It was seriously rare to have unlimited range and Silas could teleport anywhere as long as he had been there before.

The problem was that Silas did not want to join them and Jack had no way to stop him from teleporting. Three months ago, Jack heard that Sy had a friend who he always stuck by and they had parties at this abandoned mansion pulling in five thousand credits a week.

Jack went there and caused a scene nearly similar to the one he had just caused. Jack had inhuman strength and inhuman speed, weaker versions of super strength and super speed. He was not shy with his abilities either. He used them to get what he wanted and he really wanted Sy.

Three months ago when he came, he met Raymond. Ray paid Jack twelve thousand credits to back off, money that he had been saving for emergencies in case he and Sy had to pick up and leave.

"What are you doing here, Jack?" Ray asked.

Jack's body tensed.

"My name is Hammer!" Jack shouted. "Do not make me tell you again."

Jack moved to an empty couch and sat himself down.

"Besides, I came to party. You would not fault me for that, would you, RayRay?"

"There are rules here. You cannot beat up whomever you like. You need to go." Ray responded.

"I don't think so, RayRay. I quite like it here. In fact, I like it so much that I think I will take it from you." Jack smiled and crossed his legs. "Yeah, I like that idea. I like it a lot."

Previously Jack was not interested in the mansion. He thought it was something that would blow over quick or that the cops would bust up soon but this little venture of Ray's had been going on for a year with no near end in sight. Even rich kids had been coming to party there for a few months so more money was coming in.

Among those rich kids were hawks (hopeful awakeners) who wanted to be around teens with abilities. Jack figured that these rick hawks would do something that he would later blackmail them and their families for. The way Jack saw it, Ray was siting on a gold mine and he was only utilising a mere fraction of it.

"You want it. Take it. It's all yours. Sy, pack up, we are leaving." Ray shouted without taking his eyes off Jack.

"Tsk," Jack stood up again. "I really did not expect it to be so easy. Well, I do not mind but I do mind you taking Silas. I still have use for him."

"Not happening." Ray said firmly. He tone was slightly threatening.

"You cannot stop me, RayRay. The streets tell me that you only have inhuman senses. You are useful to me too but not as much as Silas over there so if he runs, I will beat you into a pulp. Hell, I may even kill you."Jack laughed.

Ray's hand balled up into a fist. "I dare you to try."

"Raymond, don't do this. Just go. I will stay." Sy shouted.

"See? Sy gets the idea but there is one little problem there. If you go, I will have no guarantee that Sy won't pop off and join you somewhere. You will stay with me, RayRay."

Ray looked at Jack, Jack smiled at Ray and Sy watched Jack while the rest of the people there were trying to figure out how to get out.

The sound of police sirens finally defused the situation. Ray spat and looked around.

"Who called the cops? Which one of you called the cops?!" He roared.

Sy breathed a sigh of relief while Ray was just as concerned as Jack.

"WE HAVE THE PLACE SURROUNDED! COME OUT PEACEFULLY OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO ENTER AND TAKE ACTION!"

*****

The cops had raided them hard. Sy, Jack, Ray and other drifters had been arrested and tagged with power dampening cuffs.

Ray sat quietly in the interrogation room though somewhat dejected.

The door opened and a woman with brown hair, a black suit and red lipstick walked in.

"Raymond Joseph Stevens, seventeen years old, turning eighteen in two days, no known address, parents died in a car crash and no living relatives." the woman pulled up a chair and sat across from Ray.

Ray did not even look at her.

"You are an awakened drifter and your birthday is on the day of Global Remembrance. You are a really unlucky kid." She stated. "You know the teleporter?"

Ray looked at her. There was no fear in his eyes. There was no anger. It was as if he completely disregarded her.

"I will assume you do. Do you have any connections with Jack "Hammer" Lawrence?"

Ray smiled.

"His last name is Lawrence? That is amusing."

"You like to laugh?" the detective asked.

"When I find something funny, I do."

"I got something really funny then. I got witnesses that say that Jack came to the abandoned place you and your friends were squatting in and caused trouble. Five kids have been rushed to the hospital but no one is willing to pin Jack as the attacker. If you do, I am willing to let you and the other small fries walk free. You can continue your business or drift, whatever, we do not care."

Ray went back to being silent.

"You have shut up again huh?" The detective looked at Ray but Ray was no longer looking at her. "I guess you and your friends will go to prison then. We will catch Jack some other time."

The detective stood up and slowly walked to the door. She had done this multiple times. She knew that eight times out of ten, the drifters would crack if they were left to stew on their own.

"You miscalculated." Ray said.

The detective took her hand off the doorknob, feeling a little smug then turned around.

"Oh really? Would you like to tell me how I miscalculated?"

"From the moment my fingerprints were put into your system, you had ten minutes. You wasted seven of those when you left me in this room. I assume your boss told you to leave me alone. You decided to play hero and be a rebel just to catch Jack.

What your boss did not tell you is that he probably got a call from Silver City. Your decision to come in here and posture lost you another two minutes." Ray while looking at the wall.

The detective had experience. She was shocked by what this drifter had said but could not show it.

"Oh yeah? I count nine minutes. What happens on the tenth?"

Ray turned to look at her.

"I wasted the last minute so that I could see your face when this happened." Ray smiled and before the detective could answer, a loud knock broke her concentration.

She opened the door and a caucasian man with white hair, a white trimmed beard wearing a black suit and trench-coat stood in front of her.

This was the real reason Ray felt dejected. The moment his fingerprints went into the system it was game, set and match. He knew that they would find him.

He was just happy it was a familiar face that came to get him.

"Detective Bayes, I am told your Captain would like to speak to you." the man said with a soft tone but his eyes were nearly feral as if he were enraged.

"Who are you?" The detective asked.

"I am mister Stevens' transportation. He is leaving."

The detective wanted to understand what was going on but her captain appeared behind the well-dressed gentleman.

"Let it go, Linda." Her detective said quietly. "You have a bigger problem. My office, now."

Linda was shocked. Who was this person? Who was Raymond? What the hell was happening?

The gentleman disregarded the two cops and looked over to the person he was actually interested in.

"Mr. Stevens, if you would please follow me?" the man's eyes were gentler when looking at Raymond.

"It was fun while it lasted." Ray stood up and looked at Lucien. "There is someone we are taking with us though."

Lucien was a little surprised but did not argue. He let Raymond walk out the door first then followed behind.