Chapter 24 - Downtown
The night was more or less silent, as we were nearing the inner parts of the once great city. If you weren't around before the war, you probably wouldn't know anything about this place, other than how dangerous it was. Strolling through streets with weird stars on the pavement was one of those few weird experiences for us, younger generations. None of us really knew what this place was about.
We saw some huge signs on the side of a hill, that sort of looked like something I saw in a book once, but I couldn't make it out, and I was never really interested enough to ask about them. I remembered some of the things though, as something that I've already seen a few years ago, when I was here last. Meda's expression seemed somewhat puzzled as well, yet somehow nostalgic about this place.
After walking around for about an hour and a half, we finally heard some sounds. Music, as well as loud chatter, and maybe even some shouting. We decided to head for it straight, and picked up a faster pace, then previously. I had a feeling in the back of my mind, that this would probably put us on track, but that it could also be rather scary. We might even have to fight some folks around, given that they are sort of outlaws as well.
We found ourselves in front of a sort of casino, of sorts. At least that's what it looked like from the outside. We looked at each other, and I could see some sweat form on the face of all of us. We didn't really know if it was a good idea to enter. We might be villains, but we were new, and we were still very young. It's natural to feel this way in front of an establishment, that was supposed to be for adults, right?
We walked in, and the first thing that was painfully obvious, is that we were just one of many. The entire room - more like a plaza - was filled with people, to the extent that we could barely move around as we wanted to. After that, the second thing we noticed, was the sheer volume of the music, the machines, and the half-drunk bandits. I'd say we fitted in, but we really didn't.
At this point I started to doubt, whether it was even a good idea to enter the casino in the first place. How are we supposed to find information in this hot mess? Anyways, I decided to take direction towards the bar. The guys thankfully managed to follow me, and once we got there, we tried to find some free spots, to sit down.
Eventually we managed to do so, and each of us ordered a cheap cocktail. We had no better idea, we weren't really around, once we passed the drinking age. Meda, on the other hand, ordered some very specific drink, with detailed instructions on what sort of toppings she wanted, along with the exact measurments of the alcohol in it. We looked at her with open mouths, and she just winked back at us. What was she up to with that gang?
Once the master served us, we turned around, and started to look around for easy targets to get info from. Easy, shady, cheap. That was the best, as far as I was concerned. We weren't gonna be able to intimidate, or sway anyone around here, right? Like it's not like we had someone with a [Power] specifically amazing for information gathering, right? Like a once in a lifetime ability, that let's the user literally control others...
"What the fuck are we doing?" I looked at both of my accomplices. They looked back at me, and their eyes opened up wide, uttering the word 'oh' at the exact same time. I drank up the rest of my drink, and smashed it on the floor. The room went slightly quiet for a second, which was the moment I was waiting for.
"Every single one of you, get on your knees. Barman, turn the music off," I ordered them. This time my [Temptation] wasn't just making one eye slightly hazey with purple, no, this time, it was almost like a nuclear detonation. The whole room went purple for a second, then it faded back to everyone's eyes. I'm such an idiot.
"Here's the deal - anyone knows anything about the current whereabouts of one [Medusa]?" I posed my order politely. Everyone stayed quiet for the whole ordeal, and in the middle of that, a person in the back raised their hand. I waved at him, to come closer, and so he did.
Imagine like what a rat-human hybrid would look like. Make it ten times worse, and you got the looks of this guy. I couldn't tell, if he was actually a rat power's holder, but he definitely looked shady. He was already balding, and his weak long mustache was coming down from his nose, like electrical wires. His clothing wasn't much better either, he was wearing a very much tattered suit, with the shirt being so dirty, you couldn't tell the original color.
"Yes, master, I do," he said in a voice, that could only be described as that one sound, that you can make by pulling your nails down on a blackboard. Painful is okay as well.
"Out with it already," I commanded with a very much condescending voice, looking down at this excuse of a man.
"Yes, master," he started, "I have heard that she is nested a few blocks from here, in an old cinema."
That was way too easy. I should hold back on using this [Power] as much as I can. Like this is the definition of over-powered. Like are you telling me, that I could literally get anything I wanted? Isn't that a bit too much? Like where's the common decency in [Temptation]?
I released their bind, and left the casino with my group. They looked at me with like the weirdest mix of emotions. Their face was picturing amazement, some degree of fear, and a hint of jealousy.
"That was probably the coolest thing I've ever seen, Tentazione," Francis said.
"You got me there, Danny," even Meda agreed. That was a rare compliment, I'll treasure it for eternity.
I just rubbed the back of my head in slight embarrassement, and shrugged it off. I guess I don't really do this much in front of people, right? I guess it was normal, that people reacted that way. A few minutes of walking later, we had made it to the one cinema that rat-preson talked about. It really was only a few minutes away, afterall.
"You ready, Dan?" Francis asked, looking me in the eye.
"Yeah, no. Of course I'm not," I laughed it off.
"Facing someone who screwed your life up - that takes courage, Danny. We've got you," Meda tapped me on the shoulder.
"Let's go," I said, and walked to the door.
Or I should have, if there would be one. A huge explosion just happened, right in front of us, and it was really a huge one. The entire building just blew up, into small pieces, and it was flying all over the place. It wasn't just any normal explosion.
Actually, now that I think about it, there wasn't even an explosion, per se. It just all flew up.
We jumped back a few feet, while I was blocking as much of it as I could, with my [Protection Binder]. From behind it, I noticed something weird. After some of the rubble bounced off of it, I noticed that some smaller holes were beggining to form on my shield--
Acid!
I quickly threw it to the ground, and dismantled it. I recognized this color, the smell, the texture. I felt it on my own skin before. It had to be her! She really was here after all. I quickly glanced around the area, where the building was, but I didn't see a single human anywhere. Could it be? COuld she have...?!
Suddenly, from above my head, I heard like the craziest cackling howl of my entire life. I turned around, and looked up at the building behind us. The form of a young woman was on the peak of the front roof of this house. She was standing there, looking straight down at us, with the moon being just behind her.
I instantly waved for Francis and Meda to back off, but they were nowhere to be seen...? What was happening? Where did they go? Did she do something to them?
Was I going to face her alone?
Then immediately after, I heard a beeping straight in my ear. The headset we all had! I touched it, and a the conncetionw as instantly established.
"We'll be fine Danny," I heard Meda's radio-distorted voice, "We got teleported, with some freak of a dude. You defeat that bitch, yeah?"
"Yeah," I replied, and released the connection. With that, I was essentially free to move.
"Hey, Claire! Why don't you say hi to your Daddy's killer, huh?" I instantly taunted her.
Best feeling ever.