Rock Bottom

As Roger approached the warehouse door, he was surprised to see Delvin walking in his direction.

"…"

"Ah…we took care it," said Roger.

Delvin just stood there and glaring at him, then he looked pass him.

"Are you the one sent to watch us, they're around the corner if you want to see for yourself," said Manley. He strolled around the corner while talking.

Delvin walked around him then around the corner. He came back very quickly then led them into the warehouse.

Inside the warehouse was dark, a contrast to the light of the outside. Manley wondered why they didn't do this at night, but he realize there could be more guards at night. He also couldn't participate at night, because his parents would notice he was missing. There was stacked barrels on the loading dock, he assumed they had alcohol in them. The rest of the team were slowly approaching an office in the back, it had light shining through the window.

They then knocked on the door. Two men came to the door, one got tackle the other got hit by a baseball bat. The third guy in the room, yelled, backed up then coward in the corner. Rennie walked in and secured the room, while Swen moved to take care of the man in the corner.

"How did they do?" asked Rennie.

Swen punched the man in the face twice before replying. "Too good, the shorter one is ruthless. Delvin already brought them in."

"Anything we should worry about?" asked Rennie.

"Not at the moment, he is not right in the head but with me here you have nothing to worry about," said Swen.

"I am not worried; I just want to know if they will be good for the team. Unless you think that with them here you will be less special," said Rennie.

"Ha, as if anyone could replace m—"

"I can hear you, so what now?" as Manley. He stood in the doorway and investigated the room.

"We load up the van, it will take several trips to the drop off point. Then it's someone else's job to get it to the destination." Rennie walked pass Manley to get the bay doors open.

The men in the warehouse were all tied up in the back. It took several trips like Rennie said to load and off load all the barrels. Manley took a break to go rest in the back.

Critical Strike X3

EXP Gained 30

The by the last trip the only one that was unaware of what he did was Roger. Everyone loaded up in the van and drove away. They changed vehicles then drove by the meetup spot that they started from.

Ainest then finally showed himself after the group took an hour and a half walk after leaving the meetup spot. He happily paid Manley and Roger 5 dollars each. Afterwards Manley and Roger got back to their regular training, minus the fighting. The group's next job won't be for another month, they were informed.

Manley didn't care much for his analyze skill, until he discovered the synchronicity between the reading skill. While the group was in the warehouse, he was able to look at the maps in the office. He now knew of places of interest that the gangsters occupied. Two days past before Manley got restless again.

"There're two places of interest, the junkyard and the kennel," said Manley.

'Mmm…so what do you think is there?" asked Roger.

"If the gangsters took over the junkyard, we could clear them out and you get to fool around with the cars." Manley waggle his eyebrows suggestively.

"I already help my dad work on his motorcycle, and I don't want to hangout in a junkyard." Roger looked around at the abandoned building they have been using regularly. "Plus, maybe we are strong, but I don't think we can overpower adults."

"You're forgetting about your power and if I can hit a weak point, I can take anyone down. Also think about this, what terrible things are they doing to those animals."

They argued for another twenty minutes but Manley got his way. They first ran over to the junkyard. It was in the middle of the day. There was a fence around the place and several cars parked in the front.

The duo circled around the back and climbed the fence. They hid behind junk cars as they made their way towards the center of the area. The place was occupied by several men that were not dressed to work on cars.

Manley made the first move, sneaking up on a man in the middle of a conversation. The man he was talking to was able to see Manley's shadow and reacted. Manley used the icepick on the man closest to him that was about to react to his companion's sudden movement.

Critical Strike

EXP Gained 10

The man who got stabbed in the kidney, gasped and died. The other man reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pistol.

EXP Gained 15

There was a hole burned through his torso. Roger stood there, his hand outstretched and breathing heavy. Manley kept his head down trying to settle his fear. He recovered quickly before he dwelled on his own carelessness.

"Good job Roger, imagine how much good we're doing for the world. These guys aren't good people." He briefly made eye contact then moved forward to take the gun.

Roger barely had time to consider that he just killed someone before Manley started moving and he remembered that there must be more people around. He crouched down in fear and started to move forward.

Manley picked up the gun, searched the pockets of both men and got some bullets. They moved forward and encountered three more men. They were in a garage; one was working on a vehicle while the other two were talking. Manley picked up a crowbar, he didn't want to use the gun because of the noise.

He hit the first guy in the head and quickly hit the second one. He didn't feel it on the first because of the adrenalin. On the second guy he felt the crowbar enter the man's head and stop just pass and in his skull. The pillar behind the man's head arrested his momentum making the damage even worse.

Critical Strike X2

EXP Gained 25

The third man came from behind the vehicle in response to the noise. Roger did his part and took care of him.

EXP Gained 5

The last guy looked like an actual mechanic, now with a cauterized hole in his chest.

Manley searched their pockets, found another gun, bullets and twenty dollars. He went up to the office and found one more person.

EXP Gained 10

After searching through the office, they found a safe in the corner.

ANALYZE BASIC LV4 Gained

After looking at it he knew the combination and immediately considered robbing banks. He quickly dismissed it; the police could look the other way when it comes to gangsters but not bank robbery. The great depression was in full swing, and the Chicago mob's days are numbered. They were able to get four hundred dollars from the safe and another gun.

Back down in the garage Manley started loading up their spoils into a car. They collected a colt 1911 and two revolvers that Manley bound up in cloth and put in the back seat.

"Ah…Manley, we don't know how to drive," said Roger.

"Shit, you're right. I can't drive manual. We'll figure it out." Manley then led Roger to clear out the front gate.

BRAWLING BASIC LV4 Gained

EXP Gained 20

After an arduous drive, trying to figure out the stick shift they were able to get back to the abandoned building. Manley parked in the back of the building and covered the car with a rug.

They both sighed in relief after getting back safe, but that's when it all started to settle in.

"We could've died," said Roger.

"…"

The silence settled in for an hour before they decided to head home.

The went two weeks without training or talking to each other. When they finally met up, they sat in silence.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have pushed you," said Manley.

"No, I am sorry. We have so much now because of you…I could've been in serious trouble if you didn't help me," said Roger.

"It was my fault in the first place that it happened."

"I know you think I am stupid, but I am not. I know that if you weren't there the same thing would have happened. They came after me because of the rumor that my mom cheated on my dad, with a…you know. My power would've still exploded and killed them but without you…"

"Still, you shouldn't apologize. I don't have control over my power like you do—"

Roger looked up at that. "That doesn't make sense, you…you can do so much."

"No, that's just the side effect of my subconscious, an imagined system that I have no control of. I knew what was going on but…" he sighed then looked Roger in the eye. "I am not an expert, but I can confidently say I was born in this world with a mental disorder. I couldn't control it for a long time but when my power activated, I gained a lot more control. I've been scared, I want to get stronger, I want to be completely free from it. I am sorry for putting you in danger for my own selfish reasons."

"I…no, I hate feeling weak and if you didn't push me…thank you. Let's continue, what was that other place?"

Manley smiled then got up and walked over to the car. after removing the carpet, they drove to the kennel.

They parked and approached the front door. Two men sat at the front door, they acted as doormen and let two other men in. As Manley and Roger got close, the two were already sizing them up.

"You two have very young-looking faces, you two Varsity?"

Manley rushed around them and inside. As the two rushed in after him, he backed up. There was a man behind a gated window that looked to be taking bets that responded to the commotion. Manley backed up next to the man then turned around and stabbed the icepick through his eye.

EXP Gained 10

The two doormen stopped mid run and just stared at the scene in shock. Then their heads melted at the same time. The bodies fell to reveal Roger with both hands outstretched.

EXP Gained 30

They then opened the door on the side of the gated window. After walking inside, they could see a large group of excited people. They were surrounding a pit, with what looks like fighting dogs in the middle.