Part 18

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***

Having received a laconic 'Well done' from Creed in the end, I went home, thinking about whether I needed all this or whether it would be easier to find a more adequate trainer? But where to get one, if all the locals are weak? It's a dilemma, but in time I'll solve it too.

I texted Harry and hinted to him that it would be nice to sit down for a bottle of something strong somewhere in a bar or in his garage, and waited for a reply as I left the cleared neighbourhood. There were no police in sight at all, but the 'people's squad' was quietly patrolling the streets and killing all the greens who hadn't managed to get into their sewers. They had high-class weapons and generally good ammunition of the same type. After a few words with one of the vigilantes, I found out that they were all members of the self-defence club run by Comrade Creed. The vigilantes were mostly Europeans and people from the CIS.

According to the same vigilante, before Creed's arrival, this neighbourhood had been completely ruled by ethnic gangs and various near-criminal diasporas, but Victor had changed everything, albeit radically, and brought in new people. As I digested the new information, I tried to figure out if I had passed the master's test or if I would have to start all over again. Or maybe I should just forget it all. But Creed's identity raised more and more questions. He might be an arsehole, but he was strong as hell and could teach me something.

The question is, do I need all this? After all, I was just trying to find a disguise and justification for my suddenly increased strength. On the other hand, you can always use ordinary technologies that hide your strength, and at the right moment you will have a trump card up your sleeve and you can surprise your opponent. Betting on technology is not a bad thing, but it's still worth solving the issue with Creed.

And the project of the battle suit should be finalised, because as the last outing showed, even though it is good, it should be revised and brought up to date. However, with what is already there, you can work quite well and even go out against not too technologically advanced enemies. But against someone more or less prepared, the chances of coming out victorious are not so rosy, and this needs to be solved.

After getting an answer from Harry, we quickly picked a place where he would pick me up, and I hurried to the underground station. Pulling my headphones out of my pocket, I cranked up the epic music and quickened my pace, making it to the right spot in a couple of minutes. A couple of minutes later the camaraderie appeared in a brand new yellow Lamborghini Urus.

- Something tells me that it took you longer to choose a car than to drive. - I'm smiling genuinely at an old friend.

- I had to find a car that matched the colour of my belt. - Harry smiled back, opening the hem of his sports jacket. - I pulled my back yesterday, and now I have to wear this high-tech belt that fixes my back. I went to the gym. - a friend said tiredly, touching the belt. - Well, your message got me out of my moping mood, so now I have a reason to take my medicine. - Osborne grinned.

- You don't take care of yourself, old man. - I shook my head and clucked a couple of times for good measure. - I'll help you out tonight, though, but I'm only free until five. - I quickly looked at the time and set the alarm, and sighed sadly.

- That's a whole carload of time, bro. - Harry smiled immediately. - The important thing is that we don't accidentally pop into a vampire bar this time. - The smile was a little forced. - By the way, did you hear that Adrian Tooms opened a bar with craft beer and other drinks at the highest point in the city and called it the PIK? So I suggest we have a pint of something invigorating. - The camaraderie smiled slyly for a moment, like a sly fox.

- A pique, you say? Sounds good, I hope it's at least safe. - With an expressive hum, I continued my thought. - And by the name of it, there shouldn't be any vampires there. - Harry smiled weakly. - So I'm in favour of a pint of good beer and a heart-to-heart talk, because it's been a while since we've been together, old chap. - I nodded understandingly, but he didn't say anything, and I got comfortably into the car without further ado.

When we reached the Steinway Tower, which was also the thinnest skyscraper in the world, we took the lift to the eightieth floor, where Tooms's new bar was located.

The Peak looked rather ascetic and military practical, but charming and cosy in its own way. The owner's peculiar style and taste was evident in everything, and the style of the abandoned hangar created an ineffable charm. As did the restored Douglas A-1 Skyraider that stood proudly on the centre pedestal. The whole design screamed that this place was to be for its own people, and perhaps in time it will be. I wondered where Tooms got all that spare money for such projects.

He didn't seem too successful or rich the last time we met. It's unlikely he's been so influenced by new investors and financial infusions. Maybe veterans like himself got together and chipped in for the bar? No. Too impractical to do that in a place like this.

Soon Adrian Tooms himself showed up, chatting amiably with the guests. He nodded to Harry and me, as if he recognised us, and went to the bar, where a pretty girl poured him a glass of vodka. Having drained the glass in a gulp and snacked on smoked red fish, Tooms went back to the guests and continued to chat nicely with the 'pleasant' people. Having settled down with the camaraderie at the bar, where the chairs were made in the style of barrels with aviation fuel or out of them at all, we had a leisurely conversation.

- Interesting design. - Harry said. - I wonder why the owner doesn't drink speciality beer, but vodka? - He said thoughtfully. - Apparently, not everything is as smooth as he wants to show it to people. - hummed the comrade.

- I don't know what kind of problems a man has, brother, and it's none of our business. Better tell me what you've done with your arc reactor, I'm curious. I've adapted it to my needs, and now I charge my smartphone and other small things. - I do charge everything I can with the reactor, and the fact that my small stuff is a heavy armoured suit the size of a rhinoceros is a nuance.

- Well, you really are a genius. - Osborn smiled warmly. - I'm trying to adapt the reactor to the high-tech armour I found in the basement. Remember I showed you? Well, it's eating up an awful lot of energy, and the power loss is too great. We don't know if it's the armour or the reactor that needs fixing. The main thing is that nothing goes off, or we won't be able to sit like this again, Pete. - Harry sounded a little too serious.

- Maybe it's a stabilisation problem, or maybe it's just the isolation system that needs work. If you want, I can come round the other day and have a look at it. Just don't go in there alone, or it could really go bang. - the camaraderie smiled at my warning. - And anyway, why are we sitting dry? Girl, we'd like two pints of your speciality and something to munch on. - with an understanding nod, the pretty nymph immediately started taking our order.

- You're the best, bro. - Harry echoed immediately. - Do you think the problem is a simple stabilisation of the reactor? Maybe so. - He said thoughtfully. - What do you think, if I refine the armour I found and slightly change the design, would that be considered plagiarism or rethinking? - Ozborn suddenly asked, and I finally saw him as my father's son. - If you patent everything properly and get a couple of juicy government contracts from the army and other law enforcement agencies, you can live comfortably without your father's or the company's money, and then you can inherit. And I won't forget to share it all with my best friend. - Harry said bluntly.

- I can't leave you alone, or you'll really blow your basement to smithereens. - I smiled, clapping my mate on the shoulder, and a moment later we were brought beer and crisps. - We already know each other so well, so I can't help you, and, besides, I was the initiator of our idea to take away the reactors, so don't worry, I'll help you out. But with the legalisation of all this better wait and finalise the technology, new design and decide all legal issues and delays in advance, so as not to suffer and sue later. - Nodding at my words, the mate sipped some dark ale from his mug, while I lazily crunched cheese crisps.

- You're right as always, Pete. That's what we'll do. By the way, I haven't told you how I went to the Hardy family party and how it ended, or rather with whom. - Harry smiled faintly again, but a deafening explosion prevented him from finishing.

The farthest of the panoramic walls shattered into glass dust, and a moment later a trio of small gliders with solid laser rifles burst through the peculiar 'door'. With a couple of tellingly powerful volleys from their rifles, they eliminated all the guards.

- Ladies and gentlemen, this is a robbery, otherwise why are you all so pretty for the opening of this Kraft shit? Now let's get the cash, jewellery and other valuables as fast as we can. Red, gather it all up. - said the man in the mask and the nomadic robe that fluttered spectacularly in the wind.

- Yes, Blue. - The red-masked man jumped down from his glider, pulling two of the mailwoman's bags out of his pocket.

- We're always getting into trouble. - I said quietly.

- You don't say, brother. - Osborne agreed. - It's not long before we're sober. - grinned the camaraderie.

- Quiet,' said the third man in the pink mask in a raspy voice.

- You will not spoil my discovery. - Tooms said softly, and then a Para-Ordnance P14-45 LDA Colt appeared in his hand. Five accurate shots straight through the body and head, and the pink mask falls off the glider. Three more bullets went to Red, who tried to take the watch off the two-metre tall ambo, poking him with a laser rifle to speed him up.

Soon Blue's second shock wore off, and he returned fire at Tooms, who quickly hid behind a Douglas A-1 Skyraider and was fending off the robber a moment later. But it was a very different man who put a bold end to the matter. Calmly picking up a laser rifle from the floor, which in his hands seemed like a toy, the big man made a single aimed shot, and the expectant Blue fell as awkwardly as his pink colleague.

- Thank you, Mr Fisk. - Tooms said gratefully from behind the stormtrooper.

- What a day...' Harry said thoughtfully. - Let's get ready, I guess. To hell with a holiday like this.

We left a generous tip for such an unforgettable 'show' and left the Peak in silence. Harry and I said our goodbyes with curt nods and went our separate ways.