Saving Elena

Marcus stood in the quiet of his workshop. The Library was spotless. The fleet of refurbished Roombas had exceeded his expectations. They zipped along the floors and walls (he had added suction cup capabilities), cleaning every inch with precision.

Looking around, Marcus saw the sleek lines of his workbenches, uncluttered for the first time since he had assumed the Librarians identity.

The twenty mining robots were lined up in a neat row. They were ready to be dispatched to the Black Hoods' titanium mine. Marcus had kept the design the same, ensuring they would operate with maximum efficiency. He had also put various weapons, trinkets and surprises in the secret compartments. Just in case.

His system chimed in his mind.

[Mining robots assembled. Unlocked new acquirable knowledge, Robotics II, Programming II, Materials II]

Marcus allowed himself a rare smile, he had learned much building those robots over and over.

This was good work. In addition Marcus had sent an email from the Librarian's terminal to Mr.Black offering to delete the black mail information for 1 million credits. Marcus doubted it would work but it would at least let Mr.Black know he was open to negotiations, hopefully enough to call off his assasin at least.

He took a puff from his wakeleaf pipe, the familiar sting of the smoke easing some of the pain in his muscles.

Shifting his weight onto his cane, he reviewed the day's goals. His top priority was Elena and the 50,000 credits her job promised.

Gathering the necessary supplies and dawning his usual disguise, he headed out into the market, this time not looking for goods but for a girl. He would start where Elena was last seen, at the address Detective Vega provided.

The streets were as chaotic as before. People moved past him, their faces a blur of survival and desperation. Marcus pulled his coat tighter, scanning the crowd for anything suspicious.

He reached the address. It was a rundown building, its windows grimy and cracked. Inside, the smell of decay was overwhelming. Marcus slipped into a side alley, looking for another way in. He noticed a rusty fire escape ladder.

No one seemed to be paying attention. He climbed up. Slowly and painfully, it was awkward climbing with his cane.

Inside the building, Marcus found himself in a dimly lit corridor. He moved quietly, listening for any signs of activity. The place felt abandoned, but Marcus knew better than to trust appearances.

His system chimed again with the results of his observation.

[Location scan: Uninhabited. Minimal threats detected.]

Marcus made his way down the hallway, carefully checking each room. Most were empty, filled with broken furniture and debris. Finally, he found a room that showed signs of recent activity. The bed was unmade, and there were scraps of paper scattered on a small table.

He approached cautiously, looking over the notes. They were scribbled in a hasty, almost frantic manner. One note stood out.

"Meet at Casino Nero, Bring the girl. Midnight 2/24. Black Hoods."

Marcus's heart skipped a beat, that was today! This was a lead. He quickly documented the information, his system logging it for later use.

[Clue: Casino Nero - Midnight meeting with Black Hoods. Who was meeting? Why?]

He needed to check this place out. There was no time to waste, he doubted Detective Vega would pay him well for a corpse.

----

Casino Nero was a well-known establishment, it was one of Mr.Blacks casinos. While Marcus had not been here before incidentally he had the blueprints on all of Mr. Blacks casinos and could get in based on it's flaws. He knew it wouldn't be easy to get back inside, especially unnoticed.

But Marcus was resourceful.

He adjusted his Disguise I skill, blending in with the evening crowd streaming toward the casino. The neon lights of the entrance cast an eerie glow on the faces of those seeking fortune or hiding from their misfortunes.

He slipped through the doors, moving with purpose. Casino Nero was a chaotic place, full of noise and activity. Slot machines buzzed continuously, drinks flowed freely, and laughter echoed around the dimly lit room.

Marcus made his way to the back, where the private rooms were located. These were reserved for high-stakes games and questionable transactions, the kind of dealings where the Black Hoods thrived. He kept his eyes peeled and his senses sharp.

He spotted a room guarded by two burly men. A sign read "Private – Invitation Only." This had to be it. Marcus considered his options.

He needed a way in. He pulled up a view of the schematics and came to learn there was a ventilation system right over that room. Circling back to a storage room Marcus made his way into the large vent with much trouble crawling through it.

Luckily the constant rush of air and sounds of gambling, screaming and crying, covered up his struggle. This was a horrible position to be in for his crippled body, but alas he wanted those credits.

Eventually he got to where the room should be and a vent opening allowed him to peer through, what he saw shocked him.

Marcus peered through the small opening in the ventilation shaft, his eyes widening in shock. Below him, a dimly lit room revealed a grim scene.

Elena was slumped in a chair, her head lolled to the side, eyes half-lidded and unfocused. She looked very drugged, her movements slow and uncoordinated.

The room was filled with men wearing Black Hoods, their faces partially obscured by shadows. They were talking heatedly with a grim-looking man, who Marcus assumed was Elena's dealer. The tension in the room was palpable.

"This is unacceptable!" one of the Black Hoods snarled at the dealer, his voice filled with anger. "You were not authorized to sell this experimental drug!"

The dealer, his face slick with sweat, stammered, "I—I thought it would be fine. Just wanted to test it out. See how effective it was."

Another Black Hood, his eyes cold and calculating, stepped forward, holding a small vial. "This drug forces anyone who takes it to only tell the truth. We wanted to keep it a secret until we were ready to release it. You've risked everything by giving it to her!"

He turned his attention to Elena, who was barely conscious. He injected her with a small amount of the drug from the vial. Almost immediately, her eyes snapped open, clear and wide, as if an internal struggle had been released.

"Elena," the cold-eyed Black Hood said, his voice dripping with contempt. "Are you a police informant?"

Elena's mouth moved of its own accord. "No."

"Do you like me?"

"No."

"Are you a drug addict?"

"Yes."

"Is there anyone who would miss you if we killed you?"

"My sister."

The Black Hoods exchanged impressed looks. One of them nodded approvingly. "It works. The truth serum is effective."

"But we can't let her live now," the first Hood said, a sinister edge to his voice. "She knows too much. Kill her."

Marcus's heart raced.

He couldn't lose his 50,000 credit reward. He needed that money, and more importantly, the leverage it would give him.

In his panic, he shifted slightly in the tight metal ventilation shaft. Unfortunately, his movement caused him to bump his head hard against the vent. The loud clang echoed around the room.

Every Black Hood head snapped upward.

Marcus realized his mistake too late. The vent gave way, and he fell through the ceiling, crashing onto the table below. He landed among the Black Hoods in a heap, groaning as he tried to regain his bearings.

One of the men, a cigarette dangling from his lips, sneered. "Look what we have here. A rat."

Marcus, despite the pain, managed a sly smile. "More like a cat among pigeons."

He had observed all these men in the vent, and while they were gangster's evidently, they weren't anything like Brick or Dagger.

In one swift motion, he activated his Quick Draw skill, pulling the laser from his hip. Aimed with deadly precision, he fired off rapid shots. In the blink of an eye, four bright beams of light cut through the air.

The Black Hoods barely had time to react. Blasts of energy struck them in the chest, head, and limbs, their bodies slumping to the ground one after another. The room filled with smoke and the stench of burnt flesh.

Marcus was ruthless and efficient, ignoring the dealer's frantic attempts to scramble away. A quick shot to the back ended the man's escape attempt swiftly.

As the last body hit the ground, the room fell into a deadly silence. Marcus stood amidst the carnage, breathing heavily, a look of determination on his face.

He approached Elena, quickly checking her condition. She was alive but heavily drugged. Marcus knew he had to get her out of there fast. She looked at Marcus with dazed eyes and mumbled something under her breath, it sounded alot like 'So cool.' but Marcus didn't have time to ask.

Already there was heavy knocking coming from the doors, the security guards were asking what was wrong.

His system chimed in his head.

[Threat neutralized. New objective: Escape with the girl.]

"Lucky me," Marcus muttered, making Elena grab the hem of his shirt, she followed him along without restraint. "Let's get you somewhere safe my dear 50,000."