Chapter 4: Outlaw's haven

Xander's laughter gradually subsided as he stood in the rain. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, settling his emotions.

Exhaling slowly, Xander's breath formed misty clouds in the frigid air. Opening his eyes, he found himself surrounded by towering heaps of scrap metal, their jagged edges glinting ominously in the occasional flashes of lightning.

In the dim light, the air was thick with the rusty scent of decay and the earthy smell of soil, creating a somber ambiance that seemed to linger in the present moment. The relentless pitter-patter of rain on metal was like an eerie soundtrack.

"A Junkyard?" Xander concluded after looking around.

"Damn it! That cyborg is so unprofessional, He could have at least given me a proper burial out of respect." Xander's mouth twitched in anger as he hurriedly brushed his body out of disgust. He didn't know for how long he was lying in a pile of trash.

"Let me see if all of my belongings are there or not." Xander emptied out his pocket and found five hundred federal dollars in inner pocket.

He also found his communicator… Unfortunately there was a big hole in the middle of the screen.

'The cyborg must have done this so no one could find me through the locator in the communicator. '

Xander thought to himself as he looked at all of his belongings. 

Five hundred federal dollars and broken communicator. Xander threw the communicator in the pile of trash behind him.

"Now what to do?" Xander scratched his palm as he fell into deep thought about his next course of action.

"Heading home now is the same as sending myself to death. Even though I don't know if my home is under surveillance."

"Still it's better not to take the risk of exposing myself but…"

"...all of my savings over the years is stashed under the bed." 

"I saved over 50,000 federal dollars. I wanted to buy a decent house with that money." Xander's heart ached just thinking about the money. He always wanted to buy a house that he can call home, no matter how small or big it is.

"No! No! Xander pull yourself together. It's not time to think about this. My main priority now is to escape and find a place to hide."

"But where should I go?" Xander felt his head hurt thinking about this. 

Suddenly Xander remembered something and slapped his thigh in excitement, "Oh yes! I should head to Outlaw Haven, that employer also suggested that I should head there to escape then the official won't be able to track me."

"Although I have never been to that place and I heard that place is filled with dangerous figures." Xander's expression became one of hesitation thinking till here but it was replaced with determination.

"Although that place is dangerous, the city is also not safe for me. Either way I would be in danger but at least in Outlaw Haven, I would have a chance to struggle. Out there I can even seek shelter from my employer as in a certain sense we are on the same boat." Xander feels that going to Outlaw Haven is his best option right now.

"I could also get some answers." Xander touched the scar on his chest as emotions in his eyes became complicated.

Why was the employer investigating the repository? Does he know something? 

What was that specter and dreamlike landscape? And what exactly prevented his death? 

And why was the employer so sure that officials would try to kill me? 

Xander knew that he could only find answers in Outlaw Haven. The employer was most likely there, and that's where he needed to go.

"Aa-choo" 

Xander sneezed due to the cold. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he had forgotten that he was standing in rain.

"I should leave now Or else I will catch a cold." Xander rubbed his shoulder as he was freezing due to the cold. As he slowly started to walk through piles of junk scattered around randomly.

Outlaw Haven, Here I Come!

....

Outlaw Haven located at the North Side in the outskirts of Tranquilburg city. Half of the Outlaw Haven is connected to the city while Half is in the wilderness.

Outlaw Haven is a place of contrasts, where lawlessness and order coexist maintaining its existence on a delicate balance, Due to its uniqueness and complexity in power structure the Federation could not control this place.

So conflict is something that happens daily and conflicts arise for various reasons: Turf wars between various factions, resource scarcity, government intervention are some of the examples.

Although there is no ruling party that establishes order, there are few unspoken rules. 

One of them being; Don't poke your nose where it doesn't belong.

By following this rule most of the people in Outlaw Haven remain safe and live a relatively peaceful life.

Its landscape consists of crumbling concrete building's with boarded up windows and graffiti-covered walls and makeshift settlement constructed from whatever material scavenged.

It is midnight still, people are walking on the street and the place is bustling with activities as various stores with neon lights were opened for business. 

"Run! Bloodhound's are here."

It was peaceful until there was a shout filled with panic. The whole street was filled with silence as everyone stood in the same place and then everyone's face revealed collective panic and fear as everyone started running like frightened deer.

Some rushed toward the building's while others rushed to dark alleyways to hide themselves.

The street was cleared as shops closed down simultaneously. Their operation was so smooth as if it's been practiced for many times.

Soon the group entered the street. There were a total of twenty people in the group, the figures were tall and imposing, their bodies clad in thick black armor. They wore helmets that obscured their faces, and they carried gleaming energy swords in their hands. It was clear that they were the bloodhounds.

The bloodhounds walked slowly down the street, their eyes scanning around the alleyways. 

It appeared that they were looking for someone. Among the group one person stood out and said in a deep voice, "Where is the Scavenger leader?"

There was no reply. The street was filled with silence. 

"Tell me, Where is the scavenger leader?" The person demanded again, This time his voice was filled with anger.

Finally, one person stepped forward. He was a thin man with a wiry build.

"Sir, He's gone!" The man said, "He fled as soon as he heard that you were coming."

The leading man snorted coldly and stated, "He can't run forever!" 

"Boys! Find that rat, It doesn't matter if you overturn the street but I want that guy in front of me!" 

The other bloodhound scattered, their swords drawn as they entered the alleyways and threw everyone out one by one like they own the place. 

Some of them destroyed the door and entered the building leaving people inside trembling in fear.

The people were hoping for this to end as soon as possible otherwise they would be unlucky. Soon there was an explosion in one of the buildings as one figure jumped from the second floor pursuing him were few bloodhound members.

He was the Scavenger leader, Whom all the bloodhounds were looking for. The Scavenger leader was covered in tattered robes as there were multiple wounds on his body. It was clear that he lost the fight against the bloodhound members inside.

As soon as the Scavenger leader appeared other bloodhounds surged toward him like locusts and battle began immediately.

The Scavenger leader was outnumbered but he fought valiantly. Unfortunately, the opponent has a numerical advantage as soon one of the bloodhounds stabs him on the chest.

"You! … Don't kill me…! I am an enhanced human. I can increase Bloodhound's power." The Scavenger leader clutched his chest as he looked at the bloodhound surrounding him with terror and fear and spoke quickly, clearly afraid that he would be killed. 

"With such injury you still have energy to negotiate. Indeed you have gone through enhancement." The bloodhound who watched the fight from the sidelines stepped toward the Scavenger leader and said in a playful voice.

"Yes! Yes! So please let me live! I will be a great asset to bloodhound." It could be heard that Scavenger leader's voice was filled with hope and happiness as if he finally escaped disaster.

"Great asset? Humph!" The Bloodhound leader snorted in disdain, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. He raised his hand, and a bolt of lightning shot from his palm, striking the Scavenger leader in the chest on the same spot as the sword wound. 

The Scavenger leader screamed in pain and collapsed on the ground, "Y-Y-You are Enhanced too?"

"Hehe! Why do I think I lead this group of rascals? If I didn't Have enough power I would be the first to die in their hands." The Bloodhound leader laughed eerily, "Great asset? You aren't even qualified to join Bloodhound Gang."

"Now enough with the chit-chat! You can go to hell now!" With that said the bloodhound leader chopped Scavenger 's head without giving him time to talk.

Bloodhound leader picked up the head, held it up to the crowd, his eyes blazing with cruelty and triumph.

"This is what happens to those who defy the bloodhounds!" With that declaration he placed the scavenger's leader's head inside a bag and turned to his follower.

"Let's go!"

The Bloodhound turned and walked away, their heads held high. The crowd remained silent, Watching them leave.

"My god! That was scary. That's bloodhound? The most cruel gang in Outlaw Haven?"

"Shhhhh! Do you want to die? Lower your voice."

"Yes! Yes! But it was indeed scary. But I can't believe that the leader of the new Scavenger group was an enhanced human."

"Humph, what's so surprising about it. Most of the gangs here have enhanced humans. Did you not see that bloodhound? He is just an errand boy of the Bloodhound gang but he is also an enhanced human. A superior one at that."

"Yes, he was strong unlike that Scavenger leader."

"How good it would be if I could become an enhanced human!"

"You? Look at the mirror, you can afford it, kid."

"Damn! Can't you let me dream for a few seconds?"

Everyone started doing their own thing and we're back to normal as if nothing happened. For them, gang fights were like an interesting topic to discuss during dinner.

Shops were opened once again for business as people entered and exited continuously.

Everyone on the street felt this event was normal, Except for one person.

On the edge of the street one person stood there, his body covered in cloak as he looked at the headless corpse in the middle of the street.

Inside the cloak was a young face; This person is Xander. 

Right now his face is bloodless as if he is suffering from some disease. He looked at the headless corpse and then at people who were drinking merrily on the side of the street and gulped a mouthful of saliva. 

Damn that was scary! I had heard this place is dangerous but no one told me that death is so quick and common here

I just arrived and saw a live execution! 

This place looks terrifying; Is it too late for me to leave?