Chapter 10 – Crimson Nightshades
Jason and the bullies waited behind the orphanage for May Li to clear out her belongings, put the box in the boot of her car and drive away from Hillside House for what may be the last time. Her resignation was just made official by Jackson who signed the consent forms himself. She just couldn’t bring herself to be anywhere near Jason anymore, especially after what happened to her wife.
The only ones who knew what actually happened were Zack, Liam and James. And they were going to use this knowledge to their advantage. They forced Jason onto the 9:30 bus to New London as well as pay for all their tickets using his savings. Poor Jason felt powerless to stop them. The dirt they had on him would ensure he spend many years behind bars. Part of him believed he deserved it for letting Andrea die, but the rest of him was screaming “No!” out of fear of being locked up again. He’s had more than his fair share of being caged like an animal. He didn’t want to go through that again.
Though the bus was automated, there were cameras watching the passengers in their seats, keeping an eye out for potential bus jackers or any suspicious activity in general. Zack and his friends acted normal while Jason held his head down and thought about the possible crime they’re going to make him do. They mentioned something about stealing a van parked somewhere in the city. That it was a rare type of vehicle, possibly the last of its kind. But why would they want a van when neither of them can drive?
Rather than ask them now in earshot of the other passengers, Jason waited until after they got off. He peered out the window as the bus was entering New London. He’d seen this view of the modernised city a dozen times during the day, but this may be his first time seeing it at night. All of the bright lights in the distance, illuminating the city, there was something calming about it. He wasn’t sure why, but he’s always found bright lights in the darkness soothing to look at. Even the humming sounds they make felt relaxing to him. It helped his mind clear out all the bad thoughts he had and allowed him to take a few calming breaths.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. The bus pulled up at the first stop and he was forced to get up and move by Zack who pushed him.
Zack: Move it, Freak! We ain’t got all night.
Jason groans with frustration as he is forced off the bus and onto the street. The bullies waited until the bus drove off before leading Jason to their destination.
Liam: Are you sure this is a good idea, Zack?
Zack: What? Don’t tell me you two are chickening out on me now.
Liam: We’ve only seen that van park in that one specific spot a couple times. What if its not there?
Zack: I’ve had my eyes on it ever since I first walked past it. I’ve seen its owners try to hide it everyday in that alleyway and cover it with fruit stands. Now why would anyone want to hide a van, huh?
James: Because they don’t want anyone to see it?
Zack: More than that, Dummy! Its because what they have is a one of a kind. Something that’ll be worth a lot of money once we get our hands on it.
James: Wow. Whoever its owners are, they must be loaded.
Liam: uh… Zack? none of us can drive. How are we gonna steal it?
Zack pulls his friends in closer and whispers to them. He briefly glances back at Jason walking behind them, making sure he isn’t listening.
Zack: That’s where the freak comes in. A van that rare’s gotta have some sort of state-of-the-art security system. We’ll get him to set it off, putting all eyes on him. He’s already in trouble with the law, so why not add attempted robbery to his list of charges?
Liam: But what if he tattles on us?
Zack: Simple. We play it like we were the victims forced to take the fall for him. After all, who’s gonna believe a freak like him is innocent? Hahaha.
The other bullies nod and laugh alongside their leader. Jason wasn’t sure what they were laughing about but he knew it wasn’t good for him. They were up to something, and he didn’t like it one bit.
The tormenting trio of teenagers continue walking and talking, carefully forming their plan while Jason stayed a few paces behind them and admired the lights of New London until they reached their destination on their right. Just like Zack described it, the entrance to the alley was blocked off by a couple of fruit stands. Both were emptied of produce and the people running them have closed up for the night, so there wasn’t much hiding the van parked behind it.
The boys were all awestruck by its sleek, unique design. It was unlike any normal van they’d seen. It appeared higher tech then most of Magna Tech’s automobiles. The body seemed to have thicker armour plating, making it look more like a military tank than an ordinary van with a shiny black coat of paint with red highlights, six thick wheels, a spoiler, and a custom plate that reads “J3TT M8E”. None of them knew what it meant but they didn’t really care to figure it out.
Any car enthusiast in the world would kill to get a good look at such a vehicle, let alone drive it.
James: Wow! Now THAT’S a car!
Liam: You mean van?
Zack: Quit staring at it like it’s a girl stripping and let’s get this over with! Its owners might be back soon.
James and Liam nod and start pushing the empty stalls to the side, giving them access to the van. Zack then pulls out a lock-pick he stole from Jackson’s desk – around the same time he borrowed Jason’s room key – and hands it over to Jason.
Zack: You’re up, Freak. You better not screw up or else we’re spilling everything!
Jason ignores him and hesitantly wanders into the dark alley. He looks back at the bullies who bluntly pressure him into getting closer to the high-tech vehicle and use the lock-pick to get it open so they can steal it. Jason gulps nervously, sweat dripping from his forehead as he points the lock-pick at the keyhole in the door. He had no clue what he was doing. A mistake would set off an alarm and alert the police or its owners.
Suddenly, far off west of their location, the faint sound of sirens can be heard downtown slowly fading into earshot of them. The bullies started to panic once they realised the sirens were growing louder, indicating that the police were heading their way.
Liam: Shit! It’s the cops!
James: How did they know what we were about to do?!
Zack: Forget about it! Let’s just get outta here! Hurry up and get it open, Idiot!
Jason began to panic under the pressure and accidentally dropped the lock-pick, further pissing off Zack who pushes him over and picks it up himself. He wasn’t thinking straight in the moment. The plan was to have Jason take the fall for what they were about to do, but now all he wants is to get away from here before the police arrive.
But none of them considered the possibility of anyone else coming across them before the police could. Particularly, the van’s owners.
Drake: What are you kids doing with our van?!
Jason and the bullies froze in response to the new voice in their presence. They slowly turn themselves back towards the alley entrance where the fruit stands were and were greeted by three young adults. Two of them were wearing bandanas to cover their noses and mouths while the third had a purple scarf with a strange circular symbol on the end. They were standing on what appeared to be high tech surfboards that are hovering a few meters off the ground in front of them. Two of them were male and the one on the right was female and from the sound of one of their voices, one of them had a Japanese accent.
The one on the left was the shortest of the trio with purple hair and purple eyes. The outfit he wore looked like a modernised black ninja suit with long sleeves. From his sleeves he pulls out a couple shurikens and aims them at the bullies and muttered Japanese under his breath.
The only female among them was dark-skinned with red pigtails and red eyes behind a pair of round glasses with amber lenses. She wore a white bandana on her head and a purple one around her lower face. She wore a white tank top with purple trimmings, white trousers with purple flame patterns on the ends and white and purple trainers. She also had purple flames tattooed on her arms and wore a high-tech bracelet on her left wrist.
The man in the middle – who they assumed was the leader – appeared the tallest and had big, wild green hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a black leather jacket atop a green shirt, dark green jeans with a black belt and a red buckle. His boots were red with a black flame pattern in the middle. He too had a device on his left wrist though his was a gauntlet with a small screen and a few buttons. His face was covered by a dark green bandana and his eyes were covered by a pair of goggles. Hanging over his right shoulder was a metallic, high-tech satchel and strapped to his hip was a holster for a handgun.
He and the girl also draw weapons on the bullies, pointing them in a threatening manner. The bandit leader drew a large, intimidating looking revolver while the girl pulled out a double-barrelled shotgun. The bullies quickly put their hands up in a panic and started backing away. Jason, however, just got back on his feet after being pushed over by Zack, only now noticing the predicament they’re in.
Drake: Amateurs trying to steal from trained professionals like us? You brats crossed the wrong people.
Zack: Oh shit! Run!
Afraid of getting murdered tonight, Zack and his two cowardly friends ran down the other side of the alleyway and down the exit on the left, leaving Jason behind and at the mercy of the bandits. But to their surprise, he wasn’t running away in fear, he was just standing there, staring at them with a look of… resignation? But why? Does he not know who they are? Everyone knows who they are and know better than to not to mess with them after all they’ve accomplished.
Drake: Just get outta here, Kid.
Jason: Why?
Drake: Cuz if you don’t, I’ll kill you.
Jason: Oh, thank God.
He said in an uncaring tone, confusing the bandit leader. Did he hear him correctly? Is he implying that he wants to die? Why would he want that?
Jason: My life is over anyway, so hurry up and do it. If you can make it quick and painless that would be great. When everyone finds out what I did I’m better off dead.
Drake: The hell are you talkin’ about?
The sirens were getting louder, taking his mind off of the disturbed teenaged boy and directing his attention over his left shoulder, back the way they came. The police were closing in on their location.
Scarlet: Forget the kid, Drake! We gotta move!
Drake: Right! Everyone in the van!
Lukas: What about the boy? He’s a witness.
Drake: He says he wants to die; we’ll do it somewhere far away from here. Get him inside.
The purple haired man nods. He jumps off his hoverboard and approaches Jason, grabbing him by his arm, holding him in place so he doesn’t try to make a run for it. The other two disengage their hoverboards and press one of the buttons on their wrist devices, programming them to compact down to small metal boxes before opening the back of the van and putting them in two of the empty slots in the floor. The third does the same thing once he throws Jason in the back first. He quickly entered the van from the back and closes the doors behind him.
The other two got in the front with the green-haired leader sitting in the driver's seat and the girl sitting next to him. Quickly he starts the engine and drives the van out the other end of the alley the bullies went.
Drake: Activate cloaking device.
Scarlet: Oh, I’m sorry, Drake. I just wanted us to stick out like a sore thumb in the hopes we could get spotted!
She replied sarcastically as she activates the cloaking device. The van’s appearance outside changes as a holographic projection covers it up and replaces it with an image of an ordinary black van, even changing the number plates, as they slowly pulled out of the alley and merged into traffic, acting like everything is normal.
Drake rolls his eyes and focuses on driving the van down the busy street, occasionally looking behind him using the rearview mirror, making sure the police weren’t pursuing them. A bunch of Magna Tech Wasp Drones hovered around the street. A beam of red light shone out of their visual receptors, scanning the area for the bandits.
Drake: They’re still searching for us.
Scarlet: I’ve activated the van’s signal jammer. If they do scan us, it’ll register our disguise. We’re in the clear as long as you don’t start speeding.
Drake: Hey, it’s me you’re talkin’ to. I only speed up when I’m on my board.
Lukas: You still got the Tablet of Ra?
Lukas asked. But Drake remains one step ahead of him and reaches into his satchel, he pulls out an old stone tablet with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs inside a sealed, plastic case to keep it preserved, and shows it to him. Jason eye’s gleam as he gazes upon it. He’s never seen something as old as that in person before, only on TV. He was almost tempted to reach out and touch it, but held himself back, fearing the ninja-lke guy sitting next to him may chop his hand off with one of the katanas sheathed on his back. He looks like he wouldn’t hesitate too.
Drake: Good call on saying we should scope out the museum first before breaking in, Scarlet. Magna Tech really amped up the security since last time. Barely got outta there without setting it off.
Scarlet: At least now we know what kind of systems they have in case we’re tasked with breaking in there again. Though I don’t understand what the guild would want with a stone tablet like that.
Drake: Who cares? As long as we’re getting paid, I don’t question the purpose of a job.
They continue driving east until they were nearing the highway near the outskirts of New London, from there they enter the motorway and continue on for another 15 minutes, making absolutely sure they weren’t being followed. Assured they were safe; Drake engages cruise control. He then disconnected the steering wheel and plugs it into the slot on the left side where Scarlet was sitting.
Drake: Take the wheel. I wanna have a little chat with our guest.
He says as his chair rotates around, allowing him to properly face Jason. The troubled boy backs himself into the corner of the van and looks over at Lukas sitting next to him. He hadn’t stopped watching him once since he was forced into the back of the van, staring at him with eyes that appeared cold and emotionless. Even the way he spoke didn’t have a hint of emotion in it. It was like listening to a machine.
His leader, however, addressed him with a curious tone, questioning why he didn’t run away with the others. Or better yet, why he was fine with potentially getting killed.
Drake: You surprised me back there, Kid. I didn’t think you were smart enough to see through my bluff and call me out on it.
Jason looks up at the green-haired man – speaking in what he can perceive to be a Yorkshire accent – with surprise.
Jason: So, you’re not going to kill me?
Drake: Huh, guess I spoke too soon. Nah, we weren’t really gonna kill ya. We may bad guys, but we only kill those we perceive to be the worst guys… Still though, you didn’t run away like your friends did. Said you actually wanted to die?
Jason: They’re NOT my friends! And trying to steal your van was their idea, not mine! They were forcing me to do it. I swear!
Drake: Okay, Kid, cool it.
Jason: I’m 17! I’m not a kid.
Drake: Well until you turn 18, you’re still a kid.
Jason: My name’s Jason, not Kid!
Ignoring his comment, Drake turns to Lukas for clarification on his story and if what he’s been telling them is true.
Drake: Whaddya think, Lukas? He lyin’?
The purple-haired man shakes his head in denial. As a former ninja he has a plethora of skills. Telling if someone is lying or not isn’t one he utilises often, but he shows Drake that he hasn’t lost his touch and gives him his honest answer.
Lukas: He seems to be telling the truth as far as I can tell.
Jason quietly exhales a breath of relief and relaxes, thinking that was going to be the end of it, but Lukas wasn’t finished with him yet.
Lukas: However, I sense there is something plaguing the depths of his mind. Like he’s trying to hide something else from us. Something… dreadful.
Drake turns back to Jason with an intrigued look, curious to know what this kid has done. His stare made Jason feel even more uncomfortable. Scarlet also was interested in hearing more about him and his background. She occasionally glances at him through the review mirror as she keeps her focus on the road.
Drake: So, Jason, was it? What was it you did that you’d be bold enough to ask me to kill you? If you’re worried about us snitching on ya, don’t forget we’re not exactly on good terms with the law ourselves. Judging you would make us hypocrites. Whatever you did, I can assure you, ain’t nothing compared to the shit we’ve done. Spill it.
Jason hesitated at first to open up about his past and the things he’d done. Straight up telling them everything honestly may make him appear weak in their eyes. They already got that impression when he stupidly accepted the idea of Drake killing him. Mentioning he’s an orphan was also a bad idea. They may take him back there and the police will arrest him. He knew it was just a matter of time before they discovered his involvement in Andrea’s death.
He couldn’t go home. Zack, Liam and James will just continue to torment and blackmail him into being their slave if he returned. Staying with them may be his best option. They’re obviously experienced criminals who know what they’re doing and have been evading the law for a long time. He can rely on them for protection.
As soon as he regains his composure, Jason tells them his story, leaving out specific details about being an orphan. He tells them that he’d been living on his own in a small, cramped apartment and was struggling to get on with his life after the Monster War, explaining why he was in therapy. He then tells them about how he accidentally got his therapist killed and he was forced to run. Drake seemed to be buying his story, that’s good. If there’s one thing he did learn from his parents, it was how to tell a really convincing lie. The best way to lie is to add hints of the truth to make it sound genuine.
Scarlet was listening but her focus was more on the road ahead. Lukas was the only one who was suspicious of him, staring intensely at him like daggers piercing his flesh. Drake speaks to him.
Drake: Well… that was quite the story.
Lukas: He appears to be telling the truth again, at least he thinks he is.
Drake turns back to Jason with a hint of surprise on his face. Its rare that Lukas can’t tell when someone is lying or not as he’s usually very good at reading people. That’s twice now he’s had difficulty seeing through Jason.
Drake: So, just to recap, Kid. You “accidentally” got your therapist killed and that’s why you’re on the run, yeah?
Jason nods in confirmation, trying to keep a straight, honest face.
Drake: Then why were you and those guys you were with trying to steal our van? Who even were they? You say they’re not your friends, yet they seemed like they knew ya.
Jason: They, uh… were some of the other tenants in the flat I lived in. They found out about what I did and were blackmailing me. They forced me to steal your van. I swear I wanted no part of it!
Drake raises his hands up, motioning him to calm down.
Drake: Relax, Kid, I heard ya the first time. I already told ya I believe ya. And frankly, I can understand why they’d wanna steal our van. Shirley here is one of a kind.
Drake places his hand on the inner wall of the van and strokes its sleek metal surface. Jason takes a moment to get a proper look at the inside of it and was amazed by how big, advanced and high-tech it is. Though he wasn’t sure about the name.
Jason: Shirley? That’s kind of a lame name for a van like this.
Drake and Scarlet chuckle lightly, not at all offended by his comment. While Lukas remained still and emotionless.
Drake: Sure, it’s lame, but we’re not the ones who chose that name… An old friend of ours did. Well, more of a mentor actually. Before we met Lukas, he was the third member of our trio. His name was Jett. A Crimson Nightshade veteran.
Jason: What happened to him?
Drake: He was killed during a job. Simple as that. The work of a mercenary is risky. One wrong move and you end up dead… Sometimes worse.
There was more to this story than Drake was letting on, but he’d only just met Jason. Of course he didn’t trust him with the full story. It took a while for him to warm up to Lukas when he first joined. Letting out an exasperated sigh and leaning back in his chair, he decided to change the topic of discussion.
Drake: Back in New London you asked me to kill you. Were you being serious or was that just depression talk?
Jason: Why do you care? You’re gonna kill me anyway because I know too much. That’s how this thing works, doesn’t it?
Drake chuckles aloud to Jason’s response.
Drake: You watch way too many movies, Kid.
Jason: I already told you my name’s Jason, not Kid!
Drake: Relax will ya, I know it’s Jason. Geez, you need to learn to control your temper… But just so we’re clear, we’re not actually gonna kill ya. I only said that to scare you off. Clearly it didn’t work.
Jason looks at Drake curiously, wondering why he’s here if not to die. Part of him was a little disappointed they didn’t give him the easy way out. What could they possibly want with him?
Drake: So, “Jason” since you’ve told us your name it’s only fair we tell you ours. The name’s Drake Lowlan. Leader of the Crimson Nightshades, like my father before me, and his father before him, and so on.
He directs Jason over to the black girl in the driver’s seat who only had enough time to briefly glance back at them and give a small wave before returning her attention to the road.
Drake: That delicate flower in the driver’s seat is Scarlet Garcia.
Scarlet: Heya… And don’t call me delicate, Drake.
Drake: Hahaha, only kidding. Anyway, she’s the gadget girl. The brains of the operation.
Scarlet: I’m the one who built our weapons and equipment. My crowning achievement is our compact, portable hoverboards. Much easier to carry compared to the surfboard sized prototypes.
Drake: I couldn’t agree more.
Drake then turns to Lukas and pats him on the back. Lukas acknowledges his contact but doesn’t react. His eyes were still trained on Jason, getting a deeper reading on him on whether he’s being truthful with them or not.
Drake: And this is Lukas Reikon. He’s the team's best fighter. Master of stealth, and a few other things. Together, we’re The Crimson Nightshades.
Lukas doesn’t respond and remains stoic and expressionless in the presence of their uninvited guest.
Drake: He’s not much of a talker. You get used to it.
Lukas then speaks up all of a sudden, shutting Drake up. The purple-haired ninja addressed Jason directly, his gaze still fixed on him.
Lukas: As you can tell by my attire, I was originally a ninja. I was born and raised in Japan. After my home was destroyed, I turned to a life of hunting and solitude. Drake found me and gave me a new purpose. I vowed to follow him and Scarlet ever since, doing my part for the team.
Drake: Huh, usually he doesn’t talk to someone new until he’s gotten to know them better. You must’ve really piqued his interest, Jason. Anyway, now that we’ve all been introduced, I want to make you an offer.
Scarlet: Save it for later, Drake. We’re here.
Drake turns his chair back around, facing the windshield. Their van passes by a road sign which read “Stratford” on it. Coming up ahead over a small verge the town itself is standing tall far off in the distance. Jason takes a peek in between Drake and Scarlet’s seats to get a good look at it. He’d never been to Stratford before, or any other city in the UK apart from New London. For some reason he was expecting it to look big and more modern with flashing holographic billboards like he’s used to seeing in New London.
But Stratford was nothing like New London. It looked pretty much the same as it did before the Monster War. The monsters hadn’t dealt much damage to it compared to England’s capital city. But the Crimson Nightshades knew that a lot of reconstruction had taken place in their hometown. They were there. This was Drake and Scarlet’s home before the war.
It’s nothing fancy like New London, but its home. Jason’s eyes peek through the bottom of the back one-way window, admiring the sights of the city as they drove through the streets. He hadn’t seen much of old London before the war since most of his childhood he spent locked in a dog cage. The only sights of the city he had were from his kitchen window. But he had a vague idea of how buildings used to be. Driving past the various houses, shops, and other facilities in Stratford gave him a whiff of nostalgia. “Sometimes the world would’ve been better off without advanced technology.” he thought.
The van takes a left down a street with a few apartment buildings on the block. The people walking up and down the pavement see it driving by and all cheer and wave at them as they pass by. Jason was a little surprised to see so many people being supportive of people who essentially are criminals. Yet these people treat them like their beloved celebrities.
Drake: You appear dumbfound, Jason.
Jason: It’s just that… these people all seem to love you guys despite being criminals. I’m… not used to seeing that.
Drake: Yeah well, that’s what happens when you use 25 million pounds of reward money to buy a whole street and everything on it. All these people lost their homes in old London before it became New London. Those greedy bastards at Magna Tech were asking too much of them. They were forced to live in the underground tunnels, until their robots evicted them.
Drake, Scarlet and Lukas take a moment to wave back to all their fans cheering as they slowly drove by. Jason continued to look out the window with surprise and curiosity. It’s a rare thing for him to see people so happy and welcoming. Maybe if things work out for him, he could end up living here. It would be a nice fresh start if he ends up never going back to the orphanage.
Jason: That’s really good of you.
Scarlet: It’s what my mother would’ve wanted. That’s why we named this street after her and Jett.
Scarlet points their white-haired guest in the direction of the huge building coming up on the left at the end of their bought street named “Martha McLane Avenue.” Jason didn’t know who these people were, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out they were people close to the Crimson Nightshades who aren’t around anymore, and this was their way of honouring them.
The building was their final destination. Scarlet drives the van into a special automated garage that had a laser scanner go over them as they drove in. The scanner beeped when it detected Jason, making him feel nervous. But Drake typed in “guest” on the keypad on the side of the wall, allowing the machine to permit them to enter the building and park their vehicle safely inside. The trio exit their van with a reluctant Jason following close behind.
Drake: C’mon, Jas. Let’s give you a lil tour of me casa.
They guide the skinny teen up the stairs out of the garage/basement area and give him a tour of their home. On the outside it looked like any ordinary building untouched by Magna Tech’s modernisation. But inside it was very modern. They had the usual living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, bedroom, etc. All of which looked fancy compared to the ones at Hillside House Jason’s familiar with. Drake pretty much skipped over the living quarters part of the house, aside from their individual bedrooms, decorated to suit their needs.
Drakes looked like a stereotypical 90’s skater’s room with green, black and red coloured walls, floors, bed frame, and desk. On his walls he had various posters of famous skateboarders and rock musicians, showing Jason what kind of person he is.
Scarlet’s room was mostly purple, red and white and had a desk with a computer, three monitors and a laptop. Hers was more technical and had few decorations than Drakes which made sense for the team’s gadget girl.
Lukas’s was the only room that was practically empty, only containing items he needed like a futon to sleep in, a coffee table and a cushion to sit on. His room had a Japanese theme to it, and it was strictly his choice as it served as a reminder of the home he left behind when he joined the Crimson Nightshades.
Finally, they reached what Drake thought was going to be the best part of the tour. Their Crimson Nightshade headquarters. It was on the top floor of the whole apartment building they own. It took up the entire floor and it contained everything they needed to do their jobs as mercenaries. The main attraction was the command centre. A huge computer screen was hanging up on the wall in the middle of the room. Further down the hall was a room where they store their weapons. Across from it was a workshop area where Scarlet builds and repairs their equipment. She heads inside with their hoverboards. Jason catches a glimpse of her putting them in some kind of charging station as she grabs her toolbox.
At the end of the hall were two more doors. One of doors was a vault door, like the ones a bank keep all their money. Drake didn’t show him the inside of the vault, but Jason can assume that this is where they keep all their stolen items until they can sell them to the highest bidder. The door next to it was normal compared to the thick vault door. Inside was a training area where they can hone their skills. There was a shooting range for their guns on the right side and a boxing ring on the left, as well as a few punching bags and training dummies Lukas uses for training his martial arts skills.
Jason was blown away by how big and impressive their home was. Not even a home, more like a fortress of solitude. He felt like he won the orphan lottery if he gets to live in a place like this. But he learned to never get his hopes up too high after all the disappointment he’d faced growing up. He still doesn’t know what exactly Drake wants with him, and he doubts it’s to ask him to join their team. What use would they have for a skinny, weak-willed kid like him?
Scarlet and Lukas rejoin Drake and Jason in the meeting room, and they all take a seat around a round table. Jason was sitting further away from the trio of bandits.
Drake: So, Jason, what ya think of the place?
Jason: It’s… really nice.
Drake: Really nice? Is that all you have to say about it? All this wasn’t cheap, ya know.
Scarlet: Can you quit it with the small talk and get to the part where you explain to us what this offer you have for him is?
Drake: Right, of course. I just wanted him to get to know the place if he chooses to accept my offer.
He clears his throat as he returns his gaze back to Jason.
Drake: Jason, since you’re in trouble with the law and you’ve got nowhere to go, I figured maybe you can live here with the other homeless people we rescued. We have a guest wing on the floor beneath this one you can use.
Jason’s eyes widened as he met Drake’s eyes, reacting with astonishment by his generous offer.
Jason: Ar-Are you serious?!
Drake: As a heart attack. Of course I’m not doing this for free. We expect some form of compensation in return for a roof over your head and food on the table.
Scarlet: It’s only practical. All these people who’re living in our apartments aren’t living there for free, you know. They pay the rent by working their jobs in Stratford.
Jason: But I don’t have any money to give you. And I don’t have any work experience to earn the money to pay you back.
Drake: I figured you’d say that which is why I’m offering you this. You can work for us as a means of paying the rent.
Scarlet and Lukas both turn to Drake with a hint of surprise in their eyes, at least Scarlet was surprised. Lukas’ expression was still the same but there was a glint of confusion and doubt in his purple eyes.
Scarlet: You’ve got to be kidding me, Drake. You want to bring this kid into the Crimson Nightshades? That’s gotta be your dumbest idea yet.
Drake: Oh no, not as a Crimson Nightshade. I was thinking more along the lines of being something like a secretary or errand boy. Someone to watch over HQ while we’re out doing jobs for The Miners Guild. Ya know, clean the rooms, sort files, that kinda stuff.
Jason: That’s it?
Drake: Yep. Do that and you can practically live here for free. Pretty generous offer ey?
It was a generous offer indeed, but Jason felt that this may be some kind of trick. When he asked him what the catch was, he was shocked to hear that there wasn’t one. Lukas even confirmed that he was being genuine with him about the offer and there were no signs of deception as long as Jason pulled his weight like the rest of them. The white-haired boy wasn’t too happy with being their errand boy, but with everything else they’ve offered him he’d be a fool to refuse. He’d be willing to mop the floors and sort a few files if if meant he’d have a better place to live, free from the bullies and the fear of the police tracking him down.
After accepting the job, Jason started asking them some questions about their group as well as this Miners Guild they supposedly work for.
Jason: Who exactly are the Miners Guild?
Scarlet: They run all of Stratford. Managed to restore it to its former glory while Magna Tech were too busy modernising New London. Some people like things the way they were before.
Drake nods and continues to explain them on her behalf.
Drake: A few years ago, they hired us to assassinate a powerful Witch called Regina Skyshatter. The deranged leader of the Blood Rose cult.
Jason: Never heard of them.
The Crimson Nightshades all look at him with a baffled expression on their faces, aside from Lukas who was more curious to know how it was even possible for him not to at least heard stories of them. They were a very big deal back then.
Drake: Jeez, Jason, have you been living under a rock your whole life? You don’t know us. You don’t know the Miners Guild. Now you say you don’t know the Blood Rose?! Until we came along, they were the most feared religious cult of witches. No mercenary that sought out after them had ever returned alive. We found them, thwarted their evil plan to turn every drug addict around the world into Ghouls, and we killed their leader…
Drake pauses so that he could draw the sword strapped to his back. It looked like a katana, but the blade was blood red, and the hilt had a demonic look to it. Like a demon’s fingers were wrapped around the end of the blade and the handle. He shows the sword off to Jason, allowing him to get a good look at it.
Drake: And this blade was the down payment for a job well done. It originally belonged to Regina before I claimed it as my own. It’s only fair given how she broke my last one. It’s called Muramasa. Long story, but it’s my ultimate trophy and proof of our strength… After we took down Blood Rose, we became famous worldwide. Now we work for the Miners Guild as their top tier treasure hunters. I once had a reputation for being the fastest man on Earth. But now there’s someone else who’s faster than me. Someone who we have engaged with on multiple fronts. Someone who’s name is like an insult to our very existence. Someone who’s reputation is even more famous than ours. Someone even you must’ve heard of… The world’s newest hero, Chaos Man.
A hate-filled and vengeful response is triggered within Jason just from hearing that name. He was slightly surprised to hear that they also hated Chaos Man as much as he did. Looks like he’s found something else to bond with them over.
Jason: Don’t speak that name! I hate Chaos Man! I hate him more than anything in this world!
Drake: Oh really? Tell us then. What did Chaos Man do for you to make you hate him so much?
Jason: He ruined my life!
He raised his voice a little to vent his anger without overdoing it. Last thing he wanted was to piss them off and ruin his only chance at a better life.
Jason: My life was already hell before he showed up. But now it’s gotten even worse because of him. Everyone keeps talking about him. Saying stuff like “He’s a hero! He’s so cool! The world’s a better place because of him” and I’m sick of it! It should’ve been me who obtained those powers, not him! He only used them to show off and manipulate people into thinking he’s a saviour when he’s really a fool!
Lukas listens carefully to Jason’s childish rant and started sensing more of that bad feeling he’s been having about him ever since he first set foot into their van. His demeanour was akin to that of a broken and sheltered person who’s known nothing but pain and misfortune. Like a jealous child wishing he could be like the person he’s envious of and have everything he had. But that wasn’t all. He felt there’s something more to Jason than jealousy. Something dark that’s slowly growing within him.
Drake was unimpressed or amused by his little tantrum and offered to share what he really thinks about the concept of power as a whole.
Drake: The way I see it, Jason, the concept of power shouldn’t exist at all. To me, having power is a sign of weakness, not strength. Power just drives humans crazy. Believing that it makes them Gods. They say they use it for good then the power corrupts them, and they start using if for their own selfish needs. We don’t need powers to become legends. We succeeded where those with power failed. We took down Blood Rose and lived to tell the tale, and neither of us had any powers.
As he finished that last sentence he glanced over at Lukas on his right and gives him a nod which Lukas returns with equal respect.
Jason: But you’re using your skills to do selfish things too. Just for good reasons, I guess.
Drake: Helping people out is the right thing to do and all, but that’s not why we do what we do. We do it because it pays really well and helps us live an easy life. Sure beats working in a fast-food restaurant chain or working for a big business company like Magna Tech. No offence, Scarlet.
Scarlet: No, I’m with you on that.
Drake: We simply do what our employers ask us to do, and if we pull it off, we get paid. Sometimes we do bad things for money. Sometimes we do good things for money. As long as we’re having fun with said money that’s all that matters.
Jason: You do all this for fun?
Drake: When the opportunity presents itself. But ever since Chaos Man showed up, each job became less fun and more risk… Our first encounter with him was two days ago. He almost ruined everything.
The aforementioned first encounter with the multi-coloured superhero took place in New London. The Crimson Nightshades were carrying out a mission for the Miners Guild to steal a priceless jade statue from the mansion of Magna Tech’s founder. The guild’s leader didn’t think such an exquisite piece of art should be sitting on a pedestal in the upstairs hallway gathering dust, and it would be more loved in a museum. The same one they would rob two days later.
Breaking into Magna’s mansion was easy, but escaping with the statue was a difficult challenge. One the Crimson Nightshades were happy to tackle. Standing straight on their hoverboards, they burst through the windows of the mansion and fly off as fast as they can with Lukas carrying the statue in a secure metal box. They escaped the property but are now being pursued by Magna Tech Heli-Drones.
Drake: Looks like we got company! Scarlet, take em out!
Scarlet: With pleasure.
Scarlet reaches for the sniper rifle she kept strapped to her back and brings it forward. She takes aim at the approaching Heli-Drones and fires a single precise shot at each of them, hitting their circuitry. The drones burst into flames as they fall out of the sky.
Chaos Man: Yo! Nice shot!
Scarlet was startled by the new voice coming from her right, but when she turned her head away from the scope to see who it was, there was nobody there. She soon faces forward, lowering her rifle. But she and the boys were forced to brake and hover in place when Chaos Man suddenly appeared in front of them, hovering at eye level at them with his hand stretched out, acting like a traffic warden telling them to stop.
Chaos Man: Hello there. Do you know why I pulled you over?
Drake: Oh great, it’s Chaos Man.
Chaos Man: What? Chaos Man? Where? Where?!
He says sarcastically as he looks left and right, teasing the trio with his sense of humour which they did not find amusing at all.
Chaos Man: Oh, I’m sorry. I just get so flustered when I meet a celebrity. I don’t know what to say.
Scarlet: How about you just say “Goodbye.”
She quickly takes aim at the target hovering in front of them and pulls the trigger of her rifle. But Chaos Man effortlessly floats to the side, dodging it. Shocked by how fast he was moving, she fires a couple more rounds. But not a single one of them made contact with the energetic hero. Every miss only agitated her more.
Scarlet: Stay still, will ya!
Chaos Man: Sorry, can’t do that. Now how’s about you guys tell me who you are and where you got all those fancy toys? And while you’re at it, would you kindly return that statue you stole?
Drake: We’re the Crimson Nightshades. Where we got this stuff from is none of your business. And we ain’t returning this unless you can pay us double what we were offered to steal it in the first place.
Chaos Man: Sorry, pal, but even if I had the money, I ain’t spending a penny on something Magna owns… If you’re not gonna hand it over and turn yourselves in, then I have no choice but to take you in the hard way.
Drake: Scarlet. Lukas. Make sure we complete our mission. I’ll keep him busy.
Scarlet and Lukas nod and leave their leader to confront the hero alone. They knew there was a strong possibility that he won’t get out of this encounter victorious, but they had a lot of faith and trust in him to keep him distracted long enough to successfully complete their heist.
Chaos Man: ah-ah-ah! Did I give you permission to run away?
He attempts to fly after them but is startled by a bullet flying past his head, causing him to stop mid flight and turn back around to face Drake. Smoke was seeping out of the barrel of his handgun, evidence that he was the one who fired the shot.
Drake: Did I give YOU permission to go after them? This is between us, Chaos Man.
Chaos Man: You wanna fight me? No offence, Buddy, but you won’t last one second in a fight against me, even with all those fancy gadgets.
Drake: Nah, I’m not lookin’ for a fight, cuz I know you’d win. I was actually thinking about a race. Ya’ see, I’ve heard a lot about you, CM. Heard that you’re pretty fast. But nobody is faster than me. Before you came along, I was known as the fastest man on Earth.
Chaos Man: You? I find that hard to believe.
Drake: I’ll prove it. Let’s have a little race right now! If I win; you let us go. You win; you get that statue back. Whaddya say?
Chaos Man: I say your arrogance is gonna lead to your downfall. But fine, I’m up for it. I could use the entertainment.
Drake: Oh, it’ll be entertaining… for me.
Drake thought to himself as he got into position on his hoverboard.
Drake: Let’s see what ya made of, Super Zero!
Without warning, Drake blasts off in the opposite direction of his teammates. But Chaos Man was in no hurry to catch up with him. He’ll give him a ten second head start before showing him how pointless it is to challenge the fastest being on Earth to a race.
He taps his foot on the air like he’s standing on invisible ground whilst looking at his gold inhibitor bracelet acting like he’s checking the time out of impatience, further wounding Drake’s ego. Eventually he blasts off at high speed in the direction he went and manages to easily catch up to him. The two of them are now neck and neck as they race across the sky.
Chaos Man: Hello again. Surprised by how easily I caught up to you?
Drake: Hmm, not bad. You certainly live up to your reputation. But once I reach top speed you’ll be left in my dust.
Drake turns the little dial on his computer gauntlet, connecting to his hoverboard’s speed and increasing it to max. A little red alert flashes on the screen, warning him not to move at this speed for too long to avoid injury and overheating the engine. He then blasts past Chaos Man, moving at over 4,520mph. Around the speed of the world’s fastest jet. Chaos Man will admit that it was impressive how a small high-tech surfboard can move at such a speed and he’s able to stay standing straight atop it without falling off or being pushed back by the G-force. He must have magnetic boots that keep his feet fixed to the board as he’s moving.
Drake was now miles ahead of Chaos Man and had his goggles down and neckerchief up to cover his face and keep the intense wind out of his eyes. The feeling of the G-force pressing hard against his body was like adrenaline coursing through his veins. Moving at such speeds without cover was perhaps the greatest feeling in the world to him. No other human can know this feeling aside from his teammates and Chaos Man.
Drake: Hahaha, the only way for him to overtake me now is if he goes supersonic. As always, I am still the fastest- What?!
Before he could finish his boastful thought, Chaos Man zooms past him, moving even faster than the top speed of his hoverboard. Behind his goggles and mask was a dumbfounded expression. He looks down at his gauntlet, checking the speed he was moving. The screen read that he was moving at mach 25. The same speed as a space shuttle on re-entry.
Drake: That- That’s not possible! He’s moving at 17,500! That’s 25 times the speed of sound!
Just when things couldn’t be any worse for the mercenary’s pride, Chaos Man decided to taunt him by laying on his back with his arms behind his head and his legs crossed like he’s relaxing in a lounge chair on a beach while still moving at the greater speed. This pisses off Drake to the point where he draws his sword, Muramasa, and attempts to attack him while his guard was down, fed up with him one-upping him at every opportunity he got. Forgetting all about the warning flashes on his gauntlet screen.
Drake: Think your cool, ey?! Think you’re better than me?! I’ll show ya who you’re messing with, little geek!
He quickly brings his sword down as hard as he can and slice the hero in half once he’s slowed down enough. But Chaos Man easily dodges his strike and returns to a normal flying position though he was now flying backwards, further agitating the Crimson Nightshade leader, even if that wasn’t his intention this time around.
Drake: Hold still you little prick!
Chaos Man: Uh, dude. You might wanna lay off on the speed now. Your gauntlet’s flashing.
Drake: Shut up and let me cut you, you fu-
Suddenly, one of the thrusters at the tail end of Drake’s hoverboard explodes from the strain of the overdrive and he starts losing control. Black smoke seeps out of the damaged thruster as he struggles to stay airborne. He inevitably loses all control and is now plummeting down towards the grassy fields on the outskirts of New London near a motorway. Chaos Man quickly swoops in and catches Drake, separating him from his board as it crashed into the underside of a bridge by the motorway. Thankfully it didn’t land in the road and cause any accidents.
Chaos Man slowly lowers Drake down by the underside of the bridge. Drake rudely pulls himself free from his grasp and rushes to the crash site. His hoverboard was completely wrecked. Completely unrideable until it can be repaired. If there’s even enough of it left to salvage and fix.
Chaos Man: Looks like I win.
Drake clenches his fists and slowly turns his head over his right shoulder and angrily glares at the multi-coloured hero.
Drake: You son of a bitch! Do you have any idea how much these things cost to build?!
Chaos Man: No, but if anyone’s to blame for this it’s you. I tried to tell you that the thing on your arm was warning you not to overwork the engine. But you were getting all riled up about losing to me. I told you your arrogance was gonna cost you.
Drake: You’re so full of yourself. You mock me with your weak jokes, but you know nothing about me!
Chaos Man: I know that you and your friends are criminals. Famous ones too given how loaded you guys must be to build fancy stuff like that…
He points over at the wreckage of Drake’s hoverboard still resting in the crater it made.
Chaos Man: If it makes you feel better, you guys are so much more fun than all the regular, boring street thugs I’ve had to deal with. I actually had to put in some effort in stopping you. But I am sorry to say, it’s time for you to go to jail now. Once I turn you over to the police, I’ll be going after your teammates and getting back that statue you took… I’m sorry, pal.
Chaos Man approaches Drake and reaches out to grab him. Until suddenly, for reasons he can’t fathom, his whole body just stopped moving and he was frozen in place. He can only move his eyes now as he uses them to look down at his own body, trying to figure out the reason why this was happening. He noticed that his whole body was enveloped in a purple aura.
Chaos Man: What the hell?
Lukas then rushes in on his hoverboard and closes in on the immobilised hero. After leaping off his board, he spin-kicks Chaos Man in the side of the head just as the purple aura faded. The back of his foot struck the hero so hard that it managed to send him flying into the side of the thick cinderblock wall of the bridge.
Lukas: Allow me to assist you, Drake.
Drake: Lukas? I thought I told you and Scarlet to carry out the mission.
Lukas: The task is complete. I sensed that you were in danger, so I came back to rescue you. Scarlet will be here shortly.
Chaos Man shakes his head, clearing the debris out of his hair as he emerges from the wall, unfazed by the impact. He was more curious to understand how a short man like Lukas was able to hit him hard enough to send him flying to begin with.
Chaos Man: Damn, he sure is strong for a short guy. How is he so strong though? And what was that force earlier? I couldn’t move my body… Whatever that was, I better hurry up and deal with those Crimson Nightshades first.
He instantly closes the gap between him and the two of the mercenaries. He cracks his knuckles, ready to throw down with Drake and Lukas. He was confident that he could take them both without any issues. Now that he knows Lukas was there, he won’t let him land another lucky strike on him.
Drake: Lukas, Chaos Man is very powerful. Fighting him will only grant us a one-way ticket to prison. Not saying I doubt your skills, but even you won’t last one second against him.
Lukas: I am a ninja. Difference in strength and power means nothing to me. Part of my oath as a warrior is to never back down from a fight, even if the odds are against me. I will fight Chaos Man while you recover.
As the hero closes in on them, Lukas thinks hard about this next important decision he has to make. His oath to never run away from a fight was only one of many. There was another oath he took upon himself before he met Drake and Scarlet, after he lost his home in Japan. An oath that he must now break in order to protect his friend from this very powerful being.
Lukas: I never thought I’d end up breaking this promise to myself after the Akuma No Kohai. But it is the only way to stop him… Drake, I’m sorry.
Drake: For what?
Lukas: This.
Lukas slowly raises his hand at Chaos Man as he is closing in on them. But as he gets closer, his body is once again covered in a purple aura, causing him to freeze in place again. Alex struggles to move against this strong force, but he was having a hard time breaking free, and now he knows why.
It was Lukas Reikon all along who held him in place the first time before kicking him in the head. The first time he got immobilised he briefly saw his stretched-out arm. He couldn’t see all of him, but he could tell it was him by the style of his outfit and the tail ends of his long purple scarf blowing against the wind. He can see now that his arm was outlined in the same purple energy that was covering him.
Drake can fully see Lukas and how he was somehow holding Chaos Man in place without touching him. It almost looked like he was using some sort of telekinetic power to keep him at bay. But that can’t be right, he told himself. He knew Lukas for a few years now. If he had any powers he would know about it. As a team they’re meant to share everything to each other. Hiding superpowers was a very big violation of that promise.
Scarlet soon arrives on the scene at just the right moment and was awestruck by the sight of Lukas holding Chaos Man in place with some kind of psychic superpower. Without looking up at her, the short, purple-haired ninja addresses her, keeping all his focus on Chaos Man.
Lukas: Scarlet, Drake’s hoverboard’s been damaged. Can you repair it?
Scarlet: Uhhh, Lukas, how are you doing that?
Lukas: Answer the question!
He raised his voice, showing signs of struggle as he maintained his hold on the hero. Scarlet flies over towards the ruined hoverboard and checks out the damage.
Scarlet: It looks pretty bad. Looks like one of the thrusters exploded…
She turns to Drake with an annoyed look.
Scarlet: I told you many times not to overwork the engine! I can fix it, but not here. We have to get back to base.
Lukas: Gather what you can of it and get Drake away from here while I hold Chaos Man at bay.
Scarlet: Right, on it.
Though she and Drake were burning with questions about Lukas’ secret psychic abilities, they understood that escape was much more important. This was their only chance to get away and avoid breaking their five-year streak of escaping the law. Getting captured now because of Chaos Man would be a major blow to their reputation, not to mention a humiliating loss.
Scarlet and Drake quickly gathered as much as they could of Drake’s damaged hoverboard before the leader climbs onto the back of Scarlet’s, holding onto her hips to keep a steady balance. They quickly fly off in the distance as Lukas struggles to keep a hold of Chaos Man, who is struggling to break free of his grasp.
Once they’d gotten far enough away, Lukas throws Chaos Man far away from the motorway and into the vast forest of tall, thick trees. He summons his hoverboard to his side with his psychic powers and backflips onto it before flying off in the direction of his teammates.
When Chaos Man finally halts his momentum, he flies out of the woods and quickly returns to the bridge, only to find it deserted. The Crimson Nightshade’s had fled.
Chaos Man: Darn, they got away. That’s not gonna look good on my report. Still, what the hell was that all about? I thought they were just a bunch of high-tech rogues, but it appears there’s more to them than meets the eye. One of them had powers like me. But I thought I was the only one with superpowers. I wonder if Omnius knows anything about that guy. Maybe I should head home and ask him… You’ve won this round, Crimson Nightshades. But you won’t be so lucky next time.
With that said, Chaos Man leaves and flies off back to the monastery, hoping Omnius may provide him some answers to Lukas’ hidden powers.
Dusk had arrived by the time the Crimson Nightshades returned to their home base in Stratford. They were very lucky today to have escaped Magna Tech’s drones and then Chaos Man. As soon as they were safely inside and sure they weren’t followed, Scarlet takes the remains of Drake’s hoverboard to her workshop area and sets it down on her workbench with her toolbox sitting atop it next to the damaged transporter.
Scarlet: You are so lucky I have enough spare parts lying around to fix your board up. It is gonna take a while though. Next time, heed the flashing warnings on your gauntlet. I mean it this time!
Drake: Sorry if I’m sounding too demanding but fixin’ it ain’t gonna cut it. I need you to upgrade this bad boy. Make sure it’s faster and more durable the next time I meet Chaos Man.
Scarlet’s head quickly shot over in Drake’s direction with an “Are you serious?” look.
Scarlet: Make it faster? Are you for real?! I may be a skilled engineer, but there’s a limit to what I can do with the equipment I’ve got. I’m not a miracle worker, Drake.
Drake: That skintight suit wearing asshole was able to easily outrun the top speed of my hoverboard whilst laying down and flying backwards! Not only had he stolen my title of fastest man alive, but he also humiliated me in the process. I can’t let that slide.
Lukas then entered the workshop area and addressed Drake’s hurtful pride.
Lukas: I am sorry to say this, Drake, but that title is irrelevant compared to the importance of our mission. I have locked the statue in the vault for safekeeping until we hear from our buyers… There are also other matters that need to be addressed.
Drake: Yeah, you’re right, Lukas. Like the fact that you’ve had superpowers all this time and you’ve been keeping it hidden from us.
Drake says as he crosses his arms and looks at the man he thought he could trust with his life. Scarlet pauses her work on the hoverboard and turns to face Lukas as well. She too wanted to hear more about Lukas’ secret life as a super-powered being.
Scarlet: He’s right, Lukas. You said you’d explain once we returned to base. Well, here we are. Start talking.
Lukas looks up at Drake and Scarlet, his expression still the same as before. Serious and without emotion. However, there was a hint of conflict stirring within him on how he should explain the whole truth to his friends. He’d just broken his own oath to keep his powers hidden and to never use them again after whatever he went through in Japan. But now the cat’s out of the bag and they’re awaiting his explanation. Once he’d taken a deep breath to calm his mind, he spoke.
Lukas: I was born with these powers…
He started off slow, only to be suddenly interrupted by Scarlet who had a question for him.
Scarlet: How long have you been keeping this from us? More importantly, why did you keep it from us?
Lukas: Drake once said that he despised those with powers. I feared that if he knew about mine, he would’ve seen me as an enemy. I couldn’t allow that to happen. I made a promise to myself that I would never use my powers again after I lost my home. That I would find something else to fight for. That was why I joined you in your hunt for the Blood Rose. And in return, I would have a purpose again. A reason to live.
Drake and Scarlet look at each other as they think over what Lukas just told them. He seemed genuine with his explanation as far as they could tell. Scarlet turns back to their mysterious third member and asked him perhaps the most obvious and expected question.
Scarlet: Who - or what - are you, Lukas?
Lukas: I’m an Elemental. A sub species of human that is born with the power to control an element. I was born with a variation of the Psychic Element. The Element of Gravity. One of the rarest of them all. In Japan I was raised and trained to be an Elemental Warrior by my master at our Elemental Academy. Till one day, the academy was attacked by an organisation known as The Coming Dawn because we refused to join their cause. Their war with Aegis resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Elementals… I was the only survivor. As far as I know, I may be the last of my kind. I turned to a life of an assassin until I met you two. You gave me a home, a greater purpose. But if you knew about my powers, you would’ve casted me out and I didn’t want that. So, I kept it hidden from you both, and for that I am truly sorry.
Drake slowly approaches his short friend and places his hand gently on his shoulder, giving him a look of reassurance while keeping a sense of authority over him.
Drake: Listen, Lukas. It’s true that I hate those who possess power. But that doesn’t mean I would instantly forget all we’ve been through and kick you out of the Crimson Nightshades. You’re our strongest fighter. You also mastered the hoverboard on your first try. It took Scarlet and I months of training before we could finally operate one.
Scarlet: And I’m the one who built them.
Drake: What we’re sayin’ is, human or not, you’re still one of us. We never abandon one of our own… Just promise me you won’t keep anymore secrets from us from now on, got it? Part of being a team is to trust each other, and I will always abide by that promise, even if you have chosen to break it.
Lukas: You have my word.
Present day. Drake was wrapping up his story of his first encounter and humiliating loss against Chaos Man, sharing Jason’s hatred of him. Their jobs as mercenaries have become so much harder because of his interference. They were lucky to escape him once. But how long until that luck runs out and they end up in prison?
He purposely leaves out the part of the story where they discovered Lukas was an Elemental for the obvious reason of not trusting Jason yet. It took a long time for each of them to completely trust each other. Jason will have to work his way up the corporate ladder before they can trust him with their secrets. Jason was leaning over the table, resting his head in his hands as he listened, impressed by how they somehow managed to evade Chaos Man and distract him with a fake statue while they got away with the real one. That was the cover story Drake had been feeding him.
Jason: That sounds cool and all, but I still don’t understand why you formed the Crimson Nightshades in the first place.
Drake: We didn’t. It was created by my ancestors who were known throughout history as great thieves and even greater treasure hunters. My father was the previous leader before me. My mother and my mentor, Jett, were his teammates. I wanted to follow in his footsteps, and thanks to Scarlet and her tech, we’re far more advanced than we’ve ever been before.
Drake glances over at Scarlet on his right who smiles in response to his compliment on her work. She never gets tired of hearing praise for her amazing intellect.
Jason wanted to learn more about them and how they met after hearing how Lukas wound up joining the team. But that was a story for another day. There was still much for the Crimson Nightshades to do. They need to inform the Miners Guild that they’ve successfully secured the Egyptian tablet, stashed it in their vault for safekeeping, and are ready to deliver it to them whenever they ask for it.
Drake leads Jason out of the meeting room, leaving Scarlet and Lukas to continue doing their own thing. Scarlet was sending a text to the guild with photographs of the tablet to prove they have it, while Lukas was in the corner meditating.
Drake and Jason retrace their steps back to the elevator they took to get to the top floor and descend one floor down, arriving at the guest house area. Jason couldn’t believe his eyes. He was expecting to be shoved into a small hotel room and had to share it with other homeless people in the building. But instead, he discovered that the whole floor was essentially its own house complete with a bedroom with a double bed, nightstand with a table lamp, an overhead light, and a window. A bathroom. A kitchen. And a living room. They weren’t as luxurious as the Crimson Nightshade’s living quarters upstairs, but it was so much nicer than his small room at Hillside House, and so much better than the filthy pigsty that was his parent’s apartment.
Drake: Here’s where you’ll be staying.
Jason: I-I… don’t believe it! All of this… is mine? For real?!
Drake: As long as you honour the deal, work hard as our errand boy, and do what we tell you, yes. This is all yours. Just remember that most of the money we pay you will be going towards the rent, which only leaves you with enough of an allowance to buy food, toiletries, etc. While you’re living here, you will be pulling your own weight. Nobody likes a freeloader, Kid.
Normally Jason would get annoyed at him for calling him “Kid” again. But he was so blown away by the fact that he gets a whole hotel floor to himself and get a true chance to live comfortably as a human being that he didn’t give a damn. For the very first time in his life, he was so happy. He takes a few moments to calm himself down and regain his composure before facing his new boss/landlord.
Jason: Thank you so much for all this, Drake. This is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me in like forever.
Drake: Don’t sweat it, Jace. I figured it’s about bloody time a sad, depressed kid like you got a taste of happiness. And the harder you work; the more rewards you’ll earn from us.
Jason: I promise to work hard and do whatever you ask of me.
Drake: Don’t make promises you can’t keep unless you mean em, Kid. Remember that.
Final words of warning to their guest before Drake closes the bedroom door, leaving Jason alone to admire his new, clean, somewhat bland bedroom. As soon as he was certain he was alone, Jason lets out a happy squeal and his body jitters like a jackhammer. He then dives onto his double bed, rubbing his face in the soft, silk sheets. The smell of freshly washed sheets filled his nostrils. It was a sensation he’d never felt before. And all he had to do to keep all this luxury was to do whatever they asked of him.
Jason agreed to do whatever the Crimson Nightshades wanted, no matter what it may be. He’d happily kill for them if it meant he could live in a place like this every day of his life. He was so happy that he hadn’t thought once about Alex, Michael, Jackson, the bullies, or the horrible incident with his therapist, or May Li threatening to expose him as a murderer once she finds out what happened. It’s as if all those things ceased to exist and this was all that mattered now. Finally, for the first time in his miserable existence, things were going right for him.
To Be Continued