Chapter 1: Welcome to the New World

There was no response from her, which wasn't surprising: if she and her band were working on a new song, then she wouldn't be free to respond to his text. So with that in mind, James continued along, while Gestalt continued working on both the formula, and a number of hacks. Most of them were harmless really, but there was one it began to see a use for: hacking into the city surveillance network. As Gestalt began to learn, the city had a large number of cameras, within all the boroughs.

(Meant for security, they were owned and operated by the police who used them to keep watch for any crimes being committed (though as many pointed out, they did little to spot cyber attacks and white collar crimes, or even crimes within a building. They were limited to street related crimes.)

Creating a backdoor entrance into the system, Gestalt created a means to personally monitor the city streets, which if James was committed to being a hero, would help.

"Well suck it up," Chris said. "Look, I can't help you without the proper tools so unless you're hiding them somewhere, it's the hospital or a pine box."

Libra groaned. "Is there any other choice?" She asked fearfully. "I can't be found. Anything. Any way, I'll repay you I swear. Just don't let them find me..."

Stella continued driving. She was tracking James, and as they jumped she drove.
It was hard keeping up.

"Dammit....." Chris mumbled. She should be calling the cops, but this woman....if someone shot at her, they meant for her to be dead. So they;d be looking for her, and come gunning. Putting her in a hospital, would just put more in harms way.

While James kept moving, Gestalt spoke in his mind.

James....make a left ahead, continue for two blocks before making a right, then make another left.

Confused, James took a chance and followed the AI's instructions. Unbeknownst to him, Gestalt, through the city cameras, monitored something as it tested its theory.

Stella was watching the armored figure. How? Cameras. Easy and aimple to hack. And as he made his turns so sid she, keeping right on his tail. If she could figure out his base of operations, she could hopefully see if...well, if they could help each other somehow.

We are being followed.

That made James nervous, though in the end it wasn't surprising. He doubted the UNESD would let him walk away without being followed, so he decided to come to them. Through Gestalt, he spotted the car, and stopped at the edge of a building, overlooking an alley. Dropping down into it, he waited as he cloaked.

Frowning, Stella pulled into the alley. Turning her brights on, she pulled in and frowned.
"Where did he go?" Stella pulled into park, looking around.

The car arrived, and James approached from the side to the empty passenger side. Still cloaked, he pressed his finger against the keyhole on the door, and the nanites seeped in to form a key. Twisting, he opened the door, decloaking in the process and entered, sitting down in the side seat. "Hey there," he said nonchalantly as if they were best friends. "Nice car."

Stella pressed against the door. Her seatbelt was on...fuck fuck fuck.
"Please. I don't mean harm. D..don't hurt me." She moved and winced, clutching the spot on her arm where the huge ass needle had been plunged. "What do you want?"


Libra looked at Chris.
"S...sorry...but I can...." and she passed out.

"Well for starters change the radio to station 88.6, there's a game on and I'd like to know the score," James said with a small grin. "But seriously, what I really want is to know why you're following me? Did the UNESD send you?"

"Fuck," Chris spat, and grabbed the phone to call 911.

Stella pulled her sleeve up to show her arm, where the needle was rammed in.
"They gave me this just for being in the warehouse district. So they could track and kill me if needed. I'm fucking screwed by them, so you're my only chance. If you are the guy who hacked the entire fucking internet."

She changed the station to 88.6.

Before he could respond, the radio sounded the team James was interested in scored a goal, and he punched the air (while barely skimming the ceiling of the car) and said "Gooooooaaaallll! Sorry. So, guess you saw how much of an ass they are too then eh? Also, the internet is....well kinda the tip of the iceberg. Or more of a gateway to other things, Ms. Estelle Evans, born in 2017 at Lenox Hospital to Melanie and Richard Evans. Blood type AB, your social security number is 112-35-8132." James didn't exactly know all this, Gestalt did. The AI gave him the information, the same way a news reporter got theirs, a researcher speaking into their ear. Or mind in this case.

Stella whimpered. "What do you want from me? If it's money you can have it, just...just please." She was obviously...way too scared now.

"Chill Estelle," James said. "Relax, breathe, and I'll tell you why I'm here. Look the reason I came to you like this is because....well for starters I was under the impression you worked with the UNESD. Clearly, that's not the case, and a friend of mine happened to detect your program skimming around in the city surveillance system. He'd like you to know that while he found it, it was in fact very well hidden and that if he hadn't been moving stuff around in the first place, he wouldn't have found it. So you can relax and breathe easy as your skills as a hacker are not in danger."

Stella breathed easier, calming down.
"Who...who are you?"

Remembering the name he had chosen for himself, James spoke softly "I'm.....Revenant. Seeing as how we both don't like the UNESD that much, I'm going to propose we help one another in the future. For now..." he trailed off as he got out of the car, holding the door open, the indoor lights shining off his armor. "...it would probably be best if we just go our own ways. But I have your number, and email account. So when I need to get in touch, you'll know."

"Next you'll tell me you know my address and my bra size." Stella said miserably. "Can I go home and cuddle with my boyfriend now? If the idiot is there that is...."

"Address yes. Bra size.....nope, and don't really care," James said brightly. "And you've always been free to go, I'm not a cop or anything." Closing the door, he shot a cable out and hauled himself up to the roof of the building, and started making his way home again.

The police officer grew concerned. Someone was hunting down gang members, murdering them, and then carving out their flesh. Not one piece of evidence could be gartered to tell who was behind. Only that this person was known as the Vigilante. No fingerprints, no blood, no eye-witnesses and no footage of him existed. More than 30 dead gang members were tied to the Vigilante. 30 that they knew of. A lot of gang members aren't in the system, and aren't recorded. If any of them went missing, it wouldn't be considered gang related, it'd be domestic, a runaway, a missing person.

On top of all that, most of the people who had the symbol carved into them were dominant personalities in the gangs, leaders, potential leaders, people who helped hold the gang together and keep them straight, more or less. Guys with tactical knowledge, who knew how and when to set up attacks, ambushes, hits, robberies. Orchestrators of small outfits of gangs. Or they were guys who had ties to the criminal syndicate. The major players in New York crime, the Mafia, the Mob, the real up top organized crime. The guys that nobody fucked with. Unless they fancied themselves a new pair of concrete boots.

This Vigilante bozo was picking a fight with some minor gangs, sure, but he was also subtly hitting the big fish in the pond, by taking out the guys they have in the Kinwai and the Reds. As a rule, they never involved themselves in wars between gangs, they were impartial. They told the gangs what not to hit, things to not piss off the bigger fishes. Lest they be eaten or made an example of. In the criminal syndicate, fear was a great tool for obedience. It worked well in the crime world.

The Vigilante though, he was rocking the boat. He was making the gangs nervous, which made the Mafia look over to see what's going on. The interest was minimal, however, the punishment would be severe. The Mafia saw the attack on their inside guys as a personal insult, which is why the Godfather pushed the investigation into the Vigilante. Pulling the strings that he can, to get the results that he wants. The Vigilante would be put to justice, if only at the hands of the Mafia. He'd be made to suffer. Which is part of the reason the Officer didn't eat hotdogs anymore.

Or buy food from the street vendors. There's no telling what it's in the food. Or meat. As a rule of thumb, anything labelled "Mystery meat" was probably human. It also sold quite well. Supposedly, human flesh was sweet. That avenue of thought was something the Officer didn't want to go down. Those kind of thoughts drive a man towards temptation.

The Detective came to the rescue, breaking his private line of thinking by noting how the face had been carved off as well. He was referring to the body, hanging before them, carved with the supposed symbol of the Vigilante. It was true, the officer looked up, and the face of the man was removed, unidentifiable. They would have to do a DNA analysis to determine who it had been. Something told Officer that that test would never come back to them. Dead Mafiosos tended to disappear, with the only sign of their passing being a closed casket funeral. If they had a funeral at all.

The officer regretted that he had come here. Writing this report would be difficult, and he knew that someone in the Mafia would see it, and report back to the Godfather. Someone was going to pay for this, rightfully or not. There was going to be a veiled threat, or an open one, or swift action, and someone would bear the brunt of it. Being a member of the Kinwai had it's perks, but that meant nothing alongside the Mafia. Street Cred only got you so far with them. Especially if you're a cop.

The running and zip-lining helped James make excellent time on getting home, and so far Gestalt found no sign of being followed. As before, they found a place to change and James arrived at the front door, unlocking it and stepping inside. "I'm back!" he called out, before seeing across from him Chris, hands bloody and holding tools, standing over a woman he had never seen before who was covered in blood, her clothes a mess and torn in spots to show more blood over skin, centered around puncture wounds in the skin. Both were by the couch, with the woman laying atop it with two large plastic bags laid out under her. A spongy material poked out of the holes. He stood there, stunned as Chris looked his way and said "James, thank god your back!"

She didn't move though, and it made James move closer instead. "What.....the fuck?" he asked. "Chris, what the hell happened? How long ago? And why didn't you call?" Chris sighed and answered "James I meant to call but everything was kinda happening too fast. She showed up at the back door bleeding from gunshots and begged for help, so I got my dad's field medical kit and did what I could. She's still got a bullet in there though."

James took it all in as he stood across from Chris by the bloody woman's feet. "And you couldn't have called the cops by now? She needs a hospital Chris!" James said, and Chris returned his words with a strained look. "I know and I should have but she said the people who shot her would be looking for her. If they tracked her to a hospital then they may have shot the place up to get to her and killed other people." Scowling, James countered "Then let them try through a wall of cops! You're going to get us dragged into this: me, and your dad. Not to mention yourself since you're helping her dammit." Glaring now, Chris said flatly "I won't just turn away a person bleeding at my door James. You know me better than that." Sighing, James closed his eyes and said "You're right, I do. Alright...what can I do to help?"

Flashing him a grateful smile, Chris gestured for him to stand by the woman's midsection and kneel down. "I need to get the bullet out," she said, "but my dad never taught me how...." James looked a little shocked and said "You know hand to hand combat, have training field medicine, and even know how to use a few guns, and you don't know how to remove a bullet?" Looking annoyed, Chris said "Hey I don't have any nanomachines I can use ti dislodge the bullet and keep pressure on any arteries that could have been damaged by the bullet." It took James a moment to realize she didn't mean Gestalt, since medical nanomachines were a reality used for purposes like that. "So, we call a hospital. Chris, I know you don't turn people away when they really need help but you've helped as much as you can. And now she needs a hospital."

James....we can help this person. Put your hand by the wound and we shall extend into the injury and extract the bullet.

And yet that would mean blowing my secret in front of Chris and I really don't want to do that.

But the bullet will remain lodged.

Look all she needs is a hospital. We call the cops and let them take care of her. End of story.

Stella sighed softly...then she began to drive home.
"Maybe...damn, wish I'd asked ab...fuck fuck fuck. Surveillance."
She sped off. There was a safehouse hidden away in the middle of fucking Manhattan in a storage container depository...place.
And so she was off.

The sound of Chris growling derailed his conversation with Gestalt, and James looked to his friend. "Fuck....you're right. I hate it, but you're right. Stay here, I'll grab my phone." With that, she left to go up the stairs to her room, and with a sigh it gave James the chance to do what Gestalt advised. Kneeling down, he placed his right hand over the wound of the woman, and Gestalt poured out into the hole to extract the bullet. While it couldn't heal her, she not being the host, Gestalt was able to remove the bullet and even clean up the wound to prevent infection, but nothing more. The bullet was absorbed then into his right arm, held by the nanites which then proceeded to break it down. Chris came back down about the same time he removed his hand, phone in her own as she spoke over the line. "Yeah, that's the right address. She's stable, I think but really there's not a lot else I can do. Thank you." She hung up, and said to James "They should be here in a few minutes. How's she doing?"

James looked up, and said "Still breathing. Beyond that....no idea."

James, there is something you should know.

Can it wait?

That woman is not human. She appears to be human, but her DNA matches a profile in our records of a race called the "Valkyries." They're.....friendly, more or less. More so than the Hreshtak anyway.

Oh.....shit.

Libra was unconscious for a bit longer, but as the bullet was pulled out, she began to stir.
"Nnn..nn...Seryna...Aries...I'm sorry..." She muttered deliriously. "I...I couldn't stop them...Aries I'm sorry..." She began to cry as she was half awake, her body jerking slightly.

James freaked and jerked back, landing on his ass by the couch as Chris moved to the woman. "Okay I know you said not, but I had to call the police. An ambulance is coming to pick you up."

She managed to gain some form of sense. "No...no...Carina will find me...if...if she does...Sayla...the codes...they'll kill people...they...they don't care." She screws her eyes shut, then looks at Jason.
"You understand. You can't let them get them." She whispers. "Please."

James had no clue what she was talking about, and passed it off as her being crazy. "Lady, just go back to sleep," he said while Chris gave him a look that said 'not helping.' There was the sound of an ambulance's sirens and James' words were cut off, and he sighed and said "Not much point to it now. She's going."

Libra went limp. "they are coming. They'll not care who is in their way. They are trapped on this planet like me and Seryna...like my crew...their only hope is my access..." She was weak, but looked at the two children. "D...don't...go...to the city." Was all she managed, her strength gone.

Perhaps we should at the very least keep an eye on her, Gestalt said. Perhaps the UNESD is after her.

The thought peaked James' interest, as after tonight he was more than interested in screwing with that group a little. Chris opened the door, and the paramedics came in with a stretcher. They loaded the woman onto it, and James and Chris stayed there as the police also came in behind to ask them questions. Both simply told the police the truth: she arrived at the rear door, bloodied and wounded and they did their best to help. That seemed to be enough, and the police and paramedics left (well, the EMT's left way before the police even started asking questions)

Stella hid in the cargo container. Armed with a bed, wardrobe, and other things...it was her new home. Jake would kill her...but the UNESD would find her.
She got to work.

Nexus. The Goverment. She had to hack all of them.
"Time for the Aether Rain to come."

After the police and EMT's left, the doorbell rang. James went to the door, and saw to his surprise....a pizza man. "Oh right," he said. "You ordered pizza," he said to Chris, who blinked as she remembered. The money was on the table near the door, so James being closest opened the door, grabbing the money. "Two large cheese crust pizzas, one with mushroom and olives another with all meat and mushrooms?" Grinning a little, James said "That's us." Trading the money for the pizza and signing a slip of paper, James carried both pizzas to the living room, Chris close behind. A minute later, both of them sat on the couch, one box of pizza apiece, as they watched tv. "Chris, I ever tell you how awesome you are?"

Smiling, Chris took a bite of her pizza, chewed and swallowed, before saying "So far it's down to 969. Say it 31 more times and we'll have an even thousand."

Libra looked out the window. The doctors had managed to...

Well, they butchered her back together, was her most apt description. Barbaric. Absolutely barbaric...

As James took another bite of pizza, he was startled when Chris scooted closer to him, pressing her side against his and her head resting on his shoulder. "James," she said softly, "can we talk about....well, you?" Chewing, James thought for a moment. "What do you mean?" he asked. Sighing, Chris said "You've been acting strange lately James. Sneaking out of the house. Then you attacked Dirk. You, of all people, started the fight. Then there was earlier by the bookshop, and I know you well enough to know that walking by yourself is never just walking by yourself."

He couldn't bring himself to look at her. How could he after all the worry he was clearly putting on his best friend. "What do you want me to say Chris?" he asked. "That I'm just not adjusting? Because I'm not Chris." She clung to him, arms tightening her grip. "All month in the hospital, everynight I woke up from nightmares...." he said, his face looking haunted. "I'd dream I'm seeing Kat and then....I see her face blow up, skin fly off and skull shatter or just watch as she burns." Tears started to well up and run down his cheek. Chris could only hold onto him tighter, as she said "I see her too....some times. Her face in a crowd, or in my dreams. You're not the only one hurting James, I miss her too. She was my friend, just like she was your sister."

Libra was cleaned and stabilized on the ambulance...of course, that was before a pickup truck broadsided the ambulance, sending it careening into a parked car. The paramedics were thrown around, one knocked out as the other was just winded. Libra struggled to stand as the doors were yanked open.
"Nice to see you Captain." A snide voice said. Ferrendal. The asshole.
He loomed over her, gun raised. "This was almost too easy...once we found you, everything just fell to -"
He was cut off as a sword protruded through his throat. Her glowing blade Arondight severed his head, causing the awake paramedic to shout.

The second fired, but his bullets only struck Ferrendal. Throwing him backs he threw Arondight through his chest, and as he fell back and died, she managed to find the emergency medical supplies on the first one. Stabbing her side, the special medicine sped up her already impressive healing. Returning her blade to herself, she stumbled out and began to walk.
"Fucking...rebels..."

Neither James nor Chris said anything. In truth, there was more conveyed by the simple action of them being close to each other, than there could have been in words. In the silence, Gestalt spoke up within James' mind.

James, we were tracking the ambulance transporting the Valkyrie. It has been attacked.

In his mind, courtesy of the feed provided by Gestalt, James saw from the traffic cameras as a pickup slammed into the ambulance...and then as the alien fought her way out and fled. Uh....I think she'll be able to take care of herself, James thought. Gestalt agreed, since his records of her race showed that hardy barely began to describe them. So for the time being, James continued to sit with his friend for a little while longer until she got up, carrying her own pizza box back to the kitchen while he remained in the living room, the majority of his pizza uneaten.

Of course, James was kinda...half right. Because a calm knock resounded.
Libra would be standing there, holding a blanket around her, pale but awake and upright.
"Sorry to intrude, but can a lost, wounded girl impose long enough to use a phone?"

When he heard the knock, James stood up and looked through the peephole and nearly had a heart-attack when he saw the Valkyrie outside. Pulling the door open, he took one look, heard her question, and said "Chris, your act of kindness is back!" Chris ran from the kitchen to the door, and when she saw the woman she immediately said "The hell? Why aren't you on an ambulance?"

She looked at Chris.
"Pickup truck broadsided the ambulance and it crashed. I escaped the people trying to kill me and I need a phone." She leaned against the door, her stomach growling as the smell of pizza moved out the door. She looked between the two, then sighed.
"Fucking rebels..." she muttered to herself, checking over her shoulder. "Please. I need to make sure my sister is okay."

"Dammit..." James said, stepping forward to her and saying "Chris, help." Not like she needed any extra motivation, Chris followed James' lead and they both got one of the strangers arms over their shoulders and helped her inside, kicking the door closed behind them.Getting her to the couch they sat her down, Chris grabbing her cellphone. "You sure you should even be....well, up and about?" Chris asked.

"No, I should be in bed as the EHS works, but I don't have a safe house anymore." She muttered. She dialed a number and listened.
Nothing.
She tried another...and got nothing.

As she tried the third number, her eyes were tearing up. "Seryna...dammit Seri, pick up." She looked at it, tears dropping onto her knee. "Don't leave me alone."
She tried one more time...and actually broke down.
"You idiot, never make me thin...think you're dead...I...I'm safe for now. I took some of their EHS so I'm fine...okay, once the heat's down I can try and make it..." She wiped her eyes with the blanket, hung up, and handed the phone to Chris. "Thank you." She sniffed. "Sorry...I'm almost a wreck..."

"I know what that's like," James said quietly. Chris took the phone and said "Okay, what the hell is going on? Why are there people gunning for you?" James also asked "And why did you come back here? They're going to come for us now..."

"I killed the two who came after me an I didn't come directly. And if they haven't already come for you, then you're safe. They thought they had me."
She looked at Chris. "I'm not sure you're ready to know that. From what I've seen, you'd either call me crazy or call the government."

"Then how about we just err on the side of caution, and go for ignorance," James said, despite knowing what she was. Still, it didn't seem to matter that much: if she tried anything, she was wounded enough that he could at the very least restrain her with ease.

"Best idea." She admitted. She then...saw the pizza. She...actually whimpered.
"I've asked a lot...bu...but...could...I have a slice?" She pointed at the warm, delicious pizza...just sitting there.

Grumbling a little, Jason pulled the box over and opened the lid. The pizza was still very warm, nigh hit save for the lack of steam. "Help yourself....though be prepared to share," James said. "Listen," Chris said, "Clearly sending you to a hospital was a bad idea if these guys are going to crash into an ambulance to kill you. And if they don't know about us....then stay here until you're healed up enough to get out." James was stunned, mostly at the risk Chris was taking.

She devoured the first slice, and with some tomato sauce smeared on her cheek, she looked at Chris.
"...you...you're very kind." She said. "...I don't know how to repay you."

"You can start," Chris said, "by getting down to the basement. My dad will be home in an hour and I don't want him knowing about this." James handed the woman a napkin for the tomato sauce, and followed up with "Plus, wouldn't hurt to know your name."

Libra weighed it.
"Alexis. But...just call me Alex." She wiped her face, then grabbed two slices of pizza and more napkins. "...got a water bottle?" She asked. "...and directions to the basement?"

"Wait here," Chris said as she left for the kitchen, leaving James alone with Alexis. He said nothing, except stare at her for a moment while Gestalt spoke in his mind.

The assailants were not UNESD. Rival organization perhaps, or if her phone call and previous words were any indicator....a splinter group.

Great, more problems, James said, and without meaning to he let out a sigh.

Libra sat there without moving, taking 'wait here' pretty seriously. She had to cooperate to survive right now, and it was their home.
She had to do what they wanted until she was strong enough to go, and then hopefully find some transportation and get to Seryna. Maybe...maybe find a way to Sheretan.

As they both sat there, James couldn't help but stare a little at Alexis. All she was was a blanket that did little to hide her pale legs, smooth and strong. Looking away quickly, James stared at the door as if expecting it to blow inward off its hinges. Nothing happened, and Chris walked back in. Instead of a bottle, she had a glass of water, ice cubes within and the cold making the glass perspire. "Here," she said. "Oh and don't mind James, he's harmless enough," she added, having seen his quick stare.

She looked at him. Studied his face.
"It is the quiet ones you must watch. Sometimes they hold the greatest powers." She said calmly. Taking what she could, and somehow keeping to blanket on, she turned to Chris.
"Please take me to the basement than. I'll be as quiet as possible, but I will need...the restroom sometime tonight." She looked back to James. "I trust she is correct in you being harmless?"