[URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ5_QxwFjNI][COLOR=SLATEGRAY][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]F L A S H B A C K:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]A Night in April 1985 | [i]New Lilith[/i][/color][/sup][/INDENT][/URL]
[INDENT][INDENT][I]The shadow of darkness coated the entire city. Not a single light shone for miles around as the blackout took its toll on the city. The city was quiet, almost eerily so as the general population had opted to stay inside rather than risk the streets of the crime-ridden city. Hanging suspended from a lamp post, the blood rushed to the head of one Mister Luke Bard as he tried to reach for the bindings around his ankles only for the masked man to suddenly push him, spinning the former high school jock before he came to a sudden stop, face to face with his captor.
 
[COLOR=Black][B]“What's a burnout like you doing here? Little far from the Wharves for a King.”[/B][/COLOR] The masked man growled, his voice low and gravelly like someone doing a bad Clint Eastwood impression.
 
[B]“Go fuck yourself.”[/B] The other man grunted as his face began to turn purple. Luke was dizzy, disoriented even. He had been minding his own business, waiting for pick up when his feet had been swept out from underneath him. Now he was upside down, face to face with a psycho whose wardrobe choices resembled Mad Max crossed with a ninja.
 
[COLOR=Black][B]“You’re not that tough.”[/B][/COLOR] The mask growled as he cracked his fingers and delivered a blow to Luke’s abdomen. [COLOR=Black][B]"Eventually, you're all cowards."[/B][/COLOR]
 
[B]“Won't tell you nothing, I can’t… tell you!”[/B] The man protested only for the vigilante to hit him again. [B]"They'll fucking kill me!"[/B] He protested as the masked man delivered another blow. A wave passed through Luke's body, a sensation like his organs were rupturing before he started coughing and spat blood towards the ground.
 
[COLOR=Black][B]"Not if I kill you first."[/B][/COLOR] Came another growl as the vigilante drew his fist back. 
 
[B]“New Lilith National, fuck!”[/B] Luke yelled as the vigilante held his fist and released the gangbanger to the ground. [B]"It's the damn bank! The Kings are going to hit New Lilith National."[/B]
 
[COLOR=Black][B]“See, that wasn’t so hard.”[/B][/COLOR] The vigilante replied slapping Luke's face lightly, a smirk crossing his face beneath the masked around the upper half of his head. Pulling a grappling device from his belt, the vigilante ascended the nearby building, headed towards the bank.[/I][/INDENT][/INDENT]
[URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQV9Cpm9jLQ][COLOR=DARKCYAN][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]J O S E P H   T H O R E A U:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]Friday, April 07, 2017 - 9:41 PM | [i]Club Nevermind - Milk Street[/i][/color][/sup][/INDENT][/URL]
[INDENT][INDENT]The pounding bass helped the block the thoughts haunting Joseph Thoreau as he sipped on a strong drink. Lights flashed from the dance floor as numerous people threw everything they had into the beat of the music. There was something about living in a state of emergency that made people connect to themselves on a deeper level, they suddenly made time for fun. Carpe diem, seize the day. If death was going to stare you in the face, then it was best to ensure you died with no regrets. Fulfil your every desire, live out every whim. 

The city’s main routes had been blocked in the storm, therefore everyone in this club were just as trapped in the city as Joseph was. Not that Joseph considered himself trapped per say, he felt a duty to stay behind. The city needed as many trained professionals now as they ever had. More importantly however was his mother’s murder. 

Son of Crescent City’s District Attorney, it wasn’t like it didn’t make sense for the family to have enemies. Silas Thoreau had been as hard on crime as the Mavericks themselves except unlike the vigilantes, Joseph’s father was limited by the law. During a political rally to gain support behind mayoral candidate Emilie Blake, one of the local crime lords ordered a hit on Silas, a hit that went south and resulted in the death of Joseph’s mother Samantha. Since then, Crescent City’s police force had proved to be rather incompetent in solving the murder, their forces stretched far too thin by the increased crime brought on by the city’s state of emergency. 

The city had a strict anti-vigilante by-law, Joseph of all people should have known that, his father had passed it after all. But the dead could not cry out for justice, it was his job to do so for his mother. As such, Joseph had begun his own investigation into the shooting, tracking down gangbangers and any other manner of scum in the Larissa area to find out what they knew. When you had access to medical grade sedatives, it wasn’t hard to subdue a target and put them into a vulnerable position. 

[COLOR=9966CC][B]“I kind of feel like I’m carrying this whole conversation.”[/B][/COLOR] The voice of Ellara Valentine brought Joseph’s attention back to his surroundings as he ran a hand sheepishly through his hair before giving his date a broad smile. 

[COLOR=DARKCYAN][B]“Sorry, I was lost in your eyes.”[/B][/COLOR] Joseph replied as Ellara rolled her eyes and playfully punched him in the arm. 

[COLOR=9966CC][B]“Well if you could come back to me, I’d like some actual company.”[/B][/COLOR] She said with a bat of her eyelashes. [COLOR=9966CC][B]“I didn’t get out of the hospital for a night of talking to myself.”[/B][/COLOR] The resident added with a raised drink. 

[COLOR=DARKCYAN][B]“I mean, we’re both on call so don’t count yourself out yet.”[/B][/COLOR] Joseph added toasting her raised drink with his own.

[COLOR=9966CC][B]“And you just jinxed it.”[/B][/COLOR] Ellara pouted as Joseph’s cellphone began to ring. [COLOR=9966CC][B]“Way to go, Joey.”[/B][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DARKCYAN][B]“Sorry, El.”[/B][/COLOR] He muttered as he quickly slid his thumb across the screen and put the phone up to his ear while covering the other to block out the noise from the club. [COLOR=DARKCYAN][B]“Rhodes, got it.”[/B][/COLOR] He stated as he climbed off the bar stool and grabbed the paramedic jacket off the back of the chair.

[COLOR=DARKCYAN][B]“We should do this again…”[/B][/COLOR] He began to say as Ellara’s cell began to go off. [COLOR=DARKCYAN][B]“When the world isn’t ending.”[/B][/COLOR] He added with a slight smirk. Reaching over, he kissed the girl on the cheek as she quietly waved goodbye while listening to her own call. Placing a twenty on the counter, Joseph headed for the door. 

Rain hit his face almost immediately as he exited the club. Cold and blowing off the coast, it was the kind of wet that would chill you to the bones if you weren’t careful. Walking briskly, Joseph climbed into the large paramedic SUV before starting the engine and turning on the interior heat. Putting the vehicle into gear, Joseph guided the vehicle out of Club Nevermind’s parking lot before turning the sirens on and taking the main route towards New Alexandria.[/INDENT][/INDENT]