[COLOR=DARKGRAY][CENTER][color=LIGHTGRAY][SUB][I]TBD[/I][/SUB][/COLOR][hr][h3][color=gray][b]T H E   M A V E R I C K S[/b][/color][/h3][hr][h3][sup][sup][sup][color=LIGHTGRAY][color=gray]|   ◼   [b]G M:[/b][/color]   [i]Hillan, Lord Wraith & Stein[/i]   [color=gray]|   ◼   [b]G E N R E:[/b][/color]   [i]Superhuman, Near-Future, Cyberpunk, Noir, Slice of Life[/i]  [color=gray]|   ◼   [b]T Y P E:[/b][/color]   [i]Collaborative Sandbox with Linear Elements[/i]   [/color][color=gray]|[/color][/sup][/sup][/sup][/H3][/Center]
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[color=LIGHTGRAY][indent][indent][table][row][indent]The rain continued to beat mercilessly against the penthouse windows. Using one hand to rub both of his temples, Charles 'Chuck' Michaels fumbled blindly with the other for the freshly brewed Americano that had been prepared for him. Each droplet of rain against the glass felt like a bullet to his skull, the heads-up display in the new cowl wasn't quite perfected yet and last night he had taken a rifle butt directly to the bridge of his nose. Physical damage to Chuck's face was minimal at best, but the HUD had been on the fritz for the rest of his patrol.

Continuing to massage his eyes as the first sip of coffee burned his tongue, Chuck eased his way from the large kitchen into the leather reclining facing the generously sized television. A hiss from the espresso machine caught Chuck off guard as he turned, looking back towards the island dividing the kitchen from his living space. 

[color=darkgray][I]The boy's eyes watched his mother intently, studying her body language. She paced back and forth across the kitchen from behind their island, keeping as much physical space as possible between her and her husband.

"You don't understand, if the motion had gone through this technology could have been abused and millions would have suffered." The man pleaded. "Becks, I can't stress to you how much Locke can't acquire the company, let alone this technology."

"But if it was, the payout would be substantial enough to leave New Lilith." Even the young boy could tell there was fear in his mother's voice as she continued to implore her husband. "Richard, we could go west to California far away from this damned city and Roman Locke." Her voice lowered to a hush as she noted the small, piercing blue eyes watching from the living room.

"I'd still be responsible," Richard argued.

"Enough!" Rebecca snapped, the glass in her hand quivered as she quickly emptied it before picking up the bottle of white on the counter beside her. "I can't keep doing this, and especially not in front of Chuck."

"Do what you have to, Richard, but I will not sit idly by and watch you make me a widow," Rebecca added before storming out of the room.

"Why is mommy so mad?" A small voice broke the silence. Richard let out a sign, and for a moment, Chuck could have sworn he saw the weight on his father's shoulders lighten.

"Mommy is afraid more than anything," His father explained as Richard took a seat beside Chuck. "Sometimes in life, you come up against situations where you have to make a tough choice."

"Like choosing your favourite lightsaber colour?" Chuck asked, tilting his head while listening intently.

"Tougher than even that, Charles," Richard replied with a soft smile. "A very powerful man wants to buy my company, a company that I have spent a very long time building up in order to hopefully one day pass it on to you. The thing is, he's really not all that interested in the company. He wants my personal project, a project that in the wrong hands could lead to a lot of bad things happening."

Chuck pursed his lips and furrowed his brow, thinking through his father's answers. 

"If it can lead to bad things, why are you doing it?" He finally asked. A soft chuckle escaped Richard's lips before he replied. 

"Because sometimes, the risk is worth a few ill-advised actions."[/i][/color][/indent][sup][h3][color=2e2c2c][b]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[right]▅▅▅▅▅▅[/right][/b][/color][/h3][/sup]
[/row][row][cell][sup][h3][color=2e2c2c].....................................................[/color][right][sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/sJTrtWN.gif[/img][/sup][/right][/h3][/sup][/cell][cell]The vibration of his phone against the quartz countertop sent a nail through his skull and brought Chuck back to the present as jolted upright. The hot coffee sloshed against the rim of the mug, spilling over and burning his hand. Stumbling forward, Chuck shook his hand, the burn no more than a nuisance but the sudden movement quickly reminded Chuck of the hairline fracture running along his right radius. With a guttural growl, the man clenched his forearm against his chest before he continued to hobble towards the buzzing device.

Arriving too late to pick up the call, Chuck watched as it lit up with yet another voicemail from Bryce. That was five now by his count. He knew he was letting their start-up down, but he wasn't any good to them in this mood and not today of all days.[/cell][cell][/cell][/row][/table][table][row][indent][COLOR=DARKGRAY][I]"...And when we're out of this place," Bryce explained excitedly, "We can do our own little start-up, you and me handling hardware and," He paused as the pair rounded the corner towards their lockers. There in the hallway, both boys paused as Samantha Russells walked toward them. Chuck in particular was taken with Sam, Bryce full well knew the other boy had been absolutely smitten with her since the second grade. 

"Sam," Chuck added as Bryce shot him a smirk. 

"Yeah, and Sam handling software," He quickly elbowed Chuck in the ribs, "Which does of course mean you're going to have to learn to hold an actual conversation with her." Without warning, Bryce gave Chuck a shove in Sam's direction. "And there's no time like the present."

Stumbling forward, Chuck nearly lost his balance as textbooks slide out from under his arm. Fumbling the laptop in his hands, he managed to save it from the floor, unlike the advanced calculus text that now laid open at Sam's feet.[/I][/COLOR][/indent][sup][h3][color=2e2c2c][b]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[right]▅▅▅▅▅▅[/right][/b][/color][/h3][/sup][/row][row][cell][/cell][cell][COLOR=DARKGRAY][I]"Thanks," He answered, accepting the hand as he stood up, "Sorry about that, I must have tripped," He lied only for Sam to laugh.

"I'm pretty sure I saw Bryce shove you, he's kind of obtuse sometimes isn't he?" 

"He's really not that bad of a guy, he just thinks he's funny," Chuck replied, looking over his shoulder to shoot Bryce a glare while the other teenager responded with a quick thumbs up.

"I'm heading to the computer lab if you wanted to walk me to class," Sam smiled as Chuck nodded a bit too eagerly.[/I][/COLOR][/cell][cell][sup][h3][right][color=2e2c2c].....................................................[/color][/right]
[sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/uWNUBTA.gif[/img][color=2e2c2c]...[/color][/sup][/h3][/sup][/cell][/row][/table][table][row][indent]The sound of the gavel on the television brought Chuck back to the present. His eyes felt heavy, if it continued like this he'd need something stronger than coffee to wake him up. 

There was a good chance he was concussed.

When the team had been together, Maki had always ensured they had gotten the rest and treatment they needed, without that accountability, Chuck was able to get away with stretching himself too thin and allowing his injuries to pile up. 

The trial of Roman Locke had been ongoing for weeks now. At times it felt like the former crimelord was going to sway the jury and walk out of the courthouse a freeman. But lately, more and more it seemed like any support he had was falling through. Locke had ruled New Lilith with an iron fist and with that kind of power came to the ability to literally get away with murder.

Nathan's

	Xander's

		His father's

And countless others. For nearly three decades, Roman Locke had been untouchable.

A tremor in his hand caused Chuck to wince. The shakes had been getting stronger every day since the other two had left. Even before Locke had been brought down, Chuck had begun feeling the cravings, the addiction creeping in and taking hold. In those days, the Mavericks were regularly fighting other hyperhumans, the Behemoth, Mindwarp, Overload and $hakra to name a few. It had been months since Chuck had unleashed his own abilities to their fullest potential. Months since he had felt that kind of power flow through his veins. 

It was in those moments that he could understand how someone like Roman Locke came to be. It was how someone with so much power could be so far removed from the harm they caused to others. The first time that Chuck had tasted that kind of power he had nearly lost control. It was only through training and sparring with Makarios and Thomas that Chuck eventually learned to center himself and not allow the strength to consume him.

"...And on the account of the murder of Richard Michaels, we the jury find the defendant guilty in the first degree."

Chuck should have been feeling relief, Locke was going to be convicted. But instead, only rage filled his chest. The mug shattered against beside the television screen, its contents staining the wall as pieces of ceramic littered the hardwood below. 

Seething, Chuck moved to stand only to pause as his other phone lit up.

[indent][indent][img]https://i.imgur.com/ZojBZYf.png[/img][/indent][/indent]
Giving his fracture another squeeze, Chuck rose from his chair. 

He was going out.[/indent][sup][h3][color=2e2c2c][b]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[right]▅▅▅▅▅▅[/right][/b][/color][/h3][/sup][/row][/table][/indent][/indent][/color]