DJAtomika — Roleplayer Guild

"That's what everyone calls me, bub. Now step forward, put yer guns on the ground, nice 'n slow."

I complied, nice and slow, unslinging my Tommy gun and shotgun and placing them on the floor. Behind me, I heard Hurk doing the same. When all of our guns were down, Kiddo stepped forward and kicked them away, far out of our reach. Since he was this close...

"Kiddo, what're you doin', pal?"

He looked up at me and scowled.

"None a' your fuckin' business, wise guy, now get on the floor, hands behind ya head."

I did as he said, slowly of course, and behind me Hurk complied.

This was Kiddo. I knew it. That face...through the age, I knew it was him. The voice was the same too.

What the hell was he doing here?

And more importantly, why in the hell was he a zombie like me?!

No way a man like him would've gotten himself turned. No fuckin' way.

"Kiddo, pal, please, what're you doin'? This ain't you, Kiddo."

"Andy, you know this guy?"

I sighed as Kiddo patted me down and removed the switchblade I had hidden in the back of my pants.

"Yeah. Me 'n him, we ran together a long time ago, in the fifties 'n sixties. My best friend, who is now havin' me face first on the floor."

"Shut ya trap, wise guy. The only best friend I had is dead. I don't know you."

He stamped on my back real hard.

Fuck that hurt.

"Gah! Fuck me, Kiddo, please! Ya gotta listen to me! It's me, Andy!"

He stopped. I heard him walk over to me and I saw him kneel right in front of me, staring at me from above. The barrel of his revolver, that signature revolver with his name on the side, was pointed right at my face.

"How the hell do you know Andy, huh, wise guy?"

"It's because I AM Andy, dipshit! Now let me up!"

He fired a shot into the air, making me flinch, and then pressed the red hot barrel of his gun against my cheek. I felt the flesh sizzle and it HURT.

"AAAAAH MOTHER FUCKER Kiddo stop it please!"

"Andy would've never called me a dipshit, dipshit."

"Y-yeah, cause that ain't what I normally called ya! I always called you dumbass, remember?! And you always let me cause you thought it was cute! Now FUCKIN' LET ME GO IT HURTS."

He pulled the barrel off my face and I felt skin peel off, making me wince as he withdrew the gun.

"...go on."

He was promptin' me.

I had to make him believe that it was me he was torturin'.

"Andy -"

"Shut it, Hurk! Not now!"

I glanced back at the soldier man, who was shakin' his head at me, and then returned my gaze to Kiddo, who was kneeling in front of me.

{ --------------- }
"We're meeting my pal, Hurk. He's here with a dude named Andy DiMaggio. They're the guys that went the other way and just got the power back on."

He smiled as he picked up the pace again, going at a jog as he followed the hallways towards their destination. The gunshots had died down just before the power had gone back up, so he naturally assumed that Andy and Hurk were both alive and well and had succeeded in their objective.

Just a few minutes later, they pulled up outside the control room. The doors were closed, but he could hear his two colleagues rejoicing past them. But then, just as he reached the door, a third, unfamiliar voice came from within the room, making all conversation cease.

That made him stop.

With a finger to his lips, Alonzo advanced slowly to the door. He raised his rifle and pushed the doors open quietly, moving gently into the room, even as he saw Hurk and Andy get onto the floor. The stranger that was threatening them was dressed in a brown trench coat and his face was hidden by the high collar and the hat the man wore. He was brandishing a particularly large revolver at them, and though he could barely hear the conversation they were having, he could see Hurk. His companion's eyes widened upon seeing him creep into the room, but he said nothing.

With rifle raised, he pointed it at the stranger and waited. He had to wait for an opportune moment to plug the new hostile in the back of the head, a task made easy by fact that they were standing still. Cautiously he made his way forward, avoiding the piles of blood and guts on the floor, no doubt from the gunfight they had heard earlier. Alonzo reached a spot where the ground was dry and slowly dropped to a knee, maintaining his aim on the stranger.

Ahead, the stranger fired a shot into the ceiling which made Alonzo start. He watched in mild horror as the stranger then pressed the barrel of the gun against the other man's cheek, making him yell and swear in pain. Obviously Andy, since Hurk was still staring past the stranger and right at Alonzo. The two soldiers shared some sort of unspoken bond, as Alonzo quietly flicked the laser sight of his rifle on, the bright red beam trained spot on on the stranger's head.

Two bullets would end it. Then they could go home.

Just then Andy yelled at the stranger again, and what he said made the latter remove the hot gun barrel from his cheek. Hurk raised his head slightly to speak but Andy cut him right off. Something about handling it himself.

Hurk rolled his eyes, then met Alonzo's gaze. With a slight shake of his head, Hurk silently told Alonzo to back down, which he did. The laser disappeared from the back of the stranger's head as he lowered his rifle.

Now it was a waiting game. Would Andy really make this mysterious stranger back down?
{ --------------- }

"We're meeting my pal, Hurk. He's here with a dude named Andy DiMaggio. They're the guys that went the other way and just got the power back on."

Arcan raised an eyebrow, Andy DiMaggio.... the name struck a cord, he thought he might have heard the name at Tommy's ruck, when the old guard turned out ... somehow the name held a hallowed reverence... he could remember them saying the name but not the context.... each said it as if savouring it fondly like their favourite scotch on a Sunday afternoon but there was a second undertone, as if they held an unpinned grenade in the other hand. Friendship and fear... a lethal combination.

The pace rose again and he trotted on unphased... acknowledging the words with a single guarded nod... good guy to get in with... good guy to learn from and better still he wouldn't have to betray him, if he was one of the old guard he'd be in a pine box sooner rather than later.

The control room door hung on one hinge, moving at their eyes til voices made Alonzo push him against the wall with one hand. He held up two fingers then seemed to remember who he was with, a finger to his lips prompted Arcan to flattening himself against the wall.

They took a side of the door each and Arcan tucked his pistol gently even as his companion pushed open the door slowly, pivoting drunkenly but silently on one axis

Two men on the floor, one with a fuck off revolver in one hand waving it with reckless abandon. The meaningful glance between Alonzo and one of the men on the floor showed their companions were the hostages.

Height and surprise.

When Alonzo turned to Arcan, the goblin was gone.

Back in the vents Arcan was moving slowly and silently... he had not come this far and worked this fucking hard to be stopped by some nobhead trying to make a name for himself.

Ahead a shaft of light in the vent showed him where he was heading too. He had almost shit himself when the bullet had rocketed through. A round the size of a small rodent burrowing into the ceiling. Pulling himself forward he twisted his body to get the angle to look through a grate. He was about 2 meters up and 2 meters away, 45 degree angle was wrong for a knife, he had to throw underhand and that meant he lost control, the pistol same issue, he'd have to hang from the vent to get a proper shot.... the shotgun too much collateral.

He could drop behind but 4 meter drop onto metal floor meant some noise and the punk looked like he would shoot first ask questions later.

Only one thing to do change the angle.

He lifted at the grate... bolted... fucks sake.... slowly and carefully Arcan began to unscrew the bolts.

Below he could hear Andy chatting as if his life depended on it. Maybe it did... Arcan just needed more time.

"R-remember, in the spring of '57? I showed up at the doorstep of the Martovanni family. Lost 'n lookin' for work. You answered the door by pointing that revolver in my face. Asked me who the hell I was. I told you I was Andy Fontaine diMaggio. Papa Martovanni, he was behind you. He told you to let me in. You remember that, right?"

I couldn't see past the brim of my hat but I knew he was thinking. I kept pushing forward.

Bolts were the bane of his life, there was a massive issue with your stealthy vent creeper. One it had to be done slowly, round and fucking round, a frustrating ferris wheel, then there was the screw, you had to stop it from hitting the floor otherwise you became a sitting duck. All of it required precision and most of all time.

You have to loosen every single bolt then pull the grate up, Jam it up with your feet and then reach down cup the screw and let it drop. Sure hands and sure feet didn't come overnight but Arcan had worked at it, He had the grate jacked up and was reaching down, slowly placing each screw and bolt behind him.

Down below, things were getting heated, a possible case of mistaken identity... a partnership from the past split up by the dream of every old mobster, to settle down and end your days in comfort. That was a weakness, a weakness Arcan didn't share... a king could not just hang up his crown.

The grate came away and he placed it on one side now the tricky bit, he flexed his toes and fingers. His abs tensed as he curled into a ball gripping the lip of the hole he had just created. Swing, he unfurled, legs uncurled and he gripped the sides of the vent with his toes. Down below everyone remained focused on the man with the pistol below. 

He shuffled along sliding along in reverse hands and toes, hands and toes. til he was hanging a few meters above the man with the gun, he had the barrel pressed against the old timers head. As soon as he shifted that grip, he'd strike.

Clinging on with one hand and both feet he began to unsheathe his blade.

It was the name dropping that stopped him.

"Papa Martovanni"... these guys were in big... they had been at the forefront, fighting for status before Arcan even set foot in this city and now the partnership was back together. Dangerous.

Two military men... partners... brothers in arm.... two old timers. Friends... and now him... the outsider... tough nut to crack.

For the first time in a while, he felt concern... he was outnumbered and out gunned.... did kings feel concern? They must do else they would lose their crown.

He gave a small frown... play them against each other?... could he or should he move on.

The canonness was on the attack, was on the up and it sounded like she had just lost a henchman... a talented one too.... perhaps an opening?

Not now, you don't jump ship without something to bring to the table, stick with it... keep watching... keep waiting.

"A-and what about June, '68? You came knockin' on my door with a few beers and you told me that you had a kid! Name was Julius Kiddo! Your first kid! Your son! You were so happy back then, Kiddo, you remember? Right?"

"...I remember. Tell me somethin' else."

This was it. I had to bust out the big guns.

I took a deep breath and let it out slow. Now or never.

"Fall. 1973. You told me to meet you on the roof of the Martovanni mansion one afternoon. Said it was important. So I met ya, and you were there, dressed just like this, your coat 'n hat 'n all. We talked a while, y'know, about life. How things were goin' in the Martovannis. I told you that the family was expandin' into business outside the city, but no violence, remember? You were happy that we were both gettin' a good income and that life was peaceful. Then you told me that you wanted to leave. I was heartbroken, Kiddo. My best companion wanted to leave the family we'd helped build through those fifteen fuckin' years of bloodshed and violence and death. You told me that you'd just gotten word of your second kid. Beatrice Kiddo. Your daughter. You 'n the wife 'n kids wanted to move out of state, go somewhere safe and enjoy life, remember? You told me you was headin' up to Washington, settle down there."

I tell ya, recountin' this memory, broke my god damn heart just repeatin' everything he said. It still felt...fresh, like it was only yesterday that my best friend was leavin' for good.

I felt a tear roll down my cheek and my voice wobbled as I went on in his silence.

"You told me you were finally happy, that you had a life to look forward to, to grow old to. I was fuckin' happy for you, Kiddo! I was so god damn sad that you were gonna go but you had a family and everything! Me? I was fuckin' dead! I had nothin' left, I told ya. You nodded, you said you understood. Then you told me that you'd already talked to Porfiri Senior 'n gotten a clean slate and transport out. Everything was settled and I was your last stop before you disappeared. I couldn't bear to have you leave but you had a family, Kiddo."

God damn it. I could feel the water welling in my eyes but I pressed on.

"In the end, I had to. You looked at me, gave me that smile, y'know, told me to look up. Things weren't all over. I could still send letters. Phone in, talk to you 'n the family. We were still friends, through 'n through, all the way until the sky fell down. And y'know what I told you? I told you, 'Kiddo, you better go now, otherwise -' "

"...I'm gonna regret lettin' you leave, you dumbass."

That was it. Whatever doubt I had broke the instant I heard him finish my sentence. I felt hands on my shoulders and got hauled right up to my feet, facing the friend I'd thought I'd lost four decades ago. He looked at me, hands on my shoulders, shook his head and gave me that same shit-eatin' smile.

"Well, did you regret lettin' me leave, Andy?"

I nodded, burying my tears.

"Every single fucking second, Kiddo. Fuck you, you dumbass. You stopped replyin' to my fuckin' letters. I got so worried I nearly wanted to go up there to see if you was still alive."

"Truthfully, Andy? I kept all of your letters. I stopped cause I changed my address a while back, and I forgot to write back to tell you."

I had to smile. I had to.

"You great, big dumbass."

"Yeah, I missed you too, Andy. Say no more."

He clapped me on the shoulders and grinned. Relief surged through my body as he let go of me.

"So, Andy, what're you doin' here?"

That snapped me back to the real world.

"What does it look like, Kiddo? We're jump startin' the city."

He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head with the barrel of his gun.

Nice to see old habits haven't died hard.

"Yeah, well see, 'bout that...I, eh, kinda had a hand in it. Indirectly, but eh, yeah."

"What?!"

Kiddo sighed and stowed his revolver.

"The chick I'm workin' for, she ordered this place to be trashed. I didn't know for what, but all I know is that she pays good and she's the only thing I know in this city 'sides you and the family."

The Cannoness. That bitch.

"Well as of now you're better off not workin' for that skank, Kiddo. She's bad news. Why d'you think she wanted to ruin the god damn power station, dumbass?"

"Well I dunno, I -"

"See? Ain't no rhyme or reason to it. She's the one behind the riots Downtown too, and now this? She's turnin' the city into a hellhole, Kiddo. Our lives are at stake here, man! If we don't fix this shit god knows how long it's gonna take city services to get the rest of the god damn infrastructure back up. 'N that means living without heat and without power! Crime's gonna run rampant, not like we care, but it jeopardises our lives man."

"Okay, alright, eh, you proved your point, Andy. I'm sorry."

I picked up my weapons and brushed dirt off my jacket.

"Well, no use cryin' over spilled milk. Hurk here, me an' him we already got the shit that works back up. Now we just leave it for city services, they'll fix the rest of this shit. In the mean time, we gotta wait for Alonzo, then we can -"

My phone buzzed. Mobile service was back? I took out the slim black device and saw a number I barely remembered. I picked up just as I saw Alonzo waltzing in, gave 'im a wave.

"Tommy fuckin' Vercetti. What brings the Vicar of Vice City to me again?"

"Andy, a pleasure. Listen, I sent one of my guys down to the station to help you. New guy, goblin, name of Arcan. Said he wanted to roll with the big boys, friggin' joke if you ask me. Frankly I hope he dies down there, but if you see 'im, take 'im in. He's useful, at least. I couldn't phone you earlier cause the power went down. Knocked out all the phone lines."

"Got it, Tommy. And 'ey, what're you doin' back again?"

"Fucks ruined my business! Attacked my club, made me and my boys look like fools! Shit like this deserves retaliation, Andy."

"Yeah I hear ya. Look, I'm already on the trail of the skank that did this, alright? Goes by the name of the Cannoness. If you got anything, just phone me."

"With pleasure, Andy. That bitch needs to pay for what she's done."

I hung up as Alonzo and Hurk gave each other a fist bump. Man that was somethin'.

But there was somethin' else though. Tommy'd mentioned a goblin.

" 'Ey, Alonzo, you ever run into a goblin when you were coming here?"

He nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, Andy! Said Tommy sent him. He's right behind..."

Alonzo turned around to gesture to someone that clearly wasn't there and he got stunned for a second.

"...me."

He looked back at me and shrugged.

"Iunno. Yo Arcan, come out here, little guy, we're done here."

A phone buzzed bringing him back to the present. 

"Tommy fuckin' Vercetti. What brings the Vicar of Vice City to me again?"

Arcan froze... he could hear Tommy's voice but not the words... kept his word... debt paid. He would need to do him another favour soon... man was a good guy to have in your pocket.

He surpressed a giggle... not so military when his partner was in trouble... overly focused... overly devoted... could that be used.

He let them wait then coughed once enjoying the surprise as they looked up. He considered dropping to the floor next to them but he enjoyed them all looking up at him.... dogs in their rightful place.

His eyes glittered even as he released his grip on the knife.

"Raz... Tommy sent me... said you guys might need some help"

"Well, Raz, it's a pleasure, but the fight's already over. We were plannin' on leavin', actually."

I shrugged. The goblin being here didn't add much to the situation, as much as he was crafty, hidin' up in the vents where no one could see him. My neck was gettin' sore from looking up at him so I waved him down.

He could tell the man below was annoyed, he almost gave off a scent. Not used to looking up at people... one day though... one day he would kneel.

"Get down here, dumbass. We ain't gonna look up at you all day. Got work to do."

His eyes gleamed.

"Can't wait," he hissed, his words muffled as he dropped to the floor at his feet. He felt elated, months of effort, consistent work, favours and grovelling and he had his toes under the biggest table in the city. Just the toes though... they talked over him literally and metaphorically. They talked about him like he was a piece of meat, his eyes glittered as if amused but he wanted to put his knife up his arse.

All this and he still wasn't worth anything to the big boys, not til he had proved himself.

Just then Hurk tapped me on the shoulder. Apparently he'd been on the phone with someone.

Someone important, by the look on his face.

"Andy? We got more trouble."

"Oh yeah? What kind?"

"The large, furry and dangerous kind."

I exchanged a look with Kiddo.

"Aw fuck."
"Oh fucknuggets."

I'd completely forgot about that. Hunting season was open. The prey? Us.

Fuckin' A, the only full moon of the month and it had to fall on the only day when the power was mostly out. Shit, the city was gonna turn into a slaughterhouse.

I immediately thought about Charlie and Paul, stuck in their homes without power or protection.

That was a problem I had to solve quick.

"Kiddo, I have a plan."

"Do tell, Andy."

"You remember Paul Santos?"

"I sure as hell do, Andy."

"Well his club's Downtown, and that's one a' the places without power right now. If huntin' season's officially open, we gotta get down there and make sure he ain't hurt. Well, you do anyway. I gotta go check on Charlie."

"Wha-, Chimichanga Charlie? That coot's still alive?"

"One 'n the same Kiddo. He lives near me."

"Man and I thought I felt old."

"We're both old, dumbass. But we gotta get to those places pronto."

"We could drive you guys there."

Alonzo piped up from where he was standing, next to Hurk, the latter of whom nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, Ted's still outside. I could buzz him, let 'im know we're not done yet."

I just had to grin. As bloody as this night was, it just kept gettin' better.

"Exe-fuckin'-llente, gentlemen. We got ourselves a little dealio right here. Let's get movin', Hurk? Tell Ted we're gonna hafta drop off Downtown first, if he can get there. Place called Santos' Skins. That's where my pal here's gonna get off. After that, he'll be droppin' me off at Richmond Heights."

"Gotcha Andy. Let's roll."

"But what about the goblin?"

Kiddo pointed at said goblin, who still had that shit-eating grin plastered on his greenskin face.

"Hmm. Alonzo, Hurk, you two take care of 'im."

"You got it Andy. We were gonna head back to the mansion after we were done anyway. Boss' gonna get right furious if we take too long."

"Let the dumbass ogre fume, s'what I say. But hey, s'your lives not mine. Ya'll go ahead 'n go on back after we leave."

"Thanks Andy."

And so we left the power station, all five of us. Outside, I greeted Ted as he started the engine and gave it a few revs to warm up the car.

"How'd guard duty go, Ted?"

"All quiet on the home front, other than the howling bitches. Saw a goblin go by me earlier, didn't see where he went though."

"Yeah, his name's Raz and he's with us now. Tommy sent 'im. You got the messages?"

"Yeah, Hurk was simple enough. Now get in, time's a' wastin'."

I nodded and got into the front seat, with Alonzo, Hurk and Kiddo piling into the back. I didn't know where Raz would get in, although I'm pretty sure he wouldn't enjoy sitting on the knees of any one of them.

He let them talk around him... werewolves were a concern... faster and stronger than him, quicker and masters of the night.... all his advantages gone... he had never met one and had no desire too but it sounded like that was where he was being lead.

He wished he had time to make a call... to find out how to kill the hairy fuckers... silver bullets wasn't it or was it stake in the heart... na that was vampires. Fucks sake... bullet in the skull... that was the universal rule right.

The city had turned into a horror show, screams and shattering glass was broken by the excited howls of wolves at peak, they raised slathering blood stained jaws to the moon rejoicing to their dark goods, praising him for the pleasure of the kill. Raz felt like joining them... it was infectious that feeling... beasts unleashed.

He was perched upon the roof, sat in the very centre of the smooth surface bathed in moonlight. They had all piled in, wry smiles as they turned to see him on the pavement, Alonzo half lowering a knee, eyebrow raised as if unsure if he was making things worse. He had shocked them all by leaping onto the roof and tapping the top with a half cackled

"Drive on."

Now exposed through a city savaged by wolves he was unsure if Alonzo's knee may have been the better call. True he had never felt more alive but he had never been closer to death.

The drive Downtown wasn't uneventful. The city was startin' to swarm with werewolves. I told Ted to avoid goin' through Little Lupine like the plague, which he did, thank god. All around, as we drove, there was the sounds of glass smashin', people screamin', but most of all wolves howlin'. The damn howls came from everywhere! This year's huntin' season must really be somethin' to the furry fools.

As Ted drove, my mind wandered back to the start of this madness. My visit to Charlie, spurred on by the curious thought of who was behind the riot. Paulie, who told me of the Cannoness. The dead body of the biggest info broker in the city, Dagmar Hahn, shot in his bed in a quiet corner of Little Lupine. The bright and pretty Anthea Pendleton, who'd called me to the Martovanni Estate to discuss business. The power going out. The trip to the station. And now here I was, reunited with only my biggest and best friend in Santa Somabra, on a trip to make sure my other friends weren't gonna get hurt in the madness.

The car pulled up next to Paulie's skin joint and my heart sank. The front of it was trashed, and I saw deep gouges and claw marks in the concrete and walls.

Shit.

But this was where Kiddo had to get off. As he hauled himself out of the car I tipped my hat to him.

"Hey Kiddo! Make sure that other dumbass in there isn't dead, dumbass!"

"Yeah yeah, I got it Andy! Paulie's my friend as much as he is yours!"

"And see if he's still packin' the silver heat we got in that one heist from '58! We're gonna need it!"

"You got it! But what about you?"

I grinned.

"I got my own stash, don't worry. Just make sure Paulie's alright! Once you got 'im, or if he's dead, you meet me at the usual place, got it?"

"Got it Andy!"

As he turned to leave, I stopped him.

"Oh, and Kiddo?"

He stopped and turned to glance at me.

"Yeah Andy?"

I gave him my signature smirk and tipped my hat at him.

"Give 'em hell. Show these canine motherfuckers that The Lost Boys are back in town."

He gave me a grin back, drew his revolver and spun it on his finger.

"You bet your ass, Andy. Nice to see you too."

He turned with all the drama of a cheesy action film and entered the club. His trench coat was even flutterin' in the breeze too

As I sat back and Ted continued his drive, I had to smile to myself.

Man it felt good to be back.

He was quietly relieved when they pulled up outside a place scoured by tooth marks and claw marks in concrete though the emotion was fleeting as he realised the implications of the sight before. A small grimace was his only indication.... the fucking concrete.... though the grimace remained even as the "The Lost boys" enjoyed a sentimental farewell. The two should just fuck and get it over with.... god knows how many years apart, an hour together and they parted like lovers at an airport. Such sentiment could not be broken... but could be exploited.

Neverless the "macho" break up worked in his favour as he was left with the ones who had remained in the city. More influence, you might think fondly of the past but the guys by your side in the present those were your brothers.

"Like I said, Andy, sorry we can't join you guys. We gotta get back to the mansion pronto."

"Yeah don't sweat it fellas. Ya'll did good! See you soon and good luck!"

I stood outside Charlie's apartment block in Richmond Heights. Same old same old.

I watched Ted and gang drive off. Raz was on the sidewalk next to me. I'd told the other guys to leave him with me instead of takin' him back. The little guy wasn't ready to face Ruzghul yet, not by a long shot.

But hey, now was a good time to show him the ropes. Teach him how the real men in this damn city operated.

I drew my Tommy gun and checked the drum. Full, and I had one more drum hanging on my vest inside my jacket. I looked at Raz and smirked.

"Alright little guy, ready to learn how the real men work in this town?"

He was standing next to Andy infront of a plush little suburban apartment building, comfortable... the sort of place he should buy... when he had some cash.... could be soon.

"Alright little guy, ready to learn how the real men work in this town?"

Arcan raised a single eyebrow.

"But I'm not a man."

He racked his shotgun with a little giggle.

"And we're always ready."
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