S A R A H M A R I E K I N G
S A R A H M A R I E K I N G
A palpable tension hung amid the silence in the dining room. Sarah kept her eyes fixed on the woman standing by Maddie as she waited, and hoped for them to move as Shimazu had suggested. Yet her other senses maintained a vigil upon the space behind where the two women stood, her sense for energy becoming increasingly aware. If not for the undeniable presence lurking out of sight, the woman would have eased some of the stress when she spoke; all Julia Kray would manage, for Sarah, was corroborating Shimazu’s concern. For a fleeting second Sarah questioned if the “other” person looking for Maddie was any more a threat than Julia; she tried to shake the thought as soon as it sprung to mind, certain that if Julia meant any harm, she would have done so as soon as she arrived.
The skepticism broke completely when the tension was finally cut.
Sarah felt it before she could see it. A dark, anguished, and violent power that spiked rapidly, searing through her Sixth Sense. Rising from the shadows came the bearer of that power: a large, broad, gaunt demonic figure of a man. As the man lashed out against Julia, Sarah had pushed off of the counter and gathered the Chi she had been emanating, concentrating it into another projection of force as she had struck Taiwu with. In unison with Julia’s throwing of a nearby chair, Sarah launched her projectile, pushing it forth from cupped hands.
The energy would hit its mark. But whether because she hadn’t drawn enough power, or the monster was more durable than she had planned on, her attack seemed to contribute little. FOr her effort the energy broke against the man’s back and dispersed like a stray wind. She lowered her hands, and fell back into a horse stance as Maddie cast her shield around the man. “I take it this is the one you were talking about?” Sarah asked. looking at Julia.
“There’s something strange about this person.” Shimazu had returned in a hurry. He stood in the door frame between the kitchen and dining room, brought back by the stir of the attack; a corn broom and dustpan dropped from his hands as he crossed the threshold.
“You think?!” Sarah retorted, an edge of sarcasm in her tone. “Just look at him!”
“No! No!” Shimazu half-scolded his pupil. “Beyond that.” He eyed the gaunt figure carefully. “There’s more than one soul attached to this body.”
Z H A N G, T A I W U
Z H A N G, T A I W U
Taiwu stepped onto the street, which now stood relatively empty; news of the skirmish inside the Lucky Noodle had reached enough ears to keep people at a distance. As he approached the curb, the car he and Xiao Feng had arrived in pulled up from around the corner. He turned and leaned against the front passenger door, and waited for his boss to take his leave. As he did, Shimazu’s newest allies weighed on his mind. There was the arrogant punk that had floored his fellow Dragons too easily; the witch, who had intervened between him and the Old Man… his blood boiled at the thought of her cheap shot on him. Then there was the scum from Mapleview. He drew a deep, calming breath to settle himself as she came to mind; she and the witch had both come between him and his closure, but the Mapleview kid had stuck out. Shimazu has a new project… Taiwu had seen his share of magic, but that girl… Sarah, he remembered the other bitch calling her… the energy she put out against him wasn’t the same.
As the door would swing open again, Taiwu stood up straight. It was possible Xiao Feng might have an answer.
“I believe there are some impressionable kids and desperate people down the street looking for a little bit of work in 70th street territory that don’t work for the gang.” Xiao Feng said as he made his way to the trunk of his car; there were a number of 70th street gang clothes that they had taken off of some of them during their last turf battle. “Offer them each a large sum of money and tell them to attack the Lucky Noodle.” Xiao Feng told Taiwu.
“Perhaps we should deal with the help first,” Taiwu suggested. “It will be a challenge to get to Shimazu while he has those kids around him.” He looked back at the restaurant and added, “Besides. I’m curious about the Old Man’s new student. That power she used against me… it wasn’t magic, was it?”
Xiao Feng looked at Taiwu for a moment and shrugged slightly. “I don’t know, magic isn’t really something I have knowledge about.” Xiao Feng said as he leaned back slightly. “Maybe one of those witches and wizards living down in Nighthaven might know more.”
Taiwu scowled slightly; not the answer he was hoping for. He cast a narrowed pair of eyes back toward the Lucky Noodle, and then shrugged as well. “Whatever it was… I’ll see to it that it doesn’t get in the way again.”
Xiao Feng looked over towards The Lucky Noodle, he’ll make sure that one way or another that the Lucky Noodle would be firmly under his gang's territory before turning to Taiwu. “Good see that you do then, now let's get out of here.” He said as he went to get into the back of the car.
Taiwu bowed his head. Still eying the restaurant, he opened Xiao Feng’s door, and closed it behind him before sitting himself in the front seat. He gave the Lucky Noodle a final look, grinding his fingers tightly against his thumb. The car revved and then departed, the restaurant, and its occupants, gradually falling out of view...
Horace J. Wolfe & Katherine Tran
“So long as that’s settled,” Wolfe said, passing his eyes between the two young women, “I can set Miss Tran up with the necessary clearances while we’re in transi--” Horace cut himself off as a streak of what appeared to be lightning coursed into the building through one of the atrium windows. Glass shards shattered inward, though fortunately not near where anyone was in danger of injury. When his vision adjusted from the flash of light, he looked out into the center of the atrium where a woman now stood on the spot the lightning had struck. Hearing the woman’s threat, Horace reached for his hip, the influence of all of his life experience prompting him to unholster his security-issue firearm.
But before he could get his pistol out of the holster, he felt a hand grip his arm. In a rush of movement he was a short distance away, tucked around the corner by the restrooms alongside Diana and KT. “Never thought I’d have to experience that again,” he said pensively. He ducked himself further back and reached into his jacket’s inner pocket.
“Did… did you do that?” KT was aghast, and winded out of sheer surprise. She looked at her friend.
Meanwhile, Wolfe was speaking into a small, short-wave communication device. When using phones was either deemed compromised or too sluggish, the security team relied on a proprietary closed radio frequency. Transmissions could only be sent and received within Veridian Technologies facilities, all managed through on-site relay equipment. “Wolfe to base. Initiate internal lockdown protocol. Restrict access to all labs and offices. Advise all personnel to shelter in place. Dispatch a team to the Main Atrium to contain hostile threat; equip for electrical hazard. Call PCPD and DSA for support.”
CabbageAngel
evierose
Yewps
Obscene Symphony
shylarah
AwesomeZero5
Sadu
D3AD ST4R
Stargazer6225
Eddie Brock
