Of course, the Edge had to be located on the complete opposite side of the city, and the only way to get there would be to take the train, which none of them wanted to do. That was when Ally realized that it appeared that everything down here in the Underworld runs on the rules of the game of Monopoly, which all of the different properties, services, and resources run by completely different gangs.
The smaller businesses, services, and districts are what's often contested over by gangs because of their manageable size. When gangs grew to the size akin to what Jon's father's gang was like, there is enough power, stability and connections that they function no differently than any normal governmental bodies.
The transport services are divided into the road infrastructure and the train system, which are respectively run by ROAD TO ROME and PERFECTION DRIVEN. On the outset, the names of the gangs are just horribly named company names, and they essentially function that way by this stage of the city's development.
To everyone's surprise, the interior design of the train, the hygiene of the toilets, the smoothness of the tracks and the speed of transit are all far superior to whatever failure of a business model in S Prime created, and Patty was quickly trapped in an endless void of existential dread.
ARE GANGS JUST A BETTER BUSINESS MODEL? This CAN'T be right...
The Edge is indeed on the edge of the Underworld's metropolis, and the peaceful one hour train ride took the group towards the outskirts of the city once again, though this time instead of the various woodlands, they are nearing sources of water as various reservoirs decorated the land. The ecosystem looked akin to a tropical forest compared to the woodlands you typically see in more high altitude regions when they first entered the Underworld.
From what it says on the map, the Edge is a waterfall of sorts located not too far from here.
There is a township nearby, and the group decided to just camp out in the woods for a few nights and gather some intelligence in the area before moving in headfirst guns blazing.
With the help of Purple and Yellow, Patty is able to make enlarge a natural cave they found in a small hill into a comfortable living quarter for all of them. Jon had indeed asked them to bring their tents if that's what they preferred.
'Me and Ally are just going to shop for some food in town.' Jon said, setting up a quick double tent within the cave and puffing up the air mattress attached to the bottom of it, 'We will also grab some radio from around. Phones aren't the best around...'
'Use this!' Patty said, chucking a small circular object towards the two of them, 'United Networks special grade. Should be better than whatever you could find.'
'Perfect.' Jon said, attaching it to his ear while Ally swallowed it whole.
Patty's shocked face at that moment was absolutely golden, and Jon's quick fingers immediately captured the moment before he burst into laughter. Patty's face turned bright red as she ran towards Jon angrily ready to beat him up when he winked back at her and dashed away from the area with Ally in tow.
'You didn't have to tease her like that, do you?' Jon laughed as he held onto Ally's hand as they dashed across the forest.
'That's-the-quickest-way-for-me-to-install-things!' Ally said, pointing to the side of her ear before speaking into the mic, 'My-love.....wanna-do-it-in-the-tent-tonight?'
'Tell me you didn't just use the common channel!'
'Oops....'
The town that the two of them were heading to aptly named the Township of Edge had billboards directly showcasing the tourism opportunities around the edge. Sets of guards sat around some of the outdoor tables of the bars as they drank their days away when Jon and Ally stepped into the area. The town is made up of mostly single-level buildings with a supermarket in the dead center of it all. There are various other shops, cafes and restaurants in the near vicinity which made up all of the commercial districts.
'Looks-normal-enough.' Ally said as she grabbed onto Jon's hands. Their entrance attracted the curious gaze of a few of the onlookers in town, and Jon saw a few of the town people speak into mics and speakers as they went past.
'Stay alert.' Jon said with a low voice and turned on his eyes as sharp as a string of atoms. Then, they walked into the supermarket when suddenly an enthusiastic salesman approached them with zero regards for personal space.
'Good evening, Sir and Madam!' He said with a high pitched tone, 'Welcome to EDGE, the premier supermarket for the township of Edge. How may I help you?'
'We are here to buy some supplies and....' Jon replied smoothly before pausing for a moment and scanning the shops behind him, 'some regional specialties if you know what I mean.'
A knowing smile showed up on the salesman's face, and he handed Jon a red shopping basket with a small pin attached to it.
'Have a great shop, Sir!'
'What-are-the-regional-specialties?' Ally asked as she held onto the basket.
'Those are whatever things that people come here for usually.....' Jon replied, 'I hope it is something else here though...Let's get some food first.'
After filling the basket to the brim with various simply boil in the bag meals, some fresh fruits and snack bars, the pin on the basket buzzed as the two of them walked past a shut door. There was a sign saying 'Authorized Personnel ONLY', though the buzzing of the pin is so obvious that Ally would have to be a real robot to ignore it.
They shared an uneasy glance before Jon pushed through the door and headed in. There was a distinct smell of blood in the air, and Jon's eyebrows creased up right away as his heart began to beat faster and faster.
They turned a corner at the end of the corridor and found themselves in the middle of tens of display shelves of the Red Compound in its various forms. There are sections specifically designated for powders, gemstones and liquidized forms of the Red Compound, each with its individual uses.
Then, at the cheapest end, there was the Red Blob.
Ally felt her boyfriend's entire body tense up for a moment, and she squeezed his hand to snap him out of it and act natural.
'My-love...you-are-drawing-attention...'
'Shit.....you are right.' Jon said, giving Ally an appreciative smile and started walking forward, 'for all of these days, I thought the RED BLOB is a progression of the RED COMPOUND, but...'
The pair stopped at the stall which housed all of the red blobs, which looked like thick viscous droplets of blood. A big display sign saying 'DISCOUNTS' loomed all over it.
'...but it looked like the Red Blob is just what the people get on the outside world...'
Depending on the dosage, formulation and methods of injection, the RED can give the user a variety of effects.
The RED BLOB are sold in bulk, and it is a cost-effective way of enhancing the level of power for superhumans. The RED COMPOUND sold in pills can provide a temporary kick for the superhumans which have both pleasurable and strength enhancing effects, and the RED COMPOUND in powder form are just an alternative way of ingesting red.
The gemstone, however, is the most expensive form of RED, and it appeared to have both a decorative purpose and a power augmentation purpose? Perhaps it's a sort of instrument that allows for a temporary increase of power just by wearing it?
'Why would a temporary power increase be more expensive than the permanent versions...?' Jon murmured as he looked over the gem which priced at over five million.
'Could-it-be-safer?' Ally asked, 'Did-you-remember-Jupiter? He-was-the-only-survivor-through-the-Red-Blob-right...?'
'That might be it.' Jon nodded, 'for those that are rich enough and don't want any risks, this may be the best way...'
Hovering his hand above it, Jon can feel raw power and energy radiating out from the gemstone, and he doesn't even want to think about the number of lives lost to this single piece of gemstone.
And how is what they are doing even possible? How can countless superhumans be turned into....this?
As the two walked around the area in dead silence, listening to only the music played on the store radio in the background, they heard the roaring of an engine coming from the other corner. Ally tugged Jon on the arm lightly and pointed her finger towards a sign by the corner which says: FRESH JUICING STATION.
'You have got to be...'
With every step heavier than the last, Jon and Ally turned the corner as that is the only way forward in this hell hole.
A few other customers are sitting on the various chairs waiting for their order, and the juicing stands are in fact a massive counter with a piece of huge machinery behind it. That was where the sound of the roaring engine came from, and as the engine continued to work, a tiny little paper cup is filled up with a diluted version of the RED COMPOUND before the bartender laid the cups along the surface.
The few customers that were waiting eagerly lept onto their feet and headed towards the bar. Then, they glanced at each other for an instant before downing the shots of RED.
Pulses of energy shot out from their bodies and echoed off each other before dissipating away, and those customers slammed down the cup before waddling away, exchanging loud obnoxious laughs on their way out.
'How may I help...' The bartender turned to the newly arrived couple who just turned the corner, and they were nowhere to be found.
In fact, both of them already got the hell out of here.