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It's nighttime in the city, the rain dropping heavily on the concrete floor of the docks. Multiple crates were littering the area, stacked one on top of another beside a crane. A black van sat near the ocean with around 30 thugs surrounding it. One of the thugs who was looking into the van spoke up. "Shit. Ain't no one gonna fuck wit us anymo'."
Another thug responded with a slight grin and a chuckle. "Not even Achilles can handle the smoke." Despite how they were acting, the thugs were nervous and were looking around, wanting it to be over. It was not because of how the rain was moistening their coats and making it cold for some of them. "You think he's even gonna show?" A thug scoffed. "Y'all giving him too much respect. So what if he knows karate?" He was cut off by another thug. "Dawg, he makes karate look like kindergarten." The same thug who spoke before scoffed again.
Achilles and Tradewind were standing on top of a tall crate, looking down at the scene. "What're they talking about?" Tradewind looked over at Achilles. The Ghost of Delta City glared at all of them through the slits of his white mask. "Arms deal. Mossberg 500s and IMI Uzis." Tradewind looked back at the scene.
"Sheesh. Where'd they get 'em? Guns R Us?" Tradewind let out a cocky grin. Achilles responded to Tradewind's question, ignoring the joke, "That's what we're about to find out." That's when Achilles began to use his ability, he looked around and saw three possible outcomes to how this can work. He then picked the best option, "If you take the left side and I take the right, we can catch them off guard." Tradewind slightly nodded and Achilles put his hand up and pointed it left of Tradewind's position. "You're the boss."
Tradewind kept the grin as he ran left. Tradewind ran and jumped across the crates and began to hop from one crate to another, being as subtle as he could. Tradewind hopped down from the crate and landed on a puddle, tiny water drops evaporated from the impact. "Look, my invite got lost, but can I still come to the party?" A thug drew his gun and shot at Tradewind, who ducked under the shot.
"WOAH! WOAH! Rude! Can I at least say something heroically clever?!" He jumped over the next bullet that was shot at him. "Fine. Have it your way." Tradewind charged at the thugs and cartwheeled over to them, kicking the gun out of the thug's hand. He would then sweep kick said thug before jumping up and getting into a fighting stance. "Alright! Who else wants some?!"
Tradewind heard a click, immediately knowing what it was, he took out one of his batons and threw it at the other thug who drew a gun on him. Instead of hitting the gun as he intended, the baton hit the thug in the face. "Oh! I'm sorry, I was aiming for your gun and not your face... Hope you can still get a girlfriend!" Tradewind's smart remark was cut off as he felt a sharp pain on his side and jumped back with a grunt.
He saw a thug with a knife and groaned. "Can we just use our fists?! Like normal fights?!" Tradewind dodged the blade slices and then grabbed the thug's arm and flipped him over and slammed his knee on his face. Two more thugs charged at Tradewind, he tripped one of them then threw the other one into him. He performed a backflip taking both out with his feet. As more would charge at Tradewind, Achilles used the crane to swing into action and take out a thug by landing on him.
Tradewind and Achilles were back to back with the fists up, "FUCK ITS ACHILLES!" Achilles immediately sprung into action taking out another thug by landing on him and then handspring up kicking a thug down. Meanwhile, Achilles is busy taking the thugs out, Tradewind punches a thug in the jaw and roundhouse kicks another. Tradewind grabbed another one of his batons and rolled over and managed to grab the one he threw. He began hitting thugs with them. A thug tried to punch him which Tradewind would counter and kick him in the gut.
Tradewind kneed a thug in the gut and threw him into two more. He turned around to check up on Achilles only to see a bunch of unconscious thugs surrounding him and walking towards Tradewind. "Now how about that?! Tradewind and Achilles! The dynamic duo! There's no one even on our level! Taking all the threats out, ain't that right?" Achilles had his arms crossed. "You talk too much." Tradewind scoffed. "Someone has to be the comic relief out of us two!" Achilles sighed, "You got hit." Tradewind responded with a scoff. "No I didn't!-" Tradewind was cut off by Achilles lifting his arm.
"The uh... Crane cut me." Achilles raised an eyebrow, Tradewind knew he wasn't buying it. "You're going to need a lot more training before even thinking about going on solo missions. I hope you realize that." Tradewind looked down, he knew Achilles was right, Achilles saw that one of the thugs was moving and walked over to him, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him with one hand. "Where'd you get the guns? Who's your supplier?" The thug grunted, "I don't know! All I had to do was tag along with wit' everyone, bro."
"Lie to me again, and I promise you me swinging from that crane and landing on you will be the least hurtful thing I can do to you." Achilles tightened his grip, the thug saw his white slits glaring at him. The thug spoke up. "Shit man! He named himself T! He sent some bitch to come and arrange everything, that's all I know!" Achilles plopped the thug to the ground and zip cuffed his wrists together. "Alright! So who the hell is T?"
Achilles didn't respond to Tradewind's question, instead, he grabbed his grapnel gun and shot it up pulling himself upwards. Tradewind sighed and did the same, "So, regroup back at the hideout?" Tradewind noticed the direction Achilles was headed and decided that was a dumb question. After all, it is a good thing that they're going back to the hideout and they weren't staying out on patrol for too long, tonight was a school night and Ryan probably doesn't have a good excuse for why he's sleeping in class this time.
Back at the hideout, Achilles removed his mask revealing a white, brown-haired brown-eyed man. Tradewind took off his mask, while he had brown eyes his hair was black, however it was pretty easy to tell his hair color since Tradewind wears a domino mask. Ryan sighed. "Things went well, considering what happened." Brooklyn looked at Ryan crossing his arms. "Ryan, you've got to learn that this isn't a game." Ryan scoffed, "C'mon, what's crime-fighting if someone doesn't say anything heroically clever?"
Brooklyn sighed as he put a hand on Ryan's shoulder. "I used to be that way, I used to always think that way, but once you've been pushed to your limit, once you've seen everything there is to see with this job. The "heroically clever" part kinda goes away." Ryan looked down, his eyes darting to the right. "I mean... We still got the bad guys, right?" Brooklyn raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but you also got hit. Sure, it's just a scratch. But if someone who can't even fight very well scratches you, you can only imagine what someone who can fight can do to you."
Ryan crossed his arms. "Fine. I'll be careful next time." Brooklyn kept the stern look he had before, he nodded. "Don't only be careful, but always be alert." Brooklyn took his leg and kicked it under Ryan's, sending him down. He then grabbed him by the shirt, "Hey! Not fair! I wasn't ready!" Argued Ryan. "Our enemies don't wait for us to be ready." Brooklyn let go of Ryan letting him fall. Ryan got back up putting his fists up. "Impromptu Sparring session? I'm down." Brooklyn shook his head. "Night training." Ryan tried to throw a punch at Brooklyn who dodged and took Ryan by the back of the head and pushed him to the ground.
Ryan sprung up to his feet and tried again, this time he tried to strike Brooklyn three different times who dodged all the shots and uppercuts Ryan and kicked him back. "Oof!" Ryan flew back and hit the ground with a thud. "Damn it!" Brooklyn stood still, "Hit me, Ryan. That's when I'll let you go out on your own, hit me just once." Ryan got back up and attempted to hit Brooklyn, who ducked under and decked Ryan in the chin with his elbow. He then grabbed Ryan's arm and threw him across the room. "Alright. That's enough." Brooklyn put his foot on Ryan's chest before he got up.
"You don't quit, kid. I'll give you that. But this job isn't about getting knocked down and getting back up. It's about getting back up with the strength to keep swinging." Brooklyn took his foot off Ryan's chest and offered Ryan a hand up, who took it getting back up. "I will deck you someday, old man." Brooklyn chuckled. "I know you will." Ryan went to the back and began changing clothes. "In the meantime, I have to deal with my lame teenage life, and go to school."
Brooklyn crossed his arms. "You know. You don't have to go out at night with me every night. Tradewind can take a break every once in a while." Ryan looked back at Brooklyn, putting on his hoodie, he was wearing blue jeans, a red T-shirt, and a black snapback. "I mean, teachers think I just stay up all night playing video games and talking to my girlfriend." Brooklyn kept his arms cross, as he spoke again. "Casey. You know, she seems to be getting closer to finding out who you are. You're not that good at hiding it." Ryan scoffed and pouted. "My excuses are perfectly exceptional." Brooklyn raised an eyebrow. "You legit excused a black eye on a soda being thrown at you."
"I mean… It's believable.." Brooklyn sighed. "Believably bullshit." Brooklyn didn't believe any of Ryan's excuses were even halfway decent. "You are one of the worst liars I've ever met." Ryan pouted at Brooklyn's comment. "How about that one time I said I got hit in the face with a baseball?" Brooklyn rolled his eyes. "Would've been believable had you hadn't said anything about hating baseball."
"I mean… Fair point." Ryan sighed, it is true the young boy had a lot to learn about with this new lifestyle. But he knows that he could handle what was coming up in his life. And so did Brooklyn it's why he's hard on the kid. Brooklyn wants the kid to be the best hero he can be, in case one-day Achllies falls, Tradewind could be there to protect everyone and be the hero and symbol that is better than Achilles himself will ever be in his prime.
"I'm headed out, Brook!" Called out Ryan as he walked out of the bunker. Ryan put earbuds in and began walking home, going into his music app and blasting some beats. He took note of all the missed calls from Casey and his mother. About ten of those. Great, now his mom and his girlfriend are probably worried sick about him. Those are two scoldings he really doesn't want or need right now.
Upon making it to the front steps of his house, the door swung open. There stood an angry looking lady with brown hair, red lipstick, and with a wooden spoon. Her arms were crossed she sighed. "Estas Noches con tus amigos, Hijo. ¿Al menos intenta llamar? ¡Tenía a Casey muy preocupado por ti! ¡Y yo también!" That was his mother, Maria Blake. She's been worried about Ryan's safety since his dad passed.
Ryan could remember that fateful night. The night the cop came to his house, told him that Jonathan Blake was murdered. His mother breaking down, since then all they have is each other. "Sorry, ma. Mi teléfono se apagó Cuando intenté llamar a Casey." Ryan lied, he has to lie. She can't find out who he is, nobody can. Not only because Achilles told him not to, but because if they knew what he is, they may never look at him the same ever again.
She sighed, gesturing for Ryan to come on in. Once he did he went straight to the kitchen, smelling something good. "What's cooking? Smells great!" Maria followed Ryan with a smile on her face. Ryan loved her cooking, it's one of her best qualities, that and being a mom. "Estofado de Pollo and for dessert, Arroz con Leche." Ryan turned to her, seeming excited. "Gosh, ma. You know the key to my heart!"
"I'm the one who made the key, Mi Hijo." Responded Maria, after serving the food the two began eating, another somewhat successful night on patrol. And another great night, but Casey isn't going to be too happy with him tomorrow, which is why he's going to call her later! He would rather deal with the anger tonight than tomorrow.
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