Zeke approached the security guard with his hands tucked into his pockets. The bouncer towered over him, almost the same size as Captain Carter. "Back of the line." He growled. Zeke placed a chip in his hand. "That enough?" He scoffed at Zeke, before showing him his Mark. "Hunters only sir." Zeke obliged showing him his Mark. He received jeers and boos as he cut the queue. Entering inside, Zeke was bombarded by loud music at the coat check receptionist. Sultry and scantily clad women eyed him up and down, with others committing debauchery in the hallways. Women on women, women on men, men on men, some in groups of more than two. Zeke shook his head stunned at the sight, before heading in further. He went to the upper floor of the club scanning the room. 'Okay...now in the movies, if you want to find the big bad guy. They've normally got a private room to overlook everything. Which means it should have extra security...' Zeke spotted two large bouncers in suits standing in front of a thick heavy door. 'Bingo.'
He sauntered over. The two guards stopped him giving him a stern look. "Turn back. This is for-" "I'm looking to do business with your boss." "Then book a meeting. Go away." "You're boss doesn't want to make millions selling Surge?" The two guards pressed their ear pieces. "He's here to saying he wants to sell product." They hesitantly opened the door. Zeke entered into the pristine lounge room. As the doors closed the music and bass stopped outside. In front of him stood several topless beautiful women, two men holding large rifles in the corner, and well dressed man behind a large ornate wooden desk. Well dressed and long oily hair slicked back, over his sharp and elongated face. His skin was a natural olive and vibrant. 'Guy even looks like a criminal.' Zeke thought taking a seat. "To what do I owe this pleasure Mr..." "Chen." "Chen! What can I help with?" "I'm looking to sell Surge-" The two men raised their rifles at him clicking the safety locks off. "Mr Chen, we don't talk business right away. It's like fucking a beautiful dame. You gotta work your way in first." He said spanking one of the women. She winced more terrified than aroused.
"My apologies, Mr..." The man didn't answer. "What are you really here for? Because no green kid like you is in the market for selling Surge." Zeke chuckled. "You're right. Up until a few minutes ago, I didn't even really know what it was. Only heard about on the news." "That so?" He tossed Zeke three small little baggies. Each one filled with a crystal of different colour; red, blue, and green. "Take the one you come from, and feel a rush of the life time kid." Zeke inspected the bag. "How do you get the Mana inside?" "Trade secret." "Well, under normal circumstances, I would totally snort this, but I'm 99% sure this is just rock candy." The man broke out in a throaty chucky. "Ah, not so green after all! Not even trembling with two guns pointed at you." "Nothing to be afraid of." "Is that right? Is it because of your powers?" He looked up at the ceiling. Zeke did the same seeing hundred of runes etched above him. The man raised his palms to Zeke, both clean. "See, you Hunters all believe you're unstoppable, but humans. Well we're smart, and we'll always think of a way to be better than your kind."
"Well you definitely got me there." Zeke said throwing his hands up. "So I can't use any of my powers? Like at all?" He said staring up fascinated. "That's right. You're as weak as the rest of us. How's it feel?" "Eh 'bout the same, before I entered. That must have taken weeks to engrave. How much that cost by the way? I'm hoping to get some extra security for my own house." "I have some friends who specialize in it." "And just before I go, can I just ask a few last questions?" "I've been humouring you this whole time Mr Chen." "Did you know the police are watching this place?" "You think, I care? They can stare all they want, but this king doesn't ever leave his kingdom." "See, I don't believe you." "That right?" "Yeah, you're skin is a dead giveaway. It's too healthy, and no amount of vitamins make up for exposure to the sun. That means you do leave this place to get some sunlight, but the cops have never seen you leave." "What can I say? I guess God just gifted me with great skin." He said with a smirk.
Zeke stopped in front of his desk. "No, just means you have a way to leave this place without being seen. Many possibilities, one of your guards could have the ability to disguise you. Number of items, I've heard can make people go invisible. Given your wealth, wouldn't put it past you to be able to afford one of those. However those are all cumbersome, all it would take is a single slip up for their power to stop working. You're also not in the line of business to claim a cloaking item as a tax expense." The man reached under his desk for a mounted shotgun.
"No, I'd say this place was probably built atop an old prohibition network." "Very clever Mr Chen. Very, very clever." The man said cocking his shotgun. "Is there a gun under that desk? Because that is cool." "There is. Would you like to see it in action?" "Can I ask two more questions, and you can blow me away with its demonstration?" The two smirked at each other. The women held their breaths, with the armed men readjusting their grips. "Ask away." "Ladies, if I was to bring this man to justice, would you all testify against him?" They all froze, trembling on the spot. "Go on! Answer the man honestly! He's about to die anyway." They all nodded. "That's good. Last question. How would you like to be taken into custody? Broken and conscious, or broken and unconscious?" The man was silent at first, before he broke out into a snicker, which quickly escalated into a mad cackle. "Kid, you are one of the best surprises, I've had tonight. It's too bad you're a fucking idiot."
With a snap of his fingers, Zeke was blown back by the force of the shotgun. The women screamed cowering away and covering their ears. "Can you believe that twat? Take me in to custody? Fucking me?" He snatched the neck of the girl next to him, bending her over the table. "You testify against me?" He snarled, pulling her pants down. "No sir!" She cried out. He slammed her head into the table. "What's my fucking name!? What do you call me whore!?" "King Kalcifer!" She shrieked. "That's fucking right!" He exclaimed unbuckling his pants. "I'm a fucking king! And-" He stopped hearing Zeke chuckle against the wall. Kalcifer stumbled back in disbelief as Zeke stood up holding his tattered shirt. His stomach bright red. "That actually stung more than I thought it would." He looked up at them with a smirk. "So I have to ask. Is your first name King, or is that just a stupid title you gave yourself?" "KILL HIM!"
The men opened fire, showering Zeke in a hail of high powered rounds. He stumbled back pinned against the glass. The women all knelt down covering their ears and screamed. Their guns clicked after a few seconds, with the room covered in a smoky haze of gun powder. Zeke slumped against the wall with his head down. Kalcifer broke out into a nervous chuckle. "Fucking weird ass kid! Should have played dead, he might have-" Zeke stood up holding his shredded shirt and pants remains. One of the men rushed in smashing the butt of his rifle into Zeke's face. It bounced off, and Zeke gave him a quick jab shattering his jaw. "Now if the point blank shotgun, didn't kill me, and the hail of bullets didn't kill me. What made you think that would work?" The other guard tried to rush outside. Zeke summoned Shadow throwing it through the man's arm, pinning into the wall. "OHOHO! I did not think, I would throw it that cleanly, but damn I'm good." Kalcifer reached for the phone on his desk.
Zeke rushed over and caught his hand, crushing in it his grip. Kalcifer screamed in agony feeling his knuckles and hand break. "What...what are you!?" He whimpered. "No one important. Now, make a call to all your men. They're gonna come in here with nice shirts for these ladies, and escort them out for the police to pick up. Okay?" Kalcifer nodded. Zeke raised the phone to his ear, still holding him in a death grip. "Bring the sluts their coats, and get them out. Now." He growled. Zeke hung the phone up, crushing his hand even more. His crunching bones rung out with his screams. He clawed at Zeke's hand, trying to pry himself free. "Don't call them bitches." "How can we thank you?" one of the women asked. "Testify against this idiot, and tell them you'll only help a Detective Shinsei of the 50th precinct." They nodded. "Scream when that door opens, and you'll regret it." The women left without alerting any of the other guards. "Alright, what's your plan now kid?" He grunted through his teeth with laboured breathing.
"Everyone of my men are Hunters just like you." "I'll deal with them." "It's a level playing field out there, and what about the others outside just trying to have a good time? They'll get caught in the cross fire." "This phone have a speaker system?" "Like I would ARGHHH!" "Really shouldn't act brave, when I can I kill you." Kalcifer pressed a button. "Testing, testing." Zeke said, hearing confused shuffling and murmurs. "I need everyone to evacuate the premises immediately for your own safety. A fight between Hunters is about to begin." Terrified screams rung out as the crowd quickly dispersed. The door was blown down, by the two guards who stood outside. Zeke pulled Kalcifer over the desk, grabbing the back of his neck. "KILL HIM!" they hesitantly stood outside, glancing to the ceiling. "Guess these runes kinda backfired on you. Now where do you manufacture the Surge?" "I'm not telling you shit." Zeke called Shadow into his hand, freeing the guard. He ran it through Kalcifer's forearm just below his elbow.
He cried out in agony flailing in his grip. "Tell me now, or you'll bleed out in a few minutes." "KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" "Cops are on the way, if you all cooperate, probably get away with a reduced sentence." "Don't listen to him! I own you all!" "Clocks ticking. Help yourselves or listen to this doomed idiot." The guards stood down backing away. "I'LL KILL YOU ALL! YOU TRAITOROUS FUCKS!" "Stop moving so much. I might break your neck by accident." Zeke banished Shadow walking Kalcifer outside. Rows of large security guards stood outside ready to attack him. "IF YOU FUCKERS KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU! KILL HIM!" "Anyone of you guys know where the Surge manufacturing happens? I don't want to search this entire-" One of the guards kicked Zeke to the ground. Another snatched Kalcifer out his grasp. "I KNEW YOU BEAUTIFUL ASSHOLES WERE STILL LOYAL!" He cheered. They threw Zeke to the lower floor, each one of them jumping after him and pounding him through the concrete floor.
Kalcifer leaned over the railing. "That's what you get! Learn your fucking-" The security guards were all thrown off in a cold explosion. Zeke stood up summoning his new coat, fixing his shirt and pants. He looked up to the terrified guards and Kalcifer with his burning crimson eyes . The guards on the ground tried to stand up. Zeke created several ethereal blades impaling their limbs to the ground. Kalcifer broke out into a sprint, shoving the other guards out of the way, heading down the stairs. Zeke turned back to normal glaring at them for a second, before giving chase to Kalcifer. The guards stood there dumbfounded frozen in complete fear. Kalcifer went down to the cellar of the club, opening a secret wall, and entering to a long tunnel. He activated a heavy metal door. It came down shaking the entire building. He laughed nervously behind the steel wall, pressing an intercom button. "Get through that kid! That's reinforced steel from Verdancia. Even a Dragon would have trouble melting-" Shadow pierced through the door, with a shriek of screeching metal. Kalcifer stared at the sword with bulging eyes, as it pulled back. He quickly sprinted away in a huff down a long dusty corridor.
Zeke took Sovereign stance one, and cut the entire door in half. The heavy slab fell to the ground shaking the building once more. "WHAT THE FUCK IS HE!?" Kalcifer shouted terrified, running down the hallway clutching his arm. Zeke followed the trail of blood. Entering into a larger room with several connecting tunnels, the blood trail lead him to the base of a ladder. He looked up to see him desperately trying to climb the ladder with one good arm. Zeke leapt up chasing after him. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!" He shrieked with a high pitched voice. In the middle of the street a sewer grate flew open with Kalcifer flying up after it. Caught in midair by Zeke's Spectre, he was gently placed on the ground. Zeke tied his arm off to slow the blood flow, before sitting beside Kalcifer. "Couldn't help but notice, there was no factory or lab for Surge down there." "I'm bleeding out. You have to help me." "I'll call the police, when you tell me where it is." "I'm serious...I'm gonna die." "You're not gonna die. You're just going to suffer a lot more, if you don't answer my question."
Taking a deep breath, Kalcifer tried to compose himself and catch his breath. His arm burning with searing pain. "We don't manufacture it. I just sell it...When there's an S on one of those tunnels. It means we've got a shipment of that Surge. They'll be coloured with what kind. Now please call me an ambulance." "See, that wasn't so hard. Now was it?" Zeke slung Kalcifer over his shoulder, walking him in front of Purgatory, where he met several stunned uniformed officers and paramedics. Captain Carter greeted him wearing a trench coat and furious glare. "You're only job, was to protect Sunny. Not go in and start a brawl! You give me one good fucking reason, why I shouldn't break you face in, and then have you deported!?" Zeke tossed Kalcifer at his feet. "There's a tunnel down in the cellar, that leads to old prohibition tunnels. The ones marked with an S means they have a shipment of Surge to collect." Carter stared at him stunned as Kalcifer clung to his leg in terror. "He probably also needs a doctor, I'm pretty sure I didn't cut an artery, but not sure."
"Is there anything you want? I can give you anything in my power as a captain." "Give Sunny back her day shift. She's clearly a creature of habit." "That's it?" "Make it permanent as well. I don't like staying up either." Carter tossed Kalcifer onto a gurney following after Zeke. "I'm not gonna even ask how you did it, but I am gonna ask why you risked your life in there." "Contract said to protect her to the highest degree. That's what I'm doing." "You could have died in there, for someone you just met." "I was fine." Zeke opened the door to the dark room. Her gentle snores filled the room. "I'm just doing my job to protect her. If she didn't pass out, she probably would have rushed in." "How'd you get her to fall asleep?" He shrugged. "Iunno I just stayed up later than her." Zeke felt it better to withhold how he carried her to the bed."Well great job anyway."
Zeke went to go wake Sunny up. Carter held his arm, shaking his head. "If you don't have a death wish. Leave her alone." "Just in this place alone? Isn't that dangerous?" "She has you. Make sure she's in the office at 8 am. Also write me a report of what happened inside. You know how to do those right?" Zeke sighed. "Will do sir." He slunk onto his bed, banishing his coat back into tattered remains. "Well...that's annoying. Alright clothes on before you fight." Closing his eyes, Zeke felt his exhaustion hit him like a truck. His new power drained him more than he realized. At 5am sharp, Sunny leapt out of bed doing a big stretch, and enjoying the rays of light filling the room. She froze on the spot looking around the room. This wasn't her apartment. Looking around the surveillance equipment was gone, and the only thing left was Zeke sleeping beside her. "I FELL ASLEEP!?" Zeke fell out of bed from her screaming. He let out a groan clawing himself up. "What are you screaming about?" "YOU!" She snarled. "Me what?"
She pulled him up by the collar raising him into the air. "How did you do it!?" "It's too early for this." Zeke sighed closing his eyes, going back to sleep. Her jaw dropped at the audacity. She threw him over her shoulder, making him crack the foundation. Zeke curled into a comfortable ball. "HEY! GET UP!" "Shhh...You'll wake the neighbours." "I! YOU!" Zeke frowned grabbing a pillow. "Call the captain. He'll explain. Let me sleep a little bit more." "Oh, I'll call the captain alright! Tell him, how you did something to make me fall asleep." Fuming, she dialled the captain. "Oh, you're awake sleepy head." "Captain, I can explain." "Go on." "Well, you see-" "Explain to me, how a Detective Sergeant of six years experience, fell asleep on a stakeout." Sunny gulped. "It was a prank! Got ya! Ha ha!" She nervously ended the call. "Captain, wants you in the office at 8am." Zeke said nuzzling his pillow. Sunny stormed off livid, gnashing her teeth and clenching her fists together.