Sam stepped forward, clapping his friend on the back. "Impressive," he said, his voice filled with awe. "I think we might have just earned ourselves some cash."
Steven, standing at the edge of the clearing, nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with respect and curiosity.
"I'm impressed," Steven said as he stepped forward, his voice low and gravelly. "You sure are a strong fighter. Mind coming here more often? We could make some money together, eh?"
"That won't be necessary for now," Sam said, cutting off Steven's speech. "We need your help, Steven, and it's very important to him," Sam said, gesturing at Lucas.
"Ah, man," Steven sighed reluctantly. "If that's the reason you're here, then we'd better get somewhere quiet," Steven said, gesturing for them to follow him.
But before they moved, a man with a bushy beard walked up to Sam and placed some cash in his palm. "Nice fighter you've got there," the man said before walking off.
The trio walked out of the abandoned building and headed to a bar located across the street. Upon entering, they took their seats. "Three bottles of whiskey, please," Steven ordered. "You know I don't drink," Sam said.
Sam and Steven walked off to a secluded area in the bar for a conversation, speaking in hushed tones.
"What's going on, and why do you guys need me?" Steven asked with a straight face.
"We need your help," Sam replied. "You know your way around the city better than I do. My friend over there is not from around here."
"What do you mean? Is he from out of town?" Steven asked.
"No, I mean he's not from Earth. He's an alien," Sam said.
Steven's eyes widened in shock. "An alien? What are you talking about?"
"His name is Lucas. He's a peaceful being from a planet called Kron. He was escaping from his older brother when his ship crashed on Earth. I happened to be there at the moment and pulled him out of the wreckage. Now we have to get his ship back," Sam said.
"Wait, he doesn't look peaceful to me. After watching him fight, I thought aliens were supposed to be different. But he looks exactly like us, except for the color of his eyes. So his ship is just... sitting around somewhere?" Steven asked.
"Unfortunately, it's not that simple. His ship was taken by a company called Ray Tech, and they might be experimenting on it. We need to get it back. He says there's something called the Alpha Box inside the ship, and he needs it," Sam said.
"Ray Tech? I've heard of them. They're a shady company, always pushing the boundaries of ethics and safety," Steven said.
"Yes," Sam replied.
"Stop it. You must be joking. You're kidding, right? Stop fooling around," Steven said, laughing and leaning backward.
---
**Breaking News**
[Urgent music plays as the news anchor, a serious-looking woman, appears on screen]
"Good evening, I'm Karen Brown, and this is a special report from CNN. We have just received word of a shocking incident that has left the scientific community and government officials reeling. A spaceship, reportedly taken by the Ray Tech company, has crashed on Earth, and the military and Ray Tech are now in a race against time to locate the alien crew member on board."
[Cut to footage of the crash site, showing a massive crater and debris scattered across the landscape]
"The crash occurred earlier yesterday in a remote area of the Arizona woods. Eyewitnesses describe seeing a bright flash of light and hearing a loud explosion. The Ray Tech company, known for its cutting-edge technology and controversial methods, had reportedly been experimenting with the alien spacecraft."
[Cut to an interview with a government official, a stern-looking man in a suit]
Government Official: "We are working closely with Ray Tech to contain the situation and ensure public safety. The alien crew member is considered a high-priority target, and we will stop at nothing to apprehend it."
[Cut back to the news anchor]
"The search for the alien crew member is ongoing, with teams combing the area and scouring nearby communities for any sign of the extraterrestrial. We will continue to bring you updates as more information becomes available."
"Thank you for watching. We now return you to our regular programming."
The broadcast ends with a somber tone, leaving viewers with a sense of unease and wonder.
---
"That's where it happened," Lucas said, pointing at the screen.
"Believe me now?" Sam asked, turning to Steven.
"Yeah, but how can you trust him?" Steven asked, his voice hushed as he peeked at Lucas, who was seated, sipping his drink.
"My instincts," Sam replied.
"Your instincts! Like the time you followed your instincts, and we lost a bet!" Steven said, almost shouting.
The door of the bar swung open as a group of rough-looking men who were present in the abandoned building walked in. "There they are," one of the men said, pointing at Sam and Steven.
"Heck no!" Steven said, gesturing for Sam to turn around.
"You think you can take our money and get away with it, pretty boy? We're here to collect what's owed," the leader sneered, holding onto Sam's collar.
"You know what, I'm sorry. I never thought you guys would show up to take the money my fighter won. And by the way, I've spent all of it right here," Sam said, smiling.
"This is not good," Steven said, knowing this would end up in a fight.
"You brat," Grigg, the leader, cursed, swinging his massive fist. But before he could land a hit on Sam, his arm was caught by someone.
"Too slow," Lucas said, swinging his hand. The blow caught Grigg right on the jaw, sending him crashing into the wall. Grigg sprang back to his feet. "Don't just stand there, get him!" he shouted.
Grigg's men rushed forward with their weapons, but Lucas was prepared.
Lucas charged forward and delivered a swift kick to the first fighter's stomach, followed by a vicious uppercut that sent the fighter crashing to the ground. The second fighter, a burly man with a baseball bat, swung at Lucas with a powerful blow.
Lucas blocked the attack with his arm. Using his raw strength, he snapped the man's bat in two and caught hold of the man's head, slamming him into a table. The man lay unconscious.
The third fighter, a lean and agile man with a switchblade, darted in and out of range, striking at Lucas with quick slashes. But Lucas was fast, dodging all the man's attacks. In a blink, Lucas was in the man's face, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him into the wall.
As the fight continued, Lucas took down fighter after fighter, each with their own unique skill. Lucas used his raw strength to overpower the group of burly men and his speed to dodge the attacks of the fighters.
Steven could see that they were losing the fight, so he charged to Lucas's side. Steven slammed a chair he was holding on his opponent's head, and the opponent screamed in pain.
Steven ran ahead, delivering a heavy punch to another fighter's stomach, finishing him off with an uppercut that sent the fighter falling on his back.
Grigg could see that they were no match for Lucas and Steven. He pulled out a gun and aimed it at Lucas. Grigg pulled the trigger, shooting at Lucas, but realized the bullets weren't penetrating Lucas's skin.
"What the heck are you!" Grigg said, frightened, as he dropped the gun and ran away. His conscious men followed suit.
The onlookers were left speechless as they stared at Lucas.
"Now I believe he's an alien," Steven said, staring at Lucas with his mouth open. "I told you," Sam said.
"But I'm still not helping," Steven replied with a frown. "You know the city better than anyone. We need your help," Sam said.
"Tell me, what do I get if I embark on this stupid quest of yours?" Steven asked.
"I'll reward you. I don't know much about what you use for trade here, but I know of something that has worth all over the universe. Gold. I'll reward you with gold," Lucas said.
"You don't look like someone who has gold," Steven said. "My ship is made of silver. In my world, gold flows like water," Lucas replied.
"How do I know you're not lying?" Steven asked with a frown.
"Ask him," Lucas said, pointing at Sam. "Yes, he's telling the truth. When I found him, I saw some gold in his ship," Sam replied. "What! And you left them there?" Steven said. "But how do I guarantee you'll keep your word?"
Lucas picked up a knife and made a cut on his palm. "I, Lucas, son of King Elvis, make an oath with my blood that I'll do as I've said. As a king, I don't lie," Lucas said. "You know you are dumb for cutting your arm. By the way, kings are the ones who tell lies here," Steven said. "And if you don't fulfill your promise, you'll see me in your dreams."
"So are you in?" Sam asked. "I'm in," Steven replied.
The trio left the bar and headed for the van, ready for their next plan.