As the boy and his friends disappeared into the crowd, Kayn and Violet exchanged a quick, meaningful glance. The brief encounter had confirmed their suspicions, Forza was being circulated here, but the small-time dealers were just a front.
The real players, the ones with true knowledge and connections to ORION, were still in the shadows. The duo decided to once again split apart, looking through the party.
Kayn moved through the bouncing crowd, his eyes sharp and senses on point. The pulsing music throbbed in his ears, but beneath the rhythm, he could feel the subtle, dark energy of Forza coursing through the veins of several partygoers.
The air was thick with the scent of alcohol, sweat, and perfume, creating an almost intoxicating atmosphere that could easily make someone let their guard down. But Kayn's focus never wavered.
As he passed a group of teens huddled in a dimly lit corner, he noticed the telltale signs, a faint purple dust clinging to their nostrils, their pupils dilated unnaturally.
One of them, a girl with trembling hands, was on the verge of a breakdown, her breathing ragged as the drug's effects overwhelmed her.
Kayn's gaze softened as he discreetly raised his hand, fingers subtly tracing a pattern in the air. A faint, nearly invisible shimmer spread from his fingertips, washing over the group like a gentle breeze.
The tension in their bodies eased, the manic glint in their eyes dimmed, and their frantic breathing slowed as the Forza's influence dissipated.
He continued through the party, repeating the process as he went. Each time, he carefully nullified the drug's hold without drawing attention to himself, his movements casual and unhurried.
But his mind was racing, searching for the source. Whoever was distributing Forza was here, and Kayn was determined to find them before more damage could be done.
Unbeknownst to Kayn, a man lurking nearby takes notice. Dressed in casual party attire, he seems like just another guest, but his eyes narrow as he watches Kayn intently.
He had seen Kayn talking to that boy and his friends, and recognized Kayn's interest in the drug. This man, a low-level Forza dealer named Jared, recognizes an opportunity.
If someone as influential as Kayn could be persuaded to promote Forza, it could mean a significant boost in sales, and possibly a promotion.
The higher ups had said that they could potentially recruit other people to be dealers in order to be promoted, and there was no-one who could be a better recruit than the King of High School, Kayn!
Later in the night, as the party begins to wind down, Kayn steps out onto the balcony for a moment of fresh air and a chance to fully clear his mind whilst he thought about the party.
It's then that Jared approaches, his demeanor friendly but with an underlying edge.
"Hey, you're Kayn, right?" Jared asked as he approached, leaning on the balcony next to Kayn.
"That's me." Kayn responded, nodding as he spoke.
"Heard you talking about Forza earlier. You seem to have some pull with these kids. What if I told you we could make something out of it?" Jared's voice is smooth, almost conspiratorial, as he tries to gauge Kayn's reaction.
Kayn immediately recognized this as the opportunity he needed, narrowing his eyes as he listened and responded, "Maybe. What exactly are you offering?"
Jared, emboldened by what he perceives as curiosity, leans in closer and whispered, "I can get you in on this. You help spread the word, and there's a cut in it for you. Easy money."
Kayn's mind raced, analyzing the situation,He nods slightly, his tone calculating. "Sounds interesting. But how are you so sure you can get me in? I heard these sellers are real secretive."
Jared just laughed before responding, "I'm one of their best sellers, they want me to recruit some more people. I saw your interest in Forza, up for the task?"
Kayn nodded and said, "Of course, but we should talk somewhere quieter. Follow me."
Without waiting for a response, Kayn leads Jared away from the main party, navigating through the house with ease until they reach a secluded, dimly lit room far from prying eyes.
The door closes behind them with a soft click, the atmosphere shifting to something far more serious.Jared barely has time to react before Kayn's demeanor changes entirely.
In a fluid motion, Kayn restricts Jared using his telekinetic abilities, pinning him against the wall with an invisible force. Jared struggles, panic flaring in his eyes as he realizes he's in over his head.
"You're going to tell me everything," Kayn says, his voice calm but laced with a dangerous edge, "Where's the next Forza pickup happening?"
Jared stammers, his bravado crumbling under the pressure, "I-I can't—"
"You will," Kayn interjects, tightening the grip just enough to make his point. "Or you'll wish you had."
Faced with no other option, Jared spills everything. He reveals that the next Forza pickup is set to happen at an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of National City, late tomorrow night.
All of the street sellers of Forza will be present as this is a massive supply refill, and the best sellers would be "rewarded" in a mysterious, unknown way.
The person leading the meeting is the top dealer in the network, the original source of Forza, someone who definitely was directly related to ORION, and who Kayn could use to lead him to the other members of ORION.
All the newer sells recruited would also be present at the meeting in order to get their first batches of Forza to sell.
Satisfied with the information, Kayn releases Jared, who collapses to the floor, gasping for breath. As Jared lies on the floor, trembling and gasping for air, Kayn calmly approaches him, his expression softening slightly as if what he's about to do is merely a matter of routine.
"Don't worry," Kayn says, his voice almost gentle now, "you won't remember this anyway. It's for your own good."
Jared's eyes widen in confusion and fear, but before he can react, Kayn places his hand on Jared's forehead. With a soft, almost imperceptible pulse of energy, Kayn taps into Jared's mind, erasing every memory related to his dealings with Forza, their encounter tonight, and any knowledge of the dark world he was once part of.
Jared's face relaxes as his memories are wiped clean, his mind slipping into a peaceful, oblivious state. Kayn withdraws his hand, watching as Jared slumps against the wall, dazed and disoriented.
Kayn steps back, ensuring that the alterations are complete, leaving no trace of their interaction behind. The man who once dealt Forza is now just another partygoer and random student.
"You'll find your way back to the party in a minute," Kayn says quietly, more to himself than to Jared, "And from now on, your life will take a different path."
With his work done, Kayn turns and leaves the room, the door clicking softly behind him. As he merges back into the crowd, his mind is already on the next phase of his plan.
"Violet, we need to talk. I have a serious lead." Kayn said as he contacted Violet.
Meanwhile, Jared slowly gets to his feet, shaking off the strange sense of confusion. He rubs his head, trying to remember why he came to this room, but nothing comes to mind.
With a shrug, he heads back toward the noise and laughter, unaware that his life has been irrevocably changed by a single tap on the head.
_____________________________
Later that night, Kayn and Violet sit together in the Command Centre in Kayn's house. The party had ended not too long ago, and the duo had returned, piling together all the information they gathered to make a suitable plan.
A digital map of National City is projected on the wall, with a blinking red dot marking the location of the abandoned warehouse where the Forza pickup is set to happen.
Kayn leans back in his chair, his expression thoughtful as he studies the map alongside Violet who was sitting opposite from him.
"We have to be careful," Kayn begins, breaking the silence. "This isn't just a low-level operation. Jared said the dealer handling the pickup is someone important. If we play our cards right, we could use this as a chance to get closer to the top of the network."
Violet nods, her gaze focused on the map. "So, we sneak in as new recruits. Jared's been wiped clean, so there's no risk of him blowing our cover."
"Exactly," Kayn says in his classic calm tone,"We should arrive early, scout out the environment and see who's in charge before we make our move. I'll take the lead as the more experienced dealer, and you can play the role of a newcomer."
"Do you think they'll buy it?" Violet asks, a hint of concern in her voice.
"They will," Kayn replies confidently. "We'll use Jared's name as our connection. Tomorrow, he'll get an impromptu sickness leading him to miss the meeting, so they won't care."
Violet smirks, "Always a step ahead, as usual."
"Time to end this deadly drug!" Kayn muttered.