The morning sun bathed the city in a serene glow, and Sirius stood outside the imposing skyscraper, his security uniform crisp, cap tilted just so, and sunglasses shielding his eyes. The building's name glinted above the entrance: Doc's TV Manufacturer. Across from him, another security guard mirrored his stance.
Sirius sighed inwardly. Life as a security guard. It's dull, but it's the closest thing I'll ever get to a respectable job, he thought, leaning against the cool stone wall beside the entrance.
The other guard glanced at him. "Ariti, stay up. We're off in the next hour or two," he said, his tone a mixture of camaraderie and mild annoyance.
Sirius straightened lazily. "I don't see why being a security guard has to be the worst job imaginable," he replied. "They give all the 'cooler civil servants' cybernetic enhancements because they might face Necrovores. But what if a couple of Necrovores barged in here?"
His partner chuckled dryly. "Then they'd call the Necrovore extermination unit."
Sirius frowned. "But what if it's just one or two?"
"Call the cops," came the simple reply.
"That's such a waste of resources," Sirius argued. "Why not give the people protecting the building enhancements? We're the ones here, after all."
The other guard laughed again, shaking his head. "I get it, Ariti. I wouldn't mind a little action either. But maybe things'll change for us one day."
The senior guard, Amal Ashir, adjusted his cap and squinted at Sirius. "You seem different today. Something on your mind?"
Sirius hesitated, his thoughts drifting to the start of his shift. He recalled walking into the building, Zayd, the youthful custodian, giving him a cheerful wave while brandishing a broom.
"Hey, S.H.!" Zayd had called out.
Sirius had offered a stiff nod, muttering, "Uh, hi…" before walking away.
Blinking, Sirius returned to the present. "It's that young custodian," he admitted.
Amal raised a brow. "Someone's rubbing off on you?"
"Goodness no," Sirius retorted, shaking his head. "It's just… unexpected."
Their conversation abruptly halted when a masked figure sprinted past them and into the building. Sirius's eyes caught the glint of a gun in the intruder's hand.
Amal reacted instantly. "Hey, you! Stop right there!" he shouted, bolting after the man. Sirius followed, his pulse quickening.
Is this it? Sirius wondered as adrenaline surged through him.
"Why would someone break in with a gun?" he asked, his voice tight with both curiosity and unease.
"They're probably planning to rob the TVs," Amal growled as they rounded a corner.
The masked man barked out a laugh. "Damn right I am! TVs are overpriced in this godforsaken era!"
Sirius gritted his teeth. "Stop now! You'd rather deal with us than the Syntharc cops!"
"I'll just shoot you and get away!" the robber snapped.
As they charged past the janitor's closet, Zayd poked his head out, wide-eyed. "Yo! S.H.!" he called after them.
The pursuit led to a hallway that forked into two. Amal veered down one corridor while Sirius stayed on the robber's heels.
"Damn it, where are the TVs?!" the masked intruder growled, frustration evident in the distorted voice.
"You took a wrong turn, dumbass," Sirius taunted, his breath steady despite the sprint.
The robber let out a groan. "Nooo!"
Sirius's sharp eyes narrowed. This voice… it's deep, but their body is small and slim. A voice changer?
As they turned another corner, Sirius closed the gap. The robber glanced over their shoulder, incredulous. "How's some security guard keeping up with me? This is a first!"
"I'm a security guard, not some couch potato," Sirius shot back. "I'm athletic."
The chase ended abruptly when the robber burst into a room, only to trip over Amal's outstretched leg. The gun clattered to the floor as the thief hit the ground. Amal and Sirius wasted no time drawing their tasers.
The robber looked up, hands half-raised. "H-Hey… Can I just leave?"
"Sure," Amal said dryly. "You'd probably just pick up the gun and shoot us."
"No…!"
"Just—" Sirius began, but the robber suddenly scrambled to their feet and lunged.
Reacting on instinct, Sirius grabbed the back of the mask and yanked it off. A cascade of neatly tied white hair spilled out. Pink eyes flashed with alarm as the robber—a young woman—stumbled. Sirius seized her hair and hauled her back, locking her in a firm headlock before she could escape again
Sirius tightened his grip on the woman's headlock. "You're not getting away," he said coldly.
"Let go of me!" she hissed, squirming in vain against his hold.
Minutes later, the police arrived. Sirius sat alone in the lobby, holding the woman firmly by the arm. Her hands were cuffed, and her mask lay discarded on the table nearby.
Sirius eyed her curiously. "Before I send you off to jail, I have to ask—why the voice changer?"
The woman huffed, glaring at him with her pink eyes. "I thought it'd make me sound more intimidating."
Sirius snorted. "You'd be intimidating if you had cybernetics. Or, you know, if you'd actually used your gun."
"I do have cybernetics!" she snapped defensively.
"Really?" Sirius raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Then show me."
"Fine! If that's what you want, it's what you're going to get!" Her eyes glowed faintly, an ominous pink hue pulsing for a brief moment before flickering out.
Sirius leaned back, startled but unimpressed. "What… what the hell was that?"
The woman sneered. "My powers have no effect on you, obviously."
"Then what do you even do?"
Before she could answer, two officers entered the building. One was a bulky man with a thick frame, the other a scarred, tattooed figure with a permanent scowl. Sirius gestured to the woman. "Here's your suspect."
The officers silently took her into custody, escorting her to their patrol car parked outside. Sirius watched as they drove off, the sirens fading into the distance.
"Wasn't that thrilling?" came a voice behind him. Sirius turned to see Zayd, his ever-enthusiastic coworker, grinning at him.
"You weren't even part of the chase," Sirius replied, rolling his eyes. "But yeah, it was one of the more exciting things to happen on the job."
Zayd leaned in eagerly. "What's the most thrilling thing that's happened?"
Sirius waved him off, walking toward the locker room. "Sorry, I'm clocking out. Call me later if you want to hear about it."
"Okay, S.H.! Later!" Zayd called after him.
Later that evening, Sirius lay sprawled on his bed, flipping through channels until the news caught his attention.
"Breaking news," the reporter announced solemnly. "Two officers are reported missing after transporting a suspect in a recent robbery attempt."
Sirius sat up, frowning. "No way…"
"Their patrol car has also gone missing, leaving officials puzzled about the officers' whereabouts."
Sirius muttered to himself, "Did that girl actually have powers, or is this something else entirely?"
The screen flashed an image of the skyscraper from earlier in the day. "The officers were last seen leaving Doc's TV Manufacturer," the reporter continued.
Sirius's eyes widened. "It's the same case… Oh well. Let's hope they just drove off a cliff or something."
His phone alarm buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. He stood up, moving to the foot of his bed where a duffel bag lay zipped. He unzipped it, revealing the sleek black components of his costume.
At the same time, in a police precinct meeting room, several officers sat around a large table. At the head of the room stood a man in a standard police uniform, his cap pulled low to conceal his face, though his bright orange eyes glinted in the dim light. This was Alaric Hochstetter, the 3-star Syntharc and chief of police.
"I've called you all here," Alaric began, his deep voice resonating, "because I trust you to handle this information discreetly."
Among the officers was Eunhye Seom, a 4-star Syntharc known as "The Silencer." Her lavender hair, streaked with pink, shimmered under the fluorescent lights. Her metallic fingers tapped the table lightly as she leaned forward.
"You've got our attention, sir," she said, her tone cool and measured.
Another officer, Yaroslav Ivanov, leaned back in his chair with a smirk. The 5-star Syntharc had a tank top stretched across his muscled frame, and his massive metallic cleavers rested against the table. "A secret investigation, eh? Sounds like my kind of fun. Spill it, Chief."
Alaric clicked a remote, and the whiteboard behind him illuminated with two mugshots. "These are the suspects in the murder of officers Blake and White," he began. "On the left is a man who goes by 'Knuckle Luster.' On the right, 'Solid Boom.'"
The room murmured at the mention of their colleagues' deaths.
Eunhye raised a hand. "Wait—Blake and White were reported missing."
"They were found," Alaric said grimly. "Their bodies were in garbage bins outside a police station."
The murmurs turned into a low buzz of disbelief.
"Who found them?" Eunhye asked sharply.
"I did," Alaric replied.
"Why didn't you report it?"
Alaric's gaze hardened. "I can't let the criminals know we're onto them."
Yaroslav leaned forward, his grin widening. "So what's the plan, Chief? I'm itching to hear it."
Alaric clicked the remote again, displaying an image of a man in a sleek, custom suit. The caption read, Xaldris – 6'1."
"This is our next target," Alaric said. "A serial hitman who's evaded capture for years. He's responsible for high-profile assassinations and operates under the alias Xaldris. He's known for his handcrafted suit, made from materials purchased through the Morner Corporation."
Meanwhile, at a crowded nightclub, Sirius moved through the throng, clad in his Xaldris costume. The dim lights and pulsing music masked his presence as he approached two burly guards at a door.
"What do you want?" one guard asked gruffly.
Before Sirius could reply, the other guard stiffened. "Wait—that's Xaldris!"
Sirius sighed. "I hate when people recognize me."
In one fluid motion, he pulled out his silenced pistol and fired. One guard's jaw shattered as the bullet passed through, while the other shot punched cleanly through his skull. The man collapsed without a sound.
The second guard shouted, "GUYS—" but Sirius was faster. He drew a knife and slit the man's throat before silencing him with another shot to the head. Blood pooled on the floor as Sirius calmly stepped over the bodies, pushing open the door to the room beyond.
Behind the door loomed six guards, their hands gripping spiked bats, each one poised for violence. Sirius, unfazed by their numbers, wiped his bloody knife clean with a flick of his wrist. The blade gleamed for a moment before he slid it back into its sheath. Without hesitation, he charged forward, his pistol firmly in hand, determination burning in his eyes.
The first guard swung at him with a growl, his bat whistling through the air. Sirius shifted to the side with cat-like reflexes, dodging the blow effortlessly before firing a single shot. The bullet tore through the man's shoulder, sending him staggering back with a pained cry.
Another guard rushed at Sirius, his weapon raised high. Sirius ducked, narrowly evading the deadly arc, and pivoted to return fire. Just as he pulled the trigger, a third guard blindsided him, the bat smashing into his ribs with a sickening thud. Sirius grunted in pain as the force hurled him against the wall.
The two guards seized the opportunity, their bats slicing through the air in relentless arcs. Sirius twisted and turned, barely avoiding the flurry of brutal strikes. His breathing quickened as he sought an opening. Finally, he sidestepped a particularly wild swing and fired off several rapid shots. One bullet connected, obliterating the shoulder of the closest attacker. The guard's arm fell limp, blood gushing from the wound.
Sirius didn't waste a second. He snatched the disarmed man's bat and brought it crashing down on the man's skull with merciless precision. The impact crumpled the guard's head, his lifeless body collapsing onto the floor, blood pooling beneath him.
The remaining guard roared in anger, lunging forward with a savage swing. Sirius reacted instantly, blocking the attack with his bat. His pistol barked again, and the bullet punched through the guard's neck. The man dropped to his knees, clutching at the torrent of blood spilling from his throat. Before the guard could make a sound, Sirius shoved his gun into the man's gaping mouth and pulled the trigger. The shot was deafening, and the guard's body collapsed in a lifeless heap, his brains splattered across the floor.
Discarding the bat, Sirius swiftly reloaded his pistol as the last two guards charged him, their weapons raised. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he yanked two nails from the spiked bat, gripping them tightly like daggers.
With deadly accuracy, Sirius fired twice in quick succession. One guard crumpled instantly, the bullet lodged deep in his chest. Sirius spun toward the other, who staggered back, wounded in the shoulder. Sirius closed the gap with a burst of speed, grabbing the injured guard and twisting him into position. The last guard's bat came down hard, its spikes mangling the injured man's face in a grotesque spray of gore.
Using the fresh corpse as a shield, Sirius shoved it against the final attacker, forcing him back until he collided with the door at the end of the hallway. Sirius dropped his improvised shield and lunged, his movements swift and brutal. He jumped, driving the nails straight into the guard's eyes with a sickening squelch.
The guard howled in agony, collapsing to his knees as blood gushed down his face. Sirius circled behind him, his breath steady despite the carnage. With a swift, unrelenting motion, he snapped the man's neck. The hallway fell silent, save for the drip of blood and the faint hum of Sirius's steady breathing.
He stood over the carnage, surveying his handiwork with a grim smile. "If only I had a one-liner for these kinds of things," he muttered, his voice heavy with sarcasm.
Sirius eased the door open just enough to peer inside. Beyond it, a grim spectacle awaited. A group of rowdy spectators encircled a cage where two dog-like Necrovores were tearing into each other, their ferocity heightened by the chains that bound them. Sirius slipped inside, the door clicking shut behind him.
How convenient, he thought sarcastically. Violence happening next door. Nobody could have possibly heard all of that... Right?
He moved through the jeering crowd, his presence unnoticed amidst the chaos of shouting and snarling beasts. At the far end of the room, shrouded in the dim shadows, stood another door guarded by two figures. Unlike the others, these guards wore sack-like masks over their heads, lending them an unsettling appearance.
Sirius tilted his head as he approached, his voice low with a wry edge. "Jeez, why do gang leaders always hide away in their joints like princesses locked in castles?"
One of the guards straightened, his voice gruff. "Xald—"
Before the name was fully uttered, Sirius raised his pistol and fired multiple shots into the man's chest. The guard dropped instantly, blood pooling beneath him.
"Already been through that," Sirius muttered, stepping over the crumpled body.
The second guard tensed, gripping his bat and preparing to strike.
"Whoa, dude," Sirius said, raising a hand. "Let me ask you something. I've killed nine people before you. What makes you any different? Who says you can stop me? Is your loyalty to your boss worth dying for?"
The guard hesitated, his grip faltering. "The boss would kill me if I didn't try to die for him!"
Sirius snorted, stepping closer until his face was inches from the masked figure. "Motherfucker, are you even listening to me? If there is no boss to kill you, who's going to do it? Because trust me—" He grabbed the guard by the collar, jerking him forward.
"I can make dying a hell of a lot worse than anyone else ever could." He let go with a shove, his voice dropping to a menacing calm. "So, think real hard about your next move."
The guard froze, then nodded shakily. "Okay..." He stepped aside, his bat slipping from his hand.
Sirius pushed the door open, revealing a gaudy room reeking of stale smoke. A pale man with a greasy blond comb-over lounged on a sofa, surrounded by scantily clad women. His bloodshot eyes flicked up lazily at Sirius.
"Smells like weed in here," Sirius remarked, wrinkling his nose.
The man smirked. "Whoa, is that a superhero? You look like a Kamen Rider."
This motherfucker knows what a Kamen Rider is? Sirius thought, blinking. He cleared his throat. "Uh... yeah. That was the inspiration."
The man's grin widened. "Are you a Kamen Rider?"
"Anything that makes me look less like a psychopath."
"Oh shit! Turn into a Megazord or something!"
Sirius stared at him in silence, his patience thinning. Without a word, he drew his gun and fired a single, precise shot into the man's chest. The blond slumped forward, dead before his head hit the coffee table. The women screamed, scrambling away from the corpse in terror.
Sirius sighed. "Yeah, wrong series, man." His eyes swept the room. "No windows? How do you manage without air conditioning and no windows?"
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and exited. The guard from earlier was slouched against the wall, scrolling through his phone.
"He's dead," Sirius said curtly, walking past him.
The guard didn't look up. "Cool."
Back at his apartment, Sirius collapsed onto his bed, his body sinking into the mattress. He stared at the ceiling, the events of the day replaying in his mind.
"Shit," he muttered. "I feel like shit."
His phone buzzed on the nightstand. He sighed and picked it up, seeing Zayd's name flash across the screen. With a reluctant swipe, he answered.
"Hey," he said flatly.
"What's up, S.H.!" Zayd's voice was bright and annoyingly chipper.
"Not much," Sirius replied.
"So, earlier," Zayd began eagerly, "when you were talking about the coolest things you've done as a security guard—"
"Not cool," Sirius interrupted. "Just thrilling."
Zayd paused. "Dang, S.H., you sound horrible. Everything okay?"
"I'm just tired," Sirius said with a sigh. "Today's been a long day."
"Long days are tough," Zayd commiserated. "Now that I'm staying later to clean after hours, I get why my parents were always cranky. I used to think eight hours of school was rough, but now, over twelve hours? I'm starting to feel it."
"It only gets harder from here," Sirius said, his tone grim.
"Yeah, but my grandfather used to say the tougher the journey, the sweeter the reward. The longer I spend out, the better it feels to lay in bed. Working hard makes life better."
Sirius shook his head. "Try working a stressful job. Even getting home won't put you at ease then."
"That's why I'm never going to work a stressful job!" Zayd said brightly. "I'd rather have guaranteed happiness at a basic job than gamble on being miserable in a high-stakes career."
"Sounds lazy," Sirius said with a faint smirk.
"Laziness is why I'm not in college," Zayd admitted cheerfully. "Not too bad."
For the first time all day, Sirius let out a genuine chuckle. "So, about those thrilling moments..."