Running, ducking, weaving, dodging. That’s all I’m doing as I run from the two burly guys through the twisting tunnels of the sewer system, ducking under pipes leading into the central pipe that runs along the middle of the sewers.
Those two burly guys are having no problems catching up, some Power they have allows them to literally walk through stuff… But now that I think about it does it even have a limit?
I can’t keep up this pace for long, I did do a bunch of running in my training but damn this is hard, lets see if we can slow them down a little.
As I run down the tunnel I see a side tunnel to my left, I jump off of a pipe as I spin around bringing my fists up next to my head like a boxing stance, using Elemental Avatar to bring up a wall to block their view.
As the wall comes up I duck into the side tunnel and as I enter use almost the last of my mana to make another wall to cover the entrance, rolling onto the floor.
It blocks off all light from either tunnel and I do not see or hear anything from them. I quickly get up and run down the tunnel some more, the lights quickly illuminating ahead of me and going out behind.
I quickly pull up the Map Mode, the little blue box starts glitching out on me but I can't see them, I can't see where they are. Are they not Institute?. They must be looking around but it will be no time at all till they find my trick, they could have who knows what Powers. Or, they don’t have anything and I’ll get away scott free just this once?
I continue to run through the tunnel and soon enough I hear them enraged, “Where the hell are you kid?!”
“Oh shit” I say aloud, running further and further down the tunnel, leaving them behind in the darkness with only the slight light almost 30 metres away from us.
Pulling out my map from my pocket I look at it before stopping as I nearly smack my head open on a head hight pipe, where is the Health and Safety?. I can’t read this while dodging pipes and looking at the Map Mode in panicked vain every so often…
“Can you grab the map from me and find us a way out of here? Also, we need to give you a nAmE.”
I say stepping onto a pipe to launch off and breaking through it, falling to the floor with a thud.
Grunting tiredly, my foot covered in god knows what and my body really wanting to take a break, I get back up and start jogging, thank gods (where applicable) for this Protection of Body and Mind Power. I could have broken my ankle there. That at least seems to be working unlike my Interface Power…
The Kage moves from my shadow onto my shoulder and grabs the map, ”Any ideas for a name?” I ask getting back into my run.
“Roger, Location Found, locating optimal EXFIL, Call Sign request at your discretion, Over.”
“Understood, for now Call Sign is Scout. We’ll give you a permanent one when we’re out of the woods.”
“Roger, Hoist located. Turn next right in 10 metres, then turn immediate left.”
“Right then Left, thank you!”
Jumping over the middle pipe into the right tunnel and then into the left dodging a veritable blockade of pipes I enter a Hoist room, filling the crystal with 1 mana to activate it the room goes up. As I reach the top I hear some mumbled sounds coming from down below, they caught up.
I move to exit the Hoist as it reaches ground level and then using the very last dregs of my mana to move a large lump of stone between the entrance of the Hoist’s doorway and the maintenance room I am in. As the Hoist slowly descends it suddenly stops just after starting as an alarm sounds.
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Might be some kind of warning alarm but I’m not sticking around to find out. I take stock as I run out of the maintenance room, no mana, full HP, one Kage, a map, and five metal darts that are not really my style right now.
Following the alleyway I exit into out I quickly find the main street and run down it as fast as I can, it's late out and a festival it looks like is in full swing. I remember Dr Rath mentioning something earlier at breakfast.
As I run, tiered and worn out with the map firmly held in my hand, I start heading toward the Adventurer Society building, they need to know about whatever this weird stuff is. As I run I try to pull up any other Interface windows, nothing, only a glitchy Map Mode that slowly updates. No red blimps, I’m getting a bad feeling about this. Why is the Map Mode funking out?
If I am getting it there might be two options, either its that vial I picked up or somethings happening to me. And if it’s happening to me then its gotta be happening to the others and maybe Michael-Original so Society is probably better for us right now.
I run and run for what feels like ages before finally making it to the Society building before some receptionist sees me and points to the Hoist, some of my mana is back so as I run and enter the Hoist room I am able to operate it again. Slowly running through the Adventurer Society room like this, dishevelled, smelling of poop, foot squelching and panting towards the Hoist is definitely drawing a few eyes.
Thank the gods but the Hoist room has a comfy seat, I look longingly at it as we travel up, I am so tempted to sit and rest but I can rest once I reach Master Carson’s room.
Once the Hoist arrives I sadly leave the seat behind and jog through the corridor with the last of my energy as I see Hope open the doors and lead me inside.
They all stand from their seats and I quickly take Number 1’s from him, he can stand for a bit. Sorry not sorry mate.
As I finally rest for a few, I ignore the quickly asked questions from everyone, slowly drifting, falling to sleep before 1 kicks my leg. Jolting awake again I lean forward taking in a deep breath.
“Ok, I don’t know what's going on but the sewer has a serious drug problem”.
My now captivated audience then listens to my and Scout's heroic story of Adventure and Daring-do, for about five minutes before Master Carson holds up a hand to stop me.
“Do you have this vial on you now and know where these are?”
“Yeap, Inventory and I also have this map which I can point to. Speaking of, it is bugging out like mad so I can’t get at it, you guys have that?”
“Yea, long story.” says Number 2 as Master Carson grabs the map and looks at it for a moment, a short moment later Proctor Wellingpar enters with Number 4 in tow.
They look at me for a moment before Number 1 asks 4, “How’d you go?”
Shaking his head he replies, “Of the 24 Kage I was training only 4 managed to get in. There was just too many randoms around and I limited them to one Kage per person. I also have no clue if they would get detected if we put a bunch in shadows.”
Master Carson turns to Wellingpar and explains the situation for a moment before adding, “Outfit yourself for a search and capture mission, I want those people found and evidence taken, if it is what I think it is we need to grab those drugs before they are moved again.”
“Sir!” Wellingpar replies as he leaves the room again, he’d be heading upstairs to his office.
“So it is a drug” I say, “I was just guessing to be honest.”
“Yes, from your description I believe it is Shae-Eq, the Ocean Domain booster drug.”
“Booster? Like Steroids?” Number 2 asks.
“Don’t know what those are, but that liquid you found is mostly likely from the Ocean Domain and highly concentrated with mana. A few doses spaced apart far enough won’t harm and it was used in times of war as a boost for a soldiers Powers and Abilities but it can seriously damage a person if misused.”
“Number 5, I would ask you to guide Wellingpar to this location and apprehend the smugglers, do you know what Powers they might have?”
“Just one that was obvious, they had a Power that allowed them to phase through walls and stuff, ran after me like a Terminator.”
“Terminator?” asks Carson and Lock.
“I’ll have to show you some time.” I reply before Number 1 jumps in, “I would also ask that Number 4 and the Kage go with them as well, they may be able to help some.”
“Granted, it appears that this location is not too far from an emergency teleport platform, Wellingpar will take you to it.”
“Teleport Platform huh? Why aren't those used all over the city?” Asks Number 2.
“Cost, the mana cost is too high unless in an emergency. In saying that I don’t like how close they are to it, if they are somehow using it for transportation they could teleport to almost any location in the city,”