Case 1: A Bad Hair Day

In a lonely alley somewhere in the Blue Collar district, a high-pitched scream sounds out. A gleaming silver blade flashes as it plunges into the victim's chest. As the bloodied blade is pulled out, it is once more flourished as the victim's hair is cut in one swipe. It is only now that the body drops, blood pooling beneath, and the shadow of the killer slowly moves away from the scene.

The night moves on as it does in Enas City, just another statistic in the city's records...or maybe it's the bloody start of change in Enas? Who's to say as the golden threads of fate twist and knot and unravel and wind whichever which way. The stage is set, the actors are primed, and the spotlight shines upon the characters.

~~The Hana Residence, Blue Collar District~~

A scruffy man stirs from a fitful slumber, his face contorting in fear, cold sweat running down his back as someone knocks on his door.

“Dad? I gotta go! There’s breakfast on the table!” A melodious voice says from behind the door.

Hearing his daughter, the man fully awakens and sits up with a groan. “Thanks, hun! Be careful out there! Make good choices!” He shouts, hoping his reply is heard as rushing footsteps make their way down.

The man takes a moment to mentally prepare himself for another day as he walks towards a window and watches his daughter leave for school.

“You can do this, Todd, just a quick shower, some breakfast, then back to the daily grind. For your little Petal.” He says to himself out loud before letting out a sigh and starts doing his morning routine.

Todd was about to enter the shower when he hears his phone ring. He checks the caller ID, sees the words “Santa”, and answers it without hesitation.

“Morning Nick! Just about to start my day.” Todd says with all the enthusiasm he can muster.

“Morning to you, Todd! And happy to hear that!” A jolly voice filled with optimism replies. “Just wanted to check up on you and give you a heads up. A cop is looking for you, checked him real quick and he’s clean so I sent him to you.”

Hearing that, any remaining exhaustion and lethargy disappears as Todd is immediately on alert. “What the hell, Nick!? You know my feelings towards them!” Todd says loudly, anger creeping into his voice.

“Trust me, you’d want to talk to this one, Todd. I haven’t done you wrong yet, buddy! But, uh, just in case, best try to not make a move on him first. That means no visions, no making him unlucky, and please, no guns!”

“Fine!” Todd ends the call before Nick can say anything else, not in the mood to talk anymore.

He paces around the room for a good while before going to check on the drawer beside his bed. He looks at the semi-automatic pistol inside, and against Nick’s warning, takes it with him as he prepares for the meeting.

Just a few minutes after eating breakfast, a loud knock reverberates throughout the house. Todd hides the pistol behind him, wedging it in his belt, before answering the door. Opening the door, a large and well built man stands before Todd.

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“Are you Todd Hana?” A gravelly voice akin to muted thunder asks.

Todd takes a good look at the man in a rather casual attire, his black jacket just barely hiding his rippling muscle, as he replies. “Depends on who’s looking for him.”

“You may call me Adam Locke, Mr. Hana. Now if you don’t mind, I think it’s best if we have a conversation inside.”

Not waiting for any prompt from Todd, Adam barges inside and makes his way to the living room.

“What the fuck? Who do you think you are barging into my home!?” Todd, immediately on edge, points the pistol at the large man.

“Someone who can help you with your problem if you help with mine. Please, close the door, might just prevent prying ears from eavesdropping.” Adam calmly replies, unperturbed by the pistol pointed at him, as he sits down on a sofa.

Todd deflates a bit as he sees the nonchalant reaction, knowing by now that those who can act like this at the threat of a gun is most likely someone like him, a Rift.

He puts the gun down, closes the door, then tensely joins Adam, sitting across from him with gun still in hand. “So, what do you want, cop?”

The large man scrutinizes Todd with a critical eye for a moment before speaking “Your friend has alluded to your ability to see things beyond what is in front of you yet looking at your records, it seems you have yet to see the very cause of your awakening. I believe I may be able to help with that, provided, of course, that you also help me with something.” He says a bit matter of factly with a tone that suggest that the conclusion is already set in stone and he’s just going through the motions.

Todd’s temper flares once more at the thought of Nick blabbing on about his personal info, especially to a cop, but reins it. He takes a breath to calm himself knowing that Nick, ever the bleeding heart altruist, only really has his best interest at heart.

“That was what the detective said back then too, you know. I go help you guys and you wipe my slate clean, give me a chance to start over. He screwed me over badly though, what would make you any different from him?” Todd snorts derisively.

“Because I-” Adam’s eyes glow with a pale blue as a faint smell of ozone wafts through the air. The immediate surroundings of the two men suddenly buzzing with electricity as lights and appliances start going on and off randomly. “-have real power. Not power derived from my position but power that is my own.” He says before his eyes turn back to normal and the charged atmosphere goes away.

“Neat trick, well, if you have all that power, why even need my help?” Todd asks, a bit defiantly, trying not to sound intimidated by the earlier display.

“Ah, well…” Adam rubs the stubble on his chin “my power is not one for subtlety, I’m afraid. Most like us would feel me coming and my target has proven elusive, always just beneath my notice until it’s too late. You, on the other hand, Mr. Hana, can be one step ahead and be sneaky about it.”

Todd takes a long, hard look at Adam, thinking how much he can trust this man. As the question echoes in his mind, the world darkens in his vision as 22 cards with various symbols appears behind Adam’s back. They shuffle among themselves until the symbol of a downward sword with weighing scales for its pommel reveals itself. Justice. ‘How apt…’ Todd thinks, not entirely liking what he sees. ‘How will this affect my family?’ asking another question which prompts the cards to shuffle once more until it settles on a symbol depicting a large wheel. The Wheel of Fortune.

His questions answered, the cards disappear and the world brightens once more, the vision lasting but an instant.

“Alright, cop, I’ll work with you.” Todd stares directly into Adam’s eyes as Adam sees his own reflection with an image of a skeleton with wings playing a trumpet behind him, seemingly staring down at him. “But know that I can bring down Judgement on you if you try to screw me over.” Todd blinks and Adam smirks as he replies “I keep my promises, Mr. Hana, you should already know that.”

Adam stands up and hands Todd a card with the words Golden Thread Salon embroidered on it. “Meet me there tomorrow at 8pm, I’ll brief you then with the others.”

Todd takes the card, observes it for a bit before looking at Adam with a questioning look “Others?”

“Of course, it be best to have a crew for such a job. Not every Rift can walk away from a deadly fight unscathed or, more importantly, alive. And I believe we both know that you’re not exactly much of a fighter aside from that gun you wave around.”

Adam starts walking for the door as Todd stares down in front of him, reminiscing on the past.

“I thank you for your time, Mr. Hana. If you’ll excuse me, I’m off to invite your new crew.” The large man bids farewell as he exits the house and closes the door.

“Damn it Nick, this is what you wanted to happen, isn’t it?” Todd mutters under his breath, old names coming to his mind. Santa. Chronos. Wolf Boy. And him, The Fool that he is.