MC walked down the sidewalks filled with umbrellas and a mix of upbeat nightlife and shady figures. Neon lights and flashing ads reflected off puddles and windows. Taxis zoomed by and groups of people swerved around each other on sidewalks like schools of fish. The deeper the night became, the more commotion he saw.
MC was a little different than the average people out drinking and having a good time. He was searching for something. More specifically, he was searching for someone. He’d been at it for months now. Scouring the underworld for information as a member of The Organization and all he’d found so far was a trail of nothing. When a trail goes cold like this it only gets harder to find any traces as time goes by, but he didn’t care. His body was fueled by hate and the need for revenge.
Rain clouds opened up as midnight rolled past the clock. Each passing hour brought more rain and cold into the city. For MC, it was the perfect time to hunt down some Black Diamond members. Clad in a hooded overcoat, he trudged through the night in search of his prey. Becoming cold from the rain and tired from the night wouldn't be nearly enough to stop him.
A group of college students stumbled out of a bar, laughing and falling all over the place. The group meandered down the sidewalks covered by overhangs of the businesses. They jogged between covers to stay as dry as they could. They were cheerful, but there was a hesitancy in their thoughts. “Hey, we ought to get off the streets. It’s not safe after dark these days,” one of them said.
“Yeah, let’s head back to the dorm for some more partying,” replied another one.
“Count me in.”
With plans made, they continued on their way. Little did they know that they’d just walked past one of the most dangerous Black Diamond members on the block, but then again most wouldn't.
The Black Diamond captain sunk back into the shadows against a building. A hood was pulled low over his face while a single orange cherry floated in front of where you’d guess his lips were. His relatively average stature helped him to blend in and observe things around him and at that moment he observed a threat. Trying not to bring any extra attention to himself, he slowly lurched forward and began walking down the sidewalk. A few steps later, he looked over his shoulder to see the threat following him. The captain quickened his pace and passed the group of college students in a flash. He knew he’d be in serious trouble if he didn't get out of there quickly. His feet carried him around the corner and then around another. Soon the neon lights and bustling bars faded far behind him and the roads became much darker. He paused to look over his shoulder and saw only an empty street sparsely lined with cars.
“Must have given him the slip,” he said as he let out a sigh of relief.
“Must have given who the slip?” MC said. His voice seemed to echo from the shadows all around.
“Ahhh!” the captain screamed in surprise and took off running down the closest alley. His shoes splashed through puddles and he toppled trash cans behind him as he went. He knew the area well, but in his haste, he’d made a mistake. It was a dead end. A tall metal fence stood before him with no way around. He turned and pulled out his pistol, facing the dark alley. “Where are you?” he shouted into the darkness. There was no reply. Only the sound of pouring rain and far away cars. He scanned the alley back and forth as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. “What do you want with me?” he said into the void. After a short pause, the sound of metal clanking on the ground alerted him to look down. A metal canister rolled into his field of view and before he could fully make out what it was, it exploded. A bright white light and a loud booming sound went off all at once. A flash bang grenade. The light illuminated the entire alley for only a fraction of a second. MC’s bodily outline was cast like a bolt of lighting and a nearby car alarm went off as the concussive soundwave vibrated the air.
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The sound of the flash bang was music to MC’s ears and the flash seemed to strip the darkness right out of the air. MC’s bodily reaction to the flash bang was not like anyone else's. Within a second, he felt the changes take place. When exposed to the flash bang detonation, his brain produced adrenaline chemicals and flooded them into his bloodstream. They were far more powerful than any drug would ever hope to be. With this, he was able to push his muscles past their limits. His reaction speeds became faster, his thoughts became clearer, and his human limits faded away. For him, this was the power of the flash bang.
“Ahhh what the hell was that?” the captain yelled as he took out a pistol and began shooting randomly into the darkness. He pulled the trigger repeatedly until only soft clicking remained and stumbled back in a disoriented gaze until he leaned against the metal wall behind him. If his ears weren’t ringing so loudly he could have heard the slow marching footsteps closing in.
MC grabbed the captain by his shirt collar and picked him up off the ground, pinning him against the wall. His gun fell to the ground.
“The Black Diamond captain of block seventeen. I’ve finally found you.” MC’s eyes were wide and staring like a predator.
“You’re that new guy in The Organization aren't you?” His voice was shaky. “I’ve heard about you tracking down Black Diamond members in the night. They’ve been calling you different things. Light-Haired Demon, Flash Bang, and Captain Killer. So what do you want with me?” asked the captain.
“Where’s Jin?” His voice was barely more than a whisper.
“Huh? Who?” The captain struggled to hear over the ringing in his ears.
“Jin! Where is he?” yelled MC as he shook the captain and threw him onto the ground.
He rolled over on the wet pavement grunting from the pain. “You mean the higher up guy? I don’t know. I haven't ever seen him myself. I swear.”
“Tell me where he is or I just might fulfill that ‘Captain Killer’ name.”
“Please no! I just told you I don't know where Jin is.”
“Where can I find someone who does know?”
“Nobody knows. He’s like a shadow in the midday sun. You know he’s there somewhere, but you never really see him.”
“How do you talk to him? I know he gives you guys orders.”
“It’s a different number every time. He calls me, I don't call him. It’s not often either. Been weeks since his last call.”
MC turned and angrily kicked a metal trash can next to him. The captain closed his eyes and shuddered with fear. He covered his head with his arms.
“Don’t kill me. I swear I don't know where he is. I don't know anything else.” He laid there for a few moments waiting to die, but death never came. He opened his eyes. His vision was slowly returning and his ears were ringing a bit less now. MC was gone without a trace.
With the alley far behind him, MC’s shoes splashed in puddles that pooled in the uneven sidewalks. His head slumped low. “Another false lead,” he said out loud to himself. His steps were staggered and he swayed back and forth. “Jin… I’ve got to find Jin,” he mumbled. His thoughts bounced around as he tried to determine his next move, but he ended up with no solid ideas. Frustration turned to anger. I’m never going to be able to rest. Not while the man who killed my father is still out there. He took everything from me. My peace of mind, my home, my family. Since that day, I’ve lived for the sole purpose of killing Jin and nothing is going to stop me. He clenched his teeth and disappeared into the darkness of the night.