"There won't be any time for questions today. So don't bother," announced the PA to the lineup of media people, who did not take to this news kindly. The news photographers were busily clicking away. Other than some tense exchanges the atmosphere was quite normal. It had the usual vibe of people settling in for the start of a workday. The PA wondered how these monsters were going to spin their stories in what he was sure was going to be all over the media at least for a day. He did not like the damage control he needed to do after this event. He was not paid enough to handle this, he thought.
It didn't take long for the representative to arrive. Dressed formally for the occasion, greetings were exchanged with the press and then adjustments were made to the microphone, the speech began.
"With a heavy heart, we have decided to suspend our campaign for the mayoral election. I will continue to serve this wonderful city to the best of my ability as a public servant representing our community. I fully appreciate the support you have given to our campaign. I thank the people who volunteered for us knocking doors and spreading the word. I'll continue to work not only for the people who stood for me but also for the people who would not support my candidature."
"In these times of division, our campaign was the voice of reason that dared to look across the aisle. We believe that a common ground is the way to go forward and our strength lies in the unity of our community. Even though it's disappointing to call it off at the moment, the campaign has given us a deeper understanding of the community and will foster our future. Looking forward to the days ahead. Thank You."
Rodrick finished the speech that was prepared in a hurry by him. He had to attend the school meeting of his child, who has been working overtime for the past week. He thought he'd have at least an hour from the news channels reporting on this and to them ripping the whole campaign apart. That interval was dwindling by the day. He didn't worry about it too much considering this was going to be the least stressful part of the day.
"Would you like to address the recent controversies surrounding your..." one press member started whose voice was loud enough that she did not need the microphone. Rodrick just ignored it and looked at him. Understanding the cue, he repeated the usual responses like "No questions", "we are on a schedule" so on and so forth and whatever came to his mind to get them out of trouble.
What Rodrick found outside the press club, was not something that his PA could handle. There were people dressed in green with a median age of twenty picketing the entrance and some had gathered around the building. They had the placards up "Corporate shill", "Keep big money out of politics", "Corruption kills democracy", "Good riddance" and some more unflattering comments. One placard kept it simple, which read "Fuck off."
Rodrick glanced at them, sighed, held his head down and proceeded towards the car. He wondered whether the colleges in the city were actually working. Last time he checked, it was not a holiday. Maybe the unemployment rate was really as high as opposition was making it out to be. He wasn't sure anymore. At least the opposition has not nicknamed him "Rowdy Rodrick" yet.
Everything said and done, he could still have his career and this be just a minor setback. A bad dream. Just as he began to open the door to his car, one of the enthused protesters smeared ink on his face. Now that insult has been added to injury, he flipped the bird to the protesters and asked the driver to go as fast as they could.
Only when he reached his mansion, realization fully dawned on him that his life had reached rock bottom. It was going smoothly for him. He was young and he had a niche. There was growing discontent with the ruling party and he had a real chance. His party was counting on him for making a major inroad into the city's vote base. His poll numbers had shown him leading his opponent within margin of error. His party has been thwarted so many times over the years so that if it happens again, people might as well forget they existed.
His car parked in front of the entrance and he got off. There were two men guarding it. They approached him. Rodrick held his hands up. His pockets were thoroughly searched, they ran the metal detector on him. They took off the GPS tag concealed in his shirt button and passed it over to the man who just walked up to the entrance from one of the mansion's rooms.
They took his phone, checked that the sound recorder was still on. They verified the recording duration against the time when he had left the mansion. Rodrick was dreading this. Yesterday, the recording app had drained his phone battery quicker than he could get it charged up. There was that app which always ran in the background, which he learned to his horror, would notify the guards when the battery is about to die.
His phone had parental controls turned on. Last time they had tazed him. This was still not the end of it. They signaled him to go wait in the room.
Not this again. The day was already bad
He went there, got ready and waited for the strange man to enter the room. He was searched in a way that would put the airport security to shame. When it was over, the man said "You think you had a bad day huh... Did you even consider me, having to look at you every day... If I knew I was going to be doing this, you wouldn't even be the last on my list... By the way, never knew you cosplayed as a zebra... I must say, I am impressed. You have the knack for it."
Rodrick had resigned to himself. Nothing fazed him anymore. He wondered what he did to deserve this. There were people in his own party sitting pretty with the same kind of money he made. In fact, he made the least this way. Not to mention the opposition.
This came out of the blue. He had thought that he had done extremely well to get some genuine dirt on his opponent. His campaign had been offered with money as well. You couldn't ask for anything better. If it is dirt on the opponent, you need to take it even if it's from your worst enemy. This is politics after all. He didn't even think the material would sway the voters in a big way. Neither did he fully trust the NGO who handed him information.
He remembered "Equality" and "human rights" being mentioned to him a number of times when they had the discussion in the fundraiser. He had almost dozed off. It was the thought of the expensive steak for dinner that made his head keep nodding. He was always bemused by the delusions that these sorts of people tend to have. He chuckled at the thought that they actually believe their futile efforts are causing a revolution of epic proportions. In desperation he had accepted their money and pledged support if elected. He also tried the content in campaign speeches to very little effect. Whatever.
Suddenly some days after, the famous builder conglomerate posted a glowing testimony of his, in their official website. He sensed trouble. His vote base, he thought, was crazy. They had begun circulating stories that connected him to this company. The company wanted to build a luxurious resort near the waters in the countryside. They had lobbied for relaxation of clearance rules regarding eco certification. There was money in pockets and one was his.
The new ritual started the next day. His staff were mysteriously replaced. Now he is imprisoned in his own house - riddled with anxiety and marred with helplessness, he couldn't wait for this to end.
***
Unlocker had welcomed them from the balcony. He descended the stairs taking his sweet time. Jaimie was neutral, Victor stood like he was about to cry while Will looked like a starstruck teenager. He addressed them all.
"Ahh! Good to see my merry crew around... How have you been doing, gentlemen..." He asked with a sense of authority. Nobody replied.
Will was going to respond when Jaimie cut him off. He said, "Will, for sure, feels good – for a lackey". His eyes rolled as he continued. "The fuck is your name? The boy keeps addressing you weird – Unlocker...chain smoker... whatever... "Will was embarrassed.
The old man laughed. "Feisty, I like it. I am Daniel. I appreciate that Will holds me in such high regard. We were in the thick of things so I couldn't introduce myself properly."
"Daniel, just get to it. Why all this? What is it that you do? The fuck you need this mansion for? How much do you pay to get your diapers changed? ... you want more?"
"Seriously?" Will was annoyed.
Daniel motioned for Will to stop. "Our future is at stake, a lot with much less talk, I felt like it and finally, less than what your worth is."
Jaimie did not continue.
Daniel took the initiative. "With that settled, how about we talk some work? My informant tells me that one of our men is under threat. We're still in a good position all things considered, but it's going to get dicey if we aren't careful enough."
Jaimie was going to interject but Daniel looked at him as if he read his mind. "Not now, please. She is going to be with us today. Helped me a good deal as a relatively new addition, tracking down people with potential and in some cases, hostile targets. She might enjoy a hands-on experience. Let's see if she holds up."
Jaimie saw a familiar face approaching them.
Too familiar.
"Ahh, here she is."
Jaimie did not want to show it in his face, but he least expected Judy to pop up in a place like this. She walked towards Daniel saying, "Hello, hope I'm not late. But just letting you know; this might not be a good idea... walking into him like this..."
"It's fun to have a challenge once in a while. A little desperate. Alex has been useful. With everything going on, we need people like him. As you know, they are getting bolder. Sometimes, to send a message, you got to hammer it home." Daniel smiled.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
"You should take this a bit seriously." Judy cautioned him
"I know." Daniel interrupted her. Jaimie was staring blankly at her eyes.
When did the lies begin?
Seeing his expression that read trust-issues, Judy waved at him. "Hey, you good?"
Jaimie cleared his throat.
"I suppose..." Daniel smirked. "I miss his quips already. "
They got in the car. Jaimie and Will hated sharing the backseat with Victor. Judy was driving.
"I don't give a fuck about what you think of me. I'm not your bitch to be ordered around" Jaime said as he eyed Will, who looked away from him.
"I hope we can get along someday. We are going to guard Alex's mansion for the night. There are ten to twelve people - trained security personnel - on the job, which is more than enough for most cases, but as Judy here has told me several times, this isn't your usual day."
"Why should I care?" Jaimie asked
"Alex is a judge. Yes, it's a little embarrassing but I'll admit... without his help during an important time, I'd be in jail right now. Would you like being a wanted man for the rest of your life instead?"
"Who are we expecting to face tonight?" Will spoke interrupting Jaimie's conversation
"Victor knows the guy. He helped him escape jail after all, escorted in a police car out of all vehicles. This is not just about securing Alex. Taking out Mark is also a priority. Ambitious, I know."
Victor, who was lazily observing, suddenly winced.
Will assured Victor "It will be different this time."
"We are almost there," Daniel announced. He continued "There are two floors. There are snipers on top. Guarded on all sides. We will be right next to Alex. Once it's all done, I will buy you all a meal to remember"
Judy's eyes met Jaimie's through the rear-view mirror from time to time. He never felt so conflicted in his life.
"My powers won't work on him" Victor sighed.
"What do you mean?" Jaimie asked
"I was supposed to keep him down... in the prison I mean... it never worked. He, in turn, tortured me. Used me like a doormat to escape. If it weren't for you, I would have been saved. I'd have been better... " he went on, which the others ignored.
"Is he always like this?" Daniel asked.
"Only when he is awake. In sleep he just cries and wets his bed." Will replied. "His usefulness is highly situational."
"His has a field effect. Induces trance."
"Interesting," Daniel nodded his head. "A bit ironic considering he could just talk and put everybody to sleep."
***
They stopped at their destination. Alex appeared in a video call greeting them as they entered the premises. The security systems were on alert, men were positioned in all entry points waiting to ambush any threat. Snipers were on the roof. They went inside and met the man.
He was slightly nervous. "Sorry, I bothered you at this hour, Daniel. Friends help each other out. Don't they? I have had threats all the time, as a judge, but this feels different. My car was vandalized in the guarded workplace ... It said today was my last. With Mark running loose..."
"Don't worry. Your safety is our topmost priority."
"Hopefully." Alex let out a nervous laugh.
An hour passed. No suspicious activities were reported to them by the men guarding the entrances. Alex switched on the TV. He needed to feel normal. He trusted the men to do their job. He couldn't wait to get the day past him. The snipers kept routinely analyzing the roads leading to the mansion. There were four vehicles. A black sedan was nearing.
"We have incoming," Daniel was alerted. Alex wiped cold sweat off his face.
The snipers aimed at the approaching vehicles and fired. One by one, the drivers dropped dead. They had success with some of the passengers as well. Some attempted escape after their cars abruptly crashed into the trees. Two of the vehicles were completely taken out. Third suffered heavily damages - with two men down and the others retreating into the woods.
The fourth one was heavily guarded. It could've been a police vehicle. The front glass had shattered but there was no sign of a driver. The sniper alerted Daniel "A car on autopilot, heavily armed. Police vehicle perhaps..." Then the voice stopped.
Will went to check the front of the building where the vehicle was sighted. He was slightly taken aback. Will's vision was marred by a rising white smoke that engulfed the entire building. While the snipers were occupied fighting off incoming vehicles, a dozen of low flying drones from the woods had stationed themselves around the building.
They were painted to camouflage in the darkness. They had launched tear gas grenades to the ground using thrusters attached to them, a bunch of tear gas grenades. The aerosol spread through the surroundings and the men guarding the mansion were thrown off-guard. From the police vehicle, two men could be seen walking towards the building. They had gas masks on and sported goggles with thermal cameras. They had some armor covering the weak spots.
Mark said, "Twenty minutes. It's all we got before this return to normal. This is the chance we've been waiting for all this time."
The other man nodded, as he saw the thermal signature of the place through his goggles. "On it," he said as he ran and sliced the neck of a guard. Blood splattered. The victim couldn't even scream. He did these with surgical precision and the men made quick work of the guards who were shooting aimlessly.
Those who survived the sniper attack kept the other guards busy. Snipers changed roles, now armed for close combat. One guard managed to sound the alarm before going down. Daniel's merry crew were on alert. As the building's door was blown open with some explosives, the aerosol spread. The team was already taking cover behind walls based on Will's instructions so that their position would not be given away.
The three men who broke through the door were alert patrolling the surroundings. One of them dropped onto the ground out of nowhere. He was not dead.
"Victor, my man... good job. If only you were good enough..." Mark's voice could be heard faintly. "Still good for your age" he appreciated, adding "But you have made a mistake. You forgot one thing."
The sleeping man woke up like a robot and joined Mark. A gunshot from Will narrowly missed Mark. "Too bad ... I'm bulletproof," he said as two more gunshots whirred past him which hit one of his men, but not lethally due to the armor. Mark commanded the man who was unaffected by Victor, "You go on. I will take care of this."
The man-now-robot had seen Will's position when he was fired at. He lunged forward with his dagger. Will avoided his strike, ran towards the wall on the opposite side all the time trying to gun down the attacker.
"He is just a kid Daniel!" Mark shouted as he was the target for the next round from Will.
The robot-man walked as if on command to take cover.
Will's eyes were watering heavily and inhaling some of it made him feel nauseous, his breathing was getting heavier.
Victor was exhausted by exerting his powers. Having only short bursts available for him was a trade-off for his powers having field effect. He was powerless against Mark.
Jaimie was keeping Victor stressed and trying to ward off attacks from Mark's men. He wasn't as adept with a gun as Will was.
Daniel was on the upper floor waiting. The mansion was in an open area. The effects of the aerosol were waning fast. The visibility improved a bit. But it had done its job.
Jaimie shot at one of Mark's backups, revealing his position again, inviting him. Will was just able to glimpse the opponent's eyes when he was about to strike. That was enough. The man held the dagger right next to his throat. "Why don't these fools use guns?" Will wondered. He was going to finish him off.
"Having your powers work on just one person at a time is such a bummer," Mark announced. "He was bait. You took it. You must be the one that controls motor functions... Interesting."
Will decided to focus on Mark. Before that he had the man slit his own throat.
"Not so fast!" Mark said.
Target was within range. He had trained to activate his skill sooner than he could when he got it. Will gambled on the possibility that he could immobilize Mark if he got a second worth of eye contact. Will wasn't sure if he would succeed as he remembered that Victor's powers do not work on Mark.
Before Will could act on his thoughts, several things happened.
First, all that he could see was darkness.
Second, he felt Mark's fist land on his face so heavily that he crashed into the ground.
Jaimie shot back at Mark.
Will felt pain in his head.
Mark said, "Not all my men are bait. Temporary blindness."
Will was passing out. He didn't think that the ability would be that useful considering that they needed vision for using it.
Jaimie aimed for Mark's head and shot. Mark kneeled, while the almost dead man, still bleeding out, sprung up like nothing happened, to take all the hits. His body was grotesquely mangled as he finally went down. The image sent shivers through Jaimie. He hoped to get to Mark through the man. But Mark had used him as a shield to take cover behind a structure. Jaimie shot aimlessly through everything for a couple of minutes, blinded by rage.
Jaimie managed to hit Mark once, but the injury wasn't fatal. He saw Will passed out in the ground, The blindness then struck Jaimie while he was focusing on Mark, and he too lay on the floor unconscious, this time being hit by a tranquilizer.
Mark quickly motioned his man and they climbed to the second floor. Judy shot the man causing blindness on the legs while they were ascending the stairs. She had missed Mark narrowly. When blindness stuck her, she was punched into a wall by Mark as he charged towards Alex's room.
"Didn't expect that I'll be meeting you after a long time... here of all places." Daniel said, taking cover behind a wall.
"Same here. I was looking forward to this day." Mark replied, assuming a tactical position.
Man causing blindness proceeded to attack Daniel first.
He might be powerful. But he was still too old to have good reflexes.
The man was hoping that the goggles would protect him. Before he could use his gun, he laid on the ground as if his whole body was paralyzed.
"Killing is not fun. It's a mess to clean up after. Your friend here is effectively dead. He won't move until I let him. It's a bit foolish that he would try it on me. Blindness is a good ability. I'll give him that. I'm afraid that the same goes for you." Daniel added, taunting Mark. "I expected more."
"You sure still enjoy letting other people do the work for you." Mark replied with a chuckle.
"Should've chosen your last words better when you had the chance." Daniel replied as he peered into Mark's eyes. Mark appeared to slightly wince... but nothing happened.
"Even for you, the powers don't work when I am blind." Mark warned Daniel, mentally thanking his friend who laid like a statue on the floor.
Mark shot at Daniel repeatedly where Daniel ducked and stayed defensive. He was able to injure Daniel, but not severely. Mark's sight was returning faster than he expected. He could hear somebody ascending the stairs. As Daniel was kept occupied, Man causing blindness wiggled out of the paralysis.
Now after regaining control over his body, he dropped the last tear gas grenade, putting his gas mask on, he was acting fast. He could see reinforcements approaching Daniel. He barged through Alex's door, with the judge at gun-point, got out through fire escape stairs. He wasn't walking steadily. Mark followed suit. The rest of Mark's crew came ready with a vehicle. He was letting Mark run ahead keeping Mark blind. Alex was getting shoved into the vehicle, he himself wasn't that far away, but he knew he was done for when he froze for the last time, unable to move a muscle. Mark knew what was happening as his eyesight returned but knew there wasn't anything he could do about it, as the car moved away.
Daniel approached his victim a bit out of breath, slowly removed the helmet from the man lying on the ground. The helpless victim could only feel dread as the world turned into darkness.
Alex's kidnapping couldn't be stopped.
Will, now resuscitated by Daniel's backups, decided to pursue the vehicle. He got back to their car and chased after. He drove rather rashly through the countryside. He reassured Daniel through the phone. "They won't get away with this. Please make sure Jaimie is alright."
He could still see the vehicle in sight. They were planning to transfer Alex to another car. It was getting too late. He needed one final burst to get him close enough. But noticed that the car had grinded to a halt. He was in the middle of heavy traffic. He looked back to see the trail of fuel he had left behind... the tank was somehow leaking... the tires were also flatlining.
Judy volunteered to drive Jaimie and Daniel. Daniel's men did some clean up and made some phone calls. The ordeal had left everybody with surprises. Jaimie, who was helped into the car by Judy, now conscious but still disoriented, was shocked to see who the man who fought valiantly for Mark was. It was unmistakable. His head still ached from the hit he received during his unfortunate road rage incident.
As for Daniel, most of the men shot down by snipers were his former connections.
Mark was better than he had estimated him to be.