“Men need allies and a hundred other things to be powerful. The powered don’t.”
- Charles W.
It was a cold and snowy day for Montag, but not for the young man racing through the street. He had a backpack almost larger than his upper body on his back, and he was in a hurry.
“Coming through.” “Sorry.” “I’m in a hurry.” he waded through the crowd and finally reached the apartment complex he was aiming at. He had taken too many orders today as per usual.
Pulling open the entrance door he briskly ran up to the fourth floor. Then he knocked on the first door on the right. A moment passed, and shuffling could be heard inside the apartment. Soon enough the door opened. A man stood there, his eyes showing his impatience and excitement.
“Did you bring it?”
He brought the backpack to his hands and smiled. “Sure did, sir.” He had more than his share of creepy clients, and this guy wasn’t one.
“I’ll just check the contents.” the man said as reached his hands out. The man took the backpack and carried it inside. The apartment was dark, not much could be seen unless they were used to it. The young man had no such problem. He had no fear of darkness, probably because he saw pretty well in the dark.
The room looked like a normal living room and the stuff randomly scattered on the coffee table was the only thing that caught his eyes. It had money, and a lot of it, his eyebrows shot up. So much that he started thinking about what he’d do with that much money. He waited for the other guy to finish.
The man looked through the backpack and you could hear that his breath had quickened.
“This is perfect, and just on time too. Let me get your payment.” he said as he dragged the backpack with him towards the coffee table.
Few moments later, the man held out his payment. “Here.”
He took the money. “Thank you, sir, next time you want something delivered just ask for Felix.” Felix gave a smile that seemed a little strained, but seemed genuine enough. The other guy just quickly nodded and closed the door with a quiet thanks.
With that Felix’s delivery for the day was done. Officially, he started his delivery job ever since his last year in the orphanage, unofficially he started long before.
He started lightly jogging towards his apartment. enjoying the snowfall. With the last of daylight still out and smoke yet to descend on the city it made for a pretty sight. It made him feel a bit wistful.
The city of Montag is a large city with a population of 15 million people. Almost half the people were powered which made it stand out from the rest of the world. The rest of the world had a ratio of 1 to 10 of powered to non-powered. This was due to the fact that the largest prison for powereds was located in the city of Montag. The prison itself almost counted for another city with almost 6 million inmates.
The sun had set by the time he got to his apartment. That didn’t dampen his mood, not even a bit.
Montag became a different beast at night. Crime rates didn't change, but the crimes changed. Petty crimes turned into violent, cruel ones. Security companies made a pretty penny out of it which meant that people who couldn't afford it were often the targets.
Finally home, Felix flopped himself in front of the TV to decompress after a quick wash. 'Montag's Latest' news channel's familiar logo popped up.
Then appeared the pretty reporter Carly. Felix is interested in the news, she was just a bonus
"Good evening citizens of Montag. We bring you tonight’s news fresh and from the scene.” Then she went on about crime rates, new bakeries, and the latest crime. Felix perked up on the crime part. It was the most interesting part of the news, if a little morbid.
“Now we bring you the latest tragedy in our city. A doctor, a life giver, has lost his life to a killer. Samantha Jones who has worked in the Hospital of Montag for over ten years has lost her life tragically to murder. Police confirm that the killing matches the MO of Dollmaker. She was the only victim of Dollmaker last night. Samantha Jones lost her life in Whit Street. The police recommend citizens to stay indoors.”
And the police start talking about the crime.
Felix had locked everything after he came home. Yet he gets up and checks everything for a small amount of peace.
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Normally he wouldn’t be this paranoid, but he lived in Whit street and meeting the Dollmaker wouldn’t do well for his health or wealth. After feeling a little dumb about his bout of paranoia, he got to cooking himself a nice dinner.
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Felix turns and turns in his bed not feeling too great. He sleeps well and often mostly, but tonight was different. Concluding that he was restless because of the news he sighed and looked at the clock. Red 01:19 stares back.
He wonders just how many people are sleepless tonight in Whit street. After a few minutes, Felix gets up to do anything that might help him sleep.
People of Montag are a hardy bunch. They always bounce back, no matter the tragedy or destruction. Felix wasn’t as hardy as the natives, having moved here four years ago due to the orphanage system shenanigans. The city still somewhat unnerved him, but it’s worth it, to him.
The city was dangerous, sure, but the pay was unusually good. Danger deterrent some people, but not all.
Sound of something breaking pulls him out of his thoughts. He immediately jumps out of the chair and crouches. Trying to hear more, he pauses his breathing. A whimper, crying, and something else breaking. It comes from the wall of his bedroom.
Felix puts his ear to the wall.
A woman’s voice could be heard, Felix recognized the voice as his neighbor. Jess. Wondering whether Jess got an abusive boyfriend or not, he listens.
“Please, you don’t have to” a slap and Jess cries out. Felix wants to go and help, but the last time he got between a couple didn’t end well. He had been carried off to the police station, and almost got fined.
“Why are you ” another slap, harder than the last. Wood breaks.
“Please, please” a slap, again louder and harder than the last. The trend continues on for a minute. Every second tests Felix more and more. Nobody deserved this, especially from someone they love. He wasn’t close to his only neighbor, but they were amiable to each other. Like cool acquaintances. That makes it all the harder to hear the abuse.
All over that noise, constant whirring noise could be heard. Like how gears in old clocks sound. It was a familiar sound, but he couldn’t place it.
Hysterical cry of a girl. “Why did you choose me?” sharp intake of breath. “I don’t have anything to give you.” Jess continues her screaming, and another slap comes.
This wasn’t a lover’s spat, or a boyfriend’s abuse. This was something much darker.
Felix’s face twists into horror. That machine sound came from Dollmaker. Dollmaker had no face recorded, but cameras recorded the constant machine sound which was one of the few identifiers of Dollmaker. After his realization Felix jumps to action.
Can I even help her? He was sure that Dollmaker was stronger than the average man considering the state the victims were left at, and neither Felix nor the police knew much else of Dollmaker’s capabilities. If strength was all Dollmaker had he’d make do with cunning and surprise.
Then he remembers that Dollmaker doesn’t use tools when killing or after which could mean Dollmaker doesn’t have weapons. That didn’t matter much to him, because no way in hell was he fighting that guy head-on. It’d probably be faster to jump out the window if he’d wanted to die.
First thing Felix does is to make a call to the police, he had seen too many horror movies to not call the police first.
He hurriedly wears his delivery clothes, the sturdiest clothes he has and he gets his favorite knife from his closet. It was a gift from one of the first adults he respected. It was pretty as it was practical. Sleek handle, sharp edges, comfortable grip. He felt even sure after he held his knife.
Gotta hurry.
His floor, the fifth floor, only had two tenants. With not much more time to waste he gets out of his apartment and walks up to his neighbor’s door. Jess’s increasingly hysteric cry could be heard. Every cry, every shout further strengthened Felix’s resolve. He couldn’t back out now, not again.
Felix pushes the door and is surprised to find it open, he was prepared to lockpick.
On the other end of the living room Felix spots a cloaked figure looming over the hysteric girl.
Black cloak, little shorter than Felix the figure stood over Jess.
Jess was holding Dollmaker's legs begging and pleading. Her tears and blood ruined her make-up, and her blonde locks stuck to her face, with only one eye barely open she kept pleading. She kept saying “Please.” over and over again. She wasn’t in any state to give Felix’s surprise attack away with her own surprise.
Now, Jess’s voice was barely a whisper, stark contrast to her earlier shouts. Dollmaker, shows no signs of hearing her desperation, continues the assault.
The machine sound seemed to be the loudest thing in that tiny apartment. The strange sound overpowering everything else.
Readying his knife he walks up to them quietly and steadily as he could manage.
Neither Jess or Dollmaker notices his approach. Felix swiftly reaches Dollmaker’s head holding it up with his right hand. He only felt cold skin, no sweat, just small splatters of blood. Then he plunges his knife into Dollmaker’s neck, repeatedly. Blood splatters all around.
He could hear nothing, see nothing, he only felt the warm blood spilling on his hand. This happens sometimes to him. It was as if he lost all his senses except touch. Thankfully it only happened to him during times of high stress.
He stopped only when the blood spilt no more. He regains his sight, hearing, and smell. The constant whirring noise of gears had stopped. Felix drops Dollmaker’s body to his side. The body falls with a heavy thud, a lot heavier than the frame suggested. He’d done it, who would have thought that killing someone was this fast and relatively easy.
He finally looks at Jess. “Hey, Jess.”
Her mouth hangs open, her one open eye displaying shock, horror, and also relief. Her tears continue to fall.
“You’ll be okay, Jess. Let’s get out of here. ” Felix gives her an unsteady smile, offering her his hand. He wasn’t sure if killing was the best choice, but killing to save someone wasn't necessarily the wrong choice.
Seconds pass, and she offers back her bruised hand.