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AlterOne
Chapter 11
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I had no idea what to name this chapter.
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Chapter 11
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Past Chapters
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I had no idea what to name this chapter.
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They had been in Alter City little over a week now, but Evina and the other acolytes were already making their presence known. Well, the other acolytes were, at least in Evina’s mind. For her first assignment in the city, she had been tasked with closing out a lingering debt for a client. The job didn’t call for much, the target was a night club owner who had a gambling addiction, regularly betting on Rudderball matches. The problem there was that he had a knack for picking the losing team. She had positioned herself atop the roof of a nearby building and waited until the soon to be dead club owner had finally come outside. Two scantily clad women accompanied him to his car, his arms draped around their shoulders as his face bore a toothy grin. He reached into his pocket for his keys. She took the shot. His body fell against the side of the car. The women screamed and ran, the others outside the club turned and saw, then they too scattered.
She had received no bad marks for the assignment, but for the past two days she had been relegated to HQ area surveillance. Guard duty, to put it in other words. This day though, she decided to go out on her own. She knew Daxpar didn’t believe she was ready to be in the field just yet, but she also knew he was wrong. She just needed to prove it. Evina had taken to surveying a district known for its high amount of org warfare, sure that something of interest would present itself.
From atop the roof of an old, abandoned apartment building she scans the streets below. It was early morning and the streets were scarce. She turned her attention to a cable car, carried along by thick wires as it traversed through the air among the tall buildings. Inside this particular cable car was a Veldt, purple cloaked and robed, with the familiar white mask. She trained her visionscope goggles on the Veldt, watching as he exited the car some number of blocks away. He was following someone closely. Evina had become somewhat versed with the political structure of Alter City in the last few days. The man the Veldt was shadowing was a district official, she knew that much. She watched as the two made their way down the steps from the cable stop platform to the street. It was her understanding that the Veldt were working with the police against the organizations, nothing had been said of the Veldt working as personal bodyguards. She wanted to follow them but she needed more to go on.
“Evina to HQ.”
“Daxpar here.”
“I have eyes on a Veldt shadowing a district politician in District 27.”
“District 27? You weren't supposed to have left the area,” he said, obviously annoyed.
“Look, I know what you said, but I’ve fully capable of working alone,” she replied. “Don’t worry, I haven’t taken a job, but I do have my eyes on something that is worth a look.”
“Okay, what is it?”
“There’s a Veldt agent with a politician in District 27, looks like bodyguard work. Can you get me anything on it?”
“Looking it up now,” he replied. “The guy is the new Alderman in the district, the last one just died three days ago. Came down all of a sudden with some illness the docs couldn’t figure out, died of heart failure from the look of it. This Alderman, Malk Nazore, was the target of an assassination attempt a few weeks back, at the same gathering the Veldt made their debut. They got him his very own Veldt for protection from future attacks.”
“Seems kind of like overkill to me,” Evina stated.
“I know.”
He didn’t speak for a time. Evina kept an eye on the Alderman and the Veldt, who now stood outside the District Hall and greeted others who she took to be fellow politicians, as they arrived.
“Evina, you still have eyes on him?”
“Yes.”
“I let Xenator know, he is giving the okay to monitor the situation and find out what you can,” Daxpar said. “He feels that if you can figure out the Veldt’s motive for this, we can get at least some idea of what their overall plans are in Alter City. We’ll want to hear from you by midnight.”
“Roger that, Evina out.”
They seemed to be preparing for a meeting. Evina needed audio and visual. She couldn’t risk putting a tracer on the Alderman with the Veldt agent so close. She searched her bag for the proper tracer, one that would be able to project a 3-D holograph of the room in which the meeting would be held, along with the audio. She loaded the tracer into the rifle and looked through the scope, pinpointing her target. Soft on impact, the man gave just a look to his shoulder before continuing on into the building.
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The Commissioner sat in his office, his chin resting atop his clasped hands as he waited. A silhouette appeared in the blinds, Destnol sat upright as his cousin walked into the room.
“I’ve just gotten word that Alderman Nazore is holding a special meeting with his Board of Supervisors today,” Detective Rager stated.
“What time?”
“Now.”
Destnol rose from his chair and hurried to grab his coat, “Bring my car around, I’m going over there.”
Rager nodded and left the room. The Commissioner opened his desk drawer and took the small handgun from inside. He bent over and placed it in the leg holster underneath his pants. When he looked up, Rager was back in the doorway.
“I had one of the other guys bring it around,” he said. “I just wanted to catch you before you left so I can ask you something.”
“Alright, what is it?”
“Why the sudden interest in Alderman Nazore?” Rager asked.
Destnol motioned for Rager to close the door, “The guy Malk is replacing was my godfather. I used to live in that district when I was a kid. When my father died in the Despot Wars, he made sure we were taken care of, we even stayed with him for a few years.”
“I understand why you’d want to go back there,” Rager said. “What I don’t get is what this has to do with your fixation with your girlfriend’s ex.” He gestured to the stack of papers on Destnol’s desk, all files related to Malk Nazore.
“I have it on good word that Malk is the one who killed him.”
Rager looked confused, “Who? Your godfather? If that’s the case then why aren’t we breaking down Nazore’s front door and getting the guy?”
Destnol shook his head, “No, it rarely comes about that easy.”
“Why not,” Rager asked. “I mean, you suspect that he is connected to the Syndicate, a lot of evidence points to that, and now you’re saying you have solid proof that he killed someone.”
“Not solid proof, just a very good inside informant.”
“Okay, let’s roll with that. I’m not seeing where the problem comes in at.”
“The problem is that this isn’t Drusbury,” Destnol said. “Breaking down doors, rushing into gang hide outs guns ablaze, that won’t work in Alter City.”
“So what are we going to do then?”
“You aren’t doing anything,” Destnol replied, stepping past Rager to the door.
Rager reached out and grabbed the Commissioner’s shoulder, “Now hold on Commissioner, what are you planning? You need to tell me if you’re going to do anything awry out there.”
The Commissioner smiled and gave Rager a pat on the shoulder, “Don’t worry, I’m just going to go congratulate the new Alderman.”
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The six District Supervisors sat in silence along the table. The man who had assembled them there, the new Alderman Malk Nazore, stood at the head, his hands on the table as he looked to each of his constituents in turn. Pairs of police guard the room’s door on both sides, a move that made some of the Supervisors visibly uneasy.
“So,” Malk began with a smile. “I’ve got to thank all of you guys for coming today.”
“Don’t think we didn’t see it coming.”
Malk looked down the table to set his eyes on the speaker, Supervisor Tulden. The supervisor did not share Malk’s smiling demeanor, choosing instead to show his obvious disdain for the new Alderman.
“Excuse me?” Malk said.
“Dueor,” Tulden clarified. “We knew you’d killed him. It was only the matter of knowing when and how that we had trouble with.”
Malk stood upright and nodded his head, considering, “Oh, we is it?”
He eyed the other supervisors, none of whom returned his gaze.
“Not just you right, Tulden. It’s we?” Malk went on. “Alright, whose this we?”
Tuldin scowled at his fellow supervisors, angered that none were there to back him up. Malk smirked.
“I guess it’s just you,” he said.
He cut a glance at one of the officers, who shook his head, “They’re clean.”
“What about you?”
Malk turned his attention to the only female in the room, Supervisor Shiron. Malk wagged his finger at her and then reached into his suit. The Supervisors tensed as he removed the gun, a black pistol with a suppressor attached. He held the pistol in front of him.
“He who holds the meeting, holds the gun.”
“I’d be willing to bet you’ve gone to very few meetings without a gun these days,” remarked Supervisor Olso.
“And you’d be right,” replied Malk, tucking the pistol away. “Dangerous times we’re living in now. Alderman’s dying and what not.”
Supervisor Estrait dared to stand up, “If we are going to continue this meeting, we’ll need assurance that you aren’t going to kill us.”
Tulden pointed to Estrait and shook his head in agreement, “Yes, you killed Dueor, what is stopping you from getting us out of the way as well?”
Malk laughed, “Other than the hassle it will bring to kill all of you?”
His emphasis on all was not lost on the supervisors.
“You don’t have to worry about me trying to kill you,” Malk stated. “Not here. No, if I wanted you dead I’d do it out in the open. Not like I did with Dueor. People would have to see.”
“So you admit you killed Alderman Dueor,” Tulden declared assusingly.
“You said at the start of this thing that you already knew I did it,” Malk replied. “Why are we going through this again?”
“I just wanted to be clear.”
“You’re saying that like you’ve got me on tape. Do you have a tape recorder Tulden?” Malk turned to the police. “He have a tape recorder or something?”
“No I don’t, I—”
“Then shut the hell up,” Malk cut in.
Supervisor Shiron tapped her finger upon the table, “How about we talk about what brought us here today.”
Malk looked from the now irked Supervisor Tulden to Supervisor Shiron, “You’re right. Okay,” he began, bringing his hands together and clasping them. “It’s no secret that I hate most of you. You all know who you are, and if you don’t…it’s probably a safe bet that I hate you too. But we can’t go on like that. We need to put aside our differences,” He looked in Tulden’s direction, “and not try to kill each other at municipal events.”
“Are you accusing me of setting up that Terragotto assassination attempt?”
Malk pursed his lips, “Ya know I never noticed this before Tulden, but you sure do ask a lot of shit that we both already know the answer to.” He shrugged. “I don’t like it.”
Tulden shook his head, but said nothing more.
“Like I was saying, we need to put aside our differences and realize the situation we are in. We run one of the most populated districts in the city with two point four million residents and right now there is a gang war that is turning the streets into a battleground. We need unity if we want to keep the district under our control, which means we can’t be at each other’s throats trying to cut the legs out from under the next man.”
“I agree,” Supervisor Lestiet piped up. “That’s the mindset we need to have. I want to say now that Alderman Nazore has my support going forward and though some of you don’t like him, I think we could not have had a more qualified man to take his position in these troubles times.”
Malk stared at Lestiet, an expression of amusement upon his face, “Thank you supervisor, you’re really getting off to a good start trying to be my number two. I haven’t had my **** stroked that hard all day.”
The Alderman looked out for a reaction from the supervisors, only to see Tulden shaking his head in silence. “Tulden, you got something to say over there? Seems kind of strange seeing how just a minute ago you couldn’t wait to speak.”
“I hear you saying we and our, but this is all about you. You’re the one who started this whole mess by shacking up with the Syndicate for your own gain.”
Malk chuckled and took a glance in the police officers’ direction, “Me working with the Syndicate? Oh those are some strong accusations you’re throwing out there. Not to mention you claim I’m the one who started this mess. If you think I started this then you’re sorely mistaken. This district, hell this city, has been up to its neck in org warfare for god knows how long. I’m just doing what I have to do to maintain some sense of order in this damn place.”
Tulden rose to his feet and pointed an accusing finger at Malk, “What I see is you doing everything in your power to take control of this district for yourself, not for order!” Tulden exclaimed. “You think we’re all ****ing fools and we’re going to just hand the district over to you. You’ve got—”
Supervisor Tulden held a look of shock on his face as he stared down at the blood flowing from his chest. He collapsed to the floor as the other supervisors jumped to their feet and looked worriedly at Malk, some turning to the police who simply remained at the door.
“Everybody relax and sit down,” Malk said. He waved the gun in front of him causing the supervisors to duck.
Supervisor Shiron spoke from behind a chair, “You said you wouldn’t kill any of us, not here.”
Malk clarified, “I said if I wanted to kill any of you, I’d do it in public. See that,” he said, pointing to Tulden. “I didn’t want to do that, but I guarantee if I hadn’t, he’d have had his Terragotto pals to come back for another go at me, and none of us want that do we?”
The supervisors took their seats just as the door to the room burst open. The entrant stopped in his tracks, Malk’s pistol pressed into his forehead.
“Officer Wayis come on!” Malk said, taking the gun from the man’s head and throwing his hands into the air. “Don’t just come in here like that.”
“It’s important sir,” Wayis replied. “The Commissioner is on his way here.”
Malk immediately turned to the two guards at the door, “Get the body out of here right now, and bring some people to clean the blood away.”
“No sir, there isn’t any time,” Wayis went on. “The Captain is bringing him this way right now. He’s in the building.”
“Well put the body in the corner or something,” Malk said, stepping past Wayis to the door.
He went out into the hall, closing the door just as District Captain Okoori came around the corner with the Commissioner at his side. When they drew close, Malk smiled and extended his hand to Destnol. The Commissioner did not take it.
“Commissioner Destnol,” Malk said. “How’s my ex-girlfriend doing these days?”
Destnol took note of the closed door behind Malk and the two guards standing in front of it.
At no reply from Destnol, Malk spoke again, “So, why the sudden arrival?”
“I had heard you were the new Alderman,” Destnol stated. “I wanted to congratulate you on your new position and have the honor of sitting in on the first board meeting under your leadership.”
Malk shrugged, “Don’t know why you’d want to do that, it’s a boring affair. Just talk of budget and administrative business.”
Destnol reached for the door, “If it’s just a simple meeting—”
Malk grabbed the Commissioner’s arm, “Destnol, I don’t feel like blowing smoke up your ass and I sure as hell don’t want you blowing any up mine.”
The Commissioner frowned, “Get your hand off me.”
Malk released his hold, “Okay.”
He nodded to the Captain, who in turn motioned for his men to stand side by side in front of the door, blocking Destnol’s path.
“Look here Commissioner,” Malk said. “I’m not up for playing any games. I know why you’re here. You think I killed your godfather, but I’ll tell you now, that isn’t anywhere near the truth. Rik Dueor was a good man and a mentor to me, like he was a father to you.”
“Cut the crap,” Destnol replied. “Move aside men, that’s an order.”
“No how about you cut the crap,” Malk said curtly, stepping closer to the Commissioner. “This is my jurisdiction, I run this district now. These men around us, they aren’t yours, they’re mine. Everything here is mine, and right now, I want you out of my district.”
“You’ve got some nerv Malk.”
“I could say the same for you, coming in here all alone.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“Take it how you will.”
“You forget who I am Malk. I’m not your schoolyard rival, I’m the Commissioner of Alter City.”
The two men stood almost nose to nose.
“I know who you are. You’re a merchant’s boy who lost his daddy in the war and thinks that it means he had a hard life. You’re a spoiled prick who jumped the ladder not on merit, but on those connections your late godfather got you hooked up with. That’s why these men don’t respect you. That’s why no one gives two shits about what you say. You’re Commissioner in name only,” A smirk played across Malk’s face, “and from what Dueor told me in his dying days, you’re also a bastard.”
Destnol could not mask the confusion on his face.
“There’s a reason he took you and your mother in after your supposed father died. He wanted his ***** closer to his bed chamber.”
Enraged at such an accusation, Destnol floored Malk with a hard punch to the jaw. He dived forward but the police were on him. The two officers made to grab him, but Destnol avoided their grasp and landed a swift uppercut to one followed by an elbow to the other. He grabbed the first and slammed to the floor and swept the leg from under the second. The Captain rushed over to attack, but Destnol ducked his strike, grabbed the man by the shirt and slammed him hard against the wall. Anger swelling inside him, he yelled at the Captain.
“Know who you work for! Know who the **** you work for!”
He released the Captain and turned back to Malk. Still on the floor, he was holding his face, blood flowing profusely from his broken nose. As Destnol stood over him, Malk hurriedly puts his hand out in front of him.
“Wait! Wait!” Malk exclaimed.
The Commissioner stopped. Malk removed his other hand from his face and revealed a bloody grin. He snapped his fingers. Destnol was only able to catch a flash of purple from his peripheral.
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The activity in the room had ended. Its occupants had gone quiet after the Alderman had made his exit. The man Evina had placed the bug on was dead. She waited for a time, until finally the Alderman entered the room again and declared that the meeting had ended before leaving once more. She put back on her goggles and was able to see a pair of police officers carrying the unconscious Commissioner out of a side door to a waiting car. At the same time, Alderman Nazore stepped out from the main entrance with the Veldt, looked around, and began walking down the street. They were a few blocks from where Evina was positioned and drawing closer. The number of people on the streets had increased. A group of pedestrians temporarily blocked Evina’s view of the duo. She caught sight of the Alderman again, but the Veldt was gone. The Alderman had stopped. He turned, looked up in her direction, and waved.
Evina tore off the visionscope goggles and turns around, getting to her feet only to jump back as a sword blade slices the air where her head would have been. The Veldt is on the roof. She teetered on the ledge and the Veldt sent a straight kick to her chest, knocking her over the edge. She caught the ledge and held on. The Veldt looked down and she swung back up from over the side, landing a kick to his masked face. The Veldt spun around from the move as Evina plants herself firmly on the rooftop. She reached into her pack and retrieved her tactical double edged sword.
The Veldt twirled the short sword around as they circled each other. The Veldt wasn’t going to make the next move it seemed, she inched closer. When she was within striking distance, Evina pointed her sword straight at the Veldt. He brought his sword up and knocked hers away, quickly rushing forward and attacking with a spinning strike. Evina brought her blade straight up to defend, but was knocked back by the force of the strike. The Veldt charged again and swung with a downward strike. Evina stepped out of the way and sent the pommel of the sword into the Veldt’s shoulder. The move caused the Veldt to drop his sword and Evina quickly went for the downward stab. The Veldt rolled forward, picking up his sword as he did, and Evina struck only the ground. The Veldt flung his sword at sent it towards Evina’s legs. She leaped into the air to avoid. The Veldt met her and in one fluid motion, took her sword away and sent a stiff knee to her gut. Before she knew it, the Veldt had clasped his hands together and swung hard into the back of her head. She went to the ground. She hurried to get to her feet. The Veldt removed his wand from his side and aimed it at her back.
“Abtono!”
An orange blast struck her in the back with such force, her head slammed hard against the roof surface. She cried out, but struggled to her feet. The Veldt came up beside her and pointed the wand in her face.
“Sorminus.”
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