Chapter 28

I finished my meditation and opened my eyes. It was dark outside, just what I wanted.

Aster: Ordis, can you operate Mantis without me being onboard?

Ordis: I have been integrated in the ship's system so it is possible.

Aster: Perfect!

I exclaimed as I stood up.

I started walking to the door but I thought of something.

Aster: You know, I think I should name the ship. I mean Mantis is its model, a name might be better.

Ordis: I'm not sure it's necessary, but why not?

Aster: Hmm...How about...Firefly!? No, dropping one bug name for another. Wait I got it! Her name will be Serenity!

"Oh yeah, this is the one!"

Ordis: A very...peculiar name Operator. But it is set nonetheless.

Aster: Excellent! Now time for patrol!

I ran to the bridge and looked around outside.

Aster: Ordis, there's an unfinished building close by, take us there and hover above it without dropping stealth.

I said with seriousness trying to sound like a spaceship captain.

Ordis: As you wish, Operator!

Since the building is close, Serenity didn't move very fast as to not disturb the neighborhood with a sudden sonic boom.

As she was hovering above, I moved to the drop station and lied down while being transformed to my custom suit.

"This form also needs a name...warframe Beyond sounds nice"

I thought to myself and pressed a button next to my hand.

Two curved door-like sheets of metal closed me inside a capsule like device. Then, place I was on started turning and I found myself outside at Serenity's belly.

Landing on a steel beam I looked around to check if anyone saw me.

"It would be weird if anyone Did see me at this hour and place."

Picking a direction, I jumped on the rooftop towards my choice.

The night was bright as the almost full moon lit the sky. Thanks to the colour of my suit, I wouldn't be easily spotted as I moved. I quickly arrived to a bad neighborhood.

After a few rounds, my excitement disappeared since there wasn't anything interesting happening even after some time.

Aster: Damn it, this is not what happened in comic books! I should have already found some bad guys!

As if some greater power heard me, a suspicious black car drove to a storage building and three people got inside.

Aster: If movies and TV series taught me anything, is that this is a bad guy car.

Reaching a small window near the roof, I stuck to the wall to peer inside.

Four buffed up men were on one side and two more were on the other side, along with a fat guy in an office suit that stood between them.

Aster: Oh! This is an illegal trade of sorts!

I whispered to myself.

As I was thinking a way to get the drop on them, one of the men walked toward the suited guy while dragging a big wooden crate with the help of a trolley.

He opened the crate and lots of guns were visible inside.

"This is not good!"

As I turned my head, I saw a box with circuit breakers in the corner of the room.

Getting an idea, I silently went inside and using the supporting beams, I walked right above their heads and climbed down to the circuit breakers.

I looked around to make sure I memorised the general layout of this place as well as the position of those men and shut the power down.

Immediately, I jumped to the supporting beam once again while hearing shouts, insults and guns getting cocked.

A few shots reverberated around along with grunts and shouts.

"Wow! I might not even have to lift a finger."

I joked and go to position.

The muzzle flash of the shots gave me their positions.

"Maximum effort!"

I jumped on the shooters that were with the fat man and with the momentum of the fall kicked one guy to unconsciousness.

Without missing a beat, I turned and gave a roundhouse kick to where I assumed the head of the other armed goon was.

The feeling of impact on my foot reassured me that I hit bullseye. Before I even had time to pat myself on the back, a flashlight was pointed on me and a feeling of being doused with cold water washed over me.

I couldn't be sure with the light on face but the one who holds it is the fat man.

?: You don't look like a hero so, before I send you to the ever after tell me, who sent you? Was it the Door of Heaven? No, they're not the type to sent an assassin. But the Conclave, those pretentious hypocrites are the most likely ones. Am I right?

He asked as if stating the obvious.

I stayed silent for a few seconds.

Aster: I'll be honest with you. I have no idea what you're talking about. I just came here for the Bon Jovi concert.

I said as I raised my shoulders a bit.

It took some time for him to register what I said.

?: You think this is funny? How about I put a bullet through your head?

He shouted as the spit that flew out of his mouth became visible because of the flashlight.

"Ok, he's easy to anger and seems nervous. If I play my cards right I won't end up a deadman"

Aster: Look mister, before you pull the trigger tell me something. If you kill someone, how many years would that add to your sentence in prison?

?: If I kill you, who would know?

Aster: If you kill me, Edgeshot over there will testify.

I said and pointed behind him hopping this will work.

?: What?

He turned around with the flashlight to look. Not missing this chance, I kicked the gun out of his hand and punched his face.

He "gracefully" fell to the ground and I started walking toward him.

Aster: You know, this wouldn't happen if you had just pulled the trigger.

I gloated as I turned him around to give him another punch for good measure.

The moment he faced me, his eyes glowed and a strange sensation welled up inside me. I lost my ballance as an intense feeling of vertigo and motion sickness overcame my senses.

I fell on my knees with a groan. I was certain that if I had a mouth I would have puked endlessly.

?: You know, this would have happened if you had just knocked me out.

He mockingly said and kicked me.

I groaned and tried to stand up with no success.

?: Though I must admit that it was stupid of me to fall for your trick, you were also pretty stupid.

I received another kick when he emphasized the word stupid.

Then he approached me and crouched in front of me.

?: Now, tell me who sent you and this can end or we can do it the hard way. If you think that you have it rough now, wait for 2 more minutes and the effect will become worse. So, what will it be?

Being left without many options, I spoke.

Aster: W-why do y-you assume...that I w-work for an...enemy...organisation?

?: Don't tell me! Corvo sent you?!?!

He quickly stood up and sounded genuinely surprised.

"He bought it..."

My excitement was drowned but this awful feeling but I resolved myself and continued.

Aster: He said...that even though...h-he trusted you...you didn't deliver the goods.

?: What are you talking about?

His answer wasn't what I was expecting.

"Shit! Did I mess up?"

?: I delivered the goods to the Dorei warehouse myself!

He said as his voice projected fear.

"Thank goodness! That scared me. And is he seriously giving me information just like that?"

Aster: Then...you just h-have to...explain to him.

?: Yes, yes! It's all a misunderstanding!

He stopped using his power and even helped me stand up.

"Either I'm the best actor alive or he is the dumbest bad guy ever."

?: We should go right away!

As he was walking towards a briefcase, a blue portal appeared underneath and swallowed it.

?: Who did that!?

He shouted and frantically looked around searching for the perpetrator.

??: I'm sorry boys but I have to take these off your hands.

A sultry voice was heard but it was impossible to pinpoint the location. It was as if it came frome everywhere.

Then another bigger blue portal swallowed the weapon crate.

?: No! No! No!

The guy started freaking out so I did what every sensible person would. I quickly approached him and knocked him out.

Silence...

I sighed and looked around.

Aster: I don't even know how to describe what just happened. Did I do good? Did I do bad?

Ordis: If I may, Operator. You barely scrapped by and managed to stay alive through sheer luck and enemy stupidity.

Aster: Shut up Ordis!

...

Aster: And contact the police to come here while you're at it.