64 New Toys #64
I smiled as I did the last screw, my eyes alternating between the ugly-as-sin metal box and the equally hard-to-look-at workbench that the said metal box was resting on.
I immediately started working on my Mechanic class as soon as I got it, and the first thing I did was sneak into the nearest junkyard to fish for some mechanic components and metal scraps.
The first thing I built was the workbench, which I fashioned after the Tinker Workbench from the Fallout games because I'm an unimaginative bastard and not ashamed to admit it.
Still, it was absolutely unsightly, but it did the job, and I already equipped it with the basics like cutting and welding machines, a bunch of power tools, and all the assorted stuff you might typically find in a man cave.
I also started working on repairing the damaged circuits in my trench coat, and even though I wasn't at that level yet, I managed to do it thanks to a mixture of luck, effort, and mental access to the internet.
The next project after fixing the electrical circuits in my coat was the small ugly metal box, and again, despite being ugly as shit, it was still a success. Kind of.
'Let's put it to the test...' I mused as I picked up the box and started walking to a corner of the hideout I'd made into a target practice area with several humanoid targets of different sizes, placed at varying distances.
I put the metal box on top of a table in front of the target range and took a step back, activating my Personal Computer power to access and start the metal box.
The box groaned as it opened at the top, a gun barrel with a bullet chain attached to it revealing itself. I nodded as I began fiddling with controls in my mind, causing the gun barrel to start moving around, aiming at different targets to test its speed and flexibility.
'Good enough...' I smiled and had the gun barrel aim at the closest target, and it immediately responded. I took a second to analyze the gun's alignment and compare it to the crosshair in my brain before nodding in satisfaction at the result.
'And now for the last test...' I frowned in concentration as the gun started rapidly firing at the target, with its accuracy decreasing as the barrel heated and affected the coils I'd installed to control the recoil.
'I should add a single shot mode until I can figure out a solution to the overheating problem...' I sighed as I stopped firing, retracted the gun barrel into the metal box, and picked up my invention.
'Maybe some sprinklers...? I'll have to switch to stainless steel and isolate the electronics into a waterproof compartment, or they'll short circuit...' I mused as I walked back to the workbench.
'On the other hand, I could use non-conductive cooling liquid, which wouldn't affect electronics or liquid nitrogen, but both are crazy expensive...' Ideas began bouncing in my mind, and I had the urge to open up the metal boxing and start working immediately.
However, I pushed down the urge as I took out my phone to see the time, sighing as I put the metal box in my inventory and made for the hideout's exit in a hurry.
I still have to go to the park to continue my training with Richard and Ben, and I had to be there early this time. Today was supposed to be the day Richard revealed his specialized training that would rely on my healing factor and ability to channel energy.
...
Metropolis
HSC International Banking
"What do you mean she's gone?!" Bruno Ugly Mannheim, the leader of Intergang, exclaimed in a rage, slamming the table before him and causing the hologram in front of him to flinch.
"She escaped Black Gate along with Abbot, and we lost their trail," the hologram, an Intergang foot soldier, uncomfortably replied as he stepped back in fear despite not being physically there.
Bruno Mannheim was once a regular gangster, no different from any other until he one day disappeared. He later emerged, claiming that he was reborn by the grace of a new god.
Though Mannheim was never known to be a kind soul, his so-called rebirth only furthered his villainy and wickedness. Whereas he was a simple opportunistic thug, he was now an utter and complete psychopath after re-emerging.
Now a devoted worshipper of crime itself, Mannheim took control of Intergang and had it follow "The Crime Bible," of which the original copy was etched into the stone with which Cain killed Abel.
He even resorted to cannibalism, killing and then eating those who do not submit to (or did not immediately join) Intergang like he did with Mirage. He ruled the gang with an iron fist, causing his subordinates to fear him greatly.
"I didn't ask about the how's and what's!" Bruno exclaimed through gritted teeth, causing the subordinate to flinch harder. "Whisper is a necessary part of my plan. You will find her, or I'll have you chopped and fed to the pigs. You hear me?" He added with a hideous scowl that did his moniker justice.
"I—I understand, boss," the man stutteringly replied. And Mannheim immediately ended the call, uninterested in mincing words with the incompetent subordinate as he was.
Whisper A'Daire was a useful woman, and she was an integral part of his plans. Not only did she act as the head of HSC International Banking, the front Intergang used to launder money, but she was also a world-class assassin and had the power to brainwash and recruit people into the gang.
Bruno appreciated all of those talents, but the main reason he kept Whisper around despite her complicated past with the League Of Assassins and risked offending Ras Al-Ghul was her ability to decipher the Crime Bible.
From what little he managed to decipher himself from the Crime Bible, Manheim deduced an incomplete rite that would help him attain boundless power.
However, to do that, he needed to find the daughter of Kain, prophesied to appear in the most corrupt, evil, chaotic city on earth, a description that everyone on this planet would tell you matched Gotham.
Bruno sent Whisper and Abbot to Gotham to establish a presence and a base of operation there to enable them to find the Daughter of Kain. But never in his wildest dreams did he imagine the duo would fail.
Still, Mannheim was willing to overlook the failure and even help Whisper and Abbot escape prison as he needed the former. But they had escaped somehow and disappeared to God knows where, putting a massive wedge in his plans.
"It won't be long now..." Manheim muttered to himself as he retrieved an ancient-looking book from a briefcase on his desk. "Your secrets will be mine and mine alone..." he added, his tone and expression growing fanatical as he opened the book and stared into its pages with endless fascination.
...
Somewhere on the outskirts of Gotham
Whisper frowned as she stared at the eyes of the thin Asian woman of average height standing in front of her. The woman was a baseline human and had no meta power whatsoever, and one would think the redhead only needed to spray her with a splash of acid vomit to put her down for good.
However, the serpentine woman couldn't help but fear her, despite all her superhuman abilities and having the unkillable Abbot at her side, for the woman was none other than Lady Shiva, one of if not the most dangerous woman on the planet.
"You still haven't explained why you broke us out of Black Gate, Lady Shiva..." Whisper asked, maintaining a respectful tone as she regarded Lady Shiva with a neutral expression.
"There is no need to be nervous around me, Whisper. We are old friends, after all, are we not?" Lady Shiva replied, raising an eyebrow as she let out a faint smile.
Hearing those words, Whisper had the urge to scoff as her relationship with Lady Shiva was anything but that of friendship, as the martial artist treated her with the utmost disregard and disrespect.
She resisted the urge for evident reasons.
"Though I disagree with your decision to leave the League all those years ago, I do not begrudge for it," Lady Shiva added, shaking her head as she turned away from the serpentine woman and Abbot, walking to the window.
"I'm not here to dig up the past, Whisper," Lady Shiva remarked, putting her hands behind her back as she gazed out the window at the dark cityscape of Gotham.
"However, I am in need of your help for a personal matter. A matter the League must not be involved in," Lady Shiva stated, her smile growing as Whisper walked to her side and nodded, failing to hide her resigned expression.
"You do remember my daughter Cassandra, do you not?"
...
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