The plates of her powered armor rattled and settled as Johnston pushed her shoulders back and straightened out her spine. She'd only tested a Hephaestus Grade Bodysuit once back during the prototype stage. Now, that she had on the finished product she couldn't help but marvel at it. Despite being decked out from the neck to her toes in Adamantite plate, she hardly felt any weight on her and still had her full range of motion. She was equipped with two adamantite blades on her left hip, one long sword, and one short sword like the samurai of old. On her right, she had the newly made arc pistol prototype in a holster.
She was standing in the back of a Foundation-issued armored truck, the various members of MTF Omega-45 sitting on benches ready to be addressed.
"Alright. Our assignment comes from the higher-ups over at Site-19. The Sin Nombre Cartel has established a small drug manufacturing plant underneath a club they own in Cheyenne. Aside from the usual bar food and cocktails, it also serves as a front for anomalous drug deals. We have reason to believe that the workers have been trafficked and are forced to perform the club's duties, as well as being guinea pigs for experimental drugs in the club's private rooms." Johnston explained, her stomach rolling at the thought.
"What's the policy regarding the civilians? From the brief, it seems like there could be more than a hundred patrons in there tonight." Agent Cassington asked. Known by Omega-45-1, John Cassington was the squad's leader.
"Mobile Task Forces Shinigami's Eyes and Copyright Trolls will be setting up a perimeter around the club for civilian processing. Any Wyoming residents and trafficked workers are to be amnesticized and sent on their way. These workers will be returned to their proper homes. Any criminals we find amongst them will be forwarded to the proper authorities. Our goal here is to simply secure the building, and then the auxiliary teams will come in to grab the civilians who weren't evacuated."
"I have to say thanks for accepting this assignment," Avalerra said. "Growing up in Tlaxcala, I've seen many go missing and never return home. Their families would be in your debt if they knew what we've done."
"Ha." Thalaestris let out a deep chuckle. Thalaestris was a former Valravn Greek Branch Valkyrie and the team's melee combat instructor. "You just want to taste the flesh of cartel malakas on your teeth before the night's over."
"I never said I didn't." Avalerra flashed a toothy smile. "I'll tear those bastards apart for what they've done."
"And you'll get to, but don't be reckless. Members of the Sin Nombre are known to enhance their bodies through anomalous substance use and some of them have thaumaturgic potential. I suspect your weapons should make quick work of them but… don't be surprised if someone shrugs off a gauss round." Johnston said as she went to sit between the two of them.
"So, Commander. What's with the new pistol?" Agent Blunt asked.
"Oh, this?" Johnston pulled out the weapon from its holster. A sleek, dark blue metal weapon, its barrel had a coiled-like appearance, and instead of a traditional hole at the end of the barrel, it had a tuning fork. "The latest from Electroballistics, it fires an arc of concentrated electricity that can down a target from 50 meters. On its lowest setting, it's comparable to getting hit by a taser. On the highest setting, it'll fry a Valkyrie's systems."
"You're creating weapons to fight Valravn?" Rinah said in confusion. "I thought Director Richter said they were off-limits."
"I'm aware of the Cartagena Agreement, Rinah. This is me preparing for the inevitable. With Valravn searching for the Set of Nine, it's only a matter of time before we come to blows."
"Johnston is right. Valravn needs to be put in its place. The ravens mock us from behind that treaty. Richter is just turning a blind eye to their crimes." Thalaestris's voice was filled with contempt.
"Guess it doesn't hurt to be prepared." Rinah shook her head. "You still good to go in there with us?"
"Stop being so hard on the commander. She's earned enough favor with Hephaestus, it's time she spilled blood for Ares." Thalaestris boasted.
Johnston pulled out a stress ball from under the seat and began to bounce it in front of her. She focused on the metal thuds and slow but steady breathing, drowning out the noise of her teammates.
/2/
Sam was startled awake by a knocking on the front door. What the hell? Who could that be? She pulled herself out of bed and stepped into her slippers before walking towards the door.
"Coming! You don't have to pound so hard, you're gonna take the door off the hinges." Sam said as she unlocked it. She blinked twice at the woman standing on the welcome mat, her mouth slightly agape. She didn't know what to say, so many words were flooding into her brain but Sam had no idea which ones to use first.
"Hi, honey. Can I come in?" Jane Russell said with a warm smile.
Some people would have been angry or started spouting off questions but for Sam, the only thing she could think to do was lunge forward into a hug. She held her mother tight against her body, she needed to be sure that she was real; that actual flesh and blood was standing before her.
"Oh Sam, you're squeezing momma too tight. I'm sorry I was gone for so long."
"N-no, you don't have to say sorry." Sam pulled away from her and let her in. "C-come inside."
"I-I think I need to say sorry. If there was something that I said that made you leave or did… I made sure the house was clean!" Sam was tripping over her words. "And the bills have been paid and I haven't touched a single one of your-"
Sam's mom put a hand on her shoulder. "Sam, calm down. It's alright. You didn't make me leave and I'm glad that you've put so much work into taking care of the house while I've been gone."
"Th-then why did you go?" Sam grabbed her mother's arm and pulled up her sleeve. "There are no needle marks here, have you been clean?"
"As a whistle!"
"Then… was there a guy? I don't understand."
"We have a lot to discuss, Samantha. How about I make you your favorite lunch and we talk about it? Buttered grilled cheese with jalapeños?"
"Mom, I like red peppers on my grilled cheese. Not jalapeños."
"Right, sorry. One grilled cheese, coming up!" She hurried off to the kitchen as Bubba came running past Mrs. Russell and to Sam.
"Hey boy. She's back." She picked up the dog and brought him with her to the kitchen, tears welling in her eyes.
"She's back."
/3/
The truck came to a halt just as Johnston's ball returned to her hand.
"Show time, let's go." Johnston stood up and went to open the doors to the back of the truck.
"You aren't gonna say the thing?" Agent Cole Marcus, the squad's resident slacker asked.
"What thing?" Johnston said.
"Y'know the thing you always say before every mission. It's a little cheesy but I always love hearing it."
"Oh pardon me, I've been a bit stressed. How could I forget? Ahem." She cleared her throat. "Coils hot, ladies and gentlemen."
There was a roaring cheer as the squad filed out behind their leader.
The club stood in front of Johnston, its dim neon sign being the only illumination in the area beside the lights of the Foundation trucks on the roads around it. There was a lot of movement and commotion from Foundation soldiers setting up equipment and getting into position on nearby rooftops. As Johnston went to talk to one of the officers ordering people into place, she heard a voice.
"So this is the illustrious "Street Samurai". Your collection of broken toys. It's funny the first thing you thought of when they came into your employ was making them kill people. You didn't think a nice quiet life served to heal their scars?"
Johnston disregarded Corra's mocking as the soldier in front of her saluted. "Greetings, Researcher. Sergeant Aaron Feldman, Sigma-27-1 of the Copyright Trolls, at your service."
"At ease, Sergeant. What's your status? Have we been made yet?"
"Negative. Our technicians have looped the footage on the outside building cameras and we've detained the bouncers. So far, no one has noticed their disappearance."
"Must be a busy night for them then. What about civilian traffic?"
"Roadblocks are in place, and we have people redirecting traffic. Our cover story is that this is a police matter."
"Good. Don't move into the building until I signal. If we don't radio back in an hour, you move in."
"Got it. We'll keep watch."
Johnston turned to speak to her team. "I'm not expecting these guys to go quietly but try to take prisoners when possible. Rickards, Cole, Blunt. You go around the back. I'm assuming the drug lab is somewhere in the basement level. Find and neutralize it."
"Ah, come on! Why do you always send me first into all the dangerous places?" Cole said.
"Cause she's trying to get rid of you, Cole." Rickards joked.
"I am." Johnston smirked. "Avalerra, Thalaestris, and Cassington . You're with me. Cassington and Thalaestris will secure the club. Avalerra and I will find the private rooms and make sure they're clear. Any questions?"
"Sir, no Sir." Cole responded.
"Cole, you know better than to call me Sir. I work for a living. Now let's go. For the betterment of Humanity."
The team repeated Site-78's mantra as Cole, Rickards, and Blunt circled the building, leaving the rest of the team to approach the doors.
As Johnston put her hand on the handle, she saw Corra leaning against the wall. "For The Betterment of Humanity… Is that what you tell yourself to justify the murders you are about to commit?"
"I'm getting real tired of you," Johnston said under her breath, her fingers trembling on the handle. She was right in a way. Johnston had never killed anyone before, only ordered her men to do so. Did she have the stomach for it?
Only one way to find out.
She pushed the door open and immediately her squad flanked her on all sides, Cassington had his Gauss Rifle drawn, Avalerra her pistol, and Thalaestris her mighty spear. They were greeted, however, not by enemies but by a terrified receptionist.
“Don’t say a word,” Johnston ordered. “We’re here to help.”
The receptionist threw her hands in the air. She had no loyalty to her criminal employers and wasn’t looking to get shot. She had no idea if these people were from a rival gang or were some type of federal agents, but figured they were her best chance.
“Where are the private rooms? I assume the dance floor is that way?” Johnston pointed to a door on her left and the receptionist nodded. She then pointed to a set of stairs on Johnston’s right.
“Thank you. There are people outside that can help you.”
The receptionist nodded and ran past the Omegas. Cassington gave Johnston an affirmative nod before leaving with Thalaestris. Johnston drew her sidearm, keeping it down and at arm's length.
“Am I taking point? Or you?” Avalerra asked as they approached the stairs.
“I’ll go first, stay right by me.” Johnston took the first steps up. Her breathing was slightly elevated, and her trigger finger moved anticipatingly on the guard. She’d always been good at keeping her nerves under control. but today was different. Last time she led troops into the field like this they were on home turf, she had control of the field of engagement. Here she did not, and that fact terrified her.
As she took her final step and turned into the hallway, a loud BANG rang out. She felt a slight impact against her right shoulder plate, as the bullet ricocheted off. Standard ammunition, plates should hold against that.
"Stand down! And I won't have to-" She was cut off by another shot, but she was quick to retaliate with her own. She swung her arms up and fired off her arc pistol, a low hum followed by a flash of electricity. Her attacker collapsed to the ground in a seizing fit as more guards came rushing down the stairs.
Johnston snapped her head towards Avalerra, but the anomalous woman was already on it. She moved like a blur past Johnston, her enhanced speed allowing her to easily dodge the hail of bullets they unleashed from their automatic rifles. Johnston had no such reflexes and ducked into the next room in a panic. Her shoulder slammed against the door frame, opening it up with her sheer weight.
She however wasn’t expecting to be grabbed by a cartel henchman inside.
THUD!
Her adamantite frame left a large dent in the wall as she slammed against it, her pistol flying out of her hand and clattering to the ground. Before she could even recover, he had her by the throat. She could see her life flashing before her eyes as she struggled to breathe.
"¡Maldito Federale justo cuando estaba a punto de drogarme!" He yelled at her in Spanish as she desperately thrashed and struggled underneath him. The adrenaline coursing through her veins made it near impossible to think. She had to act. Fast. Or this would be the end of her.
Johnston reached for her shortsword, pressed the button on the hilt to activate its vibration generator, and drew it. In one clean cut, she'd nearly cleaved the man in two. Blood splattered all over her armor as the man let out a surprised gurgle and fell limply on top of her.
She grunted as pushed the corpse off of her, staring blankly at the pool of blood forming on the floor below. A reminder from her anatomy lessons flashed through her brain.
There are at least 6 Liters of blood in the human body. I slashed through his aorta. Now it's all over the ground… and me.
She looked down at her bloodied hands. dropped her weapon, and screamed. The sword clattered against the ground and buzzed incessantly, the adamantine blade vibrating at such speed the slightest touch would rip through flesh as easily as she had just done.
Her head was throbbing, the metallic smell of his blood finally hitting her nose. She knew this was the reality of combat but something felt wrong. Where was the sense of victory? Of glory? She had just dispatched one of society’s worst, but she didn’t feel at all good about it.
“Murderer.” Corra’s phantom spat as she began approaching Johnston. “Happy that you finally got to play with your toys?”
“It-it was self-defense. H-he was going to kill me.” She put her hands on her throat, the warm blood from her hands staining her neck.
“Excuses. There’s always a choice. You chose violence the day you picked up my manual, instead of locking it up like the good little jailer you are.” She dropped to her knees in front of Johnston.
“N-no, I didn’t choose this life. Y-you forced this on me with your damn books!”
Corra dragged her hands through the corpse’s blood and grasped Johnston’s face, staring into her very soul. “We follow the same path, you and I. You sought knowledge to be a hero just as I sought paradise. Well, this is what being a hero under the veil is like. You die in the dark, so people like your sister can live in the light.”
“SHUT UP!” Johnston stood up, hand on her longsword, only to find there was no one else in the room except for a shivering man in rags.
“Who are you talking to girl? Y-you killed my dealer! How am I supposed to get your fix now?” He complained, his mind too addled to really understand what had happened.
Johnston retrieved her shortsword, turning it off, and cleaned the blood off by rubbing it against a clean spot on her armor. “You should get out of here. Cops’ll be in here any minute.” Johnston didn’t pay him any attention to him as she collected her pistol, she needed to find Avalerra. She noticed that the gunfire had all but stopped as the pounding in her ears ceased.
Entering the hallway she saw the remains of the guards from earlier, their throats torn out and the walls covered in blood spray. Johnston continued past their bodies to find charred corpses lining the stairs- no doubt a result of Avalerra’s pyromancy. As made her way up the stairs she could hear a wet crunching sound followed by disturbed growling.
Her grip tightened on her sidearm as she rounded the corner to the third floor, letting out an audible gasp when she saw a hunched-over figure feasting on the bodies in the middle of the hall. She raised her weapon, hands trembling. Johnston felt Corra’s hand on her shoulder.
“You reap what you sow, Jailer. Letting the monsters out of their little boxes.”
The figure raised its head, having finished gorging on the neck of an unfortunate cartel lackey. It was Avalerra but she was almost unrecognizable with blood covering her mouth and her long hair obscuring her face. Her hands were morphed into fierce eagle talons, but they began to revert to her human hands. She swallowed the blood and viscera in her mouth and began to approach the terrified Johnston.
“You missed your chance to rid the world of one more monster in that church. Set your weapon to high and rectify your missstake!” Corra hissed like a snake.
“Commander. Sorry, I didn’t come back. I got a little swarmed, but these floors are clear of Cartel- are you… alright?” She asked innocently. She was now arm's length from Johnston, who lowered her weapon.
“Ava..lerra I- had to, he was going to -” As Johnston was stammering, Avalerra glanced at Johnston's bloodied armor. “I moved my weapon and he split open so quickly and there was just so much-”
“H-hey!” Avalerra grabbed her shaking wrist. “It’s going to be alright. Your first is never easy.”
“The second gets better?”
“No. It never does.” Avalerra’s voice was melancholic. “But you get better at tuning it out. Remember why you're doing this and that’ll see you through.”
“I did this for Mary. To be a hero like the ones we group up idolizing. But this…stalking around in the dark dispatching lowlifes isn’t what I imagined being a hero was like.”
“Heroism comes in many shapes, Maria. It’s not romantic, but we’re doing this for the greater good right? We gotta keep these drugs out of Wyoming.”
“You’re right it’s just… I haven’t been thinking straight lately.” Maria put her hand on her head, the throbbing slowly returning.
“Combat isn’t for everyone. If you need me to bring you back to the command center-”
Time seemed to slow down for Johnston as she thought introspectively. Maria. Corra is wrong, you did nothing wrong. You gave them a chance to surrender and they took away your non-lethal option. There are people in here who need your help, you can't give up now.
“No." Reality rushed back to Johnston. She holstered her weapon. “I can do this, just… no more eating people.”
“I can't make any promises but… I'll try to be less violent.” Avalerra shrugged.
“Look, I get these guys strike a nerve with you but… we have to try to be better.” Johnston nodded.
“Your a better woman than me, Johnston. Let’s get these rooms cleared and see if Cole hasn’t gotten himself into any trouble.”
/4/
“Mmm!” Sam remarked as she bit into her grilled cheese, all of those familiar flavors rushing through her taste buds. Just like mom used to make.
Her mother sat down at the table next to her as she was chowing down. “You like it Sweetie? I know it’s been a while since I made one, but…”
“It’s great, Mom. Even if it was burnt, I’d eat it. I’m so glad to have you back, but you have to tell me where you’ve been.”
“To tell you the truth, Sam. I was on the run.”
Sam raised her eyebrows. “On the run? From who?”
“They call themselves the SCP Foundation. They want to lock away people like us because we’re different.”
“Different? Different how?” Did her mom have the same abilities as her? She never knew her Mom to be magical in any way. To her surprise, her mother grabbed a nearby glass of water and, with an incantation turned it into wine and drank it.
“Five year vintage. I still got it.” She chuckled and sat it back down.
“I have abilities too. I can open Ways, do you know what those are?”
“I do. I’ve been to the Wanderer’s Library many times but… The Foundation took my Library Card and now the Ways have become unusable for me.”
“That’s terrible, but why not say anything? Why lie to me about these powers that I’d inherit?”
“I did not know that you would inherit them. You’re special, Samantha, you awakened to powers when you shouldn’t have. It’s a sign.”
“A sign of what?”
“A sign that the world is entering a new age of magic and wonder. I came back when I’d learned that you’d come into your powers. I need your help, Sam.”
She came back for a favor? She should have told her to get out right then and there but she didn’t. Sam was too desperate to have her back in her life so she asked what kind of help she needed.
“There’s a book inside the Wanderer’s Library. It contains the location of a weapon that we need to bring about Paradise.”
“Paradise? Who's we?”
“We are… the Naja. A group of individuals like you and me who want to see the world brought into Paradise. Imagine a world where magic roams free. Where there are talking cats, no Foundation to lock us up, and dragons! Dragons flying free over the mountains of the world! Won’t you help us achieve this Paradise?”
It did sound nice, but Sam still had her doubts. “Why do you need me then? Doesn’t anyone in your group have Library Cards?”
“One way or another we’ve lost our ability to go to the Library. But Sam you can enter Ways from any place. No rituals needed.”
“I can. I’ll get you there, Mom. “ Sam nodded and smiled. “We’ll be together in Paradise… right?”
“Of course, sweetie.” She said as she stroked Sam’s hair. “We’ll be together forever.”
/5/
Johnston and Avalerra had run into a bit of a snag, a leopard-sized one. An anomalous creature with the body of a man and a head of a jaguar stood between them and the next door. It growled and snarled at them ready to pounce. Johnston was getting tired, they'd been fighting with it for the past fifteen minutes. The two sides stood eyeing each other up, getting ready for their next move. Johnston promised herself her resolve wouldn't waver. If they had to put it down… they would.
It charged forward at them and Avalerra responded by drawing her sidearm and firing at its legs. The tungsten slugs whizzed by at Mach speed, and a lucky shot directly on its knee cap tore through and blew out the back of its knee. It roared in pain as it fell on its wounded joint, only to find Johnston's Adamantite boot impacting with its chin from a running kick.
A wave of relief passed over Johnston as her breathing began to calm. The line hadn't been crossed again… for now.
"Nahual chingada." Avalerra said as she reloaded her weapon.
"Nahual?" Johnston asked, staring at the creature who slowly began to revert to a normal man.
"Translations vary. Easy to say their mages who can transform."
“I think I saw something about them when I was researching the myths relating to you," Johnston said. "Come on. We got one last door to check." Johnston moved to the end of the hall and opened the door with Avalerra shadowing her. Inside was a woman sprawled out on the bed in a state of half-consciousness.
“Shit. Hey! Are you alright?” Johnston got down next to her and tried to shake her awake.
“Johnston… her blood is rotten.”
Johnston snapped her back towards Avalerra, “Rotten? What do you mean rotten?”
“She’s got so much anomalous crap coursing through her, I can smell it from here. She’s dying.”
Johnston didn't want to believe it. She had to try something. She'd seen enough people die under her watch. Her mind instantly went to the place she felt most comfortable: Science. Johnston pulled a medkit from her belt, grabbing a syringe filled with an anti-drug. She jabbed into the woman’s arm in the hopes that it would reverse the reaction.
The woman’s eyes suddenly shot open. She grabbed onto Johnston’s armor and pulled her close.
“Y-you have to.. Have to… take care of my Chickadee. Please…”
“Who is your Chickadee? What are you talking about.”
“My daughter… take care of my daughter.” The woman’s grip slowly loosened from Johnston’s collar before falling onto the bed, The woman’s breathing stopped shortly after.
The hopeful light in Johnston's eyes flickered out like a dying candle. She was so sure that this mission would go out without a hitch. The bad guys defeated, the people returned to their homes, and the Street Samurai returning as unsung heroes. But someone wouldn't be returning home. The what ifs began to circle in her head and she heard Avalerra saying a prayer for the woman. Could she have been faster? Could she have done something better?
She clenched her fist and closed her eyes. No. She'd been through this before with Mary. The only thing she could do to make this right was to honor the woman's dying wish just as she'd made Mary's dreams a reality.
Johnston solemnly searched the woman for identification, if she was going to find her family she needed a place to start. She found her wallet and took her driver’s license.
Jane Russell. Age: 34
