Dirty Deeds Don't Come Cheap (Part 3) by MaLAguA

Sunday, November 26th, 2016 - 4:59 pm
Ignatius Sullivan’s apartment

Vic going to visit Iggy. Dang, Iggy's place is like a dream set-up for gamers and geeks into other various media alike. Yikes, don't go into that dark place, Vic. All this from working at the pastry shop and graphic design on the side, Iggy has skills.

Water and light chips, he wants to get in shape after the last adventure, and I would too. Aww, needing distance from Whateley for today. Proud of Vic for taking a mental health day. After the news he got recently, he needs it now more than ever.

Sunday, November 26th, 2016 - 5:32 pm
Construction offices in the fringe of Concord.

Lifeward complains about the need to leave the door to the roof open because of the noise it makes. Who is this boy, and jammers, what is their client's presentation that is so important to have those? Wait, the kid is told to leave, don't want him remotely close when things start to go down. Please say they aren't involved in the mess involving the blackmailer.

Fittogether, Vic's friend from the gang that survived and he skipped school, oof. Apprenticeship for the Syndicate at his age, I hope he gets out of it alive. What is this Syndicate operation all about? Cole takes down Root with a painful arm bend, training and experience trumps powers. And Cole didn't use his powers, he doesn't use them in combat, dang, even more badass.

A swarm of magical termites! Good grief, I would have washed my hands of the area as well. Oh no, please say the Syndicate isn't working for the worse blackmailer. Ambush spots and traps in the vicinity, oh boy. Ah, they are on the side of the blackmailer who isn't an ass about it, the lesser of two evils.

The courtyard is the main line of defense, and the whole set-up, they came prepared for the worst. Lifeward and her crew are only there as insurance, that is some expensive insurance. Cole and Lifeward are called 'the team of war and peace', I would consider that a cool nickname. Great, they are leading a team of rookies, this is going to go badly for at least some of them, I just know it.

Nice spellwork by Lifeward. Dragonite, what happened to her is just wrong, trying to live a normal life and then being shunned for being an obvious mutant. The Syndicate is a necessary evil in a world with so much hatred towards mutants, unfortunately. I'm glad Dragonite can work, if she dies on this mission I will be upset.

Censer has an interesting mix of powers and, a nice weapon though I hope he can upgrade it soon. First mission, ouch, he is being thrown into the deep end.

Root, I remember him, fun power and with the seeds he keeps on hand very useful. Root is so eager to join the Syndicate, is it earnest desire or does he have a dark secret he is keeping from them? Living on the streets since he was 15, and wants money and power, but is cagey about his circumstances, hhm.

Redgem, 2nd mission for the Syndicate. Armor is a construct created by the power source, is he a power gem user or something else? A red gem from space or a lab explosion, falls into the Syndicate's hands so he is working on buying it back from the Syndicate, ouch. Negotiations go uninterrupted, the client survives, and the leverage remains untouched, darn it!

They know the MCO agent is coming with only two armed agents and the MCO organization has been kept out of the loop on the blackmail. Cover all their bases, please let them get out of this alive, if Voidgrip kills Lifeward it will destroy Vic. Aww, no using their phones, only comms, until the mission is over.

“The spell I provided you will step in and save your lives if you were to face … lethal consequences… However, as a result, it’ll burn up and won’t be there to protect you the next time. Report to me as soon as that is the case.”

Please say that Lifeward put one of those on herself.

Redgem was sent to hide in a small spot within the corridors, I have a bad feeling about that. Cole knows just what to say to make Redgem happy about his assigned location. A good plan, I hope it survives first contact with the enemy and especially Voidgrip. Making sure everyone gets home safely, she may work for the Syndicate now, but she still has a true hero's heart. Dang, Cole would make a great video game character to play in that get-up.

The Syndicate and the school are interested in the leverage being used against the MCO agent, why would Whateley be interested in that or is this another school? Leverage from that attack is still being used against Pollux. Does Cole know anything about the attack on the Maryland MCO facility 5 years ago?

Declan Crossby and crew show up. The client's brother, so Preston is the ass who is blackmailing Pollux and pushing him around so much he called for help from a man with a crew of known killers, as if I couldn't dislike the man anymore. No concrete name for his gang, dang, Declan thought ahead to that detail. Intimidate businesses, I hope it isn't small businesses, I hate criminals who mess with those.

Syndicate has programs for gangs like theirs, huh, better than random idiots with no training and a gun who get jumpy at the first sign of things going around. Good banter and a good idea for Lifeward to put that spell on Declan and his gang as well.

“Not exactly. About five years ago, my brother and I were a perfect duo. Causing trouble in Maryland of both high and small sizes… One time, we actually snuck into the congressional building hoping to get some inside trading information about a new law that was coming out. We walked out with a ton of black mailing without actually trying.”

And people wonder why politicians aren't trusted.

“Well, let’s just say it’s a sort of hereditary power that works on fluids and chemicals within people’s bodies. It’s this power that lets me know you had an expresso not long ago.”

*screams silently* That power could be so dangerous in the wrong hands. Sorry, Declan knows how to keep a secret too well.

“Well… it affects the poor MCO administrative and involves a lot of bad people… I guess you could say it also involves the lives of those left behind… as any tragedy does,” Declan adopted a slightly more solemn tone. “I have little respect for cowards and backstabbers, so I lost sympathy for the man. If it’d been up to me, I’d probably thrown the information to the public… however, my brother opted for a more involved, painful approach.”

Okay, starting to see how Preston torments Pollux with the blackmail so much, he deserves it.

Sunday, November 26th, 2016 - 6:40 pm
Ignatius Sullivan’s apartment

Ack! Vic has to beat a quick time event in the game to get his character out of being locked in place, those suck. What co-op game are they playing? Vic, you did everything you could to help save Sterling, it isn't your fault. And no matter how much your appearance changes you will still be human, never doubt that. Some people look like models, but their insides are dark and twisted. It is your heart, who you are, not your appearance, that matters.

Vic, it may be different from the friends you had while on the streets, but they are still your friends. Let them help you. Ouch, no deal with the Syndicate for Urresti, he was bound to go down.

“The point I hoped to go for was… You have the grit to survive whatever happens to you. You may think that you can’t, but I trust that you can land on your feet.”

Iggy, you are a great friend. Josephine is done with the lesson and coming up to pick up Vic, so glad he had this time with Iggy. Wait, accompany Vic, please don't let them take a shortcut and end up in the crossfire of this blackmail deal.

Sunday, November 26th, 2016 - 7:50 pm
Construction offices in the fringe of Concord.

A car approaches from down the street in the darkness. Two agents of the MCO exit and are met by Declan and members of his gang. Pollux remembers Declarn is the brother of his blackmailer, oh boy. Arno, you should have gotten out when you had the chance.

Preston, you are cocky and overconfident, I just hope it doesn't cost you your life, at least for the sake of your daughter. Arno, you think they are lying about blackmail, you are an idiot if you don't think that organization has enough skeletons in its closets to outfit a necromancer with an army. Yes, Arno, what Pollux did is what you should be angry about. Preston gives orders and they are followed, not sure who is more dangerous, Preston or the other blackmailer.

What they are standing in, wait, is the story of magical termites just a cover for something the MCO did to this area? Uh oh, who else does Preston have who is interested in the results of these negotiations? Pollux just wants to sweep what happened under the rug, I want to know how bad it is. Arno, Preston is being calm about this, you need to hold your temper if you wish to survive the day.

“My request is simple. Now, with the new powers of your office, I want you to decentralize the MCO forces within the state of New Hampshire.”

Preston wants himself monitored less, but is he also doing this for Whateley's benefit? The request from Preston isn't unreasonable, but Arno doesn't like blackmailers, I don't think he is going to last long at this rate. Opening fire on the bodyguard, taking aim at Preston, and giving orders, he is a dam fool with a temper and completely drunk thanks to Preston's power on the alcohol in his system.

Disarmed, and sent back into the office chair, Preston was never in danger from him. The bodyguard is okay, and Pollux, you don't get to say when blackmail of this serious a nature ends. Arno, you are a fool who almost blew everything. Great, projectors and a movie to show just what Pollux is being blackmailed with.

Sunday, November 26th, 2016 - 8:33 pm
Construction offices in the fringe of Concord.

Oof, those MCO agents drinking coffee, will regret that later. D-gang appearing lax for what is coming to take them, oh no. Voidgrip and crew are here, this better not end in a lot of deaths. Great, the duplicator probably chose all the same target. Censer is here! More than a few dupes knocked down, Schrodinger and his dupes opened fire wildly and missed their target who took cover. Censer sends out an alert of the intruders on the rooftop and to light up defenses. This is going to be a big fight.

Sunday, November 26th, 2016 - 8:44 pm
Operation site - Foyer - Declan

Declan, you have a big mouth to talk to the woman you love that way. Darn it, Declan is nice to an MCO guy, trying to help him get something for his girlfriend, and it is all ruined by the attack outside. Figures, the dupe that fell off the roof screams that is how the dupes disappear when they 'die'.

Declan puts the MCO agents to sleep as this is a personal matter, at least it keeps them safe, I hope. Whoa, those lights turning night into day in the area. The D-gang are well-trained, nice to see it for once. Dang, I'm surprised some militaries don't get those Syndicate-issued covers for their troops. Go, Dragonite!

Dang, I knew Declan's power would be useful, but that is a potent ability to give to all his men who drank coffee. Darn it! Voidgrip has got Cody and is about to kill him. Oh, good, the magical protection from Lifeward not only saved him but sent out a shockwave that stunned Voidgrip. That psycho needs to die.

Declan goes out to get Cody and spots two of Voidgrip's teammates, opening fire to prevent Diskette, I think, from attacking with an arm covered in metal. Cody goes inside and Declan is told about Schrodinger's ability to duplicate, which is very dangerous with his power to give his duplicates copies of his gear as well. Ouch, another D-gang member is saved by the ward and Lifeward will try to get them to ASAP.

Sunday, November 26th, 2016 - 9:00 pm
Presentation office

Insulated walls so they don't even hear the chaos outside as they watch the compilation of video and audio views from the Maryland offices incident. Preston stops the video and shows what is happening outside, he knows Preston is behind this, and Pollux says he forced his hand. Preston is the nice one, yet Pollux doesn't see it that way and brings in these psychos.

He is under the thumb of Nathan and the group with Voidgrip in it and thinks they are the better option, Pollux is nuts.

“Oh, the fate was sealed when that building was made for a collaboration with Artemis Co.” Preston interrupted as he sat down to manage the computer, switching the feed back to the second view of the video they were watching. “So, how about we carry on and find out what really happened that night?”

Just who all have you been dealing with, Pollux? Preston knew that Pollux would pull something, but to be this stupid, takes a special kind of arrogance and desperation.