Broker
Side Story: Downtime 1

Side Story: Downtime 1

The dust swirled around them, kicked up by an unseen wind. Her jet-black robes flapped around her body, she could feel it, the power swelling inside of her. She closed her eyes and brought her weapon up beside her head holding it in the ready position. Her thin smile widened into a sneer and she raised her head, her nose tilted up as she opened her glowing yellow eyes and looked down on her opponent. Across from her, he brought his own weapon up in front of him, brown robes hanging loosely off of his fit frame.

“This is where you fall,” He said, “There could have been peace between us.”

She sneered at him, “Peace was never an option.”

As one they flicked the switches on their weapons. A beam of red-colored hardened light extending from her weapon as one of a brilliant blue extended from his. With a swift movement they engaged one another, blades clashing, sparks flying, light illuminating their faces.

Off to the side, Marta rest her chin on her palm and stared at the two as they played. “So this is why she wanted me to make those robes,” She muttered and let out a sigh, shaking her head. She couldn’t help but smile a little. It was a good way to spend some downtime, she supposed. 

“Embrace your anger Amos! It’s the only way to defeat me!”

“Never!”

“I will make you kneel, fool!”

“Been there done that,” Colin said next to her, popping a piece of caramelized popcorn into his mouth and chewing. He leaned back and crossed his legs languidly.

Marta gave him a sidelong look and raised an eyebrow, “Are your only two defining personality traits thirsting after Amos and being Sonya’s lawyer?” She asked frankly.

The pretty boy looked up at her, “When I’m paid this well? Sure.”

She barked out a small laugh and rolled her eyes, “You’re ridiculous,” She said and turned her attention over to a rather disgruntled looking Blackrazor who was standing next to the oversized industrial fan that had been creating the wind to make the duo’s ‘fight scene’ look more dramatic. He scratched his chin thoughtfully as if trying to figure out the point of this entire thing. She kind of felt bad for him, in a way, he was so inured to having fun that he couldn’t comprehend that they were just goofing off.

She called out to him anyway, “Hun, you don’t have to stand there anymore!” She shouted, waving for him to come over. He glanced her way and tensed, looking up, down, then any other direction but in hers. She frowned and tilted her head, “What’s his problem?”

“Didn’t you nearly choke the life out of him with a knife in your head at one point?” Colin asked, crunching away at his sweets, “I’d be fucking terrified too.”

She slowly turned her head towards him, grimacing, that particularly violent fight was not one of her proudest moments, “Did Sonya tell you?” She asked with a sigh.

“Nah, Amos, you know he set the cameras up in that room, right?” Colin pointed out chewing thoughtfully before leaning forward, “Get her babe!” He shouted, throwing his fist in the air. Back in the center of the room, Amos was on the attack, swinging dramatically while Sonya went on the backfoot, snarling at him as she blocked his strikes.

Marta turned a glare on Amos, “Sonya! Strike him down!” She shouted.

Colin shot her a look, “Blast her away!”

“Kick his ass!” Marta barked.

Back near the industrial fan, Blackrazor let out a sigh and hung his head. This was beyond the normal level of silliness that he had come to expect from his mistress. He was trying really hard to get into it, he really was, but the absurdity of the situation just made his head hurt. He glanced over again at the bestial maid and rubbed his neck. She was shouting at the dueling pair now, her shoulder pressed against Colin’s as the two seemed to throw themselves into their own ‘bout’. It was like she’d completely forgotten about their fight. How could she forget something like that? He pinched the bridge of his nose as a hand landed on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and stared forward.

“Kingshark.”

“It’s Barry, kid, we’re not in uniform, ain’t we?” Kingshark said and lumbered around him, sitting down on the ground and pulling a can of beer out of a six pack he was holding. He popped it open and extended it to Blackrazor who stared at it. “It’s good, just fuckin’ drink it man.”

Blackrazor pressed his lips together, “Um… what’s the drinking age in America again?” He asked.

Kingshark-Barry turned his head slowly and squinted up at him, “Are you serious?”

Blackrazor groaned and snatched it up, plopping down on the ground and taking a long chug of the drink before pulling the can away with a sigh. “Fine! Damn it! Shit!” He whined and reached up to scratch at his head. He turned a hard look on Barry, “It’s Beyol.”

“Yeah I know,” Barry said and cracked open his own drink, chugging it down before glancing up and grinning at Marta who waved at him. He raised his drink and winked at her. “Man, this ain’t a bad life, yeah?”

Beyol looked between the two of them and huffed, taking another drink of the beer. He begrudgingly admitted that it was very, very good. He stretched out his legs and leaned back, glancing over at the two still in the midst of their ‘duel’. “The first encounter notwithstanding, things have turned out quite well,” He conceded.

Barry laughed, “Yeah! You did have a pretty fucked up first time. I had some goddamn flashbacks, man. Did not envy you one bit.”

“You too?” Beyol asked, glancing at the big man.

Barry puffed out his breath through his lips with a raspberry, “Got beaten to hell by a lurker dragged off and offered my deal,” He grunted, “Now I’m a king.”

Beyol frowned at his drink, “You know mine, and now I’m the Headmaster of the Night Society,” He said and snorted, he tilted back the can and drank the rest of it down. He crushed it and snatched up another that was immediately offered by Barry.  He barked out a genuine laugh, it felt kind of good. “To miserable starts and glorious futures!” He proclaimed, the buzz getting the better of him.

Barry grinned at him, “I hear that!” The big man said and knocked his can against Beyol’s.

Back with Marta, she smiled in the direction of the two men sitting next to the industrial fan. “That’s better.”

“Looked into Beyol by the way, Amos helped,” Colin said, the two having finally relaxed from their petulant little spat, “You know he has no birth certificate or anything? There’s no telling how old he actually is. We’re putting it between eighteen and twenty-one. Pretty hazy on it, if I’m being honest. The kind of training he went through probably triggered some early growth.”

Marta looked at him, aghast, “Are you joking?”

Colin pursed his lips, “Nope, his false identity says twenty-three, if that helps.”

Marta got to her feet, “Oh no! Not here!” She barked angrily.

Colin laughed, “Hey, the drinking age is sixteen in sw-”

“We’re not in Switzerland!” Marta railed, marching over to Beyol and Barry to give them a piece of her mind. Colin chuckled and shook his head, glancing away and popping another candied piece into his mouth. He chewed slowly and thoughtfully as he watched the antics of this strange group that had been brought together by the strangest woman he’d ever met. He couldn’t help but think about how un-villain-like they really were once the costumes and masks came off.

Sonya was an impish and often childish wildcard, flirtatious and exuberant in everything she did. She practically danced through life with her heart on her sleeve and a smile on her face. Amos was a hard working and diligent guy with the demeanor of a snarky middle-child and nothing to lose. Marta was motherly and patient most of the time but would swing into fretting and discipline at the drop of a hat. Beyol tried so hard to play the cool edgy guy but was really the youngest son who was just holding himself back too much. Barry was that jolly uncle who was too enabling for his own good.

He glanced again at Sonya, What kind of family are you trying to build here? He thought, amused, and rest his arms on his knees. Do you really need all this support for what you’re planning? He glanced down at his popcorn and plucked out another piece, popping it into his mouth and letting out a contented sigh. Guess it doesn’t really matter. We have a deal, and I’ll keep this whole crazy thing running behind the scenes for you. He thought as Sonya and Amos finished their duel. Amos turned to look at him and waved, beckoning him over.

Colin slid off the bench and got to his feet, Just make sure you keep your promise and save the world, will ya? I’m starting to like this place.