[Fiction] Windy City... Daycare?

[Warren Verona]

If there was a bright side of Chicago, the Corridor was on the side farthest from it. Chicago’s Red Light District was well known as the place you stayed away from at night, or for that matter during the day, unless you belonged there or were tough enough to keep the animals at bay. The Corridor was a stretch of a few blocks in the district that were the worst. Every manner of vile act and depraved deed could be witnessed (or purchased) if one stayed long enough.

With a scratching hiss the embers of a wooden match faintly illuminated the shadows in the dark alleyway along the Corridor. The flame flickered high briefly with the flux of oxygen that sucked it slowly into the rolled tobacco of the cigar. Faint trails of smoke wisped up from the lips of its owner and in moments, the orange glow was extinguished with a swift motion and darkness enveloped the figure once more. The silhouette peered across the way, with only the topaz orbs of his eyes betraying his presence.

*****

Hazy smoke filled the air, and the sound of hard rock n’ roll blared intermittently over the static of a blown speaker. Several patrons went about enjoying their night in the best way one can in the Corridor: overindulgence. Betting, dealing, and prostitution were all going down within fifty feet of each other.

The bulbous slob at the bar ran his dirty hand through his receding oily hair. He wore an ugly tan suit with his shirt untucked. He was Bill Ardmore, a small time man with a pathetic life and a job to match it. He guzzled down another shot of whiskey as he panned his vision to the end of the bar to the tattooed brunette in the black tank top and pleather skirt. Rolling the wad of cash in his pocket with a measure of excitement plainly obvious to the casual observer, he shot back his last whisky and prepared for his pitch; in a few minutes she’d be coming home with him. In a few hours she’d be battered, bleeding, and weeping in a cold alleyway, regretting ever having agreed to his proposal.

His chubby foot flattened against the floor, suffocating in his cheap loafers. He was barely five foot four inches tall and it was arguable that he was almost that in girth. Sliding his hand through his oily mop, like it would help, he sidled up to her. She saw him coming, but didn’t pay it any mind. Her interest seemed suddenly taken by the new occupant that had entered the bar. She stirred her drink with her straw and kept looking, as if hoping she’d be noticed.

“I’m looking for Billy Ardmore.” The ashen gray newcomer spoke in a loud ghostly voice. Shrieks of people long past filled the room helping to inflect upon the speaker’s current displeasure of the man he spoke of. “You have five seconds to point him out to me before I start cappin’ each and every one of you.”

The bar filled with the creaking of leather jackets and the rattling of wallet chains as sixty-three people pointed with almost nova-like speed at the poor slovenly man with his back to the crowd and his courage about ready to falter. Slowly turning around, Mr. Ardmore built up the resolve to meet this ‘guest’ with an apparent interest in him.

“Billy Ardmore! Well, well. How ya doin’ Bill.” The nova walked a few steps into the bar, obviously making his way towards his quarry. “You don’t know me-”

“I-I k-know of you, b-believe me…” Bill interrupted in a shaky voice.

“Let me finish Bill!” The man interrupted right back; an almost comedic tone rang aloud in his voice. “I am called Revenant, Bill. I’ll be the man hurting you severely in the next few moments. Do you know why… Bill?” Revenant continued to speak his name, allowing it drip off his lips with obvious venom.

“You’re WCK, you can’t touch me freak show!” Bill spat out, as a few strands of saliva mixed with sweat spewed out in a spray in front of him. “You work for the city, and we own the city, we own the law freak show!” He backed up a few steps, his eyes darting back and forth, looking for a means of escape.

Revenant easily saw that he was desperately looking for an out. A man like Bill Ardmore was not difficult to read. He hid behind his employer’s power under a false assumption that those higher up than himself actually respected him, or that his skills were needed to keep things functioning. In truth he was a powerless man whose skills were easily replaced. “Sure you do Bill. Sure you do. Lemme tell you what I know, Bill. I know that you’ve been using your firm’s accounts to assist in the laundering of money for certain, how shall we say it… bad people.” Passing near the bar, Revenant placed his right palm on the counter top. “I wanna know where your boss is Bill. I want DeValk. You’re going to tell me where he is and right now, or I’m going to break your knees. Beer, any kind, doesn’t matter.” He added, taking his luminous eyes off Mr. Ardmore while he addressed the bartender, a rather attractive young lady with obviously more piercings than brains judging by the blank expression Revenant received when he ordered his drink.

Bill didn’t waste any time. The moment he saw his chance, with Revenant ‘distracted’ by the bartender the dreadfully obese man shuffled through the bar towards the exit with a series of grunts, wheezes, and loud thuds. The occupants of the place, having all stopped what they were doing to see the nova drama play out, broke out into mocking chuckles and sneers, and a few into full blown laughter as the man charged his way to the door.

Tipping his drink back and taking a long draught, Revenant heard the thunderous footfalls march through in the direction of the exit. The door was practically battered down as the large man burst through it. “I love when they do that.” Revenant grinned at the lovely bartender, shot her a wink, and hastily walked out the door after him.

*****

Panting and wheezing Bill Ardmore pushed his way past refuse in the alleyway that cut from the bar to his car parked a block away. The idea of parking so far away seemed a good one when you’re in the habit of beating and slashing up women; it makes you harder to pinpoint you at a scene. Or so he thought. Tonight however, it seemed to be working against him. Never in all his life did he think he’d be running this far to get away from a lawman hell bent on breaking his knees.

“Biiilly… oh Biiilly…” He could hear The Revenant taunting him, his ghostly voice echoing through the concrete jungle. “Have you had a heart attack yet you fat tub of shit? Don’t die on me yet Billy-boy.” Hardly did he notice the change in depth of the voice. Like slamming into a wall Bill Ardmore was stiff armed to the alley floor, knocking the wind out of him. In this day and age, a nova popping out from nowhere or outrunning you and meeting you at your destination was not uncommon, and for the life of him he was hoping The Revenant wasn’t one of those types of novas.

Tonight, he cursed his luck.

“The fun is just starting.” The ghostly echoes caught on the walls and filled the alley with an eerie sense of dread.

“P-please don’t kill me. I don’t know anything. I swear!” Ardmore groveled, lying on his back, holding himself up on one elbow and covering his pitiful face with the other arm. “Oh God… ohgod…ohgod… p-please…”

“The Lord ain’t comin’ Ardmore. So stop callin’ him.” He reached down and threw the man’s arm aside, grabbing him by his collar and hoisting him up onto his feet. “DeValk, now. Spill it, or so help me even the Devil will weep when he sees the harm I’ve inflicted upon you.”

“I don’t know anything!” He shouted with tears in his eyes, adding hastily as Revenant raised his arm, fist cocked back to throttle the man. “I just launder the money… I swear to you!”

“Yer gonna have to do better then that. Billy-boy.” A crackling violet-black aura began to shimmer around Revenant’s fist, purple energy kept in check by black bolts of ‘lightning’ that danced vibrantly across the across his balled up fist, as if he was holding the power of a dark storm in his palm.

“A hit… I know a hit!” He stammered, his eyes bloating wide in horror.

“Go on.”

“DeValk is doing a hit! Some corporate guy, I dunno who. Some guy he can’t buy!”

“Bullshit Billy! Guys like DeValk don’t do their own wet work.” Revenant thrust his arm back a slight bit further. “I’m losing my patience with you! So fucking help me-”

“It’s true!” The man shrieked, his voice cracking in absolute horror as he cut off Revenant for the second time tonight. “It’s something personal, I think he used to know the guy or something.”

“When, where?”

“I don’t know! For God’s sake I don’t know…” Warm urine trickled down Ardmore’s leg from equipment he probably hadn’t seen in years. “Please, please…”

The trashcans rattled around the alleyway as Revenant dropped the man to the ground. He was telling the truth, and he knew that if he pushed any harder the poor man’s heart would give out before his time. “Take my advice, go home Bill.”

Bill Ardmore gazed up from his place in the trash down the alley. His eyes were filled with the remnants of tears as he witnessed blackened wings sprout from The Revenant’s back just moments before he leapt into the air and soared off into the Chicago night.

The Angel of Death had spared him, but he was never a good listener. He brushed himself off and took a moment to compose himself. Slowly, almost with a stagger he walked in the opposite direction of his car hoping a few more drinks and some company might help to slow the frenzied hammering of his heart.

[Warren Verona]

All of the Windy City spread out before him. The streets were busy with early morning traffic and a sea of people hustling to arrive at their jobs on time. The sun shone through over the spires of the city’s skyline. Golden rays illuminated the glass that made the eastern wall of Warren’s office high up in the Wind City Knight’s headquarters. There he stood, taking in the warmth of a new day and bidding farewell as one more night slipped into Death’s cold embrace. Yesterday is but a dream, tomorrow but a vision. But today well-lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope. he thought to himself as he gave a silent nod to the life of a new day. Look well, therefore, to this day. Such is the salutation to the dawn.

Nearly two hours later he stood in that same spot, still marveling over the city below him. A jumble of thoughts ran through his mind as he gazed on the city below in an almost meditative state of mind. Warren ran through the facts and the fiction of Nolan DeValk, a member of Chicago’s wealthiest, and by proxy untouchable, crooked elite. Mr. DeValk had his hands in everything, and practically owned almost every official in he city whether they knew it or not.

A shooting a few days ago in a courtroom had cost the life of a critical witness in a case against a subsidiary of one of DeValk’s many businesses. Warren had been following the trail since then. He and his partner Sean ‘Turbo’ McCline were in the courthouse that day escorting a prisoner in an unrelated case when the shots were fired. Jager’s orders were quite simple and clear. ‘Find what you can, and issue a full report.’ So, Warren and Sean started at the top, with DeValk and were working their way down, to hopefully not only nail DeValk, and their mystery assassin.

*****

Sean McCline strolled gingerly down the halls of the Windy City Knights headquarters. Today his trademark t-shirt slogan was “There are two people having sex on the back of this T-Shirt.” And on the back onlookers would read “Just kidding! Believe in Jesus!”. The red-haired, green eyed, self-proclaimed Casanova of ‘The Knights’ perched only a single cheek of his quantum graced perfect buttocks on the corner of Karen Starnes’s desk, Warren’s WCK appointed ‘Assistant’.

The Lovely Karen Starnes, was a sweet, energetic, and fresh out of school assistant that drew the short straw for her fist job. Working as the assistant for the one man in the Windy City Knights whose reputation for being a bastard was only shadowed by the fact that the reputation was well earned.

“And how is the intelligent and attractive Ms. Starnes doing this morning?” Sean asked her, his Irish charm beaming as bright as his smile.

“Crappy.” Karen replied. The fumes of frustration were plainly visible in her sapphire eyes. She sat back in her chair as she took off her thin wire framed glasses and threw them on her desk. “Revenant just handed me eleven years worth of case files to research and told me not to plan on leaving until I’ve sorted through and found…” She picked up a post-it from the paper-strewn surface of her desk, waved it around angrily while finishing her sentence. “Whatever the hell is on this.” She slapped the paper down flat. “Does this guy ever sleep? I made plans to be with my family tonight Sean. Sean? Sean, my eyes are up here.”

Broken from his reverie, Sean smiled humorously. “I know that. I was… trying to read the post-it, before you slapped it down.” His shot at a recovery was well enough when he saw her chuckle, enjoying the slight bounce in her chest as she did so. “Tell ya what, Karen. I’ll talk to him all right?”

“Really? I’d really appreciate it Sean, the guy is a slave driver.” Her expression became almost cute, as she seemed to pout.

“He’s my partner… we share a… special bond. Ya know, macho guy stuff. He’ll listen to me. Trust me.” He shot her a wink, stood back up and walked past her desk and into Revenant’s office.

The seal on the office door, the one in place to ensure silence and to prevent the leak of valuable information locked itself in place with an audible slide that ended with a vacuum-like suction sound. Sean strolled in, seeing Revenant sitting his chair behind his desk taping away at the touch sensitive holographic keyboard being projected through the crystal top of his desk. Warren easily heard his entrance but didn’t pay him much mind. Sean’s presence was acknowledged by only by a simple luminous yellow pair of eyes, identical to Sean’s in every way save for the color, that looked briefly at him, then back to the desktop screen.

With a dignified grace that could only be described as ‘Sean McCline’ he dropped himself lazily into one of two chairs in front of the large desk and threw up his feet. “Sup’?”

“Hey.” Warren replied.

“So uh…” Sean began again.

“She stays till it’s done.” Warren’s nether worldly tone was devoid of any emotion and his face never left the screen.

“Oh for fucks sake Revenant.” Sean threw his arms out, palms facing up with his elbows still resting on the chairs’ arms. “Give the girl a break. She’s cute, great body, has that whole studious book worm thing going on… hot chicks deserve a break once in awhile man.” He tossed his fist back, thumb extended to the door. “And she my friend, is hot.”

“I’m not your friend McCline.” He put bluntly. “And she completes the task, or gets placed on a final warning for not completing her responsibilities.”

“What the hell, dude? Were you toilet trained at knife point?” Sean took a moment to cross his feet over, while still resting them on Revenant’s desk. “I’d kill for a hot assistant like that. Ya know what I got? Some half dead, Aunt May lookin’ fossil. Sandcaster did it on purpose I know she did. Cuz-”

“She thought it would keep you from trying to sleep with her?” Warren interrupted. “Good call on her part.”

“Who says? Hell, I’m hittin’ that just be contrary.” Sean grinned watching Revenant’s face contort into something that resembled disgust.

Warren held up a hand, swiftly. “I really don’t want to know McCline, shut up.”

“Yep. Hot geriatric luvin’ an it’s all mine.” His voice dipped low, trying to sound like a mixture of someone from Grease, and the Fonz all at once. “Threw her hip out twice last week…”

“Was there something you needed McCline?” Warren rose his voice loud enough to prevent him from hearing anymore of what Sean had to say, slamming his hands down on the desk obviously annoyed.

It was treasured moments like this one that made coming into work everyday worth it. The rage twisted expression that spread across Warren’s face was like a white flag of surrender. A declaration of victory, he had annoyed Warren to the brink of anger, god how he loved Fridays. “Yeah.” Sean started, trying to stop laughing as he did so. “I came to tell you that I followed that lead you called about and pulled the DeValk file.”

“And?” Now suddenly interested in the conversation turned his chair to face Sean, raising up a hand to rub his eyes and temples as he did so.

“Aaand, aside from the fact that you are a complete douche’ bag for callin’ me at three am, and that it kills me to say this, but you were right. I think there is definitely something to be gained by investigating this from the corporate angle. Access and I spend awhile going over it, and several things aren’t making any sense. However, I need more before I can request to pull any financial records or phone logs. We’ll prolly have something by Monday.” Sean nodded his head in Warren’s direction. “What about you? Anything?”

Revenant took in a breath and leaned back in his chair attempting something that resembled relaxing. “DeValk is supposed to planning another hit. Dunno who.”

“No shit?”

“Yeah. A source actually placed him by name, and says he’ll be doing it personally. Problem is, unless we catch him in the act, or have a bona fide witness-”

“We’re back to square one, and all the records and info we’ve collected won’t mean shit.” Sean finished for him, having one of those moments where he really was not a fan of the judicial system.

“Bingo.” Revenant placed his face in his palms and rubbed slightly, like he was washing his face without a cloth.

“You okay man?” Sean asked with honest concern. “You had any sleep lately? You look dead to the world.” The death tainted nova shot him a look of pure stupidity in regard to his last statement. “Fuck off. You know what I mean.”

“Been busy. Hadn’t had time for it. Between this, and getting the club going with Vie, and Alchemist putting me through physical therapy for my injuries last month, I’m spread to thin to sleep.”

“Bull. I’m sure Jager will give you a few hours to go home and crash. If he doesn’t kill you for over working yourself to begin with.” He took his feet down from the desk and leaned in a bit to help accent his point. “Seriously. As your partner I’m telling you to come back to this with a clear, rested mind. As your friend, I’m asking you to relax a bit, and let us do our jobs, by helping you do yours. It’s called a team.” He rose from his chair, grunting slightly at the effort it took, having become rather comfortable. “Go home, rest up. I’ll let Jager know, and cover for ya while yer gone. No sweat.” He walked from the office, and gave Karen a polite wink as he went to find Jager.

Warren collapsed his elbows against the desk, using his palms to keep his head from falling forward, taking a moment to compose before reaching over and tapping a button on his phone. “Karen?”

“What?” Karen shot back, her voice augmented slightly as it passed through the receiver of the speakerphone. “I-mean uhh… Yes? Mi..Mister Revenant What uh, do you nee… can I do for you?”

Warren smiled big. The thought of her out there slapping herself in the forehead created a very amusing image in his mind. “Look uh, I’m heading out for awhile.”

“Must be nice.” She mumbled to herself. “Give me all the work then go out for coffee and donuts…”

“I can hear you Karen.” He said casually, grinning wider (if such a thing were possible at this point) as the smacking sound of her palm hitting pay dirt actually came through the receiver this time. “Look, don’t worry to much about those files. Just do what you can, okay? If I don’t see you by the time you leave today, just uhh… ya know, try and have a good weekend an all that, I guess.”

Karen looked at the phone on her desk, and her lips curled on side in a half smile. “Sure. T-Than-” Her sentence was cut short by the ‘click’ that announced he had no interest in her appreciation. “You’re still a dick.” She mumbled to herself once again a smug look showing on her face.

[Warren Verona]

The doors of the elevator slid open and Revenant stepped out like Lord Vader. His head tilted and eyes leering forward with determination as his black leather duster flowed behind him like the Sith Lord’s cloak. Twenty minutes ago he received a call from the lab pertaining to the shooting in the courtroom that had happened earlier that week. Before Cade had the opportunity to inform him of the findings, he was already airborne and on his way to hear the news personally.

The cold labs and the scent of sterilized surroundings assailed his senses while he made his way to the ballistics lab. The door to the antistatic chamber slid open with a ‘shhh’ sound. Cade was waiting for him, ready to discuss the current findings.

“What do you have for me?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were relaxing today.” Cade started off, apologizing for bothering Revenant on personal time. “Sean said you were pretty tired, we can go over this later.”

“Stow it Cajun. If I wanted a mother I would have left mine alive.” He retorted coldly. “I slept for four hours, that’s enough. Now, the lab results please?”

“Why do you say things like that?” Cade looked at Revenant as he leaned against the desk that sat just to the left of the doorway Revenant passed through a moment ago. Revenant’s yellow eyes shot Cade a glance that warned him he suddenly was treading on dangerous ground. “Okay, okay. Fine. Have it your way.” Cade conceded, placing his hands in the air in the traditional ‘I give up’ motion. He pushed himself off the desk and walked to the opposite end of the room to get the file.

“Look, I’m not in your business am I?” Revenant started. Cade grinned while his back was turned; he knew if he left it alone Warren would say something, eventually. Guys like Revenant were not difficult to read. “I don’t want to get to know guys. I’m here to do a job, not play socialite. Once you guys get back up and get a new leader I’m out of here.”

“Fair enough.” Cade didn’t see a reason to push the issue anymore. “You’re going to love this.” He slid a manila envelope across the central table right in Revenant’s direction. “The shell was recovered, we pried it from the wall, three courtrooms away. The shot originated from the lobby of the courthouse, nearly fifty meters away from the target and had to still pass through one reinforced wall. So, what does that tell us?”

“The shooter was a nova.” Revenant blurted out, speaking more to himself than to Cade. “Electromagnetic scanning, or Extra Sensory Clairvoyant capabilities.”

“Very good, you want a gold star or a banana sticker?” Cade grinned, trying to lighten up the obvious tension between the two. “What’s better, look at page four of the report.” Cade folded his arms while Revenant flipped pages. Once he arrived he continued. “Armor piercing electrochemical sabots.” He let the phrase float around the room for a moment as Revenant read the full report.

“Oh. Oh… you’re right. I love this.” Revenant continued to as a look of pure elation spread across his face.

“Aside from the pair of electrochemical pistols you own, which we both know are highly restricted military grade ordinance, how many people could conceivably own one?” Cade thought out loud. “And no doubt the Black Market is the only method of acquiring one.”

“And were that assassin a local, how many can have a firearm like that and not be known in the proper circles? Time to hit the Black Market and see what I can find.” Revenant folded up the file and threw it under his arm. “Thanks.”

“Glad I could help, Revenant.” Cade stood with his arms folded watching the Death Nova leave the lab, with a renewed crusade under his arm.

*****

Warren was walking back to his office, the file Cade just handed him still sitting snugly under his arm like his favorite new toy. Casually he strolled, still maintaining a determined stride, through the throngs of associates that made up the core of the Windy City Knights. Assistants, public servants, and investigators both baseline and nova all moved wildly through the maze of desks, answering phones and sorting paperwork in a frenzied display of law enforcement at its less glamorous. This was the side that involved the officials and the municipal defenders actually doing some work. This was the part that the public demanded didn’t happen fast enough, or at all and Revenant sometimes wished he could sit one of the complainers down and let them try their luck at this stress ball for a day.

“I thought you were at home.” Sean’s familiar voice carried itself over Warren’s shoulder.

“And now I’m here.” Warren shot back, not even bothering to look in Sean’s direction. “Cade called me. The lab finished the ballistics analysis from the courthouse. Get a load of this.” Revenant stopped suddenly and smacked the manila folder flat against Sean’s chest.

The two men walked through the crowd. Revenant never seemed to have a problem walking through the masses; most people that worked in the building stayed the hell out of his way for fear of injury, imagined or otherwise, and most weren’t willing to tempt The Fates. Sean followed; his pace slowed a bit as he glanced over the report. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“Nope.” He replied, rather casually.

“Okay, there can only be what… not even a handful of these weapons out there, let alone in Chicago. If they guy was local, we should be able to pin him in a heartbeat.” Sean looked up from the file just long enough to walk through the door of Revenant’s office and close it behind him. “This guy is practically handing himself to us.”

“Pretty much.” Warren fell into his chair; his expression was a rather pleased one. He would never admit it, but this “Police Work” gig was so far nothing but pure fun for him, even the boring legwork parts of it. “I have a few contacts in the Black Market here in Chicago, I’ll put a word out and see if we can’t get a lead.”

“They’ll still help you? Most of them know you are WCK by know I’m sure.” McCline paced around, looking up from the file to acknowledge the conversation but was still intently going over the gathered evidence in the file.

“Sure. It’s a matter of respect Sean. They know, even though I’m a ‘cop’ that I’m not going to bust em. Hell, where do you think I got that huge ass Plasma Television? The Black Market is like eBay with out the shipping.” Warren grinned brightly. “Still under warranty too.”

Sean laughed. It was sincere enough, and if Revenant was going to attempt to make a joke, something he rarely ever did, Sean decided to show a bit of courtesy and let him know the effort wasn’t wasted. It was no secret that Turbo and Revenant didn’t get along, however in the short time they had been working together only Sean made any effort what so ever of attempting to get along with his rude, knuckle dragging, brute of a partner.

He sat down across from Revenant who had his feet propped up on the desk and was tossing a stress ball from one hand to the other. “So, while you were napping Access dug up everyone DeValk has ever known, business or otherwise. I went over the shorter version of the list he gave me and cross-referenced a few facts. I think I know who he might be going after.”

A cocked eyebrow showed Revenant’s obvious disbelief. “Bullshit. You mean to tell me Access went over all that in a little under six hours? All I did was nap for fuck’s sake.”

“The guy’s a genius for a reason Revenant. Seriously, with super computers like him, police work is a breeze sometimes” He paused, and then shrugged. “Sometimes. Heh.”

“Wonder if he’ll do my taxes.” He tossed the stress ball back and forth, Revenant always thought better when his hands were doing something. He hated being idle, and sometimes waiting was a painful reality for this job. “So? Who?”

“The file is on your desk genius.” Sean pointed to the manila folder in Warren’s ‘In’ basket. “His name is Michael Kevik, age 37. Wife, Jo Anne Kevik, age 35. Adopted daughter Traci Kevik, age 5. He’s the CEO of AeroDyne Industries, one of the leading manufacturers of, well, just about everything. And-”

“He’s a nova.” Warren interrupted, holding up Mr. Kevik’s nova registration form.

“Yep. The guy is a pure financial brain, with a smattering of telepathic capabilities, not much ‘super’ about the guy. As far as novas go, he’s about as normal as you can get. Apparently he and DeValk go way back. Went to school together an all that. Both also became rather well known and affluent business owners here in Chicago. Kevik was able to make it on a nova charged brain, while DeValk, by what we’ve found so far, had to make a few deals.”

“Sold his soul.”

“That would be my guess. The two men have been going back and forth for years but it all came to a head three months ago when Mr. Kevik began funding lobbyists pushing for stricter record keeping and mandatory audits here in the Chicago area, legislation he can personally fund with his mega deep pockets. Local businesses aren’t too thrilled about the idea, but the legit ones aren’t making a big deal about it.”

“But owners like DeValk, who have something to hide…”

“Oh, look at the big brain on Revenant… exactly, and by wiping out Kevik, the local bosses can all get together and make the problem fade away. But not as long as he’s funding it personally.” Sean held his arms out wide in a gesture that signified that he was rather proud of himself at the moment.

“What?” Revenant asked.

“Admit it.” Sean grinned. “You’re impressed.”

“Fuck off McCline.” He retorted, getting up from his desk and starting his trek to the door.

“You’re impressed, and you wanna be like me when you grow up.” Sean continued, following Revenant into the hallway. “It’s okay… I understand. Were I you, I’d wanna be like me too.”

[Warren Verona]

“This is horse shit!” The office work around seemed to suddenly stop at the sound of haunting spirits shrieking in madness filled and echoed through out the main workspace. Several heads popped up from the cubicles to see what the cause of the commotion was.

“I’m doing well today, how bout’ yourself, Revenant?” Undaunted by the verbal lash, and the manila case folder that was just suddenly hurled his way with a forceful, but dexterous side arm toss. The blue eyed, blonde haired man come to be known as Jager, expected this confrontation the moment he sent the e-mail to Sean and Warren. He noticed Sean slowly meander his way through the portal into his office, just a step behind Revenant, closing the door as he did so.

“I think what Revenant is trying to say-” Sean started; trying his best to act as a mediator for the frothing gorilla he called his partner. The sound proofing on the room made it’s typical sealing noise as he finished closing the door.

“I’m trying to say this is bullshit!” Revenant’s shout cut him off and filled the air strange echoes that the occupants could almost feel. “What the fuck is going on? McCline and I have been busting our ass on this, and you hand us some shit like this? What the fuck do you mean we need to ‘stay away from Kavik’? The guy is ten steps from finding a bullet in his ass and you want us to stand around and let it happen?”

Sean stepped forward, placing himself in front of, but off to the side a bit to Revenant. “In not so many words, I’m with Revenant on this one. Seriously, what’s going on? We know this guy is in serious danger, why pull us back? We could be the only ones able to help him.”

“Politics. I take orders too. I was told to let the local law enforcement handle the situation. While we may have some evidence, the police commissioner does not feel it is enough to merit the involvement of the WCK.” Jager leaned his chair back. “We have nothing tying this assassin to DeValk, nothing solid anyway, just speculation. They feel a nova class threat is not linked to any ‘speculated’ attempt on Mr. Kavik’s life.”

“DeValk owns the baseline law enforcement.” Sean waved his hand, sweeping it past all of Chicago outside of Jager’s window to help emphasize his point. “C’mon Jager, we all know this is B.S.”

“I know.” Jager’s raised his hand to squelch any further debate on the issue. “However, orders are orders. You are both to stay away from Kavik understood?”

“I- yeah… yeah, sure.” Sean said. “I’m not okay with this though.”

“Fine. Whatever. Let the fucker get shot.” Revenant hurled his insults once again. “Don’t call me when it happens though, cuz I’m not gonna give a shit.” He turned and stormed from the office making a beeline for the office he called ‘his’.

A moment later, Sean followed suit, slowly he walked back to the few bits of paperwork he had to complete. When all we want to do is help, why do people make it so hard for us? He thought, agreeing with Revenant. He and Sean were probably the only ones who could help Michael Kavik, it was a shame that corruption was so out of control in Chicago that they may need to have to wait for a man to die before they could move ahead in their investigation.

Three days later…

The sky of Chicago was their home today. Sean and Revenant patrolled the city from the air taking the miraculous view that gifts of novahood had blessed them with.

“… and she ain’t spoken to me since.” Warren said, finishing his story. There wasn’t much to do on patrol. Although the city was riddled with crime and violence there were some days that frankly were just slower than others.

“Harsh.” The two men split around the radio tower atop a skyscraper before meeting back on course with one another a little ways past it.

“I know, it’s like there is this giant chip on her shoulder tha-…” Revenant continued.

“No, Revenant.” Sean interrupted him, shaking his head in pure disbelief. “You. That was harsh. The girl just lost her father man, and you go off on her with one of your Cro-Magnon rants about survival of the fittest. She ain’t spoken to you, because you haven’t called her or done anything to prove to her that you’re sorry. Until you do, she ain’t ever going to let you in again.”

“I’m not trying to sleep with her McCline, so I doubt your advice will very helpful to me.” Revenant’s wings beat hard against the resistance of the sky. “I’ll call you when I’m trying to bed a lady, okay?”

With a swift motion Sean flew ahead and swooped up in front of Revenant, in the next moment the two men were vertical hovering just outside the windows of an office building. “Why bother? I couldn’t help you. In order to ‘bed a lady’ Revenant the lady has to desire you. Look at you!” Sean waved his arms up and down Revenant’s general vicinity. “There isn’t anything desirable about you. You’re angry, rude, obnoxious, a complete prick, disrespectful, brutish and a complete prick!”

“You mentioned complete prick twice…”

“Do the math.” Sean retorted, still irritated. “Revenant, you fucked up. Accept that! You totally kicked the poor girl down when all she was looking for was a shoulder to cry on. Seriously, the Conan, Vin Diesel ‘I’m living in an action movie’ thing isn’t going to get you anywhere. So, if she is your ‘friend’, be one by not being a complete asshole and fix the damage you caused.”

“Chili dogs?” Was Revenant’s only reply.

“Oh, good call.” Sean quickly shot back, his tone expression changing like an excited child.

Fifteen minutes later, on the taxpayer’s dime, Revenant and Sean sat on the edge of a building’s roof with several chilidogs apiece. A long silence between the men was broken by crumbling of wrappers and the traffic of Chicago in late afternoon. They sat perched atop a building, looking over the side as they stuffed their face with high cholesterol food.

Warren’s mouth was full, stuffed with nearly three quarters of a single helping. He always seemed to eat like it was his last meal. “Uhkay. Hine ahl gall er. Hippy?” He said his mouth filled with food.

“What?” His partner looked at him, a look the mixed both disgust and plastered ‘WTF’ expression n his contorted brow.

Revenant swallowed hard and swigged his Coke. With an irritated tone to his voice he repeated himself for Sean. “I said: Okay. Fine, I’ll call her. Happy?”

“Yeah.” Sean smiled. Things always were better when they went his way. “Just uh, don’t screw this one up. Seriously dude, it’s not people are lining up to be friends with you.”

“No matter.” Revenant looked on over the city avoiding Sean’s gaze. “I don’t need friends. I do well enough on my own.” He turned to Sean and took another bite from his chilidog. “Bishides…”

His macho rant was cut short by the beeping alert informing them that dispatch was about to contact them. “Any units in the vicinity of Evergreen and North Park Avenue, we have a panic button activation at thirteen sixty seven North Park Avenue, the Residence of Michael Kavik.”

“We’re ten blocks away.” Sean responded and within moments the wrappers of their lunch were soaring in the breeze, swept away by rush of the air currents of their departure.

[Warren Verona]

The patio door slid open quietly and Revenant stepped through, his custom designed Viper handguns drawn and ready. He and Sean had flown over the local police barricade and b-lined it right to the back entrance. Sean moved in behind him, he looked casually around the large dining area. It was quiet, very quiet.

“Keeps still a moment.” Revenant whispered.

Sean kept as still as he could, taking only the briefest moment to activate the beacon that could later be used to locate them by the rest of the WCK should something happen. He watched as Revenant focused, balancing the flux of quantum energies around him, a common practice for all novas but never for partners to attempt at once. ‘Pinging’ as the technique was called always left a nova momentarily distracted as their consciousness slipped further into the ebbs of quantum flows and further from the solidity of reality.

“Upstairs.” Revenant he said pointing up and to the north end of the house.

Sean nodded silently and the pair moved quickly, but quietly through the large Chicago home. On the second floor, the two moved cautiously down the main hallway. A muffled scream from a young girl broke, the eerie silence of the vacant walkway. Being a father, and a caring one at that, Sean leaped into action before Revenant finished pin pointing the source of the noise.

The reinforced wooden door fell into splinters against Sean’s relentless approach. The hinges broke away from the wall and fragments flew to all sides. In the back of the rather large second floor library, near an open double doorway that lead out to a balcony. The mammoth figure that stood beyond the threshold stopped Sean in his tracks. His hearts blood froze as the shattered figure of what seemed humanoid stood before him. It’s features were a patchwork of various different… animals and the stench that wafted off from the creature was unbearable, as it stood hunched over draped in filthy layers of rags, a young girl was limp in his hand as he palmed her head like a basketball, her body already fallen limp from the lack of oxygen she suffered from his suffocating grip.

With quickness that Sean wasn’t quite ready for the great beast of a ‘man’ leapt back and away from the doorway, it’s rags keeping themselves low over it’s hideous visage. It held the limp child up and in front of itself, keeping the Knights at bay with fear that the young girl may still be alive and one false move by them could change all that.

“To little, to late Knight…” The creature’s voice was a gurgle of fluids mixed with a growl. It chuckled slightly as it raised the child up to boast over its trophy.

Sean’s advance was halted, he feared that the young girl maybe still be alive and didn’t want to take that chance. He observed everything around him, waiting for an opening, a mistake he could exploit so he could quickly send this child killing son of a bitch to his grave. From his peripheral vision Sean caught sight of the large chrome barrel coming into view from behind him.

“We’ll see about that.” Revenant replied to the figure as it quickly moved the girl into position to act as a shield. He slid the hammer back on the pistol, readying to fire.

The creature laughed in their face and with shout threw the young girl in their direction. End over end she tumbled as she spiraled towards the public defenders, and as she flew he made his exit with all haste out the double doorway that led to the balcony outside. Shots rang out through the library as electromagnetic shells tore through the books, shelves, and the walls. Every shot fired whizzed harmlessly through the same path the child soared, his aim was perfect, or nearly so. The great beast of a nova moved with a celerity that made Revenant nervous. Revenant fired the fourth shot and bent his arm at the elbow, making room for Sean to catch the young child, and effortlessly she fell into his arms, rolling with the momentum slightly to take some of the shock out from the toss.

She was battered and Sean couldn’t tell if she was still breathing. “He’s hit twice.” Revenant said to Sean, who was the more experienced flyer of the two. The irish nova was lost slightly for a moment as he looked at the innocent child and wondered why anyone could do such a thing.

“You bastard!” Pangs of sadness for the young child grew within an instant and swelled into a father’s rage that knew no limits. When he caught that monster there would be no force on earth that would stop him from crushing him within an inch of his life… or farther. He set her head down upon the soft debris coated carpet and stormed off after the creature already in mid flight before he cleared the doorway leading out to the balcony.

And all he saw was red.

[Warren Verona]

Eleven stories up the massive behemoth known as The Broken One tumbled through glass and stone structure of a corporate office floor. Shards of glass lacerated those close to the impact as desks and cubicle walls were tossed away by the creature’s massive bulk. Caught in mid leap Sean slammed into the beast with enough force to kill most novas outright. A twisted grin of pleasure curled its way around his cheeks as he saw his opponent begin to rise back to its feet. With the haze of anger still clouding his mind, he wanted to enjoy breaking this murderous creature if it took all day.

The rags were tossed from The Broken One’s body exposing the creature beneath. A twisted humanoid form comprised of several different animals, but none of the animals stayed long before it shifted into another completely different animal like an amorphous creature comprised of hundreds of absorbed animals all vying for dominance over the body at once.

It’s head, now a cross the between a fly-like insect and something resembling a bristled shark with multi faceted eyes and pointed snout complimented by a maw filled with rows of razor sharp teeth, swelled up a it regurgitated a globule and launched it at Sean who dodged it quickly enough but only after realizing the acidic spittle was a ruse for the real attack. Within a blink both combatants were streaking towards the ground as The Broken One tackled Sean while he was off balance from the dodge.

Damn, he’s fast. Sean thought while the two plummeted to the street. Quickly shifting his weight (and having the advantage of flight) maneuvered The Broken One below him and pushed his flight momentum forward making his opponent into a living comet. With a shout that sounded more like an Irish war cry he plunged them both into the roof of a passing Pepsi truck covering the combatants and passers by in sticky carbonated soda.

With a crash of twisting metal Sean flew through the doors of the rear of the truck tumbling to the asphalt only a few times before malformed nova leapt upon him, clearing the distance from the truck to Sean’s location in a single bound. They rolled around in the street trading blows that could rip holes in steel and launch tremors through the ground. The Broken One, now a disgusting mesh of several predatory creatures ranging from great cats to a silver back gorilla rest atop Sean attempting to use it’s massive form as leverage to keep the young nova pinned.

“Establish dominance!” Came a cry from an on looker, who in his best effort was only trying to help the Municipal Defender. “Establish dominance!”

“I appreciate it! Really… I do!” Sean grunted from clenched teeth as he deflected a fist the size of a sewer cap. “But get the hell out of here… all o-” His sentence was cut short by the same massive fist shattering his defenses and putting a pot hole in the asphalt wit the back of his skull. Dazed by the blow Sean suddenly regained his senses as his nova opponent’s arm split with a slimy crunching sound as it dissolved into several octopus-like tentacles that began to wrap around his lower legs.

Into the air Turbo flew in a thunderous arc that onlookers knew would only end badly. With an earth-shattering clamor he found himself face first one hundred and eighty degrees away from where he started. With a swift jerk on his ankles the process repeated itself several more times until The Broken One released Sean’s battered twisted body.

“Pathetic.” Gurgled the massive child killer. “Hardly worth my time, boy. You however were not part of my contract. With no money on your head, you are worthless to me.”

His wounds had already begun mending themselves as Sean saw the local CPD squad cars pull up. With a grunt and a roar The Broken One stayed the his next blow as his skin shifted quickly into a scaly hide that seemed to almost immediately make him close to invisible. Sean closed his eyes for a moment to concentrate on focusing his energies on healing. When he opened them the murderous nova he was battling was gone and local police swarmed around him attempting to help him to his feet.

“I-I’m alright. Thanks.” He said staggering slightly as he regained balance on a pair of legs that were until just recently shattered. “Which way did it head off to?”

“Dunno sir.” An officer replied. “It just, disappeared. Are you okay? We have an ambulance en route.”

“Ambulance?” Sean looked around at all the damage and to the building he had thrown The Broken One into while he was high on the rage over the small girl he had seen earlier. Stupid Sean, real stupid. You could’ve killed someone. I’m starting to act like Revenant. “Revenant?” We asked suddenly remembering that he had stormed off leaving his partner at the crime scene.

“Sorry sir, but Mr. Revenant isn’t here.” The officer chuckled and looked around at the street and the damage. “Not that you can tell mind you.”

Sean staggered a bit, still trying to rock the battle out from his mind. “I-I gotta go.” Before there was protest the face of the WCK slowly soared back into the sky in the direction of the Kevik estate.

[Warren Verona]

The library was suddenly a cold, lonely place to be. Revenant holstered his side arms and began the mental command that would summon his great black wings into creation. Sean was going to try battling that thing while hyped on anger, and that, Revenant knew, was not a good idea. Despite its appearance the thing had an indefinable air of experience about it… The way it tossed the girl, had a plan of escape, and seemed somehow aware that Sean and Revenant would be here and that Sean would be quicker to follow since Revenant took time to grow wings.

Tissue split and tendons popped as the cracking of bone and sinew tore through Revenant’s flesh while his wings grew. It hurt like hell, sure. But once you tasted the wonders of flight a few moments of pain was well worth it. A sharp pain shot through his body from his feet to his brain and launched his mind into a spasm of torment. Suddenly a thousand small needles felt as if they were burrowing into his node and optic nerve. This isn’t right! He thought to himself as he quickly doubled over in pain. Desperately he reached for his communication device but the pain caused him to fumble it and it skittered several feet away.

Just as quickly as the pain had come, it left him. Staggered and with his eyes still squinted firmly shut Revenant attempted the motions that would place him on one knee. “The hell?” Warren mumbled, his voice still laced with agony. Slowly he opened his eyes and they began to focus once more on the world around him. The air stung as he blinked repeatedly, incorrectly believing that it somehow helped the focusing process along.

He raised himself back up and felt the added weight of his purplish/black wings unfurling from his shoulders. “I’ll worry about it later.” He said aloud, and turned to the corpse of the young child who he assumed was Traci Kavik, the daughter of the household. “Be seein’ ya kid…”

He stopped. Once again he squinted to see whether his eyes were fooling him, or perhaps still not fully recovered from whatever pain he’d experienced a moment ago. Through her skin his vision pierced; every nerve, vein, and artery were exposed to him. Her heart wasn’t beating, but there was something else, a pulse, a pulse of something he wasn’t quite sure how to describe.

He knelt beside her, unsure of what was going on, but practically mesmerized by what he was seeing. The Angel of Death gathered his thoughts and suddenly, as if instinct told him all he needed to know, the answer was there. He saw life. He shared a connection with all living things.

Disappointed and a bit worn out, Sean landed back on the balcony to the library of the Kavik Estate. He saw Revenant leaning over the child and a twinge of wary curiosity crept over him. “The hell is he up to?” he whispered to himself. Still a bit weary from his conflict with The Broken One, Sean slowly walked inside to see what his partner was so engrossed in. What he saw next stole any explanation of what he knew about quantum powers and completely rewrote it.

Reach out Warren. His node seemed to tell him. Find that spark, that faint light of a soul that still rests within this child. Reach out. Call to her. She will listen, if she’s meant to. He followed the path of instinct, and although there were no actual voices guiding him through this new experience it still seemed like his own impulses urged him forward. He felt ‘The Calling’ surge through his body, and every muscle tensed at its arrival. Black wings unfurled and a few dark feathers were thrown from their bleak homes. He gently lowered his palm to her heart and a brilliant white flash followed his touch. Sean shielded his eyes from the flare but he could hear Revenant cry out as if in pain.

Both men heard it, and both men were equally unsure what to say or do. Young Traci Kavik took in a deep a breath, as though it was her first. Revenant looked down over her, his wings a dark canopy and his eerie topaz eyes wide in astonishment.

“Loa?” She murmured softly, as her eyes opened and her first vision was Revenant’s death-like form looming over her.

“Revenant! How the hell did you…?” Sean spoke up, his voice a mixture of awe and excitement. Traci was alive, and deep down, although lost in the heat of the moment, that’s all that really mattered. “This… that… that was incredible. I’ve never seen…”

“Wasn’t her time.” Revenant replied, attempting to regain his composure and some semblance of his bravado. His insides were churning; the newly awakened power had taken more than its due and he felt like he was going to be sick.

Undaunted by Warren’s typical bad-assery Sean knelt beside Traci as Revenant stood up to go find someplace to vomit. “Traci, sweetie? I’m Sean and that’s… Warren.” He used Revenant’s real name to prevent traumatizing the poor child any more than she already was. “We’re here to help you. Just relax okay? We have people on the way.”

Sean stood up and panned the room for his partner. He could hear lunch being tossed over the railing of the balcony. As he walked in the direction of his partner he radioed in to HQ. “McCline here. The entire Kavik family was wiped out by a… well, a god knows what. We have one survivor, the daughter, Traci Kavik. We need a medical gate here ASAP.”

“Warp gate incoming.” Cade’s voice replied. “How’d the kid survive?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Sean said, still a bit hazy on the whole matter himself. “McCline out.”

Sean threw his hand down hard on Warren’s back his hand making a loud ‘smack’ in the silence. Revenant was half leaning over the railing, hocking up the aftertaste of vomit and spitting it to the lawn below. “You saved her life dude.”

“Makes me sick just thinking about it.” Warren replied launching another vomit-coated wad of phlegm over the railing. He had taken about all the compassion he could for one day and his headache was killing him. “What do you care? You ain’t the kid’s father. Out here Sean, you’re a soldier, leave that proud whining daddy crap at home.”

“But I’m prouder, infinitely prouder, to be a father Revenant. A soldier destroys in order to build; the father only builds, never destroys. The one has the potentiality of death; the other embodies creation and life. And while the hordes of death are mighty, the battalions of life are mightier still. It is my hope that my daughter, when I am gone, will remember me not from the battlefield but in the home when I was just being the best father I could be.” Sean walked off leaving Revenant at a loss for words. “Think about it.”