Roleplaying story-Rick Montana and the Tsoo


rick12344

 

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A Large lungful of air always told a lot about a place. Rick Montana thought about this quite a bit while he was out patrolling. Tonight smell’s filled Rick's senses with the heavy odor of salt and sand. To anyone else, it was the scent of getting away from the realities of life....being at the beach with loved ones ,playing, relaxing and enjoying life.
These pleasantries were soon ripped from Rick's mind; he was picking
up muffled voices 30 yards down the beach. The words being spoken could not be made clear in Ricks head but the heavy accents told him all he needed to know. Damn his ears for not being as good as they used to be.
Tsoo.

It had been 2 days now with little sleep or food that has brought Rick to this beach in Independence Port. Kin Ling and his henchmen had eluded police all weekend after leaving a trail of dead innocents in his wake. All for what? A few thousand dollars......it made him sick to think of the total disregard for human life and the families left behind left to suffer in the aftermath. He had put it in his head that it was his job to avenge the survivors......and avenge them he would.

Tsoo.

A brutal gang he had, had run-ins with many times. The sound of their name itself instilled fear in good, law-abiding citizens as well as other gangs and even several heroes Rick had teamed with. Kin Ling was one of the worst...even feared within the Tsoo organization. His sorcery skills were things legends were made of and his reputation for brutality was not a secret.

Rick knew from past experience if he were to have any chance he would have to hit them fast and hard. He knew he had to concentrate on Kin or he would play right into their hands. He approached further along the beach, silently, using the shadows to stealth him. Rick was close enough now to identify Kin and saw that he had two of his men with him. Kin was watching the two men spar. From the technique they were using he knew they were of the inkmen school. They could hit a man so brutally hard and fast that the last thing he would remember of this world is the jolting pain from the devastating blow. Even so, they were no match for Ricks skills.....it was Kin that worried him.

The time to attack was now and the opportunity that presented itself would give Rick what he loved the most in any battle, the element of surprise. The darkness of the beach and the ambush he was about to unleash should be all that is needed to put Kin away for the rest of his days in the Zig.
Rick started to concentrate as to root himself to the ground. One stunning blow would be all that was needed to end Rick’s career. Some preparation was in order.
That’s when he heard it. The sound of a jet engine exploding of napalm would be the only thing he could liken it to. A young hero he had seen around while on patrol had just engulfed the two inkmen in flames but missed Kin. Kin responded by using his sorcery to freeze the young hero like a statue. Before Rick could respond the two inkmen were upon the young hero pummeling him. He had no right to be there. Rick transported to the spot of the battle and quickly made the inkmen the polices problem by detaining the two men. A quick flurry of punches that followed him using the essence of the men's souls against them ended things quickly.
"You could have gotten yourself killed!" was all he could say but soon realized the young hero knew he had made a mistake.
"I.....I..... know.....thank you for your help", was all the hero in tight red shirt and pants could say
"I thought I could capture Kin but he was stronger than I could have imagined he would be."
"I have been tracking him for two days, waiting for the right moment.....", Rick stopped himself here remembering how he had been as a young hero......the difference being, when he pulled a stunt like that he would wake up in the hospital.....or worse. Discouraged as he was, he would take it easy on the youngster.
Before another word could be spoken, the young hero had raised himself up muttered something Rick could not make out and took, off like a rocket into the night sky.
In the excitement Kin had transported away leaving his two men to fall quickly. How enlightening Rick thought.......add coward to Kin's resume also.
The heavy salt laced air and the complete failure that tonight's patrol was, had Rick disgusted. He knew that this was a sign of being starved for sleep among other thing. His only option now was to head home and rest.....Kin would surely need to re-group before he caused anymore problems. Falling off balance or making a poor judgment in battle could cost him his life.
A cool blast of air hit Ricks face as he stepped off the tram in Atlas Park. Fall was approaching and that made this evenings events seem all the worse. Cold weather would mean an extra layer of clothing and for a hero that relied upon his speed and agility...that only made you slower, even a fraction of a second could make a huge difference in a battle against an enemy in their physical prime.
He looked out over the skyline and his weary eyes were caught by the gigantic statue of Atlas. Rick wondered out loud if the need to sleep ever caught up with him. The past few years age has been catching up to Rick. Not sleeping for a few days meant nothing 20 years ago. Thoughts of retirement have been creeping into Rick's head lately and he knew the end was near. His only hope was that it would be on his terms and not determined by one of the various gang members he has thrown in jail through the years. Walking through Prometheus Park on his way home was not done by mistake; the night air heavy with the smell of freshly cut grass and trees hidden in this concrete jungle, always soothed him. Tomorrow would be a more successful day....much more.

Kin Ling materialized on the top wall of Independence Port, right next to the Rikti defense system. The loud humming of the force fields sent a jolt down his spine and the intense odor of ozone made him feel nauseous. He felt nothing for the two inkmen who were sacrificed so he could escape. Kin had heard on the street through his various channels, that Rick Montana had been looking for him. Kin had not taken the threat seriously. Watching his loyal subjects fall before the scrapper made him change his mind. Kin had never seen a soul draining effect work that well before in combat and Kin felt something rush over him; something he has not felt in years.
Fear.
Kin was not a stupid man. His rise through the Tsoo ranks had been no accident. He had deliberately planned every move with precision and brutality. He had killed many men to get to his position and he regretted none of it. Now in the farthest corner of his mind, the thought creeped upon him that he may have went too far. Kin would dismiss this voice in his head when it would speak up. What makes a man do what he did?

Madness.

Killing just for the sheer joy of it. He could not justify what he had done over the past 3 days....and he did not care. He liked the way it felt to take another’s life. He enjoyed the power it gave him. The cash, the treasures he had stolen were only an added benefit. He was wealthy man .Crime had been good to him.
What he needed to do now was find out all he could about Rick Montana. He would do this and then he would kill him.
Lost in thought, Kin was quickly brought back to attention by the buzzing of his cell phone in his hip pocket.
"He's here", the ominous tone echoed in Kin’s ear.
"Where is here and who are we talking about", shot back Kin in a heavy accent. From the sound of the mans voice on the phone, Kin knew to whom he had been speaking, Frank "bone daddy" Lemonti. One of the contacts he kept on the payroll for reasons just such as this.
"Montana", shot back Frank, "He is here in Atlas Park."
"How did you kn0w I was seeking him, how could you have known this?"

"It's all over then news boss..what went down last night...and I knew you would want a shot at him.", answered Frank.
Not ever completely trusting Frank but heavy with bloodlust for Montana, Kin made his way to Atlas Park. He would rid himself of this parasite and doing just that was becoming an obsession. Kin refused to live having to look over his shoulder every day. It had to end now.

"Wise decision son", Rick Montana said to a half-scared to death Frank Lemonti.
Frank put the phone receiver down and Rick let up on the hold he had on Frank’s neck.
"Wh...wha...what are you going to do now?", muttered Frank .
"Now I wait......and you stay tied up", Rick answered Frank, obviously pleased with himself.
The warehouse was dark, cold and stunk of sweat. It has been a Skull hideout for years now. Everyone has known about it and yet no one was willing to do anything about it. Even the police have looked the other way....more out of fear than anything else.
Frank Lemonti sat tied up in his office chair, visible only from the back as you entered the room. A walk down a short hallway followed by narrow flight of stairs allowed access to this room from the buildings entrance.
The front door of the warehouse creaked open as Kin cautiously made his way down the hallway. Creeping ahead ever so slowly, every step being deliberate, Kin made his way to the top step and gazed upon the back of his employees head.
"Lemonti!", Kin said with a voice full of authority. Before the sound of his own voice had echoed through the small room he felt it. A strong blow to his kidney area. The pain rifled through his body.
Rick Montana had been waiting for Kin just outside the office door, hidden in the darkness of the steel rafters.
"Almost.....almost...", Rick thought to himself. As he waited for Kin to pass underneath him. Rick was far more concerned with justice being done than honor in battle.
He had heard the sorcerer speak the name of his contact and knew the time was,
"Now!"'

Dropping down with the speed of gravity, A quick smite to the kidney region applied expertly softened up Ricks opponent. Rick prepared to use his soul drain as he resisted Kin's magic’s to immobilize him. Feeling his power grow from the essence of Kin’s being, Rick prepared a quick flurry of punches that landed before the weakened sorcerer could transport away.
"It’s over Kin", Rick stated matter of factly, "I locked this place down before you arrived, there is no where to run.
Kin was hurt and trying to transport out of Ricks reach. Frustrated because he had been setup and by the fact he was hurt bad, out of endurance and Rick was not even touched. Frustrated because he was smarter than having it end like this. Frustrated because his rise to the top was based on his intelligence and his demise based on his lack of.
He was backed into a corner with no means for escape. He did what any hurt animal would do. He lunged at Rick, fists flying. It would be his end. Rick mitigated the blows and landed a punch that came out of nowhere, it was as if it moved like a shadow, crashing into Kin’s jaw; the sorcerer fell to the floor with a thud. The dust rising from where his body lay unconscious signified the end of a grueling 3 days for Rick. The monster had been defeated.