Rick winced. He hadnt finished with his explanation yet, and didnt want to be interrupted. He also didnt like being called Richard. It was probably nothing, but, just to be sure, he tapped into the Nictus senses and scanned around. The patrons of the coffee shop were a faint glimmer against the blackness. So was Tom. The people outside were of a similarly low energy-
-except for the brilliant glow that just rounded the corner. He moved partway back into his regular vision, overlaying the two different senses onto his field of view. The bright glow emanated from a tall, well-muscled man marching along the walkway of the shopping center with a confident swagger. The youths wearing long and bulky jackets who followed him closely wore a mix of fear, excitement, and bravado on their faces.
During this process Tom had started speaking, thought Rick was not aware of that until he returned to his regular senses.
story about banishment and aliens and other weird [censored] on faith? You burned a lot of bridges, old buddy, and, while youre a lot calmer than when you left, youre still as-
Tom! Rick tossed his head in the direction of the gang, knowing that even with his normal human senses, his experience on the job would lead him to the same conclusion as Rick.
Sure enough, it took only a glance before Tom realized what was about to go down. Ahh
[censored]! he swore. He fished his cell phone out, picked out the appropriate number, and monitored the groups actions with a thumb hovering over the call button. As the youths clustered around the entrance to a jewelry store across from the coffee shop then charged inside, he tapped the button and rapid-fired, This is Detective Thomas Chen from Central, reporting a possible 211 in progress at Sparkles in Potrero Center-
Make that a 211-M.
Wait one. Turning to Rick, he growled, You sure?
The fedora bobbed subtly. The big guy is Brute class, threat level 20 or so. Youll need M-SWAT or a hero for this one.
While the two men talked, the report of a shotgun exploded from the store. The pedestrians outside the store panicked and stampeded. Tom resumed barking into his phone. Make that a confirmed 211, possibly a 211-M, he said, emphasizing his uncertainty with Ricks analysis of the situation. Tom finished the call, shut down the phone, and frowned. [censored], in this traffic M-SWATll never get here in time, and if youre right, the black and whites will get torn apart.
You got the numbers for any of the super-powered crowd in that phone?
Tom snorted. [censored] no! This isnt Paragon City! We havent gone soft enough to let overpowered psychos run loose on our streets!
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Ricks mouth. So the situation hasnt changed. Perfect. Well take care of this.
What the [censored] do you mean we, citizen? Tom cautioned.
Rick pulled a corner of his dark glasses down, exposing his eyes and their transition from dark brown to radiant purple. I wasnt talking about you and I, partner. Toms jaw dropped.
The price for my cooperation is the entire contents of that coffee cup!
Fine.
Excellent! Let us begin!
The radiant purple glow flowed around his sunglasses. A translucent purple bubble formed around Rick as he activated a protective force field. He left the uproar of the startled occupants of the coffee shop behind as he teleported directly from his seat to the door of the jewelry store. Rick took in the scene from the relative safety of his force field. The youths brandished an assortment of pistols, submachine guns, and shotguns while pulling fistfuls of loot from shattered display cases. The big guy was farther back in the store with a shotgun-wielding sidekick, shouting threats at a very thin and very pale man. The sound of Ricks appearance turned all heads.
The sales tomorrow, boys, he deadpanned. Why dont you come back then?
That was pathetic! You should be extolling how feeble they are and how their doom is inevitable, possibly with some dramatic reference to how we will drain away their own energy and use it against them!
Thats why I dont let you do the talking, Rick sub-vocalized.
The Brute subscribed to a more dramatic school of thought. Waste him! he roared at his companions. The chatter and boom of small arms filled the store and spilled out onto the sidewalk, along with shards of glass, slivers of metal, and a goodly bit of Ricks trenchcoat. As more and more damage was heaped on Rick without the intended effect, the youths lost whatever discipline they had and emptied their weapons. The fusillade finally ran its course when Rick was knocked off his feet. With guns empty of ammunition but hearts filled with pride, the gang celebrated their victory, and the store rang with raucous cheers. The cheers just as quickly fell silent as Rick stood up and resumed his place in the doorway.
Ow.
Ow? After all that, you can only say ow? Clearly you need my help to convince these miscreants to surrender. Repeat after me: BWAA HA HA HAA! Witless fools! You face a power beyond your comprehension! Kneel before me and beg for your lives!
Rick droned, By the authority vested in me by the city of San Francisco under the Special Volunteer Crime Fighting Act I hereby place you under arrest. He pointed at the Brute. Im lookin at you, big guy.
Then Ill tear your eyes out! he snarled. He stood to his full impressive height and charged for Rick, smashing display cases and lackeys aside like the bow of a ship parting the sea.
Rick stepped back to give him a little room. As soon as the Brute passed through the doorway Rick teleported inside the store. He siphoned some of the life away from the gang members to boost his energy then, with a thunderous boom, transformed his body into the eerie form of the Dark Nova. Tentacles writhing, it hovered up to the ceiling to get a clear field of fire. Volley after volley of purple beams scythed through the youths, blasting them into unconsciousness and knocking a few of them out onto the sidewalk.
[censored] it, be careful! San Francisco doesnt have a mediport network!
The Nova laughed menacingly. See how easily I dispatch your minions! Such is your fate should you be foolish enough to continue-
A display case flew across the room and knocked the Nova out of the air. It smashed against the back wall and slid onto the floor. There was no respite; the Brute jumped on top of it and grasped its long bifurcated tail in an unbreakable hold. He hauled the Nova off the floor, spun it around his head like a sling, then whipped it out through the open doorway. It sailed across the broad sidewalk and smacked into a cement block wall. The impact was enough to stun the Nova, and Rick popped back into existence. Slowly, painfully, he dragged himself to his knees.
That was a nice shot, he grunted to himself.
You can compliment him on his aim after hes suitably restrained! Now that I have pacified his cronies, we need to lure him back outside.
Somehow I dont think thatll be a problem, Rick muttered as he looked back to the store.
The Brute smashed through what was left of the windows on his way out of the ruins of the jewelry store. He grabbed the base of a streetlamp and heaved. Tortured metal screamed, but it was the cement sidewalk that gave way first as the base of the post popped free with a tremendous crack. As he hauled back with the streetlamp, he sneered, Welcome to San Francisco, freak! The lamp whistled through the air as it arced down onto Ricks spine.
Another thunderous boom echoed through the shopping center. The lamp crashed ineffectually against the deep purple chitinous shell of a Black Dwarf. The massive creature rose to its feet, snatched the remains of the street lamp from the Brutes hands, and folded it in half with a twist of its powerful claws. Greetings from Paragon City, it rumbled.
This was your plan? Fight a Brute-class villain in hand-to-hand combat?
The mangled sections of the lamppost clanged against the sidewalk as the Dwarf casually tossed them aside. It boomed, Your fleshy body cannot withstand my energies! Gaze upon my invincible form, and know that you meet your DOOM!
Dont get cocky! Were not that invincible, and theres no mediport network for us, either!
He doesnt know that, the Dwarf mumbled under its breath. Be patient, Richard.
With an incoherent cry of rage, the Brute hurled himself at the Dwarf. One fist collided with the creatures armored head, rocking it back on its heels. The Dwarf returned the favor by smacking the Brute with a double overhand blow; the sound of the impact resonated throughout the shopping complex. The two titans exchanged blows. Shockwaves from the impacts blasted glass from windows, punished eardrums, and swept debris from the feet of the combatants. The ground heaved and quaked from the massive energies released. The Brute swung harder and harder, each blow striking with more fury than the one before. For its part, the Dwarfs attacks slipped through the Brutes defenses, stealing his life to heal or empower itself, and pulverized the Brute with its massive fists. Both took hits with no thought for defense, seeking only to grind the other into dust.
The fight was turning in favor of the Brute when the Dwarf vanished and reappeared inside the jewelry store. It collapsed back into the smaller human frame. Rick seized on the brief moment of separation to drain some energy from the unconscious youths, instantly healing his wounds and eliminating his fatigue. He smirked at the startled, battle-damaged Brute.
Hes ripe for defeat. You may fire when ready.
Rick punched the air again and again, firing a salvo of deep purple beams at his opponent. Some merely blasted at his body, while others went low to ensnare his legs. The effect was telling; the Brutes mad dash for Rick slowed to a crawl. Teeth showed through a nasty snarl as he grimaced with the effort. His frustration at being unable to close with his opponent failed to provide him with enough strength to power through the energy-sapping beams. Still, he continued to advance on Rick, who was too busy blasting to raise any protective shielding of his own. The closer he came, the more he grinned in bloodthirsty anticipation of the punishment he would unleash. He pounded across the sidewalk, closed with the store, and barged through doorway.
Now!
Rick summoned an incredibly strong localized gravity field in the doorway, centered on the Brutes chest. It stopped him in his tracks. His eyes bulged. A groan involuntarily escaped his lips as his rib cage collapsed in on itself. The steel frame of the doorway bent, broke free from the building, and wrapped itself around the Brute, further restraining him. The dark energies swirled around his arms and legs, irresistibly drawing them to his torso and forcing him to contract into a fetal position and collapse to the ground. The devastating attack continued for several seconds, suffocating the Brute while simultaneously rendering him helpless until, at last, it mercifully ceased, and he could once again breathe.
I believe hes finished fighting for the moment.
Rick activated his energy shields and crouched down to check on his adversary. The lights are still on, but nobodys home. Nicely done.
Thank you.
Did we have to take so many hits to the face?
Did you have to let those miscreants shoot us?
Sadly, yes. Were not in Paragon anymore; the rules are different here. Speaking of which
Ricks voice trailed off as he spotted Tom striding over to the scene of destruction.
Tom slowed as he approached. His eyes swept over the destruction wrought in the short fight: a gaping hole in the sidewalk with exposed electrical wires; the mangled remains of a street lamp; shards of glass littering the sidewalk and floor of the store; the windows, door, and frames of the jewelry store twisted and ripped free; bullet pockmarks in the cement block wall. He stopped in front of Rick and made a show of looking around at the devastation.
I was gonna tell you about the super powers, Rick protested. I swear!
Uh huh. So, old buddy
when M-SWAT arrives, who do I tell them to arrest?
#69397 Get Grog a Drink!
#155312 No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded
#229565 Take Back the Park! (lowbie friendly)
Praetor of the [url="http://www.forgottenlegion.net"]Forgotten Legion[/url] SG and mod for the HUB player community. All hail the mighty Grog!
Rick frowned. What the [censored] are you talking about? Nothing I did was outside the guidelines of the Special Volunteer Crime Fighting Act. I have the police training, Im registered with the FBSA, established that there were one or more powered criminals present, announced my presence without taking any offensive actions, and placed them under arrest after offering them a chance to surrender peacefully. I also got riddled with bullets, thrown against a concrete wall, and had my face pounded repeatedly by some super-strong goon. Im OK, thanks for asking. How are you?
And the part about operating under police supervision?
You were watching, werent you?
Aww, [censored]! Tom exploded. Youre in town for less than an hour and youve stuck my neck on the block all over again! I should have left your [censored] on the side of the road!
Hey, this is nothing like before! Yeah, I put you and everyone else around me through [censored], but that was nothing compared to what I was going through! Try being possessed sometime and then you tell me-
I dont give a rats [censored] about possession, aliens, or any other [censored] like that! You cut me off! [censored], you cut everyone off! Everyone, including me, bent over backwards to help you, and you used it up and left town!
I told you-
You said some [censored] about being out of your mind, but how about those years of dealing with the problem? You forget how to write or use a phone or e-mail while you were out east?
Rick opened his mouth to fire back, but could only cough hoarsely.
Ive had enough. Youve failed miserably to explain yourself to this human after so many attempts. Its time you let me address his concerns. I wont stay quiet about this, Richard. You let me speak, or you wont speak at all!
I hear eating crow can cause a nasty cough, Tom snarked.
Its a disagreement, not an attack of conscience. The Nictus wants to speak with you.
The what?
The Nictus. Its tired of listening to us argue, and wont let go of my voice if I dont give it a chance to speak on its own.
Tom took a step back. What? he repeated.
Rick did not answer; indeed, he could not, for he was now a small whisper in the back of the mind, a passenger in his own body. Deep purple tendrils of energy leaked out from behind the sunglasses, followed by more sprouting from his whole body, until Rick was covered head to toe in small wisps of dark energy. He coughed and cleared his throat. Ahh, hrm, its been too long since Richard let me use his voice!
The voice was not exactly Ricks. It sounded deeper, and had a small echo effect to it, as if Rick were speaking inside a tunnel, but the original voice could still be picked out.
Tom gaped in astonishment.
You wish to hear of how I came to be inside this body?
Come, now! Ask a question!
What are you? Tom whispered.
I am a Nictus. We feed on energy, and normally were quite predatory. Many of my fellow Nictus have enslaved whole worlds in order to satisfy their appetites. I was no different at first, but them some of my enemies managed to send me to a place with no energy at all. I was slowly starving until I found your friend Richard, or Rick, if you prefer. He was just another means for me to survive. Imagine my surprise when he finally was retrieved from that ghastly realm and brought to a world bursting with energies of all kinds! I was weakened from my long imprisonment, and he from me feeding on him, but he was still the stronger; I could only speak to him, not control him, or even escape from his body.
You accused him of being insensitive to your feelings, of being unappreciative of your efforts to help him. Well, dont take it personally, Thomas; I was doing everything I could think of to subvert his will and become the sole controlling power of his body.
Thanks, [censored]!
Dont be bitter, Richard. Thats all in the past.
Tom scraped enough self-control to croak, Rick is still in there?
Oh yes, replied the Nictus, he can see and hear, but only I hear him speak, and I control his body for the moment. Hes taking a back seat for now. That is the correct euphemism, is it not? Taking a back seat? Tom nodded. Good. Thats normally MY seat! the Nictus groused.
And the super powers?
Those are my normal abilities, the ones we Nictus have acquired over our history of galactic conquest and energy absorption. Richard and I have come to an understanding about our joint role in this world, so together we wield those powers against those who would seek to prey on humans. We go by the name Night Shade now.
Did you have to tell him that?
If you still value what your friend thinks of you, its important that he have a complete understanding of what has transpired, Richard. Addressing Tom, the Nictus continued, Understand this, Thomas; Richard has been fantasizing about his return to San Francisco for years now. He dreamed of this even while I was eating away at his mind. Its very important to him that you understand why he did those things you remember, and that you accept his explanation, clumsy as it is.
I was doing fine on my own!
Ungrateful human! Ive just proved all your preposterous claims, and it took mere seconds, whereas you floundered through your explanations for several minutes with little to show-
Are you arguing with yourself? Tom asked. The expression on his face was a cross between incredulity and concern.
We have a difference of opinion regarding how best to resolve Richards issues. You already know how he planned to waste his vacation time, but I wish to see the sights of San Francisco, and the sooner he makes amends, the sooner-
OK, thats it! Back in your hole!
The energy tendrils flickered as Rick reasserted dominance over his body. The Nictus fought him for every possible second of control it could squeeze out, and while it struggled with Rick it gasped, He wants you to forgive him
unf!
so you two can renew your friendship! Id consider it a personal favor if
gnn!
youd do it
ack!
quickly!
Doubled over, Rick panted as he recovered from his struggle. Tom looked him over in silence.
Youll thank me for this later. Now, wheres my coffee? I was promised a treat!
Still breathing heavily, Rick stood up and looked at Tom. The silence continued while the men stared at each other. Finally, Rick nodded. Now you know. Its not how I wanted you to learn, but
He shrugged. The Nictus was honest, at least.
CO-FFEE! CO-FFEE! CO-FFEE!
You leave your java inside? Rick asked Tom.
Uh, yeah. Little busy with the citizens.
Ill be right back. Rick walked to the coffee shop and back through the ever-growing collection of rubberneckers. He handed Tom his brew, then took a long pull at his own. It was just as revolting as before. Rick finished with a grimace.
Ahh
Im guessing you arent drinking that cause you want to.
You catch on quick. The Nictus feeds on energy, and when were not fighting crime, it eats what I have. Sugar and caffeine make it happy. If it werent constantly draining my own energy, Id weigh another forty pounds from the sweet tooth its pushed on me.
You said you worked on your problem, but it doesnt sound like youve made much progress.
Rick chuckled ruefully. Compare what you see now to the way I was before I left town!
Tom shrugged. I see your point.
Longbow calls us Warshades. Typically, its a blending between human and Nictus resulting in one mind with traits from both. My case is a little different. Theres two distinct minds with an imperfect connection between us, and only one body to use. We still have some boundary issues to work out.
Those issues stem entirely from your fear that I still desire to destroy your mind and become sole owner of this body, and your corresponding resistance to my advice!
Sugar and caffeine. Thats all I gotta say. That was for
you know, Rick finished, pointed to his head.
Sirens blared faintly in the distance. Tom shook his head. Youre still a head-case, but at least I know whats going on in there.
Yeah.
Tom sipped thoughtfully at his coffee. Theres no going back to the way things were.
Youre not the same. [censored], can I even call you one man now? Tom laughed softly. I cant believe Im saying this!
So, what happens now?
The sirens cut off. The sound of heavy boots pounding on concrete echoed through the shopping center. A murmur spread through the crowd. For starters, mused Tom, we need to finish with this mess. M-SWATs gonna have some questions. Like, how did all this carnage happen before they got here.
Rick rolled his eyes. Sounds like jealousy is still alive and well in the city by the bay.
Tom gave Rick a hard look. You didnt used to talk like that.
Yeah. Maybe youre right. Maybe Ive changed too much to pick up where we left off, but dont think for a moment that Im just going to give up on a friendship years in the making!
After were done here, Ill call Cora and tell her to set a third place at the table.
Rick grinned. Thanks, partner.
Tom shook his head. Im not your partner anymore. But, youre right, weve been through too much to throw a friendship away so casually. And I think its a good idea to get to know your new partner, if only to prevent any future disturbances while youre here. He raised his cup in salute. Welcome, or welcome back, to San Francisco.
Thank you.
Thanks. From both of us. Rick tapped his cup against Toms
#69397 Get Grog a Drink!
#155312 No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded
#229565 Take Back the Park! (lowbie friendly)
Praetor of the [url="http://www.forgottenlegion.net"]Forgotten Legion[/url] SG and mod for the HUB player community. All hail the mighty Grog!
Well now, nice to see you writing again. Been a while. Good stuff, keep it coming. 
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
[ QUOTE ]
Well now, nice to see you writing again. Been a while. Good stuff, keep it coming.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks, DeviousMe. I haven't stopped writing, I just haven't done any more short stories. BlueBattler's thread gave me an idea, and, thankfully, it was short enough to still be called a short story. The by-no-means-short story that's consumed my writing time is far too long to try and post on the CoH boards, but it is viewable if you're interested. Click the link in my sig, click on Forums (upper left), click on Blog (upper right), then look for Fiction. That's what I've been up to for the last year and a half.
[ QUOTE ]
Well done, I really the interplay between them.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks, BlueBattler. The interplay between Rick and the Nictus isn't cannon, but I couldn't have my 3D suddenly merge with his hostile parasite just because he hit level 50. A truce was more plausible. Again, I appreciate the inspiration.
Grog the Big
#69397 Get Grog a Drink!
#155312 No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded
#229565 Take Back the Park! (lowbie friendly)
Praetor of the [url="http://www.forgottenlegion.net"]Forgotten Legion[/url] SG and mod for the HUB player community. All hail the mighty Grog!
[ QUOTE ]
The interplay between Rick and the Nictus isn't cannon...
[/ QUOTE ]
Not exactly canon. The developer explanation for the relationship still leaves room for interpretation for unique characters like this.
My own Warshade's relationship between the Human and the Nictus is actually quite similar to your depiction.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
I hope you check out the City Scoop every now and then, cause you my friend are going to be featured in the Fan Fiction Spotlight next issue Great stuff here man, really awesome.
This story needs an introduction as it was inspired by BlueBattler's thread on Roleplaying Thoughts. The main character is the same one as in Shades of Things to Come. It's also longer than the forums allow, so I apologize for the page break.
----------------------------------------------
Rick Valencia breathed deep, inhaling the aroma of a past life. Warm asphalt. Cool sea air. Exhaust fumes. Old wooden buildings. The still-unidentifiable odors from the Chinese general store behind him. He imagined the smell inside Central Station, his old stomping grounds, would also have remained unchanged; sweat, old coffee, and desperation.
How long did we wait in those airports? How long did we sit and wait in that plane? And now, after traveling for nearly a full day, were on the other side of your nation, and all you can think to do is stand on a sidewalk, waiting! We could have done that in Paragon City!
Shut up, will you? I havent seen or spoken to Tom in almost five years, thanks largely to you, and I need to concentrate to find him.
Dont blame me for that! It was your own attempts to evict me that caused your downfall! If youd cooperated as I suggested-
You mean as you demanded! And, if I had, wed both have ended up in prison, the nuthouse, or the morgue, so put a sock in it!
Well, weve both been through some changes, havent we?
Yeah, and thats why I need to concentrate. Toms probably got a new car or changed his style or something, so keep quiet and let me look. Rick took off his gray fedora, pawed at his silver-white hair, then replaced the hat. He always got antsy waiting.
No, thats ME that gets antsy waiting! Youre the one who doesnt mind doing nothing for interminably long periods of time!
Its called patience. Remember the talk we had back in Paragon? I told you the vacation wouldnt start until the work was done. This is work. You be patient!
Rick checked his watch again. Only a few minutes had passed since the last time he looked. Still, enough time had passed for the shift change to begin. Cars began to swarm Vallejo Street, and quickly clogged the narrow road. A uniformed officer emerged to direct traffic; without his efforts no one would ever let anyone else turn left into or out of the garage. The mans baby face told Rick all he needed to know about how he got the duty. Better you than me, buddy, he said aloud.
There was a time when that WAS you. Be kind.
That was long before you and I met. Im not unsympathetic, but I sure am glad those days are over.
Why does a police officer have to control the driving habits of other police officers?
If you can answer that, my friend, you will truly understand human nature.
As traffic would allow, the officer periodically glanced over at the man in the gray trenchcoat and fedora who talked to himself. Rick nodded cordially to him, which only spurred more suspicious glances. He sighed. At least the glacial pace of the traffic would allow him ample time to examine the departing vehicles.
The incoming traffic thinned, heralding the exit rush. Appallingly misnamed, cars and trucks would pack the lanes of the garage and inch their way out onto Vallejo. If Tom hadnt moved, and if he were leaving on time, his car would pass right by Rick. What the car would look like, Rick couldnt be sure, so every driver or passenger of every vehicle that passed by him had to be quickly examined.
It was a dirty red coupe that finally rewarded his patient vigilance. Toms familiar mug sat atop a slightly thicker body. There were a few more lines to the face, and less hair, but there was no mistake about his identity. He sat in the line of cars and waited his turn to go left.
Now comes the hard part: getting him to stop.
We could stop his car ourselves
True, but that wouldnt make a good impression, and I dont want to have to explain myself to M-SWAT. Rick stepped out next to the road and waved, hailing his old friend as though he were a cabbie.
Tom noticed the wave immediately. Recognition took a while longer, though, when it finally occurred, the look of disgust on his face made the victory Pyrrhic indeed. Rick swallowed his uneasiness, forcing a congenial smile onto his face. The passenger side window rolled down during the turn, and the car slowed to a halt.
Rick leaned into the window and tilted his hat back. Hi, Tom.
The silence hung thick in the air, like the echo of a slap in the face.
You got a minute?
Youve got some brass, coming around here, showing up like this with no warning, then asking for my time.
Ahh, yes, this is SO much more rewarding than sampling the local cuisine or seeing the sights! Was that sarcastic? Im still not certain how that works.
Rick grimaced, his head twisting slightly. The worst-case scenario hed envisioned back in Paragon was being totally ignored by his old friends. This was the second-worst-case scenario. The honk of a car horn provided him with a way forward, though whether it was into more trouble or towards a solution, he couldnt say. You want to chew on my [censored] here, with fifty cops all waiting in a line behind you? Dont you think it would be better to do this someplace else?
Tom stared back in silence. More horns sounded. Finally, he grumbled, Where did you park?
I took a cab.
A cab called Shadow Step, you mean!
Tom rolled his eyes. [censored], Rick! What the [censored] happened to you?
I got up before dawn, traveled over three thousand miles, and spent nearly nine hours in transit just to answer that question. Unlock the door, Tom.
A quick glance at the growing line of cars and angry motorists ended the standoff. Tom leaned across the cabin of the car and flipped the lock open. Rick plucked enough items off the passenger seat to make room for himself and sat down. Tom gunned the engine, and the compact car shot away from Central Station.
The tense silence stretched on as Tom threaded the car through the narrow, hilly streets with expert care. Rick knew full well that Tom, a lifelong resident of San Francisco, wasnt holding his tongue because the drive demanded his full concentration. The silent treatment wouldnt help his mission. Nor was he inclined to be driven all over the city in stony silence. Rick inquired, So, wherere we going? Your place?
No.
Docs?
I dont think I should take you there.
I agree. Weve spent far too much time in that place already.
Docs was the slang for a local cop bar, so named for the weekly special on shots. Tom and Rick frequently went there after their shifts were over, and continued spending time at the bar even after Rick left the police. It was also the scene of far too many attempts at self-medication, though Toms statement could also have meant that Rick was no longer welcome in the tight-knit police community. Either way, his words stung.
Continuing his attempt to break the ice, Rick asked, So, why were you leaving on time today? Dont tell me the madness has eased up around here!
Again, Tom replied without looking away from the road. You said you came here to answer some questions. Im not answering any of yours until youve answered mine.
Look, Rick said testily, if you wanted to conduct an interrogation, we should have just gone inside and saved the gas! You want answers? Ill answer anything you want, but I want to know two things first: where are we going, and can I get something to drink when we get there?
Tom finally glanced over. You trying to be funny?
No. Nine hours on a plane would dry out a camel. Ive been bouncing from one water cooler to another since I landed.
Coffee! Ask for coffee!
Obligingly, Rick inquired, You know any good coffee shops? I can only remember the lousy ones.
Im surprised you remember that much. Before Rick could snap back, Tom continued, Yeah, I know a spot. Hang on. He proceeded to navigate every back alley and residential street in his quest. The men bounced and dodged their way south, exiting Central, passing through Tenderloin and Southern, and finally ending up in the Mission District. He pulled the car off Potrero into the shopping center and parked. Tom got out without a word. Rick took the hint and followed him.
The coffee shop was decorated in pure chain style: brushed steel and veneer with tiny tables and hard-backed chairs. The usual complement of baked goods and souvenir items was present, along with the usual bewildering array of coffee choices. Without even asking, Rick knew what Tom would order once they reached the counter. He asked for, and received, his medium black coffee with only a mild sneer on the face of the coffee snob behind the counter. Rick stepped up to take his turn. Fresh ground coffee tasted funny after all the years of drinking whatever would take the least effort to procure, so even when at an upscale coffee shop like this one, he preferred his java plain.
No! I want caramel! And chocolate! With whipped cream on top!
Gagging on the words, Rick choked out, Medium mocha caramel whip. The coffee snob nodded in approval and then started the lengthy preparation process.
Tom gave Rick a funny look. Business must be good for you to be drinking that ten-dollar fru-fru [censored].
The struggle to get the order out left Rick a little breathless. He gasped, Its not entirely by choice.
The business, or the coffee?
Both. Sort of. Look, just hold your horses until I some of this in me. Then Ill be more able to talk.
You better make more sense than you are now, Tom threatened.
The artistic rendering of Ricks coffee finished in the artists own time. Tom finished off a quarter of his cup before Rick got his, and the delay only served to increase the tension. Once finally in possession of his unwanted coffee, Rick allowed himself to be led to one of the tiny tables near the front of the coffee shop. Tom took the seat nearest the wall. Rick had his back to the door.
After another sip from his cup, Tom gestured to Ricks untouched drink with his own and asked, Gonna drink that? You paid enough for it!
Rick eyed his cup with distaste, but knew what would happen if he delayed too long. He picked it up, picked some of the whipped cream away with the plastic stirrer, and took as small a sip as he could manage. The coffee was uncomfortably hot, and far too sweet; he felt like hed just taken a sip of hot syrup.
Dont tease me with it! Drink!
Grimacing, he took a pull at the liquid. It was every bit as foul as he feared, and was more than a little painful to boot. One mouthful later, he swallowed, and then chased it down with a bit of whipped cream skimmed off the top with the plastic stirrer.
Ahh
Rick felt part of himself dissolve into contentment. He could almost hear purring in his mind. The other part, his part, fervently wished for something to get the taste out of his mouth. The cup of pseudo-coffee went back onto the table with the little plastic stirrer perched on top of the foamy mountain of cream. He leaned back as far as he could manage in the chair and regarded Tom. Well, thats done, he announced.
Toms head bobbed. So, how about you start at the beginning? Specifically, the part where you swore youd never touch the weird [censored] ever again and went private so you could spend your days spying on cheating spouses instead of complying with the citys mandate that all city cops keep their paranormal cert current, yet somehow ended up in Paragon City, the world capital of weird [censored]?
Rick rolled his eyes. Fat lot of good THAT did me! The weird [censored] is my bread and butter these days!
It was a great start: long hours, but I set em myself, and completely normal caseloads. Remember what I said back then? Ill take the same work for twice the pay, or the same pay for half the work. It worked for a while. Cheating spouses. Missing people and property. Background checks. That sort of thing.
Tom grunted. This is not new. You told me all this over beers at Docs. What happened when you fell off the face of the Earth?
I fell off the face of the Earth.
Smart [censored]! Tom angrily set his coffee down and made to get out of the chair.
Rick was faster to his feet. He blocked his old partner from standing and explained, Im serious, Tom! I left He lowered his voice before continuing, I left Earth. Dont ask me where I went. I know one name for it, but it wont mean much to you. Sit down and let me explain.
The two men stared each other down for a time. Finally, Tom took his seat again. He snorted. OK, spaceman, whered you go?
Rick returned to his seat. Let me back up first. I was working a missing property case. Some old Chinese man lost a vase and wanted me to get it back. Maybe I told you about it. It seemed like easy money; there arent that many people dealing in stolen artifacts.
That doesnt sound like easy money to me. They move the merchandise quick. By the time you hear about the theft, the stuffs in another country.
Toms professional interest was out in full force, and Rick felt more secure in relating the rest of his tale. This one was different. The guy who hired me said he knew who took it. The suspect was also on the list of folks who deal in stolen artifacts. I set up some surveillance. It didnt take long to see he was a man who was hiding something. I went in close to verify possession, and he got the drop on me.
So he was the one who sent you packing?
Eventually. He had some huge Chinese goblin creature hold me while he monologued his whole master plan in intricate detail, followed by a step-by-step description of the horrible fate that awaited me for meddling in his affairs and how he was going to bring it to fruition. His words, not mine. So he cast a banishing spell, and off I went.
Banishment? Thats [censored]! I keep my M.A.G.I. cert current! Theres no way you can banish a live human being!
Remember that intricate description of the fate in store for me? Turns out theres a loophole in Chinese banishment spells. Since some of the words the Chinese use to describe non-Chinese are devil or ghost, the spells have the same effect on living non-Chinese people as they do on genuine otherworldly creatures. Thats something Ill bet even M.A.G.I. doesnt know!
I still call [censored].
Whatever. I thought he killed me. I ended up in a place with no light, no sound, no up or down. It was near-total sensory deprivation. If I hadnt been able to sense myself, it would have been complete, and I would have gone nuts in minutes.
As opposed to the sane, rational man who reappeared almost three months later?
Rick sucked in a deep breath. Three months
Consider yourself fortunate! I was trapped there before you! Who knows how much time I spent in that place before you came along?
You know, Rick continued in a solemn voice, until now I wasnt sure how long I was in there.
Dont tell me you forgot how to read a calendar in three months?
Rick ignored the sarcasm, continuing as if he hadnt heard his old friend. Theres things in there. Living things. Some are native, and others got there by similar methods as me. One of them found me and latched on. A creature of utter darkness who feeds on energy of all kinds-
And the exceedingly rare flavored coffee! Look! Theres one sitting on the table! Why are we not drinking it?
He coughed to keep himself from responding verbally. It drained my watch, drained my phone, and then started on me. I couldnt escape, and I couldnt make it leave. It was still feeding on me when I came back. So there I was, back in beautiful San Francisco, with an alien parasite inside me that wanted nothing more than to suck the energy from every living thing in the world, starting with me.
And it also wanted to bleach your hair, Tom snidely quipped.
Thats not bleach, Tom. Thats probably from it living inside me.
Wait a minute, Tom interjected. Youre saying its STILL THERE?
Rick nodded. I tried to get it out. I dont remember the early days after my return that well, but thats probably when I started with the booze. It kept it quiet.
Didnt do YOU any good!
No, it didnt. The thing was screaming at me day and night. I guess the booze kept me from hearing it but I suspect you remember more about those days than I do. I didnt want to kill myself; that might have released it, or worse, it would have simply animated my corpse and gone about its business. But I sure as [censored] didnt want to keep it! Worse, I couldnt tell anyone what had happened because no one would have believed me.
A few times back then you said something about a voice in your head. I thought youd cracked.
Maybe I did. The 24-7 struggle took everything I had. I didnt even know if I was winning.
Something took everything you had, Rick. You crawled into the bottle and never came out. Your business collapsed; you walked away from your engagement; you turned away everyone who tried to help!
Yeah, that much I can remember. Rick looked hard into Toms eyes. Tell me honestly: if Id told you then what I told you just now, would you have believed me?
Toms reply was quick and brutally honest. No. And I probably wouldnt have called for a special consultant, either. Not unless you had something to show for it. [censored], for that matter, Im STILL not convinced!
Thats why I left town. I spent my last dollar on a one-way ticket to Paragon City so I could get that thing out! There was no chance of me getting the help I needed while I was here!
I am not a thing, and I dont appreciate being characterized in that manner!
I knew about your trip. We were all thinking youd lost it, but when we heard about that, that clinched it. Paragons the only city in America thats nuttier than this one!
But theres no greater concentration of experts on weird [censored]! Rick argued. I knew I wasnt going to figure it out myself! And, after a dead end or two, I finally found someone who knew what had happened to me. The rest came after three years of working at the problem.
So its gone? You said it was still inside you!
Uh, yeah, it is still-
Richard! I sense a large concentration of energy moving this way!
#69397 Get Grog a Drink!
#155312 No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded
#229565 Take Back the Park! (lowbie friendly)
Praetor of the [url="http://www.forgottenlegion.net"]Forgotten Legion[/url] SG and mod for the HUB player community. All hail the mighty Grog!