The Last Dainv-Chapter 106

The Last Dainv-Chapter 106

In the dark night, he might not be the hero Toronto deserves. Maybe not even the one it needs right now or ever if the city even needs one. He is only a guardian that perches over the corner of the building in front of where the Red Jacket woman burst out from. A watchful protector that will bring them to justice for their crimes of dust and… and their crimes against humanity that spread the corruption throughout the lands in which he walks. Gale will become the 'dark hunter'.
Looking over the broken glass of the window, the curtains moved and danced against the wind that flowed through the window. Emptiness, just like how the dust corruption carves out a void within the city's heart. A force that must be stopped at all costs, and only the dark hunter can stop it as he himself was hidden from the hidden stupid dumb bureaucracy of the Path that has taken a foothold in North America.
Gale used Distort, bending light around his body until he became nigh invisible. As long as he didn't move too much, no one would see him, especially in the darkness of the night.
"Guide," he growled, making his voice as gravelly as possible to sound like a certain character he once watched. "Can you locate Red Jacket's ether signature?"
[Analyzing previous encounter data. Searching for matching ether patterns within detection range.]
Gale watched the streets carefully below. Multiple cars passed by, obviously going over the speed limit at this time well past midnight. A couple argued outside the convenience store at the front of the plaza about a meaningless thing like 'you never choose what to eat'. Normal life going on for mundane people while he, the dark hunter, hunted the dangerous criminals that lurked in the shadows of night.
[Match found. Confidence index: 97%. Location: approximately 4 kilometres southwest.]
[Two awakened-level signatures detected in proximity. Pattern match confirms targets.]
Perfect. Round two, bad guy. I mean, bad woman guy.
Gale jumped from the roof to the fire escape. The metal clanged as he landed. He went over the railing and dropped three stories to the ground. The dark hunter's legs took the impact easily.
He opened his storage box interface. He picked the Weber X1-Balista, and the otherworldly pistol materialized in his right hand.
The green orb above the receiver glowed softly in the night. It pulsed in sync with his own heart. Putting it into his hoodie’s pocket, Gale started sprinting.
Four kilometres. Five minutes at his pace. He still needed to maintain a mundane's pace. Hopefully, this was mundane enough.
He ran through the alley. Dumpster just behind the fence. He jumped over that too and used the walls to leap in a zigzag motion through the alley. Breath of the Void showed him shortcuts, mapping out the fastest line possible.
Danforth and Birchmount reached. It was an intersection with a strip mall, apartment buildings, and a gas station. Gale slowed down, following the ether signatures Guide had led him to.
Behind the strip mall at the loading dock, two figures stood in the dark shadows. One wore a red leather jacket and had platinum blonde hair. The other wore a suit, with chunky looking shoulders, hands in his pockets while standing very still.
Gale got closer, climbing onto a small shed roof near the dumpsters. He could hear them but stayed far enough away to avoid detection.
"…can't keep doing this," Red Jacket said. "Most of these addicts are already on their deathbeds. We need fresh meat."
The suited man spoke with a rough voice much like the dark hunter's. "The family wants profits, not excuses."
"Fuck the family," she spat. "I told you we're being watched. United Knights were spotted around this neighbourhood twice this week."
"You worry too much."
"And you're not being careful enough!" She poked his chest. "We've lost three distribution points in Scarborough alone. The new formulation is killing mundanes too fast. We're running out of customers."
This whole thing smells the same as the whole event that happened in Oshawa. Maybe criminals all think alike, Gale mentally shrugged.
The suited man shrugged. "So we move territories. Plenty of fish in Hamilton. Or London."
"It's not that simple. We need…"
Gale stopped listening and focused on the long-barrel gun with a green orb on the receiver in his hand. The green orb glowed brighter as he held it. It said it uses essence as ammo. No bullets needed.
He aimed at Red Jacket and steadied his arm. The motes of light in the orb spun, pulling essence from his core. He felt his own pathways connect more intimately to the gun, and then…
He pulled the trigger.
The gun kicked hard, much stronger than he expected. A quiet
thwip
sound came with a green flash from the barrel, creating a ray of light between him and the target that blinked until it faded.
Red Jacket screamed and stumbled back as the shot hit her shoulder. No blood. Just a clean, smoking hole through her jacket and skin.
"Shit!" She spun around, looking for who shot her. "We've got company!"
The suited man looked up, scanning the area. His face started to change under his skin.
Red Jacket reached into her pocket and pulled out a marble, the same gray and shiny marble that Ollie used. She flicked it up with her good arm.
"Find cover!" she shouted as the marble reached its highest point.
The marble stopped in midair. Then it spun fast enough to make a high pitched whine. A gray translucent barrier formed around Red Jacket woman.
The sound of a dog sniffing came from the suited man until he looked straight at Gale's position. His eyes changed to slits, like a cat's, even though he was supposed to be a dog that sniffed loudly.
"There!" His voice sounded more like a growl rather than human speech.
The suited man
leapt
20 feet straight up towards the roof. His body twisted in the air, and the trench coat he wore tore open as his muscles grew. His nails grew longer whilst his hands grew thicker, looking more like a feline paw and claws.
Gale put the gun back into his storage box and then materialized Weber into his right hand in one smooth motion. The blade deflected the suited man's claw aimed at his neck as he rolled to the side.
The beast-man crashed where Gale had been, concrete cracking, dust flying, reducing the visibility of the rooftop to 0 to those that used their eyes. Breath of the Void provided him vision. He didn't even need his own eyes.
"Kill that fucker!" Red Jacket screamed.
She raised her good arm. Her gun barrel glowed orange, then white-hot. She fired three bullets that left fire trails.
Gale swung his sword. He cut through one bullet. It burst into flames that scattered left and right away from him.
He twisted away from the second.
The third one curved, following him.
He dropped flat. The bullet went over him. Then it turned sharply down.
Shit!
Gale pushed away from the concrete floor. Bullets splattered all over the floor, a splash of fire landed on his thigh.
The suited beast man was already behind him, pouncing. It slammed into him, both rolling across the roof. Gale kicked him away, but sent himself skidding across the floor. His back hit the brick wall. Cracks formed along the bricks outward from the impact.
The suited beast man stood up. Mouth formed a snout. Teeth bared, drool dripped down the edges. Its maw was already flying towards his face.
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Weber flat blocked the incoming teeth. Its jaws unhinged and went over to the edge, biting on the metal. The beast tried to chew, but one of its fangs cracked and chipped.
When it backed off, Gale took on a baseball player's stance and swung the flat of his blade at the beast's head. However, it jumped backwards, avoiding the strike altogether.
Red Jacket woman was already aiming at his location.
Gale jumped backwards. He lobbed his Weber blade upwards. Left hand in pocket, Weber pistol materialized, already aiming at Red Jacket.
Red Jacket woman squeezed her trigger. So did Gale.
Bright green ray passed through the single bullet mid air. Grey marble blocked the trajectory of the beam. The ray popped the gray marble, sounding like a single firecracker, but also completely dissipating the beam.
"Shit!" Red Jacket took cover behind a parked car. Her gun aimed, glowed orange again. She fired into the air. Bullets curved and homed in on his location.
Weber pistol went back into the storage box. Weber blade's hilt landed right in front of him. He caught it with his left hand just before it hit the concrete. Immediately, he pointed the flat upwards, meeting the bullets coming right at him. Hands numbed from the impact, and sweat began to pour from his neck and forehead from the heat.
Movement to his left.
Too late.
The beast man's fist hit his cheekbone. Bone hit bone. The punch itself wasn't as hard as the dark knight's slab of metal that it called a sword.
Gale stood there, not budging from the impact.
The suited beast's eyes widened.
Gale kicked up. His sneakers hit the man's stomach. Felt the man's ribs crack. The suited beast flew backward, crashing through the air vent and falling down to a dumpster below.
Time to end this.
Gale closed his eyes. Let Breath of the Void flow into him. Billions of lines and shapes bloomed across his exposed skin.
The world changed. Night inverted to day. Street lights deformed and stretched. Sound, visible and coloured. Everything slowed as galaxies spun in the shadows of the world.
Fire bullets moved slowly toward him. Five of them.
Gale stepped between them. Hit one with his sword. Leaned away from another. Bullets moved like they were underwater.
The beast-man charged from the wreckage. Claws out. Teeth bared like a mutt that hasn't eaten in a month.
Before the beast could bite into his neck, Phase Touch spread across the Weber blade's edge. It passed through the suited beast's claws. Bone, claw, muscle, tendons, all cleanly sliced through. Suited beast man stumbled backwards, howling.
Gale turned. Gun arm out. Fired at the car.
Green light went through metal and hit Red Jacket's thigh. She screamed. Fell to one knee.
Movement behind him. The beast-man attacked again, aiming for Gale's neck.
Gale ducked. Stepped inwards. Palm against the suited beast's chest pointing to the sky.
Pushed
.
The suited beast-man launched upward into the night sky.
Red Jacket tried to aim with her good arm. No time for her to find a new angle.
Gale pounced
upwards
from the rooftop and fell to the ground going over a car's hood.
Red Jacket fired wildly. Bullet trails passed inches from his face.
Sword already swinging.
Weber blade cut through the car's frame as it also sliced through the red glyphed pistol she held.
Behind them, the beast-man hit the ground with a thud.
Gale shortened the Weber blade and slowly stabbed at Red Jacket's shoulder where a hole showed through the other side.
The lines and shapes pulled back from his skin, retreating back to his spine. The world reverted to its normal state, no longer day, changing back to midnight.
"You'll tell me everything I want whether you like it or not," Gale spoke as calmly as he could while catching his breath. The gravelly voice he forced earlier, nowhere to be heard.
Red Jacket's eyes turned to the clearing of the outside docking area. The suited beast man laid on the ground, partly changed back to human. Blood pooled under the sliced hands.
She swallowed hard. "Fuck you."
"Better start speaking if you still want that arm," Gale said, turning the blade slightly.
Red Jacket hissed through her teeth. Her good hand grabbed the pavement. "You don't get it. They'll kill me if I talk."
"I'll kill you anyways if you don't," Gale replied. He leaned closer, pushing the sword deeper. "And I promise it'll hurt a lot more."
She tried to laugh, but coughed instead. Blood appeared at the corners of her lips. "You're not from the Path. Not Knights either. Who the fuck are you working for?"
Gale slapped her across the face. That's what they did in movies, and he repeated a line he saw from a noir book.
"I ask the questions. You answer them." He pulled the sword back an inch, then pushed it forward again. "Now cough up the details on Spotlight."
Red Jacket screamed, eyes wincing closed. When she opened her eyes, tears had already pooled at the corners.
"I don't know who Spotlight is! I've never met them!"
"Try again."
"I'm serious!" Her voice cracked. "I deal with messengers. Intermediaries. That's how it works."
Gale spread the tendrils into her chest. Her heart rate stayed high, but there was no sign of change in rhythm. She wasn't lying, at least not completely. "These messengers. Where do I find them?"
"There's…" She swallowed hard. "There's a warehouse. In Bowmanville. One of Spotlight's messengers was there last week."
"Address?"
"I don't know the exact address. It's by the lake. South industrial area. Look for a red Celtic cross painted on the loading dock doors." She winced as she took a deep breath. "You can't miss it."
Gale eased the pressure on the sword slightly. "What does Spotlight want? Why build this network?"
Red Jacket laughed bitterly. "What does anyone want? Money. Power."
"You don't believe that."
Her eyes narrowed. "What?"
"Your face changed when you said it." Gale forced his voice to become gravelly again, failing and ending up coughing.
"Anyways, try again." he said.
She looked away from his eye contact. "It's just... the operation's too organized. Too careful. People who just want cash make mistakes. Get sloppy. Spotlight never does."
"So what's the real play?"
"I don't know." She shook her head. "But it's bigger than money. Something about the way the messengers talk. Like they're part of something... I don't know... important."
Gale frowned. "The House of Silver Lion. What's their connection?"
Red Jacket's eyes widened slightly. Heart beat slightly skipped a beat. "How do you…?"
"Answer the question."
She licked her lips. "They provide muscle. Security. Some of the distribution. It's a partnership, not a hierarchy."
"And your role?"
"I handle the East End corridor. Me and that idiot move product to smaller dealers." She looked at the beast-man. "Liam handles enforcement when needed."
Gale followed her gaze. Liam must be that idiot she's talking about. Almost human, dog, cat. Whatever he calls himself.
"When's the next deal?" Gale asked, looking back at Red Jacket.
She hesitated.
Gale pressed the sword against her again.
"Next Saturday!" she gasped. "Midnight. Billy Bishop Airport. Private hangar section. A shipment's coming in from Montreal."
"How much?"
"Five kilos of raw dust. Plus some new formula they've been working on." She winced. "That's all I know. I swear."
Gale believed her. She was scared, hurt, and out of options.
"Remember this. This isn't going to end well if you're lying to me," he said slowly, "I'll find you again. Next time, maybe you won't have a shoulder anymore."
"I'm not lying." She chuckled as she spoke. "Just... just kill me now if you're going to. The Silver Lions will do worse when they find out I talked."
Gale pulled his sword free. Blood came from the wound, but not enough to kill her. It would've probably put a mundane into a critical state, but she was awakened. Red Jacket grabbed her shoulder, sighing, probably in relief. He didn't care.
"What's your name?" she asked with a grin.
"Call me the hunter. The dark hunter," Gale said.
"What?" She raised an eyebrow.
His hand quickly struck at her temple, causing her eyes to roll backward as she fell onto the pavement. Weber blade disappeared as it dematerialized back into the storage box. Taking out his phone, he called his friend immediately. On the third ring, the receiver picked up.
"Progress?" Ollie asked.
"I got what we need." Gale looked at the two unconscious bodies. "But I left a mess. Corner of Danforth and Birchmount, behind the strip mall. Two of them."
"Dead?"
"Unconscious. The woman might have useful info. The guy's half-beast."
"Description?"
"Woman, platinum blonde, red leather jacket. Guy in a suit, transforms into something like a dog and a cat. Both attuned."
Ollie coughed, sigh coming out from the speakers. "Jackie Wallace and Liam Duvall. Small-time dust runners. Didn't think they'd moved up to distribution."
"Well, they did." Gale jumped back up to the rooftop, checking for any sign of pedestrians. Looks like no one. Empty street except for the raccoon having a field day on the dumpster across the street. "Jackie claims there's a shipment coming to Billy Bishop next Saturday at midnight. Five kilos, plus something new."
"Interesting," Ollie said. "We'll need to intercept that. What else?"
"Warehouse in Bowmanville. Red Celtic cross on the loading dock. One of Spotlight's messengers uses it as a base."
"Good work. Cleanup crew's on the way. Ten minutes. Don't be there when they arrive."
"What about the airport next week?"
"We'll have a meeting a day before." A pause. "You focus on Bowmanville. Find that messenger."
"And when I do?"
"Don't kill them. We need information more than bodies right now."
Gale nodded, though Ollie couldn't see. "Anything else I should know?"
"Be careful with the Silver Lions. They're old money. Old power. Liam's connected to them. Watch yourself."
"I can take care of myself."
"Doesn't hurt to be careful." Ollie sighed. "Remember, Gale. This is intelligence gathering. We need to find Spotlight, not start a war."
"Got it."
"Good. Check in when you reach Bowmanville."

Chapter 106