Enhance: Chapter 17

They went back to the hotel to regroup, eat and plan. The night snuck up on them and next thing they knew they had to head back out. Crossing the city Yumi and Shade found the stadium together, arriving before the try outs. Phase and Feint had things to take care of for Darren. There were a few people scattered around hanging around the stadium. Vanguard look outs.

“You’re sure about this?” Shade asked as he stood with Yumi a little away from everyone else. He folded his arms glancing at the street and focusing on the stadium itself. 

“Yeah,” Yumi said nodding and pointed. “Place looks run down as shit. You sure it’s happening here?”

“The location changes a lot but my contact that got us the invite confirmed it. If anything goes wrong you can contact me. I’ll be hanging around.”

She laughed softly. “So you’re going to be my Shadeow?”

He just stared at her blankly. She laughed as he did his best to ignore her. She turned and then jumped off the edge sliding down the building. Swinging around she flipped landing on the ground. Once she was street level she started walking forward, keeping her eyes and ears open.

The streets were dark save and pretty much empty. As she walked forward, her hands in her pockets she , she passed the ticket booth of the old stadium. A man stopped her, glaring but she revealed a dark orange card. He looked at it, nodded once and stepped aside.

She nodded walking into the stadium and disappeared around a corner. It was wide and empty hallway meant to hold hundreds of people filtering in and out of the stadium proper.

Shaking her head she looked for a sign of anything. An arrow that said ‘this way’ or even someone else walking around. Circling around the long way of the hallway or even a non-boarded up door. For a second, she thought she’d been set up in some kind of scam. Something heavy slammed into the ground out of sight and she jumped startled.

She jumped, whirling around to face it and then narrowing her eyes. Someone else was here. That was a comforting though. Someone else meant she could talk to and or hit them.

She stepped forward slowly going toward the sound when gunfire erupted behind her. Diving to the side and behind a old food stall she glanced aside to see the shooter.

She got a look at him for a second though before he was shot down. More gunshots and shouting started echoing around her. Some words she knew, others were in languages she barely understood. She swore she heard an explosion as well. Shapes came out of the darkness illuminated by muzzle flare and it was a regular battle royal.

Scrambling forward she stumbled and then leaped forward as something flew over her head. She caught sight of it and her eyes widened sharply. It was once the arm of someone. Keeping cover around the stall and shook her head swearing under her breath, “What the fuck is all of this shit!”

She wasn’t going to take this lying down though. Getting up she dashed forward and tackled a stranger into the ground. He punched her in the head hard enough to daze her meaning he was definitely stronger than the average bear.

Shaking her head slowly she fell to the side quickly to dodge another blow. She got to her feet and threw a punch into his gut. She sent him rolling backwards and turned toward the sound of another brawl.

A threesome of strangers, trying to throw one of the others to the ground. Yumi darted around, jumping forward and punching the one in the middle. Using them as moment she kicked out with both legs taking out the other two.

She started running when she heard the loud banging in the background. She turned around and watched as a wall blew outward in an explosion of fire that she swore was green. She didn’t stick around to confirm that. Running forward she got out of dodge to find cover again. “How long is this initiation gonna last?”

Outside Shade was watching the destruction of the arena with a shake of his head. Smoke roiling out, entire walls going down and flashes of multiple lights. He’d actually watched one of the go down a year ago. The warehouse that they’d fought in had been destroyed and it took a few weeks before they cleaned out all of the remains.

Folding his arms, he shook his head and started pacing the rooftop. There had to be something he could do while waiting. Turning he started watching the streets. People stumbling around on the streets trying to get back inside or outside into their cars. It was late as hell so you got busy going or got busy getting into trouble.

He saw some drunken guy stumbling down the sidewalk with a paper bag in hand. Probably drunk off his ass. But something caught his eye specifically that got him interested.

A pair of guys were taking boxes to the back of a van. He would have ignored them but at the same time they were dressed a little too well for this neighborhood. He stepped down hopping forward and landing on the edge of a store. Leaning forward he blended into the shadows and listened.

“Why’s the Knight got us knocking over these places? This is Vanguard grunt work. Not Royals.”

With a grunt he tossed one of the boxes into the back of the van and shook his head. “Just shut up and do it. You’re getting paid ain’t ya?”

“Whatever man.” Walking back into the shop below Shade he brought a box and stuffed more merchandise inside it.

Shade watched them for a few moments longer and frowned. Was this really worth his time. But the same time he didn’t have anything else to do while waiting for Yumi. Leaning forward but still in the shadows he pulled on his mask. Though considering there were only two guys around to cause trouble, he probably didn’t need it.

Shade jumped out of the shadows landing on the back of the truck. He heard the sound of the door opening and a startled voice. Whipping his head around to the source of the sound and smirked.

“What the hell was that?”

“Go check it out!”

“What’s going on out there?”

“Robbie heard something.”

He slammed the door closed as he stepped outside the van. Walking a few paces forward he managed to glance toward the top before Shade leaped over. Tackling him to the ground Shade slammed the man’s head into the ground. Reaching to his hip he got the gun out.

Turning around he faced the other outsider and shrugged. “Hi there.” Whipping out his gun he pointed at him and Shade pointed back. “This is awkward.”

“Who the fuck are you?”

“That’s a rude way to address a new friend.”

“Just blow his head off!”

Shade glanced at him and then his abilities kicked in. He blended into the shadows and the man couldn’t focus on him anymore. It was like trying to focus on an eye floater. Mostly impossible.

Dashing forward Shade got behind the man and grabbed him by the front of his head. He shoved him forward, slamming his head into the door. He pushed the gun against the back of his head and almost pulled the trigger. Stopping himself he hit him in the back of the head with the gun.

He turned to the one who walked out of the shop. “Now it’s just me and you.”

The man was in the process of dropping the box to get his gun when Shade pointed his own at him. “Now friend, I’d like it if you didn’t do that. We can just have a normal talk.”

“Talk about what?” he growled as he glared at Shade.

“Nothing too intense. You know. Just a message I want you to send to the Royals.”

He couldn’t believe that he was about to say this but at the same time, if Yumi was going to declare this war on the Vanguard they might as well double down. Not to mention he didn’t like the Royals much.

“What’s the message?” He asked and glared. He figured he wasn’t going to get killed so he had leeway to get pissed off at him.

“That this street, no this city, belongs to us.” Shade said and waved the gun through the air slowly. 

The thug laughed then and shook his head. “And who the fuck are you?” He asked.

Good question. Shade hadn’t thought that far ahead. At least he hadn’t. He doubted that the others had either. With a shake of his head Shade lowered his gun and shot the man in the leg. He cried out as he crouched down holding his leg. With a laugh he spun the gun around his finger and turned. “Oh, take care of your friend.”

Jumping once he landed on the van and then to the rooftops.. A good fight every once and a while was good for the blood. Still he could have done better with that. Once he was on the rooftops he looked forward and glanced at the old stadium and saw things had dialed down. He wondered if Yumi managed to qualify.

A tap on his shoulder revealed her. She scowled at him and then winced He saw a few welts on her face and she was rotating her arms stiffly. “Damn. That was rough. Could have fucking warned me Shadeow.” She glared at him.

“You didn’t call for me.”

“Hey I didn’t need help.” She flipped out a burner phone and he whistled.

“Wow. I’m impressed.”

“Sounds like you doubted me. Never doubt the Yumi.”

He snorted and motioned back toward the city. “Come on then. I’ll buy you something to eat.”

They started walking toward the edge of the rooftop. “So you taken down criminals and sending messages?”

He looked at her and then shook his head. “It was your idea.”

“I know.” She smirked. “Though we need a name for sure.”

“You got any ideas out there?”

“Nope. We can figured that out later. I’m not trying to think right now.” They jumped forward and landed a bit rough. She grunted slightly and he glanced at her.

“I can carry you, you know.”

She glared at him. “Over my dead body Shadeow. I can manage.”

“You can’t come up with a name for the group but you have that?” He asked incredulously.

“Your names super easy to build off of. Plus I’m creative when need be.”

He shook his head slowly and then looked toward the sky for a moment. “Call me by my real name, DJ.” That startled her and when she looked at him he had a small smile. She didn’t tease him about this th