Alastor Dark sat alone in the meeting chamber, his tired eyes fixated on the black rectangular shaped paper-like material in his hand. A Black Dollar. Despite seizing it after Amesworth fell, he still had yet to deduce why it was activated in the first place. Flipping the card around and back he began to ponder.

  ‘I was told we’d never see this thing again and yet Brandon got ahold of it. Just how in the world did he plan on activating it anyways?

  He stopped flipping it to watch is reflection against the gloss of the card. Then, it hit him.

  ‘No, I mustn’t underestimate the man. I can only assume if he did manage to get ahold of the Black Dollar, then he knew exactly how to use it. The question then becomes, for who and why?’

  The sound of two men shuffling into the doorway detracted his thoughts. “Mr. Dark sir, is this a bad time? We’ve received an update from Cell 2.”

  He looked over his shoulder to see two men in black suits and lighter blue ties standing beside each other, hands clasped behind their backs. The one who spoke had stepped forward slightly. Alastor sighed. “No, go ahead.”

  The Blue Collar nodded. “Mr. Carmichael says hi—”

  “I don’t care.”

  “—and reports that Miss. Rosa’s behavior has been somewhat unusual.”

  “Somewhat?”

  “Yes. Miss Wolfe also confirms this, adding that she’s been more ‘tense’ since returning to the city, not that she cares at all. Her, not me, sir.”

  “Does Anastasia herself have any update for me?”

  “No sir.”

  “…I see.” Alastor turned back to the Black Dollar. “If that is all, you two are dismissed.”

  With a sigh of relief, the men shuffled out faster than they came in, leaving Alastor alone yet again with the Black Dollar, which began to feel heavier in his hand.

  ‘Ana, what aren’t you telling me?’

  …

  A dark Blue Collared police officer surveyed the taped off zone; it was a cloudy morning, the street darkened under some of the tallest buildings in Empire city. Shattered glass coated the sidewalk, holes from what looked like were from explosives were scattered across the street, including a mailbox, as well as a destroyed car. Besides the car, the only other nearby vehicle was an RV with an empty tank and cut fuel line—also riddled with holes. As police continued to spectate, the officer couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

  “Chief Bennis!” A lighter blue collared officer jogged to his side. “The road’s been blocked since last night. I’ve been receiving calls from business that they’re gonna have to let more people go if we can’t get this straight by tonight.”

  “Eh,” he replied, “Not like many business here are staying anyways.”

  “But sir we could’ve—no should’ve had it cleared by now. Why haven’t we made any progress?”

  “We can’t,” Bennis answered.

  “Huh? What do you mean we can’t?”

  “I mean we legally cannot,” The officer snapped. “We’ve been relieved as the frontrunners of this operation.”

  “Relieved?”

  Bennis nodded. “To make matters worse they specifically asked us not to touch this crime scene!” He looked over his shoulder and spat. “Tch, they think we can’t handle it! Buncha nonsense.”

  “But that’s not fair! They can’t just come in here and start ordering—”

  “Of course they can!” Bennis’s voice rose sharply. He paused and took of his cap to fan himself. “Rickard, the best we can do his hold fast and let these guys blow over and clear this up. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can get our next star.”

  “And make our record perfect!” the other man said excitedly. He looked around. “So who’s taking over then?”

  The dark blue collar looked around before pointing over his partner’s shoulder, “See for yourself, Rickard.”

  The man known as Rickard heard the music first; loud heavy metal blaring not from the oncoming black SUV speeding from the darkness, but the black and dark purple motorcycle ahead of it. The headlight’s design was a skull with bat wings jetting from its temples, which seemed to glow as it charged at the two at full speed. They both tried to get out of the way but stumbled back onto the ground as the vehicle skidded right in front of them, twisting to its side to park. Getting a better look through the smoke, Rickard saw the rider take off her helmet, revealing long jet black hair in a Mohawk style with tattoos, wearing a dark coat, white dress shirt, black bottomless pants, and fishnets under. She shot the two an emotionless glance.

  “U-um…” Rickard gulped. “H-hi—”

  ‘SKR—CRASH!’

  The black SUV skidded to a more abrupt halt, smashing a few cop cars to the side. A younger man and woman stepped out, the man wearing chains, a blue and black suit with brown and red dyed hair, and the woman wearing a simple dress shirt and blue pants with dark brown hair. The police glared at the three as they looked back in awkward silence. Even the Blue Collars on the side seemed to stop working.

  “…”

  Finally, the younger man cleared his throat, “So uh, is this the place or nah?”

  The woman’s annoyed glance traced over Anastasia to the cops. “Hmm, I dunno, Andre. Why don’t you ask our all but competent ‘field leader’?”

  “You need to be quiet, Jacklyn,” Anastasia said, stepping forward. “This is a professional work environment.” She stopped halfway between them and the other Blue Collars, snapping her fingers and pointing at them, then to the ground. “You. Here. Now.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Glancing at each other first, the two started their way to her.

  “Not you,” she pointed a finger to Rickard, then another to Bennis, “Just you.”

  Rickard gave a small smile, waving his hand as the other officer reluctantly made his way to Anastasia. He forced a smile of his own, “Ah, if it isn’t our backup! My name’s Bennis Waters, and my assistant here’s Rickard Dawson of the ECPD, Empire City Police Department.”

  “My name is Anastasia da Rosa and your investigation has been a complete failure.” She stated bluntly looking at her nails. “Since the fall of Amesworth there’s been a five-hundred percent increase of homeless mob attacks on private businesses and infrastructure. All under your watch, Empire City is in the process of losing its stake in being a model city, let alone hospitable since losing Gleem Machinery.” She finally looked at him. “Can you explain where you went wrong?”

  “Bennis gritted his teeth. “Listen lady I don’t have a clue who put you—”

  “Of course you can’t,” She replied. She eyed Rickard, now pointing at him then the ground. With a nod, the man quickly jogged over to the two.

  “Yes, ma’am?” he asked.

  “What is the progress of this operation?”

  “Yes ma’am—miss Rosa!” Bennis shook his head as Rickard cleared his throat loudly. “We’ve been rounding up any loiters, trespassers, and other suspicious looking folks who’ve been getting too close to things and places they shouldn’t’ve. So far, everyone we gotten either claims they know nothing, or are just too out of it to even respond properly”

  “Not enough. I want all homeless shelters on permanent police surveillance. Monitor anyone coming in and out.”

  Rickard nodded. “Consider it done!”

  “And all homeless individuals swept from the streets immediately.”

  He gave officer Bennis a look, to which he shrugged. The light Blue Collar looked back at the woman. “Yeah, we can do that to.” He looked to the crime scene. “Before you all showed up we were trying to get a good idea of whatever Talents these guys might possess and narrow our search from there.”

  Kneeling to the curb, Anastasia traced her fingers across a blown off piece of the ground, “Intriguing.”

  Andre looked above and around them. “So how come this whole city’s got cameras and you can’t even catch one?”

  Bennis scowled. “Those don’t seem to work when most were taken out.”

  “And you can’t replace them?”

  The man groaned. “We’re spread thin, son. Even if we could, most out best men are using their Talents to protect the high priority businesses. Anyone else we send to reestablish the cameras either come back bloodied or not at all.”

  “And these places that where attacked,” he continued, stepping to one of the shattered windows. “You telling me you need your best? Especially when most of your force’s Bodily Talented?”

  Bennis felt his malice for this one growing. “Cause they clearly got some kind of muscle we don’t understand!”

  “So you’ve got no cameras, not eyewitness reports, and clearly no idea of how to do any of this besides locking up anyone you see?”

  The dark Blue Collar took a step towards the taller Collar. He looked him up and down. “Boy, is a thug like you really insinuating I don’t know how to do my job?”

  “He’s not insinuation that, he’s insinuating you suck at it.” Jacklyn stepped up to the two, popping her gum while resting her forearm on Andre’s shoulder. “Your force has an abundance of privileged Bodily Talented, yet you’re getting manhandled by malnourished homeless people who’re probably high as hell! Ta ha, ha! I’m tickled pink!”

  From the sidewalk, Anastasia twitched her finger in their direction, “Andre, cop, Jacklyn, come here.”

  “Aaaaand there goes my mood.” Jacklyn sighed following Andre to her. Bennis hesitated but followed anyways, shaking his head. Anastasia stood in front of the RV. She swirled her finger I the air.

  “Jacklyn, assess the Inner-gi of the crime zone. Specifically this RV and exploded debris.”

  “Um, ew.” She replied. “These Blues waltzing around is gonna make it much harder anyways.”

  “I don’t care, you’ll be fine.”

  Grumbling, Jacklyn stated to chew faster. Anastasia and Andre quickly jumped behind the yellow tape. Bennis looked confused at first before realizing what was about to happen.

  “Hey, Rickard, you and the boys get clear NOW!” he yelled running for the tape. The other officers dashed out as fast as they could, Rickard being last, barley making out just a mass of pink appeared from Jacklyn’s mouth, encompassing the entire crime zone as a large bubble.

  ‘POP!’

  Chewed gum was everywhere; coating the area in sticky pink bubble gum. She stood in the middle, swirling her finger around one of the strands hanging from her mouth while tracing the rest with her tongue. Rickard leaned forward, using his hand to block the sun from his field of view.

  “So her Talent is…gum?” he asked.

  “Pretty much,” Andre answered. “Right now she’s coated the crime zone to get a taste for it, literally.”

  “And?” Bennis looked at him. “What goods that supposed to do us, eh?”

  He eyed the man, then back at Jacklyn. “When Talent users fight, they leave traces of Gi behind. My friend here can literally taste that and determine how many people where there and what Talents they had by using chewing gum.”

  “So she’s Material, eh?” The dark collared officer said under his breath. “And a disgusting one at that.”

  Andre found his gaze working back to him but before he could reply Jacklyn sucked the gum back into her mouth. It slid off everything as if it were slick as slime. She sucked her lips to her finger.

  “Ooh this batch’s sweet!” she grinned. “Sweet and spicy with…hmm?” she paused, letting her chin fall to her fingers. “I haven’t tasted this flavor in a long time…”

  “What, was it nasty?” Andre asked followed by Anastasia, Bennis and Rickard. The brunette shook her head.

  “It was more sour, the good kind, like I just got a boost of Gi just tasting it,” She said feeling her smirk return. “So in total we’ve got two Material types, two Bodily types, and one…let’s say unknown for now.”

  Anastasia walked past them to the alleyway. “Disgusting as usual. Good work.”

  Jacklyn tried to swing at her but Andre caught her from behind. She struggled, growling and grabbing in the shorter woman’s direction but he held firm, knowing Alastor would hold him responsible if anything where to happen between the two. Finally Jacklyn’s body un-tensed, her shoulders relaxed, panting.

  “You can let me go now,” she said sadly. “I’m done.”

  “You’d better be, damn!” he said. The two followed Anastasia. Bennis and Rickard looked at each other, carefully following the two. Rickard leaned towards Bennis.

  “Say, chief.” He whispered.

  “What is it?”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way but…I think our government is corrupted.”

  “What gave you that impression?”

  He carefully motioned his head to Andre and Jacklyn. “You see those uniforms, right?”

  “That I do.”

  “And their Collars,” He glared, “They may be the same color as ours, yet we’re so different…”

  Bennis sighed, “What’s your point Rick?”

  “What I’m asking is how do they, so young, loud, and unprofessional, outrank us? I mean you saw how they introduced themselves! Only corruption could employ people that unfit for their job!”

  Bennis quickly pulled Rickard to the side against the wall. “Look, just keep your head down and do as I say, alright? You and I both know this ain’t gonna last forever but until then…” he eyed the government workers ahead and let the man go. “We still got a job to do.”

  Rickard watch him head off. He smiled, “Yeah, Right!”

  Anastasia stood at the end of the alleyway staring at the dead end. The others caught up. Bennis shook his head.

  “Already tried this,” he said. “Dead end. Whoever these five were up and vanished as soon as we showed up.”

  Ignoring him, her eye shot to the dumpster near her and kicked it to side, revealing a manhole under. She glanced at the Blue Collared cops behind her, who were silent. She stomped the lid with her foot, letting it fall behind her, narrowly missing the officers—who stumbled out the way.

  “Jacklyn,” she said.

  “Oh hell no!” she exclaimed.

  “Your Talent absorbs Gi, not germs.”

  “I don’t care about that!” she huffed. “I can literally hear the thousands of rats down there. No way I’m tasting anything remotely good down there with all those in the way!”

  Rolling her eyes, Anastasia tossed her coat to Rickard. “Drop it and I kill you.”

  The officer fumbled, catching it as the woman hopped inside the sewer, the ankle-high water hitting her boots with a small ‘splash’. She took out a light and looked around, carefully walking forward then back.

  ‘They definitely escaped down here. Did they use rats to cover for any sort of Gi tracing? That assumes they know about us specifically which is a reach, even with their supposed knowledge.’

  “Where did you go?” she asked herself calmly, wandering deeper…