<03/16/1972 – 00:00 | Manhattan Outskirts, New York, United States>

  The sheer recklessness of this plan is just shameful to conceive. That's what Nyar might say right now if only he knew what was really going on. Danny wondered while treading down the dark alley whether Nyar was even aware of this situation yet, or if he was still out at his work, but it doesn't matter. This is going to work!

  Jane and Taylor huddled closely together behind Danny marching in front, though it did little to stave off the creepiness of this strange zone. Small business structures and a few abandoned warehouses all cuddled up together, generating the open system shaped in a maze on a map. In the center of the meeting zone Danny was designated to arrive at, all of the short sections of space opened up into a square-like drop-off with crates of unknown materials fenced off with chains and locks.

  This is the place Danny recalled in his meeting point. This open space of concrete with corners subtlety packed with rusted down barrels and garbage piles outside the overflowing dumpster set the vibe that was currently keeping Jane and Taylor silent. Danny took every detail for sight possible while slowing down to observe. There are four possible exit points from this area, though the one on the left is blocked off by a pointless fence that could easily be climbed. The area here is silent and dark, the only illumination coming from a back door entrance lit with a low-powered emergency LED light fixture. All of the surrounding walls blocked off the noise from the roads, which were a distance in either direction anyway. You could possibly scream out here and nobody near the streets would ever hear the sound, but at least the air wasn't nearly as brisk as it was the past few nights.

  Still, Danny tugged his dark jacket while bravely assessing the situation. A short strained glance at his watch proved it was just beyond midnight. Despite the meeting time being met, there was nobody else here. Danny checked every corner up and down stationary, ensuring that nobody was potentially hiding in plain sight.

  "This doesn't feel right," Taylor concerned. "Where is this buyer you mentioned earlier?"

  "I don't know," Danny responded with sincerity. He stepped further to the center of the area, right into the open space, and cleared his throat. "If anyone is here for the credit bargain, please step out right now. Show yourself! I wish to make this arrangement as simple as possible."

  Responding to his loud demand, the sound of footsteps echoed through the open square. In just seconds, three adults with their identities concealed behind the darkness of their cloaks emerged from the shadows, casually approaching the center of where Danny is standing on the opposite side. Their cloaks concealed most of their entire bodies like a special robe; each colored the same way mostly white with red striped designs, though color was difficult to see in the poorly lit area.

  "Finally." Danny tried to sound as calm and mundane as possible, since this already feels so dangerous. "So which one of you is the client? I thought we both agreed to meet each other alone."

  When the three of them stopped, the man between them took two additional steps to reveal his position and talk to Danny directly. "These men are my insurance policy, some protection. But I see you've brought yourself some uninvited quests yourself. Such beautiful girls too. Are they backup bargaining chips?"

  "You've got it all wrong," Danny corrected. At least the additional people was easily explained. "These two are insurance policies of my own. I guess we both trust each other about the same amount."

  "Sure," he agreed, "if you can call that protection." Those girls can't even stand up straight, hugging each other's breath for comfort. This guy truly is out of his mind, and alone, and with such a size, he can't be much older than a legal adult.

  "Are we going to make this deal, or not?"

  "And how would I be able to prove you're not some idiot going undercover for the police? Trying to scurry away our people like rats?"

  Danny quickly argued the contrary. "Am I not taking the same risk as you have? I'm fully prepared to make a trade, and I have to trust that your intentions are all the same. I would be disappointed if either one of us were stupid enough to risk our lives side-stepping each other in a trade agreement. The cops have bigger fish to fry anyway, right?" What is with this guy? Why go through all this trouble to hide their faces? They better not be armed.

  "I do love it when people turn out to be such smooth talkers, but talk is cheap these days boy. Enough messing around. Show me proof of your claim."

  "Of course." Danny pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, only containing Jane's Leray license card. "As I've said before, I'm prepared to trade you three hundred thousand credits for two hundred thousand U.S. dollars."

  The middleman in the cloak examined the license card carefully, noticing the picture ID and the credit count on the card. "I see. You've got well over the amount promised for additional savings, and it seems that one of your friends is skilled in the arts of Leray warriorship." So they really are part of his protection. "So you want to exchange three hundred grand for two hundred grand?"

  "That's the deal, isn't it?"

  The man tucked the license card within his hood, keeping it out of sight completely. "The deal has changed." Easily as predicted, all three of the kids winced back with anger and surprise. The woman with the same picture on the card approached him in a threatening manner.

  "Forget it then," Jane hollered. "Give me back my card right now!"

  In a simple matter of showing all of them the counteroffer, the men in cloaks all pulled out small blades, mostly daggers and short sabers, aiming them at the three traders and forcing them to stop and back up in fear for their lives. "I said, the deal's changed. You were actually stupid enough to bring a license card with well over the amount of credits we were expecting. This makes it far more tempting to take it for ourselves and let you brats sulk in the consequences of your own stupidity."

  Danny watched Jane back up in fear behind him for cover. He couldn't blame her, because right now this is a really bad situation. Dying here is incredibly easy, and may only take one small cut from those blades. Danny dug his eyes everywhere to the addition of the noise, as almost a dozen more people in the same colored robes emerged from the darkness off each exit. They're surrounding all three of them! This really is a trap!

  "That's my license!" Jane tried to stand up for herself despite cowering behind Danny. It's not like she or Danny brought weapons of their own, and Jane's daggers were confiscated long ago. So much for making New York safer. "You can't just take that from me!"

  "But you see, Jane Venn, I just did." Almost on the verge of laughter, the man kept things simple. "Normally, this is the part where I mug you and kill you, but today I have orders not to slaughter anyone. So as long as you do as my men tell you, you'll be just fine, granted with a few broken ribs or two."

  "But how?!" Danny lashed out in confusion, at himself instead of the criminals in front of him. "How could this offer have been a fake? A setup? I confirmed from several different local accounts that you were the real deal."

  "It's called a proxy bounce, you loser excuse for a computer nerd. What purpose would it serve to announce my physical location to everyone in a ten mile radius?"

  Proxy bounce? That trick where the location of each system is mimicked from a different much further location? No, something else was going on here, but Danny knew he too was tricked long before this meeting ever happened. Dammit! Nyar was right about this being dangerous after all! "You tricked us! Now you're stealing from us!"

  With hesitation, the person leading this small loot changed his gaze to Jane. "You're bodyguard doesn't seem to grasp the concept very quickly. Is it possible we broke his mind?"

  Despite the pounding in her chest to the obvious danger, Jane crept back in front of Danny, revealing to them a tiny portable red LED light the size of her thumb. "Either way, you're going to answer for this somehow. This thing right here is a tracking device tuned into a police band. I only needed to use it in case we were tricked by you."

  "What?"

  "So," Danny shifted. "You remembered how to use that thing after all."

  "Everyone scram!" The guy in the middle panicked quickly upon the realization, as he threw down a small unknown device. The result quickly created a massive explosion of thick smoke, which easily obscured the view of everything. The fog was suddenly so thick that he couldn't see beyond two feet of any direction, though, everyone here knew the layout of the area.

  Danny at least had one less danger to deal with. This sudden smoke cloud must be their way of making a quick escape while masking it. Jane's license is still stolen, but at least they won't die a horrible death. That prank she just pulled was incredible. Danny had no idea that Jane had such a backup plan, but that small device is obviously not a tracking device. It's just the tiny little light Nyar gave to Jane, to satisfy her excessive energy, though it never really worked that way. The technology might look and mimic a tracking device, especially with such difficulty seeing the whole unit in the dark, and these thieves are afraid of the New York police. "That was good thinking Jane."

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Chapter Theme Shift:

  "Not so fast! I'm not letting them get away!" Jane darted forward through the smoke and fog, which spread in a wide direction of space. She knew to head forward only by instinct, and after studying the part of the map to the meeting place, she already knew at least where the north exit is and how far into the maze of alleyways it leads.

  "Jane! Wait!" Taylor glanced at Danny, after witnessing Jane take off without them in the thick haze. Taylor and Danny held hands to keep from getting separated, after which they rushed forward to try the same with Jane. After a few seconds of jogging forward, and recovering from slightly bumping into one of the walls, they both found the north exit Jane went for. However, Jane was nowhere in sight. Taylor and Danny tried to look around the next corner, the passage just before the rest of the next fork turns this massive section of grouped structures into a maze-like opening, and still, nothing. Jane must have ran at her top speed chasing after those guys just to get her license back, but that's incredibly dangerous beyond anything she could realize. Danny and Taylor looked at each other with worry, promising that they must find Jane and quickly before she gets herself into trouble.

  After just managing to escape from the smoke screen, Jane continued going down each path, almost randomly. She could hear the faint footsteps in range. These hooded thieves are still close by, trying to escape, likely back to whatever they're using for a hideout. With her license in their possession, there is no room to slow down and let them get away. Jane knew with a short back-glance that Danny and Taylor were not able to keep up with her right now, but it doesn't matter. Jane only needed to move quickly while remaining sneaky. They can't run away without leaving a trail.

  Jane continued down the path, peaking her head over to the next corner carefully and only for a second before hiding again. In her view, she just caught the sight of the back of someone's footsteps heading down the next left turn. They're very close, but could possibly spot her if they send somebody to backtrack. Jane checked to see if she was clear, and quickly huddled down halfway while shifting her feet, remaining speedy and quiet at the same time. With her head halfway down, she quickly ducked behind one of the many tin trash cans left to the side of the wall, providing herself some cover in case there is somebody watching her from above. After another scan above the trashcans, Jane shifted and moved forward again, failing to avoid a disgusting puddle of rain running water into her shoes and socks.

  She ignored the inconvenience and rushed onward, taking that left turn. The path would force her to go only right in just ten feet with no other possible directions, and Jane continued to mark each turn and check behind the walls to keep track of her targets. She couldn't see anyone behind this wall, but there were three more potential routes to choose from, and right now, Jane could hear the mild noise of muffled chatter. She moved down the path, hoping to match the direction of the sound to where she should go next... Left again. This time, Jane saw a glimpse of two more people take another route down the path of her own, wearing the same cloaks as the thieves before her. She's getting closer!

  Continuing to march left and right down several sections of such short openings, littered with rust, trash, graffiti, and cut open fences, Jane eventually caught up to a section that opened in two different areas. One would lead behind an old store that was already closed down for business, and the other goes straight out into the street, currently void of any signs of vehicle traffic. "Danny said I've got to be brave. I can do this." Jane quietly psyched herself up, taking it more slowly towards the next split in the walls. She could hear more men talking, even though she couldn't make any of it out. Surely, they were the thieves, but the closer she got, the louder they were to her ears. They must have stopped moving.

  The realization only made Jane slow her pace completely, ensuring she does not make a sound audible for anyone to hear. When she got to the split, turning her head over to peek to the very back of the run-down store, Jane saw all of them. Every single person wearing the same white and red robes were all gathered around, apparently to the back entrance of the store. They appeared to be arguing about something, though with little volume to their voices. Jane still couldn't make out what they were saying, and they kept their hoods over their heads concealing their facial identities too. She also had trouble figuring out why there is a single gravestone near the wooden fence further behind the store. Whatever it was didn't seem like a real gravesite, nor did it belong where it was.

  What the heck is this place? And who are these people? Jane knew she couldn't find out much more from standing around, but revealing herself is too risky. She can't take the chance that this place isn't their gang hideout. Something is wrong about this setup too... Which one of them stole her license? It's too hard to tell them apart anymore with all of them wearing the same outfit. What are they doing right now?

  "I want them found! Backtrack and make sure they cause no trouble!"

  That doesn't sound too good. Jane knew she was heavily outnumbered here, and her only real chance of getting her license back would be to snap out of illusion that she can fight them, and actually involve the police force. She quickly backtracked herself, trying to stay out of sight before anyone finds her, but after taking one of the turns, one of her worst nightmares came to life in the form of some stupid luck.

  "Jane! There you are!"

  Jane cupped Danny's mouth as quickly as she could, trying to shut him up as there is someone likely following her just behind that corner, but when she attempted to, Jane's foot tripped over one of the flat wooden slabs leaning on the stone wall, causing her to fall down on top of Danny, bringing some of the metal pieces sitting on the ledge to the ground as well. With one of the loudest trips to the concrete floor she ever had, Jane tried to recover, now feeling desperate to escape from this situation before it got any worse.

  Chapter Theme Shift:

  "Who's there?! Check it out!"

  That voice is so close! Jane helped Danny up and gave the warning they needed to hear to get moving. "We have to leave! Now!"

  "Stop right there!"

  With a flashlight in their faces coming from two sides, Danny, Taylor, and Jane were again surrounded. The surge of light also blinded them temporarily, while confused from being discovered again.

  "So, you thought you could sneak around like the rats you are? Tie them up! Jane? You're coming with us."

  Jane could feel her back against Danny's or Taylor's. Why do they want to take her? This isn't going to work. "Like hell I am! We have to fight." Her last comment was a whisper to the ears of her friends. Even if they are outnumbered and outbladed, this can't go down any other way.

  With the flashlights dimming due to excessive battery use, Danny could see much better while his eyes adjusted. The people surrounding them were still keeping some distance for insurance. "Why do you want her?"

  "Our boss seems to recognize the maiden. And whatever he asks for, he gets every time."

  "They recognize you?" Taylor sounded just as confused as Jane or Danny was about the matter, but the situation remained the same.

  "You wouldn't have tried to track down our hideout over a license card, not if you could have waited to get the police on your side. I'm guessing that tracking device was just an impressive bluff. But now that we know you're all alone, your options are to leave us with Jane, or die."

  Now noticing a wet metal pipe on the floor beneath him, dropped from that fall Jane took, Danny reached down and grabbed the pipe as his weapon of self-defense. "How about, you come anywhere near us, and we all mess you up?"

  Though the three men pulled out daggers and short swords, the man holding them hostage gave a hand signal to his men. "That won't be necessary boys. We can't risk having our merchandise injured. It won't be a problem."

  "You really want to fight us barehanded?" Jane tested.

  "Oh, you actually think we're scared of you? Don't make me laugh, plebs! You honestly think that a couple of wannabe warriors from Sprawn Valley have any real power out here in the wilderness beyond your precious veil? Magic has no use out here. But actual military training in close combat; that applies anywhere, and is a force which could be just as deadly. So you'll surrender your lives to us now, if you know what's good for you."

  Without saying anymore, Jane threw a small stone she picked up after tripping to the ground, and chucked it at the thug trying to hassle them. The rock then bounced off his skin, leaving him unfazed. It only hit him in the shoulder instead of the face, but it still should have hurt to a degree.

  "The hard way it is."

  Danny took his cue and rushed in with the metal pipe grasped to both hands firmly. Pretending as though this thing were a short sword from Sprawn Valley made it easier to handle, and brought back memory of maneuvers he could try. Upon reaching striking range, Danny was actually able to deflect one of the man's unarmed hits, and deliver a painful blow to his hips with a side swing, but shortly after this, two more of the hooded thugs appeared from the front end, outnumbering them further.

  "Capture the girl! Kill her friends!"

  "No!" Jane would never allow that order to be carried out, and fought with her fists just as the others were trying to do. Her efforts easily backed up Taylor, as Jane eventually punched one of the guys to the ground, but the next one who came after her quickly drove his entire arm to Jane's chin, after which he struck again with a shock to the side of her neck. Despite the efforts, Jane immediately passed out to the ground, making plenty of noise knocking over more materials that Danny and Taylor were fully aware of.

  Taylor went to try and save Jane, but was kicked backwards into the wall by the same man, now picking unconscious Jane up and holding her over his left shoulder.

  Danny took surprise to see that Jane was actually being taken hostage right before his eyes, unconscious and unable to move, while Taylor was apparently recovering from a hard kick. Two of the hooded gangsters hovered near the brute carrying Jane to block Danny's access from trying to fight and get her back. Danny continued his efforts desperately, swinging his metal pile like bat to try and debilitate the enemies. His efforts easily landed two of them to the ground in agony, but then another challenger stepped in front of him.

  Danny was forced to block a punch from the man with his own crowbar, but was then struck in his left arm and left leg consecutively with a small knife, cutting sharply into his skin and drawing blood through the clothing. With another punch to his nose, and a kick that sent him flying back into the trash can, Danny was disabled quickly with two new wounds and a bloody face. This caused the other girl to panic and stand guard in front of Danny, so the soldier simply threw another small knife into Taylor's left shoulder. The pain in her wound was easily distinguishable with her painful scream. He then threw the metal pipe he stole from Danny to Taylor, smacking her in the eye and sending her down to the ground aside from Danny. Both of them were still clearly fine despite their new wounds, but totally stunned from taking those hits. The idiots thought they were as capable here as they were in Sprawn Valley. But such fools they are! "There. That's better."

  "Are we finishing them or not?"

  "They're harmless worthless scum," the man replied. "Let them be. We may need them to stay alive if we're to have better bargaining chips later. After we've dealt with Jane, we'll come back and find these losers, to kill them as well."

  "Then let's get back to the chamber before somebody else finds us."

  "Relax, agent Six. We're going to be just fine with this discovery."

  The cuts on his arm and leg, as well as the heavy bruise to his nose left Danny with a heavy painful distraction, but he felt something similar to this before, when taking damage in the dark zone of Alpha Zero. This isn't enough... Why are they walking away? Danny wanted to get up and fight them again, but everything hurt, and he felt so weak compared to the last few seconds. Why is everything so blurry? "Taylor." Danny covered his scalp with a headache, and couldn't understand why he was being left alone.

  "Stay put, you inch worms. I'll be back for you soon enough. If your friend cooperates with us, you'll get to die quickly and with mercy."

  How dare they! They're taking Jane! Come on! Danny struggled heavily to strain himself and get back up, but the effort was constantly being wasted. He was so weak, it took much too long to regain his balance and stamina. He had the wind knocked out of his lungs earlier, still something affecting him. Taylor's face was beat up too, her shoulder bloody from a small knife wound. She was holding the bloody knife in her other hand, after she must have pulled it from her skin. This is bad! "Taylor, you'll be fine."

  Taylor could hear Danny, but his voice sounded as if he were being crushed. She was in just about as bad of shape as Danny was, but she decided not to make any sudden movements. It was stupid to think any of them could fight against real criminals out here. Might as well give up.

  "Nagh..." Jane managed to groan slightly from her fatigue and exhaustion. After having been knocked out, she was coming back to consciousness to figure out what happened, but she couldn't move or wake herself up completely. She was elevated off the ground, hovered halfway dangling off one man's shoulder as he walked behind other cloaked bandits, back to that gravestone. Jane knew she couldn't get out of this, and tried not to struggle. Pretending to be unconscious, Jane kept her eyes open lightly, witnessing the most unexpected thing she saw all night. From the backend of the store she observed earlier, the gravestone suddenly flattened down, and expanded into a larger square, which eventually opened up automatically into a small opening with stairs leading down underground. They actually have an underground hideout! Or maybe it's a chamber? What is this?

  "We're not ready for conscious testing. Knock her out again."

  Crap! They knew she woke back up! Jane finally tried to struggle, when a white cloth was pressed against her mouth. At the same time, her arms and legs were held together to prevent her from fighting back. The smell of chlorine overtook her senses, until she slipped back into a blissful state of sleep. Wherever they are, Danny and Taylor will have to help her now.

  To be continued...

  > Liking the series so far? Click >< to continue to the next book. Don't forget to like, bookmark, and .