When You Give a Man Power
Chapter 3

Fear and panic are the only things that I feel as I hear the ever-familiar sound of blasters being fired echoing down the alley. Running down it as we knock over any debris in our way as polluted water and detritus are sent flying with each footfall.

My heart is beating faster than it ever has before sounding like thunder to my ears. “Faster! If we get to-” The speaker was silenced with a crimson bolt lancing out hitting his chest. The rest of them ran faster after the loss of another and still no sight of their attacker. 

Many blasters were raised as they blindly fired back down the long alley not seeing their assailant but firing regardless in hopes of driving them to cover. Not stopping as they keep going, knowing better than to think they got them with any of those shots. Several tense seconds go by as they all look around and yet nothing happens. For just a moment I thought we might have got them.

An abrupt thud makes my blood turn to ice as the one that was the furthest ahead gets hit in the back with a shot from above them. How? How did they even catch up and get on the roof? No one hesitates as they blindly open fire while running past the nearby roof.

No one stopped to check if she was even alive as we all continued to run. Some are even so terrified they run right over her as she remains as stiff as a piece of scrap metal. To think a gang like ours was brought so low in less than an hour. 

Before we had at least sixty members. Now we have less than twenty and counting as we dwindled little by little running for the only place we could think of to use as a last stand. 

“I see it, just a little mo-” another is silenced with a blaster straight to his head as we all finally see our attacker after all of this. Seeing them in my peripheral vision up above on the roof of the very building we need, was a dark Silhouette. My focus was not on them, however.

Not hesitating like the others, I run for the safehouse and gun it straight for the rusted scrap metal door with a few others having the same idea as they join me while I ignore the screams and curses of the rest of our gang before they are quickly followed with numerous blasters firing. 

Several tense seconds pass as the sounds of the blasters end abruptly as I hear a dozen thuds hit the ground. I feel a cold sweat as I pray to whatever god or higher power there is to at least let them kill whoever it was before they die. In a panic, the last of our group slams the door shut and readies their rifle as we all fan out across the single dark room.

The others shuffle awkwardly in the dark as I hear heavy footfalls move for the stairs leading down. Not long after I hear banging from the stairs making me tense, “Who has the codes?!” he hisses out as he tries to forcefully open the door to the room with supplies and weapons. Maybe hoping we could lock ourselves in there.

“Luger and his lieutenants had the access codes.” I speak back in a whisper as he pauses no doubt hearing me in this tense silence and slumps his shoulders. We all now know that this is the end. Sweat is pouring off of me as I clench my carbine as do the others in a vice grip. My knuckles whiten holding out some hope that maybe the others got off a lucky shot and our pursuer is dead. 

I nervously questioned myself if everything I had done was worth it to have this brought down upon me. Extorting local businesses, muscling in on other established gang's turf, slavery and peddling drugs and so many more. And all of it has led to this. No. No, it wasn’t worth being hunted down like this. 

With no fighting chance or way out besides the same way, all the others got. I’m no stranger to violence, but when a single person or group can casually slaughter a gang like ours with no real effort nothing but dread fills me.

None of it is helped by the rumors that have been circulating the past five days. None of us fully believed the stories initially. Rumors of a supposed lone bounty hunter taking down gangs like our own that most bounty hunters wouldn’t take.

Simply because the pay for several bounty hunters to split it just wasn’t worth it, especially the skill involved and the danger of dealing with a large group of armed people like themselves if they tried to do it on their own, never mind things like equipment and any injuries. 

So we mostly get left alone to do our own thing so long as we don’t step on the toes of the higher powers here which many enterprising individuals know the horror stories of what happens when you cross them. Particularly the Hutt cartels.

When the stories kept going and evidence started to form of gangs we had fights with on occasion had gone silent we started to realize something was going on. When in private with each other we did believe a group was doing it considering how the gangs they took down were not the biggest but they managed to establish themselves a territory where not many others could and keep for themselves. It was hard to stomach if it was a single person or even a small group. How the hell could someone be that good? 

It’s almost like they are secretly a Jedi or something to be able to do things like this. Now… Now I don’t know what to believe after this. If it’s a single person doing all of this and not a group… we have no chance.

Breath hitching as the others go dead still when it happens. A light tapping on the door. Not hesitating we all open fire on the scrap metal door as we blast holes into it and even long after it has fallen to slagged pieces we keep shooting out the open doorway. After several long tense seconds pass we slowly stop firing. 

No one moves to even check to see if we got them. A loud noise made me look over with my carbine raised and ready to shoot only to see Drax uplifting the table in the room on its side as a makeshift cover. A growl leaves me as he looks up at everyone else seeing that they are all looking at him with glares with their weapons ready to shoot.

He gives an awkward what can you do shrug before ducking down behind the table just as two others decide to join him he gets angry if the muffled curses are anything to go off of. Our weapons lower before I look back at the now open doorway just as a shadow quickly enters the doorway so fast I would think it a figment of my imagination. 

Unloading multiple blaster shots into the doorway where the shadow was as the others now start firing after I do except they are shooting blindly anywhere in the room in a panic. “Stop! Stop shooting you idiots!” Someone yells out causing us to slow down and eventually ending the shootout.

After a few seconds, someone asks the important question. “Did we get 'em?”

“I don’t know…” Another whispers. Too panicked to even check if anyone got hit in the crossfire I slowly backed up further to the wall as the others kept talking. 

“What do w-” 

“Shut up. They may be in the room with us.” I hiss out to the others as dread builds up in my stomach. I held out hope that the shadow was a hallucination. A cold certainty starts worming its way into my mind as I try to figure out where our enemy is as the others all go dead silent at that revelation. Before I could do anything I saw red for a split second and then nothing.

…

I can see after the past few days why most bounty hunters don't do these kinds of jobs. The pay isn’t worth it when you have to split it several ways when you need to team up to get the job done. That and the risk involved. Unless you are a badass like Jango Fett or Cad Bane bringing an armory of weapons with you. 

Otherwise, you are not going to have a fun time. For instance how close they came to hitting me with the amount of blaster bolts shot at me despite how far away I was in this maze of alleys sniping them. This is one reason nearly everyone uses blasters- they don’t have drop-off when shooting them. That and they fly through the air faster than the movies showed. Not so fast they can’t be seen, but enough to be a possible threat.

Holstering my blaster pistol that I am still trying to think of a name for. If it becomes a part of my personal favorites and I use it often it gets a name. That’s the rule. Dropping my shield down to the floor as it hits with a splat before wiping my hand off on one of the bodies near me.

My thoughts turn to the dozen people I casually killed from the top of the building like an old Western. I will give the ones who stood their ground and tried to shoot me credit. They didn’t run and at least tried to kill me. Didn’t do them any good obviously since I killed all of them. But I can respect it all the same. 

Especially when they helped me feel even more badass gunning them all down with a quickdraw. Having my perception of the world slowed down also carried me to victory. Good thing I grabbed that perk from the archery tree in my playthrough. Still feel a little winded from using it even for a few brief seconds it was active. But a useful ace up my sleeve if I need something dead right now.

Moving about the room checking over specific bodies with my 10mm drawn as I move to the overturned table. Barely audible ragged breathing with a frantic but faint heart as I aim while walking up to the poor sap laying with their back against the wall with a sizable chunk of where their stomach was being torn up and charred. Bringing a hand up as they hold it out to me as if trying to ward me away. 

“W-wai-” they manage to choke out before a hole forms in the middle of their forehead with the savory smell of blood and other things running down the wall as they slide down onto their side on the floor. Another gang member with a bounty on his head personally. I can already smell the money as I look at them with satisfaction.

That feeling quickly gets replaced with annoyance. Still not as good as I should be. That guy should have been dead but I whiffed my shot considering I was aiming for his heart. That and me going over all of my mistakes however minor or major they were I had made throughout this hunt. Most of them were not so bad, however, the big ones like me taking unnecessary risks such as showing myself at the end when I didn’t have to. 

Parts of me scolded myself for that stupid idea, but the me who dreamed of moments like that thought it was cool and worth it. Of course, I need to test things out and see where I stand or how things work. But in the end, they are hollow excuses and I will admit as such. Tests like that are best not done in the field when my life is on the line. However little the danger is. 

But it’s not like it's too difficult to dodge the blasters when I can see them and where they are aiming. I can move fast if I need to, enough that the blaster can be sidestepped if enough distance is there. Then I think of the gal that got shot by me that was ahead of the pack.

Not even hardscoping either, no scope for the win on that one. More reasons for that being pointless and should have used the quickdraw blaster I have since I could have gunned the entire group down then and there. Ignoring that criticism for now as I just need to do a 1080 no scope and I will feel complete in life. I just need to kill them in one shot. 

Now done ignoring the parts of myself as I focus on more serious thoughts. Such as most of the shots were not even close, but thanks to just how often they were shooting and how many they fired, several came too close for comfort and me being too risky by staying out in the open with little to no cover aside from the shadows of the alley to conceal me. 

But the blasters may as well have been in slow motion and could only hit me if I was blind and deaf. I can hear the shots move through the air itself and theoretically picture where they are currently to my position. 

A grin finds itself on my face at the sheer power at my fingertips and feel giddy about it all. Even after the time that has passed. Then the big one that even now I would admit was a very bad idea. When they all turned to look at whoever made that noise I pulled a stunt from that Equilibrium movie. Very dangerous. Incredibly risky.

And I will admit I should not have done it and just tossed a few grenades into the room or just shot some lighting into it. The latter is an absolute last resort. I don’t need the heat that will bring me. But I didn’t do any of that since I wanted their bodies to be mostly intact and not let it go to waste. 

Not a good reason to put my life in that much danger, and this time I won’t distract myself or ignore the parts of me saying how stupid it was. It was. And I won’t do it again. Since my meat shield over on the floor showed how I wasn’t exactly in an advantageous position even with them shooting each other.

Walking around the room as I inspected this little hideaway they had. Small dark room with one way in and looks like stairs that lead down to a much more secured door than the hunk of junk they had for the front door. Dirt, dust, and smudges all over the place, and the occasional piece of trash otherwise the place is in surprisingly good condition. Of course, if you ignore the new blaster marks on the walls and floor and the occasional smattering of blood.

Walking around and inspecting the damage and saw several scorch marks all over the place as they blindly hoped to hit me. Almost worked even, as dumb as that is. At least I am improving and slowly getting up to what I should be in terms of skill. Even with the guns I am compensating with my enhanced senses and body. So I am still miles away from what I should be…

Hence I went with my urges from Skyrim sneaking into their territory and picking off those that I could with no one noticing as I have with all the other gangs. Albeit with some limited success. That gets me thinking about how I started with the other groups. The first one was just absolutely embarrassing. 

I was about to kill one with a helmet that was on his own as he was fumbling around with something and as I got closer the random thing was clean enough to show my reflection behind him and I could see his eyes widening. 

Not taking any chances I shoot him aiming for his head. Unfortunately, I shot with my 10mm, and to my horror, the bullet pings off the helmet. He falls while I stare like an idiot in shock as he grunts and tries to raise his blaster. He gets a single shot off before I get my foot on the barrel of it, placing my pistol just below his chin and throat, and pulling the trigger.

They never really knew where I was after that since I stuck to the shadows and picked them all off playing a cat-and-mouse game but I don’t count that as successful. The other gangs were better but still embarrassing as I make the occasional mistake of not killing them fast enough without the alarm getting thrown or a body getting discovered. Then this group. I almost had it. So close yet no cigar. 

Managed to kill a significant amount of them as I worked my way up to their main hangout only for them to start realizing something was up when it was getting too quiet. To be fair they had a decent amount of noise that if it had gone silent like it did that would be very suspicious. So they all start fanning out either on their own, which I am thankful for the fact they don’t know that trope is always a bad idea even in their case having several blasters ready to shoot with. 

So when one of them goes to investigate I use my DL-44 because guess what? He was wearing armor, including a helmet like the first guy that covered his entire head. The instant he walked into the room not even noticing me in the corner just watching him I just leveled my DL-44 at him and fired. After that, I just went on a rampage that Rambo would be proud of massacring them as I vented my frustrations as my attempts were yet again thwarted.

The only one to do so in this particular gang no less. Guess the past several days with the four gangs I took down have gotten a few people to be more careful now since word has started to spread. Learned my lesson after the first gang. 

Never use bullets like my 10mm against simple armor in this crazy place. It will not pierce through it even with modified armor-piercing rounds I made myself or any kind of round for that matter. I know this since I took some of the armor from the people I killed and tested it. 

Another big reason people tend to stick with blasters more than ‘slugthrowers’ as they call my guns. Shaking my head at that particularly embarrassing memory I raise my hand with a purple aura surrounding it as it casts shadows across the room. Time to get onto the boring but important part.

Just as I had done with the previous gangs I made sure to not leave resources that could still be used behind. Readying dead thrall as I feel my reserves take a significant dive as a purple orb flies towards one of the bodies. Readying the next spell not even bothering to look over as they rise from the ground looking at me. 

“Loot the place for anything of value you can find,” as they turned around to follow my order I made sure to be more specific, “Only grab drugs and weapons that are not yours or your friends here,” I said waving a hand at all the bodies in the room. “anything else just leave be and I will look it over once I am done here.” 

Stopping for a moment, they turn to look back at me with vacant eyes as they grunt while moving around the room. I cast one more spell before waiting for several minutes before starting the process over again. After a moment and feeling tired yet not I bring most of them back at least the ones who didn’t have bounties on them or were too badly damaged.

Some scour the building with the first one I brought back while others stay on guard duty in the dark room. The turned-over table moved to the door acting as an impromptu shield and barrier with orders to shoot anyone who comes down this alley while staying in the shadows of the room. As I stay in the corner resting I go to the next step as I take each of my minions one at a time as I heal over any ‘wounds’ they have.

My zombies still hold whatever wounds I gave them when they met their end despite them surprisingly still having somebody processes like being able to eat food and drink. Fascinating yet disturbing stuff. Moving my hand over the different parts of their bodies, usually where their heart was, I use healing hands as I don’t have any other spell that can heal them to my annoyance. 

Thankfully it's faster than one would expect especially when watching their flesh reknit itself from burnt scar tissue to perfectly fine with no blemishes, never mind their heart being fixed and start beating again if my hearing is any indication. 

How that works for a zombie is beyond me, but you won’t hear me complain. At least they don’t look like a walking corpse anymore, just a person with nearly no personality that currently is incapable of making a simple conversation. Still quite capable of fighting especially when given a gun but I doubt they are going to win any prizes when pitted against someone who is a badass. 

I continue this until all of them are healed back up and look like they are not walking corpses as they each go about their orders. A shame I didn’t have time for the others I had killed. What survivors that were left had started to run away when they realized that most of them were dead and staying where there was suicide. 

Smart for them, annoying for me considering I had to chase them down. Another mistake I made was not being as fast or as efficient as I should have been about killing all of them. Though all of that efficiency would have come from me just spamming spells at them which is the last thing I want to do. Well… that and me wanting to enjoy the hunt. 

Well, it all worked out regardless I thought to myself as I looked over the few weapons the minions were bringing to the center of the room. Nothing amazing but money is money and I need every bit I can get. 

Walking across the room as I ignore the sweet smell of the blood, not even looking at it. Not trusting myself to look for too long before having urges to lick it. Shuddering at that image, I quicken my pace to the secured door opening one of my pouches, and get to work opening it as I try to crack the lock for it.

A few minutes later I have it wide open after some trial and error since I am still getting the hang of hacking the electronics in this place. As the door opens after several clicks it goes off as I open it and my eyes widen. A wide smile graces my face. This makes me hunting them down so much more worth it and all the mistakes too. I should do this more often as I look at the treasure trove before me.

…

Whistling a random tune I have no clue where I heard it from walking down the street with the evidence of my hunt heading for my destination. Seeing my good friend the informant off to the side I smile and give a nod to her as she gives a smile while raising a single white brow? She doesn't have eyebrows. 

Turning a corner and seeing my destination quickened my pace to get to the fine establishment. Upon entering everyone takes the occasional glance at me. Some stare longer than I would have preferred but they ultimately go ignored by me. If they want to start something then they can be my guest.

Walking to a door near the back before stopping and dropping the goods. With a raised hand giving it a nice big knock that shakes the door frame of the metal door. Can’t help it. Excited with the treasure that has been gained from this little endeavor. 

It slides open to my relief revealing a head full of tentacles and black eyes with slightly wrinkled purple skin. “Shey, the job is done. Here’s the proof.” I say to her as I hold up the tattered remains of the gang's insignia along with a datapad. 

Grabbing my pad she takes a look seeing the pictures I had saved on it and nods her head. She gestures for me to follow. Oh, what now? Not wanting to cause a scene figuring it must be important if she is having me follow her.

“So this is the fifth gang now?” She says with a voice that is as smooth as it is stern. With her back turned to me she walks back to what looks like a rather comfortable-looking chair made from some type of material pretending to be leather behind a desk with all kinds of knick-knacks across it ranging from a few datapads to some bottles of alcohol from the smell of them. 

Her office isn't small but it’s not big either. Has her personal touch on it with what I assume are random trophies from her hunts she did in her younger years arranged on the walls. Like going around my true father's home with all the stuff around it making it look like a wonderland. Dirty but also clean. I take the smaller less comfortable chair and sit hiding my irritation at me getting slowed down. 

“Would you like a drink?” She says to me as she takes a seat with a sigh escaping her as she leans back. I look at her, assessing her. Black leather vest with a holstered blaster on display along with a brown shirt underneath it. 

High-heeled leather boots of all things but they look like they have been used for a long time. My thoughts tell me from just her outfit to a few of the weapons on display and not that she is capable, though not necessarily a threat. At least not now. And I would rather not find out. Hence me waiting here patiently giving her my valuable time.

“No thanks. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t drink.” I say being completely honest. After that one incident where I got plastered, I refused to drink again. Waking up in my room with a horde of raccoons with a hangover from the bowels of hell is not my idea of a good time. 

She scoffs at that, “Really? A bounty hunter that doesn’t drink. I think I have officially seen it all now.” She says to me as she eyes me like she can’t believe what she just heard. “Especially this!” She picks up one of the bottles, takes a glass, and pours herself a drink.

Just staring blankly at her not having a clue of what the drink even is. It smells good but strong. A rich earthy smell mixed with a nutty flavor. “You don’t know what you are missing out on Corvo.” She takes the drink and downs a generous amount that she poured herself as she sets it down letting out a breath.

Picking up a datapad she looks it over while taking another smaller sip this time as she looks it over. Taking said datapad she slides it across her desk as I place my hand on it and take a look for myself. I hummed at the amount I had earned, not surprised since I had a general idea of how much I would make off of this job. 

Quite the tidy sum I have for myself. About to be a whole lot less when I go see him. I don’t relish the thought of watching all this wealth go down the hole even if it is for my plan. But I don’t have anything better to use it for and at the end of the day it’s a tool like any other. So getting overly attached to it is just asking for trouble. 

“You have made a name for yourself Corvo,” Shey says to me with a look in her eyes I can’t quite place. “I don’t say this to just anyone. Be careful.” 

Glancing up to her from the datapad I give her my full attention. This is serious. “Something I should know?” I say as I start thinking about speeding up the construction of my information network. If something is going on I need to know.

Sighing as she sets her drink down she gazes back at me, “Corvo you have done a lot despite how some in the higher-up parts of the Guild wouldn’t think much of what you have done. But make no mistake, you are a rising star, and from what I can tell just from these past few days you have made waves.” 

I don’t know what to say to this but I have to agree with her. Not every day you see a bounty hunter that’s not part of the Guild, especially one no one has heard of just start cleaning out gangs like they are going out of business. 

She continued, “Some hunters don’t like it when a young’n like yourself comes around and shows just how much better they are. Don’t get me started on the power brokers or other larger gangs taking notice of you either. I have had a few of their scouts asking around about you. Don’t get in over your head.” Opening the bottle of alcohol she pours herself another drink as I process this. 

Silent for some time as I look at her and I mull this over. It’s too early for this to be happening. So either the really big fish are looking at me or it’s someone further down the totem pole. I hope it’s the latter, I don’t want to get involved in any of the bigger players' games. The part that has me worried is the other larger gangs. They must be getting antsy with me clearing out the other ones. Probably thinking I may come for them. They wouldn’t be wrong. 

Nodding my head to Shey in appreciation of her warning, “Thanks, Shey. I will be sure to do so.” I say as I get up from the chair. “I have to ask,” I say, getting her attention.

“Why warn me?” I am genuinely curious as to why she of all people would give me a warning.

“For starters, you brought in several gang bounties that most hunters couldn’t do unless they brought in some decent backup. Those bounties have been open for some time now. The reward for them despite the Guild not taking a cut of your reward still gets paid.” She lists off for me which all makes sense. The Bounty Hunters Guild isn’t just going to get screwed out of its money otherwise it wouldn’t have existed for as long as it has.

“My bar being the location where you got the bounties and the hunt started will also get some thrown my way.” She takes her drink and downs it before continuing, “And the final reason is that I hate seeing a hunter with great potential getting cut down for whatever reason before they get the chance to realize said potential. I have my reasons, Corvo you should be wary and untrusting which is understandable. And I won’t explain any further, consider it a courtesy from one professional to another.”

I look her in the eyes for a brief moment before nodding my head and walking out of her bar. I got some loot to get rid of.