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When You Give a Man Power
Chapter 3
Fear and panic were the only things that I felt as I heard the ever-familiar sound of blasters being fired echoing down the alley. Running down it we knocked over debris in our way as polluted water and detritus were sent flying with each footfall.
My heart was beating faster than it ever had in my life, sounding like thunder to my ears. “Faster! If we get to-” The speaker was silenced when a crimson bolt lanced out hitting his chest. The rest of them ran faster after the loss of another yet still no sight of their attacker.
Many blasters were raised blindly firing back down the long alley. Yet still no sign of their assailant but firing regardless in the vain hope of driving them to cover. Not stopping they kept going, knowing better than to think they got them with any of those shots.
Several tense seconds go by. They all looked around and yet nothing happened. For just a moment I thought we might have got them.
An abrupt thud made my blood turn to ice when the one that was the furthest ahead got hit in the back with a shot from above them.
How? How did they even catch up and get on the roof?
No one hesitated to blindly open fire while running past the nearby rooftop.
No one stopped to check if she was even alive as we all continued to run. Some were so terrified they ran right over her while she remained 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 had 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 was silenced with a blaster straight to his head. We all finally got to look at 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 ran for the safehouse and gunned it straight for the rusted scrap metal door with a few others having the same idea as they joined me while I ignored the screams and curses of the rest of our gang before they were quickly followed with numerous blasters firing.
Several tense seconds pass with the sounds of the blasters ending abruptly. The sound of a dozen thuds hitting the ground told me I made the right call. A cold sweat embraced me and I prayed to whatever god or higher power out there to at least let one of them kill whoever it was before they died.
In a panic, the last of our group slammed the door shut and readied their rifle. We all fanned out across the single dark room.
The others shuffled awkwardly in the dark while I heard heavy footfalls move for the stairs leading down.
Not long after banging could be heard from the stairs making me tense, “Who has the codes?!”
He hissed out as he tried 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 spoke back in a whisper.
He paused no doubt hearing me in this tense silence and slumped his shoulders. We all knew that this was the end. Sweat poured off of me.
My carbine clinched like the others in a vice grip. My knuckles whitened from the death grip on my weapon. 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. 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 how it ended for all the others. 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 filled me.
None of it was helped by the rumors that had 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 sustained on the job.
So we mostly got left alone to do our own thing so long as we didn’t step on the toes of the higher powers here. Many enterprising individuals knew the horror stories of what happened when you crossed them. Particularly the Hutt cartels.
When the stories spread and grew with evidence starting to form of gangs we had fights with on occasion had gone silent we started to realize something was going on.
We began to 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 retained it. It was hard to stomach if it was a single person. A small group was one thing and it made it a little more bearable.
If it was a single person… How the hell could someone be that good?
It’s almost like they were secretly a Jedi or something 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 had no chance.
Breath hitched for a moment as the others went dead still when it happened. A light tapping on the door. No hesitation from any of us we all opened fire on the scrap metal door.
Holes blasted into it and even long after it had fallen to slagged pieces we kept shooting out the open doorway. After several long tense seconds passed we slowly stopped firing.
No one moved 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 left me at having the mother of all heart attacks because he wanted some cover.
He looked up at everyone else seeing that they were all looking at him with glares with their weapons ready to shoot.
He had the decency to give an awkward what can you do shrug before ducking down behind the table. Two others decided to join him. Of course he got angry if the muffled curses were anything to go by.
Our weapons lowered before I looked back at the now open doorway just when a shadow quickly entered the doorway so fast I almost thought it was a figment of my imagination.
Unloading multiple blaster shots into the doorway where the shadow was with the others joining me. Except they were shooting blindly anywhere in the room in a panic.
“Stop! Stop shooting you idiots!” Someone yelled out causing us to finally stop ending the shootout.
After a few seconds, someone asked the important question. “Did we get 'em?”
“I don’t know…” Another whispered. Too panicked to even check if anyone got hit in the crossfire I slowly backed up further to the wall while the others kept talking.
“What do w-”
“Shut up. They may be in the room with us.” I hissed out to the others.
Dread was building in my stomach. I held out hope that the shadow was a hallucination. A cold certainty started to worm its way into my mind that I tried to ignore. Everyone went 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 wasn’t worth it when you had to split it several ways when you needed to team up to get the job done. That and the risk involved. Unless you were 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 despite how far away I was in this maze of alleys sniping them. This was one reason nearly everyone used 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 was still trying to think of a name for. If it became a part of my personal favorites and I used it often enough it got a name. That’s the rule.
Dropping my shield down to the floor with a splat before wiping my hand off on one of the bodies near me.
My thoughts turned 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 that.
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 felt a little winded from using it even for a few brief seconds it was active. But a useful ace up my sleeve if I needed something dead.
Moving about the room checking over specific bodies with my 10mm drawn before going to the overturned table. Barely audible ragged breathing with a frantic but faint heartbeat told me one was alive.
I aimed while walking up to the poor sap laying with their back against the wall with a sizable chunk where their stomach once was. Now it was torn up and charred. Bringing a hand up they held it out at me as if it would ward me away.
“W-wai-” They managed to choke out before a hole formed in the middle of their forehead with the savory smell of blood and other things running down the wall their now dead body slid down and onto their side.
Another gang member with a bounty on his head. I can already smell the money as I looked at them with satisfaction.
That feeling quickly got 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 when I showed 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 needed to test things out and see where I stood or how things worked.
But in the end, they were all hollow excuses and I will admit as such. Tests like that were best not done in the field when my life was on the line. However little the danger is.
But it’s not like it's too difficult to dodge the blasters when I could see them and where they were aiming. I can move fast if I need to, enough that the blaster could be sidestepped if there is enough distance. 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 had since I could have gunned the entire group down then and there.
Ignoring that criticism for now since I just needed to do a 1080 no scope and I would feel complete in life.
Now done ignoring the parts of myself instead focusing on more serious thoughts. Like how 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 could hear the shots move through the air itself and theoretically picture where they are currently to my position.
A grin found itself on my face at the sheer power at my fingertips and felt giddy about it all. 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.
I would admit I should not have done that and just tossed a few grenades into the room or just shot some lightning into it. The latter was an absolute last resort. I don’t need the heat that would bring to 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 telling me 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 now inspecting the little hideaway they had. A small dark room with one way in and looked 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 with the occasional piece of trash. Otherwise, the place was in surprisingly good condition. Of course, if you ignored the new blaster marks on the walls and floor with the occasional smattering of blood.
Walking around and inspecting the damage seeing several scorch marks all over the place when they had hoped to hit me blindly shooting all over.
Almost worked despite dumb of an idea that was. At least I was improving if only slowly. Every step forward is a good thing in my book. But I need to get back at the level of skill my memories showed I should be capable of.
Even with the guns I was compensating with my enhanced senses and body. So I am still miles away from what I should be…
Hence why I went with my urges from Skyrim sneaking into their territory picking off those that I could with no one noticing like I had with all the other gangs. Albeit with limited success. That got 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 on his head that was on his own while he fumbled around with something. As I got closer, whatever he was fighting with slipped out of his hands, sailed over his head and plopped down on the ground in front of me. He turned around immediately, eyes widening.
Not taking any chances I shot him aiming for his head. Unfortunately, I shot with my 10mm, and to my horror, the bullet pinged off the helmet. He fell down while I stared like an idiot in shock as he grunted and tried to raise his blaster. He got a single shot off before I got my foot on the barrel of it, placing my pistol just below his chin and throat, 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 a success.
The other gangs were better but still embarrassing when I made 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 while 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 suspicious. So they all started fanning out on their own. I am thankful for the fact they didn't know that trope was always a bad idea.
So when one of them goes to investigate I used 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 with my DL-44 leveled at him. After that, I just went on a rampage that Rambo would be proud of massacring them venting my frustrations when 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 had taken down have gotten some people to be more careful now since word had started to spread. My first lesson was ingrained into me after that 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 called my guns. Shaking my head at that particularly embarrassing memory I raised my hand with a purple aura surrounding it casting shadows across the room. Time to get onto the boring but important part.
Just like with the previous gangs I made sure to not leave resources that could still be used behind. Readying dead thrall feeling my reserves take a significant dive when a purple orb flew towards one of the bodies. Readying the next spell not even bothering to look over when they rose from the ground looking at me.
“Loot the place for anything of value you can find,” they turned around to follow my order but I covered my bases being 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 it and I will look it over once I am done here.”
Stopping for a moment, they turned to look back at me with vacant eyes grunting while they moved around the room. I cast one more spell before waiting for several minutes before starting the process over again.
After a moment feeling tired yet not I brought most of them back. At least the ones who didn’t have bounties on them or were too badly damaged.
Some scoured the building with the first one I brought back while others stayed on guard duty in the dark room.
The turned-over table moved to the front door acting as an impromptu shield and barrier with orders to shoot anyone who came down the alley while staying in the shadows of the room. I stayed in the corner resting while going to the next step.
Each of my minions one at a time was healed of any wounds they had.
My zombies still had whatever wounds I gave them when they met their end despite them surprisingly still having body 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, the healing hands doing their job since I didn’t have any other spell that could 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 getting fixed beating again if my hearing was any indication.
How that worked for a zombie was 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 was incapable of making a simple conversation.
Still quite capable of fighting especially when given a gun but I doubted they were going to win any prizes when pitted against someone who was a good fighter.
I continued this until all of them were healed and looked like they were not walking corpses. They each go about their orders moving around the room like worker ants in a hive.
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 in there base 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 efficient like I should have been about killing all of them.
All of that efficiency would have come from me just spamming spells at them which was the last thing I wanted to do. Well… that and me wanting to enjoy the hunt.
Well, it all worked out regardless I thought to myself. The few weapons the minions were bringing to the center of the room got a quick look over. Nothing amazing but money was money and I needed every bit I could get.
Walking across the room ignoring the sweet smell of the blood, not even a single look in its direction. Not trusting myself to look for too long before having the urge to lick it. A shudder ran up my spine at the mental image of me licking the nasty floor in here, my pace quickened to the secured door.
Opening one of my pouches getting to work opening it. A few minutes later it lay before me wide open after some trial and error. I was still getting the hang of hacking the electronics in this place so it took longer than expected.
Looking inside my eyes widened. A wide smile graced my face. This made me hunting them down so much more worth it risks and all. I should do this more often. My eyes couldn’t leave the treasure trove that was laid out before me.
…
Whistling a random tune I had no clue where I heard it from walking down the street with the evidence of my hunt. Seeing my good friend the informant off to the side I smiled and gave a nod to her. In turn she gave a smile while raising a single upper part of her forehead imitating a raised brow.
Turning a corner seeing my destination quickened my pace to get to the fine establishment. Upon entering everyone took a look at me. Some stared longer than I would have preferred but they ultimately got ignored by me. If they wanted 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 shook the door frame of the metal door. Can’t help it. Excited with the treasure that had been gained from this little endeavor.
It slid open revealing a head full of tentacles and black eyes with slightly wrinkled purple skin. “Shey, the job is done. Here’s the proof.” I said to her.
The tattered remains of the gang's insignia along with a datapad. Grabbing my pad she took a look seeing the pictures I had saved on it and nodded her head. She gestured for me to follow.
Oh, what now?
Not wanting to cause a scene figuring it must be important if she was having me follow her.
“So this is the fifth gang now?” She asked with a voice that was as smooth as it was stern. With her back turned to me she walked back to what looked 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.
They ranged from a few datapads to some bottles of alcohol from the smell of them.
Her office wasn’t small but it wasn’t not big either. Had her personal touch on it with what I assumed were 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 clean simultaneously. Reclining in the smaller, less comfortable chair hiding my irritation at getting slowed down.
“Would you like a drink?” She asked me before she took a seat with a sigh escaping her. I looked 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. It told me from just her outfit to a few of the weapons on display that she was capable, though not necessarily a threat. At least not now. I’d rather not push my luck. Hence me waiting here patiently giving her my valuable time.
“No thanks. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t drink.” I was 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 was not my idea of a good time.
She scoffed at that, “Really? A bounty hunter that doesn’t drink. I think I have officially seen it all now.” She snarked.
She looked at me like she couldn't believe what she just heard. “Especially this!” She picked 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 took the drink and downed a generous amount before it was slammed down Shey letting out a breath.
Picking up a datapad she looked it over while taking another smaller sip this time. Taking said datapad she slid it across her desk into my hand and took 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 had made 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 was 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 was just asking for trouble.
“You have made a name for yourself Corvo,” Shey told 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 giving her my full attention. This was serious.
“Something I should know?” Thoughts turned to speeding up the construction of my information network. If something was going on I needed to know.
She sighed, setting her drink down and gazed back at me, “Corvo you have done a lot despite how some in 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 had to agree with her. Not every day you see a bounty hunter that’s not part of the Guild, especially one no one had heard of just started cleaning out gangs like they were 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 poured herself another drink as I processed what had just been said.
Silent for some time mulling this over. It’s too early for this to be happening. So either the really big fish are looking into me or it’s someone further down the totem pole. I hoped it was the latter, I didn’t want to get involved in any of the bigger players' games.
The part that had me worried was 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 tell her with a smile getting up from the chair.
“I have to ask,” I said, getting her attention. “Why warn me?”
I was 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 listed off for me which all made sense. The Bounty Hunters Guild wasn’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 where the hunt started will also get some thrown my way.” She took her drink and downed 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 looked 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.
