Steam Factory Attack (1)
Rabbit Armor and I took turns interrogating Invisible. Calling it an interrogation was a stretch, though—we were just beating the shit out of him.
When it was my turn, I'd drag him into the Room of Truth. Rabbit Armor threw everything he had into the punches. We were the masked duo. The violent duo.
"Hey. He's passed out."
"Then let's check."
The price for lying in the Room of Truth was brutal. No matter how much that bulletproof helmet protected his head, it couldn't absorb the shock. We yanked off the helmet, and Rabbit Armor stepped forward, grabbing his head.
Just like with Eldimo's memories, he was about to dive into Invisible's. The difference was that Invisible was a villain. His superpower resisted Rabbit Armor's ability, making it hard to read memories right away. That's why we'd worn him down with this tag-team beating.
"Hmm... yeah, this should do it."
"Really? Kinda disappointing. My fists were just getting warmed up."
If he'd said we needed to drain more stamina, I'd have happily hauled Invisible back to the Room of Truth. There was something satisfying about pounding on him.
Anyway, Rabbit Armor activated his power on Invisible. Then I hit Rabbit Armor with mine. I analyzed his Level 2 and 3 traits.
Level 2: Mental Protection. Level 3: Range Expansion.
Mental Protection kept his own memories from mixing with the ones he read. Range Expansion let him see more at once.
"Hoo..."
A moment later, Rabbit Armor staggered to his feet, soaked in sweat. His mask was drenched.
"Learn anything?"
"Yeah."
"What?"
"They're distributing Steam for clinical trials, first off."
"Clinical trials?"
"Yep. They spread it out, watch how users change, submit reports up the chain once observations are done, tweak the formula, then distribute the improved version and observe again."
"Huh? So what's the point of developing Steam?"
"The army."
Rabbit Armor—no, Memory Hunter—peeled off his sweat-soaked mask, scowling as he chugged water.
"They plan to build an army of Steam users and wage war on Dark City."
"War? Holy shit... Shadow Killer's even more of a piece-of-shit psycho than I thought."
Officially, Shadow Killer had over a hundred kills. Unofficially? Way more. But that wasn't enough—he wanted war.
How many people had to bleed out before his murder lust stopped? Maybe it already can't.
Dark City was paradise to me. My inventory brimmed with cash that'd never run dry, no matter how I blew it. I had killer superpowers. And women straight out of dreams—ones I'd never meet on Earth—were mine. A world bursting with dreams and hope, and he wanted to turn it into a battlefield?
"War can't happen. No matter what."
"..."
"Why the look?"
Memory Hunter stared at me like I'd grown a second head.
Was I wrong?
"It's right... but hearing it from you feels off. Like listening to a politician."
"You little shit?"
Even if it stung, comparing me to a politician? He was asking for a fight.
"Just a figure of speech. Weren't you at war with Jet Stream not long ago? Heroes were on edge because of it."
"Fair point. But he started it—the conscienceless bastard hit first."
"Doesn't matter who swung first. The guy from that war saying 'no war' is just absurd. Anyway, Shadow Killer's goals won't stop at starting a war."
"Huh? What else?"
Memory Hunter shook his head.
"No idea. He's a freak—thoughts and actions impossible to predict. But one thing's sure: he never pursues just one goal. Every move hides two or three."
"What a pain-in-the-ass way to live."
We'd uncovered Shadow Killer behind the new drug Steam, but nothing changed for me. Our fates—call it destiny or bad blood—were set to collide again someday.
How'd I know? I ain't giving up that S-rank bug!
I still hadn't snagged the S-rank bug capture achievement.
"What about him?"
I pointed at Invisible. The second Memory Hunter confirmed his memories, the guy's value tanked. And he was Shadow Killer's underling. No way that fanatic would negotiate for one flunky.
Plus, during the beating—er, interrogation—he hadn't spilled a word that could hurt Shadow Killer. He'd gritted his teeth through the pain like a champ.
With that tricky invisibility power, locking him up was risky. Who knew what an invisible guy could pull off? Endless possibilities.
"I'll handle him."
"Handle? How?"
"..."
"..."
Memory Hunter dodged my eyes, pretending to drink.
I stared until I read his mind.
"Hey."
"...What."
"Don't."
"..."
"You're a hero."
"..."
"Sure, you've killed plenty. But putting a gun to an unconscious guy's head? Not hero shit. I'll deal with him—you rest."
"No, he's mine to—"
"Hey."
"..."
"You look beat. Rest up."
"...Fine."
Memory Hunter sighed, nodded wearily, and shuffled out. A so-called hero about to commit murder... Dark City's future looked bleak.
I watched him stumble out, then approached Invisible.
"Hmm."
Killing him nipped future trouble in the bud, but something felt wasteful.
"They made something that mimics superpowers without being one, huh?"
If tech had advanced this far, maybe they could extract powers from ability users too.
"Hmm. Invisible man..."
I pondered, then decided.
*****
"Hm? Where's Invisible?"
Memory Hunter came back in from his break and asked when he didn't see the guy.
"Sent him to America."
"America? What's that?"
"It's a place. Bad guys go there and get fucked."
"What?"
"Anyway, you won't see him again. Ever."
"...Right. Just a minion anyway."
His face was complicated, but he nodded.
"Now we just nab the developer. Damn—if we play it right, we could wrap this up in a day."
"..."
His freshly recovered face soured again at my words.
Why the hell not? Solving a massive case in a day was great, right?
"What's wrong? You sick?"
Sick? I'm not sick.
"Unbelievable."
"What?"
"Investigating with heroes dragged on forever. Teaming with you? Bam—key leads in a day. Makes me question if I'm even a hero."
He stuck out his tongue in disbelief.
"Heh~ What kinda talk is that~?"
My shoulders and nose rose in pride. What he meant was I was a badass motherfucker, right? Ahh... why'd God make me so perfect...!
Riches? Check. Looks? Check. Tall, ripped, great family, kind, stamina for days, athletic, and superpowers. Nothing missing.
Vote for Dark City's best man? I'd win gold the second I signed up.
Anyone better, step up!
"Yo! Steel Armor's handsome, raps fire, perfect head to toe! That's Perfect—that's life's truth, yo!"
Excitement bubbled into rap. Got cussed out instead.
"What the fuck was that rap?"
...Why?
*****
We ate, rested roughly in the warehouse, then headed to District 70—Steam's production site.
For reference, District 70 should've neighbored my 71 by number. But Dark City's zoning was weird; they were miles apart.
Just three districts from Invisible's 39, though.
"Bold motherfuckers. How'd they build a Steam factory there?"
"Darkest under the lamp."
"Ain't this too dark? Heroes actually doing their jobs?"
"How the hell should I know."
He grumbled, but embarrassed, he looked away.
District 1—Hero Association HQ—was right by 70. The HQ sprawled across 1 through 8.
So the unidentified Steam dev, wanted by the Association, had been cranking out product next door. No wonder they chased ghosts elsewhere—Memory Hunter had to be pissed.
"Ugh, these salaried Lupins. Thinking my taxes fund the Hero Association boils my blood. Hey, if you're that useless, shouldn't you work for free?"
"..."
I teased him all the way to 70; he kept dodging my eyes. Fun guy to mess with.
We finally arrived—as night fell.
"There?"
"Yeah."
I pointed at a crumbling, decrepit building on the brink of collapse. Memory Hunter nodded.
Shabby as hell, but huge—big enough for a university or library.
He donned his rabbit mask before stepping out. I followed, stretching out my road-stiffened body.
"Why's it so creepy here? No one's around."
"70's half a ghost town now. Population's over 50% below other districts."
"Huh? Why?"
"Used to have heavy foot traffic. Most residents were artists, scientists. Labs everywhere."
"Then what?"
"String of murders."
"Murders? Shadow Killer?"
Murder = Shadow Killer was now my brain's formula.
Rabbit Armor scratched his chin.
"Back then, no link to killers or Shadow Killer—they ruled it insanity murders. But tying it to this... maybe."
"Psycho bitch."
I clicked my tongue at Shadow Killer's depravity. Mass murder and terror just to set up a drug factory...
Wanted to fatten him up first, but nah. Next time we meet, he's dead for real.
"Anyway, let's go in."
"Right."
Rabbit Armor and I strode boldly toward the Steam factory.