Repulsor Blade and the Checkpoint Siege
Enoch swung the item Soo had brought him—Salvador Ortega's gift—and finally couldn't ignore the nagging stare any longer. He turned to Soo. Her face was hidden, but the vibe screamed for him to ask about the Noise cloaking her body. It had been doing that for the past thirty minutes.
"...What the hell is that Noise?"
"Magic. It's supposed to be full invisibility, but it's only half-baked right now, so this is the best it can do. Hard for you to see too, right? Looks like it fools human eyes. Won't show up on cameras either."
She was unusually chatty. She always got like this talking about magic—like a kid bragging about a new toy.
"The magic from that Chimera we killed?"
"Yep. That's it."
Soo, perched on the safe swinging her legs, waved her hand like shooing a fly to disperse the surrounding Noise.
"Whaddya think? Pretty cool, huh."
"Can I be honest? It's kinda creepy—"
"Whaddya think? Pretty cool, huh."
"Damn cool."
"Heh heh."
Then why the hell did she ask? But Soo pulled this all the time, so Enoch just nodded along.
"By the way, Soo, didn't you say this blade had an electric current?"
"Yeah. Zappy zappy."
"This doesn't look like just a current, no matter how you slice it..."
Enoch trailed off, cranked his Hod to the limit, and pressed the button on the hilt hard.
Thwip.
No sound. In a world slowed to a crawl, everything the blade touched sliced clean through. But the speed was absurd. If anyone claimed it was just Enoch swinging fast, he'd shake his head proudly. Even light swings made the blade lash out on its own. Press the button, and it whipped around—insanely fast.
Maxing the Hod stretched time by 70%, yet even then, he could barely control it. Without the Hod... who knew what it'd do.
But that's not the point right now...
Staring at the asphalt and scrap sliced like tofu, Enoch deactivated his Hod and wiped his face.
"To you, this... this looks like a Repulsor field firing up? Just some harmless current?"
"Yeah. Zappy zappy."
Sure, actual current crackled along it. The Repulsor's power leakage mimicked electricity sparking...
"Gonna make me dizzy..."
Repulsors were illegal tech. Only a tiny elite wielded them—to preserve Eden's order, not for personal gain. Sure, Eden's order was megacorp power, protecting it filled pockets... but if they fell, Eden crumbled. So Repulsors guarded that order.
Another reason: they were dangerous. Edenites might not grasp the mechanics, but everyone knew what happened in the Eastern War when two Repulsor users clashed. The land was wrecked.
This half-baked Repulsor in Enoch's hand was still plenty deadly. And she wanted him to use it.
Enoch let out a shaky sigh.
"Next job... when?"
"Once you've adapted to your new implants."
"...Gonna smash another corp subcontractor?"
"Eh... maybe."
"Hm..."
Enoch wrapped Mu-Geuk in oilcloth and started walking.
"Let's move."
Truth was, he was way too excited. Any guy would crack. Repulsor. The name alone was badass. Illegal? Dangerous? Screw that. Every kid dreamed of wielding one after reading those books—age, gender no matter. If that kid grew up a merc? Obvious.
Eden legend 'Beatrice' ended with a Repulsor. Chance like this? No way he'd pass. He had to use it anyway—couldn't ditch it. With Soo, this shit happened often. Hesitate every time? Nah. If you can't dodge, enjoy it. Better than dying miserable.
Enoch's eyes gleamed with that resolve. Not 'cause he craved the Repulsor. Just matching his thunderbolt partner. No ulterior motives. For real.
"I'll adapt in three days."
"Ooh."
Soo's eyes sparkled as she scampered after him. Enoch had soaked up way too much of her in this short time...
"So many incidents lately."
Scrape scrape scrape—
Soo casually switched off the radio in their rattling junker. Enoch, naturally, was horrified.
"Is it just me, or do you sound like a total psychopath sometimes...?"
"I'm not a psychopath."
"Criminals never admit it."
"Huh... fair point."
Three out of four reports were their handiwork, and she just mutters about incidents? How could he not freak? That was just the aired ones. Counting everything they'd done in two weeks? Easy ten-plus.
"Still, it was fun, right?"
"If I said it wasn't... I'd be lying."
"Heh."
Two weeks. They'd done a ton. Or rather, committed a ton.
—Zailek got hit, so Luchen needs equal payback. Smashed a Luchen subsidiary flat. Freed human test subjects from the basement, anonymously dumped 'em at ECPD.
—Petty embezzlement. Raided a Zailek warehouse, funneled some cash to the gov. Most went to Enoch and Soo, obviously. No kills—embezzlement wasn't worth murder to their code.
—Snuff film makers. Enoch raged at the term alone. Total wipeout. A few bodies dumped in Southpeak south—a silent warning to similar scum.
—Looks like a normal club, but basement level 4? Insane setup. Aphrodisiac-laced drinks for gang rapes. Blew it sky-high. Cash went to victims and families.
—Real estate scammer. Sucked hardworking folks dry. Stripped naked, dumped in downtown. His scam money? All returned to victims via his ledgers. Couldn't skim that one.
—Kidnapping? Looks like that hovercar? Or...? Eh, make it crash. Victim was aboard; driver was trash confirmed.
—Time for another swing. Leveled another Zailek lab.
—Fair's fair. Blasted a Luchen med facility too.
And more. Insane shit. Possible thanks to the Zailek-Luchen shadow war. Daily terror, crumbling buildings, dead bodies—another incident? No biggie. Enoch and Soo slipped in, cleaned trash, pocketed orphan cash.
Enoch upgraded gear too—all used, but beggars can't be choosers. Now he had real body armor. Rented an office in Westtown, cash ready for new implants.
Skip shooting upgrades; get something for close-quarters backup.
Post-meeting with Salvador's man, straight to Westtown. Jobs done, money made. Trails heating up—perfect time to ghost Southpeak clean.
Should be.
"Enoch, heavy checkpoint up ahead."
Soo pointed: ECPD riot squad blocking all but one lane. Routine citizen checks crossing districts. Chaotic times? Normal. But "heavy" meant red flags. Riot squads only mobilized on tips.
"...Salvador snitched?"
"Not his style, Gramps."
"True... he's infamous for beefing with ECPD."
Enoch slowed, glancing at Soo. Eye-talk would've been efficient, but pointless. Time with her hadn't cracked her logic...
"So... plan? Trunk's hidden good, but..."
Cash couldn't deposit raw—big unclean sums triggered audits. Essentials grabbed; rest crammed under trunk floor. Low odds, but prep for bust needed.
"Bolt?"
"U-turn? Instant pursuit."
No shake possible. Car sucked for reverse; ECPD hovers and drones flew. They'd tail from sky, tow him easy.
"Eh... bribes?"
"ECPD HQ riot squad. Offer? They'll chop your wrists."
"Busted means fight, then."
"That's..."
Couldn't call it crazy. Ditch car? Still tracked. Trunk haul was worth it.
"...Subdue before Talos deploys, grab goods, bail. Soo, even you can't handle Talos."
"Yeah."
Soo nodded meekly. Wanted a go sometime. Not now—guaranteed loss. She skipped sure L's.
"Low odds anyway. Don't sweat."
"You're shaking more."
"...I know. No need to say it."
Car crept forward. Front vehicle: guy out, five-min interior sweep. Their turn.
"Heavy checkpoint. Step out please. Process takes about five minutes. We'll verify item origins—tell the truth."
They exited to ECPD's stiff broadcast, faces blank, eyes locked. No signal needed. Trunk floor rip = go time.
Thump thump—
Riot duo tapped the car oddly, exchanged looks, eyed Enoch and Soo. Sweat beaded from Enoch's clenched fists.
Soo looked drowsy, but her eyes scanned ECPD positions, escape holes.
"Gonna check the trunk."
Enoch nodded heavily.
Screeech—
Trunk popped like ancient junk. Riot peeked in.
Strike now? Just this one?
As Enoch thought, the guy's hand plunged into the floor—
Sharp eyes from the rear guard locked on them.
No more wait.
Tap—
Soo stepped toward the riot hovercars. Enoch fired Hod, yanked EMP grenade pin.
And—
GRRRRRUMBLE—!
Something plummeted from the sky, smashing a riot hovercar to bits.