15th of November 2034,
Rain, nothing but the amplified sounds of pouring clouds against the damp tarmac roads of Stardown's suburbs is audible. It gave clarity to the peaceful backdrop of Stardown city, neon lights bouncing off of raindrops in the distance. The scene was sharply interrupted by the oncoming sound of a car engine barrelling down the quiet neighborhood. A Blue can of soda upon the road was being lapped at by the downpour, hollow echoes radiating from the aluminum interior as it is tickled by the rain. Thick Red and Blue lights accelerated through the fog of mizzle, the police cruiser collided with the soda, set hurdling by the wet rubber of the tire and finding itself caught in a stream of water destined for the storm drain.
Two men were sat in silence within the car, the shadow of night disguising their dull expressions like lunar makeup; only ever illuminated by the sirens of red and eventually followed by blue. Jake steered with a hard grip on the wheel to swerve a dangerous pothole, the lights of emergency revealing the driver to be a Jackal with Autumn fur and deep blue eyes, they had a hundred yard stare out onto the road, his pupils danced with anticipation.
The loose canon excuse of a partner aside Jake was Andy, his arm propped along the fogged, cold window, he was lost in the reading of his pocket Bible. Jake occasionally served glances at the Husky next to him, a silver cross of faith hung from Andy's neck and occasionally glinted in the light.
"You sure you're okay about seeing the kid's Mother?" Jake sounded tired, loopy. It has been a very long day. "She might not take kindly to that Anti-Outsider badge you got on. Her dead kid had a 'Gaze' after all, might crack up at you." Jake would take a quick glance at the White Flower pin once more "Just a thought."
Andy dragged his hazel eyes away from the words of faith to give a cold stare at Jake. The husky's furred fingers danced around the protesting pin on his uniform, a white flower stained in blood; said to represent the blighted blossoming of peace.
"No. She should already be well aware that her son's mind was an instrument of the devil." Andy was stern with his words, he meant everything with sincerity. "These people think they have superior genes, but really with the problems they all cause.. It's like we're evolving backwards rather than forwards like those snobby scientists say--"
The roaring sigh of Jake let Andy know that his point had been taken."Okay-Okay man.. I get it.. Politics. Not telling you to change your views on wizards or anything; just saying the tensions are high with that bullshit right now, even moreso with this lady's kid. Be mindful, nowadays it's like you piss people off by being in their sight. You're a cop with anger problems, I'll just say it outright you're an easy trigger to pull man. You're a good guy, Andy. But that temper of yours.. Achilles Heel."
Interesting radio chatter heckled their conversation, It was currently dialed into a talk show discussing the Outsider tensions surrounding the world and the various acts of violence associated with this bizarre group of people. A good handful of citizens were in support of them; to them an Outsider is practically like a superhero in some people's eyes.
The critical thinkers were not welcoming of the concept of advanced genetics. People would protest day in and day out, sometimes in support and sometimes in hatred about the upcoming generation of Wizards.
A man was ranting angrily behind the radio with bitter confidence. Clutching a sign and angrily talking down to the police chief; they were stationed within a crowd at the rainy city hall. A reporter for the news and Radio was also there, holding a plastic wrapped microphone to guard against the disastrous rain. The sign in the man's hands showcased the words 'OUTSIDERS OUT' in a cold, crimson Red. Each and every other person in this crowd was proudly boasting their signs containing death threats and crooked promises.
As if the quality on the car radio wasn't cheap enough, the volume practically piqued as the shouting of the man on the other end rings out.
"We've had ENOUGH! WE, THE REAL PEOPLE- HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE I TELL YOU! UP.. TO.. HERE!- THOSE OUTSIDER FUCKS HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT RUIN THE WORLD AROUND US. I lost my God Damn MOTHER! TO THE MAGNETMAN INCIDENT!" Sounds of chants from the crowd around the man could be heard inbetween the desperate shouting "He PULLED Her out of the FUCKING SKY! HER AND EVERYONE ELSE- You know what The Man had to say about their deaths? He said 'The best of the best are always searching for answers' But YOU NEVER ARE! YOU ARE ALL LIARS! THAT'S ALL YOU EVER WILL BE!" The man's voice broke numerous times, he was shouting past his limit "All ANY of you fancy government people ever do is dress yourself to kill and preach bullshit about these freaks day in and DAY fucking OUT! We Are Done Hearing It!"
Even from the beyond the terrible audio quality, his emotions and tearful voice was plain as day; anger mixing in with the endless sorrow in his voice, it was almost hard to hear because of the crowd. "My Mother, my sweet, sweet Lily- She burned ALIVE on that plane he brought down.. WITH HIS BRAIN. HIS BRAIN! Because you FOOLS were too incompetent to even estimate him as a threat in the first place.. that timebomb of a man Manny Thompson!.. Walking the streets and you.. - you -" Jake was already reaching over to turn the radio off but his fixated partner Andy slaps his hand away. "She's dead because of a Worthless.. City DESTROYING GREEN-EYED MUTANT!" Hearing this would satisfy a smile to Andy's white furred face, returning his eyes down toward his bible. "AND YOU EXPECT US TO SEND OUR KIDS.. OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO SCHOOL WITH THEM?! HAND IN HAND--"
Jake had heard enough of the persistent shouting from the radio, slamming the off button with his finger and grumbling under his breath. He needed to get this over with and go home to fall into bed with the one that matters most, his dear wife. He kept her in a pretty little house within a cul-de-sac, similar to the one he was pacing his car around in currently. That was home for Jake, but like all men; he had a job to carry out. No matter how difficult, he knew a night of relaxation beyond every task, no matter how difficult.
His foot applied pressure to the brakes that squeal against the rain, Jake would pull down a gear and pull into the drive-way that belonged to a beautiful blue home. The clap of a bible closing shut filled the quiet car, the husky was already eager to leave before the handbrake was even applied. The Jackal stepped out alongside Andy and sliding his cap from his head, expecting his partner to do the same with his own but it looked like he found comfort in the shade of the brim. They'd both travel up the stone walk-way and toward the door painted in red.
Jake and Andy stood in front of the door, the Jackal's ears perked up to become weary of the mumbled television chatter coming from inside the abode. The 'HOME SWEET HOME' mat along the floor had lost it's colour. Heavy knuckles begin to hammer the front entrance, Andy would turn away and shake his head disapprovingly. Nine seconds went by before the flurry of noise within came to a complete stoppage.
"Has to be the worst part of the job man, hate breaking the news to these people. It's sad to me, no one asked to birth a demon." Andy managed to chime into Jake's ear with that before the locks on the door begin to click.
It wasn't long before an old lady greeted the pair in blue, she had the same autumn fur coloring as Jake. He'd gaze into her eyes with a sincere look on his mug, noting that she also had the same blue eyes as well, like him "Good evening, Ma'am. My name is Jake Abbott and this is my partner Andy Walker, we need to speak with you urgently." Her fur was drier than a desert, a fresh cigarette hanging from between her wrinkled fingers. Her mouse tail recoils reflexively at the sight of two police officers, the harbingers of horrible news, she thought. Andy could immediately tell by her distraught face, as well as her puffy eyes from crying. This lady was expecting to hear the worst and her trembling lips made that very clear.
A draft of wind runs by the elderly woman, propping her shoulders up and wrapping her wool cardigan over her chest. "Why, yes of course- of course.. yes." Her fake smile would vanish the second she laid eyes on Andy's Tainted Flower pin across his police blazer. Jake took quick notice of her disgust and attempted to wrangle her attention back with some truth. "I'm afraid not, Ma'am. We're actually here to deliver you some news regarding one.. Rosco Jackson? We know you made a report for his absence and we may have an update on his whereabouts."
Her eyes almost immediately welled up with tears, suppressing a waterfall behind those powerful tear ducts, It was much too horrible to even face it. "Rainy night tonight- Isn't it b-boys?" The mouse lady took a drag from her cigarette as a single tear escapes down her cheek, ash fell from the tip as her quivering digits betrayed her sense of humility and calm.
Andy would face away from the woman as he sensed her emotional side ready to burst out at a moment's notice. In this time he could make out the silhouette of a smaller looking man cloaked in the shade of a bus-stop shelter across the street, opposite the house. It was hard to decipher a face, their bright red varsity jacket stood out like a sore thumb, two glowing green eyes were staring right back at Andy. A bright orange burned just below the threatening lime pupils, whoever is watching is sharing a smoke in watch.
Jake was left with his hands full, it took a glance to tell Andy was staring off at something else and as a result he now had to endure the full responsibility of telling a Mother her son had been murdered. "Ma'am I'm afraid your son has been involved in a homicide relating to an organized crime crew in Stardown of which he possibly affiliated himself with. We'll need you to come to Morisville to identify the body at the local morgue there where he is being examined."
Just as the Jackal got the sentence out, the old woman collapsed to the floor in a frenzy of sadness, emitting deep sobs through shivering lips. Weeping herself into a ball along the polished floor of her home at the officer's feet, Jake would struggle to hide his frown but eventually he stopped trying to mask it, letting the frown plant a monotone drone in the jackal's sad voice. "Ma'am, I need you to hold it together. There's still something we need from you to help us find whoever is responsible. I assure- that- I only want to help.
"No- No.. He- He.. Oh, Rosco.. My sweet Rosco. It can't be helped now- I spent my whole life telling that boy he's kicking around with the wrong people.. They just don't listen- why?.. why." No words could describe her endless sorrow and worry, losing a son? The Jackal's heart skipped a beat at the mere thought, he saw his mourning wife on the floor in her place for a split second.
Rejecting any and all form of professionalism that his job required, Jake knelt to reach eye-level with the sobbing lady; offering reassurance in the form of shoulder rubs and all the while his blue eyes were brimming with sympathetic feelings. It wasn't long before Andy decided to act his part, planting a hand on Jake's shoulder and immediately getting shrugged off as a result. The woman took notice of Andy's attempts to pull Jake away and the image of his Tainted Flower pin bruised her mind yet again.
"You feel proud with that flower on you, fucker?! You're just as bad .. as the ones who killed my boy. He wasn't right in the mind but he had a good heart- you.. you--"
Jake would squeeze her shoulders, it was a sudden gesture that captured her attention once more.
"Listen to me."
His voice broke the sound of the pouring rain around them like a hot knife through butter. Andy let out a quiet hum to silently spite what the woman said. Her cigarette laid idly along the welcome mat, burning an angering hot red as the wind catches the fluttering amber, sending particles of ash whisking through the windy wet air. Her full attention on Jake for the moments he had it, deciding to use this time window wisely.
"Whoever did this will get what's coming to them, you hear? I'll make sure of that. I have a wife of my own, I don't want my kid to grow up in a world full of killers. You just hang in there." His hugging embrace met the mouse just as the wind caught the cigarette, throwing it to the wet pavement further down the walk-way. The sizzling amber would be extinguished, nothing but ash remained in it's once fiery fury.
Sounds of a scraping footstep behind Jake carried him out of the consolation, Andy patted his shoulder again and this time he would whisper his complaint. "What are you doing? Don't give her false hope, let the scene techs handle this. We can't do shit about this at all man, you really want her to come crying for updates everyday from us? We did the thing we came for, let's go."
Jake had no words to offer his partner, only the warmth of a promise to the lady who was quietly crying after the short hug subsided. Andy grunted with irritation and decided to tip-toe away from the two and back towards the vehicle.
A waterfall of rain was clinging to the front window of the car, Andy caught a glimpse of the blurred visual of his angry face. A tang of guilt strummed the cords in his heart, his expression was showcasing nothing but inner misery, tearing his eyes away from that dark projection of himself altogether. He'd serve another quick glance back towards the man with green eyes under the bus stop shelter, his continued presence was starting to unnerve Andy; drumming his fingers along the bible in his pocket as they lock eyes, the green coloring in the distant retinas looked almost like they were glowing throughout the rainy night. "... Goddamn Outsider demon" Andy growled under his breath, "The hell are you doing at this hour anyway? Ain't no goddamn buses around."
Despite being pretty far across the street, it was like he heard Andy's muttered insult and would immediately come to a stance and fast-walk in the opposite direction. The timing of their exit confused Andy, rolling his eyes in complete dismissal and taking another look just down the road towards a steady stream of rainwater following it's route towards a storm-drain. The stream of dirtied water carried the same cracked can of soda from earlier, approaching the drop off before disappearing permanently into the darkness of the drain.
Just like us, the world can cry too.
Within the police cruiser and tucked along the dashboard was the radio, it began to broadcast a message to the two empty seats in the cars.
"Attention all available units, I repeat all available units- Code 10-200 for 14 Anting Street in Stardown. Officer requesting immediate back-up. We have an update on the sting here regarding one 'Krover Limelight'.. Ah.. Aha- We weren't expecting what's upstairs in that room right now dispatch.. You didn't tell us we'd be dealing with a fucking Outsider-- Over.."
Through the static of the intercom, hasty and panicked breathing could be heard from the officer. Another dispatcher would tend to his need for aid
"Unit 214; This is Dispatch we're reading you now for the Code 10-200 in Stardown, back-up is coming as we speak, okay? We got a tip that states it is imperative you do not engage Krover Limelight by yourself. I repeat, it is imperative you do not engage Limelight on your lonesome, run away and hide.. seriously- someone set you guys up, whole load of misinformation, over."
The officer sounded distant, his voice was breaking seemingly on every word he spoke, shock was cradling his very core. "None of you fuckers thought it'd be handy for us-- for me to know that we're not only dealing with a kingpin but an Outsider, too? I'm-- I'm pretty sure everyone in that room is.. is dead now, Dispatch- We didn't know.. he could- do that. Shit-- Shit-- I think that's him- HE, STOP--"
Crack, the officer's voice would be interrupted and replaced with the sound of bones twisting into pouring liquid. Acidic sounds of bubbling agony joined in with the static surrounding the radio frequency. A much different and gravelly voice could be heard in the background of Adam's radio, dripping with sheer complaint and command.
"Fucking Pigs. You wanna shit on my dining table? We were having soup- Do you understand? Okay. I'll make him shit in yours now."
...
"This is dispatch, Unit 214 please confirm your safety. Over" the female voice would chime into the police-radio after the officer's sentiment was abruptly concluded. Concern was washing over her professional tone of voice.
"I repeat, this is dispatch- Officer Adams please give us an update on your status- Over."
It is difficult to reply without a mouth.