Dangling Bait (Pricey Ransom)

Subject: Dangling Bait (Pricey Ransom) Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:16 am

Sitting in my office, the ringer for the direct line to my office phone sounds and I answer the phone. "This is Psyre." The voice on the other side is very disciplined and stern. "We have a situation." I inquire about the location where I am requested and the phone call ends. I walk out of my office and tell Kimmy that I have a meeting to attend. She nods and tells me to have fun thinking that I'm going out to have a lunch date with some female companion of mine. I would prefer my contact be an attractive female, but instead I have an old Lieutenant in the police force with connections and friends within Division 12 that calls me up to help with certain delicate situations. While it's not exactly my forte, I offer my help to him from time to time as a sort of negotiations specialist. Hostages are never fun for me because it's someone's life on the line, so I'm hoping that it's another protest or something of that nature.

I drive over to the police station and head inside to see Lt. Dandan. We move into a side office where there is another gentleman around the same age as Dandan waiting for us to arrive. The Lt. closes the door and he tells me that we have a very delicate situation. I tell him that I'm listening and he slides me a file. I open it and there's a teenage boy inside with a fairly clean record. I look at the photos inside and look up at Dandan. "I told you that I don't like kidnappings." He tells me that the boy hasn't been kidnapped. I look at him trying to figure out why I'm here then and he tells me that it's worse than that. "Prince, there's a price tag on this boy's head. He's been involved in some very questionable activities as you can see and it would seem that his actions are made on behalf of a certain rising criminal operation. There are rumors that this operation may have paranormal connections. I look at the Lt. and ask him what he wants me to do.

Lt: "I can put you in contact with an informant to discover who issued or at least who's paying the fee for killing the kid and talk them down. We're trying to locate the kid now, but we think he might have heard and he's currently very scared and hiding."

"Where do you suspect he's hiding?"

The Lt looks at the other man who nods and Dandan tells me that they believe he's fled to the Lower Commons. I smirk, "The Lower Commons? You want ME to go into the area that is infested with dark spirits and criminals... why?"

LD: "Look at his last name again, Prince."

I turn to the top page again and sigh. McCorman. Damnit! Walter McCorman is kind of a big deal in certain circles and those can be influential circles for me to penetrate if I am going to get from underneath my father's control. Lt. Dandan tells me that the Father cannot provide a substantial reward all at once, but he will cover all important costs and damages as well as a smaller token of his appreciation. I look at him and the Lt. smirks. I don't give a damn about the money, my family is wealthy.

So about 45 minutes later, I notice an abrupt change in the appearance of the surroundings as I enter the Lower Commons in an unmarked "infiltration vehicle" which is simply a vehicle that is very common. I had left my jacket, vest, and tie along with wardrobe accessories like cuff links, tie clasps, and valuables all back at the precinct in my car. I head to the area where they suspect I can find the boy and drive around. I had stared at his picture long enough to memorize what he looks like. I notice two teens in hoodies and jeans looking around suspiciously before they look back down an alley and gesture. I cross the street normally and the new addition to the group looks very familiar. I walk towards them in the middle of the sidewalk. Obviously, in a test of manhood, he can't move out of the way on these streets and not with people around on the street corner. So he doesn't move and I don't move. As we get closer, his friends try to step in front of him, but they are knocked out of the way without even having to lift a finger. I'm starting to enjoy this whole Seer thing. Some nearby thugs try to approach me and a fence of fire links erects behind me. I look at the target and tell him not to try and reach for that gun in his pouch.

Not even ten seconds later, metal clanks on the ground and the boy screams out in pain. Somehow the metal managed to heat up very fast and badly burned his hand. A trash can lid hits him over the back of the head and knocks him to the ground. I drag him across the street to the car and throw him in the back. I drive off and make a phone call while in transit. I am told directions, which I recite out loud to help me retain it all. As I close in on the destination, I make a phone call.

"I have the package and I'm taking him inside now. It shouldn't be long now."

I parked the car and drag the boy inside this pool hall. "I heard someone is looking for this brat." One of the guards walks over and looks down at the kid. "Hey boss, it's him." I look at him with an insulted look and tell them I was told about some sort of fee for bringing the kid in. I can see several spirits moving around in here, which I make seem like they make me uncomfortable. The "Boss" walks over and tells me that I've done him a big favor by getting this kid off of the streets interfering with his business. I tell him that I just handled an issue for a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. He nods in understanding and smiles. He pulls out a manila envelope and hands it to me. Turning around to leave, I can hear the first kick to wake him up. The door closes behind me and as soon as I cross the street, the gunfire begins from the back of the meeting. Smoke escapes from underneath the front door. I climb into the SUV waiting for me and watch as the front door flies open with people trying to escape. Armed operatives are waiting outside and force everyone onto the ground. The boy is brought out coughing and thrown into a second SUV that drives off in front of us. This gives me such an adrenaline rush, but is seriously not my favorite thing to do BY FAR. I got paid and the boy is now safe.

1243 words - Pricey Ransom Complete
Reward: $500

Subject: Tying Up Loose Ends (Subway Chase) Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:13 am

As we drive off, I notice that one of the demons sprint out the back. The SUV gets ready to turn down the street and tell them that they need to make sure that the McCorman boy is united with his father. I open the door and run after the demon for some reason. When the SUV drives off, I realize that this probably not the best idea that I've had, but I made this choice, so I have to run with it... literally! Jogging after the demon, a breeze picks up down the street by the demon, which kicks up newspapers into the air. The papers turn into violent fire sprites that attack the demon to keep him at bay and even push him closer towards me. He roars as he is turned to flee from the small creatures conjured by my mind. Apparently, I still don't have the control necessary to properly control larger conjures with my pyro abilities. The demon looks at me and I grin at him. "You have two options in this. Surrender or surrender." He pauses for a moment seemingly confused by the options causing me to shake my head in disbelief.

Closing the distance between us a bit, he dashes towards me to attack. Bad idea. A brick flies through the air and smacks him right in the face before it hits the ground and cracks into two pieces. A little dazed, he tries to gather himself, but the two halves hit him in the right knee and upper left thigh this time. Now the knee was intentional, but I didn't actually mean to hit him so close to the groin at all. That's just wrong and except in dire straits should one man ever do that to another man and it not be a capitol offense. The demon falls to a knee, which opens him up to be assaulted by rocks, more bricks, and of course... a pair of metal trash can lids! Blood begins to leak from his body and I realize that this game would not be continuing for too much longer at this rate. I lift a broken glass bottle into the air and hurl it at the demon. He rolls out of the way and runs towards the subway tunnel. Perhaps, it was not a good tactical decision to use most of the big objects at the beginning because now I'm out of "ammo"!

Great... more running after this damn demon! I chase him down into the subway and he tries to ambush me, but the drops of blood helped to give away the direction, he would be coming from. Ducking under the attack, I use my telekinesis to push him away. I create a guardian feline made of fire to fire with the demon. I rest and focus as the feline growls and claws at the demon drawing forth more blood. The demon dashes towards the tracks as a train is coming and dives onto the track as the train is stopping. Snapping my fingers, the feline vanishes in a puff of smoke. As people move about the station to their next destination. The train moves on as well and I jump down to the tracks and look around for signs of the demon's direction. Slowly looking around, I try sniffing the air which turns out to be a bad idea as the air is stale and I'm pretty sure that something has died down here. A small fiery orb floats around me as a light and I close my eyes to focus my thoughts for the orb on finding the trail of blood. Perhaps, when I am stronger, I won't be distracted by what I see, but right now... just not that good yet. I pick up the trail thanks to the orb and it vanishes.

The trail takes me off the normal path of the subway rails to a somewhat blocked off area. There is blood smeared on the decayed barricade blocking this abandoned path. Deeper into the darkness I shall traverse. I can hear groaning up ahead so I keep moving towards it. Once I come into what looks to be the demon's home, it is sitting down trying to bandage itself when it notices me. He looks at me and asks why I'm still chasing him. "You could hinder my organization's reputation. We have to uphold a certain level of efficiency and letting you survive would hinder that. It's actually not personal. You are just in the way of business." I take another step forward and a reinforced bamboo cage springs up around me and I look at the demon before I look around the cage and shake my head. "Seriously?"

Demon: "Still trying to act like you're tough, huh?"

I snap my fingers and the entire cage is set on fire. I stare at the demon whose smugness is very short-lived. I extend my hand towards him and smack it to the left which knocks his body over. The motions become more and more violent while the expression on my face is very relaxed. After lifting him up to the ceiling over the cage, I release the telekinetic hold I have over his body and he crashes through the cage with one of the stalks impaling him. More importantly for me, it creates an opening. The fire is concentrated on the opening before I extinguish it and exit my would be prison. Looking around, I wonder what a demon would keep in a hidden lair. I take my time to try and avoid setting off anymore traps. To the victor go the spoils, they say. Once I'm done searching around, it would be time for me to take my leave.

Heading back to the surface, I would finally have cell phone reception again and call for a car to come pick me up. As soon as they arrive, I ask them if the previous package has been delivered and they confirm, "Yes, sir. Mr. McCorman expressed extreme gratitude. I think we may have secured a new ally." I smile and lay my head back. "Good. Things are progressing quite well then. Your team did very well, Sgt. Tell your employer that I look forward to working with you again."

Sgt: "Thanks for the call. I will relay the message as well, Mr. Prince."

The car comes to a stop and I get out. I let them drive off and find Carmina waiting for me with a car. I get in the back and she takes me home to shower and relax. This had been a productive day.

1163 words - Subway Chase Quest Complete

Subject: Re: Dangling Bait (Pricey Ransom) Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:00 am

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