Date - 07th December
Character Name - Near
Location - Promise City, Ct
District - Owl Mansion, The Stretch Coastline Bay Entrance
Time - 0250 (02:50AM)
Near was in the Owls nest, her mansion nestled deep in the tight hellscape known as the Stretch. From above the dinner hall rafters he watched her and her dozen henchmen surround Detective Brady.
Brady was on his knees, pinned by two thugs while several others aimed rifles at him, their breath fogging the cold concrete.
'Brady… I never did thank you for the free ride to the Promise City Jail…' One thug muttered, pushing his face forcefully into the ground.
'HA!' The Owl barked, before spinning sharply on her heels. She strutted toward the long dinner table.
Click Click Click
Her footsteps cracked like gunshots.
She snatched a glass of wine, her bright red talons curling around the stem.
'Your gonna get what you deserve…' She growled, casually sipping as she approached the subdued Detective. Her footsteps echoed danger.
Then she grabbed his wet brown hair and yanked him close.
The scent of cigar smoke and alcohol rolled off her as she exhaled deliberately into his face before pushing his head aside.
'You know… I could feed you to the boys here… but yet again I could kill you myself… I could test some of my new merchandise… or-'
She stopped suddenly.
Standing upright with a violent snap, her white blouse trembled like an earthquake. Her lightly creased, sun-tanned cleavage rippled as she moved, the golden owl medallion dangling between them swinging like a pendulum.
From under her low-cut black skirt, she drew a revolver. Custom-made. Golden. Owl sigil on the grip. She cocked it with a clean metallic click.
'Perfect.' She smiled with a cruel, satisfied grin.
'It's clean, easy…and a bit boring. But it'll get the job done.'
The Owl stalked closer, stale nicotine and whisky choking Brady as she leaned in.
'Tell ya what cutie. Tell me where I can find my little boy, and I won't blow your brains out.' She smiled sweetly - a smile with no warmth, no mercy. She pressed a long pale finger against his lips.
'I always hear from the peasants that you are the most reasonable of the police in this godforsaken city.'
She leaned back slightly, and with a haughty scoff and snapped her heel against the stone floor - gavel striking judgment.
'My son, I want him back. And I am more than willing to bring a war to the MegaCorps.'
A flicker of a smile.
'Would be a shame if war came to the Bridgerton Precinct.'
Brady's brown eyes widened.
'You wouldn't….'
The Owls' expression darkened like thunder rolling in. Whisky and cigar smoke thickened between them.
'Oh I would Brady baby. I may be stuck in the Stretch right now…'
Click…Click….Click
She paced side to side, eyes gleaming with hunger.
'But down here there's THOUSANDS of psychos JUST WAITING to be unleashed on the poor, poor souls above… all it needs.. Is one door unlocked.'
Her grin widened unnaturally - sanity peeling away in strips.
(Now. If I move now I can save Brady, I am certain of it.) Near thought.
He dropped from the rafters into the center of the hall, landing with the heavy thud of metal on stone. A cold, predatory silence swallowed the room.
Goons swarmed instantly, surrounding him like sharks scenting blood. This was exactly the kind of attention Near lived for.
He planted his armoured boots shoulder-width, gauntleted fists clenched, blue eyes locked on the Owl and the prowling henchmen.
'Look who we got here!'
'Lost whittle boy?'
'Were gonna KILL you Angel!'
The weak chandelier above flickered as the Owl approached, her interest carnivorous.
Her heels cracked sharply with each graceful step. She was shorter than him, slim, black lingerie peeking beneath her white blouse, skirt riding low above her knees. Warm tanned skin glowed faintly beneath the fractured chandelier light. She folded her arms beneath her creased chest, squeezing them upward with deliberate confidence- a queen dominance.
She pushed forward until her small chest pressed lightly against his armoured vest, testing him. Near - Eddie - clenched his jaw, his eyes struggling to not break focus.
(Damn it. Why did she need to look so hot.) But he held his stare, unbreakable.
'You've done a lot, huh.' She mused, referring to the many stories that haunted the streets. Eyeing him like a rare specimen.
'I like to impress.'
'And you've done that, baby, in spades… but you do realise where you are?' She leaned in close, breath warm.
'The armpit of the city?'
'Funny.' Her teeth gritted with frustration and primal allure.
'Keep this up and I won't redecorate my mansion with your brain matter, maybe my bed instead.'
'Then I better continue.'
Several henchmen whispered:
'What do we do?'
'I dunno, the boss is clearly… REALLY into the vigilante… kinda shocked won't lie.'
'Definitely was not expecting this on my 2019 bingo card.'
'Hey maybe someone sh-'
'IF ANYBODY EVEN MOVES ILL BLOW YOUR F***ING HEAD OFF!' she roared, with violent grace, gun snapping toward her own crew as her eyes hungrily returned to Near.
'Uh, boss? What about the Detective…?' Her yellow-dressed lieutenant asked quietly.
'Him? Oh throw him to the dogs.'
'Near, once you're done eyeballing, please, help-' Brady yelped as he was dragged downstairs.
Near stepped-
The Owl stepped faster.
Cold metal pressed under his chin. She blew him a slow, dramatic kiss inches from his lips.
'AhAhAh.. No no no stay RIGHT there.' Nears eyes narrowed as Brady disappeared into the basement.
'I didn't come here to fight, Owl.'
She leaned in until her lips brushed his. Her pink, aged lips puckered-almost kissing him.
'Then what did you come here for…hmmm? Little Imp.' Warm breath grazed his cheek.
'Information.'
'BORING!' She spun away, lowering her mechanical pistol.
'Everyone knows that you're informed of every transaction in this city.' Near said, tone sincere rather than flattering.
'Every dime that changes hands - you know it.'
Her smirk twitched, pride breaking through.
'Fine, what do you wanna know - and what's the price?'
'Price?'
'A lifestyle like mine doesn't stay free, cutie.' She raised her gun at his chest.
Her smile sharpened into a malicious crescent.
BLAM
The shot thundered through the wall.
Near staggered as the bullet smashed into his chestplate with a deafening CRACK, heat burning across his ribs. He dropped to one knee.
With his breathing erratic, he peered upwards at the Queenpin who now stood nonchalantly. Smoke curled from her pistol barrel as she stood with arms folded, squeezing her chest together, medallion nearly swallowed between them.
'Don't think I accepted the deal, baby.'
'Thought… we had a -.' Near growled, breath ragged, his body still reverberating from the gunshot.
'No, cutie. Pleasure is strictly separated from business.'
She turned and ascended the balcony stairs, each click of her glass heels dripping seduction. Her pistol never wavered. Snipers tracked Near from above; any wrong move meant death.
At the top, she holstered her weapon with a smirk.
'Now, Angel….let's see what you are REALLY made of.'
The Queenpin lit a cigarette, and with a foul exhale smoke filled the air around her. She bit her teeth together in anticipation of the violence to come.
Her crew closed in.
The Owls crew stalked Near, cracking their knuckles, swinging metal bats, gesturing with their firearms, and her lieutenant led the predatory approach.
'Let's kick his ass!'
A thug swung. Near caught their fist-
Crack.
knuckle shattered like brittle glass.
'AAAHHHHHH!'
The man collapsed, screaming.
The Owl bit her lip, eyes wide with feral delight.
'HA! YES! All he wanted for Christmas were medical bills!....now… my vigilante…break their spine next.'
Near tore through the goons-fists, elbows, knees landing with brutal precision.
SMACK MMPHH CHINK CLING SMACK
The fight was ferocious, Near easily outclassed them in martial arts, however the firearms? There was little he could do. Occasionally a gunman achieved a shot.
BANG BANG DINK
Gunfire rang off his armour, sparks flaring.
Nears armour clinked with a spark, lead on titanium. He felt the burn as blood trickled down his shoulder.
'OH FUCK YES!... You're so strong!' The Owl moaned, dragging hard on her cigarette.
The armed thugs were next. Near reached into his utility belt, and with speed flicked a ninja star-
One gunman's hand was impaled. Another fell off the balcony with a sickening thud.
Nears hoods HUD flashed.
[Alive. Broken.]
'If this continues I will need some new panties!' The Owl howled.
'BOYS GET IN THERE! I want to see the Angel FLEX'
The henchmen vaulted the bannisters like rabid dogs, they hesitated, they just watched their friends be mauled, and they were next.
'Make your pathetic attempts interesting' She hissed.
'An alpha predator tearing through my crew does it for me… but don't bore me.'
SMACK CRACK
Two down - face, sternum.
The lieutenant approached, serrated knife gleaming.
SLASH SLASH CLINK CLINK CINK ZZZIIINNGG
Shallow cuts tore into Near's arm. Blood seeped through torn armour.
Near blocked, twisted -
FFWWPPPSMASHH
A spinning kick caved the lieutenant's face, sending him crashing down.
Only one remained - trembling, on his knees staring at the blood-streaked vigilante.
Near's body was exhausted, and now the burning sensation of an open wound pained him.
'Well, well' the Owl hummed, turning lazily away, 'guess my little Imp can handle himself.. Should've listened to the rumors.'
She began to walk-
FWWOOSHH -THUMP
Near's grapple line fired.
He soared upward and landed on the balcony bannister, boots thudding like judgement itself.
The Owl's eyes lit up. Wild. Hungry.
'Talk. Now.'
She grinned.
'Gladly.'