đź“Ś Tags: Psychological Thriller, Urban Noir, Vigilante, Mature Themes, Serial Killer, Crime Drama
⚠️Authors Note - Mature Content
"This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, nations, corporations and events are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real events or persons is coincidental."
The wind swept across the stone ledge.
Near finally turned away from looking down on the Banks entrance.
He glanced once more at the departing Kodoma vehicles before adjusting his gauntlets..
They were brand new, new white paint for camouflage, and now they were scratched and dented from recent events.
'Well... that was interesting.'
He rolled his shoulders. His muscles were cracking in place.
His body was still feeling the effects of the earlier encounter. Kyoko had certainly been a capable opponent, even if she had ultimately been outmatched rather quickly. His body was more worn from the previous weeks than he wanted to admit.
He looked towards the city.
Promise City stretched out before him, its enormous buildings disappearing into the evening snowfall. The streets below were illuminated by headlights, streetlamps and the occasional Christmas decoration. Snow was falling harder and harder as the night went on.
It was December.
And the city was getting ready for Christmas.
Near pulled his hood further over his head. Shielding his uncovered portion of his face. Specifically his forehead and blue eyes.
'Right. Back to work.' he muttered to himself.
He walked towards the edge of the building.
Beep. Beep.
His communicator came alive.
Sunohara: 'Near?'
Sunohara's voice crackled through his earpiece.
'Go ahead.'
Sunohara: 'We've got a situation.'
'What sort?'
Sunohara: 'Jefferson Avenue. Small toy shop. Apparently, someone's decided to do their Christmas shopping without paying.'
Near looked down at the streets.
'You're joking.'
Sunohara: 'Wish I was.'
'How many?'
Sunohara: 'Two confirmed. Possibly a third keeping watch outside.'
Near sighed.
'A toy shop? Really?'
Sunohara: 'Well, they're not exactly targeting the Federal Reserve.'
'Thank you, Sunohara. Very helpful.'
Sunohara: 'Always happy to assist.'
Near shook his head.
He stepped backwards, allowing himself a little room.
'Anything else?'
Sunohara: 'Police are on their way. But they're taking their time.'
'Of course they are. Probably waiting for me to arrive.'
He looked towards the opposite rooftop.
More like they waited to ambush him. Near was still one of the Promise City Police Departments targets.
The distance wasn't particularly concerning.
'I'll take it from here.'
Sunohara: 'Try not to get yourself killed. I'd rather not have to build another suit. Every gooddamn scratch cuts my soul'
Near smirked through his grey balaclava.
'Guess you're screwed.. Besides, you'd miss me.'
Sunohara: 'I'd miss the peace and quiet.'
The communication cut.
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Near took a running start.
His boots struck the rooftop-
CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH
scattering a thin layer of snow as he approached the edge.
Then he jumped. His arms spread wide.
For a brief moment, he was suspended above the streets.
His cape spread behind him, catching the winter air. Its specially designed structure gave him enough lift to control his descent, allowing him to glide between the buildings.
Below, cars crawled through the snow-covered roads. The Kodoma barricade was behind him now.
A couple hurried beneath an umbrella.
A bus passed beneath him, its passengers entirely unaware of the figure moving silently overhead.
Children huddled into one of the many stores, a candy store called; Pop-Rocks City.
Near adjusted his position. Prepared to pull his grapple gun if needed.
The wind carried him towards Jefferson Avenue. A short leap from the Kodoma Bank. A few alleyways away. Near passed above two homeless men standing around a dustbin on fire.
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The toy shop was called Little Wonders.
It was a small, independently owned business tucked between a pharmacy and a family restaurant. On the red brick building sat a black top hat.
Its windows were decorated with snowflakes, colourful lights and miniature Christmas trees. A large teddy bear sat beside the entrance, wearing a red Santa hat.
Unfortunately, the festive atmosphere had been somewhat disrupted.
Inside, two ski masked men were emptying the shelves. Making a mess as they ransacked each shelf row.
One was stuffing bow wrapped boxes into a large duffel bag, while the other was attempting to force open the shop's cash register with a sharp red crowbar. The metallic sound of a rifle striking a surface echoed.
'Come on! Hurry up!' One shouted his rifle slung behind him.
'I'm trying!' The other strained to break the old cash register.
'You said this place would be empty! You said it would be a clean job!'
'It was supposed to be! So don't keep bringing it up'
The shopkeeper, an elderly gentleman, sat behind the counter with his hands raised.
'Please. Just take what you want.' he whined softly, powerless.
The first thief turned towards him. His eyes locked on the old man.
'Shut up!'
A small bell jingled.
Both men looked towards the entrance. Their heads snapped to face the entrance.
Nobody. A gust of wind.
The door lightly parted open. Pushed by the cool breeze.
'What was that?'
'Probably the wind.'
'That snowstorm is sure to get worse.'
'HOW could it get WORSE?!'
A voice came from behind them.
'Evening.'
Both men froze.
Near stood beside one of the display shelves.
Snowflakes clung to his cape.
'Bit late for Christmas shopping, isn't it?'
The first robber immediately attempted to sling his rifle to his front. Cocking the working parts to the rear with a metallic click-
'WHO THE HELL—'
He didn't finish.
Near crossed the distance between them, catching his wrist before he could aim his rifle.
A sharp twist.
The weapon clattered onto the floor. With a crack in the man's wrist-
'Augh!' the thief shrieked.
Near drove his shoulder into the man's chest, sending him crashing against a display of toy cars.
The second thief swung his red crowbar with wild abandon.
Near ducked.
The bar struck a shelf, sending several boxes tumbling onto the floor.
'Damn!'
Near grabbed the man's jacket and pulled him forward.
Smack. A fist to the jaw.
A swift knee to the stomach.
'Ooofff'
The thief doubled over. Clutching his stomach, he wheezed.
Near followed with an elbow to the back, sending him face-first onto the carpet with a painful THUD.
The first man struggled to get back up.
Near turned.
'I'd stay down.'
WHAM
A stiff kick to the jaw. The thief sprawled across the carpet. The other, face planted into the floor in front of the owner. Near looked around for more, just in case. It seemed as if there were only these two. Petty criminals. Near felt kinda bad for the speed and ferocity he used to take them both down.
For a few seconds, the shop was silent.
The elderly shopkeeper remained behind the counter, staring. A legend stood in front of him. A myth.
A week ago the old man chalked the Vigilante down as a Myth. A psyOp used by the government to manipulate prices, or in a different scenario a weapon used by the MegaCorporations.
Near looked around.
A few toys had been knocked onto the floor. One of the Christmas displays had been damaged.
He sighed.
He approached the counter.
'Are you alright?' His voice was blunt.
The shopkeeper nodded slowly.
'Y-Yes. I think so.'
Near glanced towards the two thieves who laid unconscious.
'Good. Stay behind the counter until the police arrive.'
'You... you're him, aren't you?'
Near paused.
'Depends who you're asking.'
The old man gave a nervous laugh.
'The Vigilante.'
Near shrugged.
'I've been called worse.'
He retrieved the weapon from the floor and moved it away from the two men. Disassembling it. Dropping the components across the counter.
Then he looked towards the shopkeeper again.
'Merry Christmas.'
The old gentleman blinked.
'But... it's not Christmas yet.'
Near looked towards the window. He could hear the jingling of Christmas music over the street intercom.
Snow continued falling outside.
'Getting close.'
A few minutes later, the distant sound of police sirens approached.
Near stepped outside.
The cold immediately caught him.
He looked up towards the rooftops, then down at the two police vehicles turning onto Jefferson Avenue.
BANG ZIIIiiippppp-
Near fired his grapple gun towards the rooftop and he was off, gliding through the air.
A couple of officers hurried towards the shop.
One looked up.
'Hey!'
'Wait! Don't-'
But he was already moving. Near never waited around for the police, too risky.
The police officer stared up at the sky..
'...Every friggin' time.'
High above Jefferson Avenue, Near settled onto the rooftop of an adjoining building.
He looked out across Promise City.
The snow was getting heavier.
Christmas lights illuminated the streets below, and somewhere in the distance, a church bell rang. The inflatable Santa in the Brigerton District's bay bobbed up and down, dominating the skyline.
He touched his communicator.
'Sunohara?'
Sunohara: 'Still here.'
'Toy shop is secure. Police have arrived.'
Sunohara: 'Good. Anything interesting?'
Near glanced towards the city.
'Not particularly. Two idiots trying to steal Christmas presents.'
Sunohara: 'Sounds about right.'
Near smiled faintly.
'I'm going to continue patrol.'
Sunohara: 'Try to stay out of trouble.'
'No promises.'
He switched off the communicator.
For a moment, he stood alone on the rooftop.
A few snowflakes settled against his shoulders.
Then the Vigilante disappeared into the winter night. His cape sweeping the roof's floor clearing it off snow.
Promise City carried on beneath him. The city never slept. Nor did crime.
And somewhere within its streets, another problem was waiting.
Of course it was.