James suddenly awoke, hearing his alarm blaring in the distance. Realising he had fallen asleep, he sighed and made himself a meal to eat. Following that, he walked to his bed, pulled up a loose floorboard, grabbed the money he owed Phillip, went downstairs, and put it in the letterbox.
Heading back up, his eyes were cold and his body tense as if he was preparing for war. Looking through his wardrobe, he picked out a shirt and put on his bulletproof vest. Putting on his holster, he grabbed his trench coat and fedora. Freshening up, he looked at himself in the mirror and took a deep breath.
Everything was for today. Rubbing his eyes, he activated them and looked at himself, seeing the pure white aura that filled his body. "Okay." Letting out a deep breath, he slapped water on his face and left, locking the door behind him.
"Brother." The homeless man reached out and grabbed his arm before he could get to his car. James quickly pulled away and tensed up, ready for a sudden attack, but stopped, knowing it was nothing. "Whoa, calm down." The man said, lifting his hands up.
"Sorry." James took a deep breath and calmed himself down. He was too on edge. It wouldn't do any good to make him think everything was a threat. "What?" The homeless man made a symbol indicating he wanted money first.
As James turned to walk off, the man quickly stood up. "Wait. I'm not begging, I just remember our deal last time." James frowned and nodded for him to continue, "A guy just walked in before you left. Big guy, beard. Not from here." The man moved his eyes to point to a car in the distance behind them, "He's still here."
James smiled and took out his wallet. "Thank you." Handing him a twenty, the man smiled and took his seat again, pulling out a bottle in a paper bag. Letting out a satisfied noise from the first sip, he smiled at James as he drove off.
Phillip called once in the car. Putting an earpiece in, he answered. "I'm here. Sure, that guy told you, however."
"Yeah."
"Don't trust the homeless, James. If that's your lookout-"
James cut off his rugged voice, "No, he just saw a couple of guys who broke into my apartment the other day. Reality is, I think he wanted a quick buck just now." Phillip made a muffled noise, "You ready for today?"
"What's your plan?" Phillip asked a question of his own. James stared ahead and thought for a minute.
"Hang around the mayoral building. The crowd will be heavy, plus I want to see Hopkins."
"Alright, but I will get one shot in such a heavy place. He approaches your car, and I have to fire, you get the one, and I'm gone." Phillip paused, taking a swig of a drink he had, "Still have time to choose somewhere else." James tapped the steering wheel with his index finger and shook his head.
"One is enough. It will give me time to react if I need." Philip nodded and stayed silent. The call never hung up, but without anything to say to one another, James turned the radio on.
"More breaking news coming out of Maryland," Kate said with amazement. "The vigilante known as Chicken Head has struck once again. Reports from the scene say that the vigilante attacked a restaurant; the scene was far too gruesome to give the details." James tightened his hands around the steering wheel, waiting for more, "Although details are unclear at the moment, we have been told that the restaurant was a front for illegal pit fighting."
"I have a feeling, Kate, that today will be different from the Result Day we are used to." The male cohost said with a deep sigh, "Two massacres already, and it isn't even midday. It makes you wonder if he knows police responses will be longer or if he craves all the attention for himself."
"We can only speculate." Kate said with a tired voice, "But on brighter news, the final counts are being done for our Mayoral Candidates. Looking at the polling before the vote, Candidate Hopkins is predicted to receive 76% of the vote, followed by Candidate Burns with 15% and Candidate Davis with only 9."
"It looks to be a blowout," the man said with surprise, "And many wonder if it will break ex-Mayor Bradfords 80%."
"I don't know. I think Hopkins lost a few supporters with his stance on Vigilantes, especially amongst the force. But I am happy to say that the future of Newport is looking bright." Kate happily said, "We will be back after a short break." An advertisement started playing, and James lowered the radio's volume.
Pulling up to a red light, he couldn't help but sigh, wondering what he had unleashed. He had expected Chicken Head to act only in the evening and at one location. 'He won't stop, will he?' James tried to push his mind aside and resist the urge to go to Maryland to see for himself.
Driving to the Mayoral building, a large crowd waited outside, some already having set up tents on the large patch of greenery before it. Food stalls flocked the streets, capitalising on the influx of people as music played all around. Other than the issues in Maryland, it was a joyous day; the people of Newport used it as an excuse not to go to work.
James wished he could feel like them, but couldn't, and sighed, pulling over a distance away and watching. Behind him, he saw Phillip's car park, seeing him carefully prepare a rifle, without a secret.
James got out, paid for both of their parking tickets, handed the ticket to Phillip, and got back into his car.
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"Coffee," George said, holding a cup to Rose. Looking out at the crowd around the Mayoral building, she smiled and took it, feeling her body warm up from the first sip.
"It's nice seeing this, god, I forgot how extreme people take Result Day." Seeing a group of men huddled in a circle watching two wrestle, placing bets on the winner, she chuckled.
"Yeah, but it only comes every five years. Let the people enjoy themselves." Rose smiled and tapped her cup against George's, taking another drink. Listening to music that blasted in the background, she wondered how Newport ever came to see Results Day as such a special thing. It had been a thing as long as she could remember, and with her, the stories her parents told her, a thing around longer than her.
"You hear on the radio. Chicken Head is having his own party in Maryland." Rose said, clearing his mind of pointless thoughts. George sighed, hearing her worried voice, and nodded.
"Of all days, but what can we do. We're here to keep the peace." George looked around and frowned, "Where's Jeremiah?"
"He's inside with the three candidates. He'll only come out once the vote has been cast, but even then, it will only be on the balcony. You know how it is." George stayed silent and looked at Rose, smiling, seeing that she looked better, like a weight had been lifted off her.
Looking down at his watch, he shook his head, "Only twelve more hours."
"Fourteen, we are working extra shifts today." George groaned, not wishing to be reminded. The two stood in silence, watching the crowd. They both couldn't help but smile, the longer they did, seeing people laugh and drink with one another. In the manors around, people stood on the roofs; some were eager spectators, others were placed by NPPD and NPSD to keep watch with permission.
There was only one that was out of place in the happy atmosphere. Her gaze drifted towards the Gentleman's manor. It was the only place where people seemed to steer clear, scared to get too close. A large number of NPPD stood around it, subtly enforcing it, while white-gloved men stood inside, silently protecting the fortress.
She had occasionally seen a car leave the grounds filled with men, each time she got a report about Chicken Head attacks, but they always hastily returned. It irked her how their enemy, a person who slowly corrupted Newport, could live so freely, but she knew better than to do something about it alone.
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Lucas looked out the window, holding his glass of wine tightly and taking deep breaths. Alannah walked over and followed his gaze towards the Mayoral building. "Are you sure it's fine to leave him running around?"
"With so many cops outside, I can't risk leaving this place empty. It's fine, he's only going after Maryland. A small setback." Alannah nodded, noting the tinge of anger in his voice.
"And Cain?"
"Ready. He's waiting for the perfect moment." Alannah nodded once more and grabbed her own glass of wine. Watching the building with Lucas, she sighed.
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Hours passed, and the skies darkened. James had occasionally stepped out to get himself and Phillip food, but seeing the large clock on the Mayoral building about to finish its countdown, he knew the results would be out in a matter of minutes.
The lively crowd that had been partying the entire day died down as a calm silence washed over the area. James looked at the clock; minutes turned into seconds, and when the small hand reached midnight, he saw the double doors of the balcony open.
Cameras flashed at the slightest movement they saw, creating a sea of light. James pulled out his binoculars and watched, activating his eyes. Numerous members of the Hopkins party stepped out, and the crowd who noticed erupted into a fury of cheers. Finally, a final silhouette stepped out, dressed in a fine suit with a wide smile.
Waving at the crowd, his green eyes, like emeralds, lit up with each flash of the cameras, and his blond hair blew in the wind. James's hand shook as he stared at Hopkins. Slowly lowering his binoculars, he didn't know how to feel.
'He doesn't have an ability?' James had expected him to have one, thinking maybe that was the weird feeling he got, but instead, he didn't, as if he were staring into a void in the world. Hopkins' speech sounded like static in his ears, the cheering crowd white noise on top. He didn't know what to feel, wondering if maybe he had been going crazy the whole time. Maybe his gut had been wrong.
His daze was broken by a vibration in his pocket, and seeing an unknown number, he hesitantly answered. "Hello?" His voice was flat.
"James. Help." Vanessa's panicked voice called out on the other side, dragging him back to reality about why he couldn't enjoy the day. His heart collapsed as he took sharp, rapid breaths. In his ear, he could hear Phillip asking what was wrong, but he ignored it.
"Vanessa..." James said, hoping he was hearing things and that it wasn't the case.
"James." She said once more with a tearful voice, "Please. All he said was unit 13. I don't know what it means. Please help." James dropped the phone and quickly started the car. Pulling out, he slammed on the horn to get people to move.
When they showed him dirty looks and slammed their hands on the it to protest, he stepped on the pedal but stopped himself before he ran anyone over. "MOVE! PLEASE!" Popping his head out the window, he desperately shouted. The people could see James was in trouble and quickly stepped to the side, letting his and Phillips' car through.
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Rose felt her phone vibrate. Pulling it out and seeing an unknown number, she frowned but answered, "Hello? Who is this?"
"Rose." An old, fearful voice said, almost inaudible by the noise around.
"Mom?" Rose heard the strangeness in her voice and took a quick breath, "What's wrong? Have you fallen?"
"Rose, help." The woman said, "There's this black guy..." Rose's eyes widened, "He said, say unit 13. I don't know what he wants." The phone fell out of Rose's hand. George looked down at her, taking sharp, shallow breaths.
"What's wrong?" Innocently asking he grabbed her before she could run off alone. "ROSE!"
"GET OFF!" Rose tried to break free, "HE HAS MY MOM GEORGE! GET OFF ME!" Rose said, eventually breaking free. George chased after her.
"WHAT! ROSE WHO?!"
"CAIN!" Rose desperately ran from her car. Throwing the door open, George jumped into the backseat before she could speed off and took out his phone.
"Jeremiah." Rose didn't listen to George's conversation, speeding through the crowd, narrowly dodging her car. "Rose and I had to leave. She said Cain has her mother." George sighed in relief. "Rose. Where are we going?" Without getting an answer, he clicked his tongue, "ROSE!"
"Unit 13. Warehouse district." George repeated it back to Jeremiah as Rose sped through the packed streets, trying to avoid whom she could.