Chapter 13: The Chaotic Date
The Midnight Griddle stood like a beacon in Evergreen's neon-lit sprawl, its flickering sign casting a pinkish glow over the cracked sidewalk, the buzz of its electric hum a faint pulse against the city's low drone. Inside, the air was heavy with the greasy warmth of frying oil, laced with the acrid bite of burnt coffee and a faint whiff of bleach from a half-hearted mop job. Jax Reed slid into a red vinyl booth, the cushion squeaking under his weight, its surface cool and slightly sticky against his palms. He'd swapped his tactical jacket for a dark hoodie, its frayed hem brushing his thighs, a rare nod to normalcy that felt both foreign and thrilling. His tactical knife, tucked in his pocket, was a comforting weight, its presence a reminder of the chaos he couldn't quite escape. He rubbed his calloused fingers together, the texture grounding him as his hazel eyes scanned the diner, catching the glint of a chrome napkin dispenser reflecting the overhead fluorescents.
Echo sat across from him, her scuffed leather jacket slung over the booth's edge, her dark hair pulled back to reveal a small, matte-black earpiece resting beside a chipped ceramic coffee mug. Her posture was relaxed but alert, her fingers tapping a restless rhythm on the table, her dark eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and curiosity. The sight of her stirred a nervous anticipation in Jax, a flutter that was equal parts thrill and dread.
"Sarcasm levels rising," Jax said, his voice low as he tugged at a loose hoodie string, his smirk a shield against the vulnerability of a real date. "This place is a vibe, but I'm still checking my jeans for bloodstains from that warehouse fight. Gotta say, bloodstains romance isn't exactly Hallmark material."
Echo's laugh was a bright, clear sound, slicing through the diner's muffled chatter like a blade. "Bloodstains romance? It's chic. Besides, I know the cook. They'll hose it down if we make a mess." She sipped her coffee, her nose wrinkling at its bitterness, and leaned forward, her elbows on the table. "You worry too much about the cleanup, Reed."
Jax's smirk widened, but his fingers twitched toward his knife. He caught himself, grabbing a sugar packet instead, the crinkle of paper loud in the quiet booth. "Cleanup's my life now. I'm a chaos janitor, remember? Just waiting for the inevitable moment this date goes full action movie." "From chaos to date night, and I'm already bracing for the explosion," he thought, his pulse quickening at the thought of her smile.
[SYSTEM: QUEST ALERT.]
[ENJOY DINER DATE WITH ECHO.]
[CUMULATE SUMMONS: 2.]
[OBJECTIVE: BUILD BOND.]
Echo's eyes tracked his hand, catching the aborted gesture toward his knife. "Still got the knife quirk, huh? Planning to carve the villains and the potatoes? Because those fries look dangerously bland." Her tone was teasing, but her gaze was sharp, probing for the cracks in his armor.
Jax chuckled, leaning back, his boots scuffing the linoleum floor. "It's called 'living in a world where interdimensional space-parasites are a thing.' You get jumpy. Also, I may be nursing a milkshake spill incident from earlier today." He lied about the spill, a quick deflection to mask the system's hum in his veins, the Cumulate 2 a warm pulse under his skin. "She's too sharp. Sees the twitch, not the system."
The waiter, a lanky kid with a stained apron and a bored expression, dropped off a basket of fries, their steam curling upward, carrying a salty warmth that cut through the diner's greasy haze. Jax snagged a fry, hissing as it burned his fingertips, and muttered, "Figures I'd get ambushed by carbs." He popped it in his mouth, the salt a grounding jolt, and grinned at Echo. "See? Even the fries are out to get me."
The diner's door exploded inward with a metallic clang, shattering the warm anticipation. Two goons in faded tactical gear stormed in, their Butterfly tech glowing faintly on their wrists, emitting a low hum that prickled Jax's skin. The lead goon, a wiry figure with a bandana obscuring his face, swept a flashlight across the diner, its beam landing on Echo. The air turned sharp with the ozone of charging energy weapons, and the regulars froze, their forks hovering mid-bite.
"Vigilante scum. The Ghost Allies sent us. You're coming with us," the goon growled, his voice muffled but dripping with menace.
Jax's pulse spiked, the stress surge a familiar jolt of adrenaline. "Ghost Allies? What's next, Phantom Fan Club?" he thought, grabbing Echo's arm and pulling her under the table. The vinyl cushion squeaked as they ducked, the flashlight beam missing them by inches. A red energy blast seared the booth's edge, leaving a smoking hole that reeked of melted plastic. Jax's coffee mug wobbled, a drop spilling onto the table, but it stayed upright, a small defiance against the chaos.
"Ghost Allies? Sounds like a band that opened for The Killers," Jax muttered, his voice low as he tapped the system's interface, the hum of power surging through him. The diner's fluorescents flickered, casting jagged shadows.
[SYSTEM: DANGER LEVEL: LOW.]
[SUMMON PROTOCOL INITIATED.]
[TARGET: THE DEEP (WATER ECHO).]
[COMMAND: FLOOD ATTACK.]
[DURATION: 2 MINUTES.]
A blue flash erupted, and The Deep materialized beside the jukebox, his orange suit dripping with seawater, the briny stench clashing with the diner's grease. His gills flared, and he clutched them dramatically, his expression a mix of annoyance and resignation.
"Oh, Neptune's beard, not again. A diner? The sheer indignity of a low-danger, non-aquatic environment! I swear, Jax, your taste in battlefields is criminal. I'm a hero, not a fish!" The Deep's voice was nasal, his whining a stark contrast to the goons' menace.
Jax peeked over the table, his voice muffled. "Flood attack! And try not to mention the smell of old fish!"
The Deep sighed, his shoulders slumping, but raised his hands, unleashing a surge of water—not a torrent, but a precise wave that drenched the goons. Their tech sparked and died, the lead goon slipping on the wet floor, yelping, "My tech! Ghost Allies, they didn't mention an aquatic problem!"
Echo sprang up, her earpiece glowing as she unleashed a sonic wave, the high-pitched hum vibrating the air. The second goon slammed into the counter with a wet thud, his bandana askew. Jax scrambled out, zip-tying the soaked villains with quick, practiced motions, his hoodie clinging damply to his skin. He snapped his knife shut, the click a grounding ritual, and dusted his hands on his jeans, the fabric gritty with diner dust.
[SYSTEM: SUMMON USED: THE DEEP.]
[+5 SP ADDED. CURRENT SP: 150.]
[SUMMON COUNT: 7.]
The diner owner, a burly man with a perpetual scowl, glared at the dripping ceiling and smoking vinyl. Jax tossed a wad of cash on the counter, his grin sheepish. "I'll handle the insurance. Standard procedure for a date with me."
Echo laughed, the sound easing the tension as they slid into a dry booth across the diner. The air was thick with ozone and grease, but the warm connection between them held strong, a resilient thread through the chaos. She tapped his hand, her fingers brushing his knife, which lay on the table. "Seriously, the knife thing. You kept doing it under the table. Like a small, tense ritual. Are you that worried about getting stabbed, or is that just how you process the stress surge?"
Jax's smile faltered, her words hitting close to his transmigration scars. "It's… from desk hell. I used to twirl pens. Now it's something sharper. It reminds me I'm not stuck behind a screen anymore, even if the chaos follows me like a bad sequel." He hinted at his lost life, his voice soft but guarded. "She sees the twitch, not the system. Gotta keep it that way."
The waiter brought a slice of cherry pie, its whipped cream wobbling precariously. Jax scooped a massive bite, but a dollop fell onto the table, earning another laugh from Echo. "You're terrible at this. I think you need more hobbies. Maybe painting. Less stabby."
Jax grinned, wiping pie from his chin, the sweetness a small comfort. "See? I'm dangerous even with a plastic spoon. But I'm still here." He leaned forward, his elbows on the table, the warm connection deepening into something tentative but real. "She's not just a hero—she's fun. Dangerous combo."
Echo's gaze turned serious, her eyes on the skyline outside. "I've got a line on a small Remnant cell hiding in a derelict factory district. Need someone to watch the perimeter tomorrow night. A proper stakeout."
[SYSTEM: CUMULATE RESETS TO 0.]
[NEXT SUMMON AVAILABLE: TOMORROW.]
Jax nodded, his smirk returning as he popped another fry, the salt grounding him. "From chaos to cleanup. Sounds like an upgrade. Text me the coordinates." The villain's "Ghost Allies" mention and the rift graffiti from their last encounter gnawed at him, a mystery that pulled him toward the next fight.
[SYSTEM: RANDOM FLAVOR: GHOST ALLIES DETECTED.]
To supporting Me in Pateron .
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