"Is that it?" asked Bradley, beckoning Benjamin to come over. Benjamin saw it and nodded. "Only one way to find out" "But are you seeing that? It's buried below the sand. Pretty deeply too!" "The waves must have washed off the sand from the shore to bury it" analyzed Benjamin, who had stooped down to untie his shoes. "Wait" started Bradley, shocked "You're not going down there to actually look??" "What exactly do you think we're doing here, Bradley?" "You're going to find some flimsy pen beneath all that sand? Are you kidding me? With all the water in the way too? It's literally worse than looking for a needle in a dry haystack? Unless, I can't believe I'm saying this, but with all I've seen, unless, you have some skill that allows you breathe in the water then?" Benjamin did not have such a skill. "Actually--" started PAYTON. "I don't want to hear it, PAYTON. It's not like I have the money anyway" He turned to Bradley. "No, but I got something else." He was referring to the
Skill? Do they think the System Destruction Ability is a skill?"Drop the card on the ground, Mr. Benjamin Black" instructed the man.Shit! He's being too cautious, panicked Benjamin."Benjamin" Brdley started agitated. "Why the fuck are we listening to anything this cocksucker has to say?""For a guy who has family back home, you sure do seem to be taking the high road a lot more recently. Whatever happened to safeguarding your life at all costs?""Oh? And you think he's going to let us off easily because he got a piece of plastic?" Bradley pointed, and Benjamin turned to look at the split and broken wooden pier strut."Does that look like somebody who's going to show even a morsel of restraint?" asked Bradley."Step back, Bradley" Benjamin instructed this time. Bradley looked at him with a side-eye but stepped back eventually."What's making him so earnest? The Avatar Mode? Benjamin wondered at his stubbornness. We can't win. I've already had [Practical Intelligence] run a scenario
"I thought you were questioning them?" he asked."I was. Until things got a little out of control." Bradley replied.Agent Jacobs stooped to check their pulses. "They're out cold. And with the bruises on this one's neck--" He turned to Bradley. "You were questioning them alone?""I'm the only one on this beach, aren't I?" shrugged Bradley, trying to focus on looking at them, and not on Benjamin's body that was still atop the wooden pier."What about your firearm? You could've used that?""I didn't bring it.""What?""I thought this was only a search, and sweep, and I had to get here quickly too." lied Bradley. He had handled both his pistols to Benjamin that morning when the boy had insisted it was crucial to an ongoing operation."Why do I listen so much to that kid" wondered Bradley. Agent Jacobs whistled. "You must be a pretty capable man, Captain Bradley.""What? It's not like they have tough personalities of their own. These are just the run-of-the-mill scumbags" scoffed Bradley.
[Notice: Godspeed Level 2]"And what's this thing about an X-RAY?""Quite self-explanatory, Master Benjamin. The host will be able to see images captured by Alpha, Beta, and Gamma rays."Yeah, that doesn't sound too important. Rather lame. I'm not Superman. thought Benjamin. "And the other one?""Healing Factor allows the host to heal certain injuries of his person, and others"Benjamin paused in his tracks. "What did you just say?" he asked PAYTON."Healing factor allows the host to heal injuries-""No, the second part" dismissed Benjamin."And also the injuries of others" completed PAYTON.The injuries of others?! "PAYTON! What kind of injuries?""Cuts, Abrasions, muscle damage, Bone Damage""Cut to the important stuff! Can it work on Brain damage? Nerve damage??""Quite astutely, Mr. Benjamin. At a certain level, of course."Benjamin put both hands on his head.Holy Shit. Ivy."Why am I just hearing about this now?!" Benjamin scolded PAYTON."You know why, Master Benjamin. Certain
"What do we have on these pricks?" asked Benjamin. Domique ruffled through some brown zip folders and handed over the one at "the bottom to Benjamin.Perusing the content, Benjamin found the picture of a barely post-pubescent youth, looking about 23 with a rough set of teeth, and an unsettling smile."This is the only one the facial recognition software could tag, he was the one that planted the timing charges," explained Dominique."I suppose you have an address" asked Benjamin. Bradley and Amber looked at him queerly."Err no, Mr. Benjamin. It was a bit...difficult, to access public records, from this terminal" hinted Dominique excessively at his unwillingness to bring his police clearance into the matter."But we do have a name, his full name from some eyewitness statements.""Eyewitness statements from where?""Well, considering his age, and disposition, it would make sense for someone like this to be attending a nearby university...""No way..." trailed off Benjamin coming to the
"Professor Marjorie, you're under arrest!"*Perfect. I haven't even started the University Op ye, and one naughty professor is already down!*, celebrated Benjamin."Wait--" But Bradley had already locked her sinewy hands together, and installed the cuffs."I've heard all I need to, Ma'am. We'll continue your questioning back at the station."The haunting image of being walked out by a police officer from her department finally seemed to sink in within Marjorie."Wait!" she pleaded, as Bradley lifted her to stand, not caring to listen. "I'll tell you everything. That boy. Elroy. He's the one that set it all up! I just had to cover him in class attendance once in a while""Uh-huh" muttered Bradley dryly. "Let's go""Please"Her eyes shot from Bradley to Benjamin."I'm telling the truth!""Or you're saying what you want us to hear. If I've heard it once, I've heard it a thousand times.""I swear. That's it!""So, he was skipping class?" interjected Benjamin. Bradley clicked his tongue bu
"He resolved it all right. We're good to go as is. Everything's ready for mayhem" said JMONEY, hesitatingly."Good.""What about him?" asked JMONEY."You talking to me?" chortled Michael."You were supposed to work on your Dad, as I remember it?""You son of a--""Relax, I won't permit any fighting when we're already this close. What the hell is wrong with you guys anyway?" chastised Benjamin. "Michael, I have something to show you" beckoned Benjamin. He took Michael to look outside the dorm window, pointing straight ahead to the parking lot."You see that?" asked Benjamin."Holy motherfucking Shit"Of course, they were looking at Benjamin's new Cybertruck."Apparently, they only have three of them left. And the last I even checked was three days ago."Michael groaned and grunted as if some powerful inner battle was occurring within his soul. "Fuck you. You think waving your new truck in front of me is going to make it any easier to sell out my dad?""Hey, the truck wasn't my idea, re
Mardo Wormwood picked up the ornament of flowers and headed upstairs. After what was a simple, short navigation to locate Room 201 in the quiet halls of Medhill Hospital, he knocked on the door of Robert Kirkland.The door opened slightly, and a short plump man with wide-rimmed spectacles, who was most definitely, not Robert Kirkland, peeked out."Mardo?" asked the man, opening the door completely to step out. Mardo held out the flowers."I thought I should pay my respects," he said softly."Not necessary. Appreciated, but not necessary. Also, he's not dead, you know.""Is it true? About the amnesia?" asked Robert as he handed over the Hydrangeas."How did you hear about that?" barked the plump man. "Come on, Bobby. Who do you think I am? Now spill."The man sighed. "We're looking into it. The doctors said it's a side effect from the shock he suffered.""Which was what again? A heart attack?"Bobby shrugged. "That's still inconclusive.""After over 4 days of being in the hospital. The