The offices of the Grunters were …. mundane. They could have been the offices of any small company.

Except that these offices dealt in robbery, extortion and mayhem.

Well…. For tonight, I would have the monopoly on mayhem.

Most of the cabins were deserted. I caught sight of one frightened old lady hiding under a desk as I stalked by.

I avoided her. A simple Observe showed me that she was just a secretary. Unlikely to know anything.

The office at the end was a different matter, though. A man stood there, donning armour. Or at least trying.

JEFF BARNABY

GRUNTER LIEUTENANT (UNARMED)

105/105 HP

Without his armour, the Grunter lieutenant didn’t seem intimidating. In fact, he looked like a jaundiced accountant.

I pushed the door open as he was struggling to get into the leggings.

“You’ll never get it on in time,” I hissed.

The man jumped back. Then he saw me. He gaped. “What… what are you?”

“Tigerstrike sends his regards,” I hissed.

The man’s face was even more confused. “What? Why?”

I darted forward and grabbed him by the throat.

My grip easily hoisted him off the ground. Without armour, the man was not even a threat.

Barnaby’s face went white, then flinched in pain as I slammed him against the wall.

“Where are they?” I hissed.

“Who?” Barnaby gasped.

“The prisoners. Talk. Now.” I hit him with the full force of 200 points of Persuasion.

JEFF BARNABY IS INTIMIDATED!

“Downstairs,” whimpered Barnaby. “The drugs, the prisoners…. It’s all downstairs.”

I nodded menacingly. The drugs were an interesting side effect. “Tell your master that Tigerstrike isn’t happy,” I told him. “This is your last chance.”

“What does that mean?” pleaded Barnaby.

“He’ll understand,” I hissed.

At least I hoped he’d understand, since I had no idea myself what my random phrases would mean to a ganglord.

Barnaby nodded mutely.

I turned to the armour. It was a suit - a pretty useful looking one.

I turned my hammer on the armour pieces.

In seconds, there were a lot more pieces.

Barnaby watched mutely. “That cost a lot of money,” he muttered.

“Shut up or it’ll cost you your life,” I replied. “Stay here and don’t try to raise the alarm. If you do… I’ll know. And close your eyes.”

Barnaby complied.

I smashed him on the head with a hammer.

JEFF BARNABY -53 HP, STUNNED.

The man crumpled to the ground, groaning, blood running over his face.

I winced internally. If I could guarantee a knockout for a man at 52 HP remaining, I would, but the chances were slim. Specifically, 2%.

So I punched him again.

JEFF BARNABY -18 HP!

And again.

JEFF BARNABY -18 HP!

At 16 HP, he still had only a 30% chance of being knocked out.

I sighed.

I used Heal.

30 MP disappeared, and Barnaby’s health jumped up back to 46 HP. He gasped. “Thank you….”

I punched him again.

And again.

At 10 HP, the man was groaning in pain again.

USE KNOCKOUT BLOW? CHANCE 100%.

Jeff Barnaby went out like a light.

10 HP remaining, fine. He’d recover.

JEFF BARNABY DEFEATED. +300 XP.

Although I really needed to calibrate damage from my weapons. Maybe I needed a variable damage weapon instead of having to do all this math, or fiddle around with Heal.

The stairs were the old-fashioned type, leading into another basement level. I took the minute to recover my AP, just in case.

I gently pushed the door at the end of the stairs open and stepped through.

Only to find myself staring into the barrels of four laser rifles.

GRUNTER SOLDIER

LEVEL 9

HP 300/300

LASER RIFLE, 40 DAMAGE/HIT

GRUNTER SOLDIER

LEVEL 9

HP 300/300

LASER RIFLE, 40 DAMAGE/HIT

GRUNTER SOLDIER

LEVEL 9

HP 300/300

LASER RIFLE, 40 DAMAGE/HIT

GRUNTER CAPTAIN

LEVEL 12

HP 600/600

HEAVY LASER, 60 DAMAGE/HIT

Three soldiers, in full combat Armor and with their rifles, and one massive form in a hulking battlesuit, awaited me in the hallway.

"Well, well," intoned the Grunter Captain. “Look what the cat dragged in.” He levelled his Heavy Laser - an ominous-looking grey barrel with a red glow - at me. “What made you think you could take us on, animal?”

“Tigerstrike sends his regards,” I replied.

The armoured form snorted. “I don’t think so. Who are you, anyway? Some small-time ultra who just got powers and thought he could face off against the best of Tanisport?”

“The name,” I growled, “is Belessar.”

“Dead men don’t need names,” snapped the Captain. “Tell me who sent you, and I’ll make it quick. Or… we could do this slow. Peel off your limbs one by one….”

I threw my Fuel Bomb at him.

The world exploded in fire.

GRUNTER SOLDIER -204 HP! DAMAGE PARTLY NEGATED BY ARMOR. CONDITION INFLICTED: BURNING, -5HP/SEC.

GRUNTER SOLDIER -224 HP! CONDITION INFLICTED: BURNING, -5HP/SEC.

GRUNTER SOLDIER -233 HP! CONDITION INFLICTED: BURNING, -5HP/SEC.

GRUNTER CAPTAIN -207 HP! CONDITION INFLICTED: BURNING, -5HP/SEC.

Bolts shot in my direction. I didn’t bother to use Dodge - I’d need the AP elsewhere.

DAMAGE TAKEN! 30 DAMAGE FROM LASER BURN.

ARMOR REDUCES DAMAGE BY 25%. ARMOR POINTS REMAINING: 370/400.

DAMAGE TAKEN! 30 DAMAGE FROM LASER BURN.

ARMOR REDUCES DAMAGE BY 25%. ARMOR POINTS REMAINING: 340/400.

Instead, I used Bodycharge.

I rammed into the first Grunter Soldier, knocking him backwards for 44 damage. Then my sledgehammer went to work.

CRITICAL HIT! GRUNTER SOLDIER -106 HP. GRUNTER SOLDIER DEFEATED, +200 XP.

Another Grunter slammed into me from behind. I fell forward under the impact of the blow.

DAMAGE TAKEN! 10 DAMAGE FROM BODYSLAM.

ARMOR REDUCES DAMAGE BY 25%. ARMOR POINTS REMAINING: 330/400.

I was on my knees, and the Grunter was behind me.

I grabbed him and used an Overhead Throw.

GRUNTER SOLDIER -54 HP!

As the man landed on the ground, I struck at his nose with my open palm.

The strike went exactly as Master Saito had taught me, cracking his nose.

GRUNTER SOLDIER -54 HP! GRUNTER SOLDIER DEFEATED, +200 XP.

The third soldier was still on fire and screaming. I whirled in his direction, pulled out the nailgun, and fired.

Two nails slammed into his neck. Blood fountained out in a geyser, splattering the room.

GRUNTER SOLDIER -30 HP! GRUNTER SOLDIER -30 HP! GRUNTER SOLDIER DEFEATED, +200 XP.

All of this had happened in a few seconds.

Enough time for the Grunter Captain to start firing.

The whine of the Heavy Laser filled the air. Bolts crashed against the walls.

One slammed into me, knocking me back.

DAMAGE TAKEN! 45 DAMAGE FROM LASER BURN.

ARMOR REDUCES DAMAGE BY 25%. ARMOR POINTS REMAINING: 285/400.

I charged.

Another bolt slammed into me, burning armour down to 240, but then I was upon him.

DEADLY BLOW! GRUNTER CAPTAIN -265 HP!

Another strike on the backswing.

GRUNTER CAPTAIN -53 HP!

The sledgehammer’s handle snapped.

I stared for a second. The entire hammer had splintered - the head was rolling around on the ground, and all that remained in my hands was a broken-off handle.

Jets roared.

The Captain’s suit propelled him backwards the length of the hall.

He was almost twenty feet away - and he had his laser aligned on me.

His armour was broken and splintered, his helmet in pieces, and his face an ugly mass of blood - but hate radiated off him.

“Die!” he screamed.

The laser fired.

Solid light slammed into me, pushing me backwards. My armour dropped to 195.

The sprinklers turned on, dousing the fires started by my bomb.

Another bolt hit me. 150 armour left.

I couldn’t close the distance with Bodycharge - too far away.

Another bolt, 115 armour remaining.

I hurled the broken handle at the Grunter Captain with Javelin Strike.

The sharp handle pierced his cheek.

Blood spouted. The man screamed.

JAVELIN STRIKE! GRUNTER CAPTAIN -40 HP!

I grabbed my nailgun and fired. This time, I used Sniper Shot.

70 AP burned off, but the nail pierced his eye.

GRUNTER CAPTAIN DEFEATED! +500 XP.

YOU HAVE DEFEATED THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE GRUNTER BASE!

YOU HAVE DEFEATED ALL GRUNTER COMBATANTS ON THE BASE!

+100 XP FOR A SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED BATTLEPLAN.

ACHIEVE YOUR OBJECTIVES AT THE BASE BEFORE THE SURVIVING GUARDS WAKE UP. TIME REMAINING: 00:49:32.

…. I had been in the club for only eleven minutes?

It felt like longer. Never mind. I still needed to find the Hallorans, Armstrongs and Dr. Reagan.

The corpses of the Grunter soldiers were lying around, as were their rifles.

I grabbed the rifles. I could analyze them later.

“Inventory,” I murmured.

As I expected, my interface reacted. A grid-like set of squares appeared in mid-air.

I put the rifles into one slot each. They fit in snugly, then vanished.

I also grabbed the sledgehammer head and walked over to the dead Captain.

Couldn’t leave evidence behind. I pulled the handle out of his cheek, then took both of them and slotted them into my Inventory. The Heavy Laser went in too.

YOU ARE OVERBURDENED. EXCESS WEIGHT WILL DRAIN 1 AP/SEC.

REGEN REDUCED TO 1.8 AP/SEC.

Okay, I could live with that. According to my power there were no remaining guards.

Now where did they put the hostages….

Three doors led away from the hall. All were solid metal.

I checked the first - locked.

No matter.

I stepped a few feet back and used Bodycharge.

The first impact against the door dented it. The second bent it.

At the third Bodycharge, the door broke inwards.

I stumbled through.

Racks and shelves dominated the room. The shelves were piled with bags.

Bags filled with powder, crystals….

I grabbed a bag and used Observe.

METHAMPHETAMINE

QTY: 1 KG

HIGHLY ILLEGAL AND ADDICTIVE DRUG.

TEMPORARY +1 TO PERCEPTION (30 MINUTES). EACH USE HAS A 10% PROBABILITY OF A PERMANENT -1 TO WISDOM.

INGREDIENT IN PERCEPTION BOOST SERUM.

…. Drugs could boost my attributes? …..

My power needed to seriously rethink what behaviours it rewarded…..

Well, there was the risk of a permanent reduction in an attribute from frequent use. Interesting that it was an ingredient in a Perception Boost Serum - something I’d not heard of.

…. I’d have to experiment at home.

I grabbed a few bags of the methamphetamine and stored them in my inventory.

Let’s see, anything else here…..

TEST OF PERCEPTION: PASSED.

A small box on one of the shelves began to glow. I jumped back.

The ‘glow’ was a luminous outline. It took me a second to recognize that this was my power at work - again - pointing out something to me.

I grabbed the box.

Inside were a half dozen vials filled with tablets.

MYSTERIOUS TABLETS

THESE TABLETS ARE AN UNKNOWN PHARMACOLOGICAL COMPOUND. USE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS TO DISCERN THEIR NATURE.

…. Might as well.

I stashed the box in my inventory. Time to check it later.

00:48:03.

Time for Door Number Two.

The second door broke as easily as the first. As I burst through, a woman screamed.

Jackpot.

More than a dozen people were huddled against the walls, cowering.

I saw Dr. Reagan and the Hallorans in the front. A quick glance showed me the Armstrongs - and Clarice.

“You are free,” I announced.

Dr. Reagan stood up, gingerly. “Who are you?”

“Belessar. And you are free to go.” We’d discussed this in the car - Mike had pointed out that I couldn’t use the words ‘rescue’ or it might tip off the Grunters afterwards. “I am not here for you.”

Dr. Reagan nodded at the others, then turned to me. “May we leave, sir?”

Sir? “.... Yes, you can leave. Remember to tell everyone - Tigerstrike sent his regards to the Grunters.”

The man nodded. “We’ll do that, sir.”

I stepped out of the way as the hostages filtered out of the door. The Armstrongs gave me wary looks but Clarice offered a timid smile.

So did another girl - this one not so timid.

I took a look around the room. They’d been hiding, probably from the sounds of fighting above - the tables and chairs were scattered together in a defensive position.

I took a quick look around. Nothing of interest….

A safe stood out.

Two punches.

The safe cracked open. Inside was a wad of cash.

Drug money.

I sighed. Probably extorted from men like Dr. Reagan.

“Wait,” I barked.

Dr. Reagan was about to leave; he stopped in mid-step. “Sir?” he asked, voice quavering.

I grabbed the cash and handed it to him. “Keep this,” I barked.

Reagan turned pale. “I….. I can’t,” he said.

“Don’t argue. Take it.” I shoved the cash into his hands. “Give it to the poor, for all I care.”

Reagan nodded, mute. He shoved the money into the pockets of his coat.

A shriek sounded from the hallway. Clarice.

I strode out. The Armstrongs were holding onto the girl….

Ah, the dead Grunters.

“Don’t worry,” I reassured them, “they’re not going to hurt anyone anymore.”

The hostages still looked shaken. Dr. Reagan strode forward. “Everyone, we need to leave. Quickly.” He grabbed Clarice by the shoulder. “Just a little bit longer, honey.”

Clarice nodded shakily.

I watched as Dr. Reagan led the others out. Good - at least they wouldn’t be in any more danger.

I crouched through the shadows and made my way out of the club.

I watched from the shadows of the alley as Dr. Reagan spotted Jimmy and led the others after him.

QUEST COMPLETED! THE GREAT RAID!

THE ARMSTRONGS, THE HALLORANS AND DR. REAGAN HAVE BEEN FREED FROM THE GRUNTERS.

+1000 XP.

ETHICS REWARD REDUCED 60% DUE TO HUMAN DEATHS. ETHICS: +2.

RELATIONSHIP WITH GRUNTERS DECREASED. RELATIONSHIP LEVEL: HATE (-4)

It was good to know that I’d repaid my friends.

The Ethics reward reduction was disappointing but not entirely surprising. Still, I’d worry about it when I could figure out what Ethics was useful for. Right now it just made me feel good about myself. Sometimes.

BONUS OBJECTIVE COMPLETED: YOU HAVE LAID A THIN, BUT SOMEWHAT CREDIBLE, TRAIL LEADING TO THE BLACKHATS.

RELATIONSHIP WITH BLACKHATS DECREASED. RELATIONSHIP LEVEL: DISLIKED (-1).

SKILL UNLOCKED: LIGHTNING STRIKE

YOU CAN SUMMON THE POWERS OF ELECTRICITY TO UNLEASH YOUR FURY AT YOUR FOES. ALSO, NEVER RUN OUT OF AMMUNITION AS LONG AS YOU HAVE MENTAL ENERGY AT YOUR DISPOSAL.

LEVEL 1: +30 DAMAGE TO ENEMY ON HIT.

COST: 20 MP/BOLT. RANGE: 100 METRES.

A power that allowed me to strike at enemies from long range? And that used MP instead of AP?

If I’d had that facing the Grunter Captain, I’d have won the gun battle.

In any case, I now had a harder battle to fight.

How does a conspicuously costumed crimefighter make his way across the city on foot in the late hours of the evening?

The answer, it turned out, was … slowly.