[Kalli]

Jet considered this, then nodded. “I guess that would be better. I just don’t want anyone to know when I have a good thing, y’know? Maybe just make a hole in the ground, but don’t cover the stuff in dirt? Just garbage on top? That should fool them for awhile, anyway.”

Turning, he reached into the truck and began to fill his bag with all he could, then slid the straps into his shoulders like a rucksack. His old one had broken a few weeks ago, and so far he hadn’t found a replacement that he could reasonably fix.

Once that was full, he started to move the rest over to where 48 was and heaped them on the ground, ready to be covered with the more worthless junk.

“You know, I’ve been thinking of a name for you, and I remember reading some old comics a long time ago… There’s this character called ‘Superman’. He’s pretty popular, but anyway, before he came to Earth his name was Kal-El. It took me awhile to think of it. But he had powers, and he used them to help people when he could have killed them. I thought it fit you. better than calling you ‘Superman’, anyway…”

Jet snorted, standing for a moment and wiping his dirty hands on his ragged pants. “So, what do you think? Kal-El, but we’ll just call you Kal for short.”

[Whatsyourface]

It walked over to the truck as jet talked. Then it put one of its winged bat like hand under the truck. Then it picked one side of the truck and lifted it onto it’s side, and then it pushed the truck gently until it flipped over upside down. Then it opened its mouth and there wad a noise as a mound of trash tipped over. Then it covers the truck under roughly 1600 lbs of junk before the garbage slide stops right in front of it.

“Kal….” It said. “I did mention it was your choice. I accept Kal as my new name.” Jet never called him 48,and now it actually had something to call it by. Kal was satisfied with the new name it had received from it’s ally. Then it begins to walk back to the towards the city on two legs with it’s wings folded. Expecting Jet to follow.

[Kalli]

Jet stood back as dust and small bits of debris were scattered into the air. He covered his mouth, coughing a bit. “Or…you know….we could do that.” 48…or Kal…. had better ideas than he did. Not that Jet minded, because Kal was a super-advanced thingy. It was bound to be the case. “Damn, I should let you do the thinking from now on.”

Once the dust started to settle, he looked at the creature, and gave him a lopsided grin. “OK, Kal it is, then.” Hefting the bag more securely on his back, he trotted after Kal, feeling rather satisfied. It was strange to see the creature on two legs, and to have to look up at him to see his face, but Jet didn’t mind.

“So, Kal, what’s on the agenda? You helped me do my stuff, so now you get to choose…only I gotta get this stuff back to our place first. Walking around the city with a huge bag is like holding up a sign that says ‘please rob me’.”

[Whatsyourface]

“I am unsure of what I wish to do. Perhaps simply find a forested area. Much like this. I wish yo gaze upon it with my eyes and hear it closely with my ears. Instead of from afar.” Kal says as it walks.

[Kalli]

Jet watched him for a moment with an odd, faraway look on his face. “Yeah….yeah, I think that would be really nice. I haven’t been to the actual woods in awhile…too dangerous.” He frowned. “Unless you want to go alone, which I understand. I can meet you back at the apartment if you want.” He actually had no idea if Kal wanted solitude, or to stay with him all the time. Honestly, after years of being alone himself, he was starting to like the second idea.

[Whatsyourface]

“We will decide when we reach the apartment.” Kal says as they walk and reach the wall. “I will remain close.” Kal jumped the wall and grabbed the ledge. Then jumped to the next building when no one was looking in the street.

[Kalli]

Jet felt something in his chest as Kal said that he would remain close. It was something he hadn’t experienced in a long time, a kind of warmth that made him feel light and easy. His eyes followed the near-invisible blur of white that streaked between buildings, and he couldn’t help smiling. Probably not a good idea to get too attached, but he couldn’t help it.

All the way back, Jet thought about the warmth in his chest, and about Kal. The fact that the creature wanted to stay with him made Jet think more and more of the word ‘friend’. It had been a long time since he’d been able to call anyone that.

As Jet neared his apartment building, he encountered only a few unsteady tramps and some children. No one willing to fight him for his sack of copper wire and electronics. It was usually young men like himself, who were fit enough and had unused energy and testosterone and a need to prove themselves that were any kind of challenger. For awhile the local gangs had moved further into the heart of the city, which was good for those living near him, and himself. He was a good enough fighter and smart enough that the gangs had tried to recruit him multiple times. He’d always refused, not liking their kind of ‘family’, especially given his past. And he had a tendency to defy gang members. That never stood too well with them, of course. Little boys with guns never took playground insults to their egos very well. What saved him was that the gangs were usually too engaged in turf wars to organize and destroy him. The recent battles had helped disperse or kill them off, too. Jet would not have mourned if they were all dead- he’d seen too much of what they were capable of to want them alive. Rabid dogs and all that. Hopefully they were dead or scattered and unlikely to regroup for awhile.

Unfortunately, as he slipped through an alleyway within a block of his home, Jet heard a familiar voice behind him. It was accompanied by the click of a weapon’s safety being removed.

“Look what just wandered into our territory.”

Jet’s blood turned cold- he knew that nasty tone. It had the hard ring of a serial murderer behind it. However, he kept calm, even with the barrel of something cold against his back. “Nightmare. Thought you drowned in a sewer last month. Would have been fitting for you.”

A harsh laugh echoed along the filthy bricks of the narrow space. It was a humorless sound. “You’re still stupid, but your guts didn’t go anywhere. Don’t know where you get it from, Rat.”

[Whatsyourface]

Kal looked down on the alley. Assessing the situation. There many ways for how this would go down. However, Kal considered not immediately killing this man. It decided to try another approach.

“Put the gun down.” Nightmare heard in his head. It however. Was not Kal’s voice. It Nightmare’s own voice he heard seemingly from within his mind. But in a calm tone…

[Kalli]

Jet had his back on the other boy, so he couldn’t see the sudden panic that had entered Nightmare’s expression, or the way his pale eyes widened in disbelief as his head whipped around, searching for the source of the voice. Jet did, however, feel the gun barrel slip down a few inches, tremble, then press more firmly between his shoulderblades before he had teh chance to move himself.

“I don’t know what kind of shit you’re tryin’ to pull, but it won’t work.” the gang leader snarled.

Jet had just been wondering what happened- he’d heard a quickening of breath in the close air of the alley. Something, or someone, was setting Nightmare on edge. A dark smile crept across Jet’s lips as he suddenly had an idea of what was going on.

“What shit I’m pulling?’ he snorted. “You’re the one with the gun in my back.” He hoped Kal would try it again, whatever he had done. This time he would anticipate it and take his opening.

[Whatsyourface]

Jet’s smiling alerted Kal to proceed. “Put the gun down….Put the gun down.” Each word now caused his vision to blur. His balance to wain temporarily. “Put the gun down. Put the gun down.” Nightmare began to feel nauseated. “Put the gun down.” He suddenly it became harder to concentrate as Kal added more and more effects as it targeted. The voice continued.

“Put the gun down.” There was a sharp nawing pain in his head and a ringing noise in his ear by this time.

[Kalli]

Nightmare, for all his bravado on the streets, was like any other weak-minded thug; maudlin, easily angered or spooked. Any normal individual would have panicked at the sudden hijacking of their brain, but to someone like the gang leader, who didn’t think things through beyond a certain point, it was almost enough to shatter his mind entirely. He didn’t have the fortitude of those Kal had been trained to fight, which was partly why Jet took some pity on him and didn’t necessarily want him killed. Maybe he was wrong, and such rats deserved to die, but he didn’t like the idea of dispensing justice when so much was in doubt. After all, weren’t they both trying to survive?

It was easy enough to get Nightmare on teh ground, knocked out with the butt of his own gun. Jet’s moves were surprisingly well-trained, almost militaristic, and certainly efficient. That was the main reason the gangs wanted him so much. Using his strength and speed to send Nightmare to sleep was more an act of mercy than anything. With the threat eliminated, Kal didn’t have to do further damage to his brain. Plus, Jet had gained two more weapons (including Nightmare’s large knife) and some ammunition, so it turned into a good meeting after all.

Jet looked up at the rooftops, just managing to catch sight of Kal’s head, and made a cutting motion with his hand. He hoped the creature would understand what he meant, that his attacks weren’t needed anymore. Jet couldn’t help giving him a wide smile and a thumbs-up, before turning back to his sleeping enemy. Leaning the limp body against a dumpster, away from prying eyes, he found a recently-emptied liquor-bottle and placed it in Nightmare’s limp fingers. Better that he think he got skunked and dreamed the whole thing up. At least Jet was willing to leave him alive, and he could always use the bottle to defend himself, but that was probably more than he deserved.

Jet moved out of the alleyway and up the stairs to his apartment, where he met Kal with as wide a grin as before.

“Holy hell, Kal…where have you been all my life?” Jet dropped his bag onto the floor, then brought out his new weapons, placing them on the ‘table’.

[Whatsyourface]

Kal had stopped as soon as the man was on the ground. Though call had no way of showing it, it was surprised at Jet’s combat efficiency.

Jet returned to the building and saw however that Kal was staring intently in a direction. As if looking througb the wall as it made a cackling noise….then it looks to Jet. Straight at him as it opens it’s mouth. So only Jet may hear

“There is someone else here.” Kal then looked off in a direction to another room.

If Jet paused long enough he would hear a creaking noise briefly. Then it would stop.

[Kalli]

Jet froze, his eyes flickering to the wall, and went a shade paler than before. How could he have been so stupid? It wasn’t much of an excuse, but having Kal around had thrown all his usual rituals into disarray. Every time he returned to his apartment, Jet would check the other rooms, just to make sure. This time, he’d forgotten.

Grabbing the weapons he had stolen from Nightmare, he strapped the knife to one leg, and held the gun because he didn’t have a holster for it yet. Checking to see if it was loaded, he looked at Kal.

“Can you tell if it’s human?” he breathed. Once in awhile a larger animals would make its way in through the broken part of the roof down the hall. It sounded too heavy, though.

Jet moved to the wall, flattening himself against it next to the living room door. The only viable rooms were the one they were in and the bathroom, which was across the leaky hallway. By the sound of the creaks, whatever it was could have been in what had once been the kitchen, which was down teh hall to his left. Jet cocked his gun, placing a hand on the handle. But before he turned it, his eyes met Kal’s.

“It could be trouble, or maybe some kid made their way up here… But I don’t want them to see you anyway. The bastards with teh bombs would want you, and that would be the end of it…” Saying this, he hoped it was clear that he’d be stepping in this time. Kal had done so much for him already; the least he could do was try and return the favor. Very slowly, he turned the knob, staying flat against the wall as the door creaked open. Damn thing needed some WD-40 but it was too late now…

(Stop him if you need to XD)

[Whatsyourface]

The kitchen seemed to be what Kal seemed to be looking towards. “It is a human.” Kal says to Jet with nothing else able to hear

“One attempting to hide…underneath a sink…”

Kal’s eye go towards it again. Jet had a point. And had convinced it to stay. It would if necessary however attack its target through a wall or simply be near by. But for right bow Kal stayed in place.

[Kalli]

Under the sink? Couldn’t be very big, then. Jet wasn’t taking chances, but it sounded like a kid, rather than a grownup. The problem with kids was that they tended to be noisy blabbermouths with attitudes. At least he could knock out an adult and not feel bad. He might have to send this one off to dreamland in any case.

“Thanks.” he mouthed to Kal. “I’ll be back. I’ll call you if I’m getting my ass kicked, but let’s hope not.”

With that, the young man headed into the hall, moving stealthily through the debris of the ruined ceiling and the many buckets meant to collect rainwater. The old floor was half rotten, but still viable, and thankfully nothing squeaked or creaked as he moved into teh kitchen. The sink was just around the corner from the door, so whoever was under it shouldn’t see him coming, not if he was careful. Jet paused against the wall, breathing slowly, then slid into the room like a shadow.

It was probably a good thing he was so thin because he decided the easiest way was to slide onto the counter, giving the intruder no reference point from which to shoot him and taking the high ground at the same time. He could definitely hear shifting inside the warped old cabinet, and looking at the space, would have been amazed if an adult was in there. Jet leaned over slowly, then, with a flick of his hand, threw the cabinet door open, aiming his gun inside.

“I wouldn’t make any sudden moves if I were you.” he growled, blue eyes narrowed and cold.