Kalli
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“Not abandoned. This place is mine, so you’ll have to beat it.” He pulled out the gun, looking it over, On the one hand, he didn’t necessarily want to take all her weapons, since she’d have to defend herself on the streets. On the other, he wasn’t about to give her a way to shoot him in the back.
Removing the clip, he shoved it in his pocket, then handed the gun back to her. Maybe he’d give her the ammo back when she was too far away to shoot; he’d have to think about it. At least she wasn’t blubbering like an idiot. The girl sounded calm enough, but that set him on his guard.
“Look at me.” he said, stepping back and aiming his gun between her eyes. “Did you come alone? Is there anyone else who knew where you were going? And what made you think this place was abandoned?” Even though he couldn’t talk to Kal in his mind, he rather hoped the creature would be listening in. Jet was pretty good at telling when he was being lied to, but Kal could probably sense it much better. Heart-rate elevation and stuff like that.
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Jet slid off the counter in one fluid motion, his gun not wavering even then. It remained on her as he moved to retrieve her gun, which he stuck into his belt, along with the one he’d stolen from Nightmare. three for three; he’d have to make more holsters.
Jet nodded very slightly to one wall, where the faded past of a refrigerator’s outline could be seen. “Hands against the wall.” Once she was in position, he patted her down, though he was careful not to linger too near her chest or groin. Just enough to check for hidden weapons.
“Why were you hiding in here?” Jet asked after a moment, having moved down to her ratty pants.
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“Kick it. Middle of the floor.” he said shortly, not caring how young she was. Thirteen was old enough to do plenty of damage. Her weapon spun across the concrete, halting where sheetrock from the ceiling had fallen down into a moldy pile.
“Out, hands in the air where I can see them.” Jet’s voice and hand remained utterly still, and any trace of humor was buried deep. Having someone sneak into his home raised his hackles like little else could, and he wasn’t going to be nice about it.
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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.
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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)
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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’.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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’.”
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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.”
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Jet whistled, looking at all the items n the truck bed. “Too bad I couldn’t get this thing to work or we could drive out with all this stuff.” he joked. “Not sure how we’d fill the gas tank anyway. You’re pretty damn useful, you know that?”
With a grin, he looked over at 48, and had the creature been a dog or a human, he would have ended up with playfully ruffled hair. The prospect of a good meal in the future did much to lift Jet’s spirits.
“Still,” the boy said, turning back to the truck and reaching in to grab a bunch of copper wires, turning then over in his fingers. “Still, I could carry a lot of this stuff back pretty easy, and there’s more than enough time now to fence the stuff at a few different places. Whatever I can’t carry I’ll have to hide somewhere. People start to get suspicious if you have too much at once. Guy down the street got shivved when the gangs thought he was holding out on the motherlode. War over garbage….pretty ridiculous, huh?”
In spite of this last, Jet’s good humor wasn’t dampened. He was used to a pretty dark life, so morbid things didn’t bother him so much. Looking around, he began to think of a way to hide what they had found that was valuable. A stray patch of earth had been exposed in 48’s shifting of the garbage, and Jet pointed to it.
“Think you could make a hole there? I’ll bury the stuff for later so you don’t have to work as hard next time. It’s kind of like having a bank account, really.” That thought made him chuckle.
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Jet watched 48 soar into the air, as usual completely awed by the creature’s abilities. It was chilling to think of 48 using even his jumping skills to hunt down and destroy his enemies. However, he had chosen, for the present, to help Jet and be non-destructive. That choice still had Jet thinking 48 might have grown beyond his programming. He knew enough about computers to understand that they couldn’t go beyond the way they were built…not traditional ones, anyway. How had 48 been able to rise above what was hard-wired into him to choose something so far to the opposite? Jet never had believed much in souls, but now he was starting to question some long-held assumptions. The question was, if 48 had a soul, or something like it, could he ever feel raw emotions? Sadness? happiness? Anger? Jet wasn’t sure.
The boy pondered all these things in silence as he rummaged through the debris of his own pile, keeping an ear out for 48’s digging so he knew the creature was alright. A pretty strange thing for him to worry about, as 48 could definitely handle himself, but Jet was still feeling strangely protective. After at least an hour, he hadn’t found much, but maybe enough to buy a few cans of food. The problem, as always, was how to dig down under the top layer, which was always pretty picked-over, to the lower stuff. One had to be careful, as the mounds tended to shift, and people had been crushed under what the city’s denizens colloquially referred to as “garbage-slides”. Jet had a few close calls himself in the past, so he was very careful to anchor himself on larger, heavier pieces. The day’s pickings had been modest on his side, but he at least a few things in his bag. Jet slung it over his shoulder and went to see what 48 was up to.
Once he rounded the large pile that separated them, Jet decided he should have worked with 48 teh whole time. Smaller, almost neatly-distributed piles of debris lay around the creature in a radius as he moved from place to place up to a few hundred feet away. He’d shifted more than jet could have in a whole year, and found some valuable things, too. Not in terms of true luxury gods- no diamonds yet, though Jet was always hoping for things like that. There might be some buried under the debris but he hadn’t thought to ask 48 to look for them. Next time he might just do that.
“Damn….that’s a lot.” Jet said out loud, bending over and picking up an old laptop. He’d have to see if it was viable, but he could have sold the parts for a little money, at least. There were more just like it, all in piles- TVs, radios, copper wire, steel pipes.
Suddenly, the boy laughed. “You can stop now if you want. I don’t think I could carry all this home.” He imagined a sack the size of a house on his back and the thought made him laugh a little more.
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Jey certainly didn’t think he could ever, in a million years, give something like 48 a command. Maybe a request, but a command would have gotten his insides blown up and he knew it. Anyway, he wasn’t into telling others what to do, unless it was to leave him the hell alone. He had to use that one a lot in the past. Otherwise, it was ‘you go your way and I’ll go mine’.
With 48, Jet simply wished to let him know that he didn’t have to be what he was created for, that there were options that didn’t involve death and destruction. If 48 had wanted to go down that path there was no stopping him, but he seemed to be searching for something else. Jet was just pointing him down a path he may not have seen yet.
As 48 opened his mouth, Jet covered his ears, though it wasn’t as loud a noise as he had expected. A fan of invisible sound waves radiated over the debris, causing some dogs to bark, and birds to take to the air, and a few distant people to demand that their neighbors shut up. Otherwise, no one noticed. There were no human individuals within several dozen feet of them, so they would be safe for now.
As there didn’t seem to be anyone around, they both moved forward, and Jet headed to one of the nearer mounds, starting to sift through its contents. He was rather disappointed that 48 couldn’t hear his thoughts, but it was just something that would have been fun. He could do plenty of other things.
“Would you be able to find a certain kind of thing in a pile of garbage like this? I’m looking for copper wires, pipes, any electronic stuff I can maybe fix and re-sell.” Jet looked up at him doubtfully. “Only if you want to, though. I mean…you were cooped up for hours, you don’t have to stick around if you don’t want.” Not that Jet wanted him to leave, but he was very careful about 48 being able to choose for himself.
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Jet followed 48, perching on the wall like a cat. Climbing he could do, and he wasn’t afraid of heights if he was in control of his own body. Anyway, the wall wasn’t high enough he couldn’t jump down safely. He listened to 48 explain his abilities, and felt his brain beginning to fog over again. His own fault for asking. 48 clearly didn’t get that he should explain his abilities in layman’s terms. Jet decided to let it go- they had enough to worry about.
Looking down, Jet found a good spot to land and hopped down, still listening to 48 and only understanding one word in five. He wasn’t unintelligent, just unschooled, so some of the words were completely foreign. ‘Ultrasonic’ and ‘infrasonic’ sound didn’t come up regularly in street survival.
Still, understood in general what 48 was trying to say. He could see through sound and use it as a weapon, something Jet had witnessed first-hand. The memory had to be pushed down or he’d lose last night’s dinner all over the ground. It would be easier if 48 didn’t barrel onward discussing it in detail.
“Yeah…I didn’t forget you could make people explode…don’t remind me.” The boy looked at him, a bit green at the gills. “Those scientists, or whatever, really wanted you to do some damage, huh?” The more he thought about it, the more he felt chilled to the bone at the idea of 48 wreaking easy havoc on the city’s population. It wasn’t a pleasant thing to consider.
“You don’t have to do any of that anymore.” he said after a few gulps. His blue eyes met the creature’s golden ones- it was strange to think that he’d been afraid of them, but even after the catalogue of 48’s deadly attributes, Jet still wasn’t frightened of him. Not really.
“That’s in your past, anyway. You’re free now.” Jet’s head cocked to one side, a thoughtful expression on his face. “…Though some of that would come in handy. I bet we could stop a lot of gang fights with your telepathy thing. And the other stuff…maybe there’s a way to use it to do something good. There’s a lot of shit that goes on around here, I dunno…”
Though Jet had been considering this idea since last night, he was still not sure it would work. Who would they fight for or against? And how? And would 48 even want to fight? Honestly, Jet was too weary for it at this point in his life, but maybe.
“You can do something good with your sound stuff and keep us both out of trouble. Is there anyone nearby that’ll see us?” He nodded toward the Mound, looking at 48. Then, switching to speaking in his mind, he thought very clearly, “Can you hear me?”