Crimson Apocalypse
Episode 1 - Once Upon a Scarlet Sky
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"Once upon a time, the sky really was a pale blue. Or so they say."
"Blue."
"Now there's a color you rarely see in nature nowadays."

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-Log start.
-Date: 5.15.2235.
-Time: 6:03am.

     "So, who're we after today?"
     Eyes looked at the glowing screen in front of him. He had a disgruntled look on his face, implying that he was deep in thought. Eyes was dressed in his normal outfit, which consisted of his casual button down shirt over his t-shirt, and his jeans. His hair was of moderate length, and was unkempt. He also had a short beard. A rather strange appearance for a computer nerd; Eyes looked as if he was a lady killer.
     Eyes' personality was a rather strange one. He was highly sarcastic, earning him the title of a smart-ass, yet he spoke with the tone of voice which made him seem a lot wiser than he acted.
     "Eyes!?"
     "Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something," Eyes said, apologetically. "Our new bounty is Constance Brooks. It appears as though he's committed a terrorist act on some laboratory building in the City and now he's worth two hundred grand. Let's just hope you don't fuck up on this one like you did with Hernando. Understand Drift?"
     Drift looked up. "Shut the hell up. It's not my fault that the rocket missed. That bastard dealer didn't tell me it wasn't guided!"
     Drift. That name was a nickname given to him by his ex-girlfriend, who had left him a few years back. Drift's appearance was one quite different from his personality. He wore a suit, complete with dress shoes and tie, and his long hair was slicked back. He looked like a successful business man from the 20th century. In reality, Drift was nothing like what his appearance gave off. He was a thrill seeker, who enjoyed nothing more than a good challenge. Obnoxious, sometimes unstable, and a strange sense of humor; Drift gave most people the impression that he believed himself to be superior to others.
     Eyes and Drift were standing in a large, circular room, with dark walls and a carpeted floor. Lights hung down from the ceiling, illuminating the coffee table and four armchairs in the center of the room. Drift was pacing around the room, while Eyes sat in one of the armchairs, leaning over the laptop computer which sat on the table.
     Hernando was the previous bounty attempt, and as Drift recalled, it ended rather badly. Seventy-five thousand dollars down the drain.
     Eyes rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say Drift. Next time, when you miss with a rocket, try not to hit a fucking bridge, that way we can turn in something to the cops that doesn't resemble a pancake, and we don't have to flee before we're arrested." With a few more taps on the keyboard he added, "You're lucky with this one; this bounty isn't official until tonight at ten. I just bought you almost a day with this little hack."
     "Whatever, that's your job. I'm the one out there risking my life trying to catch the heads. I think we can agree on who has the safer role."
     "Bullshit Drift," Eyes shot back, "every time I need to hack into a secured network, I'm risking our asses. You're lucky we haven't gotten chucked in prison yet! I think we've broken every computer law out there by now, excluding operating a porn site with underage models."
     Drift scratched his chin. "Hmm. Does that qualify as a computer law?"
     "Shut up. Just take The Providence to the pier."

     The Providence is the name of the airship flown by Drift and Eyes. They were a bounty-hunting duo, and they earned a living by risking their lives everyday to catch dangerous criminals. In reality, it is much less noble. Bounty hunters tend to find human-life expendable, and are often selfish, and quite the opposite of noble. Drift and Eyes were no exception.
     Not much is needed to be done in order to become a bounty hunter. Technically, bounty hunters are just people who catch bounties for a living, but anyone can turn in a bounty if they manage to catch one. Bounty hunters are normally social outcasts; people who live their lives in darkness and secrecy. As Drift and Eyes think to themselves about what events in their own pasts led them to take up this strange occupation, they can't help but live in darkness and secrecy.
     Airships are one of the more recent inventions; they are pretty much a more efficient form of airplanes. Of course, since they are, in fact, much different from airplanes, they are called airships. Technologically, they are completely different machines, but as far a usage, you might as well be flying an airplane. After the invention, airplanes became obsolete. Airships were more sleek and stylish, having more bulk and not looking like a rod. They resemble the head of a bird, with large engines in the back. People have obsessions with all things airships, and some spend their lives working on them. How Eyes had acquired The Providence is a story which is best left to be told by him, and he takes pleasure in not telling. Not that Drift hadn't tried to get it out of him.

     Drift walked to the cockpit of the airship, lighting a cigarette on the way. He didn't care if smoking would kill him; sometimes relaxation is the key to not killing yourself. As he looked at the console, taking in all of the blinking buttons, his mind couldn't help but wander. It has been three years since he was awoken at the hospital in New York City. He had awoken with absolutely no memory. The only clue of his past was a strange dagger the doctor found lodged inside of his calf, bearing an emblem of a hawk. Drift had later tried to find what it meant, only to come back empty-handed. According the hospital records, he was found in a coma on the stairs of the Old Statue in the harbor of New York City. A coma which lasted for a year.
     According to the doctors, there was no plausible explanation to for his memory loss, although it may be linked to the reason why he was in a coma. That too was a mystery, because the tests showed no damages to Drift's body or brain whatsoever. Drift also had no fingerprint or retina data on record with the government; something which all citizens had.
     Three years ago... A lot has happened in three years.
     Drift's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Eyes' voice over the intercom.
     "Are we ready to go Drift?"
     Drift smirked. "Yeah. Let's catch this guy. We need that money badly."
     "You can say that again," said Eyes, "I can't remember the last time I actually had some cash to spend."

     New York City. Well, not exactly. More like "New" New York City. After the war, it was rebuilt into a vast metropolis, bigger than anything ever seen before. It was also an even bigger nerve center for crime, making it the second most dangerous and crime-filled city in the world. Vegas was the first, surprise, surprise.
     The air was extremely polluted, and it gave the atmosphere a hazy effect. The city looked strangely foreboding as The Providence approached it. The red sky reflecting off the water gave Drift a chilling feeling that it was blood. And the city itself, with all of its smoke and haze, looked like a place where there would be no return.

     As The Providence flew over the city towards the pier, a man on one of the many streets looked up. The man wore a large, brown trench coat, with his hands hidden deeply in his pockets. He wore a bowler hat tilted over his eyes, and had a large brown mustache. He was extremely tall, and a little portly. The man hiding in the phone booth across the street studied him carefully, with a look of extreme apprehension on his face.
     "Yes. That's him," he muttered to himself.
     He timidly walked out of the phone booth and towards the man in the trench coat.
     "Mr. Brooks?" He asked, his voice tainted with fear.
     Constance Brooks lifted up his hat, and glared down at the man. The glare sent a shiver down the man's spine. "Yes?" His voice was cold, and had a hint of annoyance.
     The man seemed a bit relieved; he had gotten the right guy. "Mr. Brooks, I am here to deliver a message from my boss, Dr. Xavier Regenold Koskov. That message is, 'The sky will fall at noon tomorrow.'" He held his breath, waiting for Brooks' response.
     "Hmm." Brooks thought to himself. Dr. Koskov, that bastard. The sky will fall ... oh shit. How does he know the code? "Thanks for the message."
     The man finally relaxed, but then immediately tensed up again. It may have had something to do with the handgun being held right in his face.
     "Sorry, I suppose Dr. Koskov didn't mention this part to you." Brooks pulled the trigger, and the sound of the resulting gunshot echoed through the streets. The man flew backwards with a new hole ripped right in between his eyes. He hit the ground, his head making a squelching sound when it smacked the concrete. Before anybody could see who had shot the man, Brooks had vanished. The people dismissed the murder, and fought to get the man's wallet and jewelry, like hungry vultures over a dead cow.

     "Now you're sure he's here Eyes?"
     Eyes looked at Drift. "No, I'm just telling you to go out there for no reason, without knowing that he could be anywhere else on the whole fucking planet. Yes, I'm sure he's in New York, now get you're ass moving!"
     "Suck my dick." Drift muttered as he walked out of the computer room, down the hall, and into the vehicle storage. He hopped into his Jeep. "Guess I'll use this today. Haven't used it since that bounty in Mexico. It could use a ride." He started it up and pressed a button, and two machine guns popped out of the sides, a rocket holder came out of the back, and a plasma cannon came out from behind the front license plate.
     "You know what I love about these vehicles Drift?" said Eyes from the Jeep radio, "It reminds me of those James Bond 007 movies. Imagine what the directors would've said back then if those cars would really be made in the future."
     "They'd probably sue, like the rest of those Hollywood pricks." Drift said as he was examining all of the instruments.
     "Oh yeah, I forgot you hated Hollywood. I guess that's another thing I'll have to add to the list of things which you hate with a passion. What's this, number 619?"
     "Must you keep track?" said an annoyed Drift.
     "Does it piss you off?" Eyes laughed.
     Drift ignored him and pressed the button again, making the weapons slide back into the Jeep. "Right, everything appears to be working." He concentrated on the task at hand, replaying the information in his head. Somehow, the name Constance Brooks seemed familiar.
     "Alright Drift, I've got some info," Eyes voice sounded through the radio, "According to some tips given to the cops, Brooks was rumored to be staying in a Motel. I'll give you the coordinates. Oh, room number 105." A GPS screen flickered to life on the console, with a dot marking the Motel in which Brooks was supposedly staying.
     Whatever. Drift thought. Although I highly doubt a bounty such as Constance Brooks would be staying in some cheap-shit motel.
     "What's wrong Drift, no snappy responses?"
     "How the fuck do you always know when I'm thinking something?"
     "Trade secret."
     "I was just wondering what the odds were that a bounty would just be lounging away in some Motel?" Drift said breathlessly, while shaking his head.
     "Well, it’s probably logical, considering that a public motel would be the last place a bounty would be."
     "Makes sense," Drift said. Of course it makes sense.
     "Yeah, so I suggest you go visit him at his humble adobe."
     Drift pressed a button on the console, and the wall directly in front of the Jeep opened up, revealing a ramp leading onto the street. As Drift pressed on the pedal, the Jeep immediately charged out of the garage, and onto the road. Drift looked up, and he was amazed at the sheer size of the buildings. They towered over the road, silently guarding the city from outside view. The view was breathtaking, yet once inside, you fought for your life. It had been a while since he was in the city. As he drove down the road, he looked ahead to see the shadows of the buildings covering the roads. He pushed down on the accelerator, and sped off into the darkness.

-Time: 8:21am.

     The sky will fall...
     Brooks was walking down the street to his motel. His eyebrows were frowned, and he had a look of apprehension on his face. Clearly, he was deep in thought.
     The sky will fall at noon tomorrow. Of course. Dr. Koskov, I'll kill you for this. I've got to stop him!
     Brooks walked into the motel, and to his room. Down the hallway leading to his room, there was a man sitting on the bench. He looked like an old fashion business man, dressed in a suit and tie, with a briefcase sitting upright next to him. Nothing too suspicious, Brooks relaxed. As Brooks passed, the man called out to him.
     "Excuse me mister?"
     Constance Brooks immediately whipped around, facing the man. He was still just sitting there, with his arms crossed. "Who, me?" Brooks asked.
     "Well, considering we are the only ones in this hallway, I suppose it's you I would be talking to." He smirked.
     Through the earpiece in his ear, Drift distinctly heard Eyes groan. "Just shut up and confirm it’s him, will you?"
     Brooks had an expression on his face of a mix between anger and frustration. "Well, yes, that’s true. What do you want?" Brooks had to keep his cool; he'd recently overheard rumors that there was a fairly large bounty being put on his head. From the Genova Lab incident. He thought to himself.
     "Well, I couldn't help but notice that something is bothering you."
     "Wherever would you get that idea?"
     "I can tell by the look on your face."
     Brooks, who had his bowler hat pulled low again, wondered how that businessman could have gotten a clear view of his face, let alone tell that he had something on his mind. Although it was true; there was something really big on his mind. History changing. "Really? I wasn't aware that I had on a strange facial expression."
     Drift wasn't going to be that easy to fool. He needed a facial clarification, so that he didn't accidentally nab the wrong guy. "No sir, I can clearly see the look of distress on your face."
     Brooks raised his hat and impatiently looked at the man. He looked exactly like an old fashioned business man, complete with the oiled back hair. "See? There is nothing wrong with my face. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return to my room." Brooks nodded his head at Drift and immediately turned around and walked down to his room.
     "Well Eyes, it looks like we've got our man. I'm just checking to see what room he's entering... 105. It’s Brooks alright," Drift said smugly into the microphone on his collar.
     Eyes' voice responded through the earpiece. "Well, good. I'm gonna hack into the motel's door control service and open the electronic lock now." After about a few seconds in which Drift heard some keys being pressed, Eyes responded. "Done. You can now open his door without the cardkey."
     "Right."
     Drift was feeling confident as he walked towards Room #105. He kept one hand inside his suit, where his .45 was hidden. By the looks of Brooks, he would be a bit challenging to take down without shooting, but Drift was confident. Still, it never hurts to keep a little protection on you.
     Drift stood on the welcome mat for Room #105. He pulled out the .45, and cautiously opened the door. His calm demeanor dropped immediately, because he was staring down the long barrel of a shotgun.
     "Let me guess, a bounty hunter?" Brooks' voice was breathless, and he had an evil smile on his face. That smile is characteristic of a man who just outsmarted someone. Drift dropped his pistol.
     "No, I'm just a Missionary, spreading the word of God and all...” Drift punched the bottom of the shotgun as Brooks pulled the trigger. The blast went over Drift's head, and would've temporarily deafened him, but he planned ahead and wore earplugs in case of a gunfight, which proved smart. Drift's earplugs were a combination earplug earpiece, so that he could communicate with Eyes. They also blocked out sounds over the safe decibel range. Eyes had gotten them custom made for these occasions.
     Drift grabbed the front of the shotgun, and pulled it so that Brooks rushed towards him. Drift then gave a devastating punch to Brooks’ face, which was even more powerful because Brooks was rushing towards Drift, and it would've immediately knocked anybody out cold, as well as given them a broken nose or jaw. Therefore, Drift was amazed to see Constance Brooks functioning as if it were a feather that hit him.
     "Nice punch, but you’re going to have to try harder than that."
     Drift leaped back and came at Brooks again. No matter what he did, though, he couldn't get into any contact with Brooks. Brooks was blocking everything Drift threw at him. Drift tried another powerful upward punch to the face, but Brooks sidestepped to the left, making Drift's arm fly over Brooks' right shoulder. Brooks grabbed Drifts arm, and elbowed Drift right in his temple, then tripped him a split second later. Drift fell on something hard and uncomfortable, but he couldn't move to see what it was. Brooks circled Drift, examining him from head to toe. "Hmm, I wouldn't have expected a bounty hunter to look so neat. Nice disguise, you almost had me fooled."
     Drift managed to spit out a few words. "What... gave it... away?"
     Brooks looked down at Drift with a devilish smile. "Well, let's just say I know a bit about you, Isaac."
     Drift's brain activity immediately ceased. All he could think about was Brooks' last sentence. Isaac? "How the hell do you know my name?"
     "I guess it is true that you really know nothing about your past. I suppose you'll find out when the time is right, because I know you were not meant to find out from me."
     "Fuck you asshole! Tell me how the fuck you know who I am!" Drift reached under himself and grabbed his pistol which was digging into his back, but before he could point it at Brooks, he had stepped on Drift's arm, causing Drift to drop the gun.
     "Sorry Isaac, but I really couldn't tell you," said Brooks as he looked down at Drift, grinning. "Now, normally I would kill you, but since we go way back, I think I'll let you live," Brooks picked the pistol up from the ground, "but not without a parting gift." As the gun went off, Drift felt a sharp pain in his left thigh, which began to spread to the rest of his body. He knew he would pass out from the pain, but his hatred of Brooks kept him conscious for a few more seconds.
     "You'd... better... watch out... asshole."
     "You know, I feel sorry for you. So I'll tell you what. I'll give you a clue where you can find me and maybe actually capture me. Though I doubt it. Find a girl named Maria Ducant. Tell her I said 'The sky will fall at noon tomorrow.'" Brooks reached down and took a cigarette out of Drift's pocket. He took out a lighter and lit the cigarette in his mouth, then breathed out a stream of noxious blue smoke. "See you around Drift." And on that note, Brooks turned his back and left. Drift angrily glared at his back, and then passed out.

     As Brooks walked back down the road, only one thought was on his mind. I see what you want, Koskov, and you won't win if I have something to do with it.

-Time: 10:15am.

     "Now, would you like to explain to me again how the hell you were defeated by Brooks without him using a gun!?" Eyes was sitting on the chair in the den of The Providence, looking at Drift who was lying on the couch covered in bandages. After he had passed out, Eyes took their Hummer to retrieve him. Drift had awoken, covered in bandages, on the couch. Eyes had explained that he heard everything over the microphone, yet he failed to find any information about a relationship between Brooks and any hospital or government agency. So, Drift still had no idea how Brooks knew him.
     "I told you, I punched him square in the face. That blow would've knocked out a professional boxer, but somehow Brooks acted as if it were nothing."
     "And then what happened."
     "He elbowed me in the fucking temple. I fell backwards, and couldn't move."
     "And while you were on the ground, he said your name, and that he knew you. Obviously you don't know him because of your... condition," Eyes was referring to Drift's memory loss. "He also let you live for some reason."
     "Yeah, something about how he was not meant to tell me how he knows me. But if that's the case, who the fuck is meant to tell me?"
     "I don't know, but he did tell you to find a woman named Maria Ducant. I did a check, she works at Sunset Diner. I pulled up her working schedule, and she is set to work today at three o'clock."
     Drift thought carefully. "Any connection between this Maria and Brooks?"
     "Well, considering that Brooks told you to find her, there obviously is one, now isn't there?" Eyes chuckled after saying this.
     "You know what the fuck I meant!" Drift snapped back.
     "Alright, jeez! I'll take a look." Eyes pulled up the computer and started hitting keys. After a few minutes, he exclaimed, "AHA!"
     Drift immediately sat up, and then fell backwards in pain. After swearing for a few seconds, he asked Eyes, wincing, "What did you find?"
     "Oh, you're going to love this. According to the old employee files kept at Genova Labs, the place where Brooks worked before his incident, Maria Ducant was employed there from September 30th, 2223 to March 22nd, 2235. She worked as an assistant scientist to Dr. Constance Brooks, until she quit. According to the file, the reason she quit was because of Brooks, although it doesn't specify why."
     "Great, I bet she's going to love to talk to me about the man who caused her to quit her job; especially considering that she hasn't found a decent job since."
     "But it gets better. She was in college at age 16 due to consistently high grades. In college she had three papers published in The Scientific Journal, and also helped with the research in Cold Fusion. It was then that she was taken out of college and put in Genova Labs, where she was doing fusion research for the government under Brooks."
     "And after all that, now she's working in a diner? Now I know she's never going to talk to me."
     Eyes leaned back. "Whatever Drift, she's your problem. I hate women, especially bitchy ones. And I can tell this one has 'bitch' written all over her."
     "Well, it’s understandable that you don't like women, considering that you're a fag and all." Drift sniggered.
     "Fuck you Drift; I've had more pussy than most men dream of. It's just that since my last experience, I've given women a rest."
     "And would you care to share what your last experience was?"
     Eyes looked down. Drift knew not to expect any more; Eyes had never spoken to Drift about this 'experience' which led him to be an outcast. As Eyes remained silent, Drift could tell that the subject was not open for discussion. Although he covers it up with a cool temperament, Eyes is hiding something very big. Drift thought. Whatever, that's his past; at least he knows it.
     Eyes looked back up. "Alright, here's the most recent picture of Miss Ducant," Eyes turned the monitor towards Drift.
     On the screen was a pretty young woman with long dark hair which was tied back, and pale skin. She wore thin glasses which hid her large brown eyes. She had this very serious look on her face which showed a determined young woman.
     "I can see what you mean by 'she's got bitch written all over her,'" Drift told Eyes without looking up at him. "I guarantee you whatever made her leave that job must've been big, and I bet she wasn't happy about it. Shame, how come the hot ones are bitches?" It was just then that Drift had a moment of intuition. "Wait a minute Eyes, when did you say she quit?"
     "March 22nd. Why?"
     Drift tensed. "That was a month ago. Do you think she quit because of what would cause Brooks to get the bounty on his head?"
     Eyes looked thoughtful. "Possibly. Maybe that's why Brooks told you to find her."
     "Brooks said to find her if I wanted to know where to find him. He also told me to tell her 'The sky will fall at noon tomorrow.' What do you think it means?"
     "I've got no clue," Eyes responded, "but I think you should ask Miss Ducant. It's probably what's going to lead us to Brooks."
     "Yeah, I'm going to kill the bastard when I find him." It appeared as though Drift's mind was focused on one thing. And it was not the mission.
     "No, you won't. He's the bounty, remember?"
     "Alright, how about I beat the fuck out of him?"
     Eyes leaned back in his chair and folded his arms together. "As long as we have something alive to show the authorities."
     "Excellent." Drift punched the air in happiness, only to grab his arm in pain, continually swearing. Eyes shook his head, chuckled, and left the room, leaving Drift in pain.

     Drift was running down a long corridor. There were many men after him, for reasons he did not know. Yet, he didn't really care, as long as he got away from there. Where exactly, he did not know, but all he knew was that it was bad. He looked to his left, and saw a man running alongside him. As they were running, the man stopped and opened a door, silently beckoning Drift to follow him.
     After the door had closed, they listened as the men who were after them ran past the door.
     "Damn, that was a close one, eh Isaac?" The man leaned back, breathing hard.
     Drift too was panting; that was one hard run. He just nodded in agreement, as the man stood up.
     "Alright Isaac, you know what we have to do in order to get out of this mess." The man walked up to a large, metallic chair in the middle of the room. "After this, there is no going back." He started to press a few buttons, and the machines next to the chair started whirring and making noises. He started to tap some keys at a computer, while Drift sat there silently. After a few minutes, the man stopped. "Alright, it’s done. Come and sit on the chair."
     Drift got up and walked over to the chair. He climbed onto it carefully, and relaxed into it. The man tied his arms, legs, and head, and then attached some microbes to him. Drift sat there, motionless. He looked around the room, noticing a lot of advanced technology and medical equipment. The room was rather small, and it resembled a hospital room. Drift watching as the man picked up a large syringe filled with a green liquid.
     "See you on the other side, Isaac." Drift didn't feel anything as the needle entered his neck, yet for some reason he was writhing around uncontrollably, restrained by the bands wrapped around his arms, legs, and head. The world began to fade to black, and the word Isaac echoed through his brain. Isaac... Isaac… Isaac... It kept repeating in the voice of the man. Then, a new voice began to grow gradually louder, as the man's voice began to fade. Drift... Drift... Drift.... DRIFT!!!
     Drift woke up on the couch to see an angry Eyes starting down at him. Eyes' angry face was immediately replaced by a sarcastic smile.
     "Sweet dreams, Sleeping Beauty?" Eyes chuckled. Drift didn't. "Good news, the medicine I gave you should have finally taken its effect. You shouldn't be feeling any more pain from those injuries."
     Drift immediately sat up, stretching out every muscle. Eyes stared at him.
     "So, how does it feel?"
     Drift answered by slapping Eyes across the face. "Feels pretty good. How about you?" Drift chuckled. Eyes didn't.

-Time: 3:44pm.

     On the corner of 8th and 13th is a small diner. Sunset Diner. As Drift drove the Jeep into the parking lot, he wondered if Maria Ducant would really be willing to help him. Brooks had said to look for her, after all. What if the bastard is lying? But then why send me in the first place!? Fuck!! Drift had no choice but to go with their lead, and that was to talk with Maria Ducant.
     The diner was of typical retro design; full of chrome and fake neon. As Drift looked around, a female server came up to him, dressed in a uniform almost as bright as her nails and hair.
     "Hi! I guess you wanna sit at the bar? Since you're all, like, by yourself and all?"
     Drift felt like his own IQ was dropping just by hearing her talk. "Sure," he replied. Drift followed the server to the bar and sat down at an empty seat, drumming his hands on the bar counter. Seeing him, the bartender walked over.
     "So, what do ya want to drink?" The bartender was fairly old, and looked as though he has been working here for a while.
     That would increase the odds of him knowing Miss Ducant. Drift though silently. "Uhh, let's see... What beer do you have?"
     "I gots Bud, Bud Light, Corona, Coors Light, and Drummer."
     "Give me a Corona."
     The bartender took out a glass and filled it with some beer from the tap. As he handed it back, Drift took his chance.
     "Excuse me, but I happen to be looking for someone who I heard works here. Do you know anyone by the name of Maria Ducant?"
     The bartender thought for a second, and then nodded. "Yeah, Maria. She's a waitress here; been working here for just two weeks now. I think she's working right now, actually. Wanna talk to her?"
     Drift nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks a lot."
     "Don't mention it," the bartender replied and walked to the kitchen. In about a minute, he came back, accompanied by a young woman with long dark hair with brown eyes and glasses.
     Yep, that's Maria alright. Maria had a confused and apprehensive look on her face. Drift had never seen her in person, and he realized that she was actually really good looking. Just get rid of the glasses, put on some more makeup, and she'd be at least a four.
     Maria took the initiative. "Excuse me, but were you looking for me?"
     Drift took no time to respond. "Yes. My name is Drift, and I wanted to ask you a few things. You are Maria Ducant, I presume?"
     "Yes I am. What kind of things?" Maria's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Drift decided to avoid the direct truth until she agreed to speak with him.
     "Oh, just a few things about you're previous job." Drift willed to God that she would agree, although Drift was about as religious as ice is hot. When she nodded in agreement, and removed that nervous look from her face, he was immensely relieved.
     "Sure," she replied simply, and sat down next to him at the bar. After Drift ordered her a beer, he waited until she was ready to talk. He noticed how calm she seemed about the subject, and it made him wonder whether or not her connection to Brooks was what he needed. He decided to take it really slow, and see if he can't get her to tell him what he needed without leaving.
     "Alright Maria, I came to ask you a few things."
     "Yeah, but first I want to know why?" She looked sternly at Drift.
     So much for slow and easy. "I recently came into contact with a name known as Dr. Constance Brooks. Does that name mean anything to you?"
     Maria looked a bit uneasy, but responded nonetheless. "Dr. Brooks was my superior at my last job."
     "At Genova Labs, am I correct?" Drift cut in.
     Maria looked startled. "Y...Yes. How did you know that?"
     Drift didn't bother to answer. "Listen Maria, Dr. Brooks and I got into a... manly disagreement. He told me to give you a message. That message is: 'The sky will fall at noon tomorrow,' Do you have any idea what that means?"
     Maria looked amazed, and then Drift saw the utter horror appeared on her face. "Di... Did you just say 'The sky will fall...?’”
     Drift finished it for her. "'...at noon tomorrow,' yes."
     Maria put a hand to her mouth. "Oh my God. Oh... my... God, no."
     Drift immediately grabbed her other hand. Sometimes a woman needs a little encouragement. "Listen to me Maria; I need to know exactly what this means. Tell me everything." Maria looked at Drift and nodded. In the back of Drift's mind, Drift was wondering why the hell she was agreeing with him. I just walked in and asked to speak with her. Why is she willing to tell me? Whatever, I'll find out soon enough.
     "Well, here's the story. When I was working with Dr. Brooks at Genova Labs, we got moved into a special department. This was secret; the records show that we were working on the Cold Fusion project. In any case, we met our new boss, Dr. Regenold Koskov, who knew Dr. Brooks from a while back. So, this new project we were working on was so under wraps that not even we knew what it was we were working on; all we knew was that we were instructed to find the most efficient way to store energy."
     "Wait a minute," Drift interrupted, "What do you mean by that?"
     "Well, the task was to find a way to store massive amounts of energy; approximately equal to the amount of electricity needed to power this city for a decade. So, think of it as a battery which could hold that much power."
     "Right,"
     "So, I and Dr. Brooks were working on this for about a year, when all of the sudden Dr. Brooks gets a promotion within the project. He was moved to a different part of the overall project."
     "What do you mean, 'overall project'?" Drift asked.
     "Well, the project was kept under so much security that not even we knew exactly what we were helping to create. All we knew was the task given, and that it would somehow be applied to the overall project."
     "Alright, go on."
     "Anyway, Dr. Brooks and I didn't see each other for the next two years. I was put in charge of the group of scientists working on my part of the project, and we finished it. We found a way for massive amounts of energy to be stored in a single power cell. It was a week after we finished this that Dr. Brooks came to see me."
     As Maria paused, Drift could see the fear in her eyes. "Please continue Maria,"
     "Alright... Dr. Brooks came to tell me about exactly what it was we were working on. He told me that we were working on what would become the world's deadliest weapon."
     Even in this situation, Drift couldn't help but see how corny this sounded. Like something out of a crappy action flick. 'World's Deadliest Weapon.' Please. This is the real world. "So, what exactly is this weapon?"
     "Well, it takes the power cell we developed and uses a special converter that was made in another part of the project. What it does is channels the wavelength of the energy to extremely small numbers, and then releases it, effectively killing anything in the radius. It's silent for a bomb; the explosion size is about as large as that of a bottle rocket. The energy that is released is so concentrated and powerful, that it is deadly to any living thing. The wavelength is also so incredibly high that it can penetrate any material without energy loss. You'd need one hundred feet of lead in every direction to stop that radiation from vaporizing you. Of course, in order to make enough energy for a bomb, you would need a lot more energy than just one of those power cells we developed. The next step of out part of the project, which was to be assigned to a different team, would be to create a massive one."
     "Wait a minute Maria. How big was the one you guys developed?"
     "Well, it was about the size of a Double-A battery."
     Drift was shocked. "And it was able to hold that much power?"
     "Well, actually more, although it isn't recommended. At half of its capacity, it was able to hold enough power to power New York City for a decade. The only reason we didn't make it entirely full was due to instability; the container would tend to lose energy after a period of time. We determined that at around fifty percent capacity, energy stability would be more efficient than at any higher level. Of course, when using it for a bomb, you’re not really worried about storage. It would take a decade before you’d notice any significant energy loss at 95%. If it was at the highest instability, however, the energy would deplete in under a minute."
     "But wait, what about the production of these bombs? How are they going to fill it up with that much energy?"
     "Well, you just hit the nail right on the head. Unfortunately, they already solved that problem."
     "What? How!?"
     "Simple. Cold Fusion." Maria smiled grimly.
     Drift's eyes opened in amazement. "You mean they actually figured out how to use Cold Fusion?"
     "Yeah, although a lot differently than they had intended. It figures that the invention which could single-handedly save humanity and our planet is first being used to make weapons. How fucked up is that?"
      "Well, it was the same with the Atomic Bomb. They could've used that technology for anything, and they decide to make a bomb. Human nature at its worst."
      Maria nodded in agreement.
     Drift continued. "But what do you mean by, 'Not what they intended'?"
     "Well, they couldn't find a way to directly route that power to power lines, so the Cold Fusion project is still under work. However, they had no idea that a battery which could hold all that energy could be created. By using the battery to store the energy, there is no energy loss or surge which would happen if it was routed directly into power lines. It would take a transformer the size of a state to control that energy, and would cost even more money than every plant in the country combined, while the batteries can absorb all the energy in the initial release, which is more than enough to fill a cell. Of course, because of how top secret our project was, the Cold Fusion team had no idea we even developed our power cell."
     "Alright," Drift said, "I think I understand the capabilities of this bomb. So, what did Brooks tell you to do?"
     "Well, Dr. Brooks told me to immediately quit my job, and he would try to take care of the situation."
     "Wait, you actually quit your job because of this? How do you know it wasn't a trick?"
     "I trust Dr. Brooks with my life," she replied simply. "We've been working together for so long, he's like family."
     "So, you quit your job."
     "Yes. Last week, which was about a month after I quit, Dr. Brooks called me, giving me a warning message, telling me that he may need me for something in the near future. He also gave me this." She pulled at the chain around her neck, and on the end was a pendant about the size of a cap. It was gold, and it looked as if it came apart, concealing something inside. "He told me that no matter what I do, I should never lose this pendant. And, that's the last I ever spoke with him."
     "Do you know what's inside of the pendant?"
     "Yeah, it’s a memory card, but the files on it are encrypted somehow. I guess they contain some really important information."
     Drift was speechless. This bounty was turning into a big problem really fast. Normally, he would just call it quits, and go for another head. But something made Drift want to get Constance Brooks. He knew my name. He knew who I was...

     Drift's memories began to reflect on when he woke up from the coma. After being found to have no data on record with Civilian Customs, Drift was to be forced into custody. Ten men entered the room where Drift was being held to escort him to the authorities. One man left the room, and he was wearing a hospital uniform and holding two guns...
     After escaping the hospital, a lot happened, and somehow he ended up as a bounty hunter with Eyes. As Drift began to sink deeper into his memories, a familiar voice woke him up.
     "Excuse sir, but are you alright?" Drift snapped back into reality to see Maria's face with a hint of concern. "Actually, I never did get your name."
     "You can call me Drift," Drift replied, still in thought, although this time on the bounty.
     "Drift? That's an interesting name. Is that your real name?"
     "No, and if you want to know where I got it from, I'm sorry, but it's for another time," Drift said in a hurry, having been asked the very same question over and over again.
     "Well, alright then, Drift."
     "Now, let's continue with the story. What the hell does 'The sky will fall...' mean?" Drift asked restlessly.
     "Well, in order for you to understand that, you'll need to know how exactly we left Genova Labs," Maria replied. "Once you know this, it'll be easier for me to explain the message."
     "Shoot."
     "Right. It turns out the project director, Dr. Koskov, had alternate motives for the bombs. Dr. Brooks overheard him talking with someone on the phone about using them to destroy something. And with a bomb that big, it’s probably more of a somewhere. Anyway, after Dr.  Brooks told me to leave; he said he'd communicate with me somehow using code. And it is this code that the message you gave me is part of. 'The sky will fall' means that the bomb will go off."
     "WHAT!!??" Drift yelled loudly, alarming several of the diners in the vicinity. Speaking quieter, yet still in an astounded voice, he asked, "Do you mean that... that bomb... is going to be set off... here... tomorrow!?"
     "Hold on a sec Drift, let me finish explaining. You see, the high power rays from the bomb are also released into the sky. This effect causes the creation of strange, blue, clouds. You see, the energy causes the water vapor to form clouds and rain. The rain, however, has a dark red tint to it. The clouds turn to a dark red, and eventually to black, making it look as if the sky was being rained down, leaving only a black void. That is what is meant by, 'The sky will fall'."
     "Yeah, that's great, but it doesn't stop a bomb from going to go off tomorrow, killing everyone in the area." Drift said. Then he realized something, "Wait, where is this bomb going to be detonated?"
     "Well, considering that Dr. Brooks is currently in the city, I'd hazard a guess that it’s going to be detonated here."
     Drift's insides turned to stone. "I had a bad feeling that you were going to say that." After a few seconds of silence, Drift thought of something. "But isn't Dr Koskov working under orders from the government? Why would he be ordered to destroy New York City? Unless he's rebelling!" Drift exclaimed.
     "You know what Drift, that very thought has been worrying me. I'm fairly certain he is under someone's orders, yet whose orders they are is a different story. Whatever the case, it really doesn't matter; the main priority will be to stop this bomb from going off."

-Time: 4:11pm.

     Eyes was leaning back against his armchair in the living room, with the laptop computer on the table in front of him. His thoughts were spinning out of control because of the facts just unearthed from Maria. Although, now that he thought of it, Dr. Koskov was just the kind of bastard who would do something like this. Dr. Koskov....
     Ding! The computer made a noise when the information was finished compiling. Eyes had taken the liberty of running a background search on Constance Brooks while listening to Drift and Maria's conversation. Eyes browsed through the text; "Born in New York...," "went to Harvard...," "Became lead scientist at Genova...," Nothing special. Eyes didn't even bother running a search on Dr. Koskov; Eyes had tried it before, only to find baffling results. All fake. Every bit of information on Dr. Regenold Koskov was a lie. But Eyes knew enough of the truth, and he knew that it was for the protection of his friends that he took this truth to the grave. One day, Eyes told himself, one day I'll get him for his betrayal. And that day would come for Eyes, but that is a tale left for another time.
     Something caught Eyes' attention as he looked through Brooks' records; his medical records to be exact. Well, that explains a lot, Eyes thought. I'd better tell Drift... And he pressed the button on the keyboard which initiated the communication.

     Back in Sunset Diner, a tall man dressed in a black suit and tie walked up to where Drift and Maria were talking. Drift knew who this man must be: Maria's manager.
     "Excuse me Maria," he said with a hint of anxiety in his voice which only Drift could pick up on, "but I need to discuss some things with you about your job. Will you please follow me to the back room?" Drift could definitely see it in the man's eye; this man was seriously stressed out. Well, this job would probably stress out anyone...
     "Sure, Mr. Rummesford." Maria replied cautiously, and she got out of her seat. "I'm sorry Drift, but I'll just be a minute. 'Kay?"
     Drift nodded, and watched as Maria and Mr. Rummesford walked into the back room of the diner. Amazing, that girl Maria, Drift thought to himself. She can hide her feelings like it's nothing. The whole freaking city is about to be obliterated, for Christ's sake! Just then, Drift's earpiece started to vibrate, tickling his ear. Drift touched it with his finger, slightly surprised that Eyes found something which he couldn't wait to share when Drift returned to the Providence. "What is it Eyes?"
     Eyes sounded very excited as he spoke to Drift. "Well, I found out why that patented punch of yours didn't make a dent on Brooks' face."
     Drift was dying to know the answer to this question; nobody walked away from that punch without at least shitting themselves. "Alright, how did Dr. Magnificent survive my punch?"
     "Well," Eyes began, "as I was looking through Brooks' background info. I decided to check on his medical records, for general information. Get this: according to the info. Brooks had an accident at Genova when he was still a young scientist. Some chemicals he was mixing combusted and exploded, destroying the flesh on Brook's face."
     Drift winced just at the thought. "Damn..."
     Eyes continued like it was nothing. "So, he was rushed to the hospital, and was treated immediately. According to this, he was given a completely new face!"
     Drift was intrigued. "A whole new face?"
     "Yeah. A simple matter of mimicking the flesh with a type of special mold, and then adding some cushioning underneath to give it a realistic feel. They even reattached all of his veins and arteries!"
     Drift understood why Brooks was undamaged by his assault. "I'm going to guess he requested not to have his nerves reconnected?"
     "Actually, it was impossible to do! All that is Brooks face is fake, non-living material. There would be no point in nerves at all!"
     "And why his face was in perfect condition?"
     "That was because of the special cushioning. It tightens up and hardens under pressure, so it felt as if you punched a bone. Brilliant!"
     "Damn, next time I'll just shoot the bastard."
     "Yeah, su-," Drift heard Eyes cut off in his earpiece. This was no malfunction; Drift distinctly could hear Eyes typing frantically at the keyboard. He could also hear an alarming beep coming from what sounded like the laptop computer. After a few seconds, Eyes' voice came back. "Shit! Drift; get the fuck out of there! And take Maria with you!"
     Drift's mind was in alarm mode. "Wait; hold on just one second Eyes, what the fuck is going on!"
     "Drift, just get the fuck out of there! A lot of men with a lot of guns are coming straight towards the building! Don't ask, just get the hell out!"
     Drift didn't need to be told again; all that he needed to hear was "men", "guns", and "coming straight towards the building". Drift jumped out of his seat, and ran towards the door where Maria and Mr. Rummesford went through. He charged at it with his shoulder, breaking both the door and the nose of Mr. Rummesford who was apparently just about to open it. Drift ignored him writhing in pain on the floor and cursing, and he looked at Maria, who was in a state of shock and confusion. And anger; can't forget anger. But before she could speak, Drift grabbed her arm, and pulled her towards the back door.
     "What the fuck, Drift!" she yelled, clearly in even more shock and anger than she was just moments before.
     "We've got to get out of here; it's become unsafe." Drift yelled restlessly.
     "Unsafe? What do you mean un-," Maria was cut off by a sudden explosion; an explosion which Drift recognized as a gunshot. A second later, that was all to be heard. Thousands of bullets were now whizzing through the air, putting holes in everything. Drift instinctively grabbed Maria and jumped behind the bar.
     Drift could not hear what Maria was shouting at him, because the bullets would not stop coming. The glasses all shattered, along with the tons of liquor bottles behind them, showering Drift and Maria with glass shards and alcohol. The walls resembled Swiss cheese; the plaster behind them blasting out and covering the room with dust. Drift held Maria's mouth shut to stop her from hurting herself, and then he began to assess the situation. The door is across the room, and an unknown number of men are blocking it. What do I have besides a handgun? Shit! Drift was still thinking of what to do when the gunfire suddenly stopped. He could hear footsteps on the broken glass, splintered wood, and plaster. Time was running out for Drift to make a plan, and it was getting increasingly difficult under the pressure. Drift could barely think with all the alcohol he was drenched in. Alcohol!?
     A voice echoed through the room. "Well, everyone's dead. No one, and I mean no one, could survive an onslaught like that. Search the place for their dead bodies, then let's report back to command with confirmation." It was a man's voice, with a slight German accent, Drift could tell. He sounded professional. These were trained men. An assassination!
    Drift had found what he was looking for. He grouped together the un-shattered bottles of alcohol, and a box of napkins. He quickly opened tops to the bottles, and stuffed the napkins down the necks of the bottles. Then, he took out his lighter...

     From the speaker in the laptop, Eyes couldn't understand what he was hearing. There were gunshots, a lot of them, and he wasn't sure what happened to Drift and Maria. They were either dead, or hiding, because the sounds of the gunshots didn't fade out, indicating that they escaped; they ended suddenly, meaning that Drift was still inside the diner. Hopefully with Maria. Then, someone's voice began to sound over the speaker. Very faint; a man telling people to seek out the bodies. Eyes didn't need to guess which ones. But, what both surprised and relieved Eyes was the next voice he heard. Drift's.
     Eyes was extremely confused, because he distinctly heard Drift say, "Take off you clothes, quickly." Before Eyes could determine why the hell Drift was fucking with him at a time like this, he heard another voice over the speaker. A female's.
     "Why the hell should I do that, pervert!?" Eyes could tell that they both Drift and Maria were speaking in whispers. Eyes could only think to himself, Drift, you'd better have a good plan.
     Eyes heard Drift tell Maria that she was a fire hazard. Eyes was becoming even more confused, when he heard rustling in the microphone. What! Is Drift taking off his clothes too!? What the hell!? Eyes heard a thud as Drift's shirt was discarded onto the floor, covering the microphone. He heard the muffled voice of Drift, but was unable to make out what he was saying. But then, he clearly heard what happened next. There was a crash, the sound of something breaking, and then there was a gigantic roar, followed by intense shouting and screaming of pain, by about ten or so men. Eyes heard the voices crying in agony and shrieking in pain, and then he heard more crashes of breaking glass and followed by more intense roaring. This was too much for Eyes, and he practically threw up onto the computer screen. But that feeling immediately subsided when he heard a familiar voice over the speakers.
     "Eyes, are you there!?" Drift's voice was harsh and restless, and Eyes could also hear his quickly paced breath.
     "Drift, are you still in the diner!? What the hell is happening in there!?"
     "What!? No, I'm in the Jeep, and the diner is toast."
     "But I can still hear whatever’s going on the building! How can you be in the Jeep?"
     "Oh, sorry Eyes, but I think I left my microphone behind, along with my shirt, tie, pants, shoes, and socks."
     Eyes heard the sounds of the diner suddenly come to a stop; whatever was going on must've destroyed the microphone. "Wait a minute. are you telling me you and Maria are both running around in just your underwear!?"
     "I'll explain it to you all in good time, Eyes, I'm heading back to the Providence right now." Drift spoke with a hint of ease in his voice.

-Time: 4:26pm.

     Drift shut off the microphone in the Jeep, and turned to Maria, who was trying her best to cover up her exposed body. Drift was going to comment on how it would be a waste of time to try and cover those up, but he thought better of it. Now was definitely not the time for immature thoughts.
     "Maria, it's obviously not safe for you right now. I'm going to take you back to my ship, where we'll discuss what we're going to from there. Okay?"
     Maria nodded, obviously too shocked to speak.
     Drift hit the gas on the Jeep, and sped along the road, dodging traffic, heading towards the docks where the Providence was located. Right after he took the first turn, however, a man stepped out of a side alley. A man in dark sunglasses, wearing a suit and tie, and holding a rocket launcher. A guided rocket launcher to be exact. He got down on one knee, and turned on the attached LCD screen. After targeting the Jeep which was being driven by Drift, he pulled the trigger.
     In the Jeep, Drift suddenly heard a beeping coming from the center console. He pressed a flashing red button next to the screen, and the radio station with song information disappeared, replaced with a radar screen. There was a big dot, rapidly moving towards them. Very rapidly. Drift turned his head around so quickly that he cracked his neck, yet the pain he ignored. There was something much worse happening at the moment, and it came in the form of a heat-seeking rocket headed straight for them!

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