Description: It wasn't long ago when a mistake was made. In order to get his men to Southtown Duke had sent Nagase to acquire a boat. The act of getting the boat ended up being more difficult than anticipated, but it seems the time for a payback has come. Duke's men guarding Warehouse 17A soon find out that Kain and his forces aren't the only ones to worry about when they are attacked. The result is several dead and a base lost for Duke. For Kain it might be a realization someone else may be loose in his town that may be an unknown ally or just another problem.
Southtown. Harbor District. 3 AM. Warehouse 17a.
And the crown jewel of Katana's helmet.
The warehouse was the first capture of the Syndicate forces, shortly after their beachhead. An early loss for the forces of Kain, an early victory for the forces of Anime. Katana was soon ready to turn his den into the home for a thousand Waifus that would be so kawaii for his incredible conquests. But Katana wasn't here. Katana was on the prowl tonight.
But this vanguard was far from unprotected.
The warehouse is locked down far more than any normal hideout. Windows are boarded up and reinforced with steel bars; all the non-main doors are welded tight. The garage door, normally a weakness, was further reinforced, and bunkered down with sandbag. A machine gun nest oversees the warehouse grounds from the catwalk, while sandbags form the 'walls' of the different rooms. Crates loaded with weapons, food, and medical supplies make it clear what this place was for. The place was almost worthy of the Ikari Warriors, in terms of fortifications inside.
But outside, it looked just like every other Warehouse.
Fifteen Syndicate gangsters man the forward base, with many more in respite. The outpost designed for medical care, reinforcements, and a logistics line. Right now, four gangsters were under the knife, watched over by an official gang physician. A few of the heavier injuries, gunshots and the like. Others were infirm on cots near the back of the warehouse, recovering from getting beaten out. The gangsters on guard were armored and armed, equipped like independent soldiers more so than proper thugs. And they were vigilant, peering out through slits, scanning the harbor night. Always watching. Always waiting.
Because the counterattack would come soon enough.
No doubt there would be a counterattack. Kain obviously won't like the fact this warehouse is controlled by Syndicate rats that have infested his town. It is only a matter of time before he would send his own men to take it back or at least attempt to. A night like this one doesn't seem to be the case. It is just so calm and quiet. The only real noise is that of the water nearby. No boats are entering or leaving right now and there is little activity all around the harbor itself at the moment.
Those on watch may notice some activity eventually. As the wind seems to pick up over the waters and carry over across the harbor a single figure seems to be moving towards the warehouse in the distancy. As he draws closer he just seems out of place and it is highly doubtful any of the Syndicate thugs that see the man approach recognize the single man as he continues to get closer and closer. The clouds in the sky seem to be growing thicker and taking on a blackish coloration, but there is no thunder or lightning. Just the heavy winds that seem to swirl about and yet somehow don't ruffle the fancy suit or the long red hair of the man that soon stops several feet away from the warehouse.
It wasn't long ago that a boat had been taken. One that had allowed to be taken with only a small price of one follower's life being lost in the process. A promise of paybacks was told to the ninja that works for Duke, but did she ever relay it and even if so did Duke even care? It was just another bug that he would easily crush afterall. Who in Sunshine City could really cause him any trouble? It seems he is about to find every action comes with a price and in this case it would not be retribution from an expected source.
Lips curl into a smile and Johann Gallo glances over the warehouse. He seems unbothered if there are guns pointed at him or the like. The man certainly doesn't seem to have a care in the world at all as he casually strolls closer and he adjusts the expensive suit jacket he is wearing. "Ahh, I do see I have the correct place. I don't suppose the owner is about at the moment?" he finally asks after those moments of awkward silence.
The tension tightens.
The sentry got his position for competence, not for convenience. Armed with a AKM, the rifle remains slung over his shoulder, his eyes focused through the slit as the darkness... shifts. That was the only way to describe it. Ominous winds carried danger with them. The sentry could sense trouble on the horizon. He leans in, peering into the darkness, licking his lips slightly.
And then the man reveals himself.
A high-pitched whistle comes from the sentry. A hand is raised, and mutters cut through the warehouse. Men move in relative silence, taking their positions at the bunkers set up at the garage door. The sentry keeps watching, keeps listening from his high post. He unslings his rifle, loading a bullet into the chamber. The gangsters scatter to the bunker by the garage door. The sentry rushes over to the door mechanism, modified thanks to Caine, one of the Mad Gear mechanics, to raise the door.
And the garage door rises.
Ten of the Fifteen man the bunker, the remaining five positioned as reserves in their sentries positions... with one doctor securing the patients. Ten AKM rifles were trained on the one Mr. Gallo, ten gangsters wearing light body armor and face masks, looking more like a pack of guerrilas or terrorists than gangsters. But the leader, a wild-haired man with a lush black beard rolling out from his red face bandana, stands up behind the bunker, barking out to the man in curt English.
"You sure went and picked the wrong warehouse, bustah."
COMBATSYS: GangGarrison has started a fight here.
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The gaze of Johann travels from man to man while not looking worried in the slightest by having so many guns leveled his way. If anything he just seems more confident once the garage door opens up. It looks like he was correct in picking this location tonight. Duke isn't the only one with good intelligence gatherers afterall. Sonia will be well rewarded for her work in this case. "A shame that he isn't, but in a way that is so.....perfect."
That smile turns into a grin and then there is a weird sense of something sinister that can be felt in the air around the warehouse. With a snap of his fingers the fine suit that Johann is in catches fire and it starts to burn away. Instead of turning to cinders and taking the man along with it the suit change as it burns, becoming some strange garb with baggy gray pants, sturdy boots, and a crimson like top with long sleeves soon replacing the Armani suit the Italian was in. "Gentlemen, allow me to properly explain things. Duke has sacraficed you to the Black Dragon. Welcome to....." he raises his his left arm and the sleeve begins to burn away and leave a well muscled arm on display as black energy coils around it and gathers in his hand. "....oblivion."
The hand with the gathered energy clenches and the energy is released, a concussive blast meant more to knock men down then cause any harm. A tactic to just see how easily these men might be intimidated more than anything. Afterwards he buts the bared arm behind his back and his stance shifts, the ominously evil feeling growing stronger as he just stares at the men and says nothing more. Just a evil smile across the Italian's features as he slowly starts to step forward.
COMBATSYS: Johann has joined the fight here as a boss!
JOHANN
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The stranger had his warning.
But there was a pause. The sentry up top could sense it. He could hear the stranger's voice. The sentry draws out a cross, hanging under his shirt on a chain. Gingerly, he gives it a kiss, and a quick hail mary. And he keeps his gun trained down. The men at the bunkers begin to turn their guns away. The threat was looming, burning over them.
And the blast comes.
The raw power comes out, knocking the bunker apart as the men scatter like an overturned toybox. Stunned, but not wounded, the wild-haired man barks to the others. "Get back in line! I said, get back together! Groan and grunts continue to muster as finally, the leader trains a gun upon Johann as he approaches. And there, he pulls the trigger, unleashing a spray. Another musters the courage, training a gun on him and opening fire. And another. And another. Of the ten, nine were fixing their weapons on Johann, unloading a full volley into the stranger. To cut him to pieces, to cut him down. But there was a bark from within, maybe a doctor, maybe the sentry. But the cry of despair comes.
"Oh shit it's -Kain!!!-"
COMBATSYS: Johann blocks GangGarrison's Large Thrown Object.
JOHANN
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Perhaps every bit as sinister as Kain, but Johann is far from being the ruler of Southtown nor does he want to bother actually holding control of the town. There are too many already fighting over it as is. More this is being done in part as a message to Duke letting him know he should be careful of his actions and in part to just stir things up further in Southtown. He plans on no survivors and certainly the warehouse itself won't survive this night. If he has his way both sides will be scratching their head thinking the other must have done such a thing. He may as well keep both men on their toes.
The hail of bullets come his way and the Italian continues to stalk forward. Most seem to harmlessly divert away from him as if some unseen force is protecting him and no matter how true a shot seems it somehow doesn't hit where aimed. The best the men do is to slow him as he draws closer due to the sheer number of bullets being unleashed. All the effort if anything has managed to graze and lightly rip clothing or barely touch skin. The redhead just smirks and shakes his head at the group as he raises his right arm as the left remains behind his back. A quick sweeping motion releasing an arc of energy that looks aimed at a few of the men firing at him. HIs movements for now remain slow and methodical. Much like a cat playing with a mouse or some other pest it had managed to catch.
"I enjoy the fear in your eyes. Did you expect to come here and not meet monsters? Did Duke tell you that Kain isn't the only one you should worry about?" he muses, though his voice remains unraised to where he would probably be hard to hear through the hail of gunfire. "When you die perhaps you should curse him and the young woman who have brought me here."
COMBATSYS: Johann successfully hits GangGarrison with Surge of Anger.
- Power hit! -
JOHANN
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It's hard to tell the difference when you are burnt bone.
The gangsters unleash bullet after bullet. They may look like infantry, but as they all start to break away to reload, it becomes too obvious that they aren't. The volley ceases. And as they cower behind the remains of the the sandbags. The lash of energy comes out.
And the screams begin.
As the lash of flame wanes, three of the thugs scatter, hot with the flames of the Johann. Scrambling through the ranks, four more of the gangster panic, fleeing from their burning companions in terror. As the armor peels away, roasted flesh attached, several scramble to reload...
While the others charge.
The sentry, high above his nest, watches as four of the gangsters simply charge down Johann. Two throw their guns down, and attempt to tackle the man, while the other two keep the guns, readying their butts to smash down on the man as they try and bring him down. To bring them time. To bring them SOMETHING. But the sentry knew what this was. He knew what would save the rest of the gang, and possible himself. He knew what the traits of a survivor were. He didn't open fire down there.
The Sentry was already rushing to the radio.
COMBATSYS: Johann interrupts Gang-Up Beating from GangGarrison with Signs of Doom.
~ Cruel hit! ~
JOHANN
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So much carnage and all it took was perhaps the most simple releases of the power that Johann wields. There was a reason why the Black Dragon was sealed away for so many centuries. It is something to be feared and even now it remains in a weakened state after Johann had released it. He just smiles on in amusement as men burn and fall to the ground while others scatter. Even more amusement is found when some try to actually rush him and his keen eye catches sight of the sentry looking to perhaps try and contact reinforcements. Even if he could reach someone, would they make it back to the warehouse in time?
As the men get in close they can almost feel the air growing thicker around them. It is almost like being suffocated in a way despite there not being anything there. Just drawing close to Johann makes it harder to will their weak bodies to move as easily. The arm tucked behind his back is raised high and Johann just gives the charging men a sly smile as he leans down and slams his open palm hard onto the ground. The result makes the last attack look like a match being lit.
Those that were close to him? There is little chance their frail bodies could withstand the large amount of energy that explodes from the ground around Johann then fans outwards, crackling and engulfing a wide radius as Johann remains crouched where he is. He chuckles lightly as finally the energy dies down and he slowly rises to his feet. "It is almost a shame. I was hoping I could have perhaps met with the young woman that took my boat for your use." he muses and lets out a sigh and shrugs helplessly before that arm is tucked back behind his back. "I suppose that is wishful thinking."
Eyes scan the area finally as he tries to take in just who is left. He supposes he has had his fun and he should actually look to finish things here. Just in case the gunfire and blasts have been heard he can't linger too long. He must make sure this warehouse is not standing by the time anyone arrives to see what all the commotion is. "So much weakness. I was expecting a bit more from a force that thinks they can take down Kain."
Tension snaps
Four men pounce on the wielder of the Black Dragon. They rip through the haze, but their hearts falter. They knew it was too late. One of them manages to grab Johann, One managed to bring a butt into him. But the dread, the despair in their eyes spoke volumes. Johann can see, for that brief moment, the man cut off in mid prayer.
"Mary's grace, the lor-"
Bones snap, bodies tear open, and viscera splatter the interior of the warehouse. Four men charged in. Ten were defending the bunker. And none on the floor survived. The physician was scrambling, cowering behind a stretcher, as the remain scatter. Roars of terror come across the conscious patients, some managing to force themselves off the cots to limp away, to try and limp past Johann. This was going to hell.
And hell had come to them.
The guards on the catwalks were well past panic. They were all that were left. Four men open fire onto the man standing admist the others, trying to stop him, Trying anything. A grenade is tossed down to the ground. But one man does not join in the firefight. The sentry roars in the radio. "Come in! This is Alpha Base! Kain is here!"
"Help us!"
COMBATSYS: Johann just-defends GangGarrison's Gang Warfare!
JOHANN
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All the gore and blood makes almost stops in a perfect little circle around Johann after the attack. Even the blows that landed on the man seem to have done little to wipe that grin from his face or even hurt the Italian. He just seems to revel in the chaos that he has created as the wounded try to limp by him and think they even have a chance to get away. Maybe they cling to the thought that since they are injured and didn't attack they may be spared. They might be correct given Johann pays them no real attention as they go past.
Instead his focus turns upwards towards the men on the catwalks that fire down on him. Even a grenade is tossed and the impending expolosion might even injure their own men. He knows they hardly care about that consequence. They want to save their own skin at this point. They want to do anything to save their own life. Once again the arm is untucked from behind Johann's back and he crosses it over the right one. There is a surge of energy and as the grenade goes off the explosion sends debris everywhere and makes it hard to see what have happened to the attacker for a few moments. When the dust clears the men on the catwalk may realize just how helpless they truely are. No bullets seemed to touch Johann and even the explosion did nothing. All of it seems to have been stopped by the black and blue energy that swirls around the redhead.
"Ahh, did I say anyone was allowed to escape?" he asks and finally seems to acknowledge the injured men trying to flee. "I think not." The energy grows stronger and even the warehouse itself shakes from the massive buildup. It starts out quiet, but as the energy surges and grows stronger there is a loud roar, as if some creature shouts out in a fit of rage while Johann takes a deep breath and throws his arms to the sides. His eyes going wide as a massive amount of energy explodes outwards from him in an even wider radius than his blast blast. This one perhaps even powerful enough to cause the building to start crumbling down.
COMBATSYS: Johann successfully hits GangGarrison with Burnt Offering.
JOHANN
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Dying like animals.
The gunfire doesn't stop as the dust clears. They were already reloading. The explosion claimed most of the fleeing injured as victims. But the red-haired man was unyielding, unbroken. The energy builds up. The lone physician crawls behind some crates, curling up in a ball. The other men finally cease their fire as they see the unholy Black Dragon Flame surge upwards. The interior of the warehouse grounds are consumed in the energy. Everything that could take cover, took it.
But as the blast dies away, it is clear there is no cover.
Blackened shadows of ash were cast across the grounds, the charred remains of the crates smoking lightly. Piles of black dust, heaped in the shape of men, lay in the medical cots. The damage was more than enough for the warehouse.The building was beginning to cave in. The roof was already twisting in precariously. But in the manager's box, overlooking the warehouse, there was a sound. A survivor.
The sentry.
The sentry desperately struggles over the radio, hunched under the windows overlooking the warehouse, back to the wall. He saw the blast rip through the glass, scattering it across the room like some kind of bomb. And yet, he was alive. And babbling into the radio, his composure gone. "Kain is here! Alpha Base! We need reinforcements! I think everyone is going to die! We can surround him and corner him before-" The man pauses, nodding. "Yes! He is still here! Alpha Base! I don't think there are any survivors! Well, yes, he probably knows where I am! You need to send help! Okay, okay, that's the first thing I need to do? Hit the big red button with the star over it, and that will send out an alarm" The sentry does exactly that, pushing the button to call the local thugs to his position, to save him, to save the remains of the base.
The radio hisses before a puff of smoke bursts from it.
The sentry stares at the machine, before hitting the buttons. The radio was dead. Another modification that Caine made sure each of them had, just in a case like this. The man was nearsighted, but he wasn't dumb. If a base was overrun, that was how you kept the radios from being hacked. It was cheaper than having to replace the radios for everyone, after all. The sentry flicks a switch, pleading into the microphone. "No. No. No. Please help us! We have Kain here! We can get someone here! We..." And in that brief moment, the sentry understood. This was what happened if Kain found you. You didn't radio to call the others, so they will rush to you and save you.
It was to tell the others to run away from you.
COMBATSYS: GangGarrison lets out a large yawn, slouching.
JOHANN
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COMBATSYS: GangGarrison can no longer fight.
JOHANN
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he building shakes as the energy dies down. Even if somehow the warehouse managed to stay somewhat intact it would be useless as a base for any side at this point. Johann finally relaxed his stance as he surveyed all the destrution he was responsible for. It had been a good while since he allowed himself to go out and play like this. Not since his visit to the covenent that was holding Amy many months ago had he just let the power of the Black Dragon loose in such a manner. Of course after such a release of energy he shall have to be somewhat careful. He doesn't want to exhaust the entity that lives inside of him.
An amused smile comes across his features as he manages to hear someone managed to survive the last blast. The gibbering sentry just continues to talk into that radio as Johann stalks closer and closer. By the time the smoke comes out of that radio he can feel the presence of the Italian oh so close. Soon an arm slips around the man and the sentry finds himself with Johann crouched behind him and his face next to his own. "Kain is here? Oh no, not at all." he corrects the sentry and that smiles just widens.
He is uncomfortably close and he leans in, his lips almost brushing the man's ear as he whispers to him. "There are far worse things than Kain in this world. The question is am I one of them?" he chuckles softly and nips at the man's ear before slowly letting go and straightening back up. "Now you see who really cares about you. The type of coward you serve. Have your eyes been opened or do you remain a sheep that will always allow himself to be led to the slaughter? I wonder....." he hms a bit to himself and he turns and starts to walk away. By the time the sentry might even turn to look back at Johann he is already dressed in that Armani suit once more and strolling out of the collapsing building. The lone survivor? He is left to try and escape on his own from the looks of it. That is if he can sort his thoughts and find a way out of the collapsing building in time.
Game over.
The sentry leans against the wall, underneath the window. The lights were well past gone. Darkness and shadow was his only companions now. He hurls the radio across the room, letting it smash into opposing wall. And there, he pulls out his cross. Bringing it up to his lips, he gives it a short kiss. And there, as the building groans, he prays. And he waits for his angel of death to carry him away.
It doesn't take long.
The sentry hasn't even gotten a single word off of his prayer when the hand was around him. The sentry freezes, a sharp shudder overwhelming him. But the grim-eyed sentry, terrified, was not surprised in whole. He had accepted his death. And what does a true man do when he has accepted his death?
He accepts it with dignity.
His eyes flutter, the sentry staring ahead. He was completely alone, he was abandoned by everyone. The nip to the ear, though, is taken with the dignity of a whore. Eyes shut tight, a long swallow comes. Johann's words are not rejected. They swim around his head, his that void in his heart. He was betrayed by Duke. He was left for dead. And now his predator was looming over him. He finally turns around. He watches Johann walking away. The man who has nothing, who lost everything, was spared. The sentry rises up.
And begins to follow after Johann.
The cross is dropped on the ground. The sentry was dead now. He had died the moment the stranger had arrived. But it was not Kain. It was not Duke. But it was someone who was stronger than both. And he spared him. The sentry follows warily, focused, but cautiously. When you die but still live, you don't cling to your old life. You don't be a ghost.
You let yourself get reborn.
Log created on 21:13:19 07/09/2013 by Johann, and last modified on 08:50:04 07/11/2013.