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***
"Night City. New York. Dead tarmac beneath my feet, steeped in darkness and evil. Death hovers in the air like a promise, like payment for his sins. Violence is a given and injustice like a plague covers every corner of this cursed place.
Here, among the ruined streets and forgotten souls, there is only me - Rorschach. I don't believe in all these false masks behind which traitors and villains hide. I am the shadow that penetrates the heart of darkness. I am one who spares no villains, for there is no room for gentleness and leniency in this world.
The police? They are like pawns on a broken chessboard, playing the part of the great deception. But only rare heroes like me can see the true face of this filthy world. We are the last hope of this city. We are the ones who don't stand in the shadows, but join the fight, even if it means a solitary fall.
Salvation? It's an empty word in a world ruled by lawlessness. But I will not stop. I will walk through light and darkness, make my way from crime to justice, until my mask is part of this city. Let everyone know that Rorschach will not die. He will live in every shadow of this city until his time is up."
After standing in a "cool" pose for a couple of seconds, I lift my hat, showing off my mask, which has the image of the famous pastry frozen on it.
-What did you think?
-Wow! -It was awesome. Only. Who's Rorschach?
-I'm Rorschach.
-No, I get that.
-Okay, Pete, don't turn on Billy. Or have you got all your brains in your muscles?
-Easy, gothic captain," Parker stood up from the bed with his palms out in front of him, going round and round in a circle, "I was just wondering...
-It's a psychologist. He came up with a test that was named after him. You need to start taking an interest in something other than test tubes and MJ. Seriously, ever since you got a girlfriend, your brain's been working at a third of its capacity.
-Oh, shut up," Pete brushed my hat off, trying it on his head, "I know about the test and its creator. I was just hoping to hear something cool. Maybe some cool story or something....
Answering through his reflection in the mirror, Pete grinned contentedly, both eyes scrutinising the dozens of times patched suit. Every scuff, every stitched up hole carried a story, and now Parker was staring into them, hoping to hear a bunch of fucking stories.
-I didn't realise you'd been doing this for a long time. You could have told me," my friend folded his arms across his chest and couldn't stay angry for long, "I came to you almost immediately.
-Well, I'm compared to you fighting barefoot, your mutant majesty, so there wasn't much to tell.
-Really?Pete turned to me and pushed my favourite scarf aside, revealing a waistcoat with a distinctive bullet indentation.
-And I'm guessing you've got a lot of stories.
-Well, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. -Yeah. It's just that the school bullies have grown up a bit and got new toys. Otherwise, it's the same old stuff.
-You could have told me.
-Oh, my God," I pull off my mask and rub the bridge of my nose, "why are you a guy? You're dating MJ, again, but they're giving me a hard time? How does that work?
-Don't change the subject, Sean," Parker got into the pose of a disgruntled wife and rolled up the magazine lying on the table and threateningly started tapping it against his open palm, "spill it.
-There's not much to tell," I sat down on the bed and rubbed the mask with my fingers, gazing into the eerie pattern that must have left many of my enemies mentally traumatised, "you wanted to be a scientist, then you won the girl of your dreams.... Although, it's more likely she's the one who lured you in like a rodeo pig....
-Don't get distracted.
Frowning and laughing at the same time, Pete pulled his chair closer, sitting down across from me.
-Well, I figured I shouldn't drag you into this. Besides. I'm sorry, old chap. But even after all that fighting, you're not much of a fighter.
-I'm not a bad fighter! -I'm a good fighter!
-Taking my punches for me is not the same, Pete. Besides, I'm not as easy as I look, and my enemies are.
I make a fist full of chi and show my hand to Parker.
-So you're a mutant, too? Your powers aren't the greatest, but don't feel bad.
-Fuck yeah. No, it's not. It's Qi.
-Qi? Like in those Chinese action films from the '80s?
-Something like that. Some tough guy taught me how to do it. It strengthens your body, you can break down walls or car doors, or even better, but I'm a little weak for that.
-Oh-oh-oh, that sounds extremely kosher.
-Well, you'd think. I've been with you guys for years.
-Irish Nazi face.
-Juden.
***
Parker and I spent a long time talking about my life as a hero. Peter was interested in just about everything. He peppered me with questions, commenting on every action, sometimes interrupting me for an hour.
Like two blond girlfriends, we sat up until the wee hours of the morning, chatting and gossiping about a charismatic hero who secretly saves the city at night.
-I want you to introduce me to this Rand guy," Peter clenched his hand into a fist and shot his eyes belligerently, "I want to check myself out.
-Mmm-hmm. That's problematic. Right now, Danny's off on his Shaolin business. When he'll be back, I have no idea.
-That's a shame, but okay. Then you test me, I want to see what I can do! My experiments have been pretty ordinary...
-You said you lifted the car, didn't you? -Yes.
-It was a wave of enthusiasm. -Okay.
-Okay, - having checked the time on the phone, I realise that it's time to prepare breakfast, because I haven't eaten anything since last night, - but let's not do it now. It's you, mutant face, who can stay awake 24 hours a day, and I'm a simple man.
-You've got a scar in the middle of your chest, like a Zeus punch. It's rare for a common man to survive something like that.
-Touche. But I'm still more hungry than I am for you.
-Food is sacred, Shawn, - Pete sat down at the table, glistening with a satisfied cheerful smile, followed my actions, -Give me more dill, something greenery wanted ... Hey, Shawn. I've been meaning to ask you a question. Were you scared?
-Pfft. Of course I was. I'm not a psychopath. I guess," as I stir the eggs in the pan, throwing in whatever was unfinished from the fridge, making good old bachelor grub, "it comes in spurts. Well, fear. At first it's scary, then it cuts off, and then the realisation comes..... But it's already happened.
-Are you still scared?
-It's more like yes than no. I mean, you could get shot at any time, or someone like the Schultzes could show up again.
I put a plate in front of Parker and put my palms together, wishing him a pleasant appetite, to which I received an identical answer and an understanding grin.
I didn't want to sit in silence, so I turned on the TV, where the news was on once again. A classic morning in the beautiful America of the future.... Or past in my case?
A pain shot through my temple. Memories gave me vague images, but I didn't want to clutter my head, just concentrated on my food, staring at the screen.
-The unbelievable events in Virginia have become a new topic of speculation. Just a couple of weeks ago, a similar tragedy occurred in New York, and here we go again. Our special correspondent Donny is on the scene...
-Hi, Sarah. -You're about to witness a real tragedy, so before we move the camera to the scene, I'm asking viewers to keep their children away from the television screen. This may be too shocking for them.
And then the show began. Briefly describing the events, Donny told about the military operation conducted on the territory of Culver University, where the valiant U.S. Army was trying to catch or at least neutralise a dangerous and extremely aggressive mutant that was destroying everything in its path.
The cameraman, sitting in the journalist's helicopter, was trying to catch a fast-moving point in the lens. Swearing under his breath, constantly moving the heavy and expensive equipment from side to side, the man finally gave up on this impracticable idea and started filming the surrounding area. And there was a lot to see.
In the middle of neatly trimmed green fields, a real battle was unfolding. Army Humvees were scurrying around while attack helicopters were hovering over them. The firing did not stop for a moment. Soldiers' shouts, explosions and pleas could be heard. People were fighting the monster and the latter was winning.
A fast green dot hit one of the combat vehicles, crushing it into the ground with the driver and the gunner. The soldiers, scattered like grains of sand, raised their weapons, pouring lead into their enemy. They tried to escape, but the huge green monster left them no chance, chasing and killing anyone in sight.
The soldiers scattered like ants before the punishing hand of man, and such a comparison was not without reason. The green giant made little or no effort, ignoring most of the weapons, just cringing at the impact of the large calibre bullets. The muscles bulging beneath his skin calmly withstood any challenge.
Raising its arms and roaring loudly, the monster shot down an attack helicopter, sending it crashing to the ground in a pile of metal. He kept shouting, waving his fists menacingly and as if trying to intimidate his opponents.... And he succeeded. Having suffered significant losses, the soldiers began to slowly retreat backwards, trying to get out of sight as soon as possible.
Making sure that everyone was frightened and no longer trying to attack him, the big man picked up the fragile figure of the girl, and then fled at a decent speed, simply pushing himself off the ground, thus sending his large body into flight.
-What you have just seen, dear viewers, is a real horror and another proof that mutants are being born among us more and more often. There are more and more of them, they're dangerous, they're...
Switching off, I turned towards Parker, who continued to sit with his mouth open for the whole session. His eyes were threatening to fall out of their orbits, looking like two saucers. He turned them over to me, asking a series of questions with a tremor in his voice.
-And can I be like that, too? Or have I already? What if my skin turns green too? Have you even seen him!? I don't want to end up like this!
-Hey, old chap," I clap Pete on the shoulder, snapping him out of his panicked state. You've already chosen to be a dead nerd, so there's no turning back. Though I think MJ would definitely be okay with that change.
With a final snort, right in Parker's face, I cleared the plates off the table, listening to the usual threats and insults being hurled back at me.
***
-Top, top. Stomp, stomp. Stomp, stomp.
Felicia paced the corridor of the expensive mansion, her footsteps echoing off the walls. She liked the minimalist, rich style of this estate many times better than any she had encountered before.
Cold glossy walls, sparse wooden furniture made of expensive woods. The owner had an amazing sense of taste. And she'd happily leave him without a bunch of unnecessary knick-knacks, just to complement this stunning place with her minimalism.
Licking her lips seductively, Black Cat swung the heavy doors open, feeling the need to use all her strength just to create a small gap.
Trying to get inside, Felicia was faced with an unexpected obstacle. She swore, she pleaded, at times she promised all sorts of things just to succeed, but...
-Really? How can you do that?
Her breasts and hips wouldn't fit. Several attempts did not bring any result, so the girl pouted her lips and went to the nearest table, disappointedly breaking a leg and using it as a lever.
-And I wanted so much to make everything beautiful! I guess it's not my destiny," Hardy grumbled and grumbled to herself, tossing the used tool to the floor, inhaling the scent of antiques and big money to the fullest, "Ah, but still, how much better than dusty museums!
Clapping her hands, with a dancing gait the girl reached the last part of the path. Only two metres of corridor, but it was here that there was a little trick for the relaxed thieves to reveal themselves.
Pulling the usual dollop of chalk dust out from behind her sinus, she blew it off her palm, letting the grains of sand slowly settle down the corridor, revealing all the secrets of this little trap.
-Sneaky, sneaky Latverians,‖ the rope hook was instantly hooked into the fancy chandelier, anchoring itself firmly and giving her a slight sense of security. Using the wall as a foothold, Hardy sprinted to the other side, using minimal effort," but I'm smarter than that, guys. Ah, but, how tempting that would be. The alarm goes off. The police arrive, and one unfortunate kitty escapes. She's almost hiding in the shadows of the night rooftops, and there.... Yes, right there! He catches her, pinning her to the ground... Okay, I'm gonna write that down. The girls on the site will definitely like it.
Taking out a small notebook, Felicia, sticking out her tongue with eagerness, began to write a new plot for the fanfic, writing more and more details. At one point, sitting with her feet up on the small coffee table next to her, she forgot all about her work, feverishly jotting down her thoughts and ideas until the clock on her arm flashed an alert.
-Oh, blimey! I completely forgot, I have to clean this place out," she waved her arms and jumped off the table, almost running towards the last door a few metres away, "it's always like this. Just a little bit of thought and everything goes to the same place....
A new office, new colours and style. Unlike the rest of the manor, everything here was done in completely different colours, which caused an unhappy groan. Frowning her eyebrows and putting her hands at her sides like a grumpy matchmaker, the girl critically examined the office from time to time coming to the same conclusion, although she really tried to find arguments against her words.
-So!? And who does that? God, what tastelessness," Felicia walked from the hip along the walls, countless paintings and shelves of books, fingering the spines, "so many interesting things, but let's start with the classics ...
Shooting her eyes at the desk, she catlike climbed up on it, arching her back, smoothly turning out and sinking into a large, roomy armchair. On the fly, Felicia deftly threw things off the shelves and sent them into a single pile, sifting out the interesting and the empty. A rich and wonderful catch. And it wasn't even the money, but the rarity of such things. Old autographs of celebrities of all sorts, awards from representative families, relics of ancient families of royal families of Europe and other nonsense that will look great in her little den, decorating the still empty walls.
-Oh, I'm drowning in it. It'll probably feel the same in a hug. Okay, girl, stop. Pull yourself together and do your business first!
Patting herself on the cheeks, the motivated girl began to hastily go through the drawers, with one eye reading the documents diagonally and checking the secret niches in the desk drawers. With each shelf, the loot grew larger and larger, and a small pile of rare antique items gathered beside Felicia. Brand name pens, a lighter, a tie clip, a rare coin, and letters... Oh, yes! A lot of personal letters.
-So much here, darling, -sending an air kiss to the photo of the family on the table, the girl stroked the bald head of the man in the picture, sincerely thanking such a responsible and honest worker who didn't dare to take the documentation home, -I'll spend a few days just to sort it all out and decipher it. But don't worry, you'll have time to complete the defence of the estate.
Hardy opened the window, but to her surprise, the guards didn't react at all, continuing to stare into the darkness beyond the fence.
-It's embarrassing," Black Cat bit her lip, holding back a laugh as she deftly and smoothly made her way downstairs, where she easily overcame the guards, "hopefully next time it'll be harder.
***
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