Casketslinger: forum

Welcome friends and enemies alike to the land of Blutfluss! It's a quaint Bavarian burg is situated at the base of the Carpathian mountains and is a rich and bountiful place to call home. It's name derives from the reddish clay banks of the Blute River which originates from the mountains. Blutfluss is a place of wealth and a trade hub do to its location on the river. It has trade ports and for both importing goods as well as selling their own wares. This story takes place in a Pre-industrial time period.

The economy is based on the superb enriched soil deposited by the the Blute river which makes for spectacular apple orchards and other agricultural products such as potatoes, corn and hay as well as a thriving timber industry. Livestock also thrives here, cows,pigs and alpacas are abundant; but horses are truly what Blutfluss is known for. They are a stout-surefooted mountain breed native to the land and good stock in these breeds is worth quite a bit in neighboring kingdoms. The neighboring kingdoms to Blutfluss are Clattsburg, Hadron, and Wiesbaum.

Clattsburg is the closest neighbor, just to the south and also on Blute River. The little sister-city of Blutfluss is growing economically but there success is directly linked to that of Blutfluss' fate. It is said that if one falls so too will the other.
-Cattsburg's cash crops are grapes/wine and foul (birds, chickens, turkey). Shipping is also a booming industry here with the region's highest number of cargo ships.
-Clattburg is a monarchy as well; its ruler, King Fredric Fedor and is a cousin to Blutsfluss' own ruler (or was atleast). He is well known to be quite power hungry and will do almost anything to expand his own empire. His military is still smaller and that fact alone is what might keeping him from outright war. One should take note, that his navy is still quite formidable.

Hadron sits off to the west on the Collidor Plains. The city is the oldest of it's peers, and was built upon a great salt-flats. It is the region's academic/technological leader and houses several of the most prestigious houses of higher learning. It is a place of innovation and idealism, with and emerging invention of the steam powered engines bringing forth an industrial revolution promising to change the world as we all know it.
-Hadron's economy is in technologies and salt and of course knowledge.
-Hadron is a Democratic Republic with elected officials and President. The current President is Backra Osham, he is a fair and well read man that seeks peace and economic prosperity.

Weisbaum in the east is the economic center of the region, it's a place of financial institutions and Banks, specializing in stocks and investments. It also carries the region's largest army although it is sworn to only defend never and mostly rests in stasis. Weisbaum is the home of a growing and powerful sect of religious zealot whom believe their god is the only true god. They have Masonic Temples in every kingdom in the region.
-Weisbaum economy is economy focuses on funding the rise and fall of kingdoms through high yielding investments and purchasing of debts. Blattsfluss is currently in debt to Weisbaum for several hundred thousand gold and with the deadline being only two years away for payment in full, otherwise its crown and throne will absorbed into Weisbaum's rule.
-Weisbaum is Dictatorship run by a religion-based selected by the church. The current figurehead is Emperor Hiram IV although truly the 9 members of the high council of the Masonic Church hold any real power.

Alas there is a problem here in our fair land of Blutsfluss. Our King, Gregory II; who was himself an only child; has just passed away under suspicious circumstances and with no heir to secede him. King Gregory was apparently sent a gift basket from a yet to be named source which diabolically contained certain foodstuffs which he turned out to be deathly allergic to. His wife Queen Helivetica has only two daughters, Elizabeth and Atlanta ;and from a previous marriage no less; as prospective heirs. As such most in the kingdom's nobility are rabidly opposed to that idea. And so there you have it, an entire thriving kingdom on the edge of the abyss complete with wolves barking nipping at it's heels. Will you just sit back passively and watch as your thriving homeland is cast away, or will you chance it and possibly bring civil war or strife? OR can you leverage yourself into power and become KING saving your home? The choice is yours.

Become a Baron of Blutsfluss and try your chances at becoming King. Simply create a Nobleman or Noblewoman character. Define their lands and crops and or assets, the more of any of that you have will mean the more powerful you are but with that comes exorbitant taxes and a political target on your back. Use your power and influence to levy the favor of your fellow noblepeople so that you can become King of Blutsfluss. OR choose be an outside influence from the other local Kingdoms.

The elevator door slid open to a room Johnny would have imagined belonged to some Middle Eastern Sheikh instead of the man hed met a few days ago. Although well dressed, Mr. Haden appeared to be more of a bureaucratic type than someone who would've picked this decadent decor. Vaulted ceilings held aloft with marble pillars, ancient woods and shimmering stone for wall dressing, oversized furniture and Egyptian rugs that covered the expansive floors. Johnny stepped inside trying his hardest not to let his mouth hang open.


He was greeted by a walking daydream in the form of Ruby Saintclaire and her appearance made Johnny step back in surprise. Miss Saintclaire was the current IT girl in modeling and the Celebrity culture. She graced countless big budget movies with her near flawless face and captivating green eyes when she wasnt busy flaunting her perfect body on the runways of the fashion districts of Chartica. She was as close to every mans fantasy as Marilyn Monroe ever had been and there she was standing in front of Johnny holding a cocktail out to him.


"Hey handsome, want a drink?" She purred walking up so close to him that he could almost taste her subtle ambergris infused perfume.


"Aaahhhh. He stuttered uncomfortably. Arent you.I mean, Are you Ruby Saintclaire...like from TV?" He said and as soon as the words left his mouth he realised how stupid he sounded.


"Thats me, stud.So you want that drink? Wow I've never seen such a pretty shade of hazel in a mans eyes before, its really quite fetching." She said with a smile that made Johnnys knees a little weak.


"AAAaah thanks.Theyre new." He said letting the joke, only he thought was funny apparently, just sit there with only a polite smile in return."I think Ill have to take a rain check on the drink though, I'm here to talk with Mr. Haden."


"He's right inside, perusing his bookshelf I think. A shame about the drink though, Id really like to get to know you better." She answered him and gave a coy look of mock disappointment before retracting the drink. "Maybe well get a chance later, cya." She finished and took the entire glass of expensive brown liquor down in a few graceful gulps.


Johnny walked into the the interior of the room and saw the small form of Mr. Haden looking down the isles of leather bound books that lined the floor to ceiling library. He looked up and smiled. "Well I'm so glad you are feeling better, You look great. I realize you probably have a considerable amount of questions you'd like answered just now but do me a favor and have a seat on the couch while I finish here, will you? Ill just be a second it appears one of the maids has misplaced a copy of my favorite tome. Damned if something as simple as the Dewey Decimal System can escape even the most uneducated of people, but they find a way to muck it up." Mr. Haden stated and went back to inspecting his books.


This all just seemed a bit too casual for Johnny, and the feeling was unsettling, he reached up and felt the small bump behind his ear reminding himself of what the guard had told him about the micro explosive he'd had implanted in his head. He walked over and sat down on the large plush couch, watching as Haden scoured his collection. "Excuse me Mr. Haden, how is it exactly that a government mule like yourself knows someone like Miss Saintclaire? She a friend of yours?"


"A Friend? No, no I wouldn't go so far as to say that, more along the lines of an indentured servant." He said as he continued his search for the book he was after.


"A servant? really? I would have thought with her career and celebrity that she was making money hand over fist." Johnny retorted.


"You can't buy everything with money Mr. Cadabre. You see the restorative cosmetic benefits of stem cells are unfortunately still frowned upon by this administration, regardless of mine and other scientifically minded officials urging. As they say you can lead the horse to water, but making them drink is truly the hard part. Believe it or not, Miss Saintclaire is actually 68 years old, of course she wasn't born by that moniker. No, I believe she was born Rita Hemmingsworth, then she changed it to Vicki Truman and now she goes by the Saintclaire persona. Isn't that correct my dear?" Haden calls out to her for confirmation. Each of her supposed pseudonym were famous actresses or models in the past decades and Johnny could hardly believe it.


"A true lady never reveals her age and a true gentleman has the manners not to ask." Ruby answers with that same alluring smile as she herself rounds the corner and sits down on the couch next to Johnny, her glass of liqueur now refilled. She sits close to him, allowing her leg to brush against his own as she crosses her and leans back into the thick cushions of the couch.


"Yes well better manners can be saved for a man with far less to do than myself. You see a bit of plastic surgery, which as I am sure you are now aware of our notable capabilities on that front, and some stem cell therapy and Miss Saintclaire can take a career that would have been over decades ago and prolong it for as long as she'd like to continue paying the price. In exchange I am afforded certain small favors from a woman that the entire male population of the Western Hemisphere fantasize about. Two like minded people whom can offer each other an exchange of exclusive services benefiting each other......OOH Hot Damn! I found it!" Mr. Haden suddenly exclaimed as he pulled the book from the shelf and held it up triumphantly.


"Do you like Ayn Rand? Or should I say, have you ever heard of her? I am sure people from your side of the fence don't get much time for recreational reading. She wrote this delightful novel called 'Atlas Shrugged' and truth be told it is a bit dry as far as fictional writing is concerned, but I don't truly be believe that wasn't her intention anyway. No the story is just the husk hiding a more ideological parable. Some have boiled it down as far as 'society should be able to pull itself up by bootstrap.' but I think that might be a bit to oversimplified. " He said as he caressed the leather cover of the book, holding it tight against his chest as she slowly made his way over to the sitting area where Johnny and Ruby were seated. He reached out and held the book out to John.


"You see through the tale of this industrialist family Ayn gives us a perfect standard for which a highly functioning society should conduct itself. The Order's own manifesto is drawn from this story on many key points and even our illustrious leader Tarvinis Locke shares my love for the ideas imparted to us through her writing. Now I am sure that you must be thinking that our current administration might not be working as well as I've made it out to be, but that is an opinion of ignorance, I can assure you. Before the Order there was chaos, the stagnate pool of humanity's evolution had begun to unravel. We thought that providing for the poor and impoverished was the responsible thing to do. Socialized healthcare, subsidized housing, and welfare were afforded to those who refused to do anything with their lives. We bankrupted ourselves trying to keep up with the greedy hand of poverty which seemed to never be sated. Because of this both the leeches and the productive members of society teetered together on the brink of extinction.

No we had to be more forward thinking than that, and so the Order was created." He continued his diatribe as he took a seat on the other side of Ruby, his hand coming up and caressing her thigh, although she barely took notice, her own attentions on Johnny's new handsome face.


"It emerged through the blood sweat and tears of good people whom weren't content with sitting back and letting their world simply fall into the abyss. Of course there was opposition from those who felt left out of our new plan, those same poor and sickly types that were dragging us down from the start were opposed to the idea of their free ride being canceled. Forced to fend for themselves though, we saw something amazing happened. These same sycophants that once claimed an inherent inability to care for themselves now found the strength to pull themselves up and make a life for themselves, be it meager as it is, a life just the same. A forced evolution as it were. Haden said as he reached over and took the glass of expensive liqur from Ruby and to a swig to relieve his parched throat.


Excuse me for interrupting Mr. Haden, Im sure your little speech has a point but I dont see how it confronts me any, I want to know why you felt the need to kidnap me and rearrange my face! Johnny said, no a little more uncomfortable with sitting so close to the other two, he stood up and stretched his legs.


A man that gets right to the point, you see Ruby I told you he was the right man for this endeavor. Yes Mr. Cadabre quid-pro-quo; We want you to masquerade as a disgruntled former member of the Order and infiltrate the Resistance. For the successful completion of this task we are willing to offer you a place among the Orders elite, rich and popular beyond your comprehension. How does that suit you? Haden asked, handing the glass back to Ruby and resuming the creepy slow caress of her exposed thigh.


Winston Thresher? Johnny asked, catching on quickly. He remember seeing some of the news reports while sitting in his hospital bed. He couldnt believe he didnt put it together when hed first seen his new face. It had looked oddly familiar but now he knew where from.


That is correct Mr. Cadabre, or should I say, Mr. Thresher? Hahaha, Yes very perceptive of you. You see there wasnt ever really a Winston Thresher. We started this little ruse almost 30 years ago and now today we can finally bring it to fruition. We created a fictional citizen of the Order complete with school records, tax filings, job history and even social media presence; all manufactured so that we could one day use this persona as the perfect cover for someone to infiltrate the Resistance. That someone is you. Haden said, the big smug smile on his face making the nausea in Johnnys guts swell up once again.


What the hell? Why me? I mean why not just pick one of your own elitist numbers to fill the spot and guarantee loyalty? Johnny asked, slightly dumbfounded.


Youd be surprised how hard it is to entice one of our privileged citizens to give up their creature comforts and go and live with the sewer rats. Plus theyd be at a noted disadvantage once dropped off streetside, theyd likely end up dead from some thug before ever even making contact with the Resistance. A trained soldier would have better odds of survival but their advanced combat training would stand out like a sore thumb and the Resistance would see through the cover before our agent got deep enough to matter. No believe me Id much rather have someone like Asset 15 in the mix if the ruse would hold, but alas weve tried similar endeavours and the Resistance always sniffed out the rat. But you Mr. Cadabre are just the right mix of greed and self-serving aligned with political neutrality; a perfect storm of espionage as it were.


So what makes you think I can pull off a facade of someone like that? I was raised up witht the scum not here in the mansion district. Johnny shot back, but his mind was already starting to consider the possibility.


Well well give you all the information you need, complete access to the fictional life weve created for Thresher, everything from his first memories, loss of virginity, to landing a CEO position at a prestigious financial firm. His likes, his dislikes and most importantly the reason hes willing to turn on a luxurious way of life and except one of the Peoples Liberation Front. But you dont have to give me an answer now, give it a day or so to think over. Miss Saintclaire will be your liaison and she can show you around the Mansion district. You get a taste of the good life and then see if you dont agree with me when its all said and done. Haden said and rose from his position on the couch.


I suppose there isnt any consolation prize if I decide to decline your offer is there? Johnny asked, already knowing the answer.


Id threaten to feed you to the dogs like we do with other prisoners, but Im afraid there wouldnt be enough of you left to scrape of the walls and ceiling after that explosive we placed in your head goes off. But as I said, no need to answer me now, take your time and have some fun playing with Ruby. Ill talk to you the day after tomorrow. Now if youll both excuse me, as I said am a terribly busy man and have other pressing matters to attend to. Haden finished and escorted John and Ruby back to the elevator.

John stepped in; a beautiful girl on his arm, dressed to kill and handsome as the day is long with the promise of wealth and power to come; he wondered if he should just answer now because he was fairly sure his mind was already made up. Nah hell with it, might as well paint the town red before the mission started anyway. Besides hed never been with a nearly 70 year old woman before, not to mention one as hot as Ruby Saintclaire was.

You awaken from what feels like a nightmare, sweaty palms, racing heartbeat and that dry sticky tastes in your mouth. Bright white lights fill your field of vision and at first you think 'whew; just a bad dream! Thank god I'm back in my own bed safe and warm!' but as the lens flare of waking fades away to reality you realize you're not in your own bed at all. Not only isn't it your be; and this certainly isn't your room. It's all shiny metallic walls and illuminated floor panels. You see that you are also not alone, there are several other beds with waking occupants who seem just as confused as you. Is it a Hospital? Did something happen to you last night and you just don't remember?

You think back, what is the last thing you can remember? Your memory still foggy and your head hurts when you try focusing, but it slowly starts to come back to you. There you were, minding your own business, doing whatever it was you were doing in your appropriate time period and some stranger approached. You can remember that he was dressed slightly oddly, not something you picked up on at first glance, but instead from closer inspection while speaking with him. His face was the same way, familiar and simultaneously forgettable but at the same time slightly off once you really got a good look underneath the brim of his period correct hat. So you try to focus harder and some of the details of the conversation you'd had with this stranger start to reemerge.

"Hello? insert name..." That's right, you remember that the stranger knew your full name too.

"My name is Ebenezer Black, I'm looking for bright new applicants for an chance at an exciting new career opportunity. Now I'll be perfectly honest with you, the pay isn't great but the fringe benefits really make the hard work worth it. How does travelling to exotic locales and exciting job assignments sound for starters? Good right? Now you add on a heaping spoonful of the respect of your peers and you're starting to get close to the opportunity that is presenting itself to you here today. Now I realize that you've probably got some reservations about picking up and leaving on such short notice, but I can assure you that you won't need to pack a thing, we've got you covered on all accounts and we'll even provide a courtesy note to your closest relatives so they don't worry about you. Say goodbye to that humdrum so called life you've been living, and say hello to your new life as a 'mover & shaker', because lucky you are now an employee of the prestigious North Central Positronics LLC. " It was just about then you realize what was so strange about his face. It was like he was wearing a ill fitted mask which didn't quite move like a persons face ought to. Admittedly it was a notable distraction because you barely noticed the fact that he'd reached into his pocket and produced some small device. And that was it, lights out. Now here you are waking up in some foreign place with a bunch of other strangers. Not a single one dressed in any clothing that even resembled anything your used to seeing either. Like each of them was plucked out of a different time period and deposited here along side you.

It is then that a large panel on the wall at the head of the room comes to life, on it is an animated narrator which slightly resembles Max Headroom (for those from the appropriate time period might recognize.). He smiles and surveys each of you as if this isn't some prerecorded message but an interactive simulation.

"Good Morning applicants and welcome to the first day of the rest of your lives. You lucky few have been selected to audition for the coveted position as a Low Man for North Central Positronics LLC. Unfortunately there is only a single position we are looking to fill, so keep in mind that you want you be operating at peak performance. Take this time to get a good breakfast in our state of the art cafeteria next door and use this time to introduce yourselves to each other but keep in mind that they are also your competitors. Afterward you'll be meeting with your liaison, Agent Black, who will walk you through the ins and outs of the next few weeks of the auditioning process. He will answer any questions you might have about our program and we'll begin the testing portion tomorrow morning after breakfast. Thank you and have a pleasant day. " The simulated hologram fades away and a solitary door slides opening revealing the chamber next door featuring a long table and chairs but little else in the way of cafeteria equipment.

Further inspection reveals several things about the two rooms. At the end of each bunk is a small metallic trunk which when opened reveals a set of strange clothes customized to fit any of your proportions. They appear to be the same shiny metallic material the walls are made of, with the exception that they are pliable enough to wear. No other doors (w/ the exception of the door to the cafeteria) or openings appear on any of the walls, ceilings or floor which also appears to include any sort of ventilation ports. If tested you find that the walls,ceiling and floors are all quite impenetrable.

The cafeteria has a single small cove at about waist high on the rear wall, above it is a small intercom speaker and a sign above it that reads : Place order here, please be specific. Once someone asks for a type of food the cove briefly illuminates and when finished the desire dish is there and prepared quite nicely.

As for the other applicants, you notice that all though they might be from different times and/or different cultures but you each seem understand each other perfectly regardless of language barriers. Also any weapons you might have been carrying at the time have been confiscated. However any other personal effects you might have had on you are still there. ie pocket watch, pen, lighter, smokes...ect.

**( Player's characters can be from any time period that modern man existed in, starting with just after Cro-Magnun to modern times but nothing from the future. No character sheet necessary. Simply use the first paragraph or so to illustrate your character's where and when you were plucked from when Agent Black abducted you. Then feel free to converse with other characters while waiting for your Liaison to show. I will post as Ebenezer Black after a week or so(less if I get a good turn out) and then we'll get started on an exciting multidimensional adventure.

Killian surveyed his new room inside the palace, far fancier than the troop barracks he'd been stationed in, and to be honest more than he actually liked. His own room back home was fairly barren of decorations due to his father's instance on a spartan existence making for a better man. He walked over and sat down on the bed and fell back into the deep cushion of the feather mattress and sighed with exasperation.

It was then he heard the small pitter-patter of small feet and the slight giggle of a youthful laugh. He sat up and saw young princess Atlanta standing in his doorway.

"Greetings princess, is there something you need?" Killian asked.

"Yes I would like to play a game, come and play with me NOW!" She commanded.

"I don't have time for games right now and besides my job is your protection, not a plaything. Go and ask one of your Nanny's to play with you. I have a lot on my mind right now." Killian retorted, trying to be as gentle as he could.

"NO! I want to play with YOU ! I am a princess and you must not disobey my commands or I'll have you thrown in the dungeon." Atlanta demands, folding her arms over her budding chest and stomping her foot more like the child she acted like than a young girl who would be a woman soon enough. To which, Killian couldn't help but laugh a little in spite himself.

"I don't think I would end up in the dungeon for such a trivial thing Milady, besides with the way things have been going lately I think a vacation in the dungeon might not be that bad. Commander Helstead has been running the Squires extra hard through drills this week and he seems more focused than ever on your sister and I since she had the decree put forth." Killian answered.

"I know you like my sister, I don't know why though, she dresses like a boy and acts like one too! Don't you think I am far prettier?" Atlanta asked, now the look of a heartbreak appearing on her face.

"Yes well you're still a bit young to understand I think, but you are beautiful and I am sure when the time comes you will find a man that thinks of you as I do your sister. Why don't you run off find a nanny to play with now. " Killian said, far too tired to continue the conversation any further.

"You are going to play with me!" Her face changed again back to the spoiled brat she usually was and she ran into his room and grabbed his family crest off of the dresser, holding it up teasingly.

"Put that down Atlanta." He said and his tone was fare more stern than he'd ever spoken to her before. But her cruel little smile turned up at the corners of her thin lips and she took off out of his room and down the hall like a bolt.

Killian was almost too tired to go after her at this point, but he would suffer greatly at the hands of Helstead if he showed up tomorrow without his crest adorned on his uniform. Killian pulled himself off the bed and ran down the halls of the palace after her. She was almost as fast as her sister and Killian had to try hard to close the distance. Atlanta ran down the stairs and into the deeper parts of the castle while Killian followed in tow. Just as they reached the quiet sector of hallways before the dungeons Killian snagged her arm and pulled her to a stop.

"Unhand me NOW! I am a Princess!" Atlanta bellowed as Killian snatched his crest from her.

"You shouldn't take things that don't belong to you...." He started to say but a sharp hard thump to the back of his head cut him short. Killian saw the bright flash of white light appear in his eyes just before loosing consciousness and hitting the hard stone floor.

Squire Hammand walked out from the shadows holding the small club in one hand and a small doll in the other.

"Give IT to me! Give me My Adele! You said if I brought him down here that you would give me back my favorite doll!" Atlanta commanded him.

"I did, and you did well....Here, come closer and get your dolly sweetcheeks!" Hammand said and knelt down next Killian's snoring form. Atlanta crept toward him cautiously, knowing full well that the big fat idiot guard liked to pinch her when she got close to him. Her hand stretched out toward her doll, Hammand grabbed her and pulled her in close, his stinking breath filling her nose and making her gag. "Remember my sweet lil thing, No one is to know about this or else You will never see Adele's sister dolly ever again, do you understand?" He asked, pinching her hard on the left cheek.

Atlanta grabbed her doll and slapped his chubby hand away from her posterior. "I want my dolly and I don't like this boy anyway!" She pouted and stormed off back toward the palace stairs, leaving Hammand with Killian's unconscious body. Hammand pulled a length of rope from his belt and began to bind Killian. A length of discarded rug wrapped around the body would be enough to conceal his package from any snooping eyes. He exited through the lower servants exit making sure that no one saw him just as Helstead had instructed him and then down to the docks.

Helstead was waiting, cloaked so no one would recognize him. "Good job Hammand." He said with a swift pat on the Hammand's sweaty panting back.

"It was nothing, but can we now talk about my pay raise, I don't want to keep bringing it up but the Queen didn't seal her letter and I did happen to read just enough to catch wind of what might have happened. I don't want you to loose your job and I certainly wouldn't want you executed. I have done everything you've asked of me so can we discuss my new wage now?" Hammand said completely oblivious to the rod Helstead held under his cloak.

"You certainly have and a good boy you are! Load Killian onto the boat first though." Helstead instructed and Hammand bent down and dropped Killian's body into the small ship's cargo hold. As he was bent down Helstead clubbed Hammand and knocked him out as well. His body fell into the ship's cargo alongside Killian's.

Massive docks of Bluttfluss' shipping industry were the perfect place to get rid of people whom had outlived their usefulness. Countless Privateers whom frequented them were always looking for free labor for distant voyages. The Pirate captain paid Helstead and he watched as the ship set sail and with it his problems. Without Killian as a sponsor for Elizabeth, her Squiredom would fall into
probate and she would have to cease training until a suitable candidate could be found. Helstead could guarantee no one would accept that offer. As for poor stupid Hammand, the chances that he'd actually not been seen while moving Killian's body or that Young Atlanta would actually keep her mouth shut were very small, so it was better to be safe than sorry. Any ill doing that might be brought up in accusation could be blamed on the buffoon's rivalry with Killian. Plus he was stupid enough to actually look at the Queen's unsealed letter and although he promised silence as long as he got a pay raise, Helstead knew eventually the moron would be he undoing.

An unforeseen benefit of loosing both of the Princesses' personal bodyguards would be that he could install two new ones, sure to take his orders and his orders only. "Now all I have to do is deal with Queen Helvetica" He said with a laugh as he casually strode back toward the Palace.

Commander Helstead sat and stewed about the decision Elizabeth and Killian had made after he'd specifically forbade the young male squire from training her. Not only that but the boldness of that little boyish princess for going around his authority and enlisting Oberon to help her get her way. "Spoiled Mewling Quim!" He snarled from behind his large oak desk.

But Helstead had already decided his course of action in the matter. He would play his hidden card, one he'd hoped to hold until a later time, but it appeared that time was now. He certainly wasn't about to sit back and allow this girl to take his opportunity to finally seize the crown. Helstead took up his own quill and paper, but the note he wrote wasn't going to be the kind notarized by a lawyer, this was of a far more secret nature.

Dearest Queen Helvetica,

It has been quite a while since we've last spoke intimately. You must still remember that occasion well as it was just three short days before your husband died. It was in your bedchambers and we'd just finished making love as I am sure you remember well. You had suggested that it would be nice if something could cool your husband's ambitions long enough for you to take a more assertive role in the ruling of Bluttfluss and I offered you a simple solution. A small bit of nightshade in his morning porridge would weaken his constitution long enough for you to show that you weren't the foreign interloper that the nobility of Bluttfluss took you for.

Although it is true that the nightshade I delivered was particularly potent, Let us not forget that it was your hand the delivered it unto his meal. Now I know I promised that the unfortunate accident of his lethal poisoning would remain our little secret and so it shall as long as a few simple demands I have are met, and without amendments.

Firstly your eldest daughter Elizabeth has taken it upon herself to render legal documents that would allow her to train as a Squire even though I've suggested against it and you yourself have frowned upon her boyish attributes. So now, as the Current Queen I would have you Veto the her treatises and in doing so halt her path of the lion once and for all. Although the people of Bluuttsluss might do a bit a grumbling, citing the instance of Queen Regalia II putting a hold on all Squires promotion's to Knighthood until a King in reinstalled, in part saved her own lineage which eventually gave us King Edward I her son and beloved king of these lands. As you may read in the history books when her own husband had died in battle, many of the nobles started promoting all their squires to Knights in order to raise armies against her. Her decree halted the coming rebellion and saved our kingdom.

Secondly you will order a small battalion of our soldiers to the lands of Beauwulf in the far North. We have a small trading post there that has recently be set upon by Viking raiders. You will order Sir Oberon to lead the expedition and have Squire Vader accompany him. The trading post is small and we will certainly loose it eventually but the sacrifice of a single battalion will show the Vikings that we won't just lay down and let them take as they please and my stem any further advances southward.

Thirdly you will start the courting process for your daughters. Bring in nobles from around the realms and see if a match can be made. With Elizabeth free of such silly endeavors as fighting like a man, maybe she'll actually settle down and take a suitor. If not, then she can be sent into exile and Atlanta will take on the role of the Queen-to-be.

My final demand is simple, and one that you used to do without the incentive of threats. You will meet with me once a month to resume our copulations. You will do so willingly and happily and without argument.

To conclude I am sure I don't have to say that this is not the only copy of this letter I have written. If anything unfortunate were to happen to me, a copy will be sent to each of the Major Kingdoms of our land. You know that if this news gets out that not only will you be executed, but both of your daughters and any other living relatives will share that fate.

Always yours in Love,
Commander Victor Helstead.

Once Helstead finished the letter, smiling as he added the "always yours in love" line, He folded and sealed the letter with a wax crest.

"Hammand good boy, I would like you to deliver this to the Queen tonight before she retires for the evening.

"Yessir" Hammand answered.

Killian stood and at first he could hardly concentrate on her words, she eyes were simply mesmerizing him. But the more she spoke the more clear it became that she wasn't just some gorgeous girl, she was indeed a Queen in the making. She obviously done her homework, going through the boring law decrees and actually mesmerizing old passages; only a true mind of a ruler would put so much thought into something as trivial as whether or not a princess was actually allowed to train as a Squire. The next thing he noticed was the passion in which she spoke with. She didn't just know the law, you could actually see the conviction in her eyes. Again he didn't see the eyes of some preening princess but those of a ruler of the land and a true Queen. Finally he noticed that she was able to see through the facade of others such as Squire Hammand and Commander Helstead and although they were larger and also men, neither of which dissuaded her from seeing their true nature. It was right then and there that Killian decided that he wouldn't sit back and just passively guard this young woman until her family was unseated; No he would actively participate in anyway he could in the act of seeing this woman crowned and sat upon the throne where she belonged. He also realized that he might be falling in love with her as well.

"...I've no one left to ask. I'll prove myself however you wish!" She concluded and he snapped from his deep concentration.

"As you wish milady...." He answered, trying his best to wipe the smirk from his face. "I would be a fool to disagree with the next Queen of Bluttfluss."

Killian strode over to the weapons rack that Elizabeth had installed in the rose garden. He looked through the selection of swords, both long and short, as well as a selection of scimitars and sabers. None of which were the typical wooden replicas that young Squires trained with, they all had the metal blades of more experienced training practices. He reached down and selected a saberl bringing it up to his thumb to feel the blade's edge and to his surprise nicking his finger and drawing a single drop of blood which he held up to his mouth and sucked clean. Usually the blades of practice weapons were dulled blunt so that combatants weren't seriously injured while practicing. It was only in the highest levels of training did Squires train with actual edged weapons and the results could be fatal if someone was at the peak of their training.

"You have me at a disadvantage milady, I couldn't possibly go full tilt with an actual weapon, fore even the slightest scratch upon your cheek might end up with me in the gallows for such a transgression regardless of laws concerning your trainin....." He started to say but heard the incoming footsteps of her approaching from behind him. He spun and brought the saber up just in time to catch her strike which looked as though it might have actually taken his head off if not blocked. She was smiling though and Killian knew that she had pulled her strike even though it was very nearly lethal. She was actually toying with him.

"En garde then?" He said smiling back at her.

"If you won't give me your best than what good are you at being a bodyguard? I should do you a favor and strike you down to save you the embarassment of being bested by a woman!" She answered him and switched her stance like the so-to-be-expert swordsman she obviously was. A quick flip of her wrist and her sword came around and almost struck his thigh. He had to move with the utmost of his agility to block that blow as well.

In truth Killian had understated his fencing abilities out of modesty. Afterall his father wasn't just a Calvary man, he used to be the commander of the Royal guard which meant that he was masterful in almost any weapon. It was a series of lessons that he'd taught his son from almost the time Killian was big enough to actually heft a sword. So when Elizabeth switched stances and taken her second strike he knew the move and adjusted his own footing in response. With a quick shuffle and sidestep he was around her flank and whipped the blade sideways, slapping the flat side of the blade across her posterior as if he were spanking her with a paddle.

The move was purely instinctual and one his own father had used on him countless times, but as soon as he completed it he felt the burn of embarrassment scold his cheeks. He would have never done something so uncouth to a princess but his body had acted out of sheer muscle memory and he instantly regretted it.

"Milady, I'm so sorry please forgive my impet....." He started to apologize but her next maneuver cut him off and took him off his feet. She swung around and did a sweeping side kick to his knees, buckling him. Normally he would of just leaped over it but he was so surprised and embarrassed that it worked and he ended up on his ass with her sword pointed at his neck.

"Again?" She asked with that same powerful smile across her dark lips.

Meanwhile from the shadows of one of the distant stone archways that surrounded the rose garden Commander Helstead and Hammand stood watching Princess Elizabeth extend a hand and help Killian back to his feet as they lined up for another bout of fencing.

"Would you look at that....She's actually pretty good....and he's not all that shabby himself." Commander Helstead said, the contempt practically dripping off the words as they left his mouth.

"He ain't that tough...." Hammand replied, still butthurt from the shove Killian had given him earlier that day.

"Yes he is, and so is she.....This could prove to be a problem, Hammy. So I tell you how we're going to deal with this, by nipping it in the bud, that's how. Ham, What do we do to soldiers that won't obey the orders their commander gave them?" Helstead asked, the anger in his voice showing through his calm facade.

"We punish them, Commander.....We punish them" Hammand answered with his dullard's tone.

"That is correct, We Punish Them!.....You scuttle on now....Your shift is almost started. Say hello to Princess Atlanta for me, will you?" Helstead snarled.

"yessir" Hammand said and walked off toward the palace.

When Killian saw the Princess start to jog over to him he cursed himself, now she was going to think he was some sort of voyeur. But as her buxom frame bounced and jiggled over to him he found she was actually smiling. He breathed a sigh of relief and stood and greeted her.

"You there, would you consider giving aid to the Princess in her training? Sir.. Killian, was it?" She said.

"Well I don't know my lady, Helstead has warned me against it, and I don't want to catch any trouble on my first day of work." He answered honestly although he would love the opportunity to train with her. Her body looked firm and her exercise tunic was pressed tight against it with the cloth starting to dampen with perspiration. Killian had to mentally check himself to keep his eyes on hers and not to stare at her taunt form.

Johnny was flabbergasted, he honestly didn't know what way was up after the strange trail of events that had lead him to his current station in life. Only a few days before he was more than happy living in Lowtown, banging hookers, living the thug life and all without an sense of responsibility or concerns for such absurd things as political affiliations. Then the Order decided they needed a lackey to do a dirty job and lucky (Unlucky) him he drew the short straw. If that wasn't bad enough they took him over to the wealthy side and showed him everything he never had and never knew he wanted. They took his face, his identity and anything he might have ever laid claim to away. Once they'd completely stripped any form of individualism from him and implanted a device that might take his head off at any given moment to ensure his compliance he'd even agreed to do just what they'd asked if only for a chance at the better life. But to top it off, even that was just another convoluted ploy to get some other self-absorbed fackhead's political ambitions realized. Everything they'd promised him was a lie and now he was more worse off than he ever was as a double agent in the part of town where the poor only wanted to exploit those from the other side of the fence. He used to be one of them atleast, but now he was the embodiment of everything these people hated; a entitled rich person who'd given up what they could only dream of for some feeling of personal satisfaction.

"Life is sucking pretty hard for me right now." Johnny whispered to himself as they ascended a ladder and hit street side.

"Don't be such a pussy Thresher. These people live in this squalled conditions everyday and if we're successful they won't have to anymore." kelly replied as they hit an alleyway and then quickly swooped into a garage. Inside was a van and two other armed men. Unlike Quinn they didn't have short cropped hair and didn't wear the fatigues he and Kelly were dressed in. They were dressed like normal poverty stricken folk with dirt smudged faces and unkempt hair.

It was then that Johnny was caught off guard. He recognized one of them, the man in the drivers seat was someone that his gang had used several times as a getaway driver. He flinched, forgetting for a second that he had a new face, thinking for sure that the man would recognize him, but when he didn't Johnny breathed a sigh of relief.

"So this is the illustrious Mr. Thresher, Kelly? Honestly I don't know why we're trusting anybody from that side of the fence!" The driver said.

"Don't worry about that, all you have to do is drive Harry....." Kelly scolded him then turned back to Johnny. "Are you all right Mr. Thresher were you injured during the extraction?" She asked him and Johnny could almost see compassion in her eyes.

"HEY!? Where's Quinn? Are we waiting?" Harry the driver asked.

"No, I heard shots, I don't know if they were his or the Asset following me though!" Johnny answered for her.

"He's right. We can't afford to wait, even if he is my mentor, He'd want us to secure Mr. Thresher. let's get to the HQ!" Kelly put in and the van took off at high speed, slinging the unrestrained passengers in the back of the van down onto their butts. Johnny winced at that, feeling the hard plastic piece of contraband stuffed into his lower intestine uncomfortably deeper.

After a few minutes of overly reckless driving Johnny finally spoke up. "Harry if your trying to drive inconspicuously this ain't the way to do it!"

"I ain't goin for inconspicuous rich boy!"Harry called back with a crazed laugh, then "You sound kind of familiar Thresher! You ever been on this side of the fence before?"

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT NOW! Mr. Thresher take this and hold on TIGHT!" She said and then handed him a small rebreather. He had no idea what it was for but then they turned the corner and Johnny could see the polluted surface of Lake Charitca. Johnny tucked the scuba gear into his mouth without further questions.

Harry reached up and pressed a button on the dashboard. Instantly the tire blew on the van and the vehicle began to swirl more dangerously. Harry's hand poised over the dash as the van sped limpingly toward the docks of the polluted lake. Just before the Van jumped onto the wooden, ship filled dock, Harry hit the second button and the van burst into pyrotechnics. The van launched into the air and came crashing down into the brown water of the lake.

upon impact everyone smashed forward violently. The van began to sink and Johnny could feel the panic a drowning start to take over his capabilities. Water swept in and the driver and the passenger unbuckled, but didn't evacuate immediately, they seemed to wait for something, but Johnny wasn't so calm. He immediately scrambled toward the big back doors that he'd enter the van through trying desperately not to drown. However Kelly reached up around his neck and subdued him.

Johnny struggled against her, but found that she truly was an apprentice of the formidable Quinn as her much smaller frame easily gripped his thrashing form and kept him from exiting the van as it sunk. Johnny freaked, his muscled flexed and he flexed against her, but the choke-hold she had on him was impressively strong and soon he faded from consciousness.

Killian returned to the barracks with Commander Helstead, here he was introduced to some of the other men. Most of which didn't seem too terribly friendly, due to Killian's father pulling strings to get him the illustrious job of guarding the royal daughters. In truth Killian expected as much and so he let any hostilities go over his head. He wasn't here to make friends afterall, he was here to get his Knighthood and protect the princesses.

But then Killian was introduced to someone he didn't particularly care for. Squire Hammand was the nightshift guard for the Princesses, while Killian slept it was Hammand's job to guard the girls . It was considered one of the easiest positions and this fellow seemed to take that to heart. He was easily 25lbs overweight and his personal hygiene was also abysmal which was why this probably was the best thing for this slob to do. But it wasn't the fact that Hammand was fat or smelly that bothered Killian so much about him. It was the oaf's disgusting personality that brought contempt into Killian's mind.

"So you're my daytime counterpart huh? You seem a bit thin to be a knight, you sure your up to the job of protecting those sweet little pieces of girl meat?" Hammand said after shaking Killian's hand for the first time.

"Sweet little pieces of girl meat?? Is that anyway to talk about the Royal family? What is your problem fella?" Killian retorted an pushed Hammand's hand away.

"Look don't be so sensitive there KILLY! HA! Besides how long do you think those foreign princesses and their Queen Mommy are gonna be in power anyway? It won't be long before we are guarding the new royal family so don't be a prude! If you're smart you'll tap one of those 'princesses while they still have their heads! I can tell you that I've seen both of them in their nightgowns and either one would be a real fun time and you could brag about laying a real Princess! HA!" Hammand said coughing out a laugh that breezed a waft of his rank breath.

Hearing the words come out of Hammand's fat mouth was more than Killian's temper could bare though and with a flash his fist shot up and smashed Hammand right in the mouth sending him sprawling backward. "What the hell man? What's your problem, I'm just joking around!" Hammand said pulling back tears.

"Don't you ever let me hear you talk about the royal family like that again, Joke or not, I will beat you senseless next time, buffoon!" Killian snarled with anger and started to advance like he might just beat Hammand right now. But luckily for Hammand, Helstead intervened. The Commander marched up and pushed Killian back, but with some effort and Helstead who was very strong had to take note of the young man's hidden strength.

"What is the matter with you two? You think Knights conduct themselves this way? Act accordingly Squires! You have to remember that although you might not particularly like each other, one day you might have to stand next to one another on the front lines of a battlefront if war ever rises again! NOW SQUARE YOURSELVES AWAY AND GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS BEFORE I THROW EACH OF YOU IN THE DUNGEON!" Helstead commanded.

Killian stormed off, looking to blow off some steam. He walked with his head down and breathing hard, still angry. It wasn't until he reached the rear gardens that he heard the sound of training which brought him out of his bad mood. There between the rows of rose bushes was Princess Elizabeth and she was at it again. Vigorously exercising her combat skills, she moved gracefully and with power that made Killian stop and stare. He thought he might go and tell her that her Nightguard was a filthy pig, but then thought against it. She probably already knew anyway and there was no need to bring up such nasty conversation. Instead Killian knelt down and watch her work, admiring her from afar.

Johnny made his way down through the tunnels cursing his bad luck the whole time. He'd finally got his chance at pulling himself out of the gutters and into a life worth living and only to have them dashed before his eyes. It was bad enough that he'd spent his whole life staying out of the politics of the Order and the Resistance only to be dragged into the thick of it anyway. So here he was now, literally in the gutters and with an explosive device implanted into his head to boot.

Johnny rounded the next corner after another 20 minutes of jogging through the dark stinking tunnel system and the surprise of what he'd seen was enough to send him sprawling backward into the dank water. A man had been standing there just waiting for him with his arms folded over his chest. He was dressed in blacked out fatigues and looked very much like one of the goons that worked for the Order. Johnny's hand reached back and pulled the handgun from his waistband, leveling it at the wall of a man whom didn't even flinch.

"Cheesecake?" The simply asked.

'what? What did that guy just say? Did he say 'cheesecake'? What the hell does that mean? Is it a code? Did I just mishear him?' Johnny thought to himself. "Wwwhat?" Johnny stuttered to say.

"Cheesecake?" The imposing man repeated, reaching into his holster and pulling out his own gun and leveling it at Johnny's prone form.

"L...loook man, I don't know what's going on here OK? He didn't tell me about any sort of code word so If your gonna kill me then get it over with ok! Johnny said, dropping his gun site downward. He was honestly so freaked out that he didn't really care if the guy just whacked him and ended this crazy trip. Either this guy was the Resistance operative Haden had sent him to meet and there was some code he didn't know about or this guy was an Order Asset and he was gonna kill him anyway.

"Cheesecake" The man said again and cocked the hammer on his gun and Johnny thought to himself, 'well this is it...'

"Cherry FACKINN PIE!" Johnny said defiantly, closing his eyes and waiting for the bang of the shot but none came. When Johnny opened his eyes again the man had lowered his gun and was now looking at a tech device he had strapped to his forearm.

"You got a tail, sensors just picked up on someone entering the tunnel system. You got any idea who that might be, Thresher?" The large muscular man asked.

"I don't facking know man....Maybe one of those Assets....Maybe number 15 or 13 or something. So your not gonna kill me?" Johnny asked, pulling himself up out of the muck.

"An Asset huh? Well that ain't good but we expected as much. Ok I want you to keep going down this tunnel and once you get passed the fence you'll meet up with Kelly, she's with the Resistance and she'll take you the rest of the way." The man said.

"NO dammit! I want some answers and I want them now! Who are you? What is going ON? What the hell was 'cheesecake'?" Johnny started to get mad again but his mind was racing. Why did this guy just call him by his alias? If Haden was actually a double agent working for the Resistance than why didn't he tell this guy Johnny's real name?

"No time to talk now. My name is Quinn and I'm with the Resistance. You need to go now before that Asset catches up with you, Your gonna wanna ditch those clothes down one of the side tunnels, they're probably bugged. I'll hang back and deal with the Asset." Quinn instructed him.

"Hey man, I am pretty sure that those Asset guys are pretty tough, they ain't like your average Order goons. Sure you can handle yourself?" Johnny asked, already starting to take off his jacket and unbutton his shirt.

Quinn only smiled and pulled a chain around his neck out of his fatigue jacket. On it were several Asset dog tags. "This ain't my first rodeo slick!" He said with a sadistic smile.

With that Johnny took off running again, stripping off his clothes and throwing them down different side tunnels. After another ten minutes of running, now naked as the day he was born, Johnny heard a series of gun shots from back down the tunnel where he'd left Quinn. His imagination was going crazy trying to imagine the epic battle those two badasses were having.

The noticeable difference when Johnny crossed into lowtown was immediately obvious, he was on his homeground again and these tunnels were far more familiar. Homeless scattered throughout, using the tunnels as a makeshift dwelling and when he found someone with similar sized frame, he pointed his gun at him and made the man give him his clothes. As he dressed a female voice came up from behind him. "Thresher? Where's Quinn?"

Johnny turned and saw a petite frame of a girl whom was also dressed in the quasi-military uniform, she was carrying an AK-47. "He stayed back, I had a tail and he stayed back there to stop him. I heard gunshots, but I don't know who came out on top." He answered nervously.

"Don't worry about Quinn, that man is a killing machine and I am sure he took care of anyone following you. We shouldn't wait for him just in case something bad happened. Come on lets get going, we can get streetside up here, I've got a van waiting that will take us to the HQ. DO YOU HAVE THE THUMBDRIVE?" She asked.

"Yeah, I got it, but I can't get to it right now." Johnny responded an embarrassed red blush taking over his cheeks.

Ok, lets go!" She answered and they were off running again.

Killian remained quiet when the Queen scolded her youngest child, only picking the peas from the ruffled fabric of his shirt. He watched as Atlanta skulked from the dining hall and wondered if he would catch any guff from her later.

Killian smiled when Elizabeth told him about her fencing practice with the Captain of the guards, Captian Eldred was a noted swordsman and was the in charge of the city guard for a reason. He was only a year or two older than Killian but his family had long lines of nobility running through his family's heritage. He was tall and strong and one of the most respected among the city guard. Killian heart sunk a little when he heard her gush about her 'training sessions' with him. If Elizabeth was already familiar with that 'golden boy' than he held little chance at gaining her attention.

"That's great Princess, I myself aren't that great at close arms, although I am no slouch my own skill set specializes in mounted attacks. I was trained as a Calvary man by my own father. Maybe if we get some free time, you could show me some moves." Killian said trying to make conversation with the Princess.

Helstead interrupted this time. "Don't be dense boy! You'll have no free time anytime soon, you're a Squire and as such you'll be spending any hours not on duty doing physical training. Besides the Princess has her own busy schedule as Queen Helvetica prepares her for her duties next in line for the crown." Helstead said with a cruel smile flashed toward the Queen.

"I apologize sir, I didn't mean to overstep my bounds." Killian answered and dropped his eyes back to his plate.

"Finish your meal and we'll excuse ourselves so these ladies can go about their day. You'll need to return to the barracks and change your uniform anyway." Helstead finished his pork and stood, bowing to the Queen, kissing her bejeweled hand.

Killian had arrived at the royal palace early that morning and after riding all through the night he was exhausted. He stabled Herrox and reported to the security commander's office. Helstead was a fierce looking man and his intensity showed through the ridiculous uniform the personal royal guard had to wear. He'd instructed young Killian that squirehood was not going to be easy regardless of whom his father used to be. Killian was issued his own uniform and told that he would be responsible for the two princesses' safety from sunrise to sunset. After dark another guard would take the night shift and Killian would be allowed to retire to his personal quarters.

It being his first day, he was shown the grounds and given a tour through the palace. On the upper levels he got his first glimpse of Atlanta. She'd been playing with her dolls and didn't even see him. Once they'd returned to gardens he got his first look at Elizabeth and saw her fencing with the guards. She too was far to busy to acknowledge him but he caught a glimpse of her through the bulky helmet and thought that his father had been mistaken about her. Elizabeth might be a tomboy but she certainly was quite striking in her beauty and Killian took note of it.

Finally Helstead took Killian in and introduced the young man to the Queen. She too was very beautiful and although much older than Killian he could see where Elizabeth had gotten her good looks. He also notice something else; not outright but just below the surface he thought he could sense something between the widowed queen and Commander Helstead and his mind began to race. Could these two have been having an affair? Did Helstead have something to do with the King's untimely death? He certainly wasn't going to bring it up, but it was worth keeping his eye on the situation. The Queen instructed Helstead that they would have lunch prepared this afternoon so that Atlanta and Elizabeth could meet their new bodyguard.

As afternoon approached Killian adorned his new uniform and looked in the mirror at his appearance. The royal guards wore a red jacket that was overly embellished and a ruffled shirt that stuck up through the collar. He disliked the fancy clothes quite a bit and couldn't wait for the day to end so he could be out of them again. First though he would have to pass the inspection of the two girls he was meant to protect. Killian arrived in the main dining hall and was introduced. He listened politely as the queen spoke and than walked over to the younger princess first. He bowed his head and kissed her outstretched hand. She was pretty, but young and still had the cherubic chubby cheeks of a child. He also noticed that she had surprisingly cruel eyes as well.

Next though was Elizabeth and if he thought she was beautiful when he saw her earlier in her fencing outfit, he almost swooned now that he saw her in a formal gown. Yes it was true, she was a bit plain and certainly didn't where as much makeup as her younger sister but she had something else that seemed to almost give off an inner glow. Killian bowed and when he kissed her hand he lingered a bit longer than he did with Atlanta.

Killian took his seat across the table from the girls and conducted himself with mannered politeness. He laughed at the jokes and provided polite conversation when prompted but hoped no one noticed the fact that he was stealing glimpses of Elizabeth as often as he could.

Finally he grew enough courage to talk to her directly just before the main course of roasted pig was served. "I saw you fencing earlier today Princess. You looked quite skilled with a saber. Did your step father teach you?" He asked but was immediately interrupted by Atlanta. whom took a spoon full of peas and slung them across the table an into Killian's face.

Killian Vader was born a noble, but just barely. His father was Allistar Vader, a former commander of the Blutfluss Calvary and personal bodyguard to the former king's father, King Gregory I. He'd fought valiantly during the war where Clattsburg won it's independence from the motherland and lost an eye for his efforts. The wise old king had bequeathed lands and a modest keep to his former man-at-arms for his service. On this land they had started Empire Stables and bred the finest Bluttfluss horse stock. So the Vader family didn't have the long blood lineage that the other nobility of this land laid claimed to.

His father had waited a long time before taking a wife, and when he finally did she was far younger than him and of common blood. She was in fact so young that when she gave birth to Killian the labor was too much for her still adolescent frame and she'd died during his birth. That was 18 years ago and now Killian had grown into a fine young man. He'd grown tall like his father, but had his mother's lean athletic frame. He bore a head of blonde hair and striking blue eyes. Although he was handsome and capable his father had always resented the boy and how much he resembled his mother. He grown up with his father's harsh military brand of discipline and resented him as much as his father did in return.

Today was bright and warm, summer personified and Killian was enjoying his free time. He'd been out riding his favorite steed for most the day and when he rode through the hay fields as the serfs reaped he could see his father's massive frame standing near the the barns as he returned. "oh great' he said to himself. "I wonder what I did wrong this time Herrox?" He said to his horse.

Killian spurred Herrox and pushed the muscular horse to its full speed. Riding straight toward his father at full speed and only pulling up on the reigns at the last second making a show of his master over the animal. As usual his father didn't flinch as the large horse came within inches of running him down before finally skidding to a halt. As usual the experienced ex-Calvary man only stood there shaking his head in patriarchal disapproval. "I can see your posture change 7 yards out! When you charge you have to commit fully, even the fiercest spearman will have second thoughts if they can see you don't plan on stopping! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"The Barn wall lays only a few yards behind you sir. I didn't want to run Herrox head first into a stone rampart!" Killian called down from his panting steed defiantly.

"It's only a horse, BOY! They make more every day! In battle you can't show your enemy a moments hesitation no matter what they have stacked behind them OR your horse will sense it and fail in it's charge!" Baron Allistar bellowed, grabbing the horse's bridal and yanking it's head violently.

"I am sorry, I will do better next time. sir." The young man answered as he dismounted Herrox. "I finished all my duties earlier this morning father, Was there something not up to your satisfaction?" Killian asked with only the slightest of sarcastic smiles.

"Of course it wasn't; But that isn't why I've cut into your generous recreation time! I wish to speak to you about something quite important." He said, wrapping his big arm around his son's shoulder and pulling him in tight. "I've been hearing that several neighboring Nobles are disquieted about our kingdom's current state of affairs and I believe the Vader family can be of service to the crown as I once was."

"How so?" Killian said, wrenching his father's iron grip off his shoulder.

"I sent word a message to the Royal Castle today! You will be offering your service to the Royal family as I once did! This will get your started on your way to knighthood as well as give you the opportunity to get to know the princesses as a bodyguard. Now I'd suggest Atlanta, she's young and impressionable! Besides I've heard Elizebeth is a butch and will likely end up with a another woman instead of the crown...." His father started to ramble on but Killian cut him off.

"Whoa......whoa whoa whoa! What are you talking about? I'm not getting married to either, father! I don't know either of them and I don't really think I'm ready for anything like marriage let alone the crown. I will go and protect the royal family as our family is obliged to do, but I'm not going to use my position to flirt with the princesses that would be amoral!" Killian protested.

"Don't be a simpleton BOY! What is more amoral anyway? You would rather see one of these blood thirsty aristocrats marry into the royal treasure? Or worse yet, some foreign sovereignty take control? NO! I gave an eye in service to make sure that Bluttfluss remains in the rightful hands and so will you! I will hear no more argument on the matter. GO and pack your things now! You leave tonight! Tomorrow you will arrive in the Capital city and meet with the current chief of security, Baron Helstead. He was in my charge when I had the role and he owes me a few favors still. I got you assigned as the two daughter's personal security detail." Allistar bellowed while Allistar stormed off toward the keep.

Johnny was far too distracted to notice anyone following him. The sinking feeling was almost overwhelming and although he did his best to distract himself with the carnal pleasures that Ruby Saintclaire provided that night the melancholy was still there when he woke the next morning, the dame wasn't however. He rolled over to put his arm around her perfect body and found only disheveled sheets and the slight lingering hint of her perfume remained. 'oh well, I suppose I got to live out atleast one night of every man's fantasy' , he thought to himself.

The telephone rang next to his bed and Johnny could see a picture of Mr. Haden on the small vid screen. He reached over and pushed the 'talk' button. "Hello Mr. Thresher....I hope you slept well we have a lot to accomplish today!" The small man said with a big smile on his face.

"Yeah about that, I had a 'talk' with someone named Regional Commander Simon Garrett last night. Have you ever heard of this guy?" Johnny asked.

"Yes of course, He runs the 'Asset' program for the Order. I suppose he told you that he would be sending one of his goons along with you? I am sorry you had to find out about it that way. I was going to brief you on that today but it appears that the Commander couldn't hold his load and wanted to make an impression on you to let you know that you were under his thumb. It's fine John, this shouldn't be to corrosive to our plan. The Assets might be a bit single minded but they are also well trained and fairly competent at espionage. We are going to proceed with our objective if your up for it?" Mr. Haden responded.

"Well it's not like I have much of a choice sir....You did plant an explosive in my head" Johnny said back, his eyes dropping in disappointment.

"Very true, alas if I could find a more sympathetic way of ensuring complacency I would utilize those methods instead. Just keep in mind that if you are successful in your mission I will take it right back out and you get to live the rest of your life as a person of wealth and prosperity, which sounds wonderful, yes?" Haden added, but Johnny was starting to get the sneaking suspicion that Haden might be lying about the last bit. "Yes sir." He answered still dejected.

It was then that Johnny noticed that Haden was apparently slightly distracted, almost as if he were filling out paperwork while chatting with him on the video phone. "Ok, so I just wanted to go over some minor details while before your deployment tomorrow. " Mr. Haden said and his voice was calm and normal, but on the video screen the sneaky man was holding up a dry-erase board with words printed on it. The sign read: They monitor the audio but I can jam the video signal on video phones. Read carefully and do exactly as I instruct you! Be careful of what you say in return!


"So we'll be deploying you tomorrow around 6pm during the Alliance of Miracles festival. The commotion will provide adequate distraction for you to slip across the fences and meet with the Resistance operative....." Mr. Haden said completely calmly but his next sign he held up really got Johnny worried. I am a double agent for the Resistance. Inside the nightstand next to your bed is a handgun and a thumb-drive Ruby left for you. Take the gun into the bathroom while you dress, there I want you to keister the thumb-drive.

Johnny's mind raced as he slid the draw open where he found the gun and a small memory drive used for storing computer information. If Haden was indeed a double-agent who actually worked for the Resistance then how much water did any of the promises this man had made him actually mean? No wealth? No good life? No huge home in the mansion district? What about the explosive in his head, who was going to take that out? And of course the most pressing question was; why the hell did he Haden want him to shove this thumb-drive up his 'keister'?

"Once you made contact with the Resistance Operative you will be taken to the Resistance HQ and meet with one of the rounding members named Quinn. He's your target....." Haden went on still in the all-business manner like nothing was wrong at all. Johnny started to get up and get dressed, watching the monitor for the next secret message. Asset 15 is already waiting and watching you. I can jam the surveillance signal long enough for you to make it to the basement of this Mansion. There you will find a passageway cut into the wall that will lead you to the sewers.

"Once you get Quinn alone, you will need to subdue him and make your way back to the Fence. He must be alive and you can't be seen by anyone while you complete this task..." Haden went on as he held up his final sign. Head back toward lowtown, My friend will meet you down there and get you to the Resistance. Give them the Thumbdrive. With the info on it, The Resistance will be able to bring down the Order once and for all!" Good luck and Godspeed, GO NOW!"

"So that should just about cover it, The Order thanks you for your service and we all hope you can be successful for the betterment of society. See you tomorrow John." Haden ended the call and Johnny was left thinking that this might all be some sort of bad dream. His heart was racing and his mind was spinning as his forehead began to bead with sweat. He stepped into the bathroom and pulled his clothes on, tucking the automatic pistol into the back of his waistband after finishing the unpleasant task of hiding the thumb-drive.

Once dressed he exited the bathroom and saw that the surveillance camera in the hall of the mansion wasn't active. The red lights which he'd noticed on the corner of the camera had gone off and he knew it wasn't going to remain that way for long. He ran down the hall and downstairs into the basement. There he found a cabinet that seemed out of place. He pushed it aside and found the tunnel Haden had written about. He cursed his bad luck and then set off into the sewers, carefully sliding the cabinet back into place before leaving.

Ruby Saintclaire escorted Johnny down in the elevator and out through the Lobby's front doors into the bright sunshine filled landscape of the Order's utopian empire. Glass faced skyscrapers rose heavenward like countless fingers reaching up to grope at God's tit. The streets were meticulous with not a speck of garbage in sight, let alone any sign of graffiti. Beautiful people casually strode up and down the boulevards, their faces all sublimely complacent without the slightest hint of worry from such distant concerns as being mugged, shot, or raped. Johnny started to wonder if Mr. Haden wasn't completely correct in his assumptions afterall, this truly did resemble something like paradise.

It was just then that a police cruiser zipped by on the road and Johnny flinched a little. His old instincts were still firmly intact regardless of his now decadent appearance. Ruby giggled and squeezed his arm for reassurance.

"Don't worry about them stud, Your one of us for now!" She said while escorting him to the limousine that was parked in front of the building. The driver whom was waiting for them opened the door and Johnny got into the luxury car, truth be told the first one he'd ever sat in. Ruby then got in and immediately opened the bar in the car, pouring each of them a cocktail. "Here drink this, I know you said you didn't want one earlier, but I think it will help you relax a little bit and enjoy yourself."

"Thanks." He replied and sat back into the comfy seat and sipped away at the two fingers of delicious booze she'd offer him. He stared out the tinted windows and watched as block after block of amazing architecture passed them by. He could see as the tall gates of the Mansion district approaching and again apprehension started to sneak back into his mind. How many years had he spent breaking into this very district and pilfering the wealthy peoples lavish homes? A decade atleast maybe that and a half? He realized he probably new these streets almost as well as the limo driver did.

"ha, You see that place there, Ruby? We once snuck through the sewers and cut a section of the basement floor out and dropped a 10 ten safe out of it. Payday wasn't that great though, some small family heirlooms and a bit of cash but otherwise the facking thing was almost entirely empty. My Buddy Stevie was standing too close and ended up with a broken leg on that little caper!" Johnny said, reminiscing about the days when he had to steal to survive.

Ruby ignored him, watching the road intently as made their way through the smaller mansions and eventually entered through another gated archway which Johnny had never been to before. If the relatively moderate mansions in the previous sections were impressive, this district was even more so. "You ever rob any of these places, Stud?" Ruby finally spoke up.

"aaah, no......This is the Elite District right? This is where the richest of the rich live right? Government types like Mr. Haden and super-celebrities like you, huh? No we couldn't ever crack the security in this section. They even have the sewers under surveillance for god's sake. What I always wondered was; whose job is it to sit around and watch surveillance video of raw sewage all day and night?" He replied with a slight smirk.

They drove up the steep hillside and into the driveway of a building that looked more like a Roman palace than any sort of house. "Whose house is this?" He asked.

"Why it's yours silly, or it will be as soon as you complete Mr. Haden's mission. You wanna go in and check it out, maybe unwind a little? We've arranged a small little get together to help you start to acclimate to this sort of life style. Afterall your not going to be one of those 'Morlocks' from across the fence for much longer, soon you'll be an 'Eloi' like the rest of us, Mr. Thresher. " Ruby replied with a cruel smile, caressing the small hairs on the side of his neck with her fingernails and although Johnny didn't get the literary references he did understand the significance of her referring to him in his new alias.

They walked inside the opulent mansion together, arm in arm. Inside was a collection of countless beautiful people and powerful executives that might just be the ruling class of the Order. All of which greeted him with big fake smiles and overly congratulatory hand shakes that made his head practically spin. In the course of the first hour or so Johnny, (or 'Winston' which Ruby was sure to introduce him as) met fourteen different leading men from all the latest and greatest blockbuster movies of the past decade and twice as many stunning actresses, all of which seemed to know his hostess in an almost intimate nature. He met Senators, Congressmen, and even a high ranking Military leader of the Order. It was this last man that caught his attention and held it the longest, even with several powerful drinks in his system John took notice of the Military leader watching him. Eventually when the man introduced himself and his bodyguard Johnny understood why.

"Hello 'Mr. Thresher', My name is Regional Commander Simon Garrett, this is my personal bodyguard this evening, Asset 15. He's recently orchestrated a successful mission quelling some Rebel scum and this cake assignment is his reward for such valiant service. Although I don't believe lavish parties and pretty celebrities are his particular 'cup-o-tea' as it were. No I think he's far more at home in the trenches fighting along with the grunts, isn't that right Asset 15? " Commander Garrett said as he reached out and took Johnny's hand, shaking it with an overly firm grip. As for his hired goon, Asset 15 gave no reply to the pleasantries being exchanged in front of him. Instead he simply scanned the room as if expecting some unseen assassin to come rushing out at any minute.

"Say Ruby, would you mind if I borrowed Mr. Thresher for a few minutes, I'd like to speak with him privately." The Commander asked and Ruby of course giggled it off and then disappeared into the crowd of beautiful people.

Upstairs, in what Johnny couldn't believe would one day actually be his office, the three men adjured. The Commander took the master chair and Asset 15 ominously locked the doors after Johnny had entered. "Have a seat Mr. Cadabre." He instructed, doing away with any politeness he showed while in the presence of the crowd below. Johnny walked forth hesitantly and sat down in the guest chair in front of the huge mahogany desk.

"Sir I just want you to know, you have nothing to worry about, Mr. Haden completely sold me on this job. I am totally on board with it and can't wait to get started!" Johnny started to say but Commander Garrett held up his hand and silenced him.

"All do respect Mr. Haden can go and fack himself, son! He's not military, he's in the Intelligence game, not Military! All those boys and their big conceptually based plans sound great in the supreme leader's ears, but it's the Military branch that has to go in and clean up the mess when their fancy over-complicated plans don't pan out. People like me and my Assets could go in and slaughter the Resistance in the course of a week, two tops! But people like Haden think that for some stupid reason, that society needs a 'Resistance' in order for the world not to break itself apart. So he comes up with a plan to infiltrate them and eventually install a puppet leader for the resistance that we can control from the inside. It's all a bit too much for my liking but his plan got the funding and I was relegated to plan B! Soooo if I'm plan B then I'm gonna be ready when the big brain's plan ends up shatting the sheets as it were. When we deploy you in a few days, You're not gonna be alone. Asset 15 here is going in with you!" Commander Garrett said and took a few long pulls of his huge cigar as Asset 15 came up from behind Johnny and put a hand on his shoulder, which made a shiver run up Johnny's neck.

"As I am sure you know what your doing sir, Mr. Haden didn't mention anything about anyone else coming along on the mission sir and if I am to be totally truthful here, I don't know how comfortable I am with it either. Now I can vouch that I am street savvy enough to get into the Resistance on my own, but having someone else to have to worry about is a whole other bucket of worms. The Resistance have shown over the years that if anything they are extremely good as sniffing out The Order's double agents." Johnny started to try and protest but again the Commander brushed him off with a wave of his hand.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, Dipshat! Asset 15 will be accompanying you and you will make sure that his cover isn't compromised, just like he will reassure me that your not planning on 'crayfishing' us and flipping for the Resistance once you get back on your side of the fence. His cover is that he was Winston Thresher's butler and when Thresher went rouge his servant followed suit. Is that clear? Asset 15 will be reporting back to me on a weekly basis and if he misses even one meeting I'll know something went South and if that happens I will be coming in hot, guns blazing and blood flying! You get me?" The Commander stated flatly and the grip in Johnny's shoulder increased in intensity to prove the point even further.

Johnny simply nodded his head, knowing full well that there was no discussion going on here, this man was used to giving commands and not being questioned, like most military personnel. He might be able to bring up his reservations about this inconvenient arrangement to Mr. Haden but not to this man and not here.

"Very good Mr. Thresher....You can go back down to the party and mingle if you'd like, we're all finished here." Garrett finished and waved his hand toward the door. Asset 15 released his hold on his shoulder and Johnny rose and went back down to join the party while the Commander and his soon to be new 'butler' Asset 15 inside what he'd thought was his office. Johnny's mood was severely diminished as he exited into the hall. He'd known this was all too good to be true and now reality's ugly barbs were going to start pricking him as the time got shorter.

Once downstairs he found Ruby and she could see his expression wasn't pleasant after the meeting with the military man. She offered to take him back into the pool room where an orgy had started to take form, but Johnny was too distracted and told her he wasn't in the mood right now. He just wanted to go to sleep and hopefully when he awoke tomorrow he'd find that this was just some strange dream.

The elevator door slid open to a room Johnny would have imagined belonged to some Middle Eastern Sheikh instead of the man hed met a few days ago. Although well dressed, Mr. Haden appeared to be more of a bureaucratic type than someone who would've picked this decadent decor. Vaulted ceilings held aloft with marble pillars, ancient woods and shimmering stone for wall dressing, oversized furniture and Egyptian rugs that covered the expansive floors. Johnny stepped inside trying his hardest not to let his mouth hang open.


He was greeted by a walking daydream in the form of Ruby Saintclaire and her appearance made Johnny step back in surprise. Miss Saintclaire was the current IT girl in modeling and the Celebrity culture. She graced countless big budget movies with her near flawless face and captivating green eyes when she wasnt busy flaunting her perfect body on the runways of the fashion districts of Chartica. She was as close to every mans fantasy as Marilyn Monroe ever had been and there she was standing in front of Johnny holding a cocktail out to him.


"Hey handsome, want a drink?" She purred walking up so close to him that he could almost taste her subtle ambergris infused perfume.


"Aaahhhh. He stuttered uncomfortably. Arent you.I mean, Are you Ruby Saintclaire...like from TV?" He said and as soon as the words left his mouth he realised how stupid he sounded.


"Thats me, stud.So you want that drink? Wow I've never seen such a pretty shade of hazel in a mans eyes before, its really quite fetching." She said with a smile that made Johnnys knees a little weak.


"AAAaah thanks.Theyre new." He said letting the joke, only he thought was funny apparently, just sit there with only a polite smile in return."I think Ill have to take a rain check on the drink though, I'm here to talk with Mr. Haden."


"He's right inside, perusing his bookshelf I think. A shame about the drink though, Id really like to get to know you better." She answered him and gave a coy look of mock disappointment before retracting the drink. "Maybe well get a chance later, cya." She finished and took the entire glass of expensive brown liquor down in a few graceful gulps.


Johnny walked into the the interior of the room and saw the small form of Mr. Haden looking down the isles of leather bound books that lined the floor to ceiling library. He looked up and smiled. "Well I'm so glad you are feeling better, You look great. I realize you probably have a considerable amount of questions you'd like answered just now but do me a favor and have a seat on the couch while I finish here, will you? Ill just be a second it appears one of the maids has misplaced a copy of my favorite tome. Damned if something as simple as the Dewey Decimal System can escape even the most uneducated of people, but they find a way to muck it up." Mr. Haden stated and went back to inspecting his books.


This all just seemed a bit too casual for Johnny, and the feeling was unsettling, he reached up and felt the small bump behind his ear reminding himself of what the guard had told him about the micro explosive he'd had implanted in his head. He walked over and sat down on the large plush couch, watching as Haden scoured his collection. "Excuse me Mr. Haden, how is it exactly that a government mule like yourself knows someone like Miss Saintclaire? She a friend of yours?"


"A Friend? No, no I wouldn't go so far as to say that, more along the lines of an indentured servant." He said as he continued his search for the book he was after.


"A servant? really? I would have thought with her career and celebrity that she was making money hand over fist." Johnny retorted.


"You can't buy everything with money Mr. Cadabre. You see the restorative cosmetic benefits of stem cells are unfortunately still frowned upon by this administration, regardless of mine and other scientifically minded officials urging. As they say you can lead the horse to water, but making them drink is truly the hard part. Believe it or not, Miss Saintclaire is actually 68 years old, of course she wasn't born by that moniker. No, I believe she was born Rita Hemmingsworth, then she changed it to Vicki Truman and now she goes by the Saintclaire persona. Isn't that correct my dear?" Haden calls out to her for confirmation. Each of her supposed pseudonym were famous actresses or models in the past decades and Johnny could hardly believe it.


"A true lady never reveals her age and a true gentleman has the manners not to ask." Ruby answers with that same alluring smile as she herself rounds the corner and sits down on the couch next to Johnny, her glass of liqueur now refilled. She sits close to him, allowing her leg to brush against his own as she crosses her and leans back into the thick cushions of the couch.


"Yes well better manners can be saved for a man with far less to do than myself. You see a bit of plastic surgery, which as I am sure you are now aware of our notable capabilities on that front, and some stem cell therapy and Miss Saintclaire can take a career that would have been over decades ago and prolong it for as long as she'd like to continue paying the price. In exchange I am afforded certain small favors from a woman that the entire male population of the Western Hemisphere fantasize about. Two like minded people whom can offer each other an exchange of exclusive services benefiting each other......OOH Hot Damn! I found it!" Mr. Haden suddenly exclaimed as he pulled the book from the shelf and held it up triumphantly.


"Do you like Ayn Rand? Or should I say, have you ever heard of her? I am sure people from your side of the fence don't get much time for recreational reading. She wrote this delightful novel called 'Atlas Shrugged' and truth be told it is a bit dry as far as fictional writing is concerned, but I don't truly be believe that wasn't her intention anyway. No the story is just the husk hiding a more ideological parable. Some have boiled it down as far as 'society should be able to pull itself up by bootstrap.' but I think that might be a bit to oversimplified. " He said as he caressed the leather cover of the book, holding it tight against his chest as she slowly made his way over to the sitting area where Johnny and Ruby were seated. He reached out and held the book out to John.


"You see through the tale of this industrialist family Ayn gives us a perfect standard for which a highly functioning society should conduct itself. The Order's own manifesto is drawn from this story on many key points and even our illustrious leader Tarvinis Locke shares my love for the ideas imparted to us through her writing. Now I am sure that you must be thinking that our current administration might not be working as well as I've made it out to be, but that is an opinion of ignorance, I can assure you. Before the Order there was chaos, the stagnate pool of humanity's evolution had begun to unravel. We thought that providing for the poor and impoverished was the responsible thing to do. Socialized healthcare, subsidized housing, and welfare were afforded to those who refused to do anything with their lives. We bankrupted ourselves trying to keep up with the greedy hand of poverty which seemed to never be sated. Because of this both the leeches and the productive members of society teetered together on the brink of extinction.

No we had to be more forward thinking than that, and so the Order was created." He continued his diatribe as he took a seat on the other side of Ruby, his hand coming up and caressing her thigh, although she barely took notice, her own attentions on Johnny's new handsome face.


"It emerged through the blood sweat and tears of good people whom weren't content with sitting back and letting their world simply fall into the abyss. Of course there was opposition from those who felt left out of our new plan, those same poor and sickly types that were dragging us down from the start were opposed to the idea of their free ride being canceled. Forced to fend for themselves though, we saw something amazing happened. These same sycophants that once claimed an inherent inability to care for themselves now found the strength to pull themselves up and make a life for themselves, be it meager as it is, a life just the same. A forced evolution as it were. Haden said as he reached over and took the glass of expensive liqur from Ruby and to a swig to relieve his parched throat.


Excuse me for interrupting Mr. Haden, Im sure your little speech has a point but I dont see how it confronts me any, I want to know why you felt the need to kidnap me and rearrange my face! Johnny said, no a little more uncomfortable with sitting so close to the other two, he stood up and stretched his legs.


A man that gets right to the point, you see Ruby I told you he was the right man for this endeavor. Yes Mr. Cadabre quid-pro-quo; We want you to masquerade as a disgruntled former member of the Order and infiltrate the Resistance. For the successful completion of this task we are willing to offer you a place among the Orders elite, rich and popular beyond your comprehension. How does that suit you? Haden asked, handing the glass back to Ruby and resuming the creepy slow caress of her exposed thigh.


Winston Thresher? Johnny asked, catching on quickly. He remember seeing some of the news reports while sitting in his hospital bed. He couldnt believe he didnt put it together when hed first seen his new face. It had looked oddly familiar but now he knew where from.


That is correct Mr. Cadabre, or should I say, Mr. Thresher? Hahaha, Yes very perceptive of you. You see there wasnt ever really a Winston Thresher. We started this little ruse almost 30 years ago and now today we can finally bring it to fruition. We created a fictional citizen of the Order complete with school records, tax filings, job history and even social media presence; all manufactured so that we could one day use this persona as the perfect cover for someone to infiltrate the Resistance. That someone is you. Haden said, the big smug smile on his face making the nausea in Johnnys guts swell up once again.


What the hell? Why me? I mean why not just pick one of your own elitist numbers to fill the spot and guarantee loyalty? Johnny asked, slightly dumbfounded.


Youd be surprised how hard it is to entice one of our privileged citizens to give up their creature comforts and go and live with the sewer rats. Plus theyd be at a noted disadvantage once dropped off streetside, theyd likely end up dead from some thug before ever even making contact with the Resistance. A trained soldier would have better odds of survival but their advanced combat training would stand out like a sore thumb and the Resistance would see through the cover before our agent got deep enough to matter. No believe me Id much rather have someone like Asset 15 in the mix if the ruse would hold, but alas weve tried similar endeavours and the Resistance always sniffed out the rat. But you Mr. Cadabre are just the right mix of greed and self-serving aligned with political neutrality; a perfect storm of espionage as it were.


So what makes you think I can pull off a facade of someone like that? I was raised up witht the scum not here in the mansion district. Johnny shot back, but his mind was already starting to consider the possibility.


Well well give you all the information you need, complete access to the fictional life weve created for Thresher, everything from his first memories, loss of virginity, to landing a CEO position at a prestigious financial firm. His likes, his dislikes and most importantly the reason hes willing to turn on a luxurious way of life and except one of the Peoples Liberation Front. But you dont have to give me an answer now, give it a day or so to think over. Miss Saintclaire will be your liaison and she can show you around the Mansion district. You get a taste of the good life and then see if you dont agree with me when its all said and done. Haden said and rose from his position on the couch.


I suppose there isnt any consolation prize if I decide to decline your offer is there? Johnny asked, already knowing the answer.


Id threaten to feed you to the dogs like we do with other prisoners, but Im afraid there wouldnt be enough of you left to scrape of the walls and ceiling after that explosive we placed in your head goes off. But as I said, no need to answer me now, take your time and have some fun playing with Ruby. Ill talk to you the day after tomorrow. Now if youll both excuse me, as I said am a terribly busy man and have other pressing matters to attend to. Haden finished and escorted John and Ruby back to the elevator.

John stepped in; a beautiful girl on his arm, dressed to kill and handsome as the day is long with the promise of wealth and power to come; he wondered if he should just answer now because he was fairly sure his mind was already made up. Nah hell with it, might as well paint the town red before the mission started anyway. Besides hed never been with a nearly 70 year old woman before, not to mention one as hot as Ruby Saintclaire was.

After a few days of bed rest and hospital grade jello came the itchiness of healing as his surgical wounds started to mend. That coupled with the cadre of questions that raced through his head about what the Order could possibly want with him, Johnny was damn near going crazy. Neither of the goons tasked with guarding his hospital room ever offered anything when Johnny would press them for answers and neither did any of the nurses, orderlies, or doctors that periodically visited him either. By the third day he couldn't take it anymore, he just wanted some answers to the questions that were burning a hole in his brain.

When a doctor came into change his facial bandages he finally said the magic words. "When can I speak with Mr. Haden?" Johnny asked, the defeat in his voice more than evident. For once the doctor didn't ignore him, his face came up to meet Johnny's gaze and he smiled. "Superb sir, Ill let Chief Director Haden know that you're ready to talk with him. Let me remove these unsightly bandages and Ill let him know." The doctor said and began removing the wrapping of gauze for the final time.

When he was finished he handed Johnny a small hand mirror from the large pocket of his white lab jacket. Have a look, "I think you're going to be quite impressed with your new face, I hope the chin dimple wasn't too much, but I was going for a real superman aesthetic." He said and then exited the room leaving Johnny to deal with the shock of his new look.

Johnny's hand was still handcuffed but he was able to angle the safety-mirror up enough to see what the doctor had been talking about. At first he thought it was some kind of trick, because the man staring back at him from the mirror was someone else entirely. The doctor hadn't been joking around when he said 'superman' because the face glaring back at him in awe was something straight out of a comic book. Although Johnny had always fancied himself fairly handsome, hed always known it had been in a sort of every-man ordinary way, but the face he saw now was so handsome it almost looked surreal. High angular cheekbones and brow framed his now twinkling hazel eyes. His nose which was formerly quaintly crooked from years of street fights now looked like something off of a Greek statue. His jawline was now chiseled and capped of with a strong square chin, and yes it was indeed topped off with a dimple like some cherry on a sundae. Even his teeth appeared straighter and unchipped. "What the Fack?" He whispered to himself, feeling the whelm of nausea reappear in his stomach.

After letting their patient settle from the shock of surprise for a while the guards received a call on their comms. A muffed order issued and the men finally unseated themselves from their posts. One stood holding the rooms door open while the other approached Johnny and took the mirror from him. He reached onto the keyring of his belt and produced the key to the handcuffs restraining Johnny.

"The Director is ready to receive you now. Do yourself a favor and behave, understand? There are clothes in that closet, were gonna go so that you can get dressed, when you're finished there is an elevator at the end of the hall, just push the penthouse button and hold your thumb on the fingerprint reader." The guard instructed him.

"You aint worried I am gonna take off running?" Johnny asked sarcastically.

"Not unless you want the micro explosive they placed in your head to turn your pretty new face into something out of a horror movie!" The guard said back shooting him a sadistic smile and reaching up to tap Johnny behind the ear with his finger. "Boom" he whispered and then laughed as he walked out of the room.

Johnny waited and watched the door for a minute, thinking at first it might be some sort of trick and as soon as he got out of the bed unrestrained the guards were going to come rushing back in the room and give him a beating for trying to escape. But as he slowly rose and then took a few steps around the room he realized that it wasn't a ruse. His hand reached up and he rubbed the spot behind his ear the guard had indicated, there was indeed a hard lump there.

Johnny walked to the closet in the corner of the room and opened the door expecting to see his shabby clothes he'd been wearing to be hanging there but instead he saw an expensive three-piece blue suit and Oxford white shirt. In the bottom of the closet were shiny black dress shoes and what appeared to be silk socks. Admittedly it took him a little longer to actually get the clothes on, as he had little experience with doing things like tying a necktie properly. He didn't even know what the platinum cufflinks were for and ended up putting them in the jackets pocket instead of affixing them to his sleeves. But once finished he looked at himself in the closets door mirror and couldn't believe what he saw.

The face, the suit (even though his tie was crooked), and those damn shiny shoes; he didn't resemble himself at all, instead he appeared to be one of the richy-rich types on TV in those Order sanctioned programs that filled the airwaves were always broadcasting. They were the same privileged fackheads that people from his side of the fence had grown up to hate. But for all that, truth be told, he kind of liked the way he looked despite himself. He reached out and slammed the closet shut with rage, damn them for what they'd done to him and damn himself for liking it a little too much!

After a minute to steel his nerves Johnny went to the hall door and slowly opened it. Outside there was no one, nor any windows or doors other than the elevator of which the guard had mentioned. Inside that was the thumbpad and penthouse buttons, Johnny hesitantly pressed it and set off upward into a life he could have never imagined for himself.

"Wakey wakey, egss and bakey!" Was the first thing Johnny heard when he started to regain consciousness. His head was swimming and not like anytime he'd ever been tasered before, this was more like coming off of heavy drugs.

"ooooh...man I feel like I was in a car wreck!" Johnny said but he heard his own voice and it came out slurred and missing syllables. He tried to bring his hands up to his throbbing head but found they were handcuffed to the bed he was laying in.

"Ha ha yes....a car wreck and then some. Be a dear and don't try moving around too much, you pop your stitches." The condescending voice stated and Johnny tried looking around if he could see where it was coming from but there appeared to be gauze covering his eyes.

"What happened? Why am I in a hospital and not in a jail cell? Where am I? Who are you?" The torrent of questions babbled out but most were lost in the slur of his drugged voice again.

"Settle down young man, I am sure you are both confused and scared right now but I can assure you that your in a safe place right now....Here let me atleast get those bandages off your eyes so you can see, that might help a bit yes? Doctor? Doctor? Boys is the Physician near by? No? Lunchbreak huh?....oooh bother, I suppose I can do it myself. Hold still will you?" The nasally voice said and then his silhouetted form appeared through the bandages as he began to adjust them. Johnny could feel slight pain in his face as the man started gruffly tugging at the gauze but he couldn't remember anything happening to his face during the car accident. He supposed it could have been adrenaline masking the pain but he thought he would of atleast seen some blood at the time but didn't remember any.

"There that should be better, can you see now?" The man said and as Johnny's eyes adjusted to the bright white lights in the room he found that he could indeed. The man that had been speaking to him stood in front of the hospital bed he was shackled to. He was a short balding fellow dressed in a very expensive suit. On the small man's birdlike face he wore expensive horn rimmed glasses which his big blue inquisitive eyes stared through at Johnny; except they weren't just inquisitive, they also appeared quite cruel as well. Behind the man were two armed guards, Order shock troopers which guarded the door of the hospital room he was currently in.

"Where the hell am I? Why aren't I in prison? Or Dead? What happened?" Johnny asked and a small shiver a nausea crept up from his guts.

"HA, it's funny you should ask that Mr. Cadabre, Actually you are quite dead!" The creepy little man said with a chuckle which intensified Johnny's nausea further. "Here let me show you, can you see the TV monitor from there? I realize the anesthetic is probably still wearing off, so don't strain yourself too much." He answered and picked up the remote control from the nightstand next to the hospital bed. He clicked on the TV and a prerecorded news broadcast started to play. It showed the aftermath of what the Order was calling a Terror Attack and stated that Johnny, Stevie and Baggs were all killed in the skirmish.

"That was facking bullcrap man! What you guys did to Stevie was wrong man! He would've surrendered, you didn't have to kill him. Baggs was one thing man, he was a nut and probably even deserved to die, but poor Stevie was just following orders. He might've been a dummy but he didn't deserve that!" Johnny said as the anger and regret started to whelm up in his voice. He could almost hear the two Shock Troopers chuckling when the footage from their helmet cams was replayed.

"Your little dimwit friends were of no importance to us John, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. You however can be quite useful to us though, which is why we extracted you instead of just letting you burn to death in that heap of a car. Do you understand?" The smug little man stated flatly.

"You're not as smart as you think....I ain't helping you! I don't care what sort of weird medical torture you put me through, I ain't ratting out my gang!" Johnny protested.

"ooohhh.....hahha......AHHAHAHAHA! No John, no.....Nothing so benign as that.... Firstly we already own your 'gang'. Who do you think sent you to that ambush in the first place, hmmm? Your boss, a Mister....'Snake', I believe it is? Yes we own that scumbag lock stock and both smoking barrels. No we want you for something far more special. It's actually quite an opportunity for you, truth be told. If you can manage to pull it off that is. Yes Mr. Cadabre you're looking at a way to vastly improve your quality of life in all the ways that truly matter to you. Money, power, respect, all at the verge of your fingertips and all you have to do is play ball for us."

"What are you talking about? HUH? I was born on the wrong side of the tracks, man! I know I'm just pawn, You Order types think you can just move us poor whelps around and throw us away when your done, don't cha? Well I am here to tell you that there is more to life than money or fancy things. I am a person, and I am not letting you use me and throw me away like trash! Now either put me in a jail cell so I can start doing my time, or put a bullet in my head and be done with it, cause I'm not gonna 'play ball' for you and I damn sure ain't gonna help you sick monkeys fack up anyone else's life either!"

The small man simply smiled after Johnny was finished with his rant. "Yes well we shall see about that Mr. Cadabre, we shall see. I can see you're still a bit emotional right now, so we'll talk more later. My name is Mr. Haden, I'm the Chief of the Intelligence Agency for the Order. After you're feeling a bit better we'll talk again, and maybe you'll have a change of heart....Maybe you won't but if that's the case then we can clear up any discrepancies between your current state and what your obituary reads as. By the way, it said you burned to death....So you might want to keep that in mind whilst pondering your current predicament." Mr. Haden said and with that Johnny could see the full extent of the cruelty that hid behind the man's large magnified eyes. He walked over and patted Johnny's leg before turning and starting to walk out of the room.

"Wait! What the hell did you guys do to my face anyway?" Johnny asked in desperation.

"oooh that? Don't concern yourself, it's just a bit of minor plastic surgery. We have the best surgeons available and I can assure you that you'll be healed up in no time. Just lay back and rest for now Mr. Cadabre, We'll talk very soon. " Mr. Haden answered and then left the room, ,leaving Johnny's mind to race. What had he gotten himself into?

The building that Snake had informed them was a Resistance Drug lab was a dilapidated former bank, which made sense defensibly but not for inconspicuousness. The Resistance was made up of highly intelligent people and the fact that they'd picked such a centralized location to cook copious amounts of industrial quality Meth didn't seem to make sense to Johnny; but he was just a low level foot soldier and not in the position to question intel. They waited patiently until someone emerged from the front doors, assuming that they'd have some sort of locking mechanism and with no way to unlock it they were hoping for a convenient 'smoke brake' to gain them entrance. Eventually the got what they were waiting for when a shabby looking fellow shambled out of the front doors.

The group of three; Baggs, Stevie, and Johnny himself; rushed toward the large metal doors at the front of the building, masks down and guns at the ready. Baggs was singing in his drug fueled hysteria, "Gonna rape her, gonna rape her, gonna turn her over and BANG HER!" to the tune of 'Flight of the Valkyries' by Richard Wagner and it was making Johnny even more uneasy. He knew Baggs was a maniac and psychopath but now he was starting to think that he my also be a sexual deviant. After all he'd heard Baggs talking to his fellow gang members from time to time about seeing Brenda Burnout out and around the city whilst she was dealing her wares and about the things he'd like to do to her lily-white posterior. So now his concern was that Baggs was gonna do something stupid and jeopardize the mission.

Baggs grabbed the poor unassuming man whom had exited the building by his hair and pressed the Uzi into the surprised man's ear. "Alright douchebag! Now you're gonna let us inside and you're not gonna say a word or I'll paint the wall with your grey matter.....Understand?" He growled into the man's ear. But to Johnny it didn't make sense, this guy didn't look like a Resistance cook or even one of the guards, he look homeless.

"Bagman, something aint' right here, this don't look like a lab to me, maybe we got the wrong address." Johnny started to protest.

"Shut yer beanhole Corpsey! This guy works here and he's gonna let us in, ain't that right?" Baggs said pressing the short barrel of the Uzi harder into the man's ear. The poor scared man nodded affirmatively not knowing what else to do. "Ya see Corpsey, they think they're real smart, They dress up like homeless fackheads in order to throw off any suspicion, but Snake told us this was the place, so we know what we are doing here! Stop being a sissy and let's get this show on the road!"

But it turned out that there was no secret lock for Bagg's hostage to disengage, the man simply reached over and opened the door without any resistance at all. As they burst through the front doors Stevie pointed his double barrel up at the ceiling and let a shot fly to get everyones attention. Baggs yells " Don't any-facking-one of you such much as MOVE, or I'll execute every last Motherfacking one of you!" But to everyone's surprise there was no one inside, empty and full of dust from many years of sitting vacant with the exception of a small makeshift bed the now obviously homeless man had made for himself. No lab, no Resistance chemists and certainly no guards. The three take a second to look at each other in confusion, had they got the address wrong afterall?

"Stevie, go and check the back room! I know this is just some front!" Baggs commands, his voice trembling with excitement.

Stevie cautiously starts over toward one of the of the few doors behind what used to be the teller's counter when Baggs turns to Johnny and motions toward on of the other doors on the west side of the room. "You check that one!"

Johnny can hear Baggs whispering threats into the hostage's ear, "Where is it? huh? Where's the lab? You tell me now or I'll bust a cap in your old keister." But the man can only whimper and whine in retort.

Johnny reaches the side western door first, because Stevie has to navigate around the long counter. Johnny reaches out with his foot and kicks the door open, revealing a dark empty room inside. With no flashlight, he reaches into his pocket and pulls the zippo lighter from his pocket. It's just as he starts to flick it that poor Stevie reaches those ominous rear doors. Johnny's lighter crackles to life and then the large BANG happens. At first Johnny who is now in the side room thinks that poor dumb Stevie must've accidentally emptied the other barrel of his shotgun by accident but when Baggs starts to scream he knows it's worse.

Johnny stops and turns on his heels, poking his head back out the doors to see what's going on, but as soon as his head comes out the gunfire starts and he instinctively pulls it back in. "BAGMAN? Baggs?? What the Hell man?" Johnny calls out after falling backward onto his ass. But all he can hear is the fast paced popping of Baggs' Uzi and several other, much larger caliber fully automatic weapons returning fire.

"DROP YOUR WEAPON AND SURRENDER RIGHT NOW, SCUMBAG! THIS IS THE ORDER AND WE WANT YOU TO LET YOUR HOSTAGE GO RIGHT NOW! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING SURRENDER OR DIE!" An amplified voice calls back during a break in the gunfire.

"Oh my god! The Order?? What in god's name is the Order doing in Lowtown? How did they know we'd be here? " Johnny whispered to himself. He got to his knees and inched forward, peeping out the crack in the door hoping he could see what was going on without drawing too much attention to himself. Outside the door he could see Baggs squatted down behind one of the cement islands that people used to fill out their forms at before reaching the teller's window. He was reloading his Uzi and still had the poor homeless man locked in a headlock. Johnny changed his vantage point and looked across the bank to where Stevie had gone. There he saw a heavily armed squad of Order goons posted up behind the teller's counter, poor Stevie laid low, his head nothing more than a wet mess now.

"YOU ORDER MONKEYS DON'T STAND A CHANCE! I'M THE BAGMAN BABY, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOU BETTER AXE SOMEBODY! I GOT 800 ROUND OF 9MM HOLLOW POINT FOR YA, SO IF YA WANT ME YOUR GONNA HAVE TO COME AND GET ME AND I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA TAKE AS MANY OF YOU FILTHY DOGS OUT WITH ME AS I CAN.....YOU HEAR ME?!" Baggs screamed back.

Just like that one of the heavily armored shock troops stood up and cocked the grenade launcher on the bottom of his assault rifle. 'THUOOMP' sounded and the cover Baggs was squatted behind exploded, killing both him and his hostage. Johnny got to his feet and burst through the door, hoping beyond hope that the flying dust and debris was enough to cover his escape. His legs pumped as hard as he could and his sole focus was on the front doors that they'd entered through. His peripheral vision saw the soldiers starting to stand and draw aim on him and he could actually feel his life coming to an end.

Now it might have been adrenaline or shock altering his perception of the events but he could almost swear he saw their captain wave his men's guns off of him. Either way Johnny didn't stick around to find out, he hit the front doors and tore off into the street toward the gang's muscle car.

Above him he could see and hear the Order helicopter hovering above him and his hopes sunk even farther. 'God please don't let this be it!" He prayed to himself as he sprinted toward the getaway car. Johnny didn't bother with the door handle, he'd left the window down and simple slid in through that, a second later his hand hit the ignition and the car roared to life.

Johnny gunned the accelerator and the car took off sliding side to side before catching traction. His knuckles turned white with desire as the wheels of the car exploded on the tarmac like a slug from a .45. He could almost smell freedom as the road opened up in front of him but then his dreams were crushed as a massive armored six-wheeled attached vehicle appeared in front of him. It was headed toward him at full speed and the behemoth was so big it blocked both lanes of the road.

With no side streets readily available Johnny was only left with one option and it was as crazy as he was right now. Their Vehicle was huge with giant tires and ground clearance and Johnny could only think of one thing. He pressed the gas pedal to the ground and aimed right for the center gap between the wheels. With any luck and enough speed he might just be able to squeak underneath. It was an absolutely insane plan but he knew he had no other option. "FACK IT!" He growled from between his clenched teeth.

As the front end of the car slid underneath the front of the armored vehicle, for a brief second Johnny thought he actually might make it, but as the distance closed he knew the clearance wasn't enough and slouched down instinctively. Thankfully he hadn't taken time to put on his seat belt because the car's roof came ripping off and almost took of his head as the two vehicles collided. The smaller car's suspension collapsed and he could hear the screech of the tires rubbing against the interior of the wheel wells just before all four blew out and both came to a sparking stop.

Johnny's car had become wedged underneath the Order's behemoth troop carrier. His eyes opened and he was looking at the underside of their giant truck. He coughed as the exhaust choked his lungs and tried helplessly to push up against the tonnage. It was just then that a hatch opened and he saw several Order soldiers staring down at him. Instantly they reached down and grabbed him, pulling him up into their vehicle. Johnny tried to struggle but his body was still in shock from the massive collision he'd just survived. They hoisted him up and slammed him into a restraint seat. A taser came next and after a few seconds of extreme voltage he passed out.


Later that day on the Order sanctioned news channel the event was broadcast.
"WE have breaking footage of a terrorist cell that was neutralized by the Order's elite anti-terrorist Squad today! Three insurgents were taken down after an attempted terror attack." The news anchor said while a brief glimpse of Braggs, Stevie, and Johnny's photos were shown. The footage showed the heavily armored vehicle pulling off of Johnny's car and it exploding into flame.

"Our secondary story is that a well known industrialist from the Mansion district was also implicated in aiding and abetting the terror attack. Mr. Winston Thresher was a notable citizen and beneficiary of the Order but turned rouge when his political agendas weren't realized. A squad of Order Police were sent to his residence but found that he'd already fled. There is an all points bulletin for him or his family and a reward of $100,000 for any reports of his current whereabouts. Citizens are warned that he may be trying to reach the Resistance in hopes of refuge and that he may be armed and dangerous. Please stand by for your local weather."

Johnny Cadabre, aka 'Corpsey', stood at around 6' and had a thin athletic build. he be considered handsome if he ever bothered shaving the scruff from his square jaw or comb his messy dark hair but he seldom ever did. No real sense in taking care of one's self when you live in the inner city slums of Chartica, and in fact quite the opposite is true. Good personal hygiene was an indicator that someone had money and that made you a target here in the mean streets. No, Johnny was too smart to ever put on airs, even his clothes were shabby and distressed. He wore bluejeans and a black t-shirt both of which were holey and randomly patched and hadn't been washed in long enough that they'd probably stand up on their own if he ever took them off. For a jacket he'd found some old sheerling coat and the once white lining now had a musky yellowed stain. His hat was nothing special appearing as no more than an oversized olive drab beanie but he'd cut two eye holes in it so that he could use it as a shift mask when needed, which was needed quite often when in his line of work.

Johnny wasn't much different than any other street level thug which inhabited the ghetto. He was even cliche enough to belong to a gang; the group of ne'er-do-wells was known as The Cutters and as far as organized crime was concerned, they were small potatoes. The Cutters were essentially just a bunch of teenagers and young adults that specialized in petty theft and robbery to make ends meet. They are named as such because their primary source of income comes from the ballsy act of 'cutting' the electrified razor-wired fences that surround the upscale mansion districts and sneaking in at night in order to pilfer the rich and bring back the stolen goods in order to sell on the black market. Now don't be confused, he was no Robin Hood figure and the men he hung around with weren't very merry. No these men shared no philanthropic value system, they'd gladly rob any poor soul even the other impoverished that called the slums home as quickly as they'd do dirty on one of the wealthy. Led by and villain nicknamed Snake, they robbed cheated and stole from anyone that was stupid enough to cross their path.

As far as they were concerned everyone was fair game regardless of political affiliation. The Order wasn't some evil dictatorship to be overthrown, they were just the government and all governments are corrupt after all, so what was the difference? The Cutters stayed out of the Order's way and they got by just fine on their own. Not that they hadn't done work for the resistance in the past, hell if those freedom fighters wanted to pay for a bit of civil unrest so that they could complete some clandestine mission to undermine the current administration, then Cutters would gladly oblige them. However if Order investigators happened to get tipped off to the location of some of those 'terrorists' afterward, then they would make money that way as well. Go ahead and judge them if you feel the need, but the simple truth is that this was survival and nothing more.

Present time

Johnny got up out of bed and pulled his grimy black t-shirt on, turning to regard the prostituted still sleeping in bed beside him.

"Hey wake up! I gotta go, Snake said he had a job for me and the boys today and I don't wanna be late, thanks for the good time last night.....What's yer name?" He said shaking her awake.

"Bernadette, and where is my money? You promised you'd pay extra for that freaky stuff we did!" She said still half asleep and wiping the smeared mascara from her eyes.

"I'll pay ya after we get done with the job, Snake said it was gonna be a good pay day. I'll swing by and pay ya what yer owed after ok? You gonna be on that same corner or in that sleazy bar?" He replied, half ignoring her protests and putting on his jacket and hat. He checked the inner pocket to make sure she hadn't robbed him while he slept. His small roll of tens and the ramshackle revolver were still there and he took the gun out and tucked it into the small of his back in his waistband.

"Thas Bullcrap, You said you'd pay me! How am I gonna eat today Johnny?" She said, the anger and desperation in her voice evident.

"You'll figure it out, You're a survivor just like me, that's why I like you. Well that and the fact that you'll do that freaky stuff I like! ha!" He finished by leaning down and giving her a small kiss on the cheek which made her recoil at the smell of his morning breath. "I'll see ya when I'm finished with work, promise." He said as he made for the door but they both knew he was lying.

Johnny walked down the garbage covered street toward the Cutter's hideout noticing a new bit of graffiti on the walls. It read 'Jester' and in small words next to it almost as an after thought was 'Let the people GO'. He laughed to himself, 'let the people go where?' He scoffed to himself. There wasn't anywhere else to go, and anybody that didn't know that was just kidding themselves. This was life, and you could either deal with it or spend your time whining about your poor dead family or how the world was so friggin' bad, but none of it made a damn bit of difference in the end.

Johnny walked through an alleyway full of panhandlers and bums each of them with their hand out wanting someone to spend mercy and give them a handout. He had to actually kick one of the more aggressive ones in order to make the man back off. "Get a job you fracking slob!" He said, reciting a popular song lyric, to which the man replied with a bloody cough. Down the alley was the dumpster, which wasn't really a dumpster but the secret entrance to the Cutter's HQ. He hopped into the fake garbage bag filled dumpster and disengaged the trap mechanism which guarded the door. Once the small explosive device was deactivated he opened the hatch and slipped down into the network of sewer tunnels, making sure to rearm the trap before setting off.

After navigating the labyrinth of tunnels Johnny arrived at their gang's hideout. It was a large overflow culvert which they'd repurposed as their base of operations. Snake was there as well of several of the other gang members. Johnny approached and threw up their gang sign which resembled the latter in a game of rock-paper-scissors. "How's it going boss, What's the score?"

Snake was currently lounging on one of the dilapidated couches which filled the room. "Going well Corpsey! You look like you got yer wick wet last night! Good fer you, but I hope it don't effect your skills son! I got a job for you and a couple of the boys and it could be a good payout, You up fer it?"

"Shit yeah man, I'm ready and willing, What's the gig?" He replied and looking around to see who else he'd be working with. It was Stevie and Baggs, two fellows he wasn't all that fond of but, beggars couldn't be choosers.

"Well I've had my eye on this Resistance drug lab a few blocks north of here. You know that drug-slinger Brenda.....Brenda....ah what's her name?" Snake trailed off but Baggs interrupted "Burnout....Brenda Burnout is what she goes by, boss"

"Yeah that's her! You know who I'm talking about Johnny?" Snake asked.

"Yeah sure I guess, She slings a little pot, sometimes Acid, what about her?" He replied.

"Well like I was saying, she's hooked up with those Resistance fools now and she's working for them full time. They got her set up in one of their labs and now she making some serious weight. I want you to take Stevie and Baggs here and go and scope that place out. You sit back and wait till they got a good amount of stock built up and then I want you to hit the place and clean them out! I want it all! You good?" Snaked asked, taking a huge hit off his Meth pipe and exhaling a massive cloud of smoke.

"Sure boss whatever you say, But it ain't like some mom & pop shop we can just roll. That Resistance and they are likely to have armed guards and some sort of security system, plus how are we gonna know when they get a good load?" Johnny asked, hoping he didn't sound stupid or weak in his leader's eyes.

"You guys can take a couple of sawed-off shotties and Baggs is gonna have an uzi, the lab ain't got but two guards and not much of a security system either cause they think they got it hid real good, but ol' Snake found out where it is. I guess that's the problem with having junkies as your sole clientele, you know what they say about 'lose lips' HA! So what we found out is that they work all day and take the shipment out around 9pm. I want you and the boys to hit that spot at around 8:45pm and clean those Motherfracker's clocks! You good?" He asked again, and this time Johnny knew not to ask anymore questions.

"Yeah boss, I'm good" Johnny replied, going to their meager gun cache and selecting a pistol grip 12 gauge with a barrel short enough to conceal under his coat. He tossed another double barrel sawed off to Stevie and the three men set off on their mission. Johnny didn't mind working with Stevie, he wasn't that smart but he rarely did anything overly stupid either. Baggs on the other hand was gunning for a higher position in the gang and so he was always doing crazy stuff all the time. Baggs was someone that you couldn't trust and Johnny just didn't like him, he could only hope everything would go smoothly, but he had a sneaking suspicion that that wasn't going to happen.

The three men exited the sewers and made their way to the gang's car. It was an old rusted out muscle car with two different colored doors, but it fit right in as far as the quality of cars were around here. Johnny drove and soon they were at the spot parked across the street for the Resistance's lab. The clock on the dash said 8:21pm and the men started getting ready.

"Alright boys, time to ROCK and friggin' ROLL! Stevie and Corpsey You two hit the guards and I'll keep the scientists covered! Once you've neutralized the guards you two fill the dufflebags with the dope! Got it?" Baggs announced like his was in charge and nobody protested.

"I got it Baggs, but don't be doing nothin stupid ok? We are there for the Drugs, not to turn that place into a bloodbath! YOU GOT ME?"Johnny decided to interject.

"Don't worry about me Corpsey! I know what the frack I'm doing!" Baggs shot back angrily and rolled up his sleeve so that he could shoot the liquid amphetamine into his vein. "OOOH YEAH BABY! LET'S GET SOME!"

Billy Ellison eyes popped open and he immediately reached down for his six-shooter, but found only an empty holster. The last thing he remembered was some stranger coming up from behind him and offering some job. He'd started to tell the fella to 'kick stone' but then he felt a shock and blacked out. Probably some lawman come to collect the bounty on his head and got the jump on him. After years of train robbing and stagecoach jacking they'd finally caught up to him and now he must be in some jail cell waiting for them to build the gallows he'd surely hang from, except this weren't no jail cell like he'd ever seen. Everything was white or shiny metal and he could see no bars or sheriffs guarding for that matter. He wasn't wearing no striped convicts clothes either, instead he was still wearing the clothes they'd got him in; brown vest, black trousers and a white undershirt, even his black stetson hat was there, hanging on the corner of the bed.

Bill rubbed his head and sat up in the bed, looking around the room he saw several other people with the same confused look on their faces as his own current visage adorned. In the bed next to him was a fella, dressed strangely with clothes that had some funny green, brown and olive pattern he'd never seen before. He'd guess a military man but that wasn't like any uniform he'd ever laid eyes on. Military men from the 1860's wore plain gray wool pants and usually a blue coat but still this fella had the look of someone who'd seen combat regardless of his strange clothes.

It was then that the panel on the wall came to life and the floating head started talking. Bill almost pissed his pants at the sight of this, he'd never even seen anything like that in his life. Bill's mouth fell agape and he stared in amazement barely able to comprehend what the strange looking fella had to say. He did notice that some of the others in the room weren't as awed by the crazy looking talking head in the wall, almost if they might've seen something similar before. When the message concluded he coughed and cleared his throat wondering what sort of mess he'd gotten himself into.

He guessed 'caffeteria' was something like a mess hall but with how confused and shaken he was food wasn't something he was craving at the moment, but maybe they had coffee. He stood up from his bed and walked into the adjoining room cautiously, there was a small piece of metal mesh on the wall above a service window and Bill figured there must be a server on the others side. He bent down and spoke into it.

"Coffee if'n ya got it" He said and then expected the small window to open in the back of the cove with some server's hand holding a cup of coffee, but instead the cove illuminated with a bright white light and when it faded his piping hot cup of coffee was sitting there. "I'll be damned!" He said in utter amazement. He reached into his pocket and produced a few pennies, placing them in the cove and then walking over to the table to take a seat as the others began to filter in. He saw the fella in the funny green clothes step in and thought it might be wise to try and start up a conversation, maybe this guy knew what in the hell was going on.

"Hey there fella! That is some strange get-up you got there? You one of Custer's men?"

Welcome friends and enemies alike to the land of Blutfluss! It's a quaint Bavarian burg is situated at the base of the Carpathian mountains and is a rich and bountiful place to call home. It's name derives from the reddish clay banks of the Blute River which originates from the mountains. Blutfluss is a place of wealth and a trade hub do to its location on the river. It has trade ports and for both importing goods as well as selling their own wares. This story takes place in a Pre-industrial time period.

The economy is based on the superb enriched soil deposited by the the Blute river which makes for spectacular apple orchards and other agricultural products such as potatoes, corn and hay as well as a thriving timber industry. Livestock also thrives here, cows,pigs and alpacas are abundant; but horses are truly what Blutfluss is known for. They are a stout-surefooted mountain breed native to the land and good stock in these breeds is worth quite a bit in neighboring kingdoms. The neighboring kingdoms to Blutfluss are Clattsburg, Hadron, and Wiesbaum.

Clattsburg is the closest neighbor, just to the south and also on Blute River. The little sister-city of Blutfluss is growing economically but there success is directly linked to that of Blutfluss' fate. It is said that if one falls so too will the other.
-Cattsburg's cash crops are grapes/wine and foul (birds, chickens, turkey). Shipping is also a booming industry here with the region's highest number of cargo ships.
-Clattburg is a monarchy as well; its ruler, King Fredric Fedor and is a cousin to Blutsfluss' own ruler (or was atleast). He is well known to be quite power hungry and will do almost anything to expand his own empire. His military is still smaller and that fact alone is what might keeping him from outright war. One should take note, that his navy is still quite formidable.

Hadron sits off to the west on the Collidor Plains. The city is the oldest of it's peers, and was built upon a great salt-flats. It is the region's academic/technological leader and houses several of the most prestigious houses of higher learning. It is a place of innovation and idealism, with and emerging invention of the steam powered engines bringing forth an industrial revolution promising to change the world as we all know it.
-Hadron's economy is in technologies and salt and of course knowledge.
-Hadron is a Democratic Republic with elected officials and President. The current President is Backra Osham, he is a fair and well read man that seeks peace and economic prosperity.

Weisbaum in the east is the economic center of the region, it's a place of financial institutions and Banks, specializing in stocks and investments. It also carries the region's largest army although it is sworn to only defend never and mostly rests in stasis. Weisbaum is the home of a growing and powerful sect of religious zealot whom believe their god is the only true god. They have Masonic Temples in every kingdom in the region.
-Weisbaum economy is economy focuses on funding the rise and fall of kingdoms through high yielding investments and purchasing of debts. Blattsfluss is currently in debt to Weisbaum for several hundred thousand gold and with the deadline being only two years away for payment in full, otherwise its crown and throne will absorbed into Weisbaum's rule.
-Weisbaum is Dictatorship run by a religion-based selected by the church. The current figurehead is Emperor Hiram IV although truly the 9 members of the high council of the Masonic Church hold any real power.

Alas there is a problem here in our fair land of Blutsfluss. Our King, Gregory II; who was himself an only child; has just passed away under suspicious circumstances and with no heir to secede him. King Gregory was apparently sent a gift basket from a yet to be named source which diabolically contained certain foodstuffs which he turned out to be deathly allergic to. His wife Queen Helivetica has only two daughters, Elizabeth and Atlanta ;and from a previous marriage no less; as prospective heirs. As such most in the kingdom's nobility are rabidly opposed to that idea. And so there you have it, an entire thriving kingdom on the edge of the abyss complete with wolves barking nipping at it's heels. Will you just sit back passively and watch as your thriving homeland is cast away, or will you chance it and possibly bring civil war or strife? OR can you leverage yourself into power and become KING saving your home? The choice is yours.

Become a Baron of Blutsfluss and try your chances at becoming King. Simply create a Nobleman or Noblewoman character. Define their lands and crops and or assets, the more of any of that you have will mean the more powerful you are but with that comes exorbitant taxes and a political target on your back. Use your power and influence to levy the favor of your fellow noblepeople so that you can become King of Blutsfluss. OR choose be an outside influence from the other local Kingdoms.

You awaken from what feels like a nightmare, sweaty palms, racing heartbeat and that dry sticky tastes in your mouth. Bright white lights fill your field of vision and at first you think 'whew; just a bad dream! Thank god I'm back in my own bed safe and warm!' but as the lens flare of waking fades away to reality you realize you're not in your own bed at all. Not only isn't it your be; and this certainly isn't your room. It's all shiny metallic walls and illuminated floor panels. You see that you are also not alone, there are several other beds with waking occupants who seem just as confused as you. Is it a Hospital? Did something happen to you last night and you just don't remember?

You think back, what is the last thing you can remember? Your memory still foggy and your head hurts when you try focusing, but it slowly starts to come back to you. There you were, minding your own business, doing whatever it was you were doing in your appropriate time period and some stranger approached. You can remember that he was dressed slightly oddly, not something you picked up on at first glance, but instead from closer inspection while speaking with him. His face was the same way, familiar and simultaneously forgettable but at the same time slightly off once you really got a good look underneath the brim of his period correct hat. So you try to focus harder and some of the details of the conversation you'd had with this stranger start to reemerge.

"Hello? insert name..." That's right, you remember that the stranger knew your full name too.

"My name is Ebenezer Black, I'm looking for bright new applicants for an chance at an exciting new career opportunity. Now I'll be perfectly honest with you, the pay isn't great but the fringe benefits really make the hard work worth it. How does travelling to exotic locales and exciting job assignments sound for starters? Good right? Now you add on a heaping spoonful of the respect of your peers and you're starting to get close to the opportunity that is presenting itself to you here today. Now I realize that you've probably got some reservations about picking up and leaving on such short notice, but I can assure you that you won't need to pack a thing, we've got you covered on all accounts and we'll even provide a courtesy note to your closest relatives so they don't worry about you. Say goodbye to that humdrum so called life you've been living, and say hello to your new life as a 'mover & shaker', because lucky you are now an employee of the prestigious North Central Positronics LLC. " It was just about then you realize what was so strange about his face. It was like he was wearing a ill fitted mask which didn't quite move like a persons face ought to. Admittedly it was a notable distraction because you barely noticed the fact that he'd reached into his pocket and produced some small device. And that was it, lights out. Now here you are waking up in some foreign place with a bunch of other strangers. Not a single one dressed in any clothing that even resembled anything your used to seeing either. Like each of them was plucked out of a different time period and deposited here along side you.

It is then that a large panel on the wall at the head of the room comes to life, on it is an animated narrator which slightly resembles Max Headroom (for those from the appropriate time period might recognize.). He smiles and surveys each of you as if this isn't some prerecorded message but an interactive simulation.

"Good Morning applicants and welcome to the first day of the rest of your lives. You lucky few have been selected to audition for the coveted position as a Low Man for North Central Positronics LLC. Unfortunately there is only a single position we are looking to fill, so keep in mind that you want you be operating at peak performance. Take this time to get a good breakfast in our state of the art cafeteria next door and use this time to introduce yourselves to each other but keep in mind that they are also your competitors. Afterward you'll be meeting with your liaison, Agent Black, who will walk you through the ins and outs of the next few weeks of the auditioning process. He will answer any questions you might have about our program and we'll begin the testing portion tomorrow morning after breakfast. Thank you and have a pleasant day. " The simulated hologram fades away and a solitary door slides opening revealing the chamber next door featuring a long table and chairs but little else in the way of cafeteria equipment.

Further inspection reveals several things about the two rooms. At the end of each bunk is a small metallic trunk which when opened reveals a set of strange clothes customized to fit any of your proportions. They appear to be the same shiny metallic material the walls are made of, with the exception that they are pliable enough to wear. No other doors (w/ the exception of the door to the cafeteria) or openings appear on any of the walls, ceilings or floor which also appears to include any sort of ventilation ports. If tested you find that the walls,ceiling and floors are all quite impenetrable.

The cafeteria has a single small cove at about waist high on the rear wall, above it is a small intercom speaker and a sign above it that reads : Place order here, please be specific. Once someone asks for a type of food the cove briefly illuminates and when finished the desire dish is there and prepared quite nicely.

As for the other applicants, you notice that all though they might be from different times and/or different cultures but you each seem understand each other perfectly regardless of language barriers. Also any weapons you might have been carrying at the time have been confiscated. However any other personal effects you might have had on you are still there. ie pocket watch, pen, lighter, smokes...ect.

**( Player's characters can be from any time period that modern man existed in, starting with just after Cro-Magnun to modern times but nothing from the future. No character sheet necessary. Simply use the first paragraph or so to illustrate your character's where and when you were plucked from when Agent Black abducted you. Then feel free to converse with other characters while waiting for your Liaison to show. I will post as Ebenezer Black after a week or so(less if I get a good turn out) and then we'll get started on an exciting multidimensional adventure.