“The Docks”
The Lady roared onto the pavement with a vengeance. Panzer threw her into a hard turn as we race to the docks. The Docks was one of the oldest parts of Dominion known for more of the illegal aspects of city life and villainy. It was also one of the few places in the City of Dominion where not always were women in control. There are freemen in the City but the docks were controlled by one of the major gangs in Dominion known as the Un Subbie Gang. A group of freemen or escaped pets that had taken offence to the current rule in Dominion and fought against it, sadly not in a civilized manner but more through carving out a piece of Dominion for themselves. They sold drugs, practiced thievery, even so far as to hijack cargo off some of the ships that made port all around simply breaking with all authority in every way they could. They tended to be a nuisance more than real trouble but that seemed to be changing.
As Panzer pulled The Lady into a side alley and flicked on the overlay camo on her. I thought about what this might mean. Dawning on me for being so silly in my thoughts it’s no wonder Lady T sent us here. If a man like Garlak was in the city he might need troops to help him. And if there was one gang that might be persuaded to help him it would certainly be the Un Subbie Gang especially with their devotion to disrupting the status quo as much as possible.
We watched and waited knowing that the corner of Keeper Avenue and Warf Road was a favorite sell spot of the gang’s dealers. What we needed was information and that required a little persuasion sometimes. So sometimes you just have to find someone to persuade. We sat in silence thinking about what had transpired in the past twenty-four hours. Deep in our own thoughts I have no idea what Panzer might have been thinking as he watched the small group of men across the way making deals to cars that pulled up or slapping a few of the destitute women that worked the streets on the ass as they passed. I do know we both smiled when one of the Ladies that got slapped knocked the teeth out of one guy with a really good punch to the cheek. We had a fleeting moment we might have to spring our trap early to protect her but it seems his buddies thought him landing on his ass and losing a tooth was so funny they couldn’t enact revenge due to laughing at him so hard.
All I can really relate was my mind was a blur with thoughts of what Garlak was doing with Lady Eva where she was and if the Un Subbie Gang was with him. What about the other major gangs in the city? The Freemen Society are uptown thugs, about as close as to actually mob that can exist in the city. Mostly hidden and secretive they never did dirty work themselves just had gangs or hired thugs do it for them. But we know they had money and finances to fund Garlak if they swung over to him. Then there were the Slavers who ran sway over the power plant areas and ghettos on the lower south side of Dominion. They specialized in kidnappings and illegal slave selling as well as gladiatorial fighting; anyone was a target for them. There were even cases of Mistress’s disappearing and never seen again. My sweet Lady of Dominion had her bad spots but none of the gangs had ever worked together before. I was beginning to realize that Garlak might be able to change that and it could be extremely dangerous in more ways than one.
Panzer nudged me and I came out of my thoughts to see the one guy that had been slugged was heading away from his buddies. Obviously ticked off that they found it so funny he was heading home or perhaps back to a gang house. It didn’t matter to Panzer or me we both looked at each other knowing that he was about to have a little detour in his plans.
I moved to the rear seats and readied myself by the sliding door as Panzer eased The Lady into gear and edged out down the street heading toward the gang member. The overlay camo does its job well making the van appear like a simple black van of non descript nature. Panzer drove normally and flicked a switch on the middle console. The small barrel of gun popped out from the side of the van by the hood and there was a whoosh of air as Panzer aimed and fired. The small electrode slapped the gang member right in the back of the head and unleashed a jolt. Not enough to knock him out completely just enough to make him groggy. Just as it hit Panzer sped up and I flew the side door open reaching out and grabbing the thug before he fell to the pavement. Jerking him into the van, Panzer gunned it as I threw the guy into the opposite seat and hit the restraints button.
With a snap and clank the gang member was pinned to the seat by metal bands around his arms and chest, waist and around his lower knees. Startled he struggled and screamed at us to let him go. I said nothing as Panzer put a little distance between the corner and were we picked him up at. We both ignored his protests and struggling as no one could have heard him outside of The Lady even if they were leaning against the van herself. After a few miles I turned to him.
“You got a name?” I said
“Fuck you! Let me go prick!” he replied
“Sound like he has a potty mouth Disco.” Panzer said to me.
“Yes it does maybe we should wash that mouth out with soap.” I said to Panzer
“You don’t know who you’re messing with bitches your both dead you know that?” He screamed at us. “Dead and I’ll make sure I pull the trigger you fuckers!”
“Definitely a potty mouth” Panzer said.
Nodding I pushed a button and a bar of ivory soap popped out of a holder catching it swiftly and showing it to the thug.
“Well as you won’t tell us your name we will call you potty mouth. Now tell me what your gangs been up to in the area.” Looking at Potty-mouth and brandishing the soap at him.
“I’m not telling you a damn thing!” Potty-mouth yells at me adding a weak attempt to spit at me as he does.
I move and grab his hair and hold his nose closed firmly. It doesn’t take long till he opens his mouth to gasp for air and I shove the bar of soap in his mouth holding it then as he struggles uselessly.
“I wonder why we can never have a civil conversation with people like this Panzer. It would be nice to not have to use the soap.”
“Well Disco you know how some people are, just stubborn I suppose”
Gagging and dry heaving sounds is all we hear from Potty-mouth for a while till we ask him our questions again. Once again we received unfavorable responses so more soap treatment once again. Panzer and I spoke about baseball and other things as we waited. We had done this before. Eventually they would tire of the soap or more importantly the concoction Cockbeater had worked up and put on the soap would make them more open to suggestion. Oh sure we could have just made him drink it or give him a shot. But Lady T was right; the soap was just too much fun to do to bad boys.
Finally after about half an hour of working him over with the soap he seemed ready to talk.
“So Potty-mouth ready to talk?” I ask him
Panting and trying to get the taste of the soap out of his mouth he struggles weakly and Panzer moved to put the soap back into his mouth. At which he cringed away from him and yelled.
“I’ll talk I’ll talk damn it! Uhhh pardon my French please!”
Nodding to Potty-mouth I spoke calmly. “So tell me what the Un Subbie Gangs been up to.”
“Nothing besides the usual I swear!” His eyes dart from side to side as he spoke telling us there was more to it than that.
“Do you want more soap for lying to us or should I just let Panzer beat the hell out of you?”
“NO NO!” panting he slumps in the chair, “We are expanding operations into the upper south side moving in more dealers and hookers into that spot.”
“The upper south side but I thought that was no man land between you and the slavers neutral territory between the gangs to keep the peace.”
Nodding Potty-mouth told us more. “Yes it was but Bill said that it had been worked out that there wouldn’t be a war that the slavers were cool with it as long as we didn’t mind them moving into the east side areas. Using the East Bridge to move traffic through as it’s on the edge of the docks. We all took it to be cool cause it meant more money for us and if anyone would have a problem with the slavers moving into the east side area it be the Society boys. So we figured hell let them fight it out.”
“Bill? A.K.A. Wild Bill leader of Un Subbie boys told you that?”
“Yes...yes he did say it was all arranged!”
“How can that be Wild Bill and Slave Master of the Slaver gang have hated each other for years. Now you're telling me they are all buddy buddy?”
“I don’t do the upper stuff man I just sell my share of dope and do what I got to do! That what I know!”
“What do you know about Garlak?”
He shot a look at me as his eye flashed wide for a moment then clamped his mouth shut.
“Not…nothing.” He said.
“You know,” I said to Panzer. “Detective Lady Pamela did tell us to contact her if we found any information out about Garlak or someone that might know what he is up to or who took Lady Eva. I bet she would be rather interested in meeting our Potty-mouth here.”
“I bet your right Disco. I’ll call her on the radio.”
Panzer went to the front and I sat down as the guy looked at Panzer and me. He nearly tore the seat off the hinges trying to get our attention.
“Wait wait for god sakes wait! I know enough that I don’t want Lady Pamela to get a hold of me!”
“Okay so spill it.” I told him.
“Okay look this new guys in town talked to Bill and a few others a few weeks ago. Started recruiting for some plan he had to take over the city. Half of us thought he was nuts but some listened and joined up. I got no idea where he is held up but I know that Bill knows. He probably has something to do with the treaties going on. “
“That’s all you know?” Panzer asked him.
“Well….okay look I know that there is suppose to be some meeting tonight at the new drug plant in the upper south side. I don’t know if this guy your after is going to be there but I know Bill will be. But you can’t let them know it was me or I’m dead!”
“Where is the drug plant?”
“At the old ice cream factory on 32nd Avenue south.”
“Thanks” I tell him and open the door to The Lady.
Panzer switches off the auto pilot the Lady was on and hits the gas as I toss Potty-mouth out of the Lady and onto the sidewalk. Grinning as I move up front with Panzer I look in the rear monitor in time to see Lady Pamela give a small wave and grin as two of Dominion’s finest cuff the guy to take him in on at least drug charges.
“Think he will be mad?” I ask Panzer
“He wouldn’t be the first or the last the little punk”
“Let’s get to that plant.”
“On our way Disco.”
The Lady roars through the streets and I update Cockbeater with my medallion communicator and he began to feed us images and information as we skidded at full speed onto 32nd avenue south. From what he was getting and picking up it seemed that there were several heat signatures from inside and a large heat sources throughout the building. Panzer stepped on the gas and we raced to get there in time.
The old ice cream factory loomed ahead of us looking quite abandoned and run down but according to Cockbeater that was a simple disguise. All his instruments were reading power and machinery in use as well as people moving about inside. As we roared nearer to the factory Panzer glanced at me.
“Subtle or my way?” He asked.
“Subtle is out the door on this one brother.” Strapping myself into my seat “This time we do it your way.”
“Good.”
Grinning Panzer flipped off the camo and The Lady sprung to life from the darkness shining like an angel dropped to earth. He hit a few more switches and the missile pods popped up and the machine guns slide out from the top. I won’t bore you with everything Panzer activated let us just say I made sure to put in ear plugs. Flipping up the control stick, as we roared full speed at the factory door, Panzer hit the triggers all at once. Missiles streamed from the pod and gunfire roared from the turrets as the door was blow in, out, every which way just as The Lady crashed into the factory sending startled workers scrambling for their lives and white power erupting from the stacks of drugs lining the walls. We screeched to a halt in the middle of the factory as bullets began to ping of The Lady’s armor. Panzer never let up, sending the gun turrets here and there and taking out thugs on the cat walks and doorways unloading on us. I jumped to the rear seat and took over the net catcher to bring a few down for questioning later as well as the flame thrower making sure to hit the stacks of drugs and pushing back anyone to stupid to get close. Cockbeater kept feeding us information helping us keep track of things in the mayhem. It wasn’t long before we took the main factory floor and geared up to take it to them in the bowels of the factory were some had retreated and were The Lady couldn’t go.
Panzer went first looking like some crazy gun merchant who carried all his guns on him as he went. I was right behind him and though I only carried my cane and a shock pistol I did make sure to strap a few assorted grenades and a blade to my thigh if things got nasty. This wasn’t supposed to be nice or merciful. This was a battle in a war that had gone on for a while in this City.
We moved with skilled precision and knowledge fed to us by Cockbeater. Every engagement was taken one at a time. We beat down, took out or subdued all in our path. Like two avenging angels or demons we stalked the factory and destroyed those that stood in our path and every bit of drugs or ways to make it we found. Our frustration weld up in us at our failure before and we took it to the miscreants that dared to defile our Lady City of Dominion. Panzer knocked heads together and I didn’t care who I sucker punched. We were on a mission to stop the Un Subbie gang and blowing up their factory would certainly put a cramp in their plans. Then we heard it.
A scream… a woman screaming… both Panzer and I jerk our heads up and looked at each other. We raced toward the sound and came to the boiler room in moments. What we saw shocked and horrified us. Lady Evangeline in chains being handled roughly by Wild Bill of the Un Subbie Gang and some of those Viking thugs we had fought yesterday. Panzer let out a roar and charged forward barreling through two thugs at the stairs sending them screaming over the railing to hit hard on the floor. I leapt over the railing and landed on a Viking about to pop my brother with a crossbow. Will Bill was screaming for them to stop us as he wrestled with Lady Evangeline to get her into a back room.
Tunnel vision was what it was. All I could see was Lady Evangeline and Wild Bill. Panzer and I blasted and cut and hit our way through the wall of Vikings and Un Subbie boys like a hot knife through butter. Wild Bill just got the door slammed shut when Panzer hit it full force rocking the very brick around it and causing dust to drift all around. I let out a kick at the door lock at the exact moment and it crashed inward. The room was empty… then we heard another scream and a curse from Wild Bill down a dark tunnel to our left. We raced ahead running down the darkness till we came into the light. I barely remember hearing Cockbeater trying to get contact with us. Something about our signal was fading. The sounds of dirt floor changed to metal clanging as our boots hit a different floor. We weren’t paying attention just wanted to get Lady Evangeline and we both forgot one of Lady T’s most important rules to be Careful.
We saw light ahead and rushed into it seeing Lady Evangeline with a knife to her throat and Wild Bill looking at us. He was trapped and had no place to go down here. I grinned seeing his cheek bloody from a deep gash that Lady Eva had given him. A quick glance around showed him alone though this was an odd place. It looked like a lab of some sort but there was far more high tech equipment here than what was needed to make drugs. But our concern was for Lady Evangeline.
Panzer raised his shock collar gun. “Let her go.” He growled at Wild Bill.
“Come a step closer and she dies.” Wild Bill yelled back. “You know me Discoman you know I’m not bluffing.”
I placed my hand on Panzer’s shoulder. “He will Panzer don’t shoot him.” I moved my eyes upward so Panzer saw what I did.
A cable hung from the ceiling that crackled with latent power. I then moved my hand to take hold Panzer’s grapple gun. If we fired at the same time I should be able to grapple Lady Eva out of the way just as the cable would hit Wild Bill. Then before we could carry out our plan Wild Bill fell into a heap. Both of us moved to get Lady Evangeline as she scrambled away from Wild Bill. But a man stepped out of the shadows and jerked her up holding her hair tightly as she grimaced and spat at the man. I stared at him he looked almost exactly like Garlak but didn’t sound the same and wore just a sword at his hip and not the whip I had seen Garlak wear.
Ignoring the spittle on his cheek the man looked at us both and pressed a small pistol to Lady Evangeline’s ribs. “Ahh that quite enough out of you two thank you.”
Flicking a switch on his shoulder belt that held the sword at his side the floor dropped out from under me and Panzer. We landed in a heap about fifteen feet down as a grated cover slid out to cover the pit. Picking ourselves up off the floor we looked up in time to see the man above us. Then we saw Garlak.
“Good work Hylark. I wondered how long it would be before they found this place.” Garlak said as he looked down at us.
“You won’t get away with this Garlak!” I yell up at him
“Oh I won’t? And who is going to stop me with you two out of the way hmmm?”
He let out that laugh that haunted my memories from our first encounter and Panzer shot at them anyway though the grating was so small the bullets and energy charges dispersed or panged every which way. Garlak then nodded to Hylark who dropped a small canister into the pit from a hole he opened. The gas filled the chamber and we both dropped into darkness. The last thing I remember was Garlak saying “You did a fine job brother.”
It was cold damned cold. When I was able to open my eyes I was wet and cold and shivering. I was bound and not in a good way. I could feel Panzer moving against me. We were bound together back to back. We still had our clothes on so that at least meant it wasn’t a play session of Lady T’s. Looking around I saw we were half buried in what seemed to be white sand. Except it seemed the sand melted. And we were slowly inescapably sinking in it. We struggled a bit trying to work the ropes loose then I heard that same deep chuckle we had heard before. Garlak stepped out onto the cat walk near us and was grinning as he observed us both.
“What have you done with Lady Evangeline?” I yelled at him.
But ignoring us he paced a moment and then turning to us he put on a look of seriousness. “For crimes against the normal order of things I condemn you both to death. But first dessert I think.” At this he laughed causing us both to be very confused. “Enjoy your sundae Disco man and Panzer boy.”
At that he walked out leaving us and that’s when we realized we were bound together and slowly sinking into a huge tub of vanilla ice cream. No wonder we were wet and cold. Our own body heat was going to kill us by sinking us into the ice cream till we froze to death or drowned in the melting ice cream.
We both got to working on our ropes as best as we could without making us sink faster or further into a deadly sugary grave. I couldn’t help it I just looked at Panzer for a moment and said.
“What would Batman and Robin do?”
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