Chapter 10 – Tigers and Dragons and Wolves, Oh My

The air was still, the night was cold and the sea breeze was blowing in a light fog, I twirled my metal alloy quarterstaff restlessly as I glanced angrily towards Gallant for what must be the tenth time tonight. He just sighed and made a placating motion with his hand. "Just give him time, SD."

"But it's already…" I hissed as I took a step towards him and promptly lost control of my twirling staff, causing me to scramble to catch it before it hit the floor.

"I know you're anxious to start your very first official patrol and I know that it is rather bad form for Kid Win to be late for this very first patrol of yours, but he really does have a lot of gear and equipment to check through and put on. Give me a few minutes" Gallant replied, pointedly NOT noticing that the *clang* sound of my staff on the floor.

"But you have gear too!" I retorted in a whiny tone as I gingerly picked up my quarterstaff and gave it a hug to apologise for dropping it.

"I don't maintain my suit, KW does, so he needs to go through multiple checks by the tech guys to see if he made any last-minute modifications or missed repairing something that could cause problems in the field. Let's just say it has happened before."

"Still…."

"Multiple times."

"But…."

"The huge explosion that took out the pizzeria on Franklin Street? That was him forgetting to screw on the shielding on his reactor. The scorch marks in front of the Courthouse? That was him forgetting there was a crack in the fuel tank sustained the previous day. The new playground that was built overnight in the park on Crescent? That was to cover up the crater from when his 'hot new taser laser' blew up the moment he pressed the trigger for the first time. And then there was…"

"Okay, alright, you win." I interrupted, "I'll wait for him. I get it."

"Better a five minute wait for him to appear then doing paperwork for two hours after a patrol because Kid Win was channelling his inner Leet for the night." Gallant shuddered, remembering the reports he had to do, in triplicate. I saw the utter despair I his eyes as he said them and I swore never to complain about Christ being late again.

After another ten minutes, Gallant and I were greeted with the wonderful sound of Kid Win running into the ready room, his boots dangling around his neck, his communications device grasped tightly in his right hand and his hover board in his left.

"Am I late?" He said. I had to resist the urge to snark.

Kid Win, Gallant and I were walking slowly through the Docks district, waving at the public whenever they waved at us as we followed the designated patrol route (seemingly labelled Route Theta in the Handbook). It was to 'keep up image' and to 'improve morale' I was told by my patrol partners for the night.

Seeing the Wards, or the odd Protectorate member, patrol the streets helped the Bay's populace know that we were doing our jobs and not draining tax-payers money to upkeep our immaculately designed costuming's laundry bills. Even agencies like the FBI and the CIA who worked behind the scenes of many a covert operation tried their best to have big, very obvious, 'demonstrations' of their presence so that people knew they were doing good work when most of the work they were actually doing could never be known by the general population.

It was the same for us. We were the cheerful, child-friendly (we were still children in the eyes of the law) side of the PRT that the common people saw so they won't demand to see the dark, gritty stuff the adults did to keep them safe in some pursuit of budget transparency. We were supposed to do patrols so that we would be seen walking the streets by the citizens of the town; not by the criminals, the gangs or the super-villains, but by the mothers pushing prams, the young corporate executive rushing home to catch the latest episode of the Bachelor and the owners of the Ma and Pa store on the corner. So they would feel safe.

"But if anything does happen on the patrol, if we notice anything out of the ordinary, we are to call it in and let the upper-ups decide if we should interfere or leave it to the 'professionals' to handle." Gallant explained as we walked past the playground on Mondele Way and Watsons Street. "If it is not a crime committed by a parahumans, the BBPD has jurisdiction since it's not 'fair' for people with powers to arrest people without."

"So we can only go after other parahumans? Just because they have powers like us?" I asked, beginning to become rather confused at what I felt went against my personal logic.

"Kinda…" Kid Win butted in, "We can't apprehend regular criminals because we do not want the idea of parahumans using their powers on regular folk to be embedded into the minds of people. Gives a 'police brutality' vibe due to the disparity of force employed by both sides. Then, when you factor it the fact we are under-aged teens and that Youth Guard is a thing…."

"And because Youth Guard is a thing," Gallant continued off where Kid Win left off, "we can't even engage parahumans either since we are still teenagers and children and we can't have the idea of child soldiers invading the minds of the citizens either. We have to call any parahumans criminal activity in, observe and wait for the Protectorate to send someone."

"That's…. wow. So we are actually just glorified mascots parading the streets waiting for the day we become old enough to make it to the Big Boys and Girls Club?" I was incredulous. I thought I could do something to make the city a better place now that I have my powers. I know I wasn't invulnerable and could get hurt in parahumans fights, the situation at the warehouse definitely drilled that into me like a haymaker to the head (literally), but to be unable to do anything except walk around and wave to people, kiss toddlers and help old ladies cross the road?

Wait…

"If that's the case, why was I given the go ahead to engage that day when rescuing Panacea?" I asked

"That was a decision made based on the circumstances and situation." Gallant replied, "One, the kidnappers were leaving, as reported by you. Thus, time was of the essence if we wanted to apprehend them and in no scenario would we send a Ward in pursuit into an unknown location cut-off from any reinforcements, which you would have been if you followed them into whatever portal that was. "

"Two, you had PRT trooper backup moments behind you, you were meant to delay them just enough for the adults to reach and manage the situation. And most importantly, Three, it was not a publicly visible operation. The public wouldn't know what happened and all reports would have been nicely worded to minimise the danger you were in using vague terminology."

"Likewise, on patrol, if, after calling a parahuman incident in, HQ deems it necessary for us to get involved, we will. It could be that they feel we could handle it; too many lives are at stake if we don't act; that the PRT needed more time to get to the scene and we needed to stall the perpetrators; or that they have no choice because the Protectorate was handling a bigger incident elsewhere. But ninety percent of the time, we don't get involved. We are a visible deterrent solution, not the enforcement solution, if you get what I mean."

"So much for my thoughts of fame and glory during my term as a Ward then. Life as a Ward is as restrictive and frustrating as the costume and image design session with Mr Chambers." I sighed. I really didn't like being a walking crime-scarecrow, scaring away the small-time crooks and being powerless against Big Crime.

"I think the session with Glenn is worse, actually." Kid Win mumbled beside me.

Gallant gave us an empathic shrugging gesture and we carried on our slow 'Public Relations' walk through the streets, waving at people and giving out our autographs to adoring kids without bringing up the subject again.

As we approached the far end warehouse district past the docks, I yawned loudly and moaned "All we did was walk through the district, wave to people, sign autographs and rescue a cat up a tree. Are patrols usually this bori… Mpph?"

Kid Win's hand clamped itself over my mouth immediately. "Don't jinx the patrol, SD. Boring patrols are way better for my stress levels than exciting patrols. Spending time fixing up damage to my gear is tedious and takes time away from me working on the new designs that are flooding my brain. That severely increases my stress lev…"

*Bang Bang!* two gunshots echo out from the warehouse just a couple of buildings down.

"Damn it, SD. You just had to say it. And with this being your first patrol… Crap. Don't make me start hating patrols with you." Kid Win whined as he and Gallant begun to fly towards the warehouse.

"SD, scout ahead and give a sitrep. Do NOT engage until told to do so." Gallant half-shouted at me as I tried to run under them. I nodded and slowly shifted my form to shadow and dived into the closest pool of shadow and swam to the golden patches of light inside the warehouse. In a split second, I crawled out of the shadow along a metal I-beam structure just under the roof of the warehouse and took my collapsible staff, out in my right hand.

Below me I saw several shipping containers strewn about the warehouse floor, most of them have their doors on the side wide open, letting me see that they were filled with young Asian girls in tattered clothes and all huddled together. A large number 15 on the wall had been half painted over in ABB gang signs and graffiti. In the centre of the warehouse stood five asian men with pistols drawn shouting at two blonde muscular men that had animal masks donned.

"Shadowdancer to Gallant and Console. Am currently in warehouse 15 off Maynard St, scouting ahead with Gallant and Kid Win approaching slowly on foot. We have discovered what seems to be a human trafficking or prostitution ring by the ABB being attacked by Empire 88 members Stormtiger and Hookwolf. I'm turning on my body-cam now for visual confirmation by Console." I reported over the main broadcast comms as I turned the camera unit on my shoulder towards the situation below me.

"Visual confirmation of Empire 88 members Stormtiger and Hookwolf" Console replied after a few seconds. "Please be advised that all Protectorate members are currently engaging Kaiser and Lung at the junction of Harmony and Price and are unable to assist you. Take observatory positions and do not engage Stormtiger and Hookwolf. I repeat, do not engage."

"Gallant here, acknowledged. Observe only." Dean replied to Console and switched to squad-only comms. "Ok, guys. Watch and wait. Don't let them see you."

I moved myself deeper into the shadows amongst the metal struts holding up the ceiling as I noted Gallant and Kid Win taking up positions outside the left and right side-doors of the warehouse respectively. "I don't like this. How can we just watch the Empire muscle in on turf without lifting a finger?"

"Neither do I, SD.", Kid Win chipped in, "But given they are just shouting at each other and no gun has been fired yet. Let's not spark off anything."

"Hookwolf is no pushover and with Stormtiger with him, I don't know if we can take them both when push comes to shove." Gallant whispered through my earpiece, "Chance for civilian casualty is high if we try anything prematurely, so lay low. If anything happens, we move in to evacuate the girls as fast as possible."

Both Kid Win and I voiced out our agreement and we all shifted ourselves to positions that would make it easier to reach the open shipping containers while maintaining cover.

"Look, chinks, you can stall all you want, but no reinforcements will arrive to save you. I'm giving you 10 more seconds to walk out of here before I lose my cool and kill all of you." I heard Hookwolf growl out from below me. "If not for the fact I want all the merchandise here alive and intact and not injured in an all-out fight, I would have killed all of you slant-eyes the second I walked into this dump."

"Cau Kuei Loh! Diu Nei Geh Se Lo Mo!* You no frighten me. You kill me, I will die glorious death and gain karma for next rebirth. But then Lung kill dishonourable you, and you will rot in eighteenth level of Hell with no chance of rebirth." Replied the lead ABB gangster.

His voice, his accent, grated at my ears. Not at the poor grammar, but at the way it was invoking memories that were buried, that I had buried deep down.

*Ok, bitch, hand over all your valuables and cash and maybe I will let you walk out of this alive.*

I could hear the voice again, the voice of that man that has loomed over me in that alleyway.

*You even think of fighting back, I will gut you and watch you bleed before having fun with your corpse.*

The voice of the man that nearly took my life and the lives of Dad, Emma and Mr Barnes. The one that made m…..

*BANG*

I broke out of my trance as the gunshot echoed through the warehouse. The gun that one of the ABB thugs was pointing at Hookwolf had smoke coming out of the muzzle and a red spurt of blood was slowly gushing out of Hookwolf's right shoulder. No one moved or said anything as the shock set in.

Then Hookwolf, with a loud roar, shifted into his metal form and chaos engulfed the warehouse.

I tuned out Gallant's report to Console that we were proceeding to rescue civilians as I shadow-leapt down to the containers and hissed to the screaming girls inside. "Come with me if you want to live!"

I always wanted to say that.

Kid Win blasted a hole in the far-end warehouse wall just at that moment so I quickly grabbed the closest girl and pulled her out of the container and pushed her towards the newly-created exit, hoping the rest will follow.

"Move! Move!" I screamed at them as the girls started to exit the container. The sound of gunshots filled the air as I directed people towards the exit point, every once in a while helping up one that fell and dragging those that were just to shocked and frightened to move.

Then everything went quiet around me. Except for a softy whimpering from behind me. I turned around immediately, only to see Stormtiger standing there with his muscular arm wrapped around the neck of one of the Asian girls and the other hand pointing at me. The girl squirmed and kicked, but to no avail as she slowly lost strength and breath.

Stormtiger pointed at me with his spare hand. "You're the new Ward, ya? I saw you on television just a veek ago, scrawny little thing." His accent slipping just a little through. At the corner of my eye, I saw Gallant and Kid Win doing a running skirmish with Hookwolf on the other side of the warehouse, though there seemed to be some mirage-like distortion in the air around me and Stormtiger. And also complete silence.

"You lost the Empire many slave girls through your actions, you vill have to pay for what you have done." Stormtiger continued, "Surrender. You can't take me on, mein fräulein. I have cut us off from the others with my vind walls, it blocks all movement and sound, you call for any help. You have ten seconds to drop your staff and surrender or this useless bitch vill be killed and it vill be on your head."

I knew he didn't understand what I could do, what my powers were. I haven't been on the scene long enough for it to be that well known. I could easily shadow-jump out from his cage of wind. But the girl in his arms could die. Would die.

I looked into the pleading eyes of the Asian girl, who had since given up struggling. Would I have been trapped inside a shipping container along with girls like her if I hadn't gained my powers? Was the look on her face now similar to the one on mine weeks ago when I got dragged out of the car in the alleyway? A look that wished and hoped for someone to save me from certain death. I got powers to save me. She's only got me to save her.

I looked down at my feet, at the shadow I formed on the ground under the dim warehouse lamps.

I looked up at Stormtiger, at the smirk on his face, thinking me trapped; at his tensed arms, ready to carry out his threat; and then I looked at the shadow his large from cast on the ground. And I smiled.

"Ok, you win." I said, and slowly held out my staff vertically in front of me. "I drop my staff and you let her go, right?" Stormtiger's triumphant look made my skin crawl. "Yes." He declared happily.

I forcefully jammed my staff vertically down into my own shadow and willed it to come out from the shadow right between his two legs.

The resultant scream from Stormtiger caused all males members of the species within a mile of Warehouse 15 to cringe and hold on tightly to their family jewels. Sound suddenly returned around me, signifying that whatever walls Stormtiger had up were down, just as he was.

I immediately ran forward and tackled the Asian girl from his now loose grasp and ran out of the warehouse dragging the girl along.

I think I'll call that move Whipping the Tiger's Whip…

Cau Kuei Loh! – Stinky Foreigner!

Diu Nei Geh Se Lo Mo! - I won't translate this. Take it it's a vulgar phrase and leave it as that. Kids read this story, right?