>2 am, abandoned warehouse.... > >Akisame sat there, crouched low to the ground, deftly flicking a beaded braid >back and forth in front of his eyes. He knew that if this guy could do what >he promised, his dream would come true, he could finally be...normal. > >"He's late" he spoke quietly into the air. > >[[No, your early. Don't get to excited over this, I have a bad feeling]] > >Akisame chuckled lightly in response, "yeah, you have a bad feeling because >you know you might get deactivated. Then I might actually have some piece >and quiet in my head." > >[[No...it's something...else...]] before Nac could say anymore the huge door >of the warehouse opened, and three men walked in. The warehouse was dark and >moist from a previous storm. Water stains and large amounts of dust showed >that it hadn't been taken care of properly for quiet some time. Akisame's >eyes strained to make out the men clearly, having nothing more then the moon >for light. > >Akisame whispered, "Nac, activate the light amplification on my BLADES. I >can't hardly see these guys." > >[[You got it]] Quickly his surroundings lit up enough for him to make out >the well dressed, clean cut men standing by the doorway. The man in the >middle was older then the ones at his sides and also wore a heavy overcoat, >where as the other two men wore only black blazers over their shirt and ties. > >Slowly Akisame stood up, eyeing the three men as they approached him. The >two at the man's sides were much bigger then Akisame, but since the man in >the middle lead them he figured he was the boss. > >He rose an eyebrow at the approaching men, "Mr. Drazic I presume". > >The older man smiled slightly, leaning forward on the cane he had, "you >presume correctly. And you must be young Akisame, yes yes very good." > >Akisame smirked and held up a briefcase, "right...here's the money. 3 >million. You get your money, I get the junk removed from my body, right?" > >"Yes...that's right" said the man, adjusting his glasses, "but I have an even >better deal". > >Akisame let the briefcase drop by his side, "really?" > >"oh yes." He spoke, as he slowly approached Akisame, "How about you keep >your money, you do a few chores for me, then we remove the cybernetic >enhancements from your body. I still can't fathom why you'd want them >removed however, I assure you, being...average is quite boring. By the >information we received from the...late Dr. Namahs I could tell that a few of >those implants could indeed come in very handy given the correct situation. >After all, there's not too many people who could learn the Shinsei Kinkou >style of martial arts in the amount of time you did. In fact as I understand >it there's only two people in the world who know it, you and the man who >taught you. Come come now my boy, what do you say?" > >"Hmm..." Akisame pretended to think it over, "let me think...uhh no. I think >we should stick with the original plan". > >Drazic sighed at this remark, "always so stubborn. Ok I have a new deal, I >just take you, you work for me and you DON'T get the enhancements removed." >At this the two men at his sides drew out their weapons. > >[[Told ya]] > >"Shut up Nac. Ok so what, your going to kill me? Then you lose. After all >I can't work for you when I'm dead". > >Drazic snickered at this, "oh come now, you don't really think I'd want to >harm such a precious investment of the good Dr. Namahs do you? No no...these >weapons don't fire bullets. Instead they fire an electronic field disrupter, >putting you out of commission just long enough for us to reprogram that >stupid neural network in your head to work for us. I know how that RAGE unit >on your heart works, and I know just how to neutralize it". > >Akisame gritted his teeth and began to take a loose stance, "I guess you also >know the Apache in me isn't going to make that very easy for you." He then >spoke inside his head to Nac, "put RAGE at 20% and try to keep my body >temperature down. Boost up my adrenaline also." > >[[Right, RAGE unit activated and at 20%, body receiving extra adrenaline, >body temperature currently at 98.6 degrees.]] > >"MEN FIRE!!" cried Drazic. Quickly the two men began firing at Akisame, >aiming specifically for the heart. > >"Here we go" Akisame said to himself as he quickly did a back bend, watching >the charges of pure energy shriek past his upper body. Luckily the darkness >effected the men's shooting to an extent, while the BLADES were doing their >job for Akisame, providing him with superb night vision. > >Drazic was now furious watching Akisame dodge the charges, "Gah! set the >blasted things on rapid fire! I tell you if one of you doesn't hit him >you'll both pay!" > >The men both flicked a switch on the side of their weapons and waiting as >they began to charge up for a rapid fire assault. Slowly, blue flickers of >energy began building up at the nozzle of each weapon, and the men stood >unblinking, waiting for the weapons to be ready to fire. > >"Nac what's going on!" Akisame quickly yelled at the computer in his head. > >[[The weapons...the stored energy is building up so they can fire several >charges quickly, without having to recharge between blasts.]] > >"Perfect! Hey Drazic, let's see how much you read about these from Namahs!" >Akisame began to concentrate, while Drazic stood where he was puzzled. Soon >his attention was draw to the gnarled, twisted rings on Akisame's fingers. >They were growing...or not growing...but sprouting wispy tendrils all over >his hands and fingers. Soon the tendrils laced themselves together, encasing >his hands completely in a type of alien armor. > >"What the hell!" was all Drazic could say, "This wasn't in the read out! >What are those god awful things!". > >Akisame grinned, and with a little more concentration, the tendrils formed >inch long claws on his fingertips and then stopped moving, "your worst >nightmare, you back stabbing double crosser. Nac boost RAGE to 35%! " > >[[Consider it done]] > >With a howl, he rushed toward the men wielding the weapons with blinding >speed, using the synthetic claws to tear through the nozzles, dispersing the >stored energy. After an astonished look from the men they took to trying to >attack him in hand to hand combat. Akisame's hands were a blur as they >blocked and parried the barrage of fists and feet coming from two directions. > Quickly he sent a palm blow to one of the men's stomach's, causing him to >sprawl several feet backwards, wheezing in order to catch his breath. > >He began walking toward the other man, who was instinctively backing away. >Finally the man drew back a fist and swung as hard as he could only to come >in contact with one of Akisame's. The man winced and brought his hand close >to his body, holding it tightly. > >"AAArrggg!! His hands are like iron. You want him Drazic, you get him!" >shouted the man as he quickly headed for the door. His partner follow the >example without delay and also abandoned Drazic. > >Drazic also began backing away, chuckling lightly, "so hard to find good help >these days..." > >[[Akisame! Your body is running at 103.7 degrees, you need to shut down RAGE >soon!]] > >"Just keep it going for a little while longer" Akisame said through clenched >teeth. > >He dashed at Drazic and picked him up by his overcoat, "I guess I shouldn't >hit the elderly...the wouldn't be nice." > >Drazic smiled at this remark. > >"So I'll just throw you into a wall" with one arm, he hefted the man up over >his head and tossed him into the wall, watching him slide downward >unconscious. After that Akisame dropped to one knee, sweating profusely. >The tendrils unraveled themselves from his hands and formed back into the >twisting rings, and his hands began to shake...his whole body began to shake. > >"S..ss....status.." > >[[RAGE deactivated, adrenaline disabled, body temperature 104.3 degrees...you >sure know how to cut it close, but you can thank me later]] > >"Shut up" was all Akisame could stay as he stumbled his way out the door, >leaving Drazic, his dreams and the money behind.