He continued to push through the woods at a steady pace, his only companion the dim light of the moon, his body sore from the impacts he suffered but no serious injuries. He had counted ten minutes since he had forced his way out of the facility he was in and while he kept moving he was forced to reconcile a few things he had chosen to ignore while escaping.
One, he had been captured by those people and inducted into their research group without his knowledge or consent. How he didn't know, but from every tool they had and the number of people involved he wouldn’t be surprised if there were more people captured like him.
Two, he wasn’t expected to be able to speak English and they found him in a lake, meaning they thought he was some alien.
Three, he was most likely an alien now, since he uncharacteristically lost his temper, charged into armed men with rifles pointed at him, punched through multiple concrete walls, and maybe some reinforced steel all the while sporting a few angry red marks only. Oh, and he also had a tail, that when grabbed made all the energy he felt coursing through his body evaporate almost instantly. Never mind the fact that the people in the facility compared him to a Kryptonian or at the very least thought of him as a metahuman.
That led to four, he was somewhere that had world-destroying aliens and at the same time alternate planes of existence. He would think he was crazy if it wasn't for all the stinging spots dotted along his body. So much for just being kidnapped by some crazy geeks.
Coming up to a cliff he stopped his constant charge to get a good look at his surroundings. He saw in the far distance the telltale lights of civilization, but he couldn't tell exactly how far that was. Not far off from him, he spotted a couple of roads that he assumed lead into the town or city. With any luck he would arrive before morning, or if he pushed himself which was something he was hesitant to do now that he had no gauge for his speed or endurance.
That's the way to civilization. Some water, a sandwich, and a nice bed will be waiting for me over there. If I can figure out how to get those things.
Bringing his tail in front of him he stared at it for a moment. It looked so unassuming, but he knew what it meant at a basic level.
Saiyan… with instincts and all...
Accidentally leaning into those very instincts he looked down at the sea of trees below him. Rather than look for a better way down he decided to lean into them and jump. Falling through the air was almost peaceful in a way, the wind blowing through his hair and cooling the marks littered across his body. Right before he landed he took a chance and raised his hand to catch one of the many branches around him. It then snapped, flipping him and sending him careening through multiple tree trunks and eventually out onto the open road. He took a breath and lay there, twigs no jutting out his surprisingly long hair.
No pain, besides my pride there.
He noted it down under the growing list of things to consider, a list he made sure to keep track of since past knowledge could be wrong in theory. Standing up, he moved to the side of the road. He thought for a moment and decided to walk at a slow pace in the direction of the city, all the while playing with his tail.
Sam listened to the endless spew of news reports over the radio with a sigh. Bank robbery here, an explosion there, something something, falling from the sky. It seemed to never end with the trouble lately, and lucky him he had to make his final delivery in Star City of all places.
Eyes trained on the road he drove on for a moment before he spotted someone, a man, or rather kid in a red tattered jumpsuit with an awkward woolen belt. He was tall, but lean with a sharp angular jaw with wild unkempt hair. If it wasn’t for how torn to shit he was Sam would have thought of him as a local singer for his town's rock band.
He was walking along the road with a finger out in typical hitchhiker fashion and seemed to be hoping for Sam to stop.
“Damn just my luck…” He waged a small mental war with himself before the better half of him won. Pulling up right beside the kid he lowered the window and spoke.
“Everything alright? Seems like you went hunting and,” he looked over the kids tore to shreds outfit before continuing, “lost your way, to say the least.” The kid seemed to eye him for a moment before he gave a tiny smirk.
“Better than earlier at least,” the kid replied, “ I could use the lift if you are up for it.”
“Hop in.”
Opening the side door of his truck he let the kid in who seemed more than eager for the lift.
“Good, you would be the fifth person to pass me by if you didn’t offer. Figured I should have just kept going till I hit the city at this point.” Settling into the seat the kid dusted himself off in a comical fashion. With the tears of his jumpsuit and the bruises, it made quite the sight.
“That many? Don’t blame em’, you look like shit,” Sam said.
“Seems I got the funny guy then. It's Kye by the way.” Kye held his hand out which Sam shook easily, noting the kids' surprisingly solid grip.
“Call me Sam. Mind me asking why you are walking on the side of the road?” Pulling off he continued to drive at the normal pace. In the distance, the city lights grew ever closer with every moment.
“You would have let me with you otherwise?”
“I believe in lettin’ a man's business stay his business.” Looking over the kid yet again he gave a small chuckle. “Well, men in training get as good of a shot as any. Don’t need the life story to help one out.”
“Fair enough." Kye ran his hand over a sore spot on his leg and his face twisted into a grimace. "Got into a spat with a couple of people who wanted to get too familiar. Had a disagreement and I took off. Also, full man, been through enough to earn that much” Kye said.
“I’ll bet... These friends of yours seem a bit rougher than the people around here. Some of the hits you took are nasty. These people the standard around here?”
“Not my friends, but I say they were run of the mill…” Kye looked out the window and heaved a sigh. Staring at the moon he pondered for a moment before he continued. “Well for around here they don't seem too far off... Anyway, that's a problem for later. Need to get to the city and clear my head. Think things through now that things are different.”
“How so?” Sam asked. He noted that the kid seemed to think about it for a while. When he did find the works he spoke simply.
“Call it a change of occupation…”
The tone was enough for Sam to take the hint. Focusing his full attention again to the road the two naturally drifted into silence, with only the radio as a source of noise in the truck.
After a while, the truck finally arrived at a familiar road and the two of them entered the city outskirts proper. Sam was used to the lights of the place, but he did see how shocked Kye seemed about everything.
“Thought you for a city boy, with that dumb look on ur’ face you look more at home with my friends back home. ”
“Yeah well, there are cities you know and then places you’ve only ever heard about right? None of the talk or pictures does it justice,” Kye replied, “ Here I was thinking I’d seen it all…”
“That's one way of lookin’ at it.”
Sam drove on past the welcoming signs to a building closer to the city center. He never really had reason to be around these parts, but he followed the directions he was given all the same. Pulling up to one of the larger buildings he stopped for a moment to hand a guard at the gate his paperwork. After a moment, the guard signaled him to drive on through to the building's underground garage. Parking it in the right bay he looked around for a moment before handing Kye one of his backup jackets.
“Can’t have you running around like that. Put this on for now,” he said, “Though itsa' rental, so now lettin' what happened to your clothes happen to this.”
“No worries, and thanks.” Slipping it on Sam noted how it completely covered Kye. The kid had height, but not much in size.
“So, what you plan to do now? Guessing you don’t have a wallet or phone since I don’t see pockets. Relatives out since this is your first time here.”
“Right, right and right. I was going to bunk at the shelte-”
Sam cut him off quickly with a sigh. “Bad choice. Liable to get stabbed or mugged. Gimme five minutes for a phone call and we can get you a meal and room for the night. Afterward, you’re on your own.”
Kye raised one eyebrow and folded his arms.
“And the catch?”
“I could use the Karma,” Sam replied. Walking away for a bit he pulled out a black featureless phone and dialed a number.
“The supply is in. Send the payment to the usual account and we are done.”
“Good.” The voice on the other side was heavily synthesized, not unusual for his line of work but it was for this contact.
“And you would be?” he asked. The fact that someone besides his contact answered could either be very good or very bad depending.
“An interested client. With an offer that might use more of your skills.”
“My skills being?”
“The immaterial kind, Samuel Scudder.” Hearing his full name got Sam’s attention. Looking around for a moment he spoke.
“Fine, where and when.”
“Friday, we’ll find you.” the voice replied before it hung up.
“Well, guess my karma is up…” Turning to face Kye he pondered on the job that could use his other toolset, and the best late-night diner he remembers around here.
