Rising Up – Chapter 1
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"HAYLEY KEEP HER FUCKING STEADY, this isn't as easy as I make it look!"

"Shut up already and jump you stupid monkey."

"Wha- You know hayley maybe we'll have to have a talk about the way you talk to m-"

"SHUT UP AND JUMP"

"ALRIGHT! sheesh..."

A tall, toned young man is adopting a low stance on the rumbling car. His diluted blue eyes transform into a pale golden ring.
Shoulder length hazel hair flutters in the wind as the car draws close to their target. A Mainland rx98, all terrain vehicle,
not in the price range of an average citizen. Fitted with double plated armour strong enough to take a direct blast from a launcher. Kellin scoffs at how overqualified he was for such a job.

"KELLIN! NOW!"

Screaming out from the driver seat, clearly chosing to not use the intercom, a petite girl with sleak black hair and pink highlights
veers the car towards the target. An oversized tracksuit jacket adorned with far too many pockets, mismatched booty shorts, a foul mouth and a face covered in dirt are all incapable of overshadowing her natural beauty. A warm glow of a girl who knows better, but does worse. piercing bright velvet eyes, possibly from some optic cosmetics. Tattoo's drawn from neck to toe, not that you'd bare witness to the majority.

"Enough of the lovers quarrel, we're running out of time."

From the back, an almost identical beauty slumps into her seat cautions with snide remarks. Everything about this girl's
appearence however screams a cold beauty. Unlike Hayley, her outfit compliments her stark beauty, sleak black hair in
a fine cropped leather jacket and long dark matte leggings. A pair of crescent moon earings adorns each ear while a large amount of cybernetics decorate the top half of her body. Clear signs of a netrunner.

"We're not- fuck you Kayley"

Hayley spits out.

In that moment, perhaps out of awkwardness, Kellin launches himself off the car with a subtle crunch of the roof as his cybernetically enhanced legs took motion.

"Godspeed flying monkey."

Hayley smirks to herself as she speeds ahead to cut the targets vehicle off, screeching her tires as the sudden acceleration takes effect.

*Zzzzzzmmmmt*

As if time itself slowed Kellin soared through the air towards the rx98, closing in, Kellin grasps a japanese styled sword
cushioned against his back. In one smooth motion he unsheathes the blade in a cinematic style, much like his favourite movie stars. A trigger fitted to the hilt, kellin squeezes down as the sword begings to vibrate violently. A gradual gleam engulfed the titanium steel into a dangerous thick dark grey aura. Lifting the sword far above his head and joining both hands together, Kellin's intent was clear. To cut through the armour with one dramatic strike.

*vvvvrrrttttt*

Instantaneously Kellin flew through the air and sliced directly into the armoured car, deep inside, lodging the blade within. Next locking his legs against the car... he held on for dear life.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD IS THIS CAR MADE OF?!"

Kellin screams out in sheer disbelief.

"Nah its not the car man, you just don't have the muscles for the job, Kelly."

A tall man, taller than Kellin stands upon the mainlands roof. Broad bulging muscles with an accompanying smirk, short faded hair
and cybernetic enhancements covering head to toe, sporadically.

Reaching out a hand, Kellin grips it tightly and rises up to meet the man face to face.

"Sorry not all of us are cyborgs from the moon Danny- and don't call me Kelly!"

"Whatever you say Kelly."

Danny retorts, bending down to pull Kellins blade out, effortlessly.

"I could've done that..."

Kellin mumbles to himself confidentally.

Not to go unnoticed for their stealthy invasion, the driver, as if needing to be alerted by his cars security system, begins
to erradically steer left to right in an attempt to shake them off. Kellin and Danny both hit the deck, gripping tightly to the
car, or at least danny did while Kellin gripped onto Danny.

"Heh, its like monkeys grooming eachother. hold on Kaykay"

Hayley chuckles out, before slamming the breaks to collide with the mainland.

"Umph"

Kayley grunts in dispproval.

The collision knocked the swinging mainland out of control, colliding with the rail of the highway, over the top and over the edge. Down into
the mound of trash below belonging to the slums of River City. The highway didn't exit into the slums, but it did pass over the top of it.

"Uggghh, Danny you alive?"

*bllrrugghh*

"Remind me to teach hayley how to drive"

Danny retorts.

"You should remind yourself to beg for my forgiveness later, Daniel"

Hayley slides a comment in over the intercom link shared between the group.

Kellin grimaces at his muscle headed partner, Hayley doesn't forget nor forgive easily, lifting eachother up out of the trash and dusting themselves off they inspect the car for its passenger. Inside he was unconscious, dripping blood from his skull as his neck slumps over the steering wheel. Below his ear sits a tattoo resembling two clasping hands, the sigil belonging to the Cult of Carthanon. Danny eyes lock with the tattoo for a brief moment, before refocusing on the targets data port. From within his wrist Danny unravels a thin cable he
uses to connect to the target.

Kellin watches as Dannys eyes glaze over, flickers of green symbols come and go. Minutes later he snaps out of his daze and ushers
them both along.

"Got what we came for, lets get out of here Kelly."

Timing is everything. Faint sirens echo from the distance, only one divison would enter the slums like this so soon after an incident.

"You got to be fucking shitting me. Death Stalkers are coming?!"

Kellin cries out, gripping Dannys wrist to hurry him along.

"Everyone get the fuck out of here, regroup at rendezvous point"

The faint sirens in the distance grew closer after the group fled, a homeless man approaching the scene appears to be deaf, likely saw the car crash down and has come to scavenge. A thundering rumble of high tech armoured suits crashes into the earth. The vibrations alone caught the deaf mans attention, slowly turning to face the force that alerted him. Before his eyes could meet them, a hailstorm of bullets flodded his body and as quickly as it begun, it stopped. With a thud the homeless mans mangled corpse hit the ground.

"Scene secure, check on the VIP."

Exclaimed one officer abruptly. adorned on his armour was a very clear sigil, a skull housed inside a circle, with a line crossed through. A death stalkers signature.

"Vitals down, client is on the class 3 package, recover the body for cremation."

A stalwart officer, dressed in more decorative attire from the high tec body armour steps forward. Breathing in a slow, indignant breath, spits on the scrap heap.

"Disgusting. A fowl place to die. A disgraceful death. Leave the body, burn it."

Not a moments hesitation, the officers carried out the orders. Although he wouldn't show it, this brought a subtle joy to the commander. Death stalkers Follow orders, nothing more. Nothing less... And he knew how to give out orders.

An hour or so later in the slum district of River City, the crew met up infront of an unsavoury looking bar. A neon sign, half lit with broken bulbs hung slanted from the wall engraved with the words 'Angels Grace'. Named by an ex-merc who wanted to make an oasis in this hellscape. The bar had clearly seen better days, even from the outside. The windows covered in dirt, some with cracks, the door had been gone for weeks with Graffiti littered around the building.

"Nice job everyone, we're back in once piece, data intact! We call that a payday! Hahahaha!"

Kellin chuckles to himself in delight.

"Right you are Kelly! Right you are! HAHAHA!"

Danny aggressively pats Kellins back with gleeful intent. Even if his hulking strength almost forced Kellin to his knees.

"Yeah yeah, good job, lets go get paid and then we can get BLACKOUT DRUNK BABY!"

Hayley screams in delight.

*sigh*

"Try not to puke everywhere this time Hayley."

Kayley mentions with a hint of desperation, cracking her usual calm demeanor.

Entering the bar through the... Hole, a hardened drum roll bursts out, as the jukebox plays one of the classically overplayed metal songs certain members of this bar enjoyed too much for kellin's tastes. a few steps further and a krass voice greets them.

"Oi fucking oi, the kids survived, welcome back to my personal slice of paradise! Be sure to tip kindly or I'll break your legs."

"A pleasure to see you too, Mr. Angel."

Danny teases out.

"Less of the mr kid, you gonna pay your tab this time?"

Angel stares Danny down. A hulking man with more muscles than a tank has armour. The wise old owner of this establishment and
also its bouncer, equipped with two gargantuan resonator knuckles, that you wouldn't want to get on the bad side of. One right hook from Angel was enough to leave someone unconscious for a week. 'nasty tech with a nasty amount of muscle behind it.' Kellin thought.

"M- Angel please, we just got back from a very lucrative job, I'll be paying in full, please put your gauntlets down."

Danny pleades with Angel, fear echoing out of his eyes.

"We'll just go out back Angel, see ya soon king"

Kellin jovial tone lightens the mood again as he skips by Danny and out the back door.

"See Danny, thats a good kid."

Squeals Angel in delight.

Danny grumbles to himself as he follows behind Kellin. Hayley giggles to herself, enjoying the suffering of her crew member.

"Ahh look who it is, I take it the job went well, or you wouldn't be here, correct?"

An average built male sat in a dark corner, a stylish fitted suit decorates the rather bland individual. Two other men stand in
opposite corners, acting as this mans bodyguards.

"Please, what do you take us for? We're professionals and damn good ones at that."

Kellin quipped.

"You're young punks. You screwed up the last job I gave you, now do you have the fucking data or not. Kid."

The man did not reflect Kellin's joyful tone. A grave frown directed itself towards the group.

"Yeesh! It's here, it's here. Turn that frown upside down!"

Kellin reached forward to hand over the data. Before he could fully extend his arm, the two bodyguards stepped forward, hands
placed firmly around the guns perched in their holsters. A wave of his hand from the shadowy figure and the guards took a step back.

"Come on guys, we're all friends here right? Ahem, right! Here you go."

Kellin once more, reaches out and places the data chip on the table. The shadow figure sighs. Pulling himself forward, grasping
the chip he inserts into his own port. In doing so, deep scars either side of his throat become visable causing kayley to grimace.

"Does my apperance bother you?"

The man questioned with venom.

"Not at all sir, got what you wanted?"

Danny's attempt at diverting the topic was successful as the man nodded.

"It seems you truly didn't fuck up this time, here, take your creds and get the fuck out of my sight."

A flick of his wrist and the entire groups eyes lit up as their personal accounts were updated with more than enough money for a good night out. The crew begin to exit the room, before the man calls out once more.

"You two. Wait. I want a word."

*gulp*

Hayley shoots the duo a worried look.

"go ahead, we'll meet you in a minute.

Kellin calmly explains.

The two walk out, Hayleys worried look remaining fully intact.

"Don't worry, I have another job for you. I would much rather give this job to someone more experienced, but no one wants to
take it up. Problem is my client is getting desperate, they're willing to pay triple the original offer. Are you in?"

The man leans back flaunting a hand out as if displaying a fine piece of steak. This was the moment they had been waiting for.

"Of cours-"

Danny blurts out before Kellin kicks him in the back of the shin.

"Allow us to talk to our team first."

Before Danny could retort the man spoke quickly.

"hmph, thought you were the leader, you've got 24 hours to decide. Now like I said before, fuck off."

Nodding their heads, Kellin lead danny out of the room and back into the bar.

"Kelly what the fuck?! Thats what we've been mother fucking waiting for! this is THE mother fucking chance!"

Danny cries out, so loudly that Hayley and Kayley drew close.

"Danny- guys listen, regardless of what Danny wants, that shithead offered us a job. A big job. We're talking big time cash."

He solemnly said.

"Big cash means more danger."

Kayley states, with cold eyes and Kellin nods in return

"Yeah and more cash means more fucking cash, this is what we've been waiting for! We didn't get into this line of work to pussy foot around,
this is the opportunity of a lifetime, we either take it or we stay gutter trash forever."

Hayley spits out her rant with anguish.

"Alright, listen. Either we all agree to this or we don't do it, it might be a big job but us dying isn't reaching the top either."

Kellin tries to command the group.

"Who died and made you the fucking leader huh? I'm not wasting the one god damn chance we get! Are you gonna just sit around forever Kelly?! We don't have rich parents, we don't have corporate backing! We're fucking no one-"

"I KNOW! Okay? So lets just, calmly decide."

"Well I'm fucking in."

Danny declares with a pissed off tone.

"I'm in."

Hayley stands firm in her resolve.

"I uhhh..."

Kayley hesistently looks at her sister before swallowing her spit.

"I'm in."

"Alright... Alright then."

Kellin swings his arms around Danny and Hayley.

"Lets go get fucked up then! TO BIGGER THINGS!"

Hayley and Danny release a roaring cheer as the group makes its way over to the bar, followed loosely by a slightly nervous looking
Kayley.

"A ROUND OF YOUR FINEST BARKEEP!"

Danny cries out in joy

"Happy to bleed you dry kid."

Angel speaks out with what can only be described as proof of the devil's existence, seated deep within his brazen grin.

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