i knew that Slits and Speed had been there before and i'd heard urban legends about The Underground Specials Movement, an elite group for fugitives of The Company or in any other danger, as long as you've got a power you're in. Its very shady and does most of its business under the table.
i walked through the slums of New York, i knew that it was best to go alone on your first visit it gives the impression that you're confident and can take anything, but truly. i was terrified. These people were powerful if they didn't like me then they could bring in their special executioner and kill me!
walking into the old fallen in building i kicked the special part of the wall, the brick fell in, revealing a white light that would have blinded me, but Speed told me that thats why its there so you cant see how you get in there, its more of a secret than the USM itself! I reluctantly looked into the light and everything went dark. I was standing there in front of a heavily scarred man, his hand lit up with an orb that wasn't fire or electricity, it was just pure light, that was the light that blinded me (kind of), but i still don't know how i got into the underground.
It was a large underground city almost, with cabins coming off the walls some of them 3 floors high, and just ahead i could see shops and stuff. this place had perhaps 1000 specials! i resisted temptation, this was a job visit, not a power one.
"Hello" he said as he lead me through i could see many shady looking people who i would NEVER trust, some people looked innocent and fidgety, they clearly had a few other thoughts on where to be though.
There were strong people and ones that had weak powers but managed to use them very... evilly but some accidentally evilly, like the girl in that modest skirt and blouse had the power to see and manipulate sound, she was able to make so much sound it caused a mans brain to hemorrhage! i heard her telling the story.
"hi" i said, this guy was wearing what looked like an old tuxedo that had been washed too many times. He could be handsome were it not for the scars and disfigured left arm.
"are you Kate Ramone?" He asked, his voice was smooth with a tinge of a welsh accent and had an almost sinister edge to it.
"yes" i had to use my school name/new life name of course, did i ever mention that that was my name? i am in hiding anyway. i look just like Michele Phfieffer in "Grease 2" BTW.
"i'm here about the-"
"we all know what you're here for, a lot of people here have some money saved up, they want your assassin to kill some people for them, people who they cant kill or could but run the risk of being caught by agents"
"i understand" i said.
"this is a community, it's shady and not a lot of laws, but we are a town like any other you got that? if you take on one of us or if you fail one of us, we're all angry and we will dispatch you to even the score"
i gulped and nodded.
"you clearly have a nice collection of abilities, no wonder you are the Aurris of the generation, its funny, i always thought that the title would stay in the Tavara family."
"well, it had to end some time"
"yes, the first daughter, Cleopatra (using the full name! how formal and embarrassing!) was a promising girl but she messed up, too greedy and took on too much, joined those ridiculous cults, The C.H.A.S.E and Techpower. those Chasers were once here you know? but they went against our code and we would no longer protect them, so many died all because they couldn't listen"
"yes, well, um" i was stuttering, "wh-who's the first client?"
She was in her fifties, and when she got upset a storm would brew, that was her power, weather manipulation. Her name was Alice, they don't say last names down there, so they cant be ratted out as easily, she requested that i kill Dr. Suresh, there were 2 and both were dead, but then she said:
"no, Chandra Suresh is dead, and it spread around from The Carnival that Samuel Sullivan had killed Mohinder Suresh, but we got word from Kadaji, our contact in Tokyo who was tasked in trailing Hiro Nakamura that this was not true, i want you to make it true. someone needs to pay for what happened at coyote sands"
"okay" she handed me 5 grand in cash, and i walked away.
"you cant back the way you came" said the light guy
"thats fine, i'll teleport" i said
"cant do that either, we have people here that control the uses of powers here, no one can get in using teleportation and no-one can get out, just tell us where you're headed"
"Vince Lombardi boarding School, in Illinois couple miles off St Louis"
"no problem, he's been there" he said, he took out a phone, that looked really cool "specially made for the USM" he said "untraceable by anyone except our finest scientists and technicians, built in with a laser, thats a more recent addition the designs we're actually stolen from Cleo Tavara's adopted sister Ali Trellis, very good at making things, not very bright from what i hear" he pressed on the multi touch screen and a man sped up behind us. Dig.
"afternoon" he said, he was very polite with a mischievous glint in his eye, if i didn't already have a boyfriend i'd be with him! he was cute! he told me to get on his back and hold on. he sped right up a wall and through dirt his hands digging ferociously, and in no time were back at my school.
"bye" i said
"wait!"
"what?"
"i have to tell you you're entrance, this hole we just made, in the concrete, that will be covered over in concrete again, but the rest of our tunnel will be kept, with cement walls and all! so if you phase through where the concrete will be then you are in the tunnel and can speed right into the USM go it?"
i nodded
"bye" he said shyly, he had a bit of a southern edge to his voice. i rushed inside and ran down to the boiler room.
"our first job" i said proudly