Chapter 24: A Gratuitous Launch

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It is morning, and the Punk Riot members are lazing around in San's house.

Philip: San sure is taking his sweet ass time. It's already morning...

Another Punk Riot member suggests - "Should we try escaping...?"

Philip: You idiot! Didn't you hear what San told us? He'll kill ya if he returns and don't see ya here. When he says it, he means it!

Random Punk member: Oh yea? Well I'd rather give my life for a chance to save our bro Jayce than to stay here doin' jack shit!"

Someone suddenly comes knocking on the door, alerting the members.

Random Punk member: Well would ya look at that, he's finally back!

Another member: Hold on... Something ain't right...Why would San need to knock on his own door to his house...?

The Punk Riot members look around at each other, shifting their heads and waiting to see if any one of them could come up with a refute to the logic. The members quickly dashes away to hide around the house.

The knocking eventually finally comes to a stop. A grunt member sighs in relief - "Whew...I wonder what all that was about –"

The door flies open and crashes onto the ground.

"Hello~?" - Tatsuo casually calls.

Inside a cabinet, the Punk members hiding inside whispers amongst each other – "What the hell...?"

Another member cracks an opening to sneak a peek – "Who da heck is that dude...?"

A punk riot member makes a "shhh" gesture to his partner, "We don't want to attract any attention."

Tatsuo suddenly appears between the members talking, with one of his eyes peeping through the cracked opening – "Why are you guys hiding?"

The Punk Riot members' bodies jolts in surprise.

Punk members: Wha--How'd you know that we were here?!

"What do you mean? I can smell and hear you guys. All of you. Why are you all hiding?" – Tatsuo says as his head slowly scans the room, as if to indicate that he's aware of the rest of the members hiding in various parts of the house.

All the other members hiding elsewhere begin to panic and sweat in anxiety. Their eyeballs roll over to the other members that they are hiding together with. They silently debate to themselves if they should just expose themselves.

The exposed member confronts Tatsuo - "Y-You better scram brat! We should be the ones asking the questions...! Who da hell are you!? Why are you here!?"

Tatsuo: I'm Tatsuo. And I'm here to talk with San. But I don't smell him here....Well, I don't smell his presence anyways. – An image of a dog is sprung into the punk members mind.

Tatsuo: But what are you Punk Riot guys doing inside of San's house?

Punk members: How do you know who we were!?

Tatsuo: Smell.

Punk members: What kind of nose do you have??!!

Some time passes as the Punk members explain what has happened to Tatsuo.

Tatsuo: I see... So San went to investigate Jayce...Well it's a good thing San mentioned to you all you which prison he was taken to. One of you, come with me. Show me the way there.

Punk member: You kidding!? No way we doin' that! San told us to stay in dis house or else he'll murk us!

Tatsuo (reassuringly): There's no need to worry about that.

The Punk members waits patiently to hear what Tatsuo has to say.

Tatsuo: Cuz I'll be there to protect you then.

Punk member: Huh!?? You think this is a game, boy??!! We ain't playing along with ya!! If yer gonna want one of us to take ya to the prison, you're gonna hafta make us!

Tatsuo: .....

Meanwhile at Dr. Crogsbell's laboratory.

Mearl has continued to tend to Victor's condition and is finally relieved to see Victor recovering.

Mearl: Thank goodness...It looks like he's recovering...

The facility entrance door opens with Heymlir present. The sudden appearance of the mayor surprises Dr. Crogsbell and Mearl.

Dr. Crogsbell: Heymlir? What brings you here at my lab?

Heymlir proceeds to knee Dr. Crogsbell in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. His tiny body tumbles on the floor while letting out a pained gasp. Mearl is too shocked to take any course of action.

Dr. Crogsbell gasps and quivers on the floor in pain, tightly holding his stomach.

Mearl: Dr. Crogsbell...! Mayor Heymlir, what are you doing--!?

Heymlir tosses a bola towards Mearl, snagging him as it violently jerks his body and he lands on the floor incapacitated.

Heymlir carefully searches the lab: Hmmm...Now let's see...

Heymlir: You know Dr. Crogsbell... Perhaps you thought it was still a secret...But I know that you've been siphoning some of our clients' money to fund your own personal projects. – Dr. Crogsbell winces in shock from confession.

Heymlir: Because of that, I had planned to have you arrested on the day the client's envoy arrived. Thankfully, some thugs and a random thief decided to save me the hassle of having to go through all that. Such strings of coincidences...It was as if it was fated.

One of Dr. Crogsbell's blueprints catches Heymlir's attention.

Heymlir: What's this? Some sort of levitation mechanism...?

"Do...Do not touch...!" - It was difficult for Dr. Crogsbell to breathe, much less shout out everything that he wanted to say to Heymlir.

Heymlir smirks: Worry not doctor...I have no intentions on getting in the way between your works. – Heymlir's words left Dr. Crogsbell bewildered.

Heymlir: On the contrary, I implore you to follow your passion and to give us more of your wonderful inventions.

Heymlir takes out the amp. core from his pocket – "After all....You were the one behind the creation of this fantastic item!"

Dr. Crogsbell: The amp. Core...!?

Dr. Crogsbell wonders why the mayor has it. Heymlir presses a button and a door opens up in front of him - "Oh?"

Heymlir: Isn't this one of them...? – The exosuit looms over in front of Heymlir.

A compartment of the exosuit opens up and Heymlir places the amp. Core inside. Machineries begin to whirr as the suit powers up and the joints loosen. Heymlir climbs atop the exosuit and into the cockpit.

"Don't look at me like that doctor..." - Says Heymlir as he looks down onto Dr. Crogsbell as he seethes in pain and anger.

Heymlir: This magnificent machine of yours is about to be admired by the people of the city...And soon...The world!

Crogsbell struggles as he tries to collect himself: No...! I never wanted my inventions to be used like this...!

Heymlir: Fret not doctor...You are a special person and an important asset to me...

"You should be grateful that I'm only putting you under lockdown instead." - Says Heymlir as he walks past Dr. Crogsbell and approaches the exit. The door slides open for the titanic, hulking metal body.

Heymlir: Farewell Dr. Crogsbell...

The robust arm of the exosuit smashes the control panel, caving it inward as sparks fly everywhere.

Heymlir: I will see you again soon.

The exosuit marches out of the facility with its heavy metal stomps echoing in the hallway as the door slams shut behind it, trapping Dr. Crogsbell, Mearl, and Victor inside.  

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