Chapter 3

We meet the Council. All is not right in paradise

They had called a press conference the next morning, all the big players in the city were on stage, and the key members of the press were sitting like an audience watching a premier. Carlos Puente had spent the last decade manipulating himself to this very stage. Unbeknown to everyone in the room, he was the most powerful man in the state and every smiled as the Governor Johnson smiled like a dumb puppet and began saying words.

Carlos knew the public wanted to be reassured by the recent murder of Lindsey Gardner, and the wave of fear and sadness when even the rich and powerful were not safe. He stared at the back of the head of Governor Johnson who had some great level of charisma left in him.

“We have little room to speculate on wether this case is apart of the two murders that have taken place in the past month. One Psychologist has even stated that simply, this crime is nothing more than a fad, and will die out as soon as the media stops hyping these events. The more we publicize the murders, and we romanticize the dead, the more likely someone else will take on the mantle and try something stupid. But we have our best men on this and…”

Carlos bent towards his ear and began letting inaudible words bounce in the Governor’s brain.

“Within a week, the murderer will be brought to justice we have very big important leads but we must ask that for the sake of the investigation, the media try not to publicize any info that may leak in their direction.”

A crooked smile came across Carlos’s face.

The conference made its way across the city, and even the country as people began to realize that these murders were not just a random series of events. On CNN, news commentators were beginning to question just what tactics the police would be using, the new technology available, and the history of serial killers as provided by some retired experts. On Fox News,  the commentators were crying out for the need of justice and how state laws are allowing such killers to be able to commit their crimes.

The world was being spoonfed, even against their will, the events of what was happening in the past month. Entertainment and TMZ decided to pool their resources and do odes to the crazy life that was these people. For every tasteful moment, it was brought on by three tasteless segments.

Carlos for saw these events as the night came closer, he himself was already being exposed to them.

“So how did I do?” The Governor asked.

“Beautifully sir. Your bit about keeping the media out of the police investigation was spot on. Now, about lowering taxes for the low income workers.” Carlos had spent the past year trying to get Governor Johnson to cave on keeping the taxes as is. It was as if there was some strange connection, that even with all his special ability and manipulation and persuasion, Johnson would not cave.

He got Johnson to tell him everything about his personal life, those trigger words seemed to be powerful in part due to Johnson’s ego to talk about himself, but for some reason, the tax plan had a strange lock and key that he could not bypass.

When he saw the stone face, Carlos continued, “Very well we will talk about this later.”

“Yes, we will talk about this later.”

Carlos always loved getting the identical response from his victims. Although even more better when it was a planted suggestion and would take time for the answer to come out, often coming out with new wording and a foolish sense of genius coming from the victim.

The coat laid on a hook and Carlos was prepped for his night out. “I am heading out Sir. Tomorrow we have much that needs to be discussed. Don’t start your agenda without me.”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t leave my most trusted advisor out of the loop.”

Carlos got into his car, put on some ATB, and set sail for the Council Meeting.

 

The Council is made up of five original members, two additions, and two apprentices. It was formed when Jules, Carlos, Anna, Laurence, Timmothy, and Jessica were in the same class at school in their early teenage years. The group, now called the Council were initially a group of friends who became obsessed with magic volumes, scrolls, and books. They spent their early years trying to craft the ability to move things with their very will, summon, and dabble in different arts.

Initially the group had a pack mentality, working together as one, but as the years grew on, a power structure slowly formed, though never official. Carlos and Anna slowly became the leaders and were in essence the patriarch and matriarch respectively.

The council spent their early years learning and then, after Timmothy gave himself to the shadows, they focused much of their efforts trying to combat the darkness within them, and within the world. It was decided very soon that with their power, they could shape the world in any way they saw fit. With the ability to conjure illusions and manifestations, as well as their ability to infiltrate and persuade others to do what they wished, they began to formulate a plan to infiltrate society and tap the key structures to form a world they would approve of.

Carlos one day appeared out of nowhere, no one knew where he came from, introduced himself, and within a week, was a key member of a state senators staff. Jules, spent his time working with the police and on occasions, special assignments so they would have an eye out for the crime movements in the city.

Anna, works at a newspaper as a chief editor. Over the years, she has seemed to enjoy it more and more. Jessica spends her time driving a taxi. It is not a glamorous job but it pays the bills. This job, so she keeps being told, allows her to see the streets and know the city like the back of her hand.

Laurence however chose a very different occupation and more one of personal fun than anything.

Despite being white, he has used his special talents with his increased speed, agility, and strength, to become a professional Luchador on the pro wrestling circuit. He is known for lifting men up to four hundred pounds above his head, despite being a middleweight, and bench pressing them three times before slamming them.

It was a silly gimmick that the fans came to see day in and day out. They call him Solito, or the Little Sun for his shocking power despite his size.

Laurence loved the adoration of the fans, and being that his ability to take a bump (fall) on the matt caused no damamge to him, it was akin to wrestling on a trampoline. They say, he never missed a single event due to injury.

The audience in the boxing gym was packed, standing room only. The match was part of the mid-card, and Husky Corn, a fat man who worked the phone market during the day time as Roger, was staring him down.

As the hero, Solito danced, skipped and hopped around his opponents to which Husky Corn looked irritated. Underneath the mask Laurence was just smiling.

“Ven aca fat boy!” Solito began to slip his writes and forarm.

The two locked up, Roger whispered, “See the Mexican family?”

Roger nodded behind Laurance. Solito lifted his opponent off the ground and into a body slam. Laurance posed for the audience and scoped them out. He understood instantly what Roger was saying. In the front row, a family was sitting, big too, a mother, and three children. One of them had a Solito toy in his hand and Laurance smiled.

The boy looked like he was in paradise, cheering his hero.

The monster behind him roared. He saw the child jump in fear. With a new energy Laurence turned around and thought of himself not unlike Spiderman fighting off against Venom or the likes of Rhino. Then he realized, his job was to lose tonight.

They exchanged round and kept the fight going, but when they locked up again, Roger simply said, “I want you to win this one.”

“But, we are setting you up for a title match.”

“That little boy is going to remember this match for the rest of his life.”

Husky Corn lifted a knee into Solito’s stomach, and then chokeslammed him hard. Solito was not moving.

“Solito! Solito!” the crowd started to chant, the boy was off his feet. Laurence could see it in the corner of his eye. Then he saw Jules. S**t, he muttered to himself, he forgot that he said he would be his ride.It always felt weird performing in front of his friends.

Husky Corn went out to the fans, “I destroyed this man! Shut up!”

His in ring work may need…work, but he always knew how to get the fans. He pointed to the child with the toy, “I killed your hero! I killed your hero.”

The child got up and yelled, “He’s not dead! He will beat you!”

The chant for Solito got even louder. Laurence was as much an admirer for the audience participation as much as they enjoyed the spectacle.

Solito jumped to his feet and lifted Husky Corn over his head. He then proceded to bench press him three times, the audience counting deafeningly loud, the acustics of the small room magnified the noise. He slammed him down, and then Solito pointed to the turnbuckle, asking the aduiance if he should climb.

Jules, sitting in the back was rolling his eyes. He never understood the fascination with all of this. If anything, his friend was essentially showcasing his biggest secret.

Laurence decided to give the little boy something extra special, so he added a twist of his body to the his signature move, the 720 Moonsault; The Splash of Sun the promoter called it. The ref looked in shock, knowing this was not part of the script, but Laurence nodded and the ref counted to three.

The match ended and in the locker room, Laurence knew there would be hell to pay. Him and Roger though were still in high spirits. “So I am thinking since you let me get the pin, I’ll treat to the next round of t*****s at the tittie bar?”

Roger laughed, “I am thinking I am going to have to say no on that one. I got this date, and I am waiting for the right time to tell her about what I do for my night gig. I think her finding out I oogle other girls chests would do more harm than good.”

“Suite yourself. More for me then.”

Outside, Jules was waiting. It was bad enough the show ran thirty minutes late, he texted via his cell but still, late it late. He saw the child come out with his arms in the air, he did not understand a word the kids was saying. Sure there was a spell he could do to change that, but the meaning was conveyed well enough.

The mother told the kids to stop, and she walked up to a man out of the corner. She smiled at him and the began talking. She shook his hand and then proceded to bow. Instantly Jules understood. Laurence had come out of the back, and he had given her his autograph to give the child. Laurence had put a finger to his lips and he was telling her not to spoil the magic.

Laurence walked right by the kids and smiled as he made eye contact with Jules. “Sorry I am so late, I spent the last ten minutes getting my a*s chewed by the promoter. He was fuming at the mouth.”

“Be careful, it is not wise to piss off the man who pays you.”

They got into the car, a Dodge Charger. Laurence put on the air conditioning and Jules rolled down the window. They made another set of eye contact, they had had this debate several times before. For years, actually, ever since highschool when Laurence first got his car.

Instead Laurence talked, “It is not like the dude can do anything to me. Only two people on the roster can lift Roger, and no one can do the 720. He’s stuck with me.”

He grabbed the clutch and they were off.

Laurence then grabbed a sip of his already melted, hours ago, Icee. “So tell me, how goes your apprentice?”

“She couldn’t be my ride.” Jules said this more with a regretfull moan.

“Bah, how about we hit the tittie bar and ditch our meeting? Oh I forgot you don’t like girls.” Laurence slapped Jules’s shoulder.

Jules laughed. He then cocked his head as if he saw something. When he pointed, Laurence shifted his gaze to look. A slap hit Laurence up the back of his head.

The two smiled. “Fair enough,” Laurence nodded.

“Her progress goes good.”

“Well,” Laurence corrected.

 

The world had long since gone to Hell and Back. The city was a representation of the big picture. Poverty owned entire portions of the streets and street gangs fought for every block just to destroy the populace with drugs, guns, and deadly ambitions. The Yakuza and Triads had only months ago signed a peace treaty so they both could focus on infighting. Three Mafia families, known to the Triads as “The Three Kingdoms” had worked on settling down and enjoying tense friction without open war.

Then there were the drug cartels from Mexico. It started with two but in the history of trying to set up shop, one of them mysteriously vanished over night. Soon after border guards were doubled and the Chavez ring has had unimpeded growth with no rival, but something clearly got them spooked because although the supply in the city had increased, Cartel violence was relatively small. These were the human elements.

Simon Grey first made a name for himself by appearing from seemingly out of nowhere and setting it his life goal to bring a new wave of culture and art to the area. The downtown area, stricken with poverty and crime had turned into coffee houses, home made musuems, and a calm relaxed atmosphere where anyone wanting to make a name for themselves as a starving artist could stay and work their way up the ranks.

The porn shops disappeared and the sex theaters turned into small play houses that could fit ten people max. Underground rock and warehouses turned into venues were becoming a growing trend. Down the block, in the series of downtown buildings, Simon set up a happening night club, starring the whose who of the lesser known celebrities, where elitest nobodies would wage their minor fueds and try to make a name for themselves with someone of the opposite sex.

It was a good business and soon a relaxed atmosphere of the downtrodden architecture neighbored the hip and the hot night life creating a bizzare duality that complemented itself. Simon Grey just making both money and reputation before seeming to disappear into shadows only making a rare appearance.

The city has now gone to sleep as the midnight hour approaches, the music from the club echoes and dies over the industrial area. Posters litter lampposts for some bands that played a few months back, and billboards of companies out of business rott and ashen.

A car can be heard going down the street. It is the first car to make its way past here in a few minutes. The long road that seperates the buildings from the train tracks betrays the lack of vibrant life. Two people are walking, tourists who are lost. They are thinking of catching a cab but for some reason or another, turn a right down the alleyway hoping to find the correct parking lot in hopes of not receiving a fine.

Another person is walking the opposite direction, he is running late for a concert that’s two blocks down. He is huffing and puffing and cursing his folly. A final is just sitting down, drunk, unloved and tired of life to move from this spot.

These are the stories and ilk of the folk that make this place alive on such an evening when the world has gone dead.

Hidden in plain site is a generic run down theater that used to be an apartment. It was built as one of the first buildings in the past hundred years but was converted then abandoned. Due to its unkempt nature, people use it as they please, which is rarely at all.

The windows are boarded up and graffiti memorializing a gangster that died twenty years ago has become a marking signifying what uniqueness this building has. The door looks like it wont and if any one word could describe the value of such a place, it would be “dead.”

But that is a lie. Inside, among the torn colors, the wallpaper falling, is a amphitheater as the stairs slowly descend revealing a stage and open room. With minimal lighting, it is here the council meets.

 

Carlos looked around and spoke. “Lets start generic. Thank you all for coming today and…well tonight but that is a minor detail. I would like to bring some attention on some important matters. I know we usually have a set agenda but I figured this was very important. The Trial By Fire is coming soon where we will be seeing…”

Jessica interrupted, flicking her hair. “And what day is that? I know as I don’t have the fortune to have an apprentice that I kinda have been kept out of the loop but…”

Carlos hated being interrupted. However a slight chuckle came from his ex Anna. He tried to regain his composure. “Well if you would let me fini…”

Anna chimed in, hoping to keep the anti-Carlos momentum going, “No, your right, I don’t think I can recall the day or time…”

His face getting mad, “Well if you had an apprentice then…”

His ex was just loving the over growing frusturation in him and for no reason but to stir some conflict, “And why don’t we have apretnices? Well I mean Jessica is the weakest of us. So I can understand that, but me? I think I am strong enough to raise one! Don’t you agree Luke?”

Luke, who was training to be a Battle Mage under the eye of Carlos could only let out an “Um..”

Jessica, who was initially enjoying the little bouts of comedy quickly came to the realiziation what was happening and decided not to be in the middle of this. She then kept her silence and put her head down as if to say “I am sorry I gave her an opening.”

Luke and Lucy, the two apprentices, just stared at each other. The other two present Battle Mages, both who have found it best to stay out of in group politics kept silence.

Carlos just stayed for a moment, and an ackward silence enjoyed itself among the group. “As I was saying,” Carlos finally got the courage to continue, “I would like, as a training excersise, and as was stated and prepared ahead of time, for a test match up to see how the two apprentices have evolved.”

Jessica instantly looked Carlos in the eye, “I am sorry to say this but since Jules isn’t here yet, I think a duel at this time would be unfair to him and unfair to Lucy.”

“I am ready.”

They looked to Lucy.

“He has taught me to be strong and be prepared for anything. If I need to fight…”

Jessica put a hand on Lucy’s shoulder, “This is your first combat, right?”

Anna rose up, “I propose that the planned match be on hold until our order is complete, it is harder to use a protection circle with the bare minimum number of people required, especially when it comes to two people who are new to this.”

Anna, the unofficial matriarch of the group looked around and see if any nodded in agreement. One battle mage to her right nodded. Carlos then simply said, “Before our numbers swelled to seven, we been dueling since we were kids, I have faith in these two cannidates that they will not cause irreparable harm and that the required minimum, among us, shall be sufficient.”

Carlos, the unofficial patriarch thhen looked around the group and he saw that at this moment, the consensus seemed to be unsure.

“If I may speak, I believe I can withhold enough and the fight would be safe for both of us.” Luke then bowed his head.

“But what if she is unable to contain herself and hurts you? What if she hurts another?” Anna looked to Lucy, the apprentice, “Can you be sure that you can protect both yourself and him?”

Lucy began to look unsure. Jessica however was once again looking down. Dissapointed. She hoped none would see her low feelings and also that no one would bring it up. It wasn’t the matter of the duel, she genuinely could not say with confidence what was a disagreement of opinion versus a disagreement between rivals.

Jessica finally got the idea, “I say let the two cannidates decide the nature of the duel, and on that, decide if they should fight, or wait for the council to be complete before we start our circle of protection.”

There was a pause.

“I am ready.” Luke

“I am ready.” Lucy

Author's Note

Finally did chapter 3. Please leave notes and be honest.