Banished(Under Rewrite)

Part 12 - It's time for an upgrade

I woke up. 

As I got out of bed, I couldn't help but replay the conversation with The Swordsman in my head. It was almost surreal how much he had changed since our previous encounter. It was as if he had undergone a complete transformation, and I found myself wondering what Nightshade did to him that made him leave The Vipers and become a weapon shop owner. Perhaps there was more to his story than I knew.

But there was no time to dwell on that now. The Purge was fast approaching, and I had a responsibility to warn the police and prepare the citizens for the dangerous night ahead. It was an annual event by The Vipers, where crime was given free rein for a night, leading to chaos and countless lives lost.

I needed to catch up on the news and see if there were any updates or clues about The Vipers' plans for this year's Purge. It wouldn't be an easy task, but I had to gather as much information as possible to face them effectively.

As I turned on the news, reports of increasing criminal activities related to The Vipers flooded the screen. It seemed that they were already gearing up for The Purge. The city was on edge, and fear hung in the air. 

Luckily, I had access to multitudes of information: The Swordsman had given his notebook to me before I left. 

With The Swordsman's notebook in my possession, I felt a mix of gratitude and responsibility. This precious resource could provide valuable insights into The Vipers and help me prepare for the challenges ahead. I knew I had to take advantage of this opportunity to gather information and strategize our approach to confront The Vipers.

However, my immediate concern was The Purge, the impending event that threatened innocent lives. I needed to warn the police and prepare the citizens for what was coming. The notebook's knowledge about The Executives, particularly Nightshade, could wait for now. The urgency of the situation demanded immediate action.

Leaving the notebook aside, I quickly gathered my thoughts and planned my next moves. I had to connect with the authorities, brief Detective Walker, and devise a plan to protect the city during The Purge. Time was of the essence, and I couldn't afford to waste a single moment. 

I immediately called Mark. 

"The Purge is coming up," I said with a hint of urgency. "I have a lot of information that I could share with the police and media to ensure everyone's safety,"

"That's good," Mark replied in his usual composed tone. "We need to make sure this time's Purge doesn't turn into a chaotic disaster."

"They will be safe. I got us an ally," I said, ready to reveal my secret weapon.

"An ally?" Mark asked, sounding puzzled. "I wasn't there in the comms when you were doing whatever you were doing."

I raised an eyebrow. Not on his computer? That's news to me. 

"Wait, seriously? You mean, you're not glued to your computer 24/7, tracking my every move?" I asked, curious to know what else he could be doing. 

"No, not really. I do have other things to do, you know," he replied. 

"Oh," I said, slightly embarrassed by my assumption. "Well, it's okay; I forgive you."

 "Thank you for your generous forgiveness," Mark replied sarcastically. 

"So, you don't know anything about what happened?" I probed, trying to gauge if he was pulling my leg.

"Nope, clueless as a goldfish," he replied, and I couldn't help but snicker a little at his response.