Off Grid

Chapter 15: Close Call

To say the least, Retribution was not pleased with Off Grid's antics.

"What have you done?" He hissed, while he paced the length of the building. His fists were shaking with pent up rage.

Their meeting spot gave the two a clear view of City Hall and, subsequently, of the police cars that had flocked to the building.

Off Grid couldn't stop the smile from overtaking his lips. He had finally goaded a reaction from the older man, and he was going to relish every second of it.

"What ever do you mean? All I did was what you asked me to do."

"I did not ask for you to rob and vandalize the mayor's office. This was an in and out job, Off Grid. You were supposed to arrive and leave undetected."

Off Grid wanted to point out that he in fact had arrived and left undetected, and that it was only after his escape that his actions had been discovered, but he held his tongue.

Off Grid knew very well how to execute a stealth mission. It was his specialty and, had he not been trying to prove the point that he could not be controlled, he would have.

From the look on Retribution 's face, Off Grid's message had come through loud and clear. The man looked near ready to tear his own hair from his head.

"Do you even realize how much your little mess could potentially damage our plans?"

"Your plans," Off Grid corrected, "which, need I remind you, you still haven't fully disclosed to me. Perhaps if you had, we wouldn't be in this predicament."

Retribution ground his teeth together and attempted to regain some semblance of composure.

"Did you at least get the files?"

"Of course I did."

Off Grid tossed the drive over to the older man, who caught it with ease.

"Good... Good. Then perhaps all is not lost. He'll increase security following this incident, but so long as he doesn't move it to another location..." Retribution mused to himself.

"Move what to another location?"

"Mayor Johnson's little side project. He's been constructing a weapon of sorts in secret for as long as he's been in office, or rather I should say reconstructing."

"What? Why would the mayor need to build a weapon?"

"Should he be allowed to complete it, it will grant him immeasurable power, with which I fear he plans to take over far more than just Argent City. That's where you come in again, boy. I need for you to obtain the weapon before that can happen."

"I fail to see how any of this is relevant to making the man miserable. I thought that this was a revenge scheme, Retribution. I didn't sign up to save the city."

It wasn't that Off Grid wished to see his home destroyed, he'd grown quite content terrorizing it's residents, but he still didn't believe that it was his responsibility, and putting forth the effort necessary sounded like more trouble than it was worth.

"Nor did I," Retribution said,"it's just fortune for Argent City that he cares so deeply for his work. To tear the fruit of his labors from his grasp while he is so near his goal... How could I possibly resist the temptation?"

"Okay, so I break in to his office-"

"His home, actually," Retribution interjected.

"Right, his home, and swipe this ... doomsday weapon, whatever it is, assuming I can find it. Then what?"