Junction Pt. 01

Jace nodded and showed it to the range master who had followed them over. He whistled, "It will take a while to get that."

Jace shook his head, "I have at least 5-6x that are in my bag and full. Bounty hunter. Pulled them from the bounties."

The guy chuckled, "You want to live a good long time."

Jace nodded, "True."

He was shown all of the weapons tagged for destruction. Jace pointed, "Into the bin with them."

Marshal Hall sighed, "There are parts I could use off of those."

Jace nodded, "Like all 5 of the Z78 Cobra's you kept back at 500 DC's a unit, that is used. 3 of those have yet to be fired. Range Master would you double-check his work on these weapons he has marked them for destruction."

Marshal Hill moved to destroy the weapons in the bin. Jace pinned him to the back wall with the evoker gauntlets as he still had his armor on. The Ranger Master looked through them and released 9 of the weapons in the stack.

Jace took them and released the Marshal, "He should be turned over to our Internal Affairs unit. I wonder how many others he has done this with. Bring in elven telepaths and we will get answers. Check his bag and locker for the other 22 that were not street legal." Marshal Hill pulled his gun and shot himself in the head.

The range master looked over, "You could have stopped him."

Jace nodded, "I could have, but I wasted enough Ki on him already for a dirty cop. Lots of on-line gambling debt. He went flush every 4 months. Calculate how often he has ended up in the cage and run an end-to-end inventory; check all weapons for all parts as well.

He could have pulled hundreds of them apart and removed firing pins, slides, ammo, etc. You need to check them all before they are given to someone going into the field with them. Start with RPG stock. That should be small enough to give you an answer and it has a big street value."

He went in back and came upfront, "There are 2 missing from inventory, with 140 rounds of ammo for them. I found a bag with contraband weapons including the 22 he identified earlier, in the back. Dozens of parts for stock weapons here."

Jace nodded, "I might have had one of those RPG's for lunch at the mall yesterday. You need to get IA involved and a complete inventory. Are you glad I did not stop him?"

He groaned, "This will take a damned month. No, I would have liked to shoot him myself."

Jace nodded to him and Cooper took him out of there as Jace yelled back, "Those targets are for my weapon ballistics as well. Don't forget."

He heard him groan at trying to get those into the machine to analyze. With Marshal Hill dead he could not delegate that task.

Marshal Cooper sent a message to the Director who was hopping mad but glad it was found. The Director sent in a message to pull in cadets to help field strip every gun they had and find any missing pieces to get as many working as quickly as possible. He copied the message to the Minister of Defense.

---

The Minister of Defense was in with the King when the message came in. He shook his head and chuckled. The King looked over, "Jace again?"

The Minister nodded, "He found a dirty Marshal. Stealing from the firing range. The Director is pulling in Academy recruits to check every weapon and to do an end to end inventory on what he might have stolen. Whole weapons or parts. I just ran a check and one of those was the RPG used on him at the mall.

We now know where it came from. With his processing power and observation skills, he is helping to clean up your Law Enforcement. He got his badge and took the assignment for the Avalon Wilds, Your Majesty."

The King smiled, "Good. Getting him out of the city for a bit might slow down those who will be hunting him. At least pull them out there so he can bury the bodies if needed. He has done it with Local police, the Marshal service, and my Army by finding that traitor before he left. Some of the elves in the military are not happy with him.

It will be interesting to see how things go when he goes to the Avalon Valley. His former commander was from there and he has something to deliver. Something he did not mention in his reports. Likely a personal favor to his dead commander.

A point of honor for Jace as he respected his commander and Commander Triviliana respected Jace from the reports I got. He stated he believed he could live through 2 years in Spec-Ops, even without having a choice in the assignments or the role in the engagement. He stated he saw a lot of potential in Jace.

---

Rayne worked in the back to finish the detailed painting on one custom piece she had been working on. The enchantment had been done on that piece; this was just some custom paintwork that would have to be sealed after it dried. The owner waved her forward to see Jace with her father. Rayne smiled, "How did it go?"

Jace sighed, "Watched one Marshal eat his gun, they have an issue at the armory to deal with. I impressed the range master. The director was irate with my arrival method. Then he came to understand how and likely why it happened and he sent me to get my ID.

I have to buy a vehicle today but wanted to stop here to see what you have that is better than my military armor. Also, it would help if my evoker gloves were actual gloves for my hands instead of built into my armor."

She looked at his armor, "Did not notice that dent last night."

Jace smiled, "Your eyes were focused elsewhere as were your hands if memory serves. When you checked the enchantments on it. That was from the RPG round at the mall I told you about."

Her boss looked over, "The Bounty Hunter?"

Jace opened his leather duster and showed the badge inside, "Now a Captain, State Marshal Service as well. Heading for the Avalon Wilds soon."

She turned red and tried to find a comeback line and yet she drew a blank with him. Especially after that call from her mother saying he did not have that issue. She turned back around and set a set of gloves on the counter.

He checked them over, "These are power level 10, I have 12 built into the armor, I could probably use an upgrade to 14."

The man looked over, "You are an evoker as well?"

He used his monitor and showed him flipping the van end-over-end. Then the one earlier in the day he sent tumbling. "Those two I did yesterday." He then showed the man flying onto the trunk of his vehicle and the explosives sending him into the ceiling. Jace cut it there. Jace looked at him, "This morning I cleaned her pipes."

Rayne turned red and shook her head, "I had a clogged pipe in my bathroom. He used telekinesis to clear the pipe while blocking 2 mains according to my mother. He did that in the basement. She checked it and it is completely cleared. Not even running slow."

She brought over a set of 14's. He tried them on and found the stress less. They would cut the Ki in half easy. Jace nodded, "Ki use is down for using them. Those work. Show me this armor."

She thought his comment was funny but walked him into a showroom and pointed to three sets, "60, 70 and 80% camouflage."

Jace looked at her "Magical protection?"

Rayne sighed, "We have none, 25, and 30."

Jace looked at her, "Metal composition, compared to my military armor?"

She sighed, "Comparable. No major advancements in that in the last year. The enchantments will cover the head even though there is no helmet. Is that a problem?"

Jace shook his head, "6 o'clock camera?"

Rayne sighed, "I can attach one in here." She pointed at the back collar of the armor which had a slot for one.

Jace nodded, "All my comms, targeting, and computer are internal. I can connect to the camera once you attach it. The rest are internal and not in the helmet. It frees up my peripheral vision. How upgradeable?"

Rayne smiled, "They are all upgradeable to a point, it takes time and money as you know. This set," she pointed at the one in the middle. "Was one I did after I got out. This set is one I finished last week."

Jace nodded. Rayne's skills were still improving. "How much?"

She sighed, "The new set is a 25,000 DC's The middle set is 15,000 DC's."

Jace nodded, "If it were your body in the armor and you could afford it which set would you get?"

Rayne pointed, "Obviously the better protection."

He nodded, "Add that, the camera, and the evoker gauntlets."

The owner asked, "You have a bio-monitor?"

Jayce nodded, "Required for a vamp unit, just 2DC's enough to buy or sell stuff in the wilds."

He nodded, "Your targeting unit got an x-ray vision mode?"

Jayce smiled, "Actually I have a separate tech crystal that provides that function. You have one that combines them I take it that is magical? What would it buy me beyond consolidating crystals? I guess it would open a slot in the aux for something else."

The owner sighed, "It would just get you an extra slot."

Jace sighed, "Magical protection on armor shield will block from that crystal?"

The owner nodded, "Yes it would. Not very useful vs the elves but it is non-detectable means of doing it in a crystal."

Jace asked, "How much?"

He looked at Jace, "4,000 DCs installed."

Jace shook his head, "For the crystal. I do not need it installed."

He sighed, "3,000 DC's."

Jace pointed, "Put it with the rest and get me an infra-red crystal as well. That would be a good use for the free slot."

She looked at him, "Added, Total comes out to 36,000 DC's."

Jace gave her the account number and she smiled, "All done."

He nodded, "Will have to find a few more bounties before I go now."

She laughed, "Vehicles are not nearly that expensive."

Jace nodded, "We will see I am guessing 5,000 DC's without the mods I want. Probably twice that if not more for what I will want."

He ran some checks and then inquired with a dealer, did some haggling, and asked about Law Enforcement discounts. He heard back from the dealer, via audio comms, "Law enforcement typically goes through our Fleet services. We sell to the individual."

Jace smiled, "Captain, State Marshal Service. I want to pay for the vehicle myself as I am taking it to the wilds. It will have to have things added at the vehicle yard at the Marshals office. Lights and such."

She sighed, "10,500 DC's that included the additional power generator for the lights, spotlight, emergency lights, radio, and computer."

Jace sighed, "The lights, spot, and emergency lights are the only things I have to add. The rest is overkill. I need a second generator for that?"

She checked, "Yes, but just barely."

Jacy sighed, "Here is the account number, the black one with the listed options you have in stock, and the additional generator. Don't ask me about extended warrantees unless it covers bullet holes or RPG round strikes."

The woman laughed, "No it does not cover those. You expect a lot of that?"

Jace sighed, "Happened at the mall yesterday but I think it had more to do with the explosives that were added to the power core compartment of my vehicle."

The woman asked, "I thought that was a bounty hunter?"

Jace smiled, "That too, became a Marshal today. They want me in the wilds fighting instead of the mall. I was just trying to shop."

The lady laughed, "Alright, I see the name matching what is on the TV and you want it delivered to the Vehicle Motor Pool at the Marshal's office. Why are you buying your own?"

Jace laughed, "Like they will get me an armor-plated vehicle with enchanted scratch-resistant coating on it. With 100-meter hover jump jet modules on it and underside armor plating."

Jace looked at Cooper, "Let them know it will be delivered first thing in the morning. Mark-series912 Armored all-terrain vehicle with hover Jump Jet options and the secondary generator installed. If it is missing, contact the dealership and remind them of what I did to the mall."

Cooper chuckled, "Quite the vehicle."

Jace nodded, "Expect to be spending a lot of time in it. Maglock decals on the vehicle as it is mine and might not always be a police vehicle. We have an office out there?"

Coop nodded, "We do, it is unmanned at the moment. It has a bedroom and a kitchen area for you when you are there. They send an officer down every couple of weeks to check on things. They could not get anyone to volunteer to be there full-time. They can put maglock decals on the side or set them in the car."

Jace looked over, "Set them in the vehicle. I need to get the lay of the land first. I am pulling up aerial recon of the area and not liking what I am seeing. Is this the Marshal's office?"

He threw an image up. Cooper sighed, "Well it used to be. Looks like they burned it down. It was also the town hall."

Jace nodded, "I want a stack of 100 body bags. Best to have them and not need them. I will get my own food."

Cooper looked at him, "This is not 'seek and destroy.'"

Jace looked over, He threw up another image of a marshal hanging from a tree. With his badge hammered into his forehead. Jace looked over, "Someone forgot to tell them that."

Cooper stepped away and made a call.

---

Cooper sighed as he spoke with Director Younger, "Jace just pulled up the latest fly-over images for the wilds. Marshal Patterson is dead. Hung by the neck and his badge hammered into his forehead. Looks to have been shot as well. The Marshal's Office and the town hall has also been destroyed out there. Jace is asking for body bags."

Director Younger looped in the Minister of Defense and brought him up to speed. The Minister of Defense sighed, "We got something on the news a few minutes ago. A terrorist threat against the city from that area came in.

They hijacked the news feeds. All of them in the City-State. Tell Jace, 'Take the Gloves off' and resolve the problem. He will know what that means. We want him out their tomorrow at the latest."

---

Jace brought the images down but not before Rayne saw the images. She looked over, "You are going into that?!"

Jace nodded, "May leave tomorrow and come back for the car. Might be faster and safer on foot or horse."

She sighed, "Wait until you see what my father has to say."

Jace nodded, "I know, but I have a feeling I know what they are going to say."

Jace took his packages and walked over to Cooper, "Commander, what did they tell you?"

Coop sighed, "He contacted the Royal Family by way of the Minister of Defense. They said to let you 'take the gloves off' to resolve the situation. A threat was issued over a hi-jacked news feed."

Jace nodded, "The answer I expected. We should head to your home after we pick up those packages at the mall."

Coop did not like sending him in alone but Jace seemed comfortable with the idea. Jace was quite to the mall and then home. Jace finally spoke when he got into the garage. "I need a horse and saddle in the morning, a Small Weave radio with adjustable frequencies, 2 weeks of provisions, and better make it 200 body bags. I take the vehicle and I won't need the horse and saddle; it will just be more confrontational most likely."

Cooper sighed, "You think you will have to kill more than a 100?"

Jace shook his head, "Closer to 800. I only need to bring back the heads and arms for any bounties. Should be able to get 5-6 in a bag that way. I have 10,000 rounds of arrow ammunition. Close to it. I will be fine. I can carry 1,000 rounds inside of my bow. It is enchanted to store ammunition.

My bag is enchanted to carry my supplies, everything I asked for including the body bags. Empty of course. Getting them out will be another matter. I have gone over the aerial recon. I can get a foothold I can set up a base of operations. This location and this location are both bottlenecks for ground traffic on the one road going into the area.

Based on the scan data, that road through here is mined. Hover vehicles can pass. Old fashion roller vehicles like my Corvin and horses cannot, my vehicle would be best. Any innocent people trapped in that area will have no way out until I clear those locations.

What I need the Weave radio for; if they have a remote detonator, I can use the radio to cycle frequencies to detonate them. Easier to approach from behind than in front. I can get in here. I have to get to Avalon first. I have a task to finish.

Avalon Elves would not travel through this area. They would be on heightened alert. Given this activity, their bows will be ready to fly. Getting close enough to be heard without getting shot beforehand is the problem. They would simply teleport to the city. No reason to go through this section of barbaric wilds.

The Royal family already knew before I left the service. Else they suspected it was a hot spot. This was a problem they want me to handle. As a member of the military, it would be attacking his own people. As a Marshal, it is bringing justice to an untamed land under siege."

They walked in together. They looked at the news and it was talking about the wilds. Jace called out, "Turn that up please."

Helen sighed and brought it up, "I recorded this. It was sent over an hour ago to a hi-jacked news feed on all channels."

They watched it play from the beginning, "This is Human Liberation Army. Humans, stand with us or against us. We control the Avalon Wilds. Any troops or law enforcement sent in and we will launch an attack on the City-State of San Angeles.

This is our time and our place in this world. Being gutting and experimented upon will no longer be allowed for our race. We demand the severed head of the head of CGR to be airdropped to the following location." The recording ended.

Jace sighed, "The head of CGR is the Royal Family. He is asking for the head of a dragon to keep the city from getting destroyed. He is asking for the head of the King. I will need that car first thing in the morning. I will have to come in through, Weser Province."

Cooper looked at him, "There is no road to Avalon Valley or the Avalon Wilds from there. It sits behind a wall of mountains."

Jace shook his head, "Not here it is not."

Richard looked at it, "That is a plateau!"

Jace nodded, "I drive right off of it and travel down on the hover Jet mode from the vehicle."

Richard looked, "That has to be at least 1,000 meters down."

Jace nodded, and looked at Helen, "Telekinetic wall all the way down to generate a road."

She looked at him, "That is a long time to maintain that level of concentration let alone the Ki cost."

Jace nodded, "I know the Ki cost."

He dropped his pants and sliced open his leg with the laser scalpel and started checking units. He found the one he wanted and transferred all but 10 Ki. He took a partial unit. He repeated this for hours; moving it in and out to fill units. He was still doing it in the kitchen when Rayne came home.

She looked at him, "What are you doing?"

Jace looked at her, "Consolidating Ki units. I am almost done. Give me another 30 minutes. Those 6 are all full, 2,000 Ki each. Less I have to carry. This one will make 7."

He finished up. "There is still another 440Ki on that unit. I don't make it back use it. That is a 1,000Ki unit. Safe to use and larger than the one in you. These units are 2,000 Ki. I have the authorization to use them."

He sterilized the last unit and installed it. He bandaged it up. He looked at her, "It will be healed and sealed in a few hours. Until I open it again to switch units."

Helen explained what he was going to do. Rayne looked at him, "You are crazy!"

Jace shook his head, "No, by the time I get back I will not have a Ki cost to use low-level evoker powers. The ability has been building stronger for years. I told you the 14's saved me Ki did you not find that statement odd?"

She looked at him, "Yes it costs more Ki to use higher powers. Unless you are a full up dragon or elf."

Jace nodded, "I am anything but a full up anything, species 874 nobody knows all of what it can do. I have backups if needed. 'Take the gloves off' is a very particular statement sent to me."