What a Riot (nameless training)

9:49PM EA Brooklyn, New York

The Alexander Chemical Company in Brooklyn was a regular building that people passed everyday on their way to work without too much thought. Sometimes it produced fumes, it gave people jobs, sometimes it made dogs whimper from the smell, and it was a permanent part of the Brooklyn skyline for the past fifty years. It wasn't exactly an after-thought to the local community, but it wasn't at the forefront of anyone's minds. Even to the people who worked there, it was a part of that background that just slipped past you if you didn't focus. Many of Namless's souls could be accounted for this day. The inner struggle in his mind took form in the shape of the Brooklyn riots. Though why of all events, why the riots? He could remember the day as if it were yesterday. He remembered that company specifically. For some reason Nameless still needed to remember his true form as west but not just west others as well.

With financial times being tough, Alexander Chemical's VP had decided that they would have to cut back on a few safety measures that they promised would return when money got better. Besides, they were safety protocols that usually didn't meet any sort of real need to the company's everyday practices. The lining on certain cases to chemicals that were in the manufacturing wing, and the addition of weekly washes of chemical spill-off that came from day-to-day travel and transport.

It had all seemed like harmless cost-cutting that didn't hurt anyone and kept the company running and employing hundreds of people. So when the blackout happened, shutting off all the automatic doors and fire-safety protocols that were regulated by sensors and computers, the emergency power was supposed to come on too, but it hadn't been updated along with the rest of the security system, so a small error left the safety protocols a fevered dream of a careful man. Every light in the whole building blew out from the power surge that caused the resulting blackout sending out sparks in every direction in the building.

One scientist who was treating some saltpeter treatments with iodine was startled and spilled a little acid on the ground and burned his arm. As he went to the chemical shower and grabbed some base to neutralize the burning on his arm, he failed to notice the sparks going on outside his office that caught onto the chemical remnants on the treating and transport floor. The small fire that occurred couldn't be picked up by the damaged heat sensors and were allowed to create a trail of fire straight to the source.

Residents of the Flatbush in Brooklyn were shaken that day, as the lights went out in their city which was then followed up by a giant explosion. The streets shook and the building hollowed out from the force, and people began to panic and run immediately. Some people went to the building to see it burn, wondering what was going on and were met with the sight of destruction and darkness. A bad combination as people began to panic, riot, run, and generalyl cause chaos.

It wasn't long before West flew to the source of the explosion and saw a building on fire, and the flames were quickly spreading over to a neighboring trucking warehouse. Flying in too close, West was met with an unbearable heat that made the hairs on his arms twinge and feel smooth and his forehead immediately broke out into a sweat that threatened to flop into his eyes.

Smoke barreled into the sky in the form of a dark tentacle, covering West in soot before he swooped down toward a the side of the building and grabbed a man who was waving out of one of the windows. Lifting him out of the flaming building and flying to a building a few blocks away, West dropped him off, coughing and all, and took off into the sky to brush off the smoke and sweat.

"Jesus, what the hell is happening?" West asked to no one as he flew toward the fire again, seeing movement that he could possibly get to. Another person, West grabbed them by the shoulders, but he was too big and West could only settle for floating him to the ground and dropping him in an awkward tumble before laying out on the ground himself in exhaustion.

Ten minutes as a "super-hero" and West already wanted to sleep forever.

He didn't get his rest though as people began to stampede, the streets filling now as the panic set in and started fighting in crowds with each other, all going in different directions, toward the fire, away from the fire, and all carelessly trampling West. He soon shot into the sky to escape what was about to be a very painful death and instinctively flew as fast as he could north, not even thinking of where he was going. He just kept going.

The bad shit always seemed to happen when you least expected it- people get shot on the way to their house after a long work day, cars explode as you're getting situated and turn the key, and entire god damn buildings blow up as you and your buddy are heading into a rifle range for some target practice. Like everyone else, Jimmy's head flew around, searching for the source of the blast, but he couldn't see anything from the range- it must have been a ways away. He and Nikolai were already aware of the blackout, which kind of ruined their plans to spend the day at the range, but this complicated matters further.

Jimmy didn't waste a moment- attaching his badge to the shirt pocket of his black leather jacket, Jimmy dove back into his bright red Challenger and grabbed his police-band radio. "All nearby units, this is Detective Wray of Homicide, I am headed to the source of the blast, if anyone can meet up, let's make it happen." The radio in his car was kind of a piece of shit, but it worked enough to get a message out. "Hey, Nikolai," he said as he turned the car on and pulled out into the street, "Open up the glove compartment and pull out the siren. Knew that shit would come in handy some day. Grab a couple'a cigarettes, too."
When the explosion rocked the air, Nikolai instinctually took cover near the entrance to the range. He had been a part of too many artillary attacks to just stand around looking dumbfounded. He leaned over to check the street, for signs of fire, but as Jimmy also looked around, they could find no immediate evidence.

Neither wasted any more time. Jimmy dove into his Challenger, Nikolai hopping into the passenger seat and they sped off.

The city had gone dark, the headlights of Jimmy's car pretty much the only thing keeping them from running into something in the road. As Jimmy drove, speaking into his police-band radio, Nikolai watched the streets for any problems. He turned to Jimmy when the detective called his name. He asked Nikolai to pull the siren out of the glove box, along with some cigarettes. Nikolai opened it up and pulled out the bulb, sticking it on top of the car, then handed the cigarettes to Jimmy. He then pulled a Zippo lighter from his pocket, a skull with an army helmet on the side.

"Need a light?" he asked, flicking the flame into existence.

Anarchy.

Kester liked to think he was orchestrator, perpetrator and ruler of it. The truth was that if he ever experience true anarchy- the collapse of government and society, etc - he would be hiding under his bed wishing for the time when people told him to go to school every week. However he was naïve in his ignorance and so he resented order and control which restricted the complete freedom he thought he craved. That was why he hadn’t gone straight ‘home’ from school, that being the temporary home with some stuffy English snob who seemed to see potential in Kester, and instead had decided to roam the streets of Brooklyn. However it didn’t explain his strange choice in company. Kez didn’t make it a habit to hang out with ten year old girls, it was creepy and frankly he thought he was too cool for them. But Alicia… she was alright.

Before today he’d not spoken to the girl since she was suddenly adopted a few weeks back. Kester didn’t know who had adopted her; he didn’t think it mattered because he saw them as all the same, people who thought they deserved to be parents but in the end would just let you down. But that was the result of some deep routed personal issues which are best avoided here, his mind is an ugly place to explore. He had found himself curious as to her fate though. He wouldn’t say they had ever been friends but he hadn’t minded her, mostly because of her guts and the way she took the rap for him once after he almost went hulk on her ass. Almost being the key word there. This non-dislike was enough for him to strike up conversation with her after school that day when their paths crossed. He’d mocked her for being so worried about going straight home and one thing had led to another until they found themselves wondering around Brooklyn as a pair.

”When did you get such a goody two shoes anyway?” Kez asked, kicking a can into the gutter with a clatter. He was still giving her stick for it; because of course teasing people is the best way to make friends. ”I mean you’ve always been a wimp but at least you weren’t boring.” He stuck his hands into the warm pockets of his navy, hooded jacket and looked around at the shops. They’d observed a while ago that the power had gone out on all the shop fronts, as a result most the stores had shut early but it was getting late now anyway. It was only dusk but it was still unusually dark for the city without the street lighting, making everything look that bit more sinister. Kez had started to worry about getting back to Manhattan when it got much darker but he didn’t want to seem worried so he’d not mentioned it to Alicia.

All of a sudden a deafening boom shattered the unease and the sky was ablaze with orange light. Kez winced at the pain in his neck as he turned his head to fast in the direction of the noise. Screams pierced the air and drove fear into the teenager’s heart. The sensible reaction would probably have been to listen to what his instincts were telling him and run as fast as he could in the opposite direction. However he was stubborn and he had someone to impress.
”What are you waiting for?” He asked Alicia, ”Let’s go see what it is!” The excitement was genuine and disguised the apprehension. He took off at a run towards the fire, betrayed as such by the smoke which billowed above it, and ran smack into a wall of heat and light. He stopped to stare up at the burning building in awe, not noticing as the hairs on his arms began to shrivel in the heat.
Alicia was not sure why, or even how, she had wound up wandering the streets with Kester. She had not seen him since the day she first met Sasha, the day everything changed for her.... again! This change however was a good one, at least to her eyes. Kez seemed to not agree, judging by the jibes he kept throwing her way.

”When did you get such a goody two shoes anyway? I mean you’ve always been a wimp but at least you weren’t boring.”

This, and the others spoken that day, were not said with the same scathing venom that Kester could produce with his acid tongue. In fact they were nearly congenial, and the way he kept looking at her! There was nothing special in his eyes, or expression but the lack of contempt set her heart all aflutter. She had once thought that perhaps she was crushing on Kez, now she knew it. All it took was his starting a conversation, a couple of quick jibes and she had thrown caution to the wind. And now she was wandering the streets with Kez. She looked over to him mustering the most sarcastic look she could. It only lasted her first five words before what had become a common expression for her returned, one of contented obsequiousness.

"I'm here aren't I? Sure I worried about getting home. It's just that she won't be happy with me, and I don't want to let her down. She protected me. Comforted me when I really needed it. She spent alot of money building me a space of my own." A small spark of rebellious passion flared in her eyes as she answered Kez's last statement, "Who's being boring? If I was being boring I would have gone home rather than followed you!" She punctuated that statement by her sticking out her tongue, and dancing out of arms reach lest he try to swat her.

She could not explain her profound need to obey Sasha, nor did she question it, but was aware that there would be consequences for her absence. Sasha would most assuredly not be pleased. She worried deeply about that, about the inevitable punishment, but she knew she would accept whatever came. She would deserve it! More than the fate that awaited her when she got home she was worried about wandering the streets again as dusk set in, especially with the blackout. Last time she had followed such a reckless course she had been lucky enough to be picked up by Sasha, but she remembered her words.

"Imagine running into a big, ugly man instead of me. Imagine if he had captured you like I did...but did not treat you as well as I am. Bad things happen to girls your age all the time. Trust me. I've been there, remember?"

The memory of those words and there implication made her suppress a shiver that had nothing to do with a chill in the air. She thrust her hands in her pockets and tried not to let the though bother her, after all Kez thought she had guts, he'd told her once, and she was not about to let that opinion slide away. That was when the boom sounded, deafening and bone rattling. She jumped, unashamed to move closer to Kez for it sound like... Like... Like a petrol tank exploding in a mangled car wreck, only on a much larger scale. And the screams, they brought back memories and instilled in her a near paralysing fear.

”What are you waiting for? Let’s go see what it is!”

That was the last thing she wanted, now more than ever she wanted to run home, to appologise to Sasha, take her punishment and to be safe and protected. As Kez ran towards the source of the screams she thought of doing just that, but Sasha's words played again through her mind. Especially with the power being out there warning was more urgent. That in mind she decided she would be safer staying with Kester, he knew the streets, and would come to her aid, at least she hoped and thought he would. So she ran after him, nearly colliding when she stopped in the face of the wall of heat and flames. Feeling the heat she stepped back a little before calling out to Kez, her words betraying the fear she was now facing.

"Kez please come back! What happened here? What's going on?"

Captain Sadie Cruz drove along Flatbush Avenue on her way toward the Brooklyn Bridge so she could cross into Manhattan and make her way back to the Midtown Precinct. She had a lukewarm coffee in the cup holder beside her, it having cooled as she waited in the horrific traffic that occurred since the blackout.

News was that some ship in the harbor exploded and sent shock-waves down the electrical grid, knocking out power to the larger portions of the city and extending into the burbs. Sadie was not in a good mood because of this, namely because considering the mood of the people in the city since last October she knew the city was at a razor's edge and at any moment the tension of their fear would break and all hell would break loose.

If the road rage she was witnessing around her was any indication of how close the people were to falling over that edge, then time was short. Sadie hoped to be safely back in Midtown before that happened, but that damned doctor appointment that the department made her attend had held her up. Now her coffee was cold, her head ached from the incessant questions, and her nerves were shot from the slow moving motorists who had no red and green lights to guide them.

She raised the coffee cup and saluted the traffic cop at the intersection who waved her through, then went to take a sip of the coffee. As it touched her lips, Sadie spit it right back in the cup. It was nasty. She made a face as she slowly crawled behind the other cars, just approaching Prospect Park. She cursed silently in her head. Likely as not she might as well go home. She was never going to make it back to work in this traffic today.

As she held onto the steering wheel in one hand and the cup in the other, and explosion took place that knocked Sadie off her game. The cup was squeezed too tightly in her hand and it burst all over her pants and shirt, soaking her lap and making a mess inside the cab of her car. Sadie cursed aloud and was grateful only that it was cold, not hot, and tried to get her bearings on that explosion. She saw flames leaping into the air only blocks form her position, but all cars had come to a complete halt and it was only barely in time that Sadie noticed and slammed on the black sedan's brakes before it plunged into the car in front of her.

All eyes were on that smoke rising into the air and flames licking the clouds. Sadie went to jump from her seat, opening her door for a better view but the seat belt stopped her progress. She swore again, threw what was left of the coffee cup on the passenger seat floor and unbuckled her seat belt. She slammed the car into park and hurried outside her door. Sadie stood among hundreds of others who stared at the direction of the obvious catastrophe.

Remembering her radio, Sadie jumped back into the car and picked up the mic only to hear Jimmy report in that he was in route. She knew the blast was reported. She knew she was stuck and traffic would go nowhere. Sadie made a quick decision.

"Captain Cruz, Homicide. I'm at Flatbush Ave and Linden. All traffic is at a stand still. The explosion looks to be at that chemical plant on Empire.... I'm going in on foot. Send back up!"

At that, Sadie grabbed her keys, extra ammo from the glove box, tucked her side arm safely into its holster under her jacket, pulled her badge out to her buckle and slammed the car door shut, locking it with the press of the button on her key chain. She then took off at a run, dodging people and pressing her way toward the blast zone. Very likely many people were injured. More dead. Sadie just hoped like hell this wasn't a terrorist attack like the one in Washington.

There was a limit to the benefit of his doubt which Kez was prepared to give to any adult. Low to begin with it was only reduced when said adult was involved in the foster or adoption system in any way. The bitterness he retained from his own experiences influenced his opinions to result in indiscriminate discrimination against any and all foster parents. That was why, when Alicia defended her apparent devotion to her new foster parent Kester’s lip curled in distain, disbelief and disgust.
”Hey, the worst she can do is dump you back in the home. She’ll probably do that anyway when she realises there are easier ways to get tax credits.” He muttered darkly. It was difficult to understand this sudden change of heart in Alicia, he’d thought she’d been as against foster care as he was but here she was singing her guardian’s praises. He swore that would never be him.

Kester glanced once over his shoulder as he ran towards the explosion and grinned to see Alicia sprinting after him. It reminded him of another day with another girl, though on that occasion they’d been running from the cops rather than towards a fire. This comparison made it clear the sort of fun the teenager indulged in and why he wouldn’t be the sort of company any parent, biological or otherwise would want their precious darling associating with. However, to his credit, he tended to look after his charges to a certain extent, and only gave them 2nd degree burns accidently. He was violent and malicious but not sadistic. Nameless remembered this in great detail.

The heat should have kept him at a safe distance as it singed his eyebrows, but it didn’t feel scorching to him, just comfortably warm. He stared up at the burning carcass, his mouth gaping as if he were trying to catch ash on his tongue like rain. It was the most spectacular sight he’d ever seen and although it terrified him it also inspired a primal glee at the destruction he was witnessing. Squinting through the smoke he thought he saw someone at the window, but the breeze blew a billow of ash to obscure his view and by the time it had past the figure had disappeared. In his mind a video played of him running into the burning building and dragging out survivors. However it was nothing but a fantasy and he didn’t seriously considering playing hero for even a moment, he liked to think he was smarter than that.

A frightened voice reached his ears over the roar of the flames and Kester turned round to see little Alicia cowering a little way off. Backlit by the burning building there was a definite devilish slant to his smile as he considered the scene unfolding behind her. The crowds had formed a perimeter around the building, held back a certain distance by the heat. Alicia was at the front of this crowd and hadn’t seemed to have noticed the panic unfolding behind her. It was unclear how they were starting but fights were breaking out and people were running ever which way in panic. It was only then that it crossed the boy’s mind that this could be another terrorist attack, seconds before a secondary explosion from the plant sent him diving forward towards the crowd.

Grabbing Alicia he pulled her to the ground as a wave of heat and debris rolled from the building and pushed back the screaming crowds. Adrenaline had him on his feet a moment later, dragging the girl up beside him, his fingers fastened tightly round her wrist.
”Lets get out of here!” He yelled, over the riotous noise, starting to push through the mob, towing his young charge. They broke through the first line of observers, giving them some more space to look around. Kez was thinking about the best way to get out of there until he spotted a man running through the street carrying a television under his arm. His eyes were draw to the source of this phenomenon, a broken shop window over which looters swarmed like ants… He wasn’t one to waste an opportunity.
The look on Kester's face when Alicia spoke in defense of Sasha was had caused a spear of hot anger to flare within her, his words however betrayed something much deeper. A deep hurt that dispelled her furious retort before it was uttered. Kez's behavior and attitudes suddenly made sense to her. Unsure as to how he would react to sympathy she forced a little chuckle. "Well if she does I'll just have to take comfort in the fact she just wasted over a thousand dollars won't I?" She instantly regretted her words, they sounded like she was rubbing it in, but before she could attempt to take them back they were both running.

They reached the fire and Kez approached closer that she dared, she called him back as he stood as if mesmerised. For her part she was terrified but to stubborn to admit it so she forced her gaze to keep on Kez and not the raging inferno beyond him, as she tried to puzzle out how it started. Like Kez she wondered if this was the result of another terrorist attack, a thought that only heightened her fear. Such was her focus on Kez and her thoughts that she was oblivious to the panic and fights breaking out within the crowds gathering behind her. Kez turned back to face her and and she was ripped from her focused reverie by the secondary explosion that erupted from behind him.

He dived towards her, pulling her to the ground and safety as the wave of heat and debris rolled overhead. Screams shrilled from the crowds and her minds eye took her from the site of an explosive fire and back to the crash that stole her old life from her. A pang of loss paralysed her and as Kester hauled her back to her feet she fought to break free, unable to break his strong grip. The sound of his voice however shocked her back to reality as he dragged her away she did not resist, grateful to put some distance between her and the fire. Now more than anything she wanted to get home to Sasha. She felt lost, helpless and utterly reprehensible for being here in the first place. Surely this horrific moment was fate punishing her as Sasha would do when she found her way home, a punishment she knew beyond doubt now she deserved.

The broke free of the mob and Kez paused looking about, Alicia trusted that he was trying to find the quickest and safest way out of the area and to safety, but then she noticed the direction of his gaze, the broken shop window swarming with looters. There was a glint in his eye that she really didn't like, and all at once she knew what he was thinking. She pulled free from his grip and interposed himself between Kez and the store.

"Nu-uh Kez! Don't even think about it! If you get involved with that you'll not have to worry about going back to the home. You'll end up in jail." She pointed to the fire that was still not far enough away for her tastes, "With that the cops will be here soon. I know you feel hurt and betrayed by people dumping you back in the home, but that is not an excuse for this! Besides what will you do with a TV? They'll not let you keep it at the home!"

Material possessions were not something Kester had ever had an abundance of but they had always held a great deal of allure to him. It was jealously which fueled this desire, he saw what the other children at his school had and he wanted it. He wouldn't admit to the longing for their stable home and loving parents but he could express it in the need for the latest Xbox game, and preferably an Xbox to play it on. Having little money of his own he had, in the past, taken to stealing to get what he wanted, or sometimes just out of boredom. He was no stranger to criminality and was actually a decent shoplifter, at least he'd never been caught. However it occurred to him, as his tongue ran across his lips, that the scene before him was of a different nature. It was a free for all. There was no need for stealth, he could literally grab all he could carry and no one would stop him. There were no consequences.

Before he could make any move in the direction of a more cluttered future an annoying little figure stepped in front of him and started voicing her protests. Alicia was a smart kid to have caught on so quickly to his intent but not smart enough to know how to handle the teenager. Or maybe it would have been more accurate to say not lucky enough as it was as much luck as skill which brought success with him. Folding his arms the teenager looked down upon her as if she'd just crawled out of some hole specifically to irritate him. At least until she mentioned his feelings. Rule number one in handling Kester, never, ever say that you know how he feels...
"You don't know anything! It's got nothing to do with it! Maybe I just want a f*cking TV huh, ever thought of that? And I have somewhere to keep it, unlike you I have other places I can go, I don't act like a pathetic sap and follow around grown ups just doing what I'm told!"

Glowering at the girl Kester went to step around her when a police woman knocked past them. For a moment Kester's body went rigid with tension and he was sure his face was taunt with guilt, even though he'd not done anything yet. He always got the same feeling when he saw a cop, as if he must have done something wrong and it was just a case of recalling what. However, like most of the others this officer wasn't looking for him and after imparting some harsh words rushed off in the direction of the smoke. She was obviously distracted. Recovering from his shock Kez turned to Alicia with a smirk.
"See, the police aren't even interested, they are too busy with the fire to care about us." He pulled his hood up over his head and grinned. "They won't even chase us Alicia, it's all you can grab. Don't you want to get what you want for a change? I thought you were brave, or was I wrong?"

The teenager stepped round her towards the ransacked shops, looking back over his shoulder to raise his eyebrows at her, holding out his hand. It was at that time that Nameless's eyes would snap open back to reality. "So that's how you do it?" he said now having the secret to what he needed.