The Hood

Danger from afar

[2 days later, Kisha returns to the headquarters of the 7 Gang to meet Lollipop for her first mission. The headquarters is in the basement of a previous company which wasn't entirely destroyed by the war. it is partly dark with a huge light hanging from the ceiling which focuses on Lollipops' table]

Lollipop: Glad to see you again, duckling.. Well, today is the day. [Blows smoke] I didn't want to send you out but I wanted to see what other extras you have. If you pull this one off, you roll with the pack. You will join Smoke, Blade and Muscle. An old hunter opened a small shop round the corner of the hood. He's exchanging meat for bullets, since we know there's no more money in the hood. He's interested in collecting bullets from citizens and he gives them meat in return. You are not going for the meat, you are going for every bullet that is in his store... I call this the bullet heist [as he draws another cigarette from his black leather jacket's pocket]. Now rumour has it that this old man has some powers in him of some sort which I truly don't really know and don't care about, but if we get those bullets we can run this whole hood to our advantage and this team will never go hungry again, isnt that how a man feeds his family? with the guns locked up in our storeroom nothing can stop us, we just need bullets. Make sure every bullet is brought to me. [lights his cigarette].. Duckling you have my horse, she behaves well to a dark heart. I'm sure you will handle her. Now go.

[they get on the backs of their horses and race with great speed, pacing through the hood and large mountain piles of metal and scrap. On the way their lamps went off, they had no choice but to gallop the horses.]

Kisha: so you boys have been running the hood, huh?

muscle: isn't that why you are here?

Kisha: killing innocent people, and making them suffer?

Muscle: what does that have to do with you?

Kisha: I mean, killing babies and mothers. Have you ever had a mother?

Muscle: watch your words!

Kisha: My goodness! Mama never taught you how to treat ladies, right?

Muscle immediately jumped off his horse in fury and took out his piece of iron to fight Kisha, but was stopped by Blade and Smoke. She's just a child and continued on their way. Before their arrival at the place, Kisha heard the men describe the old men they were planning on robbing. Kisha realised that they were talking about Pena's grandfather, Uncle Wise, a well-respected man in the community. His uncle to the friend Kisha stays with, Pena. She couldn't allow this to happen. Kisha joined the conversation.

Kisha: have a plan. He won't suspect me, I will go inside and distract him with a conversation while the three of you get into the store and grab everything when you are done, give me a signal and that's it, exit mission.

They all agreed.

When they got to the house, Kisha knocked and the old man let her inside.

Kisha: Uncle Wise, this is all a set up! We have been sent to rob your store and there are men getting into your shop as we speak. If you permit me, I can cut all their throats right now!

Uncle Wise: No, there will be no need. I have been expecting all of you today. I already knew about this day.

Kisha: yeah sure nothing is hidden from you, Uncle Wise.

Uncle Wise: there's something I need to tell you that the gods told me Kisha.

Kisha: Right now? Your store is being robbed!

Uncle wise: great idea. First let's get those boys inside. [Grabs his walking stick.]

Kisha and Uncle Wise went outside just when smoke had managed to break the lock so they could break in. They were so frightened and filled with respect for him. I see you young fellas are very athletic and very busy. It's wise of you to use your bicepts and break my store, you know. Why about you come inside for a cup of coffee?' Confused and not knowing what to do, they took their horses inside the yard and tied them up. They joined Uncle Wise in the kitchen.

Uncle Wise: The truth is I have seen you coming today. All this is not a coincidence. There's something I need to tell you all of you. It's bad news for the hood.

Kisha: Go on, Uncle Wise.

Uncle wise: you see this city has been left desolate for 7 years, and beneath it, as we all know, lays the most powerful piece of technology that nations can kill each other for. The technology that powered the machines that turned their backs on us and wiped away the whole city. The gods have shown me that the mermaid kingdom has heard of what lies underneath us and they desire to take the blue core away from us to power their city.

Blade: well we won't use it anymore, they can have it. [sips coffee]

Uncle wise. If that blue core mixes with the divine nature of the mermaids, this earth will be in danger due to the radiation that will be produced. Earth and everything on land will die. The earth's air will be contaminated and life will end. The mermaids will rule, then gain dominance over the sea and the land. Humans will be extinct.

kisha: woah, is that deadly?

uncle wise: since they helped us in the war with the machines, they want the blue core as their price, but they can't have it if we are to preserve ourselves.

Blade: I smell war. [pushes his chair to listen attentively]

Uncle wise: if the hood has ever been divided, now is the time to unite, but we can not do it on our own. They are too advanced.

Blade: but how did they know?

Uncle Wise: Mermaids have the power to disguise themselves as humans. Their greatest power is seduction. One of our men fell for their trap. our citizen ended up telling her everything about the hood while he was drunk. The mermaid went back and reported everything back to the kingdom. They have been studying the surface of the earth for a long time now. Now they want what's buried beneath us.

Kisha: If that is the case, we will fight back.

uncle wise: "we" is a good term to use Kisha. "We" also includes those that are your enemies because in this fight you will need them.

Kisha: that won't be possible, you know why uncle wise

Uncle wise: then we all die if there's no unity. Great unity is strengthened by our in-differences, not likeness.

Smoke: Is there something we are missing out? [bites cookie]

Kisha: No learn to mind your own business

Uncle Wise: you fellas have weapons in your storeroom, don't you?

Blade: yeah plenty of them, AKA 47s, grinades, you name it.

Uncle wise: good, you have to get going now. i will assemble the citizens in the town square by the horn as always. Don't miss it.[stands up and goes to his room and returns]. Here are some lamps for you to return. Make sure you boys tell Lollipop he will have to fix my lock.

Blade: how did you know we needed lights?

Kisha: Nothing is hidden from him, Blade.

[They leave uncle Wise's house and gallop back fast to the headquarters.]

they arrive..

Lollipop: What took you so long?

Blade: Change of plans. You were right. The old timer has powers. He told us what is coming against the Hood.

Lollipop: What? Don't tell me you came back empty handed.

Blade: Turns out that this little girl knows the timer. He called us in for coffee.

Lollipop: [laughs, and turns around to open his drawer for a metal rod]

Blade: The mermaids are coming back to take the blue core beneath us. I'm afraid we will soon have to prepare for war.

Lollipop: So I'm supposed to believe that, right?

Smoke: On our way our lamps burnt out, and he gave us new lamps without us telling him.

[He raises his hands to lash Blade with the metal whip and Kisha kicks his arm immediately, and holds a knife against his throat.]

Kisha: Your life is in my hands, don't dare me,

Lollipop: I dare you. [spits in her face]

Kisha, with quick speed, cuts Lolliop's throat and removes the head of Lollipop and places it on his table and squeezes the burning side of the cigar on the table. The whole gang froze in place.

Kisha: I will see you at the meeting... [wipes her knife and leaves]

[2 minutes later]

Smoke: So, hence forth i take over leadership? [clears throat]

Blade and Muscle: Not happening!