Demon of War

Introduction to the Underground

Levi had spent the evening perusing the city after dinner as he walked to the nearby hotel. It had never occurred to him to have security, as he was never truly fearful of what he might encounter. He was the one to be feared, yet those on the streets this night had no idea.

He was halfway to the Hotel when his senses alerted him that something was off. He hadn't placed his finger on it as he walked, until he came within striking distance of a 'homeless' man wearing new combat boots. The design was a custom one he had never forgotten, as it had nearly kicked the life from him 10 long years ago.

It was just as that memory came to him that the 4 of them made their move, surrounding him like they had last time. This time however they didn't realize they had trapped a wild animal that you should never corner.

"Looks pretty good after last time." the man he had recognized said with a sneer. "Give you a choice this-" the man said before Levi punched him in the throat nearly faster than any of them could see.

"You scum do not issue threats in my city, and get away with it. For the moment I will overlook the fact that I know exactly who each of you is now, and give you a choice. Answer a simple question for me, and I let you go. Don't, and well the condition you left me in last time would be a welcome reprieve for each of you." Levi said as the other 3 goons watched as their leader sputtered for air. "Go ahead and consider your options while you catch your breath."

The big man sputtered one last time before he looked at Levi. "I was going to give you the easy-" he said still gasping for air. "Way, but now your dead." he finished as he took another big gulp of air as Levi looked him dead in the eye as the air began to chill.

"You already had that chance mister, and you failed last time as well." Levi said before he smashed the man in the nose with his fist, ensuring he only broke it and knocked the man out cold.

The other three however took that moment to try and attack him from 3 different sides as he went into combat mode. It was frightening how easy he fell into his combat trance, and his terror inducing aura froze each of them in their tracks as he ripped the throat from the first one who had been unable to stop himself from impacting Levi. He watched as did the other two as the man grabbed the bleeding hole in his throat as Levi held up the mans esophagus so he could see it while he fought to stave off whichever would kill him first. Drowning in his own blood, or suffocating.

Levi turned to the other two, and glared at them as he dropped the mans wind pipe on the ground as if it were a spare piece of trash. "Who do you work for?" he demanded as they looked at each other.

"Normally the two of us work for Kyle Moro, but tonight he offered us 5,000 credits each to come pay you another visit. We figured it was easy money just like it was last time." the one man said as Levi regained control of his aura.

"What is his name?" he asked the man who had spoken.

"James Domino, he normally works for Victor Paige. Said we were all getting paid by someone else tonight, but wouldn't say who. It's all just like it was last time I swear." he said panicking.

Levi looked at them before he looked at the man on the ground again. "Gentlemen, I will be paying your employer a visit in the next few days. He was already on my list of people to meet. When I arrive, you are to pretend you have no idea who I am beyond some punk you beat to a bloody pulp 10 years ago. Do either of you need a refresher on the condition they found me in?" Levi asked as they both shook their heads. "Excellent, if you do your jobs well when we meet again, you shall have your payment for your work tonight. If not, you will find your friend there got the easiest bit any of you will. Understood?" he asked them and both nodded. "Good, get lost." Levi said as the big guy began regaining consciousness and the pain was the first thing to hit him. He sat and lit one of his smokes that was only possible to get for high ranking officers, and waited while the man struggled to even sit with how bad his head was ringing.

When James saw his buddy of many years laying next to him dead with his throat ripped clean from his neck, he puked knowing he had barely escaped with his life.

"So the tough guy has no stomach for death. Good, by the time we are done tonight, I assure you that death will be a welcome reprieve you shall beg for. Unfortunately for you, it is not a request I will be granting tonight James." Levi said as the man stopped cold. "So you have two options. One, you answer my questions, I break your arms and legs and we go on our Merry way. Two, you require interrogation because you refuse. I start questioning by breaking you fingers and toes before moving on to the rest of your body. You answer my questions and than get left in the same condition you left me in last time. Any questions before we begin?" he asked as if it were a normal casual conversation.

James shook his head as he looked at the friend who had for a long time fought side by side with him.

"Excellent, we understand each other. Now, who hired you for tonight's festivities?" Levi asked bluntly.

"He will kill me." James said as Levi laughed.

"Death would be the easy way out for you at this point James." Levi said making his head snap up as the man knew his name. "The bigger question is will he make you suffer the way I will? You have information I need, and I assure you no matter how painful it becomes, you will survive until I have those answers. Even if we have to send you to the barracks for official interrogation for months, you will answer eventually. The only question is whether or not your mlm bond and body survive that questioning." he said as the big man hing his head and turned to look at Levi.

"I half believed that until-" he began when a Sergeant appeared from almost out of nowhere to stand next to Levi. "Sergeant, help! This man is trying-" he began when the Sergeant slapped him so hard he fell sideways to the ground.

"Sir, we can have a bus here for this little prick within 5 minutes to take him to interrogation. We have new students just itching to get their hands on someone to play with." Sergeant Dane said with glee.

"Very well Sergeant, call it in. Either way he will be needing medical attention by the time the bus gets here." Levi replied as the Sergeant saluted and walked away leaving James Domino alone in the street with the man who had killed his best friend in seconds. "Oh, you thought my threat about Imperial Interrogation was a joke, and that the Army would save you from me." he said as he chuckled as he squatted in front of the man he was asking questions. "I do not threaten people, I give them clear options." Levi said as he walked around the man and kicked his leg so hard they both heard the bone snap before the screams started. "Now, who hired you to attack me tonight?"

James Domino looked around the square, and knew this time the troops were allowing him to see them as they prevented anyone from interfering with what was happening. He even saw one of them inform a Police Cruiser it was a Imperial Army operation, and to leave the area. The Police Cruiser shutting its lights and siren off before disappearing down the street was sobering as he realized it was no bluff. If he refused to answer, he would be turned over to the Imperial Interrogators who would do good knew what to force him to talk. "Arthur St. John paid 50,000 credits." he finally said loud and clearly to be heard before he felt exactly what he knew he would. His other leg was shattered, and both arms broken within seconds of that declaration as the Sergeant approached them with James screaming again.

"Ensure he receives the best medical care we have available for civilians, before throwing him in the brig. I will file the charges once I have dealt with this situation." Levi ordered as James watched him casually walk away like nothing had happened.

Arthur St John was waiting in his office for James Domino to send him the pictures and call, when he heard the commotion in his office before his head of security was thrown through the door, shattering it as the man fell to the floor unconscious.

"Knock knock." Levi said as he stepped through the broken door and looked at Arthur.

"What makes you think you can survive entering my building in this manner?" Arthur demanded irate at what he saw as Levi just entered and took a seat across from him.

"That?" Levi asked him pointing at the guard. "Go ahead and call the police, they will not save you from your latest act if stupidity. Tell me, since you have so many Underworld connections, how high up the ladder can you get me?" he asked as 3 more guards came running to the office.

"Remove this trash from the building." Arthur ordered the man who came in.

"Make one move to touch him, and the three of you will go head first through the window." Detective Drake said as he walked into the office as well. His badge on full display as the Guards looked at him and backed off.

"You are going to allow this Detective?" Arthur asked him pointedly.

"Him?" he asked pointing to the man on the floor. "As soon as he regains consciousness he will be under arrest for interfering in government business. As for what he does to you, the Attempted Murder charge, Conspiracy, and whatever else we decide on should shut up any critics. Oh, can we add the Imperial Officer charge? I believe that would make it a death penalty case." Drake answered with a smile as Arthur St. John went pale at the list of charges.

"What Imperial Officer?" he demanded sounding braver than he felt.

"I thought your daughter would have told you all about it. That the entire reason your attorneys advised she plead guilty was because the other charge carried far more prison time. Assault and Battery of an Imperial Officer is quite serious. Attempting to kill him, whew I would not want to be the i***t responsible for that." Detective Drake said as Arthur dead panned. Levi would give to him that he had an amazing poker face.

"The only question Arthur, is if you will take the blame alone. I am willing to bet that Octavia is just as guilty in this attempt as you are, as she was the last one. So I will give you a choice old man, and if you believe you can find an option 3 I will make the choices oh so much worse. Confess on full and we leave the Imperial Charges as far away from you as possible. The caveat is you must testify against your daughter, and well she will no longer be receiving the same benefit. You serve 10 years, and get thrown out of prison with whatever you can manage to keep your grubby little hands on.

"Option 2, you protect your daughter and take the full blame. The Government seizes every single asset tied to your corporation for the last 10 years, and you are executed while your daughter becomes penniless." Levi told him bluntly liking the two options as he knew the man would have an extremely difficult choice to make now.

"You have-" Arthur began to say as James Domino was knelt on the ground behind Levi in plain view. His jaw was obviously broken, as well as the one arm having a bone protruding from it.

"Looks oh so much like the results of the first beating you paid for. One I can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that your daughter ordered. The only question really now, is do you die protecting her? Or do you finally let her enjoy the consequences of those decisions she has backed you into." Levi asked him as his phone rang. "That would be your attorney."

Arthur picked up the phone, and sure enough his attorney was freaking out that Imperial Agents had served him notice of seizure, and it was for the entire asset portfolio of the St John Corporation, as well as Arthur and Octavia St John. He hung the phone up as he shook his head. "God, why did you not take her with her mother? Will you answer one question before I decide?" he asked looking at Levi who shrugged. Arthur knew he didn't have anything to lose. "How did you attain such power? Who are you now?"

Levi smiled as he stood up. "That is two questions, which I will still answer. The first answer, is my sentence was served in the military Brigade for innocent prisoners. The second answer is am the Demon who haunts the battlefield. If you need more answer than that, you need to read more news."

Arthur St John knew that he had been given his answer clearly, and that the man before him was not one to be trifled with. "Octavia will pay the consequences for her own actions, I will not any longer." Arthur said as he stood and looked at Levi. "What must I do?" he asked.

"Testify in open court." he said simply. "Not telling one lie, or trying to obscure a single crime that you are aware of." he finished before he left the police to do their job with him as JAG Investogators entered the office as well.