Parade
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This is the first chapter of my series, I would like criticism on how major errors I might have made, and your opinion on how well it is built.
( https://coda.grammarly.com/d/Urban-Valor-Chapter-1-rough-draft_ddhpLyQTrFu PDF file here as well )
PLEASE READ
Haven't used scribble hub format, so paragraphs are messed up
[Chapter 1]
Written by Parade
"Let The Show Begin"
[Light City]
On the East Coast, Light City is the top destination for business and adventure. Skyscrapers, waterfronts, world-class dining, endless activities, whether for work or memories, Light City shines. Suddenly, the lively central plaza falls silent.
Digital billboards and neon ads begin to flicker, shutting down one by one. The massive screens—previously buzzing with noise and color—snap off, leaving a heavy silence hanging over the plaza.
Sarah, a junior journalist visiting Light City for her first corporate conference, felt the shift like a wave. Murmurs and gasps rippled; Sarah mirrored the anxious tourists, clutching her work tote closer.
Commuters froze mid-stride. Sarah caught a man's anxious glance; they both instinctively scanned the silent skyscrapers. Shopkeepers stepped outside, tension sharp on their faces, searching for the same answers Sarah needed. She tried to steady her breathing, recalling her mother’s advice: stay calm, blend in.
Yet the voices swelling around her made that impossible; some sounded worried, some edged sharp with fear, and all braced for whatever was about to happen. What if it really was a blackout? Or something worse, Sarah’s mind flashed to the headlines her boss warned her about. What could cause everything to stop in the heart of the city?
“Hey, what's going on!?”
A short, stout man with an accent shoved his way to the front, voice cutting through the confusion like a car horn.
“Did anyone else see that? All the ads just died!”
A young woman in a tourist tee gripped her phone, eyes darting everywhere, her words almost tripping over her nerves.
“Quick, let's get out of the plaza!”
An older commuter in a suited jacket barked in urgent tones, already ushering his companion backward, briefcase serving as an impromptu shield.
“Is it a villain attack?”
Piped up a boy with paint-splattered jeans and a skateboard, voice cracking with both excitement and worry.
“Hey, don't say that you dumbass!”
His friend snapped, affected bravado not quite hiding the quiver in his words.
Bzzt
Bzzt
All the screens that had been dark lit up at once, revealing a tall figure standing in dramatic silhouette. He is dressed in a crisp, simple aristocrat's suit and a polished top hat, his face hidden behind a smooth, elegant mask. At his side, a sleek cane gleams in his grip, its red crystal tip catching a stray slash of neon—stark and unforgettable—as he surveys the uneasy crowd.
The figure stands still, radiating calm control amid the chaos. His gloved hands rest on a cane, and the sharp lines of his suit contrast with the swirling panic in the plaza below. All eyes turn to the screens, the crowd falling silent as his masked gaze surveys Light City.
The masked figure on the multiple screens tips his top hat with a graceful gesture. His voice, smooth and commanding, echoes through the plaza’s speakers:
“Good evening, citizens of Light City. I am The Marquis. My name is unfamiliar now, but you will come to remember it in fear. I have arrived to prove that even Light City cannot escape its shadows. Remain calm and listen well. The Marquis never breaks a promise.”
The Marquis stands tall on the screens, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, exuding both refinement and menace. His jacket is a deep, midnight black with sharp lapels edged in crimson silk, catching the light with every subtle movement. Beneath the jacket, a blood-red waistcoat adds a bold splash of color, its buttons gleaming like dark rubies. The crisp white shirt beneath is perfectly pressed, a stark contrast to the suit's intensity.
A black silk cravat is tied at his neck, pinned with a small, ornate red gem. His polished top hat, banded with crimson, sits at a precise angle atop his head. Black gloves cover his hands as they grip a sleek cane tipped with a red crystal.
The Marquis’s mask—smooth, porcelain-like, and expressionless—completes the look, its edges traced with thin lines of red that accentuate his hidden gaze. Every detail of his attire is calculated to command respect, radiate power, and instill an unmistakable sense of unease.
“You place your trust in your so-called leaders, but what do you truly know of them? Your mayor, smiling on every screen, hides his misdeeds behind closed doors, selling your city’s future for a taste of power.
The famous Dr. Halden, hailed as a savior, has left too many patients to suffer in silence, his reputation built on the backs of the neglected.
And let us not forget Vincent Carrow, the business titan, who would've signed away the lives of hundreds of thousands with Sterling Voss for one more coin in their overflowing coffers. These are your villains, wrapped in respectability.” The Marquis said
"You call these menaces villains, but let us be honest—they are hardly worthy of the title. Their greed is petty, their cruelty mundane, their corruption nothing but the sewage beneath your city’s polished surface. They lack style, vision, the flair that true greatness demands.
So I ask you, Light City: what makes a great villain?
Is it the shadows cast by their deeds, or the fear they stir in your hearts?
Is it the power to change the city’s fate with a single gesture, or the art of turning your brightest hopes into trembling doubts?
Tonight, I will show you what it means to be unforgettable. Remember this moment, for your city will never be the same again."
As his words thundered from every speaker, a mother near the edge of the plaza pulled her young daughter behind her, eyes wide and haunted by the Marquis's threat. People ducked beneath benches or pressed flat against storefronts, one man trembling so violently his phone nearly slipped from his grasp. The hush was no longer just awe; it was terror, thick enough to choke on—a silent plea that the nightmare forming before them would not consume someone they loved.
The screens across the plaza flicker. The screens on the biggest gleaming towers start to show something else. A screen lights up, focusing on the mayor, who’s seated in a heavy chair, hands bound tightly behind his back.
He’s a portly man in his late fifties, his neatly combed silver hair now disheveled, his face pale and glistening with sweat. The camera zooms in on his anxious, darting eyes.
A second screen changes, revealing Dr. Halden. The doctor is slender and middle-aged, his thin wire-rimed glasses askew atop a sharp nose.
His tailored suit is creased beneath the ropes that pin his arms to his sides. He sits rigid, lips trembling and pale, glancing nervously at something unseen offscreen.
On a third screen, Sterling Voss, the business partner, appears. Voss is tall with broad shoulders, slicked-back black hair, and a meticulously trimmed beard.
Even tied to the chair, he tries to project his once mighty authority; his blue eyes pierce with a defiant gaze, though his suit is heavily disheveled and out of place in this moment of public disgrace.
As all three screens illuminated, the crowd can only stare back in shock: some of Light City’s most influential figures are utterly helpless- bound and exposed before them.
Sarah Stood frozen in the plaza, her heart pounding in her chest as those three figures appeared on the screens. Goosebumps rose along her skin. She had never seen the mayor look so helpless, or Dr. Halden so shaken. The sight of Sterling Voss, the CEO of Voss Dynamics, tied up and glaring at the camera, sent a chill through her.
But beneath the fear, excitement surged. This was the story of a lifetime—no one would believe it unless she caught it all. With trembling hands, she fumbled for her phone, nearly dropping it before raising it to record. Her breath came quick and shallow as she zoomed in, trying to steady her grip.
Sarah’s hands shook as she pressed record, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Oh my god… is that really the mayor? This can’t be happening.”
She tried to hold her phone steady, her breathing short and quick.
“Come on, signal—don’t fail me now…” Sarah said
Alarms blared through Light City Hero Headquarters. Monitors flickered with images of the darkened plaza, the blackout spreading like a shadow across the city grid. On the central screen, the live feed cut to the three hostages—Mayor Grayson, Dr. Halden, and Sterling Voss, CEO of Voss Dynamics—bound and on display.
Specialist Squad Commander Chen snapped to attention, her voice clipped and urgent.
“Fifteen minutes to extract—move! Eyes on screens! Techs, trace that broadcast signal now!”
Squad members raced to their stations, fingers flying over keyboards and tactical maps.
“Thermal imaging coming online!”
“Grid search initiated—scanning every rooftop and sublevel near the plaza!”
“Running facial recognition on the masked man—coming up empty so far.”
Two figures entered the command center. Kinetica stopped and stared at the screens. Kinetica, Light City’s speedster, stands poised in a sleek electric blue and silver suit streaked with neon green, her teal hair wild beneath a clear tactical visor.
Paragon, in blue and silver, cape billowing, eyed the hostage feed grimly. Paragon, the city’s iconic defender, towers in sculpted blue and silver armor, crimson cape billowing on his shoulders, his presence radiating calm authority. Together, they’re a striking sight, Light City’s finest, ready to face the unknown.
Kinetica stopped and stared at the screens. Kinetica, Light City’s speedster, stands poised in a sleek electric blue and silver suit streaked with neon green, her teal hair wild beneath a clear tactical visor. Together, they’re a striking sight, Light City’s finest, ready to face the unknown.
“Who is this guy? I’ve never seen him before, not even a whisper on the radar. No threats, no sightings—nothing.”
Kinetica stopped and stared at the screens. Kinetica, Light City’s speedster, stands poised in a sleek electric blue and silver suit streaked with neon green, her teal hair wild beneath a clear tactical visor.
“And how did he grab the mayor, Voss, and Halden without tripping a single alarm? That’s impossible—those three have security 24/7. This shouldn’t be possible.”
A tech called out, disbelief in her voice.
“I’m pulling every security feed from the last twenty-four hours—there’s no sign of a breach, no suspicious activity. It’s like they just appeared there.”
Commander Chen frowned, watching the Marquis’s masked face.
“He’s a total ghost. No name, no history, nothing. But he just took Light City’s top officials like it was nothing. Stay sharp—whoever he is, he’s already three steps ahead.”
The headquarters filled with a tense energy as the team realized they were facing an unknown threat—one who seemed to materialize from nowhere and strike at the very heart of the city. The clock ticked down, and the city’s best scrambled to unravel the stage before it was too late.
With a sharp snap of the Marquis’s gloved fingers, the air before the three hostages shimmered. Out of the gloom, three contracts materialized—gleaming with a dark, blood-red luster. Each one floated before its intended recipient, words etched in sinister, shifting script.
The Marquis turned to Mayor Grayson first.
“Your contract is simple, Mr. Mayor: sign, and you will live. But in return, every bribe you’ve taken, every abuse of power—you will have it all exposed to every media outlet in Light City. There will be no more secrets, no more shadows to hide in.”
He pivoted to Dr. Halden, the pen hovering just beyond the doctor’s reach.
“Doctor, your path to survival is much more personal. Sign here, and your life is spared—but you will forever lose the hands that have played judge and jury. They will go black, unmoving, and you will never again decide who lives and who dies.”
Finally, the Marquis faced Sterling Voss, the CEO’s eyes wide as he read the terms.
“Mr. Voss, your signature buys your life. But your fortune will vanish, and for every lie you’ve told, you must speak the truth ten times. Your tongue will turn black, branded for all to see—a constant reminder of your bargains and betrayals.”
The contracts hovered, pulsing with a cruel, red glow. The Marquis’s voice was velvet and absolute:
“Your lives for your pride, your power, your very souls. Choose.”
The scene rippled and transitioned to Hero Headquarters, where the monitors blazed with the supernatural spectacle. For a moment, shock gripped the room—then the specialists snapped into action.
Commander Chen barked, “Scan for any energy anomalies—now! That wasn’t technology. That was something else.”
An analyst tapped a glowing interface, eyes wide. “Picking up a spike—unclassified energy, right where those contracts appeared. It’s like nothing in our database. The signature’s… shifting, almost like it’s alive.”
Paragon leaned over the tech’s shoulder, brows furrowed. “He’s not just a magician with tricks. That’s real power—psychic, maybe even reality manipulation.”
Kinetica zipped to another console, her visor flickering with data. “Can we triangulate? Where could he pull off something that big without being noticed?”
The analyst’s map zoomed in on the city grid, a sharp pulse echoing beneath the surface.
“There! It’s subterranean—looks like an old luxury ballroom beneath the Grand Lucent Hotel. Sealed off decades ago, but the space is massive. Perfect for a hostage show and for masking a power signature until now.”
Commander Chen nodded, determination returning. “That’s our entry. Heroes, gear up. We move in five.”
The urgency in the command center intensified as the team finally had both a lead and a glimpse of the Marquis’s terrifying, otherworldly capabilities.
The Marquis tilted his head, almost as if he could sense their surveillance. He smiled behind his mask.
“Time is ticking, Mayor, shall we begin?”
The three hostages stared at the contracts. Mayor Grayson shook his head, voice trembling,
“There must be another way—we can work something o—”
Dr. Halden stammered, “Y-You don’t have to do this! I’ll pay any—”
Sterling Voss tried to bargain, “What are you after? Name your pr—”
The Marquis raised a single, gloved hand, and silence crashed down. His tone was crisp and absolute.
“Enough. If I wished to end you, it would already be done. This is your only way out. You will sign—or you will not leave this room alive.”
He stepped forward, his presence filling the space with chilling finality. With a graceful motion, he gestured in front of each hostage; their bindings unraveled and fell away, as if cut by invisible blades. The contracts glowed brighter, hovering inches from their trembling hands.
Shadows raced along the service tunnel walls as Paragon and Kinetica moved at the front of the squad, every step quick and silent. Commander Chen’s voice snapped through their earpieces:
“Confirmed—Marquis in the sub-basement ballroom. Energy spikes everywhere. Hostages are unbound. He’s forcing them to sign.”
Kinetica’s visor flashed as she scanned ahead, voice low.
“He’s expecting us. We need to hit fast and hard.”
Paragon’s reply was a whisper of steel.
“EMP ready. On my mark.”
The squad fell into position behind them, weapons drawn, breaths held. A crimson glow bled out from the ballroom doors ahead, pulsing with menace.
Commander Chen’s final command echoed in their ears:
“Go.”
(P.S) Questions from me
Was I able to grab your attention?
Use a cliffhanger or not?
Did you enjoy it!
( https://coda.grammarly.com/d/Urban-Valor-Chapter-1-rough-draft_ddhpLyQTrFu PDF file here as well )
PLEASE READ
Haven't used scribble hub format, so paragraphs are messed up
[Chapter 1]
Written by Parade
"Let The Show Begin"
[Light City]
On the East Coast, Light City is the top destination for business and adventure. Skyscrapers, waterfronts, world-class dining, endless activities, whether for work or memories, Light City shines. Suddenly, the lively central plaza falls silent.
Digital billboards and neon ads begin to flicker, shutting down one by one. The massive screens—previously buzzing with noise and color—snap off, leaving a heavy silence hanging over the plaza.
Sarah, a junior journalist visiting Light City for her first corporate conference, felt the shift like a wave. Murmurs and gasps rippled; Sarah mirrored the anxious tourists, clutching her work tote closer.
Commuters froze mid-stride. Sarah caught a man's anxious glance; they both instinctively scanned the silent skyscrapers. Shopkeepers stepped outside, tension sharp on their faces, searching for the same answers Sarah needed. She tried to steady her breathing, recalling her mother’s advice: stay calm, blend in.
Yet the voices swelling around her made that impossible; some sounded worried, some edged sharp with fear, and all braced for whatever was about to happen. What if it really was a blackout? Or something worse, Sarah’s mind flashed to the headlines her boss warned her about. What could cause everything to stop in the heart of the city?
“Hey, what's going on!?”
A short, stout man with an accent shoved his way to the front, voice cutting through the confusion like a car horn.
“Did anyone else see that? All the ads just died!”
A young woman in a tourist tee gripped her phone, eyes darting everywhere, her words almost tripping over her nerves.
“Quick, let's get out of the plaza!”
An older commuter in a suited jacket barked in urgent tones, already ushering his companion backward, briefcase serving as an impromptu shield.
“Is it a villain attack?”
Piped up a boy with paint-splattered jeans and a skateboard, voice cracking with both excitement and worry.
“Hey, don't say that you dumbass!”
His friend snapped, affected bravado not quite hiding the quiver in his words.
Bzzt
Bzzt
All the screens that had been dark lit up at once, revealing a tall figure standing in dramatic silhouette. He is dressed in a crisp, simple aristocrat's suit and a polished top hat, his face hidden behind a smooth, elegant mask. At his side, a sleek cane gleams in his grip, its red crystal tip catching a stray slash of neon—stark and unforgettable—as he surveys the uneasy crowd.
The figure stands still, radiating calm control amid the chaos. His gloved hands rest on a cane, and the sharp lines of his suit contrast with the swirling panic in the plaza below. All eyes turn to the screens, the crowd falling silent as his masked gaze surveys Light City.
The masked figure on the multiple screens tips his top hat with a graceful gesture. His voice, smooth and commanding, echoes through the plaza’s speakers:
“Good evening, citizens of Light City. I am The Marquis. My name is unfamiliar now, but you will come to remember it in fear. I have arrived to prove that even Light City cannot escape its shadows. Remain calm and listen well. The Marquis never breaks a promise.”
The Marquis stands tall on the screens, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, exuding both refinement and menace. His jacket is a deep, midnight black with sharp lapels edged in crimson silk, catching the light with every subtle movement. Beneath the jacket, a blood-red waistcoat adds a bold splash of color, its buttons gleaming like dark rubies. The crisp white shirt beneath is perfectly pressed, a stark contrast to the suit's intensity.
A black silk cravat is tied at his neck, pinned with a small, ornate red gem. His polished top hat, banded with crimson, sits at a precise angle atop his head. Black gloves cover his hands as they grip a sleek cane tipped with a red crystal.
The Marquis’s mask—smooth, porcelain-like, and expressionless—completes the look, its edges traced with thin lines of red that accentuate his hidden gaze. Every detail of his attire is calculated to command respect, radiate power, and instill an unmistakable sense of unease.
“You place your trust in your so-called leaders, but what do you truly know of them? Your mayor, smiling on every screen, hides his misdeeds behind closed doors, selling your city’s future for a taste of power.
The famous Dr. Halden, hailed as a savior, has left too many patients to suffer in silence, his reputation built on the backs of the neglected.
And let us not forget Vincent Carrow, the business titan, who would've signed away the lives of hundreds of thousands with Sterling Voss for one more coin in their overflowing coffers. These are your villains, wrapped in respectability.” The Marquis said
"You call these menaces villains, but let us be honest—they are hardly worthy of the title. Their greed is petty, their cruelty mundane, their corruption nothing but the sewage beneath your city’s polished surface. They lack style, vision, the flair that true greatness demands.
So I ask you, Light City: what makes a great villain?
Is it the shadows cast by their deeds, or the fear they stir in your hearts?
Is it the power to change the city’s fate with a single gesture, or the art of turning your brightest hopes into trembling doubts?
Tonight, I will show you what it means to be unforgettable. Remember this moment, for your city will never be the same again."
As his words thundered from every speaker, a mother near the edge of the plaza pulled her young daughter behind her, eyes wide and haunted by the Marquis's threat. People ducked beneath benches or pressed flat against storefronts, one man trembling so violently his phone nearly slipped from his grasp. The hush was no longer just awe; it was terror, thick enough to choke on—a silent plea that the nightmare forming before them would not consume someone they loved.
The screens across the plaza flicker. The screens on the biggest gleaming towers start to show something else. A screen lights up, focusing on the mayor, who’s seated in a heavy chair, hands bound tightly behind his back.
He’s a portly man in his late fifties, his neatly combed silver hair now disheveled, his face pale and glistening with sweat. The camera zooms in on his anxious, darting eyes.
A second screen changes, revealing Dr. Halden. The doctor is slender and middle-aged, his thin wire-rimed glasses askew atop a sharp nose.
His tailored suit is creased beneath the ropes that pin his arms to his sides. He sits rigid, lips trembling and pale, glancing nervously at something unseen offscreen.
On a third screen, Sterling Voss, the business partner, appears. Voss is tall with broad shoulders, slicked-back black hair, and a meticulously trimmed beard.
Even tied to the chair, he tries to project his once mighty authority; his blue eyes pierce with a defiant gaze, though his suit is heavily disheveled and out of place in this moment of public disgrace.
As all three screens illuminated, the crowd can only stare back in shock: some of Light City’s most influential figures are utterly helpless- bound and exposed before them.
Sarah Stood frozen in the plaza, her heart pounding in her chest as those three figures appeared on the screens. Goosebumps rose along her skin. She had never seen the mayor look so helpless, or Dr. Halden so shaken. The sight of Sterling Voss, the CEO of Voss Dynamics, tied up and glaring at the camera, sent a chill through her.
But beneath the fear, excitement surged. This was the story of a lifetime—no one would believe it unless she caught it all. With trembling hands, she fumbled for her phone, nearly dropping it before raising it to record. Her breath came quick and shallow as she zoomed in, trying to steady her grip.
Sarah’s hands shook as she pressed record, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Oh my god… is that really the mayor? This can’t be happening.”
She tried to hold her phone steady, her breathing short and quick.
“Come on, signal—don’t fail me now…” Sarah said
Alarms blared through Light City Hero Headquarters. Monitors flickered with images of the darkened plaza, the blackout spreading like a shadow across the city grid. On the central screen, the live feed cut to the three hostages—Mayor Grayson, Dr. Halden, and Sterling Voss, CEO of Voss Dynamics—bound and on display.
Specialist Squad Commander Chen snapped to attention, her voice clipped and urgent.
“Fifteen minutes to extract—move! Eyes on screens! Techs, trace that broadcast signal now!”
Squad members raced to their stations, fingers flying over keyboards and tactical maps.
“Thermal imaging coming online!”
“Grid search initiated—scanning every rooftop and sublevel near the plaza!”
“Running facial recognition on the masked man—coming up empty so far.”
Two figures entered the command center. Kinetica stopped and stared at the screens. Kinetica, Light City’s speedster, stands poised in a sleek electric blue and silver suit streaked with neon green, her teal hair wild beneath a clear tactical visor.
Paragon, in blue and silver, cape billowing, eyed the hostage feed grimly. Paragon, the city’s iconic defender, towers in sculpted blue and silver armor, crimson cape billowing on his shoulders, his presence radiating calm authority. Together, they’re a striking sight, Light City’s finest, ready to face the unknown.
Kinetica stopped and stared at the screens. Kinetica, Light City’s speedster, stands poised in a sleek electric blue and silver suit streaked with neon green, her teal hair wild beneath a clear tactical visor. Together, they’re a striking sight, Light City’s finest, ready to face the unknown.
“Who is this guy? I’ve never seen him before, not even a whisper on the radar. No threats, no sightings—nothing.”
Kinetica stopped and stared at the screens. Kinetica, Light City’s speedster, stands poised in a sleek electric blue and silver suit streaked with neon green, her teal hair wild beneath a clear tactical visor.
“And how did he grab the mayor, Voss, and Halden without tripping a single alarm? That’s impossible—those three have security 24/7. This shouldn’t be possible.”
A tech called out, disbelief in her voice.
“I’m pulling every security feed from the last twenty-four hours—there’s no sign of a breach, no suspicious activity. It’s like they just appeared there.”
Commander Chen frowned, watching the Marquis’s masked face.
“He’s a total ghost. No name, no history, nothing. But he just took Light City’s top officials like it was nothing. Stay sharp—whoever he is, he’s already three steps ahead.”
The headquarters filled with a tense energy as the team realized they were facing an unknown threat—one who seemed to materialize from nowhere and strike at the very heart of the city. The clock ticked down, and the city’s best scrambled to unravel the stage before it was too late.
With a sharp snap of the Marquis’s gloved fingers, the air before the three hostages shimmered. Out of the gloom, three contracts materialized—gleaming with a dark, blood-red luster. Each one floated before its intended recipient, words etched in sinister, shifting script.
The Marquis turned to Mayor Grayson first.
“Your contract is simple, Mr. Mayor: sign, and you will live. But in return, every bribe you’ve taken, every abuse of power—you will have it all exposed to every media outlet in Light City. There will be no more secrets, no more shadows to hide in.”
He pivoted to Dr. Halden, the pen hovering just beyond the doctor’s reach.
“Doctor, your path to survival is much more personal. Sign here, and your life is spared—but you will forever lose the hands that have played judge and jury. They will go black, unmoving, and you will never again decide who lives and who dies.”
Finally, the Marquis faced Sterling Voss, the CEO’s eyes wide as he read the terms.
“Mr. Voss, your signature buys your life. But your fortune will vanish, and for every lie you’ve told, you must speak the truth ten times. Your tongue will turn black, branded for all to see—a constant reminder of your bargains and betrayals.”
The contracts hovered, pulsing with a cruel, red glow. The Marquis’s voice was velvet and absolute:
“Your lives for your pride, your power, your very souls. Choose.”
The scene rippled and transitioned to Hero Headquarters, where the monitors blazed with the supernatural spectacle. For a moment, shock gripped the room—then the specialists snapped into action.
Commander Chen barked, “Scan for any energy anomalies—now! That wasn’t technology. That was something else.”
An analyst tapped a glowing interface, eyes wide. “Picking up a spike—unclassified energy, right where those contracts appeared. It’s like nothing in our database. The signature’s… shifting, almost like it’s alive.”
Paragon leaned over the tech’s shoulder, brows furrowed. “He’s not just a magician with tricks. That’s real power—psychic, maybe even reality manipulation.”
Kinetica zipped to another console, her visor flickering with data. “Can we triangulate? Where could he pull off something that big without being noticed?”
The analyst’s map zoomed in on the city grid, a sharp pulse echoing beneath the surface.
“There! It’s subterranean—looks like an old luxury ballroom beneath the Grand Lucent Hotel. Sealed off decades ago, but the space is massive. Perfect for a hostage show and for masking a power signature until now.”
Commander Chen nodded, determination returning. “That’s our entry. Heroes, gear up. We move in five.”
The urgency in the command center intensified as the team finally had both a lead and a glimpse of the Marquis’s terrifying, otherworldly capabilities.
The Marquis tilted his head, almost as if he could sense their surveillance. He smiled behind his mask.
“Time is ticking, Mayor, shall we begin?”
The three hostages stared at the contracts. Mayor Grayson shook his head, voice trembling,
“There must be another way—we can work something o—”
Dr. Halden stammered, “Y-You don’t have to do this! I’ll pay any—”
Sterling Voss tried to bargain, “What are you after? Name your pr—”
The Marquis raised a single, gloved hand, and silence crashed down. His tone was crisp and absolute.
“Enough. If I wished to end you, it would already be done. This is your only way out. You will sign—or you will not leave this room alive.”
He stepped forward, his presence filling the space with chilling finality. With a graceful motion, he gestured in front of each hostage; their bindings unraveled and fell away, as if cut by invisible blades. The contracts glowed brighter, hovering inches from their trembling hands.
Shadows raced along the service tunnel walls as Paragon and Kinetica moved at the front of the squad, every step quick and silent. Commander Chen’s voice snapped through their earpieces:
“Confirmed—Marquis in the sub-basement ballroom. Energy spikes everywhere. Hostages are unbound. He’s forcing them to sign.”
Kinetica’s visor flashed as she scanned ahead, voice low.
“He’s expecting us. We need to hit fast and hard.”
Paragon’s reply was a whisper of steel.
“EMP ready. On my mark.”
The squad fell into position behind them, weapons drawn, breaths held. A crimson glow bled out from the ballroom doors ahead, pulsing with menace.
Commander Chen’s final command echoed in their ears:
“Go.”
(P.S) Questions from me
Was I able to grab your attention?
Use a cliffhanger or not?
Did you enjoy it!
