S1E2: Toxicodone (FB) (June 8, 2017)

Dane Duscott of the Imperial Intelligence Agency stood sipping his coffee in the sands of Santa Monica Beach in California.

   A few moments later William Nantucket approached him.

"Really didn't feel like getting up this early, Dane," he complained.

"Don't complain. I have a job for you," Dane replied. "The Espada gang is going to sell their stock of the drug, toxicodone, to the cartel. Their transport will stop in El Centro to refuel. The mission is to intercept them at El Centro and recover the drugs."

"That sounds really hard for me to do by myself," Will said with concern.

"You won't be by yourself. I'm helping you out with this one."

"Oh, okay that makes me feel so much better."

    Will and Dane got into an Imperium Jeep and headed for El Centro to intercept the gang transport.

"This feels like a job for an actual agency," said Will.

"IIA's got it's hands full at the moment, trying to pick up from where the Core left off. DEA is dealing with some trouble with Marauders. There's no one left to worry about the cartels."

"So they're okay with, you know, this? Us?"

"Sure, everyone's using freelancers."

"I guess I have to take your word for it."

"Just think about the money you get from these jobs," reminded Dane.

    A while later they reached the fueling station.

"Is that them?" Will asked looking at what was most likely the gang transport.

"Yep. Right on time. There's only three of them. We can take them, right?"

"Ready when you are," said Will.

"Let's move."

"DEA, drop your weapons!" Dane yelled.

    Then another group arrived at the fueling station.

"Who are these guys?"

"This must be the Miura, they're a rival gang," Dane spoke as members from both gangs snarled at each other.

"Now what?" Will asked worried.

"Get back!" Dane told him.

    The two of them hid behind the jeep as the two gangs engaged in a shootout.

"This is bad, Dane!" Will shouted over the gunfire.

"Just keep your head down!"

"Hey, they stopped shooting," Will said a few minutes later.

    The Miura gang members walked up to where Will and Dane were hiding and pointed their guns at them.

"Awesome," said Will.

    They were then taken back to the gang's base of operation and thrown in a holding cell.

"Well this is another fine mess," Will complained.

"Come on, we've both been in tougher spots than this."

    "Quiet in there!" ordered the guard stationed outside the cell.

"Sorry, I tend to talk a lot when I get nervous," Will replied.

"Hey... You're General Nantucket, ain't ya?" the guard realized. "I'm a fan of your book."

"Wow, a fan. Let us out of here and we can take a picture together. I'll even throw in an autograph."

"Hmph. Not that big of a fan," the guard snorted turning back around.

"We don't have time for this," Dane said as he pulled a small device from out of a hidden compartment in his boot.

He walked towards the barred door and electrocuted the guard with the device.

As the guard fell, Dane grabbed his gun through the bars and shot the door open.

    "Well aren't we lucky you had that on you?" Will said as they stepped out of the cell.

"We need to find that Toxicodone," Dane replied.

"Are you serious? Forget the drugs, we need to find a way out of here."

"We can't leave without it."

"Why, what's so important about it?"

"Do I really have to explain that to you, Will? It's our duty to stop crime wherever possible."

"Sorry but I don't think right now's the time to be a patriot."

"I'm going after the drugs. You can try to leave by yourself if you want."

"Damn it, Dane," Will groaned with frustration.

    Dane led him to another part of the base.

"You think it's in there?" Will asked glancing at the guard standing in front of the door and then quickly hiding behind the wall.

"Either it's the drugs or a room full of armed gangsters."

"It better be the first one. I swear if we die here, Dane..." Will trailed off.

But Dane already began moving. He took out the guard with ease and went for the door. Will grabbed the fallen guard's rifle.

    "Well, whadd'ya know? You were right," Will said.

"I'm known for my good instincts," said Dane as he looked through the crates of Toxicodone.

"Now how do we get it out of here?" inquired Will.

Dane looked at a repulsorlift near the edge of the room.

"You're not gonna like this," he said.

    Suddenly a red alarm flashed on the wall just as Dane was loading up the lift.

"No, I don't think I am," said Will.

The two of them blasted their way through the gang base as everyone had been alerted to their presence.

    "Look it's the hangar," Dane yelled as they managed to find their way into it.

"There's our jeep!" Will noticed.

"Load it up, I'll hold them off!"

"Come on get in!" Will shouted.
They sped off away from the gang base.

    After driving for some time, they ended up in a wooded area.

"I think we lost them," said Dane.

    Will turned towards the Intelligence agent.

"Dane I have to say... That was pretty awesome. Oh, man, I definitely missed this rush, this action. It's exhilarating."

"I'm glad you say that. I assume this means you'll be open to more jobs in the future?"

"As long as I keep getting paid."

Well that's it. I know the sets were kinda lame but it's hard for me to do more open areas... I'll try more next time, though. And yeah they won't be leaving Earth, probably even California, for some time, at least until the story arc is done. And yes it is going somewhere... The Toxicodone is important. And also William's not going to be some bounty hunter character...