The Mark of Duty

Alice stood tall in her armor, her helmet resting in the crook of her arm while her fist rested on a cocked hip. "Okay, onto business. I can do all your bar stuff today, and I'll be with you for that meeting tonight." She looked to Shining Armor. "And I'm guessing we have to fill in Sergeant Armor before he decides to call the cops on us?"

I nodded, sitting back down, "Indeed. What with an alternate Twilight, raging she-demon, and me at the center he is a might bit suspicious of what shenanigans we have precisely been doing in his town." My phone beeped and I looked at it. I read the email for a moment before flipping it to my pocket. "And you have two hours Alice. Our lawyer friend has finalized the deal, all that's left is the finalization and we'll be in business."

Alice shook her hair out, letting it fall neatly as opposed to the helmet hair she was sporting a moment ago. "Course, course. Alright Shiny, take a seat. We'll drop enough bombs on you to make you question reality." He flinched as she sat in Sunset's ugly chair. "Don't worry, me and the big guy already got our worlds uprooted, this'll be nothing."

We spent the next hour filling Shining Armor in on the basics of our life. He wasn't exactly happy about learning neither of us was from an agency of any sort, but on the news, he had been harassing an immortal angel of death he got real quiet. Of course, that was all Alice, my own self-description was much more succinct. I believe all I said was a long-lived meddler. However, it did lead to some interesting conversation. Shining was cupping his head, rubbing his temples as me and Alice were talking over business an hour later. "I believe if we hang a sign and you use some of your expertise to send word to our mutual friends I'll have a very secure income in the near future."

Alice nodded, her sniper in her hands as she looked it over. She tilted it side to side to investigate every angle. "Yeah, some of us might kill for a calm place to drink and talk to others. Plus with it being in a good place it should turn a pretty consistent profit."

I nodded and turned to Shining Armor. "What do you think Sergeant? Do you think me running a bar would work? I'm hopeful myself, but one can never be sure."

Shining Armor glared at me. "Look, Marx, you can't tell someone you're a genetically modified alien from an alternate world and expect them to be ready for advice about your newest business. I'm still trying to cope with the fact that when you told me to feel your chest it wasn't the worlds most awkward pickup line."

I chuckled. "What, not use to super-soldiers asking you to feel their pecs?" I stood slowly, stretching as I looked over the room. It was about time for Alice to get ready and I was hungry. "Well, I feel like I'm about to grab Sunset and head out. Alice, give me a ring when you finish the meeting and I'll pick you up your choice of food." I walked over to the small half-wall that separated the dining room from the living room. "Shining, you can stay as long as you need, Alice..." I stared at her for a moment. "Just, please find a home for your gear."

She smiled at me, giving a short salute. "By your will, Brother-Captain."

I rolled my eyes. "Champion, not captain. Unless you're an egomaniac they are mutually exclusive." I grabbed my keys knocked on Sunset's door. "Sister? Are you up?" There was a grunt which I took as an affirmative. I pushed the door, heading inside quickly. Sunset was rolled over onto her back, and from the lack of painful gasps, I assumed she was mostly healed. Clint perked an ear from his post sprawled at her feet. I reached down and patted his head. "Hey kiddo, I'm about to go out and grab some food, wanna come with?"

There was another groan as Sunset rolled her eyes, and I gave her a moment to compose herself. Another few seconds passed before she looked up to me. "Okay, I'm gonna be honest with you, I have no clue what you just said."

I let out a chuckle, before grunting. "Me ride bike. Get food. You come?"

Sunset rolled her eyes. "Thank you for dumbing it down oh lord," She moved up and flinched. She stayed that way for a moment before opening an eye and glancing at her back. "It doesn't hurt?"

I shrugged. "Wounds made by witchery are beyond my ken sister, but you seem to be healed." I moved out of the room while speaking behind me. "Go ahead and get dressed and the like, Alice is here and will be busy for a bit, but she may want to check on you." I moved out of the room and looked over myself. I was hardly in a fitting wardrobe myself, still in comfortable clothes from last night. I looked around and found Shining texting on his phone as Alice played with something on her wrist. I watched for a moment before her armor glowed in soft blue. Pieces began retracting, the whole armor sliding cleanly into her gauntlets. Her undersuit was a simple black bodyglove, which I took a few moments to appreciate before moving to my bedroom.

I opened my wardrobe, and my small amount of clothing greeted me. A single suit wrapped in plastic laying at the end, as well as a collection of various semi-formal wear decorated the clothing line. I grabbed a large polo and jeans before moving to my chest of drawers. A change of undergarments and a shower later I threw on my clothes, checking myself over in the mirror. A black polo was thrown over my chest, with a death star stitched over one of my hearts. It was good enough for political work.

I walked out to find Sunset in her normal day attire sitting in her chair, looking at Shining as he shot eyes at Alice's gauntlets and guns currently resting beside the table. I instantly began grumbling. "By the Omnissiah! If she treats her gear like this her machine-spirits must be mortified!" I stomped over to the table and picked up the weapons, my large hands easily hoisting them up and onto a shelf where I placed both of them. After making sure they were both secure and safe I turned to Shining. "Well, this is where I leave friend, do you need anything else?"

Shining Armor looked at me with nearly closed eyes. "A spartan from a video game is some sort of government agent, a spliced together superman lives in my city, and a magic demon is his adopted sister." He paused for a minute. "I called in sick. I'm going to go home and drink until I forget everything that just happened."

I nodded and helped him to the door. "Of course friend, I'm only a phone call away if you need me."He left quickly, letting me easily stand beside Sunset as she glanced at Alice's gear. I cleared my throat to get her attention. "Sunset, you ready to go?"

Sunset shook her head, her hair flowing over her face. "Yeah sure." She broke eye contact with the gear and looked at me. "Where are we going?"

I grabbed our helmets from the table and tossed hers over my shoulder. "I was figuring something simple, lets head to that cafe down the street so I can wipe out their sandwich inventory for the day."

Sunset giggled, standing up behind me. "Cool, lemme grab my bag."

***

The cafe near the entrance of our suburb was called the Sand Witch. I had absolutely no clue how such a strange cafe had not only remained open, but thrived in our little corner of the city, but I actively chose to ignore it. Making our way through the faux-beach setting and walking past a cauldron with a chalkboard stuck in it, both me and Sunset sat at a table. I ate here often enough that both me and Sunset got to watch the normal routine when the waitress approached me. She looked at me and nodded, not bothering to speak before turning to Sunset. "Hello, ma'am, can I take your order before I get the manager?"

Sunset looked between us for a moment. "Uh, sure. Can I just get some tea? Whatever you have will do." The waitress nodded, and Sunset turned to me as she left. "The buck is that about Marx?"

I smiled easily, leaning back in my chair. "The manager and I have an... arrangement. Most of the employees send her out here instead of dealing with me. They seem to think of me as a problem customer."

Sunset was about to speak up, but a voice squealed from the inside of the store. "THAT STUPID BOY IS HERE AGAIN!?!" I smiled as slightly quieter orders were sent, Sunset staring at the door as the sound of feet rushed outside. Out walked a woman who should have been named Bertha. She was built like a siege engine, pure muscle, and power with Russian aesthetic. She looked at me with squinted eyes before stomping over and paused once seeing Sunset. She only held for a second, before her stance slightly shifted. Instead of stomping towards me, she walked. Though, I could easily tell she was both annoyed and happy I was here. When she got to our table she nodded briefly to Sunset before turning to me. "So, I take it this is the child you've been looking after?"

I nodded, and she chewed her lip for a moment. "Fine, I can get your usual order ready in about twenty. But, I need an advance payment and a bit extra."

I nodded, pulling out my wallet and passing her a handful of bills. "Of course Sonya, and what would the extra payment be this time? Another security job, another free class for that kid of yours?"

Sonya shook her head. "No, I want answers." She dropped her hands on the table, looking me in the eyes, which was a minor feat of bravery in itself, given what she knew. "I heard you were getting out of the business. That true?"

I smiled easily. "Am I getting out of my previous employment? Of course I am. Little respect, long hours, no challenge..." My smile widened as Sonya's eye twitched. "And the constant flood of claims that I was cheating. Wasn't worth the headache."

Sonya nodded, before signaling a waiter. "Alright then, but I still want you tutoring little Ditzy, the girl's got all the grace of a tank."

I spread my arms wide. "But of course! That girl is the apple of my eye, I wouldn't dream of abandoning the girl."

Sonya left without another word, which was actually my preferred way for her to leave. Sunset looked at me for a moment. "So, what did you do again? I didn't really pay much attention... like, ever." She rubbed the back of her head as the waiter dropped a glass of tea in front of her, and a jug of water with accompanying glass in front of me. "That was probably rude, huh?"

I poured myself a large glass of water and nodded. "Oh yes, incredibly so. But I expected it." I lifted the glass softly. "IT's gone well, you're learning. And you will continue to learn." I took a sip of water while mulling over exactly what to say. "I was in a local sports league. I have some small acclaim to my name, so the people who compete with me tend to notice whenever I'm nearby."

Our conversation was simple as we waited for our food. Sunset mostly asking questions about my past and me giving her a heavily modified version of the events. As well as scrubbing a few key details. Which was what I was doing when it happened. I was leaned over the table, my arms resting on the surface. "So, Gallus was down, Tsunami was pinned down, and I was the only one who could move. There was a veritable Legion of-" I stopped talking as I noticed a woman approach, her body language open and calm. I might have thought she was ordinary if her eyes weren't locked onto me like a Sylvester when he spots Tweety.

Sunset nearly spoke up but noticed my look as the woman sat at our table. Before the stranger could talk I began casing her. The collar of her professional suit had a small discoloration and wrinkle near the left point, which hinted an Id tag was there more often than not. Her suit itself was average business fair, white shirt, black jacket, black tie, black pants. They were a bit loose on her but given the quality that was probably intentional. The thing that truly sparked my interest was a small wrinkle near her chest. Had I normal eyes I might have dismissed it, but the way it moved with her was telling. There was a gun under her jacket.

The woman smiled easily. "Hello! Crucius Marx, right? I'm a big fan of your work." She stuck out her hand. "My name is Veiled Shadow, pleasure."

I barely glanced at her hand, already working on confirming my suspicion. I locked eyes with her, before speaking in a quiet and still voice. "And low, she rode in on a pale horse." Her tell was subtle, but for a split second her eyes widened, and a small tremble hit her hand. I nodded, reaching into my wallet. "Sunset, this place has great ice cream. Go in and grab one, eat it inside." I glared at the woman. "I have some business to discuss."

Sunset looked between us as I offered her a twenty. She took it with a nod. "Got it, should I call anyone?"

I shook my head. "Not now, but if I'm not back in ten then you need to call Alice. Tell her you need her here yesterday." Sunset nodded and scampered off, letting me and the woman sit alone. She slowly withdrew her hand as I stood up. "Come on girl, we'll talk somewhere private." I stood easily, already knowing exactly where we would go.

As we made our way to the back alley I pulled out a keyring and went to an unassuming door. Shadow spoke up behind me. "You know, this wasn't what I had in mind when I introduced myself to you. I was expecting an autograph."

I rolled my eyes as I opened the door, walking in calmly. The room was simple. Concrete walls and a short waiting room with a simple stairwell leading down. As soon as the door shut behind Shadow I stuck like a viper. My body moved like the wind, and my hand closed quickly around her throat. I reached up with my left hand and pulled the small Bluetooth from her ear before popping it in my own ear. Keeping a tight enough grip to shut her up, I pulled the pistol from her jacket. Without a word I dropped her beside the stairwell, blocking the door with my body. "If you come to talk diplomacy with someone, don't bring a gun next time." I locked back the slide, a live round flying out as I clicked my tongue. "And with one in the chamber, I'm afraid you grossly underestimated me. I'm a bit insulted." I dropped the magazine, catching it and tossing it to her. "Catch."

She fumbled the catch, while also coughing. I didn't let it faze me as I swiftly disassembled the gun. I withdrew the recoil spring, ensuring it couldn't be reassembled before putting the pieces on the small table beside the wall. I crossed my arms as Shadow looked at me, her eyes looking both angry and scared. Good, I couldn't respect her if she was only afraid. "Look girl, you're young. But you're boss either thinks you're the best thing since sliced bread or wants you dead. So here's the deal. I have this nice little communicator in my ear." I pointed to my recently pilfered accessory. "Assuming you're handler isn't an incompetent piece of warp-waste, they should be able to hear me. I'm giving you one chance to make it out of our meeting alive."

I held up the small spring in my hand. "Your only gun is useless, this room is soundproofed, and we both have a time limit. With all this in mind, I'm giving you five minutes. Any questions you want answered, I'll answer. You so much as twitch towards that table, or to your feet, I kill you." I flicked the spring at her, which she caught easily. "Of course, I get a few of my own."

The woman was silent a moment before the Bluetooth crackled once. "This wasn't part of the plan."

I smiled, holding a hand to the device more for my new 'friends' benefit than mine. "Oh dear, have I made a mess of a failed honeypot operation, or was this evening going to have a bit more class?"

There was a pause and Shadow's fear shrank as anger began to win her over. I shrugged, waiting for the voice to respond. "Well, she was just supposed to get a read on your mentality. You're too distant with our normal agents, so we had to try a more direct approach." I waited some more and the voice spoke up again. "And you don't buy that do you?"

I smiled. "If I bought everything I was offered by a static-y voice over from distant communication I would have ended my life with a blade in my gut or a bolt in my head long ago. No, I believe that was a secondary plan if she couldn't find a way to safely secure me. If you don't trust her to ask the questions we can continue excluding her, though I will only return her headset when I am leaving." My smile flashed a fair few teeth. "After all, I'm not a complete fool."

Shadow sneered at me. "So if you think we're so evil, why'd you leave the girl alone?"

My smile dropped, and I looked to her. "Because if your organization is stupid enough to take her without having a plan to bring me down then it doesn't deserve to live. I will chase every part of your foundation and raze it to the ground until she is safe at home. And there will be no survivors of each place I visit. Bullets don't stop me, blades don't pierce my skin, and words won't cause me to falter. So magic voice. I highly suggest if you have a group going to capture little Sunset, you stop them now."

There was a pause before the voice spoke again. "Okay then, I think I'll let Shadow take over."

I nodded, looking to the young woman in front of me. "They've gone to do some work. You have about three and a half minutes, start asking."

Shadow glared at me. "What are you planning?"

I shrugged. "Plans? I plan to open a bar. I plan to help Sunset achieve her dream of gaining enough power to protect her home and stand on equal footing with her mother, I plan on eating lunch as soon as we're done." I looked at the door. "Which is probably getting cold. Warpfire." I turned back to her. "Either way, nothing important. I'm retired, my duties much less violent than my previous job." I barely moved as I looked at her. "My turn. What does your organization want me and Sunset for?"

Shadow ground her teeth, before spitting on the floor. "We want to study and contain you until we're sure you aren't a threat to the stability and harmony of the planet. Indefinitely if needed."

I bobbed my head slightly. "Fair enough, and though my hospitality may not show it, I appreciate the honesty. Then ask your next question. I think this will be the last exchange, I'm rather peckish, and after that, I already have a few plans I'll work up to keep us both happy."

Shadow continued to glare, her rage apparently not abating despite my more polite demeanor. "What are you?"

I paused. I honestly should have expected this question, but my lack of planning did not give me an adequate explanation. I tapped my leg slightly, the prosthetic foot giving each tap a metallic clink. "Well now, there are many answers for that. I guess the simplest way to put it, is that I am an angel. When deamons are clawing at a poor country home, or barbarians charge the gate, I stand ready. Each child from my home knows when things have gone wrong, the Omnissiah sends a blessing, and each shooting star could be us. We crash down with holy wrath, purging our foes with bolts and blade, letting forth holy hellfire that turns our foes into slag and ash." I stood tall. "I am Crucius marx, champion of the Terran Elms. I am the angry will of the Omnissiah. I am an Astartes, the final fate of heretics and deamons alike."

Shadow looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "You expect me to believe that?"

I shrugged, turning to the door. "Believe what you will." I plopped the Bluetooth out and tossed it on the table. "I will meet with the pale pony tonight, and get their take on the situation. That will change the offer you receive if no meeting occurs I will assume you are hostile, and neither of us wants that. Good day, Ms. Shadow. May the Omnissiah guide you." I walked back to the cafe, retrieving Sunset and smiling as my lunch followed her out. Not the worst lunch meeting I've ever had.