Etienne sat atop a large building overlooking much of the city. The street lights were the only thing illuminating the city during the oppressive darkness of night. Looking through binoculars, he scanned the area slowly.
The headset in his ears buzzed on and a familiar voice whispered, "Are you seeing anything?"
Etienne continued to look up and down the streets, "You don't have to whisper Gabe, but no…I don't see anything. It's eerily quiet out here and it's as still as a tomb. Was Astoria always this dead?"
The headset buzzed, "Anybody in this city who's up after 9 is at the Go-Go Gentleman's Club. So that should make it easier to find the runaway robbers."
Etienne hung his head for a second, before continuing to look around, "Any updates on the police scanner?"
The headset made noise like feedback from a speaker, causing Etienne to recoil a bit. After half a second, Gabe's voice came through, "Nothing."
Etienne heard a pen tapping on the other side of the headset, "The only thing I've got down is that original message. 'Smash and grab on Main Street. Three teenagers, no information on height and build."
Etienne looked down the street and spotted three kids making a mad dash down the middle of the road. Each carried a grocery bag overflowing with money, and they repeatedly looked behind themselves as they continued their frenzied running.
"Spotted them," Etienne said coldly, "I'm about to engage them now."
"Great, keep me updated. And I just want to check, when you do catch them, you're not going to be slicing any necks tonight are you?"
Etienne put his hand up instinctively, "Nope, only non lethal takedowns. I swear on my honor!"
There was a silence on the headset, before Gabe chimed in, "On your honor…"
Etienne put his hand down slowly, "Back ion the island, honor was the most important thing. More important than life itself. If you can't be taken at your word, if nobody trusts you to do what you say you'll do, what kind of man are you?"
Etienne pulled a ski mask down over his face and a hoodie over his head, "Wish me luck!"
Etienne looked down and grabbed a small contraption next to him: three small weighted balls with "50" painted on them, tethered to each other with a thick rope.
From the roof of the building, Etienne threw the bolas down towards one of the teens, tripping the kid up and causing him to face plant into the ground.
One by one, the street lights all began to bust down the street until there were none left. The empty street was turned into a void of darkness, entirely devoid of light.
The two teenagers looked around in horror. One of them, a tall boy with a huge mohawk, barked out, "What the hell's going on here? I thought the hero in this city was some kid on a hoverboard. Is he doing this?"
The other teenager, an equally tall kid with his hair slicked back, put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "He's supposed to be the only hero, but this isn't him. I study heroes in this area, it's not his style. It's not his master's style either…it could be—" The young man's thought was violently interrupted when he was snatched into the darkness. The young man attempted to hold onto his cohort's shoulder for dear life and nearly dislocated it in the process. The young man backed up slowly until he bumped into something sturdy.
He turned around and jumped back. Nothing was visible in the entire area except for the figures' eyes. Its cold, steely gaze evaporated any confidence or conviction from the young man.
The man began to speak, his deep and breathy voice echoing all around them.
"A couple of friends told me you all snatched some pills, but you all are running around with bags full of cash. "Where did all this money come from?" The kid trembled, his voice shaking mightily, "Please don't kill me, I'll tell you everything!" We delivered the pills to some Go-Go's Disciples members, they forced us to do it! W-we tried to sneak into the club with some fake IDs. and they blackmailed us. They forced the money into our hands we didn't want any of it!"
Etienne let him go, "I don't know if I believe the last part, but still, thank you for your cooperation."
Before the young man could react, Etienne snatched the grocery bag full of cash, "I'll take care of the money and that gang, run on home and get ready for school or something. And don't worry about your friends, they're fine. I…uh…sent them home already."
The kid began to run off into the darkness before stopping abruptly. The kid turned around and called out, "Who are you?"
Etienne placed his hands in his pockets, "Just a concerned citizen. Now hurry up, go on."
Etienne stood silently for a few seconds and let the young man get far away.
He touched his headset, "You caught all of that, Gabe?"
Gabe's voice was much grimmer, saying, "Yeah…Go-Go's Disciples, huh?" This is bigger than I thought. They're one of the biggest gangs in the state."
Etienne chuckled, "Our young friends got themselves mixed up with a bad crowd. I'll have to pay that club a visit soon."
Etienne strolled in the direction the teens came from, whistling as his body was enveloped by darkness.