**Recoil's POV**
Is it possible to get seduced in a game? Shocked? Yeah I thought so, that was exactly how I felt when approached by this woman I don't know from Adam.
"As I pondered whether she was an actual player, I discreetly queried my system. Nova's response was immediate: "Not a player, Recoil. Likely an NPC seeking interaction." Her words sparked a mix of relief and curiosity within me."
Well how am I supposed to concentrate on what I'm dealing with when being seduced. "Do you speak English?" she asked, her voice laced with a gentle, almost childlike curiosity that caught me off guard."
" Of course I do! It's the only language through which I communicate" I snapped. I knew my voice chilled any attempt at socializing but I'm on a mission and temptation's the last thing I need right now.
I must be going crazy to think that an NPCs ravishing, that's Eternity Edge realism going a trifle too far.
A hint of determination flickered in her eyes as she asked, "My name's Diana – what's yours?" Her persistence was starting to intrigue me, despite my better judgment.
" The name's Recoil, Diana and I know it's a bit disappointing but I've got something to think about okay?"
" I can make those thoughts disappear" she murmured, her husky tone sent a shiver down my spine. " Thanks but I wanna keep em" I drawled.
" Don't you find me ravishing?" She asked. That was when I had confirmed what she wanted. My most withering stare accompanied my blunt reply: "Nope." As I finally tore my gaze away from her curves, accentuated by the tight, low-cut gown.
I caught the injured look on her face. As the woman huffed off, her footsteps fading into the crowded nightclub, I shook off the last of her unwanted attention. There were bigger fish to fry—like the rookies I was here to warn. Focus. Mission first.
" Good riddance" I mused and concentrated on my quest. The players were a group of rookies, obviously new in takes trying to have a shot at the prize.
They had a few more drinks while I had a sip of my glass of wine. A few more minutes passed before I got up and made my approach.
***
" Hey peeps" Recoil called jovially on getting to their table. The stared at him in silent inquiry.
" Hey man" one of them replied. " Sorry I came in a little sudden but I'm a messenger and I've come to give you a message" Recoil said.
" Shoot" A bald tattooed man among them said. " Okay now it's from the NPC you burgled recently, he asked for you to make a full refund along with a personal apology or…" Recoil let his statement hang in the cigarette induced air of the nightclub.
" Dee, you hearing him?" one of them chuckled. " Or what?" The bald tattooed man who apparently goes by the name Dee asked. He let the silence hang in the air as Recoil watched Dee's expression change—his lips curling into a snarl.
This wasn't some friendly negotiation. One wrong move, and this could go south fast. But Recoil wasn't backing down. 'You don't want to find out,' He said coolly.
'Either refund the loot and apologize, or you'll be dealing with something much worse than a bad review.'"
The air crackled with tension. Six rookies stood before him, all dressed in mismatched gear and looking ready to brawl. Dee, the biggest one, stepped forward first, sneering as he cracked his knuckles.
"You think you can threaten me, huh?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. Behind him, the others began to fan out, forming a loose circle around me. The nightclub's strobe lights flashed, making their movements disorienting.
"Listen, I don't have time for this," Recoil said flatly. "But you're not going to like where this goes if you don't take the message seriously."
The tension in the air grew thick, and Dee's grin only grew wider. "One last chance to apologize. Or you'll learn what happens when you mess with us."
"All right," he said, cracking his neck. "Let's do this."
Dee lunged forward first, but his charge was slow—predictable. He was a brute, not a thinker. Recoil didn't even break a sweat as he activated Quantum Leap, disappearing in an instant. The world blurred as he shifted behind him in a split second, feeling the rush of momentum as he repositioned himself.
The big guy spun around, confusion written on his face, but Recoil was already moving again. He leaped to the side, right into the path of a rookie with a crowbar. His swing was wild, and Recoil had the perfect opening. He dodged, slipping behind him. His strike came down hard, missing by inches.
Another Quantum Leap, met Recoil behind him in an instant. He landed a hard knee to his back, sending him crashing to the floor. One down.
Before I could take a breath, a guy with the braids—a fast one—was already charging at me, dagger in hand. He swiped at Recoil's chest, who saw it coming from a mile away. He used Quantum Leap again, just as her blade skimmed past his side, and reappeared a few feet away.
Her eyes flashed with anger, but he didn't let her get another chance to swing.
One more leap, and Recoil was in front of her, out of her range. The speed had thrown her off balance. She stumbled forward, right into my fist. A quick jab to her face sent her sprawling back, dazed but still conscious.
Three down.
The others had started to realize what was going on—they were outclassed. Recoil could begin to feel their hesitation. They weren't used to fighting someone who could appear and vanish in a heartbeat. They couldn't predict him.
But that hesitation wouldn't last.
The guy with the bat—skinny, probably the least confident of the group—took a swing. He had the range, but no control. Recoil saw it coming from a mile away. He disintegrated, letting his bat swing through empty air. As he overextended, I took the opportunity to dropkick him in the chest, sending him crashing backward into one of the bar tables.
" Adrenaline deployment detected" Nova said. The last two rookies had started circling. They weren't moving as freely now, eyes darting from Recoil to each other.
The DJ at the club had long since stopped the music and the clubbers had stopped to watch the fight.
Recoil took a second to glance over my shoulder at Dee. The big guy was still recovering from the knee shot he had given him earlier, but his grip on the chain he'd grabbed was tight. He was about to come at Recoil hard.
The final two rookies were closing in. One had a small dagger, the other still had that bat.
Recoil teleported and was behind them in a flash, his trainers landing softly against the floor. They didn't have time to react.
The one with the bat swung wildly. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he used the momentum to drive his elbow into his throat. The hit was clean, and he crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath.
Five down.
Recoil turned just as Dee swung the chain. It was wide, heavy, and dangerously unpredictable. But I saw it coming. Quantum Leap.
The chain whooshed past Recoil's face, and before Dee could adjust, he was already standing behind him. His body was a perfect target now.
He grabbed the chain, yanked it from his hands, and twisted him around. With a swift punch, knocked him out cold, his head slamming against the floor.
Six down.
The nightclub was silent except for the soft buzz of the neon lights and the distant sound of music. The rookies lay unconscious or groaning on the ground, their efforts to stop Recoil completely ended in futility. He exhaled slowly, checking his equipment as he gave the room one last scan.
The petrified NPCs stood there motionless having witnessed the silent take down of an army of six. Shrugging Recoil penned a note with the promise of coming back if they had no completed his demands.
"Mission complete," Nova's voice crackled in my ear, calm and efficient as always.
"Not quite yet," I muttered, glancing back at Dee's motionless form.
The game was far from over.