Rico was walking back from the massage parlor. He had just gotten done having a session with Alice. She had managed to acquire a large amount of blackmail material, it turned out. Most of it was on the corrupt and dirty of the city. But some of those individuals do not know when to shut up. So they revealed other sources of blackmail that she could get on the more 'angelic' officials of the city. She asked Rico to go and collect the information after they were done with their current job.
As Mercenary work went, it was light. But they would still do it, mostly because the exchange was mutual. They do a job or two for Alice and Rico's people can be patrons of her establishment, free of charge.
"Ring Ring Ring." Rico pulled out his phone and saw he was getting a call from an unmarked number. He answered it. "This is Rico."
"It is time. Get moving." The other person answered and then hung up. The other person on the line was Amanda Waller. The current and most dangerous woman he was courting right now. Speaking of women, he had not talked with Lois in awhile. Dahl had checked in and even told him what was going on with her. But Lois herself had not actually talked to him.
Apparently the thrill of being in an affair had worn off. Now she was dealing with the fallout of discovering her husband's affair with another woman. At the moment she was staying with General Lane, her father, and cutting off all contact until after her divorce finalized and was finished. Probably so she could get away without getting punished for her own recent transgressions.
But for now Rico had to focus on his own job. Like for instance the call he just got from Waller. It was the signal that they should start heading to Smallville. By the time they arrived the first part of her operation would be underway and they would be fine to move in.
Rico jogged and opened the door before closing it. Edgelady, T-Dog, and Gearbox were gathered around a table eating when he closed the front door and locked it. Artemis and Ivy were with them.
"It is time to go!" Rico called out as he walked towards the back door. "Edgelady gets down to your computer. T-Dog and Gearbox, let's get in the truck. Is it packed up? Ivy and Artemis… you two are fine." Rico walked out the back door and into the valley.
He walked across and entered into a garage. As he did he switched into his gear and moved to a table where a Tranquilizer Gun was sitting. There were two of the guns with extra darts available.
T-Dog and Gearbox arrived a few seconds later with Artemis in tow. "Coming to see us off?" Rico asked with a chuckle.
"No, I am just here to close the garage once you leave." Artemis answered with an eyeroll.
Rico smirked and then nodded at T-Dog and Gearbox. "T-Dog, get in the back with me. Gearbox here is our destination. Do not say it or speak it, just drive us there." Rico told him as he handed over a folded note. He had written it as he ran back to their place after he received the call from Waller.
Gearbox nodded and moved to climb into the driver seat. While Rico and T-Dog climbed in the back and closed the rear door. Once it was closed Rico looked at T-Dog but waited until the vehicle had left the garage and they could feel they were on the road.
"So, why are you upset with me?" Rico asked.
T-Dog glared at him, "because you are going around snatching up any woman that comes around. While they seem to not mind that you are getting shared between them. Meanwhile I am over here struggling to get even one woman."
"What about Alice's Massage and Brothel?" Rico asked in confusion. He had informed the rest of them that the option was open for them to go over and get free service. He knew that both Gearbox and Coin had both gone over already.
"I know and I have been going over and boning a few broads. But I am talking about a full-on committed relationship. Like that Artemis gal, if you could back off here I am sure I could bag her." T-Dog explained.
"Artemis who just came back from Tartarus which is the deepest pit in Greek Hell where she was forced into a marriage and constantly raped?" Rico asked, causing T-Dog to blink and then make an expression that he could only count as 'oh.'
"I see… yeah, I am not bagging her. But I am sure you will be able to get in her pants. But I still want a woman. So could you just like…" T-Dog was almost pleading as he explained.
"Back off?" Rico asked with a raised eyebrow and a chuckle.
"Yeah." T-Dog nodded.
"Okay, I can do that. But it would be a good idea to go out and find someone rather than just staying around our place. Because there is a good chance I will sleep with them if they stay near me. Or even come near me." Rico explained with a shrug that had T-Dog rolling his eyes.
"As long as you do not try to actively pursue my women." T-Dog explained with a grunt.
They sat in silence for the rest of the journey while Rico looked at the two missions that just occurred. He did not even realize the first one had popped up.
[Side Mission Completed:
Check on T-Dog, learn what is bothering him.
Reward: 30 Vigilante Points.]
[New Side Mission:
Successfully kidnap the Kents.
Reward: 100 Criminal Points, Talent Condenser Function, 10x Strength, 10x Endurance, 10x Agility.]
[2 Hidden Missions Available.]
That last message was new. The system had never told him when a hidden mission was available. But this time it even told him how many were available. Then there was the new system function that was offered as a reward. He had no idea what it was but it seems the extra talent points would be used for this new function.