The Reaver

[quotemyname]

The Reaver stood alone in the alleyway.

Its right there. Its right across the street. You could just walk in there and take everything.

It was the suit that was talking, not jack. The voice was audible only in jack's head. not to those around him.

No, no, i can't Jack said, turning to the wall of the alley, he placed his hands on the wall and leaned on them for support. Its wrong. I shouldn't do it!

You can and you will! You need the money.

Jack's head turned to look across the street.

Do it. Do it!

A few moments later, The doors to the bank on main street were sliced open by a pair of beam swords. The same with the vault door.

Jack sighed as he gave up the suit and let it take over. He liked it, and hated it all at the same time. He would pick his battles though, and banks did not matter. He would fight the suit when it came to something important.

[quotemyname]

jack stepped out of the elevator of the high rise building in the inner city. He had finally managed to get a decent job again. He did not want to lose this one. He looked longingly at the briefcase he held in his hand.

Walking down the isle full of cubicles, jack took a turn into his own. He sat down at his desk, booted up the computer, lay his briefcase down on the desk and gave it yet another longing look.

Its only a few hours, Jack he said to himself You can go a few hours without that damn suit...It will be good for you.

He sighed, and prepared himself for the temptation that lay ahead. He flipped open both of the clasps on the briefcase, and opened the top.

Put me on, Jack. You could leave this place far behind if you just put me on.

The briefcase gave off a soft green glow that lit up his face as he gazed upon the Reaver suit module which lay inside.

Jack could hear the voice in his head, and he knew that nobody else could. It still creeped him out sometimes.

No. I need this job.

No, Jack, you don't. You don't need anything except for me.

Shut up. Jack grabbed a folder full of papers out of a pocket on the inside of a pocket in the briefcase and slammed the top of the case shut. The green glow faded.

Every day was so hard. He welcomed the release that he felt when he donned the suit at night. It made him feel so free. But he needed this job. He could not let the suit dominate his life.

Jack looked at his briefcase longingly...

[quotemyname]

The Reaver stood in the shadows in the alleyway. It was dark out, because the two of them had just succeeded in losing the police.

This world of yours does not have too many defenses, does it?

I don't know what you're talking about.

I mean I have only been here a few months, and we have already defeated two of the city's guardians. What else is there on this planet that can stop us?

Don't get carried away, Reaver. You don't know what else is out there. There is always someone better.

I don't know about that, jack, i AM a piece of alien technology, after all. As soon as i can finish adapting to what this world has to offer, we will be unstoppable.

No, Reaver, you don't understand. We have to be careful, we have won a few battles, but we are far from winning the war. But ... wait a second, what are you really saying here. This is the first time that you have talked to me about why you came here, and why you are letting me use you. What do you really want?

Power, Jack. I want power. And i am using you to help me get it. And because i like you. I cannot stop striving until i have as much power as i can get.

I see. Well, i am glad you picked me. But you've gotta listen when i know what i am talking about. There are others out there that are far more powerful than us. We just have to stay small for now and bide out time.

A police cruiser rushed past the alleyway.

Very well, jack, i will trust your judgment in this. Come we should get home, I need to analyze the supplies we just stole, and we don't want to tip off the cops again. They are not threatening, but they annoy me.

Just what i was thinking.

Jack melted back into the shadows of the alleyway. A few seconds later, jack emerged into the light of the streetlamps. This time dressed in a button down shirt and slacks, and carrying a briefcase.

This job I'm holding on to has more uses than i thought it would... And with that, Jack walked back to his apartment.

[quotemyname]

*DING* went the elevator when it arrived at the next floor. Jack's floor. Jack stepped off again, dressed in his button down shirt, tie, slack, and carrying his ever-present briefcase.

Jack sighed, resisting the urge to glance at his briefcase. After two months of this he was finally getting better at it. he was finally getting his life back. I love that thing, but damn it all the same. Jack made his way to his cubicle, silent the rest of the way.

For once his eyes were drawn towards something other than his briefcase. Jill. She worked in the office with him, and she was beautiful. He didn't dare get involved though, he had to distance himself from other people. or they might find out what he and The Reaver were up to.

Work was boring again that day. Nothing happened at all, and jack had to open his briefcase more than a few times just to look at the suit's module just to get him through the day.

Put me on, Jack

It would call to him.

But the end of the day was rather exciting. Jack was packing up to leave, when he spotted Jill coming over to his cubicle. Damn it, why does she have to be so good looking? And nice too. he thought. Oh crap, she is coming over here....

Hey Jill, what's up. He said seconds later. He was no chump after all.

Hey Jack, I have a question for you. She said, in a sweet voice.

Okay, go ahead... He looked at her.

You want to catch a movie tonight with me? She put on her cutest face. Jack could tell she was not used to being turned down. But still...

I can't... I am busy tonight... He said with a longing look at his briefcase.

Oh that stinks... Maybe some other time then.

Yea...He barely heard her...

[quotemyname]

[3]

*Rustle* *Rustle* *GASP*

Jack woke up in a cold sweat. he hadn't been sleeping much lately, but tonight was the worst night in a while. What is wrong with me?

Jack looked to the other side of the room where his briefcase lay slightly open, a soothing green light glowed through the crack. That thing is always on...Always watching me...I SWEAR that thing is getting to me...

Jack rolled over. Then, failing to get comfortable on his side he rolled again onto his stomach. He never was able to get comfortable on his stomach. He always got smothered in his pillow. He rolled over again. And there it was, still glowing. Rolling to face the wall he sighed.

I don't care what that thing says, I'm taking some time to myself here and there. What could be so important that i have to sacrifice everything that i want to do for that stupid little mission it's got? Not that it ever tells me much about it either...

Grumbling, Jack decided that the next time that girl at work asked him out, he would say yes. Screw The Reaver suit. He did what he wanted.

A smiling Jack Azuma slept very well that night.

[quotemyname]

It had been almost a week since Jill had asked him out. It kinda stank that Jack had finally made up his mind and decided to go out with her if she asked him again, but she just wasn't asking.

Maybe she just doesn't like you that much...

The suit said to him one night when they were out exploring the town.

Stop it Jack responded You're just trying to get me to give up on everybody but you. Its not gonna happen, im telling you.

It was friday at work, and he was hoping she would ask him out for the weekend again. The end of the day came and she still had not asked him. Finally he gave up and left work. As he was walking out the front doors to the office where they worked, he saw Jill following him out. For a second his hopes were high. Maybe she was just waiting until he had left. As Jack turned around to say hello, another man jogged up to Jill and lay a kiss right on her lips.

Jack's heart sank. Maybe i AM ready to give up... The fist that held his briefcase was shaking...

[quotemyname]

A high pitched hissing sound came from the coating on top of the building. The coating had been boiling for the past few seconds under the heat of the jets at Reaver's feet.

"You know, I really could get used to this whole flying thing. It scared me at first, but I really am starting to enjoy this."

I told you you would enjoy it.

"You were right. I will learn to trust you one of these days," Jack said, laughing, "Now tell me how these things work again?"

Well it actually is quite simple, Jack. The atmosphere of your planet actually contains a multitude of volatile chemicals. However, they are usually found in a few different innocuous combinations. The boots of this suit are simply pulling these chemicals out of the atmosphere, turning them into the combinations that can be used for propulsion, and directing the force generated out the bottom of the heels. The remnants are simply jettisoned from the suit."

"That really is cool," Jack said to no one in particular as he blasted off away from the roof.