054 Number Eight: Kali
Commit a crime and run—thrilling and exciting.
When the masked gang returned to their getaway van, sirens wailed two blocks away as police cruisers sped toward them, running red lights.
"Mick, go, go, go!" The three people in the car urged the fourth companion, an Indian woman with an afro who stayed behind as a lookout. They were so eager that they didn't notice their companion's expression was off.
Kali, who had sat in the passenger seat and taken off her green mask, noticed the situation in the rearview mirror. The masked man she had encountered in Jared's room earlier had somehow slipped into the back seat before them without anyone noticing.
"I'd love to explain, but if we don't start the car now, we really won't be able to leave," Richard said with a smile. He deliberately showed his wrist, where the "066" he had just written was clearly visible to Kali.
The two guys in the back seat realized what was happening and wanted to attack Richard, but they were immediately stopped by a calm Kali: "Don't do anything. Mick, keep driving."
With just a look, Kali stopped the two hotheads from their suicidal actions. Mick, who was driving, finally felt relieved after getting an affirming look from their leader. She started the car and sped away with a roar of the engine before the cops arrived.
BANG BANG BANG—
The pursuing police cruisers kept firing at the van Richard was in, but unfortunately, they all missed, only leaving a few bullet holes in the windows.
"Turn into the alley." Kali watched the pursuing police cars through the rearview mirror and took a deep breath. After the car turned a corner, the police cruiser following closely behind suddenly seemed to lose control. It swerved sharply and drifted to a stop in the middle of the road. The subsequent cruisers didn't expect their buddy to screw up, and they all rear-ended each other, stopping at the turn.
This delay quickly caused the police to lose track of the van.
After driving for about twenty minutes, the van entered the slums of Chicago and stopped inside an abandoned factory.
After everyone got out of the car, before Richard could say anything, the mohawked guy wearing a mummy mask pulled out a switchblade without warning and stabbed at Richard's neck.
Richard didn't even turn his head. He grabbed the hand holding the knife with a backhand grip and followed up with a side kick, sending the guy flying several meters away.
The large Black guy with long dreads was furious and made a move to punch Richard in the face, but Kali sharply called for them to stop again: "Stop! Don't do it!"
The scene froze. The large Black guy's anger faded, and he gradually calmed down. Only then did he feel the back of the mohawked guy's switchblade pressing against his throat. It was only after the other guy saw him retract his fist that the knife was slowly withdrawn. Cold sweat broke out on his head.
Because of this, the large Black guy also understood Richard's restraint. He bowed respectfully to Richard and stepped back.
"Shit! My chest hurts from that kick." The mohawked guy's mummy mask fell off, revealing a long, thin face.
"Axel, you need to watch your impulsive personality a bit." Kali glanced at him and shook her head. Then she walked up to Richard and turned her gaze to his wrist. "You are?"
"One of your kind?" Richard smiled slightly and said in a somewhat ambiguous tone.
Kali looked like she had expected as much. She then proactively revealed her own wrist, rolling up the long sleeve she used to hide her number. Written on it was "008." With a look of eagerness, she stepped forward and hugged him, much to Richard's surprise, and called out, "Brother."
"Uh—" Richard silently tightened his sleeve to hide the number whose ink was already starting to fade, and then awkwardly responded, "Sister."
Seeing this, Kali's teammates looked at each other. Could it be that these two were family?
Because of The Lab and the supernatural matters being quite incredible, the two of them went up to the rooftop to talk.
"I don't know your name yet. I go by Kali now." Kali handed Richard a can of cold Coke and asked with a smile.
"Richard is my name," Richard said.
Kali looked at Richard curiously. "I'm curious what your ability is. Is it strength and speed? I saw that Axel and Damon were no match for you just now. You could take them down easily."
"It should be called accelerated healing; small wounds restore pretty quickly." As Richard spoke, he rolled up his other sleeve and used Axel's confiscated switchblade to lightly prick his index finger. While calmly taking a sip of the Coke, the small cut healed quickly. Flicking away the drop of blood, he was completely unharmed. "Being able to defeat them is purely because my physical conditioning is a bit better."
Only then was Kali completely convinced of Richard's background. In her view, superpowered individuals were basically only products of The Lab. She had been out of The Lab for so many years and had never seen any other "natural" superpowered people.
"So it's that kind of ability. My ability is creating illusions." In front of Richard, Kali opened her fist to reveal a butterfly that changed colors. She glanced at Richard's arm where the number had been shown in the car and said, "You must have entered The Lab after I escaped."
"...To be precise, I escaped The Lab's control before I fully became a test subject." Richard started improvising. He put on a nostalgic look. "My superpower is a bit different from others. I was born with this power. It was just by chance that Brenner discovered it. He tricked me, saying that if I cooperated with him for ability training, he would sponsor my schooling... After all, I had just lost my parents then, and I needed financial support to go to school like a normal person. I was stupid enough to believe his lies.
But after that, the more I thought about it, the more I felt something was wrong. Just as the people from The Lab were about to take me back, I, who had been acting compliant, suddenly fought back, repelled them, and escaped their control. Later, I realized what a massive evil The Lab was, so I went undercover in a high school in Hawkins while collecting dirt on The Lab."
Kali suddenly understood, feeling some surprise and admiration. "You actually dared to approach The Lab alone. I have to admire your courage."
"Not exactly alone. Not long after I stayed in town, I met another escapee, code-named Eleven. After that, she and I, along with some friends I made in town..." Richard told the story of his recent experiences with a mix of truth and lies. Kali's eyes sparkled as she listened. If they weren't superpowered people themselves, she might not have believed anything about The Upside Down or its monsters.
"I really didn't expect you to have such experiences." Kali was full of emotion. Hearing that The Lab had undergone a major shake-up and that Brenner was no longer the person in charge, but was replaced by someone else cleaning up his mess, her feelings were very complex.
"So Martin Brenner just died like that?" Kali's tone was conflicted.
Richard thought for a moment and said, "Although Brenner was critically injured that day and lost a lot of blood, considering the federal agents showed up in time and no body was seen in the end—only a 'deceased' result was given—I suspect he's probably still alive, just in hiding."
"How can he not be dead!?" Kali shouted. Previously, she had felt conflicted because he couldn't die by her hand, but now hearing he might still be alive, she couldn't help but be furious.
"There's an old saying: 'The wicked never rest in peace.' That old bastard must be like that. However, I won't let him die peacefully," Richard said.
Hearing this, Kali took the opportunity to say, "Richard, join my crew. Let's go and kill those who once abused us. With us siblings working together, I believe there's no opponent we can't face!"
"I'm clearly older than you." Richard quickly flicked her forehead. Seeing her clutching her forehead in pain, he narrowed his eyes and laughed softly. "Actually, I came to find you this time because I wanted to ask for your help."
Hearing Richard's words, Kali was stunned, her brows furrowing slightly. "Do you want me to help you deal with The Upside Down and protect that small town?"
Richard said, "Something like that."
"Well, Richard, as much as I want to help you, please forgive me for not being able to get distracted with your situation right now." Kali sighed softly. "Just hearing you talk, I know how dangerous the things in The Upside Down are.
Not to mention, you said you suspect the mastermind behind The Upside Down is Number One—the strongest and most evil psychic whose power growth even Brenner had to limit. I can't afford for anything to happen to me. After all, my crew also has targets they want revenge on, and they need my help."
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