[IC] Sudden Payback (Session 1)

As comfortable as she looks up on the mat, you couldn't tell that Mayor Gayle Aldana was only elected mayor of Drummond—a.k.a. Rumble City—a little over six months ago. From what you've seen she means well, promising to clean up the streets, bring jobs back, and kick the gangs out of town. But she's had a rough go of it. Rumble City's just this side of lawless, and a recent spate of kidnappings hasn't made things look any better.

"They say that Drummond is a city past its prime. They say it's a lost cause, that we should move away, turn the whole island into a forest preserve. But Phil Wakamatsu didn't think like that, did he?" Applause. "No, of course not! Phil's love for the martial arts transformed this city forty years ago. That man made the martial arts part of Drummond's DNA. It's no accident that nowadays we call this place Rumble City!" The line absolutely kills with the forty or fifty people in the gym. Mayor Aldana claps, pointing her hands toward a giant portrait of the esteemed sensei, who passed away about twelve years ago, before the city had completely gone down the drains."But tonight is about the new Drummond," Aldana says. "A Rumble City that embraces its strengths as the martial arts capital of the Midwest. And that's why tonight, Second Street is no more. Henceforth, it will officially be known as Wakamatsu Street!" The line gets applause. The mayors deputy and speechwriter, Claude Thibault, takes notes on a clipboard from behind his boss. About a dozen reporters snap photographs or jot down the line in their notebooks.

As the mayor's speech continues, Lance Mikowski crosses his arms and glares at the lights, the crowds. "I hope this works," he says to no one in particular. "Renaming the street outside when my gym's named after the street outside. It's risky."

He glances over as if realizing he's been talking to himself. He's with the four of you: Red, his most reliable student. Marv Callisto, one of the first patrons to buy a year's membership and, by default, a VIP. Hank Rodrigo, his only hired employee, on duty tonight during this big event. And Max Roberts, hired on for the night for some added security. "What do you all think? Phil Wakamatsu was a great man. I owe him a lot. Man led me to three All-Peninsula Championships. But you think naming a street after him's gonna pull the city together somehow? And you think we'll drum up any new business from this stunt?"

Red takes in the information, eating some crunchy 'fitness' snack bar all the while. Wearing her training Gi (which has become her typical outfit these days), she takes a look at the pleased crowd. "I think it will help morale, even if just for a little while. Maybe the new mayor will implement something a bit more solid to help clean up the streets? I'd sure like that." She sounds optimistic, which is pretty standard whenever Red is asked of her opinion. She tosses the wrapper, smacking any crumbs off her hands before putting her hair up. "Maybe more people will sign up though; I'd want to be on a gym on a newly named street." She offers a thumbs up.

Maxwell free from a patrol through the gym during the speech cocks his head towards the gym owner Lance. He rolls his neck a bit to one side then the other while surveying the crowd, being in tactical gear stating Police probably made him stand out, his still boyish face and clean look and bright eyes probably related his age and level of experience though. Stepping back he listens to Lance's comments as he grabs onto a chin up bar mounted on the wall hoisting himself up and steadies himself with his elbows and upper body above the bar to people watch the crowd. "Mr. Mikowski I guess it's like a fight, if you're going to feel out a new tactic or style you don't know how it'll work till you use it, might be good might be bad depends on how the opponent responds but you never know if you'll get knocked out till you try. If you're not knocked out you can always try again or something different. Besides it a Civil Servants duty to strive for peace and order for the people." he states vaguely kicking his free hanging legs a bit before puffing up his chest at his final words and thoughts with a slight smirk looking towards the Mayor.

"Bah, you kids are too optimistic. Mayor Aldana is still in her honeymoon phase, full of ideals and hope, but this street's name won't change shit for the city itself. The photo op, though... Now THAT's good for business." Marv gives Lance a playful bop on the shoulder and laughs. He digs into the pocket of his leather jacket and fishes out a couple of loose aspirin, throwing them back and swallowing them dry. "All these people and flashbulbs are giving me a killer headache." He thinks back to the long night he had last night and reconsiders the source, but chooses not to share. "Who's baby did you have to kiss to get the announcment here?"

"She not a gym member?" Max asks absentmindedly.

Lance takes in the comments so far with a stoic face. "I trained with Sensei Wakamatsu," he shrugs. "Aren't many folks around here who can still say that. Most have already left the city, gone on to safer places." The big man grins, the X-shaped scar on his face flushing pink for a moment. "Besides, Aldana's no fan of the cops 'round here, what with her anti-corruption push and all. I think she likes the fact that I just got out of jail, that I'm offering free boxing lessons to any kids from Bangertown or Pillsville who want 'em." He pats Max on the back. "Any surprise to you that you're the only cop here, and that's 'cause I asked you to come."

"Marv's got a point. She hit all the right notes, but it doesn't take a courageous politician to tell a bunch of gym rats like us that the Sensei was a great man. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings. Should at least be a few idealists like Red here who want to train at a gym on Wakamatsu Street. Sure can't hurt the bottom line."

Hank Rodrigo is a big man, well over six feet and built like a Buick. His customary glower softens as he leans back and reads the faces of the crowd. His elbow resting on the top of the heavy bag, he takes in an encouraging number of new faces.

"Hell, maybe we'll get lucky and she's right. Maybe old Phil's still got it in him to change Drummond."

Before you can say much else, you realize that all eyes have turned toward you. "Lance?" the mayor says from up on the mat. "Will you come up and say a few words about your memories of Sensei Wakamatsu?"

Mikowski's scar flushes bright red. He gives you all a wide-eyed glance as his eyes roll back toward the ring with its zoo of press and town officials. "Uh... Sure, Ms. Mayor," he stammers. The gathered crowd cheers and claps, the applause echoing off the walls in the otherwise empty building. Lance walks over to the ropes, strides really, and rolls onto the mat, under the ropes, like someone who's done it thousands of times. The applause continues until he reaches the mayor and her speechwriter, and they foist the mic under his nose.

Lance gives a sheepish grin. "Uh... I'm not much of a speechmaker. But I'm proud to say that I knew Phil Wakamatsu." A bevy of flashbulbs goes off. Lance squints for a moment and continues. "When I met the sensei, I was just a punk street kid who didn't see any future for myself..." All eyes remain on Lance, the glass windows of the gym front behind most of the crowd. From your vantage point, though, you can just see the street beyond, now under the darkness of night, where, just maybe you catch a bit of movement...

Marv whoops and claps at the street punk line and stops short, thinking he catches something out of the corner of his eye.

Hank smiles as he watches his boss. He likes Lance, but it's a nice change to see the big man flustered for a change. He sees Marv craning toward the window and looks himself.

Red has to bring out a folding chair to better view Lance's sudden interview, which she does so with excitement. "Good for him."

Max looks on from his vantage point scanning the crowd suddenly thinking about how he didn't know he could get free boxing lessons since he was from Pillsville. Max almost lands chin first on the bar lost in thought and flails fortunately no one sees him he hopes.

The applause seems to energize Lance. He grabs the mic from the mayor's aide and takes a step forward on the mat. "That's right! We owe it to Sensei Wakamatsu. All of us. Winning three All-Peninsula Tournaments was great." Lance gestures over at a trophy case with three large, shiny, plastic trophies in it. "But a trophy doesn't save your tail when a mugger comes after you. A trophy doesn't give you the confidence to take a risk when everyone else is fleeing to the pickets or even farther away. A trophy..."

As Lance continues, Hank sees a vehicle fly by in front of the glass storefront on 2nd Street, north of the building. Is that... a garbage truck? But pickup isn't for three more days, and it'd be in the morning anyway.

No holidays this week... maybe they're just taking it out for a joy ride.

Hank's smile falters for a moment, and his mind runs through recent days' events. Was there a delivery scheduled for today? Seems like Lance would have mentioned that.

He doesn't want to miss the speech now that Lance is on a roll, but he walks to the door to the service hallway. His eyes on Lance, he cracks the door to the back so he can hear if they knock on the back door.