Mission/Chapter 3: A New Dark World

Reeve is able to tell some of the buildings that looked like the dormitory neighbourhood. He makes his cypher have him glide down to the street fast. There are a few passersby who look in curiosity at the man that safely leapt down from the building. They don't react much, and continued their business.

Reeve can't really tell if he is being followed, but so far no guards are shooting at him with those noisy weapons. By now, his armour cypher have ended. As he is sneaking around some alleyways, he sees some people that look like the homeless, their skin are scarred with unknown disease. One even looked like they had whiskers on their face.

One mutant wearing a long coat stepped out in front of Reeve. He has tentacles in place of his mouth. He flashed open his coat, revealing a bunch of trinkets.
"Gl'brl! Sir, would you like to have some of my wares? I accept any payment. Whl'blar..."

Reeve can immediately see that most of it are useless trash, but one or two seem to have a kind of special sparkle to them. A feeling that they are Cyphers like the one he had used. One is a small metal device with a runic design and a button on it. The other is a small syringe containing glowing purple fluid.

---

As Gabrien peeks his eyes open, he can see the groaning disgruntled ghost emerging through the trap door. He barely remembers hearing something when he was a younger lad about exorcisms used to deal with spirits that have still haven't past on.

Gabrien manages to remember in the lesson that the supernatural have become a possible occurrence in the Hub World. It is difficult for an inexperienced Exterminator to differentiate between a Stranger coming in to mess up reality, and a local ghost that could be reasoned with. So far, this ghost looks like a dirty homeless human. The only tip the trainer could give is that while ghosts are not fully physical, they could still affect their surroundings. Attacking will make one very mad, but it could have a low chance of scaring them off.

Before Gabrien may make another move, the ghost began to claw its head with its now noticeably long nails.
"Why must I die here? Damn this cursed street! I will never have peace again!" The ghost wailed.

The temperature of the room began to drop... (Make an Intellect defense roll)

Reeve is able to identify the two Cyphers. The shady merchant continues to garble softly.
"I accept anything. Money. Treasure. Soul..."

Gabrien is not shaken by the ghost's lamentations. In fact his words have caused the hobo spirit to take pause.

"It's... temporary? How do you know? I have been dead for... How long has it been? Ten years? A hundred? Maybe a thousand. Sleep has only been able to ease my pained existence... Ahhh..."

It wails again. (Make Int def roll again.)

The merchant becomes silent as it hears the question before answering.
"I accept anything. Any amount. You trade yours, I trade mine..."

This individual seems to give no exact price. What might Reeve do?

Gabrien resists the despair of the ghost, and even seemed to calm it.

"You... you are right. My time of ease. My childhood was pleasant. We neighbourhood kids used to play games in the streets. That was until we had to grow up. And that our homes were demolished to build taller homes. And then I became homeless and hung out with new friends in Cemetary Street. They... they left me to die here..."

He looks like he was about to cry again before stopping himself. Shaking his head, he points to the basement.
"If you wish to salvage my belongings, I won't stop you now. I have some weird items I found that I wasn't able to use. I think I hid something in the straw pile."

---

The junk seller carefully exchange the two used up Cyphers and 50 credits Reeve has with the two cyphers being sold.
"Hmm... Hub Credits... I can use this to get food..."
The merchant absent mindedly muttering to himself as he sneaks back to his corner in the shadows.

Reeve will continue on his journey undisturbed. Aside from the occasional weird civilians, he is not stopped by anyone until he reaches to the front doors of the building where Bob, Sally, and the researcher that followed the party over, were staying.

The old man that runs the dormitory greets Reeve as he enters in. If asked, the boss would say that he haven't seen his other friends yet.

Ash and the doctor were still upstairs resting in the room. There was something that sounds like a man crying in the distance.

"Hmm, let's ignore that. In a place like this, we can hear all sorts of noises. By the way, I don't know why, but I still feel like I should have brought you all to my home. Even though it might not be safe to that now, my master- ah, patient."

The ghost nods before sinking back to the basement. In there, his form lights up the place a little.

"Over there is where I last slept. I don't have much on me unless you want my clothes I got from a dumpster." He points to his skeleton.

"And underneath my straws used as a bathroom, I remember I hid something I had been carrying with me. I was told that it is valuable and if I am caught with it, I could be arrested. Looks like it is too late now. You can have it. It's some device from the government I think, but I am not smart enough to use it. What I know is that it is used to create those portals that connects to another world."

If Gabrien checked the straw, he could smell a hint of the long dried up human shit. But when he takes the device he can tell that it is a Cypher. It is the size of a human palm, and has all sorts of numbers and icons on it. Somehow , just seeing this makes Gabrien aware of how to use it the moment the ghost explained what it could do.The ghost then also gestures to the drawer in the corner. If Gabrien checks the drawer, he will find a weapon that looks like those guns he have seen, but a little different. There is a section of this gun that sparkles with the aura of a Cypher.

Bob and Sally look a little hesitant about Reeve's decision to make a complaint, but eventually wish him the best. There could be a chance the organisation may listen to him.

When Reeve enters the building into the waiting lobby of the Exterminator Headquarters, there is a small crowd of staff talking with each other with worry on their faces.

"I ain't gonna go look for him. I am just a teacher." The trainer muttered with his face blushed from drinking.

"You are still a professional Exterminator, Hanson! stop trying to use your role as an excuse. As for me, I am needed to guard the basement. I have to make use you don't spill your flammable liquids in my target practice zone."

"You are all cowards. I am just an old lady whose dear friend is now missing inside a Recursion that tried to attack us! Use your youth for goodness sake!" The elderly clerk scolded both of the men.

There is another man wearing a suit and tie. He is looking at a tablet with a glowing screen in his hand. He shakes his head in disappointment.
"Emily, I also notice that you forgot to wear your name tag agai- oh nevermind. Forget it."
He says quickly seeing that Emily is now glaring at him.

These individuals continue to argue, not immediately being aware of Reeve.