Chaotic Clusterfuck 10 (Patreon)

Chaotic Clusterfuck

Chapter 10

-VB-

As fun as messing with Coil was, I only messed with him because I wanted something else to do between my training and loving. And business expansion. And cape scene scouting. And a dozen other things.

Because clones and ajins made multitasking a breeze.

Which … was why the most recent international news to hit the headlines concerned me. 

“... And so it is clear to me that this Batarian Hegemony, which is the space nation responsible for the occupation of Northeastern Africa where Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and Chad used to be, obviously wants access to more slaves. Their motivation is not even that hard to grasp,” the Fox News guest, some ex-Department of State official, said with a hint of resignation. “They already enslaved enough Africans, and whoever is buying these slaves want variety. It’s why we’re seeing their activities in Southern Georgia* and Spain. They will also use these incursions and raids as a way to gather information about us. Even against spaceborne threats, the United States of American and her allies still pose a threat, especially with cape wildcards. Eidolon alone can decimate threats in Earth’s orbit without leaving Earth at all.”

Batarians - from Mass Effect - was also a part of this fucked up Earth Bet’s reality. This probably meant that the Citadel Council and the Reapers existed out there. 

This supposed change in their operation could potentially mean that I will be forced to fight them because Brockton Bay was … well, it was a port city, but it wasn’t a well-defended city. In fact, it would be very easy for Batarians to come by with shuttles and half decent mercenaries and start kidnapping a bunch of people for their slave pens. 

Which meant that my girls could be put in danger. 

… So far, I have neglected taking territories as a cape but now, there was a reason to take territory now, if only to start fortifying a place that my “people” - employees and family - could walk around in broad daylight without worry. 

Yes, I needed to expand… but what about after that? Establishing a territory comes with its own problems, never mind making it easier for my enemies to draw me out when they inevitably decide to use my territory against me. 

I needed to think and plan ahead.

But I first needed to decide where I wanted to have my cape territory. 

I looked over the map displayed on my flatscreen monitor on my desk while leaning back in my PC chair. 

I already had my water treatment plant in the south and a few buildings at the southern edge of the Downtown. The south was essentially where I had most of my physical assets and clones ready to respond to any problems. However, if I did that,then it would make it very well known that I - as in the four capes Alric, Black Sebastian, Seekowl, and Terapin - had a backer or support, which would bring about a stronger response from criminals and authorities alike. While I could deal with probably any level of scrutiny simply because I had too much power at my disposal on top of an inability to die (because of the invisible black matter I generated due to being an ajin), doing so when I couldn’t control the situation wouldn’t get me anything. 

So why bother going big when all it will do was eat my time? 

… But the chaos I’ve made already still persisted. The Empire was still out for blood, though their morale was down because they hadn’t caught any of my clones yet. I could use that. Since they were still upset with me, if I visibly took territory in the north between them, the PRT, and the ABB, I could draw the E88 to fight not just me but all other factions in the city. 

This would also give me the opportunity to expand my civilian ventures while the criminal elements were distracted and unable to meaningfully interfere with my operation. 

Sure, it would mean that I would have to split my overall operation and my “capes” would be left to fend for themselves more often than not. In fact, there may be an argument to be made for exposing those clones to more danger. The more I fought with those clones, the more tricks I could discover for the rest of my clones to use without exposing the bulk of my immortal force. 

… Wait.

I continued to stare at the map before moving the focus of the map from Brockton Bay to the satellite map of the North African Archipelago. 

“Batarians shouldn’t have any form of supernatural powers that human capes do. Aside from biotics,” I muttered. “Is there that big of a technological difference that not even tinkers can level the playing field? Or are the Batarians pouring resource into maintaining their foothold on Earth?”

Even without much thought, I knew that it could be dangerous for the Batarians. Revolting human slaves would go far to kill their former masters. Revolting human slaves with superpowers? With superpowers that had a wide range and thus incapable of being countered in any meaningful capacity except orbital bombardment? 

I would be surprised if the Batarian Hegemony wasn’t a wreck by the time humanity met the rest of the Citadel Council and their associates. 

-VB-

Roy Christener met many businessmen and politicians in his life, mostly because he was one himself in charge of a city that was known throughout the world as the New World’s pirate haven. Of course, people often used this moniker to harass him.

All he thought of that was how idiotic they were. Did they think the pirates asked him for permission to turn Northern Brockton Bay into a pirate haven? Did he ask for Lung to come to his city and unite the pirates into some sort of confederation? Did he accept money from any of the gangs? 

No. No. No.

He was the mayor because he was foolish enough to want to change the city when he was young and still foolish enough to want that but also because no one else wanted the job. Worse, he and his family were too entrenched in the city’s elites to just quit!

So he was stuck in his position because there was no other realistic option for him and the world. 

And people still grumbled and hissed at him. At least he knew that they weren’t Brockton natives. 

The natives … appreciated him, some more than others. They knew he tried, even if he wasn’t successful most of the time in improving the city. 

Which made the man in front of him very curious because he wasn’t a Brockton Bay native.

“Mister Marris, I wasn’t expecting you to come and visit my office today,” he greeted the man as he shook his hand and led him into the office, closing the door behind them. “What brings you here?”

Alan Marris was the city’s newest multi-millionaire. More importantly, he was a rising businessman providing an essential service to the city that had been neglected and ill-maintained for more than a decade; if it hadn’t been for the aquifer, then the city might not have survived the crumbling infrastructure that his predecessor had allowed to fester in favor of embezzling the city’s funds. 

“I was just concerned about what I’ve seen in the news lately.”

“Oh, you mean the cape gang war? Don’t pay it that much attention. It’ll go away sooner or later.”

Marris shook his head. “Not that one. The other one. The one about the aliens poking at Georgia.”

Roy didn’t care about that, not really. The federal government and the military was supposed to take care of it. Why bother with something he couldn’t affect or be affected by? His hands were full, anyways.

“You’re concerned enough to … come to my office?” he asked, slightly confused by the leap in logic and action.

“I had to start somewhere,” he shrugged. “Which is what led me here.”

“And what could I possibly help you in dealing with the aliens?” 

“Land.”

Roy leaned back a little in his chair. “Land.”

“Yes. Land to … well, I’ll be blunt, Mayor Christener, to set up defenses.”

“... Defenses.”

“A few anti-air guns here and there,” he shrugged. Right. As if it was easy for civilians to get access to military hardware. “The xenos should know not to touch the pirates or the protectorate in the center and south, so they will most likely come from the east. Which leaves my treatment plant in awfully close proximity to potential raid locations, if not a major target in and of itself in disruption operations.”

Ah, Roy understood why he was here. 

“You already have capes under your employ, though. Shouldn’t that be enough protection?”

Marris shook his head. “I don’t want to depend on them for protection. You and I both know that capes are fickle.”

That was true.

“But giving you land to buy or build military hardware… it won’t fly, especially with the PRT.” The local PRT office was notorious for its inflexibility. 

“I just need permission, mayor,” Marris shrugged. “Oh, and if they cover a large area where our friends might have properties, then that’s just a bonus, no?”

“... I see, I see,” he hummed. “I’ll bring it up with the city council, but do you have some idea of what you will be buying, installing, and operating? Perhaps a map of the city with your proposed locations.”

“I do,” Marris replied with a satisfied smile.

Roy was happy to have a map where he saw investment opportunities in the future. 

Never let it be sad that he was foolish enough to sacrifice his own well-being for the city. He definitely got his share out of doing good deeds.

-VB-

*On the Patreon map of “Chaotic Clusterfuck,” you can see that Florida has sunk under the waves. RIP Florida Man.