Stop It's Hammertime (Valeria/Panda)

[attr="class","naimg"]

[attr="class","naimgborder"]

[attr="class","nalyrics"]Just feel the energy
Just know who the ENEMY is

[attr="class","nabody"]He heard the footsteps before the words.  He chuckled.

"Here I thought I looked cool.  But either way, it's the best way to bring out the hoodlums.  Unless you are also one."  He watched as she swung her hammer gracefully but powerfully.  The guy parried the blow though, and Samuel's eyebrows arched.  These weren't just simple hoodlums.  They were trained.  But by who?  His eyes narrowed before running at the hoodlums, drawing both his katanas as he did so.  The guy parried one of the blows, and Samuel cut his arm with his other katana.  He assumed the redhead was the merc hired by the citizen to take care of this.  The help was going to be appreciated.   He heard the quip about the police and he nodded.

"Yes.  I assume you are the mercenary that was hired.  Your help will be greatly appreciated.  My swordsmanship is good, but not good enough to take down a whole group."  He gave a dry laugh.  

"They've been trained by someone.  They aren't just blindly slashing."  That fact bothered him.  Could they just be people who learned and then used the skills for bad purposes?  Or was there someone behind the scenes pulling the strings?  Somehow he had a feeling it was the latter.  That meant there was going to be more than just this problem.  He needed to get confirmation somehow.  He ran into the crowd of hoodlums, slashing a sword arm so that his opponent was neutralized.  

"Try to keep them alive.  I know that's not in your job description as mercenary, but I need information from them.  Besides, depending on your contract, you might get more for knowing who's pulling the strings.  Because I have a feeling we've stumbled across a gang.  And I sure would like to cut the head off the snake.  Might make for a nice promotion."  Samuel smirked, mischief dancing in his eyes as he sheathed one of his swords so he had a hand free.  He was dense in social situations, but his job as a policeman suited him well.  His mind was sharp and he never felt so alive as when he was in the heat of battle.  While he spoke, he parried a couple of blows.  A guy came running at Samuel and the policeman chuckled, grabbing the guy's arm and using his momentum against him to throw him to the pavement.  Judo classes apparently paid off.  After that smooth motion, he followed with another, parrying another blow and kicking a small guy in the stomach.  He went down.  Alright, so SOME of them were trained but not all.  That was a good thing to know.  

"You don't have to help me find the leader, but if you do I might be able to recommend your services as a mercenary consultant for the Ethean police.  Not a guarantee as I'm a newbie.  But at the very least, you'd be the person I consulted."  It wasn't much to offer, but it did carry the possibility of more work.  It all depended on whether she would see that or not.  Or whether that sounded good to her.  

[attr="class","naimg"]

[attr="class","naimgborder"]

[attr="class","nalyrics"]Just feel the energy
Just know who the ENEMY is

[attr="class","nabody"]The wink by the redheaded merc had not gone unnoticed by Samuel.  He heard the introduction and nodded in recognition.  He also noticed that she was not particularly prone to keeping targets alive.  He smiled rather sheepishly.

"It's quite appreciated.  The more information I can get from them the better.  Also, good to meet you.  Name's Samuel."  It was only polite to introduce yourself after someone told you their own name.  And manners mattered very much to Samuel.  It was one of his top rules really.  She muttered about being paid extra and Samuel chuckled as he parried a blow from a guy who ran at him.  Sam tsked.

"You're just a rookie.  Almost a shame you think so highly of yourself."  True, he was the definition of a rookie, but he knew what he was doing.  He was well versed in the sword.  Apparently she had heard him speak about the consulting.  Hopefully she gave it a good thought.

"Yes, it could lead to some extra payment possibly.  At the very least, it would mean you could swing your hammer at a hell of a lot more people who deserve it."  Samuel smirked, slashing his sword at the knee of a nearby hoodlum.  

"I'm new to the force, so I only have personal contacts at present.  You seem strong and well versed in combat.  I'm asked to go into a few missions alone to investigate so far.  Something about them spread too thin.  I could use some back-up, even if I am an okay fighter."  Okay so consultant didn't just mean consultant to him.  As she reholstered her gun she spoke about the remainder.

"Yes it appears this is it.  But now I would really like to find the bastard pulling the strings on these puppets."  He gave a light kick at the...well the dead body at his feet.  Apparently an earlier kill by the absolutely SMASHING redhead.  He smirked slightly at his own mental pun, cracking his neck before smiling.  He caught the wink and he smiled.  Yes, this merc was both intriguing and charming.  Samuel did indeed want to work with her.  

"Don't worry I'm a gentleman.  I'll leave one or two for you."  He grinned.  His cockiness was heard by the gangsters and they rushed at him.  He stabbed one in the stomach.  The guy who led the charge.  Staying behind had its advantages after all.  There were only four.  He kicked another one in the stomach.  Now time to extract information from these hoodlums.  Fun.  He walked back to some of the other guys he'd taken down, confident that the merc would get the remaining two.  Samuel's eyes narrowed, his dark hair being unruly and making him look more menacing as he wrenched a guy up by the collar.

"Where's your base?  Be polite, or I may have to turn you into an interrogator I know.  That would be rather unpleasant."  The guy spit in his face and Samuel sighed, annoyance crossing his fine features.

"A less patient version of myself might have killed you for that disrespect.  Who is your boss?"  His voice was calm, but had an undercurrent of rage that wouldn't have gone unnoticed to anyone in the vicinity.  He took out his sword and put it to the guy's throat.

"Now, let's try this again, shall we?"  The guy pissed himself and then told Samuel that they had been recruited down the street.  Samuel wrinkled his nose before letting the guy go and peering down the street.  Surely it couldn't be that simple.  

[attr="class","naimg"]

[attr="class","naimgborder"]

[attr="class","nalyrics"]Just feel the energy
Just know who the ENEMY is

[attr="class","nabody"]She seemed receptive to the idea of being a consultant for him, other than the no killing clause.  He ran a hand through his long dark hair.

"It isn't so much a no killing clause as a 'don't kill them if you're consulting and I need their information'.  In many cases, they'd be hardened criminals.  If they have more information that leads to other hardened criminals, then it would be a shame to lose the information just because we killed them."  He shrugged.  It was just logical, really.  Samuel heard her call them disgusting vermin and he sighed.

"Yes unfortunately they're allowed to prosper because there's just not enough people skilled enough in the police willing to possibly risk their lives to deal with them.  But I hope to clean at least this area a bit." She then asked what information he had gained from the interrogation of the random hoodlum.

"They were recruited up the street.  Chances are that's not where the buck stops though.  This might not be able to be wrapped up today.  That's the bad news.  The good news is we'll be able to crack more heads together in future.  And might be able to take down some drug lord as a bonus."  His face made way for a somewhat cunning smile with just a bit of mischief in his blue eyes.  He took out his cell phone, texting his superior officer to come get the hoodlums, adding in the message that he had met the mercenary for good measure.  Not that they wouldn't have been able to figure that out from the cause of death of some of them.  It was clearly done with a gigantic hammer after all.  When he finished sending the text, he tucked the phone back in the pocket of his slacks before turning to the merc.

"What do you say?  Feel like cracking more skulls?  For this one, the no killing is preferred but not needed.  As long as we keep the big wig alive for information, I'm not gonna tell anyone a merc went to town...as long as it isn't me that is."  He smirked.  Mercenaries versus criminals seemed to be a gray area, and it was one he was willing to take advantage of.  And with that thought, Samuel started walking towards the tall, somewhat decrepit apartment building at the end of the street.  His guess was that it was abandoned and that was why it was such a popular place for gang activity.  He ducked under a window, bouncing upwards quickly to see how many were in there.  One at each door, and three in the middle.  The apartment building had about four stories, and his guess was that there was a similar set-up on each floor.  If it went the way he thought, the boss would be top floor overseeing the operation from a better perch.  Samuel smiled, sneaking to the door and opening it quietly before kicking the guard's knees in and stabbing one of them to keep him down.  He was not above using such techniques.  They should be glad he was keeping them alive.

[attr="class","naimg"]

[attr="class","naimgborder"]

[attr="class","nalyrics"]Just feel the energy
Just know who the ENEMY is

[attr="class","nabody"]Samuel saw the guys coming, and heard the redhead speak about partying and he grinned.

"Go nuts.  Show them they shouldn't have gotten involved in stuff that's illegal."  They'd made a definite mistake choosing a life of crime, and there was no harm in showing them that they'd screwed up.  He ran into the crowd, taking one guy out by slicing his stomach, and then turned around and sliced another guy's sword arm.  Samuel was in the habit of keeping people alive due to his police training.  However, he wasn't responsible for what mercenaries did.  These guys they were taking down were wanted.  It wasn't right for him to step into the middle of a bounty war if he didn't need the information.  He took down a couple more guys by kicking their legs out from under them before slicing their legs.  He looked around.  Even the guys who had been coming down the stairs had been taken down.  He smiled and ran up the stairs to the next floor, sucker punching a guy in the stomach before knocking another guy with the back of his sword.  They fell and he grinned.  There was a certain satisfaction to be gotten from taking the hoodlums down.  He knew Valeria could handle herself she'd shown that quite obviously already during their encounter with the guys outside.  Samuel had already taken out two out of the four guys on the second floor.  There was a guy on the stairs.  Samuel ran at him, sliding between the guy's legs as the hoodlum came down from the stairs.  Samuel then stabbed him in the back.  No move was too cowardly in a battle.  Then he started up the stairs as the guy fell.  Samuel was sure Valeria was not very far behind him.

"Keep your eyes peeled.  Any one of the guys on the next two floors could be the kingpin.  Watch to make sure they aren't ordering others around." 

[attr="class","naimg"]

[attr="class","naimgborder"]

[attr="class","nalyrics"]Just feel the energy
Just know who the ENEMY is

[attr="class","nabody"]He heard her go on about how she'd just had it cleaned and he laughed.

"If you're that concerned about your hammer, I can give you the number of a cousin of mine.  He does weapon maintenance, and he's a real nerd about it.  He'd probably be happy to look at a finely crafted hammer."  The words were thrown over Samuel's shoulder.  He saw the guy get whacked in the nuts and his eyes widened.

"So THAT'S why the Nutcracker ballet is Fokradiinian!"  It made so much sense!  He dissolved into laughter at the thought.  He would never have another chance at a joke like that again, so he was savouring the opportunity.  Then he heard her say she understood that the big boss had to stay alive for information and he smiled.  Good.  It was always good to have people understand and be willing to cooperate.  He sawthe seven guys about the same time Val did.  They had armour on too.

"Alright so these guys are armoured unfortunately.  It'll be trickier for me to take them down.  I'll manage.  But your hammer will be much more useful in the situation.  Cause BAM gutshot and they'd be down obviously."  Samuel sort of had fun strategizing how to take them down though.  He loved when opponents weren't simple to take apart bit by bit in combat.  He rushed at them, going straight for their legs.  There was less armour there.  The legs collapsed of one of the guys and then Samuel moved on to hit the next guy in the face with the back of his sword.  He didn't want to cleave the head off the guy's shoulders...although that was rather unlikely considering the spine was always difficult to get through with a plain sword.  The human body was built to take some damage after all.  And these guys were probably the burliest they had encountered today.  That's when he saw the guy in the black suit.  Easily six feet tall.  Probably closer to six foot five.  And he was directing the guys.

"The big boss."  The words were almost whispered, but they were loud enough that Val next to him would hear them.  Even if she didn't, the guy was pretty obvious.  The guy was easily the burliest in the room, and so damn tall.  Samuel was not a small guy.  He was six feet tall.  But this guy made him look like a pipsqueak in every way.  Why did the stereotypes have to be true?

"If we want him down, we're gonna have to get rid of the other guys and take him together.  Otherwise he's probably not going down alive.  And we need him alive for the information he'll likely be able to provide.  He's probably also the one who's been training these other dipwads to fight."