attention to the three newcomers with his peripheral vision. It was obvious they were looking for somebody in particular as they scanned the tavern's occupants. Vyx nonchalantly moved his right hand off the table and unhooked the tiny strap that normally anchored his pistol firmly in the holster. As he slowly removed the pistol from the holster, he clicked the safety off. He was then ready for whatever came next. From the look of the three new tavern customers, he felt that that could be anything.
As the three Uthlarans approached the table where Vyx was sitting, one said to his companions, "Sit down boys. This is the man we've been searching for."
Vyx stared at the apparent leader of the trio without speaking while he and the 'muscle' took seats at his table. Although all of the newcomers were armed, Vyx suspected that the ones on either side of him relied mainly on their physical strength rather than their skill with a pistol. The situation with the leader would be different. He didn't have the physique of someone who used body strength to enforce his will, so it was at him that Vyx aimed the pistol he was holding under the table. When alone, Vyx always tried to sit with his back to a wall, but that worked to his detriment this time as he found himself bracketed by two thugs. He began planning the attack he would carry out after he took care of the leader.
"You're Vyx, right?" the leader said.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Cillota."
"You say that like I should recognize the name."
"Everybody in this city knows my name."
"Apparently not everyone."
"Everyone who has been here more than a few days."
"What do you want, Cillota?"
"You're Vyx, right?"
"Yeah, I'm Vyx."
"I received a report that you visited the Brotherhood headquarters before noon and didn't leave until midnight."
"So?"
"Have you joined the Brotherhood?"
"What business is that of yours?"
"We've decided to accept your application to join the Senesim Syndicate instead."
"I never made any application. I'm not a joiner. I told that to the Brotherhood."
"You don't have to join. You're already in."
"So I don't get a choice?"
"You have a choice. You're either with us or against us."
"I see. And why was I chosen for this honor?"
"We heard about you killing that fool Makkod. We have enough dangerous people running around loose on the streets. We don't want another to worry about."
"And if I refuse to remain a part of your organization?"
"I was joking. Just a little banter before we got down to the real business. We're not really interested in having you become a member of the Syndicate."
Cillota made a move that Vyx interpreted as reaching for a pistol, so he fired his own. The beam hit the leader in the belly and Vyx swept the beam upward slightly to do as much damage as possible.
Cillota went flying backward as a result of his body's own autonomic reflexes as the laser tore through his body. His pistol was out of his holster and in his hand, but he no longer had the strength to aim and fire it. As Cillota's chair crashed to the floor, the enforcer on Vyx's right swung a fist backhanded towards Vyx's head. The blow probably would have done significant damage, considering what it did to the wall when it landed, if Vyx's head had remained where it was during the short discussion. But as Cillota hurtled backwards, Vyx pushed the table away and dove at the enforcer on his left. The cross-body block with an elbow smash to the face caught the enforcer by surprise, but he managed to wrap his arms around Vyx and hang on as the back legs of the chair broke under the combined weight of the two men. The overburdened furniture was unable to bear the load and splintered as it collapsed to the floor. Vyx knew he had to get free fast because the Uthlaran's strength was incredible, and there was still another enforcer to deal with. Being held so close to his opponent offered little opportunity to land a blow, so Vyx pointed his pistol, still held in his right hand, at the
As the three Uthlarans approached the table where Vyx was sitting, one said to his companions, "Sit down boys. This is the man we've been searching for."
Vyx stared at the apparent leader of the trio without speaking while he and the 'muscle' took seats at his table. Although all of the newcomers were armed, Vyx suspected that the ones on either side of him relied mainly on their physical strength rather than their skill with a pistol. The situation with the leader would be different. He didn't have the physique of someone who used body strength to enforce his will, so it was at him that Vyx aimed the pistol he was holding under the table. When alone, Vyx always tried to sit with his back to a wall, but that worked to his detriment this time as he found himself bracketed by two thugs. He began planning the attack he would carry out after he took care of the leader.
"You're Vyx, right?" the leader said.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Cillota."
"You say that like I should recognize the name."
"Everybody in this city knows my name."
"Apparently not everyone."
"Everyone who has been here more than a few days."
"What do you want, Cillota?"
"You're Vyx, right?"
"Yeah, I'm Vyx."
"I received a report that you visited the Brotherhood headquarters before noon and didn't leave until midnight."
"So?"
"Have you joined the Brotherhood?"
"What business is that of yours?"
"We've decided to accept your application to join the Senesim Syndicate instead."
"I never made any application. I'm not a joiner. I told that to the Brotherhood."
"You don't have to join. You're already in."
"So I don't get a choice?"
"You have a choice. You're either with us or against us."
"I see. And why was I chosen for this honor?"
"We heard about you killing that fool Makkod. We have enough dangerous people running around loose on the streets. We don't want another to worry about."
"And if I refuse to remain a part of your organization?"
"I was joking. Just a little banter before we got down to the real business. We're not really interested in having you become a member of the Syndicate."
Cillota made a move that Vyx interpreted as reaching for a pistol, so he fired his own. The beam hit the leader in the belly and Vyx swept the beam upward slightly to do as much damage as possible.
Cillota went flying backward as a result of his body's own autonomic reflexes as the laser tore through his body. His pistol was out of his holster and in his hand, but he no longer had the strength to aim and fire it. As Cillota's chair crashed to the floor, the enforcer on Vyx's right swung a fist backhanded towards Vyx's head. The blow probably would have done significant damage, considering what it did to the wall when it landed, if Vyx's head had remained where it was during the short discussion. But as Cillota hurtled backwards, Vyx pushed the table away and dove at the enforcer on his left. The cross-body block with an elbow smash to the face caught the enforcer by surprise, but he managed to wrap his arms around Vyx and hang on as the back legs of the chair broke under the combined weight of the two men. The overburdened furniture was unable to bear the load and splintered as it collapsed to the floor. Vyx knew he had to get free fast because the Uthlaran's strength was incredible, and there was still another enforcer to deal with. Being held so close to his opponent offered little opportunity to land a blow, so Vyx pointed his pistol, still held in his right hand, at the
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