[They say on the news things will get better. Pretty soon the police stations will reopen, or the bridge to downtown will be rebuilt, or.... sometimes they say they'll even let us go pretty soon. Lies, all lies. This side of town is the gritty of the gritty. No police left for police stations, rebuilding the bridge to Downtown would destroy any hope that's left for Twin City and let us go? Please. I wouldn't even let us go and I live here in this hell hole with my sick mother.]
[Uptown. Mom says Uptown use to be the good side of the city. She says anybody who was anybody lived here and it was where all the rich folk lived back in the days. Nowadays Uptown ain't doing so hot. Most of it's underwater and filled with crazy psychos with "powers". Those two happen to be related by the way. Not too long ago, some dude named Seismic leveled this half of the city, destroying any way out and killing my father and many other people in the process. That's OK though. I like the water, hell I love it, it's kind of my thing and I also love kicking crazy psycho ass. Consider me the guy who protects this side of town. The side that no one else will. The rest of the "good guys with powers" think of us as a lost cause and that there are more important things to attend to. My names High Tide and I really, really hate my name.]
**High Tide is shown sitting on the edge of a small rooftop, clumsily swinging his legs back and forth watching the waves crash gently against the coast of the city***
[I'm some what of a local hero around here and let's just say that i'm not the only one. If you're a Z-Type and happen to fight crime or cause it anywhere in Twin City, you sorta get a reputation. It's kind of The Thing here. Most of the time the press and the public dub you these pretty lame names and I got stuck with High Tide. Almost everyone here sucks. You got your murderers, cricked C.R.O.S.S enforcers, biased news reporters, and you run of the mill super powered jerks who get some sort of thrill in making this a worse place than it already is. At times, it may seem like everyone here is horrible, but I can assure you that not everyone is all bad. There are still some good people left. People who help out their fellow man without asking for anything other than a thank you in return. They do it all without powers too, and dammit I respect that. There's the nuns who run the soup kitchen down on 5th, and then there's Pete The Medic who patches people up on his free time, and then there's these guys.... ]
***High Tide looks up to see a red rescue helicopter above him, lowering down***
[These guys are my favorite though. Unlike the nuns and Pete The Medic they risk their lives everyday to save people. Their job is to answer distress calls when the tide picks up. Remember how I mentioned Uptown practically being underwater? Well, it turns out that can be dangerous sometimes. In the winter the people here tend to drown a lot, and that's when these guys basically come in handy. They fly around saving people who would otherwise die without them. They also own the only helicopter left in Uptown and the fact that they decided to stick around instead of leaving Dodge, says a lot about them.]
***A rope lowers down to the roof top and High Tide grabs hold of it and begins to climb while the helicopter takes off***
[We're best buds, me and these guys. I like to help them out whenever I have a little free time from my busy schedule of fighting crime and to be honest, I kind of enjoy it. I enjoy riding around in an aircraft that flies faster than I can swim once in a while. It reminds me that i'm not the strongest thing out here that these people can look up to and that comforts me. I am not this town's savior. Im only a guy who does what he can whenever he can. Nothing more, nothing less.]
***High Tide slowly climbs to the top of the rope and is greeted by a welcoming hand***
-(HIGH TIDE! How's it been kid? Long time no talk!) (Yeah High Tide, whats up with that man) (What you don't like us no more?) (Leave the kid alone guys, we're almost there)
-hehe, So what do we have here?
-We're on our way to The Uptown Bridge.... or what's left of it. We got report of some woman and her kid who tried crossing it and fell through. We also have reason to believe that she isn't originally from here, if you catch my drift? Some locals claimed she wore a C.R.O.S.S badge.
-She's from Downtown. That doesn't make sense though. Why would a single C.R.O.S.S guard be in Uptown on foot and why would she have a kid with her? And more importantly... why would she even try crossing that bridge? No one is that stupid.
-That's what me and the guys have been saying. We thought about it, and we came to the conclusion that she might be here on some personal business maybe. When have you seen a C.R.O.S.S guard by themselves and when have you seen them care for a child that wasn't their own? The answer my friend is never. Im willing to bet you all my rations that that kid is hers and that she came all the way to Uptown somehow to get em. What do you think?
-It's a long shot, but it sounds like something that might make up for interesting conversation when we met her. If we meet her. This could be it Charlie. If she knows a secret way out of this place, I can finally help her.
-Listen Tide. I remember what you said about your mother and how shes sick and stuff and I get it. Downtown is her best shot. You have done a lot for us and the people here and I wouldn't feel right if I didn't come to you with this. You're a great kid and if anyone deserves a free ticket to Downtown it's you and your mom. I would take you there myself, if I didn't know that they would take my chopper the second I landed. No matter what happens, I only hope that you put into consideration how much you mean to these people. You're like their Superman kid. If you left and never returned it would ruin them.
[...nothing more, nothing less.]
......
-We're here boys. You're time to shine Tide. According to our radar shes right below us and it's not looking good. Her heart pace is rapidly slowing down and so far there is no sign of a kid. If there is a kid send him up first, and then the woman. We're not exactly in Kansas anymore, so i'm going to need you to send her up and save your questions until we're moving and everyone is safe on the chopper. Oh yeah. Take this in case you run into any trouble.
***One of the rescuers hand High Tide a small device***
-It's a way to stay in contact just in case you run into trouble and you need me to send one of my men down there with you.
***High Tide puts the small device in his ear***
-Ready when you are Tide!
[I hate this part]
***High Tide jumps out of the helicopter dropping several feet before smashing through the ice cold water***
[It's so cold. People think I wear this wetsuit as some kind of costume. Just because I can manipulate water doesn't mean I can make it less sucky. I'd like to see them do this without a wetsuit.]
***He rapidly swims to the surface and begins to look around for any sign of life***
-Help! Help me please!!... I can't..... I can't hold on much longer.......
[Ah ha. There you are.]
***He swims even faster. Gliding on top of the surface like a shark swimming towards a kill***
***He finds the girl holding on to a large piece of concrete debris from the bridge as the waves forcefully push her against it***
-It's ok. Im here. Everything is going to be alright.
-Hey Stevens. Lower the safety harness to my location. Don't lag it either.
***The helicopter quickly hovers towards them***
-Wait... listen. My son.... Hes... Hes... still on the bridge. You... you have to protect him... Have to make sure... that... hes ok. Have to... get him to safety. No matter what....
-Im sure your son is fine. As soon as we get you out of this freezing water we will get to him, I promise.
-You don't understand.... he..
-Shhhhhh now. We'll talk when we get you to safety. Try to save your strength.
***A safety harness falls right next to them.... as the woman floats into unconsciousness***
***High Tide looks closely at her and sees that the woman is fatally wounded. She has a large gaping hole in her chest. He looks around him and notices he is surrounded in a pool of blood***
-Hey!... I need you to stay awake!.... Why are you here?!... How did you get here?!! ... Please! I need you to tell me how you got into this side of the city so safely.
-....My son...Help...--
-Your son is as good as dead if you don't help me!... Do you hear me?! ... If you die without helping me so does your son!
-Tide! What the hell are you doing kid?! ... Send her up!!! Shes dying!!
-She's going to die either way and I need to know!!! ... Now tell me god dammit!!...
-Through ..... the....sewers. Take him... with you...... uggghhhh
***She dies in his arms. He watches her eyes as death fill the blue color with a dark empty haze***
***One of the rescuers dive off of the helicopter and slowly swim to High Tide and the woman. He has a grim look on his face as he takes the woman from his arms and quickly ties her into the harness***
***The harness lifts the rescuer and the woman aboard the helicopter.***
-Kid....We heard everything through your mic. Tonight I saw something in you I didn't know existed. I saw darkness. You killed that woman tonight. And now you probably costed her boy his life too. We're gunna search the south end of the bridge. You can search the North end, but after tonight I don't want to see you near my team again. If you do, we will see it as an act of aggression and won't hesitate to open fire, just like all the other Z-Type trash around here. Godspeed...
-Wait. Captain... I'm... I'm... Sorry.... I'm... so sorry....
***The helicopter takes off, leaving High Tide behind***
***Out of no where, a rocket shoots into the flying helicopter, turning it into a flying fireball***
***It spins and crashes into the side of a small deserted building on the shore***
-NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
[What the hell just happened...]
***High Tide quickly swims toward the shore. He gets there faster than he thought he would. He finds the wreckage and discovers that the people he use to call his friends are now all dead***
***A tear slides down his face. At that very moment he hears commotion at the start of the broken bridge***
[The boy.....]
***He begins to run then jumps into the water. He rides the waves as if they were put there especially for him***
-Ahhhhhhh! No!!
[...faster]
-Stop!!!!
[Faster...]
-Leave me alone!
[FASTER!]
***High Tide jumps onto the side of the shore from the water. He runs unto the base of the bridge. The sight he sees horrifies him but doesn't surprise him***
[...Grotto]
-Raahhhh! Grotto eat kid! Grotto do good for Bloodpact!
[Bloodpact?]
-I don't think so ugly!
***High Tide spins his hands in a circular motion and a large amount of water floats out of the water. It begins to spin faster and faster completely swallowing the big green beast***
-Kid! Over here.... Hurry!
***The kid hesitates, but then agrees after looking behind him as Grotto tears through the giant water cyclone***
-Hide behind something and don't come out until I tell you to. Got it?
-Did my mommy send you? Are you a good guy like my mommy?
-Yeah kid. Your mommy told me to find you and get you to safety. Now listen to me and you'll be alright. Go.
***The kid runs behind a rundown car and watches from behind it***
-...And in this corner we have the giant chia pet from the black lagoon! Get ready for round 208!
***Screams High Tide as he thrusts his giant water wave against Grotto, pushing him into the water below them.
-Now we are in my playground.
***High Tide dives into the water and a vortex begins to spin***
***A minute later, Grotto shoots out of the water and hits the ground with a loud thud and a long groan, but lays there unconscious***
***High Tide motions for the kid to come out from his hiding spot**
-How... did you do that? He was so scary. My mom tried to protect me but he hit her off the bridge. Everyone ran and no one helped. He almost ate me.
-That Grotto is more bark than bite. He does bite though. If it wasn't for us being near the water, things wouldn't have been so easy. Anyways. We have a trip ahead of us kid. We just need to go pick someone up. I hear Downtown is quite nice this time of year.
[I'm coming mom... im coming]
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