by Naosu N R
Did she just flirt with me?
My mouth hung open in surprise.
She's desperate and throwing more in.
"I-I'll also get you a taser. And we can hang out and stuff. I'll h-h-help you out," she added.
Valerie is kind of pretty. Melanie will probably be jealous if I have them together with me. I'm worried about it.
"Please Jay! I don't even want to be that good at my job. I just want to survive some stuff. You know how hard it is for us cops to survive an enemy mage? Yesterday I had a shootout with a drug gang. And that was only days after my little brother had trouble," she pleaded.
She has no idea what she'd said has some interesting irony right now.
"OK I'll help you," I sighed.
Inwardly I'm really worried that my parents will try to kill her if I don't deal with it right. I need to curb them away from this. But also one of the reasons why I didn't just reject her and turn her away is that Valerie looks like the type who fights for what she wants. If I'd told her no, she would have just come back in a few days to ask again.
"Great! Yes! You won't regret this Jay! Really!" she ended up hugging me.
Ooff...that felt good. She lingered a bit.
"Don't worry, I'll get the stuff soon. And we can meet up. So how do you want to do this? And also I wouldn't mind coming over to swim in your pool if you'll let me," she hinted smiling big.
(I was tempted by that. Mom is really going to freak out...Oh man. What have I gotten myself into?!)
"Wait. why did you say taser?" I asked.
"Tasers work in 'The Tower', didn't you know that?" she asked.
"Really?"
"Its one of the only things that does that humans make for modern weaponry. You already know that guns don't," she added.
Wow.
"OK, well I'm so impressed. OK, let me take you to dinner. It will be great!" Valerie clapped her hands together. "Besides you are cute, so this will be fun."
I really hope mom hasn't done anything to Simone...shit.
The dinner talk with Valerie went well. Overall she seems pretty conservative also. I got back about an hour later with plans that Valerie would call me later.
Valerie left after dropping me off after we exchanged numbers.
This could be a good deal, if I can get some police armor. Its good stuff. Normal people can't get police body armor. And it would be useful in the dungeons, but its also really expensive stuff. Plus, it'll take time to get it enhanced on herself, my piece, and on her brother's pieces.
I walked in the front door.
Mom is in the living room.
"Looks like you did OK. I won't have to kill her. And I let Simone and Melanie off. But you need to be careful, if Valerie's a cop. We can't have cops coming over here unannounced. That would...invite consequences. So think this through carefully," she glared.
"I can work out a way to..."
"Jay! I'm not joking," mom interrupted.
"Don't do anything rash please. She's not bad. She just wanted me to hook her up with enchant skill work on her gear. And she's going to help me instead also. That could be good for me to have her owe me," I said.
"I see...Well if that's what you want go ahead. But make sure you don't get taken. Some pretty girls are used to having their way. The way she flirted with you was probably just to get stuff, not out of real like. At least you are getting something out of it. But you need to be super careful with someone like that. They will look into whoever they are with. And they aren't above pinning stuff on their friends," mom left the room saying.
There's no way I'm going to hurt a cop. In fact, I feel a bit more like them than with my family.
But my family is insanely strong.
So I have to figure out a way through this...
I don't want Valerie to be killed by mom.
Shit. This is making me worry a lot.
...
I have a text from dad reminding me he's going to have me meet some other clan members tomorrow, or in a few days, and some other girl from that clan.
(Nervous...)
I deleted a few cell phone texts from others. One from Diego, inviting me to go drink with him. (I get a bad vibe there.) Also I dismissed a few texts from Melanie's sisters and Sue.
Just like that its already 2 PM.
I did a few gear experiments.
I managed to use up today's mana to get a blind charge on the second flashlight. (Eventually I'll be using them like wands, with a whole mess of them.) I also managed to string them all up with a rigging to let them hang from a short cord on my belt.
Chapter 15
"Wait, so you are doing what again?" Melanie asked me nervously while about to drop me off in front of 'The Tower' dungeon entrance.
"Temporary team up today. It should be OK," I said.
"With who? You didn't tell me about this," she frowned and is acting nervous.
"I didn't? Sorry about that. But it could help me get started better and work myself up. Survival rates also go up when there's more people, usually. I'm hoping I can learn something from them. There's this cop that wants help. Don't worry it will be OK," I said.
"What? Wait, which cop? It wasn't that woman that came to the house was it? And you know because of the family that you can't be messing around with cops. Your parents will never relax over it," Melanie is instantly fearful and nervous, but not about monsters. Instead its obvious she's worried about competition from Valerie.
The mind control effect on her is making her worried about other women I guess. In practical terms that's quite interesting. It implies permanent effects!
This morning Valerie had called me wanting to team up in the dungeon. And its now almost 3:50 PM, and time to meet her here. Now this is why Melanie is asking me about it when dropping me off.
So it was set. The plan is already in motion.
"Don't worry. I'll call you for a ride. Things will be OK. Just wait at home babe," I told her.
"Love you," she said to me with a hug and kiss.
"That's so sweet. Love you too," I kissed her on the lips, or rather I was returning her kiss.
She's so sweet.
I keep thinking my mind control might actually turn her away from evil. Its actually got her practicing good habits.
Interesting...
Is that what mind control is really for, to turn evil people back to being good? It seems to only have good points with Melanie.
"Are you sure about this? We were making enough money with you solo honey. And I don't want you to be alone with that other girl," Melanie said.
"Right...don't worry. Just wait at home. You can use the pool also," I said.
"But if I leave Simone alone, she'll be scared," Melanie said.
"I'm really sorry about that. Please try to comfort her and help her. Help each other and stay together, its safer for you to do so while we're living with my family. Its got to be so much pressure she's under and worry," I said.
"So if I do that will you maybe reward me when I get home?" Melanie asked slyly with a smile.
"Yeah, I guess I could."
"Does that include lots of love as part of the reward?" she hungrily asked.
"It could."
"Good. Call me soon," she said with another peck on the cheek.
Melanie is so awesome.
She's so affectionate and always kissing and hugging me. The mind control effects of the allure skill have unlocked the best in her.
I waved as she drove off.
...
It didn't take long before Valerie found me, only a few minutes of walking around.
"Hey Jay," she waved while coming over. She looks like she was staked out there for awhile waiting for me. Interesting.
She's dressed decked out in what looks like some kind of law enforcement armor package. She doesn't wear any 'police' labels, but the type of gear she's using and wearing scream 'law enforcement' even if its not stated.
"You ready?" I asked.
"Yeah well uh, there's just one more thing I forgot to tell you," she said.
"Its not good to surprise me like that. That means you've made changes that we didn't agree upon before hand," I frowned.
"But its a team dungeon right? I found a couple people from work to join us," she smiled big.
"Yeah, but who are they? I haven't vetted them. And I know nothing about them. Do they even bring anything to the table?" I asked.
"Heh, they'll be asking you that same thing," she said.
She then signaled to two other officers who were waiting nearby one of the bushes. I hadn't seen them until now.
"Jay, this is Iverson, and Fields. Guys, this is Jay, who is going to be helping us. He's the one I told you would be helping us today," Valerie told them.
We did brief introductions.
Iverson is really tall, and still wearing his work uniform. Iverson has standard issue equipment and I swear he has like 5 tasers hanging from some kind of belt rigging! To top it off he's got a sword, and helmet.
Tasers are interesting. They should work here.
Fields has changed to some kind of PE style clothes, with makeshift body armor. He also has a metal baseball bat and a homemade shield. It looks like he welded some of his gear together himself, but did a pretty good job. The shield has a metal plate in it. And the helmet is the only piece he has on that's a real manufacturer made piece that's not home brew. He has one taser.
We shook hands.
"He looks kind of young," Iverson frowned at me, while commenting to Valerie.
"I agree," Fields said.
"Well he solos this place. That's how he found my brother," Valerie told them.
"He what?! He solos here?" Fields is surprised at me.
Both are impressed.
They are non-mages. So things are different. And I haven't been in the team dungeon side. So this means I'll have to be more careful. Plus, having more baggage...
They don't have the extra power to fall on that I have.
"So this is the guy that rescued your brother?" Iverson asked her.
Some small chat ensued.
"OK, let's get this over with," Valerie said.
We went to stand in line. Luckily the team dungeon has a slower line than the other one.
But the others were surprised when I sent them status screen invites to my party.
"Wow. You have a status screen?" Fields asked shocked.
"Nice," Iverson commented.
Both of them had blue screens pop up in the air in front of them with yes or no dialogue choices to select.
"How do I..." Iverson scratched his head wondering what to do.
"Just click on it, like a laptop screen. Click on the 'party invite accept' button," I told them.
Valerie was trying to be cool while also accepting her own invite.
There's a blink on my screen. Then it shows a party window that shows up with health bars for the three of them plus me!
But I was also happy that two other notifications popped up!
[You have acquired team leader skill!]
[You have acquired party window magic!]
[Party window magic skill set to level 1. No bonus stats at this level] showed up.
Nice.
So does that mean if I level up this skill that there might be bonuses? Or will the bonuses be very minor stats only, since its not directly class related?
"Jay? Are you ready?" Valerie asked me.
"Just a sec. Almost there," I said.
The others looked impatient but followed my lead.
I checked my status screen's [skill] tab. Both skill descriptions show up and are basically pretty obvious. At higher levels more information will be available. But for now I get only a +1% to group members' individual attack stats from the team leader skill.
What else does that do I wonder?
I hadn't heard the others in my family say anything about the team leader skill. Did they not know it could carry bonuses too?
"I've got us a number. We're close to the front of the line, Iverson informed us.
...
It didn't take us long to get to the front of the line to go into the dungeon. Iverson and the other guy paid the fee since they technically were band wagoning on us without my agreeing before to do so.
Then we went inside.
But I was also surprised that Valerie had a light spell that she had bought that was embedded into a renewable item use enchant. She activated it, which means I can save power on my own gear.
"You have a magic item?" I asked.
"Wasn't cheap. Bought it online, to try to do some dungeon work. But I haven't used it much," she confessed.
For a non-mage, she's resourceful.
We continued to trudge down the dark tunnels.
Its actually pretty scary to be out here, even in a group. And to make it worse the team dungeon can be more intimidating with more monsters coming at you at once, that aren't just one mob only!
"Look out!" Iverson called out.
Already we have our first incoming mobs!
"I got this!" Fields said.
"Don't play a hero. Just take it easy," Valerie warned them both.
'Monster encounter!' shows up on my status screen's tactical display!
Oddly enough, The other two held their own, though it wasn't easy.
4 goblins are rushing us.
(Wow, is this my first goblin encounter?!)
"Look out! They are going after Valerie!" Iverson warned.
Iverson activated his taser on one of them. Then knocked one over, beating it.
Valerie sort of yelped, as she hadn't anticipated that she'd get all the aggro, but stayed firm, getting her shield up in time.
At nearly the same time I used my stun skill on the one goblin that went after Valerie, and then I helped Fields take the other one with shield bashing and our weapons.
Very quickly, we'd neutralized the one goblin with Val, Fields, and myself on it. Then I had to reset my stun fast on the one that Iverson had stunned, which wore off. Iverson hit the other goblin with his bat, just tanking it.
"Wow, is that a taser less stun? How?!" Valerie is shocked seeing my skill.
"He's hitting harder than us, even though he's a shrimp. Why is that?" Iverson continued to pound his goblin with his baseball bat while commenting about me.
It feels good to have enchanted weaponry and gear. I'm able to do a lot of damage, more than the two experienced veteran cops with us. And its interesting how much easier it feels, while doing more, because of all my stats and extra stuff in play.
Soon we'd killed the next goblin.
And after that, the other two were killed.
"Wow. I can't believe it. We're not hurt! Yes!" Fields high fived us all.
"OK, stay sharp," I warned.
Valerie adjusted the light spell she had hanging over her shoulder, which we were using.
I checked the party window.
Iverson; 98% health (no mana bar)
Fields; 94% health (no mana bar)
Valerie; 99% health (no mana bar)
Jay; 100% health 100% mana
We continued to go in slowly and cautiously.
Not long after that, another skirmish occurs!
Kobold battle with 3 minions. (Why would they attack us when we outnumber them and are bigger? Are they starving? Or just full of hate?)
Iverson takes -2% health from a slash.
Fields took -1% twice tanking one.
They'd blocked well but there was still some force in the enemy hits.
It ends.
Another goblin skirmish 4 minutes later. This one with six.
So soon?!
The others were quite worried on this one, but I used my stun skill 3 times on the one set, while Iverson stunned one and tanked another. Fields took one. And Valerie helped me kill one.
My enchanted crowbar lets me hit them pretty hard. But unfortunately with six goblins I'd been forced to use my stun a
bout 11 times in this skirmish alone.