A Werewolf In Under-Town

Dave adjusted the tiny streaming camera with his hands. The things were supposed to automatically place themselves for the optimum picture. But he always felt they looked down on him a little too much. He looked better in profile. At least he thought so. He checked his in-game streaming menus one last time and then closed them out. The camera would give him a five second countdown at his mental command.

The sun was in the sky, and Dave reveled in its warmth. Under-Town was cool and all, but you couldn't beat that digital sunlight. Warm, bright, and it didn't cause any skin damage. He basked for a little longer before one of his new friends tapped his shoulder.

"Uhhhh, Boss? We doing this?"

Dave blinked away the sun and looked down the alleyway stuffed with his people. The thirty or so men and women were looking at him with equal parts fear and hope. Dave smiled, rolling his shoulders and laughing a little.

"Of course! So long as Gordi says that he's ready to go."

The massive group of NPCs all turned as one to the skinny young man in the flamboyant suit. Gordi had resisted the ensemble when Dave first choose it. But the man cut quite an eye-catching figure now. The white pants and suit jacket went well with the red velvet undershirt. But the pink feather boa and large, jewel-encrusted glasses were an eyesore. Gordi gulped under everyone's gaze, but nodded at Dave.

"If… if you think so, sir. I mean, is all this really necessary?"

Dave glanced at the streaming camera before he nodded. The small device was supposed to be completely invisible to other players and NPCs. "Of course it is, Dude. You are both the shock and the awe part of my Shock and Awe strategy. This is going to be epic. Trust me?"

A sea of smiling faces meet his question before Dave gave the mental command for his camera. As he did, he walked toward the alley exit. Giving high-fives to his people. A few were a little slow to catch on, but he didn't fault them for it. When he counted to five, Dave spun and exited the alleyway, turning toward their destination while addressing his streaming camera.

"What's up, DUDES! It's me, RadicalDave, here with another awesome stream for you folks! Now I can't tell you where I am, but I am about to enact some major villainy. It is going to be most epic, and you know your boy, RadicalDave, has to bring you all along."

Dave kept smiling for the camera as people moved to get out of his way on the sidewalk. He could see them pass him as he walked backwards. Some clearly wanted to say something, but the literal troop of Lackeys he had with him stymied any complaint. He kept a side-eye out for the entrance to the bank he had chosen. They weren't that far from it in the alleyway.

As soon as he caught sight of it, he waved Gordi forward and flung the double-doors of the bank open wide. There were a few people inside, going about their business along with the tellers lazily going about their jobs. Dave spotted a few of them looking worried at their entrance. But their worry turned to confusion at what some of Dave's crew were wearing. Gordi wasn't the only one decked to the nines today.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Dave addressed the bank. "We are here today to brighten your lives and spread some cheer! So have no fear!"

Dave gave it a few seconds for Gordi to get into position and his people to lock the door. He could hear them rushing in behind him. As soon as the door clicked shut and Gordi moved to the center of the bank, Dave threw his arms wide and rushed forward.

"This is now gonna be the most happening spot in Texas. You can not even fathom the show we have for you all today! It's got style! Pizzazz! And it's all for free!"

Dave slid to the end of the lobby and spun around, his arms still in the air. After checking that his streaming camera was in position, Dave got ready to signal his crew. But some tired-looking purple alien in a brown suit got in his way.

"Excuse me, sir! We did not schedule any show! This is a place of business! Get out of here or I'll be forced to call the police."

Dave grinned as he saw the small silver name tag the alien was wearing. Underneath the alien's name was the word 'Manager.' he took the larger alien by the shoulder and spun him toward the camera.

"It looks like the police are already here, Mr. Barrowman. THE FUN POLICE!" Dave shouted to the room, getting a cry of boos from his crew. The noise echoed harshly in the bank and Dave saw Barrowman wince.

"But don't worry your pretty purple head about the show. You and I have other business. Lawrence!"

Dave snapped his fingers as he whirled the alien around again and gave the signal.

The alien named Lawrence was positioned right next to Gordi, and he took his cue with gusto. Spinning around, the big alien clasped his hands together and flexed his muscles just before music filled the building. It was light and pop-y, something they all heard on the way up here to the surface. Lawrence could replay any song he'd heard before at will. A silly power, but not when it was combined with Gordi.

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The flamboyantly dressed Lackey listened to the beat for a few seconds before he began to tap his foot. His hips picked up the rhythm next, followed by his shoulders. Soon the man was dancing around the lobby as a young heartthrobs lament about past relationships played. The bank's patrons looked on confused until Gordi's power took hold of them. It started the same way he had. They'd start out tapping their feet and the next thing they knew, they were dancing.

Dave felt Gordi's power wash over the entire bank. As it hit him and the manager, Dave prepared himself and let the music and the feeling wash over him completely before shrugging it aside. It was an awesome feeling, but he didn't want to be bound like the rest of the people in the bank. He spotted a few of his guys getting caught up in the feeling and he shrugged. They'd been warned.

Mr Barrowman started to shuffle around under Dave's hold and he let the alien dance for a bit. It was good for the camera. A few eager beavers on his crew were moving toward the registers, but that wasn't the main event of this show. Dave joined the bank manager in dancing around as he double-checked the front doors.

"We good on the doors?" He called over the dancing people.

"Yeah, boss! Signs are up and the spell is in place."

Dave spun the bank manager in triumph and looked back at his camera, his own feet tapping to the music.

"That's right, folks! We're doing a musical heist right now. The doors are locked, a barrier spell is in place, and we've got our exit already in mind. Stay tuned to figure out how RadicalDave is going to dance his way out of this."

Swaying to the beat still, Dave waved to the vault team and shoved a still-dancing bank manager toward the back of the bank. The music still pervaded the air even as they passed the area where the tellers were. It persisted into the back hallway and down the stairs and into a heavily secured area. Beyond the metal gates, Dave could see three dancing guards hopping around and smiling. He waved at them good-naturedly as he kicked the metal gate open.

The gate swung open as part of it bent inward. Dave marveled at his in-game strength once again. Every time he saw it, it amazed him. He kicked open the second gate as the dancing guards smiles and watched. All the while, his crew was right behind him. They entered the basement area of the bank and looked around. On both sides were large gated rooms with lock-boxes along their walls. While right in front was the big enchilada, the bank's main vault.

Dave danced over to the vault while his crew fanned out to the lock-box rooms. The bank manager was wiggling his hips and shuffling his shoulders as Dave pushed him next to the vault door. The thing had a biometric sensor on its side, along with a keypad for a code. Dave tsked sadly as he turned to look at the manager.

"Bummer, dude. Looks like you have to wake up."

Dave shrugged his shoulders and slapped the manager as hard as he dared. The alien stopped dancing as his head snapped back from the blow. It took a second for Mr. Barrowman to come out of the trance fully. But when he did, he punched Dave in the chest and tried to run. Dave took the blow and shrugged it off as he clapped his hand down hard on the manager's shoulder.

"Dude! I get it. Some dastardly villains are here to rob your bank. It's shocking and scary, but hey, I'm not here to hurt anyone. So how about you open up this vault for me?"

"You're crazy!" Barrowman screamed, trying to fight off Dave's grip. "I'm not helping you rob my bank!"

"Oh? Really? Well, that sucks. Myron! Gus! It's Plan B fellas."

Dave waved over two large Lackeys and had them pick up Mr. Barrowman. The bank manager froze as the two large alien men picked him up and held him in the air between them. His purple face went white as he glanced between them and back to Dave.

"What are they going to do?"

Dave shrugged and looked away, covering his eyes with a hand. "I don't know. I said I wasn't here to hurt anyone. That's Myron and Gus' job."

"We's good at it too." Gus chuckled as he gripped the bank manager's arm tighter.

Dave winced as he thought he heard a crack. But luckily the manager quickly saw the error of his ways.

"Wait! Stop! Please! I'll open it. I'LL OPEN THE VAULT!"

"Great!" Dave said, uncovering his eyes and hurriedly waving at Gus and Myron.

The two alien men looked a little sad, but they sat the bank manager down and let him get to work. Barrowman placed his hand on the biometric scanner as he typed in a pass-code with his other hand. The vault's giant door cracked open and Dave rubbed his hands together happily. That's when a red light fell from the ceiling followed by Lawrence's music was joined by a loud klaxon.

Mr. Barrowman grinned evilly as he turned to Dave. "Ha! There! Now the police have been notified. A Super will be here in minutes and you and your little dancing troupe will be on your way to jail! Haha hahaha-URK!"

His laugh of triumph was interrupted as Myron slammed a giant fist down on the alien's head. Dave had just enough time to see the bank manager's eyeballs pop out before the body collapsed like a bag of wet noodles. Dave scowled as blood seeped across the floor.

"Totally not cool dude and Myron that was uncalled for also."

"But boss, he called in the Supes."

"I know." Dave said as he shoved the vault door the rest of the way open.

Inside was a sea of lock-boxes, a few large stacks of credits, and a terminal. Dave took in the readout on the terminal screen for a quick second before he turned back to Myron and Gus.

"The Supes turning up doesn't change the plan. It just means things are getting more exciting and exciting is good. You two get the rest of the crew on this and I'll go upstairs and wait for them."

Dave excitedly rubbed his hands together as the two Lackeys looked miffed at being left out. But it was their own fault. Dave had warned his people about killing. It wasn't his jam. Or at least not how he wanted to be a villain. Although the Supe showing up would make it more exciting for his followers. Dave looked at the camera floating nearby and shot it a smile. He wished he had the chat function up right now, but it was too distracting. He wanted his head in the game for whatever Supe arrived.

As images of an epic showdown flashed in his head, Dave rushed back to the first floor. He hoped the incoming Supe would be a player. That would add some extra spice to the whole bank robbery. But either way, it was bound to be a killer time.