Cyberspace; The Ultimus Collection

Chapter 38, A Night to Remember

The guardian mansion was packed, filled to the brim with everyone who has ever helped out in the recent attacks. They all talked amongst themselves, mingling slightly but primarily sticking with who they really knew. Daniel stayed close to Derick. Alyson, Jax, and G-1 chatted casually. Ashley and Catelin joked together. The only one not talking was Vincent, who stood in a corner alone snacking on chips prepared earlier. Everyone was dressed to look their best, whether that be casual or formal was up for them to decide. Catelin soon broke off from Ashley, who went to go check on Vincent, and approached Daniel and Derick. She had a playful bounce to her step and a cheerful smile across her face, beaming like the sun. 

"Hey Daniel! How do I look?" She asked, spreading out her arms to show off her outfit. She wore a simple red dress and heels, with light makeup accenting her face. 

"You look nice, I like what you did with your hair!" Daniel nervously replied, face turning warm.

"Thanks! It means a lot!" Catelin giggled. There was a brief pause. "So, it looks like everyone is here and ready to go. We'll head out shortly." 

"Great! I can't wait!" Daniel scratched the back of his head while Catelin wandered off to prepare her announcement. 

"Smooth." Derick teased. 

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean you gave her a genuine compliment, made her laugh and smile. Keep this up and you two will be together in no time."

"What?! Together?! I don't like Catelin like that! She's just a really good friend! And besides, she doesn't like me like that either!" Daniel fired back, his face getting redder than Catelin's dress.

"Rrright... You don't like her, despite unlocking your potential after Leech threatened her. And she doesn't like you, despite her constantly worrying about you and wanting your specific opinion on how she looks. Sure." He said sarcastically. "I mean I could be wrong about Catelin; she could just be really caring and friendly. But you? Oh, I'm sure about you!" Derick laughed. 

"You're having a lot more fun with this than you should!" A loud, sharp, and high-pitched sound rang out across the room. The tinging of a fork against glass, as if someone was making a toast. Catelin stood up on top of a table and looked out into the sea of new friends. 

"Hi everyone! We're going to go ahead and start heading out! So, remember to stay safe, have fun, and to celebrate our victory over Leech! We'll all meet back up at 6:30 for our reservations at the teppanyaki grill on south avenue!" She announced. The crowd cheered before heading out the front door. They toured the streets under the setting sun, stopping at shop after shop. It was if a big parade had shown up in town, with all the laughter and happiness. Derick and Catelin were the main ones escorting Daniel around. First, they stopped to buy him a new phone, one that was better suited for the life he was now living. Then they stopped to get him some new clothes, playing dress up with the guardian to see what worked best. Finally, they let Daniel take the helm, stopping by at shops to buy whatever entertained him most. Of course, this wasn't all about him, as Derick and Catelin picked up a few things for themselves in between. Eventually the three found themselves wandering around the city streets aimlessly, until Catelin checked her watch. "Oh! We better start heading over! Don't wanna be late!" 

"Right. Do you want to pull up the directions or should I?" Derick asked. While the two talked things over, something caught Daniel's eye in the distance. 

"Hey guys, what's going on over there?" Daniel pointed not so far up from where they were. Derick and Catelin looked to see what was happening. It was Vincent. He was backed against a wall, Ashely standing between him and a random man. The man looked disheveled, messy and gross, stumbling and slouching back and forth. Upon closer inspection the man held a glass bottle in his hands, to which it became clear he was drunk. 

"Why don't you just back off and leave him alone!" Ashely screamed.

"No! Why don't you drop dead with him, you stupid broad!" He shouted back, his words slurring together into an almost incoherent mess. 

"What did you just call me?!" 

"What?! Did I offend you?! I could go meaner if you want?!"

"Alright! Alright! Now what the hell is going on here?" Derick intervened. 

"Oh thank god, a guardian! You could imagine my surprise when I found this low life roaming the streets like the dog he his! Not to mention the little bitch he's got parading with him!" 

"And what do you propose I do with them?" 

"Well lock 'em up of course! I would say kill, but I don't think you people are too keen on an eye for an eye anymore." 

"Sir, I'm not going to do that. In fact, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." He said sternly, arms now crossed against his chest. 

"Tch. And that's why the guardian program has gone to shit." He mumbled under his alcoholic breath. "You used to be able monsters and criminals without breaking a sweat. And now what? You leave it in the hands of amateurs, you let hundreds of people die before you can get the situation under control, and worst of all you can't even fix the problem when it's standing right in front of you!" He tightened his grip on the beer bottle. "If you won't do anything, then I will!" The man then suddenly chucked the beer bottle at Vincent. It shattered against his face, showering him in booze and broken glass. Derick quickly tackled the man, pinning him to the pavement. 

"Stay on the ground and keep your hands where I can see them! You are under arrest for aggravated assault, do not resist!" Derick shouted. Something was channeled in him that day, something he hadn't felt in a while. It was either his inner cop, or his inner soldier. The others went to check on Vincent. They used their time before the police arrived to clean and bandage him up. When the police did arrive at the scene, they quickly took over for Derick and escorted the man into the back of a cop car. While they drove away, everyone else just stood around in complete shock. Everything had happened so fast. They all felt like they had just watched the firing of a gun. One moment it was all calm, but it all changed with the pull of a trigger. Everyone shakenly made their way over to the restaurant, desperate to recover their night of celebrations. But it was too late. The mood, the festivities, it had all been ruined for them. It was clear that no matter how much they tried, they would never get a moment of peace, they would never forget this incident, this night would a night to always remember.