Outbound

Enshrouded Tabulation

12 Years Ago, July 10th 2012

On a bright summer day, Naoya, 20 years old and part of the a younger version of the currently unnamed Outbound crew is carrying out a mission with determination etched on his face. His main objective was to make a name for himself and the crew to possibly get into the prestigious Hitman Legion. But for today's mission, they are on the move to save a couple women from sexual assault.

As Naoya and his crew approach the hideout of the gang, they see a dilapidated building tucked away in an eerie, dimly lit alley. The area is devoid of people, and a cold, damp air hangs over the surroundings. The building itself appears decaying and abandoned, but something about it tells them they are in the right place. "Ryu and Daisuke, you two are coming with me. Others will be backup and will be on the watch." Ryu and Daisuke nod wordlessly, their expressions taut and determined. They know the stakes of this mission. Naoya turns to the rest of the crew. "The rest of you, keep watch and be ready to intervene if needed," he orders, his voice low and intense. "We need to be cautious. There's no telling what we'll find in there." With a sense of grim determination, Naoya, Ryu, and Daisuke make their way towards the entrance of the building. The rusted metal door creaks loudly as it opens, revealing a dimly lit hallway inside. Shadows dance on the walls, and the stench of decay fills the air. "Do they take a shit in the corridors? This smell is horrendous." Daisuke says trying not to breathe too much. 

Naoya lets out a low chuckle, a hint of a wry smile on his lips. "Seems like they haven't heard of the concept of cleaning up after themselves," he mutters, his gaze scanning the surroundings. Ryu answers, "I wouldn't expect anything less from rapists." Daisuke chimes in, his voice laced with disgust. "Scum of the earth," he mutters under his breath. Naoya nods, his expression resolute. "Let's focus on the task at hand," he says firmly. "Remember, we're here to save that woman or possibly women and bring those bastards to justice." He takes the lead, silently making his way down the hall, his footsteps barely making a sound on the creaking floorboards. As they move deeper into the building, the atmosphere grows tense. Shadows dance on the walls, and every little sound seems amplified in the silence. They pass by several closed doors, each one concealing potential danger. "This door smells like inside the apartment is covered in shit stains. I think this is the right one." Naoya says. Daisuke lets out a grunt of agreement. "Yeah, that smell is unmistakable," he mutters, a grimace of distaste on his face. "Let's hope we aren't too late." "Don't show yourselves, hide in the corners for now. I'll try to talk some sense into whoever opens the door." He holds his nose for a second. "If I can stand this odor that is..." 

Ryu nods, already moving to take up a position in a corner. Daisuke follows suit, his hand covering his mouth and nose to block out the stench. Naoya straightens his jacket, takes a deep breath, and steels himself. With a mixture of determination and disgust, Naoya reaches out and knocks on the door. The echo of his knock reverberates through the hallway, and for a few tense moments, there is only silence. Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps can be heard, growing louder as someone draws nearer. The footsteps stop, and a gruff voice calls out from behind the door. "Who is it?" It's a deep, gravelly voice that seems to belong to a man. Naoya gets into role. "Pizza is here, bro." "Pizza?" The deep voice asks, his skepticism evident. There's a moment of silence, and Naoya can sense the man's hesitation. Finally, the door creaks open slowly, revealing a burly, unkempt man with a menacing scowl. Naoya leans down like he is going to pick the pizza box up from the ground and he asks a question at the same time. "What is up with the smell in this building. Never smelled something worse." The man glares at Naoya before answering, his voice laced with irritation. "None of your business," he snaps. "Now hand over the pizza." "Oh man, calm down. It's not that serious." Naoya acts like he is intimidated by him. The man scoffs, clearly enjoying Naoya's supposed vulnerability. "Damn right it's not serious," he growls. "And watch your tone. You're lucky you've got my pizza or I'd have a different attitude." He reaches out expectantly for the pizza, his stance growing more aggressive. 

Naoya acts like he is raising his arm with a box just to throw a knife right at his throat. The switch from feigned fear to deadly precision takes the man completely off guard. Before he can react, the throwing knife whistles through the air and embeds itself into his throat. A gurgling gasp escapes the man's lips as he stumbles back, his eyes wide with shock and pain. Naoya's expression hardens, his false vulnerability vanishing in an instant. With a swift and efficient motion, Naoya follows up, silently ending the man's suffering. The lifeless body falls to the ground as Naoya sets it down quickly yet carefully. He scans the room, assessing the situation. It's a fairly small home. There are only 4 doors and they are all closed. Naoya's gaze flicks from door to door, his expression sharp and focused. "We need to move quickly," he says softly. "The woman could be anywhere. Let's check the rooms one by one." With Ryu and Daisuke following closely behind, Naoya cautiously approaches the first door. He listens for a moment, but there is no sound coming from inside. Slowly, he turns the handle and pushes the door open, revealing a small, empty bedroom. "Ryu, check if there is someone behind the door or under the bed over there." Ryu nods, already moving silently into the room. His dark hair falls over his eyes as he steps lightly to avoid making a sound. He checks the door, finding it leads to a small closet, empty save for a few clothes. Then, he checks under the bed, finding nothing but a few cobwebs. "Nasty ass fuckers. Digging only brings out dirt." Naoya says with disgust. 

Ryu lets out a scoff of disgust, brushing off the cobwebs that had clung to him. "It's like the room hasn't been cleaned in years," he mutters. "I wouldn't be surprised if they never changed those sheets either." Naoya picks up the radio from his waist and presses the button on his radio and speaks quietly into it. "Crew, report. Any progress on your end?" "Hey Naoya, this is Kyoko," a woman's voice crackles through the radio. It sounds like there's a smile in her voice even across the airwaves. "We're keeping watch, but all's quiet here. How about you?" "Took care of one guy, just wanted to check up on you guys. We are going to check the other rooms to find the women." Naoya's reply is met with a soft chuckle from Kyoko. "Damn, way to go, Mr. Hitman. Let us know if you need any support. We're right outside." Her voice is edged with amusement. "Tell Mako to make sure cameras are off while we are doing all this." The radio crackles as Kyoko relays the message to Mako. Within seconds, Mako's crisp voice comes through. "Cameras are already off," he confirms. "No evidence left behind." "Atta girl, you save our asses everywhere. And I'm not forgetting you, Yumi." Yumi's voice chimes in, a wicked chuckle carrying through the radio. "You know it. We're the brains of this team, after all." Kyoko adds wryly. "The rest of you would be lost without us." "Okay let's not overexaggerate, we are on the move again." "Copy that," Kyoko's amused voice responds. "Good luck in there. Try not to get lost." The radio clicks off, and Naoya turns back to the remaining doors.