ethosa

MEN
Carlos wore a black knitted toque with gold embroidery on the brim and a faux fur coat in creams, browns, and blacks. His jeans were fitted snug against his thigh and his shoes were a pair of worn down, dark brown leather loafers. His nails were painted something different depending on the finger, and a large ring with a gold-plated disk sat on his left ring finger. A brown and black patterned purse sat on his lap, handles along either side as well as a long strap. A long jaw met at a thin chin, all covered in a layer of dark brown bristly facial hair. He had thick ring piercings all around his left ear, and listened to his white ipod with tiny white earbuds. His nose jutted forward with a small lump on the bridge. His skin was pale but had a slightly sallow tinge that made him look not quite completely healthy.

Adam had a defined but thin jaw, clean shaven without any shadow. Black square glasses framed his soft grey eyes. Dark brown hair with streaks of grey overflowed onto his forehead in gentle waves. He sat on the lower level of the bus, so one could see the spiral where his hair sprouted from, tightly knitted and with more expressions of grey. He wore a forest green tweed coat that almost reached his knees, and dark blue fitted jeans. On his feet were a pair of laced leather shoes that came to a slight point. A purple wool scarf wrapped around his neck in large loops, almost drooping down the front of his tightly buttoned up chest. He sat next to a coworker on the bus and spoke to him with a soft and paced voice. He smelled of citrus and black tea. Black polyester gloves covered his hands and in them a black laptop case was held.

It was a Monday morning, but the two men got off at the same stop, one following the other down the same block until they reached a hotel with a gleaming sign in front that read, "ASTORIA GLORIA." It was a dirty hotel with dirty carpets and dirty floors. The vacuum and mop in the custodian's closet were spared any use for a long time, no time or money to put into keeping the location clean. Carlos was first to the front desk and made a quick reservation. He was shown to his room, and was soon alone. But not for long. Not even a minute after taking off his oversized coat a knock rasped against the room door, and with a knowing all too well what was to come, he opened it. Adam entered the room and their lips locked.

There weren’t many people in the small market; the outskirts of West Guard City being one of the least populated areas of North America’s Alice.

The trio didn’t shop at Kaiso Markets on account of it being inconveniently placed and its high prices. It was a market Agatha wished they would shop at more, because of the plentiful organics and amount of other healthy selections.

"Listen, Aggie, this is a lot of good food. Sure we can afford this? Damien asks, somehow managing to hold onto a few boxes and oddly shaped objects. Van looked up at him, then ata Agatha. He was also holding groceries.

"Why couldn’t we use baskets? What’s wrong with them?" Agatha frowned and crossed her empty arms.

"I don’t know, she said. Just then, Agatha got a sharp jab in the side.

"Back. madam." A man in dark green clothing had walked in front of Agatha and dropped stuff on the counter. He then turned to her and smiled. "Sorry, I was here first. Ijust went to go get something."

"Get to the back of the line, sir," the cashier said.

With a grin and a grunt, the man in green pulled out a gold plated gun. Immediately, everyone around them dropped to the floor with their hands over their heads. Agatha remarked to herself how even here, with Codes, people were afraid of guns.

"Get down, Aggie, Van!" Damien shouted, already behind a pile of bananas.

"Van, I’ll use Zeta and you cuff him," Agatha ordered and Van nodded.

"Don’t you dare!" Damien shouted, but Agatha had already initiated Zeta and went into the gunman’s brain. Her body fainted and Van caught it, laying it down gently before initiating Theta. He saw crosshairs lock onto the gunman and then he jumped on him.

With two loud cracks, both the gunman’s arms were twisted horribly the wrong way.

"Van!" Damien shouted. He was angry. Agatha suddenly shot up, back from her brief trip. Her eyes went around, looking for tips as to what was going on.

"Damien?" she asked. Just as the word left her mouth, Guard patrol officers stormed the market.