The Wraith scrutinized the young, nervous human.
The teenager fearfully stood just inside the doorway, ready to bolt at a moments notice. He lived with his mom and siblings in a rundown apartment building nearby and had seen this tall, weird lookin' white guy breaking in earlier. He would have been curious about the albino stranger anyway, but his drug dealer said to keep an eye out for a weird looking dude with this guy's description.
What he didn't bargain for was the dealer telling him to go get him.
Because now he was getting weirded out by the stranger's freakish yellow eyes and abnormally pale skin, both of which stood out in the dimly lit decrepit room.
The stranger wasn't budging, so he motioned to the door behind him, "Uh...these guys you don't wanna mess around with."
"Atlantians?" the Wraith purr-growled.
The teen looked puzzled, "No man, my capo Darius."
The Wraith just looked at him.
The teen shifted his weight, knowing that he would be in as much trouble as the stranger if he couldn't get him to go before the muscle outside got tired of waiting. "Please, we'll both be in a lotta trouble if you don't go."
The Wraith pondered for a moment. He had zero care for the young human outside of him being food, but he did notice the sloppy clothes weren't typical human military uniforms. But this "capo Darius" apparently has other humans working for him, so he must be a local warlord.
Just then, they heard the sound of several bootsteps walking down the hall.
The teen turned back to the stranger and whispered urgently, "Please! They'll yank your ass outta here with guns and grips if you don't go!"
The Wraith stepped forward. He decided to go because these humans might have a way to contact others of his kind or at least know where the Stargate is since he lost his bearings after feeding on the tainted humans.
The teen smiled and carefully stepped into the hall, hands raised. "We're comin' out! He's goin' with you!"
One of the 4 gunmen paid the teen as the rest escorted the Wraith to the limo. They all awkwardly squeezed inside. When the last door slammed shut, there was a collective scrunching of noses. "Dude, you need a fuckin' shower" one of them said.
*****
A large man in a suit hung up his smartphone, "They have him. No resistance. They're on their way."
Mr. Franks silently acknowledged the report and took a sip of brandy while gazing out his 15th floor penthouse window at the nearby skyscrapers and bustling city activity on the streets below.
Another aide walked in the room. "Sir, we have reports of an increased Space Force presence in the city, and some homeless bodies have been found that look shriveled up like Red's."
Mr. Franks glanced at the man who delivered that report, then turned back to the window. He wondered that maybe an alien really *did* come through the Stargate.
"Containment is ready?" he said without turning around.
"Yes sir."
*****
Rodney's voice broke the intercom silence, "Shepard, the police report about that altercation says a mob stooge was killed by a tall, white-haired guy, probably in a costume from ComicCon. I'm looking to see if there are any security cam feeds."
Shepard and Teyla looked at each other, "That's gotta be him," Shepard said. "Give us the address and we'll ask around."
*****
The limo parked at the loading dock of the hi-rise, and the gunmen escorted the Wraith inside, leading him to a windowless room with a single chair and a large TV embedded in the wall. The escorts left and locked the door behind them.
The Wraith stood and looked around, surprised it wasn't a typical human holding cell with bars.
The TV blipped to life and a middle aged white man appeared on the screen.
"My name is Mr. Franks. Rumor has it that you have an unique method for killing people. How do you do it?"
The Wraith just looked at him. His kind were never ones for chit chat. But it was now apparent this human didn't know about the Wraith.
Mr. Franks noticed his captive's strange yellow eyes, pale skin, and extra-long fingernails. "That's quite a outfit you're wearing. What the hell are you supposed to be?"
Again, the Wraith just stared back at him.
Franks squinted, "Did you come through the Stargate?"
The Wraith smiled, which showed his yellowish rows of pointed teeth. They know of the Stargate which means they could lead him there.
"I'll take that as a yes." Mr. Franks said. "I'll ask again, how do you kill people that leaves them shriveled up?"
Silence.
"Ok. I have ways of making people talk. This is your last chance for telling me what I want to know."
The Wraith said nothing. They'll find out how he kills soon enough.
"Fine." The screen blipped off.
About a minute later, the Wraith whirled around at the sound of the door opening. In walked a large, muscular white man, looking a bit nervous, but aggressive, as the door shut behind him. He was wearing jeans, boots, and a black t-shirt. He had a short black mohawk and a crisply cut beard and moustache. The tats on his beefy arms made it obvious (to earthers, anyway) that this was your typical tough guy.
The Wraith figured this large human was there to make him talk by beating him. He smiled and readied himself to make him look like a fool before feeding on him.
The big guy was told to force the pale guy to tell him how he kills people and they would wipe out his debt, but he was surprised the pale guy wasn't tied up to make it easier. And to make matters worse, he'd also heard about the shriveled up dead people and no one knew what killed them. Mr. Franks must think the pale guy is the killer and wants pale guy to kill HIM instead. Well fuck that! He didn't want to be the next victim! But there was no refusing Mr. Franks or you would definitely end up dead. So, killing this freak was his only way out. He clenched his fists and stepped forward to fight for his life.
The pale guy stood there as the big guy punched him in the face. Hard. But his head whipped back to face him with a grin. The big guy's eyes were as big as saucers! How could a thin guy like that take that punch without at least staggering??
He punched him two more times in the face, with the same effect! He then tried punching him once in the gut. The only effect was a bigger grin from the prisoner!
The Wraith figured his point was made and he whipped his left had out and grabbed the big man's neck and lifted him off the ground!
Mr. Franks and his aids, watching the video feed, were stunned! This was definitely no ComicCon goer!
The big guy grabbed the Wraith's arm to ease the bodyweight pulling on his neck, and he kicked his legs to try to get free!
Satisfied that the big guy was sufficiently panicked and fighting for his life, in one move, he quickly set him down and slammed his right feeding hand against the center of the big man's chest, causing him to scream as he felt his life force being pulled away!
Mr. Franks and his aides were speechless as they watched the Wraith aggressively growl as the big guy struggled and aged right before their eyes! After a few more seconds, the big man fell silent, shriveled into mummified human as the Wraith amped up his victory growl!
With no more life force to drain, the Wraith let him drop to the floor, then turned, teeth bared in a panting grin, to face the camera!
Franks' eyes were locked on the screen as the two aides behind him looked at each other. "What the hell did I just watch??"
*****
Shepard and Teyla stood in the office with the Chinese restaurant owner looking at the security cam footage of the Wraith killing the mob guy.
Shepard asked, "Who do they work for?"
"Mista Franks."
"Where can we find him?"
"I don' know."
"Come on," Shepard said, "Is there someone else who knows?"
"I know nothing." He was obviously afraid. He didn't even want to show them the footage, but finally agreed when they threatened to deport him and his staff.
Just then, Ronin, Techno, Recon and Lafe walked in.
The restaurant owner did a double-take at seeing the two clones. And they were pale, and similar to the killer in the alley! Now, fear of being killed like the man in the alley took over, "Uh...talk to James Meeka. He know. He know."
Shepard and Teyla raised their eyebrows. "Well where do I find *him*?" Shepard asked.
"He own Davis Limo. Now go. Go!" He shoo-motioned for them to leave.
They left.
"Rodney, get us an address for Davis Limo." Shepard asked.
"I'm on it."
*****
After the initial shock of watching the Wraith's kill wore off and they collected the no-longer-big guy's body, Mr. Franks ordered his minions to find out anything they could on what the hell was in their containment room, including asking any sources they have in the government.
*****
Shepard, Teyla, Ronin, and a couple of local SFPD walked into Davis Limo with their sidearms but not their assault rifles.
Shepard asked the receptionist, "We'd like to speak to Mr. Meeka."
She said, "Mr. *Meeker* is in a meeting right now. Can I tell him who's asking?"
The African American SPFD detective displayed his badge, "Detective Johnson. We need to speak to him. Now. It's urgent."
She glared at them, "I'll let him know," then stood and left through a door behind the reception desk.
Shepard looked at Teyla and quietly said, "It's Meek-ERRR, apparently." She grinned.
The receptionist walked in his office, "Mr. Meeker, there's a group of SFPD here wanting to speak to you. They said it's urgent."
He nodded, "Bring them back."
She was surprised, but nodded and left.
Mr. Meeker hoped this had to do with the man in Mr. Frank's custody so he could get some information.
A few moments later, the group arrived to his office.
"How can I help you?" Meeker asked while sitting behind his desk.
Shepard held up a generic photo of a Wraith. It wasn't one from the security feed to protect the restaurant owner's identity. "Have you seen this guy?"
Meeker shook his head, "No. Did he rent one of my limos?"
"You tell us. We've heard you're a man who knows a lot of things."
"Well, I'd definitely remember someone who looked like that. But I don't personally see everyone who rides in my limos." He noticed their annoyance. "But I can let you know if I do. What agency are you with?"
Shepard didn't answer, "We'd also like to talk with Mr. Franks. Where can we find him?"
"I don't know."
"Oh, I think you do."
"Do I look like his secretary?"
"No, you look like his driver, and drivers know where they drop people off. Where is he?"
"I don't know. I don't divulge client information."
"With a warrant you will." Detective Johnson said.
Meeker tilted his head, "Do you have one?"
"Not yet. But we'll be back when we do."
Meeker looked at Shepard, "What agency are *you* with?"
"SFPD." Shepard replied.
"Hm. I don't recognize your uniforms."
The detective stepped forward and handed him a business card, "We'll be back with a warrant, but let me know if you hear anything."
The group turned and left. After they were out of the building, Meeker picked up the phone, "This is Meeker. Let Mr. Franks know the SFPD and some people from another agency were here looking for your guy. I'll send my security cam feed over."
*****
"We appreciate the assist in there, detective." Shepard said as they met up with Techno, Recon and Lafe outside.
"No problem. We want this killer out of here as much as you do. Meeker definitely knows something, and we've suspected him for a while of being close to Mr. Franks."
"Rodney, anything new?"
"Nothing. I've started searching for other security cam footage farther out."
"Well," Shepard said to the team, "we're in a holding pattern. Let's get something to eat."
*****
A few hours later, one of Mr. Franks aides walked in, "We have new information. Mr. Meeker said the SFPD and some other personnel stopped by his shop asking about the... "man" we have in custody. We don't know who the other personnel are yet, but we suspect they're Space Force. We're analyzing his security cam feed. Also, our Space Force contact sent us this." He put a flash drive in the wall mounted screen. A moment later, several windows popped open showing images of a Wraith, their feeding hand, and their fighter aircraft. There were also text boxes with descriptions of the images as well as what the Wraith are and where they're from.
"Holy shit," Franks said. "He *is* a freakin' alien."
He read that the Wraith are not only capable of killing by draining life force, they're also capable of stopping and even *reversing* the damage. He grinned. He may have found the perfect torture device, and a way to make an INSANE amount of money renting his life giving abilities, AND a way for he himself to stay alive indefinitely!
"This is the fuckin' jackpot!"
*****
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