Minus

Episode 1
The Fire

She watched him as he watched himself in the mirror, adjusting his suit jacket. She sat up on her knees on the bed.
"I wish you'd let me in."

"Can't. Way too dangerous, 'specially for someone like you."

"Like me? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You scare too easily. Something like this requires a cool head. You don't have that quality."

"I'm more then capable of handling pressure! As a matter of fact, I work better with pressure!"

"Cut it out, Mya, Not in the mood to argue."

"Well then let me in!"

"Just. Stop."

She sighed, and flopped onto her back as he began to work on his tie. 

"You get to have aaaall the fun."

"This isn't fun. It's business."

"It sounds fun to me."

"It's fun until bullets start flying by your head. Or something tries to decapitate you with it's claws or something."

He finished his tie knot. 

"Don't answer the phone, unless it's me."

"I know."

"This one shouldn't take so long. Not as long as last time."

She came up behind him, pressing herself against her back as she wrapped her arms around his waist. 

"Promise?" 

"No promises. But an educated guess."

"Hmm. Good enough."

She kissed his cheek before letting him go and returning to the bed. 

"Don't get hurt this time either."

He felt the thin scar that ran inbetween his right eye and his nose down to the right corner of his check.

"I won't."

He left the apartment quietly and quickly, and entered the back seat of the black towncar waiting out front for him. The driver laughed. 

"Back at it again, huh Minus?"

"Unfortunately."

"Hehe. Good to see you postponed your retirement. Thought things were gonna go and get boring around here. A guy with your talents doesn't come around too often."

"Talents..wouldn't go and call it that, personally."

"Hey, a talent's a talent. Even if it is based around destruction."

Their destination wasn't too far. A small house on the end of a quiet street. They pulled into the driveway. 

"Well, here's your stop." said the driver. "Got a few more people to pick up, so I can't stay and watch, unfortunately."

"Sad."

"Good luck, though. They say this one is kind of unruly...hehe."

Minus exited the car and walked to the door. He knocked twice. A few seconds later, the door swung open. Standing on the opposite side of him was a woman, wearing a white jumpsuit. She smiled widely. 

"There you are! I was worried you weren't coming."
"I did say I'd be here."

"Of course, of course. Shouldn't have doubted your word. But uh, come in, come in." 

She ushered him inside, then looked outside to see if anyone was watching. She closed the door behind her.

"Well, I am Patricia, captain of this passageway," said the woman, extending her hand to shake Minus'. "We already know who you are. Our equipment is downstairs. Follow me, if you will."

She lead Minus through a hallway, then through a door, down a flight of stairs.

"I understand this Yokai is deadly." said Minus. 

"Well, it is a tad bit more powerful then what we're used to dealing with, so yes, it is more deadly," she said while looking over her shoulder. "And on top of that, it's a breed that we haven't encountered yet. But it shouldn't be anything you can't handle." She said with a smile.
The basement was almost bare, save for a single computer, a projection screen on the wall, and a large, white device that resembled a film projector. Three men scurried around the basement, making sure the equipment was operational.
"Alright, people," said Patricia. "Are we ready?"
"Yes ma'am!" they confirmed. Patricia turned to Minus.
"Alright. The DBD setup should only take a moment. Just try and relax."
She turned her attention to the projector. Minus removed his suit jacket and placed it on the plastic straightback chair leaned up against the wall behind him. As he rolled his shirt sleeve to his elbows, he thought of Mya, crying. He tried to shake the image from his head, but it wouldn't leave. He sighed.
"This has to be the last time." he said to himself.
"Is the DBD ready?" asked one of Patricia's assistants. She gave him the thumbs up. "Alright..activating disruptor program...now!" he double clicked an icon on the computer. The projector began to whir.
"Are you ready, Mr. Minus?" asked Patricia.
"...I suppose so. Let's get this over with."
The  projector emanated light onto the screen. A circular hole began to appear, its edges shimmering. It grew larger and larger, until the entire projector screen showed the parking lot of a convenience store.
"This is where we pinpointed its location," said Patricia as she handed Minus an ear piece. He put it in, and arched his eyebrows.
"I don't see anything." he said.
"Well..we think this one has the power of invisibility."
"Interesting."
Minus made his way to the screen.
"Good luck out there!" said Patricia.
"Yeah..."
He stepped through the screen, into the parking lot. The portal flashed, then disappeared. It was dark, the streets totally empty. Minus looked around.
"Even if it's invisible, I should still be able to feel it's presence..Maybe she was wrong."
A large black van came roaring down the road, quite suddenly. Minus immediately recognized its design.
"A trap.." he muttered to himself.
The van turned into the parking lot, and came to a squealing halt. Men dressed in black body armor with the acronym DDS emblazoned on their chest in large white letters poured out of the back door of the van, all carrying automatic rifles. They quickly surrounded Minus, taking aim.
"Don't move!" yelled a member of the squad. "One twitch and you're dead! Put your hands behind your head, and get on your fucking knees! Now!"
"Can't." replied Minus. "I've got a busy day tomorrow."
"Get down! I won't say it again!"
"You won't have the chance.."
"What?"
Minus closed his eyes.
"Fire."
Bright blue flames began to circle around Minus, originated from an unseen source.
"What the fu..."
"Burn:"
The flames burst out in all directions in massive tendrils, consuming the squad in an azure blaze. There was no chance to retaliate.Minus adjusted his tie. He tapped his ear piece
"-inus, are you th-why didn't you turn your communicator on!?" screeched Patricia into his ear.
"I never turn the communicator on..anyway, there aren't any Yokai here. The DDS guys are getting smarter, it seems. They must have sent out some energy signals similar to Yokai energy to through us off."
"Yes, it would seem as such. It's shame they're so hostile towards us. We're only trying to help.."
"Hmm. Help."
"What?"
"Nothing. I'm ready to come back now."
"Alright, we'll reopen the portal. Stand bye."
The portal became visible, almost immediately.
"Technology's getting better..finally.." muttered Minus. Immediately after he spoke, the portal disappeared.
"Patricia.." said Minus.
"Hold on, hold on...something's...somethings not right here. Let me...check the DBD..what's wrong wi-the frequency? Minus, I think there's something wrong on your side. Someone's interfering with-ur frequ-losing connecti-Minus, you're in danger! Get out of-"
The communicator went dead.
"Fuck." signed Minus, rage building inside of him. "This cannot be happening now. Not now. Dammit!"
He punched the pole of the stop sign next to him. It bent inwards, the sign now facing the ground.
The communicator caught a signal.
"Huh? Patricia? What's goin-"
"Minus?" said a distorted voice. "Is this the Instrument known as Minus? Please answer."
"Ye-yes. Who the hell are you?"
"Call me Sirus. In thirty seconds, the area you're standing in will soon be flooded with the alien life forms you and your ilk refer to as 'Yokai'. If you can defeat them all without dying. I will assist you in returning to your dimension."
"What? Cut the bullshit and tell me what's going on!"
"Interesting. You're much more excitable then what you were described as. Anyway, fifteen, seconds, try not to die."
The communicator went dead as otherworldly screams began to ring throughout the neighborhood. Minus clenched his fists.