Rainmaker answered Arachnid, "CPD has already set up a perimeter around the shopping center with snipers and a whole bunch of patrol cars, the villains won't be getting out no matter what happens. The SWAT Teams have already cleared a few sections of the mall but they've been pinned down and are securing a cordon around the inner sections, where the villains are. We'll be going in alone. We don't know how many people are in the mall but we can assume many of them have been taken hostage. If you encounter any wounded, do what you can and let Evergreen do her best to patch them up. We'll call in medevac as needed. We can expect at least two dozen thugs with assault weapons, possibly more. The building has suffered no major damage as the villains simply came in through the doors. St. Michael, myself and the official Leaguers will take on the villains directly. The rest of you will give us support as needed but if you see any civilians your main job is to secure them." When Arachnid mentioned her theory Rainmaker's face remained passive, "We can't speculate at this time but rest assured, we will capture and interrogate the villains." 

The VTOL came closer to the shopping center and the doors opened, allowing the heroes to view a massive police blockade around the shopping mall with several teams of SWAT officers inside the building itself trading fire with armed thugs. Rainmaker spoke up again, "Nimbus will throw in a big gust to get them off balance then I'll give us some cover inside. St. Michael goes in first and then we storm the building and neutralize the threats. Equip yourselves with these infrared goggles to help you see through the mist." The heroine flew out the gunship's doors with her team in tow. They entered the barricaded zone and entered the mall. Bullets were being traded back and forth, and Shade a diminutive Caucasian man and Surgeon, a lanky african-american man were firing away with pistols next to half a dozen of their henchmen who had assault rifles, taking cover and firing at the SWAT teams. Permafrost was in the lead and firing ice blasts at the police, shielded behind a block of ice. 

Rainmaker nodded at Nimbus who raised his arms and fired a massive gust of wind, knocking over the villains onto their backs and shattering Permafrost's cover. Shade suddenly disappeared and Surgeon extended his twelve-inch razor claws before getting back to his feet. Permafrost was dazed and cut by several ice shards, and was slowly getting a hold of himself. Rainmaker created a mist inside the building and fired a few lightning bolts which shocked a couple of henchmen who got back to their feet. Rainmaker shouted, "Go!" 

Back at the Hall of Heroes, once the recruits made their way inside the hall they were ushered into several different rooms. Along the way they passed a grand sign declaring the building to be the Hall of Heroes and headquarters of the League of Heroes. Several staff and established members cast appraising glances at the recruits as they made their way through the clean and impressively sized hall. Our heroes and a few other recruits found themselves in a small briefing room where Pariah stood at the head of the room next to a large door. There was just enough room for Neutro to stand. Pariah stared at the recruits for several seconds before he said, "Zenith may have a lot of confidence in you, but that confidence is not shared by me. Perhaps a couple of you are people I can actually trust to get the job done," Pariah inclined his head to Strix, Warp, and a few other heroes he knew, "But the rest of you are much more suspect." 

"If you want to join this League, then you'll have to pass a course of my own design. It is an urban obstacle course and the objective is to secure a bus full of civilians from a group of metahuman terrorists. Along the way you'll encounter several armed henchmen and terrorists who will be played by existing staff and members we have at the League. Along with a few surprises of my own. You will neutralize all threats non-lethally. You will not harm any bystanders, who will be Aurora's projections. You will inflict minimum collateral damage. And you will do so as quickly as possible." 

Pariah stared each and every one of them down in the eye or what passed for eyes, "Failure to do so will mean failure to join the League. This course will be followed by evaluations from League Members. Any questions?"