“This is a Goddamn terrible idea!” Silvertongue's griping was starting to wear something awful on Volt's nerves. After all, it wasn't like the hacker was in any danger, safe as he was sitting in his room in front of a computer screen. It wasn't like it was Silvertongue who had just walked past a police cordon carrying a stack of pizza's to a bunch of deranged, superpowered, killers, wearing the borrowed clothes and cap of a pizza boy. The icing on the cake had to be the live grenade sitting in his jackets pocket though, an intimidating weight to it even knowing it was just a flash-bang.[I] Ah, the joys of being a superhero I spose. [/I]

Shank and Bouncer had spotted him now, a look of incredulity on their faces at the sight of him. Shank gripped the bank manager even tighter. 

“What the fuck is this!” snarled the knife wielding teleporter. Bouncer looked on with the kind of detached curiosity that a cat would give a mouse just before it pounces. Looks like its show time. Volt tried to make himself look as timid and afraid as he possibly could (not the hardest of acts at that precise moment) as he edged closer to the villains. 

“I dunno man, it's p-p-p-pizza's man. . . They told me you wanted p-p-p-pizza's man, told me to bring you p-p-p-pizza's man. . . “ Stuttered the Lighning-Slinger in his put upon Chicagoan accent, a convincing tremble to his voice. The act was easy to pull off, seeing as Tommy felt near terrified. The only thing that kept him from turning tail and running, the thing that always kept him from running, was the knowledge that this was his responsibility. People were in trouble and he had the ability to help. 

“Fucking pizza! That was just a joke!” growled Shank. The teleporter shoved his hostage towards Bouncer and stalked towards Volt. The knife wielding crook grabbed the top box of pizza and tore it open. Hi-Voltage wasn't sure what the robber was expecting to find in the pizza box, but pizza didn't seem to be at the top of the list. Shank's jaw went slack in shock before he burst out laughing, laughing so much he had to hold his sides. The hostages looked on in apprehension, and Bouncer started to demand to know what was so funny. 

“It is pizza! They've acceded to our demands, we're gonna be getting outta here after all!” cackled the teleporter in glee. His mirth disappeared in a heartbeat though, his scowl sliding back into place. 

“Looks like its lunch time huh, you wouldn't mind joining us would ya?” The teleporter's hand shot out to grab a fistful of Volt's borrowed jacket. The Lightning-Slinger began to whimper, begging the crook to let him go, but was ignored outta hand. Which was good really, the plan wouldn't work half so well if the bad guys just sent Volt strolling back to safety. 

"Nah ma-a-an, p-p-p-please let me go, I ain't n-n-n-nuffin to you man," begged Volt.

“Bring those snivelling fucks back inside Bouncer, we might as well eat this grub before it goes cold” called Shank, handily ignoring Volt's pleas. Tommy realised that could only mean one thing, that his entrance inside was gonna be a mite more sudden than he would like. There was a sharp popping sound, and suddenly the airy, sunny street changed into a cool, air conditioned bank building. Volt felt his stomach lurch, momentarily struggling to keep his breakfast from making a reappearance.[I] God I hate teleporters.[/I] It looked like they were in the front lobby, as the tillers desks took up one entire line, and there was several seating areas and signage's for waiting lines. That was good, meant the heroes wouldn't have to look to hard to come and save him once things got dicey.

Shank grinned a predators smile at Volt as he forced the Lightning-Slinger into a desk-chair in the corner, before shouting to his comrades to come and get lunch. There was some choice responses from the other crooks, but sure enough they started to file into the room. None of the three had any hostages with them, which was a Godsend. Volt figured they each musta left their charges 'tied' up in their respective rooms, maybe Sarin had even left hers in the vault. This also told the Lightning-Slinger that the crooks weren't that smart, if that wasn't obvious enough from the fact that they attacked Chicago on a day like today. Bouncer came in the front door, her hostages and lackeys in tow One big lad, Volt figured him to be Boomer, looked at him and demanded to know who he was. Shank answered for him, saying that he was the pizza guy, and was stupid enough to get hauled in as another hostage. Volt felt that was a bit uncalled for, since Shank hadn't left him much choice in the matter. Didn't matter that Hi-Voltage did want to be here, the teleporter didn't know that!

“Hey Blondie, what's your measurements again? I'm ordering you're coffin now, it'll save me time later.” Silvertongue snarked in his ear, really what Volt wanted t hear just about now. The robbers were now gathered around the pizza's, tearing into the food and laughing about their supposed victory over the police and League. Volt decided they were now in the perfect position for his 'surprise'. [I] After all, there's no time like the present, right? [/I] His right hand dipped into his right jacket pocket, retrieving the grenade, his left going for his goggles.

"Euch, pizza's gone cold" complained Sarin, turning her nose up at the offending slice, like it was the worst thing to ever happen to anyone in the world. Bouncer let go of her hostages -who both fled into the corner of the room- to grab a piece herself. 

"Pizza's at its best when its cold, it . . . what the hell is that noise?" The noise in question was a faint tinkling, like a coin rolling across the floor. The villains stopped their eating to cast around, Boomer looking to the ground when he felt something knock into his feet. The exploding man felt his heart drop when he recognised the grenade. He looked up to who he thought was a pizza boy, only to be confronted by the grinning Volt who had shoved his fingers into his ears. 

"Ah, damn" the big rogue managed to get out before the flash bang exploded with a deafening burst and a blinding flash of light. The room burst into confusion and chaos, the villains struggling to understand what had happened while Volt fired bolts of lightning wherever he thought he had last seen the crooks before the world had exploded into white, knowing how crucial it was for him to keep the villains on the back foot until his allies arrived. 

The furious sounds of the melee could be heard from outside, telling the heroes gathered there that it was time to strike.