More stuff on the architecture of the International Heroes HQ: It was built to last, to endure, and to stand against all but a nuke. However, it was also built with the assumption that nothing lasts forever, as well as to be as easily evacuated as possible, both in response to internal and external threats. So, as Patel began to destroy the hallways and crush the people with their walls, some bits of said walls began falling, not sideways towards the unfortunate people, but straight down, into hidden slots in the ground. Basically, remember those sections of wall that are pulled down under the earth, revealing a hidden passage in video games? Something like that, but larger, creating wider hallways and thus a chance for more people to survive.

At the same time, the foundations, which were made up of tiny shellfish-like organisms that take carbon dioxide from the air and transform it into calcium carbonate, creating a though cement-like substance that's stronger than actual concrete, would begin glowing; said organisms were made by normal human geniuses manipulating metahuman materials, and thus had some residual metahuman power that repelled Superpowers below S, and resisted Superpowers above it for at least several minutes. As for the roofs, builder drones, armed with biotech organisms that fulfilled the same functions as nanobots, but were less vulnerable to technopathy, would dissolve said roofs down to goo, allowing Cedric a much faster way of arriving downward, as well as allowing Fighter Drones to sail down and further engage Patel.

Not merely that, but normal troops in body armor, armed with the best in Anti-Meta technology, would begin to surge into the areas cleared by Patel, shooting shotguns filled with Anti-Meta bullets, and throwing grenades filled with power-suppressing foam - good for below A-class - and a few even fired more lasers, before trying to withdraw into a clear area in order to try and futilely get out of range.