---

_{@Spoopy Scary}

---

Lihua Vuhong was always one to be on time. And dates were no exception. Right when she stepped through the doors of the Cafe, she didn't see Baron at all. That was unfortunate. Lihua found herself a seat all the way in the back, where she'd be a bit harder to discern from the other costumers. She didn't have to worry too much about people listening in on her, and her conversations, with all the chatter making one particular conversation indiscernible from another - because it'd be outright foolish to talk about NEST matters in a public setting. It'd just be jeopardizing her job for no reason. However, with her change of attire, it'd be harder for one to get the idea that she's with NEST. In fact, since she swapped out her pinstriped business suit, for a white sun dress, and a matching sun hat (Which, unfortunately, showed some of the scars on her arms), along with wedge heeled sandals. She looked less like a detective for NEST, and more like a woman on a date.

Though, it was a little funny wearing this dress.

In China, this would double as a funeral dress. It made her grin. Though, after a few minutes, Baron hadn't arrived yet. Fortunately, she was patient enough to wait for ages. Distracting herself helped. She leaned in, putting her elbows on the table, and whipped out her iPhone (Which had a white phone case). She scrolled through her text conversation last night with Meifeng, and Mika - damn those children. Two of her nieces decide to come to Verthaven and have a big ball with Meifeng, without telling her? Though, she sensed that something was very wrong with the story. There were holes in the story that Lihua couldn't ignore. She'll probe into it later. Her eyes had slid towards the door.

Her date has arrived.

Baron Moreau. Stepping into the building.... not with any particular swagger or grace. A bad leg tends to do that to you. At least he was classy enough to wear a dress suit. She grinned, almost like they were overdressed for a simple date at the cafe. Lihua put her phone back into her purse (which was in the seat right next to her - she had a concealed firearm in there, she needed to keep it close). She put her arms on the table, and folded her fingers. Which meant there were no distractions, only herself and Mr. Moreau.

"Ahhhhhhhh, you made it, Mr. Moreau," Lihua started off, a warm, half-smile, found it's way onto her face, still using the name that was apparently fake. Because what else is she supposed to call him? "The atmosphere is lovely, isn't it? It's the thing attracts people here in the first place."

Lihua, with one hand, grabbed the handle of her coffee cup, and took a sip of it. "You're looking good today. I do like your suit." She said, completely honest.

"Also, I'd like my files back, thank you."

---

_{@Spoopy Scary}

---

Fuck. Sulfur's attempt to get back at this damn city for what they did to Long Dragon just pissed off even more people. She didn't need to even look to tell that there was a horde of angry law enforcement officers right on her tail. She didn't know if she could outrun any of them - especially the Metahumans. She turned tail, but quickly spawned another glob of her toxic substance, and quickly spun around her and threw it out in drops. Inaccurate, but would certainly hit plenty of metal objects. That'd at least slow down the NEST march. Right when she reached the fire escape, one of the Fiends - one that she didn't recognize, but when a couple dozen police officers out for your blood are chasing you - climbed up the fire escape, saying,

“'ey boss!” He yelled in his best school dropout loser voice. “I found me a good escape over 'long this way! We can lose the fuzz!”

"Then let's fucking go!" Sulfur shouted at the random Fiend at the top of her lungs, and she didn't stop for a moment to question it. Her legs moved fast as they could til they brought her to the bottom of the fire escape. The second her boots hit the ground, she created another orb of her black substance, and whipped around and threw it right at the fire escape. Turning it into a cloud of toxic yellow gas that quickly went in all directions. That'd slow them down a bit. Sulfur turned and hauled ass after the Fiend, and prayed that they wouldn't catch up.

---

The next morning

"Shame we couldn't get Winnie to come with us," Ratchet said to Kate, walking down the sidewalk to the movie theatre. "At least I do things here other than play Smash on my DS."

"Oh, well," Kate replied with a shrug. "His loss."

Ratchet's eyes shifted towards the street. "I wish he would be a bit more social sometimes. He really isn't an outdoors person," she complained.

"It is what it is, Ratch'," Kate said. "Anyway, how was the party? You looked beat." Her face brightened. "Did you get drunk?" she added with a rasp in her voice.

"Why would I get--Kate, you cheeky little child," Ratchet started, before realizing that her cousin was totally kidding. Ratchet gave Kate a light shove in the arm with her wheel.

The two girls came up to a traffic light at a four-way intersection. Ratchet punched the "PUSH TO CROSS" button, then leaned up against the traffic light. "So, who's your favorite emotion? Just by the trailer," Ratchet asked.

"I think Fear is funny," Kate replied. The light turned green and the signal indicated "Walk."

"Me too, though I think Sadness is cute," Ratchet said. "Do you want to buy popcorn?" she asked. "I have money."

"Sure," Kate replied.

Ratchet and Kate strolled into the theatre and approached the ticket box. "Two, Inside Out," Ratchet requested, pulling out the two tickets that her aunt had bought at COSTCO. Ratchet and Kate got their tickets, before standing in line for concessions.

"Something did happen at the party, though," Ratchet said. "Some guy stole the host's jewelry box."

"Ouch," Kate remarked. The two girls moved up a bit in the line. "How much was it worth?"

"A lot."

"Well, duh, but how many dollars?"

"I don't know how to convert euros into dollars," Ratchet replied.

"Oh, OK."

Ratchet and Kate reached the front of the line. "Hi," said the guy at the cashier, "what can I get for you?"

"Can we have a large popcorn?" Ratchet asked.

"Of course, that'll be $9.75."

Ratchet dug a $10 bill from her pocket and handed it to the cashier, who gave her a quarter in return. Ratchet dropped the quarter into her pocket as the guy picked up a scoop and scraped several loads of popcorn, dumping it into the large bucket.

"Butter or no butter?" he asked.

"No butter," Ratchet replied.

As the two cousins walked into the theatre, Ratchet pulled her cell from her pocket and texted Jen. You want to meet today after I watch Inside Out with my cousin?

--

"Well, we did not die today," declared Fear on-screen. "I'd call that an unqualified success."

Ratchet and Kate cracked up.

In the back of her mind, Ratchet thought about the events that transpired the day before. The fight. The fact that the jewelry box was pinched. Verthaven was certainly no calm vacation spot. She wondered how the heck Kate managed to lived within all this chaos. Then again, Kate was young; she didn't have much chance to see the city's darker sides.

But for now, Ratchet and Kate immersed themselves in the tale of Riley Anderson's emotions and the turbulence of significant life changes.

---

---

The swirly pattern on the ceiling was mesmerizing in the waking half sleep. With the first rays of dawn starting to creep across the curtains it was time to get up. There might not be an NCO to whip him from sleep but it is discipline that makes a man separate from the scum in the gutter. Slowly Martin got up and shrugged into clean clothes. Same jeans, same “Thermals” different shirt, socks and boxers. He walked yawning from his room and nearly had a heart attack as he noticed the girl sleeping on the couch. Possibilities raced though his mind each worse than the last before he remembered where he was and what had happened. Risk of pulmonary embolism averted he let out a quiet breath.

Well, no need to go waking her up with the treadmill. Nothing in for breakfast either. Two birds one stone and all that. Going back and changing into sweats and grabbing a backpack he quietly snuck out the front door losing it behind him and jogged down the stairs. Leaving the building he made his way into the dawn sun along the sidewalk. The cracked slabs passed faster and faster. Most were still asleep at this time; those who weren’t were likely making their way back home from the night before.

He’d worked up a decent sweat when he stepped into the corner shop and found himself the fixings for a few stand up meals. The way homeward was quiet, seems gangs didn’t make the morning life section of the newspaper too often. He jogged up the stairs as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the other residents.

Quietly slipping back in Martin sorted his purchases into the fridge. Precious goods safely stored in the hallowed vault he stepped off to take a shower. Stripping and stepping into the plastic basin, the hot water fell soothing. He could feel the anticipation of the work building in his gut. It grew legs and turned its head, opening its eyes. Dried off he stepped back into jeans and a shirt. There was a new mission for the time being.

The hob called its siren song and Martin reciprocated with pan and piles of bacon followed by eggs and bread. Sizzling and crackling filled the air heralding an aroma fit for the gods. A blur of spatula movements ferry meat, egg and fried bread to plates in two massive glorious piles. Silently setting the plates on the table he sat down and began invading the nation state that was breakfastlund.

_{by @Spoopy Scary and @Mr Allen J}

---

'Shit, okay, now I'm here. Just gotta bring 'er back now.'

"Follow me, eh!" Grit called as he set his feet on either side of the railing on the ladder and slid back down to the alleyway. He had go back the direction he came while not looking suspicious, or at least, try to make it look like he was on her side. Maybe he could throw off the police department. That'd at least make his own odds of surviving more likely. He reached inside the fanny pack that he wore on the back of his get-up and grabbed what a smoke bomb. Pulling the pin, he launched it in a direction away from the direction they were supposed to be heading, with a white smoke trailing behind it.

"Smoke bombs," Washe always said, "good for covering escape, even better for diversions."

If he could mislead their pursuers as to where their location is, the further he can lead Sulfur without being interuppted.

"Come on!" He called again as he darted off through one alley with his gun in hand.

Sulfur didn't know where this nut was taking her, or what he was even doing, but at least he seemed like he knew what he was doing, and where he's going. Compared to most of the other drugged out fools that make up this gang that thought the underpass is a good hiding spot. Regardless, Sulfur kicked it into high gear, and started running faster than before. She pretty much ignored the smoke bombs he just tossed.

Grit looked behind him, surprised that Sulfur was able to catch up as easily as she did. One of the more athletic ones, eh? Regardless, he couldn't just downright sprint through the city. That's what Washe said at least - how all the druggies wouldn't have the kind of stamina he had.

"I'm takin' ya to them storage things down th' way! Should be able to lose their trail there, eh?"

It only took a quick minute for them to reach Grit's destination. There, Sulfur saw another man dressed like a Fiend. Only that this one looked much bigger than Grit, and was only an inch or two or three shorter. Beside him was a closed garage door and a broken lock on the ground beside him.

"I got 'er man, let's go!" Grit told him.

Washe rolled his eyes. Whatever persona that Grit decided to adopt was really annoying as fuck... whatever worked. With Grit's helped, both disguised Dreadnaughts bent over and stuck their fingers between it and the walkway. The sounds of the VPD were drawing closer. Working together, they got the garage door to life, and inside was a dusty old storage unit. The door on the other side was closed - though for Sulfur, likely a good thing. To remain concealed.

Sulfur came to a screeching halt right inside the garage. She heard the police and every NEST in the Estella isle drawing closer and closer. Jesus, she had to get the hell out of here... only problem was that her "hiding spot" was an old storage unit. Sulfur glanced at the two Fiends for a moment, and turned her attention back to the storage unit. There was no way in hell that she was going to run in there headfirst. She reached into a pouch that was hanging off her belt, and pulled out various pieces of metal (Nuts, bolts, needles, bullet casings, etc). She grasped it tightly in her hands, and created some of her sludge - which instantly melted the metals, and created a yellow gas.

On command, Sulfur made the gas go into the storage unit - regardless of if there was any Fiends inside or not, these idiots should have told her first. She dropped what was left of the metal, and pulled out another handful of metal, and did the same thing. Creating more gas, however, this was enough to fill the unit with the gas, and surely draw anyone smart out, and kill anyone stupid enough to stay in.

Washe approached the unit calmly a smoothly, still behind their unwitting captive. With a quick flick of a switch, the lights in the unit flickered on and all three ceiling fans began running.

Which is when the fun began.

A shiny, dark powder began to fill the room. A massive, heavy cloud creating a haze even amidst the yellow smoke. Both of the Dreadnaughts made their distance and aimed their respective firearms towards the floor of the unit where Sulfur stood.

"Allow me to explain the situation to you, Sulfur of the Fiends!" Washe yelled out.

".... THE FUCK?!" Sulfur turned around, hand on her own weapon, but she took her hand off the second she realized they had already drawn their own weapons. Fuck, this was a trap. She was stupid to fall for this too-good-to-be-true escape plan. Now, she's staring at two... whoever the fuck they work for.

Naturally, she put her hands up in the air, very begrudgingly. "Who the fuck are you two?!" She screamed at them.

Washe ignored her question and chose instead to proceed with his explanation. "You filled the room with a sulfur-based gas. Each blade of those three ceiling fans were piled up with iron that we powdered down into dust. If you remember high school even a little bit, then you would know that sulfur and iron create a volatile chemical reaction when ignited. Except this time, it's airborne dust, where we have enough oxygen between particles and the particles are close enough together that it can create a chain reaction."

Washe paused.

"An explosion. The whole floor has also been covered in tin metal sheets. This reaction, when in contact with tin, the gas increases in toxicity and becomes corrosive. Make one wrong fucking move, we'll shoot the floor and sparks will fly."

Grit looked at his superior somewhat appalled by the plan he had cooked up this time. "Damn, Caesar, you have no chill."

The weight of the situation, and what's clearly going to happen next, nearly made Sulfur break down into a fit of rage. She was twitching, but clearly trying to hold it in. She didn't want to give them the satisfaction of winning... but she'd rather live. Even though she's probably going to get shanked to death in a maximum security prison.

"You fucks... fuck all of you if you think you can pull this shit on me and get away with it! Khan will bust me out!" Sulfur shouted at them.

"Yeah, I know." Washe growled at Sulfur. "That's stage two of this plan, here."

Behind all of them, the garage door was pulled upwards by a strong, revealing Agent Michelle Gallus, and behind her was a group comprised of various National Guardsmen, Police, and NEST Agents. Michelle raised an eyebrow, and took a few steps in. She pointed her shotgun at them, and shouted, "Everyone, on the ground now!" The rest of the officers behind her aimed their guns too.

Washe and Grit looked each other, slightly annoyed that they had been caught in this situation in the end. Both of them, in sync, slowly knelled on the ground with their guns set in front of them - Grit's .50 BFR, and Washe's .45 colt and sawed-off triple threat. However, as they did so, Washe said as calmly as he could (which means some semblance of anger and annoyance lacing his voice), "just whatever you do, keep some of your guns trained on this bitch's head."

The two set their hands behind their head. However, this position was also a good opportunity to pinch the back of their masks slip them off their heads. Fortunately, the contained space of the storage unit was enough to keep all the gas contained like a miniature ecosystem.

They might not have worked with agent Michelle Gallus just yet, but it wasn't far-fetched that they might have developed any kind of profile that would help identify them. They have security cameras in their HQ lobby, after all.

"You're... Oh God," Michelle thought out loud, as she realized who these two "Fiends" were: Dreadnaughts. Sam and (after a rather annoying conversation) Lihua told her about them, and she reviewed a few things. Good God, looks like she was beaten to the punch by mercenaries. That annoyed her quite a bit, since she was looking forward to breaking Sulfur's spine for what she's done to those Agents. All that'd happen now is that Sulfur would look forward to a lifetime of rectal thrashing behind bars - if she doesn't get shanked by a rival gang member by them.

Michelle put her gun in her other hand, and ordered the rest of the Agents, "Those two are on... our side." She hesitantly spoke about the Dreadnaughts. Because they really work for whoever gives them money. No honor, or convictions.

However, every Agent trained their guns on Sulfur. "You, don't move a muscle," Michelle said, her shotgun aimed dead into Sulfur face as she took more and more steps closer. With her free hand, she reached behind her and pulled out a power inhibitor collar, and clamped it around Sulfur's neck. Removing that problem. And Michelle quickly reached into her belt, and disarmed her of her pistol. Removing the other.

A pair of NEST Agent had walked around her with handcuffs, and put them onto Sulfur, before they hauled her out of the garage, and into a NEST truck.

"Well... gotta say," Michelle started off, looking at the Dreadnaughts. "Thanks for the assist."

The two stood back up and rearmed themselves with their weapons. Washe brushed the dust off his pants. "I recommend waiting for all the dust to settle down, and later, getting a team to scrub this place clean if you don't want the place going up in flames."

"Yeah, yeah, we got that covered." Michelle said, silently feeling sorry for whatever idiot has to clean up this mess. "Alright, I gotta report this." Michelle nodded her head, and turned towards the garage door with her hand on her communicator.

"I got a man that can handle the interrogation for you." Washe claimed. "Guaranteed results."

"Hmph..." Michelle grunted, "I'll keep that in mind."

Washe turned around dug into his pocket for a cell-phone, and began dialing a number.

---

“Oh, thank you. You've a lovely dress, yourself.” Baron responded endearingly. He made a pleasant glance up at a casually-dressed server who came by to take his order.

"Also, I would like my files back, thank you." Lihua said.

However, as Lihua made her request, Baron was in the process of speaking with his server, prompting a brief moment of confusion. “An espresso, please – uh, hm? I'm sorry, what was that? Your files? Oh, oh! Pardon me, I thought those were copies that you let Caesar have. Why would you ever want those back?”

'Looks like she caught on already - I've got a sharp one on my hands.'

"Oh? From what I remember, I only gave him the information on the Fiends, and the Undercover Agents - not the shipping records." Lihua couldn't help but grin. He was either playing dumb, or he didn't have any idea what she was talking about. But, she was certain that he was the one who made off with the shipping records. She kept her eye on them, and neither of them got close to her desk. "And, in my line of work, you can't make rookie mistakes like giving someone the wrong information by mistake."

"Shipping records..." Baron repeated curiously. "Why would we ever... oooh! Okay, that must be it, it makes sense now. See, when we turned in last night, one of the papers had a bunch of time logs and company names and we couldn't make heads or tails of it without any context. Shipping records... that makes sense now. I must have taken it by accident when I set my papers down. I must have mixed them up! My mistake, I'll own up to it. I'll see if I can drop it on your desk at headquarters soon today."

Lihua didn't exactly buy Baron's story... but she wasn't going to raise a big fuss about it either - because there was no real need to. There was nothing in those files that were incriminating, or top secret. Just something that pertains to her investigation. Long as she got them back, she would be happy.

"I need those files, they are relevant to a separate investigation the Director assigned me to." Lihua said,

"Yes, of course." Baron conceded, bowing his head and pressing his palms together in apology. "I am so sorry for inconveniencing you like that. I'll get them back to you as soon as I can, cross my heart."

"Thank you." Lihua genuinely said, taking a sip of her coffee. Like she said before, long as the files got back to her. Though, she was personally wondering what he'd do with it if he intentionally took them. They were just shipping records useless to his mission.

Regardless, she wasn't going to mull on the subject any longer. It was a date, after all. She took one more sip of her coffee, and said, "I have to say... it is surprising that the Dreadnaughts got involved in all of this," Lihua started off, "Taking on a gang of drug addicts seems... below your pay grade."

Baron laughed quietly and softly to himself. "Yeah, I suppose so..." He admitted. 'So now she's asking about our mission. I supposed it wouldn't hurt to tell her as little as possible. Enough to lead her in a faux direction.'

"You see... the mission, as its core, is to help return Verthaven to stability. For the government to regain control of it."

The server returned with Baron espresso, who gladly took it from him and took a sip from it - guaging its flavor and how hot it was. He set it back down on the table.

"...And I think we both know that a couple of drug gangs aren't really the problem causing this instability."

"Of course not," Lihua answered. She understood his first statement (while wondering if this mission was really above him). "It's more than obvious that someone is pulling the strings... because, since when did a band of worthless meth heads get enough weapons to arm a small nation? Or get drugs that give them pseudo-powers?"

"That's right." Baron agreed. "My mission pertains to activities within the city, though I have no problem deviating from that boundary if it is to my benefit. Calling for my back-up now might take some time for them to mobilize. I don't know if this is within NEST's or this city's jurisdiction, but here's my suggestion: once you get your logs for your investigation back, and you think you found a shipping route that supplies the enemy, terminate the source before you hunt down the receiver to starve them."

Once again, Lihua couldn't help but grin. Of course. She thought to herself. "I will do everything necessary to put an end to this." She said. "I have a lead, in fact," She said again, quietly. Hopefully drowned out by the chatter of the cafe. "During the Fiend's attack, there was a shipment arriving in the Eureka Harbour... that strangely has no information on it."

She took another sip. "So, that means that someone got a little... sloppy." Lihua wasn't going to say when she was going to investigate it. That would be rather idiotic, even if she was hoping that their conversation would be inaudible.

Baron took a sip of his own drink, his smiling face dimming to a colder, serious demeanor. "If it wasn't a gang that was on your hands, I'd consider looking at the other shipments from other routes. A blank spot in a sea of information. If your target is someone clever, then they just lured you right into their trap. It's an obvious lead. Have you considered the idea that some of those apparently filled records might be forged?"

Hmmm... Yeah, she hadn't considered that. It could be a trap, and she couldn't afford risking her life for this. "I... hadn't thought of that." She said, speaking in a lower, more hesitant tone. Like it hurt her pride to admit. "But... I have little other leads... hmmmm...." She thought out loud. She was still considering going - just not alone, perhaps.

"Think of this like chess." Baron explained. "You make your moves based upon whether or not your prediction is true. If you walk straight into their trap, they're not gonna be just one step ahead of you. They'll be two steps. Three steps. Five. Ten. If you follow their prediction, they set the playing field for the rest of the game."

"... You are very correct there, Baron." Lihua admitted. Walking into their trap would screw NEST over, and possibly get her killed (or permanently taken out of action). "This means that I'll have to change the game." She said, starting off. "Come up with a different method of going about this investigation of mine."

Baron couldn't help but laugh to himself. "Look at us," he started, "on a date and all we can talk about is work."

"... You can say that I'm really dedicated to this job." Lihua said, with a smirk on her face.

Baron just grinned. "Well since it doesn't look like you'll be asking..." He said as a joke. "I'm a neuropsychologist. I come from Quebec, have a history in the psychology, psychiatry, and investigative fields, and I like really old wines. I have a shelf full of them... and I have a Great Dane I named Pavlov, though I didn't bring him with me. Hobbies include traveling, collecting music records, and linguistics."

Looks like they're done talking about business... which Lihua was perfectly fine with. It started with her asking about the files, and went on from there. Baron told her about himself, and she figured that she should do the same at least.

"I enjoy wine every now and then, too." Lihua started off. "I figured that it's my turn... I'm a Chinese immigrant that served in the PLA for a long time, before I was booted because they found out about my ability. I came to America at the suggestion of my brother, and joined NEST as an intelligence officer." That was somewhat incorrect, but she hoped that Baron couldn't read minds. "And... I have two daughters, and I enjoy yoga, and the finer aspects of life." She finished.

"Amen to that." Baron said raising his espresso at the mention of the "finer aspects of life". Though a flag went up at the metion of her daughters. Not necessarily a problem for him, but in Lihua's line of work, that was a liability. A liability that Baron personally could not afford.

Before he was able to take a drink of the espresso, his phone began to ring. He reached into his pocket, and there it read "Caesar" (best to keep the identities of his comrades safe in every medium), and he raised one finger to Lihua in a request to pardon him. He answered his phone.

"Zombie speaking." He answered at the risk of an enemy getting a hold of the phone, or if someone tapped the line.

"Sulfur's been caught. Meet up with us at NEST HQ, we could use ya."

"Right, heard that. See you there."

He hung up the phone with a click and gave Lihua a friendly smile. "Well, that was one of my colleagues. Looks like they apprehended Sulfur."

Two Fiend lieutenants out of commission in barely the span of a day? Well, this is good news at least. Not surprising, however, as they are all drug addicts. They can't be that clever in a gang like the Fiends. Though, that line of thought is why they became a problem in the first place.

"Excellent," Lihua said, "I think I'll head over to the Headquarters, I want to see this for myself. And who knows? Maybe she knows something."

"Then it works out perfectly. I've been called in as well..." Baron informed. He seemed to hesitate at first. "Miss Vuhong... if it looks as though she doesn't intend on talking... please, let me ask you to leave for that time being."

Lihua nodded her head, "Affirmative." She got the idea of what he planned on doing.

Baron's smile returned to his face. He shot back the espresso, set it on the table, and stood up from his chair. His eyes glimmered as he offered Vuhong a hand. "We'll be off then."

---

_@ToadRopes

---

Pant, pant, pant...

Jennifer was running through the alleyways of the city, which have suddenly become nearly endless. Dark, but bright enough so that she still knew where she was going. She was running fast as her legs could take her. There was a group of people behind her, she was too scared right now to look behind her.

That meant death.

She kept running and running, and running, until the whole scene changed. She found herself under a bridge. That bridge. She quickly looked around, and Penny - the young girl with the porcelain white skin, and dressed in dirty clothes that were appropriate for a girl her age - appeared.

"Jenny, hey!" She said, and it caught Jennifer's attention.

"Penny, come her-" The girl gasped, and ran off, and Jennifer turned around.

The first thing she saw was a shadow-y figure, his features were obscured... but the gun he was holding... she could see that clear as day. A Desert Eagle.

"Time to say goodbye, freak..." He calmly said.

All before Jen heard a raging boom, and then... nothing but the white light from the muzzle flash.

---

---

Jen quickly shot her upper body up into a sitting up position, loudly letting out a gasp. Her heart was racing. Panting as she looked around to realize where she was.

In her bedroom. Wrapped in her covers. Wearing a T short, and some underwear.

It was... just a nightmare.

It truly is one thing after another in this city.

Why does she keep having nightmares about it every night? It was over with! She made it out unscathed. Jen put her hand on her forehead, ruffing her hand through her bangs. Okay, okay, okay... I just need to distract myself - remind myself of all the good things I have. She thought to herself - when it was so hard to think in the middle of all the panting. Ever since the incident, I'm... doing better socially than ever before. I've made so many friends in the span of a day, and... I appreciate each and every one of them, giving me a little bit of attention. I... still have my brothers, and my sister, and my mother isn't doing well, but I know she'll get better. Everything is fine. I am fine, my family is fine, and my friends are fine.

Jennifer let out a sigh, and her heart went down. She laid down on her back for a moment, and just thought happy thoughts from here on in. That helped... but she couldn't repress the welling dread inside of her.

And she wondered if she ever could.

Opening her eyes, Jen reached to the nightstand, and grabbed her phone. She shifted through the text messages. Not much, other than one from Meifeng (Had fun at the pary wit u, u should drink les or dat liver of yours will explode. lmao), and another from Ratchet, one that actually caught her eye,

You want to meet today after I watch Inside Out with my cousin?

Well, sure. She'd love to go meet Ratchet, and get some of these thoughts out of her head. Last time she saw Ratchet was at the party - after the situation with the jewels was settled, Jennifer parted ways with Meifeng, and Ratchet, and went home by herself. A risky move, but Jen knew her way around Verthaven. Just stay on the train, or the ferry, and don't talk to anyone. At least that's what she was told when she head off to school.

Either way, Jen shot Ratchet back a text;

Yeah, sure, we're going to meet at Knightdale? I'm on my way, just give me a place where you want to meet.

It took a second or two to type, but she sent it successfully. Well, she better get ready for the trip, if she gets ready now, she can be there by the time Ratchet's movie is over. She threw the covers off herself, got off the bed, and stood at the side. Taking the few moments to make her bed, before turning to her dresser to get a t-shirt and some jean shorts. She quickly draped it over her arm, and began a light jog down the hallway into the bathroom. From there, she took off her clothes, and undid her ponytail, before stepping into the shower.

With one turn of the nozzle, she was letting warm water hit her naked flesh, washing off the dirt of the previous night with a wash cloth.

Few minutes later, and Jen stepped out of the shower, quickly putting on her outfit for the day, and only returning to her room to grab her phone, her sneakers, her wallet (and some pocket change), and her 3DS XL. Putting on her sneakers, Jen was right out the door expecting to be hit with the brutal sun, but this morning, it was pretty cloudy. It looked like rain, which his good. She was getting tired of the hot days anyway.

Jenny started walking down the streets of University Row, which had school after school. Usually families live in Central Valley, but the Caspins found a new house in University Row. Though, there was no way in hell that she was going to walk all the way to Knightdale Rows (Which requires passing Union Point Hills (No), or Downtown (Which is still locked down)). She decided to take a more... scenic ride.

It wasn't long before Jennifer came up to a river, and in her gaze was a small wooden dock. Jenny walked up the dock, and came up to a ferry boat. She put a few dollars in as she walked onto the boat, and found herself a seat near the front. She pulled out her DS, and started playing Advance Wars Dual Strike.

Ignoring all the scenery that could occupy her attention instead.

_{by @Spoopy Scary and @Mr Allen J}

---

"Alright, just give it up already, Sulfur," The NEST interrogator, a middle-aged Caucasian man clad in a black pinstripe suit, and a had on a slicked back head of hair. "Just tell us where Khan and the rest of your Fiends are, you're already looking at a lifetime in prison."

Sulfur just kept her mouth shut. Her head firmly turned away from the man - which was rather uncomfortable with the power suppressant collar on her neck.

"... Just fuck off already. I told ya', I'm not telling you NEST fucks shit." Sulfur just dismissively said to the NEST Agent. It ain't like telling them anything would help her. Just like this fool said, a lifetime of prison... and there's no way in hell that Khan would let her stay in here. So she had little reason to tell them what little she knew.

It went back and fourth from there with little progress.

---

It wasn't a long trip to the NEST Headquarters from the Sunny Delights Cafe. It took Lihua, factoring out the traffic, around ten minutes to get there. She stepped through the front doors of the building with Baron trailing behind... and immediately wished that she had time to head back and put on a suit. This dress ruined her professional visage! Hopefully, anyone at NEST wouldn't notice. Now, the first thing in Lihua's path was the metal detector (which doubles as a Metahuman detector). This was simple; she reached into her purse, and put her NEST ID into the machine, and a green light appeared that allowed her to simply walk in (despite the fact that she had a firearm in her purse). Baron watched her throughout the process, and determined it was wisest to stick closely to her following the green light, as to prevent causing a ruckus himself.

"Looks like you're finally here." Washe grumbled. He was already sitting comfortably on one the chairs in the lobby, though Grit was nowhere in sight.

"There was traffic, but we made good time all things considered." Baron answered.

[i]'Now, if they had captured a high profile target, the first place they'd take me is the interrogation room - while the capturing Agents should be filing out processing paperwork.' Lihua thought. That's where she needs to be. She hasn't personally participated in any interrogations (There was no need up until now), but that doesn't mean she'll miss out on any vital information that Sulfur may blurt out. Lihua started making her way to the interrogation room. Though, she felt that she should change into a suit first... she wondered if there was any time.

"You might wanna get in there yourself," Washe added, "the dumb ass there now ain't getting shit. Hope he di'n't tighten the lid for ya too much."

"Loud and clear." Baron responded, then began to follow Lihua through the building, hoping for her to lead him straight to the Fiend that Washe and Grit had apprehended. 'Sulfur, was it? Let's hope, indeed...'

When the pair had finally reached the room and faced the tinted windows, he saw Sulfur sitting indignantly in her chair, and the interrogater was standing up with his hands on the table, hunched over, and getting right in his victim's face. Baron sighed and prepared two cups of coffee. 'Ideally, I might prepare baba ganoush to share, but we're a little short on time.'

He turned around to face Lihua with an odd mixture of a smile and irritability. "Alright, get that man out of there. I'll be taking over."

"Gladly," Lihua said. She doubt this fool would make any real progress anytime soon, so how about they try something... different? Lihua simply pulled out her communicator from her purse, and slid it into her ear. Hm... NEST's interrogator for today is Agent Roberts, right? Well, doesn't matter if she's wrong.

"Agent Roberts," Lihua started, putting her fingers to her communicator, "Your services are no longer necessary, someone else will be taking over."

Agent Roberts, the interrogator, nodded his head, saying a few passing words to Sulfur before walking out.

"Hmph, I hope she knows something...." Lihua muttered under her breath. She wished they didn't kill Long Dragon now. They could have gotten something out of him alive at least. If she gets something that pertains to her investigation; that would be great - but unlikely, because she's a god damn meth head.

"Your turn, Baron." Lihua said.

Baron smirked at Lihua as she muttered to herself. "I know what you're thinking. You wished we had someone more useful than her? Dragon wasn't too bright a fellow, from what I could get. Doubt he'd have been much better. Sulfur's our best bet. She at least seems... more sober."

"I guess you're right..." Lihua replied. "I doubt that we'll be able to get another lieutenant after they catch word of this, so I guess we'll have to make due." She quietly mused.

He nodded to the interrogator who walked out of the room - noting the alarming similarity in their dressware and hairstyle. He faced her again with a reassuring smile, "If all goes according to Caesar's gamble, we won't need another lieutenant. Anyways... wish me luck!"

Oh God.... Lihua thought to herself. What is that man up to?

Without further ado, Baron hobbled off and pushed against the door with his back, having both his hands occupied with the cups of coffee. He turned around, meeting Sulfur's bitter expression with a friendly smile. "Don't you worry, we might look similar, but that guy is just trying to copy my style." He joked. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery though, eh?"

"Go fuck off." Sulfur immediately said. "You think you'll get something out of me where he fucked up? Good fucking luck."

"Hey, if nothing else, even your respect would be enough for me." Baron admitted. He set the cups of coffee down on the table. One on his end, and one on Sulfur's. "Like I insinuated before, pay no heed to, uh... agent... Roberts, was it? I'm the real deal."

He looked at the collar on Sulfur's neck for a brief moment, his arms crossed and one hand pinching the skin on the bottom of his chin. His eyes were narrowed on her in thought.

"Good God, that looks uncomfortable." Baron remarked. He turned around to face the windows. "Excuse me, does anyone here have a key for this thing? It's a real eyesore. Let's get her out of there."

Immediately Lihua's fingers went to her earpiece. "Are you insane? She'll gas the whole building!" Maybe she was underreacting, or this was apart of Baron's plan. Even the bitterness in Sulfur's face was replaced with surprise.

"If you're going to bring dangerous metahumans into your headquarters, I suspect this place will be made of some kind of meta-proof material and be locked down tighter than a nun's chastity belt. If you're worried about me, don't! I'll be fine, I promise."

A joke that crass was usually beneath Baron. It was more for Sulfur's entertainment than anything else.

This could easily end badly. Baron was correct (It was more of Lihua's shock at the insanity of Baron's request). Yet, she was more worried about him than the rest of the base. Far as she could tell, he didn't have an immunity to poisonous gas. All that'd happen is that he'd choke to death, and Lihua would be sadden by his loss... then realize that she's stuck with the other two.

Though, it was against all logic, Lihua was going to give Baron the benefit of the doubt. The room was concrete, and she'd make sure that Sulfur doesn't get out.

With a nod of her head, she reached into a desk, and pulled out the key to Sulfur's collar. She, hesitantly, walked over to the door, and held the key out for Baron to grab (because like hell if she's going to stick around in the room when he unlocks it). Hopefully, this won't backfire on her. She handed it to him, and said,

"Here you go." Lihua pulled her way back into the room, and closed it behind her. Quickly skipping back into the room behind the mirror. Just waiting to see what Baron has planned.

Baron gladly took the key from Lihua with a wink of his eye. He turned back around and smiled at Sulfur. He paced over, not making any effort to hide his bad leg, and grabbed his coffee. Then he moved at the same pace to move behind Sulfur. He took a sip of his coffee - "ugh, damn, I never did like office coffee" - and calmly inserted the key into the keyhole of Sulfur's collar and turned it until he heard the click.

"Now--"

"... You FUCKING IDIOT!" Sulfur triumphantly shouted, as she immediately created her sludge, and started tossing it all over the room. The first thing to get dissolved was the metal of the table in front of her, and her cuffs. Quickly filling the room with yellow gas, and laughing like a maniac as it did. Because she was immune to it's effects, Baron, was not.

"Baron! Baron!" Lihua shouted into the comms as the room filled with the toxic gas. She knew it was a bad idea! Baron would certainly die in there. Before the room became fully engulfed, Lihua slammed her foot onto the ground, and pulled her arms back as if she was grabbing something. Spikes of concrete were summoned to make the door all but unexitable, as a effort to keep Sulfur in (She was sure that Baron was dead by now). Her skin died, and formed small, superficial cuts, that bled.

Baron clutched his face and squeezed his eyes as he tried to avert himself from the gas, doing all that he can to keep himself from breathing the gas - until he remembered a very crucial fact about himself. 'Old habits die hard...' He mused, though honestly surprised that he wasn't dead by now. He hesitantly let go of his face, and slowly took in a deep breath of air into his lungs.

"You know..." He started saying. He waved his hand through the air, the yellow gas dissipating and deconstructing when it came within a couple inches of his body. "I'm still not used to this. This, uh... power of mine. It's still quite new to me."

The air around him began to clear. He and even his suit appeared perfectly intact without a mark - save for his trousers, with a couple drops of coffee stains. The mug he held was melted away, except for the handle that he was still holding with his two fingers and thumb.

".... Huh?" Lihua was, equally, surprised to see that Baron was still alive, without a scratch on him. What was more surprising was that he has a power.

"... The fuck?!" Sulfur said to herself, raising an eyebrow. How the fuck did this fucknugget survive?! No one survived Sulfur's gas! "How the- Know what, fuck you, I'm out!"

Sulfur shouted, before turning to the door, and running towards it, only to be stopped when she realized that it was blocked off by concrete spikes. There was no way to get through without breaking every bone in her body.

"Fuck." She hissed to herself.

"... You planned this all along, didn't you, Baron?" Lihua slyly asked. A clever plan, she figured that he wanted to unnerve her. Make her face an opponent her tricks would do nothing to. With someone who relies on their power, and their power alone, this would be hell. Personally, Lihua would show her that, even with Sulfur power, she's hopeless against her.

Baron frowned at the table, which had most of it melted away. He faced Sulfur again with a similar look. "Look, I only wanted to talk to you. You didn't have to go and ruin the coffee I gave you."

He looked at his own cup, completely devastated. Looking down around him, he noticed drops of coffee had landed on his trousers, and he frowned once more.

"Damn it. If it's any consolation, you did inadvertently ruin my pants."

"I..." Sulfur was taking steps back, until all that was behind her was the concrete walls of the interrogation room. She had her back against the wall, figuratively. Trapped in a room with this bastard, and even if she does get out, she'll have to fight her way through hundreds of Agents.

"It's okay, you don't have to say anything." Baron assured calmly. "Call me Lucifer, if you will. Lucy is fine, if you'd prefer that."

"... I'd rather call you bastard." She was quick to spit out.

"Oh, I should try that call-sign some time!" Baron laughed. "I might be able to get a couple of laughs among the crew. Lighten the mood a bit on those dreary missions. Go ahead if you want to."

Sulfur stayed silent. Something was off here. Maybe that last bastard was here to make her cocky. "What the fuck do you want, already? Stop trying to play games."

Baron smiled. Sulfur was getting to the point. Now he could finally get to business with her. "If this is gonna take a while, we might as well have a seat."

Baron leaned his back against the wall perpendicular with the wall Sulfur was leaning against, and slid down until his butt touched the ground. He'd have more difficulty with this than Sulfur would. Right about now, he really wished that the Fiend hadn't melted down the chairs. He did nothing but stare at her until she would finally follow suit.

Well, this sucks. Not only is she trapped in here with this creepy bastard, but now he keeps trying to play friendly with her. It's a trick, she knew it. No one in this world wants to be her friend other than Khan. However, all she did was quietly sit down, and kept her eyes forward.

"We both know why I'm here." Baron started. "So I'm not gonna waste time asking you things like what your favorite color is, or what kind of food you like... though I was thinking of introducing you to baba ganoush earlier, if you're interested in that sort of thing. I wasn't gonna wait for Roberts to ruin your mood any more than it already is.

"To the point, then... what's your motivation?" Baron finally asked.

"For what? I got a lot of fucking reasons for doing what I do," Sulfur started off. "Like, I only murked those cops because you fucks killed Long Dragon." When she said "you fucks", she meant the law enforcement in general.

"For being a Fiend. Following Khan. And allow me to apologize on behalf of the VPD's twitchy trigger finger."

"Ptttttf...." Sulfur moaned, "'Cause I ain't got nobody else. I was just a random fucking druggie before I met her, and we tore up Union-Point until we assembled the Fiends. Does that answer your question?"

"Until you met her - Khan, right? What were you then? What changed?"

"Someone to fear. This city finally started paying attention - they knew that I wasn't just some drug addict they could forget about, I was one that'd kick their teeth in, and let the rest of the boys tear apart their homes and families."

Baron sighed. "I asked that because a little while ago I remembered one client I had some time ago. A boy named Justin, he came looking for therapy, or someone to listen to him. You see, this boy - he just became an adult - he was a child of two divorcees. A hyper-relaxed mother and a strict, micromanaging father. He was juggled between the two for a while. He had the option of choosing who would be his primary caretaker. Imagine the turmoil of that decision, choosing between your parents.

"Although his mother gave him zero support in any of his decisions, ideas, or thoughts, he still chose her. Her over his strict father, who still tried his best to help Justin. It's because of how human nature works. He could have lived with his father and have a secure life, but have every inch of it being controlled by him. Or with his mother, where he could have freedom, but free-fall through life. The idea of suffering through freedom is more appealing than a life in a cage. For us to choose inversely requires an immense measure of motivation, to bear all that weight just to find what we're looking for."

Baron scratched his head. "I can't believe I forgot where I was going with this. Anyway, do you connect with any of this? Any memories?"

Sulfur groaned... because he did have a bit of a point, he certainly knows exactly what to say. "... Yes." She begrudgingly said.

Baron's eyes lit up as he caught himself back on track, and met Sulfur with a soft expression. "Khan doesn't seem like the type of woman that keeps her people on a long leash. What motivation is it that keeps you working under Khan?"

"'Cause," Sulfur started, looking away from Baron. "I belong in the Fiends, there's no where else for me. Because, after all the shit I did, they aren't going to welcome me with open arms."

"Khan is like the mother to your family."

"... You could say that." Sulfur said.

'That's good. Then perhaps Isaiah's gamble might pay off.' Baron thought. "So the notorious Fiends had humble beginnings. A little family. That's pretty endearing. What happened that it evolved from the little family it was before... to the Fiends that attacked the festival? You mentioned you became something to fear, was it because of anger?"

"I don't know much... you're better off asking Travis, or Long Dragon if you hadn't killed him," Sulfur was quick to remind Baron of her displeasure. "But, there's these people... I don't know who the hell they are, but they give us the mutagen. They gave us lots of drugs, and weapons, too, if we kept using the Mutagen. That's how we kept getting bigger and bigger, more people got hooked on our drugs until we had ourselves a little empire."

She started off her story. "Out of nowhere, they told us that we'd get a big reward if we sent some men to attack the Festival while they did business. I wasn't at the festival, they made us pick up the reward at the docks."

The sound of big, heavy footsteps came from behind Lihua as she faced the glass. Washe's familiar gruff voice spoke up, "So? How's he doin' in there?"

Washe certainly broke her focus - as before she intently watching the scene, letting Baron do his job. A hand on her chin. Now, she can understand why they sent him. Lihua kept her eyes on the scene - not even turning to face Ceasar.

"He's getting her to talk. She's telling him some useful information." She said, focused on watching.

What she wanted to know was, who are these people? Well, Sulfur said that she didn't know, but she did say that Big Dong would. She doubted if she could hunt down Big Dong (if he hasn't left the city altogether).

There was a question she had. Lihua put her fingers on her earpiece yet again, and asked, "Baron, can you ask her if there's a place where they pick up what she just mentioned?"

Fifty-fifty that "she didn't know", but it never hurts to ask.

"Don't bother." Washe commented. "He ain't the type of guy to take suggestions. He might get to that eventually, but he has his own way of askin' questions... besides, a blatant interrogation question would probably give him away jus' like that." Washe snapped his fingers.

"Hmph." Lihua only offhandedly said, before going back to the scene.

Baron continued. "A reward?" He asked. "How big of a reward would that have to be? Attacking the festival is an awfully bold move."

"... A lot of power-granting serum." Sulfur just said. "Don't know what Khan's going to do with it, but she has a lot." Before going quiet.

"... Wait, what." Lihua said off the comms, her eyes were wide, and she put her hands on her desk in front of her, resisting the urge to ask Baron a bunch of - ultimately stupid - questions to ask. The Fiends, of all people, just get the ability to give people powers just like that? Who in God's name are they friends with?

Baron shared a look of surprise very similar to Lihua's. "Power-granting serums? Just how big of an organization do you need to be to develop that sort of drug?"

"Yeah, you just drink it, and you get a power," Sulfur started off. "We've been buying it from them for years now, selling them to rich fucks in Turtle-Creek, and whoever the hell else has the money to buy them. Now, we got the motherload."

She took in a sigh. "And before you get the idea, we don't make them. The fuckers Khan knows do."

"Have you ever met any of those people? The ones who give you the mutagen, that is."

"No," Sulfur was quick to say. "They mostly just talk to Khan by phone, and when they do meet in person, we're not allowed to come anywhere near them."

"So the shipments that do come in, not even the dock workers and shipmates know what they're carrying or who they come from?"

"They're either on their payroll, or have no idea." Sulfur shrugged. "Look, I don't know all the stupid details like this. I just follow Khan's orders and shut up." She told him. "I do know they come from some part of China or something... lots of those fucks on the last boat were Chinese."

Washed chuckled from behind the glass. "I wonder if she remembers we're watching. That bastard's got a habit of suckering you into a conversation."

Lihua didn't pay Washe any mind, she was thinking very hard about what Sulfur just told them. A Chinese shipping company? Back in the day, she knew everything that went in and out of China, but things must have changed if there's another organization in the mix.

"I doubt she even remembers she's in custody," Lihua turned to Washe, crossing her arms. "This might be some therapy session to her now where she confesses all her misdeeds to clear her conscious."

"If I wanted to get a hold of this serum, who should I talk to?" Baron asked.

"Khan, or Big Dong, usually handles that." Sulfur said. "I don't know where they are now."

"Wouldn't that make it hard for other potential buyers to pay the Fiends? Who sells this stuff?"

"Big Dong, usually," Sulfur said, "He's closer to these people than the others, I guess."

"And this Chinese shipping company..." Baron pondered aloud. "By Eurkea Harbor, right? Which pier should I go to meet with them?"

"Pier 12." Sulfur replied.

Baron just smiled. He pushed his hand against the floor and struggled to pull himself to his feet with his bad leg. A minor groan escaped his mouth, then stabilized himself by leaning his hand on the wall. "...You know, you sure did a number on those chairs. Can't remember the last time I had to sit on the floor."

Sulfur groaned. "Yeah, yeah..." She said, looking off to the side. If she knew her power didn't work on this fuck, she wouldn't have melted them in the first place.

Baron's pace was slower than usual, and he calmly hobbled over toward the side of the room where Sulfur was. "How old were you when Khan first found you?"

"Like... twenty-two. My parents kicked me out of college and left me on the street that year, so... it's hard to forget it."

Baron sighed. His each slow, careful footstep brought him closer to her. "It sounds like you were forced to grow up early-on. I can barely imagine how hard that year must have been for you. Your old family abandoned you and Khan was there to pick up what was left."

'Bullshit', Washe thought, 'we all remember the hell you had to suffer through.'

"... Y-yeah..." She mumbled, making sure to look away from Baron. "... It was tough until she came... but she made it easier."

"What's your real name, Sulfur?" Baron asked. His steps brought him closer to her until she was a mere two feet away from his feet.

"Ashley Murphy."

"Ashley Murphy..." Baron repeated. "That's a pretty name."

With some difficulty, he managed to kneel down in front of Ashley, an arm's length away. "Ashley," he said as he gently set his hand on her shoulder, "keep your head up. You're not alone anymore."

The intensity of the situation and welling inside her chest, in conjunction with the gravity of the situation she's in became too much for her. Ashley tried her best hold everything back by holding her breathe and squeezing her eyes shut, with every urge in her body telling her to let it all out had her chest erratically kick out. It eventually became too much.

All that came out at first was a little whimper; a little noise that escaped her. However, with whimper after whimper, more noise leaked out until she fell apart into sobbing, her hands covering her face and tears streaming between her fingers.

"You understand that you've caused a lot of trouble, don't you? You're going to have to spend a lot of time to make up for everything."

"I know... I know..." She moaned between heavy breaths sobs. She could feel her throat swell and become sore.

"Whatever happens from here on out, you won't be alone." Baron assured. "You won't be alone anymore. I'll do what I can to make sure of that myself."

Sulfur only answered with one loud moan of grief and despair within her sobbing, completely giving herself in to her miserable state.

[Deleted]

---

---

Somewhere along the Las Palmas Strip

The air was cool, but not cold. It was a pleasant morning, as far as mornings go. James glanced at his wrist watch. It was far too early to walk about the city. Hell, it was far too early to be awake at all. The Strip was different this time of day. The traffic was about as heavy as usual, but no cars were stopping or parking. They were merely passing through. After all, nearly all of the businesses in the area were closed this time of day. Accordingly, the sidewalk James was traveling on was far from crowded, with maybe twenty feet separating the pedestrians, on average.

Reaching inside the chest pocket of his black shirt, James pulled out a brass cigarette case. He thought they were a nuisance, considering how few cancer sticks they held. But Alex had been adamant about his personnel appearing 'classy', and James obliged. He pulled one out and lit it while stopping at a red light. He hadn't exactly been surprised by the call he'd received last night, given that Max had asked for it just a few days ago, but he was curious what the girl was doing. Maxine Carter was the step daughter of Hank Smith, an old Iron Cross acquaintance of James'. Smith had been picked up by NEST agents a few months ago, and if it hadn't been for the obviously strained relationship he had with his step daughter, James might've thought Max was intending to spring the man. Because that much she had made clear over the phone; she'd asked if James still had his "night job". Max clearly wanted to break in somewhere, and given that she'd reached out to James - who was merely a passing acquaintance, James had assumed it was something serious - or that the girl was desperate. Regardless, James owed Smith a favor and figured this might be the time to repay it. After all, how difficult a score could a 19-year-old rave chick ever conjure up?

Accordingly, James had suggested they'd meet the following night, but Max had wanted to meet even sooner. And it was because of this James now found himself tiredly tagging along the Strip at a quarter to nine in the morning. Stifling a yawn, James patiently waited for the green light even though the middle-aged couple beside him already hurriedly started to cross the road while there was a gap in traffic. As the light switched, James walked on and put the cigarette back in his mouth. Why are you even bothering with this, James? You should've just said no. You got enough on your plate as it is. You need to figure out what to do about the Children - and fucking Simon - not do some shit heist with a chick barely out of high school. Hell, she was probably a drop-out.

As he saw the white and red sign read out "The Maple Café", James abandoned his thoughts and stepped inside. Max wasn't here yet. He ordered some pancakes and took a seat facing the entrance and leaned back.

---

_@cider

---

A flaming cigarette was being spun in between her fingers as she casually strolled down the street.

Normally, Maxine stayed away from the Las Palmas strip whenever possible. One; because it was ran by those creepy-ass White Spiders (And Maxine refused to touch that with a twelve foot stick), and every wannabe crook (Mostly Red Crowns) comes out at night to prey on everyone who doesn't watch their ass. A pretty tough environment if you asked her - all of Verthaven was, really. It really just came down to the fact that it didn't have much for Maxine. The raves in the Strip were shit if you asked her.

Eh, it ain't about the clubs and raves here - at least not today. Today was business, the day she was going to make a move on the Fiends. She needed to get a crew together... and, unfortunately, she didn't know a damn person that was reliable other than... him. Him being James Milliner. Regrettably, one of her step father's old Iron Cross buds that she kept in contact with every time she hit up his club. She knew he was a thief, her Step-daddy talked about practically every damn time he brought up James. Maxine didn't like the dude personally, but hey, if he has talents, she thought he could be useful. If James will help her, then that's another person that'll help her pull one on the Fiends.

Last night she remembered James after bailing out of the party (Maxine left the second they started going on about stolen jewelry, she wasn't going to push her luck), and has been talking to him since. They agreed to meet in the Strip, they were going to meet in one of the many shitty cafes this city has a hard on for called "The Maple Café". Eh, if James wanted to meet there - even though nothing else is open at this hour - then that's fine. Maxine parked her truck far away from here, and walked the rest of the way.

Maxine herself stepped inside the The Maple Café, and immediately got a "No smoking indoors" from an employee, before opening the door and flicking the cigarette right out. Fucking no smoking rules are gay as hell.

One look told Maxine of James position, and she homed in on him like a rocket, quickly sliding her way into the seat across from him with a smile on her face. "... Heeeeeeeeeey sweetheart." She said, leaning back in the chair a bit.

Maxine offhandedly whistled for a few seconds as she looked up at the ceiling. "How have you been doing, James? Your "nightjob" going well? Hehe...." She asked, near sarcastically, "... Or would you rather I cut the bullshit and get to the point? You know all the shit going down with the Fiends, and the little rumour swimming around about them having a "special serum"?"

@Mr Allen J

---

"Congratulations, San Francisco, you ruined pizza! First the Hawaiians... And now you!"

Ratchet had silenced her phone in the theatre so as not to disturb anyone, but she did want to check if Jen had texted her back. She pressed on the power button of her iPhone; thankfully, she had turned the volume completely off. Sure enough, Jen had asked her where to meet.

Ratchet hunched over and typed as quickly as she could with only one hand.

Outside movie theatre near Knightsdale, she texted, before shutting her phone off again.

"Ooooh, you aren't supposed to text during the movie," Kate chided.

"Friend," Ratchet mumbled, shoving the iPhone into her overalls pouch.

"Still," Kate pouted. "Spend time with your family. Especially since Om-ma isn't going to let us talk during the wedding ceremony."

"Yikes. Don't remind me," Ratchet said, rolling her eyes. "By the way, I sent that pic of you in the flower girl dress to Holly. She said you looked cute."

"Shaddap."

Ratchet and Kate continued to watch the movie. Both of them wept for Bing Bong's act of heroism, and for Riley's reunion with her parents. Ratchet might be part machine but she still had feelings.

--

"Can you believe they only have In-n-Out in California?" asked Kate, as she and Ratchet left the theatre. Ratchet had lunch money in her pocket. The two of them had finished the popcorn early into the movie. "You east-coasters must be so deprived."

"Hey," Ratchet said, pointing at Kate with a deadpan expression. "Burgers are a thing all over the States."

"You mean McDonald's," Kate teased.

"Oh, be quiet, you know there are other stores."

"Like Wendy's, Burger King, Carl's Jr., Jack-in-the-Box..."

Ratchet rolled her eyes.

"So you're meeting Jen today?" Kate asked.

"Yeah," Ratchet replied.

"Did you bring your DS?"

"Yep." Ratchet pulled the game system out of her pocket and flicked her wrist to show that she had it. "Circle pad's falling off, though, and I've got a wonky R button; might have to replace this old thing with a New 3DS."

"Oh, boy, that sounds good."

"Who knows? Might pick one up this summer, actually," Ratchet said with a smile.

---

_@ToadRopes

---

While the boat ride was scenic, Jennifer ignored it in favor of her gaming systems and her cell phone. Halfway through the ride - when Jennifer noticed that she was approaching the Centerpiece Island - her phone buzzed, and she put her DS aside and saw that Ratchet sent her a text:

Outside movie theatre near Knightsdale

Well, that was pretty exact. Jennifer rolled her eyes. Let's see... She quickly went to her map app on her phone, and looked up movie theaters in Knightdale Rows. Not too many, fortunately. One that was about to finish a run of Inside Out, just like Ratchet said. Jenny nodded as she put her phone away, and went back to playing her DS to pass the time. Which wasn't too long since the boat docked in no time at Knightdale Rows. Jennifer put her DS away, and brushed a hand through her bangs as she stood up. She took a moment to wait for everyone else to get off before she attempted to leave the boat herself. After the coast was clear, she took steps off the boat, and it wasn't long before the ferry departed to take other people from isle to isle.

Jen proceeded slowly through the streets of Verthaven, Knightdale Rows was usually the safest part of the city. Police presence usually deterred criminals, and the gangs from really doing business in the city. So, she felt pretty safe here (Safe enough to walk all on her own). She slid her hands (and all electronics - that was a recipe for disaster) into her pockets and began walking slowly. Blue eyes open, and searching for Ratchet-

Keen eyes spotted two glowing purple orbs above a building, before it disappeared in a blur.

What was that? Jen thought to herself, wondering what in tarnation was that. She hunched down a little bit, and felt somewhat uneasy. It could have been a figment of her imagination, and at the same time, it could actually have been something - given the strange, frighting, and (arguably) fascinating world she lives in. It wouldn't hurt if Jennifer started walking a little faster.

It wasn't a super long trip before Jennifer made it to the movie theater, and, naturally, she saw Ratchet walking alongside another girl. Jennifer raised her hand up into the air, and waved it, calling out to her friend saying,

"Hey Ratchet! Over here!"

---

---

"Yeah, it's good to see you again, too." Jennifer said, scratching the back of her neck, as she walked down the sidewalk. Actually, it felt pretty good, being with a friend that is. It helped her get over her nightmares, and her other issues. She'll, maybe, be okay. Though, she feels a twinge of guilt. That she's been ignoring her search for Penny (and her dog), in favor of spending time with all the friends she's gotten. Selfish girl. Either way, Jenny was going to put some time off soon to find Penny. For now, she was just going to enjoy this, just for once. They were walking down the streets of Knightdale Rows - no destination, but did they need one? They passed an alleyway, but after a delay, someone called out to them.

"Psst, hey!" A hushed whisper called out to them - barely escaping Jenny's ears.

Which made her stop, and backtrack a bit, and peak down the dirty and dark alleyway - which had nothing but a dumpster and some darkness. "Did..." Jennifer asked.

"Hey!" Another hushed whisper, and a girl - a very young girl, wearing dirty and tattered clothes, with bright pink sneakers - peaked from behind the dirty dumpster. While she seemed like a random girl, Jennifer recognized her pretty well.

"Penny?!" Jennifer asked, surprised that she came across the girl who's search she's been neglecting.

"Sssh, they might be listening." Penny silenced Jenny before she made too much noise. "Come on, we should talk down here..."

Without wasting a second, Jennifer walked down into the alleyway, and she said "Penny, it's great to see that you're okay." Jenny said, with a smile on her face. She had so many questions she had to ask. Starting with, who are the people who might be listening. "And let's cut the pronoun game, who are "they"?"

"There's people... people after me. I don't know who they are, but I got away from them not too long ago, but they keep hunting me. I've been hiding ever since." Penny answered Jennifer's question... which added even more questions to the mix, but she wasn't going to play twenty questions.

"The Pure?" Jennifer quickly asked.

"No, worse. They're Metahumans, and they're crazy." Penny replied.

"Well, um...." Jennifer trailed off, thinking about the next thing she should say. "... Let's call NEST, they'll help-"

"No, no, no...." Penny groaned, "They have friends in NEST. They'll just grab me anyway...."

Wait, they're with NEST, too? Who are these people? "L-let's just get out of here, okay? We'll head back to my house, and sort everything out there." Jen grabbed onto Penny's wrist, and turned around, gently pulling the girl along.

The sound of something dropping at the other end of the alleyway, made Jen whip her head around - only to see the blur of a dart hitting her in the neck. Her attention, was oddly, on the dart, she pulled it out, and looked at it for a moment. The contents were dry... and she felt perfectly fine. which meant that whatever was in her wasn't doing it's job. She dropped the dart on the ground, and didn't notice it, but Penny fell face forward right into her. Jen quickly caught her by the shoulders, and noticed that she was completely unconscious.

"Penny?!" Jenny exclaimed, right as Ratchet fell over. The air down the alleyway blurred, and two purple orbs appeared out of no where. Quickly getting closer, and Jen quickly turned around, and started running...

Only to be stopped by the massive frame of the Nemesis. He reached forward, and his massive hand utterly consumed her face.

And then there was darkness.

---

---

"It's amazing that you can even still walk. With all the alcohol and pain in your system."

"Shut up, Mika." Meifeng groaned, putting her arms behind her head, and looking off to the side. They were walking down the streets of Knightdale Rows, after bidding farewell to Taylor (Who was in a sweaty lesbian pile with Carole). Nice girl, Meifeng had to admit. Smoking hot, too. She wondered if Taylor was into girls. Though, Meifeng wasn't going to ask, of course. She gotta suppress that thirst (but not quench)... and they didn't know each other all that well. Didn't want to make things awkward.

But, that wasn't the case here, Meifeng, and the Baozais split off from Taylor's party to have some fun of their own. Knightdale Rows was a big place, and had plenty of opportunities... well, at night. Early in the morning, Verthaven was boring as all hell. She shrugged. She threw her arms into the air, and loudly, and grandiosely, said,

"Oh, what do you want to do O'cousins?"

Mika turned her head towards Meifeng, and shrugged. "Let's just relax at a cafe, or a park, for a bit. I've had enough excitement."

"Come on, that's boring." Meifeng rolled her eyes. "Let's hit the beach, or something."

"We don't have swimsuits."

"What about a basketball court or something?" Meifeng laughed.

"In our dresses?" Mika noted. "Meifeng, it's nine in the morning, it's way too early for anything. Let's just relax."

"C'mon, where's your sense of adventure?" Meifeng asked, groaning. Before a devious grin formed on her face, "... Did you eat it?" She laughed putting her hands on her stomach.

"Look here," Mika said, "You're acting like a bored child. Grow up and sit down."

"I am bored because you wanna spend your mornings doing boring stuff." Meifeng answered. "Eh, know what? I think I'll find something to do myself. Have fun, because I will. Just call me when you're ready to meet Lihua, alright?" She said, walking away from the two.

"Meifeng, wait!" Lin called out to her cousin, but kept her mouth shut.

"Let her do whatever she pleases, and I'll do the same." Mika said.

The two girls went their separate ways, with Meifeng going one way, and the Baozais going the other. Meifeng kept walking down the streets of Knightdale Rows with little purpose, but felt liberated knowing that she isn't bound by her cousins. That she could go where ever she pleases. Maybe she'll catch a movie, or hit the beach herself. Eh. She'll just wander for a bit until she finds something that's for her.

Though, she was walking around in a tattered black dress. That earned her more than a few stares as she walked down the streets - yet, she didn't think anything of it. Because she'll forget almost all these faces. They're not pretty enough. After a little while of walking, she came up to a movie theater. Yes... yes... she'll go catch a movie. That'll be a good way to spend her morning, yeah! Meifeng was about to run into the theater, when she saw two familiar people not too far away run into an alleyway. One definitely looked like Jen.

Meifeng recognized her butt.

She didn't expect that she'll be spending her morning with them - but are they crazy? Running into an alleyway like that? That's just inviting every perv to run in! Looks like good old Meifeng will have to step in, and keep them safe. Meifeng walked over, and peaked into the alleyway.

What she made her heart race.

Both Ratchet and Jennifer were unconscious, each were thrown over a gigantic man shoulders (The Nemesis), held up by one hand. His mask shined glowing red lights through it.

Meifeng didn't know what happened - and she sure as hell didn't want to know - but she was going to do something about it. Oh, no, like hell if she's going to let her best friend get captured by this lumbering man. Without thinking for another moment, Meifeng quickly ran down the alleyway - years of basketball and other sports has made her quite fast - without an ounce of subtlety. The man turned towards her, and quickly swung his leg out to kick her - but Meifeng reacted quick enough to move to the side. She kicked off her back leg up into the air, and used her front leg to deliver a kick. In the process, she drew water out of her pocket dimension through her foot and sending a wave right into Nemesis' chest.

Which, at most, made him take a step back and soaked his outfit.

Hitting the ground, Meifeng drew some more water out the pocket dimension, and created a watery whip. She swung her hand at him, and the water impacted his chest hard - not hard enough to even make him stagger like before. Nemesis took steps towards Meifeng - and Meifeng took steps back.

She created an orb of water, and shouted, "Take this!"

Water formed ice inside the orb, creating diamond shaped shards of ice. Which were launched out at high speeds at the Nemesis, every time it hit him, it shattered into pieces. Again, doing little to the Nemesis. At least a twenty had hit him, and didn't halt him even in the slightest.

Before her assault could even continue, two hands wrapped themselves around her eyes, and mouth, and then...

Darkness.

---

---

The girls that were captured earlier in the day were carted into a room, tied to operating tables, with power suppressing collars around their necks. Each were lined up side by side (In order it went Anna, Jennifer, Meifeng, then Ratchet).

"Finally..." Heartbreaker said, with a wry grin as she leaned up against the wall. "You bagged the brat."

Berlioz grinned as he stood over Penny, strapped to the table, unconscious and sedated, hand on his chin. "Good," He started off. "You'll be helping us big time, little girl." While he was talking, Ghoul's blur strolled into the room, followed by the massive steps of the Nemesis. They both stood on each side of the door.

Since they have a game changer here, they had a new priority altogether. Berlioz nodded, and said, "Nemesis, Ghoul, now that we have the brat, we can grab whoever we please... that is your new objective; kidnap as many people as possible. Get to work." Berlioz nodded, and both Nemesis and the Ghoul stepped out of the room, and began their dark mission.

"Isn't this lovely?!" Megan said with a wide smile etched across her lips, walking into the room. "We can now make whatever we need! Regeneration, super strength, enhanced senses... I could go on, but you all get the point!"

"That is right Megan... I hope you're ready to get to work." Berlioz offhandedly said, but kept his attention on Penny.

"Uhhhh..." Jennifer drowsily said, as she came to. Almost as if the sedatives had no effect on her. "W-where... am I?" She asked, slowly.

"Good grief..." Heartbreaker groaned, rolling her eyes. "That sedatives shouldn't be wearing off that fast." She had raised an eyebrow.

"Odd..." Berlioz said, grabbing onto her chin. "She's a regenerator.... but the collar should be suppressing that to a point where her immune system shouldn't be able to filter it out." He theorized, "Must be another faulty one." He rolled his eyes.

"Should we sedate her again?!" Megan asked, as she stood over Jennifer, staring her right in the eyes in a rather uncomfortable manner. However, she quickly slipped something small under Meifeng's leg while no one was paying attention.

"Eh, there's no point. We should save the sedatives for once her procedure begins."

"Um.... hello...?" Jenny moaned again. She tried moving her arms, but realized that she was bound. One quick look and she saw that she was shackled to the operating table. She looked to her side, and saw Anna, and the other side she saw Meifeng - both in the same situation as her. Oh? Oh no. Oh God no. She thought to herself, as she looked around desperately. What was going on quickly dawned upon her.

I was kidnapped by that... thing! Jesus Christ, what do I do?! Jennifer thought to herself, as her head turned around more frantically. Hopelessly struggling to get out of her shackles.

"Relaaaaaax honey," Heartbreaker said, as she adjusted her hat. "You've been "volunteered" for an experiment or two, blah, blah, blah. Super science, yadda, yadda, yadda... I'm going to level with you here, and just tell you that you're going to get prodded in more ways than it'll be fun. Heh."

"Wa-what?!" Jennifer exclaimed, upon hearing the word "experiment". Oh no. This is going to be horrible! She had to get out of here. She never wanted any of this, she just wanted to play games, not get involved in such superhuman kidnappings. "Y-y-you can't do this to us! Someone will come looking for us!"

"Ptttf... you ain't going to be holding out for a hero, sugar." Heartbreaking mockingly said, as she walked up to Jen's operating table, put one foot on it, and leaned in a bit. Staring Jennifer in the eyes. "Because, let me let you in on a little secret, sugar tits, we have ourselves a-" Heartbreaker finger-quoted, "-"Friend" in NEST that'd turn a blind eye to our antics. No one from NEST or the VPD is going to come looking for you, sweetheart. So you might as well get comfy."

"N-no.... no, no, no, no, no...." Jennifer muttered over and over again.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes..." Heartbreaker grinned.

"Heartbreaker! That's enough." Berlioz said, "Their operations won't begin until tomorrow, so just get back to work. They're not going anywhere."

"Fiiiiine, I'll go clean my guns or something." Heartbreaker said, waving goodbye as she walked out of the room.

"Megan, you are to begin your procedure on the subjects in room twelve."

"Gotcha!" Megan loudly shouted, and began skipping away, after which, Berlioz stepped out of the room. However, Megan went no where near where Berlioz told her to go. In fact, she went in another direction entirely - his office. She stepped into the room, and saw a desk, and a very large computer terminal on top of it. She walked over to it, and began typing on it. Opening up a few files, accessing a few databases... then turning towards the computer itself, underneath the desk.

"Good good," Megan said, as she knelt down, and opened up the panel, and exposed wires and other machinery. She reached in, and turned her fingers into scissors, and cut a couple wires.

It's time kick the plan into motion, yes.

---

---

Okay, it was a deal like usual. Same old same old. No need to be uneasy.

Some people are coming from out of town - San Diego, or Los Angeles? - to buy some of the power serums. The spot the deal was going down was a warehouse in the Iron District. Surrounded by heavily armed, there was a metal chest in the center of the room. And of course, Big Dong Travis was standing in front of it. Like a big boss. Wearing only jeans and a gas mask, a sawed off shotgun in hand.

The doors were pushed open, to reveal a group of men in suits walking in. Appearing unarmed, other than the one armed with a mossberg.

One stepped up to Big Dong, and looked him in the face. "You got what we came here for? Heard you had the goods."

"Yes, I got something alright." Big Dong said, in a tone of amusement that was forced, hidden underneath the mask. It's hard to grin when you're constantly in fear of NEST apprehending you. This could be the one deal where NEST kicks in the door. Either way, he needed to get rid of these serums fast as possible, and a contact got him a deal. Big Dong took a few steps back, and, at an angle, opened up the metal chest. Almost immediately, a glowing green light shined out of it, revealing the many Power Serums that rested inside of it. Each were a cylinder that was at least a foot tall, and had several inches in circumference total.

"This what you want?" Big Dong said in his slow, southern accent.

"Yes, yes..." The man couldn't help but grin as he walked up, and grabbed one of the containers, and examined it.

"This is enough to give twelve of your men powers," Big Dong started off. "That is, if you buy them.... Do we have ourselves a deal?"

The man snapped his fingers, and one of his men walked up with a briefcase and opened it, showing hundred thousands of dollars to Big Dong.

He pointed his finger at the briefcase, "... That isn't just a bunch of hundreds on top, and a bunch of ones underneath it, right?"

They had a laugh, and the man said, "Oh, heavens no, we're an honest business."

Big Dong put his hand out to shake the man's hand, "Then we got ourselves a deal."

They shook hands, and Big Dong took the briefcase, and the man and his associates closed the chest, and then the two went their separate ways.

That's what was supposed to happen.

Five minutes later, and Big Dong and his crew steps out the back of the warehouse, and pushed out of it. They were walking through a desolate lot. Every plant and blade of grass was dead, and it was littered with trash. Their ride, a black van (Named The Booty Wagon by Big Dong and his Fiends), was waiting not too far away from them. All they had to walk a little further.

The raging boom of a pistol happened at the exact same time one of Big Dong's Fiends got their brains blown out, and hit the ground. Big Dong looked over his shoulder.

"You fucking methheads think you can screw us over?! Trying to sell us fake shit?!" The same man that Big Dong did the deal with loudly shouted after the boom faded away. He pointed a glock at Big Dong, and shouted an order to his team, "Get the money back! Kill them all!"

Almost immediately, Big Dong activated his powers, and his skin was quickly turned into a sleek, shiny, material. A bullet graced his hardened form, and sparks flew. Big Dong turned around, as the hail of bullets began to get intense. He began pushing forward - as his team of Fiends fell back behind their van. They exchanged fire, and Big Dong was slowly closing the distance - slowly, his form was too heavy to move effectively - with each step leaving a significant print in the dirt.

Whenever he closed the distance, more of the goons retreated. It didn't matter, because Big Dong's form was more or less invincible. One member of the gang got too close, and he blasted him away with his sawed off. He flicked the barrels open, and put two rounds in, as he pushed forward. The Fiends behind him weren't so lucky. The car was shot to pieces, and two of his Fiends were already did.

Suicidal tactics made them push forward, encouraged by their boss, and got shot down one by one. They dropped like flies, and only took out a couple of their opponents. Which left Big Dong standing alone. With the battle in a literal standstill, he couldn't do much to these guys other than shoot, and they couldn't possibly damage him.

He took steps back, choosing to wisely retreat. The sounds of sirens signaled that VPD officers would be swarming this place in no time. One of the men ran up to him, only to get slugged so hard that his face literally caved in. Big Dong quickly whipped around, and began running, almost as fast as a jogger. Almost. The footsteps he was leaving literally lead a trail straight to him. He couldn't change forms, the hail of bullets would tear him apart.

Big Dong quickly ran down an alley - turning back into his fleshy state so he'd stop leaving footprints behind - and turned right. He knew these alleyways by heart, you had to, to survive in Verthaven. He reached his destination: a manhole. He hardened his hand, and pulled open the manhole cover, and dropped down. Covering his tracks didn't matter from here on in; once he got into the sewers, it'd be hell to find him.

Big Dong rushed down the tunnels, until he was in the Fiend's "Headquarters".

---

It was a breath of fresh air, leaving the toxic smells of the sewer. Big Dong climbed up right the manhole, and slid the over back over it with his foot. Quickly running into the Power Plant where Khan and the remaining Fiends resided. He ran through the chainlink fence, and began running into the place. He almost literally knocked every crackhead in that place over as he ran into the back room of the power plant. The room where no Fiend was allowed except for a lieutenant. Inside the room was nothing but a large wooden crate, with a glowing green light radiating outside of it. Big Dong quickly reached inside, and grabbed one of the serums.

One thing that stuck around in Big Dong's mind was when the deal breaker came around, and that mobster said that it was "fake". Well, that didn't make sense. Because every serum should be perfectly legitimate. Maybe their powers didn't do anything. Either way, Big Dong was going to confirm a few things. They were only going to sell a dozen of the serums, the rest were going to the Fiends to bolster their numbers. Big Dong ran out the room, and looked for the first drugged up nobody....

"You!" Big Dong shouted, pointing his finger at a random Fiend - a short woman with a scarf over her head.

She looked confused, she put a finger on her chest, and asked, "Me?"

"Drink this!" Big Dong screamed at her.

Nervously - but excited, since she knew what it was - she walked over to Big Dong, and grabbed the serum, and popped the top, and drunk all of it... only for nothing to happen. Usually the person starts glowing, and that jazz.

"Anything?!" Big Dong asked, "Feel different at all?"

"No." The Fiend said. "It was nasty as hell."

Okay, maybe she just got a lame power. Still, there was a fleeting suspicion in Big Dong. So he ran back, and came back with two armfulls, and loudly shouted, "Alright, everyone grab one and start drinking!"

There was no complaints as the nearby Fiends - near ravenously - came over to Big Dong and grabbed a serum. After a little bit of fighting, it all ended with the Fiends drinking all the serums they were given.... With no results.

"These are..." Big Dong muttered. "... Fuck. Fuck. I gotta tell Khan!"

---

Big Dong ran through the halls of the Power plant, until he ran into the office, Khan's base of operations. He came in, and immediately shouted, "Khan! The serums are fake! They gave us fake serum! They've fucked us over!"

"What?!" Khan immediately got out of the chair, putting her hands on her desk to push herself up. "That's bullshit, that means they fucked us out of the deal!"

"God damn it." Big Dong shouted, "We put so much attention on ourselves for what?!"

"Shit's fucked... real fucked..." Khan moaned, sitting down against the wall, putting her hands on her head, looking down at the floor as dread took her over. "Those Hands of Fuck turned their back on it, Sulfur got bagged by NEST, and those dicks gave us fucking fake serum. That was our fucking chance to get out of this... Shit's not looking good for us, every second NEST and the cops are taking us down a peg. There won't be anything left soon."

"... And what do you think we should do?" Big Dong asked.

"... Fucking give up." Khan replied. "It's hopeless, we're going to lose."

"Hey now, I'm not..." Big Dong said, and was quickly cut off by Khan.

Khan stood straight up, grabbed her M23 Grenade launcher, and held it in both hands. "I'm giving up, on the Fiends and everything - but I'm not going to let Sulfur rot in a cell like some coward." Khan nodded her head, and walked over to the side of Big Dong. "Let's gather as many Fiends as we can to use as a diversion, storm the HQ, grab Sulfur, and leave Verthaven forever. Leave this fucking town all behind."

Opening his mouth to object, Big Dong closed his mouth, and silently agreed. Whatever Khan wanted to do, he would follow. "I'll get the boys ready."

"Good, I gotta make a call." Khan reached into her pocket for her phone. She dialed a number, and pressed the phone against her ear. The second the person on the other end pressed answer, she said, "Hey, I know you turned your back on us, but can you do us one last favor?"

"Sure." The woman on the phone said.

"Can you get us into the NEST HQ?" Khan asked.

---

Later on in the day, and night finally feel. The clouds converted into rain. Signalling a new battle was ahead...

---

---

"What do you mean, "she ran off"?" Lihua asked, frustrated, the person on the other side of the phone - who happened to be her niece, Mika - as she stepped through the front doors of the NEST Headquarters with a umbrella over her head. Shrugging up her shoulder so that she held the phone up to her ear, she pulled the umbrella closed, and held it in hand. She grabbed her phone as she resumed a more normal stance.

"We got into a little argument about what to do... and she ran off, telling me that she's going to find something to do herself..." Mika trailed off.

"God damn that child... I was trying to talk to her friends, and I can't even get in contact with Jennifer or Anna - her two closest friends - and the rest doesn't have an idea where she is...." Lihua hissed, as she put her hand on her forehead, shaking her head. She already contacted police and reported her missing... but she doubt that they'd do much. Yet, she was worried sick for her.

"Let me get to a computer.... I'll tear this damn city piece by piece until I find her." Lihua stated.

"I will help." Mika started off. "I'll get my Academy 218 friends to assist. If I can't, Lin will. I'll do everything in my power to help you."

"Thank you, Mika." Lihua expressed gratitude towards her niece for being to willing to help her during this dark hour. "I should get to work. Zaijian, Mika." She said goodbye.

"Zaijian." Mika said on the other end of the phone.

They both hung up, and Lihua shook her head again. Where the hell will she start? Where will she look? Who will she ask?

Just... get to my office. I'll figure things out from there.

---

_{@ToadRopes@BurningDaisies}

---

"Meifeng, M-Mei-Meifeng..." Jennifer whispered to Meifeng, as she noticed her friend was coming to. "... A-are y-y-y-you okay?"

"Ugh... what....?" Meifeng moaned as she opened her eyes - and was instantly assaulted by the rays of light - almost putting a hand to her eyes, if they weren't, you know, tied down. She immediately used her head to look around, and saw that she was tied to the table. Like... oh fuck. This isn't good. She furled, her eyebrows, and started thrashing left and right with all of her strength.

"Get me the fuck out of here!" Meifeng hissed, as she kept trashing, trying to break free.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jennifer quietly hissed. "Calm down, you'll end up hurting yourself before you break out."

Letting out a sigh, Meifeng relented, and lied down (The last thing she wanted to do). It was uncomfortable with the massive collar around her neck, but she looked to the left, then looked to the right. She was tied up in between Jen's friend, and Jen herself.

"Where the hell are we?" Meifeng asked.

"I don't know, b-but they said they were going to experiment on us."

"What? I... no." Meifeng quickly muttered. "They're not experimenting on anyone because I'm getting us out of here."

"Alright, um, is everyone... okay?" Jennifer asked the group.

Meanwhile, Meifeng was trying to come up with something. She felt something underneath her, but didn't know what the hell it was. She could wiggle it out... but it didn't matter because she couldn't grab it. She kept thrashing, hoping to get something loose, but it was hopeless. She was locked down tighter than a catholic schoolgirl.

She let out a growl, and... she felt water, dripping down her hand. Oh wait. What? Curious, Meifeng decided to expel a little bit more water out of that pocket dimension of hers, and her shackled hand was covered in water. She got an idea.

"Guys I can use my pow-"

"Ssssh, you don't want them to hear, do you?" Jen - rhetorically - asked.

Meifeng nodded her head, and said, "I can use my power. Got any ideas as to how I can use this to get out?"

_{by @Spoopy Scary and @Mr Allen J}

---

"How's the field lookin', Grit?"

"It sure was somethin'. Looks like one or two things went awry somewhere in deal, can't be too sure. There was a whole shoot out and everything.You know, I only got a scope. You don't think y'all could'a gone and wire the place up so we can hear 'em?"

"We can't run the risk of tipping them off, numb skull! If we did that and they found out, they'd delay the negotiation by another day or two."

"Okay, okay. I'm on my way back, what now?"

Washe looked around the room he was in. Sulfur was securely locked away and cuffed up in more ways than one, and the air in the base was stiff. "Keep just keep posted outside the base. With this many things going against the Fiends now, they'll be feeling the pressure, alright. I reckon they'll be lashing out sooner than I predicted."

"Just sit tight old man, I'll taqke a look-see around the area."

Washe rolled his eyes and cut the comm, and turned around - just for it to beep in his ear once more. He pressed it again. "Caesar speaking."

"By the by," Grit hollered, "what kinda food you think a woman like the Nightengale might enjoy herself?" He stressed a dramatic, Shakespearean emphasis as he said "the Nightengale".

Washe immediately slapped the button on the comm and severed the communication then and there. Another beep followed en suit.

"Alright, listen here you fucking prick--"

"Oh, hello Caesar. Maria speaking."

God damn it, the idiot put him in this embarrassing situation. Still annoyed from earlier, Washe snapped at her. "What do you want, eyes?"

"Just checking in on the situation."

"Fiends might be striking sooner than predicted." Washe answered simply.

"Have all units fallen into position yet?"

Washe stood indignantly. "Well they might fucking have if Grit and yourself aren't gonna call me every two seconds for one reason or another."

"Caesar."

"Fucking what?"

"...Barcelona?"

Washe fell quiet. He took a deep breathe and steeled himself again. "Fine. Tell the boss to give me a little time, I'll have everything set up.

"Roger that."

With another click, the comms were finally silent. He looked at Sulfur - the only other person in this room. An isolated cell. She was between sleep and consciousness. Practically a zombie. Speaking of zombies... Baron was still in the base. He had to find a spot where he could stay out of danger and be of more use later on. He had only let a few people in on this operation, as to prevent any information links. Even one or two people he wasn't, ah, entirely "thrilled" with.

---

As Lihua was furiously typing away at her computer, searching up and down the city for her daughter, Baron was in the doorway of her office and leaning against its frame. He looked at her, somewhat concerned, but also pressured by the situation that weighed over their heads. The information he had just received from Caesar was critical - as it happened, Lihua was among that small circle of confidants. She likely wouldn't have been had Baron not vouched for her dedication to her career. He gleaned more from his date with her than he initially suspected.

"Lihua," Baron said gently, "I mean, miss... agent Vuhong. I understand you're worried. All I can say is to give her a little time... right now, something very urgent has arisen."

Lihua let out a furious sigh. Very irritated - though, it was more of how insanely worried she was for Meifeng - that she was being interrupted. Even if it was by Baron.

"What is it?" Lihua asked, trying her very best to sound professional - and with the hints of sorrow in her voice, it was clear she was failing.

Baron suppressed a sigh. Inform first, then reassure. He'd better get straight to the point. "I just got word from Caesar." He began. "With the intel we got from Sulfur, we could spy on their transactions. The Fiends just went through a bad deal and there was a shoot out. He thinks that it's enough of a pinch that they might try coming here to lash out sooner than he first thought. It's best that we start preparing as soon as we can."

"Hmph," Lihua didn't hear about this bad deal. Those fools probably botched it themselves. However, if they're on their way - even if there's a chance - then Lihua will have no choice but to prepare for the siege. She stood straight up, and nodded her head. She wanted to continue looking for Meifeng, but... what good is it if she dies here?

"Very well. I'm going to head over to the armory, and get some gear."

"Lihua."

"What is it?"

"When this is over, talk to your daughter. I don't know what precisely is going on, but if it's something like Runaway Syndrome, don't just talk about the problem. Cut to the underlying issues. Just understand that children - by nature - are immature and impulsive, and running away or threats thereof arise from insecurity and distrust."

Underlying issues...? Lihua knew a few that have been putting strain in between them. Mostly the identity of the girl's father (Which Lihua felt that Meifeng wasn't ready to learn). They'll have one long talk... though, honestly, it feels very out of character if Meifeng left out of the blue because she hadn't told her a few things.

"I'll..." Lihua drifted off for a moment. "I'll talk to her. Try to figure this all out."

Nodding her head, Lihua took a few steps out the door to her office, accompanied by Baron, she presumed. Her first destination would be the armory. She wasn't the type to grab as many weapons as possible, then go rambo. She'd grab everything she needed. Though, she assumed that those Fiends would simply rush the gates to the Headquarters like a bunch of fools. Getting themselves easily picked off.

However, Lihua couldn't have been more wrong when the ringing of bullets came from all the way from the bottom floor.

"What the hell?" Lihua muttered to herself. She put a finger to her ear piece, and said, "What's going on? Has there been an accident?" She sent the message through the comms.

"We're under attack!" A random NEST Agent said. "Fiends! They're in the building!"

"What." Lihua flatly said. How... who the hell is behind this?! She thought to herself. Without wasting another second, Lihua reached into her purse, unzipped it, and unsealed the secret compartment and pulled out her glock.

Baron pressed two fingers against the button on his ear-piece. "Washe, it looks like you were right. The Fiends somehow made it into the building without being picked up by security, you may begin the procedure."

Lihua glanced at Baron for a moment, ".... What are you planning?" She muttered under her breath.

---

The sewers were alive at this hour. An army of Fiends - what was left of their gang - moved through the sewers from the Estella Isle, all the way to the Isabella. In front of the massive formation was Khan herself, armed with her grenade launcher, and by her side was Big Dong. They moved through the sewers slowly, and with purpose. They knew exactly where they were going. They approached a crossroad, and Khan took a left - the rest of the Fiends followed. Going down the tunnel, they reached a door at the end. A small metal door. One would get the impression that it lead into a utility tunnel. However, Khan pushed it open, and there was nothing but a small, unremarkable room. Khan stepped inside, and looked off to the side, as if she was looking into a screen of some sort. A beeping sound signaled that the wall opened, pushing backwards. Revealing another tunnel that had stairs going up it.

Khan grinned underneath her mask. "Alright," She said, turning her head over her shoulder, and looking over it. "Are you fucks ready for this?!" She shouted.

They all cheered.

"Good! Then fucking charge in there, and tear them to fucking pieces!" Khan shouted, pointing into the tunnel, and turning into her whitish-blue mist form.

Every Fiend that she had behind her had charged forward, and ran up the tunnel like a horde of ravenous dogs. At the end of the tunnel was an opening that lead into a utility closet. The Fiends ran through the room, and kicked down the door and charged into the hallways of a building. One crowd going one way, and another going the other.

The hallways of the NEST Headquarters, of course.

They quickly raised hell, all that could be heard was gunshots, screaming, and furious masturbation, as the NEST Agents were caught off guard.

A group of Fiends rushed into the lobby, and a Fiend with an AK-47 started wildly shooting into the air, screaming like a psychopath.

After the Fiends were through, Khan slowly stepped in with Big Dong and Burnmark behind her. A gruff sounding voice over the intercom began to issue orders over the headquarter's intercom system.

"All non-combat personnel evacuate by S-side emergency exits. Repeat, all non-combat personnel evacuate. Agents and security staff are to mount a defense."

---

---

While they were doing this boring presentation, Heartbreaker was doing some important work!

Playing Fallout Shelter on her phone.

Because she sure as hell wasn't going to join these losers in their torture porn session. She had better things to do! Like become the best at playing this stupid.... Her cellphone beeped with a handgun sound effect, and she rolled her eyes as she paused the game to go check it. Usually, that sound effect meant she got a text. Better not be a booty call from that Vampire....

Time to kick the plan into motion.

Oooooooh gee! Heartbreaker was practically shaking in delight! That means Khan and her Fiendish buds have practically walked into the trap! Good, it's been a long time coming. Those druggies should have been killed ages ago! Heartbreaker should have been the one to do, but no, they insisted they do it this way. Eh, long as she gets to kill somebody. Heartbreaker, with that stupid grin on her face, stood straight up, and announced

"Have fun jerking off to your science, boys. I got a mission!"

Everyone reacted with apathy, and continued watching licensed Hands of Science torture porn, while Heartbreaker walked out the room. She stepped down the hallway, and passed Nemesis as he was carrying two people - a blonde girl and boy, probably siblings - over his shoulders, and Heartbreaker passed him as if this was something she sees on a regular. Because it probably is! Heartbreaker stepped by the room where those brats were being held, she stopped for a few moments, looked. Thought I heard something. Heartbreaker thought to herself. She stared at the door for a few moments, before just shrugging and walking off whistling. Twirling her revolvers.

Heartbreaker stepped into one room, a small closet. A very small room with nothing but a table... but that table had a military-grade weapon's case. With a smile on her face, Heartbreaker lifted up the latches, and pulled out her trusty rifle. Nothing fancy, she didn't need to overcompensate, simply a Les Baer Tactical Bolt Action Rifle. She grinned, as she put the strap over her back.

Plan was simple; go in there, kill Khan, get the fuck out, and then NEST looks like heroes!

Or something stupid like that, Heartbreaker didn't care about the details, but she had herself an edge. You see, there was some stupid-ass vigilance that NEST has been keeping tabs on named Martin. Some nobody like him would work well on their side... until he found out every crime against humanity their sociopathic scientist gladly commit. Oh well. Like everyone in this god damn city, he'd be a great tool. Heartbreaker pulled out her phone, and sent him a text:

Don't ask who this is, I'm going to be brief, there is a chance for you to take out Khan. She is attacking the NEST Headquarters now with her group of Fiends. It's possible for you to head through the sewers, I'll send you the map.

Aaaaaaaand sent. Heard this guy was a real gullible type! Anyone with a brain would think this is a trap - but no, it's the real deal. The way Heartbreaker sees it: if he kills Khan, then mission accomplished, if he dies, then oh well. He would have at least made a good distraction. No real loss.

Now, all she has to do is get to the NEST Base. Heartbreaker ran out of the Hands of Science base, into the sewers.

---

---

Martin was just washing his plate when his phone beeped. Checking the device he noticed a text from an unknown number.

Don't ask who this is, I'm going to be brief, there is a chance for you to take out Khan. She is attacking the NEST Headquarters now with her group of Fiends. It's possible for you to head through the sewers, I'll send you the map.

“Damn”

This was one hundred and ten percent suspicious but, Khan. No Khan no Fiends. That’s a hell of a target. “Yah know what they say, don’t look a gift informant in the face.” He slid his phone into his pocket as he mumbled. There was really only one possibility open to him.

He took one last look at the girl that amazingly had not woken at the smell of cooking bacon. It must have been a long time since she slept soundly. Well no point in waking her. She just isn’t ready to dive into his world yet. She’d like as not say otherwise but this would go beyond a street fight. This was war.

He packed his gear into his duffle bag quietly and made his way out the building. The garage door slid up to reveal his trusty pickup sitting exactly as he left it. Woe betide the motherfucker that though jacking this ride was a good idea. Opening the door and stepping in he rolled the pickup out and slid the garage closed behind him. The familiar feel and sound of the pickup helped calm his heart. It was starting to beat to the rhythm he remembered from Iraq. If he was right, this would be his biggest action since those sands had driven them against the Iraqi trench lines and into the cities.

Surprisingly he had no trouble crossing the city. The guard were to put It mildly, freaking the fuck out. Merely attacking NEST HQ had acted as one of the most effective decapitation strikes Martin had ever seen. NEST would be damn lucky to see and concerted guard backup in the next hour let alone proper relief. The guard were weekend soldiers. They might know how to shoot gangers but all out war was foreign to them. Even so he knew he would only get one chance at this and failure meant almost certain imprisonment or death. “I’m sure the odds are good” a wry smile crossed his features.

He pulled up near the manhole in question just off the street. Grabbing his bag he got out and swiftly removed the cover with his hand tool, checking for observers as he went. Getting down into the tunnels he could hear a mass of people moving in the distance. He changed into his gear leaving his clothes in the duffle bag under a grate. The black armoured suit and the helmet fit together perfectly to create his own little fortress.

Pistol checked and holstered, grenades check, det packs check, vital systems check, rifle checked loaded locked and ready for work. He jogged down the tunnel approaching the fiend hoard, their hollers getting louder and louder. As he rounded the corner a couple of flagging Fiends turned and started raising their guns and tools.

“VAMANOS, COME ON MOVE IT THOSE NESTIES AIN’T GONNA KILL THEMSELVES EH?”

Walking forward the man seemed to have the Fiends on the back foot till one particularly nasty looking PoS got in front of him.

“EW the fuck are yew” he grogged out from a mouth that looked as if it had taken six or seven too many hammer blows.

Martin did not stop but replied “I’m the Cabrón your boss paid a lot of money to be here, so unless you want to explain why I took my advance and left to Khan then get out of my fucking face.”

Laying his hand on Martin’s shoulder he fucked up. “ I ain’t jus gurkeff”

Martin put a boot In his instep and flipped him over onto the ground by the throat. Following him down his shoulders rocked back and forth as his fists rained down on halfwit’s face. Armoured knuckles swiftly disintegrating it. The visage of the black armoured Wolfhound looked up with blood streaked across his hands and forearms. Seeing the other Fiends standing around watching he roared “ I THOUGHT I SAID GET GOIN”.

Standing the wolfhound wiped his hands on the dying fiend’s vest and picked up the rifle again. The watchers had made feet down the tunnel. Striding down himself he shouldered his way past the massed bodies pushing their way into the sub-level. He threw his elbows and rifle butt around till he made his way in. Looked like a small maintenance area for the tower’s utilities there was likely other basement areas like the garage but they seemed to be unconnected to this one. Somebody’s head was gonna roll over this architectural oversight… Unless somebody meant for this to be a massive hole in security.

The flow of freaks was pretty concentrated toward the area that must be the lobby. Gunshots rang out like a symphony with wailing and shouting an accompanying band. It’s easy to forget just how many junkies there are in a whole city. The corridors teemed with them like some disgusting infestation. The wolfhound stepped off from the flow to enter a side room from which could be heard screaming. Stepping in he found three Fiends and some woman in a boiler suit. Too close to the breech to get out before the freaks swept past.

“Hey you see know where Khan went?”

“The fuck do a look like yer secretary. She past the lobby or something. You gonna join in or fuck off?”

Bang Bang Bang Clink Clink Clink

“No hay de qué chica” The wolfhound stepped out the room closing the door behind him. The handle on the outside flew off as it met the butt of his rifle. It was damn hard to resist opening up on the freaks in general but they’d only drag him down with numbers. He was here for the queen freak.

He made his way toward the lobby where the defenders had taken positions firing down from the upper levels on the Fiends trying to get up the stairs. From behind the doorway he could see that they were piling up bodies like nobody’s business, but they’d run out of ammo long before the stream of fiends pushing those in front of them died out. For their sake he hoped they had secondary positions further in and up.

@Mr Allen J@BurningDaisies

---

It was like a blur to Ratchet.

On top of being worried out of her mind for herself, her kidnappers had left Kate on the streets without an older guardian or companion. Her family would be worried sick, and devastated if Kate told them what happened to Ratchet. Which she probably did.

Next thing she knew she was strapped like a surgery patient (or mad doctor's experiment) to a table.

Ratchet's thoughts ran through her head. What the heck did her kidnappers want her for? (Besides the obvious, of course.)

Thrashing. Meifeng was awake. As Jen and Meifeng talked, Ratchet continued to worry about her family. Another thought crossed her mind; if Ratchet was a target, who's to say that her brother and cousin aren't targets as well?

Ratchet heard the sound of water dripping and freezing, and then the sound of metal snapping. "Well," she commented, as Meifeng froze herself free, "I suppose they can't hold you back anymore." After Meifeng freed both Jen and her, Ratchet rubbed her neck. (She would've rubbed her wrist, too, if not for the fact that one was made of fiberglass and the other couldn't be rubbed by a flywheel.) "Thanks, Meifeng," Ratchet said, "I'd rather not have more machinery on me than I need."

Ratchet slipped off the table, then staggered a bit, still weak in the knees from the sedative. "Crap," she muttered, grabbing hold of the table and pulling herself back up. As she did, she got a glimpse of the limp Anna. "Okay, Jesus Christ, what in the world did they do to her?" Ratchet asked. "Like, I heard you talking about them wanting to experiment on us or something..."

So the kidnappers wanted to use the girls as a twisted science experiment, eh? Ratchet frowned with disapproval. "How the governments never find out about this stuff, I'll never know," she remarked, before turning to Meifeng. "So what's the plan for getting out of here?" she asked.