---

@Xeronoia

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After that complete shitstorm, Cindy decided to stay in. Mostly because she has no real god damn way to get around without her scooter. The other main contributor was the fact that Cindy would rather stay in. There's some real bad shit going on in Verthaven, and she thought that she's waaaaaay better off staying far away from it as possible. She wasn't Meifeng, she wasn't the type to charge headfirst into danger, and she was quite happy that way. Cindy didn't know what attacked her and Shizuka last week, and she sure as hell wasn't curious. All that attack did was cause a lot of damage that Cindy had to pay for, and a lot of explanations. Some were believed. Others weren't. At this point, she was perfectly fine with leaving it as it is.

So, Cindy, wearing shorts and a T-shirt with a band logo on it, scrolled back into her room holding a book. She laid down on her bed, and opened it. Putting on some Beats headphones, and listening to some rap music as she was content with lying down here, reading her book for the rest of the day. Just sitting here. She peeked out the window for a brief moment, and noticed that it was raining. Even if she wanted to head out and do something, there's so much damn rain that her options were limited. Nothing was fun enough to wait in a dusty ass bus stop waiting for the bus to come. At least the Candy Club was doing well with their new hand Shizuka. Kid was inexperienced... but Cindy was going to get her scooter back. Fortunately for Shizuka, he could put this down on a resume if he ever needs another job!

Even with her headphones on Cindy could notice the commotion at her window. "The fuck?" She asked, raising one headphone as her head turned towards the window. She didn't notice much, but someone fucking dropped down, and cracked her window with her god damn ugly-ass feet! "Yoooooo...." Cindy dropped her book as she quickly made it over to her window, and saw the crack. She quickly stuck her head out the window, and looked as the bitch (Cindy didn't get a good look at her) quickly ran off like nothing happened. "Hey!" Cindy shouted. "Get back here!"

There was a part of Cindy that totally admitted that this wasn't all that necessary, it was a trivial use of power. She could literally fix it in her sleep. However, it was more of the nerve of this chick, climbing around like god damn Spiderman, and breaking shit without a single apology, that pissed Cindy off. She was going to give this free-running loon a piece of her mind.

Cindy quickly ran over to her closet and jumped into some sneakers, and threw on her heavy winter coat (A dark-brown one with a fur top - her favorite coat in fact) as she quickly ran out her door.

"Baby girl?" Jackson said as she ran past him without a word.

The girl made it to the stairs - couldn't afford to wait for the elevator - and charged down there without having to worry about anyone getting in her way (What weirdo takes the stairs anyway). She made it to the first floor, and was out into the sidewalk. Fuck, it was raining a little bit, and Cindy forgot her umbrella. Whatever. She was going to be back in her room in a second. "Now where did that bitch go...?" Cindy asked as she looked around. Girl probably charged down the street by now-

Oh, there she was. Cindy caught a glimpse of her as she was running off.

"Yoooo, what the hell?!" Cindy shouted as she ran up to the unknown freerunner. Cindy found her appearance a little odd - goofy even - but looks like she definitely looks the part. "You break my window, then run off without saying a word? That ain't cool, girl." Cindy said, irritated.

l

@Mr Allen J
As it turned out, Roxanna didn't have long to fret about the situation. A girl in a fur-trimmed coat, shorts, and sneakers hurried out of the apartment building, wasting no time in expressing her displeasure over having a window broken. Shifting her weight back and forth from one foot to the other, the long-haired teenager forced herself to put her hands down at her sides. She offered an apologetic look, awkwardly attempting to refrain from fidgeting.

"Definitely not cool." She agreed, in an uncertain tone that was trying to be light-heartedly friendly and responsibly apologetic at the same time. "I kinda panicked. Never broken a window before, yknow?"

She glanced down at the offending limbs, wiggling her toes against the cool damp concrete. With a glance upwards, she frowned as she noted the rain picking up. It wasn't especially heavy yet, her thick mane of hair still able to repel it and keep her surprisingly dry. While she definitely enjoyed the cooler air that came with rain, she really didn't feel like spending the next three hours at home with a hair dryer.

"Kinda good you ran out here, though." Roxy gave a sheepish laugh, bringing her arms up from her sides and crossing them over her chest. Lightly chewing on her lower lip, she drummed her fingers across her upper arms. "Wasn't gonna bail, but I seriously have no clue which apartment that was."

Pausing, she frowned for a moment before clearing her throat.

"Probably shoulda started with this but, sorry for cracking your window. It's not... expensive to fix, is it?"

---

_{(Written in collaboration with @UrbanEvolution)}

---

---

Shizuka knew that the incident at Knightdale wasn't the end of it all - it's faint, but the feeling of dread was still there in his guts. The meeting with Holly at the bar, while it gave him another...convenient source to gather inside information (she's a NEST agent!), their conversation posed more questions to the teen: Holly was oddly cryptic with her words, every line she spoke felt like they hid something ominous beneath them (aside from her rather strange way of talking - she spoke rather slowly for such a young person).

By the time he exited the bar (though a little annoyed that no one asked why an underage guy could walk out of a freaking bar in broad daylight all thanks to his white hair), it was well past lunchtime - a check at the time on his phone stated it's close to three - and he realized he was hungry. He needed food.

The Japanese boy put his hands into the pockets of his short-sleeved dark green hoodie and walked down the streets, looking for somewhere to fill up his growling stomach.

---

Henry Olin, of all things, was tired.

The day had been surprisingly long all things considered. He'd been running around HQ doing paperwork and making sure Sonya and Trevor were all settled. He and Max had been swamped with damage reports and the Governor of South Carolina had called into question his moral authority to organize such a risky mission, and whether he was prepared for the potential repercussions. Then he gave Trevor a general tour, shot some guns, got into a fight, took Trevor home, and then got stitched up.

He needed a drink.

These days had been hard. Since the whole fiasco a few weeks ago, NEST's reputation had plummeted. Where people used to follow without a second thought, they now questioned purely because they wanted to be safe in NEST's motives. Few people trusted them like they used to. And for good reason, he'd admit. But that didn't change the fact that there was always a new group picketing them every other week and that he got glares here and there from some of the citizens.

That's why he had driven himself here, to Chinatown.

People...always seemed friendlier to him here. He was the closest thing to a dragon Verthaven had, and he was very much the posterboy of Chinatown with how often he frequented the district. The days were colorful and people often had...a toughened but kind look on their faces. He admired those of Eastern decent because they had something about them that the slightly more cushy western lifestyle lacked. They held their kids to higher standards and worked hard. A very much no-nonsense culture, which he liked.

But there was also the fact that Chinatown had a fairly large population from the Korea and Japan aside from the Chinese. And honestly, that was the closest thing to home he'd had in...god, almost seven years now. He hadn't seen either of his sisters so long.

Come to think of it, Sam or Joy probably had a family. He could have nieces or nephews and not be the wiser. He knew Sam had gotten married, but he hadn't heard much from them since. He'd been in Death Valley for a long time. Most of the family probably thought he was dead.

Now he really needed a drink.

As Henry walked down the streets, clad in a gigantic brown leather jacket overtop and equally massive collared dress shirt, and for the bottom, he had a pair of gargantuan jeans. Per the usual, he wore no shoes. He had decided to dress more casually today over wearing his NEST apparel. He wasn't going to get into a fight in Chinatown.

He was heading to a place that he always went to whenever he wasn't feeling...himself. Sometimes the medication he took didn't work and he just...needed to let himself drift.

He turned at the ever familiar Fisher Alley and there it was in all it's glory. Not a strip club ran by the White Spider Society (which he had been getting a lot of emails from lately), not a bar, but a small and quaint Chinese dim sum restaurant named 'The Blue Bamboo'.

When he walked inside he was met by the smiling face of a small Chinese woman who was more than likely no more than eighteen. Her name was Huian. Not an evil bone in her body.

Henry sat himself, which was the style of this restaurant. A few waitresses would come down and distribute food in that beautiful dim sum fashion, and he'd eat what he'd like (which was usually all of it), amaze everyone with his incredible ability to eat literally everything, make their paychecks for a month with the bill, and be on his way. His routine, when he was feeling down.

Shizuka finally settled with dim sum - it's teatime now anyway - and The Blue Bamboo was just a few steps away. He hastened his pace, upon entering he waved off the waitress who greeted him (she gave him a strange look - because of his hair, no surprise there) and saw something he wasn't expecting at all. Ignoring the waitress' weak protest, he moved towards the table and whistled at the one seated there. "Wow... It's a goddamn Godzilla."

Henry looked up from the book he had brought along, Eleanor and Park. With his index and thumb claw he lifted his reading glasses off of his face and turned to the direction of the sound. A young man, probably high school age, with a pompadour of Asian decent. Henry raised an eyeridge and snorted.

"Chinatown, kiddo. Godzilla's from Japan," Henry stated. He waved the kid over to his table, trying his best to seem as inviting as he could for being what most people considered a monster.

Shizuka sat down next to the big guy. "I know, but this Chinatown doesn't really feel like China. And you do like a scaled-down version of the Godzilla on screen. I'm so hungry!" The sight of food before him reminded him of his empty belly. His eyes zoomed to the prawn dumplings - his favorite whenever he was in Hong Kong. "Can I help myself?"

"That's what dim sum is," Henry stated, motioning to the food with an open hand. "They'll come by with more things for us to try as we eat." he stated, in case the boy didn't know what dim sum's serving style was.

Shizuka rolled his eyes at the lizardman's comment but said nothing, expertly picking up the dumpling with a chopstick before he stuffed it whole into his mouth. After a moment, Henry placed his bookmark and closed his book, and offered his gargantuan hand for the young man to shake.

"Henry Olin... And please don't stand up and bow. We might be in Chinatown, but we're still in America." Henry stated, predicting what the boy would do most likely before the boy himself knew he was going to do it. To be fair, it was a fairly common thing in this part of town, but he didn't want to make the boy feel like he needed to get out of his seat to produce a formal introduction.

Shizuka couldn't help smirking - for a fleeting moment Henry sounded a lot like his aunt. There was a short - and awkward - pause where he had to put down the chopstick to return the hand - or rather, claw - shake. (He almost tried to use his left - the woe of being ambidextrous.) "Shizuka. Looks too realistic to be just a cosplay, so I guess you're a Meta too?" He continued to help himself with more dim sums, this time it's braised chicken feet - or better known by the nicer term 'phoenix claws'.

"Take a guess, kiddo," Henry stated, leaning back in his seat and swishing his tail some, bringing the end up to the table and using it to lift a bowl of soul up to his face.

Shizuka shrugged at Henry's response. Glancing at his chopstick, he thought it would be best to keep the conversation going - well, partly to cover up the fact that he was pretty much eating half of what's on the table and realizing he wouldn't have the money to pay for all this (he still hadn't clear his debt with Cindy yet!). "And you're definitely no ordinary Meta - too nice, and too professional. Almost like a cop or something."

He paused to pour himself some tea; he cringed slightly after giving the teacup a sniff - he wasn't a great fan of pu'er - but still drained its contents in one swing. "Verthaven is supposed to be a coastal city - close to the Pacific Ocean and all - with loads of sunny beaches and a much cooler climate than standard tropical areas. Funny that ever since I came here it rained even harder than those places near the equator. The storms ain't normal - maybe even the handiwork of some really angry Meta." He turned his head and looked straight into Henry's beady reptilian eyes. "People are suddenly disappearing in the middle of all this showers... Ain't we all curious about what exactly is going on here?"

Henry snorted. "It's gotten the attention of NEST, that's for sure," Henry stated, looking out the window of their booth next to them at the rain's almost eternal shower.

"California's gotten more rain this year than the last ten years combined. Florida be damned," Henry stated, taking a drink of his tea. He noticed the kid looked nervous as he ate. But not nervous due to his presence. Probably in the monetary department.

"It's on me, Shizu." he said. "Don't worry about it. I have money to spend." he said, suddenly not feeling like getting drunk in front of the young man before him. Henry sighed, disappearing in the showers. If only the showers were the problem. "Kid, I hate to say that people have been going missing in this city before the showers. They'll go missing during them. They'll go missing once they're gone too." Henry said, deflating, in his seat. Crime never slept. Even during a rain shower. Someone was probably getting mugged right now now that he thought about it.

Good. Shizuka knew he should be feeling more thankful that the money issue was out of the way, but with that it became the least of his problems now. "I'm not talking about those daily muggings - like you said there's no end to them anyway. What I meant is those Meta-specific murders that occur whenever it's raining - in which all of them died pretty horribly with their hearts gorged out of their chest." He did consider asking Holly about this, but in the end he felt that Henry was a better shot - ever since that episode with Cindy he learned to trust his gut feelings more. "What if I tell you that I am a survivor to bear witness to that?"

Henry leaned forward in anticipation, resting his massive head on hands and leaning on his elbows. "Oh?" he commented. "Do tell," he urged. If Shizu here knew anything they could know what they were going to be up against when it came time to deal with the rain issue. Any information at all would help. Any clue, any lead, could potentially save lives.

Shizuka drank another cup of tea before he began. "Remember the massive blackout at Knightdale a week ago? That's when I met Cindy - she was shouting at something. Then we're attacked by Purple Eye." He rubbed his chin as he recalled the incident. "Some weird monster with octopus-like tentacles, an orb armor with one purple eye in the middle...and coated with disgusting slime.

"At first it was just one, which Cindy took it down with her glass power. When we're leaving, another four chased us down. Of course, she was the one who killed all of 'em." It was partly right, but ultimately it was still that chick who did the finishing blow, plus he wanted to continue keeping his ability a secret. "When they died they just dissolve away. I guess those were just minions - there should be someone else who's the main commander or something." He closed his eyes. The rain, the tentacles and slime, the way they dissolved... He wondered if this culprit's ability had attributes to water---

Then a sudden realization hit him. It was so obvious: it's either the sea, or the sewers underground. Shizuka didn't like where this was going... Shit.

Henry lowered his gaze to look at the table. He wanted to say something. This kid had been through a lot more than it looked. He was coping well. That was good. He opened his mouth to speak a few times, but stopped himself. Then, finally words escaped his jaw.

"Listen Shizu, I---" he said, trying to find the words to handle the situation in the most diplomatic fashion as to not bring back any emotional memories from the poor kid. Then, suddenly his phone went off. His eyes diverted down to the familiar I.D. of 'Pectoral Muscles' and he would have laughed had the situation been more light-hearted. "I...gotta take this," he said.

Henry wordlessly left about six twenty dollar bills on the table and grabbed a pen from his pocket, writing his number on it and leaving it for the boy. Call me if you need help, he mouthed to the young man, winked, and then he strutted out of the restaurant into the rain once again that night.

Hopefully Shizu would call or text him, just in case they decided to take the storm investigation...further.

---

---

"RAVENS," Dana's voice boomed through the earpieces of every member of Task Force RAVEN.

"... We found another lab."

---

---

"How is the evacuation going" Dr. Cross asked on her phone, sitting on one of the lounge chairs inside her safehouse. With the rest of the Chairmen having taken seats around the room. Including Ignatius, Snowblind, and Revenant. All waiting for her cue.

"All relevant personnel have been evacuated from the lab, and the computers have already been wiped clean." Stephanie said from the other end.

"Bring some expendables in, we know they have means of Extra-sense - we can't have them getting suspicious." Dr. Cross answered. "How is the Sunflower Serum going?"

"We'll start production tonight." Stephanie said. "We can arm some of the REAPERS with it for the plan tonight."

"Good. We'll need everything we have." Dr. Cross trailed off, a white portal opened up behind her, and Dr. Cross looked over her shoulder. "... Looks like our allies are here, too. I'll go tend to them." She said before she hung up the phone, and faced her associates.

The Changeling Unit.

"Hello, hello, we heard your call, and, as you can see, we answered." Luis said as he shrugged with a grin on his face. "What is it, Dr. Cross?"

"We are planning on springing a trap for RAVEN, and we need your help." Dr. Cross said, as she walked up to Luis and faced him without fear.

Luis threw his hands behind his back, and shrugged. "Help, help, help... Can't you damn scientists put down the clipboards and help yourself?" Luis raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "Last time we helped you, we lost half the Unit." He leaned in and stared her in the eyes. "... You're going have to be really convincing this time."

For a moment, Dr. Cross was silent. Before she asked, smirking, "How's your unnecessary cruelty working out for you?"

"Quite well." Luis dryly answered.

"Oh? Then why did the leader of the Changeling Unit get thwarted by a lone RAVEN, and a "good Samaritan"?"

Luis immediately grumbled, "Word travels fast...." He shook his head.

"It's because we keep underestimating them." Dr. Cross turned sideways. "We thought that NEST wouldn't find us out, and look what happens. We thought that NEST wouldn't find our stronghold, and look what happened. I thought that Ignatius and the Wendigo could eliminate the RAVENS, but they couldn't. We're being pushed up against the wall, and we need to fight back before they destroy the path we've set ourselves on."

"Hm, listening?"

"We're going to lead RAVEN to a lab we cleared out, then we're going to teleport some men in, and ambush them from all sides. Hopefully, we can draw some of the Dreadnaughts out, if not, we'll take them out ourselves."

"Then why don't we just go spring Heartbreaker while they're distracted?" Luis asked, shrugging.
"Because," Dr. Cross said. "If we fail, then so will you."

"Allow me to explain, we have one of the strongest Metahumans alive on our side." He threw a thumb over to one of the Changelings. A blonde-haired woman with her hair typed up into a bun. She was wearing an orange prison suit, and she had her arms crossed. She was quite rugged. Luis turned back to Dr. Cross. "With Berserker here, we can break Heartbreaker out, and hold our ground against any and all of their threats." Luis said.

"Can you?" Dr. Cross said. "You've already been toppled, and with all the REAPERS and the Changelings pulled together, we can deal some heavy blows against RAVEN, and eliminate all of them."

"... Don't bother," Ignatius said, walking up to the group. "That maniac is far more concerned with killing kids than getting anything done." He shrugged as he put his hands behind his back.

"Oh? Suddenly you're the righteous one?" Luis started devilishly grinning, as he chuckled. "Or have you forgotten about that dirty past of yours...? Y'know, the Headhunter... the Killer with a Thousand Faces? Your days when you cu-"

"Shut up." Ignatius slammed his foot on the ground, materializing a knife out of red energy. "You know I know exactly how to kill you, Luis. Remember that."

"That goes both ways, friend!" Luis said, laughing.

"Enough." Dr. Cross put her foot down. "Luis, will you help us or not?"

Luis looked at Ignatius for a moment, before laughing. "Sure, sure..." He knew it was a bad idea to out the Changelings this soon, but he'd have to be stupid to pass up the opportunity to kill some RAVENS.

"Good, now get ready. I have things to do." Dr. Cross stepped backwards, before she peered over her shoulder as they stood there. "... You can go now."

"Yeah, yeah, we were just... admiring the view." Luis said as he stepped backwards into the portal.

"Dr. Cross..." Ignatius muttered as he walked to her, narrowing his eyes.

"I don't want to hear it, Ignatius," Dr. Cross said.

"No, no... I wanted to tell you the progress on Project SCYTHE." Ignatius started laughing. "They're in the prototype stage."

"Looks like the scientists are really pulling together if we got a prototype out this fast." Dr. Cross said. "... But we're not testing it on RAVEN just yet. We need to put some more work into it."

"If tonight goes as planned," Ignatius leered.

"... We won't need it."

---

---

The mass of growling, barking, snarling, and other alien sounds became nothing but a blur to Sarah.

It was finally time.

She was powerful enough to take on this whole damn city, everyone who comes to help it, and the entire Western Seaboard. After a month of hiding in the shadows. To Sarah, they were all the same. Everyone in this city was responsible for turning her into this. Which means they have no one to blame but themselves when she wipes them all out. She could just feel the Metahuman energy surging within her and strengthening herself, and she felt like a God.

No.

At this point she was something else... A Devil. The Devil of Verthaven. That was what she was going to call herself. The world would know her as a devil. The darkness of the tunnels underneath Verthaven obscured a colossal army. An army of purple eyes laid in wait in the shadows, ready to tear the city apart with sheer numbers and brute strength. With one signal, she could send them out. However, the moment just wasn't right.

A group of footsteps appeared down the tunnel, and the Devil immediately signaled all her beasts to remain quiet. She turned over her shoulder to see some flashlights (And cellphones) shining the way for a group of Iron Cross to move through the sewers. Armed with assault rifles.

"Hey, you heard something?" One of them said, skittering. "... Heard that there was something in the sewers."

"Nah, stop being a pussy. Do you wanna end up like those blacks?" Another Iron Cross asked, shoving him to the side.

The group was silent up until they made it to the center of the room - where they caught a glimpse of one of the Devil's beasts.

"Hey, wait, what was that?" One asked as they all aimed guns at the source.

That's when the glowing purple eyes of the beasts started shining brightly. They were absolutely surrounded. They were on the walls, and ceiling. Only place they weren't was under them (And that was debatable). They started taking steps back, only to find out that they were behind them.

No exits.

"What the fuck!? What are these things!" One of the Iron Cross shouted as he raised his hand up into the air, and it erupted into flames. Which illuminated the beasts that were of various shapes, and body types - dark-grey skin with a layer of slime over it.

They barely got a moment to shoot before the beasts were on top of them. Only two shots were fired before the men were impaled from behind. Sarah didn't even listen to their screams as they were literally torn piece by piece. Until there was nothing left but flesh. However, one of the beasts extracted the heart of the Metahuman, and handed it to Sarah. Again, the heart dissolved, and was assimilated into Sarah. All of her green Metahuman energy briefly shined through her skin.

Yes... Another heart of a Metahuman. With every heart she consumes, she becomes more... in tune with Verthaven, and it's Metahumans. She can feel their presence, and with every heart, that connection gets much stronger (Along with all of her abilities). She's far more in tune with Verthaven than ever before. However, she needed more. If she gets the heart of every Metahuman in Verthaven, then she'll be strong enough to topple the all of America - then her forces will push into the other countries and decimate them. Leaving a trail of bloodshed behind her, before she drowns this world in blood and vengeance.

Then, it'll be only her.

It's time. Sarah dropped to her knees, and slammed her hands into the ground, and underneath her feet, a grey sludge pooled and surrounded her. Within moments, beasts began jumping out of the sludge, and charged down the tunnels. She was producing them at a faster rate than ever before. There were already millions of them. Though, it was time for her to get ready...

Above the sewers, the never ending rain suddenly began far, far, more severe. The skies turned black, and rain hit like rocks. Comparable to a hurricane. It wouldn't be long until Verthaven starts feeling it's effects.

Tonight, Verthaven will burn.

---

---

Verthaven was engulfed in a massive storm. In a few hours, streets were being washed away, and flooded. There was an uncountable amount of destruction already. Molly Schuler was standing on the sidewalks in the Central Valley district.

"Hello, this is Molly Schuler, and I am on the Fire Shores reporting a severe weather storm heading Verthaven's way. Meteorologists are absolutely baffled as the storm seemingly came out of no where. There is already destruction all over Verthaven. It is heavily advised that everyone remains indoors and waits out the rain. NEST is investigating this matter as Metahuman-related."

---

_{Written in collaboration with @tsukune, @Zombiedude101, @UrbanEvolution, & @BantlingBee}

---

The heavy rain overhead barely bothered Sonya as she stood on the rooftop. In fact, she found it quite refreshing, since it was already nice and moist for her! She aimed down the sights of her rifle at the lab... What appeared to be a warehouse. In the middle of the Downtown district. Oh. They're hiding in plain sight, eh? Only problem was, if the Hands took it there, there could be a lot of collateral. Not that they could evacuate or else they could tip the Hands off.

"So, lovely weather we're having, huh?" Sonya asked through the comms.

"Indeed. I think I might skinny-dip in one of these flooded streets later." Leon said, sarcastically. "Wanna join me, Max?" He laughed.

"All-Seer..." Maximilian trailed off, groaning. He and the rest of RAVEN were taking position around the lab. Getting ready to strike.

"Do you think the Hands have something to do with it?" Maria asked (Through the comms), as she took position around one of the corners. She'll have to be extra careful, or else she'll get washed away. "They have the technology."

"I doubt it." Maximilian said. "I don't see any reason."

"... Covering their tracks would be one of them." Helena said, shaking her head as she stood next to Max.

"This isn't their style." Henry commented. "They dont do... bangs like this."

"It's convenient is what it is. The weather hasn't been this shitty for years.." Quentin grimaced as the rainwater trickled down the barrel of his 870, briefly exchanging a glance with Max from his position a few cars away. He counted himself lucky that his gear was mostly waterproof but couldn't help but feel a little envy; Cass and Reed were probably doing desk work inside the dry confines of the department whilst he and the others were out getting soaked up to their boots.

"Alright, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Maximilian said, shaking his head. "Are all Agents in position? You know the drill, RAVENS will push in with some Agents, while others will take position around the lab to stop anyone escaping."

"The usual!" Sonya said.

"Roger," Jan said as she adjusted the volume on her headset slightly. It was difficult to hear in the pouring rain, especially given her location. Although she had some cover from the corner of the building, the rain seemed to be coming at all angles. Jan was immediately reminded of some cartoon clip of a weather reporter exclaiming, "It's raining sideways!" She had to bite back a laugh.

"Hey wait..." Leon muttered as he focused through his power for a moment. He detected some movement not too far away. "Something don't feel right about this...." He trailed off.

Swarm Queen, in response, sent out her swarm of bugs into rainy night. They picked up movement too. She put her fingers to her comm-piece and said, "I got movement, too. I don't know, who, but I'm tagging them..."

Meanwhile, Daphne arrived at the control center in the NEST Headquarters, panting heavily. While her ability might seem handy at first, it did have its disadvantages - it would take an extremely patient person to figure out all the chaotic noises from her green friends in order to extract the information she needed most (which, most of the complains were about the raging storm). She did have the patience, but the mission would wait for no one.

"Dia--- I mean, Grue. It's a trap! The lab is an amb---"

---

---

She didn't need to finish her sentence - because the agents on field would have also noticed it by now.

"Oh no." Dana said, she quickly put on her headphones. "Agents, it's a trap! Pull out now!"

After observing the area for a little bit, trying to find out where they are, Leon a bluish-white portal opening, and REAPERS stepping out of it. "Shit! REAPERS!" He shouted through the comms and spotted some more being teleported in not too far way. "They surrounding us!" Leon pulled out his revolver. Quentin ducked behind an armoured van, shotgun clung tightly to him.

"Well fuck," Jan muttered. She had purposely picked a spot with a decent amount of natural cover, including several enormous landscaping boulders. They were tacky, and a bit outdated, but she was thankful for their presence at a time like this. Her weapon had already been drawn, and she crouched behind the rock, peering out from her vantage point.

Almost instantly, Maximilian deployed his Echo. If they were up against who they think they were, then they'll need Echo's strength for this one. He immediately said into his earpiece, "Grue! We're going to need reinforcements!"

"Phoning them up as we speak." Dana said. "Hold out RAVENS reinforcements are on the way." Daphne had calmed herself down and was now in her seat, headphone on, ready to assist the RAVENs on field along with her senior.

"Merryday, provide covering fire, and stay out of sight no matter what!" Maximilian said as he looked up on one of the roofs and saw some REAPERS running up, and aiming their guns at them. Maximilian immediately put Echo between them - with it's arms stretched out - and acted as a shield for the hail of bullets that came flying at them. With little damage done to Echo.

While Sonya, turning invisible, took position on one of the rooftops. She aimed her Barret at the goons raining hell of Maximilian's group, and timed it for a moment, before she took a shot, and literally made one of the REAPER's heads explode! While they were confused, Maximilian sent Echo rushing forward, unleashing a barrage of punches that destroyed the rooftop they were on, and sent them tumbling into the street. Where Helena shot them dead.

Sonya quickly hopped to another rooftop before they could pinpoint where she was.

However, more REAPERS pushed into the streets, coming from the alleyways, and took position, and started shooting. The Rank-and-File NEST Agents quickly took cover behind cars, and opened fire, beginning a gunfight in no time. Meanwhile, Quentin had made a beeline for the firing line near Max and the others, taking cover behind the open door of a NEST cruiser and breaking away the glass to give himself a line of fire.

Henry, who's active camouflage had worn off, was using a flipped car to steamroll through some REAPER agents and provide cover for other RAVENs. He wasn't as bothered by the rain as most were. While he wasn't as happy as a pig in a mud ring like Sonya was, he was thriving.

Maximilian slammed his back against a car, and the rest of his RAVENS joined him. He had Echo standing over him. However, this was a golden marker for where they were. He immediately sent his personal entity out, who immediately unleashed a barrage of punches at the REAPERS that kept them suppressed while the others took their shots. Quentin followed it up with a series of slugs from his 870 and nailed one of them in the shoulder, sending the REAPER staggering against a wall and out of the fight?

Sonya, again, took position on the roof, and started taking out key REAPERS from the side. "Bloody hell," She muttered to herself right after one shot. "In less than a minute, they turn Verthaven into a bloody warzone!" She fired another shot, and hit a REAPER right in the chest, and he went stumbling over in a moment. Dead.

Right in the middle of their battle, a portal opened, and a massive figure stepped into the battle. A twelve foot tall beast that was made out of metal, a black cast iron mixed with a variety of other metals to create a durable combination. With a humanoid form, there were holes in it's back that glowed with a flaming orange light. The metal was burning hot - the rain immediately turned into steam. Creating a cloud as it walked forward towards NEST - with weapons in it's hands. Two, jagged, brutal looking butchers knives. One of the Changelings, of course.

"Motherf.." Quentin loaded another slug into his shotgun, not entirely sure of whether or not it'd put a dent in this thing and made an urgent inquiry over the comms "Can we even penetrate this.. thing?"

"Kinky!" Henry said through the comms.

"You know the drill, Counterpoint - if you can't break it, foam it!" Sonya said through the comms as she set her sights on the brute.

On a rooftop not too far away from the action, there was a red flash of light, and Luis, Ignatius, Snowblind, and Shade appeared on one of the rooftops. Gas masks on their faces just in case the RAVENS start using their precious gas.

Luis walked up to the side, and knelt down. "Hehehe... Showtime." "Show them what you're made of, [i]Butcher.[i]"

"Everyone else, get ready to move." Ignatius said, spawning energy knives. "We hit them from all angles."

"Gaaaaaay!" Henry roared from behind his car, aiming his grenade launcher at the Butcher and firing off a few shots in it's general direction in an effort to either cripple it with the explosions or slow it down.

The explosions sent the Butcher tumbling backwards, leaving deep dents in it's body. It managed to balance itself, and kept moving forward. It opened it's mouth as it marched forward, and a thick stream of flames shot out of it's mouth and immolated lines of NEST Agents - However, it's march was interrupted when Maximilian's Echo charged through the flames and launched an onslaught of punches that left dents in the Butcher. The hulking metal beast hit the ground with a loud bang that shattered the asphalt. Before Agents could move in to foam it - REAPERS provided covering fire as it got back up.

"Damn it," Maximilian said. This wasn't good, the REAPERS planned this one. Had to. They intend to finish this battle. RAVEN had to pull together to get out of this one. They had no choice. If they win here, then REAPER will be severely crippled. But they have to give it their all. Maximilian looked around.

Helena wasn't too far away from Max, firing her ACR at a line of REAPERS. When she saw that one threw a grenade, she quickly flashstepped - grabbing it in mid-air - and left the grenade in the line of REAPERS. Expertly flashstepping out of the way of danger before the grenade went off and took out some of the REAPERS before they knew what was going on. She zipped around a corner, and dodged bullets.

Leon and Maria were taking cover behind a NEST truck. Taking potshots at REAPERS from behind cover. Maria couldn't use her power in the rain, and Leon's power was only useful for dodging danger in advance. They had their situation under control, with Daphne acting as their extra pair of eyes and ears whenever necessary.

Soon, Jan joined them nearby. While she didn't especially like staying out of the action, her powers weren't well-suited for this kind of thing. She felt bullets wizz past her and ricochet off the sides of NEST vehicles. If a group of REAPERS got close enough, she would use her powers, but that seemed unlikely at present. Instead, her Glock 20 was generally good enough for the time being. She wasn't the world's best shot, but she managed to hit a few stray REAPERS, pausing only to reload.

Nikki had summoned a swarm of insects from where ever she could. Creating a large cloud of bugs. She sent them at the REAPERS that were covering the Butcher, and forced them under their armor. However, the REAPERS retaliated by taking mutagen, and gaining temporary fire powers. They shot streams of fire into the swarm, and destroyed it. Forcing Nikki to fall back, and pull her swarm out of danger. She used what was left of her swarm to throw up cover for retreating NEST Agents, before pulling out her own sidearm.

Sonya was, predictably, taking out REAPERS from afar. Key REAPERS, of course. Those armed with heavier weapons, or causing much more of a problem with the Mutagen. Every time she took a shot, someone died, and she dipped out of there before they could even pinpoint where she was. Where she repeated the cycle. Mayfield was certainly talented. She could probably take on the whole army that way. Long as they kept the pressure up down there.

Adam wasn't far away from Maximilian, and using his wind powers to direct bullets away from the RAVENS. There were powerful winds circulating through the battlefield. Every shot would steer wildly off course, and hit a wall, or a car.

Savannah was in the back, freezing the rain from a distance, and forming it into deadly lances. She sent them flying high through the air, and hitting the REAPERS with an absolute storm of spears. It didn't do as much damage as you'd expect, but it forced the REAPERS to retreat.

Quentin had hunkered down with a few other rank-and-files, exchanging gunfire with a squad of REAPERS across from them. One of them had already felt the wrath of his 870 whilst another who'd taken a dose of mutagen took a slug to the chest.

That just left Maximilian. The Butcher was back up on it's feet, and fired a stream of red-hot fire at Echo. Which did nothing to it - as Echo is made of nothing that can burn. It was truly his willpower in the form of an entity. When the Butcher realized what happened, Echo launched a punch that hit faster than any normal fist and left a massive dent in it's face, shooting fire all over the place. It swung it's butcher's knife out, but was quickly dodged and Echo used the Butcher's momentum against it - grabbing the edge of the blade, and pulling it out of it's hand. Now Echo was using the knife. Holding it in it's hands like a great sword.

"Keep it up, RAVENS!" Maximilian shouted over the comms.

"Ha HA!" Henry said, grabbing the bumper of a hummer and pulling it up to him. He flipped the large vehicle on it's side and and then turned his attention to the smalled sedan he had been using as a riot shield up until now.

"Echo! Move!" Henry shouted, lifting the car into the air and throwing it with all his might at the flailing Butcher in an attempt to either flat out kill the damn metal man or permanently disable it. Once the car was out of his reach he aimed his grenade launcher in a small REAPER squadron's direction and fired off another few shots fully intent on blowing a few people the fuck up.

They were going to finish what they started at the lab.

---

_{Written in collaboration with @tsukune, @Zombiedude101, @Mr Allen J, & @BantlingBee}

---

It wasn't long before reinforcements came into the scene, NEST APCs rolled in and dropped off squads of heavily armed agents. "Go, go, go!" They shouted as they charged in, guns blazing. Helicopters, and other snipers were taking position. They managed to cut a clear path through the REAPERS, and give the RAVENS a clear exit.

However, Max had no intention of making them retreat.

However, the same could be said about their opponents. REAPERS were being teleported in by the handful. A line of REAPERS were teleported in, and they set their sights on a NEST helicopter. They pulled out their RPGs, and started barraging it. The copper immediately began evasive maneuvers, moving left and right out of the way - but, a rocket hit it's mark right on the side of the helicopter, and the helicopter burst into flames.

"We're going down!" The pilot shouted.

---

"Shit!" Maximilian said as he looked up at the fallen helicopter. He had no choice, Echo dropped the butcher's knife and quickly flew under the helicopter and grabbed it. He was trying to get it under control. Echo struggled a bit with holding the helicopter up, but Adam stopped to send his own Echo to help stabilize the craft. They managed to gently put the Helicopter on the ground - Adam's Echo faded away - and Max's Echo punched the door open, and pulled the pilots out of the craft.

"Thank you." The man said, armed with a small pistol.

"Get to safety." Maximilian said over the comms. He quickly slammed his back against a NEST truck. He caught sight of the REAPERS on the roof with RPGs, and immediately ordered Sonya, "Merryday! Take out those rocket launchers!"

"On it!" It was hard as hell to get a shot in all this rain, but Sonya will do her best.

"Hey, Max," Leon nonchalantly said over the comms. He had something to tell. "I see the REAPER and Changeling bigwigs on a roof not too far from here."

Hm. Looks like all of them are here. This was their all out plan, and they're making sure that they do some heavy hits against NEST. However, Maximilian had a plan of his own. He spoke over the comms, "RAVENs, focus on the REAPER rank-and-file." If they whittle them down, then this will be a long-term victory. The less armies they have, the less damage they can do.

One of the RPG wielding REAPERS got shot in the chest by Sonya. They quickly scrambled before another took a shot.

Another slug smashed through the of a serum-dosed REAPER's crystalline armor's defense, sending them crumpling against a nearby dumpster. Noticing he was down to just one left, Quentin started loading more slugs into his 870.

That just left the Butcher. The metal man lifted a sword up into the air, and sliced the car Henry threw at it in half. It began lumbering over towards its other sword. The steam that surrounded it nearly reached obscuring levels. It shot fire at lines of NEST Agents as it moved in towards the RAVENs.

"We might want to take out the Full-Metal asshole right there." Leon said, his back up against cover. "I'd say we'd foam him, but I'm allergic to fire."

"You're right." Maximilian said. "Agents, pull out your containment foam, form two groups, and circle around him. We'll foam him from all sides using a solid pincer movement."

"Got it." Helena said, as many of the RAVENS pulled out their containment foam.

Now, that meant that Maximilian had to be the bait. He stood in the center of the street, and floated upwards, presenting himself to the metal man. He deployed Echo as a shield when the Butcher fired a jetstream of fire at him. Maximilian could just feel the searing heat - even using Echo as a shield. Though, the plan was working amazingly. The Butcher was getting closer.

"Now!" Maximilian shouted, pulling out his own foamer. Firing a stream of his special white love foam at the Butcher.

The rest of the Agents followed, and the Butcher was instantly coated in foam. Even though it was giving off incredible heat, it wouldn't do much against the foam.

The battle against REAPER continued.

---

Luis grunted, as he flicked wet hair out of his face. They took out the Butcher. No good. "Looks like we're going have to stop watching, and start fighting, yes?" Luis asked, putting his hands on his hips.

Ignatius created a red orb around the group, and a portal underneath Luis opened and he fell right into it. Ignatius jumped high up into the air, a red aura surrounding him, and landed right in the middle of the street with the RAVENS. That orb shielded him from the storm of bullets. Every shot that hit the shield nearly ricochet right off of it.

"... Ignatius." Maximilian said to himself - invisible under all the shooting and violence.

They walked towards each other, dramatically. Maximilian calling out Echo, and Ignatius creating gigantic blades.

---

On the other hand, Luis was teleported into an alleyway right outside the action. While he could heal from bullets quickly, a entire storm would shred him to bits before he even gets a chance to heal. Luis quickly poked his head from out of the corner, and looked. He saw a few dead REAPERS and NEST Agents.

"... Don't mind if I do." Luis looked down as he jammed his fingers into the dead REAPER - who died from a bullet to the heart. He drained the corpse of what precious blood he had, and a pleased grin formed on Luis' face. He felt powerful - but he needs more. The corpse was now grey and withered. Useless. He took a step to absorb more blood. If he's going to take on RAVEN, he'll need as much blood as possible.

Henry, who was behind a car with his back turned to the alleyway, turned as he heard Luis get teleported in and speak. Only to see... that one fuck who attacked that sexy beast Trevor. Henry cracked his neck turned to face the new adversary.

"Hey, fucker. We have some unfinished business!"

Oh yes... It's the Lizardman. Luis brushed hair out of the way, showing Henry his grin. "No, no... Only unfinished business I have is finishing off that kid." He pulled out one of his knives, and pointed it at Henry, turning his body sideways. "This right here? It's just business." He taunted.

Henry gave him a shit eating grin, and then aimed his grenade launcher into the alleyway.

"You might get the pussy, but you ain't got the skill!" Henry pretty much shouted, and then shot off three shells down the alleyway Luis was located in.

"... What-" Luis said, raising an eyebrow at the non-sequitur taunt. However, Henry didn't even give him a second before shooting some grenades his way. Hm. A good way to show Henry his enhanced abilities after drinking blood. He jumped up into the air - and despite his best attempts to dodge, he was still hit with the impact of the explosion. His ass was set ablaze. The supports on the building to his left and right were also heavily damaged and as a result, came down upon him as well. To add insult to injury, one of them was a sex shop.

Dust filled the alleyway - which gave Luis ample cover. Henry might have been able to see this coming - but moments later, Luis came leaping out of the dust holding a AC unit over his head with the intention of hitting Henry over the head with it.

"Houdini biiiiiitch!" Henry shouted from somewhere in the fog, in a totally different position than before but also completely and totally lost within the dust himself. Normally he'd use thermal vision, but the dust was clotting his the heat sensing pits under his eyes. In a situation like this he'd use his exo-suit's abilities to get some form of vision buuuuut he had a big ass knife lodged into his wrist mounted touchpad. That would be a bitch to repair.

He never saw Luis coming. The man sailed at him through the air from behind him, and would've landed a critical hit if Henry didn't trip on a piece of rubble and fall on his face. Luis sailed over him harmlessly, but the ground wasn't so kind. He would definitely have a bruise from that one in the morning.

Luis furrowed his eyebrows out of sheer irritation. He dropped the air conditioner in mid-air, and came to a skidding stop on the ground. He stood straight up, and looked up at Henry. He pulled some knives from behind his back slowly. "You know, Lizardman..." He laughed. "You would make an excellent Changeling." Using his superb speed, he tossed a knife at Henry's face. "... If only you saw the light."

"Dude I cant see shit!" Henry said, wobbling forward. The knife flew behind his head and clipped a few of the feathers on his neck. His hand flew up to feel the damage.

"You bitch! I just got those cut just the way I wanted!" Henry shouted, turning in the general direction of where the knife came. He fired off a single shot in Luis' general direction, fully aware that he would almost definitely miss.

... The grenade completely missed Luis. Landing twenty feet behind him and blowing up some car. Luis just nonchalantly looked over his shoulder, and shrugged. "Okay." He said. "I think I'm going to just kill you, okay?" He began an all-out charge towards Henry, unsheathing his claws to suck Henry's blood.

However, before the epic battle could continue, an uncontrollable shaking filled the area. Throwing everyone who wasn't braced to the ground.

"What the hell?!" Helena said, grabbing onto a pole to brace herself whilst Quentin was thrown off his feet.

Right in the middle of the battlefield, several massive cracks formed in the ground, and asphalt and concrete shot upwards, before it fell downwards. Forming a dark hole in the ground that quickly expanded.

Jan sprinted away from the buckling earth. She was lucky enough to be farther away from the center of impact, but still had to make a mad dash to avoid falling to an unknown, but certainly lethal, fate.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck-" Quentin frantically scrabbled to his feet as a NEST cruiser sank into the abyss. By the skin of his teeth, he leaped over the hood of another car and just as the ground began to give away beneath his feet he was able to pull himself up once more.

NEST and REAPER Agents alike quickly scrambled to run away - but those that weren't quick enough fell into the hole. Buildings, cars, and whatever the hell else, fell into the dark hole to what had to be the sewers. By the time it stopped, the battle stopped as everyone looked on at the hole.

A large claw formed at the edge of the depression, and pulled a beast upwards. A humanoid creature that just looked wrong. It was twelve feet tall, and had a massive arm that was twice the size of it's body, with bone-like claws... and a purple eye. Like the other strange beasts, it had grey skin, and a layer of slime around it's body. It's eye scanned the area for a moment. Before more like it came out of the hole. They were humanoid, and had grey skin and purple eyes just like the other beasts. They all formed at the hole.

NEST Agents and REAPERS pointed their weapons at them, taking steps back.

"... Look at all of you." A voice came from the empty abyss. Quickly rising up into the air from behind the beasts. It was hard to describe the humanoid abomination that floated out. It had the upper body of a human being - a thin woman. Barely human at that. It had the grey skin like the other beasts, and both hands ended with claws. Her lower body was enormous compared to the rest. It's lower body was a mess of massive tentacles. Tentacles came out of her back too.

Immediately, everyone's eyes were set on this new comer.

"Look at everything you done here, the destruction..." She said as she surveyed the area. A tentacle reached down and scooped up some dust. "While all of you were waging your petty wars against each other, I was in the shadows... waiting." She said. "Waiting for the moment I'll be strong enough to get sweet, sweet, revenge against this city, and all the people who ruined everything. Killed the man I loved..." She spoke, somberly.

Maximilian halted his fight, just to view the newcomer. His fingers immediately went to his comm piece. "Leon... I need you to look into her head. Now."

"Oh boy..." Leon said, he quickly looked into her head - but he couldn't get anything out. Wait... it felt like he was being sent somewhere else, instead of peering into her brain. "I can't get a read on her."

"Fuck that." Helena said, aiming her ACR at the beast. "We should open fire and kill the bitch before she tries anything." Her hands were shaking. It was PR-1 all over again....

"I say we nuke the city." Henry deadpanned, looking at the monster before him. He'd hunted some hentai horrors in his time but... this thing... this thing took the cake.

Quentin had no words for what he saw; he'd seen some nasty shit in his years but nothing like this.

"But, today... today is the day I put end an end to it all." The beast raised her hand up into the air - and all over the city, holes in the ground formed. Her army that was waiting underneath the city immediately launched their all-out assault. Purple-eyed beasts of all shapes and sizes began their rampage. Killing everyone in sight. "Because of the Hands of Science and NEST... I am a monster - No, a Devil. A Devil meant to torture this city... The Devil of Verthaven.

"Maximilian!" Dana shouted over the comms. "It's anarchy! We're getting reports of monsters attacking the city! They're.. they're everywhere!" She said, loudly panting.

Meanwhile, Daphne was stunned in her seat back at the Control Center of NEST Headquarters. When she gathered intel on Cindy and Shizuka's fight against the monster with her power she was already aware that something like this could happen...but this was beyond her wildest imagination.

She wrenched off her headphone and clutched her head, her mouth hanging open in a silent scream before she fell out of the chair. Even after a forceful sever of the chloropathic link, the chaotic cries of the plants across Verthaven were still ringing in her mind. Platina, she thought of the twin boy she met at the bar earlier in the day. Need to get to Shizuka...

Oh no. This is not good. Maximilian immediately deployed his Echo. He had one shot, and one shot only. This woman was the source of the problems, and she needed to go. Now. Echo immediately flew towards the Devil at lightning fast speeds, cocking it's fist back to punch her square in the skull. However, she reacted quickly, and caught Echo in a web of tentacles. Trapping him.

"What the hell?!" Maximilian shouted, confused she was capable of reacting and trapping Echo so easily.

"Look at this..." The Devil said. "You didn't even let me finish before you try to kill me. Despicable." Before she could crush Echo with her strength, Echo faded away.

She tilted her head. "I come bearing a grave warning for the world... If anyone leaves Verthaven, then I'll tell you that what is going on here..." She paused for a moment so people could hear the distant screams. "... I'll spread it to the whole world! No one will be safe! And that is a promise."

"... What's this lunatic going on about?" Helena asked, her ACR was fixed on the Devil

"I don't know, but we gonna need a plan..." Leon said.

"I suggest a full retreat!" Henry just about shouted over the comms. They had been caught with their pants between their legs and shit in their underwear, both figuratively and literally.

"... There's no where for you to run." The Devil said, as she closed her fist, and the beasts that were waiting at the edges of the depression quickly rushed forward. Slaughtering everything in their path. All while more beasts began pouring out of the holes in the ground. Like a never ending fountain. "I will get my revenge on NEST, the Hands of Science... everyone. Because you're all guilty."

It wasn't long before the sounds of gunshots, screaming, and other sounds, filled the area as REAPERS and NEST agents were attacked indiscriminately.

Helena changed her focus to aiming at the groups of the Purple-Eyed beasts. Unloading clip after clip into them. She flashstepped backwards, before shooting at them again.

Savannah created blades of ice and shot them at the beasts. Nikki was using her insects to wear down on he beasts that were closest to her, and quickly killed them with overwhelming force. Leon and Maria were shooting at the beasts as they took steps back, killing them. No matter how many they killed, more took their place.

Jan had rejoined them, waiting anxiously for the best opportunity to let out an ear-piercing scream. The rest of her powers were useless in this context, but maybe, just maybe, she could prove useful after all. The monsters seemed endless, and she was worried that fatigue was going to make her slip up.

Quentin saw one of the bastards closing in and instinctively reached for his 870 before remembering he'd lost it when the tremors knocked him off his feet. Instead, he reverted to his glock and made a beeline for a nearby cruiser, ducking inside moments before the creature hit it and started clawing for a way in.

Opening fire, nothing seemed to phase it until Maximilian quickly summoned his Echo, and started a barrage of fists that killed most of the beasts in a few hits, including the one attacking Quentin. "RAVENS, full retreat!" He started backpedalling as Echo provided cover. He turned his head to the side, and he saw that Ignatius was teleported out of there in a flash of red light. Luis and the other Changelings also disappeared into a portal. Leaving behind a giant group of REAPERS that had no choice but to run on foot.

At this point, both sides forgot about the fight with each other as they were being killed left and right.

"I said it first!" Henry shouted back, trying his best to stay positive as he wrestled his way away from the beasts that had chosen him as their target. He skidded over to Maximilian to provide more cover to the man, so he could use his ability more effectively.

"Thanks Dragonfly." Maximilian said as Echo punched the beasts at light speed.

"I got a clean shot on her." Sonya said, from a rooftop not too far away. It's fucking chaos down here - but she can end this in a second. So much carnage... and for what? She lined up the shot with the Devil's head, and held her breath as she focused to the best of her ability.

"Wait, something ain't right here." Leon said. In between shooting the beasts that were just about damn near on top of them. "I get the feeling that she's not actually here." He suggested. "All-Father, read her mind for me?"

Adam was using his wind powers to cut through groups of the beasts, to provide cover for NEST agents. He focused on the Devil, and tried to pierce her mind - to no real effect. The same thing that happened to Leon, happened to him. It was like he was being sent somewhere else. "I can't get a read on her either."

Sonya didn't listen. All that was on her mind was ending this battle. Sonya took the shot, and through all the rain and chaos, the bullet hit the Devil clean in the face. Blowing her head clean off. Sonya took in a sigh of relief as the floating abomination dissolved into a grey sludge as she hit the ground.

A group of her Purple-Eyed beasts began uncontrollably shaking, and then they dissolved into the sludge they were created from. A pool. However, they quickly pulled themselves together and formed... A brand new body for the Devil of Verthaven. Good as new. She ascended into the air, and looked at NEST.

"... Oh." Sonya said, her eyes went wide. "... That's no good."

"Oh? You thought that I'd leave myself open like this?" The Devil asked. "This is just a puppet I can control. Completely expendable, and replaceable at the drop of a hat...." She explained to them. She raised her hand up into the air, and electricity surrounded it. She shot electricity into the crowds of NEST Agents and REAPERS. Frying whoever was unfortunate enough to be hit. All the water made the electricity extra conductive - however, NEST standard armor was nonconductive.

"... Now die."

---

---

After the little chit-chat with rat-girl, and clearing everything up, Cindy went back up to her apartment, fixed the window, and began reading the book again.

Even after that monster rainstorm started, Cindy was here, reading her book. Just to make sure that the window doesn't break and shoot glass all over the place, Cindy reinforced the glass. She wondered why she didn't do that like, years, earlier, but it was all a matter of hindsight, and laziness. This should make sure that it doesn't break if Rat girl comes back around again. Jackson went to go tend to the Candy Club, so she had the apartment all to herself. Though, she thought that it was a little dumb that he was running out to take care of his club in this weather. But that man loved his club, and she'd rather not hear him rattle on and on about it.

Cindy heard glass breaking in the living room. She rolled her eyes, believing it to just be the weather breaking it. What made her a bit more paranoid was the fact that the lights just went off. Her eyes widened. It was just like a week ago with the Purple Eyed Devils that nearly ripped her and Shizuka apart. It definitely warranted some investigation. She got up out of the bed, and started producing green glass from her arms. Which started floating up into the air, and formed sharp, triangle-shaped, constructs. She was a tad scared of what she would see. Which is why she was prepared. She had at least five with her, and they were big. They were going to give - wait, who is she kidding? Getting all scared over nothing. Just the wind, just the wind.... Cindy told herself as she opened the door.

On top of the broken glass was another one. Standing tall and beefy like a panther. It's eye turned towards Cindy dramatically, and the girl just froze. They stared at each other for a moment, and not another word was said.

"Oh shit... it's...." She couldn't even mouth the words before it rushed at her. Cindy, instinctively, sent the glass blades flying at it. They impaled the beast, making it stop. Before Cindy forced them as deep as she could, then made them explode, tearing flesh. Causing massive damage to the beast. It winced in pain, which gave Cindy a golden opportunity to finish it off. She produced more glass, which flicked off her body in shards and flew into the creature. Then she gathered as much glass as she could, and created a spinning whirlwind of glass that tore the creature to bits. It let out one final scream of pain before it dissolved.

Cindy let out a sigh, and wiped some sweat off her forehead, it's ove-

"Oh my God!" Someone screamed from outside, and made Cindy poked her head out the window and saw someone getting chased down the street by another one. She wanted to scream out to say something - but there were distant screams all over the city, and all sorts of chaos. That means that something is going on here.

There was a loud banging on her door, followed by a loud growling. It's more. Cindy can't stay here. She quickly formed the glass into a pane, and reinforced it to the best of her ability. She quickly ran back into her room, glass following behind her, and grabbed her cell phone, some boots, and a brown pilot's jacket (It's raining and it's cold out there). They finally broke down her door, and Cindy looked back. She kicked the door shut, and locked it (Like what will that do?). She looked at her window, and it broke in half, and was added to the existing pane of glass.

She sent the pane of glass out the window, and stepped on it. Flying off into the rainy storm. Everything was going crazy underneath her feet, and it was whack. She didn't want anything to do with it. She knew what she had to do. Cindy pulled her phone out of her pocket, and unlocked it, quickly dialing her father. "Come ooooon... please, for the love of God, answer." Cindy continued saying to herself. No answer, it went to voice mail. Cindy didn't know why he didn't answer, but that meant that she was on her phone-

What the hell was she even talking about? She has all sorts of friends.

The only person she could realistically get to on time. Cindy phoned up Trevor, quickly sending him a text.

Trev, shit's real around ere, I need 2 go 2 ur house.

She looked back at her apartment. There was no way she could go back there.

---

---

"Good grief, can't anyone drive tonight?!" Lihua said to herself, stuck in the middle of the traffic jam leading into the Priscilla Isle, from Chinatown of course. The last place she wanted to be trapped in was this damn bridge - and on top of that she was caught in the middle of one of the worse rain storms to ever hit this city, and she's trapped in this car. Good grief. The woman just wanted to get to her house before anything else happens. Thankfully, she's got everything she needs in this car right here. Lijuan was in the seat next to her, tightly wrapped up in a baby car seat barely asleep. Lihua knew that the Estella isle was the most dangerous part of this god forbidden city. She unzipped her purse, pulling the pistol out, and quickly checking the clip. It was full, and she had two more clips in there. That should serve her purposes in case something happens. She slid the gun back into the purse and kept it unzipped. Having a gun out would not be a good idea if the police just so much as peek into her car. She doesn't have her badge, and they'll have a fit if they see her with a gun in this warzone of a city.

There were screams ahead - muffled by the fact that the windows were up - and it was followed by the stuff of nightmares. Long limbed monsters crawled from underneath the bridge to the top of it - jumping from the buildings. They were literally tearing people out of their cars and ripping them to shreds. Lihua, as per usual, had no idea what was going on here, but she knew that she'd have to channel that dark part of her if she was going to survive. She quickly grabbed that pistol of hers right as a long armed creature latched itself to the car, metal roared through the air as it attempted to pull it off.

Lijuan's cries immediately told Lihua what she had to do here. Her hand went into her purse at lightning fast speeds, and she drew her gun. Right when the beast yanked the door off, Lihua squeezed the trigger three times, and went deaf for a moment as three bullets rang through the air and went clean through the long armed beast. It had no choice to stumble backwards as a grey liquid came pouring out of it's body - followed by the creature dissolving into sludge. When her hearing returned, she let out a sigh of relief - but Lijuan's cries got much louder now as the infant was panicking. Lihua had no choice, she quickly turned around and unstrapped Lijuan and cradled the infant in her arms.

The matriarch stood straight up, and observed the area around her. People were getting ripped apart left and right. There were a group of beasts ready to tear apart a family. Hm. Lihua wouldn't be a situation of exemplary behavior if she didn't help them. She raised her foot up into the air, and brought it down. The crash that followed it made it sound like Lihua had super strength. Cracks formed a path in the street ahead, knocking up water, and spikes came out of the ground and impaled the beasts. The family looked confused for a moment, and Lihua shook her head as she flicked her hand, and knocked over some of the beasts. Giving them a clear path to escape.

"Run! Run while you still have a chance!" Lihua shouted, annoyed. She already had wounds in her body from helping them, they better - ah - seize the day. They fled like they should have done in the first place - but it looks like Lihua drew a little bit too much attention to herself. Lihua looked around, and saw that the purple-eyed beasts were surrounding her. Taking position on the cars. "Good grief..." Lihua said, ignoring Lijuan's cries as blades of concrete pulled themselves out of the ground. Just as these... Aberrations were surrounding her. Lihua had raised a load of blades up into the air, forming a dome, in fact. Pointing in every direction. "Aberrations, I am not sure if you can understand me or if you were ever human...." Lihua said just as they charged her from all directions.

"... But you all can go back to whatever disgusting whore you crawled out of." With a swipe of her hand, she sent the spikes of concrete shooting outwards in all directions at high speeds. A spin that gave them an extra force. They were all turned into living pin cushions. The blades digging deep. They were launched back of not killed instantly. And not a single one touched her. She let out a sigh. There were more coming. She had no idea if this was a city wide disaster, or the Hands (Or their Changeling prostitutes) decided to send their personal army of aberrations after her.

Well, they're not taking her without a fight.

Lihua quickly dove forward, creating an elevated concrete path to run on as she stepped off the bridge. She knocked it over on a group of monsters and crushed them. She quickly ran into an alleyway, and, with a closed fist, swung her fist behind her - turning her whole body - and created a concrete wall to block the flow of monsters. It's a bloodbath out here, and she doesn't have just have herself to watch out her. Lihua pulled herself against a wall. She couldn't ignore Lijuan's cries anymore. She quickly started bouncing her infant up and down, trying to distract her. It was so hard to do so with all the screaming, and the rain hitting her hard. The violent winds nearly pulled her over. "It's okay, it's okay..." Lihua said, trying to attend to Lijuan and keep her eyes open.

Christ, she also has Meifeng to watch out for. Wait, where is that girl...? Lihua reached into her purse and... realized that she left her phone in her car's cup holder.

Lihua looked up at the bridge. Which was getting overrun with monsters tearing people apart.

God damn it.

---

---

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine, Mom." Meifeng said in Chinese, her shoulder pressing her cellphone against her ear. After showing Rose around the city, there was a giant ass storm, and Nathan came to pick up Rose. While Meifeng immediately high-tailed it back to Central Valley. She didn't know what the hell was going on with all this rain, but she figured that she should wait it out. Meifeng honestly wanted to put some of this water to good use... but it wasn't just water. It was the wind, and the lightning! And she'd rather not get shocked. So, she was sitting down on the stairs, playing with an orb of water. "Just worry about getting out of that, and getting Lijuan back here safe and sound, eh?"

"Just stay inside, and don't do anything stupid." Lihua said on the other end. "Zaijian."

"Zaijian." Meifeng said, hanging up the phone. For a moment, she wondered if everyone was okay out there. Trevor, Cindy, Jen... she wondered how they were all doing. She should shoot them all a text later on. She just sat there on the stairs.

"Cousin." Mika said, as she walked up to the stairs.

"What is it, Mika?" Meifeng asked, raising her eyebrow. "Thunder got you scared?"

"No, no..." Mika said. "It's the fact that there's such a rain storm coming out of the blue in the first place." She nodded her head. "Have you heard about all the reports around the city about the rain?"

"Not really." Meifeng shrugged.

"... That's why you were never the brightest."

"Fuck off already, Mika." Meifeng rolled her eyes.

"You have to listen... I feel like something is going to happen." Mika said. "Something very bad."

"Ah it's nothing." Meifeng closed her eyes as she shrugged. "And if it does happen, I got it." She said in total confidence. A confidence in herself and her abilities.

A confidence that she'll certainly have to test very soon.

"You say that." Mika said, giving her a look that just said "I question that".

Meifeng rolled her eyes. "There's two kinds of people in the world. People of action, and people who aren't." She shrugged. "You see, why you were in those cushy mansions, getting fat off all those cakes, I was out here beasting. You can't see it.."

There was a massive crash in the distance that shook the house. Almost like it was an earthquake. There was things shaking, and she could hear glass breaking in the kitchen.

"Oh shit!" Meifeng shouted as she grabbed onto the railing. "What the fuck is going on?!" She asked.

Mika, unfortunately, didn't have the balance and fell forward. By sheer instinct not to hit herself in the head on the ground, she put her arms out, and landed on them. She bruised her elbows a little bit on impact, but she was fine.

The shaking stopped.

"Holy shit." Meifeng said, as she let go. Nearly stumbling forward, she quickly grabbed onto the railing to catch herself before she falls into the same situation as Mika. Second she gained her balance, she stepped down the stairs, and put her hand out for Mika to grab. "Here Mika." She said. Her older cousin grabbed on, and she hoisted her up. "Oh, you're heavy." Meifeng chuckled, earning a look of ire from her cousin. "Are you okay?" She asked Mika.

"Hurt my arms a litt-" Mika was cut off by the abrupt screams of terror that took place right out there door.

Meifeng immediately kicked open the door, and looked outside and her heart immediately sank. Right across the street there was this... thing was on top of one of the neighbors. Ms. Keelee. A older woman. But that wasn't important. There was this humanoid beast with gigantic arms that were horribly disproportionate to the rest of it's body. It stood on top of her neighbor, and raised it's arm in the arm. Which Meifeng knew would spell certain death for the woman.

Pure instinct took over the girl. Rain slowed down around her, and quickly formed sharp arrowheads that froze into razor-sharp pieces of ice. They quickly shot across the room at the beast.

However, she was too slow. The beast slammed it's fist down on her head, and turned what was her face into a bloody pancake. Meifeng immediately gasped for air the second the creature raised it's fist, and bits of her brain and blood were stuck to it's fist. Meifeng just couldn't believe her eyes, she was shaking. It was horrible as when that thing ran through Jen. It turned towards Meifeng and Mika, before it quickly began a berserk charge at them. Mika raised her hand up into the air, and created a transparent white-shield. Which stopped the Purple-Eyed beast fist. The point of impact sent a bright-white ripple throughout the shield - but the fist bounced off.

They both let out a scream. Mika dropped the shield as she ran backwards, and Meifeng gathered as much water as she going, and swung her hands upwards like she was holding a bat. The water followed the motion, and the beast was knocked backwards. Which Meifeng quickly followed up by pulling her hands back, forming the water into an orb, and shooting her hand forward, which made the forward shoot outwards like a cannon that sent the beast flying through the fence they had. Hitting it's back against the car, nearly smashing it. Meifeng ran forward, leaping high up into the air, assisted by her water powers, and brought the finishing blow on the beast by slamming down all the water that she had on it. A powerful attack. The beast let out one final wail before it dissolved into grey sludge.

With the combat high wearing off, Meifeng realized that chaos was taking place all around her. People were being attacked left and right by the same beasts, and it was a complete bloodbath. Jen. She had to help Jen. Meifeng quickly ran back inside her house, and ran up the stairs. She needed to get some stuff. Stuff that she'll need to get through this. She opened up her closet, and pulled out her dark-brown Bo-staff.

... Everything she needs.

Meifeng quickly stepped into some sneakers, before she turned around and ran down the stairs.

"Cousin?" Mika asked, genuinely confused as to what to do next.

"We're getting out of here, come on!" Meifeng said as she grabbed Mika's arm and ran out of the building.

---

---

It took Jen a little while to finally come to terms with the fact that she was a Metahuman, and everything that happened.

Well, relatively speaking. She was handling it well. Though... the regenerator had to realize that she was boxing out her friends because of her fear. She was staring out the window of her room, watching the rain fall harder than ever before. She even opted out of going with her family to dinner on the Crystal Shores. Which would have been the perfect opportunity to meet up with Trevor. But, no. She was here, in her room. Playing videogames. She took in a sigh of pain. It was her fault - all her fault really. Jennifer disconnected herself from her friends, and all the wonderful people she befriended. She had no one to blame but herself for this. They probably all hate her for this.

Jennifer powered off the game, taking in a low sigh.

Jen got back up to her feet, and walked out her door, taking steps downstairs. The rain was all that she could hear in this empty house of hers. She walked into her kitchen, and opened up the refrigerator. Grabbing a cup out the cabinet was followed by her pouring herself a cup of water. She downed it, and looked at it for a moment. Scanning it very closely with her blue eyes. Jennifer felt like she should stop being scared for a moment, and just talk to those people she calls friends. She let out a sigh. She enjoyed it. Feeling like she wasn't in the background. Even if she isn't front and center like Meifeng.

She understood that some people are just meant to be in the spotlight.

She just wasn't one of them - and she was fine with that.

While reaching to grab the picture of water, a purple light appeared in the corner of her eyes. She turned right towards it, and dropped her glass. There it was, a beast that walked on all fours, built like a panther. It's sole eye shining brightly against it's grey skin that Jen could barely see. Jennifer stood there, frozen. Staring at the beast, wondering what the hell it'll do next. She barely got time to react before the creature lunged through the window. She did the first thing that came to mind. Loudly scream, and dive onto her stomach.

The Purple Eyed demon collided with the fridge, followed by glass. Before Jen could get out of the way, the creature slashed at her back with it's claws, leaving three deep gashes in her back that were oozing blood. Jen let out a loud scream of pain. The creature was on it's feet just as Jen was reaching the door. She quickly unlocked the door, and slammed it shut behind her. Holding it shut as the creature impacted it. She knew that it wasn't going to hold on for long. Good god. Her heart was fucking pounding against her chest. She didn't even waste another second before she took off down the stairs and put those legs of hers to good use.

Though, outside wasn't doing too good either. There were monsters everywhere. Killing... killing everyone. That made her heart downright race. It reminded her of the attack on the Fair that she was in the middle of... yeah, reminded her so much of that.

There was no choice but to run.

---

Haruka & Shizuka Takashiro, & Akemi Shinoda.

_{(@Mr Allen J)}

---

---

After Henry left, Shizuka took the liberty to clear the leftovers on the table, even asking the waitress to pack the half-eaten glutinous chicken rice for takeaway - it would be such a waste if he didn't (those were some expensive shit he would never get to eat with his current savings). As he exited the restaurant, a sudden chill shot down his back - he narrowed his eyes at the gathering storm clouds above, growing bigger and bigger at an alarming rate. Here we go again, he ruffled his hair and let out a frustrated sigh. Another creepy, disgusting shower to spoil a good day---

Or worse.

Fissures appeared on the rumbling ground, which was lit up with a violet glow; soon the whole area was filled with screams of terror, with people scrambling madly away from the cracks. Tentacles rose from the damaged roads - it was them, those slimy, purple-eyed monsters that tried to kill him and Cindy previously...but this time it wasn't just five but an army, literally. The creatures crawled up onto the streets, grabbing onto the nearest person and wretched out their heart before ripping them apart. Some tried to fight back, but there were just too many of them - those people stood no chance against their sheer numbers. The spilled blood mixed with the rain, and soon Shizuka found himself running through the ankle-deep red flood. Some of these minions went after him, forcing him to evade them with his intangibility power.

He felt oddly calm facing such a situation - duh, he didn't have the time to waste on these annoying pests now. He took a shortcut to the red-brick shophouse; it was just a few steps away before him...

He let out a gasp when a monster landed on the roof of the home he had only settled down in for a month, then yelled, "Haru! Akemi!" He sprinted towards the front door, where his aunt and brother came out of just in time. The elder twin threw his arms over his younger counterpart. "Shizu! Yokatta!"

Akemi looked grimly at the chaos around them. "Save the teary reunion for later - let's get out of here first. And fast."

One of the creatures was heading straight for the trio - Akemi merely flicked a hand and its tentacles were blocked out of their reach, as if they had rammed into an invisible wall. Her nephews stared at her with disbelief; she responded with a shrug. "No time to explain - now move!"

Akemi took the lead, throwing out psionic shields to knock the monsters off their path as they ran down the streets of bloody water and messy remains of the people; followed closely by Haruka, with his younger twin bringing up the rear. As they reached a crossroad, a tentacle shot towards them from the right - Shizuka quickly grabbed their arms and shouted, "Don't breathe!" and they phased through the barrage of slimy hands.

It was Akemi's turn to give the younger nephew a curious look; Shizuka, on the other hand, spotted a car not far away from them and his mind whirled - they wouldn't get anywhere on foot at this rate. He gritted his teeth and they ghosted into the vehicle, gasping for breath. The good news: the engine was already running, which saved them the trouble of having to jump-start the car - without a key, they would have to use the old-fashioned and time-consuming manual way.

However, the bad news: that was the last time the twins ever wanted to take a ride with their aunt as the driver - they were thrown around in their seats when Akemi floored the accelerator and made sharp turns around the corners, soon leaving the havoc of Chinatown behind them.

"W-What are we going to do now?" Haruka asked from the backseat weakly - he was getting carsickness from Akemi's berserk driving. Shizuka, who sat beside him, turned on his mobile and was sending a text to Cindy:

Shizu here. Are dem minions flooding your area with blood too?

Akemi shook her head; the car was now speeding towards a bridge that would lead into the Priscilla Isle. "Knightdale will be a little bit safer than the areas in the Estella Isle - that's where the main 'castle', NEST Headquarters, is." She squinted her eyes - something was not right. She pulled the brakes suddenly, causing the twins to headbutt into the back of the front seats. Shizuka rubbed his forehead before he looked up, following his aunt's gaze. There was a long line of vehicles before them, but most were abandoned - and crawling with the same slimy things as those back in Chinatown.

With only one exception: someone was still fighting the creatures.

"Lihua...Vuhong?" Akemi uttered the name in a soft whisper. While she couldn't make out the face of the person from such a distance (plus the heavy downpour), there was no mistake of the concrete ability - that woman's specialty.

The twins raised their eyebrows at the name. Shizuka let out a whistle. "You mean...that ladydude there is Meifeng's NESTie mother?"

Some of the monsters - especially those nearer to them - now turned their attention to their vehicle.

"Right," the silver-haired teen didn't bother to hide the irritation in his tone. "They are telling us to get out of the car too."

---

---

Bearing in mind recent events that had been going on across Verthaven, the VPD - all of its departments included - had been working overtime, Cass and Reed just one of many among them. Today, the two of them conveniently finished work around the same time and so to save on gas (and as an excuse to meet up outside of work) they’d opted to head on the journey home in Cass’ car. For the past twenty minutes they’d been navigating through downtown’s traffic into university row and discussing recent matters, one of which was a certain reconciliation between a certain pair of brothers.

“I can tell Quent’s different - he’s changed for the better, I guess? I dunno, I just don’t want any kind of shit to screw this up whilst we’re making progress.” Reed had pointed out.

Cass was quick to end any concerns, however. “Look, it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past between you two - all that matters is that you just keep in touch and keep on doing what you’re doing. It’s good, y’know? Your mom wo-” before he could continue easing his nephew’s concerns, the car began to violently shake as a sudden bout of tremors took a hold of the ground beneath them.

“Earthquake, shit!” Thinking fast, Cass kept a firm grip on the wheel as he swerved to the side of the road and was luckily able to regain enough control of the car to pull up before any damage was done. He was ready to duck down when the tremors stopped as suddenly as they’d appeared, though being a California boy born and raised he figured it could’ve been a prelude to another earthquake. This didn’t stop him or Reed from taking a slow cruise around the block to make sure nobody’d been hurt - after all, cops were never really off the clock and this god damned rain didn't seem to be letting up.

It didn’t take long before the sound of a commotion just around the corner led them to a residential street not too far from where they lived, where the road had a huge fracture running down the middle of it like an opening to hell. Whilst a few cars had been pulled in or were teetering on the edge of the abyss, it soon became clear why a crowd had gathered around one of the doomed cars; a passenger was still trapped inside, in the backseat of a coupe no less, whilst the car faced headfirst into the abyss.

“Move, police!” Reed quickly cleared a path as he withdrew his badge to let the crowd know he was an off-duty, whilst Cass made a quick survey of the situation and thought fast. Pointing to Reed, he started heading back towards the car at a running pace as he shouted back “Stay with him, I’ll grab something from the car!” Yet not a moment later another tremor hit and the car began to teeter further towards the abyss, until finally tipping over with the poor bastard inside - “Fuck!” the subsequent sound of crumpling metal and broken glass gave way to the terrified screams of the surrounding crowd, yet it wasn’t the tumbling car which’d caused it.

In this case, the guilty party was a freakishly large humanoid hand with boney claws reaching up and grasping onto the edge of the abyss, before it’s owner - a humanoid mass of grey, sliming meat with a thick purple eye - finally clawed its way to the surface. Without hesitation, it started slashing and grasping away at the surrounding crowd - disemboweling some poor bastard who’d frozen in place whilst another unlucky onlooker got yanked back into the fissure by another creature’s grasping hand and it wasn’t long before one of the purple-eyed beasts set their sights on Reed.

Withdrawing his Glock, Reed aimed for the monster’s central mass and opened fire, hoping to bring it down like it would a normal human target, yet all this did was catch the attention of the other beasts as the rampage began. Twisting back towards the car, Reed began to make a break for it, hoping to put some distance between them - only for one of them to close in using its powerful arms as a gorilla would to make the pursuit. It seemed like the creature was ready to pounce for the kill, yet something hit it from the side and knocked it to the floor like a ton of bricks. From the same direction shouted a familiar yet all the same pissed-off voice which really hit home: “Hey, motherfucker! Get the fuck away from my goddammed nephew!”

Pointed downrange at the beast was the smoking barrel of Cass’ trustworthy Ithaca 37, wielded by none other than the man himself - and he was pissed. Nobody - nothing in this world was going to hurt his family so long as he drew breath, he’d told himself and now he intended to live up to it.

---

_{Written in collaboration with @Zombiedude101, & @BantlingBee}

---

Thank God that the RAVENs got back to headquarters in one piece. It was a blood bath, but they are among the best NEST has to offer.

This was the challenge that would test that claim.

The RAVENS were gathered in the meeting room. Right in the center of the table, there was a holographic projection of a map of Verthaven. Maximilian was leaning up against the table, rapping his fingertips against the wooden table. Staring into the projection of Verthaven.

"Max," Dana said as she rolled up, looking up at Maximilian. "It's a city-wide crisis. It might go against the purpose of our sect, but we... We can't just stand by as people are getting killed."

"Wasn't planning on it." Maximilian said. "We need all hands on deck if we're going to protect the citizens of Verthaven."

"Well, Maxi," Sonya said, tilting her head and giving him an unsure look. "We might be dealing with a Level X threat here...." She said. Level X was the class assigned to the most dangerous Metahumans around. The ones that can end the world. Hypothetically. There hasn't been a single Level X threat... until now. "We're gonna need backup."

"Or a nuke." Helena noted. "With a Metahuman that powerful running around, can we even save Verthaven?"

"Sure, I guess we might as well cut our losses here, right? Fuck everyone else still alive in this city." The level of sarcasm in Quentin's tone quickly indicated he was against that plan. "What the fuck kind of plan is that?" Were it not for the fact they were on the same side he'd have probably snapped and pointed out what he thought was a fucking idiotic plan - one that would've put plenty of people, Cass and Reed included, at risk.

Helena narrowed her eyes at Quentin. About to say something, before Maximilian spoke up.

"It shouldn't have to come to that, Taylor." Maximilian said. "Our first object is going to be evacuating the citizens of Verthaven, then we decide what we'll do about the Devil. Clear?"

"Crystal," he affirmed his answer with a nod. Glancing back over to Sonya, he arched an eyebrow, "Mayfield, you say we'd need backup - what kind are we talking about? And I don't mean the nuclear option-" he shot a look at Helena on that last note, "I remember hearing someone saying she wasn't actually there - working by a proxy, right? That's why she just created another body when you pulled another one of your deadeye shots on her dome."

"As for back up...well, there's a lot of NEST branches - like one for every major city!" Sonya said, enthusiatically. "Usually, when these giant Metahuman threats appear, we get some help from the other branches. Like, they send some guys, and once everything blows over, they go right back." Sonya explained.

"Wait, 'Usually'? I thought you said this hasn't happened before." Quentin interdicted.

"Well, allow me to rephrase it a little." Sonya said. "Usually, when we go up against some superpowerful Metahuman that goes on a rampage, they aren't capable of ending the world." Sonya shrugged.

"Oh, right. Guess district-wide destruction just doesn't make the cut for external support these days, huh. Budget cuts and all." Quentin let off an amused snort at that remark, cracking a thin smile at Sonya. Nothing like a bit of respite in sarcasm.

"Hey... We can handle district-wide destruction just fine!" Sonya said, her tongue flopping out of her mouth onto the table for a moment. Getting a disgusted look from Helena.

Leon raised a finger. "...Only problem with that is Vert probably has the most Agents on the West Coast. We probably don't have a whole lot in our pool of reinforcements." Leon scratched the back of his head.

"Seattle has a few though," Jan pipped up. She blushed a little bit before continuing lamely, "I know they aren't much, but it's a start."

The frog woman sucked her tongue up into her mouth, and shouted. "Definitely!" Sonya loudly said. "Worse comes to worse, we'll have to get some from the East coast." Sonya said, shrugging. "But I'm certain that NEST can handle this with a little help." Sonya put her fingers together very closely. "We are NEST's finest, after all!?" She asked, rhetorically.

"And that brings me to the next subject," Leon said, putting his hand on the table. He had a few things to say about the Devil of Verthaven during their little encounter with her not that long ago. Some theories. "So, obviously, the tentacle-bitch has some ability that allows her to project herself into her little demon things." Leon said. "So, I have two theories, and I doubt none of them are good."

"Go ahead, Vahan." Maximilian said.

"First theory," Leon said, raising his finger up into the air. "She's either somewhere else, controlling a body. Which means that we'll have to find 'ere, and take out her actual body."

"...Which is easier said than done." Helena said, pointing at the large map of Verthaven.

Leon rolled his eyes up into his head. "Second theory, and this is the one I'm hoping isn't true, because, if so, we're pretty boned," He started off. "That she's a hive mind or some shit. You know, that whole "we are one" nonsense. Which means we'll have to find where she's making them, or kill all of them."

"Ugh," Maximilian grunted. "We have so little information, and time, and a lot of enemies." He said. "This might be a tough one."

"Um, Max, may I chime in for a moment?" Dana said, raising her finger.

"Go ahead."

Dana nodded her head before she began, "Metahumans have been found all over the city with their hearts torn out."

"Yeah... like what happened to Cora." Sonya said, thinking about it for a moment.

Quentin quickly recalled when Cass had mentioned it. "That case you worked with my Uncle?"

"Yeah, yeah, the first time NEST ran into...." At the end of her sentence, it hit Sonya.

"I&I believes that there might be a correlation." Dana said. "She might be gathering hearts for whatever reason. We're still gathering why."

"It's a start." Maximilian said. "But, before we start hatching up plots, we need to focus on the priority here."

"The citizens of Verthaven." Dana said.

"I haven't contacted High Command yet and discussed this with them, but our only choice is to establish a safe zone around Headquarters, then work out some evacuation routes." Maximilian said, he got in an upright position, looking up at the holographic projection of Verthaven. "We're going to need all hands on deck - RAVEN, I&I, KINGFISHER, and rank-and-file Agents - we'll need everything if we'll quell the anarchy in this city."

"'Course!" Sonya said. "Think I'll be best suited for covering other Agents."

Maximilian said, standing straight up. "Because we are dealing with one of the worst Metahuman related disasters of all time. I know we were formed to deal with the Hands of Science." He trailed off for a moment, letting the words hang. "But priorities change. Our war with the Hands and their Changelings will have to wait. Now, our mission is to keep the citizens of Verthaven safe from what they cannot reasonably handle on their own. It will be a challenge - and I'm not sure that everyone will make it out of this one in one piece - but if we all pull together, we can make it through this."

Sonya started laughing. "Yeah!" She raised her fist up into the air.

Maximilian continued, "This might be a dark time, where people don't trust NEST - and, honestly, I can't blame them. As much as I'd like to say that it was all Miranda's fault, that would just be dodging blame. It's all of NEST's responsibility - our responsibility to show the public that we are here to help them. Not exploit, or hurt them! And that we aren't helping them to repair our reputation. It's because it's what's right! So, who are we?!" He valiantly raised his fist up into the air.

"Task Force RAVEN!" Sonya, and a few other RAVENs shouted, raising their fists up into the air. With other RAVENS moving in.

"Alright..." Maximilian said. "... Gear up RAVENS. This will be the greatest challenge anyone has faced thus far."

---

Cindy Gabrielle Keagan, Haruka & Shizuka Takashiro, Akemi Shinoda, & Lihua Vuhong.

_{(Written in collaboration with @Mr Allen J)}

---

---

During Cindy's graceful flight above the chaos, she received a text. She was hoping that it was from her father, or someone. She quickly glanced at her cellphone, and realized that it was from Shizuka. What the hell does that loony boy want? Cindy asked herself as she read the text.

Shizu here. Are dem minions flooding your area with blood too?

Cindy just shook her head. This shit's a disaster. People were dying, it's an all out attack. Cindy, briefly, was unsure of how the hell she wanted to respond (other than "yeah", or "and water is wet"). She couldn't muster the energy to sass at this loony grey-haired boy anymore. She just stopped before she paused for a moment to type a text - safe from all the monsters (except for any that jumped up). Though, it was hard to focus with all the screaming.

its all ova the place, it's wild af

Cindy sent the text message. She briefly thought about what the hell she was going to do. If this was a city wide disaster, then there's no where to run. Oh hell...she didn't know what was going on, or why, but she knew that there was definitely another threat. It wasn't the Hands or the Changeling Unit - it was whatever the hell these things were. The girl was intensely worried about her friends all over the city. She paused for a moment, and sent out another text.

r u okay? do u no whats goin on wit the others?

Meanwhile at the Priscilla-Estella link bridge, Akemi and her nephews braced themselves in the car, their unblinking eyes were watching those creatures' every move.

"I guess now is the chance we should discuss a bit about our powers, but keep it brief and simple," Akemi began - Shizuka noticed that her knuckles were turning white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly. "I can generate and project force fields around us to act as telekinetic shields, but it's been a long time since I actually used my ability."

The younger twin gave his brother a nod, then he spoke, "Me, I can walk through walls and pass through solid matters; I can expand my power to anything I'm in contact with and give them temporary ghost mode also."

Haruka crossed his arms before him and shook his head. "I...don't have any superpowers. I'm just a normal human." He sulked when Shizuka gave him a light punch to his shoulder.

Only on the defensive huh, Akemi thought, her brown eyes still fixed on the approaching fiends. They were clearly at a disadvantage - even if there was a way for them to effectively attack these balls of slimes, they wouldn't hold out for long against so many of them, be it offense or defense.

The silent tension was broken by the sudden vibration of Shizuka's mobile. The gray-haired teen pulled the phone out of his hoodie pocket - messages from Cindy. "Sorry Akemi, we gotta scrap the idea of going to Knightdale. A friend of ours said it's the same there too." He then typed out a text reply to Cindy:

Still alive and kicking. Mei's mum is fighting ahead of us.

God damn. Cindy thought to herself. Lihua was near Chinatown, she presumed. That left the question of where Meifeng was, or what the hell NEST was doing about this. Cindy wasn't a pessimist, but she knew that it was unlikely anyone was going to sweep in and save the day. Not in this weather, nor this situation. Which meant that it was every man, woman, and child for themselves. And Cindy sure as hell wasn't going to brave it alone.

Jus dont get urselves killed

Cindy sent the text, before she floated off towards the Crystal Shores.

Shizuka smirked upon receiving the message - he knew he could trust that girl to take care of herself (he felt like he had forgotten someone else, but in the end he simply shrugged off the feeling) - and switched the device off. As for Haruka, he brought his knees up to the seat, shaking rather badly. "So...are we going to die here?"

"I'm the only person allowed to kill you, nerd." Shizuka pinched his brother's nose so hard that it made him yelp in pain - Haruka going into a mental breakdown was the last thing they needed right now. "What's the plan? Help that ladydude or just save our own ass?"

"Mind your language, boy," Akemi sighed. "Let's get out of the car first. we'll just be sitting ducks here---"

"---How about getting out now!" Shizuka grabbed for his aunt and brother before phasing out of the car, which was suddenly assaulted by the monsters, shattering the glass doors and ripping the vehicle apart, turning it into a pile of metal trash. He continued to drag them further away from the scene, where the car remnants exploded into a ball of fire behind them. It didn't burn long, for the heavy rain extinguished the flames moments later.

"That was close," Akemi panted, her eyes were wide with shock at the near-death experience. As for Haruka, he had already fainted right into his brother's arms. Well, it was pretty impressive how he had managed to suppress his nerves for so long after witnessing a fucking massacre, being chased around by those killing fiends - not to mention their aunt's terrible driving skills.

However, he had sure picked the worst time to pass out. Shizuka groaned at the thought of having to piggyback his unconscious twin through this shitstorm, but he did all the same - his precious idiot brother took priority over his petty personal complains. He jerked his chin at the other fight straight ahead. "I think we better get to that Vuhong lady. We need her attack power for better chance of survival." Akemi nodded in agreement - for a fleeting moment she felt that the younger nephew was very similar to her level-headed sister.

With that, they ran towards to where Lihua was.

---

---

The first problem with getting back on the bridge was - despite her incredible strength, skills, and intelligence to put both formers to good use - she couldn't take on an entire army alone. And those things were just swarming that bridge. Worst of all, she had someone else to defend it. Her head drifted downwards towards Lijuan, bouncing up and down on her arm trying her damn near hardest to calm the girl down. This was a disaster. She hoped that Meifeng was alright - but she's a strong girl. A warrior to her bone. She'd be fine long as Mika's with her to make sure she didn't do anything stupid.

She heard footsteps running up, and pure instinct took over Lihua. She wasn't sure if it was a mugger, someone looking to capitalize on the disaster, or someone who needed help. Like hell if she was going to take chances now of all times. She quickly whipped her pistol in the direction of the newcomers. Her finger pulled the trigger halfway.

However, it wasn't an opponent. A familiar face that Lihua met a few weeks ago, and those two youths she was looking for.

"Miss Shinoda," Lihua said, not lowering the pistol. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Shizuka raised an eyebrow at the gun - as if his day could get any better: first the raging storm, then those pestering slimes, his unconscious brother on his back...and now this? Compared to the bloodbath back at Chinatown, being greeted at gunpoint felt almost like a joke to him in this situation.

Akemi stepped forward and put an arm before her nephews. "Ms. Vuhong, I suggest that we put our...enmities aside for now and join forces instead." She then directed her attention to the infant in the agent's arms. "Now that we're here, you don't need to hold back anymore - you can leave your back to me." She raised a hand and mentally projected her invisible shield outwards, blocking out an incoming monster from her right - thus making her point.

The creature pounded against the shield, and Lijuan was loudly crying. However, to the hardened woman, that was just a blur. One thing that wasn't any different from the other. "...Enmities?" Lihua skeptically asked, raising an eyebrow as she dropped her pistol to her side. Oooooh...this woman might have taken something the wrong way, yes? Lihua thought to herself as she finally realized it. "You have me mistaken, I have no ill will towards you." She narrowed her eyes for a moment. "...You, on the other hand, I do not know." She didn't hate Akemi, nor did she especially like her - she was in that special neutral sweet-spot. Though, that was fully unimportant. If everyone was going to pull through this disaster, they needed to put all rivalries and petty feuds to rest...or else they would consume them, and be the end of them.

"We could definitely work as a team." Lihua said, finally getting to the important matters. "However, I left something very important in my car up there..." She pointed up towards the bridge. "...My phone. I have some powerful contacts - in and out of NEST - and they could be useful at this moment. If anything goes on within NEST, I am the first to hear about it." She was talking out of her ass a little bit here - she was suspended, so she was literally the last person to be informed of new developments. However, they didn't have to know about that little detail.

The phone was more than needed if Lihua was going to find her way out of this disaster with herself, Lijuan, and Meifeng, in one piece.

Phone, huh? If it's as Cindy said, this whole city was already infested with these fucking goo - the Metacops probably had their hands full at dealing with those right at their doorstep to spare anyone for an odd group like theirs (unless that ladydude's rank was pretty high up enough to warrant special attention). Shizuka gave his aunt a sideways glance; Akemi simply responded with a gesture at him to put the still knocked-out Haruka beside her. You know what to do, she mouthed, then her face broke out into a quick, faint smile before she resumed working on her force fields.

Well, things ain't looking so good here too. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked around with a scowl - too bad that he still couldn't walk on air and taking a detour to go up would take too much time (his aunt and that Vuhong lady wouldn't last that long either), so he would need an alternative. And the idea he had was probably the most unpleasant one he could ever think of: using the cars and minions as stepping stones - while he couldn't exactly fly per se, his power would allow him to lower his weight to jump higher. The only two problems to his crazy plan were stamina and timing.

The rest were too busy dealing with the immediate frontal assault to provide other options, so he guessed he would have to gamble on his own insanity. "Right. Where in which car, ma'am?"

The woman put her hand on her hip (other hand was holding Lijuan). She was wondering what this boy could do...though, truth be told, it's more than likely that he's a Metahuman of some sort. Akemi was obviously one, and it's not a big stretch to assume the boy's brother was one, too. She should feel bad that she's making this child run headfirst into danger for her phone, just so she can contact Meifeng. Hmph.

It's just another thing to feel guilty about.

"The black Cadillac XTS Luxury Sedan." The words came out of her mouth.

Shizuka gave her a curt nod. This better be worth the trouble.

He took in a deep breath - he could vaguely feel the raindrops falling through the molecules of his body - and he began to run, building up enough momentum before he leaped onto a car, then making the first jump. He felt lighter, as if the atoms were expanded slightly - almost like he's sailing through the air for a split second before he landed on top of one of those mucks. Unfortunately he didn't have the luxury to ponder about these unnecessary stuffs - all he could do was to keep going, before these brainless monsters could catch what he's trying to do.

He continued to hop from one creature to another, putting all those training and skills carved into his small frame from the many sports he played to their best use. By the time he reached the top of the bridge, every muscle in his body were in agony. He gritted his teeth, forcing his aching legs to keep running while dodging the slashing attacks from the creatures - the vehicle that woman had described was a couple of feet away, and he quickly phased into it, narrowly missing a whipping tentacle.

Cup holder...and bingo. He turned off the mobile - if he phased along with it while it's still on his power might cause the device to short-circuit, and that would defeat the purpose of wasting all his energy just to get this thing to that lady. He held the phone close to his chest and shut his eyes, dropping down through the car and the bridge ground before he fell on his back - on top of the windshield of a van below.

The strong gust brought by the storm was icy cold against his skin, but his body still felt hot from the adrenaline rush. No time for breaks. He made the last dash towards where his aunt - and the Vuhong woman - were.

"Shizu!" He was a little surprised to hear Haruka's voice - which meant his brother was now awake. "W-Wha---?"

The younger twin waved him off tiredly, and held out the phone at the agent. "G-Got...it." Then he sat down beside Akemi - the intensity of the soreness would probably take him a few weeks to recover from (he worked his body ten times harder than he normally did for this, especially since he had to keep his power active numerous times). He had pushed himself a little too far, it seemed - his heart felt like it was going to burst right out from his chest any moment.

"Good work," was all Akemi could spare for him before she returned her focus back to her invisible defending fields.

"Thank you," was all Lihua could offer before she quickly grabbed the phone, and ignored the two for a moment as she dialed Meifeng. She immediately slammed that phone to her ear, quietly praying that Meifeng and Mika were okay. When Meifeng answered, Lihua let out a sigh of relief. "Meifeng, are you okay?" Lihua quickly asked, speaking her native language. "Where are you?"

"We're just running for our lives, you know, the usual." Meifeng responded in Chinese. "Where are you?"

"I'm heading over there. Just...stay where you are." Lihua pleaded. "And don't do anything stupid."

There was a brief pause "No can do," she said.

"What?" Lihua asked. "I just said not to do anything stupid."

"Sorry, mom, but I gotta help Jen first," Meifeng said. "I know she's in danger."

"Meifeng," Lihua said, in utter disbelief. "Caspin will be fine, you don't have to run out there and put your own life on the line for someone like her," she said, coming off as a bit more venomous than intended.

Instead of answering, Meifeng simply hung up the phone.

Making Lihua loudly sigh. Now she had to go find that hard-headed child.

Haruka knelt down next to him with a twisted expression - one in which the person couldn't decide if he was worried or scared. "What happened to you? Are you okay?"

Shizuka ruffled his brother's hair playfully in reply, but his ears were on the Vuhong woman's conversation with Meifeng; he was a little envious at their exchanges (yes he could understand Mandarin, but it wasn't a big deal to brag about to anyone) - while any teen around his age would find the ladydude an overprotective, annoying mum, the twin's mother was the type that's on the other end of the scale, the kind who actually thought of them as a burden...an eyesore. There were even times he wished that Akemi was their real mother instead - at least she genuinely cared for them.

Lihua looked down at the boy. Hmph. They best be prepared for what's happening next, because the chances of any of them surviving was a...grey area, to say the least. Before she rushed off towards Meifeng, she figured that she'd at least contact someone within NEST. The only person she had in mind. She went through her phone, and dialed Maximilian Cornell.

When he answered, she said, "Agent Cornell, this is Ms. Vuhong." As formally as possible.

"Agent Vuhong," Maximilian answered. "How can I help you?"

Once again, Lihua paused. "I know you have your hands full...and we are not on the best of terms, but I am not asking for help," She started off, brushing her wet strands of hair out of her face. "I am asking if there is a safezone of the sorts for me and my daughters to go."

"Task Force RAVEN is establishing such a place as we speak around the Headquarters," Maximilian started off. "I can't guarantee direct assistance from NEST, but if you can get there, agents can offer you protection."

"Understood." Lihua said. "We'll start heading there right now. Goodbye." She hung up the phone.

Hmph. Now that left Lihua a rather hefty to-do list. She had to find Meifeng in the Priscilla Isle...then head over to the Isabella Isle. Which were, obviously, an entire city apart. On foot. In a city that's infested with eldritch monsters. Which was also in the middle of a natural disaster.

God damn it.

She'd work better on her own, but she was more than certain that she wouldn't be able to get rid of these people even if she tried! Not without murdering them, but they're nice people, to say the least. Well, that's if they even want to come with her. It's likely they'd run headfirst to the NEST Headquarters and leave this place behind. She wouldn't blame them if she had to be entirely honest with herself.

"Alright," Lihua turned towards them, and kept her eyes narrowed. "NEST is building a safezone around their headquarters, which is straight upwards. If you start now, you can get there safely." She shrugged. "However, I have to continue back towards the Priscilla Isle... I have to get my daughter out safely." Her tone took a more hostile route from here. "I don't expect you to come with me - you three can get to safety, and I'll handle myself in the meantime."

Akemi pursed her lips - she didn't exactly hate Lihua, but she probably would never come to like her either. Before she could speak her mind, Shizuka said first, "Of course we'll do the obvious, but---" His eyes traveled from the lady's hard look to the baby in her arms. "---It's suicidal if you're gonna bring that along with you too."

"What?" Lihua said, her stance was getting a lot more defensive than before. If this boy suggested that she abandon Lijuan to what had to be an essential stranger, then he's crazier than he looked. "I can protect Lijuan just fine." The words came out of her mouth, sounding awfully passive-aggressive. "Just worry about yourself, boy." She pointed at him.

Shizuka rolled his eyes. Can this person be any denser? "At least take her to NEST before you go for Mei. Get your priorities right, woman." He then ignored Lihua and got to his feet - Akemi was probably feeling drained from the continuous use of her ability, and they really needed to get out of here. "I'm okay, let's go."

"Child," Lihua said, about to give this boy a piece of her mind, lashing out at her like this - only stopping herself when she realized that he wasn't the problem here. "I will, in fact," she said. She let out a sigh. "Well, I believe we can go as a group - but from then on, I am working alone."

Akemi simply shook her head tiredly, while Haruka shrugged as they moved towards the NEST Headquarters.

---

@Mr Allen J

---

"Move it!" A voice called in the rain.

Subsequent gunshots rang out as several more of the creatures set their sights on the Taylors, forcing Cass to alternate between holding them off and loading in more shells from his pocket as he made a retreat.

Snapping a glance over his shoulder as he heard other shots cracking off, he spotted Reed taking a stance beside the car and pitching in with covering fire - reducing one of the creatures to a mass of grey sludge which quickly dissolved in the rainfall, yet there were more where they'd come from and the two would only have so much ammo. Knowing full-well these things would close in too soon if they didn't get a move on, he quickly stuck a hand in his pocket and withdrew his keys, urging him "Quick, take 'em and get it started."

Reed snatched them out of Cass' hand and frantically climbed into the driver's seat, gunning to start the engine with a firm twist. Shifting it into gear, he glanced over the windscreen only to spot Cass pulling back towards the car after firing off one last shell, practically jumping into the passenger seat. The door was barely closed before Reed hit the gas, hoping to place some distance between them and those things as they grew larger and larger in the rear-view mirror.

Cass popped opened the glove compartment and yanked out a navy-shaded box of shells that'd already been torn open in a hurry and started pushing more of them into the shotgun's magazine tube whilst pocketing the excess shells for later use.

"What the hell were those things, Cass?"

"You tell me. I don't have a clue, just... shit. Just drive, we'll loop around and figure things out once I check the radio out."

Cass inclined forward and reached out with a free hand, fiddling with the various dials and switches on the scanner he kept on the dash. It was always handy, especially in times like this and gave him more information than the regular broadcasts ever would.

The signal was a little hazy due to the intense storm and the aging hardware that was receiving it, but it was coming through from all over Verthaven - none of it good.

Urgent calls for assistance, reports of multiple casualties as more of those creatures showed up, panicked riots and stampedes - even NEST chatter was spilling into the mix, turning his mind towards Quentin as he wondered where his eldest nephew was in all of this mess and hoped to hell that he was unharmed.

He had to be, for both their sakes.

"What's happening?" Reed finally asked, trying to navigate his way through the quieter streets towards as misshapen silhouettes scrambled amidst the rainfall. He'd been loosely paying attention but refused to believe all of it - not until he heard it from Cass' mouth.

"It's worse than anything I've seen or heard of, kid. Won't lie. Shit, I'm not sure what to do - you saw how bad the traffic was on our way out of downtown, it'll be gridlocked. We don't have any real way of getting in touch with the department, but-"

He stopped mid-sentence as he spotted something just about to run across the road. "Shit, slow down!" he shouted, prompting Reed to hit the brakes.

Someone in the road, it turned out.

---

Everything was going to shit. Jen long realized that this city is one thing after the other - but this was a whole different situation all together. Adrenaline and her healing factor were the two things keeping her running like a rabbit. Every footstep splashed a puddle of water underneath her feet. She had no idea where she was going, but her plan was "anywhere but here".

She kept running alongside the sidewalk - but one of the creatures, crawling on all fours, with a alien-body and large claws, landed in front of her. It looked up at her, and Jen instinctively took a few steps back, putting her hand up in some attempt to get back. However, the thing lunged at her, and she screamed, jumping to the side. She got some scraps on her arms as as she the ground, but she kept running.

That wound she recieved earlier was all but healed. Only a little bit more to go - but the process of forcing her body at this rate was always painful. She had little idea if the creature was still behind her, but she had little defense against them. She wasn't Meifeng or the others - she had no offensive superpower or training - she was basically your average sixteen year old girl.

Not percisely thinking too much, Jen ran across the street, hoping to get away from it.

Not too far away, a set of dimmed headlights died down and a silhouette climbed out with something heavy in its hand, before suddenly moving forwards.

"Keep your head down!" A heavy voice shouted as the silhouette closed in.

Jen briefly wondered what the hell was going on, but it felt great knowing that someone was coming to her aid. She knew that she couldn't keep running forever. Almost immediately, she dove downwards. The Purple Eyed beast was distracted by the newcomer and went for them at high speeds.

Cass stood his ground and shouldered his Ithaca 37, firing off an aimed spread of buckshot at the beast before firmly pumping the handle for another go.

The Purple eyed beast charged into the shot head on. Causing a chunk of it's flesh to immediately turn to liquid. It stopped, shaking. It quickly lunged at the man and forced him to take a dive to avoid getting pounced on, yet it quickly turned on its feet for another strike.

"Don't touch either of them!" Another voice shouted from behind the creature. Reed readied his glock and opened fire, gunning for the bright purple eye which painted a target on its form.

Attention went from Cass to Reed the second the bullet knocked off another chunk of flesh. The beast turned towards Reed. There was a clicking sound coming from it. It quickly lunged through the air at breakneck speeds, and landed on Reed before he could react. It's flesh split, and revealed a mouth of vicious-looking teeth - giving no indication that it had these before - and brought them down on Reed's arm as he scrambled to get a last minute shot.

"Raargh, fuck!" He let out an agonised scream as the teeth punctured through muscle tissue and bone alike, like an industrial vice.

"NO! Get away from him!" Like that, Cass sprung to his feet faster than anyone had ever seen the old man move before and pointed it downrange towards the creature's central mass, but knowing that there was a chance he could harm his nephew made him hesitate.

All Jen could do was hopelessly stand by as the fight went on. Her breath rate accelerated, and she started biting her fingernails - more of her fingers - until she drew blood. She was frozen. Unsure of what to do. Everything was just so damn crazy. And she was just one girl thrown into the thick of it. But she had to do something. Anything. She didn't want to see this man eaten alive in front of her.

Next to her was a pistol - Reed's pistol, pushed away in the confusion.

Should she even touch it? Jen was so terrified right now that she was worried that she might make the situation worse. But she had to try her best. She grabbed her guns, and immediately realized that this was much different than the games she played. She didn't even hold it the right way. She aimed it at the beast, and grit her teeth as she thought about pulling the trigger. This was dumb, and impulsive - but she was too rattled right now to realize it. So, she just pulled the trigger, and the tiny explosion propelled the bullet out of the gun. The bullet didn't even come close to the beast - it merely hit a car down the street. And the recoil hurt the hell out of Jen's wrist.

But, the Purple-Eyed monster was distracted, and this was enough for Reed to frantically slide out from under its mas and drag himself out of Cass' field of fire - allowing the old man to take aim and fire.

It was the final shot that put an end to the beast. When the last shot hit, it hit one of it's vital organs, and caused it to dissolve into a grey sludge. Dead.

Cass quickly ran over to Reed and took a knee beside him, fear washing over his face as he saw the scope of the injury, "Reed?! C'mon kid, lemme check you out," His eyes darted to the puncture marks in his sleeve, "Dammit, you're... bleeding. I'll get the kit from the car, patch you up."

Through bated breath and gritted teeth, Reed shrugged off Cass' reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Mmph, don't.. you should know better than that, old man," he muttered, "Shh.. this hurts, it fucking hurts, but I'll live. Ch.." He nodded towards Jen as he drove his good palm into a knee to stand up, hissing "Check on her. Then we'll fix this."

Secretly, that made Cass proud of the man that his nephew had become.

Jen sighed. "I.... didn't think that'd work out." She spoke to herself as she watched. Jesus, that guy was messed up. She wished that she could have helped him here.

"Ma'am, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Cass finally approached, still carrying the shotgun in one hand whilst the other reached into a pocket to produce his badge. "We're off-duties."

"I... can't say that I am alright - but I haven't been hurt." Jen shrugged. She wondered if they would realize the torn clothes, and blood stains when she was slashed by that beastie. She could shrug it off by saying that it only caught her clothes... oh yeah, the blood. Jen sighed. She looked at the badge, and realized that they were VPD. "That's..." Jen said, trailing off when she tried to think about what to say next. Honestly, in all of this chaos, she's better off sticking with the cops. "Great?" She mentally slapped herself. "Look, is he okay?" She asked, before getting a closer look at him.

He was that cop that helped against REAPER at the party.

Small world, huh?

"Don't-" Cass glanced back towards his nephew for a moment, before realising his own hesitation, "Don't worry, I'll make sure he's checked out. But.." He wasn't blind to the blood stains on her clothes or where they'd been torn. "Are you sure you're not hurt? Adrenaline doesn't always let you notice it - let's get you checked out just in case. I've got a first aid kit in my car."

"I'm... fine." Jen said, admantantly. This man is most likely the opposite of stupid, if he sees that there's signs that she was injured, but no injury - he could easily put two and two together.

The senior detective arched an eyebrow. "Alright, can't make you get checked out. Though, I know this might be a difficult question, but.. there wasn't anyone else with you?"

"No... I was alone the whole night." Jennifier answered. "My family went out to dinner somewhere in the Priscilla Isle - I forgot...." Then she wondered where the hell they were. She hoped that they were okay. "I don't know what the hell is going on..." She said, grabbing onto her forehead and shaking her whole head.

"Don't worry too much about your family, just focus on staying safe. You can tag along with us if you like, we'll keep you safe." Cass gestured to the car, where Reed seemed to be fiddling with something.

Jen didn't even waste a solid second before she scrambled towards the car, quickly saying, "Yeah, that'd be great."

"Glad to hear it." Even if it was just one person, Cass knew they were doing something right. Heading back with the girl, he found Reed seated in the passenger seat with the open first aid kit in his lap, having alreadyworked on some self-treatment, although now he seemed more interested in the police scanner at the moment.

"By the way, I'm Detective Cassius Taylor. My co-worker over there's Detective Reed... Taylor."

"Jennifer." Jen said, "Jennifer Caspin. It's nice to meet you...."

"Call me Cass." Cass had almost forgot to mention. Reed acknowledged the two of them with a brief nod, before adding "And yeah, we're rel- hssh" he wound up cutting himself off as he caught his arm on something.

"Hang on," Cass opted to intervene and figured now was a good a time as any to administer first aid. At this stage in his career, he'd done it a dozen times over - yet somehow it was like dealing with an injured child all over again, even if he wasn't supposed to let it get in the way of his duties.

After a few minutes of careful, almost coddling treatment, Cass was ready to put the kit away when something cught their earshot on the scanner.

"...Repeat, all units, we are establishing a relief center at the NEST HQ site on Crystal Shores, all evacuees and injured personell are to be redirected to this location - avoid contact with the creatures if possible..."

Okay. Seems like the smartest place to be when monsters invade the city. Though, Jen wondered how well NEST was handling the situation themselves. But, it's a plan. Better than running around aimlessly. She knew that her family could be there, giving that it's the Priscilla isle. All Jen did was nod, and await the ride there.

"Looks like we've got a plan," Reed finally remarked.

---

Written in collaboration with @Mr Allen J

---

Trevor was seriously rattled by his little run-in with Luis... the glorious leader of the Changeling Unit.

Since the fight, he was locked into his room, praying to God that it was just some random attack. The two wounds that Luis inflicted on him were patched up by NEST doctors before he was sent home. The wounds weren't super serious, they were stitched up, and bandaged. The... properties of his blood made it quite hard for him to recieve medical attention - because of other people of course - but he finally recieved the medical attention and was sent home. He was stuffed up in his room, he kept on checking the windows just in case someone suspicious showed up. Though, all he saw was rain. Nothing but rain. Harder than ever before. For a moment, he wondered if they should get out of a Beach house before the house gets washed away.

Scarlet was out at the moment. She and some of the other Privates were called out to go assist in the disaster. Just so NEST could save face.

While Scarlet didn't want to go, just so she could protect Trevor and Lucille in case the Changelings showed up again, she let Trevor borrow a special something for protection. A Smith & Wesson Model 629. She trusted that Trevor wouldn't play with this, and would only use it to defend himself and possibly Lucille. It was resting right there on his nightstand. He grabbed it, and slid it in his pants behind him. Just so Lucille, or anyone else, don't see it. California's gun laws are easily among the worst in the country.

Trevor pushed out of his room, and closed the door behind him. He took two steps, and clenched his sides where Luis penetrated him. The stinging pain got to him for a moment. Worst of all, he didn't have access to precious endorphins. He got over it, and kept walking until he made it down the stairs.

"Lucy!?" Trevor called out.

"In my room!" Lucy said. "I'm finishing reading a book," she continued. "Did you know that Ned died in book one?" She said as she opened the door.

"Well, come out your room!" Trevor snorted as he walked over towards Lucy's room. Probably doing some weird stuff in there like masturbating with her man strength. He stepped into the room, and looked around. "Hey... how are you doing?" He said, before shrugging. "Enjoying the weather?"

"Nothing like London's feeling," she smirked, sitting on the bed again. "And you?"

"Right..." Trevor said as he stepped into her room. He took a look around, before he scratched the back of his neck. "Can't say that I'm doing good, really." He shrugged. "I... can't get that maniac out of my head."

"Do not worry too much," deep down Lucy was terrible at giving advice. And frankly, she was more lost that needle in the haystack. All thanks to the family visiting trip she had to do one week ago. But she had to try. "He won't try a second time, right?"

"Yeah, you say that...." He said, brushing his long hair out of the way of his face. "I don't know... It's not that easy to "not worry" when you almost had a literal supervillain carve you up." Trevor nervously said, trying to sound funny, or snarky, but ended up sounding more awkward than anything.

"Look to you, all whiny." She got up and went towards him and grabbed his shoulders. "I was almost killed. Either by fire or by my mother, but I survived," she smiled awkwardly. "We got through that as friends. And you will get over it the same way. That is what friends do... we don't get killed."

The initial irritation over being called "whiny" - which was quite dickish on her part since he was almost murdered - quickly dissipated when Trevor realized that she was trying. Even though Trevor would never recomend that she becomes a therapist, that helped a little bit. "Yeah... thanks."

"We should go to a movie when is not raining like hell," Lucy said looking at her room's window.

"... How about some good old Netflix and chill?" Trevor slid in, trying his best to contain his laughter as he put his arm around her shoulder.

Lucy frowned. It was a silly joke but at least Trevor was still "the same" Trevor as always. Good? She would never know. "I missed your jokes, agent Trevor. It was a hell of week avoiding my mother at all cost."

"Agent. Trevor." The boy parroted. "Sounds awful." He wondered if he should tell her that he wasn't joking about Netflix and Chill. Before he could insist (Or cut straight to the action), there was a loud sound of glass crashing in the living room, and something walking in the house. "Oh..." He said, he immediately.reached for that revolver behind him. Holding it very carefully.

"Woah! Don't point that to me!" Lucy whispered. "What we do?"

"I don't know..." Trevor whispered, being honest as the boy could get (Though, he was honest about getting that boo-tay). "Let's just go check it out, okay?"

"Go ahead," Lucy said hiding behind him.

"You're the one with..." Before Trevor could object, he realized that he was planning on becoming a NEST Agent. Would a NEST Agent cower behind a damsel?

Well, maybe.

Henry's one of them.

"Just stick behind me." Trevor said as he raised the revolver up to face level as he took slow steps towards the door, and opened it. When the door opened, they were immediately greeted by a purple light standing tall in their living room. Attached to that purple light was a tall human creature that looked round.... alien. It's neck was long, and didn't leave any indication that it had a mouth. It had long, muscular, arms and legs that had fearsome claws. It turned towards them, and stared at them for a moment.

"Oh shit!" Trevor loudly shouted as he immediately leveled his gun at it's eye. The creature charged them, only to meet it's end when Trevor pulled the trigger and the round cut through the air and hit the creature right in the face. It immediately dissolved into a grey sludge before it could do any damage. Pooling on their perfectly good floor.

Trevor stood there, staring at the sludge that stained the floor. He looked at Lucy for a moment. "... The fuck was that?"

Lucy returned the same look. "You killed it?"

"... Does it look alive to you?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "We should check..." She said slowly pushing Trevor toward the puddle.

Before Trevor could come up with some other comeback, his cellphone buzzed with a message. He quickly reached in, and read.

Trev, shit's real around ere, I need 2 go 2 ur house.

"It's Cindy." Trevor said, holding the phone idly. "She wants to come over here... of all times." He looked around - he heard some distant screams. "I doubt it's much better ov-"

"Is she okay?!" Lucy interrupted.

"I don't know." Trevor said, mildly irritated. "But I doubt we're gonna be either." He frowned.

"And I doubt out there will be safer." She said frustrated, sitting on the floor and leaning back against the wall.

"I... don't know." Trevor said as he walked a circle. He stopped for a moment to turn the safety on - to avoid any firearm injuries (To himself). "I got no damn idea what's going on...." Then it hit him - if you want to know what's going on, you look at the news! He quickly went to his phone, and saw an emergency news report on his home page.

Headline reading: Verthaven under attack by Level X Metahuman. State of emergency declared.

"Oh boy." Trevor said, as he handed the phone over to Lucille so she can take a look at it.

"Shit. At least is not Independ--nevermind."

"I... still don't know what the fuck is going on." Trevor said, as he held the phone. "But, we gotta prepare for it - prepare for something, alright." He said. Wondering what the hell was going on. "My bow is in my room - it ain't fancy like my gun here, but it'll get the job done."

"Go get then." She waved both hands at him.

"Alright then... if Cindy gets here safely, then we'll have her glass powers, too." Trevor said, before he took a few steps forward - stopping himself, and taking a look at her. "Whatever happens, I just wanna make sure that everyone gets out of here in one piece, you hear?"

"Yes... Agent Trevor," Lucy smirked.

"Good to hear. Let me get ready." Trevor said as he ran upstairs to get his bow and arrow, knife, and everything else he'll need.

---

---

---

Echo's near supersonic fists struck a band of the humanoid shaped beasts that made the mistake of running at Maximilian.

The last punch left such an impact that sent a ripple through the entire beast, before it splattered into sludge on the street in front of him. Maximilian stood there, without a change in facial expression. A squad of Agents armed with ACR rifles ran on past him, and a black pick up truck with a NEST logo. The truck stopped, and they dropped the gate, revealing a chainlink fence, and other supplies to build an impromptu bulwark out of sand bags, and other supplies. The Agents quickly set up the fence with the help of their Metahuman agents, and the bulwark they had established was quickly manned with 50. caliber machine guns to cut down droves of the beasts. No matter how many there are, they won't last long against these.

"Zone three has been secured." Maximilian spoke into the comms. "How are the other zones, coming along?"

"Well, Maxi," Sonya said, looking through the scopes of her rifle, safely on the rooftop. She spied Helena, Maria, Adam, Leon, and a lot of Rank & File, facing an entire horde. A massive horde of the Purple-Eyed beasts that filled the street that they were charging down. The Agents raised their rifles, and opened fire, and in Adam's case, he summoned his own Echo and started punching down rolls of them. Sonya saw a really big one in the rank, and aimed down her sights. She took a shot, and it stunned the beast, leaving a oozing hole in it's flesh, before she pulled the trigger a few more times and put the damn thing down. No matter what they did, more showed up.

"... Not looking good at all." Sonya said. "They keep coming! Gonna need a miracle here!"

"Keep at it, I'm on my way!" Maximilian shouted, as he took to the skies. Agents should be able to hold the fort here.

".... Yeeeeeeeeah. Easier said than done, Maxi." Sonya said to herself as she aimed down the sights. The creatures were going down, but more were popping up just as they were cut down. "Oh! Gots me an idea!" Sonya said in the comms.

"Yeah, was waiting for someone to say that." Leon said, as he aimed down the sights of his revolver, and pulled the trigger. Only staggering one. Oh boy. Leon said to himself as he pulled the trigger again and only stagger it again. "Definitely room for improvement on our end."

At this point, Adam had to call back his Echo, and use him to strike down the Purple-Eyed demons that were approaching them. With his high-speed strikes, Echo was capable of killing most of them in a single hit. Other ones needed a little bit more before going doing.

"Alright, Helena-" Before Sonya could even get the last syllable of her co-worker's name out of her mouth, the Supersonic replied,

"What do you need?" Helena replied, finding it real hard to concentrate between shooting down these demons, and talking to Sonya. One had pierced the defensive line, being a demon that was incredibly bloated. It raised one of it's fat hands up into the air, and was about to bring it down on an unsuspecting Agent - but Helena flashstepped and pulled him out of the way. In a literal instant, they were out of the way, and the beast merely broke concrete. The Agents focused all their fire on it, before they went back to shooting at the wall of monsters heading towards them.

"Grab some grenades, and drop 'em in the middle of their charge!" Sonya shouted, before she took a shot at one of them was getting past.

Helena nodded her head. It was an idea. A good idea, to say the least. She grabbed the grenades that were hanging off her vest and took towards the skies. She pulled the pins one of the grenades, before she flashstepped. Dropping it from the air, it exploded in the middle of their ranks. Before doing it again, managing to thin them out for the defensive line. Helena flashstepped back when she ran out of grenades.

"Great job!" Sonya said.

Before the team could pat Helena on the back, another problem arose. A hole in the ground not too far away arose, and a massive creature broke out. It was humanoid... and huge. It stood at least twenty feet tall. Massive, muscular, arms, and almost disproportionate legs. It had fleshy armor around it's body, and gigantic claws. It's mouth was wide, and had enormous teeth that seemed to form a endless abyss into it's maw. It took two steps, and looked at the line.

"Oh, that's not good." Leon said.

The large demon let out a roar before it charged through the ranks. Slashing, bashing, and throwing, aside any of it's fellow demons that got in the way. Sonya immediately fired a shot at it's legs that nailed it right in the knee. Which made it stop for a moment, but it's blood lust was insatiable. It kept going, despite the barrage of bullets it received from the agents. It breached their defensive line, and with one mighty swipe of it's claws, it managed to toss a group of NEST Agents.

Sonya at this point was just hammering it with bullets. Yet, it was still standing. They must be throwing the extra tough ones at it.

It reached for an Agent, but Helena flashstepped in - however, she wasn't fast enough, and the thing grabbed her like it was nothing, and held her up in the air. That's when RAVEN stepped in and started working extra hard to save her. Adam's Echo started a barrage of punches directed at it's arm, while Sonya was shooting it some more. With one decisive strike, Adam punched through it's arm, and it fell off, dissolving as Helena flew off.

However, it kept going. Madly swinging it's remaining arm. It raised it's arm in the air and let out a mighty roar as it slammed it down. Every Agent got the hell out of the way. On impact, it sent out a shockwave that crashed the asphalt underneath it's feet. Adam's Echo quickly flew up, and punched the damn thing in the jaw, and it staggered backwards, before unleashing a quick volley of fists that kept it off them.

Because, while they were dealing with this thing, the rest of the army caught off. They were getting overwhelmed, and the big tough target here didn't help one bit.

"Oh no." Sonya said, worried. "This is no good."

"... Which is why I'm here, yeah?" Maximilian said through the comms as he dive bombed the scene. Echo in front of him, he rained grenades under him towards the beasts. They exploded just as Echo's first blow was dealt to the beast's face. He hit with such a force that it was launched to the ground with a massive shockwave, and a ripple that was sent through it's body. While it was on the ground, Echo raised his fists up into the air, and utterly unleashed a barrage of fists to it's head until it was nothing but paste. The creature then dissolved.

"Hey, thanks." Leon said as he ran up, and started shooting at the demons. "But, we got like, five hundred more to worry about."

"Oh? That?" Maximilian said, as he turned halfway, and faced the army like it was nothing. "Send in the Calvary." He said.

On cue, five Helicopters came flying over head. Black, and sleek, armed with the NEST logo. Underneath them they were armed with containment foam sprayers. When they flew over the demons, they sprayed them down with containment foam, effectively trapping them with the carpet bomb of foam. Leaving only a few stragglers that could be easily dispatched with NEST weapons. They quickly flew over the entrance they were using... and sprayed it shut.

"Alright, Eagle-one is moving out to a different sector. Good luck RAVENS." One of the Helicopter pilots said before they disappeared.

Sonya hopped down from the roof, and stood next to Maximilian with her hands on her hips. Smiling wildly. "Oh?" She said, as she closed her eyes and put her fingers on her earpiece, "Sector five has been secured!" She said.

"Hey now," Leon said, turning his head towards Sonya. "We still need to put up the fences, and the guns, and shit." He said. "Hey, wish we had Agent Vuhong here, she'd be a heavensent right now. Wink wink." Leon laughed.

Rank-and-file Agents ran by and started putting up the fences, and establishing a defensive position.

"I just got off the phone with her, she's heading here now." Maximilian said. "Even though I'm still disgusted with her actions... we could use an Agent like her right now."

"If she'll help, that is." Sonya cheerfully said.

"Agents, set up explosives to get rid of these." Maximilian said, and the Agents quickly ran off to get the explosives he said. He quickly put his finger on his ear piece. "Grue, how many more sectors do we need secured?"

"Five more. Sector one, seven, ten, nine, and zero, are not secured." Dana said. "You best get to work, they're really hammering it on us."

"Alright, we're on our way...." Maximilian said. "Agent Swarm Queen, Agent White Leopard, how are the relief centers going?"

Around the NEST Headquarters, the Agents were establishing a safe zone, and a relief center for people injured during this disaster (Which is reaching the hundreds - with many more dead). They took position in the various buildings around NEST Headquarters (Most of their owners didn't care), and when they were running out of room, they set up tents, and various other places, so that people could get medical attention. The largest center that they managed to secure was the New Eden Hospital. A hospital that wasn't too far away from the NEST Headquarters. They were pouring injured in like a flood.

Nikki and Savannah were, predictably, on guard duty just in case they make a hole there.

The first to answer was Savannah, who was outside the New Eden Hospital doors. In the frigid rain. "Everything's going great - people are on their way, and only a few small ones managed to slip through the cracks." She nodded her head. "We took care of them."

"Alright, keep it up. We'll have the whole area secure in no time." Maximilian said. "Praetorian out." He faced the rest of the RAVENS. "Let's get to work. Sector seven is the closest." He started flying towards the next zone, followed by Helena and Adam.

"... God damn it." Leon said as he ran after them. "Why can't ya'll walk for once? Always flying!" He complained.

Before Sonya could hop off after them, she thought about someone. She pressed her earpiece, and spoke to a special RAVEN, "Heeeey, Agent Sawyer." Sonya started off. "How crazy is it? I ramble about you getting experience, and then you find yourself in the middle of a potential apocalypse! What are the odds!?" She said, awkwardly laughing. "So, where is your position? Mind lendin' us a hand?"

---

@Mr Allen J

---

Curled up in the backseat of some detective's car, Jen especially felt bad that she cut herself off from the friends she made. She tghtened up her little curl as she aimlessly stared into the empty back seat. Every time Jennifer looked up, she would only see destruction - then she would feel bad that she didn't get the opportunity to help them. She wondered how the others - Alice, Meifeng, Trevor, Cindy, and the others - were holding up in this disaster. They probably hated her for everything that happened.

She wondered how the cops were doing in this whole disaster. She raised her head. "Do you know where we are now?"

Cass glanced at the rear view mirror and answered, "Almost out of the Row, then we'll have to cross the river to cut through to Union-Point Hills." He wasn't blind to the damage done to the city either, yet he knew they had to push on. With any luck, they'd get there safe, find Quentin unharmed and get his nephew patched up ASAP. Was all that kept him going.

Usually, Jen would do anything to avoid going into Union-Point Hills.

Well, not wasn't the time to be picky. She nodded her head, and put her head down. Hoping that they would get there safely, and everything would work out. Yeah, all she has to do is enjoy this car ride, and once she gets to safety, she'll find her family, her friends, and everyone else, safe and sound. Then they'll all leave, and go somewhere else - Anywhere else - and have hot tea and coco.

At least, that's what she was hoping.

"How're you holding up, kid?" He asked Reed, arching an eyebrow as he briefly took his eyes off the road.

If all the other injuries he'd taken during his career were put together, the pain wouldn't amount to half as much as Reed's arm hurt right now. He counted himself lucky that thing had missed any major arteries, but he could barely flex it without feeling like those teeth were digging in all over again.

But he didn't want Cass to worry - they had bigger things to worry about and he didn't need to be one of them, so he affirmed his uncle with a nod. "Yeah, I'm holding up. I'll feel a lot better when we're there."

Cass' attention shifted back to the girl in the rear. "Jen? How're you holding up?"

City was just hit with the most random apocalypse of all time. People are dying. And she feels like she's about to get murdered at any given moment. Everything was falling apart, and she was probably on the verge of a mental breakdown herself.

Though, they don't need to know that.

Jen raised her head, and looked up at Cass. Awkwardly scratching the back of her neck. "... Yeah, I'm fine - Oh my God, look out!"

Jen's finger immediately pointed forward towards the front - they barely had time to react to the purple-eyed beast with a glowing eye that had the body the size of a minivan, and long legs that made it look like a elephant. It jumped in the middle of the road, and swiped one of it's long legs at the car.

"Shit, hold on!" Cass clamped both hands around the wheel as tight as he could in a fleeting effort to maintain control of the car, yet just as he thought he'd got it under wraps the mammoth-sized monster struck again with another heavy swipe, smacking his head against the wheel and pushing them back against the barrier that stood between them and the river, trunk first.

When they hit the railing, the beast slowly lurched forward. It's heavy footsteps being a grim sound to Jen and the others. Jen had hit her head on the door, and was immediately stunned. Everything was blurry, and all she saw was her world spinning. She grabbed her head, groaning. She was almost shot back into reality when the beast put it's foot on the side of the car. It began pushing the car past the railing into the river, and all Jen could do was hopelessly scream.

It wasn't long until the barrier gave out - the car was falling into the river. With the beast standing there as the car plunged into the water.

Oh God! Jenn's heart was about to explode in panic. She had no idea what was happening, but all she saw around her was water. Water falling into the car. She was in a daze right now, but she realized that the bastard pushed them into one of the many rivers in Verthaven. She panicked, looking around - Cass was unconscious, Reed was no in better shape, and she had a concussion. This looked like the end alright... she wasn't sure if she could regenerate from drowning.

"Oh, no... Jen, Cass - just stay with me," Reed was still conscious, if somewhat harrowed by the experience and was trying to keep as level a head as he could in this situation. His arm was throbbing from where the car had been slammed around, but he knew that if he didn't act soon this car was going to become a coffin with windows.

Unbuckling himself with the one good arm he had, he didn't bother with the door - pressure would've locked it - instead, he twisted around and realised only Jen was still conscious.

"Jen, are you still with me? Listen carefully," he began, reaching over as far as he could to unbuckle her, then Cass - fighting through the pain as his arm throbbed even more, "You're my priority, I need to get you out of here before we run out of air, but I.."

Reed's voice sounded warped in the stunned girl's ears, but she can definitely make out what he was saying. "Yeah...." She trailed off, trying to regain some of her consciousness. She could only nod. Everything was getting wet.

His heart was racing as he realised that one of them might not make it, yet he tried to keep as cool and collected as possible, "I need to break out the windscreen. Can you swim?"

"K-kinda." Jen answered, she knew that she wouldn't be able to do shit stunned like this. The car was starting to fill up, she wondered what she could do to help Cass, but there was only so much she was able to do. She looked forward. "Oh no..."

One of the beasts, humanoid with long arms, swimming towards them like a bullet. It crashed through the windshield and let a rush of water in. Jen could only let out a half-scream that was almost instantly muffled by the water filling her mouth. This is it. The Purple-eyed beast was clawing for Reed, and she was running out of air.

Heh, this was a longtime coming.

---

"Shit." Meifeng said as she knelt down over the sludge of the recently slain beast that tormented the Caspin household. This thing was in her house, and there were no signs of a fight, or even if Jen or any of her family were killed. Door was closed and locked. Not a spec of blood. Only sign of a fight that she noticed was the broken glass. From what she could deduce... either Jen (or anyone else for that matter) wasn't here in the first, or they left.

"We have to go." Mika said, nodding her head as she looked at Meifeng. "I have checked, and there's no one here." She noted, just to prove her point, she did another telepathic scan and revealed that there wasn't anything here... except for the beasts in the distance that haven't noticed them.

"Well," Meifeng put her hands on her hips, and looked at Mika. "I have no idea what we should do next.... I want to look for Jen, but... but...." She looked off to the side, awkwardly scratching the back of her neck.

"We should wait for Auntie. She'll know what to do." Mika said. She did another telepathic scan, and vaguely sensed the creatures with her telepathic abilities. What she found odd was the fact that she could vaguely sense them. Being coupled with the off feeling that she was going somewhere else. She could vaguely sense thoughts, too. Most she was able to glean had to do with revenge. The woman started rubbing her hands together, nervous about what's to come.

"Looks like we...." Meifeng was about to barricade the house with ice when Mika cut her off.

"... They're coming." Mika looked behind her as she sensed them getting closer. She quickly grabbed Meifeng and started heading out through the window.

"Wait, what?" Meifeng knew better than to ask such questions... but, if the cousin says trouble is heading their way, then maybe it's best to shut up and just run.

Mika telekinetically swatted aside the glass that was still on the windowsill, and struggled to lift herself up over the thing. Once she did, she fell and landed on her back. While Meifeng just walked up and hopped up over it. The two started running, and left the Caspin household behind.

"Any other bright ideas, oh cousin?" Meifeng asked, turning her head back to look towards her older cousin... who was lagging behind significantly. Meifeng had to slow down specifically so she wouldn't lose her.

"Just run." Mika said, she quickly looked at her phone in between pants, and noticed that NEST was establishing a safe zone (Thanks to Dana aggressively spreading it). "... We... should... go to... NEST... Headquarters!" She said in between pants, before she put the phone in her pocket.

Deciding not to ask questions, Meifeng kept running with Mika behind her.

After a bit of running... if memory serves her right, then they're going across the bridge to Union Point Hills. She knew that it was probably not the safest route to go through - but it was either Union Point, or use up more time heading north and cutting through Turtle Creek or Down Town. Actually, this was probably the safest route. If she kept on Bazaar, then both of them will get a clear route straight to the NEST Headquarters.

Only problem is that they're doing this on foot.

Meifeng wondered where Anna was in all of this. Her face took a more somber look. Even if they're not talking, she hopes that Anna's okay. She kept running - a moment of extreme reflex stopped her from taking a step forward, and Mika almost ran into her. A car was speeding by, and she didn't want to get run over. Looks like they're going the same way. Meifeng wondered if she could hitch a ride of some sort.

When she was about to hail down the car, a elephant like beast came out of nowhere and bitchslapped the car into the river. With the thing just standing over them.

"Oh shit!" Meifeng said, covering her mouth in the sheer shock of what's going on. They're... still alive. Meifeng knows it. "We have to help them."

"They're gone, Meifeng." Mika said. "We have to keep moving or we'll be next." The last thing that Mika wanted to do was risk her neck for someone that she was certain were dead.

"Come on, I can easily help them." Meifeng said. She knew that her hydrokinetic abilities would allow her to simply manipulate the water around them so they don't drown. "You just need to keep that thing busy for a few seconds. is that too much to ask?"

"What I'm saying is that you shouldn't put yourself, and me, at risk so you can play hero." Mika said, sternly. "You can't help everyone, Meifeng."

"Know what? Screw you and your every man's an island bullshit. I'm going to help them!" Meifeng shouted, before she gathered as much water as she could, and formed a orb of aqua the size of a yoga ball. She hopped on it, and zipped on by, as Mika raised her hand to stop Meifeng, she realized her power was practically useless against her. Meifeng charged the beast, which raised a foot and brought it down like an anvil to crush her. Meifeng dashed under it like it was nothing as it's foot crushed the street underneath it. She gathered the water, and shot it out like a splurt which launched the beast upwards, and it hit the ground, landing on it's side.

Meifeng let out a sigh as she stood in the pierced railing. She only has a small window to succeed. Well, better stake it all on the win.

She nodded her head as she quickly sprinted - taking two choppy steps forward - before taking a larger, glorious, leap, seemingly into the water. However, the moment she hit water, the water opened up. Pushing the water out of the way and forming a clearing within the river. When she landed, she landed right on the top of the car. The beast that was going for the vehicle's inhabitants turned it's eyes onto her, and Meifeng quickly swiped her hand and hit it right back into the river with a jet of water... this was a momumental effort on her part... she would have to be quick or everyone's dead.

She hopped onto the roof of the car, and knelt down. "Come on, we don't have a lot of time, we gotta go!"

That brief jolt of water rushing into the car was enough to rouse Cass, who woke with a splutter to the sound of his nephew retching up the river water and gasping for air. Running a palm over where his eye had been blackened from the impact, he spoke with a hoarse, disoriented voice, "Ugh, shit.. is everyone alright?"

Jen, was honestly, no better than Cass. She was coughing up disgusting river water. She hunched forward a bit, and vomitted up a wave of river water - mixed with her dinner - which turned out to be a disgusting red paste that landed on her pants. Not something she was proud of. She wiped her face off with the sleeve of her shirt, before looking up, oh God it was Meifeng! Almost like a guardian angel, she was there. She was still too dazed to pay attention.

His eyes soon darted around the car and the wall of water surrounding it, before he realised that this girl leaning over was all that stood between them and a watery grave and sluggishly climbed out of the car, shotgun in hand, using the frame to stop himself from taking a tumble as he moved around to Jen's side of the car to help get her out.

Jen had trouble opening the door, but she managed to stand up on her feet with the help of Cass. She held onto her head, groaning in pain. She was wondering when her regeneration would kick in and save her from the monster headache she's going to be experiencing later. However, Reed wasn't doing too good.

Reed on the other hand - still recovering from that surge of water - stumbled in his hasty exit and hit the floor, landing on his injured arm with an agonised yelp.

"Hey, easy." Meifeng said as she hopped off the roof of the car and knelt down to grab Reed, and help him to his feet. Putting herself underneath his shoulder, and using all of her strength to keep him up on his feet. "C'mon, I got you...." She trailed off, nearly falling over herself. She was getting dehydrated very quickly, and she was starting to get very dizzy. Nearly falling over, it was Reed who pulled her to her feet this t. "Alright, we need to go now!" She shouted - but she saw a massive shadow looming over them.

"Aw shit." Meifeng said as she looked up. The Elephant sized beast was looking into the divide that she had created. Looking like it's about ready to jump on them. She had to think quickly, or else they're doomed. Before anyone could act, a spinning manhole cover wrapped in a white aura flew through the air and hit the beast in the side of the head. Drawing it's attention from them, to... yeah, it looks like Mika has a heart after all.

"Follow me!" Meifeng said as she started walking back up the river bank. Using her water manipulation to make a bubble around them, and stepping up on land.

With no time to waste, Cass hastily followed after them and kept a tight hold on his shotgun. When they hit dry land again he shot a glance towards Meifeng before speaking up, "Thanks, but we need to move now. I'm with VPD, and-"

"So am I." Reed butted in, finally recovered.

"We're VPD, and we're trying to get to NEST HQ."

"Yeah, we're trying to get to headquarters, too." Meifeng pointed at Mika... who was still fighting the monster. She had produced her transparent white shield that absorbed a direct hit from the beast. "Hold on for a moment." She was already dehydrated as is, but Mika needs help. She raised her hands up into the air, and gathered water in the shape of arrowheads. They started flying through the air and pierced the beast's thick skin. Which gave Mika the perfect opportunity to drop her shield and launch that manhole cover into it's skull. Crushing it, and making the beast fall over before Cass even had a chance to unload on it. With that out of the way, Mika walked over to the group.

"Hello." Mika said. "I am... Mika... Shen." She didn't want to give out her Baozai last name willy nilly. "I am her cousin, yes."

"Yup." Meifeng said. "It's great to see you again, Reed... you, too, Jen."

"Thank you..." Jen said, holding onto her stomach. "Thank you so much, Meifeng."

"Wait, it's you?" Reed finally clicked, "From the beach?" Out of nowhere, he let off a hoarse chuckle and shook his head, muttering "Small fucking world. Damn, Quent - you were right."

"Yeah." Meifeng shrugged, hands on her sides. Yeah, Quentin... wait, was this guy associated with Quentin? They did look kinda. "I was just... in the neighborhood, I guess."

"We have to be quick... everyone is injured." Mika said. "We'll have to go on foot from here on in."

"Alright," Cass nodded, "I'm Cass. Reed over there's injured, but I can keep you covered. Let's go."

---

Written in collaboration with @Defacto

---

After a few moments to get himself prepared, Trevor was fully equipped to battle the monster hordes. Wearing heavy, steel-toe, combat boots, and had a hip mounted quiver, which fed arrows into his bow and arrow. He also wore a cup. He walked down the stairs, with his bow in hand. He was scared, he'd say that - but he'd need to be much, much, braver if he was going to make it out of here alive. His foot hit the last stair, and he looked around for Lucy. "Lucille?" Trevor called, not trying to be too loud. "How are preparations on your end comin' along?"

"Here," Lucille said leaving her room with her baseball bat. She was scared, not just for her throbbing heart or shaking hands, she knew that her fear made her weak, powerless. "I'm done." She rested the bat on her left shoulder holding it with both hands as if she were in a baseball game.

"Good." Trevor said. "You better be ready to use those legs of yours if everything doesn't work out here." After Trevor said that, his phone buzzed again, and he put his finger up to silence Lucille as he dug into his pockets. A quick glance at his cellphone, and it was revealed that Cindy had sent him a text.

im outside open the door

"Hey, looks like Cindy's here." Trevor said... though, he wished that she was a bit more specific about which door. He assumed that she meant the front door - though, she could have just came in through one of the windows and put it back. Hey now, it is what it is. He quickly walked over to the front door, and barely even got a chance to open it all the way before Cindy pushed her way inside.

"Shit, hurry up and close the door!" Cindy damn near shouted as she scrambled to turn around and close the front door, pushing on it with all of her upper body (Sticking her lower body out a bit). With the door closed, Trevor locked it, and Cindy slid down the side of the door and wiped sweat off her forehead. "God damn, you don't know what the hell is going on out there."

"You alright, Cindy?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah, yeah..." Cindy replied, in between breaths. "Just give me a moment."

"What happened?" Lucille asked.

"What do you mean "What happened"?" Cindy asked, narrowing her eyebrows. "Yo, it's a bloodbath out there. People are dying... I... wow. I can't find the words to do it justice."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Look," Cindy stood straight up, and started buttoning her pilot's jacket as she took steps past them. "Is everything cool in here? Because I'm waiting things out here until NEST or some-fuckin'-body else swings by and makes all this bullshit go away." She kept walking, and then she took a step and heard the most disgusting squishing sound. She saw the familar grey goo that comprised the monsters, piling on the floor. "... I'll take that as a no." Cindy said.

"Yeah, we tried to clean it up." Trevor said, before he shrugged. "But, it is what it is, I reckon." Trevor took a step around - at the corner of his eye, Trevor spotted a glowing purple orb, and spun around and drew his bow at it, quickly putting a arrow on the nocking point, and pulling the string back. "Aw, shit! Looks like we got ourselves some friends!" Trevor loudly announced, looking over his shoulder at the two girls.

"God damn it!" Cindy loudly shouted as she dropped her weight, raising her hand up chest height. With a simple mental will, the glass that the beast was standing behind shattered, floating up in the air because of Cindy's ability. "Is anywhere in this city safe?" Cindy said to herself before she then pulled her hand back, and pushed it forward as a mighty fist, which launched the glass at the beast and tore flesh and bone alike. There were hellish screams as the beast was slain, turning into a grey sludge. They didn't even get a chance to get a good look at it.

Not particularly phased by what happened, Trevor shrugged. "Well, I guess that settles that." He off-handedly said.

The sounds of more beasts coming - not even bothering to mask their hellish growling, and feet pattering and splashing puddles.

"Oooookay!" Trevor shouted. "Thiiiiink we might want to haul ass out of here," He started off, loading his bow with another arrow, and pulling back the string. "And by "think" I mean we really should, or else those things are going to tear us to itty-bitty bits!"

Not another word left Cindy's mouth before she started growing glass off her arms, and her chest. There was the sounds of glass grinding up against each other as she produced as much glass as she could in a short amount of time.

"Where to go?" Lucile shrugged uncomfortable with all that. "We could try to run into a police station."

"Heh - there's only one kind of police I trust." Trevor said with a wry smile on his face. He was thinking of going to NEST - where Scarlet should be.

Before anyone could elaborate, the beasts launched their offensive. The first to show itself was a four-legged, grey-skinned, beast that moved on all fours with long limbs. It hopped up on the windowsil, and Trevor quickly turned his body towards it, and pulled the string, the arrow went towards it at breakneck speed, and nailed it in the shoulder.

"Well," Trevor said, disappointed - as he was expected to one-shot the damn thing. "Jokes on me for using outdated weaponry like this one." He rolled his eyes up into his head as he reached down and pulled out another arrow, and pulled the string - hitting it in the chest again.

At this point, more were breaking down the doors and windows. Monsters of various shapes and sizes. They were all pushing into the living room with only three Metahumans to defend themselves.

When one came from behind, lunging at them, Cindy shot her hand out at it, and a flurry of glass detached itself from her hand and sliced up the beast and killed it. Her heart was pounding up against her chest - but more of them were coming. Cindy knew they'd get overwhelmed pretty quickly. "Everyone get close!" She shouted as she raised her hands up into the air.

Before Lucille could get close to Cindy or Trevor, one of the creatures was moving toward her. The creature had long arms with three fingers each and short legs ending in hooves. Using its long arms the creature hurled itself towards her. In one swift motion Lucille dodged the incoming attack and swung her bat with all her strength, hitting one of the creature's arms and causing the creature to lose its balance and fall to the floor next to her. She then tried to hit the creature's back but unfortunately the creature's dense skin only caused the bat to broke on impact.

"Shit!" Lucille shouted when she found herself helpless with a broken bat in her hands. She then decided to kick the creature in the stomach, thanks to her enhanced strength telekinetic she managed to send the creature flying against the wall.

"Nice shot!" Trevor complimented. "You're okay! Get over 'ere." Trevor said as Lucille rushed toward him, which was cue for Cindy to do her thing.

It was a constant pain in the ass to be creating this much glass, but it's necessary if they don't want to experience a whole 'nother pain altogether. She was pushing herself to her limits - which she really shouldn't do if she doesn't want to ash - but like Meifeng says; bet it all on the win. She had a sizable amount of glass growing off her body. She broke the glass into triangle-shaped shards of various sizes, and made it float up into the air. Making it spin around the trio like a violent tornado of glass fury. Cindy was making it go fast as she could - and she just feel parts of her body turning into glass. She'd have to be really careful now. However, the damage output she was giving off was just too great. Every beast that was in range was getting sliced to bits by the glass. Those that weren't turned into a grey sludge were pushed back.

"Alright, guys, we need an exit!" Cindy shouted.

During the whole epic display of power, Trevor's keen eyes were peeking through the shimmering green glass. He narrowed his eyes at a particular target - punching a hole through the ground was a massive beast with grey skin, and the signature glowing purple eye piercing the enviroment. It stood tall at least three times Trevor's height, and had a gigantic club-like arm. It slammed it's giant arm on the ground, and shook the area. It started heaving it's colossal arm towards them.

"... Oh boy." Trevor said, with wide eyes. "We miiiiiiiight wanna run now."

"Alright, gimme a sec!" Cindy louded shouted over the glass breaking. The glass storm halted, and Cindy quickly turned her head towards a group of the beasts. Without a second to spare, she had turned the storm of glass flakes into a massive green spear, which she threw through the air, spinning. Which pierced through one of the beasts, killing it instantly. "Run!" Cindy loudly shouted as she ran down the same path that she sent the spear down, gesturing for Trevor and Lucy to follow behind her.

Cindy was the first to hop out the broken windowsil, waiting for the other two to come by before she gets her glass back. However, the rampaging beast closed the distance rather quickly, and swung it's fist out, and tore through the building that used to be the Obott household (Now? A warzone). Dust filled the area as they made their escape. Cindy capitalized on the destroyed house to pull as much glass as she could retrieve out through the windows, and kept running.

However, while the other beasts weren't that intent on following, the long armed monster was charging straight for them. It used it's massive arm as a third leg to move with.

Hearing the sounds coming from behind them, Trevor looked over his shoulder, and once he saw the thing heading right towards them, Trevor picked up the pace. He didn't have adrenaline to power him. "Oh, yeah... we might wanna handle that!"

"Well, damn it!" Cindy hissed. "Alright, we got two options," Cindy started off, "Run from it or fight it."

"Run!" Lucille shouted while keeping pace with the group.

"Great choice!" Trevor shouted in response. "But I doubt the big ugly will let us leave."

"I'll take care of it!" Cindy shouted, bringing her sprint to a halt, and pivoting around on one foot to face their new demon up front. Trevor had stopped, too, and drew his bow. Waiting to see what Cindy does next. She still had the glass that was floating with her. She formed it into a mighty lance, and shot it at the beast at high speeds. However, instead of aiming for the body, Cindy hit somewhere it'd count. She went right for it's knee, and the spear went right through it. The grey-skinned monster was brought to a crawl as it went after them.

"Okay, now we run!" Cindy turned around and high-tailed it out of there with the others.

Though, all Trevor could feel was a sense of loss. That house was great, and had many memories....

---

---

All this power.

The woman laughed.

The beasts were bringing her the hearts of Metahumans by the bucketload. She was getting far more powerful, and her ability to pinpoint Metahumans was getting much more accurate. While her beasts were cutting down the citizens, they were bringing her the hearts of any Metahumans that were unfortunate enough to fall. However, they were gathering, and no matter how many beasts she threw at the gathering, she couldn't pierce it. Which meant they had that area secure. Hmph. No matter. It just meant that the next part of her master plan was nearing. She would have to relent, and let them lick their wounds.

They're going to try to evacuate everyone possible, if she's correct. They wouldn't be bold enough to start bombing with the chance that civilians might be caught in the blast - or if they plan on retaking Verthaven... Well, they best start pushing plans of ever taking back Verthaven out of their mind. Because it belongs to her now. Nor will they ever get out of here alive. If she's correct, they should be calling for reinforcements as well. Instead of hopelessly pushing against a position that's going to be a tough target, the Devil was going to wait for them to attempt to evacuate, then send everything she has against them. If it goes correctly, it should be a total massacre, and she should be strong enough to take out whoever's left.

The Devil laughed for a moment, before she called each and every one of her beasts back underground. The streets should be clear of the beasts. Which means they should be ready to gather in one spot.

She didn't relent on the storm, however. It still stormed in full force. Which alone should be enough to take out some people.

... Now she waits.

---

---

A portal opened up in the Changeling hideout, and Luis was the first to valiantly leap on through it. He furrowed his eyebrows as he put his hand up on his chin. Thinking about what happened. "That was..." He trailed off for a moment. "... Interesting. Quite interesting indeed."

"T'was a total shitshow." Shade said, crossing his arms and standing behind his esteemed leader. "Boss." He flicked his hat.

"A metahuman bent on the destruction of humankind? And with the means to do so?" Luis asked no one in particular with a smile on his face. Grandiosely raising his hands up into the air. "I want her as a Changeling!" He turned around, and pointed at his team.

"... You're crazy, boss." Shade said, shaking his head.

"I know!" Luis said, laughing. "Now, I believe it's time to discuss our next course of action."

Shade took a step forward, and narrowed his head. "Well, I for one am done with dealing with the Hands, and their loony bullshit."

"Exactly, I feel like it's time that we take matters into our own hands." Luis said. "I'd say strike now... but I really want to have a word with this Devil character." He started walking a circle around his Changeling Unit. "She's that leverage we're looking for..."

"Wait, boss, you can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am." Luis said, raising a finger up into the air. "But, that's for later... our first objective should be getting Heartbreaker out... but I honestly doubt that prisoners are high on the priority list for NEST...." He trailed off. "So, if worst comes to worst, and they decide to straight up nuke the city, it's unlikely they'll let us get her out in time."

"And you're suggesting?" Shade asked.

"There's no way they'd nuke the city with so many civilians in it. So, we just cause a few accidents here and there... like some broken breaks, or messing up their engines... anything that stops them from leaving." Luis said. "If they so happen to consider Heartbreaker important enough to transport her out... then that's great! But... I want that Devil, too, whether she wants to join or not." He considered the possibility that someone would be able to transfer her powers to him (Or another Changeling). "Everyone is dismissed. Get things ready while I check up on a few things."

Of course, there was another reason why he wanted the Devil of Verthaven - and it's not just because he wanted leverage. Luis started walking back into his personal room. He walked over to his bed and sat down on it. He reached underneath his pillow and pulled out a very ragged and dirty book. He opened it up, and traced his finger over a specific line.

.... A Metahuman that can end the world.

"One step closer." Luis said to himself.

---

---

Ignatius was teleported back into Dr. Cross' personal penthouse, and shrugged. Rain was starting to drip off his coat, but at this point, it was the least of their concerns. Not only did the ambush fail hilariously - but now a new threat is taking front and center from the Hands? What a twist. There were monsters coming from somewhere, and everyone was content with ignoring it until it became a problem. NEST will have their hands full, but what will the Hands of Science do in the meantime?

Well, that's what he's going to discuss with Dr. Cross. Ignatius walked over to Dr. Cross, who was on the phone, and lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

"Ignatius, we have a problem." Dr. Cross said, immediately hanging up the phone.

"Well," Ignatius grinned halfway, and shrugged. "I didn't realize anything was wrong. Heh." He laughed, hunching over as he put his hand son his gut.

"Our remaining labs are going down like it's nothing." Dr. Cross started off. "We're losing research, scientists, REAPERS, subjects... everything!"

"Well," Ignatius said. "Here's my suggestion." He walked a circle around Dr. Cross, and created a bright red blade and shrugged as it rested in between his fingers. "Just screw it all, and leave."

"But...." Dr. Cross said.

"We're dealing with a world ending threat here, and you wanna be in the middle of that? Second NEST gets everyone out, they're probably going to just nuke it." Ignatius shrugged. "It's better if we relocate to another city for now - especially with the heat off us for a moment."

"... Dr. Cross!" A REAPER shouted as he charged into the room. Followed by the sound of maniac clawing, growling, and other pleasant sounds. "They're here!" He could barely get out the words before one of the purple eyed demon lunged out of the shadows, landing right on his back. Before he could get a second, the beast was already clamping down on the back of his skull, crushing it with a sickening sound.

Dr. Cross quickly pulled her revolver out of her labcoat, before Ignatius quickly charged forward, and created a gigantic great sword. Swinging it with enough force to slice it clean in half. It dissolved. Before Ignatius looked up and saw more of them. He sighed before he slashed at them at incredible speeds, tearing them to pieces before they could even get close. He threw the massive blade and propelled it forward at high speeds, and literally cut down waves of them.

Dr. Cross took a step back as a smaller monster came charging forward, she fired her revolver and took it's head off in one shot. She pressed her earpiece, and said, "Revenant! Teleportation for the Chairmen!" She said before she disappeared in a flash of light. So did Eliza and Nathaniel.

"Of course..." Ignatius said, looking over his shoulder realizing he stood alone. A big one appeared, walking on eleven legs like a spider. Ignatius slashed at it's leg - but it got stuck. "Oh..."

It kicked him across the room and he hit the wall. The creature was rushing forward. Ignatius produced a bubble shield - but before the fight could continue, Revenant teleported Ignatius out of the room.

Ignatius was teleported into a white tiled room, which had to be the backup lab in case everything went to hell. Dr. Cross was walking forward.

"Glad you made it, Ignatius...." Dr. Cross said as she typed in a phonenumber. "I can't let that place stand if I'm not in it...."

The phoned dialed a number for a little bit - before the condo that Dr. Cross owned went up in flames. It exploded and took out a large amount of the building with it. Leaving behind a flaming wreck, with little survivors.

"Get everything ready, Ignatius." Dr. Cross said as she slid her phone back into her pocket. "Verthaven is a lost cause."

"... Told you." Ignatius said as he followed behind her, with her arms behind his head.

---

---

With the never ending onslaught of beasts coming to a halt, the NEST Safe-zone quickly piled up with injured, scared, and worried people. While it was completely secure, it was frantic. People were moving back and fourth between the place, and NEST was barely keeping order.

All they could do was plan a safe way out of this nightmare so they can deal with the Devil on their own terms.

---

---

"... Look, I am doing my best here." Maximilian said, standing in on a platform which had a open view of a massive screen. They displayed shadowy figures. High-Command. He walked over to the railing, and put his hands on the side. "You just need to give me help! We are dealing with one of the worst Metahuman related disasters of all time, and you choose now to leave us in the dark!" He put his hand on his chest. God damn them.

"Maximilian, we are fully aware of what is going on in Verthaven. Everyone does." A male member of High Command said, his voice was electronically distorted somewhat. "However, with a threat that powerful, we are concerned about it escaping and terrorizing the rest of the world."

"And that means you're just going to leave us here!?" Maximilian shouted, slamming his hands onto the railing hard as he could. "You can't just cover your eyes and pretend she doesn't exist! You have to deal with it one way or another."

"On the contrary, we have one way." The member of High Command stated. "It may be time to unveil the top secret Shield of Light."

"... And what is that?" Maximilian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We are officially declassifying it. It is a special system we have discretely installed in every major city. It is essentially a powerful shield that is impervious to all Metahuman abilities that will encase a city in a dome. Which will contain, or keep out, any major threats. Such as this one." The Highcommand member said.

"So that's what your going to do?" Maximilian asked, the anger in his voice becoming far more apparent. "Just lock us in here?"

"No." Another member of high command responded, a female. "It is only to be deployed when the situation in Verthaven reaches... critical mass." She stated. "Your orders are to evacuate the city. However, you must understand that the death toll has to be in the high-hundreds, and the destruction caused to the city is at least in the low-millions."

"And counting." Another member of High-Command noted. "We can spare some Agents from Seattle - but that's it."

Maximilian turned his head off to the side, and groaned. "... Understood."

"That is all we need to go over, Mr. Cornell." The male member of High-Command noted. "You have your orders. High-Command out." The screen went dark, and all Maximilian could do was sigh.

Defeated, he hung his head and turned around and walked out of the room.

"... Either they realized that Verthaven truly is a lost cause, or there's something else going on here." Lihua Vuhong said as she leaned up right next to the door. Swishing around a glass of red wine while her other arm was wrapped around her chest. She gave Maximilian a bored look from underneath her glasses. Where she got it from? Well, that's a mystery. What wasn't a mystery was what was going on here. She remembered something about the Shield of Light, but she can't remember where.

"They're scared." Maximilian said.

"But aren't we all?" Lihua said. "Fear and desperation does that to a person." Though, Lihua could see the bullshit they're feeding everyone from a mile away. It sounded less like they were pushed against the wall, and more like they didn't want to waste anymore assets to this city.

"We all are, but this cowardice is completely unnecessary." Maximilian turned towards Lihua, and crossed his arms. "Not to mention it'll cost potentially thousands of people their lives."

"Looks like we have no choice...." Lihua took a sip of her wine.

The rest of RAVEN gathered around Maximilian and Lihua.

Leon was the first to speak, after crossing his arms, "So, I take it from that look on your face that the meeting didn't go well?"

Maximilian groaned.

"Bad news, RAVENS," Maximilian said, "Reinforcements are a no-go."

Everyone else groaned.

"That's no good." Sonya said, letting out a sigh. "Well, that means this evacuation operation of yours will definitely have to go swimmingly."

"I guess so." Maximilian said. "Alright, we need to get ready. Everyone gather their things." Maximilian lead the RAVENS away.

"Maximilian," Lihua said as the RAVENS walked by. "I am curious as to why you have personally called me up here. My position in NEST is shaky."

"Oh yes," Maximilian said as he reached up into his pocket, and produced Lihua's badge. "I am here to offer you back your position in NEST. We need all the active agents we got."

Lihua was waiting for this moment... yet, she found herself not wanting it. She was going to take Lijuan and Meifeng and get far away from this city as possible. Yet, she knew that it'd be stupid on so many to just turn it down now. She needs all NEST equipment, and it'd be detrimental to her job at large. So, she politely took her badge, and said, "Thank you."

"Alright, let's get a move on." Maximilian said as he lead the RAVENS into the meeting room.

---

---

Like a busy bee, Trevor was all over the injured tent, administering helpful amounts of his drug to people to help them heal the injuries they received during this disaster.

And there were a lot. Trevor figured that it must have been a miracle that most of these people got here alive. They suffered severe blood loss, broken bones, and things that would kill people if not treated. Thankfully, nurse Trevor is here. Trevor walked over to a woman on a white stretcher. Her arm was ripped open by one of the beasts, medics had treated it to the best of her ability, but Trevor figured she could use a little extra help. "Hey, let me help with that..." He said, before he produced his drug out of his hands, and put his hands on her leg. Immediately, the pain disappeared - and the wound started slowly closing. All while being sedated. "You're going to be seeing things for a bit, and you won't be able to move much - but once it wears off, you'll be feeling A-okay."

Of course, since she was so high, she barely understood a word he said. She was too busy seeing stars.

With that, Trevor sat down and undid his scarf and wiped some of the sweat off his forehead - making sure that he didn't make a mess. This stuff was dangerous... yet so useful. Trevor sat down, feeling quite exhausted. He was taking deep breaths. There were so many people to help, but there was only one Trevor. There might have been other healer Metahumans at work - but it seems like they were few and in between. He needed a break. Or else he would break.

He barely noticed the two familiar ladies walking in - then up to him - known to him as Jennifer Caspin, and Cindy Keagan.

Jennifer stood before him, and she wanted to say something. Instead she started biting her fingernails, wondering what exactly she should say. "Trevor?" She just blurted out the words and hoped that she could go somewhere from there.

Surprised to see his friends here, Trevor merely held his head up, and said, "Howdy." He took in a deep sigh. "How ya'll holdin' up?"

"Well...." Jen shifted her weight to one weight. Trying to come to terms with the fact that she nearly died again. Will this cycle keep going until she goes insane or finds something that'll actually kill her? She hopes not - but it was clear that the problem was this city. These were all things she was going to keep to herself. Didn't want to burden the people around her. "Fine as we will be."

"Just came to check up on you." Cindy was the first to speak up. She crossed her arms and stared Trevor right in his blue eyes. She wasn't swayed. Not even in the slightest. "You've been working that ass of yours off ever since we got here." She let out a sigh.

"I'm holding up just fine." Trevor said in a cool tone that barely reassured them. "Just wanted to give these people a hand since I'm on the same boat as them." He looked off to the side.

"Look, Trevor? Do you need something to drink? I can get you some water." Jen said, half-pivoting and pointing behind her. All with her attention focused on Trevor.

"Yeah, that'd be nice." Trevor said, "Feelin' a little parched, yeah."

"Let me go get you a bottle of water, then. I'll be back." Jennifer turned off and walked off, probably not going to be back for a few minutes.

Which left Trevor and Cindy.

The girl had questions of her own to ask Trevor. Though, she was wondering if this little goofball could stay focused enough to answer them. She put her hands on her hips, and then sighed. "Hey, I was wondering if you saw my dad - Jackson, yeah, yeah?" Cindy asked. "Can't find him anywhere, I was wondering if you saw him here."

"Nah." Trevor replied blankly. "Definitely would have noticed someone like him in a crowd like this."

"Damn it..." Cindy turned her head off to the side, just so Trevor wouldn't see the tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't know what happened, but she was starting to think that he just might have been injured or something.

"Hey, hey now," Trevor said. "I'm sure he's A-okay. Just gotta give him some time." He tried to reassure her, giving her one of his trademark wide smiles.

"Yeah... I'm going to hold my head up." Cindy said, a tad awkwardly. "I'd just hate to lose him, too." Cindy said, scratching the back of her head.

It wasn't long before Jennifer came back, and handed Trevor a bottle of water. "Here you go."

"Ah, thank you, thank you." Trevor said, enthusiastically grabbing the bottle of water, and downing it. "That... hit the spot."

"Yeah, your welcome." Jennifer said, sitting down right next to him. "Do you know where Meifeng and the others are?"

"I'unno." Trevor started off, shrugging. "Meifeng and the fat chick are in the headquarters with the baby. Everyone else? I don't know."

Jennifer quietly sighed.

"Yeah, maybe we can get everyone together?" Cindy said. "I know this is hard on us, but maybe a talk between friends should be able to do that."

"Yeah..." Jen hung her head for a moment. "I also wanted to personally apologize for not talking to anyone lately... I... nevermind." She stopped.

"Yeah, girl, what's up with that?" Cindy asked. "You just up and stopped talking to us."

"I was... afraid. Afraid of the Hands and what they'd do to me." Jennifer scratched the back of her neck very awkwardly.

"Don't tell me you got tangled up with those fools, too?" Cindy hesitantly asked. Then she remember some of the things that Meifeng said back at the Beach that really caught her eye.

"Yeah... didn't ask for it, but they took me, and Meifeng, and some friend." Jennifer said, scratching the back of her neck again. "... We got out thanks to Lihua, but I've been so fucking terrified that I pushed everyone away..."

Trevor put his hand on Jen's shoulder, and Jen's eyes shifted over to him, as he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Come on," Trevor said, "We're not going to hate you or anything."

"For once... Trev's right." Cindy said. "You might have been scared. Yeah. But, we're still friends, no matter what."

"Ah...." Jen took in a great deep breath, before she let it all out. Feeling like she got a lot off her chest. "Thank you... I needed to hear that."

"Your welcome." Trevor said. "Now, how about we relax for a little bit?"

---

Haruka & Shizuka Takashiro.

---

---

Once they reached the safezone set up around the NEST Headquarters, Lihua left the group with her baby - the twins and their aunt were now on their own. Then, at the gathering area Akemi said she had to look for someone - while the older Takashiro seemed a little confused, Shizuka could guess that she was talking about that NEST agent, Holly. He simply waved her off before he dragged his brother towards where most of the Metahuman remnants were.

However, the sight that greeted them was worse than they had expected.

Many of the survivors sustained a certain degree of injury - some were even at the brink of death by the time they were brought in - and it was apparent that there was a serious shortage of those with healing abilities around to help relief the grim situation.

It's almost like this place was the eye in the middle of a hurricane.

Instead of searching for familiar faces among the crowd of casualties like what Haruka had been doing, the younger twin's mind was still on the slime mutants he had fought - twice - and tried to re-assess what he could gather about them...anything that might help him to gain an edge to deal with those pests if he had to encounter them later. "---Oi, Shizu." In which Haruka had to resort to pull his sleeve to get his attention. "You...have a scary look on your face. What's wrong?"

"Just thinking about those pesky, disgusting minions," Shizuka exhaled and replied back in Japanese, running a hand through his graying hair. (Haruka swore it was only his imagination that those stray black strands were even fewer than before.) "Judging from how they attacked the Metapeople and all, I'm pretty sure they don't have much of a brain of their own - there must be a main commander remotely controlling them from somewhere."

"Makes sense." Haruka lowered his head as he thought about what his brother had said. Well, if he had to take a leaf out of Shizuka's book of sarcasm, whatever that's happening now was like a horror-apocalypse B-movie turned real.

"Even though it's only momentarily, when I touched the monster and expanded my intangibility to it, it seemed to stop moving all of a sudden." Shizuka stared into his left palm. "My power does allow me to pass through things like TV and phones, but not the electrical current that flows within them, not even signal waves... Hang on."

"Now what?" Haruka went rigid at Shizuka's sudden exclamation. Though they were twins living together ever since they were born, he still couldn't keep up with Shizuka's thinking pace.

"'Control'... 'Current'... 'Signal'... Yeah, that's it!" Shizuka slapped a hand on his forehead. "Jeez, I can't believe I'm soooo slow!"

"Seriously, what the heck are you trying to say?" Haruka was feeling a little annoyed at the (pointless) suspense.

He got a smirk as response from Shizuka. "Say... What if telepathy is useless against my phasing power?" Well, 'disrupting the telepathic link' would be a more accurate way to describe what he had in mind, but that wasn't the most important thing right now.

"Te...'Telepathy'? Those creatures are actually linked together mentally?" Then a sudden realization hit him, and he gripped onto Shizuka's shoulder. "Please don't tell me you're going out there again just to test out your theory."

"Nah." Shizuka shook off his brother's claw with partial phasing. "I'm not stupid enough to throw away my life for nothing, pussy." He meant what he said - it's definitely a great discovery, but he would hold his excitement back for the time being.

First, let's see how the rest of this world-ending drama is going to unfold...

---

Trevor Obott, Jennifer Caspin, Cindy Keagan, Haruka & Shizuka Takashiro.

_{(Written in collaboration with @tsukune)}

---

---

Haruka knew he could trust his little brother not to do anything stupid - especially not with the hellscape going on outside - but he didn't like the idea of having to watch out for him all alone. He highly doubt he would be able to stop Shizuka if he did want to leave - all that guy needed to do was to walk right through him...literally.

The older twin let out a frustrated sigh. With their aunt gone, he began to think about the teenagers they had met so far in this city. He took out his mobile from the back pocket of his jeans and turned it on - Shizuka's ability was pretty useful but not without some...rather troublesome limits. He scrolled through the contact list - by normal standard it was quite pathetic, but to him it was the longest ever in his life.

By alphabetical order (according to their last names), Cindy's name was at the top, then followed by Trevor's. He tried to recall how they looked like, from their first (and last) meeting at the Candy Club when they first arrived at Verthaven, searching for their faces from the people around him---

It was easier than he had thought - there was no mistake about stark contrast between those two - and they were with a blond girl whom he was sure he had never met before. "Cindy! Trevor!" he called out to their acquaintances, dragging his brother along so that he wouldn't drift off with the sea of strangers around them.

"Huh?" Cindy was the first to notice them, she turned halfway, and saw the twins, and smiled. Well, damn. Those two made it here in one piece. Cindy thought to herself, letting out a sigh of relief. "Hey!" Cindy shouted in response.

Being somewhat confused, Trevor raised his eyebrow as he turned his head over to where Cindy was looking. Aw shucks, it was the twins. He completely forgotten about them! Even though he was the one who introduce them to all these lovely people.

Jen was equally confused. Since she had no idea who these two kids were. It was clear that they were friends... damn, how much did she miss while she was locked up in that house of hers?

What Haruka didn't know was that his twin had been thinking along the same line - Shizuka had no intention of leaving his whiny (and clumsy, he had to add) brother on his own either. He seemed amused to hear Cindy's name, but frowned at the other one. "Tre-who?"

"Tre-vor." Haruka shot an indignant look at him, then he shook his head. "Remember the pair of siblings we met at Chinatown - you know, the guy whose sister has a cool bike?"

Shizuka widened his eyes in mock recognition. "Oh, him."

"Thank God, you two are alright." Cindy said to them, letting out a sigh of relief. She put her hand on her hip, and peered at them through her twin-framed glasses. "I'm just glad that so many of us actually made it here...." She shook her head.

"Howdy," Trevor greeted them. "We haven't been talkin' all that much lately, have we?"

Jen... still understandably confused, merely weakly waved her hand, quietly saying, "... Hi."

"Oh," Trevor said, shrugging. "Bet ya'll didn't meet Jen here yet?" Trevor asked, before he put a finger on his chin. "Think I told ya'll about her - yeah, when we first met."

"All I can recall..." Shizuka couldn't stop himself from snickering at the effeminate boy. "...Was you describing how delicious their asses are. Joking," he added quickly, catching the angry glare from his brother.

Upon hearing this, Jen and Cindy angrily looked at Trevor, who had no response other than to smile widely - showing all his teeth - shrugging. All while awkwardly laughing.

Haruka coughed. "No, I don't think we have met before," he said as he turned his attention to the blonde. "I'm Haruka, and this---" He slapped his twin's back unceremoniously. "---Is my stupid brother, Shizu. Nice...to meet you, I guess." Especially when this city is about to fall apart any moment.

"Yeeeeeeah...." Jennifer awkwardly said, scratching the back of her neck. "The circumstances could be better...." And that was the understatement of the decade. She didn't know these two kids - but she was certain that they wouldn't get the opportunity to get to know each other. After they leave here, everyone's probably certainly going to go their separate ways, and leave Jen here. She shouldn't worry about that. "But, yeah, I'm Jennifer.... Jennifer Caspin." She felt that adding her last name was redundant in hindsight.

"Hey, speaking of which," Trevor stood straight up, and rubbed his hands together. "Are any of you two hurt or anything? I can whip up a bit of my healing magic and have both of you in tip top shape in a second."

Haruka narrowed his eyes at Trevor. Magic? If Metapowers like his brother's or the monster rampage that was going on outside this shelter weren't a nightmare but happening for real, maybe magic was possible too in this world. "Uh no, we're both fine. Just need some rest." From all the running around - he didn't have Shizuka's crazy stamina (or even the mental resilience to force his aching body to keep moving).

Shizuka, on the other hand, seemed interested at Trevor's suggestion. "We're not hurt on the outside, but the inside. At least for my dumb brother." Ignoring his twin's glower, he continued, "He probably needs a spell to boost his nerves, I'd say."

Chuckling, Trevor quickly realized they took his little figure of speech a little too seriously. Not that he was going to put a halt to a little bit of fun in all this chaos. "Yup, let me just whip up a spell...." Just by saying that, he remembered that his power was a tad more grounded in science than one might expect. Eh. Trevor never really thought about the specifics, just that he has it. Trevor quickly produced the drug out of the tip of his finger.

"Hey!" Haruka stepped back, his anger turning into shock. "This isn't some video RPGs!"

Shizuka was finding it harder to keep a straight face. "See? You do need a good boost."

"I'm not your lab rat!"

"Shut up and just accept your 'blessing' already, idiot."

Cindy crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes up into her head. "...Hope you know what you're getting into." Cindy remembered Trevor's little power, and sure as hell didn't want to experience it again.

"Wait, Trev-" Jen tried to make sense out of all this - Trevor's a Metahuman, too? The potential comedy that Jen could have gotten out of this scene was buried underneath all the questions she had.

Once Trevor got close, he extended one finger, and wiped it onto the back of Haruka's hand. The drugs were almost immediately absorbed into his body, and the boy would start feeling it's effects rather quickly. Psychedelic hallucinations, physical pleasure, sedation, and euphoria - were just some of the effects of the drug. "Alright, you should be feeling a little better now. Just relax and let it happen."

Shizuka watched as his brother froze suddenly and then he relaxed, turning to look at him... Hold on. The younger twin was beginning to have a bad feeling about this - he wondered if he had taken the prank a little too far.. "Uh...Haru?" He raised a hand to reach for Haruka's shoulder, only to get his wrist locked in a strong grip by the elder twin, who seemed to be mumbling something under his breath, and there was a rising color on his cheeks. "Haruka, you okay?"

Haruka let go of his brother's hand and chuckled. "Sadly for you, of course I'm not dead yet." He then avoided Shizuka's questioning gaze, his eyelids were drooping down. "I feel sleepy..."

Shizuka narrowed his eyes - his brother was acting strangely, bolder than his usual wimpy self. "Who the hell are you?"

"H-Huh...?" Haruka slurred before he collapsed onto the ground...and he actually snored, even though it was soft, wearing some sort of affectionate - or maybe lustful? - grin on his face (Shizuka didn't like the chill he felt seeing that weird smile).

Shizuka turned to look at Trevor. "Is this what's supposed to happen?" Well, now he looks dead. In some sort of dirty fantasy I really don't want to know about.

"Well, yeah." Trevor shrugged. "It calms the nerves." He said like some guru.

"Well, congratulations," Cindy shook her head with her hands on her hips. "You just drugged him. I bet your pervy ass is two seconds away from trying something." Cindy gave him a off look, and Trevor shrugged.

"Hey, hey..." Trevor put his hands up, before he pointed both fingers at Shizuka. "He asked for it."

Jen knelt down over him, confused about what just happened. She lightly slapped him on the cheek to try to wake him up or something. "Is he okay?" Jen asked.

"Glad you asked!" Trevor said. "Thanks to Dr. Obott's magic Panacea, by the time it wears off, he should be A-okay!" He put his thumb up at Jen. "Perfectly healed, and free of any STDs that little fruitloop might have picked up! Ha!" Trevor started laughing as he put his hands on his gut.

"...People are dying, Trevor." Jen noted.

Shizuka could tell that whatever Trevor had done to his brother was definitely not 'magic' - he's someone like himself and Cindy: a Metahuman. Instead of questioning him about it, the younger twin opted to continue the skit for now. "I think you gave him more than just a 'cure', Dr. Obott. Looks like an overdose of love potion to me."

"Hey, overdose?" Trevor shrugged. "I only gave him a drop. Stop being so dramatic." Though, he looked at the unconscious boy on the ground. "Though.... I'd check the lil' bit's pulse. This shit can stop your heart."

"Trevor!" Jen shouted. This boy was being grossly irresponsible right now.

Shizuka was already on his knees, two fingers pressed against his brother's neck. "Thank goodness he's okay - otherwise I'd totally love to torture the hell out of you. Nice and slow." And he wouldn't forgive himself for the stupidity - stopping the heart was definitely not funny at all.

Trevor was pretty caught off guard by the whole torturing thing. Whoa. People who are right in the head don't say things like that - from what Trevor recalls, only sociopaths say things like that. He put his hands up. "Whoa, dial it back there, Linkin' Park." He said.

Linkin' Park? He shrugged off the (random) band reference and picked up Haruka in his arms, standing up to look for a better place to settle him down. At least this idiot would get the rest he so deserved - it had been a really long day. "Anyway, thanks for the 'Wonder Panacea', Doc."

"Well, your welcome." Trevor said, giving him a sideways glance. It was clear that his demeanor was breaking down a bit. "'Preciate it if you'd leave out the death threats next time." He noted.

Shizuka sighed to himself - his brother was (a million times) more precious to him than he would like to admit out loud. "Sorry bud - didn't want to lose my cool there, but...yeah. That's your Metapower or something, right?" He added the last line as an afterthought.

Cindy let out a sigh, and shook her head. Well, it's good that this solved itself before it started - but, Shizuka did sign Haruka up for that hell-drug testing. Even after Cindy said it wasn't a good idea. She kept this to herself, of course. Though, she wondered what was going on in that loony boy's head. Cindy knew that there was something wrong with him after that whole stint with the Purple-eyed things before - she thought that he was just one kooky bastard - but now, she felt like there was something else off about him. In the way that he has some emotional problems. Probably for the best if she keeps her guard up around him.

"Well, yeah." Trevor answered, scratching the back of his neck. He pointed both fingers at himself. "One hundred percent Metahuman. My lil' gift is to create this magical cure-all drug that can do wonders for your body... with a few side effects." Trevor said. "Like, it can heal you if you ever get hurt. And numb the pain - Oh, and that reminds me, it's also in all my fluids and breath." Trevor just had to note - just so he can make this joke. "And no, I haven't tried that."

Cindy rolled her eyes up into her head. God damn this little white boy. She's wondering who the hell is going to kill her here - Trevor and his rampant sex drive, Shizuka being the looniest of the loons, or the Monsters.

At this point, Cindy's money was on her friends.

This makes... more sense. Jen thought to herself as she hung her head. Trevor was so casual about his power that he was willing to talk about it like it was nothing? Where Jen was scared to talk about it for a second. It must mean that Trevor's either a fool, or realized that there are more important things here than keeping your head down.... Something that Jen should realize herself. From what she remembers, only Meifeng, Lihua, Anna, Alice and Trevor know that she's a Metahuman. A short list compared to most in this city. Jennifer shrugged.

Shizuka considered for a moment - well, aside from the fact that Trevor could squeeze out his drugs from all his fluids and breath (he shuddered a little at that part - along with a mental note to never want to try that out with that guy), it seemed like Cindy was the only one among them whose had any offensive abilities. Out of the corner of his eye he had noticed the the blond girl fidgeting when Trevor was explaining about his power. "What 'bout you then...Jen?"

"Um..." Jen said - she wasn't exactly super keen on discussing her super power - the gift of Regeneration - with a complete stranger, someone she's known for all of five minutes. Especially not someone who just leveled a threat at someone. "I'm... just amazed at how many of my friends are Metahumans, now." Jennifer said - managing to catch herself. "It's... surprising. But, honestly, not the thing I should be worrying about right now." She looked outside the tent, and saw the pouring down rain.

By then Shizuka found a vacant spot near the far end of the tent - where there were fewer people around - and put his still knocked-out twin down. "Right. So, any plans? And I wonder what's going on outside now... We probably can't hide here forever."

"Well..." Jennifer said, scratching the back of her neck. The most obvious course of action for anyone in this situation would be to get far away from the danger as possible. "I think they're going to do an evacuation... at least, that's what I heard...." Jennifer trailed off.

"'Personally, I'd rather not be in the middle of this freakshow." Trevor said, shrugging. "Me, Scarlet, and Lucy, are headin' out of here. Prolly' gonna head on back to Texas, or Black Fall." Trevor shrugged.

Shizuka raised his eyebrows at Trevor. "I dunno about that - don't you find it strange that all the Metacops did was to set up a safe area, but nothing further about getting the survivors out of this city? Or any sign of reinforcements? Almost like they're going to opt for the easiest way: a complete wipeout. Not just the monsters, probably us included too."

"Yeah, and suffer the worst PR disaster this side of the west coast has ever faced." Cindy rolled her eyes up into her head... Shizuka... while a sweet kid, probably faced too much TV or whatever. "Look, things are hectic, err'body here was caught off guard by this... while I don't like NEST all that much, personally... I don't think things are bad enough that they'd do that." Cindy shrugged.

"Yeah." Trevor agreed. "Stop watching so much TV. NEST ain't full of assholes... Well, 'cept for that guy who punched me in the dick, but that's a whole 'nother discussion." Trevor started off. "I think we should just give 'em a little bit of time to get things ready, then we're out of here." Trevor shrugged.

Jennifer scratched the back of her neck. Well, she couldn't pass judgement on either side - nor did she want to. Jen hasn't had enough experiences with NEST - other than the corrupt Agents that allowed her to get dragged into the Hands base. Jen's blue eyes looked over at the armed guard at the tent's entrance. But, who could be trusted in all this? That was the question everyone should be asking in all of this. "Well... I kinda hope they don't destroy the city... I don't know where my family is - I hope they're... okay." Jennifer started shaking a little bit - before letting out a sigh.

"Heh, c'mon, Jen." Trevor said. "Lot of people made it here. You just gotta look - or they'll find you! Don't worry." Trevor was trying his best to be optimistic. Otherwise, he'd start running around in circles screaming his head off. Long as they're not the ones fighting the Monster infestation, everything was going to be dandy.

Shizuka rubbed the back of his neck, still looking at Trevor with mild amusement. "I really have no idea if I should envy that crazy optimism of yours... Not to mention, a contagious one." Even though he still couldn't bring himself to like this pervy boy, at least he was a decent moodmaker.

"Hey," Trevor said, "A little optimism never hurt anyone, you should try the same." He shrugged.

Cindy put her hands on her hips, and loudly sighed. A strange bunch of friends she has here. If someone told her that she'd befriend these oddballs five years ago, she'd punch that person square in the nose. Eh. At least these were the good people. "Yeah, we're going to need it." Cindy said to the group. She didn't want to sour the mood by mentioning that her dad was missing, too - but her dad was easily the biggest, toughest, person that Cindy knew. She didn't know if it was denial or not, but she knew that the man probably wouldn't get himself killed like an idiot.

Jennifer smiled, for the first time she felt in ages. "Yeah... thank you." She said. She stood straight up, and looked around. "I... think I should go find Meifeng. I haven't talked to her in awhile..." And it feels like the biggest mistake of my life. Jennifer thought to herself as she scratched the back of her neck. "Maybe... she knows what'll happen next. Lihua knows a lot about what happens in NEST." She shrugged. "It was... nice... meeting you two. I hope we can talk again.... maybe under different... better circumstances?" She said.

"Yeah, you go do you, girl." Cindy said, giving Jen a half-smile. She threw her thumb over her shoulder. "I'm going to stay here and make sure that these guys don't get themselves killed."

"Heey!" Trevor retorted. "But, yeah, see ya' later, sweetheart." He bid Jen farewell. Shizuka merely rolled his eyes at Cindy and gave the blond a short wave.

Jen nodded her head, and turned away and walked out of the tent. Right into the freezing rain.

"... Heeeey, didn't I tell you she had a nice butt?" Trevor gave the twins a wry grin, and laughing. He just said this to get a rise out of Cindy. "I'd say hers is as good as Cindy's-"

"Not. Another. Word." Cindy turned around halfway, and looked directly at Trevor with the scariest death glare he's ever been given. "If you value those balls of yours, of course."

Shizuka smirked at their exchange - it would have been so much funnier if they weren't in the middle of a Slime Apocalypse. Haruka stirred and sat up slowly, but he still felt too groggy to make any sense of the conversation going on around him.

"Uh... So what did I miss?"

---

Written in collaboration with @Mr Allen J

---

Lucille lifted one of the med boxes easily. They were not that heavy but her power helped to carry them from one side to the other. She piled one, two and even three boxes at the same time in her arms leaving it at different tends of the evacuation area. She saw things that make her stomach sick. In one of the tents a person screamed, agonizing while a group of nurses tried to stop the bleeding in the mangled leg. She continued walking, trying to forget the pattern that the blood draw on the floor or even the leg itself.

Lucy felt a nauseating feeling climbing up the throat. She tried to forget by thinking of good memories. Lie to herself showed up as the best option. Her happy meditation was interrupted by a boy who poked her in the waist; the tearful young kid was looking for his mother. Lucille did not wanted to give false hopes to the boy, the mother would probably be dead. She had to lie. "I think I saw your mommy with those guards," she pointed to the nearest guards and the boy ran holding a teddy bear in his left hand.

She kept moving toward another tend, gulping down her tears.

The next tent was less daunting. A old woman with a bandaged forehead. A concussion caused when she tried to escape. She kept complaing that in her time there were no such things, people could go outside without worrying about whether they would return or not. She smiled when Lucille handed over a bottle of aspirin. Somehow, the old woman reminded of her mother.

Before Lucy could ask one of the medics, a nurse pointed to one of the tents and gave a slight push in Lucy. It did not take much for her to discover where to go with the last box. In the last tend a nurse was suturing the deep wound in a man's arm. Lucille opened the box and looked for some bandages and handed to the nurse.

---

Cindy crossed her arms and leaned up against something behind her - quickly standing up the moment she realized that she was up against one of the cots for the injured. This place had that certain air of death and depression... though, that comes with a city getting attacked by a genocidal Metahuman. Cindy let out a sigh as she crossed her arms. She looked around, and noticed that a great deal of the people here were injured. She wish she could lend a hand, but, ah, there was only so much she could do. With her talents lying in the automotive (and glass) fields rather than medicine like Trevor.

"Alright, ya'll, I think I'm going to get back to healin' people." Trevor put his hands behind his head, pushing out his chest. "See ya'll." He said, only getting a response from Cindy nodding her head, waving.

Trevor broke Cindy out of her reverie. Cindy nodded her head and waved goodbye to him as Trevor went off to go heal other people. Even though he dislikes his power, at least he's putting it to good use. Cindy let out another sigh. Tightening the grip around her chest. She looked around - and at the corner of her eye she spotted Lucille. With Jen and Trevor gone, and the Twins not being that much of a conversation, it's probably better if she has a chit-chat with Lucille. Cindy turned her upper body towards Lucille, before remembering the twins.

"Heey..." Cindy said, "I'm... going to go get a breath of fresh air, I'll be back in a second."

Waving goodbye to her friends, Cindy walked off towards Lucille. With her hands in the pockets of her pilot's jacket, she strolled over to Lucille. "Hey, Lucy... never got the chance to ask ya...." Cindy scratched the back of her neck, eyes drifting downwards as she felt her afro puffs. "... But how are you holding up in all of this?"

Lucille sighed and looked around unable to tell the truth; she wanted to cry, scream and stay away of this mess. "Not that good," she said, "and it's just going to get worse." She sat in a pile of empty wooden boxes. "How many do you think died today?"

"Well...." Cindy really didn't want to address that question... she knew how grim things were, but it'd help a little bit more if they didn't discuss how many people were lost in this disaster. "I don't know, and I don't wanna know... I'm just... just hopin' that my Dad just ain't one of them." She let out a sigh as she crossed her arms.

"He'll be okay," Lucy tried to smile but then remembered the child who'll probably never find his mother again. "Have faith."

Sighing again, Cindy closed her eyes for a moment. "... 'Guess you're right." She opened her eyes, and took off her glasses for a moment. Wiping them of rain and dirt. "He would want me to just stay safe... but hey, I got people like Jen, Trevor, Mei... and you, with me. What's the worst that can go wrong with the whole team here?"

"Trevor being himself?" Lucy laughed at her stupid joke. Which was true.

"Well, yeah..." Cindy shrugged - realizing that Lucy misunderstood what she said. "Kid's a jackass sometimes, yeah... a perv... but, he's a good kid. And I mean that."

"I just want to help more," Lucille didn't hide her disappointment. "I'm tired of lifting boxes, carry them around the camp only to repeat the same thing." She sighed, "I'll sign for NEST if I survive this shit."

Both hands went to her hips, she then pointed at Lucille, giving her a wry smile. "Well, look at you. Agent... Lucy. Has a bit of a ring to it, y'know?" Cindy said, laughing a bit, probably the only laughter she'll have for a while, actually. "You'll look good in that armor... but, none of that "if I survive this shit" bullshit." Cindy shook her head. "Think like that, and you got no choice but to die, huh?"

"You sound like my mom." Lucy shrugged. "I'm not going think anymore about this like that, miss Cindy Gabrielle... K-something... And hopefully tomorrow I'll change my mind about becoming an agent. And I don't like tight clothes." She shivered at the thought.

"Heh." Cindy said. "Keagan. Last name's Keagan." Cindy informed her, raising a finger up into the air. "How come you can remember my middle name, but not my last?" She asked, arcing her head backwards. Putting an amused face of confusion on. "And... I wouldn't knock "tight clothes" off just yet, heh....."

She blushed at Cindy's reply. "Eh... T-Thanks," she spoke louder than usual. "But I'm not good with names..." Duly noted, miss Keagan, Lucy thought of saying but she would only be more embarrassed. "I wonder what will happen after all this. I think I'll move again." She sighed.

Cindy refrained from pressing on about names. She'd hate to mess with her any more. She shrugged, "Don't know, to tell you the truth," Cindy shrugged. "I think... everyone's going have to find a new place to live. I know Meifeng and Trevor know Black Fall... I don't know about heading there." Cindy shrugged. "Vert's home to me, y'know? Born here. Lived here."

"Must be hard seeing your hometown like this." Lucy said.

"Yeah, but...." Cindy let out a sigh, and tightened her grip around her hips. "I'll get over it. Vert's home, yeah, I ain't gonna beat myself up over a lost cause like this."

Lucille let out a smile and stood up. "That's the spirit!" She said. "Wanna help me with the boxes? There's a lot of helping needed."

Cindy took a step back, her hands went face-high with her fingers spread. "Hey now, I don't got that super strength like you do." She smirked. She took a step or two forward until the distance between herself and Lucille was closed. "You know... it was great talking to you." She put her hand on Lucille's shoulder. "You're a real good friend in all of this."

"You too," Lucille replied with a cheerful smile and then a quick hug.

During the hug, Cindy sighed, "You know... I promise that I'll help everyone get out of this in one piece... Especially you, Lucy." She sombely said - feeling an odd mix of emotions she hasn't experienced before... Cindy put a finger on Lucille's face to guide her towards her - guide them closer. She didn't know what came over her, but she was going to go through with it.

Lucy's heart throbbed as she closed her eyes. The insecurity took over her. Since she had accidentally broken her exgirlfriend arm she hadn't tried to become so close with another girl. Somehow, the scene repeats itself in her mind. The fear of causing another disaster shuffling with her feelings and killing all the butterflies in her stomach. "I--," she reluctantly moved back a little, feeling her heart beating faster. Before she realized she was afraid of hurting Cindy or everyone around, "I-have to go..." She said with hurried steps toward a random direction. She later stoped some tents later to think about what the hell she done. She wished that she didn't had her powers or, at least, she could go back in time and choose to not run away.

"W-wait, I..." Cindy called after Lucille as she ran off. As they distance between them broke, Cindy realized just what just happened. Did she... did they almost kiss? Oh, Cindy didn't know what came over her just then. Maybe it was just the stress? Cindy started playing with her hands as Lucille walked off, hunching over a bit. She never felt that way about a girl before... maybe she should just forget about it, lest they make their relationship awkward.

Cindy started looking around, and no one was even around. No one saw them. Good. That'll make this little incident easier on everyone - wait. Cindy's eyes caught sight of someone poking their head from around the corner. She was a white girl with black hair, and sunglasses... that's all Cindy made out, given how little of her she saw. The other reason was that the girl dipped out of the way at the last second.

Ooookay. That was weird. Everything here was weird. The stress was starting to fuck with Cindy. It was all the dead people and pain, yeah. She just needed to get some fresh air. The girl nodded her head before she stepped out of the room, and right into the raging storm going on around them. The rain hit her clothes, but didn't soak her pilot's jacket (Which was more leather than anything).

I'm going to get out of this alright.

---

---

---

Shit, she almost got found out.

She'd hate to hear Luis chew her out if she has to be the next person to be broken out. The black haired teen - known in the inner circle of Changelings as The Contessa - stepped out of the tent and right back into the rain. Her jeans, and her shirt with some band's logo on it was soaked. She wished that she could wear her trench coat, but right now her disguise was "average scared teenage girl!". More importantly, she could only hide a small, low caliber, pistol on her instead of the massive arsenal that she usually has access to. Such bullshit. The Contessa stepped in a puddle - and damn near got trampled when someone hauled a stretcher with a injured woman on it.

The goal was to spy on the safe zone, and the Contessa apparently met the criteria being the most normal looking out of all of them. It would have been funny if Luis was here, but now that NEST knows his face, it's best that he stays in the shadows, while plotting the next move. Much like NEST, the Changelings needed information on what's going on - specifically, where everyone is, and what's going on. They could have launched their attack ages ago, but hey lacked the information, and could have went guns blazing into a trap. Now, they have some vague idea of where to go, and what to do. However, now that priorities have... temporarily shifted, their goal is to keep everyone in Verthaven.

And to do that, they need to employ a little violence.

The Contessa walked forward, and looked around as she stepped into an alleyway that no one would be caught dead in. She kept walking in, taking a quick peek over her shoulder to make sure that nobody followed her in. Something grey dropped in front of her, and she turned and face it, and it was the Mannequin. The rainwater washing away the blood that was on it's body. It hunched over, and faced the Contessa.

"Yo," The Contessa said, "There's a guard walking along the walls of the safe zone that you should be able to nab. Be quick, be quiet." She pointed southwest of herself.

The Mannequin nodded it's head, oddly human eye twitching, and hopped up into the air, back onto the roof. In which the Contessa stepped out of the alleyway, and continued to resume gathering intelligence.

---

Despite NEST all but forgetting about the Changeling Unit, the Mannequin had to be careful, very sneaky. Because they're still on the lookout for monsters, and... he's very distinct. NEST will immediately open fire, and be glad there's once less Changeling. Which is why the Mannequin clung to the walls, and kept moving. Right on the outskirts of the safe zone, there was a lone Agent walking alongside a teenaged girl that had to be his daughter. Fully armored, and rifle in hand. The Mannequin came to the edge of the roof and listened.

"... Look, sweetie, everything's going to be alright." The Agent said.

"I just hope my friends got out of there in one piece...." The teenaged girl trailed off.

The Mannequin got an idea. He crawled down the edge of the building, and crept up on them by walking on all fours. He was practically inaudible at the right pace. Especially with all this rainfall. The Mannequin moved in closely, and set his eyes on the girl. Body moving stiff as a machine, it lunged right at her, wrapping one arm around her, and it's other hand producing a knife from the palm. He faced the agent, with the teen in hand.

"What the hell - The Mannequin!?" The Agent shouted as he aimed at them, the Mannequin brought the girl a little tighter. "Let her go!" He shouted, "Let her go - NOW!"

The Puppet was wordless as it raised a finger to where it's lips would be, a silent gesture that got across the message quite well. The Agent raised an eyebrow, then the Mannequin pointed at the gun, then the ground. Before pressing the knife against her throat a little tighter.

"Okay, okay..." He said as he dropped the gun, and put his hands up into the air. "Don't hurt her, please."

The next gesture was simple, the Mannequin bent it's finger a few times. A simple signal for him to come here. The Agent stepped closer and closer to him.

"I'll, I'll do anyth-" He was about to let out a heartfelt speech before the Mannequin cut him off in an interesting way.

Using a quick burst of speed, and body control, that no human is capable of, the Mannequin quickly swung out the blade that used to be pressed up against the teen's throat and swung it out at the Agent's throat. Creating a rain of crimson as the man gasped for air. The teen screamed, but not for long as the Mannequin covered her mouth. "... This will help you with the stress." The Mannequin said as he produced a needle from his finger, with presumably a chemical on the other end. The teen struggled, but the Mannequin managed to stab her in the throat with the syringe. The struggling stopped as her eyes closed and the Mannequin released his grasp. Letting her drop to the ground dead.

"Flashbang," The Mannequin spoke into the radios. "We have two bodies."

They have to dispose of the bodies. An Agent, and his teenaged daughter, being found dead would raise many red flags. Two portals on the ground formed under them, and their bodies dropped in. The Mannequin looked around, before similarly hopping in.

The blood was washed away with the rain.