The scene grew continually more frantic as people began to appear from every angle to interfere with the heist. The thief with the fireworks had somehow managed to blow the tires off of the truck, as the Variant known as Tank barreled in through a side wall.

“What the actual fuck is going on?!” shouted one of the SWAT officers, as he prepared to engage on the big guy. Another officer gave him a signal to hold his fire when he saw that Tank and a few...others...were actually making an escape route for the hostages.

“We'll deal with it after the civilians are out! For now, stay on the truck!”

-----

Manny heaved an audible sigh of relief as the bank's patrons filed out of the building seemingly unharmed. He realized he had been clenching his teeth for a while, so he loosened the muscles in his jaw and took a swig from the bottle of water on the table near him.

“Well, that's a good sign,” Ellis said as he, too, felt a bit more at ease.

“The hostages may have gotten out, but that doesn't mean it's all over…there's still a lot going on in there, I bet,” Manny said as if speaking from experience.

-----

As the last of the hostages escaped from the building, one of the SWAT officers gave the signal that all was clear.

“...Hostages are are out! Masks on!”

The officers threw on their gas masks and released several tear gas grenades in the direction of the robbers. As the vapor spread throughout the room, the squad rose from cover and advanced on the scene with weapons raised.

“Everyone down on the ground, now, or you will be shot!!!”

The fire fox glided down to the middle of the room. Raising his hand, he said "boop!" and exploded into confetti, leaving only a speaker. All of a sudden, the speaker buzzed into life, giving a synthetic version of Ryteb's voice.

"I must say that this was quite fun." the voice spoke, "Stopping the bad guys and being heroic is quite a nice feeling. Though in truth, I was here for a different reason. You rogues actually saved me a bit of time, Neptune's Pearl would have taken me weeks to steal if you hadn't broken in. By the by, you'll find one of the naughty boys in the vault. Ciao!"

With a beep, the radio exploded. And above the roof opposing the bank, lights flashed on, revealing the Fire Fox. In his hand was a blue pearl the size of his fist. Giving a last cheeky grin to the cameras, he took off through the rooftops.

Tank felt the impacts of bullets as the robbers fired at him, he doubted they actually expected it to do anything but they were probably in a state of panic, most of which crumpled against him and dropped to the floor in front of him while a couple ricocheted elsewhere. His charge had gotten him right up next to the group of robbers and his impact wedged the vehicle further in making escape a lot less possible not to mention cornering them further. He quickly smacked the heads of two together enough to knock them out aswell as backhanding another trying to aim around him and had one by the shirt before hearing a voice just behind and to the side of him, a very brave cop by the sound of it, which prompted him to release his grip on the terrified robber. The big man turned his head to the side finding he was looking at said officer eye to eye which surprised him a bit since he wasn't exactly on the short side. For now he obeyed the order to stand still not wanting to cause any real trouble for the man or the rest of the cops outside for that matter, he was just there to help out in a moment of need same as Overclock.

Girard turned a bit more and glanced over to see no hostages left and a headless horse ahead of where they used to be which very much weirded him out, not to mention the absence of the dog from before but that was equally as strange. It didn't appear any of civilians got injured thanks to a bit of quick thinking and drawing attention away from them which was a massive relief. Though now they had a bit of an elephant in the room since the cop was keeping a close eye on them though he seemed far more worried about the robbers currently. It was a bit unfortunate they had to make such a loud and heavy entrance for this, the bank owners wouldn't appreciate the wall but it was fixable with no real structural damage he could spot, because the rest of the police force outside were probably on even higher alert than before. He couldn't blame any of them since it was not only vigilantes but ones who busted in on their crime scene in public however he hoped it could be resolved decently since they had done a bit of a favor dealing with the tense situation in a way only they could.

One thing the big guy hadn't entirely expected was the gas grenades tossed not too far from him by what could have only been the SWAT team and the rather abrupt entrance was far less surprising. The gas probably wouldn't get past his mask in time before him and his allies got out, it was quite well sealed and it would take a decent bit of exposure to really effect him enough for safe action against him. When they asked for him to drop to the ground he did have his hands up but he wasn't going to move much more than that up until he figured a decent way out without going through the officers. Getting arrested wasn't an option for vigilantes whether Variant or not but neither was a pleasant prospect especially since the PD tended to bring out the big guns ever since N.O.V.A.'s task force started to break down. His father had told him about some of what happened but it was hard to dissuade Girard from still helping despite the risks from all sides.

~Well this just got a bit more interesting. Not much of an easy way out now either.~ Tank thought weighing his option as he was sure Overclock was doing the same in this situation.

Something was wrong...

Nevermore skidded to a stop, her hands reaching out before her to grab whatever fabric lay in front. Clutching what was hopefully her new companion's shirt. Her head tilting down to the ground while her parted lips began to gain the taste of gun powder. It stung her nose, made her bite her tongue to get the sensation away.
There was so much chaos a few moments ago. The ringing shots of fire erupting in the crowds like a war zone. The screams of civilians and the trampling feet, with Dullahan's great called barrelling over the chaotic orchestra. It was all something she could use, something she could follow. Yet as they grew near, the music stopped, like a snap of ones fingers, everything froze. "Something ended our good fortune, our friends shall be silenced on the marrow if we keep moving...."

There was only one way for things to grow this quiet this fast. The police had them pinned, that was the only way to get a vigilant to grow silent. To become useless, they needed to find a way out, and they needed to do it fast. Her grip on the cane tightening in her gloved hand, she opened the book once more. The creation floating before her while the pages flipped through like a wave, far too fast for anyone near to make out the intricate dots on each section. "Tis a problem that we face, though you spoke before. To one far away, you can do it now, yes?"

Quickly she moved back, slipping into an allyway and creating cover so she couldn't be spotted. Dullahan was still in there, she could still hear the heart beat of the great beast who was so quick to come to aid. "Are you safe....?" Her words that of a whisper that were snatched away in the wind. The humm of her companion causing a smile to stretch across her features. Dullahan was no fool, she knew when to fall back but now was not the time. Bullets were never something the beast was shy of, they healed in moments, so that means it really was cops she was dealing with. "Can you hold out?" Again she was greeted with the same humm, yes, she still had aid on the inside. She was honestly shocked that the humans haven't opened fire on her yet, did it not register that she didn't have a head?

--
Dullahan herself kept looking at the humans around her. A group with weapons pointed her way, the horse simply pointed it's neck down as though it were simply grazing, a snort escaping the beast while her tail flicked from side to side in annoyance. Muscles tensing, she waited for Aurora, waiting for the words to slip into the creature's mind before she looked back up again. There were two that Aurora wanted, two that needed to leave alive.
Right, these two helped others. And these two would keep Aurora alive. She needed that, turning her neck to the one with the helmant only to swing it to the one with the bandanna. She stomped her hoof, trying to gain their attention. She needed more, she needed Aurora to help, she needed Aurora to get out alive.

Angel yelped as Nevermore's hand clasped around her costume and yanked her back, Angel furiously beating her wings to keep aloft. The other vigilante was right to stop her, some sort of gas was filling the building and Angel could see the SWAT team starting to move in. They'd be useless unless they wanted to fight the police, and that would only make everything worse. But Jason was in there, and he was already registered by NOVA... If he was caught, she might never see her brother again. Nevermore's words caught her attention as she fought the sound of silence ringing in her ears. "You... You mean Ja--Overclock?" she asked, catching herself halfway through her mistake. she cursed inwardly, thankful only that she hadn't said his whole name. "I can call him, tell them to get out..."

Angel brought up her speed dial again, calling her brother for what felt like the hundredth time. "Overclock!" she hissed as the call connected. "SWAT's coming through the hole and the main entrance. Back too, probably. Smash through the windows, that's your best bet..." She said, sending up a silent prayer to anything listening that this would work.



Overclock took a double-take at the smallish, but impressively built woman as she passed by with the tall, rich-looking one. Had she just called him by his vigilante name? She recognized him? Any other time, Jason would have loved to dwell on that, but things were getting dicey now. The horse-thing had stepped in front of him, blocking a couple bullets from him. This was frustrating, as Overclock would have loved sapping the power out of those tiny projectiles, but no matter. This wasn't his night, apparently. He picked up the incoming call from his sister as he maneuvered himself sideways, keeping a close eye on Tank and the cop.

"Right Angel, out the window... see you soon." He said before hanging up. The gas was coming closer now, it was getting hard to see... Whipping around, Overclock pulled a rubber band from his pocket and fired it at the glass storefront; charging it with what little energy he had remaining from the day. With a mall flash of purple energy, the band punched through the glass, leaving a spiderweb of cracks which fell apart into a rainfall of shards a second later.



Oscar looked back and forth, his attention caught between the variants and the robbers. Tank seemed to be cooperative, though Overclock looked on edge. To get them out unhurt, Oscar would need a distraction... A smile crossed the policeman's face as the SWAT team began to move, the tear grenades hissing as the gas filled the room. Oscar looked up to take stock before stepping closer to Tank. Visible cameras out of commission, the rest obscured by smoke. SWAT moving, but not in visible range yet. This could work. "Listen close, big guy." Oscar said, raising his gun and pointing it in the air. "Your buddy looks ready to do something stupid. I'll cover you. You shouldn't be in jail. On my signal you guys run, grab anyone else of yours and go."

Focusing on the air around him and taking a deep breath, Oscar floated a foot into the air. He had plenty of practice flying, he could make a 'throw' look convincing. As he watched Overclock turn and crack the window, Oscar lifted his voice and called out; "NHPD, get on the ground, get--" Oscar fired three shots into the air, cutting himself off. Giving Tank a knowing wink, the officer propelled himself backwards through the cloud of gas, intending to provide a distraction and hopefully knock over a few SWATs in the process.

Girard was feeling a bit tense with the SWAT team getting into position and he could only imagine what was going through Overclock's mind at the moment as the situation was hardly positive. It didn't take more than a quick sideways glance to confirm his suspicion however it seemed as if his partner was on his phone again possibly figuring out an exit strategy with the woman he called Angel earlier, he hoped the name was accurate because an eye in the sky was a massive benefit to them since they couldn't see anything outside of the room. Then again they had a rather large headless horse to worry about as well which he had no clue what to do about though it seemed to want some attention having made a notable stomp. It was at moments like this that having a animal whisperer would be useful because he sure as hell didn't speak horse nor could he really tell what the strange horse wanted. Of course one thing that kind of had him at a loss was that there was a cop who hadn't just attempted to shoot them or immediately restrain them, not like all of them were intolerant of Variants, but most he had the pleasure/displeasure of meeting as Tank tended to be quick to try and arrest him.

The big man noticed the cop moving a bit closer and kept an eye on him as he talked about helping them get out or at least providing a decent distraction which was more than he had been expecting not to mention he seemed quite happy to keep them out of jail if he could. He was far from wrong that Overclock looked ready to act since the smaller man produced a rubber band though the reason was hardly obvious at first but it became pretty clear what he was aiming at which happened to be a window they could skedaddle
out of in a hurry. Girard looked over to the horse again thinking for a second before motioning towards himself and Overclock before pointing to the now shattering window trying to get it to follow. No reason to leave the animal behind since it seemed to want to help them not to mention the fact it was so strange that it would cause quite a stir if just left here. The officer hovering a little off the ground kind of made him smile under his helmet, made a bit more sense why he was so willing to give them a hand so when he 'threw' himself back at hat he could only imagine was part of the SWAT team he figured it was time to go.

Tank hoped that whoever else might be around would be able to follow up on them decently because they were going to need to beat a very quick retreat from the scene. He looked over to Overclock and the horse before heading for the window to get outside since the cop had given them a good way to get a head start.

The thieves hacked and gasped as gas filled the area, their retaliation on the SWAT officers immediately ceasing. As the SWAT team advanced, a fellow policeman was hurled their way through the haze after a few gunshots, colliding with a few of the officers. Confused and frustrated, the fallen crew scrambled to their feet, shouting a few more choice expletives as they did so. Teetering on the edge of professional execution and enraged brutality, the SWAT officers then moved in, forcing every offender to the ground and quickly handcuffing them. With the main criminals apprehended, the officers commenced a brief scan of the area as the gas cleared. Perhaps they had hoped to catch a couple of the Variants as well, but even though the cavernous hole still remained in the wall, there was no sign of any others.

“All clear!” shouted one of the SWAT agents in a mix of annoyance, relief, and assurance. “Let’s get these bastards out of here!”

The dust finally began to settle from the truly chaotic event, leaving everyone involved and onlookers alike extremely uneasy. The thieves were escorted into police vans as officers doubled back to recheck the scene. Hostages were checked for medical issues and interviewed, news reporters continued to keep their viewers up-to-date, and the crowds were steadily held back behind police lines. Within said crowd, Dante’s clone still lingered taking in the sights from street level, while Dante himself remained still on the rooftops. Wanting to get a peek at the back of the building where the loud crash was heard moments before the gunshots, his clone found a weak spot in the police surveillance and was able to sneak into an alley leading toward the rear of the bank. Silently creeping down the increasingly darkening path, he stopped and hid when he saw a small group of people who seemed to be escaping from the scene. They didn’t seem to be involved in the robbery, but something compelled him to hang back and eavesdrop on their transaction.

Knowing what his clone was up to, Dante decided to call it a day and leave the roof, letting the clone gather some recon. He turned to find Ezio, his black and gray short-haired cat with piercing green eyes, on the hunt for what was probably a mouse. Seemingly bored with the chase, Ezio casually ceased and followed Dante as he walked through the door that led to the stairs. Dante aimlessly descended to street level, unsure of where he would head, but confident that his wandering might take him somewhere interesting at least.

-----

When the reports came in of the incident coming to a close, Manny shook his head and sighed.

“Well, that was definitely something…”

“People in this town are getting crazier by the day,” Ellis said, wheeling into the kitchen to refill his drink.

Manny got up from the couch and stretched. “...and it is into that crazy town that I must venture, dear brother,” he declared with a smirk. “I got a gig to head to.” After quickly changing his shirt, he grabbed his guitar and headed out the door. “I’ll catch you later, bro.”

“Be careful out there, mop top!” Ellis shouted as Manny closed the door. Manny rolled his eyes and considered opening the door back up just to give El the finger, but thought it would be too predictable. Instead he continued on out of the building into the evening. He lived just on the edge of The Shanty in more or less the ‘buffer area’ between it and Ville Rogue - not quite the poorest of neighborhoods but far from the most pleasant. It was what he could afford as a typical ‘starving artist’ as he refused to take financial help from his mother who insisted he lived closer to Midtown, where she herself had a fairly cozy apartment. He wanted to make it on his own, but he at least granted his mother’s plea to live with Ellis so they could ‘watch out for each other’ (like they were teenagers or something). Any deeper into The Shanty, though, and Manny may have reconsidered taking his mom’s offer and staying on the other side of town, but thankfully things were fine this close to Ville Rogue.

As Manny took his stroll toward the heart of Ville Rogue, the district’s vibrant nightlife started to slowly come alive. Street musicians lined the walkways, heavenly smells wafted from every restaurant and cafe, lights danced off of the timeless architecture. The true heartbeat of New Haven sounded in Manny’s ears and he could hardly contain his smile, in spite of the unsettling event he had just witnessed moments earlier. He loved the culture in Ville Rogue, especially the music scene. It took all he had in him to not stop and jam with one of the musicians serenading the streets...but he had a previous (paying) engagement, of course, and could not be late.