Marlon City, 4:48 pm
Lower East District, The Wharf.

An MPD transport vehicle is en route to Black Box 3, located next to the bay. Several dummy trucks are being sent all over to delay any attempt at jailbreak for the two Level 4 paras inside. A modified Faraday cage keeps one's power contained and the other is in cryostasis. The guards are alert, but relaxed as this is just routine. They expect no threat tonight considering that their intelligence completely kept this off the books and compartmentalized, and MTF Ibis is on standby in the Vertibird in the sky. They chat about sports and other things as they drive the armored vehicle to it's destination.

"So… This is surprisingly easy for a transport job." One grunts. "Jones said it would be dangerous."

"That's because these damn Paras crawl all over the place like bugs. You don't know where they'll come from next. All you can do is just try and survive. Especially the bitch in the trunk. She's killed several hundred if the reports are right."

"Damn…" The other whistles. "Jeminson was killed by that other one… Called himself the King in Yellow. Still don't know how we got him."

"It's classified." The other one looks out the window and scowls. "We might have company." He picks up the radio. "Fortress this is Transport 6, we have potential bogeys."

"Roger, Transport 6. Mobilizing Ibis." The response came. "ETA in six."

The guard went to respond as a flash of purple light cut through the engine, a speeding blur charging through laughing.

"Damn… This was almost too easy!!" The man stood up, sword in one hand and obsidian lightning crackling in the other as the transport vehicle flipped over, crashing.

"Transport 6…- reading a crash… Do you copy?"

"Bryce… Why is my arm in the street…" One guard stared as blood sprayed from the wound.

"Oh hell… Fortress… We've been hit… Its Obadiah."

"The game's Obsidian Edge, copper." The man sneered as he opened up the doors of the transport, killing the guards who were trying to unstrap themselves. He noticed that one held something labeled Subject 9, Taylor but the screen was too cracked to read more. He slashed it open anyways and turned to open up Pestilence's pod. The gaunt woman fell into his arms with a soft oof. Obsidian guided her to the two guards in the back, so she could feast, stepping back as he felt her hunger rise. She hadn't consumed in a while her hunger grew. And she touched the dead men, their flesh seemingly melting under her touch as she filled out.

Obadiah walked to the front to kill the last two when he dodged a bullet, scowling as he looked up and saw the members of Ibis.

"We'll, I'll be damned…" He sneered at them, blades reforming and he readied himself as Pestilence ate. He could deal with the other guards later. Hopefully she wouldn't attack the other Para but she wasn't in her right mind yet.

---

Task Force Ibis:

Detective Commander Ingvald growled at his squad as they loaded the carrier. "Shut it and get your asses on. We've got two Level 4s that need to be contained. Machai, as soon as you are able, engage the enemy. Hank, assist. Jorgen and I will provide support. Drones say it's Obsidian Edge who caused it. Keep in mind that they are less than a mile from the Exclusion Zone 3. No heroics, we're all going home." He nodded to the pilot who was taking off. "Get us there."

It was a quick ride and Chrysander had Kingsley take several shots at Obadiah to keep him from the cabin of the truck. They all got a good look at the contents in the back, namely the unnatural feeding Pestilence partook in as the Cryo pod warmed up. Chrysander grimaced at the scene, Hank beside him shaking his head as they closed in.

"Ready team! Go, go, go!!"

---

The Tower

Tiberius Lorne looked down at his city. He stood above it all, a glass of brandy in one hand as he scowled at the Exclusion Zone closest to the Tower, Site 2. Gravity there was never the same after one of the Aggrieve tore it up in a rampage. He scowled at the sight, sitting down at his desk to over some reports when the lights flickered for a moment as the backup generators took over. In every screen, all around the city, a blinking eye glitched into view. The voice was garbled at first but grew stronger, forming words that rocked the city to the core, and was gone just as fast as it had come.



"You are not alone… The Change comes to all things in time. Break your shackles and embrace true freedom."

The cold of the cryo pod was not something that Taylor felt, at least not at the moment. If it were the case that it was being fueled by heat, then the cold would have been a pain like no other. Not only that, but it would have sapped that thermal energy from its very essence, draining it down until Taylor withered and died. However, since it was electricity that Lorne's scientists had been feeding it before they departed the tower, the cold was nothing more than a...conspicuous presence against the pulsating essence of its physical body.

Unlike the other, more Human paras, the cryo pod did not cease, or even diminish its consciousness. All it did was to lock its physical body in place. The energy field that comprised the other half of Taylor's essence was still every bit as active as usual, fueled by electromagnetic energy. Taylor was not entirely sure if Lorne understood this from their tests and research, but as long as the pod proved an effective means of transportation, it supposed that would not matter to them. Although, once the transport was attacked and the power to the pod was interrupted, it stopped being nearly so effective.

All that Taylor needed was for the pod to warm up just enough so that its body could move again. The crash, as forceful as it was, had not done much to Taylor. Even if it did not have the pod to protect it, it was not as if its body had organs to jostle around and damage. For some, this kind of situation might have been exciting, or terrifying, but Taylor had an odd calm about it. While it was awaiting its body to be able to move again, it had a few musings running through its mind. Was this a rescue meant to save them, or an attack meant to end them? It supposed either result would be an improvement over the suffering it had been forced to endure.

Once the pod was cut open, Taylor was able to climb out into the back of the transport, though with no particular hurry to its movements. By the time it was free, it saw a gaunt, sickly woman nearby, doing something to the bodies of two guards. It was as if she was consuming them, much as Taylor would consume a fire. Distasteful as it may have been, Taylor also did not care. The guards served Lorne. From its pod, it had seen that there was another who had cut it free from its prison, though it had not been able to get too good of a look at him.

In any case, Taylor elected to step out of the back of the transport onto the road at an almost leisurely pace. It was not too concerned about events around it, instead turning its many glowing eyes up towards the sky. The open sky...it was something it had not seen for months. Not since it had been Human. It almost seemed brighter than Taylor remembered it.

Rachel sat in her alleyway closest to her old workplace. She painted on makeup in front of the lower car's shiney, reflective surface. A lot of this makeup she makes herself, the rest she steals.

Once done, she stands up and stretches, preparing for any running or fighting needed, as she is needing to cure her unusual boredom by messing with people. Late afternoon is the best time to leave her hideout. She knows that hiding is usually considered the coward's way, but this was the only way she had escaped capture.

Before she could leave, she heard something quietly flying overhead, towards the southeast of her. Ducking down, she throws a dark gray blanket over her, hoping the people in the carrier were too busy on other things to notice. She didn't have to worry about this previously, but the blanket she is under had fallen from the hooks above the cars and her sleeping and storage area.

"I really need to fix that," Rachel muttered to herself. No longer hearing anything, she stands up and raises the blanket to the hooks overhead, concentrating on getting the ripped holes to go on the hooks. This telekinesis used to seem like a curse to her, but now it is a source of fun and protection.

She then lifts the cars, going under, and carefully putting them down, not wanting to damage the anti-gravity tech hidden underneath. Putting her hood up, she leaves the alleyway, acting like a normal person.

Alex walked into her medical clinic, the day had barely begun but she was going to recieve some patients soon from what her contacts had told her. She walked in looking around as she turned the lights on taking in the views of her shitty little clinic, the lights turned on and hummed a bit as the whole area was covered with a hospital-esque lighting. She walked over into the back room which was kind a of a small kitchenette of sorts. She started up her coffee machine which made Smokey Boyz coffee, her favorite. She was wearing a pair of cargo pants an undershirt and in a few minutes, she grabbed her lab coat. Working casual made casual fun, she grabbed her coffee and took a slurpy lil sip from it.

Still hot.

She went over to the small tv in the reception where she turned it on and sat down in one of the old comfy little chairs that was there. Sitting down she sipped from her coffee once again, looking over the TV a few reporters were discussing a developing incident within Marlon regarding a prisoner convey and an apparent attack. Alex gingerly sipped on the coffee as the events unfolded, there would definetly be more people that would need her 'services' today. She got up after finishing her coffee before walking over to her computer.

She turned on the derelict piece of junk, it hissed and began to boot up her OS. After a few moments she logged herself in and started to surf upon the deep net, digging and prodding into threads and posts as to what this attack is or could mean. Some claimed it to be from the Church of Para while others put suspicion on the Lorne corporation. It was obvious no one knew what was going on at the time but it was all just a bit of a cluster fuck. Chaos, it was perfect and bred suspicion of others - she wondered if there would be a repeat of the Tower and if Marlon would fall into despair once again.

Time would tell.

Safety came in numbers, some said. Holly disagreed with this; she thought that safety came in being smart, and knowing where to be. If she was in a place she knew she was safe she was guaranteed a higher chance of survival than if she was in a place that wasn't. Underground criminal sanctuaries were her main place of safety; sure the criminals may duke it out in the underground itself, or anywhere that wasn't a sanctuary, but within it there was at least some civility. It was a place to rest or sleep, to trade off stolen goods, or to brag about your exploits. Everyone still was still suspicious of everyone else, though.

However, despite this being one of the safest of places to be for her, Holly was not there. After sleeping, she found little to do for herself within the sanctuary, and had made her way out by one of the sewer exits. It seemed a little funny to Holly that the exits were incredibly dangerous compared to the safety just within the sanctuary. Once you left, you were fair game. You were no longer trying to hide, trying to sleep or trade. You were outside, and that meant you were prey.

Thankfully, most saw no value in trying to stop her. She was a teenager with a bag that most knew was empty, but some still tried to stop her to check. Holly knew that there were a few crazies out there, but hadn't come across one yet. Whenever she was stopped, she just opened her bag to show she had nothing for them to take for themselves, and then carried on her way. They didn't follow her, after all, she had nothing for them.

It was now later in the day, and Holly was sat on a roof, eating her sandwich. She watched a large screen mounted on a building, playing the news, of which currently was an attack on an MPD convoy. Holly observed the monitor casually, taking bites out of her stolen meal, before the screen flicked and changed, speaking words that intrigued her;
"You are not alone… The Change comes to all things in time. Break your shackles and embrace true freedom."
She didn't exactly feel like she was in shackles. She felt free, as free as she could be. She figured it was just a Para that had managed to gain access to the screen. He'd be apprehended soon, she thought to herself. They all were.

---

Patrolling the alleyways of the city was Phoebe. Her main source of entertainment throughout the day was knocking out every thug that tried to stop her. She didn't need a job, she didn't need much sustenance (though still savoured the taste of food), and she didn't have many friends to hang out with. There were things that she could do for entertainment that wasn't punching a thug in the face, such as going to the cinema or a museum, however those were risky for many reasons.

Her helmet could thankfully provide her with entertaining audio, such as music, news stations or, as it currently was, MPD communications. She still had the same access as she had before the Tower had exploded, because it had been saved to the data of her armour. According to the communications, Ibis had been mobilised to a truck crash, and against her better judgement, Phoebe was going to observe. As she grew closer to the scene, or where the scene was said to be, she climbed herself up onto a rooftop, moving herself to the edge and crouching down.

From what Phoebe could see and hear, things were going to be turning out differently. Already, several Paras had been released from a transport vehicle it looked like. She felt sorry for the crew. As much as she tried to avoid dealing with the MPD, she used to be one of them, and so felt sympathy for those working for them - at least in the low positions. Anyone in higher positions were evil, she told herself. It wasn't the fault of the lackeys on the ground, they were just following orders and didn't know any better. It almost made her want to go after those higher herself, perhaps study, follow and ambush them one by one, to destroy the corruption that they were. She was smarter than that, though. It would make her even more of a target than she already was. And so, she observed the chaos below her.

Everywhere was dangerous. The streets were dangerous, the alleyways were dangerous, the underground was dangerous. Some places were less dangerous than others, depending on who you were. For example, if you didn’t commit crimes, you’d perhaps be better on the streets. If you were a criminal, you’d be safer in the alleys, where the MPD did not patrol. However, no matter where you were, if Syren was there, and she had her eyes on you, you were most definitely not safe.

Presently, Syren prowled the alleys, though she did so with a goal in mind, a destination to arrive at and a path laid out in her head to get there. She was smart enough to hold herself back on the way there, however - she knew that leaving a trail of bodies was not a good idea, particularly when she was on the MPD’s hitlist. Maybe if they had the advantage, they would make some attempt to contain her, to capture her, yet at the same time Syren knew that she couldn’t expect that chance, not at all. It would save a lot of people if she was captured. It would save more if she was dead.

That didn’t mean she couldn’t let her restraint slip, however, just once. The body was still warm, its blood still leaking onto the ground when she left it behind. Syren did not want to get herself dirty, after all. She at least had a sense of hygiene, and her presence enough could possibly worry the inhabitant of her visit. Blood on her clothes would most likely escalate that worry. Not that it would matter to Syren much.

Soon, Syren arrived at the clinic that she was looking for, and grinned as she walked inside. She stood at the reception for a moment, brushing herself off and acting like she was trying to make herself look presentable, before reaching her hand over and tapping the bell on the reception counter twice.

Alex got up from her woman-cave on the other side of the reception plexiglass, she had a cup of coffee in her hand. Typical, she went over to the front desk where the bell simply rang. Twice… She walked up to the front of the glass looking over the woman and was like “Hey what’s up?” Alex stated as she sipped gingerly from her non-ginger coffee.

Syren watched Alex moving behind the glass, her eyes fixed on the woman’s movements. A little giggle came from Syren at Alex’s question, and she placed her palms so they rested on the pexiglass. “Just a friendly little visit,” Syren replies, leaning in until her nose touched the glass. “Not harboring any criminals back there, are you?” She asked with another giggle.

Alex went to boop the woman’s nose on the glass. “Nope, they are all outside.” She said as she moved her hand away from the glass looking down at her coffee. She slurped it down a bit more. “All that MCPD stuff on the news your doing?” She said raising a slightly elevated right eyebrow.

Syren smirked. “My doing? Such a brutal attack? I wish,” she says, shaking her head. “If that was me, I might have dragged one of them in here just to show you, or perhaps just to gut in the luscious comfort that this place provides.”

“I’m honored, really.” Murkoff says dramatically rolling her eyes.

“You should be. Maybe we could work on it together. Yourself with a scalpel, me with a knife. See who can inflict the most pain,” Syren says, her eyes lighting up at the idea. She stopped herself however, shaking her head. “Sorry, I’m getting distracted. You shouldn’t be distracting me,” she states, as if it was Alex’s fault. “It could lead to… Well, I wouldn’t need to do anything here, if it lead to that.” Syren’s hands crept their way through the small gap in the plexiglass for passing through objects, resting on Alex’s side of the glass.

Alex briefly played with the woman’s hand as she pushed it through the glass before she let go. “Welllllllllllllllllllllllllll……….. If you put it like that I’ll have to dust off my old bad-guy duriflex suit, get my weapons and stuff. I know I was making alot of money here but being the city bad guy would probably get me a lot more stuff - and a bigger clinic” She said scratching her chin .

“Where do we start?”

Syren began to glare a little as her hand was played with, but kept her hands on the other side of the glass. “I need to ask straight up, Alex. You help people. What if a member of the MPD came to help you? What would you do. Staggered, wounded, but definitely saveable? Would you help him, Alex?”

Alex points to a sign above the glass. “Criminals only”

“This isn’t Marlon Mercy Hospital, this is the big bucks bad guy clinic. Where the bad guys come I get money and heal them up, so - short answer no. Long answer, read the sign.”

Syren pulls herself back from the glass, removing her hands from Alex’s side of it, before suddenly jumping up, slipping both legs through the small gap - barely - and hooking them around Alex’s side of the desk to keep herself upright, pressing her body against the glass and staring through at the woman. “A sign does not mean everything. That sign could be a sham, a fake. If someone did come through here you could help, perhaps not tell us about it. I bet you would, wouldn’t you?”

Alex stucks her nose up in disgust. “Uhhh, no. Like I said my clinic is the best hidden gem this side of town, I don't work for the cops or Lorne because they’ll just throw my Para ass in jail. I’m insulted you would think I would, besides most bad guys can read. That’s why there’s a sign.”

After staring at Alex for a moment, Syren motions with her hand. “Psst, Alex, come closer. Come closer to the glass. I need to ask you something,” Syren says, almost innocently, as if she hadn’t just been asking questions before.

Alex shimmies up a bit closer to the glass. “If you ask me another dumb question about the cops again, I might have to charge you for each question.” She said slowly creeping closer to the now ‘innocent’ Syren.

Once Alex was close enough, Syren wrapped her legs around Alex’s waist, tugging her hard against the glass with them and holding her close. She moved her face as close as she could to Alex’s against the glass, resting her forehead against it. “You wouldn’t help them, Alex, but would you kill them? Would you kill them yourself if they were sat in here begging for your help? Or would you let them just bleed?”

Alex struggles against her sneak attack. “Aaah! I dont give consent” She says as she tries to pull away, she blows hot air against the cold reception glass and writes “kill” on it but it would end up being backwards on Syren’s end.

“That’s not an answer!” Syren suddenly growls, keeping Alex held. Syren pulls her head back, before reaching into her clothing and withdraws a knife, pressing the tip directly into the glass where Alex’s head would be if the glass was not there. “You’ve been lying to me, haven’t you?”

Alex struggled as she saw the knife fly up, scared of being turned into a Syren filet. “No! You crazy bitch, I’d fucking kill them!” She yelled at her before she started to dig her nails into the woman’s super legs or whatever god-like appendages were holding her in that air-tight vice.

“You’re lying! You would go out and help the MPD, you would treat them. I bet you as soon as I’m done here, you’re going to hop on the phone to them, let them know I’m here. I bet you want that reward money for a nice, cushy new clinic, don’t you, huh? And then you’re going to fuck over your fellows by making it open to the public? Aren’t I right?” Syren yells, tapping the knife with such ferocity on the glass that it was a surprise that it didn’t crack. Her grip with her legs tightened, forcing Alex’s upper body against the glass somewhat.

Alex was pressed up against the glass, her breath fogging it up as she was so close the glass her breath could not run away like it usually does. “No, I’m going to blow up MCPD then blame it on you the entire city’s cops and good boys will flay you and turn you into mincemeat. Then I’ll revive you and then charge you enough to buy my own private clinic, if you don’t let go of me now I’m gonna charge double.”

There were a few moments where Syren appeared to consider it. Slowly, Syren loosens her grip, slipping her legs away from behind Alex and resting her ankles against the other woman’s hips. Syren began to laugh, putting the knife away but keeping her body against the glass. “Aw, was someone getting defensive? I know you wouldn’t do such a thing, you’re far too loyal. Others think otherwise, however. You don’t want that now, do you?”

Alex pulled back a bit now free from the tyrant’s grasp, she adjusted her hair which was a bit messy from the scuffle-hugathon. She reached for her coffee which she placed to the side before being rudely molested. “Yea… I’m loyal.” She said defeated before sipping on her somewhat-um-i’m-getting-cold cup of coffee.

“Oh Alex, oh Alex, are you sure? Maybe what we just spoke about wasn’t convincing enough. Do I need to go back there and check you aren’t hiding anyone?” Syren says. Now that Alex had slipped free, she returned her legs to dangling over Alex’s side of the reception. “Just a peep into each room.”

Alex sighed and finished off her cup of coffee, did you know the mug she was holding was one of a friendly cow face? She placed the empty mug down on the table and moved to unlock the door to let the evil Syren in. “Here, go look you crazy bitch. I’m going to make more coffee and repress the last five minutes of my life.” She said sulking.

Syren slips herself free of the glass, almost falling over but catching herself in the process. She walked over to the door that Alex had just unlocked and entered, quickly moving her hand to catch Alex’s hand. “Come on, don’t be sad. You can show me around the place, I’m sure it’ll be just delightful. C’mon, let’s go.” Syren giggles.

Alex put down her little cow cup and mulled along with Syren as they first went to the one and only surgery room which was rather empty, there was a table some tools but everyone knew Alex was the tool. Next the break room which was one chair, a fridge and mini-oven. The Alex Murkoff experience, finally the storage room which had alot of supplies and medications - for medical use, duh. No one else was found hiding though. “There? Are you happy, are you done wasting my super villain time?”

At that, Syren steps in front of Alex, moving her hands up to the woman’s shoulders. “Super villain? Oh no no, you’re not a super villain, Alex. Just a villain, don’t get ahead of yourself.” She moves a single hand so that she can boop Alex on the nose, just like she had done to Syren but without the glass in the way. “But to answer your question, yes, I’m happy.”

Alex initially went to go shrug off her shoulder grabbing-rubbing hands of Syren before she booped her on the nose. “Ugh.. So are we done here, are you done you’re shake down? Can I go do my villain things, Mrs. Paranoid?”

Syren giggles to herself, slowly moving closer to Alex until they were just inches apart. “Yes, Alex. I’m done my shake down. I’ll tell everyone you did absolutely perfectly, and that you’re a very loyal person who doesn’t help those icky normal humans. How does that sound, hmm?”

Alex gives her a thumbs up. “Sounds good.” She said taking a step back before she was sandwiched or amalgamated in some twisted game of twister with Syren once again.

Syren took a step forward in response, keeping herself close to Alex. “Nuh uh, that doesn’t mean you can escape,” she says, grinning. “I still have some words for you, missy.”

Alex rolled her eyes as she waited for the tirade from the approaching evil and mysterious Siren. “Well, It better be really important - we have a city to burn.”

Syren slips her arms around Alex’s neck, pressing herself close. “You need to be careful, Alex. There are people who get suspicious all the time, and especially of someone like you, operating this kind of business. I know you don’t help non-Paras, but others, well, they get a little… Proddy. That’s why I’m here, to alleviate their worries, hmm.”

“Good, considered it all alleviated.” Alex said.

Syren remained like that for a few moments, moving herself up close to Alex. Then, she gave her a wink, and let go. “Good. Then that settles it. I hope you won’t mind me hanging around a little longer?” She gave a little giggle. “I’m kidding. I’ll be seeing you soon, Alex.” She tapped her forehead gently against Alex’s, before stepping back and turning on the spot to leave.

As Rachel walked along the street, she stopped by an electronic store. Electronics explode nicely.

Walking in, Rachel saw that all the people inside were scared and whispering. "What's going on?" Rachel asked the closest human, a teen girl.

The girl jumped, and quickly whispered, "An eyeball just showed up on all the screens and said, 'You're not alone. The Change comes to all things in time...'" the girl pauses nervously before continuing. "'Break your shackles and embrace true freedom.'"

The girl then turned away and continued whispering with her friends. Rachel looked around, and heard more whisperings of this eyeball and what it said.

"Shackles, huh? Perhaps it's saying to stop hiding? No way. I don't want to get captured," Rachel thought. She left the people alone; they were traumatized enough already, and Rachel prefers to catch people by suprise.

Walking back out onto the side walk, Rachel looked around for anything to do.

Cold chilled him to the bone. He needed to move. Rosario tried opening his eyes to not avail. Next he tried his fingers and toes. Still nothing. Why couldn’t he move? Where was he? He panicked, fright warmed his heart, but it did nothing against the cold. Was he died? Purgatory maybe? Okay, okay, calm down.

“Oh mijo. My poor baby.” His mother’s voice. He heard her, though faint as it was, but still. He can hear that means he’s alive. Okay, so alive, but cold. Can’t move, but his mother is here. That’s better than nothing. Think. What was the last thing he remembered? Party. Graduation party. Gregorio pulled him on stage to give a speech, then gun fire. He got shot in his shoulder. Men in black ambushed the party. Screams, the smell of blood. Then he-he...Oh God. He killed all those people like the day the Tower blew. What has he done? He’d cry if he could. Vomit if he could. But he could do nothing, but stay still.

“I suspected what he was, but I didn’t realize he was so dangerous. If I’d known sooner, then we could’ve locked him up before he did so much damage.” His father. So both his parents were here. He’s locked up? What happened after all the deaths? Blood and red one moment, then darkness the next. The MPD must have captured him. Okay, so what happens after capture? He studied this obsessively after that day. Dangerous parahumans are locked up in power neutralizing prisons. It’s cold and he can’t move. Cryopod. His father spoke with a few counsel members about para prisons. Some of those are cryopods in large rooms with multiple levels. He’s in prison in a cryopod. He’s too cold to use his power, which means no escape. Fuck. He’s trapped here.

Time passed, Rosario couldn’t tell the difference at first, but he figured out the guard’s schedules from listening to the faint thud of their boots when they walk by his pod. He assumes they rotate every four hours. Each guard does a sweep once. The way they walk is different, so he knows when the shift changes. He counts six different feet, before the rotation starts again. So six guards a day. Took him two weeks to figure it out after he wallowed for however many days. He just has himself to keep occupied when he’s not sleeping and that was enough to almost drive him crazy, so counting guards and minutes of the day was the only thing keeping him sane.

His mother breaks up the monotony when he visits him on occasion. She talks about what’s going on in the city, how the house took a few weeks to get fixed up after the party, how the funerals went, etc. But there’s limited information about the men that attacked them. She said they were terrorists. Poor folks dissatisfied with the rich and a lot of heavy hitters were at the party that night. It was the perfect chance to take them out. Rosario’s just happy his family was safe. She said that during his speech his father got a phone call and she was in the bathroom.

His father hasn’t been back to see him, since the first day, which was fine. He didn’t expect him to come back. It surprised him that he visited in the first place. The shame of having a para for a son probably made his father the talk of all the parties and meetings. He wouldn’t put it passed him to spin it into a sob story for votes and business. He can see his campaign now. As the father of a para child it is imperative to vote for me, because I can guarantee I’ll do everything in my power along with Lorne Corp to get our children back right. As if Gregorio truly cares. If he can keep his seat on the city senate than that’s all that matters.

Rosario didn’t know what day it was, but he knew it was the evening. The second to last shift change walked by an hour ago.

3600
3601
3602
36

The cryopod shut down for a second, then came back on just as fast. What just happened?

“Hey! What happened?” He heard muffled shouts. They weren’t close, but it was loud enough.

“Don’t know. Power sur-”

“Guys check your tablets. You gotta see this!”

The footsteps ran towards him and stopped in front of his pod. He counted four maybe five people.

“What is that?”

“What you do what is it? It’s an eyeball, dummy.”

"You are not alone… The Change comes to all things in time. Break your shackles and embrace true freedom."

Whatever that was shut down the power for a second. He’ll need longer than that to get out of here. Maybe it’ll happen again and he’ll get his chance. He can only hope.

Orwell was not having a good day. Between his fighting to keep his tech his own, Lorne's increasingly hostile takeover, and his fiance's latest rant on Parahumans, he was stressed, mentally taxed and just about done.

"I would reccomend you call it a day, Zephyr." Talos patted his shoulder as they left the Board Meeting. "Your levels are dropping at an increased rate and you are at risk for a Break." The mech scanned the halls, nodding when he didn't see anyone.

"I should, but I have a ton of things that I need to do." He scratched the back of his neck. "For starters, that woman is sketchy. Something feels off about her."

"Press Secretary Amara Williamson. Worked in Lorne for almost 17 years. Husband to Director of Engineering Hyde Williamson. Hospital records indicate they have a daughter." Talos shrugged. "That bit is a little… Shady, but their entire corporation has been that way for the last five months. They've double down hard on the Board, trying to take over ExoGen. Though you will be fine. Your research and technology belong solely to you. ExoGen merely funds it for a cut of the profits. You could always take the job in the Factory."

"They don't research Biotech. Besides, the new set of Nites are almost finished. The test was rather successful, Monarch notwithstanding. No one expected that to happen." He calls up his lock on his office, opening it remotely as he enters. "We will have to-"

An image of an Eye took up every screen. For Zephyr, it was agony, as he felt it in his own body. It racked havoc among his carefully crafted boxes, setting off the man and causing him to collapse. Talos too was affected, seeing the eye in his optics but his secondary programming shunted the overload away as he rushed forward to catch Zephyr as he fell. The surge activated the secondary generators which cycled just fine this time and the bodyguard mech rushed to call up backup as Zephyr remained unresponsive.

---

Pestilence pulsed herself away from the carcasses of the two guards in the back. She felt less hungry now, having consumed their life energy. Her first sight was of Taylor looking up at the sky, a form she was unwary of. She stumbled out of the truck, her feet wobbling beneath her as it had been a while, so she managed to just avoid the round shot at her. She could hear the din of the radio of Chrysander barking orders at the team.

"We need… To move…" She croaked throatily.

Her partner growled as a large mech attempted to drop on him, deflecting a punch away with his blades. They weren't able to pierce the chassis but managed to gouge a bit in places. "You wanna ditch that Tython looking thing? Wonder if it can mimic anything. I just came here for you, nothing said it would be in the truck."

"They weren't as far as I knew." Pestilence's voice grew a bit stronger as her vocal cords were regrown. "They think it could help with one of their experiments." She blinked as a bullet went through her head. She dropped momentarily only to convulse as her body regenerated the damage.

Obsidian cursed and kicked the mech off towards Hank who Vaulted Machai and took him head on.

---

Inside Rosario's prison, there was an unusual face. A woman, her skin so pale it appeared like frost, hair stark white and an aura of sheer cold followed her. The distraction of the surge allowed her access, and she simply walked inside, frozen bodies following her wake. The cold here strengthens the woman as she walked deeper into the facility. She had a goal and she would see it done.

Her ice would block any bullets, strengthened by the cold the forces were slaughtered. She entered the chamber she sought and observed the black ball that was suspended.

"He doesn't look like much." Her voice twinkled like icicles, yet bit just as sharp.

"This is the form I was reduced to thanks to that… Woman." The surface of the large ball rippled. "I hear they even caught one of them."

"Indeed. Though Darkspire has made it clear she is not a terrorist and believes that this is just an evolutionary step." She slammed an ice shard into the console.

"A pity…" The ball roiled. It dropped to the ground with a soft whoosh before slinking over to the console. "I will need time to reintegrate myself and convert enough material beyond my core.

"I can provide that." The woman smiled. A wave of frost spreading out and she left the room. Moments later red lights flared and klaxons sounded as the Icebox lost power in the Deep sector, freeing several paras. Among them was several fire manipulators and one powerful air para.

What Taylor heard from its “rescuer” pretty much confirmed what it already suspected. This was not a rescue meant for it, as it doubted there was anyone on the outside with the knowledge of its existence, much less the intent to free it. Still, that did not mean that Taylor could not benefit from the coincidence. The man with the blades clearly did not want to take Taylor with them, so it had no more reason to remain.

With its decision made, Taylor took off at a brisk pace towards the edge of the highway. A bullet opened up a wide hole straight through its torso as it ran, but after mere moments, the dark, writhing matter that made up its form regenerated without slowing it down. Taylor quickly moved off of the highway and into an alleyway, though it had little direction as to where to go next. If it wanted to life outside of its former prison, it would need a place to hide. Though, what it also had was the desire to consume, and now, the freedom to do so as much as it pleased.

Not too long after message the guards went back to the post. One radioed the warden for an explanation, but an answer never came. Just static. Rosario worried something distracting happened on the outside and would cause him to be forgotten. It’s been weeks since his imprisonment and while he’s able to keep busy counting he can’t keep it up forever. Will he eventually go crazy stagnant and isolated? That’s a worse nightmare than death. He’d prefer that to this.

The radio crackled, “Code Black! Para’s coming for the Orb!”

“Shit. Guys! Code Black!” The guard ran and more footsteps joined him.

Rosario assumed that meant someone planned a prison break. Maybe it had something to do with the message. Maybe he won’t be stuck here for much longer. He’ll take a prison break. They’ll only stick him back inside if he gets caught anyway. Can’t have a worse sentence than this. A few minutes later his pod shut down and opened. The air was warm. Rosario opened his eyes for the first time in weeks. The prison was completely dark and he still couldn’t move. It’ll take a while for him to thaw out. Hopefully before any of the guards come back. He didn’t have time to waste. One finger at a time he moved, first twitches, then slightly bending, and finally he could move all his phalanges. Next were his toes, then his limbs. He took one step out of his pod and fell. His hands shot out, wind escaped him, cutting up several pods above, beside, and below him. He dropped down to the next level, hitting the metal walkway on his side.

Several inmates were dead, frozen body parts, glass, and metal fell around him where he landed on the walkway below the level he was on. “Fuck.” He rolled onto his back and looked at the damage he did, because of course his powers warmed up like the rest of him. Light burst from different parts of the room.

“Yeah! I’m back baby! Whoo!” Followed by a stream of fire that lit the several floors above him. Rosario quickly rolled onto his stomach and pushed to his feet. He needed to get out of here, before any of the others noticed him. He doesn’t want a fight. It’s bad enough he murdered more people seconds ago on accident. He doesn’t want to do it on purpose again. He grabbed the railing and tried to step around the debris on bare feet, but he wasn’t that lucky. He stepped on glass and sucked in his breath to stopped from screaming. He lifted his foot and slowly hopped toward the door to the left. He was in the middle of the room and had to pass two awake para; both above him. If they don’t find his mess before he makes it to the door or leave at the same time he does, then he’ll be safe.

It was slow going, the paras set fire to some of the other pods, releasing the pent up power. He gets it, he does, his wind was itching to get out, but he handled the cravings before the incident and he can do it again. He was almost home free when he got to the door, but it wouldn’t open. The powers out. Right. Shit. There’s only one way out and it’ll alert the others to his presence. The same would happen if he didn’t leave now. Rosario held out his hands and pushed the wind out. The door, the floor, and the pods closest were sliced to pieces. He barely had time to jump into the hallway, before the metal fell from under him.

“What was that!” Rosario didn’t look behind him.

Marlon City, 4:53 pm

The Tower, containment sector 9

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Fuck my life... Jace thought quietly to himself as he began to regain conciseness. He lay spiraled on the ground in a tiny box, just big enough to lift his head. It was dark, cold, and smelled like steel. He heard muffled talking behind the walls of his tiny prison, too soft to make out. Suddenly, the top of the box opened up, light flooded onto his body and cool air filled his lungs again. He lifted himself up, pushing against the walls for support. He slithered out of the box and into a bigger room lined with metal panels on the floor, walls, and ceiling. Lights were aligned perfectly on the ceiling too, and one of the walls was a huge window. There were people in white coats walking around the room behind the window looking at other rooms like his, talking to each-other, working on computers, or writing on desks. Other people wearing armor and holding weapons were paroling around the room too. Three people in white coats and a person in armor were looking directly at him through the window, fascination splashed all over their expressions. "what the hell are you..." one of the men said. "We should call Orwell about this... Quickly! Call him right now!" another said. "yes sir!" the man in the armor said as he turned around and headed out the door. This doesn't seem so bad... Jace thought.
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"Orwell! Come on... Pick up the phone!" The security guard yelled as he dialed Orwell's number again. "fine... I'll just leave a goddamn message..." he muttered. "Hey Orwell, sorry for calling at this time... We have something you will really like to see! Please come down to containment sector 9 right away!" he ended the message and sent it. "Did you get him?" The scientist said behind him. "No... But I left a message." "Great... We cant start tests without a board-members approval... We can wait though..." The scientist said as he walked out the door. "Warning! Containment breach in Containment Sector 9! Code Black! Code Black!" the automated alarm system called as the emergency lights turned on. "Shit... Shit! Shit! Shit!" The Security guard shouted.
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Jace watched the people outside curiously, studying them. Suddenly, a strange voice sounded through the rooms, "Warning! Containment breach in Containment Sector 9! Code Black! Code Black!". The lights flickered and flashed, the computers went black, and un-powered doors unlocked. The Containment field in his chamber flickered once, twice, and went down, exposing the plain glass. Jace moved towards the glass, eyeing it curiously. He reared back and punched it lightly, leaving a tiny dent in it. He hit it again, harder. It made a small crack. Some of the Security looked at him in shock, pulling out their weapons and aiming them at him. 14 guards... not a good outcome... Jace thought. He moved away from the damage he'd caused and rested on the floor. The security guards calmed down, but still stayed to guard his chamber.