---

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Lady Seraphina

Glossy wood floors splayed across the smoke-filled bar, music overhead drowned out by tables full of mismatched patrons, nursing drinks and tossing cards. The bartender, dressed in a silken tie and black veil over his nose stood behind the dark counter, shining a cup. ‘Speak no evil’, the motto written in chrome cursive on the back wall, the only bar in Lincoln Park that could boast about being a new-age speakeasy. A place that promised a good drink to their patrons no matter who, or what, they were. Men and women dressed in full costume walked in on a regular basis, and brawls were usually done with superpowers. Metahumans regarded it as a safe haven, and tonight was no exception.

On a red leather stool, clad in black from head to toe, a single cape tumbling off his left shoulder, a man sat nursing his drink. The people gave him a wide berth, taking care not to stare at the red insignia on his right shoulder. He paid them no mind, merely giving his empty glass to the bartender. A new one replaced it, rocks clinking as the man took a sip.

12:25 am.

The man’s masked eyes slid to the door, peering at the street outside. The portfolio he skimmed over earlier that week denoted basic information on his group of interset, particularly one of their more powerful members. Phantasm, the fighting spirit of the Valkyries. Largely unknown, but he was aware of the rumours. A girl with a terrifying meta-ability, intangibility.

“Come with or without your friends, I have something that I know you’ll like. Not a weapon, per se, or a drug, but of use to someone of your… skillset.”

The message he sent to her phone the day before, giving details on where and when. Look for the man with the red moon on his shoulder, briefcase at his feet.

And so he sat, sipping his drink, eyes narrowed hard in thought. If she accepted his invitation, not only would she immediately become more powerful, but they would all be one step closer to freedom.

---

The Museum of Historical Sciences, a few blocks away from The Art Institute
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

The Museum of Historical Sciences, known for its rich history and exquisite pieces. Along with the royal heirlooms and weapons from lost wars, a new velvet pedestal lay empty and bare. The foam under the velvet was cut perfectly to hold its new valuables.

“The Lady Queen’s Diadem: New showcase at the Museum of Historical Sciences—Unveiling this week, patrons will be star-struck seeing treasures from the 14th century, along with the queen’s crown inlaid with all of the original 28-carat rubies. It truly is a spectacle fit for royalty.”

An excerpt from the local newspaper that week, with details on location and how to purchase tickets for the unveiling party. Of course, for those interested in a bit of fame and wealth, a party was out of the question. If the diadem disappeared the night before the unveiling, the televisions city-wide would have that broadcasting as breaking news.

“The diadem is on the third floor, in a storage room across from the director’s office. It’s heavily protected, so be careful.”

An anonymous note, the handwriting scribbled and messy. Left in a way that only his person of interest would find it. Scarlet Shadow, the master thief with the golden fingers. Reputable, notorious, and known for their limelight heists.

The five-story museum gave few points of entry. One being the front and back doors, locked with a keycard. The next being the windows along the second floor, all the way to the fifth floor, locked with a metal latch. These windows all belonged to offices, as the storage rooms were always windowless. The third option was the vents along the rooftop, steel piping large enough to fit a person, and closed only by steel grates. The ventilation system ran through every floor, but only piped to hallways and never piped into offices or storage rooms.

Each floor had its share of guards patrolling the hallways, and each floor had its share of CCTV cameras, but both the guards and cameras only ever monitored the main lobby, the hallways of the upper floor, and the storage rooms, never the offices. Inside each locked storage room, along with a single camera, there were also green laser motion sensors strewn across the room, linked up with the security office and the silent alarm system.

The security office on the second floor housed the feeds of all the cameras in the building, along with the locked electrical panel to the silent alarm system. A control panel for the feeds, with the options of ‘loop’ and ‘turn off’ was positioned on the left side of the desk. A guard sat with his feet up, hat tipped forward as he dozed, the master keys in his pocket.

An elevator sat at the left middle of the building, while the two sets of stairs ran along beside the entrances. The sign read ‘Sorry, we’re closed.’

The time was 12:25 am.

In one of the windowless storage rooms, past the maze of green lasers, lay a safe three feet high and two feet wide with a large turn-dial lock on the front. Sitting on top of the safe, rag-wrapped boots hanging loosely, a shadowy figure in black lay waiting, red insignia on his shoulder. His gloved hands fidgeted with a zippo’s cap, the metal echoing off the empty walls. Dark-rimmed, burning eyes glared at the door, mouth pressed in an expectant line.

He knew she would come.

---

One333
Near South Side

Dream

Ah, at long last. One single, peaceful night to herself. Purposefully circled in red marker on the calendar. No midnight chases, no heroic antics, and absolutely no dodging tasers and police fire. Just one night, all to herself.

She turned off the lights and stepped onto the cold cement of her balcony, hot coffee in hand and eyes basking in the downtown view. The city never slept, she knew that. Cars blurred down the streets below, spreading out into a web of light that pulsed through the city. Hypnotic, in a way. That’s why she was here, leaned up against the railing, resisting the urge to dive in again.

She pressed the coffee to her lips, sitting among the chairs and blankets padding the balcony. Her outfit purposefully let in the cool air, simple sweatpants, a jogger’s jacket, and a black bonnet wrapped around her head.

She gave a contented sigh, assured in the fact that nothing would disturb her evening.

Until she heard a knock at the door. The balcony door. At 12:25 am. She turned her gaze up, almost spilling her coffee in shock. A small, hovering drone, one of its four metal appendages curled in a fist was knocking on the glass. Its red camera light stared directly at her.

Coffee splashed as she raced to her feet, putting a fist up. “You wanna go, buddy?”

The drone regarded her silently, fist hovering in the air before it edged closer.

“H-hey!” she yelled, shaking her fist again.

Its appendages swung forward, and she prepared to throw her coffee.

“Package for Miss Dream,” it said. A small brown parcel was pressed into her hand. Unlabeled, and without a return address.

“Uhh… from who?” she asked.

“Dr. Takeda,” it said.

Perplexed, she gave the box a small shake. Something bounced around on the inside. “I, uh, don’t know any doctors.”

“The doctor knows you, Miss Dream. Have a good night,” it said, moving off the balcony.

“Hold on, I want to know more,” she said, but the drone continued. Her eyes squinted as she tried to spot it in between the buildings. Gone, just as quickly as it arrived.

“Hmm… this is interesting,” She said, cracking open the balcony door and stepping inside. “Maybe it’s a dead drop?”

---

James & Sons Fine Jewelers
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

Shaking hands held a wire up inside an electrical box, cutters pressed against the rubber coating. He held his breath, snipping the cord and sending sparks off in all directions. The entire ten-block radius fell into darkness.

The man, dressed in a traditional robber’s get-up, clicked on a flashlight and ran from his nook in the alley to the street. Not a single streetlight or electrical source could be seen, and the backup generator he sabotaged a half-hour earlier was still offline.

Thank God.

The man quickly checked the vehicles along the street, ensuring all were empty before pulling out five small disks. Each disk was placed near the engines, and, hiding at the corner of the jewellery store, the man pressed a remote in his hand.

The street lit up like fireworks as vehicles exploded, shooting flames and shrapnel up into the sky. The man raised his arms to fend off the waves of heat pouring off the wreckage.

Surely, this would be enough to get her attention. She was known to frequent these parts of the city and was sighted here many times. Surely, the girl with the powers like the sun, the unnamed fists of fury would appear. That was all he needed.

Four minutes. That’s how long he expected until the police arrived. But heroes always showed up first, didn’t they? With one last disk hurriedly pressed against the window, he stepped back as glass shattered along the street, leaving a hole in the jewellery store’s showroom. ‘James & Sons’ read the sign as he stepped inside. The backpack swung off his shoulder as he went through the damaged showcases, scooping precious metals and glass alike and tossing it into the bag.

Three minutes and twenty-nine seconds until the police arrived.

The time read 12:25 am.

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Estylwen

"You guys wanna hit the town?" Gloria asked with a half smile on her face.

Her squad had been run pretty ragged for the last week on assignments from the Valkyries' higher ups. Lady Hel knew how much value Gloria and her squad had so they gave them the time to rest when they needed it. Jinny, Sonia, and Siobhán looked up from what they were doing, a spark of mischief in their eyes.

"Where you thinking?" asked Siobhán, a pale irish girl maybe a year older than Gloria who had light copper hair shaved down one side of her head.

"We hit up the Haven in Lincoln Park, then if we don't find any trouble there we go dancing."

"Sounds good to me." said Sonia, a black girl who'd cut her hair short in a pixie cut.

The three girls gathered their things, leaving the room to get ready for the night ahead.

"You sure a night out is all your after?" The voice came from the doorway. The fifth member of the crew was standing there. She had grease smudged over a pair of overalls and was wiping engine oil off her hands with a rag that was almost as grease stained as they were.

"What else would I be after Q?"

Quinn's jaw was set as she walked towards Gloria. She raised her hand to touch the tight dutch braid that Gloria's hair had at been pulled into down the back of her head. If it had been anyone else Gloria would have grabbed their wrist before they got that close but Quinn was different. They were closer than that, or at least they had been before Gloria had been caught.

"Katey, I know what you look like when you're ready for a fight. What are you looking for tonight?"

Quinn was the only one of the squad that called her Katey. She was also the only one that knew it wasn't Gloria's birth name. The others called her Kat, or more often simply Walker. Gloria sighed. Quinn knew her too well. The dutch braid was what Gloria wore underneath her Phantasm hood. It kept her hair out of her face when she was moving around and it was a hard target to grab a hold of. It's how she did her hair when she expected to be in a serious scrap.

Gloria looked down, unwilling to meet Quinn's eyes. "If I'm lucky, there's no problem. If I am lucky then there's no need to get everyone hyped up over nothing. If I'm not then I'm going to need some backup nearby. If all goes well, we're gonna get plastered and light up the dance floor. Then I'll let my hair down. Deal?"

Quinn nodded. "If we're going out I'll need an hour to freshen up. Grease monkey isn't exactly a night life kind of look."

As Gloria watched her girlfriend leave she considered the message she had received earlier that day from not just an unknown number, but an unlisted one.

“Come with or without your friends, I have something that I know you’ll like. Not a weapon, per se, or a drug, but of use to someone of your... skill set.” Along with a time and a place for the meeting.

Gloria thought she could predict what it was about. It was a Cypher dealer looking for a high profile "return client". Cypher was a metagene stimulating drug. It was incredibly appealing to dealers because it was quite addictive, gave a high like almost nothing else on the market, and pushed a metahuman's power output into overdrive which meant when clients ran out of money they always had services to barter with. Gloria had been on it before she'd been sent to juvy. It was quite a high and there wasn't a feeling that matched the energy that seemed to flow through her veins when she passed through solid matter and it crumbled to dust in her wake. But the Valkyries' supplier had been cut off while Gloria was inside and Lady Hel didn't appreciate members using someone else's product. Whether this was a supplier looking to hook the gang up with a new support chain or simply a dealer thinking they could get rich off a high profile mark she didn't know, but either way, coming to her with it was a huge mistake. Cypher withdrawal while she was inside had nearly killed her and she was not interested in putting herself in a position to be that weak or that dependent ever again.



Ninety minutes later the squad parked their motorcycles at the Haven speakeasy. Gloria had worn the most functional elements of her Phantasm costume, lacking the mask and cloak that gave her something of a grim reaper appearance she simply wore the practical boots, and motorcycle gear underneath. The rest of her costume was stored in the side bag of her bike in case she needed to make an exit. In the vein hope that this situation wouldn't turn ugly Gloria had worn a club friendly top beneath her leather jacket but her hope that she would end up taking the jacket off and letting her hair down was quickly dwindling.

The place was lively tonight, though that was hardly a surprise. This was one of the few places where metahumans could just be themselves. You had those with gills or scales who on any other day would be concealing them beneath baggy clothing, lounging on bar stools and laughing with their friends. The bouncer for the club was a man who was almost cartoonishly large in an Andre the Giant sort of way. While he no doubt got stares everywhere he went during normal hours, here he was just another guy.

As they walked in Gloria grabbed Quinn's shoulder. "Q, get the girls a table and order up a round to start the night off. I'll..." Gloria's gaze went past Quinn's head to a man sitting at the bar and the red crescent that adorned him which the message had said to look for. "I'll be with you in a minute."

Quinn turned her head to follow Gloria's gaze to the man sitting at the bar. She turned back to look Gloria in the face. "One minute, I'll watch your back."

Gloria nodded before heading towards the bar. She sat down next to the crescent marked stranger. "You called, I came. For your sake, you better hope this isn't a waste of my time."

Ellie couldn’t sleep.

Between having to work on a banged up car that absolutely reeked of Marlboros, watered down booze and what she assumed was some kind of weed and the usual 150 push-up, 150 leg kick exercise she always did before even touching the punching bag at her apartment...Ellie was a little wide awake. More so than most people would be at this hour. Then again, aren’t heroes typically up at night anyway? Currently the woman was sitting up in her bed staring out a window. 12:01. It was dark out. A little too dark for her tastes. What’s a girl with steel-crushing strength to do on such a dead night like tonight?

The only thing she never gets tired of, obviously.

Ellie threw on some pants, and her boots, oh and the gloves. They’re sexy. The only sounds that accompanied Ellie in the dead silent, barely illuminated apartment were the accession along sound of crickets or the flash of a firefly. It felt like all of Tenebrae was sound asleep. Naturally of course, someone was undoubtedly out and about stirring up trouble. There were always self made heroes and self made baddies out at this night. Ellie was used to the idea of going around and beating on the bad guys. She’d been doing it since high school. God, this building was so damn quiet...Ellie grabbed her keys and her gun, the two room apartment she lives in wasn’t very bad to look at, nice couch, nice tv, pretty open kitchen across the way if you wanna watch the news while you whip some eggs, even a punching bag hooked to the ceiling. Ellie’s phone light was all she was using to see, didn’t need the bright lights. Her apartment was on the third floor, at least 50 feet up from the ground, give or take. Typically, people climb three flights of stairs and leave through the main entrance, passing by tens of tens of doors where others lived.

At least, normal people do.

---

Ellie hopped out of her bedroom window and closed it behind her. She was standing on the metal staircase that acted as a fire escape. There weren’t even cars on the road. Down on the ground was the garage where people parked. This was also the destination of Ellie’s...shortcut.

Thud

A flash of sunlight was the only thing to break the dreary facade of Tenebrae’s midnight. A falling star from the third floor onto the ground, right by the front entrance to the building. Ellie landed feet first on the pavement light as a feather. She strolled off the path and into the garage, like an angel just descended from heaven in a padded rider’s jacket. Down she went to find her ride with a click of the keys and a chirp of the beast.



Ellie’s motorcycle was old but gold. The back had storage trunks, out of which she pulled a solid black helmet and rode out with style, and discretion.

12:20. The air was chilly and crisp. Nothing Ellie wasn’t used to. The steers were quiet as she took the pace a little slower, only going 20 down the roads. Nights like this brought her peace, even if she couldn’t sleep through them. Most of the bad guys she dealt with were at night, every now and then someone throughout the day hours got roughed up, but most of it was in the face of few eyes. Life was good. What was that sound? Was that smoke she smelled? ”That’s not right...” And so she sped on, following the distant crashing noises that shook the calm of the night. Trouble. Her head was calm and clear, this isn’t unusual to her. Well, it is, but if it’s a bad guy, nothing new would be found.

And found she did. A bomber. She rolled up to the end of a street, a good 20 feet away from where a jewelry store was being raided. Cars ablaze on the sides of the road. This was a mess. Ellie slowly brought her bike closer and closer, a final blast shook the store. It seemed someone was trying to cause a distraction to direct attention to the damages. Either way, that final blast gave away the intent. Parking the bike on its leg, she stepped off.

Night became day.

Ellie’s clothes began to permeate a warm, orange light as she bravely and coldly strolled down the streets building up energy across her body. 15 feet, more light. 10, more light. She was coming up on the scene like a human candle, the light wasn’t very spectacular considering how much of her body was covered, but she stuck out. Finally she stood outside a shattered window, inside was a thief haphazardly bagging whatever he could. Easy pickings, really. It’s certainly bold to just walk up to someone who’s blowing things up when all you’re planning on fighting with is your hands, but that’s really all this girl needs. Besides, there isn’t much that can get past her Sunlight.

A sharp crack of the knuckles in Ellie’s two hands proceeded the very much intentional announcement of her presence, oh, and so did her yelling.

”Knock knock, chucklefuck.”

Scarlet Shadow sat hunkered in the bushes just outside of the museum front doors, where she had been squatting for just short of thirty minutes as she reviewed her plan in her head. During the day she had visited the museum disguised as a simple tourist and sized up the museum in person. She had spent the evening studying over the plans of the grand building which she had acquired through a bribed clerk at city hall. Now she rose from the bushes, clad in black, cowled, and fully equipped for the heist she had been plotting for a week.

She kept low as she slunk from her hiding place and scrambled around beside the building. She looked in either direction quickly to make sure there was no approaching before pulling a grappling claw from her belt. She quickly attached it with a click to a sixty foot cable she had stored away in a pouch at her back she had took a moment to uncoil. Taking another quick glance in both directions, she stepped back and using her unnatural speed sent the cable into a whirring spin over her head before flinging her arm upward and sending the grappling hook hurtling vertically.

The claw gripped onto the edge of the rooftop and caught firmly. Scarlet Shadow gave four hard tugs to make sure the cable was secure before taking hold and scurrying up it with inhuman quickness and vaulting over the edge smoothly. She pulled the cable up behind her and detached the claw and rolled up the cable, returning them to their places at her belt and pack.

She pulled a drill from her back and knelt down, it took her a minute to take the screws loose from the grating of the vent she had chosen. She sat the grating aside and slipped down inside the vent and set her memory to work, recalling on the plans she had spent all evening memorizing. She cursed herself as she allowed herself to get turned around twice, wasting nearly thirty minutes crawling around in the vents. Her goal was the security room. She would put down any occupying guards and shut off security. At that point it was all about avoiding the guards and making her way to the right storage room, which she had gotten from the odd note left for her. Was it a trap? Probably. But Scarlet Shadow had faced such before and she knew the diadem was here. She would swipe it and maybe snag a bonus prize or two and deal with whatever else came as she went.

She finally found herself peeking through the right vent into the security room. The lone occupant asleep on the job. The vent where she hid was above and back from him by several feet. Chewing at her lip, she had to ponder a moment. She couldn’t fit her drill through the grating, besides dropping it would be an immediate give away. The man was sound asleep and even startled awake he wouldn’t be fully cognitive and coherent. So Scarlet Shadow decided to use a dumb and heavy handed approach.

She slammed her fist down and employed all her strength and added what abnormal speed she could in such a cramped position. The grate broke loose, the screws hitting the carpeted floor first followed by the hollowed crash of the metal great. The guard jolted upright, Scarlet Shadow already tumbling out of the vent and hitting the floor. The guard had leapt up, knocking his chair over, Scarlet Shadow upright and crouched. His mouth parted involuntarily to shout but a sudden uppercutted and unavoidable fist to the chin shattered his teeth and rattled his eyeballs. The thief gave a hard blow to his midsection and when he buckled forward she delivered another fas and hard blow to the back of his skull, knocking him down and out. She zipped across the room and hid in a dark corner immediately after, preparing to jump anyone who burst into the room after hearing the commotion. For two minutes she waited and when no one came she swiped the master keys, turned off the security cameras, and disabled the silent alarm with ease.

The next ten minutes of the heist were perhaps the easiest so far. Using her super speed, quick thinking, and strategic maneuvering Scarlet Shadow zipped in a near invisible black blur towards her destination. Ducking behind exhibits, seating, and ornamental plants and fixtures as she avoided the blue uniformed guards. Not once did she arouse suspicion, years of training and experience alike had made her leagues above the common dull security guard.

Making her way up to the third floor, she finally found her target. A single guard hanging around outside of the target room was the only deterrent. A blitzing flurry of fists quickly disabled him. Using the master key she opened the director’s office and locked the unconscious guard inside. Not wanting any further delay, Scarlet Shadow unlocked the storage room in question and stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

The green lasers immediately caught her eyes. Seriously? Come on...
A quick flurry of contortions and acrobatics saw the master thief dancing between the lasers, arching and dancing in aversion with a final forward roll through the maze of lights. As she looked up towards the safe where the prize was to be, she felt a familiar grimness and fear alike wash through her as she saw the figure perched on the safe she was after.

Oh... no.

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Lady Seraphina

"You called, I came. For your sake, you better hope this isn't a waste of my time."

The man took long a sip of his drink. “I’ll be honest, the gift is bait. I just wanted to see you with my own eyes.”

He stared longer than normal, taking in her tied hair, her hard gaze, the leather and the boots. A rebellious soul by nature, born to run free. If he could help her see her own potential, he knew she would be able to shape the world. Wordlessly, the briefcase was placed on the bar.

He turned towards her, his voice was as deep and sharp as his eyes. “The boss has taken an interest in you and asked me to invite you. But I have high standards for him, and I have to know what’s worth his time, and what isn’t.”

His hand patted the briefcase, eyes glancing down. “If you pass, you get to keep what’s in this, as well as handsome pay for a few contract jobs, easily three times more than what they’re paying you.” He gestured to the Valkyries behind them.

“And if you don’t pass, well… I guess we’ll see when we get there.” He said, leaning back thoughtfully.

A hand slipped over his head, pulling back his hood to reveal loosely spiked black hair. He had silver diamonds in his eyes and the sun tattooed on his neck. His masked eyes glinted as he stood. “Phantasm, your first job is to duel me. If you can lay me out flat, you get the reward of it. And if you need motivation, I can provide it if you simply deny me.”

He let the thinly veiled threat hover before stepping into the clear floor, facing Phantasm in a beckoning manner.

“Any questions?”

---

James & Sons Fine Jewelers
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

The ominous cracking of knuckles. ”Knock knock, chucklefuck.”

The man spun, throwing a hand up over his face. Whether it was to shield himself from her intimidation or to protect his eyes from the surprising amount of light coming off her, he couldn’t tell. But what he did know, is that his plan had worked. So far.

“It’s you. I, uh, didn’t think it would work, b-but, you’re really here.” He stammered, then looked around himself, waving his hands in an embarrassed manner. “T-this isn’t what it looks like.”

He threw the backpack to the side, hurriedly pulling off the black sweater, cap, and mask, and hurling them into the burning wreckage of a car. The short, thin, Japanese-descendant man wore a pyjama top underneath, hand combing through his wavy dark hair before patting down his pockets.

He held up a worn ID tag with his name, a barcode, and ‘The Institute of Meta Sciences’. “S-see? I’m a good guy. My name is Akihiro Takeda. I’m a scientist.”

The wail of sirens approached, increasing in volume. The doctor’s voice caught in his throat. He had another minute and a half to make his case with this lady made of sunlight.

“Someone is creating a machine that will destroy the world as we know it if it isn’t stopped. I don’t have any powers or skills of my own, but I have a plan. You’re the first step in my plan, Miss Ellie Harper. You have power, you have the skill, and you have the courage.”

The flash of red and blue lights crept up along both sides of the street, lighting up the dark buildings. Thirty seconds until the police arrived.

The doctor tensed, eyes narrowed as he stared at Ellie. “Please help me.”

---

The Museum of Historical Sciences, a few blocks away from The Art Institute
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

He regarded her silently, mouth pressing firmer. The Scarlet Shadow exceed his expectations, arriving a full thirty minutes early. The plan she used after his initial tip-off was well-thought-out, and from the clean look of her garb, well-executed. He figured she met little resistance on her way here, despite the place crawling with guards.

No wonder the boss had his eye on her. The man’s face darkened crossly as he snapped the zippo one last time before pocketing it. He was jealous of the attention boss gave this lead. But it couldn’t be helped, at least, not now. If the boss wanted something, it was his duty to carry it out. He just enjoyed having someone who could keep up with him. Tonight was going according to the boss’ plan, as it usually did when he followed it.

With a loose swagger, the red-crescent man jumped down from the safe, pulling the steel door back for Scarlet Shadow. Inside, one expected to see a bright, shining treasure, but the reality presented itself in quite the opposite fashion. Besides a few loose bills and some papers about a certain diadem, the safe lay empty.

The scene would break any thief’s heart.

Almost as if he was smiling at the thought, the man pulled back his hood, revealing nearly shaved short, blond hair in the low light of the room. A black hair tattoo could be seen stylizing the base of his head. Black eyeliner highlighted the tangible, ravenous anticipation pouring from his masked, glaring eyes as he stepped into a low stance, one fist at his hip and the second stretched out, fingers beckoning her.

Without a word, he made it as plain as day - if she wanted to know more about her prize, he was the one who stood in her way.

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Estylwen

Gloria watched the man take a long, slow sip of his drink. He was in the driver's seat of this conversation and he evidently knew it, was savouring it even. Clearly satisfied that he'd made her wait long enough to make a point of who was in charge, the man set his drink down and turned to look at her; no, not look, stare. He scanned her up and down, taking in every inch. She didn't like the look in his eyes, he was sizing her up, looking for a way to bring her down.

“I’ll be honest, the gift is bait. I just wanted to see you with my own eyes.”

His voice was deep but it had a bite to it. Like someone used to cracking the whip on those below him. He wasn't sizing her up like an opponent, he was sizing her up like a mouse to be batted around. Gloria didn't like being played with.

“The boss has taken an interest in you and asked me to invite you." he continued "But I have high standards for him, and I have to know what’s worth his time, and what isn’t.”

He slid the briefcase he had resting on the bar a foot over so that it rested in front of her. "If you pass, you get to keep what’s in this," he said, patting the case's sleek leather, "as well as handsome pay for a few contract jobs, easily three times more than what they’re paying you." He gestured toward Gloria's squad behind them.

Gloria's eyes flicked sideways, first to the briefcase and then to the Valkyries. Jinny, Sonia, and Siobhán were talking and laughing loudly over their first round of drinks but Quinn sat slightly apart from them in the wraparound booth, staring at the strange man Gloria was conversing with.

Gloria's eyes only lost focus on the man for a second. The more he spoke, the more like a threat he sounded and Gloria wasn't going to let a him blindside her.

"And if you don’t pass, well... I guess we’ll see when we get there." He said, lounging back on the elevated bar chair.

The offer wasn't entirely unwelcome, Gloria was certainly interested in the money, but there was something she valued just a little bit more, her freedom. She had an understanding with Lady Hel about the kinds of things that she would and wouldn't do. Admittedly it wasn't an exhaustive list but Hel knew that Gloria didn't do hits, she didn't hurt kids, and she didn't hurt parents in front of their kids. Not that she hadn't killed people. There had definitely been jobs she did where people ended up dead because of her actions, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly. But Gloria didn't take jobs were someone being dead was the end goal.

Of course she wasn't stupid. She knew that just because she refused to do a job, that didn't mean the job wasn't getting done, but her hands were clean of it. This stance had probably cost her chances at promotion and at a larger cut but Gloria valued the ability to say "No" more than she did riches. The proposition that this crescent wearing stranger was spouting was sounding more and more like a "get in line or disappear" kind of operation.

"And does what you've seen so far make you think I'm worth his time?" she asked. The question was nonchalant but there was a bite in her voice, indicating that she considered this spectacle to be a waste of her own time.

The man reached his hand up and pulled his hood off his head. Underneath his hair was black and wiry, pointed in a dozen different directions. It gave off an unkempt look that was purposeful in how accidental it was trying to be. Without the hood casting shadows over his face Gloria could see a silver diamond shape dominating the iris of each of his eyes and a tattoo of a blazing sun on the side of his neck. His face was obscured with a domino mask from within which his diamond eyes glinted. In one swift motion he stood, swept the bar stool around him, and slid it neatly under the bar; giving himself room to maneuver. Gloria recognized it before he said anything, it was a battle stance.

His next words only confirmed what she could already tell was coming. "Phantasm, your first job is to duel me. If you can lay me out flat, you get the reward of it. And if you need motivation, I can provide it if you simply deny me. Any questions?"

Gloria gave a one eighth turn toward the bar. It was enough that it looked like she was disregarding him as a threat but still allowed her to watch him closely in her peripheral vision.

"You know, it's not really a gift if it comes with strings attached, it's a bribe. And in this case, it seems more like a gambling pot."

Gloria put her hand on the briefcase, she felt her skin tingle with a kind of soft vibration and as she touched her fingers to the leather, they sunk through its surface as if it wasn't there, like it was made of water. It may not have compared to the euphoria that she'd experienced when on Cypher but there was something comforting about that feeling of moving through solid matter. It was like slipping into a warm bath. Her hand hadn't even sunk an inch into the case however when she felt a sharp jolt and she yanked her hand back instinctively. She wasn't a stranger to the feeling of an electric shock. High voltage currents were one of the few things that stopped her abilities in their tracks and she wasn't keen to experience what would happen if she kept pushing, not again.

Gloria turned her chair to fully face the stranger. She leaned back against the edge of the bar in a posture that suggested she didn't really care about what was going on. "You really have done your research Mr...?" she let the question hang in the air for a fraction of a second.

"The name's Arc," he supplied "Right Hand of the Shadow Knights.”

She continued as though she hadn't heard him. "What are the win conditions? I assume your 'boss'" she said the word like it was a laughable title "doesn't want your head on a pike as proof that I'm 'worth his time'. So at what point have I won? First blood? When I knock you to the floor? Or should I make you scream for your daddy?"

Scarlet Shadow hesitated to swear aloud or slap her hand into her own face. I knew it was too... convenient. Kara had known the minute the note was left for her along with directions to the correct storage room this was undoubtedly some kind of setup. That said, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. The diadem was mean to be on display here at the museum. Most likely whoever this mystery man was before her had either mislead her on which storage room was the correct one or the diadem wasn’t being stored here at all. At least perhaps not on this floor or in these rooms.

The thief was eyeballing the mystery man intuitively as he unveiled himself so to speak, his face and getup were totally unfamiliar to her. His actions showed him to be very a very showy and self-assure type. The thief held her position and caught her eyes dancing between him and the empty safe. Most likely a lackey, this one. Not the straw-boss.

Scarlet Shadow was unsure who sent him. She had a few possible likelihood’s stewing in her mind but dismissed them within a second or two. She hesitated from shaking her head, not wanting to convey any sign of unsureness or agitation. She held her position and minded the lasers at her back. She doubted the man was quick enough to pose her any real threat in this situation but she didn’t want to trigger the alarms and send the place into lockdown out of clumsiness or cockiness. I’d she had to bolt she had the ability and the room. It was about keeping a level disposition and keeping aware even while making inquiry.

“Let’s cut to the chase,” she said, unmoving and glaring over her cowl, “who are you and where is the diadem? Maybe keep your voice down too, we aren’t exactly in a coffee shop.”

Ellie was already stepping through the glass window before he spoke. In fact, she was prepared to take his leg out from under him before he started running his mouth about being a scientist. ”Meta...sciences. You’re a scientist? The hell are you doing here?” He definitely didn’t look the type to rob a store, hell, he looked like he just rolled out of bed. At least Ellie got dressed before she did. The hell was this guy on about? ”What are you talking about? What weapon?” Sirens started creeping up on them the more they spoke. She was still lit up, and the light started to fade bit by bit as she saw he wasn’t actually armed. Wait, how did he know her name? ”So you come out here in the middle of the night, blow up some cars and start snatching things in a jewelry store just to tell me something? You’re not exactly in a good spot here.” Her fists still lit up, she turned her head for a few seconds as the flashes of red and blue began to come into visibility.

”Know what? Fine.” She grabbed this “Takeda” guy and bolted out the door with him in tow just before the cops got there. The city block was largely pitch black, and there was a streak of gold running across the sidewalk with this guy before her Sunlight faded off. Now they sat by her motorcycle. The cops finally came and started sweeping the place, everything past the burning cars would be hard to see with the blackout. In a flash, Ellie had bum-rushed the guy over to her bike, now that they were plenty of feet away from the scene, they had a moment. None of the cops would think to look over this way, if anything, they’d go looking for the grid’s failure. At least, until they start sweeping the surroundings. ”This better be good.”

”Okay, you wanna talk? Talk. You got three minutes before I 180 this and drop you over there.” She sat on her bike like the was ready to take off, since it was obvious this guy was fishy. Blowing up cars to get Ellie’s attention was one thing, painting the scene with the busted up shop was another, but actually bagging the jewels inside? A thief doesn’t really go that far just to say “sike” after. Then again, why would he have an ID? ”A weapon. Some plan. My name. Start explaining.” She didn’t come off as hostile, just very composed, and somewhat confused. This was going to turn into one hell of a night. Ellie was sitting with both legs thrown to one side like a chair, with him in front of her.

”We’re not going anywhere until you explain yourself. You sound like you know I’m not gonna budge. Talk.”

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Lady Seraphina

"You really have done your research Mr...?"

He gestured to his chest. “The name’s Arc, right hand of the Shadow Knights.”

"What are the win conditions? I assume your 'boss' doesn't want your head on a pike as proof that I'm 'worth his time'. So at what point have I won? First blood? When I knock you to the floor? Or should I make you scream for your daddy?"

He tsked. “Making me repeat myself on our first day. I’ll forgive you, but it’ll cost you the first move.”

He held up his hands, black garb vibrating along his arms. “The win conditions are to ‘lay me out flat’, though at this point it’s unlikely that you’ll even touch me.”

Like sand spooling through a time glass, the black cloth on his fingertips, down along his arms, and up to his shoulders, tumbled into the air as a cloud of fine dust. He threw his bare hands up, throwing the tiny, reflective particles off into the room. Most patrons breathed it in instantly, unknowingly filling their lungs with particles. If a few patrons had the gift of awareness and suspicion, they held their breath, turning blue. If Phantasm chose to defend herself, she could, to avoid being caught in his setup. With those hot, angry eyes on him, he knew she would prefer to keep the advantage and either hold her breath or phase.

He shifted his weight forward, hands opening up in a calm, persuasive gesture. “Freedom. Control. These two things were the world to me before I met him. Now? They come as easy as rain on a stormy day. You should consider yourself lucky, he’s offering the same to you. His vision of the future puts you and I at the height of success, no longer dogged around and put down, hiding like street rats.”

His head inclined toward her. “All he is asking is cooperation to usher in that future.”

The dust settled, making the air safe to breathe again.

His irises glimmered as a subtle static filled the room. Phantasm could feel her hair standing up on her arms.

“Now, try to hit me,” he said.

---

The Museum of Historical Sciences, a few blocks away from The Art Institute
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

“Let’s cut to the chase. Who are you and where is the diadem? Maybe keep your voice down too, we aren’t exactly in a coffee shop.”

His eyes widened. The master thief who worked in the shadow, who should be deadly serious, actually had a sense of humour. It took his full concentration to stop the laughter threatening to jump from his throat, but he couldn’t help the twitch at his mouth. This line of work gave little in the realm of humour; the change of pace caught him off-guard.

He cleared his throat, eyes settling into a narrowed glare, and he pulled out a flip phone. He dialed a number and pressed the speaker button, holding it up for her to listen.

“I’ve been expecting you, Scarlet Shadow.” Said a voice on the other end, silver-toned, deep and clear.

“You’ll have to forgive Chrono, he’s a little shy. As for your questions, I will answer on his behalf. I am Astra, King of the Shadow Knights.”

The voice hummed. “You see, I want to offer you a job. A job that would fit you like a glove. This diadem was mere child’s play for you; how about something a bit more, shall we say, interesting? And the pay will be more than what the diadem is worth on the black market.”

“Now, about that diadem... It is yours, of course. If we have a deal.”

The voice paused, and Chrono glanced up from the phone, eyes tense as he read Scarlet Shadow’s face for any tell-tale signs of agreement, or otherwise.

---

James & Sons Fine Jewelers
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

”Okay, you wanna talk? Talk. You got three minutes before I 180 this and drop you over there. A weapon. Some plan. My name. Start explaining.”

The sudden rush of air had the doctor coughing when they made it to the bike. Her power was incredible, it completely caught him off-guard. Akihiro had to grimly admit that he was in over his head with her or any meta, and a large part of him wished he wasn’t here, on a street with burning vehicles and angry cops.

But, seeing her light up, in person, made his desperation worth it.

“We’re not going anywhere until you explain yourself. You sound like you know I’m not gonna budge. Talk.”

He dusted off his pyjama top, eyeing her ride before meeting her gaze. “A-ah, yes. Very well. Let’s start with the weapon first. It’s a mechanical construct that harnesses stolen, amplified superpowers that can level whole cities in the blink of an eye. More and more metas will keep disappearing, all for the purpose of this machine, until it has enough power to take over.

“My plan is, uh, simple enough. We will steal the components they need before they can complete the machine. There are two components that I know of, but I would need either a small army to get through, or… A superhero.”

He scratched the back of his head nervously. “Now, I really didn’t mean to pry. It’s hard enough to get information on vigilante metas. But after crunching enough databases with facial recognition, I was able to figure out your name. But that was it. No home address, no SSN, nothing. All I had was the knowledge that you patrol these streets, and that you move like sunlight. So I, uh… I…”

The doctor grew quiet, cheeks turning pink. “I… knew you would go after bad guys, so I thought if I made a lot of noise and looked like a bad guy, maybe I’d get your attention. D-d-don’t worry, I made sure the store and the cars all had good insurance before I did anything, uhm, illegal.”

He wrung his hands nervously. “Please, you have to believe me, if there was any other way I would have taken it. But I’m out of time.”

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Estylwen

He made a tsk-tsk sound with his tongue that reeked of condescension. His credibility with her had not started out high and it was swiftly plummeting. "Making me repeat myself on our first day. I’ll forgive you, but it’ll cost you the first move."

Arc held up his hands. The black cloth that coated his arms vibrated ever so slightly. It had a similar appearance to the very slight blur that surrounded Gloria's form when she phased. She only really noticed it because she was so used to see her own body go in and out of focus in a similar manner.

"The win conditions are to 'lay me out flat', though at this point it's unlikely that you'll even touch me."

He was apparently quite literal in his words. That worried her. On the surface, the win condition should have been easy. Gloria was no stranger to taking on guys twice her size and knocking their feet out from under them was rarely a challenge. But the confidence and bluster that Arc exuded suggested he possessed some information unknown to her which would complicate the task. Presumably, what she was missing was information about his own meta ability.

He could simply be extremely sturdy, a power that granted such excessive athleticism that it was nearly impossible to make him lose his footing. But his proclamation that she wouldn't even be able to touch him suggested something completely different. It implied some kind of area of effect ability, control over wind or sometime similar which would make approaching him a challenge. The most likely option, considering the construction of the briefcase, was the simplest one. He had electrical powers, a perfect foil to her own. It wasn't the only foil but it was the easiest one to observe from a distance. After all, his name was 'Arc'.

As soon as this thought had passed through her head, Arc's gloves began to disintegrate. Like some bizarre parody of an hourglass counting down time, the black cloth from his fingertips to his shoulders tumbled into the air as a cloud of fine dust. He threw his now bare hands outward, scattering the tiny, reflective particles into the room in a haze.

Gloria reacted instinctively. She sucked in a clean breath before the particles reached her and then phased, falling backwards through the bar stool she had been sitting on and through the bar itself. In the moment before she lost sight of the interior of the building she saw Quinn suck in her own breath and lunge across the table to cover Jinny's mouth and nose with a bar napkin.

That's my girl. She thought with a smile as she tumbled backwards.

Gloria fell through the bar into blackness, her hands outstretched behind her head. The moment they were through the bar, they became solid again and when they touched the cold floor behind the bar, she pushed off, launching herself into her feet. In all honesty it was more of an acrobatic party trick than a combat maneuver but she used whatever tools she had.

She stood up behind the bar, keeping Arc in her view as her eyes scanned the bar for something she expected to be there.

He was still in gloating mode. He was so sure that he had her entirely figured out. "Freedom. Control. These two things were the world to me before I met him. Now? They come as easy as rain on a stormy day. You should consider yourself lucky, he’s offering the same to you. His vision of the future puts you and I at the height of success, no longer dogged around and put down, hiding like street rats." His head inclined toward her. "All he is asking is cooperation to usher in that future."

Gloria barely heard what he was saying. As he spoke she grabbed a rag from the bar and nonchalantly wrapped it around one of the newly opened bottles of a Bacardi 151, a high proof rum, before she poured herself a shot. She inclined it towards him and downed it in one move, casual as could be. Rum was definitely not her drink of choice and it burned as it slid down her throat. She usually preferred an electric green shot which tasted like green apple candy but in this instance the important thing was a high alcohol content.

As she was downing the shot, her thumb slid through the rum bottle where she popped the pouring spout out from the inside. In the same movement, the rag she'd picked up the bottle with phased through the glass, half poking out the top of the bottle somewhat unevenly as cracks started to form in the glass from the imprecise phase job. At the same time with her other hand Gloria snatched up a disposable lighter the bartender on shift kept behind the bar and set the rag alight.

In less than three seconds, in what was clearly a very practiced procedure, Gloria was holding a lit molotov cocktail. She knew she had only a few seconds before the cracked bottle ruptured from the heat and the damaged Gloria had done when she'd phased the rag through it. Without pausing to think, she lobbed the firebomb at Arc with all the force she could muster, ready to duck if he displayed an ability to redirect it back towards her. Though she rather suspected it would explode midair if he tried. It might even explode midair before it actually reached him but whether it struck him or not, the flaming alcohol would be something he would have to deal with.

In the moment that the bottle was airborne Gloria felt the hair on her arms stand on end, like she'd just brushed a static charged fleece over her skin. A piece of the speech Arc had given which she had mostly tuned out while she prepared the cocktail filtered back into her brain. 'They come as easy as rain on a stormy day.' He had weather control abilities. He commanded wind, rain, and most unfortunately of all, lightning. A storm was coming.

The master thief had arched her right eyebrow as she listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. Astra? King of the Shadow Knights? Sounds like some kind of after dark frat boy club or a death metal band. She held her tongue though as she heard her mysterious host out.

So the man who had been waiting on her was in fact a lackey. Probably the one who had planted the note for her too. For something as simple as luring a mark to a location for an unexpected meeting one operative was enough. Unless circumstances suggested otherwise of course.

Scarlet Shadow resisted releasing a sigh of relief when the mystery man on the other side of the phone had said it was hers “if we have a deal”. In truth she had been a little scant on jobs lately and whoever this mysterious Astra was sounded like maybe the type who could land her some high level money. After all his agent had known where to plant a note to lure her, he had snuck into this heavily secured museum himself, and patiently awaited his target and left no traces of a prior intruder. It was clear this Astra could afford the best, he or his little association.

She imagined the diadem was in this “Chrono’s” possession. If not then his superior would have it. Scarlet hoped it to be the former. She didn’t like the idea of meeting this Astra or working on his behalf empty handed and relying on him to fork over the prize. But if she had to, she had to.

She crossed her arms and after a second said, “Alright, I don’t know who you are but if your offering high profit work I’m interested in speaking further. That is after I have the diadem in my hand.”

...Terrorism.” Takeda here had tracked her down, raided a shop, and set fire to several cars to tell her about that. Ellie let out a puff of air after looking him dead in the face for a while four seconds after he finished talking. This wasn’t the first time someone actually came to her for help, but normally it was from people she ran into. Kids who walked around in the later hours, people who got harassed by thugs often. Sometimes she’d walk into a store for some alcohol and walk up behind a robber, just to reach around and throw him through the doors like a tennis ball- sometimes even literally. ”So. You need me to help you take out this weapon before people get hurt badly.” Takeda wouldn’t be lying after all this, everything in his story was too concrete, too consistent to be some diversion. Besides, what else’s she gonna do?

”Well, ‘Kay. I’ll bite. Let’s do it. Get on.” There want any apprehension in her voice. Ellie was like that, he was obviously too soft to dare and pull a gun on her anyway. She dropped the helmet onto her head as the motorcycle growled to life. Ellie waited for Takeda to get on and get comfortable. Once he was, she could see a few streaks of light starting to creep up. Flashlights. People were investigating already. Looks like the cops got here in time. ”Alright, hold on tight-“ Ellie’s left hand lit up, she brought this hand visibly down to the side of her bike to where the engine was. The glow of her hand moved to under her bike. Suddenly, the hum of the engine became a shout of the engine. It roared like a beast. In a flash the two of them were flying down the midnight road like a shooting star across the blackness of space. A puff of light was all that was left behind to suggest anyone was at the end of that street in the first place. Ellie and Takeda moved at well over 100MPH for the better part of the next 10 seconds. There was something about the rapidly decaying glow that mixed unnaturally well with the gasoline in her bike that gave Ellie the speed of a demon on that thing.

In record time, the two of them made it back to the apartment complex. Ellie coasted the bike up the sloped driveway and snaked through the first floor of the parking lot with her foot off the gas. Finally she parked it smooth as water. It’s like she never even left. As the two of them got off the bike, Ellie pulled her helmet off in some sexy B-movie moment where her hair flowed out. ”We’re clear now.” She switched the bike off and made her way up. ”C’mon.” She said to him, expecting Takeda to follow her. ”Just keep quiet. People sleep at this hour.” And then they were upstairs.

Ellie’s apartment was just the way she left it, nice and quiet. She instantly walked over to the couch and lazily sat down on it. A ceiling mounted punching bag was visible in the corner of the main room. ”So. A weapon that destroys cities...”

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Lady Seraphina

In all honesty, he should have expected this sooner.

The bottle rocketing towards him had strength behind it; it would hit hard, and it would hit fast. Dodging was an option, but as far as he could tell, there was no empty place in the bar for a safe impact. From where he stood, if he changed the trajectory by letting it bounce off his shoulder, his eyes glanced back… He could make it smash right into the Valkyrie’s table.

Did she consider the others before lighting that thing?

His hands were still outstretched, he could simply bat it back at her. Or at the very least, let it smash against the foot of the bar. Or better still, end it now and strike the bottle in the air with his power.

Time ticked down as the bottle slowly spun, end over end, toward him.



Location: Unknown
Time: Unknown

The smell of sterile equipment, the room lit in phosphorus blue. They were seated around the table, hushed. A tensious weight hung in the air. The boss, at the head of the table, glanced over.

“Arc,” he said.

“Yes, boss.” Arc drew himself to attention.

“I’m adding one more principle to your task. She values freedom. Give it to her in a way that she may consider us.”

Arc stared hard. They had evaluated this gang fighter as reckless and independent, and a standard conquer of will had been strategized. It was the first time boss mentioned freedom as a value for her.

After some hesitation, Arc responded. “So we go alpha. I got it, boss.”

“Arc,“ The boss’s tone made his palms clammy, ”This one’s complicated. We need her, but if we don’t play our cards right, we will lose her.”



With the flaming bottle fast approaching, he realized what the boss meant when he gave the principle regarding Phantasm’s freedom. A plan snapped together in his head, crystal-clear in quality.

He caught the bottle and crushed it with an arc of lightning, the alcohol and flames roaring to life. The fireball engulfed him, sending scorching heat through the bar. Patrons turned, slack-jawed. Someone screamed.

He didn’t move. His eyes were bent on Phantasm, staring through the flames.

Anyone else would have a hell of a time with this. Thankfully, his boss insisted he come prepared. From his pouch he procured a small, grey orb, which, upon impact with the ground, acted like explosive foam, covering him and the patrons around him in white extinguisher goo. The flames flickered and, without an oxygen source, receded, smoke curling off his body. He wiped a hand over his face, clearing his eyes.

He could feel the urge to scold rising up in his chest.

“Do you have any idea how much damage that could have done to literally anyone else?! Huh?” he gestured to the room, “If anyone else got hit with that, what would have happened?”

He stared, eyes cold, before slowly patting off the foam. It dissolved, revealing the mild blistering of burns that could be seen along his arms and neck. He showed her that she could hurt him. The person that she felt threatened by. She was safe, free. That little seed would hopefully grow in her mind; the boss’s principle would be completed.

The set-up with sand, he supposed, would have to wait.

Arc pressed the bridge of his nose, taking a breath. This mark had so much potential, he was loathed to simply end it here. But the only way forward was to leave here and let her sort out what she wanted on her own. He gave her the promise of freedom, hell, even the example of freedom. Now would be the conclusion of that freedom.

He gestured towards the briefcase. “381. That’s the code. The gift is yours. You managed to hit me and have completed your first mission.”

In the briefcase, Phantasm would find a foam cut-out holding a small, black tube with a mouthpiece jutting out from the centre, with the sound of granules knocking against each other if she shook it. And beside it, a sealed invitation.

---

The Museum of Historical Sciences, a few blocks away from The Art Institute
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

“Alright, I don’t know who you are but if you’re offering high-profit work I’m interested in speaking further. That is after I have the diadem in my hand.”

“My dear Scarlet, that goes without question.” said the voice.

The sound of tapping metal rung through the receiver. ”I have the diadem here with me. Escape the building, then to the rooftops ofAce Chemicals, on the water’s edge of the Loop. There, you will have what you seek.”

With that, the phone clicked.

Chrono snapped the phone shut, staring grimly. The king’s words were always so precise. Despite the hard work and merit due for getting this far, the test wasn’t over yet. He knew there was only one way to escape a building, and it couldn’t be done quietly.

His preparations before her arrival were ready, as per the king’s orders. Chrono had rigged the storage room’s door discreetly with explosives. In his free hand, he held up a remote and clicked a button. His arms instinctively went to shield his face, but he knew both he and the master thief were clear of the blast zone.

On cue, the storage entrance ripped apart, door pieces and metal blowing off in different directions, painfully loud in its destruction. It only took a few seconds. A guard started yelling. Footsteps pounded the hall. Someone pulled the fire alarm, and a clanking wail reverberated through the building.

In the span of half a minute, the museum became a disturbed hornet’s nest, angry and deadset on finding their culprits. Chrono pocketed his tools and shot through the lasers, crouching at the edge of the blast hole in the wall. His eyes flickered to the master thief, pausing his own escape. His anticipation was the same as the king’s; he wanted to see how an expert would handle their next move, especially with the sound of five guards rushing to their location.

---

One333
Near South Side

Dream

She paused, pen hovering over lined paper, brows furrowed.



She gave an irritated huff, tearing a line through the page.



No good. She scratched through the last line and laid back in her chair, sipping old coffee. The same coffee she half-spilled trying to ward off a soliciting drone. Cold, bitter, and in need of sugar to hide the ageing taste. Of course, the bitterness in her mouth wasn’t just from the coffee.

The package had been a dead drop all right, a nice little USB packed with information. Top secret files, sensitive data that she was sure the government would be interested in. It was a little unbelievable, what she’d come to learn. A conspiracy, perhaps. Or maybe, the start of something big, and bad.

A case file sat on her desk, string around the envelope and a handwritten ‘top-secret’ on the front in big black letters. The doctor had given her nothing short of an encyclopedia, and to be completely honest she had only printed off the text and skimmed through a few of the pages. From what she had gathered, the report went into detail on an institute’s criminal activity, hidden behind a facade of wholesome technology.

To get involved was nothing short of a death wish. But then again, if she didn’t do something, it was possible this ‘organization’ would catch up to her anyway before they blew up the world.

So here she was, fully dressed in costume, staring at a piece of paper that would be read after she was long gone. The thought itself was sobering, but even more so, the state of her affairs was not envious. She wrote one last sentence before signing the line, scooping up the case file, bag, and her cold coffee, and walked to the door.

---

James & Sons Fine Jewelers
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

”So. You need me to help you take out this weapon before people get hurt badly.”

The doctor vigorously nodded his head. “Yes, yes that’s exactly it.”

He had a very short list of heroes that he felt he could approach with his offer. If even one said no, he didn’t know what he would do. He had thought of everything in his speech, all the important points that would pull at a good person’s heart. And he was sure he pegged Ellie for being a good person, even with his scant research. As he stared at Ellie’s face, he could only hold his breath.

After a pause, she said, ”Well, ‘Kay. I’ll bite. Let’s do it. Get on.”

The doctor heaved a sigh of relief, scrambling over to the backseat of the bike. Motorcycles were not his first method of transport; he considered them to be a breach of safety. Not to mention he didn’t have an ounce of leather on him. But the flashlights of cops caught on their trail gave him a larger worry and kept his comment about ‘hailing a cab instead’ to himself.

He watched her light up the bike with apprehension. “A-are you sure this is”—the roar of an engine and tires peeling as she hit the gas—”s-saf—!”

The air knocked out of his lungs, he could only hold on for dear life as they raced down the street, leaving the jewellery store and cops far behind. It was only when the air stopped whipping his face did he realize his eyes were squeezed shut, and he looked up. They were in front of a large apartment complex; her ease of maneuvering made it seem like she was familiar with the place.

”We’re clear now.”

Akihiro sat a little stunned, his hair blown in a windy mess before he fumbled off the back seat. He tried to pat his hair back into place as they walked to her apartment. She let them in, Akihiro immediately taking off his shoes.

“Ah, please excuse me,” he said. He wasn’t expecting her to let a stranger into her home, but under the circumstances, he did appreciate it. They were dealing with a serious subject, after all.

As she sat on the couch, he stood awkwardly in front of her, unsure if he should just sit on the floor. ”So. A weapon that destroys cities...”

“To put it lightly, yes.” he nodded. “Not only that, but if it’s complete, it will mean they’ve captured and harnessed every powerful meta in Tenebrae. We can rest assured it’s not ready yet because you’re still here.”

A Miku ringtone startled the doctor, and he hastily patted his pockets. “Ah, p-please excuse me.”

He checked the call screen and pressed his phone to his ear. “H-hello?”

“Doc, something tells me you’re not home.” said a feminine voice on the other line.

His face lit up. “Really? You've accepted? Y-you’re right. I’m actually”—his eyes glanced to Ellie—”with your teammate right now. We were about to go over a plan of action. W-would you be able to come over to the North Side Apartments?”

“Hmm. I know where that is. I’m on my way,” she said before the call disconnected.

The doctor smiled as he pocketed the phone. “That was Dream, another vigilante in the city. I consider myself very lucky—I never thought anyone would listen to me. If it’s okay with you, we’ll meet here and discuss the plan.”

The phone was in his hand again, his smile turning gleeful. “And while we wait, why don’t I order us some food?”

---

North Side Apartments^™
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

Dream

The headlamps of an old black caddy died while Dream pulled the key, door opening with a click. The North Side Apartments complex glowed across the street, completely silent. At this time of night, only a fool like herself would be on the streets. Well, she and the vigilantes and villains. The only folks with a crazy enough reason to be out with the Tenebrae moon.

She reached the upper floors, making her way down the hall, counting the door numbers. The doctor mentioned which one to look for, but when she saw it, there was already someone there. A tired, young delivery man, red bag in hand, knocking on the door.

“Food deliver—” the man’s head turned to her, tripping over his heels. “Ah! Don’t kill me, please!”

Dream folded her arms, leaning back on her heels. She couldn’t blame the guy though. One could call it the natural Tenebrae habit to freak out at the sight of a suit, especially if it was in the dead of night, and more so if they were all alone. Most didn’t know the difference between a vigilante and a villain—at least, not yet.

The man took her stillness as his opportunity to flee. He dropped the bag and ran down the other end of the hall and out of sight. Dream waited a few seconds, listening, before scooping the bag, knocking on the door again.

Peeping through the hole, one would see a lady dressed in a formal black hooded suit, red bag in hand, straightfaced as she spoke in all seriousness.

“Food delivery.”

So, it isn’t with the lackey. I shouldn’t have expected it to be.

Scarlet Shadow kept her face - what showed - neutral as the man before her ended the call and put the flip phone away. Her mistake was taking her eyes off of him after. She pondered on how to escape the museum and make her way to the chemical plant, eyes looking to the carpeted floor. A movement was caught in her peripheral vision causing her to glance sideways at Chronos. She hadn’t even registered what he was doing until she heard the click and then the immediate explosion prevented any action on her part.

The shock of the unexpected and contained blast caused her to stagger forward slightly, her ears aching and ringing. She groaned in anger and disorient. The scum had rigged the door to blow prior to her arrival! The master thief could hear alarms blaring and the shouting of the guards as she struggled to regain her composure. Hearing the approaching heavy footsteps coming down the halls outside, she ignored the treacherous Chronos and with a shake of her head set her mind to escaping the museum.

With a steady hand she drew two smoke grenades from her belt, the pins hitting the floor with soft metallic tinkling sounds and seconds later the projectiles flew out into the hall. The grenades detonated and sent clouds of choking gray smoke roiling in both directions down the corridor. Scarlet Shadow could hear gags and muffled coughing coming from outside the blow open storage room.

With no more than a flicker the thief zipped through the gaping jagged hole that was the exit. Using her reflexes and super speed she navigated the clouded hallway, naught but a breeze disturbing the writhing smoke, unseen by the men caught in the chemical miasma. She wasn’t free yet though. The windows were all sealed by metal shutters too heavy to pry or break loose. Even Semtex wouldn’t do the job. She would have a better chance with the front door in truth.

The entire museum was lit up by flashing red lights and both the ringing of the fire alarm and additional alarms triggered by the guards. Scarlet Shadow stuck to the ceiling as long as she could, leaping across support beams and ornamental chandeliers. Totally unseen by the blue uniformed security men below who scurried about with flashlights and guns in hand. She finally reached the entrance hall which was guarded by three men spread across the room, one with his back to the door gun drawn. Scarlet Shadow couldn’t wait any longer, the police would be here soon and set up a perimeter which would make her escape even more difficult.

She sat perched up on a chandelier in the middle of the room. The screaming alarms and shouting gave her an advantage. Timing it just right she leapt forward summersaulting off of the chandelier and dropping down with a direct kick to the top of the head one guardsman. His body fell limply to the linoleum floor, the alarms covering the sound of both the blow and the fall. The super powered thief streaked across the room and delivered two quick punches to the back of the head of the second guard, his body inches from the floor by the time the thief shot across the room again and leveled the final guard with a punishing kick to the ribs and a finishing strike to the back of the skull.

She doubted between the flashing lights and otherwise darkness that the final guard had even caught a glimpse of her. With a grunt Scarlet Shadow drug the unconscious man away from the front door and returned to plant a a small Semtex charge on it. She hated forced escapes and bombings weren’t her thing either, the Semtex were for an emergency situation, like what she was in now. She took cover behind a nearby pillar and - with a grimace - set off the charge courtesy of a small detonator. The explosion tore apart the front entrance nearly as bad as the upstairs storage room, sending shards of burning wood and metal flying. Pocketing the small remote detonator the thief surged from her cover and out the into the night air, police sirens in the distance drawing closer as the thief dashed through the darkness, darting between buildings and other cover as she fled the scene.

She knew where the chemical plant was and she planned to be there within an hour. This mysterious “Astra” owed her more than the prize she was guaranteed after all. He’ll be lucky if I don’t shatter his nose. Scarlet Shadow thought bitterly as she vaulted over a red brick wall and made her way across a small park.

It took her just short of an hour actually, and she was rather tired at that when she arrived just outside the factory. Taking a moment to catch her breath, the master thief made her way up to the roof as instructed. Alternating between the fire escapes and climbing up over small ledges and through windows. The factory seemed abandoned what with it being so late but she never let her guard down. Finally reaching the rooftop, annoyed and just wanting her prize, she came to face the mysterious Astra and see what he had to say for himself.

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Estylwen

The bottle rocketed towards Arc hard and fast. Gloria had a practiced hand with a bottle. It came from far too many bar fights. She was gratified to see panic glimmer brightly in Arc's eyes. After the waterfall of condescension that had been flowing out of his mouth since the moment she sat down next to him, seeing him off guard, seeing the realization that he wasn't as prepared to deal with her as he'd thought was more satisfying to her than knocking him on his ass would have been. No doubt she'd get to that, but this was enough for now.

In the moment before the bottle struck him she saw the shadow of a plan in his eyes as they flicked towards her friends. The Valkyrie's table hadn't been directly in the path of her throw but it wouldn't take much of a redirection to send it spiralling towards them. In that moment her mind ran over a dozen contingencies, the fire extinguisher, a stack of towels behind the bar she could use to smother the flames, the first aid kit under the bar. Even as these thoughts occurred to her she saw Quinn and Jinny moving to push their table sideways, forming a barricade to deflect the attack. She smiled, it wouldn't keep them completely safe but it would deflect the brunt of the flaming alcohol, they'd escape third degree burns. Quinn had always been good at calculating the consequences of Gloria's rash decisions and on more than one occasion, saving her from those consequences.

Then something strange happened. Arc's hand shot out but instead of deflecting the incoming firebomb, he caught it. The glass exploded in his hand, a combination of the stress fractures in the glass and sparks from his own lightning.

The patrons who had been content to watch the unfolding fight now retreated from the flames with panicked shouts.

Arc meanwhile was engulfed in flames. He remained motionless, his eyes were bent on Gloria through the fire and she could see the silver diamonds in his eyes shining with anger.

Far too slowly and calmly for his current predicament Arc produced a small, grey orb, from somewhere in his clothes which he tossed onto the ground. Flame retardant foam erupted from it, covering him and the area around him in white extinguisher goo. It choked the flames for oxygen which promptly died. Smoke curled off Arc's body and he wiped a hand over his face, clearing his eyes of the goo.

This would have been the time to strike, he was off guard and partially blinded. But she didn't. Something was wrong with how he'd reacted to her attack and she wanted to see what he'd do next, why he'd taken the hit so directly like that.

"Do you have any idea how much damage that could have done to literally anyone else?! Huh?" he shouted, gesturing to the room, "If anyone else got hit with that, what would have happened?" He couldn't have been badly injured. His condescension was back.

Arc pressed the bridge of his nose, as if collecting himself. There it was again. He simply stopped. It was almost like he was redirecting from what he wanted to do to what he had to do.

He gestured towards the briefcase. "381. That’s the code. The gift is yours. You managed to hit me and have completed your first mission."

Gloria walked through the bar as if it weren't there and inclined her head towards him, flashing him a winning, almost predatory smile that didn't quite reflect the possibilities that were spinning inside her mind. "Thank you so much for your time. Unless there was anything else..." she let the silence hang in the air for a moment before she pointed to the door with a motion of dismissal. "Go."

Once Arc was gone she grinned sheepishly at Haven's bouncer. It wasn't the first time a meta fight had broken out in the bar, it wouldn't be the last, but no one ever appreciated the people that started it.

Now among just her friends and strangers that weren't concerned with her one way or the other beyond annoyance that she'd interrupted their night out, Gloria let her hard shell drop somewhat. She grabbed the briefcase from the counter and slumped into the booth Quinn had gotten for them. She helped Jinny pull the table back onto its feet with a grunt and placed the briefcase on top of it.

"Two minutes and fifty eight seconds," said Quinn with a wry smile. "You said you'd only be a minute, it's enough to make a girl think something might have happened."

Gloria punched her in the arm playfully. She couldn't help but smile.

"So, what'd he leave?" Sonya asked, looking at the sleek black briefcase.

"I guess we should find out." Gloria punched in the three digit code he'd give her and popped the briefcase open. The interior was just as fancy as the outside. It was lined with foam, the kind used to insulate delicate equipment for transport. In the centre of the foam cut out was a small, black tube with a mouthpiece. She picked it up and shook it lightly. She could hear what sounded like sand rattling around inside. She put it back, not sure exactly what it was. The only other thing in the briefcase was a letter. The envelope was hard stock and it was sealed with an old fashioned wax seal with a vaguely medieval looking black symbol stamped into it. Gloria cracked it open and found inside a folded card of similarly heavy stock. It had a very simple message written on the interior in a very precise cursive hand.

Cloud Gate, The Loop.

It was an invitation to meet them again if their first meeting had caught her interest. She hoped it would be with someone slightly less abrasive than Arc.

"What does it say?" Sonya asked again.

"It's an invite, I assume to a job."

"Walker, I don't think Hel would be exactly thrilled with us contracting out to other groups."

"I know Sonya, I know. It's just..."

"What?"

"He took a dive at the end. He said I'd win the fight if I could 'lay him flat'. He was really anal about his word choice. Then, he let himself get hit and after that he called the fight. That didn't feel like a win, that felt like a forfeit."

"Why would he do that?"

"A guy with that much testosterone poisoning resisting the urge to try and beat me into the ground after I disrespected him... I don't know. It just seems... wrong."

"Would you like my two cents?" Asked Quinn.

Gloria smiled. "Always."

"He, or more likely whoever he works for, needs you for something. They need you far more than they want you to know. That guy knew it, he knew if he overpowered you or even if the power gap between you was close, you might lose interest. After all, you don't like being told what to do and I don't think you'd like working with a guy who had the potential to make you listen to him. But they evidently sent him because he controls electricity, he's someone who can't be dominated by your abilities. Unfortunately for them, he doesn't know how to take a dive in a way that feels satisfying to his opponent."

"What are you going to do now?" Asked Siobhan who had been silent up to that point.

Gloria sighed, "Now, I'm going to go store this," she clicked the briefcase shut "on my bike and then I'm going to have a night on the town with my girls somewhere 'Shadow Knights' won't come looking for us."

When she returned, her jacket was missing, revealing a more club friendly top and she'd taken her hair out of the braid. She'd run a brush through it a few times while she was outside so it looked somewhat neat but it still held a flattering if tousled curl from being bound so tightly.

When Quinn saw her return in much more relaxed attire she smiled. "We need to find you a dance floor."

Gloria smiled, "I was thinking we head to Valhalla." It was a Valkyrie owned club which contrary to the name was not actually much more than a fancy night club. The gang didn't center any major operations there but the Norse theme of a lot of the Valkyrie's code words had definitely sent the police spinning in circles around the place on more than once occasion.

It was almost four in the morning before they stumbled back to Gloria's loft, drunk and laughing, to get some rest.

@Lady Seraphina, @Shu, @Blizz

Congratulations!

Phantasm won the battle!

+10 noterity points earned.

Scarlet Shadow escaped the museum!

+10 noterity points earned.

Ellie rescued the doctor!

+10 noterity points earned.

These points have been applied to your stats. Keep taking action to earn more points!

---

The Museum of Historical Sciences, a few blocks away from The Art Institute
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

Chronos watched with interest as Scarlet Shadow made a classic ninja getaway, disappearing through the thick smoke. He could only assume she made it clear to the other end of the hall; the guards were quiet. No sound of a fight. In her clever escape, though, she managed to unintentionally change his game plan. Wandering through a choke-cloud of smoke with guns and nightsticks sounded fun, but Chronos knew he had a better advantage if they could see him.

As the smoke cleared, the five guardsmen poured into the room, scanning their flashlights over the dimly lit walls. The vault, mockingly open and empty, was the only sight that greeted them.

"Clear." said one guard.

"Fan out. Whatever sorry soul did this better be hiding." said another.

They inched into the room, their guns up and flashlights slowly playing over the corners of the room. Just as they were about to uncover the one hiding spot in the room, two hands pulled on the back edge of the safe, and Chronos launched himself in a handspring over it. He landed neatly on the other side, guards spinning in confusion as he dashed out of the storage room.

"Hey! You there, stop!"

Chronos paid them no heed, bounding down the hall. One left, then two, feet barely holding traction against the carpet. He could see the stairs up ahead, and was almost in the clear when the pound of polished boots and flashlights in his face stopped him in his tracks. Guards poured in from the two levels of stairs, marking him in plain sight. And behind him, the guards from the storage room had caught up. Pinned from the back and the front, along a narrow hall, the guards had to smirk as they trained their sights on the lone runaway. At least they would have one crook to put in the pound by the end of the night.

"Raise your hands nice and slow, buddy." said the one from behind Chronos.

Chronos's mouth pulled into a firm line as he concentrated on the staircase, placing his hands on his head. The guards stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the stairs; slipping through them would need to be properly timed. His heart pounded in his chest, hair raised on his arms as he heard the boots approaching from behind him. The metallic release of someone prepping a pair of handcuffs. Footsteps approaching closer from all sides. But just as a hand grabbed his wrist, Chronos vanished, displaced air rushing through the hall. The guard grabbed nothing but air, staring at the empty space before cursing.

Outside the museum, a few minutes later and half a block down from the erected police perimeter, a hand pushed up a sewer grate. Chronos crawled out of the sewer shaft, choking and dizzy. The bottom half of his Knights uniform was caked in sewage, and he had a hand pressed against his nose. His eyes squinted down in the streetlight, checking the red liquid dribbling from his face. Yep, he had overdone it again tonight. Boss would not be pleased.

A black jeep rolled up beside him, and two masked men in suits stepped out, one opening the door while the other shoved Chronos into the backseat. The engine roared to life as the jeep speed down the dark streets and into the night.

---

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Lady Seraphina

The air felt cold and abrasive as Arc stepped into the night, brushing off the last of the foam from his bare arms. Phantasm took the win with relish, and she knew it hurt his pride to see her get the better of him. It took all his effort to stop himself from doing anything that he'd certainly regret explaining to the boss later. If this was the way to win Phantasm over, he could manage a broken ego and charred skin for the night.

The lights of a black Audi flickered to life down the street, and he pulled out his phone as he approached.

"Hey, can you—what? No, I don't have her... What do you mean, not good enough? I—listen, listen. I'll explain everything when I'm back. But I need one of the white coats to come by—... Chronos too, huh? Okay... Okay, I'm en route."

He pocketed the phone and slipped into the backseat of the car, his driver ready at the wheel. She was dressed similar to him, colours woven into her mask and wild red hair framing her face. She adjusted the rearview mirror to get a better look at him.

"Wow, she beat you up good," she said.

He held her gaze crossly before looking away. "Just drive."

She shrugged, lights turning off as she put the car into gear. The night grew a degree colder, and rain began to hit the window, droplets displacing the colours of the street flying by. She flicked on the wipers, her eyes glancing over to her quiet passenger. He had his head in his hands, bearing the touch despite the burns along his fingers. She had seen him like this before, just once.

"What happened?" She asked flatly.

Arc spoke plainly, a hint of dread in his voice. "We lost her. And it's my fault."

"Hey, you don't know that."

"I do. I implemented the principle too late, and I messed up the entire strategy."

"So?" she said, a cheeky smile on her face. "There you go making people's decisions for them again. Sir, trust me, she'll come around."

Arc closed his eyes, pausing.

She continued, "Boss already contacted me. He's not angry, you know."

Arc's head tilted up, tension leaving his face. He leaned back into his seat. "Fine. I'll keep the lookouts stationed at Cloud Gate," he said finally, "and perhaps there will be good news for boss after all."

"Very good, Sir."

---

Ace Chemicals
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

ACE Chemicals. The noxious fumes of the place made any normal person stay far away from it. Lucky for Scarlet Shadow, production was closed for the day, and any lingering smell was caught in the rain that began to wet the dusty concrete. The culminating dark clouds made for a fitting atmosphere as the lights over the rooftop's service elevator flickered on, and after a few moments, the door slid open.

Stepping out from the elevator were three men, the first two obscenely tall and muscled under their suits and embossed masks. The last, though not as tall, had strong stature and held himself straight. He had shiny brown hair, wisping in bangs along his forehead, and a pressed lab coat over a dress shirt and slacks. When he saw Scarlet Shadow, he smiled.

"Good evening. " His voice was rich and deep. "My apologies for the change of plans. King Astra had some unexpected business and put me in charge of receiving you."

His eyes gazed over the master thief, and his head tilted. "Though, it would seem I need to apologize on his behalf. The King has upset you. From what I was told, you've had a long night."

He took a few steps closer, the two suited men beside him popping open large umbrellas. One was placed over the scientist, the other a bit ahead, meant for Scarlet Shadow to take shelter from the rain.

The scientist presented a large briefcase, gesturing for her to take it. "This is for you. As promised, it contains the diadem. Please feel free to check it."

Of course, it wasn't just the diadem in the briefcase. There was also a thick blue envelope containing blueprints and floorplans for an underwater laboratory, schematics of a strange device and a flip phone.

The scientist's eyes watched her carefully. "Of course, it would be dishonest of me to say I didn't have another reason for you coming here. I understand the King has made you a job offer. I wanted to answer as many questions as possible so you feel comfortable in accepting. What I can answer right away is, although we don't have a fixed date, we will give the go-ahead on this job soon. And when it's completed, payment will be wired to a bank account of your choice."

The quiet hush of rain made it sound like what he was asking for was easy. In fact, he knew this next heist would be incredibly difficult. He was willing to negotiate and answer any questions necessary for Scarlet Shadow to take the job. The details could be hashed out at a later date, indoors and out of the rain. Preferably with a fresh pot of coffee, and preferably with the King.

The cold rain was doing little to improve the master thief’s mood, which said a lot in itself as she actually liked rain. Beside being a good cover, she found it wistful and romantic in itself. Yet also a bliss, something - a part of nature - to be enjoyed. But not at this moment.

When the elevator peaked at the roof and the door opened she kept her place, arms crossed as the trio approached. As begrudgingly impressed as she was at the two towering brutes, the smaller man carried something in itself that was rather noticeable. Scarlet Shadow had of course met far more impressive men than he, but still she found herself guessing this to be “Astra”. Though the lab coat was very curious and she wondered just what sort of outfit this was.

Annoyingly, her guess was wrong. Another lackey…

A rough night? That is putting it rather lightly. Her hidden mouth remained closed, her green eyes like piercing daggers. The umbrella was a welcome courtesy but the thief kept her senses on edge. Her eyes trained on the smaller man in the white coat, her peripheral vision remaining keen and preceptive of the brutes accompanying him.

The briefcase lead to a creeping angst in the thief’s stomach, which climaxed in a pitted tingling when she clicked it open and saw the diadem. Not saying a word she relented to the smile behind her own mask which showed slightly by the wrinkling in the corner of her slanted eyes. This faded slightly when she noticed the blue envelope and flip phone in the case. The man must have seen her slight suspicion and annunciated to her about the job she had originally been promised. The flip phone undoubtedly was for them to give her the go ahead. She imagined there to be more inside the envelope and told herself she would look at it first thing after fencing this priceless treasure.

Snapping the briefcase shut and taking a step back she looked at the man in the coat. She had no questions. She was tired, wet, and wanted to sleep.

“Tell your boss to contact me. As you’ve said I’ve had a rough night and all I want now is some pad Thai and shuteye. At his leisure of course as I have no current work anyway. Which he should be grateful of.”
Ending with a sharp tone she strutted away, briefcase at her side. The last thing her hosts seeing was her leaping over the balcony edge.

@Estylwen

"Right...people going missing. Tell me what you know about this weapon. I've never even heard of such a thing." She said as Takeda punched in on his phone. "Who's that?" Takeda must've called for backup. Multiple people working together on this would make things easier, at least. One stranger in her place was already unusual, though. "Anyway, what does this weapon have to do with me? You can't just talk to the authorities about it? There has to be someone else out there who's at least somewhat more equipped to go after something like that. I need to know everything you know, or I can't help you." Ellie told him bluntly, she didn't expect he was hiding anything, but at the end of the day, he was a total stranger in the apartment of a metaphysical human's apartment in the dead of night. She had spent the past couple of decades helping people with her powers, but she always at least had some idea as to what she was getting herself into on these cold, quiet nights in the city of Tenebrae. Robberies, stick-ups, organized criminal machinations to move against the good people of the city, you name it, she's seen it and dealt with it. All without being caught just yet by the authorities who should've been doing their jobs from the start, which she always seemed to do better herself since high school.

Sometimes she had to run from the police just to make it through the day, other times her job as a mechanic only a short walk away from where she and Takeda were now served as the barest fraction of a cover-up to keep her hidden. Vigilantes are loved by the people who protect them, and vilified by the ones who should've done the protecting to begin with. Ellie has been well accustomed to working behind the backs of the government and the city for the better of its people; The police aren't trained to handle the things she handles, so she handles them instead. Villains who kidnap innocents and escape by flying with wings, fire-breathing gas station robbers who just needed money for their sick children, homeless meta kids in underground fighting rings. Tenebrae's cops don't know how to deal with those things, how do you imprison someone who can melt a cell door? You don't. More often than not, Ellie simply roughs them up beyond belief, sometimes she convinces them to see things differently, and surrender for a chance at a better life. There have, of course, been instances where she had to get blood on her hands. It's not something she's particularly proud of, but it's the truth.

Coming from that kind of life makes you have a bit of respect for that kind of person.

A bit of time passed, and while Takeda got into a more thorough background on this "Meta Weapon" he knew about, a car pulled up on the ground below, and minutes after came the sounds some someone yelling. “Ah! Don’t kill me, please!” Then Silence. It was past midnight. Who'd be doing that? It jarred Ellie a little, naturally, but when someone actually opened the door, a woman stood there with a bag of food, looking about as unamused as could me. "Food delivery." What? "Takeda. Who's this?" This was about as much company as she'd be willing to put up with this late at night, was this woman another vigilante? Hell, maybe this is all some kind of B-movie spy gig going on like in Fast and Furious. Any second, one of these two would probably flash a badge or something. Wouldn't that be amusing...Thankfully, no one in the entire building was awake right now, which was surprising after this woman just scared the life out of some poor bastard just trying to make a check. She seemed to have a rather...professional, serious vibe to her. Definitely Ellie's type. Doesn't mean they're getting along just yet though, surely.

"Uh, who're you?"

Ace Chemicals
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

He caught sight of a smile as Scarlet Shadow opened the briefcase, and a small weight left his chest. After all the efforts she made pursuing Chronos' tip, it was the least the King could do to reward her. She passed the test, after all, and widely displayed her tact, her combative skills, and above all, her stealth. In a world of barren dust, he could tell she was the budding tree. However, what she said next caused his metaphor to flower.

“Tell your boss to contact me. As you’ve said I’ve had a rough night and all I want now is some pad Thai and shuteye. At his leisure of course as I have no current work anyway. Which he should be grateful of.”

The smile grew soft on his face as he inclined his head. "Until next time, Scarlet Shadow."

He watched her leave, then turned to the elevator, putting a phone to his ear. After a short tone, the line connected.

"I have my hands a little full. How did the meeting go?"

"As expected. Scarlet Shadow wanted to see you, and not all for the right reasons."

"Oh? Not a fan of explosions, I see. When will you be back?"

"After some time. How is she?"

"In hysterics. She keeps asking for 'Mr. Kaj'... and for the doctor."

His lips twisted. "Well, at least that hasn't changed." He stepped into the elevator, the two suited men following behind him.

"What is changing are her vitals. It might be best if we switch places again."

The door opened to the lower levels of ACE Chemicals, cold, dimly lit, with concrete and glass. The scientist took away down one of the halls, ignoring the technicians as they busied themselves with clipboards and biohazard scanners.

"I'm finishing up treatments for the night," he said, pushing past the steel doors to the medical bay. "Keep me informed on her condition, I will call you again soon."

"Of course."

He pocketed the phone and surveyed the lab. Out of the six gurneys, two were filled, and not another soul in sight. Not that they could afford the other employees to stop their work to patch up some loose cannons. He paced around the gurneys, inspecting the bandages, bio scanners and IV tubes, ensuring it remained undisturbed since his meeting with Scarlet Shadow. And his two patients, one bandaged over most of his body, the other suffering from blood loss at the nose and erratic heart palpitations, lay unconscious.

Fresh blue gloves were pulled over his hands as he sat in a swivel chair between them. Tension filled the corners of his eyes. "It's the fourth time I've been called to look after you this week. What am I going to do with you both...?"

---

North Side Apartments^™
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

Dream

"Takeda. Who's this?"

Akihiro flushed a little, "You'll have to forgive her, uh, antics?"

"Uh, who're you?"

"Just some delivery lady," Dream said, hefting the red bag. "At least, that's what I'd like to say, but then I wouldn't be here about to discuss the fate of the world with you and the doc."

After she took off her shoes, her hand extended out to Ellie. "I'm Dream. I've seen some of the work you do and I'm impressed, though I would have preferred to meet over coffee during daylight hours. From what I recall, you don't have a codename. What should I call you?"

As Dream set the delivery bag on Ellie's table, they seated themselves around. She pulled out the packages, two were Japanese bento boxes, and the third was a sealed package she offered to Ellie.

"What did the doc order for you?" She asked.

Popping open her own bento, she sampled one of the rice balls with chopsticks, then moved it to the side and opted for her cold cup of coffee.

The doctor tilted his head curiously. "You're not hungry?"

"I don't eat when I'm focused, Doctor Takeda." She said.

The doctor nodded. "A-ah, I suppose that's fair. Then we'll get back on topic. As I was saying, Ellie, the reason I've uh, chosen to discuss this with you and not with the police, is uh, w-well..."

He bided his time with a sushi roll before swallowing, pressing his face with a hand. "They'd, uh, probably incarcerate me on the spot," he blushed, "F-for a number of reasons."

He frantically waved his hands, "B-but of course, the number one reason, is that they're already busy protecting citizens, and they're family people at heart, not keen on taking the r-risks. We need people who are intelligent, reckless, and powerful enough to stand alone against a number of enemies. All of these missions are covert, and a tactical police squad just wouldn't be able to keep up with two experienced and talented metas."

He picked up another ball of sushi, eyes glancing at Ellie. "Does that answer your question?"

Dream stared over her cup of coffee, eyeing the doctor. "What about the weapon?"

The doctor nodded. "Ah, that. I'll break it down as easily as I can for you. The device itself isn't evil, it's merely an automated storage system. Stolen meta abilities are transferred into it, and on command, it can activate the abilities similar to what the previous user would do. Unlike a human, though, the device isn't limited to space and can magnify any ability it's given. If I were to give an example of the device, uh, maybe I steal and input the ability for geokinesis. I can activate the device to either till 100 acres of fields for crops or collapse all the building in a 10-mile radius.

"However, as I mentioned previously, they are missing many components to get the device to that level." He said, glancing at Dream. "Uh, c-can I borrow the folder you brought?"

Dream gestured to the 'top secret' file sitting beside the rice balls. "Please."

He opened it, fishing out a paper with renderings of a computer chip, placing it on the center of the table. "There are three components needed for the weapon to be operational. The first component is called the Heart, located in an underwater laboratory in Lake Tenebrae with some of the best-known defences in the world. That is where our first mission will take place. They'll want the Heart as soon as possible, and I have a feeling they'll make their move any day now. So we must steal the Heart before they do, and sabotage their plan."

Dream took a long sip of her coffee, placing the empty mug on the table.

"So, Doc," she leaned forward, hands stippled together. "You're asking us to break into a state-of-the-art lab 62 feet below the lake level, navigate past an unknown number of guards, traps, and security, and steal a Heart that a criminal group may or may not have already stolen?"

The doctor rubbed the back of his head shyly, cheeks red. "W-well, when you p-p-put it like that, uh, well, yes. That is what I-I-I'm asking."

Dream stared at the doctor, then at Ellie, lips pressing into a firm line. "...I'm gonna need more coffee."

Kara hopped off of her bicycle and dropped the kickstand, parking it near the front steps of the small apartment building where she was to make her delivery. Adjusting her visor she reached into the basket on her red fourteen-speed and lifted out a large rounded plastic container, her delivery to be made.

It was a bright, sunny day. The warm sun welcomed on her olive skin. She looked at the slip in her right hand as she headed up the front steps and through the front door of the building. Third floor, five B…
She ascended the stairs, the small building not having an elevator. She soon came to the specified door and knocked three times, waiting as she heard heavy footsteps on carpeted floor. The door opened and she was met with an eager-faced woman in her mid thirties.

“Mori Sushi! Here’s your order!” Kara said with a bright dimpled smile.

By day Kara Cheng was a simple delivery woman for a sushi restaurant roughly thirty minutes away from her small apartment. She commuted by bike as she did not own a car, and in truth in the worst of traffic days her bike was more effective than driving or hailing a taxi. Of course she often mused to herself about using her super speed but that was too risky in broad daylight, and certainly in public regardless of time. Scarlet Shadow was an unknown, and aside from a small handful of contacts and known underworld figures no one new of the super powered master thief living in the fair city. Well, at least not the super powered part. No name, alias, general identity, or formulated modus. And that’s how Kara intended it to stay.

For now, she would just suffer being a daytime worker as a facade and when the day came she had amassed enough wealth to retire and rest on her laurels - she would.
Having just finished her last delivery she made her way back to Mori’s, handed in the payment, and clocked out for the day. She changed out of her uniform in the restroom and from their took a deliberately long route that took her over an hour to get home. Partly because she enjoyed riding her bike, and partly because she like to be careful.

When she reached home she double chained her bike outside as usual and then headed in the back door. She lived in a small condominium that had a living room, kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. Small, cozy, and cheap yet still on the decent side. She showered and helped herself to some leftovers in the fridge and then had a seat on her couch.

She had already looked over everything in the envelope and the diadem had been handed off to a contact who would pass it along to a fence she knew. At current she was awaiting two calls, one from her fence and the other from this mysterious Astra who had promised her more work that night. Each day after work she would come home awaiting the call. Granted she had also kept the cheap phone on her person during work in case the call came during, and so far nothing. But Kara was patient and she would wait.