The shadows shot back up but the boss stopped them. “We just want to know why your following him. He doesn’t have supplies. You’ve been following him for days…what is your goal with him?”

Scarlet flew back and said “I’m done guys…what’s going on here?”

Matias looked back at Scarlet, his gun still pointed at the captive.

"Just playing cop," he sighed, "I'm assuming the power's gonna return in a bit."

He looked back at the bug.

"Anyway... I'm no patriot. None of us are, pretty sure. I think whatever your goal is, you're mistaken."

"YOU ARE NOT A GOOD LIAR," the bug signed. "YOU KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT THE MISSING MYSTICS. A HUMAN HAS NO PLACE IN MYSTIC MATTERS UNLESS IT WANTS TO DISRUPT THE CAUSE."

The bug's wings flickered.

"YOU. THE SWORDSMAN. YOU ARE DETECTIVE DANTE. WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH A HUMAN IS NOT GOOD FOR YOUR REPUTATION. YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS."

Dante tilted his head. The. Suddenly burst out laughing. “That’s what this is about? Come on, aren’t we past this? Humans and mystics have to work together bring change. His been helping find those lost souls.”

The boss nodded and said “it’s not anyones business but ours who we work with. His one of us, no matter the color of his blood or not. Now, leave him alone or we will have to take action. We won’t let you harm one of our own”

Matias couldn't help but scoff.

"Seriously. The last thing I want to do is stress myself kidnapping a bunch of weirdo– I mean, mystics. I just want to live my life. It's bigots like YOU who're making the situation worse, if anything."

The bug lowered its head, a steady flow of blue smoke oozing from its helmet.

"YOUR MORAL ARGUMENTS ARE OF NO INTEREST TO ME. I FIND IT PECULIAR THAT YOU EVEN NEED THE HUMAN TO PURSUE YOUR WORK. YOUR SKILLSET SHOULD BE ENOUGH."

It wriggled once more in its binds.

"I WILL PURSUE THE HUMAN NO LONGER. BUT I DEMAND TO BE RELEASED AT ONCE. I HAVE OTHER MATTERS TO ATTEND TO."

Matias rolled his eyes before grumbling, "Not a very good liar."

The boss moved so they were only inches apart by faces and said darkly “if I get any hint you are still after him…you will wish you were human. And my shadows will be watching…now leave” they released the bindings and looked at the others.

“Scarlet is finished. We must finish the mission without delay. The purists will be here soon “

Matias watched as his stalker fell onto its knees, holding itself up with its hands. It slowly got up on its feet, dwarfing Matias by at least two heads. Matias's hand hugged the base of his gun as he gave himself some distance from the thing.

"YOUR COMRADE'S THREATS MEAN NOTHING TO ME," the bug signed, "BUT I WILL KEEP MY WORD. YOU BEST STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, HUMAN."

Matias's face scrunched up in exacerbation. "Piss off, Mothman."

His expression completely reset when the bug loudly spread its wings, showing off their white, circular patterns. What sounded like a motor powering up filled the empty room, and the resulting blast from the bug soaring away was enough to jolt Matias back some. From below, he watched the creature fly to an open window and then out of it.

"Good riddance."

He turned to the boss.

"Alright... What's left to do?"

Bane cursed and said “I hate bugs…” The boss nodded to the doors and said “we need to get the barriers set up so no one can undo what we have done. Then scarlet hits the power back on and the lower level has free power. Let’s get moving”

Dante returned his sword and moved to help with the barrier, looking on edge still. The boss turned to Matias and asked “are you alright?” Their silver eyes showed again thru the mask, a look of concern in them

With a nod, Matias replied, "Will do."

He took his own section of the barrier by one of the entrances. He had to admit that he wasn't the most technologically competent person in the world, but he knew some things. He crouched, looking around the thick, riveted ring for a button or some other kind of activator. Before he could think about tearing his hair out, however, the boss's voice drew his attention.

"Ah?"

He stared into the silver eyes for a few short moments, blinking before looking to his side.

"Yeah, I'm fine. That idiot didn't really get to hurt me. I'm highly suspecting we'll be seeing them again though..."

He looked back at the barrier output.

"You scared them off pretty well though, so I'm not too worried. Thanks for that."

He smiled softly, but still facing away from the boss. It'd be embarrassing to see after all.

"Anyway... How do you set this up? I don't want to press the wrong button or something."

The boss knelt down and moved their fingers. The shadows moved around the device and started to finish the set up. They said as she shadows worked “I don’t let my friends get hurt…and I get payback for the ones who do…”

They were almost done when they heard the blast from the north. The boss stood and said “looks like we have company…”

Bane was already heading there and shifting into his wolf form along with Dante who had his blade out and ready for a fight. The boss said “go help the boys. I’ll cover scarlet and finish the set up”

Matias shut his eyes tightly and pursed his lips with equal force. His eyes fluttered open, but his mouth remained in its current state for a few more moments. Looking back, he caught a glimpse of his partners preparing for the incoming encounter and sucked air between his teeth.

"Of all times to come... Christ."

His hand met his holster for the umpteenth time tonight. The pistol's grip had matched his body temperature at this point. Hand ready to draw, he met Dante and Bane outside. He stared off into the distance, looking for any heads to shoot.

They were ready as white hooded figures were walking towards them from a few vans parked at the fence. Bane growled and said “we just have to hold them off long enough for the barrier to be set…let’s go” then he roared and jumped into the fight along with Dante who pulled his sword free and his eyes glowed red.

“Let’s dance boys!”

Scarlet was finishing up, the boss behind her as she said “I just need to finish the scans and then hook them together. Ten minutes tops”

Lord, Matias thought to himself, there's a lot of them. They filled at least half of the horizon with their approach.

Their slow, slow approach.

Seeing them all as equally vulnerable, Matias lunged himself towards a random figure and started swinging. Whenever necessary, he shot at a few bold ones that tried to make a run for it. He tried to limit his shooting, however; ammo was expensive, after all.

Those that weren't downed by him were easily torn through by his teammates. A few flopped over seemingly at random, bullet holes staining the back of their hoods. Matias assumed it was misfire on part of the puritans, but none seemed to have guns. No matter; a dead puritan is the only good one, so he continued fending off against what he could.

Bane was handling a bigger mob when something came flying out of no where and landed next to him. He turned and his eyes went wide. “Static bomb! Everyone get down!” He moved to grab Matias but the bomb exploded. It sent everyone flying on both sides. Along with the blast shocks ran thru the air, shocking those not flat on the ground. Dante yelled in pain as did Bane, both hitting the ground with the current going thru them.

Shadows moved and caught Matias and pulled him to the ground as the barrier suddenly appeared behind them. The mission was done.

Matias was just getting his cheap thrill from the slaughter when everything suddenly happened at once. He hardly even had time to react. One second Bane was yelling, the other an explosion rang through his ears, and the other had him snagged from mid air by a sudden force. His heart skipped so many beats that it was a miracle that he didn't straight up die.

The current stinged him even with the quick reaction; it wasn't a complete electrocution, but it still hurt, and his hair was now on end. He laid still on the ground, staring up at the sky. From where he was, he caught a glimpse of a very distant wasp-like shape shooting through the stars like butter.

A snarl rumbled in his throat.

He sat up once it looked like everything was clear. His sight met his partners, who looked in pain. His blood went cold.

"Are you guys okay?" he called from where he was.

The guys were still shaking on the ground, still in pain. The purists were laying around them, a lot of them dead from the blast. One huge man was walking towards them, a pistol in hand. He stood over Bane and aimed at his head.

“Like taking candy from a baby…” suddenly shadow blasted into his chest, sending him flying backwards. The boss was in the fight now, Scarlet running to Dante and Matias. “Can you guys move?” Dante shook his head, his face screwed up in pain. Bane was trying to get up but his body refused to move.

"I... I don't even know what the hell happened."

The static seemed to have taken some effect on Matias regardless, because his lower half had a pins-and-needles type feeling that made it difficult to even think about moving. It was starting to spread, too. Just what he needed.

"Of course. ANOTHER idiot. Perfect."

From where he stood, he pointed his gun. He couldn't aim that well, however, due to the pain grabbing most of his brain's attention.

"Son of a... God... Who even is that?"

Scarlet moved to him and helped him sit up and said “it’s one of the commanders of the purists. We have to get out of here now.” She looked at Bane and Dante who were in no shape to move and she cursed.

The boss was fighting off the commander, shadows and sparks flying as the man had weaponized gloves that made sparks. He was swinging at the boss who moved and weaved out of the way.

Suddenly the van came flying to the others. It parked and Iris opened the door. “Let’s get the boys in now”

Matias let out a loud, strained groan as his body was pulled forwards. His abdomen felt like someone had poured fresh lava right onto it.

"I would love to," he hissed, but I can't–!"

The van interrupted his thoughts, as did Iris calling out. He almost wanted to scream.

"Don't just sit there!" he barked at Scarlet. "Help me in there!! And get the others, they're just as screwed as I am!!"

Scarlet glared at him and said “Matias I can’t lift you alone! I can’t pick any of you by myself!” Suddenly the plants around them started to grow and wrap around the boys, lifting them into the van.

Iris hand was glowing green and she said “knock it off! Don’t start fighting each other. We have to get out now!” Scarlet waited till the boys were in the car then looked to the pair fighting a few yards away.

The boss turned and yelled “go now! I’ll meet you back at base! Go!” Scarlet cursed and jumped into the van, Iris driving off as soon as she could.

Speeding down the road scarlet was checking the boys over and said “Dante isn’t waking up and neither is Bane now…what the heck was that?” Iris glanced back and said “it was a static bomb. I’ve seen it before and so has bane. We have been seeing them on the black market lately. If your not a mystic it kills you from the blast or the electrical current. How did you not get the full blast Matias?”

They made it back to the warehouse and Iris pulled into the building and shut the doors with her plants. “Okay…that was nuts”

The bumpiness of the ride only exacerbated Matias's pain. It showed no signs of leaving him; it was here to stay for however long he wanted to keep up with it. He could hardly pay attention to Iris's explanation or really anything outside of the excruciation he was going through right now.

"I don't know," he grunted, clenching his arms around his body. "Kind of... Urgh... wish I died, to be honesssssst... Rrrrgh..."

The van stopped, but, of course, not the pain. Gritting his teeth didn't help at all, but Matias did it anyway. He at least gained back some mobility in his lower half, but all he could really do was curl his legs inwards in an attempt to squeeze out more pain.

"'Nuts', huh? That's what you have to say? Christ..."