[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/240705/77e4a5d8b0c63705032535a944443b1c.png[/img][/center] [hr] Peterson didn't seem phased by Rupa's pleas for him to surrender, but luckily, it didn't really matter all that much. Gematria's doll quickly launched at the business tycoon and pierced his side with a taser attachment, incapacitating him within seconds. Two shots fired off as he fell, presumably from the muscles in his hand convulsing and accidentally pulling the trigger. Rupa didn't even flinch at the noise, as neither of the shots came close to hitting her (and not capable of harming her even if they did land). She approached the unconscious body and looked Peterson over quickly. Breathing and unconscious - best case scenario. Thank god... [color=f49ac2]"You okay?"[/color] Rupa was about to respond to Gematria, but the sound of clapping behind the pair caused her to drop back into a combative stance and pivot to face the source. Peterson's wife, Ada, had entered the room. A brief flash of confusion crossed Rupa's face before the woman spoke out to them, revealing her involvement. Rupa was shocked, enough that she couldn't react before Ada called for reinforcements. Four armed guards shimmered into view at different corners of the room. Teleported? Or were they just cloaked the whole time? Rupa gritted her teeth and murmured under her breath. [color=00a99d]"Fuck, they can do a Predator? Dammit..."[/color] She could feel her fists tighten as she looked over everyone in the room. The rifles seemed basic enough, they shouldn't be an issue. The men themselves had quite the weight advantage, but all it would take is a single tap and they'd be out of the fight. And if they hit her with their fists, they'd lose them - best case scenario, they get a single hit in with the butt of their rifles if it's fiberglass or something. The closest one was maybe 15 feet - they'd probably unload a few shots into her before she got to him. Not worth it. Richochets or missed shots could hit Gematria or Peterson. Rupa breathed out as her posture loosened, turning her attention back towards Ada. As Ada continued to speak, Rupa could feel her blood run cold. She knew Rupa's name. Literal worst-case scenario there. And the 'benefactor' she spoke of was almost certainly someone connected to her family - either directly, or potential allies seeking to marry into or benefit from the crime syndicate. Was it her old Fiance? A family member? Just some random unrelated criminal that wanted to use her power for money? Didn't matter. Peterson's life was threatened almost immediately after the revelation, and if they knew Rupa's true identity, then the rifles those men were carrying were almost certainly not going to shoot metal bullets at her. Probably gas pellets or rubber rounds. Fighting wasn't an option, like she said. And considering the kill switch was a damn ring on her hand, there wasn't an easy out here. Rupa was starting to hate hostage situations... [color=00a99d]"...Really locked us down with this one. Good job. You mind if we stick to aliases? I don't really like the P-word, and you probably don't want me calling you Mrs. Peterson the whole time. You make this master plan? If so, you should have given your goons some predator masks to match the cloaking thing."[/color] The girl dropped her fighting stance, fists unclenched and shoulders slumped. It was strange how calm Rupa was. She nearly had a panic attack when Eva was stabbed a month ago, and had cried when Mr. Peterson was holding her at gun point a minute or two ago. But this woman not only knew her real name, but she also had a hostage and more than twice their manpower. And, despite that, Rupa didn't feel anything. It was a very familiar and very uncomfortable sensation. She was starting to wish she had stuck around with the Psych Eval like she was originally assigned. Needed a distraction before she did something stupid. Saw reference? Maybe Home Alone? Both had traps, didn't really fit. She flicked her eyes to one of the posters on the wall and spoke again. [color=00a99d]"Hey, you were married to the guy - is it true that Mr. Peterson collected most of the props from The Thing? I'm thinking about asking for the Spider-Head after we free him from whatever power or tech you're using on him. I'll put it on a shelf in my living room, right next to your mugshot."[/color] There we go. Throw in some quips, see if you can bait out some information. Not as many profanities as Rupa would have liked, but it probably wasn't smart to push things when Ada had a kill switch on her finger and guns pointed at the others. If Rupa was lucky, Gematria might be able to sneak a message to the others' earpieces while Rupa distracted their captors with pointless dialogue. Hopefully, one of the other heroes shows up soon. Rupa heard Eva on her earpiece a minute or two ago when she responded to Wireframe's message, and she said that Jake (probably Blast? Rupa hadn't really asked the guy's name) and Stray were in the cellar. Wireframe should be nearby and hopefully would be able to get them out of whatever horrific situation Ada would probably lead them into. Or at least cause enough confusion that Rupa could try and destroy Ada's ring. Or her hand, either worked reall- no, preferably the ring. Rupa kept her eyes on the other woman, waiting for Ada's response. She didn't really expect any answers to her questions, nor would they be especially useful if she got them - she was honestly just hoping it might trip the woman up, or she might slip a name or one of her benefactors. Realistically, she'd just lead them at gunpoint to some more secure part of the mansion so she could trap or kill them. Whatever the case, it was better to dwell on that than on how this woman had managed to uncover Rupa's true identity. Or how many other people did the same.