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[img]https://i.imgur.com/LgSd4Mv.png[/img]   [img]https://i.imgur.com/FdpPCOc.png[/img]

[h1]Khor Kosović - The Eel, Akula Gun Team Frosty[/h1]

[hr]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xJy74IyU_s[/youtube]
[/center]

[h2]Heavy Crossguard - Warehouse South[/h2]

[b]Interactions:[/b] None [b]Mentions:[/b] [@Yankee] Adel Dawson - Silver Canary
Khor looked at a burner phone. It was time and Adel was a no show. Her fingers went to the keypad to start dialing his number but they froze. She knew full well if he wanted to be here or was able to, he'd have least called her. Worst case scenario the Silver Canary had decided to save his own skin and told Vincent everything. Deep down, she hoped he did, knowing full well what the alternative meant for his absence. That and if Adel told Vincent about her plans the warehouse would be that much richer a target environment.

Khor tilted her head back. She could do this without him but now she had to find him and start acting on that immediately. Thoughts swirled on how to go about this new dilemma, taking stock of what was already on the table. She had a fireteam notorious for their excessive force and love for explosives. There was an asset of value to her target likely full of manpower to burn. Maybe the answer was as simple as to turn up the heat and let Vincent come to her.

Khor turned to Grinch and his men checking over their fortifications of the building. Looking over them and their equipment their notoriety seemed to check out. Underslung grenade launchers, heavy support weapons, a bag full of suspiciously shaped cylinders clinking about in metallic cadence when carried. This could work. She called out. “Grinchy~. A word?”

Grinch groaned as he approached. “Look boss, we don’t ever get to use the heavy stuff, and when you said build a stronghold.” He started gesturing his hands to what he was talking about. “The back is barricaded to shit, the front facing the warehouse is prepared with every firing port and murderhole we could imagine. What you described sounded like we’d be starting a siege, so don’t get up me for over prepping.”

Khor hummed. “Hmm? No, I was about to say it’s perfect. How do you feel about a killhouse instead of a heist?” She waved her hand. “Don’t worry you’ll still get rich. I’ll see about stealing a truck loaded with goods. With my Gyft I either blink out in a flash or slow things down and crash through anything in my way. I was just thinking it’d be a shame if everything left in there happened to be a crater, you know?” She smiled. “Plus the cover would definitely let me slip in while you boys rain down shit and hellfire. What do you think?”

Grinch seemed lost in thought for a moment, smile getting wider as he considered the plan. “So we get a target range to drop a bomb on while you do all the heavy lifting? Shit I should’ve brought the boys some beers. We’ll keep ‘em buried under fire. Don’t you worry.” Grinch called out. “Change of plans lads! Firing positions. We cover Eel’s approach and keep laying fire before we get overwhelmed. On withdrawal order, back underground and we lose them in the sewers. Sound good?” A general affirmation or eagerness was heard.

Jeremy gave a hoot, feeling much more in his senses, alive and rearing for the glory of war. [b]”Hell yeah, Grinch!”[/b]

Lucky piped up with a laugh. “Order of the infantry! Diggin’ holes and stackin’ bodies!”

Grinch sneered. “And how we shall pile them high.” He turned to Khor. “We’ve got you boss. Let’s go kick these play pretend bikers teeth in.”

Khor moved underground and came up beside the warehouse to wait at a side door. Indicating she was ready a line of smoke flew from Gun team Frosty’s building before an all mighty explosion chewed into the warehouse walls. An RPG-7, ‘crazy bastards’ Khor thought with a chuckle. Gun fire erupted as the Akula’s went to work, fire returning from the new breaches in the warehouse. 

More explosions ensured the occupants had more firing ports so that their full attention would be on the Akula stronghold for the moment. Two reinforced positions pouring tracers into each other over the no man's land the road formed below. A kill zone no one would dare to cross until the weight of fire could be resolved one way or another.

Khor took the opportunity. Quietly breaking through the door her entry was assured. Now time would tell if there was anyone left with mind enough to be checking for someone trying to slip in or if another party would try to take advantage of the chaos as well.

[hr]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/gexJTMD.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/6toYlue.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/irBpQpD.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/InbuHKx.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/sa2WmhO.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/LgSd4Mv.png[/img]   [img]https://i.imgur.com/FdpPCOc.png[/img]

[h1]Wolves, Burberry Branch of Nocturnia PD, Akulas[/h1]

[hr]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ5gtInauiI[/youtube]
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[h2]Heavy Crossguard - Warehouse North[/h2]

[sub]Collaboration between [@flux], [@Herald], and [@Estylwen][/sub]
[b]Interactions:[/b] NA [b]Mentions:[/b] NA

[hr]

Hercule Squad stayed low as they moved to keep pace with Leon, the Nocturnia Captain already clad in his Nemean Armor and shifted into the full monster his gyft allowed him to become. The members of Hercule squad were well adjusted to their Captain’s altered state, the result of dozens of missions together and countless hours of training. Together, they crouched behind a series of elongated metal crates that were part of the camouflage for the warehouse, taking a moment to assess the situation. 

The plan was to quietly breach a back door, subdue resistance en route, and confirm evidence of illegal activity before calling in the rest of the units to overwhelm any remaining defenders. Between Leon and Freya, anything shy of bomb shelter doors were really just a suggestion to their breaching practices. Over the last hour, Nocturnia PD officers in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles had quietly begun setting up traffic control points to effectively cut the building and the surrounding half mile from the rest of the city. Thirty heavily armed officers waited in a half dozen blacked out vans tucked out of sight for rapid response if Leon should need them. It was a good plan. Subtle. Effective. 

And then the rpg hit the front doors, and all hell broke loose.

Leon’s head buzzed as Hugh’s gyft allowed him to relay the thoughts of the team, words and concepts moving at the speed of thought until entire conversations were packed into mere seconds. The team was already starting to move before the earpiece for Leon’s radio buzzed.

“Adam 9, Ocean 4. I’ve got eyes on one hell of a firefight on the side of the building opposite your breach. Unknown hostiles firing on the Thorns. Orders?,” came the whispered voice of one of his sniper teams.

“All Oceans, hold fire, do not give away our presence. Could just be another gang,” Leon muttered into the microphone taped to his throat. Had Fitzclarence decided Leon wasn’t going to hold up his end of the deal? Had the commissioner brought in outside assistance? He let out a savage growl, irritated at this new presence that was forcing him to change plans on the fly.

“All units begin interdiction protocols. Permission granted to open fire in response to threat to life. Disable all vehicles attempting to flee this area that do not submit to search and seizure. Response units ready up,” Leon ordered, already moving into a sprint along with the rest of the team. Even over this short of distance, only Freya could keep up with him and only while channeling her gyft.

“Eric is asking if you want breach charges,” Hugh’s voice, always a bit fuzzy sounding, echoed in his head.

“Negative, building is going to get even more unstable the more these people fight. Weapons free. Take Hercule Squad and secure the evidence. Roise can tail me for backup. I will breach,” Leon communicated back, pouring on the speed. His armored shoulder collided with the emergency exit doors, buckling them inwards and barely slowing him down. He let his momentum carry him past any guns that might be swung in his direction, slamming through another interior wall and finding himself in some small office or storage space with the lights flickering on and off. Giving an annoyed huff, he unslung the oversized modified M500 shotgun from where it had been sitting on his back and began his own hunt.

“Kill any cameras you see, remember the briefing. At least two gyfted of serious capability are expected around here somewhere. Capture if possible, but take no risks,” Leon’s thoughts buzzed towards Hugh. Tucked inside of his armor and secured with rigged velcro straps was the strange ‘mist diffuser’ a sergeant had delivered to him, claiming it had been dropped off by some weirdo talking about friends in Riverbend. He hoped he would have no need to test it’s use. Matthias could be looking to take out a very gullible lion along with Vincenzo after all.

To say it was chaos in the warehouse was an understatement. 

[b]”Zeus, we got more company. A team of cops to the south, a single biker to the north east.”[/b] Buzzed a punk over the comms.

Zeus gave a growl of disgust, taking cover behind a crate. He pressed his comms, yelling over the gunfire. [b]”Team Gutter, Slide, take out these cops. I'll go after the biker.”[/b]

Before he snarled impatiently, pressing his comms again. [b]”Akira, stop sitting on your ass and take care of these bullets!”[/b]

Akira didn't hesitate. He stepped out of the office, hand raised as he moved into the line of sight of the holes in the wall. Instantly, the bullets froze up, the punks and the Akulas. For the briefed moment, it was strikingly still. Until Akira flicked his wrist, and all the bullets shot towards the Akulas. 

Grinch saw the bullets freeze, eyes wide screaming his command. “GEDDOWN!”

Fire and fragmentation screamed through the building. Shrapnel bouncing off every surface. Hands clasping rifles and helmets. Ricochet’s dying down a man screaming rose above it. Grinch yelled out. “Casualty? Casualty! Lucky?”

Lucky screamed back. “Dancer’s down but not out. Give me a minute I’ll spike him back in the fight!”

Grinch addressed the situation. “Prepare to keep pouring on. Motherfucker can’t keep that up forever.” The building buzzed with activity. Grinch barking orders. “Rudolph! Set tubes array barrage seventy degrees salvo five frag. Range then fire for effect, rain dogshit over that barrier!”

Ruldolph cheering. “Dogshit priming, ten till barrage!”

More orders. “Blitzen, Comet! Rocket ready. Prepare fire the moment they return shots.”

Blizen and Comet affirmed. “Copy!”

Last confirmation. Grinch looked at a man. “Snowy! How you holding up?”

Jeremy was white-knuckling his rifle, but was solid on his feet. [b]”Bloodthirsty, Grinch!”[/b]

Grinch raised his hand ready to give the fire order while eying off who he thought was responsible for the barrier, breathing settling again. “Let's see how much of this you can take you little shit.”

Akira kept his stance, staring through the holes at the opposite building, keeping his shield up.

It was a double-edged sword, as the punks within the warehouse wouldn't be able to hit the Akulas. Instead, they narrowed their eyes and played the waiting game. Some had already departed, Gutter and Slide already heading towards the south of the building. 

With the rather absent sound of gunfire, Zeus bared his teeth in a wolfish smile. He scooted off the floor, before he disappeared in a streak of black lightning. Approximately two seconds later, he reappeared, sailing through the air with an electrified punch aimed right at Khor's helmet. The shock would be strong enough to knock her out flat, if it connected.

Meanwhile, there was a rush of spiked combat boots as approximately ten punks stormed the offices. The one where Leon was within, one unpinned a grenade, cracked open the door, chucked it in, and gave it a strong slam before dashing back. The punks around him had their guns trained on the hallway and the door, opening fire on anything that moved.

Across the road Rudolph called out. “Barrage ranged and ready!”

Grinch’s hand fell, his orders filling the room. “Commence barrage all rifles open fire! Fire! FIRE! Hold their focus!” Rifles erupted again with the sound of grenades thunking up into the sky above the warehouse.

Leon watched the grenade bounce into the room, a timer already going off in his head. Four seconds. That’s annoying. If it had been anyone else there might have been some panic, but he had one advantage the gangster didn’t- All of his allies were still outside the building.

“Flashbangs,” Leon thought towards Hugh as the grenade slid to a halt. His options a bit limited, he decided weathering the blast was a better option than trying to get rid of it. He leapt for the corner closest to the door, roaring and plunging a fist through the door’s handle and hauling it inside to provide a shield against the explosion.

Outside, Hugh and Roise pulled a pair of M84s as they sprinted to either side of the hole where the door used to be. With practiced motions, the pins were pulled and each of them tossed  them into the hallway on opposing sides from each other. Each of them fire blindly into the hallways to discourage any fast thinking souls from trying to kick or toss the grenades back.

Inside the building, Leon braced the door with one hand near the top and used his other to cover his head. Multiple explosions, far more than just the one grenade and the two flashbangs went off, causing a ringing in his ears that just made him angry. The shrapnel and force of the explosion struck the door and cracked it, but the interior walls of a warehouse mean little to explosives. In the chaos of the flashbangs, Leon ripped the door away and opened fire, diving into the gangsters on one side and taking full advantage of the strength and savagery his gyft afforded him.

Squad Hercule dashed their way inside and took up cover positions, no quarter offered in the face of the firepower they were dealing with. Leon’s instructions had been clear. Everyone on his team was going home today, no matter how many gangsters they had to pile up to make that happen. Their shots were synchronized nearly perfectly, Hugh’s gyft allowing them to designate targets and ensure no moment was wasted. 

[hr]

[b]”This is such bullshit.”[/b]

Two bikers, sitting idly just twenty paces from the roadblock set up to block their way from the warehouse, were glaring daggers at the cop cars with their flashy lights.

One turned to the other, denoted by the red teeth in her helmet. [b]”You know we don't have time for this.”[/b]

Her partner sighed a bit, before tracing a hand through the air. Instantly, the cement cracked, creating a ramp over the police cars. And the cars themselves sank into the road, wheels trapped in chunky pavement.

Two seconds later, the bikers were ripping down the road past the roadblock, much faster than any speed limit. Beelining it to the warehouse.

[hr]

The shift in the Akula's attack took Akira by surprise, explosions ringing out on the roof. Men dove to the side as cement and bricks fell before Akira shifted the barrier, causing it to shape more like a sphere. His arm trembled a little; holding the bullets and whatever the hell else these people were lugging at them was getting [i]heavy[/i].

One bullet fought against Akira's slipping hold, making it through the barrier and lodging itself in a punk's shoulder, causing the man to fall back. Akira's head snapped to catch the motion, teeth clenching. [b]”Fuck. Where [i]is[/i] he?”[/b]

That was when a peculiar sight caught Akira's attention. In the No Man's land between the warehouse and the Akula's, a red-horned biker rolled up, black hair spilling out in the wind behind them. They screeched to a stop, hand raised at the Akula's building.

[b]”Akira, cover me.”[/b] Said Merc's voice over the comms.

Akira immediately looked more relieved. He responded by discharging all the accumulated bullets he held, careful that they avoided Merc while raining down on the Akulas. Then, his influence placed a spherical shield around Merc, protecting her from any bullets that these mercenaries might throw at her.

Meanwhile, flames began to pour from Merc's hand. All types of flaming hellhounds began to form, growling and snarling at the building the Akula's were in. Then, a snap of her fingers, and the hellhounds began pouring into the Akula's building, like a wave of living fire, aiming to sweep over the Akulas and turn the entire building into a living bonfire. The hellhounds intelligently chased after targets, but wouldn't actually chase them if the Akulas decided to retreat.

On the other side of the warehouse, there was a gurgle as the last of Gutter and Slide fell to the ground, gripping his blood-slicked chest as the lights left his eyes. Leon and his team made ground, making it closer to the main area where the open floor was filled with crates and a couple trailers. Leon would be able to see from the edge of the offices Zeus about to peg Khor in the face off in the distance. But, before he could take another step, there was a roar of an engine.

The wall gave away to his direct right, literally melting away like water as a shining bike, flying through the air, launched itself directly at Leon at breakneck speeds. At the same time, the ceiling over Team Hercule cracked, and gave way, hoping to drown the officers in cement and rubble.

The culprit stood in the light of the day, hand on the wall as he stood in the gaping hole of the warehouse. 

Jackson.

He pressed his comms. [b]”Focus on those inside the warehouse, priority to protect the Boss’ stuff, especially the lab and the specimens.”[/b]

Hoots and hollers crackled over the intercoms. [b]”Got it, boss!”[/b]

Jackson's eyes focused on Leon and his team, walls already shifting to create a barrier between them. Breath held, before being carefully released.

Pain shot through Khor’s chest. Time stood still. Holding the physical toll she tried to take in everything around her as it all went off at once. New bikers, walls coming down, her team ceased firing again and a tactical team of cops breaching in. A man looked like he was bringing a wall down on the tactical team and if they went down all focus would fall on her. She had a plan, a bad plan but it was the best bet she had. First on the list though, Mr lightning bolt.

([url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28416] Khor :[/url] 8 + 6 Boost = 14 (Max 12)
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28417]Zeus:[/url] 8)
[hider=Khor Boost/Exhaustion breakdown]
Khor Heavy boost + self field, 16 exhaustion (was 0 + 16 = Current 16).
[/hider]

She ducked slightly and allowed time around her to flow again. Zeus’s face met Khor’s fist at full momentum, spinning her to the ground with the now stunned man. Scrambling, she found her feet boosting again. Chest thumping, veins raising, sprinting across the floor as the chaos sped up in real time only around herself before reaching Leon’s team. Moving as a blur she collapsed behind them as their perception of the fight slowed to a freeze. Khor’s hoarse breath shouted out. “Time stop make it count! Go!” {Leon + NPC’s roll buff}.

[hider=Khor Boost/Exhaustion breakdown]
Khor Heavy boost + adjacent field, 32 exhaustion (was 16 + 32 = Current 48). {50+ = Incapacitation check}
Khor exhaustion +25, now suffers - 1 to D6, - 2 to D12, - 3 to D20 roll results
Leon & nearby NPC’s get + 3 to D6, +6 to D12, +9 to D20 roll results on next roll
[/hider]

Grinch ducked the wave of return fire before shouting orders. “Rocket! Rocket! Rocket! Now!”

No shot. “You alive? What’s happening?”

A rocket firing. Comet’s voice. “I’ve got some holes in me but I’m still in it.”

Grinch nodded, noticing the lack of grenade fire as well. “Rudolph? Where’s that cover?”

He looked behind to find Rudolph on his back, blood beginning to pool slowly. “Shi- Down! Man down Lucky! Where the fuck are you Lucky?!”

Lucky came around the corner struggling with a limp. “We’re catching too much goddamn shrapnel, we need to go.” He fell onto Rudolph going to work on the man bleeding out.

Grinch shook his head. “Not yet, dump those rockets then we’ll think about-”

Screaming from below. Dancer. “No. No NO FIRE! OH JESUS FIRE FI-”

His voice devolved into unintelligible panic as a glow rushed up the stairs. Hounds from hell hunting damned men. The first charged down Grinch. Rifle raised too late plasma teeth tore through the suit. Wounds cauterised through blinding pain the man fired his rifle dumping the magazine into the creature. No result. He ripped his knife through the beast swinging without effect. Arms flailing through the ball of plasma, suit failing, hound rearing for one last bite he began to panic until a cloud of white engulfed him and the hound.

Grinch slapped for his rifle as the cloud cleared before firing a grenade at the stairs. Rubble formed an impromptu barrier but they were already clawing, tearing it away, and if not them then the fire growing below. Snowman held a now empty fire extinguisher that saved Grinch’s life. With the red canister in Snowman’s hands being the only one in sight they knew they were doomed the moment the hounds breached the barrier. Grinch roared orders through the pain. “Perimeter on the rocket team! Dump munitions, open those walls, then we fight our way out!”

Ammo began cooking off from Dancer’s machine gun nest below. Lucky pulled Rudolph behind Grinch trying to treat the wounded man while Snowman and Grinch dumped a final wave of fire at the warehouse. “Who’s going for Dancer?” The lack of reply among the frantic defence spoke volumes of Dancer’s fate. Their suits would protect them from the heat to a degree, but the moment the hounds tore into them, they knew it wouldn’t save them. Now only desperation drove the team onward.

Leon growled, barely getting an arm up in time to deflect the worst of the motorcycle strike. He watched the concrete break up and flow to create new walls, his thoughts broadcasting the information to Hugh who could spread the information. The adrenaline in his veins was already surging and he leapt once more to the attack on this biker that was already attacking his team.

Why did things suddenly seem so… slow? 

The confusion radiated for the barest of moments, as Hugh immediately ordered the team clear of the collapsing ceiling and taking up new firing positions to expand their zones of fire across the interior of the warehouse.

How many gyfted were in here? Leon’s glimpse of the electric man… this new material mover… a time changer? Had one of Vincenzo’s capos made a mistake and given Hercule an edge by accident? Unlikely. The firepower from the front of the building, whatever third faction was here was at least an enemy of the Roses.

“Change of plans. Give me Freya. We’ll take the biker close quarters. Arthur, Roise, get a flanking position, someplace higher up with eyes on what the hell is going on up front. Hugh, Eric, find me that god damned evidence”, Leon’s orders flowed across the connection.

Without any words being exchanged, Leon and Freya moved with a speed that bordered on the supernatural, their gyfts already enhancing their physical abilities and making the most out of the remaining time dilation as they jumped, slid, and wove their way through the barriers towards their target.

Hugh and Eric split off without another word, looking for any kind of door or stairs that would take them to another part of the warehouse. Roise took the lead in front of Arthur, searching for higher ground that would give them a line of sight on whatever fight was taking place between that lightning man and the other unknown, or the battle for the front of the building.

As Leon and Freya pounded their way towards Jackson, his fist clenched. The concrete underneath them would immediately turn to quicksand, hoping to ensnare them. But would it be quick enough?

([url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28434]Proof 1[/url] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28435]Proof 2[/url] Jackson: 12 Leon & Freya: 5 + 6 Boost = 11)

As Jackson watched, Leon and Freya fell to their waists in gray quicksand. Just as quickly as the concrete was loose and fluid, it hardened, encasing the halves of their bodies in concrete. Jackson was quick to move, attempting to kick the guns from Leon and Freya's hands.

Roise and Arther would easily find the metal grated staircase that would lead them to the second floor overlooking the warehouse. They would see Zeus and Khor below, as well as the ten remaining punks in the warehouse, as well as Akira. 

The punks shifted their focus from the Akulas outside to firing on Roise and Arthur's position. Akira, however, had ducked behind some cover.

[b]”Take cover, I can't shield the building anymore.”[/b] Akira would say in a pained voice through the comms. It was then that bullets tore through the front of the warehouse again, catching two punks, who fell dead.

Merc, however, was having the time of her life. The living fires within the Akula's building shifted and morphed, coming together to form a caterpillar that stretched out and crawled up the gaping hole in the staircase. Then, they split back into the hellhounds, charging relentlessly towards the remaining Akulas.

Meanwhile, within the building, Hugh and Eric found the door to an unlocked office. However, when they entered, it was much larger on the inside. There was a long, stainless steel table filled with beakers steaming and hissing, filled with pink liquid. There was a cloying smell, boxes of Sugarcrush vials around the room, and more importantly - young adults, some men, some women, chained by their ankles to the floor, obviously being exploited to to brew the drugs. As the cops came in, their hands would throw up in the air, cowering in their seats.

In the main lobby if the warehouse, Zeus was slowly getting up off the floor, his face bloodied from her punch. With a growl, he raised his hand at her, and a massive lightning bolt aimed to strike her. The heat was cranked up - this would hurt worse than a taser, maybe even knock her on her ass.

[b]”Dodge this, bastard.”[/b] Zeus hissed.

Khor scuttled out of the way of the collapsing roof, chest heaving to try to recover from the strain on her body. Anymore and she wasn’t sure if she’d be on her feet after this fight. Looking up she saw the SWAT team leader's situation, breath escaping her. “Shit…”

They could be about to execute or capture, she wasn’t sure which would be worse. Looking back she could flee, live to fight another day now that it was getting grim. Her own team seemed to be barely functional from the intermittent firing. It was the rational option. Eyes back on the immobilised captain though, the decision was clear. 

A two barrelled flare gun whipped from her jacket. Black smoke followed red smoke through the holes in the warehouse. To run wasn’t in her blood. Not the way of their culture. Now was the time to fight or die. Her eyes caught Zeus again right before the bolt of lightning flew. “Shit!”

Skin pale. Eyes shivering. Cold sweat. Again.

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28437]Khor roll:[/url] Roll 7 + 6 Boost - 2 Exhaustion = 11 
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28440]Zeus roll:[/url] Roll 7
[hider=Khor Boost/Exhaustion breakdown]
Khor boost self, time stop (48 current + 16 = 64 exhaustion)
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28436]Incapacitated at end of scene check:[/url] Roll 2 - 2 Exhaustion = 0 {FAILED. From end of scene onward, cannot oppose rolls for the remainder of the cycle.}
[/hider]

Her body was running on adrenaline and mad instinct alone. Once the fight settled that would be it. No strength left to even walk away. Gasping and darting to the side she only hoped it would be enough as the lightning bolt still rapidly shot towards her despite the time fluctuation.

Outside team Frosty dumped the last of their rockets into the building, most of the wall now gone. Grinch cried out. “That’s it, we're done! Evac time to-!” Black and Red smoke shot into the air. The men went quiet before Grinch’s voice came out soft. “Change of plan. Snowman, drag Rudolph into that freezer. Blitzen, Comet, Lucky. Bayonets.”

Jeremy bit the inside of his cheek at his namesake, trying to sharpen his own senses. He nodded, [b]”Got it!”[/b] Before putting hands on Rudolph, the man limp in his hands as he tried to drag the man into the freezer.

Comet stared blankly at the smoke as the fires began to reach up the stairs, the plasma hellhounds about to breach. “I hoped I’d never see those colours.”

Lucky gritted his teeth. “Well they’re there.” He bounced while crouched, ready to launch off the first floor onto the street, hesitating only to mutter something to Grinch. “[i]Śmierć przed tyranią...[/i]”

Grinch repeated the words more clearly. “Śmierć przed tyranią…!”

Leaping from the building as hell hounds snapped at heels. A shared war cry. “[b]ŚMIERĆ PRZED TYRANIĄ![/b]”

Grinch landed and ran bayonet first. Blizten went limp in the air as a stray round sailed through his brain. Comet collapsed before scrambling upward and onward. Lucky fell atop a car and began trailing behind. 

Three screaming mad bastards, charging forward through tracers and gun smoke. 

One last effort of defiant insanity.

Jeremy watched the hellhounds racing towards him and Rudolph, the freezer still several meters behind him. He took in a sharp breath, seeing his life flash before his eyes.

Until…

There was nothing but coldness. Jeremy's slowly opened his eyes. Instead of seeing the hellhounds about to kill him, there was a circle of snow softly falling around him, the floor covered in ice. The hellhounds were pacing around this circle, unwilling to cross it.

Jeremy looked up, giving a shaky laugh. He tried to shake Rudolph a bit. [b]”Hey, hey hang in there. We ain't gonna die!”[/b]

Jeremy raced to the blown hole in the wall, trying to extend his influence. Merc had sent flaming ravens to follow after team Frosty, but Jeremy's icy chills turned them into sputtering embers. 

Merc turned to the Akula in the hole of the second story floor, and bared her teeth.

Hugh took stock of the situation, eyes scanning the room for threats. There were so many people here. How many of them were really prisoners? How many were broken so they would view rescue as an act of aggression? He didn’t know the answers and didn’t have time to consider the consequences. 

“Nocturnia PD! Everyone get on the fucking ground, hands behind your back!,” Hugh shouted, discharging a single round into the ceiling to let the prisoners know he was serious. This could be exactly the haul the boss was hoping for, but it meant nothing if they couldn’t get out of here, “cooperate, and we’ll get you out of here if you want us to. Understand we are in a goddamn firefight. Any act of aggression will be answered immediately and without mercy.”

The prisoners acted hastily, shakily diving to the floor and placing their hands behind their backs. Some offered little yelps of fear, but were otherwise quiet.

“Eric, start packing a bag. If we can, we’ll get these people out,” Hugh said, then transferred the remaining words to the mental connection, “you heard the boss though. Evidence is the priority.”

Eric immediately began packing a duffelbag with everything he could scoop off the counters, trying to pack it all safely, but speed was more of his concern at the moment as he stuffed it full. He spared a glance for the prisoners, but he knew where their priorities were. If the Captain or Hugh could, they would get them all out of the building, but not if it meant compromising the team.

Arthur and Roise took stock of the situation, setting up their rifles and bracing against the railing. They both knew what each other was thinking as they scanned their available targets, both of their sights settling on the dueling gyfted persons at the end of the warehouse.

“Which one’s the enemy?,” Arthur thought, his forward sight dancing across Khor’s body while Roise sighted in on Zeus.

“They both are until further notice,” Roise returned via their connection.

“Wait. What the hell…,” Arthur’s thoughts echoed as he watched Khor… accelerate and dodge a bolt of lightning? “Time manipulator?”

“Like the ceiling?”

It was a small piece of evidence, but it was enough to decide at least who would get shot first. Both officers opened fire on Zeus.


Leon looked legitimately surprised as he sank suddenly to his waist, feeling the concrete harden back to normal around his legs. He tried to move, but was stuck fast. He cursed loudly and raised the shotgun towards Jackson as he approached.

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28438] Leon: 3 [/url]

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28441]Jackson: 2 [/url]

Jackson’s boot collided with the shotgun, but Leon had seen it coming and knew there was a much better way to secure what he needed. His grip on the shotgun had been light, entirely too light to justify a harsh kick and as the man’s boot passed through where the shotgun had been, Leon’s hands simply twisted and clamped onto the man’s leg, twisting hard to send him to the ground.

Leon knew there was little time, and no mercy to be had so he hauled the man close enough to grip his neck in one oversized grip and squeezed until spots began to appear in his vision.

“In thirty seconds, no matter what you do, I will be free of this and my team will take this operation down,” Leon said coldly, leaning in close and baring his teeth, “Congratulations. You’re too dangerous for me to spend the time breaking you with pain. You have a choice. Release myself and my partner and be taken into custody alive, but unconscious. Or I snap your neck like a fucking twig. I’m ready to kill for my squad… are you ready to die?” Leon was completely serious. If there was even an unexpected twitch at his location of Freya’s, he would simply twist and sever the man’s spinal cord.

Jackson gasped in Leon's grip, hands miniature compared to his, trying to pry at his arm, trying to get a little more air in his lungs. 

The mix of being pinned and the threats caused Jackson to grit his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead. But he had to be honest, this was decided the moment he let his guard down and let himself get pinned. [i]I'm a [b]fucking[/b] idiot.[/i]

He growled out a huff. Unconscious or dead, [i]great[/i]. But he'd already made his choice, hadn't he?

[b]”Fuck, fine, [i]fine[/i]! I yield. I'll release you, just don't fucking kill me-”[/b]

And the concrete around the two officers loosened. It would be a simple matter of walking up out of it.

Leon growled as he stepped up out of the concrete, letting the man take a single breath, though his fingers still remained on his neck. He looked over at Freya, a bit surprised and relieved to see the man had kept his word. Now it was time to keep his.

“For what it’s worth. Sorry, but you really are too dangerous to stay conscious with my officers,” Leon said, then hauled his arm back and struck the man hard in his temple the the flat of his palm. He checked the man over to be sure he wasn’t faking, then handed him off to Freya.

“He twitches, or the goddamn ground starts liquifying again, two rounds to the head. Three to the heart. That’s an order Freya,” Leon rumbled as Freya put handcuffs on Jackson and started hauling him to a safer space.

Leon’s ears twitched, there was more shouting near the giant hole in the walls, but his connection with Arthur and Roise showed they had overwatch on the events. He turned and scooped up his shotgun, sprinting to the fight.

Khor saw the guns flash up above, hell raining down on her adversary. In that moment she saw a boy in over his head, not sure what the hell he was doing here. She felt the pressure build one last time. “Goddamnit you're gonna get me killed kid.”

She charged forward, one last time. Turning herself into a human torpedo hoping to knock them both out of the fight.

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28444]Khor:[/url] 8 + 6 Boost - 2 Exhaustion = 12
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28443]Zeus: 6[/url]
[hider=Khor Boost/Exhaustion breakdown]
Khor boost self, time stop (64 current + 16 = 90 exhaustion {[i]100 = lethal limit[/i]})
Khor exhaustion +75, now suffers - 2 to D6, - 4 to D12, - 6 to D20 roll results
[/hider]

As bullets hailed around she felt a slicing burn. Colliding with Zeus and both falling behind something solid enough her sunken deathly eyes met his as her sawn off met his chin. “Enough. It’s done. Don’t die here.” Her hands shook, not quite violently but her state was clearly becoming critical. If he decided, he could probably overpower her before she managed to pull the trigger.

Zeus stared up at Khor, gasping weakly from the fall and from the shock of having a gun pointed right at him.

From what he'd seen, Jackson had gotten pinned. Even now, Akira was screaming into the comms after Jackson, with no response.

It was over, wasn't it.

Zeus gritted his teeth, before raising his hands. [b]”This ain't worth dying over, eh?”[/b]

On the street Grinch didn’t notice the heat or the cold of the war Snowman and Merc waged above him. Didn’t even see the resulting mist surrounding him. All that mattered was the breach in the wall and the first man that stood there. Legs pounding. Lungs Burning. Voice screaming.

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28442]1D4 Grinch bayonet charge:[/url] 3

His target heard Grinch roaring too late. The bayonet cleaned straight through his throat. The melee had begun. Ripping the bayonet clean through he wielded the rifle like a polearm. Swinging and thrusting until it came stuck in another man. 

Another aiming at him. Dead man's click. 

Ditching the weapon charging without regard to life his hands wrapped around another target's head as thumbs maneuvered pressing into eyes and slamming until he painted the floor with the man's skull. Then a slam into his chest. Breath blasted from him. Three, he could die knowing he got three more. His breathing laboured as he waited either for the fight to be over or someone to finish him. 

Shots rang out.

“Nocturnia PD, all of you get on the ground!,” Roise shouted as she and Arthur opened fire on the gangsters next. 

There were about five or so punks left, and it didn't take much for them to cower in their cover, falling to their stomachs. Especially after Akira gave the order in the comms; he too sank to the ground.

That left Merc outside, staring down Snowy. But, as she received the order from Akira over the comms, she too sank to her knees, hands on her head, and prayed the snowman didn't freeze her to death.

The gunfire died out. Khor tried to hold on until someone reached her but her body already started twitching. “Not. Now.”

Letting the gun slip from her fingers she rolled aside Zeus. Body beginning to seize and shudder. Muscles firing without order.

Grinch ripped the dented plate from his vest. Able to breathe properly again he just laughed maniacally. He was alive, somehow. Lucky slammed into him. “Boss! Wounded?” Grinch shook his head grinning like a demon, smile falling away as he spotted a body convulsing. “Oh shit she made- Lucky! Help ‘em!”

Lucky leapt forward without any regard that the officers might take it as hostile action. “Medic! Make a hole!” 

Arthur and Roise had both sighted in on the moving man, but the cry of ‘Medic’ was one understood by nearly all sides of conflict, and so Roise kept her sights on the man while Arthur sent over their connection to Hugh that he needed a lift down from Leon. Leon sprinted to the bottom of the stairs where they were keeping watch, catching Arthur as he leapt over the side and then joining him in the run towards the commotion.

Sliding down beside Khor, Lucky looked at Zeus. “You wanna be helpful? hold her down!” He worked without waiting. “Jesus you know better than that. Make your heart explode one day.” 

Zeus swallowed nervously, before nodding, gripping Khor's shoulders to keep her steady.

Chomping on the end of a syringe he thrusted it into her thigh. “Muscle relaxant. Just breathe. You’ll be ok. Just focus on not shitting yourself as that settles you.”

Khor began to stutter words between intermittent pained giggling. “Don’t-. Don’t let me shit myself Lu- Lucky.”

Lucky gave a thumbs up. “She’s fine.” He looked back to Khor, head tilting. “Will be fine, at least. Maybe.”

Grinch’s head fell back, eyes shooting open again as he returned to the moment. “Shit- Snowy! You alive?”

[b]”Alive and kicking, you'll never guess-”[/b] Jeremy hollered from across the road.

“Neat,” Leon growled out as he moved forward, shotgun held low, but in a position that it could be ready in a moment’s notice. With a nod from Leon, Arthur darted to the collapsed Khor but kept his hands up to show he meant no harm.

“Are they stable? Nocturnia PD Special Task Medic,” Arthur said, looking over at Lucky.

Lucky looked at Arthur. “Stabliz-ing.” He made sure to emphasize the uncertainty of the situation. “Seizing is slowly down but vitals are rough. Breathing staggered, pulse tachycardic, and I mean red lining. Observe for now but I’d recommend some shock pads just in case.”

“I can probably help with that, but she’s your patient. If you want a hand, I’ll be nearby, just need to know the usual. Blood type, allergies, previous history,” Arthur said, though he took an extra look to make his own assessment. Still, it was always better to go with the medic who knew the patient instead of the one who didn’t. Lucky proceeded to fill out Arthurs questions despite Khor’s rambling beneath them. “Gu- Guys it’s fine. I’m fi- fine. Really. I went s- so fast.” Giggling again. “And my he- heart didn’t explode. And kid di- didn’t die.” She looked at Zeus. “It’s a good d- day.”

Zues made a face, [b]”Lady, don't die cause of me-”[/b]

“Captain MacAoidh of Nocturnia PD. Technically, all of you may consider yourself under arrest right now. That might change depending on your answers to my questions. Let’s start with who the hell is in charge of your outfit,” Leon said, gesturing towards the Akulas.

A voice came from behind. Grinch raised a weak hand, still sat down breathing heavily. “Her. But all considered, for right now at least, me.” He laughed. “And they say there’s never a cop when you need one. What can I do for ya.” His smile died again, mouth turning to concern. “Where’s Blitzen? Comet? They make it?”

Trying to turn his head he couldn’t find them, but Blitzen’s huge body rested crumpled out in front of the Akula strong point while Comet laid face down, not breathing.

Leon’s eyes narrowed at the man, doubting he would get any real answers. He reached out through the mental connection for Hugh. “Lieutenant, roll our friends in and tell them to bring at least 5 EMS transports. Likely a half-dozen to a full dozen wounded. Two or three times that many dead.”

“Copy Captain, support en route. Sir… there’s prisoners up here. Working on sugarcrush.”

A very audible curse left Leon’s mouth, but he focused again on the connection. “Double the EMS then, and get me some social workers. We’ve got people to get back to their homes…”

Out loud, Leon said, “You can have one of your men check for your friends. Unarmed. In about five minutes this place will be swarming with over thirty Nocturnia PD officers. I’ll be blunt. I don’t know who the hell you are. I don’t know why you’re here. What I do know is you’re carrying enough ordinance to level a neighborhood, broke at least 26 laws in this engagement, and very nearly killed yourselves or us.”

Grinch called out again. “Fights done Snowy, check the street. Find Blitzen and Comet.” His head rolled forward and down again, eyes blinking, mumbling without interrupting Leon. “26? I think that’s a record…”

“That being said, I suspect I owe your boss a favor. Cooperate, make use of our medic and the EMS when they arrive, and you all might see home tomorrow,” Leon said, as close to a generous offer as he was capable of making considering the situation, “agreed?”

Grinch’s head lolled back again, tired eyes resting on Leon. “With a deal that sweet you could slap me in a dress and call me Samantha and I’d still take it. Sounds good to me.”

Grinch swallowed. “Hope we didn’t hit you guys. For what it’s worth you’re alright.” Grinch’s breathing finally slowed. “Be sure to thank her.” He pointed to Khor. “Without her signal we would’ve just bugged out.”

“I said I ‘suspect’ a favor is owed. It doesn’t get cashed in until I’m sure of what happened,” Leon said. Already, emergency sirens could be heard getting closer to the warehouse. 

As Leon surveyed the wreckage of the warehouse, he cursed one more time in his head. He might have found the evidence and even put some criminals away… but Antonia was going to have his ass in a sling for the mess that could formally be called a building.

Grinch chuckled, seemingly picking up on the captain's concern. “Don’t worry.” His head gestured to the building, smiling like an idiot. “You can blame us!”

[hr]

While the mess at the warehouse was bagged up, a certain portal glowed in the back of a mobile van. Out stepped Frankie, looking white in the face and like he had just escaped death. He looked over at Cyrus, sitting in one of the chairs with a hand pressed to one of his sides. Behind Cyrus, the glow of screens of a portable Solaris Eye glimmered.

Frankie took a step towards the screens, [b]”Thanks, man. We still got a job to do, eh?”[/b]

Cyrus gave a wincing smile as he shifted in his seat. [b]”Rescuing the princess? Yeah. I’ll bring her in, you do all the heavy lifting, m’kay?”[/b]

Frankie turned to Cyrus, eyeing his side. Cyrus gave a sheepish smile. [b]”Things didn’t go so well when I was talking with the Canaries. ‘S fine, I’ll live.”[/b]

Images and feeds of the warehouse were seen through the screens. Cyrus hobbled to stoop on the van’s floor, pouring out a water bottle. And, within the warehouse, a portal made in the perfect shape of Khor’s prone figure manifested. She fell through, finally slipping unconscious from the strain prior, and the portal disappeared after. 

Within the van, Frankie dragged Khor from the portal, handcuffed her hands behind her back, and shot a gyft negator into her chest, prohibiting her from using her gyft. Not that she was in much of a position to use it. 

Frankie looked down at her, mumbling to himself. [b]”Fancy seeing you again, huh?”[/b]

And the van took off, heading to Pennystakes.