Just a shark floating through the void with way too many bee's in the brain.
Self taught writer, artist, programmer and whatever the hell else the ADHD demands to be understood. Still reading? Enjoy a race ship~. newgrounds.com/art/view/fluxyshark/wi…
XD in all fairness Leon would probably have the best chance through just presence of authority (I feel like Leon is the kind of guy people go quiet around when he enters a room, at least before they know him) by commanding a moment of clarity just through presence for Khor to actually focus on it. In another life she absolutely would've been the budding buddy cop always trying to get a rise out of Leon while secretly admiring his ideals and efforts (She'd never admit it, but she'd be a soppy shit about it lol).
As for Asterion, I think they'd have that mutual understanding and respect toward each other, especially if Khor was more cautious about the fact she could accidentally blink herself out of existence haha.
If she fits that extremely vague and somewhat specific description above appearance wise even with all the weirdness. Yep. You wouldn't be wrong. đ
She wouldn't be an exact match but suprisingly close to it lol. Relatively small, wirey in build, basic black bob hair, not completely flat chested but enough to be mistaken for a man in full bike gear, but feminine without it. Thinking about it now she'd probably be closest associated as asexual or at most demi for nothing else than that her brain is far too chaotic to stop to think about sex, romance or attraction lol. I think if a character made a pass on her she'd either be confused or utterly hopeless at navigating it XD.
EDIT: Or she'd try let someone down gently, then be an obnoxious shit if they kept on trying haha.
Also can't believe Khor got got, joining her failboy BFF in getting kidnapped. WHERE ARE THE COPS WHEN YOU NEED THEM
The cops were there to stop Akulas getting themselves murder splattered, that's an achievement in itself! haha
D'awwwwww. They're going to be cellmates with each other! The agenda continues.
Sucks that the Akulas worked so hard in Heavy Crossguard, only for Leo to swoop in and take the prize.
She was gonna find him somehow, and I guess it worked! haha
And I wouldn't say Leo swooped anything from them, they got a mighty big fight, ruined Vincent's shit, and now Khor is on her way to find the Canary, good things come in three~.
Is great success comrade!
(At least success in Khor's mind XD)
"It's only ever Leon who comes looking for you...~"
HERE'S. HOPING. hahaha
Lastly, massive thank you to both @Estylwen and @Herald, that was possibly some of the most fun I've had writing anything ever. Looking forward to what comes next ^w^.
Interactions: None Mentions:@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. âGrinchy~. A word?â
Grinch groaned as he approached. âLook boss, we donât ever get to use the heavy stuff, and when you said build a stronghold.â He started gesturing his hands to what he was talking about. âThe 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 weâd be starting a siege, so donât get up me for over prepping.â
Khor hummed. âHmm? No, I was about to say itâs perfect. How do you feel about a killhouse instead of a heist?â She waved her hand. âDonât worry youâll still get rich. Iâll 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 itâd be a shame if everything left in there happened to be a crater, you know?â She smiled. âPlus the cover would definitely let me slip in while you boys rain down shit and hellfire. What do you think?â
Grinch seemed lost in thought for a moment, smile getting wider as he considered the plan. âSo we get a target range to drop a bomb on while you do all the heavy lifting? Shit I shouldâve brought the boys some beers. Weâll keep âem buried under fire. Donât you worry.â Grinch called out. âChange of plans lads! Firing positions. We cover Eelâs approach and keep laying fire before we get overwhelmed. On withdrawal order, back underground and we lose them in the sewers. Sound good?â 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. âHell yeah, Grinch!â
Lucky piped up with a laugh. âOrder of the infantry! Digginâ holes and stackinâ bodies!â
Grinch sneered. âAnd how we shall pile them high.â He turned to Khor. âWeâve got you boss. Letâs go kick these play pretend bikers teeth in.â
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 Frostyâs building before an all mighty explosion chewed into the warehouse walls. An RPG-7, âcrazy bastardsâ Khor thought with a chuckle. Gun fire erupted as the Akulaâs 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.
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 Captainâs 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.
Leonâs head buzzed as Hughâs 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 Leonâs radio buzzed.
âAdam 9, Ocean 4. Iâve got eyes on one hell of a firefight on the side of the building opposite your breach. Unknown hostiles firing on the Thorns. Orders?,â came the whispered voice of one of his sniper teams.
âAll Oceans, hold fire, do not give away our presence. Could just be another gang,â Leon muttered into the microphone taped to his throat. Had Fitzclarence decided Leon wasnât 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.
âAll 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,â 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.
âEric is asking if you want breach charges,â Hughâs voice, always a bit fuzzy sounding, echoed in his head.
âNegative, 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,â 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.
âKill 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,â Leonâs thoughts buzzed towards Hugh. Tucked inside of his armor and secured with rigged velcro straps was the strange âmist diffuserâ 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 itâs 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.
âZeus, we got more company. A team of cops to the south, a single biker to the north east.â 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. âTeam Gutter, Slide, take out these cops. I'll go after the biker.â
Before he snarled impatiently, pressing his comms again. âAkira, stop sitting on your ass and take care of these bullets!â
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. âGEDDOWN!â
Fire and fragmentation screamed through the building. Shrapnel bouncing off every surface. Hands clasping rifles and helmets. Ricochetâs dying down a man screaming rose above it. Grinch yelled out. âCasualty? Casualty! Lucky?â
Lucky screamed back. âDancerâs down but not out. Give me a minute Iâll spike him back in the fight!â
Grinch addressed the situation. âPrepare to keep pouring on. Motherfucker canât keep that up forever.â The building buzzed with activity. Grinch barking orders. âRudolph! Set tubes array barrage seventy degrees salvo five frag. Range then fire for effect, rain dogshit over that barrier!â
Ruldolph cheering. âDogshit priming, ten till barrage!â
More orders. âBlitzen, Comet! Rocket ready. Prepare fire the moment they return shots.â
Blizen and Comet affirmed. âCopy!â
Last confirmation. Grinch looked at a man. âSnowy! How you holding up?â
Jeremy was white-knuckling his rifle, but was solid on his feet. âBloodthirsty, Grinch!â
Grinch raised his hand ready to give the fire order while eying off who he thought was responsible for the barrier, breathing settling again. âLet's see how much of this you can take you little shit.â
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. âBarrage ranged and ready!â
Grinchâs hand fell, his orders filling the room. âCommence barrage all rifles open fire! Fire! FIRE! Hold their focus!â 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. Thatâs annoying. If it had been anyone else there might have been some panic, but he had one advantage the gangster didnât- All of his allies were still outside the building.
âFlashbangs,â 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 doorâs 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. Leonâs 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, Hughâs gyft allowing them to designate targets and ensure no moment was wasted.
âThis is such bullshit.â
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. âYou know we don't have time for this.â
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.
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 heavy.
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. âFuck. Where is he?â
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.
âAkira, cover me.â 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. âFocus on those inside the warehouse, priority to protect the Bossâ stuff, especially the lab and the specimens.â
Hoots and hollers crackled over the intercoms. âGot it, boss!â
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 Khorâs 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.
Khor Heavy boost + self field, 16 exhaustion (was 0 + 16 = Current 16).
She ducked slightly and allowed time around her to flow again. Zeusâs face met Khorâs 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 Leonâs team. Moving as a blur she collapsed behind them as their perception of the fight slowed to a freeze. Khorâs hoarse breath shouted out. âTime stop make it count! Go!â {Leon + NPCâs roll buff}.
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 NPCâs get + 3 to D6, +6 to D12, +9 to D20 roll results on next roll
Grinch ducked the wave of return fire before shouting orders. âRocket! Rocket! Rocket! Now!â
No shot. âYou alive? Whatâs happening?â
A rocket firing. Cometâs voice. âIâve got some holes in me but Iâm still in it.â
Grinch nodded, noticing the lack of grenade fire as well. âRudolph? Whereâs that cover?â
He looked behind to find Rudolph on his back, blood beginning to pool slowly. âShi- Down! Man down Lucky! Where the fuck are you Lucky?!â
Lucky came around the corner struggling with a limp. âWeâre catching too much goddamn shrapnel, we need to go.â He fell onto Rudolph going to work on the man bleeding out.
Grinch shook his head. âNot yet, dump those rockets then weâll think about-â
Screaming from below. Dancer. âNo. No NO FIRE! OH JESUS FIRE FI-â
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 Grinchâs life. With the red canister in Snowmanâs 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. âPerimeter on the rocket team! Dump munitions, open those walls, then we fight our way out!â
Ammo began cooking off from Dancerâs 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. âWhoâs going for Dancer?â The lack of reply among the frantic defence spoke volumes of Dancerâs fate. Their suits would protect them from the heat to a degree, but the moment the hounds tore into them, they knew it wouldnât 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? Leonâs glimpse of the electric man⌠this new material mover⌠a time changer? Had one of Vincenzoâs 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.
âChange of plans. Give me Freya. Weâll 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 evidenceâ, Leonâs 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?
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.
âTake cover, I can't shield the building anymore.â 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.
âDodge this, bastard.â 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 wasnât sure if sheâd be on her feet after this fight. Looking up she saw the SWAT team leader's situation, breath escaping her. âShitâŚâ
They could be about to execute or capture, she wasnât 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 wasnât 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. âShit!â
Khor boost self, time stop (48 current + 16 = 64 exhaustion) Incapacitated at end of scene check: Roll 2 - 2 Exhaustion = 0 {FAILED. From end of scene onward, cannot oppose rolls for the remainder of the cycle.}
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. âThatâs it, we're done! Evac time to-!â Black and Red smoke shot into the air. The men went quiet before Grinchâs voice came out soft. âChange of plan. Snowman, drag Rudolph into that freezer. Blitzen, Comet, Lucky. Bayonets.â
Jeremy bit the inside of his cheek at his namesake, trying to sharpen his own senses. He nodded, âGot it!â 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. âI hoped Iâd never see those colours.â
Lucky gritted his teeth. âWell theyâre there.â He bounced while crouched, ready to launch off the first floor onto the street, hesitating only to mutter something to Grinch. âĹmierÄ przed tyraniÄ ...â
Grinch repeated the words more clearly. âĹmierÄ przed tyraniÄ âŚ!â
Leaping from the building as hell hounds snapped at heels. A shared war cry. âĹMIERÄ PRZED TYRANIÄ!â
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.
UntilâŚ
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. âHey, hey hang in there. We ain't gonna die!â
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 didnât know the answers and didnât have time to consider the consequences.
âNocturnia PD! Everyone get on the fucking ground, hands behind your back!,â 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 couldnât get out of here, âcooperate, and weâll 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.â
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.
âEric, start packing a bag. If we can, weâll get these people out,â Hugh said, then transferred the remaining words to the mental connection, âyou heard the boss though. Evidence is the priority.â
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.
âWhich oneâs the enemy?,â Arthur thought, his forward sight dancing across Khorâs body while Roise sighted in on Zeus.
âThey both are until further notice,â Roise returned via their connection.
âWait. What the hellâŚ,â Arthurâs thoughts echoed as he watched Khor⌠accelerate and dodge a bolt of lightning? âTime manipulator?â
âLike the ceiling?â
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.
Jacksonâs 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 manâs boot passed through where the shotgun had been, Leonâs hands simply twisted and clamped onto the manâs 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.
âIn thirty seconds, no matter what you do, I will be free of this and my team will take this operation down,â Leon said coldly, leaning in close and baring his teeth, âCongratulations. Youâre 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. Iâm ready to kill for my squad⌠are you ready to die?â Leon was completely serious. If there was even an unexpected twitch at his location of Freyaâs, he would simply twist and sever the manâs 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'm a fucking idiot.
He growled out a huff. Unconscious or dead, great. But he'd already made his choice, hadn't he?
âFuck, fine, fine! I yield. I'll release you, just don't fucking kill me-â
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.
âFor what itâs worth. Sorry, but you really are too dangerous to stay conscious with my officers,â 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 wasnât faking, then handed him off to Freya.
âHe twitches, or the goddamn ground starts liquifying again, two rounds to the head. Three to the heart. Thatâs an order Freya,â Leon rumbled as Freya put handcuffs on Jackson and started hauling him to a safer space.
Leonâs 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. âGoddamnit you're gonna get me killed kid.â
She charged forward, one last time. Turning herself into a human torpedo hoping to knock them both out of the fight.
Khor boost self, time stop (64 current + 16 = 90 exhaustion {100 = lethal limit}) Khor exhaustion +75, now suffers - 2 to D6, - 4 to D12, - 6 to D20 roll results
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. âEnough. Itâs done. Donât die here.â 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. âThis ain't worth dying over, eh?â
On the street Grinch didnât notice the heat or the cold of the war Snowman and Merc waged above him. Didnât 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.
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.
âNocturnia PD, all of you get on the ground!,â 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. âNot. Now.â
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. âBoss! Wounded?â Grinch shook his head grinning like a demon, smile falling away as he spotted a body convulsing. âOh shit she made- Lucky! Help âem!â
Lucky leapt forward without any regard that the officers might take it as hostile action. âMedic! Make a hole!â
Arthur and Roise had both sighted in on the moving man, but the cry of âMedicâ 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. âYou wanna be helpful? hold her down!â He worked without waiting. âJesus you know better than that. Make your heart explode one day.â
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. âMuscle relaxant. Just breathe. Youâll be ok. Just focus on not shitting yourself as that settles you.â
Khor began to stutter words between intermittent pained giggling. âDonât-. Donât let me shit myself Lu- Lucky.â
Lucky gave a thumbs up. âSheâs fine.â He looked back to Khor, head tilting. âWill be fine, at least. Maybe.â
Grinchâs head fell back, eyes shooting open again as he returned to the moment. âShit- Snowy! You alive?â
âAlive and kicking, you'll never guess-â Jeremy hollered from across the road.
âNeat,â Leon growled out as he moved forward, shotgun held low, but in a position that it could be ready in a momentâs notice. With a nod from Leon, Arthur darted to the collapsed Khor but kept his hands up to show he meant no harm.
âAre they stable? Nocturnia PD Special Task Medic,â Arthur said, looking over at Lucky.
Lucky looked at Arthur. âStabliz-ing.â He made sure to emphasize the uncertainty of the situation. âSeizing is slowly down but vitals are rough. Breathing staggered, pulse tachycardic, and I mean red lining. Observe for now but Iâd recommend some shock pads just in case.â
âI can probably help with that, but sheâs your patient. If you want a hand, Iâll be nearby, just need to know the usual. Blood type, allergies, previous history,â 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 didnât. Lucky proceeded to fill out Arthurs questions despite Khorâs rambling beneath them. âGu- Guys itâs fine. Iâm fi- fine. Really. I went s- so fast.â Giggling again. âAnd my he- heart didnât explode. And kid di- didnât die.â She looked at Zeus. âItâs a good d- day.â
Zues made a face, âLady, don't die cause of me-â
âCaptain 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. Letâs start with who the hell is in charge of your outfit,â Leon said, gesturing towards the Akulas.
A voice came from behind. Grinch raised a weak hand, still sat down breathing heavily. âHer. But all considered, for right now at least, me.â He laughed. âAnd they say thereâs never a cop when you need one. What can I do for ya.â His smile died again, mouth turning to concern. âWhereâs Blitzen? Comet? They make it?â
Trying to turn his head he couldnât find them, but Blitzenâs huge body rested crumpled out in front of the Akula strong point while Comet laid face down, not breathing.
Leonâs eyes narrowed at the man, doubting he would get any real answers. He reached out through the mental connection for Hugh. âLieutenant, 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.â
âCopy Captain, support en route. Sir⌠thereâs prisoners up here. Working on sugarcrush.â
A very audible curse left Leonâs mouth, but he focused again on the connection. âDouble the EMS then, and get me some social workers. Weâve got people to get back to their homesâŚâ
Out loud, Leon said, âYou 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. Iâll be blunt. I donât know who the hell you are. I donât know why youâre here. What I do know is youâre carrying enough ordinance to level a neighborhood, broke at least 26 laws in this engagement, and very nearly killed yourselves or us.â
Grinch called out again. âFights done Snowy, check the street. Find Blitzen and Comet.â His head rolled forward and down again, eyes blinking, mumbling without interrupting Leon. â26? I think thatâs a recordâŚâ
âThat 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,â Leon said, as close to a generous offer as he was capable of making considering the situation, âagreed?â
Grinchâs head lolled back again, tired eyes resting on Leon. âWith a deal that sweet you could slap me in a dress and call me Samantha and Iâd still take it. Sounds good to me.â
Grinch swallowed. âHope we didnât hit you guys. For what itâs worth youâre alright.â Grinchâs breathing finally slowed. âBe sure to thank her.â He pointed to Khor. âWithout her signal we wouldâve just bugged out.â
âI said I âsuspectâ a favor is owed. It doesnât get cashed in until Iâm sure of what happened,â 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. âDonât worry.â His head gestured to the building, smiling like an idiot. âYou can blame us!â
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, âThanks, man. We still got a job to do, eh?â
Cyrus gave a wincing smile as he shifted in his seat. âRescuing the princess? Yeah. Iâll bring her in, you do all the heavy lifting, mâkay?â
Frankie turned to Cyrus, eyeing his side. Cyrus gave a sheepish smile. âThings didnât go so well when I was talking with the Canaries. âS fine, Iâll live.â
Images and feeds of the warehouse were seen through the screens. Cyrus hobbled to stoop on the vanâs floor, pouring out a water bottle. And, within the warehouse, a portal made in the perfect shape of Khorâs 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. âFancy seeing you again, huh?â
Collab with @Herald Mentions:@Herald Leon "Leo" MacAoidh. Interactions:@fluxAkir Bondar, @HeraldBarbara Smoak Akir slumped on the bench against the building, eyes straining in the natural light. Her labâs were always well lit, but to have the sun beaming down onto her was a different beast, a welcome one. She just sat and simply was for the moment, enjoying the fresh air flooding her lungs even though a full carton of cigarettes weighed her lab coat pocket down. Not far off the path was a patch of grass. Real grass. She thought of just laying down and sprawling over it but thought best not to push her bodyâs reaction to being outside that much just yet.
It was a hell of a change of pace. Itâd only been a day and morale had skyrocketed. Her patients being able to even just wander out with her for a moment was a boon to their health, and her staff being able to just go out for a walk at a moment's notice was huge for their productivity. Combined with the fact that for the first time since she, her team and patients had even begun to dabble in Gyfted medicine, that a cure was not only possible but potentially on the not too distant horizon, they all felt genuine, inspiring hope.
She let her head fall back as two of her youngest patients hunted bugs in the grass, a small smile began to break across her mouth, a cautious luxury in the face of the road about to be journeyed. Drug candidate samples had been readied, safety as rigorously prepared as they could allow before stepping into the unknown. It wouldnât be until they stepped over into the inky black of uncertainty that they would know how to proceed further though. Her smile dropped, her eyes back on the children. Everything was ready. No more preparations to hide behind. All that was left was to hope it would be enough should the worst come to pass.
Another woman approached, one Akir recognised as official to the campus and to Leon. She sat upright in some effort to appear more professional but even still offered an almost lazy wave to her, smiling returning as she did.
Barbara Smoak did her best to give the children a wide berth of space, not wishing to interrupt their game. She couldnât quite smile at them however, children were somewhat of a mystery to her and one that she knew had no clear answer. They were nonsensical anomalies. Required for the continuation of humankind, yet frustratingly defiant of all expectations. It mattered very little in the end. She wasnât here for the children.
âDoctor Bondar,â Barbara began, âBarbara Smoak, Captain MacAoidhâs liaison for the campus. Itâs a pleasure to formally meet you, maâam. I didnât want to bother you while you are⌠on break, but the Captain was very insistent that I provide you with anything you require while you are here on the campus.â She withdrew a small data tablet from her coat, handing it out to Akir.
âMy transcripts, credentials, even my last GPA relating to biology and gyfted studies. Though all of that is fairly useless in my opinion so Iâll point out that I was the one who helped design the patientâs quarters,â Barbara said, shifting a bit uncomfortably as she seemingly waited for Akir to assess her worth to the project.
Akir offered a polite nod, quickly flicking through all the information Barbara provided as she spoke. âYouâre fine, half break half work so you're hardly interrupting.â All the credentials looked good, she didnât feel the need to check thoroughly though. âYou put the beds and containment rooms together in record time. That tells me you know what youâre doing and you give a sh- you're motivated to do it, thatâs better than any credentials in my books.â She looked up from the tablet, eyeâs trying to measure the woman. âMy only question would be your motivation.â
ââOne misstep and they'll tear you apart, forgetting all the good you've doneâ,â Barbara muttered, quoting something she had heard once, âmy motivations are quite simple youâll find. The Gyft exists, seemingly only here. I want to know why. I want to know how. Maybe along the way we can find something that could save humanity from the many crises we hold at bay each and every day. Or maybe itâll doom us all. Either way, we gain nothing from misunderstanding such a powerful force as the Gyft.â
Akirâs eyes dropped back to the data tablet, scanning for any answer to her own question, mumbling non-intentionally. âIâve got no doubt you have good intentions, but even those can lead down the road to hell with the wrong methods.â She quickly brought her eyes back to Barbara. âSorry. Didnât mean that to sound stand offish. A lot on my mind at the moment now weâre about to begin the first trial. Pleasure to meet. Based on the work Iâve already seen, I'm very much looking forward to working with you.â She offered a handshake and for Barbara to sit with her. âIâve only got one rule, the patients come first. We agree on that, weâre golden.â
âOf course⌠from what I understand some of your patients could be just as much a victim of their own gyfts. Your research is among the only possibilities they have been given for even a semblance of safety,â Barbara said with a nod. âOn that note⌠Captain MacAoidh has also sent me a secure report containing a few more tidbits he has learned about gyft-related individuals in the city. I donât know if it will provide any assistance at this point, but if heâs right, he might have the first step in figuring out where the gyft comes from. The email is on the final page of the document.â
Akir nodded. âMight provide some guidance for the trial today. Once weâre done weâd happily help the Captain further research the origin of the Gyft if heâd have us. Iâll have a quick look if you donât mind.â Skimming through her brow furrowed. Even if the cure was an overwhelming success, Nyla and Sugarcrush potentially threatened any meaningful long term result.
She let out a depth breath. âThatâs⌠grim.â She slouched with arms on her knees. âMight be related to our current research. We were provided samples by a benefactor, stuff from deep underground that looked like water but on tests it clearly wasnât. I donât know if this is the same stuff as that, but when the waters were introduced to rats, theyâd emit the same energies Gyfted individuals would. They didnât develop Gyfts, but it was analogous enough to provide a baseline in developing our drug candidate that ceased those Gyft emissions from the rats.â
She let the silence sit for the moment. With this information maybe itâd be best to wait and test Nyla and Sugarcrush samples to confirm they were indeed on the right track. Maybe itâd tilt them over the edge to confirm the safety of the drug.
No. It would still come to the same conclusion, the same question to be answered now. Is the candidate safe for human use. She let her gaze fall over the two children again. âAs soon as we shared the news with everyone in our care, Scotty, that one. He volunteered immediately. The other, Michael, marched right up behind him. We tried asking for more elderly patients to step forward but they were the only ones.
She continued âIn all honesty, in terms of the trial, we couldnât have asked for more. Both children male, both are nearly the same age, biologically you could believe they were brothers if you didnât know better and the only variation is that of their Gyfts. Michael is something of a magnet, dangerous but not lethal, while Scotty bursts into flames up to thousands of degrees. So we might even find insight into the second and third trial, effectiveness and dosage efficiency, respectively.â
Taking pause, Akir picked up again. âAnd that leads us to where we are today. Weâve done everything we can to ensure their health and that nothing should interact unexpectedly, but itâs still the beginning of human trials. The first, the worst. Safety and lethality.â
Barbara eyed the children with a new sense of interest. For Scotty, a cure may be his only chance of a life outside of an oven unless he could somehow control the gyft. Even then what use would he be for society using such a dangerous gyft? Garbage incineration? Powering a reactor? Tasks fit for a prisoner, someone who had committed crimes against their fellow, but not the fate of a child. âIâm beginning to understand your motivation I think,â Barbara said, taking the plunge and sitting down near the doctor to watch the children, âstill, there are other possibilities. People attend college here for all kinds of reasons. Some to master their gyfts, others to understand them. Still others have gyfts that are so minor they would hardly notice if it ceased working⌠have you considered advertising for volunteers to test a⌠suppressant? Captain MacAoidh would approve compensating these persons if it meant we might be able to safely test things on a smaller scale.â
âEven if these tests were failures⌠better the failures be on consenting adults than what your enemies would spin as impressionable children,â Barbara said off handedly.
Akirâs head turned quickly. âSuppressant?â She lowered her voice some. âI heard rumours something of the sort had been developed but I didnât think-. Yes, of course. Weâll let our patients know straight away. Do you know its mechanism? How it works? If not we can test them prior to assess their safety but itâd make their lives and mine that much easier.â She was still coming to grips with the level of generosity the good Captain was bestowing upon her. It seemed his kindness knew no boundaries, or that there would be a price heavier than her soul to repay by the end of this.
She felt a shiver and suppressed the thought. Everything so far suggested this was all in good faith. No reason to start doubting Leon now. She cleared her throat. âAs for the trial subjects, believe me, weâve tried. We have to be open about the fact we do not understand the Gyftâs true nature. As far as we know, we might be about to find out that itâs linked to our continued existence and this drug might sever that immediately and entirely regardless of the dosage.â She raised an open hand. âIn all honesty that would be ludicrous, from a scientific and rational perspective, but the Gyft is anything but rational.â
She sighed. âSo, I donât think weâd be finding anyone else willing. Not for a long time at least. Weâve done everything we can. The rooms are prepped for every scenario we can imagine. Even then these two were the only ones that came forward.â Akirâs eyes dropped. âWhen we told Scotty how it could go wrong, he didnât even hesitate, just said âThen I wonât hurt anyone anymoreâ. Weâve made sure heâs doing this because he wants to get rid of his Gyft, not for it to⌠go wrong, but, yeah.â She picked up after a pause. âThankfully Michaelâs response was more along the lines of wanting to help everyone. Heâs a good egg. They both are.â
Akir blinked a couple times. âI donât care what people think of me. I care about giving those people inside their lives back. These two want that more than anyone else, and weâre going to do everything we can to get them there.â
Barbara hesitated a bit, clearly unsure if disclosing that there were types of suppressants existing in the city, and the Captain had even gotten his hands on a few of the more extreme types. âThere are suppressants out there, but the Captain doesnât hold any direct examples. Yet. He did have me work on breaking down and attempting to replicate some kind of neural overload device that targets gyft users⌠some kind of Gyft EMP near as I could tell. Iâll have the schematic I developed forwarded to your lab. Itâs far too complex for me to attempt replicating the device itself with what I have available now, but Iâm hopeful I can come up with something similar. It is incredibly effective and nonlethal, at least for those who donât rely on their gyft to live.â
âOne way or another we will get this figured out. Pending no catastropheâs in the city, the Captainâs estimate is to have your project fully funded and staffed within a week or two. He may even approach some of the more⌠truly lawful members of Nocturnia PD or the populace about the investments,â Barbara said a bit off handedly, âI suspect he still intends to weaponize it if possible, but from what Iâve seen of your notes and equations, I donât think it will be very practical. For better or worse, your cure is one that people will have to choose⌠or have it chosen for them by governing officials.â
Akir squinted her eyes for a moment, looking just past Barbara. âNeural overload device.â She looked at Barbara again. âLike, a really big taser?â Her eyes shot away again. âIâll look over it but we might⌠avoid using that on people in our care.â She settled back into the chair. âBut yeah, weâll get there. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I have no issue with him looking to boost funding through others. Hell, I encourage it. The man has done more than enough already for us.â She let out a breath. âAs much as I wouldnât like to see my work weaponised, if it helps the captain, weâll see what we can do. Maybe a variant that weakens the Gyft momentarily, working like a venom maybe.â She closed her eyes at the thought. Now wasnât the time.
Opening them again Akirâs eyes seemed softer, fingers digging for a cigarette. âI guess that's a compromise. I get to make a cure, he gets to put down the bad side of Nocturnia by force.â Fingers flicked at a lighter. âHonestly thatâs still the best it was probably ever going to be. Say how long have you known the Cap-.â
The door nearby swung open. One of the nurses, Matt, addressed Barbara first. âOh hello. Akir didnât mention we had guests. Terrible host isnât she?â Akirâs hand darted to scrunch the cigarette carton but stopped short of crushing the contents, thinking the cigarettes within were more valuable than the disciplinary action or satisfaction of turning them into ammo. Matt stated his purpose for interrupting. âWeâre ready. Scotty and Michael ready to come in?â
Akir nodded. Matt collected the children, asking a question as he passed Akir and Barbara. âYou two sure you still want to do this?â
Michael responded with an enthusiastic nod, Scotty asked a question of his own. âDo you think itâll work and the Gyft will go away?â Matt placed a hand on his shoulder. âI sure hope so buddy. Iâll be with you the whole time so weâll find out together.â His smile passed over to Michael. âMarcy will be in your room for you Mikey, and Akir will be watching both of you from somewhere else so the test works. Sound good?â The children nodded and the door closed. Akir began taking heavy drags on the freshly lit cigarette, partially to get back to her station, otherwise to steady her nerves.
She spoke while tapping the ash off the cigarette. âItâs time. Did you want to witness this so you can give Leon a first hand report or are you happy to accept what we send you?â
Barbara let out a small chuckle, âthis is your show, Doctor Bondar. Iâm here to provide a hand or advice when asked or if I think youâre about to make a mistake. Other than that, my orders are to stay out of your way. To put it another way, yes, Iâll observe, but only if it doesnât compromise the testing procedure. I have a great deal of experience with biochemistry, in particular working with gyfted individuals, so if things start going bad I can definitely be of use.â
âThat being said, I prefer preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. If your trauma team can use another hand, Iâll observe with them and stay out of the way,â Barbara offered.
Akir finished her cigarette with a smile. âGlad to hear it. Itâs been awhile since Iâve had an advisor and the role would certainly be appreciated.â She huffed a laugh. âEven if itâs just someone to bounce my rambling off, you honestly have no idea how much it helps to have someone who isnât afraid to tell me Iâm an idiot.â She put the cigarette out. âIf youâre keen to get your hands on the tools youâll be one of us before you know it. Today weâll just be watching through cameras and advising so my Gyft doesnât interfere.â
Akir stood. âOther than that, welcome to the team.â She turned to offer her hand to help Barbara up. âReady to make history?â
Interactions:@ERode Matthias Matthias FitzClarence Mentions:@flux Antonio Litwin Waterfront Vale was peaceful, in spite of it all.
Inside a clinic, Matthias watched as a young woman with platinum-blonde hair laid in bed. Her chest rose and fell shallowly, her skin so pale it appeared translucent. In the neighbouring room, he could hear the cries, the vocalized nightmares of another woman, scarred still by her past. It would not have come to this if he had known about the monster, or about all the bastards that Antonio had gathered up. It would not have come to this if those unknowns were an âeitherâ instead of a âbothâ.
It would not have happened, if he had the appropriate caution, if he had thought more like a snake than a human. But instinct too was lost to him, intuition just background noise, a pricking sensation on his thumb.
He had thought Celina as invincible, so long as the conditions were met. Now, there she laid, and he had no clue whether she would even wake up.
The Lodestar stared at her face for a while longer. People did not look peaceful when they were comatose. A blank stillness, heavy as a gravestone. A dead man, drowned in his hubris and delusions.
Was it a sigh that escaped from him, or the sizzling of a fuse?
He gripped the wheels, turned around, and left for the lobby, where others were.
âNep.â Matthiasâs voice was restrained, a forced calm like an ocean frozen over. âIâd imagine you canât return to Antonio, and the territory I control will become a warzone soon enough. Where do you want to go?â
Nep sat in the room beside Matthias, an unusual calm within him, a result of the stasis within the room. âI donât think thereâs anywhere to go that wonât be a warzone eventually.â Nepâs head rested low. âItâs happening again. I thought I stopped him before, at least slowed him down, but heâs doing it again.â Nep nodded. âIf itâs all the same, itâs probably best I face the fire with you.â His head bounced. âHell, maybe that way Iâll at least go down screaming. Maybe thatâs better than just running before the noose tightens.â
He let his hands slide up his face, lost in thought for a moment, before parting his hands. âThe water didnât affect you though. Maybe there is hope.â Nep finally looked at Matthias. âYou saw what Antonio really was, didn't you? The thing, that cancer that grew out of him into its own creature.â
âIâm on decent terms with Asterion. If youâd like, I can see about settling you up in Nickel. Thereâs plenty of places that arenât a warzone currently.â Perhaps it was the charlatan in him, inspiring words to be spoken that he couldnât necessarily back up. âAnd by the time âeventuallyâ comes around, there wonât be an Antonio to speak of.â
That was all he wanted to get across, really. Ideologically speaking, it was actually kind of funny that a man who raised an army of addicts consumed by a monstrous drink was going to go up against an Order that ran rehab centers all over their territory for addicts. But Nep didnât have that same ideology. As far as Matthias was concerned, this wasnât going to be a conflict where he would be leveraging a mob of civilians.
âI have no head to speak of. No brain, for that matter. So whatever that monster was couldnât grasp on, I suppose.â
He shrugged.
âIâm surprised itâs not worse. The barman couldâve started a brewing company and just foisted his drinks across all of Nocturnia in the century heâs been around for. Would be a lot more different if it was like that.â
Nep huffed before speaking. âHe almost did. I burnt it down.â Nepâs head lowered. âI burnt it all down. His brewery, his preparations.â Nep paused. âMy own men. All of it. Cleansed in fire.â He seemed to fall back into the past. âThatâs how he gets you. Promises he can help you help everyone else, and at first he does. Things get better. Then when you have all that influence, he poisons the well. Everyone starts turning on eachother, and once itâs in you most donât resist.â
Nep raised his head looking blankly to the wall. âHe was ready to wash over this city like a wave. I was supposed to be performing, a whole warehouse packed with people. Half of them poisoned, the other half making sure they would be poisoned. From there they wouldâve flooded the district and if they succeeded that.â Nep slowly shook his head. âNothing couldâve stopped a mass like that, short of an air strike or a nuke.â
He bounced his leg a couple times. âSo I did the only thing I could. Let my Gyft go wild. Took them all into a state of frenzy. By the time the fires started no one even bothered to notice. I donât know how I survived but I just remember waking up to ash falling like snow. I donât remember anything for a long while after that, but I knew I bought Nocturnia some time, but thatâs all I did, buy some more time.â
Nep looked at Matthias again. âAntonio wasnât shocked though. No. He laughed. He laughed and he said: âFailure is all you will know boy. For when the final body falls and the flesh rots away, we will take our final ascension through evolution, the earth itself becoming our shared vessel, a predator on the cosmic field preying upon the flickering lights of life throughout the universe.â â
â âWe will grow so that we consume even the stars. Then at the end of everything, when the universe knows nothing but darkness, we will have formed singularity, the only mass space will know forevermore.â â
â âFor when even entropy has ceased, there is truly only death. Death we survive for it is death we have become.â â
â âWe are salvation, and I am its prophet.â â
â âAnd the noosea shall take us all.â â
Nep went silent for a moment, eyes looking down. âWe wonât see it in our lifetime, but after what Iâve seen, one day, I think he might just bring that to pass.â Nepâs eyes went back to Matthias. âBut you saw through him. You couldnât even be swayed by that heart of darkness. I donât know how to kill it, but if you can put Antonio down or at least hold him back, I know someone who might give us an answer to end it once and for all.â Nep put his hands on his knees. âIâll fight beside you, or Iâll take your offer, if Asterion has me. Either way Iâll make inroads to figure out how to finally kill that thing. What would you prefer?â
âFor a prophet, he sure didnât see Frostfare coming.â
Nep chuckled for the first time in a long time. âThat he did not.â
It was a meager victory, all things considered. But it was an important one too. And a cult based off of becoming Death? At one hundred years old, Antonio still hadnât grown up, huh? What would happen if he was struck by a Gyft Negator, dragged out of his building, and then executed? What would happen if they just placed tall walls around the Jolly Jalopy and then submerged it in concrete? How about bringing an excavator and digging deep, deep, deeper, before routing the cityâs sewer system to dump a sinful cityâs worth of shit into that monsterâs gullet?
Matthias had given Antonio the benefit of the doubt. Had thought it was a beautiful thing, that an immortal could exist that made a sanctuary the size of a small pub in Nocturnia, where within its walls, he could put an end to any violence and ensure a spot of peace in a bloody city.
Everything Nep had told him though? It sparked darker feelings in him now, the cold calculus of the innumerable ways one could deal with an immortal problem. All you needed was a bit of creativity, after all. What the fuck was a noosey? Why did cultists always jump so readily into ascension, when they couldnât even get their own regular human lives together? What was wrong with these people? Every single one of those bastards in the Jolly Jalopy (maybe not the plague doctor) had mind-related powers, going by how none of them decided to shit fire or punch fast. Every single one of themâŚ
The Lodestar caught himself. He drew in a breath, even if only through his phantom-lungs.
âOne thing, then, Nep. Explain to me what your Gyft is.â
Nep nodded. âEmotional feedback, I can amplify it all the way to a point of psychosis. In a way Iâm a relay taking in everyoneâs feelings around me and vent it right back out. I can hold it back if I focus, but I can always feel what everyone else around me does. Walking down the street can be overwhelming. Itâs quiet here, mentally, so itâs easier, and after seeing what you did to Antonio. It was a little bit of hope, a reason not just to go with losing my goddamn mind. Itâs dangerous to give up, I know that, but after destroying everything and listening to him laugh like it was an inconvenience.â His eyes closed. âI just didnât see the point.â
He took in a breath. âNow though, seeing him coming back to power and him actually being struck, well Iâve got a lot of wasted time to make up for, maybe stop him using The Eel in the same way, maybe itâs too late.â His hand cupped his mouth. âHe looked like he was taking Flint as his new protege. The Eel might alright be dead if that's the case, or soon at least.â
âI know an info dealer; Iâll get them to look into the Eel. As for youâŚâ Matthias reached out once more, a bandaged hand cupping a curl of smoke. âTry this. If you can vent this out, it may change the entire course of the upcoming conflict.â
And if not? Then Matthias was definitely going to stick Nep somewhere safe. Because for everything that laid ahead, a positive feedback loop of rage and bloodlust was the one thing he didnât want Lenore to be exposed to.
Nep hesitated, still a lingering fear of potentially being manipulated by another would-be prophet of another new age. After witnessing what Matthias had achieved in a single meeting however, even if he was dominated, he knew it was better than the alternative.
He took the smoke, raised it to his face as if to suggest inhaling it. With a nod from Matthias he did so. Suddenly the noise no longer affected him, he could still hear it but it was only exactly that noise. Noise to be deciphered and studied, noise to be silenced. Pushing the feeling outward he looked to a nurse. They seemed somewhat confused but they began to operate in a state of calm rather than frantic shuffling between their duties. Nep looked back to Matthias. âI have my mind. I still hear it but it's fine, like just watching the chaos whirl around below.â He blinked, holding himself back from hugging Matthias. âYouâve given me my mind.â
âAnd can you project this lack of âemotionâ onto others?â
Nep nodded. âLooks as if I can. Itâs harder the further I push the radius, but rather than intensifying someone's emotion, I can null them out.â Nep squinted. âIâll be honest, Iâm a little worried about what people would do if their emotions went cold entirely. Killing someone might just become a weightless logical step. So long as I can focus though it shouldnât plunge to that depth.â
âThe capacity for murder isnât a consequence of emotion, only of circumstance.â And what did that say about himself, the âslumberingâ miracle-child whose first conscious thought was to commit a patricide? âBut the interaction of Gyfts is a complicated thing, so if it comes down to it, Nep, it would still be for the better if this didnât have to be used in any way. Not until we can figure out for certain whether or not this âemotion-nullingâ would also be able to clear the minds of those affected by Antonio.â
Which meant, Matthias supposed, that he would be using Nep in the upcoming conflict after all. Hypocrite and imposter that he was, pulling together scraps in order to endure the tide to come.
âIâll arrange for a place for you to stay in Waterfront Vale, in any case. In the meanwhile, could you tell me about Akulaâs Crew? I understand that they favour Nocturniaâs segregation movement, butâŚâ Any gang would favor that, if it meant the police stopped getting supplied.
Nep tilted his head, trying to find the right words to describe what was asked of him. He eventually just let what came to him first fall from his mouth. âTheyâre broad. Best known as smugglers for a reason. When the wall went up, a good few people saw it as a siege action. In response they established supply lines, prepared for invasion to protect their homes and families. Sharks in the water to deter anyone trying to take advantage of everyone. Over time though it stopped being a resistance and more, a way of life? I think that puts it best.â
Nep slouched a bit, hands gripped together. âNocturnia doesnât have a standing army and the police are just as bad as the gangs sometimes. No where for the patriots or the forgotten to go, no where for the aimless or foolish, or the desperate or brave, so the Akulaâs ended up filling that gap by association. Just taking in people sick of the bullshit with the will to do something about it outside of all the politics, power plays and backstabbing. An honest life earned in blood.â
Nep huffed. âThat being said, they donât just hand out weapons to children. A lot of disfranchised kids end up hearing or even seeing the Akulaâs work and think they can be that kind of punk. Akulaâs usually give the stubborn ones some basic jobs, boring stuff that keeps them out of trouble, running harmless meds to seniors that the aid drops donât cover. Theyâre the runners, the meat that keeps the Akulaâs moving. The ones that settle down, stick with it, show some discipline, they become the gunners, the backbone, the heart, the spirit. Keep the Akulaâs alive.â
Nep took a breath. âThe gunners, the ones that earn names, range from wanna be vigilantes to elite militia forces. Organised into cells theyâre mostly independent. Some work with local gangs or police, some fight staunchly against them. Usually they just respond to the shit commonplace Nocturnia canât deal with. If someone puts a knife to you, you call the cops. If they have a gun, you call SWAT. If itâs a maniac with lasers shooting out their eyes and ass, you call Akulas.â
Nep shrugged. âUltimately the thing that unites them is their general desire to make sure the city has a semblance of freedom and choice, or at least some sense of a livable future. If the military wonât charge the gates, pillage everything and burn it all down, the Akulas will just take the fight to those inside who think they can. Those who betray those values end up branded. Best case youâre exiled from everyone you became family with, worst case you're dead before you know it.â
Nepâs head drifted lower. âI can tell you for a fact though I would have preferred the latter.â He cleared his throat. âIf you wanted a measure of force, I can tell you there's hundreds upon hundreds of them, but with absolutely no coordination outside of friendly association with each other youâd only be dealing with one cell at a time, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. For the most part theyâd be negligible to your organisation, something you probably wouldnât even notice.â
He looked at Matthias again. âThe only time you need to worry about Akulas is when they rally behind a champion, someone that begins to unite gunner cells. Once upon a time that was me, before that another man who was also branded, before that again a self appointed general who fought in war zone 13. Now, the Eel. Those are the individuals that will define what the Akulaâs will be to you. If you want to understand where youâll stand in a diplomatic regard, get to know the champion leading them.â
He leant back. âAs for tactics. Hit and run, shock and awe. They know the underground and how to pop up and fade back into nowhere. When the attack picks up in intensity rather than dies out is when you need to worry, when they feel the noose is tightened and itâs time to kick the chair. If you can hold off the brunt though you might turn the momentum for a quick clean up. In short, set up, fortify, assess, if they leave, donât pursue, if they charge, survive. Then kick the shit out of them.â
Nep parted his hands before closing them again. âHopefully that gives you everything you need to navigate them, politically, or martially, but I guess thatâs dependent largely on what Antonio has done to them as a whole.â
âMmm.â
Matthias could understand how Antonio could gradually take control of the âorganizationâ now. It was a flat hierarchy that only unified on occasion under a single, strong leader. Similar, perhaps, to how the Order was run, though even more scattered in that there was little communication or collaboration between each branch. If it had been any organization, it may have ended with the Jolly Jalopy being firebombed.
âThat was a lot more than I expected,â he spoke, after a short pause. âHopefully, there would be no need to navigate them at all, if a plan of mine pulls through.
There was a shift in his body, the only indication that his gaze was being directed elsewhere. Past the frosted glass of the window, to two blurred individuals.
âIâll leave for tonight now, Nep. If you need to contact me, the phone numberâs on the website.â
That kinda event's probably the sorta thing that'd be more fun to do once the axis of evil starts going hard and Matthias paints the streets black with their blood.
Might take some pressure off Est too in regard to the time lapses if those scenes become an integrated apart of that, sort of an open welcome to those interested to summarize their major actions through side NPC's or throw away characters in small and/or fun little scenes~. @Estylwen At your final decision of course.
Also Matthias sounds ready to go Doom mode on a whole lot of bidness haha. Looking forward the fire that'll follow~.
ooo also, just had a thought, but Soylant Green hasn't had much time in the limelight lately. Maybe a moment for Soylant, Mayor, Otto and other setting prominent NPC's to shine and discuss the effects of the latest/next game events on Nocturnia as a whole? Could just be short and sweet for anyone interested~. A snippet for them to muse on items such as "Why is my goddamn factory on fire" and the like ^_^.
Man, itâd such a funny trip to like, down a shot of Antonio-juice and then snort a canister of Matthias-breath.
Truly a monstrous combination.
That'd be like, going to a zoo where the only animal is an Eldritch monstrosity and all your doing is slapping the glass/bars yelling "Do something cool!" or poking it with a stick while giggling. Staring into the abyss only to unfly your zip and piss on whatever is below. A mixture of confusion and disrespect.
Just a shark floating through the void with way too many bee's in the brain.
Self taught writer, artist, programmer and whatever the hell else the ADHD demands to be understood.
Still reading? Enjoy a race ship~.
https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/fluxyshark/wipeout-fx350-feisar-banner
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Just a shark floating through the void with way too many bee's in the brain. <br><br>Self taught writer, artist, programmer and whatever the hell else the ADHD demands to be understood.<br>Still reading? Enjoy a race ship~.<br><a href="https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/fluxyshark/wipeout-fx350-feisar-banner" title="https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/fluxyshark/wipeout-fx350-feisar-banner" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">newgrounds.com/art/view/fluxyshark/wi…</a><br><br></div>
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