Heroes: Eve of Destiny

[Dark Silver]

The power ring glowed, and his life support field flared brightly for a second, there were no shadows in the room as he did it.

When the glow dulled, leaving only the small, skintight field, his costume was back in one peice, and his power ring was hefted, directly at her. It was a empty threat, the minute she looked in his mind, she would be able to see he wouldn't attack her, not with deadly force.

"I still can't stay here. You can't possibly expect me to stay here..." his voice was that deep, threatening one again, modified by the completed costume to sound as dark and menacing as possible, while still remaining human.

"Now move lady....either move aside, or move to follow me...but move."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"I take it you read the 152 rules? Gack! I bet you dont indulge in maniacle laughter either. GAAACK!!!" He Knew the bastard was only enjoying the screams. He couldnt give him any further satisfaction. He clamped his jaw shut and stiffled his urge to scream in pain.

He shivered between cuts. The sick part is, he could survive being skinned alive. The benefit and curse of being a lycanthrope. He forced himself to think happy thoughts. His mind drifted into it's happy place. Into the cave. Deeper and deeper. Until he reached a small pool, and found his power animal. A large american alligator

"Slide" it told him, before diving into the water

[LadyTevar]

She blinked as the bright light faded, her irisless eyes still showing after images for a long moment.

"I still can't stay here. You can't possibly expect me to stay here..." his voice was that deep, threatening one again, modified by the completed costume to sound as dark and menacing as possible, while still remaining human.

"Now move lady....either move aside, or move to follow me...but move."

She had to stop him. This is what Ember worked for, to join a major group. All they'd asked was one simple mission, then Ember and Argent would be set. No more petty robberies, no more worrying about police. Ember had jumped at the chance.

"Where are you going to go," she finally replied, still trying to blink away afterimages. "Do you even know where you are? I could have taken you to Antartica for all you know."

No one was going to get hurt, really... Just some heros getting a little come-uppance. Ember was all for it, eager to prove she had what it took and Argent followed where Ember went.

Ember was dead. There was just Argent now ... and her love-struck PowerRanger wannabe.

[B4UTRUST]

"Now now now, none of that," he said as he smiled, flaying the skin some more.
"You are not beginning to get this, you are not beginning to understand this. This is not premature enlightenment."

He reached over to a cart nearby that held more instruments and grabed a large container of salt. To better preserve the skin as it was being peeled. He pulled the skin taunt as he could and liberally shaked the salt over it. He set down the salt and with a pair of foresepts held the skin along the back apart as he began to seperate it from the muscles and tendons.

[Agent Fisher]

Niner's quaking slowed and soon stopped. He didnt know how long he had lyed there, just shaking and vomitting. Thankfully, his head and been to the side so he didnt drown. Niner's eyes snapped open, glowing a bright blue. He stood up and looked back twoards the site of the battle. He took off running, jumping between the buildings, giving himself a little TK boost when needed.

[Dark Silver]

"What's to stop me from breaking out" he asked.

"I can survive in the cold.....and it wouldn't take me long to find a place I find familiar...thats the benefit of being able to fly at high speeds. I can even blow holes in wherever this is, to get out. That'd be pretty bad if you took us to say...a submarine, or a space station..."

As if to punctuate his point, he swung a arm towards the wall to thier right, the power ring's glow flaring up, emmiting a amorphous blob like shape, as the energy prepared to be unleashed.

"Either help me get out the easy way, or the hard way. Personally...I like the hard way..."

'As long as you don't get in my way....' he finished the sentence in his mind.

[SirNitram]

Somewhere Far Away, Some Time Later...

Gravitas was annoyed. It hadn't taken long... Dynamo was a hotheaded prettyboy, out to make a name for himself in the growing 'culture war' between Meta and Baseline in this timestream. He had nothing but empty bravado, and in the face of real pain and a truly superior individual, he cracked like an egg.

What annoyed the only Nova in the universe was that he knew nothing to crack about. Just a hotheaded kid, heading out to stir up shit with the humans. It was like watching the initial stirrings of anti-Nova sentiment again, and the attacks the less civilized Teragen perpetrated.

What to do, then? Dynamo was now in a hospital overseas; it had spent far more energy than the miserly Gravitas preferred to spend, but it was required to avoid legal entanglements. He had to locate some other Meta involved in this, but he was in no state to battle. He could, technically, but it would drain his reserves even lower, and he was rapidly running low on juice.

He wasn't going 'home' tonight, that was for certain. Perhaps Ultima would have a clue; his handlers usually kept abreast of things. Of course, he had last seen them deploying some newbies to the scene of the attack.

[Rukia]

After Cam had finished in the restroom she wondered if it was really necessary for her to go back to the cell. After all, he had let her go so he must not care. She wondered around for a very short time before hearing some voices. She followed the noise till she reached a chamber, the man that had let her go, and the one running things apperently, was standing over another human. She watched for a second in the door way before taking another step in. -Should this bother me?- she thought and then -and if it should, why doesn't it?- She stepped even closer and cleared her throat... "Can I watch?"

[LadyTevar]

"Either help me get out the easy way, or the hard way. Personally...I like the hard way..."

'As long as you don't get in my way....' he finished the sentence in his mind.

"And how will you get your friend out with you?" she retorted. "Or did you think you were the only one brought here?"

She dropped her arms, stepped away from the door, pulling her shadows close about her, until her long black hair seemed to drape down her back and across the floor. Forget this. Forget the plan... it had been foolish from the start.
"I wasn't supposed to bring you to Medbay. They had another place set up for you. A cell, just for any heros we caught today ... or did you think the Senator was actually in danger?"

[Shark Bait]

Hazard stopped moving, blood still pooling under his leg from the gunshot wounds. Pain was wracking his body and it was most unpleasent. He still had rounds left in his gun but if what he'd unloaded into this guy hadn't stopped him already nothing short of a tac nuke would it seemed.

He'd give up for now. He always had a chance for escape later...

----------------------

Demise's breath slowed, his pain subsided. He was better now, almost ready to move. He'd be able to get away soon.

Hazard tossed aside his gun then took off his vest full of various weapons and tossed it aside before lying down. Seven gracefully jumped across the ally to where Hazard was keeping the gun trained on him, Seven pulled a few heavy duty zip ties out of his lower cargo pocket and secured Hazard’s hands behind his back. Seven then put him on his back and searched him for more weapons and put a third zip tie around Hazard’s leg just above the knee trying to slow the bleeding. Seven tended to Hazard’s injuries as best he could while still keeping an eye on Demise. It didn’t help much considering the knee was nearly obliterated by the high velocity round; Hazard would probably need to have at total joint replacement, hell of a way to drum up business for his own company.

“Stay still or these injuries alone will kill youâ€Â

[Charon]

Legacies was breathing heavily. He was getting too old for this. He glanced back at Blast as he started to walk towards the building. "Good work kid." Legacies hopped up to the hole in the wall he'd made and looked around, no sign of Abaddon, but there was no way he'd been vaped. Then he spotted the hole in the floor. He looked over to Blackheart. "Target's gone under sir."

Legacies stood back on more solid ground as a single thin tentacle snaked it's way down the hole through the debris until it reached the level Abaddon was at and began to have a look around. Still no sign of a body, this was getting absurd, how much punishment could this madman take?

[Dark Silver]

"And how will you get your friend out with you?" she retorted. "Or did you think you were the only one brought here?"

She dropped her arms, stepped away from the door, pulling her shadows close about her, until her long black hair seemed to drape down her back and across the floor. Forget this. Forget the plan... it had been foolish from the start.
"I wasn't supposed to bring you to Medbay. They had another place set up for you. A cell, just for any heros we caught today ... or did you think the Senator was actually in danger?"

"Actually...I could give a flying fuck about the Senator. Only reason I'm even with them, is because I'm forced to. Unless I want to be in a deep dark cell for the rest of my days...."

Saibot walked up again, stood before her, and waited. His voice was low, and he spoke slowly, "If you gave me a reason....I'd stay. But your not....you can still leave with me, if you want. I won't let anyone hurt you..."

He didn't wait for her response, he walked to the door, opened it up, and took to the air as best he could, careful not to go to fast as he didn't want to crash into the wall. That, and as much intel as he could gather on this place would prove useful to Ultimas when he got back to them.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"WHat are you going to do? Make a woman suit out of my skin?" he said as the salt was being shaken. Eventully, one's nerves stop caring, and his were about to that point. It was still immensely painful though

"I do not understand, I have not reached enlightenment, because I have not been informed. Oh, that's right. You are too cowardly to explain yourself to your prisoners" And then the flesh started to separate from his tendons and muscles. ANd he was forced to stiffle his screams again.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Of course, seeing the girl he had helped ask to see him be tortured was unpleasant to say the least.

"You brought her here?" he said looking over at Cam, hoping she would recognize the voice from the phone. SHe had called when he was in his human form after all.

"How did you find her? SHe should have been safe."

[LadyTevar]

"Actually...I could give a flying fuck about the Senator. Only reason I'm even with them, is because I'm forced to. Unless I want to be in a deep dark cell for the rest of my days...."

Saibot walked up again, stood before her, and waited. His voice was low, and he spoke slowly, "If you gave me a reason....I'd stay. But your not....you can still leave with me, if you want. I won't let anyone hurt you..."

He meant every word he said. Argent could feel his sincerity without flexing her power, his emotions were that strong. It's the words themselves that confused her. He was 'forced' to help them? What did he mean by that? And why ... *why* was he so intent on protecting her? Her influence over him should have worn off by now!

He didn't wait for her response, he walked to the door, opened it up, and took to the air as best he could, careful not to go to fast as he didn't want to crash into the wall. That, and as much intel as he could gather on this place would prove useful to Ultimas when he got back to them.

Before she could even think of a reply, he was gone. A wave of anger escaped her control, causing shadows in the room to quiver as she spat some of the few Mandarin curses she knew. At least he was flying slow, and she knew where that hallway lead. Merging into her dragon form, she dove into one shadow and emerged directly in front of him, so close he could stop or run into her. The dragon's faint silver eyes stared straight at him as she spoke. ".... I think we need to talk more... in private."

[Dark Silver]

Merging into her dragon form, she dove into one shadow and emerged directly in front of him, so close he could stop or run into her. The dragon's faint silver eyes stared straight at him as she spoke. ".... I think we need to talk more... in private."

He stopped as the shadow dragon appeared infront of him, and she spoke.

'Talk, in private....' rolled through his mind. There was alot of things he wanted to do with her in private, most of it definatly did not involve talking. But, he relented.

"Alright, where do we go?"

[LadyTevar]

Merging into her dragon form, she dove into one shadow and emerged directly in front of him, so close he could stop or run into her. The dragon's faint silver eyes stared straight at him as she spoke. ".... I think we need to talk more... in private."

He stopped as the shadow dragon appeared infront of him, and she spoke.

'Talk, in private....' rolled through his mind. There was alot of things he wanted to do with her in private, most of it definatly did not involve talking. But, he relented.

"Alright, where do we go?"

That was all the invitation Argent needed as she swooped forward to snatch him up in her wings and duck into the nearest shadow.....

.... reappearing in the most unlikely of places: the crown of LadyLiberty herself, across the harbor from Millenium City. Gently she released Saibot from the clinging shadows, positioned deliberately to give him the perfect view out of the Crown's windows.

As he gawked, she swallowed the dragon, walking forward to stand by the windows herself and enjoy not just the view, but the emotional silence and peace ... well.. except for Saibot beside her.

[Dark Silver]

That was all the invitation Argent needed as she swooped forward to snatch him up in her wings and duck into the nearest shadow.....

.... reappearing in the most unlikely of places: the crown of LadyLiberty herself, across the harbor from Millenium City. Gently she released Saibot from the clinging shadows, positioned deliberately to give him the perfect view out of the Crown's windows.

As he gawked, she swallowed the dragon, walking forward to stand by the windows herself and enjoy not just the view, but the emotional silence and peace ... well.. except for Saibot beside her.

Just like that, they were back in Millenium City. Who knows how far she just brought them, in a second. Far faster then he could ever be in flight. She set him to look out the window, and that's what he did. He figured she had some reason to do it, and he for some reason, trusted she wasn't trying to kill him.

If she wanted to, she could have done that back in the base, or dropped him off in a volcano, or worse, where he couldn't protect himself quick enough.

He waited a few moments, letting her get settled and relaxed, before he spoke, the portion of the mask which covered his face sliding into the helmet itself, while the locking servo's clicked, and he slide it off his head, holding it under one arm.

"What do you want to talk about..." he asked, without looking at her yet.

[LadyTevar]

He waited a few moments, letting her get settled and relaxed, before he spoke, the portion of the mask which covered his face sliding into the helmet itself, while the locking servo's clicked, and he slide it off his head, holding it under one arm.

"What do you want to talk about..." he asked, without looking at her yet.

She herself glanced sideways at him, still trying to figure that out herself. "... Wht did you mean... you were forced into this?"

[Dark Silver]

Saibot's face never changed, kept staring straight ahead, and steel faced.

"Binary building, two days ago. I was there to grab a few items to sell off. I got there after a thing named Freakshow and his crew decided to hold up the place, probaly for the same control chips I was going for. Needless to say, Ultimas got there before me, and I....helped. Slightly, along with a large crew of apparently called for freelancers."

A glint of anger appeared in those green eyes, "They tore up the building, and I made my way in. After Freakshow's men got taken down, I decided what's one more hole in the floor, and blasted a way down into the subbasement, where the chips should be. Found they were looted already. By the time I got out of the building, the agent who was handling the entire ordeal, a guy named Blackheart, decided I was under arrest for threatening a federal agent and any other crime they wanted to make up. Cold cocked me, brought me in, threw me in the medical ward with power inhibitors on, and told me unless I signed up for thier little party, I was going away for the rest of my life. They'd put any crime they could on me, to assure I did."

Saibot's jaw set, as he looked at Argent, "So yeah...I'm not apart of Ultimas of my own accord. I leave before my contract is up, and they catch me..and you can guess what'll happen."

"So...you know my story, tell me why are you with, whoever that is."

[LadyTevar]

Saibot's jaw set, as he looked at Argent, "So yeah...I'm not apart of Ultimas of my own accord. I leave before my contract is up, and they catch me..and you can guess what'll happen."

"So...you know my story, tell me why are you with, whoever that is."

It was Argent's turn to look away, over the city. "It was ... Ember's idea." she replied slowly. How long would this pain last? She tried to tamp it down, tried not to leak her emotions, but an echo of it escaped anyway.

"Ember ... she found me out on the West Coast. She was one of the few people I never ... influenced.... She simply became my friend on her own. I was ... out on my own for the first time, and she showed me how to make a living with my talents." Was it an eulogy, a confession, or just a round-about expalination?

"We finally migrated here, and Ember was the one who heard Abaddon was looking for new employees." Tamp it down... lock it in the box... what didn't echo in the air showed on her face as she fought with herself. "All we had to do is get a few metas to show at the rally and cause trouble. When the heros respond, capture as many as Ember and I could .. and we'd be part of Abaddon's organization for life."

A sudden flare of tangled rage, pain, sadness, and anger at herself most of all. "No one was supposed to get hurt!" she snapped, her fist slamming into the windowsill.

[Agent Fisher]

Niner reached the rooftop that Seven and Hazard where on. By the time he reached it, he had clamed down enough that his eyes were no longer glowing blue.

"Seven."

[Dark Silver]

Saibot's hand touched her shoulder, as her fist slammed on the windowsill. The emotions which leaked out he could feel also, mostly because it leaked out and he was close enough to get it.

Anger, pain, sadness.....he felt it all himself one time or another. And she was feeling it now.

"No one was suppossed to....but someone always does. That is the way the world is.." he spoke quietly, before shutting up. He'd let her finish.

[Shark Bait]

Niner reached the rooftop that Seven and Hazard where on. By the time he reached it, he had clamed down enough that his eyes were no longer glowing blue.

"Seven."

"You ok buddy?" Seven said not even looking up still tending to Hazard's wounds, while keeping the man restrained. "listen could you maybe help me out? We need to keep pressure on this guy's wounds to keep him from bleeding out, call for medical evac (my radio is fucked), and I wanna check on the guy you ported away from."

[LadyTevar]

Saibot's hand touched her shoulder, as her fist slammed on the windowsill. The emotions which leaked out he could feel also, mostly because it leaked out and he was close enough to get it.

Anger, pain, sadness.....he felt it all himself one time or another. And she was feeling it now.

"No one was suppossed to....but someone always does. That is the way the world is.." he spoke quietly, before shutting up. He'd let her finish.

She tensed a little, the touch exposing her to his emotions: caring compassion, muted lust. It made her shiver, and nearly brought tears to her eyes. "You... may not want to touch me..." she murmurred. "It makes a stronger connection...." Tamp it down! No tears, no crying. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to remove his hand.

"I took Ember to Hawaii. She loved the volcano there... begged me to take her into the cauldera..." Something like black oil leaked from the corner of her irisless eye, and she muttered something in Chinese as she started to wipe them. "no tears.. I'll have the whole city crying..."