Heroes: Eve of Destiny

[Dark Silver]

His arms slipped from around her waist, and instead took her hand in his. "This way...only a block from here.."

He lead her down the alley, coming up on the next street over, he looked at the edge of the building, and smiled a bit to himself. When the crowd walked by, he pulled her into it, and they melted away.

It would take them ten minutes to walk to his apartment building from there. and all the while, he was pointing out lil things about the section of town, locations of various safeplaces, and place he would bring her to later on, after things were settled.

[B4UTRUST]

"I'm sure you will call us. Though from what I've seen your usefullness is rather limited in investigation. But you still have your uses. And as for two of you, I'm sure there is more then enough evidence for a court of law to see the difference in our legal human and... you."

"I see that Abaddon won't be making Gramercy's rollcall. As for this Ember, the body has already been removed. It won't be found here. So we're left with one traitor. Out of two groups of metas, totaling eight, you have one prisoner who isn't even here, two dead, five unaccounted for. Well four if you count Dynamo which our friend here so conviently dropped off in Europe for us. We'll be sending an extraction team for him shortly. So please, oh please, tell me that you have someone going after the others? Otherwise I'm going to be very upset."

[SirNitram]

"See? That's what I like. That refreshing sense that you're above it all, that you can send each other on their way. As for lawyers.. I've been threatened with worse. But I understand your limitations to being only in this timeline." Gravitas shrugged as he walked off. What he needed now was a particle accelerator or something. Not enough residual energy around here...

[Cynical Cat]

"Go fuck yourself Tarot," said Blackheart. "You give me a team full of amateurs and you're lucky to get these fucking results. Now are you going to help me or are you going to continue to show boat, snipe, and show up after the hard work is done?"

[Rukia]

He chuckled softly, setting down his instruments before turning to the woman.
'Did it ever occur to you my dear that I might simply be amusing myself before I devour your essence along with his? No, it probably didn't cross your mind, or if it did only for a brief instance. Oh, he's letting me go, I'm an evil angsty teenage runaway, I must be truely evil! I want to be evil evil evil!'

He smirked.
"Give me one good reason I shouldn't put you up on that table with him and listen to your screams as well?"

-Because I intrigue you. And it was never your intention to kill me. That'd be a bonus. Go a head, rip my flesh off. It won't be as much fun as Regenerator there, but I'm sure you'll get off on it.- She shrugged, at this point she really didn't care weather she lived or died. -I can assure you there are other ways to make me scream.-

[frigidmagi]

"Hey, if none of the big, bad professionals mind the amateur would like a drink of water." Blast rasped out still sitting on the street sweating and huffing.

[Agent Fisher]

Niner walked to the edge of the rooftop. The EMTs had taken the cyborg's body.

He tapped his radio on. "This is Niner, one friendly down, one bad guy captured, one free."

[LadyTevar]

His arms slipped from around her waist, and instead took her hand in his. "This way...only a block from here.."

He lead her down the alley, coming up on the next street over, he looked at the edge of the building, and smiled a bit to himself. When the crowd walked by, he pulled her into it, and they melted away.

It would take them ten minutes to walk to his apartment building from there. and all the while, he was pointing out lil things about the section of town, locations of various safeplaces, and place he would bring her to later on, after things were settled.

Blissfully (and happily) unaware of the political backstabbing now occurring in the park, Lei was enjoying playing tourist, walking freely down the streets that make up Little Italy. It was something she did rarely, because of her Empathic talent/curse: even brushing against someone in the crowd who was experiencing strong emotions could batter Lei's barriers and leave her with haunting echos.

Garth's arm around her and strong need to show her everything about his neighborhood protected her from such casual contact. She slipped into his emotions, allowing them to act as a buffer, and also simply bathing in his pure honest desire/need/love(?) for her. It was intoxicating. It was exhilerating. She had never been this happy in her memory, and she shared that feeling with Garth unreservedly.

[Comrade Tortoise]

He wasnt about to break. He knew that much. He had not been under the knife nearly long enough for that. But his brain was starting to wander. He was only barely registering the conversation going on around him as his brain was doing it's best to deal with the pain.

If he got loose from these silver chains, that bastard would be so fucking dead. That was his last real thought before he started muttering to himself

Have you ever gone fishing on a bright sunny day?
All the little fishies swimmin’ up and down they bay
With your hands in your pockets and your pockets in your pants
All the little fishies do the hoochie coochie dance
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
With our hands in your pockets and your pockets in your pants
All the little fishies do the hoochie coochie dance

He repeated this faster and faster. He may not have been formally trained in this stuff, but he knew the basic principles. If only he had his cyanide pills.

Of course, it wouldnt be long before he transitioned into another song.

Es tanzt ein Biba Butzemann in unserm Haus herum, fidebum, es tanzt ein Biba Butzemann in unserm Haus herum. Er rüttelt sich, er schüttelt sich, er wirft sein Säcklein hinter sich. Es tanzt ein Biba Butzemann in unserm Haus herum.

[B4UTRUST]

'I'm well aware of ways to make you scream. You act like this is the first time I've done this. At the moment you're more useful to me alive then dead. Otherwise you'd be in a much worse situation then he is currently. But I'm sure you're already aware of that.'

The music coming from Avatar's mind annoyed him. It was a pathetic attempt to concentrate on other things. One that he was fully capable of remedying. He reached out with his mind and subtly erased the song that was playing in his head from his memory.
"If you're going to sing, at least do it out loud and sing something we can all enjoy won't you? That's a good meta."

------------
Tarot hit his comm.
"Bring him down, Niner. See if you can track down the other escapee."

[Rukia]

-What the fuck?! You've already told me that you don't need me or my help, so what the fuck am I doing here? Please, indulge me...- She was gettting pissed at the beating around the bush.

[B4UTRUST]

He raised an eyebrow and smirked.
'Eyecandy?

[Agent Fisher]

"Roger." Niner changed channels on his radio. "Hey, Ultima agents with the guy with the screwed up knee. Some guy wants you to take him to the street level."

Niner changed channels back and looked around. "Ok. Now where are you Mr. Eye-freaky-thing."

[Rukia]

-You're fucking kidding me right? I'm a trophy hostage?!- She slumped back in her seat. -Fuck me sideways-

[Dark Silver]

It took them longer than the ten minutes to reach his apartment building, but not by much. Mostly it was because he was stopped a few times by various people, and a few shop owners he knew.

"Are you two a couple? You look so cute together....it's about time you found someone Garth.." They had heard it, or some version of those words, at least 20 times in the past fifteen minutes.

When they arrived at the apartment, Garth brought her into the elevator, and they rode up to the third floor, where he stayed. The building wasn't fancy, it was a redbrick affair, five levels, but well kept. The people he rented from beleived in keeping the building in top shape, and trenting the tenants right, as long as they paid thier rent ontime.

"We're here" he said, exiting the elevator a few moments later with Lei, and walking to apartment 304. He couldn't wait to get the ring back to charge, and spend time with Lei.

[LadyTevar]

The walk had been... interesting. Unlike herself in Chinatown, where she was unnoticed and tried to be unnoticeable, Garth seemed to know everyone's name, and they his. Lei had even blushed when the little old lady teased Garth into buying her a flower, and then told her not to let a 'good man like that' get away from her.

It was like a totally different world... even to his apartment. Where hers was spartan, just a place to stay for a night, his was ... lived in. The living room had comfortable chairs and a slightly worn couch set up in front of the TV, with newspaper clippings announcing how Guardian Force had once again saved the city spread over the coffeetable... along with one lone beercan.

Pictures were on the walls, of Garth with friends. She slipped out of his arms, to explore the living room further.

[Agent Fisher]

Niner reached out with his telepathy. He strechted his power as far as it could go, searching for the familar presence of that man's mind.

Nothing.

"This is Niner. No sign of the man."

[Dark Silver]

He watched her, and as she walked to explore, he moved to the spare bedroom. Once he explained who he was, the building manager was nice enough to rent him a two bedroom.

Within the spare bedroom, the rosewood box, emblazened with the same symbol which used to adorn his Guardian Force uniform, sat. The symbol of a Dragon, with lion's paws.

He approached it quietly, slipped the power ring from his fingers, and opened the small box. He held the ring up for a few moments, and set it within, sealing the box away.

The wooden box seemed to glow as the ring was placed within it, focusing ambient energy, and making the small room light up. Here was a small tribute to the man he once was, a picture of himself and the Red and Black Guardian's on the far wall - out of thier uniforms - a maniquin dressed in his old costume standing up next to it, complete with his old helmet. A few of the toy replica's of the Guardian Force vehicles were on a table, along with the Force's replica action figures.

Yeah, he had his own collection of them, for old times sake.

He walked over to the picture, and smiled almost sadly, "How far the mighty have fallen, eh guys?" he said softly, before walking back towards the door.

"It'll be a few hours before the ring's recharged..." he said as he walked out, closing the door behind him.

[LadyTevar]

She turned to look at him, holding one of the clippings in her hand. Her black irisless eyes glance to the door behind him curiously, but Lei gives him his privacy. "There were several diappointed children when Guardian Force broke up," she simply stated, laying the clipping back down with the rest. Curiousity crept across the room, giving him an idea of her emotions. "May I ask what happened?"

[Dark Silver]

He looked at her, the one question he asked himself often, she just did.

What happened.

"It's a long story.." he said, sighing as he walked towards the kitchen, "want something to drink?"

He opened the refridgerator, and pulled out two bottles of beer, popped both open, and walked back towards her. One look into those black eyes, and he smiled, almost sadly.

"It was a Sunday, churches were still in service, and we were resting after a grueling battle with a monster called Tricyptor, he was some magically created half Velociraptor half Kodiak Bear thing. Most of the team was still beat up and sporting bandages."

He walked past her, as the memories flowed back, "We got a call of a new threat, apparently the big brother of some space criminal we took down a few months back, who came looking for revenge. Well, we went out to meet him.."

He settled in the sofa, his head leaning back, and he stared at the ceiling.

"We didn't know he brought friends...."

[LadyTevar]

She took the beer and settled down in one of the overstuffed chairs, sitting sideways in it with her legs over one arm and her back pillowed against the other so she could watch him as he talked.

She deliberately did not focus on his emotions, trying to lock them out as he told the story.

[Dark Silver]

As he told the story, it was like he was reliving it...

-----

"This doesn't look good Garth" the Red Guardian said, clutching the wound at his side.

The ambush was efficient, and deadly, already three of thier teammates where down, one with a large sucking wound at thier chest. It wasn't much doubt that the yellow Guardian was dead, the blue, pink and green Guardians were done for without medical attention soon.

Only Garth, Kevin the Red Guardian, and Josh the Black Guardian remained, and they were no longer outnumbered, but they may as well have been. All three were beaten, thier bodies pushed beyond what any man should have to endure, and except for Garth, were bleeding freely.

"You pathetic humans, I will rip you apart with my bear hands!" shouted the shark-creature which had brought them out here.

Garth rushed the alien, and they fought savagely for several minutes, never once did Garth use his sword, but each blow was precise. Meanwhile, the creature's own claws were razor sharp, and tore a gash across his chest, and threatened to rip apart his right thigh.

He brought the fight to a pause, with a uppercut into the creatures stomach, which sent it skidding back a few few, giving them both breathing room.

"Not bad....Here's what I'll do." the creature said, "Tell me which one of you finished off my brother, and I'll let the rest of you go free."

Garth knew it they couldn't trust the monster, but it was a chance to let his teammates get out. He took it.

"I did, so it's me you want. Now let them go.."

The shark smiled, rows of gleaming white teeth revealed, as it drew a energy gun, and pointed it at the downed Guardians. Garth tried to stop him, but was to slow. As he moved, the Pink, Blue and Green Guardians were reduced to ash and free floating molecules.

---------

"I killed him.."

He said the words silently, "I didn't just kill him.....I killed him slowly....painfully...I made him suffer for every thing he had done...for killing Will, to obliterating three helpless Guardians when he said he would let them go. And I enjoyed every second of it."

He took another swallow of the beer, still staring at the ceiling. "After it was over, when we made it back to base....things were...different. We weren't a team anymore...it was decided we'd part company....we never told anyone what happened. The families of the dead were told, and asked to keep it quiet...."

[LadyTevar]

Sometime during the retelling, Lei had moved. Her beer sat on the coffee table, untouched, and she herself was behind him, slipping her hands around his shoulders as her head lowered to brush a kiss on his brow. "It's ok..." she whispered, keeping her emotions tight within.

Vengence for the slain. Isn't that what she had done, just today? Taking the hybrid croc and turning him over to Abaddon's boss for slaying Ember? What words could she say to Garth?

[B4UTRUST]

'I could do that, if you so liked. But I promise you that it would be a very unpleasent experiance for you. Lots of pain.'

---------------
Tarot frowned as he got Niner's message. Another has escapped. Damn.

He motioned for a medic to bring water to Blast when he looked around the battlefield again.
"We'll have to save this discussion for later, Agent. We're pulling out."

He tapped his comm and sent a signal to all the radios in range.
"This is Tarot. We're pulling back to base. Mirage team report to sick bay for treatment. Any who are capable of leaving sickbay, report for debrief in three hours."

A helo set down near Blackheart and Tarot, the door opening as it landed. A medical team jumped out and began to strap Legacies down to a Gurney. They lifted him into the Helo and strapped him down.

Up on the roof another team began to airlift Seven back to base. His considerable mass prevented normal methods and his cyborg nature allowed the medics to forego standard first aid.

"Agent, if you and the rest of your concious men will accompany me we can continue this discussion on the flight back."

Tarot turned and climbed into the helo waiting for him. As soon as everyone was in and strapped down the helo dusted off, heading back towards headquarters.

[Rukia]

'I could do that, if you so liked. But I promise you that it would be a very unpleasent experiance for you. Lots of pain.'

-Nice. I was being like, ya know, sarcastic or something...- She hoped he had caught the not so subtle valley girl impression. She glared, -So what do you plan to do with me?-