Heroes: Shadows over Millenium

[Cynical Cat]

Blackheart resisted the impulse to smash his fist into the table. They were attacking a bizarre metahuman enemy in their lair. Things were going to go wrong, Blackheart didn't even consider that they would go right. They would go badly for Freak Legion as well. At least Saibot wasn't whining, but then again Captain Bigot had a government sanctioned opportunity to kill the objects of his hatred. "We're coming in hard and fast to make the most of surprise. Freak Legion's likely to have spread out and subdivided into family units and what not. We are likely to get separated at one point or another, but still be close enough to reinforce each other even without our teleporters. That's why coms are necessary. You get into trouble, shout out for help."

[SirNitram]

Gravitas glanced to Argent, then to Blackheart. The surge of annoyance across the link, flickering on and off, was telling. He cleared his throat. "You know, I don't like using ths sort of thing, but this close to using the fire, it's kinda hard to not notice." He was lying through his teeth, of course, but... "Blackheart. Breath. Relax. If you were any more tense you'd be praying to a deity of bloodlust. And I really don't need to be on that party line on a mission. I got soothing music if it'd help, but I don't know how you and your tumor operate."

[LadyTevar]

Argent herself relaxed slightly, as Gravitus had gotten her silent warning. Out of everyone on the team, Gravitus was probably the only one who could go toe to toe with Blackheart.

[Cynical Cat]

"It's just fucking with my hormone levels and heart rate," said Blackheart. "It does this all the time before a fight. Don't sweat it."

[Hotfoot]

As Blackheart snaps, he takes a few steps back, his eyes glancing around the room to gauge the reactions of everyone. That had been what he had meant, but clearly he had said something wrong, or spoken up at the wrong time. He felt a bit better as Gravitas spoke up, but the wall was back up around Blackheart. He knew what that wall meant. "Yes sir." His tone itself was apologetic, he knew not to say much more.

He moved over and started checking Blast's seals to make sure everything was set.

[LadyTevar]

Argent caught Gravitus' eyes briefly, just long enough for him to see the minimal shake of her head. This was not normal, she'd been in enough fights beside Blackheart to know that. He was simply being too blind to see it.

It almost made her wish that Saibot would contact her, just so they could get moving. Of course, knowing Saibot's deathwish, he'd probably find a way to get into a fight before breaking radio silence....

"As Gravitus has said, you're too tense, Blackheart," Argent said, once again trying to get him to see the danger. "We are all upset over the idea of facing children and families, especially if they have been taught to hate and fear non-Freaks. Do you have a holding cell ready for those we capture? A place I could transport them where they can get medical attention if needed, without harm to anyone?"

The questions may well annoy Blackheart further. If he cracks, she could teleport him to a holding cell, or to somewhere he could vent his rage.

[Cynical Cat]

"I hold it together," Blackheart said mildly. A room full of fucking amateurs and a meta with an ego problem and they were worried because he was keyed up to fight a pack full of superhuman killers? Their priorities were well and truly fucked. Adrenaline kept you alive through shit like they were about to crawl through. "I held it together when Cobalt was breaking my bones and I had to buy time for the rest of my team and my body was the only currency I had to spend. I held it together on my first mission and everything went to shit. I'll hold it together now. Worry about Freak Legion. They're the ones that are going to fuck things up."

[frigidmagi]

"Can we go now?" Blast asked. There wasn't anymore point to playing 20 questions with Blackheart and he wanted to get this over with. Anything to get this over with.

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost tried to send an urge of annoyance towards Argent.

"Argent, knock of the questions. Blackheart says he can handle it, he can handle it. Yeah, we have some large holding tanks. Not exactly sure where they are, but you can go outside and ask one of the others out there."

[Cynical Cat]

"As soon as our teleporters are ready," said Blackheart. "Sooner is better than later. I don't like Saibot much, but I really hate leaving a team mate in enemy territory. Every moment we delay brings him closer to discovery by some very unpleasant people. Saibot's powerful and his power ring is versatile, but he's not invulnerable. Let's not leave his ass in the lurch."

[Dark Silver]

He kept moving, never staying still for more than a moment in the underground maze of ancient subway tunnels and sewer lines.

He never knew someone was following him, though he the feeling of being watched.

He was self assured at the moment, though he knew better, figuring no one could have seen him, not with all the precautions he made in his aerial scans and approaching from underground a good distance away. Every one of his helmets scanners were looking for traps and tricks which would threaten his approach, and thus the mission's success for when he called for the team.

The Ring never looked behind it's wearer for the thing which followed him, and thus, Saibot just had the feeling he pushed to the back of his mind, and moved forward, ever closer to his goal.

[LadyTevar]

Argent gave Ghost a side-long glance at his attempt to express his annoyance. "I am ready to teleport, as soon as Saibot gives the all-clear," she said. "You do not want me teleporting without a target. It would be unpleasant."

[B4UTRUST]

Janos continued to stalk to the intruder. Soon they would reach the junction that lead to one of the entrances to the Legion. Janos decided that the intruder would not be allowed to progress that far.

He reached behind him, his long spider-like fingers wrapping around the large hilt. The sword slid free from its sheath, silent in the well oiled leather. The blade of the sword was almost as tall as a man and reflected no light.

He tensed then sprung forward. A splash of water distant behind Saibot was the only warning that there was someone else there. In an instant he was upon Saibot. The blade came back then slashed towards at Saibot.

[Dark Silver]

The splash of water and then a brief padding of feet was the only clue he had, and it was enough, barely.

His senses responded as soon as he heard the water, he spun, just intime to see the sword coming at him. Thankfully, his Ring responded with the quickness of his thoughts, a bubble of blue energy forming around him, intercepting the blow. He slid back with the blow, pulling free his own saber, and taking a battle stance.

The night vision enhanced sight took in the nearly fourteen foot tall man shaped thing with the six foot sword...and Saibot was taken aback. How the hell did something that big sneak up on him? He should have heard SOMETHING.

"Well...what do we have here.." he said slowly, his body tensed into battle form, the bubble condensing into a heater shield on his arm. All this happened in less than a second from the attack, and Saibot's instincts had taken over.

The big...man...would have less room than Saibot to manuver in the narrow tunnels, and such, he decided to use the terrain to his advantage, his sword's power channeling through him, as he rushed at Janos.

[LadyTevar]

The dragon's head snapped around, silver eyes wide and staring off in the direction Saibot was physically. The sudden surprise, followed by Saibot's joy at battle told Argent the story.

"Saibot's been attacked," she announced to the room, her entire length tensing, poised to move. Those who'd known her before might be expecting a sudden mass teleport. She was Yin-aspect now, and it dictated her calmer response. "I'm not sure how many attackers. I can't be certain there's room for all of us when I teleport to him," she stated the situation tersely, her tailtip jerking like a cat's, the only real sign of her agitation. "Blackheart...?"

[Cynical Cat]

"'Port us," said Blackheart. "Start with me, I'm good in confined spaces."

[SirNitram]

"....Not with a ten foot pole." Gravitas sighed, bracing for the trip Between. The field around him shimmered, as space rippled slightly. "I think we can safely assume a Hot LZ. Here we go..."

In his pocket, the iPod clicked around to 'Let The Bodies Hit The Floor'. Sometimes, you needed good 'Wail On Badguys' music.

[Charon]

The crackling and groans came to a sudden stop, the heartbeat of the silent silver figure slowing back down to a restful rate as fast as it had suddenly jumped. It seemed as though nothing had changed at all.

[Hotfoot]

Hotfoot nodded, internally putting aside the personal conflicts from a moment before. "I'm ready to go, and I don't need a huge space to move around in if it comes down to it." So long as a blast wave or hail of bullets didn't fill a corridor or something. The shield ignited the air around him as he prepared to be sent into a place full of people wanting to tear him apart. The idea of spending more time in Argent's shadow space was hardly appealing, but discomfort was more desirable than being suckerpunched on the way out.

[LadyTevar]

"Blackheart, Gravitus, Blast," Argent named them off. "I do not know how much space will be there, and I do not know how long I can hold people Between." The fact that she named off the heaviest hitters said much about what she was expecting. "Once there is room for Ghost to hide and Hotfoot to run, then we shall join them."

No, Argent was not going to be staying for the first round of combat. If there wasn't much room, she'd be in the way. If there was more room than expected, she could return in heartbeats with the second wave and Blackheart could determine how to go from there. It was almost a relief to be moving.

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost gritted his teeth. He understood the logic of sending in the heavy hitters, but in this situation, he wasn't going to be hiding. He pulled down his mask, and went around to the Blast and Hotfoot and pulled down there masks and made sure they were set. "Ok, Blast is good to go. Get moving."

[B4UTRUST]

Janos' blade came up with a quickness that seemed impossible for something that size. The clang of metal against metal echoed in the tunnel. Janos deflected Saibot's blow, then moved immdiately in for a counter attack.

[B4UTRUST]

When Argent and the others teleported in, it was into near total darkness. The smell of mildew and decay hung heavy in the air. The sounds of metal clashing against metal echoed off the walls. The only immediate thing visable was Saibot's glowing life support field. At the edges of it a shape could be seen moving quickly, cutting and slashing as it attacked Saibot.

[frigidmagi]

"Saibot! Duck!" Blast hollered out. He pointed his hand slightly above Saibot's head and fired as his shield snapped up. The energy stream burnned brightly as it snarled out.

[B4UTRUST]

The group was blinded for a few seconds as their eyes were forced to transition from near total darkness to bright light.

When their vision focused they found themselves in a section of subway tunneling. Pillars seperated the tracks, some still standing, others fallen into ruin, littering the ground with debris. Sections of the wall had caved in, adding more to the general ruin. The ceiling stretched overhead, cracks zigzagging across it.

Janos and Saibot were busy dueling on the far track. When Blast's beam struck it blew off part of the wall behind the two combatants. The light revealed the form of Janos. Janos' stood well over twice the height of a man and wielded a sword that was at least a man's height.

Janos leapt back from the blast, sword snapping out and cleaving through one of the pillars as he brought it around into a defensive stance. He glared over at the new comers.