Futuristic Arcadia: Heroes World Brave

[DarKnight36]

"Sorry I can't do that," Krith said, his voice echoing as he moved closer to Henry. "Not only because I would suffer a meaningless death for doing so, but because Koschei is simply more important to Fang then a war with America."

Krith snorted. "I can't tell you why, not that I even know myself. But orders are orders."

Streaks of light began coalescing into strands, forming webs that began to surround Henry.

 

[Wing06]

Klaus chuckled as the drones began to whirl. Staring death in the face was nothing new; in fact, he no longer feared it. "Such a cliche. All that brain power and this is the best you can do? Separate the team, test their abilities, learn about them, and understand you're actually out of your element but claim victory anyway because of your precious data. I've known men like you; you're not unique, and you're not special. In the end, your data will be useless. Human beings are adaptable and predictable to some degree, but they change once they are aware of that predictableness. What you learn today will not help you tomorrow." He shook his head and sighed, "You know, that day in Atlas City, the timeline broke," He eyed the drones as they slowed their approach. "All I can assume is that it splintered, and I've been left here to experience a new branch, a new future that has yet to be made. I cannot go forward in time, and I'm honestly not sure how many times I can go backward until my tech stops working as this universe's laws of physics settle into place. Still, you can sure as hell bet, with the time I have, I'm going to use it to stop men like you and get to the bottom of what has upended the world. These abominations will be stopped, and despite your best efforts, I'll be on the front lines."

 

[druidquest]

Lynne turned toward the door as it opened, blinking as she registered what was happening. So they were being tested? There seemed to be a lot going on here that she didn't understand. She opened her mouth to ask about it, then thought better of it. Curious as she was, she understood that this wasn't her mystery to unravel, not really. This was between Sasha and his friends, and she was only here in a supporting role for their story. Still...

"You don't seem like a bad person," she began, turning back toward Apex. "So why...?" She bit her lip, thinking to rephrase her question. "Will you be all right? There were those camera drones..."

 

[obscured_light]

Akiko landed hard with a slight crack. She turned to see where she had landed, noting the cracks now running in the amethyst of her armor. There was a pause before she shoved herself off the ground and began to run. The rabbit wasn't in sight but that wasn't what Shinigami was running from.

Instead she was running to the wall, slamming her shoulder into it. The crystals gave and broke off with her collecting the pieces off the ground. Shinigami ran back to the middle of the room, throwing up smoke bombs again. She had no guarantee it would work on her new opponent considering its speed but there was another trick up her sleeve.

When she threw up the amethyst and it made contact with her whip, the amethyst quickly grew in size and came down the size of a full body mirror. It's edges were sharp and it sat there, waiting for Shinigami to use it as either shield or weapon.

 

[PiePillager]

Henry readied his blaster, eyeing the streaks of light as they formed around him. "Seems to me you're not working for the right people, then. Keeping you in the dark and expecting follow orders blindly," he closed his eyes and began to listen to the sounds surrounding him. "Letting a mass murderer into your ranks. One who doesn't give a damn about the consequences of his actions. And then there's them sending you on this fool's errand. Give this up now. There's only one way this ends"

***
"You speak of cliches, yet you thought it necessary to bore me with your trite heroic speech," Turbomind yawned or at least he appeared to in the split second he took to do so. But still, I will thank you for the valuable information. An anomaly of your caliber needn't die just yet. So, I suppose I must congratulate you. You've earned not only a reprive from the death, but you have dedicated the rest of your livelihood to further the pursuits of science. Subdue the specimen for future dissection," Turbomind ordered.


At once, spindly appendages, four to each drone. Each appendage folded towards one another, into a conical shape, crackling with energy and ready to administer a shock to send the Cobalt Clock into unconsciousness.

"Time, broken...of course. That explains the inconsistencies..." Turbomind mused, rubbing his chin. "But how many fractured pieces make up the whole? That will be key, yes...."

 

[druidquest]

The Rabbit's feet impacted against the amethyst an instant after it hit the ground, causing the demon spirit to rebound onto its back in confusion. It blinked once, then flipped back up onto its feet before taking off again, vanishing with a flurry of beats against the walls and ceiling before coming down again on Shinigami's barrier.

"Ara~! Sore wa ii desu ne~!" Abe-no-Hideyoshi exclaimed in pleasant surprise. "It's not often something can withstand the Rabbit demon's kicks. And to think such a delicate-looking form could boast such impressive defensive abilities! How you surprise me, Shinigami-tantei!"

 

[obscured_light]

"That is indeed Japanese," Akiko said, revving the motorcycle she was now apparently on. "Demo mattekudasai, mada arimasu!"

She tilted the bike over to where she could reach the shield of amethyst and slapped on one of the fragments she still had in hand. The shield glowed and the fragment stuck on, Akiko shaping it into the form of a handle. She did this again and then slipped her arm through the two loops, lifiting it off the ground slightly before revving the bike once more.

Holding the Amethyst shield up, she aimed her bike at the wall. At the last second, she spun it around but launched the shield. It embedded itself into the wall before she whipped it, cracks appearing all over. With one last rev, she drive forward, popped the motorcycle up on its back wheel and collided with the shield.

It burst into pieces, fragments exploding all over the room and embedding themselves into available surfaces. The ceiling, the walls, the floor. All of it now covered in tiny fragments that began to expand like ice.

 

[DarKnight36]

"We don't always have a choice," Krith sighed, launching a punch from one of the strands of light into Henry's back. "Jacques was not always as such. In truth, he went by a different name before. But that's of little consequence. I am a Fang, and I can bite as part of the whole or be plucked out and discarded."

 

[Wing06]

Apex smiled and gave Lynne a thumbs up, "I'll be just fine, mate," He turned to look at one of the drones hovering nearby, giving it a wave. "Turbomind's too busy to watch all these things, but you should go. That Midnight Hour guy is gonna need your help! Turbo's not been the same since that thing attacked Atlas City, goin' on an' on about this and that," He sighed, "Listen to me, I'm ramblin'; go get your friends."


******

"Oh, you're done talking?" Cobalt said with a yawn, watching the surgical drones float closer. "Really, you couldn't spring for the newest model?" He scoffed, "Metal blades are last decade, Turbomind. Even the smallest medical practices have swapped to lasers; they cauterize the wound and allow a much finer touch, and I mean, if you're trying to dissect me, I'd think you'd want pristine samples, not butchered ones." Klaus chuckled to himself and activated his helmet. "Not that I plan on staying around long enough to see what your machines can do."

In seconds, he stepped behind Turbomind and tapped him on the shoulder, "You know, for a guy with such a big brain, you'd think you'd understand how easily I can sabotage your tech. Sorry about this," He sighed and threw a right hook to the side of Turbomind's head.

 

[PiePillager]

"There's always a choice. There's always a better way, no matter how difficult it is," Henry sighed, picking himself off of the floor after being knocked down by the punch. Henry glanced around at the strands of light. There was physical contact, but the Fang member remained near stationary. It wasn't the light that had attacked him, but Krith himself. He could move along the strands somehow. Figuring out how would need to be done fast. "Last chance, since you seem reasonable enough. Don't wanna fight anybody I don't need to!"

***

"It'spossiblethatinararemiscalculationthatIhadassumedthatmytechhadfarsurpassedthatofyourlostfuture," Turbomind, stepped to the side, seeing Klaus' punch flying at him in slow motion. "I'd hate to get my hands dirty," he states derisively as he slows down, though his body begins to quicken soon. "But perhaps I should just disassemble you now before you cause further trouble!" he states, raising his arm as a compartment opens in his gauntlet. Two miniature appendages rise from it with blade attachments. The two blades are put together, forming a buzzsaw which activates as Tubomind sped, lunging at Klaus' neck.

 

[Wing06]

Klaus's armor took the buzzsaw attack, mitigating the damage and dulling the blade while administering a small jolt of electricity into Turbomind's gauntlet. "You genuinely don't understand what you're up against here, but I am curious why you're so hell-bent on dissecting me!"

 

[druidquest]

The Rabbit hopped from one foot to the other, jerking its head around in confusion as the crystal spread to take over every available surface. It held no lack of confidence in its strength, yet some instinct nevertheless warned the beast not to touch the substance. It tapped one claw against its chin theatrically, considering its options and which areas still remained clear before disappearing yet again, bouncing back and forth between the footholds it still had.

"You may have your plans, tantei, yet my demon beast remains motivated!" Abe-no-Hideyoshi cheered. "Let us see who shall emerge the victor!"

---

Lynne opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. Concern still knit into her brow, she dug into her pocket before pulling out a small metal card case. "Just in case," she said, offering Apex a business card. "I'm not really sure how things will go here, so..." She trailed off, rubbing her head and stuffing the card case back into her pocket. "I'll go help the others find their friend. Maybe- maybe you should find yours, too."

With that she offered a quick bow, then turned and sprinted down the hall. "Thanks for your help!" She called behind her, voice echoing back toward the vivarium as she disappeared around the corner.

 

[obscured_light]

"Oh, you're definitely on!" Akiko proclaimed as she revved her motorcycle again.

It was unfortunate that the crystal spread at a slow yet steady rate. it had been her saving grace when she had defeated the villain whose soul she had consumed but right now, it definitely wasn't helping at all. Akiko looked to where the fragments had spread and then drove to where they seemed the most abundant. She touched the wall and the crystal began to spread onto her, rooting her in place. If the rabbit wanted to get at her, he would have to risk being consumed as well.

 

[Lord Saethos]

• Atlas City
• Siberia
• Surgut

• 
  
  Atlas City, North Carolina
  
  May 15th, 2045​
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  Once upon a time, the NAHLA headquarters in Atlas City stood as a symbol of hope, of strength, unity, justice. A glittering steel plate on the front of America's shield against villainy and evil. But as one stood at its base now, looking up to see the repairs still being done to the upper levels, it was hard to feel anything without their being an undertone of something unpleasant. Cold. Frightening.
  
  Doubt.
  
  It's a bright, warm day in Atlas City. A gentle breeze carries the scent of the ocean through the streets, people go about their day, more or less as usual. But these days, perhaps the citizens are a bit more... Jumpy. Anxious. It's not unusual to catch them looking over their shoulder more than they would have prior to March.
  
  Then again, they weren't nearly as anxious as they could be.
  
  A metal newspaper stand clinks as coins are dropped inside, and the front door opens to release today's edition. The man who bought it stares at the headlines for a few moments, reading how President Gordon Ford condemned recent attacks in Atlas City as 'an attack by foreign agents'.
  
  The man sighed.
  
  "Those Russian pieces of-" He stopped himself, rolling his eyes as he tucked the paper under his arm. Strangely, he already had one newspaper under that arm, giving him a collection of two now.
  
  "I swear, you leave to go get some milk, and come back, and gangs have ransacked your turf. Unbelievable...."
  
  He pulled a cigarette out of his suit jacket and lit it with a lighter as he waltzed over to the entrance of NAHLA HQ.
  
  Security watched as the man walked in, eyes narrowed as he approached the receptionist desk. The young lady who was attending it finished a call, before turning to look at the man, a small look of shock on her face. "Excuse me sir! No smoking indoors!"
  
  He said nothing as he tossed a business card at her and took another drag. "Tell Claudia I'm here. We need to talk."
  
  Security was about to follow after him, but the receptionist turned to them and shook her head, anxiously pointing to the card she'd been handed. Instead, she and the guards immediately began making phone calls, as security camera footage was being copied to be sent off somewhere...
  
  

  ________________________________________________________________________________________________
  ​

  Claudia Burke didn't always make a trip down to Atlas City, but things had become exceptionally dire. After the attack in Anthem City, the Secretary of Defense had just... Disappeared. Just gone without a trace, and no one could figure it out. And he wasn't the only one. Things had been strange since that day, like someone had taken two puzzles, and switched some pieces around between them. Felt like there were things missing, and things that shouldn't be there, all at the same time.
  
  Her office was dark, lights were off and the curtains were down across most of her windows, save for where she was currently standing. She looked out the window where she stood, down to Atlas City. Taking a long sip of coffee, she felt her body strain instinctively at the long nights that would be ahead to put America back on track.
  
  The door to the office opened without a knock. "Excuse me, but could you please knock?" She said irritated. "I've got this time blocked off too, so please talk to my secretary if you have anything to give me or say."
  
  The person who entered the room approached Claudia's desk, taking a seat on it casually, as the smell of smoke reached her nostrils.
  
  She turned to yell at whoever this twit was, but when her gaze saw his face, she froze.
  
  "Y-You? Where have YOU been! What happened in Anthem City! What Happened to the Secretary of Defense?"
  
  He said nothing as he placed two newspapers on her desk, saying nothing as the cherry on his cigarette gently illuminated his face in the glow.
  
  Claudia looked down at the papers on her desk, slowly reading the headlines, then looked back at the man sitting on her desk.
  
  "Is this some kind of a sick joke to you? Did MacNamara send you here to be a pest or something? I need ANSWERS!"
  
  The man smirked as he stubbed the end of his cigarette out on her desk. "Claudia, tell me where your friend's pets are." He pointed to the newspaper about the attack in Atlas City, the heads that had been blown apart.
  
  "I know you've been working with him, so don't play stupid. I need to know where they are. Now."
  
  She took another sip of her coffee, eyes narrowed at him. "Y'know something? She warned me about you. Amira Turner. She's a pretty strong girl, and an incredible agent too. So when she tells me that someone scares her, that makes me pretty concerned."
  
  "Amira's a good agent. Always liked her. She's 100% right about me, and you're 100% right to listen to her." He grinned widely, excitedly, as if it was the best thing he'd heard all day. "Now... Where are your friends at Claudia?"
  
  Claudia sighed, peeling her eyes away from the figure. It was beginning to feel stuffy in the room. She pressed a button on her desk that allowed the blinds of the windows to pull back, and let the room fill with more light.
  
  This guy was no Captain Valor. He was no Atlas. Nor a Witchfinder. Nor even a run of the mill street villain.
  
  And yet... With such an average figure compared to all of them, he still managed to worry her more.
  
  "Last I was informed, they're on their way to Surgut. It's a city in the Soviet Union."
  
  The man rapped his fingers across the top of her desk, methodically, thoughtfully. He shuffled the newspaper that he'd picked up outside of the NAHLA building. "Russia, hey? If memory serves, correct, Surgut is on the Western Side of Siberia? About a thousand clicks from the Urals?"
  
  "Something like that." Claudia shrugged.
  
  The man pensively scratched his clean shaven chin as he mulled over the information. "Interesting... Not exactly... What I expected." He muttered to himself, seemingly having forgotten the Attorney General.
  
  "I told you what you wanted to hear, now I want to know what's going on."
  
  His eyes met hers once more, his upper eyelids lazily sat about halfway down, relaxed, but brimming with restrained excitement.
  
  "I'll tell you what I am able to, Claudia. But before any of that, I have a favor to ask..." He turned his eyes then in the direction of one of the office walls, painted with a large mural.
  
  The confident smile of Captain Valor, along with the rest of the painted faces of The League of the Epilektoi, stared towards Claudia and the man that was with her.
  
  "So, you want the Epilektoi, and I'm assuming a jet? To go and... Start an international incident with the USSR?"
  
  "Come on, give Valor some credit, he can be discreet when he needs to!"
  
  "You know what I mean. Listen, attacks in Atlas City or Anthem are one thing. But an attack in the USSR? That's an escalation beyond comparison. That's not even something Ford could sign off on..."
  
  The man rapped his fingers on the newspaper he had not picked up outside. "There won't be an international incident Claudia. If things go the way I suspect they might... Well, we might even be able to improve relations with the Ruskies. Hopefully."
  
  Claudia sighed, taking a seat at her desk finally, and narrowing her eyes at the man across from her. "You realize he is going to want to kill you the next time he sees you, right?"
  
  The man shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure, but he's not gonna actually do it. We've got an understanding, it should still be fine."
  
  "Should be." Claudia muttered, a little more sharply than she perhaps intended, but she was getting short on patience with this guy.
  
  Her mind drifted to everything that had been occurring lately, and to the headlines she was able to peer at on her desk. This felt like a VERY bad idea. But on the other hand, doing nothing might also be a bad idea.
  
  This was something she was never going to be able to talk to Amira about....
  

  
  

  
  
• 
  
  Siberian Airspace, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
  
  May 16th, 2045​
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  The inside of the stealth plane was dim, light up by low red lights that helped to faintly illuminate the members of the American League, and... The SINS agent.
  
  Lady Liberty felt somewhat uncomfortable, her gaze shifting between Captain Valor, and the man on the other side that the Captain seemed to be glaring at.
  
  "You two... Know each other?" She asked softly.
  
  "Yeah. You could say that." Valor muttered out between almost clenched teeth.
  
  The SINS agent smiled as he smoked a cigarette, the glow faintly adding more illumination to his face, though his eyes were hidden behind black sunglasses. "We did some work together in Columbia a few years back. Good times..." He chuckled to himself. Valor bristled, his eyes glowing ever so slightly for a moment, before retunring to their natural color.
  
  "So who are you anyways? NAHLA could have just sent us for this, we don't need SINS help." This time it was Lieutenant Liberty, Lady's sidekick, who spoke up.
  
  His smile seemed to widen further. "Oh, I'm not here to help you. Other way around. And you can call me Peter. Agent Peter Radovan."
  
  She furrowed her brow a bit. "You don't have a codename or something?"
  
  Peter smirked. "Correction, I have several."
  
  The Lieutenant's furrow didn't disappear, displeased with the non-answer.
  
  Marshal Justice smirked as he thumbed a thick, bushy mustache, a cigar clenched between his teeth. "So what's the plan Mr. Radovan? We putting an end to the Cold War finally?" He chuckled coldly as he checked his pockets for a lighter, realizing he may have forgotten it.
  
  Peter tossed a lighter over to the Marshal, shaking his head. "Nothing that exciting, but I'll join you in a victory cigar either way." He pulled out a rather thick cigar as well, with a label that appeared to be in Spanish.
  
  The Lieutenant narrowed her eyes at it. "Is... Is that Cuban? Aren't those still illegal?"
  
  "What are you, a narc?" Peter chuckled, slipping it back into his pocket for later. "No, we have a more delicate mission here. There's some... Assets we need to assist. They've got a teammate that appears to have gone missing, Russian fellow by the name of Sasha. Besides that, and you could say this is sort of an intel and reconnaissance gathering mission."
  
  American Eagle, stoic as ever behind his eagle shaped mask, turned to face Agent Radovan now. "Are we gathering intelligence on the assailant who attacked Atlas City? The telepathic criminal who..." He went quiet for a moment, a dark somberness coming over him as the images of carnage played in his mind. "Exploded the heads of innocent civilians?" A low, deep breath escaped him, as his fists clenched tightly. "Will we be bringing him to justice?"
  
  Peter looked a little slackjawed for a moment, somewhat thrown off by Eagle's weirdly intense vibe and way of talking, like he thought he was vengeance incarnate, some kind of Dark Knight or something. He may or may not have found it a tad bit cringey. "Uhhh, maybe? That's not reaaaaally the scope of the mission, but uhh... Guess we'll see how it goes?"
  
  American Eagle nodded somberly. "Indeed we shall. I know he may be a communist, but I would have expected at least a sliver of humanity in him... Perhaps some are just... Irredeemable."
  
  Peter didn't address the rest of what Eagle said, he simply turned to the others. "Listen, the important point is we need to ensure the 'assets' survive relatively unharmed, and that means we're also gonna need to ensure the target 'Sasha' is also secured by his team. Like I said, we've got some intel gathering to do, so the more of them I have to gather it from, the better. However..."
  
  He paused as he leaned forward, almost as if he were trying to prevent them from being eavesdropped on, while in the middle of a jet flying over the frozen tundra of Siberia.
  
  "I want you all to keep a very watchful eye out for anything... Strange."
  
  "Like Atlas City or Anthem strange? Or like LA strange, Peter?" Valor asked, trying his best to restraint the disdain in his voice.
  
  "Yes."
  
  Valor sighed in irritation. "Okay Epilektoi, keep your eyes peeled for anything strange, and don't do anything stupid. Justice, Eagle, Attorney General Burke made it clear to me that this is NOT to become an international incident. Am I being clear enough with you?"
  
  Justice shifted uncomfortably as he nodded, and Eagle offered a slightly stiff nod as well.
  
  "I don't mean to interrupt a bit, but can't you tell us a bit more information Peter?" This time, it was Lady Liberty to chime in. "Don't you think it's dangerous to not let us know what to expect? Like we should at least have SOME idea of what's going on, it's not like there's some kind of security risk."
  
  "That's the problem... I'm not exactly sure what to expect. There's a lot of... Variables."
  
  "Variables? So you're taking us on a mission and you don't know what's even going on?" She asked with some anger. Lady Liberty felt a twinge of defensiveness, fear for the safety of her comrades, especially with what happend to Lonestar.
  
  "Oh I know what's going on, and none of that is mission critical. What I don't know is the specifics of what will happen once we're in Surgut. So, keep your eyes peeled, and do what you do best. You're the most powerful heroes on Earth. Hence why I asked for you and not the Vermont Mountaineers."
  
  Justice cackled as he tossed Peter's lighter back, now that he had his stogie lit. "Hey, those Scouts are pretty good at putting out forest fires! Be nice to them! Hah!"
  
  A light at the back of the jet went green, as a 'ding' sound rang out.
  
  "Looks like we're almost at the drop point team. Make sure you've got your gear, and that you're not wearing anything identifiable. We've gotta be incognito, got it? Eagle?"
  
  American Eagle nodded stiffly, as he replaced his usual Eagle Helmet with a matte black one, and a black mesh to go over it. It didn't look like his usual hero outfit, but... It was certainly less incognito than Captain Valor would have preferred.
  
  Peter grabbed a parachute as he sauntered towards the back of the plane, ready for it to open and for everyone to jump. "Here's hoping I don't get lasered down." He smirked at Valor, who only glared back as he donned his own mask.
  
  

  It was good to be back.​

  
  

  
  
• 
  
  Surgut, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
  
  May 16th, 2045​
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  The trip into Surgut proper had required Peter and Epilektoi, to acquire some Soviet military vehicles, procured by SINS agents who'd been operating within the USSR for a while now. They weren't too showy, so they didn't draw a ton of attention, but when they finally arrived at a location near the Surgut power plant, it became clear that it might be too late to be 'clandestine'.
  
  "Guess the quiet option is gone now." Justice chuckled between his teeth and the cigar clamped between them.
  
  Valor silently landed in front of Peter, eyes faintly glowing.
  
  "Agent Radovan... You neglected to tell me who these 'assets' were."
  
  "Oh, did I? That's odd, isn't it?" He shrugged nonchalantly as he started walking away.
  
  Valor placed a hand on Peter's chest. "If memory serves me correctly, Peter, as well as the briefings the team has gone through, these people were in Atlas City, during the monster attack. They were in California shortly after that. And Anthem City."
  
  "Neato, what a coinkidink! Now, moving on-"
  
  "Mission's changed. We're taking them into custody. Far as I can tell team, these people aren't registered supes, and they've been operating on US soil, and abroad."
  
  Valor glared at Peter. "That's my jurisdiction, Agent Radovan."
  
  Peter turned to face the towering hero, their eyes locking for a few moments, his lips twisted into a cheerful smile.
  
  Lady Liberty looked between Peter and Valor, feeling a tightening in her chest, and a sinking feeling in her gut. "Hey, can we just... Get back to the mission at hand? Cap? Guys?"
  
  The black tinted glass of Peter's sunglasses gave a faint reddish glow, as they reflected the light of Valor's eyes, peering down at the SINS agent, as if searching Peter's body, mind, and soul, for signs of... Something. No elevated heartbeat. Breaths were even and calm. Even the cortisol seemed relatively low, with adrenaline levels closer to excitement than fear or anxiety.
  
  Valor slowly pulled his hand away from Peter, once he noticed something in the SINS agent's eyes. Was Peter analyzing him too?
  
  "Dontcha just hate bureaucracy?" He gave Valor a pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it folks, we'll figure it all out afterwards." Peter snapped finger guns at Lady Liberty. "Could not agree more! We'll focus on the mission at hand, and we can bicker about it later. Deal folks?"
  He didn't bother to wait for a response, he simply walked towards the power plant, with Epilektoi reluctantly following behind.
  
  As they reached the power plant, Valor pointed out where some of the action seemed to be occurring, indicating to what appeared to be an unfinished administrative building. Peter signaled to Eagle. "You've got flying abilities, good eyes, and sharp talons, right pal? Hang out on top of those towers over there, give us cover if anything starts to go wrong, and if things go REALLY wrong... How sharp are your talons again?"
  
  "Sharp enough to cut through the Iron Curtain." Eagle responded, with a tone that did not in the slightest bit feel ironic.
  
  "Alrighty, and if things go REALLY wrong, put those talons to good use and give us some collateral damage to work with."
  
  Eagle nodded, flying off in the direction of the towers, a high powered sniper rifle being unslung from his back as he prepared to evaporate any evil-doers that threatened his team.
  
  Valor bristled, thinking over whether or not to chew Peter out again, or laser him on the spot. Before he could make up his mind however, they began walking towards the unfinished office. "It's safe to assume we'll be heading underground. I think it would dampen his talents to take him down there with us. Besides, we should have at least some above-ground support as well." Peter's words were cool, almost reassuring. He didn't want to waste more time on pushing Valor's buttons.
  
  Once inside, it was clear some amount of a fight had already taken place, and yet... It was still surprisingly empty. Valor gazed around for a few moments, and used a silent moment to listen around the empty halls that surrounded them.
  
  "This place is... Weird. Strange layout that I can't really understand the point of. I think the rooms can move around or something, there's lots of mechanicals from what I can tell. It's like its supposed to be a puzzle box or something, I'm just not sure if that's meant as a security measure, or maybe for training purposes?"
  
  "Any idea where the entrance is?"
  
  Valor shrugged. "There's a hollow area below us..." Using his enhanced senses, he was able to see and hear the outlines of mechanical corridors and spaces, leading down into a central series of more simplistic hallways. "I have an idea of where the underground facility is, but not a clear entrance."
  
  "Well... Guess we'll have to make our own Cap?"
  
  Valor gave a nod to Peter and the rest of the team, as his eyes now turned into a bright, brilliant, ruby red. "With pleasure."
  
  The room exploded in a flash of red light, molten concrete, and blistered steel, as the floor in front of them parted like the Red Sea. The flash disappeared for a moment, as Valor checked the damage, reassessing where he should hit next. Several more flashes filled the room as Valor's laser gaze burst more of the floors and walls apart, filling the room with acrid smoke.
  
  When all was said and done, a sizeable hole pointing straight down was before them. As far as anyone could estimate, it seemed to go down approximately 7 stories, so about 70 feet.
  
  Faint lights could be seen at the bottom, fluorescent glow from what was the hallways of the underground base.
  
  "Alright, keep your comms open folks. We're gonna split up and search for the people who do NOT look like they're employed by the Soviet Government. Remember, we need them alive. Radio if you run into any trouble, but... I figure you're all capable of handling yourselves." Peter beamed, giving them a thumbs up as he approached the edge of the hole, unholstering his pistol and chambering a round.
  
  "Need a hand?" Valor asked indicating to the depth of the hole.
  
  "Nah, I got this."
  
  Peter dropped down the hole, a loud thud indicating he'd hit the concrete below.
  
  Lady Liberty had scrambled over in panic, only to look over the edge and see the SINS agent... Standing down below, looking up at them and waving.
  
  Valor swallowed.
  
  "Captain... This guy, you know what his powers are?" She asked with a tone of concern.
  
  "As far as I knew... He didn't have any."
  
  Lady Liberty looked to him, brows contorted in confusion.
  
  Down below, Peter already made his way deeper into the facility, soon followed by Epilektoi, who branched out into various parts of the facility.
  
  "Zdravstvuyte comrades! I'm here on behalf of City Bylaw, seems there was some issues with the construction of your flooring! How about you come out so we can have a little chat about that."
  

  
  

  
  

Spoiler: Pistol

 

[druidquest]

The rabbit's foot beats grew faster, ready to strike yet hesitant to risk whatever threat the crystal posed. The detective moved, racing toward the wall, her plan revealed - coat herself in the crystal to trap the rabbit when it attacked. Mutually assured destruction, it seemed. Still, the crystal was slow, and the rabbit was fast. It would be a simple thing to strike, then leap away before it was arrested by the crystal. The detective had doomed herself. A gleam in its eye, sharp teeth bared in a grin, the Rabbit braced braced itself against the last of its footholds, the wall cracking like a gunshot as it launched itself toward Akiko for its final strike.

 

[obscured_light]

There was the sound of cracking as the rabbit collided with the crystal encased detective. It had accelerated at the last second, completely consuming Shinigami and reaching outwards to ensnare the rabbit's foot. The force of the rabbit's kick shattered the crystal however and the shards exploded in the air which broke Shinigami free. However, the shards didn't fall to the ground. Instead, they hung suspended in the air and then expanded outwards, sealing the rabbit away.

 

[PiePillager]

"Surely you must be joking," Turbomind sneered in disbelief as his other hand rapidly began to dart around in an attempt to repair what Klaus had done to the gauntlet. "A living breathing time anomaly. Despite what crackpot conspiracy theorists would have one thing, such individuals are a dime a dozen...and noneofthoseonrecordhaveemergedfromasfarinapotentialfutureasyouhave. Neither have they completely...severed..themselves...from the-" Turbomind uncharacteristically slowed down mid-sentence.

His head turned to view one of his screens monitoring the facility. Klaus could see the two optic lenses on his helmet contract as if the speedster was narrowing his eyes. "Dammit...Epilektoi. We expected retaliation, but this...." he quickly sped towards the monitors, focusing the camera on new intruders breaking into FANG's subterranean sanctuary.

On another nearby screen, various dossiers began to load into place. Turbomind rapidly clicked through most only to come to a halt at one. Unlike the others he'd began to pull up files for, this one appeared all too human. Unnervingly so, Turbomind couldn't help but think. Especially since the files was nearly barren. And the parts that weren't, sealed up with so much digital red tape, that even he wouldn't be fast enough to erase his steps before his superiors caught on.

He turned to look at Klaus. "It would seem we have to put this game on hold..." he commented, pressing a button on his wrists, as several more drones that had apparently been surrounding Klaus uncloaked from their stealth fields. "This presence does not bode well for either of us. But we will meet again. You and your team are a host of interesting specimen...and I am not one to pass up an opportunity for the advancement of science...until then."

And with a blur, the once harrowing and complex machinery of the lab had practically been laid bare. All monitors blank, the computers they were connected to, purged of data.

***

A red alert had gone off, an siren sounding off at regular intervals. Henry could tell things were moving on the outside. The footsteps, even in whatever trial area he'd found himself in now, were heard loud as people scrambled to engage in whatever protocols were present in case of emergency.

In two rooms beyond where Henry and Krith had fought, a group of soldiers clad in cold steel-palladium meshed powered armor were sent to out to accomplish what was sure to be an impossible task. To buy time. They projected a barrier and behind it stood locked and loaded with rocket launchers and energy lances.

Their captain glared coldly at Peter Radovan and the approaching contingent behind him. What the hell was going on? You face the Epilektoi, not with the shield but with the sword. But all the swords were being put to the tesf, trying and failing to weed out the rats. And their most powerful asset wasn't even present. Of course this was all his fault. Never before had their backs been to the wall until the brass decided to let him do whatever he wanted. But now wasn't the time to question orders. Even if it might be the last chance he'd ever get to do so.

"You are not allowed here, dog!" The captain roared back at Radovan at last. "You step foot here and think you can do as you please! We are the armor that shields FANG from intruders such as yourselves. You and the rest of your trained hounds stay back...or be prepared to be shipped home in body bags!" He responded. A bluff, of course. A bold one, perhaps even a absurd one given the circumstances...but if it bought them all one second more...

 

[druidquest]

The crystal cracked and shattered as the Rabbit's form vanished, reverting back to a blue flame.

"Well done!" Abe-no-Hideyoshi's applause echoed through the room. "You excite me, Shinigami-tantei! Please, once more before we-" He raised his staff, ready to summon another of his demon spirits, only to be cut off by the blaring of a klaxon. His face grew serious, an intensity in his eyes that hadn't been there before. With a wave of his hand he snuffed out the blue spirit-fires which circled the room, and a section of wall slid away to reveal the path ahead.

"It seems we must end our game here," he stated, his gaze focused on some point in the distance. "Hurry then, Detective. Find your friend, then quit this place." He turned, about to leave, then looked back over his shoulder with a smile and a wink. "Perhaps we'll get the chance to play again. Sayonara." And then he was gone.

 

[obscured_light]

"Indeed, you will pay," Shinigami said, catching the slight mistake with a nod. Her form shattered and the lantern disappeared only for Shinigami Gray to appear. Akiko activated it, starting to run into the new path as the belt announced her form loudly. She quickly slipped into invisibility however, knowing that whatever had stopped their game wasn't good.

At least Abe-no-Hideyoshi had been kind enough to lead her straight into the action. Shinigami could see the room in front, two forces standing off, but no allies in sight.

"Hoo boy," she muttered under her breath, debating if turning back was the better option.

 

[Wing06]

Klaus stood still momentarily as Tubomind raced off, the cloaked drones racing off after him. "Gotta reevaluate the cloaking sensors...that would have been embarrassing," He sighed. "Now to figure out what had him so spooked. For Heroes, FANG seems to be toeing the line a bit much."


***

Apex took the business card with a chuckle and watched Lynne race off. The door closed behind her with a hiss, and the klaxons wailed. "What the hell," Apex questioned as red light strobed in the space above the trees.

 

[DarKnight36]

Jacques strode down the hallway with both hands clasped behind his back, head held high. He ignored the looks he received. They were ignorant, all of them. They didn't understand the truth behind the deceptions. But he did.

He entered the room with the same easy pace he'd traversed the hallway with, and stopped at the foot of the table without a word.

"As expected, America has retaliated," the man seated at the table said without looking up from his paperwork. "They followed the Brave and have also discovered the old facility in Surgut. We're pulling out as planned."

"What are my orders?" Jacques asked, as the man paused.

"Are you interested in following orders now?" the man smiled, his tone and expression gentle enough to take the sting of his words away. Still, Jacques' eyes narrowed momentarily.

"You know why..."

"It's done," the man said, looking directly at Jacques for the first time. "I will speak no more of it as you know my thoughts. As I do yours. Activate the second facility. Lure SINS there. Meanwhile, we will bring the Brave here."

"Are you certain?" Jacques asked.

"They've come all this way to see Koschei," the man smiled. "It would be dissatisfying if they were unable to, in the end. Wouldn't you agree Koschei?"

Jacques' eyes turned to the other man in the room, standing at a window, his gaze locked on the view outside.

"Yes," Sasha agreed. "It would be a shame."

***

Krith paused. "It seems our time is up indeed." The traces of light grew thicker, brighter, making it hard for Henry to see. "SINS is here."

Krith moved close to Henry seemingly instantaneously, a whisper floating into Henry's ear.

And then the light and Krith was gone.

***

Two rooms over, Krith reappeared in front of the gathered SINS forces, light immediately filling the room, strands spilling out and reflecting off the swords and shields of the Epilektoi.

"Let us waste no time," Krith growled. "Attack."

 

[Lord Saethos]

Surgut, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

May 16th, 2045​

Peter stared down the hallway, towards the space that filled with power armored guards, Ruskies who had some admittedly rather impressive gear. Even with all the holes in it now, the Iron Curtain still seemed to manage to hide some secrets.

"Dog?" Peter looked around himself, finding himself currently alone. "Now you listen here Comrade, nobody gets to call me a dog, not even pretty red heads, and absolutely NOT pretty blondes. So you DEFINITELY don't get to call me that. I mean, unless you want me to tear your arm off and beat you to death with it, then fine. I'm in touch with my emotions enough to admit when I'm hurt by words." He mockingly pressed a hand to his chest, dramatically insinuating some grief from the Captain's words.

"Also, I don't 'think I can do what I please'. I know I can do what I please. And what pleases me right now is for you all to just calm down, step aside, and let me escort all my err.... 'Friends' out of your facility."

As if on queue, Peter heard a sound of shuffling feet down another one of the halls. His head turned in the direction of it, and his black sunglasses reflected the figure of Akiko Bong.

His lips curled up into a massive, Cheshire Cat grin.

"Speak of the Devil..." He muttered softly.

His gaze was drawn back to the Fang Forces as light spilled into the hallways, a Ruskie super now standing in a spot that had previously been empty. Fast fella this one.

"Let us waste no time. Attack."

Peter sighed slightly. There goes the diplomatic option.

A hand pressed against his shoulder, light, yet firm.

Lady Liberty strode past him, and the smirk returned to his face.

"Hey comrades?" He pointed to his sunglasses. "I don't just wear my sunglasses at night to look cool."

The room filled with a new glow as Lady Liberty's body emanated a golden yellow light, her eyes firing up like lanterns.

"You pitiful, authoritarian rats... You can skulk and hide in the shadows all you like, try to keep your evil hidden, but in the end... THERE IS NO HIDING FROM LIBERTY'S LIGHT!"

With that, a hot wave of light burst forward, flooding the halls and basking the FANG soldiers in light. It was blindingly bright, but as the light passed over their armor, their electronics, and onto the nearby lights and computer systems, sparks erupted out of anything with an electric current in it, before going dark, silent. The power armor of the FANG soldiers became inert, the lights were black, and any other electronics that had been in that room were now off.

The only light filling the room now, was the soft golden glow of a wrathful Lady Liberty.

Her eyes narrowed in a glare of pure hatred for the 'enemies of freedom'.

 

[obscured_light]

"Holy shit," Akiko said, having had to shield her eyes from the overwhelming light. She blinked rapidly, trying to get a sense of what was going to happen next.

"I, uh, I think I should this one out," she said, attempting to turn around to find another exit.

 

[DarKnight36]

The light grew around Lady Liberty's head, building like a halo around her. To those around her, perhaps it would appear to be her own power growing, but this was not truth. The light slipped around Lady Liberty's neck, strands like tentacles wrapping neatly, like fingers, before slamming her to the ground as Krith reappeared from Lady Liberty's own light aura. More light rippled from him, like rays from the sun, hot and blinding.

***

The shadows burst apart, and in its place a man stood. He was short and stocky, almost overweight, but well-groomed. He looked around and spotted Henry.

"One of the Brave, yes?" the man said, his Russian accent thick. "I am Burvin. I am to escort you and the rest of the Brave to the General. To your friend, Sasha."

 

[PiePillager]

Henry had taken a seat on the floor, to take a brief reprieve from fighting for the moment, though it seemed for his last opponent, the fighting was far from over. America's number one superteam had appeared on FANG's doorstep...so to speak. A problem for a number of reasons, potentially, but there was always a chance the distraction could be useful.

OR it would be, if not for the fact that another agent of FANG had happened upon him. Henry looked up, his arm resting on his knee. A teleporter too, that's just perfect. "Just like that, huh?" Henry asked. "Any particular reason I should trust you? Your friend with the light powers had some sense, but he wasn't entirely listening to reason, I don't think."