Hana Jameson was woken when her computer beeped insistently. She raised her head groggily, and grimaced as her cheek peeled away from the metal surface. Specialist tools were scattered on the worktop before her, and a half-dismantled device lay in pieces. She blinked and looked around, her eyes finally settling on the clock mounted on the opposite wall. She shook her head in exasperation. All these late nights were getting to her, the job seemed to be getting harder recently, the nights longer, and her sleep more restless.

She turned in her chair to glance over to the still beeping computer, the screen was displaying a priority alert, she sighed and then rolled over to the computer, hitting the enter key to acknowledge the message.

 'Valentine Caro has agreed to consider negotiations. He has requested protection during this period of deliberation. For this purpose, in addition to your other responsibilities, you have been tasked with guarding Caro. Please report to the LAPD HQ for further instructions.'

Hana’s eyes narrowed, she knew who he was of course, and she knew what he was responsible for. She’d been caught in the crossfire between the NTE and the Crips too many times to not be aware, as well as cracking down on NTE operations in LA. It had been a relief to find that their leader was in custody, until the attacks had started…

Now he was going to get out scot free? At least it might mean an end to the NTEs terror campaign, much as she detested the idea of the man walking free, she could not simply stand by and watch innocent people die at the hands of his followers. And the names of the mercenary capes? That was valuable, there were several active in Los Angeles, and all of them were dangerous, all of them were killers.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Neoteris pulled into the Police Station Parking lot. Her motorcycle purred as she decelerated, then she carefully stepped from the motorcycle, leaving it to coast to a stop in a parking bay, the gyroscope in the centre of the body keeping it upright, while judgement ensured it didn’t overshoot.

She rubbed the base of her spine through the suit, and then continued on into the station, appraising the two capes already present. She knew who they were, but her visor highlighted them and named them regardless.

“Adrian, Nightingale.”

She nodded to the two heroes, “how’s it going?”

She motioned towards a door, “come on, we should go straight in, no sense in hanging about.”