Rambler scoffed at Gart's statement, but nevertheless pulled out his phone and checked the internet.  Lo and behold, he quickly found the information he sought regarding Calamity and his actions in Davenport.  "I'll be damned..."  He hadn't thought that something so... obvious would actually yield results.  Glancing back at Gart, he recalled hearing about a certain vigilante and entered another query into his phone's search engine.  Before long he was staring at a website describing the Gamer Hero, along with a picture that matched the girl in front of him.  

"I've been hired to keep Davenport from being destroyed.  Which means stopping Calamity.  I've heard about the metahumans who fought against him 5 days ago.  If we want the same thing, I see no reason why we shouldn't cooperate.  Strength in numbers, and all."

Rambler continued to watch the minions, slowly drawing his pistol from his coat in case they made any sudden movements.  


[hr]
Carla's words did indeed reach The Collective's ears.  While keeping its lower body completely still, it bent over backwards to face its assailant, its back arched so much that its hair touched the pavement.  A pale figure dressed in black with long raven hair was staring back at it.

[color=FF4500]"You contemptuous sack of blood!  You dare interrupt m..."[/color]  The Collective reared back its monstrous right arm, but froze in place before it could lunge. 

[color=CD5C5C]"Wait, Mognag!  Let me educate this poor little wretch!"[/color]  Its arm jerked forward and back at irregular intervals.

[color=FF4500]"The bottomless chasm of my hunger beckons me forward!  I don't have time for..."[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]"Shut up you bastard!  I'm gonna do it whether you're hungry or not!"[/color]  The Collective finally lowered its arm and righted itself, spinning around to return Carla's gaze.  It seemed eerily calm as Ivory spoke.

[color=CD5C5C]"I do what I do because it's right.  Because everything in this hell you call life is WRONG.  Smiles are mockery, joy is smoke, laughter is rotting bones!  Everyone in this whole goddamn world is completely wrong, and they don't even know it!"[/color]  The Collective's face began to contort with fury as Ivory continued.  [color=CD5C5C]"It's all so alien!!  None of it applies to me!  But it lets me see this cesspit for what it really is!  And the only right choice I can make... is to KILL IT!!!"[/color]  

With that it thrust its clawed appendage forward, aiming for Carla's chest.  The vampire managed to evade the attack, but The Collective wasted no time in continuing its offensive.  A gargantuan scorpion's tail erupted from its back, a segmented limb that resembled raw meat with a powerful looking stinger at the end.  In a flash it snapped forward, aiming to impale Carla.  Again it missed its mark.  The Collective redoubled its assault and its tail lunged at Carla over and over, getting faster with every second.  

[color=FF4500]"All of you are just food to me.  But it's not your putrid flesh I desire.  Your misery and sorrow is what sustains me!  The chaos and death I leave in my wake are naught more than dinner scraps!"[/color]