[h1][color=gray]The Dreadnaughts[/color], [color=dodgerblue]Lihua Vuhong[/color], and the Fiends[/h1][sub]by [@Spoopy Scary] and [@Mr Allen J][/sub][hr]

"How's the field lookin', Grit?"

"It sure was somethin'. Looks like one or two things went awry [i]somewhere[/i] in deal, can't be too sure. There was a whole shoot out and everything.You know, I only got a scope. You don't think y'all could'a gone and wire the place up so we can hear 'em?"

"We can't run the risk of tipping them off, numb skull! If we did that and they found out, they'd delay the negotiation by another day or two."

"Okay, okay. I'm on my way back, what now?"

Washe looked around the room he was in. Sulfur was securely locked away and cuffed up in more ways than one, and the air in the base was stiff. "Keep just keep posted outside the base. With this many things going against the Fiends now, they'll be feeling the pressure, alright. I reckon they'll be lashing out sooner than I predicted."

"Just sit tight old man, I'll taqke a look-see around the area."

Washe rolled his eyes and cut the comm, and turned around - just for it to beep in his ear once more. He pressed it again. "Caesar speaking."

"By the by," Grit hollered, "what kinda food you think a woman like [i] the Nightengale[/i] might enjoy herself?" He stressed a dramatic, Shakespearean emphasis as he said "the Nightengale".

Washe immediately slapped the button on the comm and severed the communication then and there. Another beep followed en suit.

"Alright, listen here you fucking prick--"

"Oh, hello Caesar. Maria speaking."

God damn it, the idiot put him in this embarrassing situation. Still annoyed from earlier, Washe snapped at her. "What do you want, eyes?"

"Just checking in on the situation."

"Fiends might be striking sooner than predicted." Washe answered simply.

"Have all units fallen into position yet?"

Washe stood indignantly. "Well they [i]might fucking have[/i] if Grit and yourself aren't gonna call me every two seconds for one reason or another."

"Caesar."

"Fucking [i]what?[/i]"

"[i]...Barcelona?[/i]"

Washe fell quiet. He took a deep breathe and steeled himself again. "Fine. Tell the boss to give me a little time, I'll have everything set up.

"Roger that."

With another click, the comms were finally silent. He looked at Sulfur - the only other person in this room. An isolated cell. She was between sleep and consciousness. Practically a zombie. Speaking of zombies... Baron was still in the base. He had to find a spot where he could stay out of danger and be of more use later on. He had only let a few people in on this operation, as to prevent any information links. Even one or two people he wasn't, ah, entirely "thrilled" with.

[hr]

As Lihua was furiously typing away at her computer, searching up and down the city for her daughter, Baron was in the doorway of her office and leaning against its frame. He looked at her, somewhat concerned, but also pressured by the situation that weighed over their heads. The information he had just received from Caesar was critical - as it happened, Lihua was among that small circle of confidants. She likely wouldn't have been had Baron not vouched for her dedication to her career. He gleaned more from his date with her than he initially suspected.

"Lihua," Baron said gently, "I mean, miss... [i]agent[/i] Vuhong. I understand you're worried. All I can say is to give her a little time... right now, something very urgent has arisen."

Lihua let out a furious sigh. Very irritated - though, it was more of how insanely worried she was for Meifeng - that she was being interrupted. Even if it was by Baron.

"What is it?" Lihua asked, trying her very best to sound professional - and with the hints of sorrow in her voice, it was clear she was failing.

Baron suppressed a sigh. Inform first, then reassure. He'd better get straight to the point. "I just got word from Caesar." He began. "With the intel we got from Sulfur, we could spy on their transactions. The Fiends just went through a bad deal and there was a shoot out. He thinks that it's enough of a pinch that they might try coming here to lash out sooner than he first thought. It's best that we start preparing as soon as we can."

"Hmph," Lihua didn't hear about this bad deal. Those fools probably botched it themselves. However, if they're on their way - even if there's a chance - then Lihua will have no choice but to prepare for the siege. She stood straight up, and nodded her head. She wanted to continue looking for Meifeng, but... [i]what good is it if she dies here?[/i]

"Very well. I'm going to head over to the armory, and get some gear." 

"Lihua."

"What is it?"

"When this is over, talk to your daughter. I don't know what precisely is going on, but if it's something like Runaway Syndrome, don't just talk about the problem. Cut to the underlying issues. Just understand that children - by nature - are immature and impulsive, and running away or threats thereof arise from insecurity and distrust."

Underlying issues...? Lihua knew a few that have been putting strain in between them. Mostly the identity of the girl's father (Which Lihua felt that Meifeng wasn't ready to learn). They'll have one long talk... though, honestly, it feels very out of character if Meifeng left out of the blue because she hadn't told her a few things.

"I'll..." Lihua drifted off for a moment. "I'll talk to her. Try to figure this all out."

Nodding her head, Lihua took a few steps out the door to her office, accompanied by Baron, she presumed. Her first destination would be the armory. She wasn't the type to grab as many weapons as possible, then go rambo. She'd grab everything she needed. Though, she assumed that those Fiends would simply rush the gates to the Headquarters like a bunch of fools. Getting themselves easily picked off.

However, Lihua couldn't have been more wrong when the ringing of bullets came from all the way from the bottom floor.

"What the hell?" Lihua muttered to herself. She put a finger to her ear piece, and said, "What's going on? Has there been an accident?" She sent the message through the comms.

"We're under attack!" A random NEST Agent said. "Fiends! They're in the building!"

"What." Lihua flatly said. [i]How... who the hell is behind[/i] this?! She thought to herself. Without wasting another second, Lihua reached into her purse, unzipped it, and unsealed the secret compartment and pulled out her glock.

Baron pressed two fingers against the button on his ear-piece. "Washe, it looks like you were right. The Fiends somehow made it into the building without being picked up by security, you may begin the procedure."

Lihua glanced at Baron for a moment, ".... What are you planning?" She muttered under her breath.

[hr]

The sewers were alive at this hour. An army of Fiends - what was left of their gang - moved through the sewers from the Estella Isle, all the way to the Isabella. In front of the massive formation was Khan herself, armed with her grenade launcher, and by her side was Big Dong. They moved through the sewers slowly, and with purpose. They knew exactly where they were going. They approached a crossroad, and Khan took a left - the rest of the Fiends followed. Going down the tunnel, they reached a door at the end. A small metal door. One would get the impression that it lead into a utility tunnel. However, Khan pushed it open, and there was nothing but a small, unremarkable room. Khan stepped inside, and looked off to the side, as if she was looking into a screen of some sort. A beeping sound signaled that the wall opened, pushing backwards. Revealing another tunnel that had stairs going up it.

Khan grinned underneath her mask. "Alright," She said, turning her head over her shoulder, and looking over it. "Are you fucks ready for this?!" She shouted.

They all cheered.

"Good! Then fucking charge in there, and tear them to fucking pieces!" Khan shouted, pointing into the tunnel, and turning into her whitish-blue mist form.

Every Fiend that she had behind her had charged forward, and ran up the tunnel like a horde of ravenous dogs. At the end of the tunnel was an opening that lead into a utility closet. The Fiends ran through the room, and kicked down the door and charged into the hallways of a building. One crowd going one way, and another going the other.

The hallways of the NEST Headquarters, of course.

They quickly raised hell, all that could be heard was gunshots, screaming, and furious masturbation, as the NEST Agents were caught off guard.

A group of Fiends rushed into the lobby, and a Fiend with an AK-47 started wildly shooting into the air, screaming like a psychopath. 

After the Fiends were through, Khan slowly stepped in with Big Dong and Burnmark behind her. A gruff sounding voice over the intercom began to issue orders over the headquarter's intercom system.

"All non-combat personnel evacuate by S-side emergency exits. Repeat, all non-combat personnel evacuate. Agents and security staff are to mount a defense."