[hr][hr] [center][h1][color=lightcyan]The Mavericks[/color] | [color=MistyRose]Neo-Genesis[/color][/h1] [hr][hr] [sub][i][h3]Prologue[/h3][/i][/sub] [h2]"The Come Down is Always Hardest to Accept”[/h2][/center] [hr][hr] All he wanted was quiet, a touch of peace. Why was it so much to ask for a smooth run? Which of his ancestral gods had he pissed off this time? [i]’Apparently all of them. At once,’[/i] The fist met his face again and as enraged as he was--Ren couldn’t summon his inferno. He couldn’t breathe life into this temporary mesh of electricity and fire. Something was blocking his rage, his inferno. [i]’Fuck this comedown,’[/i] Ren thought. [i]’Fuck this weakness. But most of all,’[/i] [b]”[u]Fuck[/u]."[/b] Ren spat. [b]”You”[/b] He heaved once more against the man against him. It was no use, he couldn’t channel his powers, his body was near spent and he felt [i]weak[/i] on top of it all. He pushed once more, determined to upheave the bastard pinning him and was surprised when he felt a bit of give. Ren opened his eyes just in time to see not a paramedic being thrust off of him, but one scrambling from him. Ren only needed a second to process before he heard a [i]’whoosh!’[/i] of air, a familiar metallic groan, and looked up in time to see a car hurtling toward him. A dive to the side aided by a pitiful spurt of fire from his hands was all that saved him from being crushed an instant later as the metal contraption landed with a deafening crunch and screech of metal. The throb and rush of blood to Ren’s brain briefly overshadowed the throb and rush of pain emanating from his hand. ‘Fuck[i] that knife chucking asshole!’[/i] He thought, almost in a mantra fashion. A strained set of eyes darted around the battlefield, searching for his target. With the little bit of time he had before he was spent out, he could make sure that Hispanic sonofabitch felt [i]pain[/i]. But first, where did that car come from? He dug his feet in as a wave of nausea hit him, needing a second to gather himself. [i]’Not now, not now, not now. Don’t lose it just yet.’[/i] He blinked back sinus flare tears, their sting further irritating him. Soldering his resolve. The night wasn’t over, the job wasn’t complete. And unfortunately, this caliber of the heist game didn’t look kindly on botched jobs. Though Ren could feel the jolts ebbing away in his body, the tingling sensation more of a restive buzz now, he refused to relinquish this fight. [i]’Next time, I’m opting for some gold Apex.’[/i] Sweat kissed his head with numbing passion and Ren tried to ignore the chill-- sat on the top of his spine-- as he jutted his hand forward. There were the two individuals before him--now it was four. Fuck this vision! He shook his head until the blurred images of his opponents melded into just two individuals once more. ... The tendrils of electricity were slow to start, but they etched down his arm once more and there was a tightening sensation in his stomach as the heavy smell of nickel washed through his nose. [b]“I swear this night could have been simple,”[/b] he pronounced through gritted teeth. The two before him were weary, he could see that at least. Cutting them down, he could deal with the ‘dunder duo’ that had taken down his partner. [i]’Get the box, cut the cord and disappear.’[/i] That was all he needed to do, such simple steps. He could do it. He could do it. [i]’....I think.’[/i] [b]“But you all [i]needed[/i] to jump into the dog ring, didntcha?”[/b] A huff of an exhale sent resolve, determination and a little bit of snot flying from Ren’s nose as he pointed at the paramedic of the two individuals. As he set to loose an arc of energy, he noticed a girl. She stood defiantly, and the way she looked at him...well there are some things you just [i]know[/i] in life after seeing something. Like who probably just attempted to flatten you with 3 tonnes of metal. Ren felt his pupils dilate and the muscles in his neck grew taut. The energy in him was building, and though it was rapidly draining him, all he could do was stare at her in disbelief for a few seconds. [b]”Are you...fucking kidding me? [i]Another[/i] one!?”[/b] His question was answered as a quick motion on her part sent a pair of objects--[i]are those doors?[/i]--flying into the fray. The spin of one of the doors pathed it toward Ren’s general direction and used one of the last bits of his precious energy to deflect it, sending the door with a smoldering hole careening a few inches from the pair that had somehow managed to best his speedster. At the same time he heard the distinct wail of sirens. Far off for now, but rapidly growing closer. Fuck it, he could go down with nothing left or he’d make it out of here before the pigs of Larissa showed up. There was no capture clause in his moral contract. [b]”Fine, new plan: you can just call me the lady killer,”[/b] Ren said. Though his voice held no joy or amusement. There was a chill behind it as tore a bit of cloth his sleeve and proceeded to wrap his hand in it. The hand was numb at this point, and he knew it was out of commission, but he was going to tough it out. It was one of the last mistakes Ren would make that night, not running when had the chance. He planted his feet once more-- [h3][i][color=PaleTurquoise]And if I die, in this night,[/color][/i][/h3] He knew well the risks of attempting this on a good day, let alone a night like tonight. [h3][i][color=PaleTurquoise]I pray it be illuminated, for the night sky to see[/color][/i][/h3] But he disregarded that, producing a small syringe and jabbing it into his thigh. Another high for the night. Adrenaline in its simplest form. Just a boost for one last fit of rage. [h3][i][color=PaleTurquoise]All the beauty, that was once in me[/color][/i][/h3] Jutting out his hands, Ren let loose with two concentrated blasts of fire. Blue sparks of electricity accented them as one rocketed toward the girl and the other aimed at that knife chucking asshole.