[B][I]Collab between Lord Wraith and Stein[/i][/b]
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Friday October 4, 2013
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Freezing as he rounded the corner, Cal's eyes could hardly believe the sight before him as the powerhouse from earlier finished off another gunman with a hard blow to the face. He felt his breathing increase as his grip on his tazer increased, his eyes darting towards the gun that lay upon the floor. Was this man friend or foe? Everything Cal had seen so far indicated that this man, who now was masked; a detail Cal was sure he wasn't before due to the shadow cast from what had to be loose strands of hair, was in fact a friend. However, the man had jumped from the balcony down to the main floor and yet here he was now, hot on Cal's trail. That seemed to make him an enemy, which meant Cal needed to be on guard. Based on what he had already seen the other individual do, there was no way Cal could take the man in a straight up fight, tazer or not, the man's speed and agility far outweighed Cal's own reaction time. But perhaps with one of his glue grenades, Cal might be able to throw the other man off and maybe even lock him down. Reaching slowly into his sack, Cal decided he had best at least make a verbal attempt to reason before coating the lower half of the man's body in a hardened adhesive. 

"Are you with them?" Cal asked, trying to mask his voice, though his fear showed slightly as his tone quivered. His left hand holding his tazer forward shaking slightly as his right hand twitched anxiously inches about the first glue grenade. 

Makarios narrowed his eyes, not from aggression but mainly from trying to discern what the other individual had in his hands. This person was poised to attack, but Makarios wasn't sure what he held. He instead raised his hands slowly, speaking with a low gravel that was aided by the fact that his voice felt somewhat horse. "Do you think I'd have taken this guy down if I wasn't? You went to the science department in a crisis, obviously to concoct some type of weapons, so c'mon, I know you're smarter than that." Even as Makarios spoke, he could feel his body beginning to ache. He wasn't accustomed to the effects of his necklace and it was starting to wear on his body. His body cried for rest and his mind felt a little sensitive. Raw almost. The cops were here, but it was a hostage situation, so they needed to act quickly.

"C'mon" he told the other male, noting that they were both disguised, "we need to get back to the gym. Whatever you've made better work."

Cal smiled beneath the t-shirt mask, the other man was clever as well, though obviously a lot more street smart than Cal. His fear must have slowed his thought process something terrible. Of all the things to ask, he asked the other masked man if he was with the guy he just gave a really bad headache too. [I]C'mon Cal, get it together.[/I]

"They're glue grenades." Cal said with a smile as he relaxed. "Lets make sure this guy doesn't go anywhere when he wakes up." He added as he lobbed one of the glue filled balloons at the body. It landed with a bounce before rupturing, the liquid inside splashing over the body before it began to expand and harden, pinning the body to the floor until someone came along with a decent solvent. "Looks like they work." Cal remarked with a satisfied smile as he turned towards the gym. 

"Hey you still there?" Cal said as he tapped his ear, not wanting to reveal Sam's identity before realizing it would likely be futile if they met up with her. Whatever, it wasn't like the guy beside him was going to take Cal to the police, he had a lot more to hide from where Cal was standing. 

"I'm still here Cal. Did you feel the explosion, something blew up by the main entrance. A lot of gangbangers have been either wounded or killed. I honestly only think that the leader is left in the gym. Most of the students escaped but he still has a small group held hostage. I think the police are here but he's been shooting anyone who comes through the door."

"Alright, I'm on my way and I have help with me." Cal replied before bursting back out onto the auditorium's balcony. "There's a maintenance hallway back this way." Cal called back to his new ally as he motioned for him to follow him down a staircase.

Maki had to admit he was impressed by his new ally as they neared the gym. [i]'He thinks quickly, acts the same as well. Rebounds and seems to have a good tactic going.'[/i] Hell, it would make his job much easier.

"You have someone on the inside? Is everyone okay?" He asked the smaller male as they came up to the maintenance hallway. For a second, he paused at the doorway. If this was a type of trap, Makarios wasn't sure how much he could do. His wrestling training worked best in an open area and he couldn't bet to rely on his abilities, he was still trying to get a sure footing with them. But, the gunmen had been chasing this person, so...

[i]'The enemy of my enemy...'[/i] he thought to himself before heading in the door. 

"I got my date to safety just after the attack started." Cal replied as he began down the stairs. "Been keeping in contact with her through my umm..." He pointed to the device strapped to the underside of his wrist. "Calling it a phone wouldn't do it justice, but for simplicity's sake lets call it a phone. Anyways, it looks like the majority of the students have managed to escape however the leader has a small group held hostage in the gym." Opening the door into the maintenance hallway, Cal pulled the t-shirt off his head as he was greeted by Sam who was huddling on a chair with Cal's blazer wrapped tightly around her. 

"What are you..." She began just before Cal removed his mask. "Where on earth did you get that and who is this?" Sam stood up, looking towards the man in the balaclava. 

"I didn't ask, he's watched my back thus far, lets give him the benefit of the doubt." Cal replied, "The main focus right now is taking down the leader in the Fox mask. To do that we're going to need a plan." Turning to the man beneath the balaclava, Cal continued unveiling his plan. "Would you be able to evade his weapon at all? He's carrying some sort of semi-automatic but I'm hoping he's low on rounds. I can give you a few glue grenades. If you can hit his gun, it'll be useless leaving him very open to plain old physical assault." Cal held up his tazer giving it a squeeze causing the prods to arc with electricity. "And I plan to administer it with extreme prejudice. That said, if we aren't able to do that, the weight room overlooks the gym, we could try bombing him from above. But it'll take time to go back that way and around to the weight room, time in which he could kill innocents. A third option is that we both run out, he can't hit both of us and the gym is still dark, so we have that to our advantage." Turning to Sam, Cal pulled out the keys to his car and handed them to her. "I need you to go through the auditorium and out the side doors to the parking lot. Start the car and pull around to the far end of the football field. We can't leave with the rest of the students, but if I know Landon he'll hear about this on the radio and come over here. If he sees my car here he'll come looking for me, we can't have that. So Sam I need you to get the car out of there and then wait for us. Can you do that?"

Sam nodded nervously while looking back to the man in the balaclava, not sure what Cal wasn't telling her about him but choosing to trust him as she turned to him. Planting another kiss on his cheek she ran towards the door. 

"Don't die, you owe me dinner still." With that she was gone as Cal turned back to his masked ally as he began to pull his own mask back on.

"So what do you want to do?"

Shifting his weight, Makarios watched the girl, Sam, leave the small space. His eyes narrowed on the male, who had now unmasked himself. He knew him! It was enough to reel him for a moment, and he had to work not to utter his name. He had to remain detached. "She's wracked with worry, but she's doing a good job of controlling it. That's a good....friend you've got there." He paused, focusing on his amulet and his body. Soreness radiated all over him, but he was still in control of his mental faculties. A headache pervaded his mind, but it was still bearable, allowing him to focus.

He took a deep breath before answering. "I think we should go with the first option. Though it's more dangerous, it's faster and we can move swiftly. But, if we're going to do it, we have to use the sandwich tactic." As Makarios spoke, he clenched his left fist, focusing on his body and mentally preparing himself for the fight ahead. "The sandwich would be you bursting, quickly drawing his fire, while I launch to the side and get in position to draw his attention from the other side, giving you the opportunity to get in close." He knew there was a better term for the tactic, but that's what they'd call it in the projects where he grew up when they would play tag. But, shaking the budding memory from his head, Makarios looked to the new ally, Caleb, from a few of his classes. 

"So, I think I can draw his fire, provided I've got some room to duck and weave. Can you get in on him quickly and use one of your grenades?" 

"Lets hope so." Cal replied as he popped the door to the gym open slightly. "On the count of three then?" He asked as he turned back while digging a grenade out of his satchel. "One... two... three!" He hissed as he burst out the door and ran towards the man in the fox mask. Watching the barrel of the gun flash as the gang banger recklessly pulled the trigger, Cal hit the ground rolling hoping he could count on his ally to do his part. Fox-Face chortled manically as he pulled a young girl close to him using her as a human shield all while still hammering down the trigger and releasing a volley of bullets towards Cal. Lobbing a grenade quickly towards the firearm, Cal readied another one as he realized he missed. Without being able to slow down and take a moment to aim, there was no way Cal could hit that small of a target. Looking back towards the door, he kept moving all the while hoping his ally would soon make a move.

As Caleb took off in to the gym, Makarios took a line of shallow breaths, each one sucking in more anxiety than the last. He could feel his heart rate rise. He was terrified that he would die before he even had a chance to prove that he was something. But, there were lives at stake, and he knew he could help. "C'mon!" he growled to his amulet, before slapping his hand over his chest and feeling surge of power erupt from his body. He knew that wasn't a good thing, it meant he was losing control slightly, but that was a worry for another time. He felt the energy flow up and around him, like an aura-filled fountain, each drop bringing the essence of the animal in his mind. His pupils expanded and contracted, his breathing leveled out and then shot up again. He extended his fingertips, feeling the very air around him pulse slightly and he took off running.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Cal muttered as he waited on the planned distraction, bullets bit into the floor where he was standing nearly grazing Cal as he not so gracefully fell aside, sliding across the floor. Scrambling to get to his feet, Cal rolled to the side as more bullets came in. Landing on his chest, Cal pushed himself up, rolling backwards before finally coming back on to his feet. Jumping over the DJ table, Cal put all his strength into tipping it as he dropped down behind it, taking cover and catching his breath. "Anytime now would be good." He said to himself as splinters exploded around him as the gunfire began to rip through the table.

Makarios burst from the doors, the essence of the Cat enveloping him. Things seemed more vivid and slightly slower. He picked up a stray shoe, taking a brief moment to aim at the man in the fox mask, aptly focusing on his new ally, and chucked the shoe full speed. The shoe smacked him in the chest, enough to draw his attention to Makarios, who had already darted to the side. His eye caught site of the giant fan in the corner of the room, used to air out and cool the gym down. An idea forming in his head, Makarios leaped behind it as the bullets began to fire. He pressed his back to the fan, trying to find the switch without moving too much. He flicked it, the whirring sound growing louder by the second and dodged out to the side, narrowly missing a bullet to the head. His cat reflexes sent him spiraling back, his body moving on instinct. Even in the midst of battle, Makarios felt a touch of ecstasy in his movements. He kept low and ran fast, ducking, weaving and sliding to confuse his enemy. He was putting on a bit of a show, keeping all eyes on him, while his friend got in close. Finally, he made his way over to the side of the gym quickly pulling down on the string that held the net of balloons for the dance up, that had no doubt been slated to be released around this time anyway. The balloons fell in a flurry, obscuring Makarios from view and the fan acted as a further distraction as it blew them around and towards the man in the fox mask.

Makarios never stopped moving, his body twisting this way and that, the epitome of flexibility and agility. But he could feel the strain of the amulet and he knew his partner would have to act fast.

The gunfire suddenly stopped, at least in Cal's direction as the gym was suddenly filled with balloons falling from all directions as the large fan kept them afloat in the air. Loud popping sounds echoed in the large room as bullets ripped through the inflated balloons as the gun man tried to take out Cal's ally no doubt believing the Cal himself was likely dead at this point. A few of the bullets had nearly grazed him, and while there were definitely a multitude of tiny slivers embedded in Cal's skin, he was otherwise unharmed, exhausted but primarily unharmed. Groaning as he pushed himself to his feet, Cal weaved through the balloons as he closed the gap between Fox Face and himself, raising the glue grenade and throwing it with all his might as it collided with the gun, coating it in goo which promptly hardened and rendered the weapon useless.

Makarios found himself suddenly on the ground, hands over his head, as the last bullet was fired. He had survived...for the most part. He brought his hand down and felt a warm liquid beginning to flow from his side, where a bullet had only grazed him. "Fuckitall!" he growled. He couldn't feel the pain yet, but he knew it was coming, he just needed to take out the fox-faced man.

The gym suddenly fell silent save for the sound of the fan's whirling blades and the steady drop of rubber hitting the ground. Fox Face tossed the weapon to the ground as it landed with a loud 'thud'. Pushing away his hostages, the man with the mask approached Cal before looking towards Makarios and then back at Cal.
"How about we do this mano-a-mano?" The mask almost seemed to smile as Cal suddenly found himself surrounded by a multitude of Fox Face's as he spoke again. "A-mano-a-mano-a-mano!" He ended with a shrieking laughter as suddenly he and all his duplicates went into a frenzied run as they dashed every which way. Cal found himself hit from both sides as his feet left the ground and he hit the ground hard. Rolling to his feet, his head began to spin as he felt a warm wet liquid running down his face. Apparently he had hit the ground a lot harder than he had thought. 

Makarios watched as the fox-faced became....well more fox-faces. He rushed to scramble to his feet as Cal was surrounded and clearly outnumbered, but as he stepped, he felt pain shoot through him. Apparently, his wound was going to make it's dramatic pain entrance at this very moment. Regardless, he bit his lip and moved quickly to meet up with Cal.

Swiping out blindly with his tazer, Cal's lips twisted into a satisfied smile as he struck a Fox Face only to frown as the victim of his tazer melted away into mist. Blocking an attack from another, Cal made his way towards Makarios as the Fox Faces suddenly stopped moving and surrounded the pair. 
"I've played this level." Cal said dryly. "Watch for the one who moves first!"

With narrowed eyes, Makarios let out another growl, facing their opponents. There was something about them that wasn't right. It wasn't a visual stimuli he was picking up on, but something else. He couldn't quite hone in on what it was, but unlike an actual video game, they didn't have a pause screen and the internet to fall back on at this moment. The situation really reeked of an impasse or them dead.

[i]That was it![/i] "Reek..." Makarios muttered to himself. "That's what they don't have...they don't have a scent! But..." Makarios whirled around and lunged, tackling one in particular "you smell like shit." At that moment, it seemed like his head would burst. He'd been holding on to an animal for too long and his mind couldn't take the vulnerability tied to it. His vision began to blur and his sight slipped in and out. But, he wrestled with his foe nonetheless. 

Breathing a sign of relief as the apparitions of the man vanished as his comrade took a hold of the real Fox Face, Cal lunged forward and delivered three quick jabs of his tazer into the side of the masked man watching as he dropped from his ally's hands to the ground, flopping about like a dazed fish. 

"C'mon, the police will be coming any second now." Cal stated as he put a shoulder under one of the man's arms to help support him. Tapping his ear, Cal opened the channel to Sam. "Sam, we're on our way out. Open the top, I have a feeling we won't have time for doors." Looking over at the main gym doors, Cal saw the police suddenly enter in full SWAT gear. Looking at the balaclava on his ally's face and then having the dawning horror that his own face was masked, Cal suddenly began to move towards the maintenance hallway as fast as he could with his friend in tow. "Hope you can hold your breath." Cal said as he took a deep breath of his own and pulled out the vial he had made last. Tossing it over his shoulder, it collided with the ground, cracking open as its contents billowed into the air a thick fog coating the gym. The first few officers into it suddenly fell to the ground, passed out from the fumes while the others retreated. 

Pushing through the school, Cal took every short cut he knew from the blueprints until he and his masked friend burst onto the football field. Across the green grass, he could see the headlights of his Volvo waiting as he began to struggle to support the larger man on his shoulders. Ripping his mask off his face again, Cal tucked the t-shirt in his back pocket as he gasped for air from the suffocating fabric. Pushing himself on his reserve strength Cal finally made it across the field as he turned to his companion.

"Did you need a lift? I can drop you anywhere you'd like." 

Makarios could feel his consciousness slipping away as he hobbled along with his new-found comrade, thankful for his support. The wound in conjunction with his mental exhaustion was weighing on him rather quickly as they hit the football field. Even while they were walking, Makarios couldn't help but notice the other male's quick thinking. What had the solution been and how could he have possibly made it in such a short time? Makarios was sure that Caleb had only been in the classroom lab for all of five minutes, if that.

As they neared the vehicle, Makarios felt relief wash over him, realizing that this hectic night was coming to a close. He reached up to pull his mask off, before hesitating. But why? This man had just saved his life and he his. Weren't they past the point of secrecy. Caleb had enough respect to show him his face, why couldn't Makarios do the same?

[i]'Because you're a coward.'[/i]

The thought, in his father's voice, hit him worse than anything tonight did. He couldn't show his face because he was scared, and that type of fear was something he couldn't just grit his teeth at and storm through it, regardless of suffering or bodily affliction. It staggered him.

[i]'You're just like me.'[/i]

"Like hell I am!" Makarios swore to himself before stopping in front of the vehicle, standing on his own two feet and ripping off his mask for the pair before him to see. He ran a hand through his matted hair, looking each of them in the eye. "Yeah," he began with a huff. His breathing was still slightly labored, "I really could use a lift, if you wouldn't mind. I don't...I know I wouldn't be able to get there on my own feet." 

With a nod, Cal opened the door, allowing the man who he recognized as Makarios Lillis to take the passenger seat while Cal slid into the back behind Sam. As soon as both men were in the car, Sam punched it into gear just as flashlights began to light up the football field. With the sound of screeching rubber, the black car took off down the winding roads towards Thistle Park as the sounds of sirens grew distant until all that could be heard was the cold night air whistling over the car as it blew around the hair of those inside it. Exhausted and tired Cal was nearly asleep by the time they dropped Makarios off. Nearly twenty minutes later, Sam and Cal arrived back at their condo as Cal escorted Sam home. Her parents were worried sick as they opened the door overwhelmed to see Sam alive and unharmed, so much so that they didn't notice Cal's own condition as he bid them all good night and went back to his own suite. Opening the door, Cal was surprised to find that Landon wasn't home. Checking his missed notifications on Glitch, Cal nodded Landon had called more than likely worried, giving him a quick call back, Cal explained the situation briefly and how he had made it home, though leaving out the parts about playing hero and escaping as a fugitive. Collapsing onto his bed, Cal barely had time to think about closing his eyes before he sank into a deep slumber.