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[center][h3][b][color=FireBrick]Joseph Mathers[/color][/b][/h3][/center]

[b]Location: Lost Haven, Maine, Outside The Cowl’s Ironworks
Time: Natural Selection, Present[/b]
[hr]

	The heroes’ silhouettes vanished within the abyss of alleys and in-betweens surrounding the old ironworks. Despite their varied appearances, their sizes and gifts, each was masterfully concealed by their silence and the blanket of night. Suits were stationed at each corner of the building, guarding all visible entrances. At a glance, there was no way any of them would get in without riling up the Cowl’s men. Then again, was this group all that concerned with stealth and subtlety? It seemed that Joseph was the only one among them with the means to infiltrate their numbers quietly. 

	“Holt,” Joseph called out in barely a whisper. From the surrounding shadows, Holt formed, taking the shape of a jet-black raven. “Sneak through the front entrance and see if you can locate Racheli.”

	He nodded, flapping his wings and circling above the guards who attended to the main door. He cawed a few times, tempting the guards to look away from their post, if only for a moment. This was less for his benefit and more to see how easily distracted they were. They responded with a few caws of their own, the imbeciles. Holt quickly shifted into his most ethereal state and passed through the unaware guardsmen. 

	The inside was a mess of metal beams and equipment, large barrels and vats full of scraps and metallic debris. Closer to the center, a large clearing came into view, where Odette, the Cowl, and a captive Racheli stood. Holt drew nearer, listening to their conversation. It seemed that Racheli had been placed in a device that would contain whatever powers she possessed, one that was also enchanted to keep away any mystical interference. 

	“Hmm. . .” Holt hummed, pondering how Joseph and his team might remove her from the containment device. He continued to circle above the villains, listening, waiting. Once he was satisfied, he evaporated, appearing before Joseph once more in raven form.

	“What did you see?” Joseph questioned eagerly.

	“The faery woman from before was there, accompanied by a tall, masked man. The girl, Racheli, was locked inside a strange device that, I believe, will guard against both her powers and all of yours. “ Holt relayed the information concisely, not wanting to waste time. “There were no strong magical fields and entities, meaning aside from the obvious threats, there shouldn’t be any surprises waiting inside.” This would have been good news for the entire team. Without Odette’s pesky traps, they all stood a better chance at safely retrieving Racheli. 

	“Good,” Joseph replied. He took a moment to consider their options. They could go in, guns blazing and likely make it through the front door. Odette’s magic posed the greatest single threat, but Joseph could shield his allies from it long enough for them to blindside her with a show of force. Joseph worried briefly about the masked stranger, but had no reason to believe that he posed much of a physical threat.

	Alternatively, Joseph could send in Holt once more and initiate a surprise attack. He could channel magic through Holt and issue mystical commands from afar, taking all inside by surprise and hopefully taking the guards from their posts. This would allow the team to get through them much easier. After a few more moments of contemplation, Joseph decided to go with the later of the two plans.

	“So,” he spoke up, “I’ll send my familiar in again and have him launch a surprise attack. He’s entirely resistant to physical force and can hold his own against faery magic. This will let us get through the front however we like and hopefully catch the guards by surprise.” He looked at Hydro and Icarus, who was no doubt feeling some contempt. 

	“I know this is your mission, I know that you know the most about Racheli and this alien virus, but just as we know nothing of her power, you don’t fully understand the capabilities of magic. Luckily, I do, so let me see to this and then you can go barging in with your metal suit.”
Not wanting to wait for objections, Joseph sent Holt with a command to enter the ironworks once again and cause a disturbance.

	Inside the Ironworks, all stood momentarily still, the calm before the storm. Holt flew in once more, this time carrying with him a powerful wind that whistled through the metal beams, sending stray items clattering to the floor, their vibrations ringing throughout the building. Holt then took on a more physical shape, still keeping out of sight, and began to lift pieces of debris and smaller equipment, flinging them about while increasing the chill and fury of the invading winds. 

	The interior was slowly turning into a icy vortex, metal turning cold, loose shrapnel freezing over completely. This would surely draw the attention of all attending parties and leave an opening for the heroes to launch their assault.