[hr][i][h1][color=skyblue]Wendy Emily Lucker[/color] & [color=lightseagreen]Rowan Campbell[/color].[/h1][sub]Written in collaboration with [@Zombiedude101][/sub][/i][hr][hider=Massive Attack - Superpredators][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59rH3rre0ZA[/youtube][/hider][hr]
[i][u]Eastgriffin Ruins, Roseview.[/u][/i]


Rowan stood there, half-frozen in fear in the wake of the Black Hound's sudden arrival, when the canister was fired off at him. Instinct must've kicked in at this point, because before it could touch him he flinched with his arm, freezing it mid-air, then quickly threw it back when he realized what it was. Wendy was still stood there behind him, though, and to her he simply yelled.

"... [i]Run![/i]"

And that's what Wendy and the others did. They all turned tail and started running. Diana had a different idea, she turned into paper, and practically flew into one of the open windows up top. She was going to call for some help.

Everything was going as expected. The canister exploded in the Black Hound's face, and, because of that mask of his, didn't do anything to him. It merely was a minor annoyance. He now knew that Rowan would simply just deflect the canisters, which means he'll have to think outside the box here. The kids were getting away, and the last thing he wanted was for someone to crawl off and contact DOVE. Fortunately he planned in advance. The Black Hound reached into his vest, and pulled out a large device that had many buttons, a counter on the front that apparently detected radio waves, and an antennae on top. He turned the dial a little bit, and a hoarse sound came from the machine as it began to jam all cellphone and electromagnetic-based communication. That would make it impossible for them to call for help.

Which meant the hunt was on. The Black Hound's only interest would be capturing as many people for the Founding Family's [i]machine[/i] as he could. Just to appease the Blessed Three. The Black Hound looked up towards the window that Diana ducked into, and reloaded another canister into his grenade launcher. He pressed a button on his helmet, and turned on the thermal scanner, and was able to see through the wall. Diana was desperately trying to type a number in on her phone. He aimed it right into the room that Diana was desperately trying to call for help in, and fired a grenade straight into it.

It bounced off the ceiling, and sprayed the room with red gas that Diana coughed on almost instantly and fell unconscious.

[i]One down.[/i]

He wanted to be sure that one was out of the picture, her mobility would've been a pain in the ass. His next priority was the other paper-sister - No, the power-replicator. Even at a young age, the Founding Family took power-replicators very seriously. 

The Black Hound began following after them - going from a march into a full on sprint. Even for a man of his size, he was surprisingly fast.

They'd only barely hit the fence by the time he was on their tail, except this wasn't where Rowan had pulled open a gap. Their backs were to the wall, literally.

"Shit!" Wendy hissed through her teeth. Wendy could get away using her paper powers, but there's no way she can leave the others behind.

The Black Hound was quick to approach.

Wendy knew that she could try something to scare this bastard off. She reached into her satchel, and pulled out some batteries that she had brought along - just in case - and clenched them tightly, they were drained of the electricity, and activated her electrical ability. The electricity danced up her arm like it was nothing, and then she pointed both hands at the Black Hound, and fired a bolt at the armored man that struck him at speeds even he couldn't react to. The Black Hound put his hand up after the electricity hit him in the chest... but, was otherwise unfazed. It just left a black scorch mark on his armor.

His helmet scanner focused on Wendy's face.

[quote][pre]WENDY LUCKER.

Academy 61 Student. Arrested for vandalism and reckless use of ability. Power Replicator - restricted to elemental types only. Has paper, fire, and electricity at her disposal.

Threat Level: High.[/pre][/quote]

There was no way that the Black Hound wasn't going to take that threat level seriously as he could. With a Metahuman like herself... with three abilities at her disposal, he would have to give it his all to take her down. The Black Hound quickly charged Wendy, and swiped his arm out towards her chest. Wendy attempted to turn into paper - [i]Fuck, I just switched[/i]. However, there was someone else in the way that was capable of tanking the Black Hound's barbaric blow.

It was Jessica Rosefey, catching the Black Hound by his arm.

"Now partner," Jessica said, grinning. "You oughta keep your hands to yourself."

Using her own strength, Jessica pulled the Black Hound like it was nothing, and then slammed him into the ground like it was nothing. Which, once again, had no effect on the Black Hound. He was laying down on his back... annoyed. He grabbed onto Jessica's ankle and held on tightly as he got back up to his feet.

"Let me go-"

... And Jessica got her wish when the Black Hound threw her hard as he could into a brick wall of a destroyed building. She went right through it, and created a cloud of dust.

Meanwhile, Rowan had pulled apart a gap in the fence, large enough for one of them to fit through. "Wendy, c'mon!" He urged her. "You gotta get outta here!"

"I..." Wendy thought about it for a moment, just running away. But... she can't. She couldn't leave Rowan and the others behind, especially since she has no idea where Diana was in all of this, and... she just couldn't in her right mind leave her behind. "I can't Rowan! I need to get Diana and the others to safety!" 

He was stubborn, but so was she. And she made a point, Wendy was one of the fee people who Rowan had come to trust and scree anything that would've messed with friends of his. 

"Well I'm not leaving my friends behind, either."

".... Such selflessness." The Black Hound said, the voice changer in his mask made it difficult to tell whether or not he was mocking them.

In seconds, large portions of the metal fence were stripped away from its temporary foundations, crumpling into a cylindrical mass as Rowan crudely exerted his will upon it with clenched palms and rough gestures. In truth he could barely conceal how terrifying the situation was, but he had to do something.

While Rowan was doing his thing, Wendy figured that she'd try to distract the Black Hound. Her first attack did literally nothing but tickle him, but maybe it could have diverted attention from Rowan. She made sure to fire another bolt of electricity - but this time in the Black Hound's face. It hit his helmet, and the man was forced to stumble backwards. He grabbed his mask... as all the systems inside of it began to reboot. Damn electrokinetis.... He was going to get her back for that one.

The Black Hound quickly reached for his belt, and whipped out a flashbang and tossed it in the center of the group. 

He had nothing to worry about with this helmet.

It exploded in a violent flash that left them all screaming, that was when the Black Hound charged the group, and his first action was to swipe at Kai with a powerful, closed fist that shattered the ice around her chest. She was thankfully able to regenerate in time, but the Black Hound had grabbed her by the neck. He held her up in the air, dangling by her feet.

By the time everyone had recovered, it was already too late 

"Zenith."

The Black Hound said, and a portal opened behind him. He tossed Kai into the portal, and it closed behind him.

[i]Two down.[/i]

That left Wendy and Jessica.

The ominous man turned his attention to one of the last person standing: Wendy Lucker. She was terrified, and she had little help. The Black Hound quickly charged her and she yelped as she jumped out of the way. She hit the ground with a thud, and tried to crawl away, but the Black Hound grabbed onto her leg. Desperate, Wendy started excreting as much electricity as she could - but it didn't work. The Black Hound didn't slow down even in the slightest. He lifted her up off the ground....

"Get the fuck away from her!" A chunk of crumpled metal caught the Hound by surprise as it slammed into his midsection.

It merely sent him skidding backwards slightly, and dropping Wendy. Rowan was regarded as a high threat by the Family - but to the Hound, he was still a [i]child[/i]. That didn' mean the Black Hound was going to go easy on him. He lunged forward, and knocked him to the ground, foot pinning him in place, yet the scrawny kid managed to pry him off by exerting his will upon the metallics worn by the Hound. "Leave them alone." He spat, tightening his grip until the hound could feel himself being constricted by his own armour.

The Black Hound groaned... until an idea just popped in his head. He reached down towards one of the canisters of Metahuman Suppressant Gas and grasped it so tightly that he crushed it like a can. The gas exploded outwards and filled the area with a crimson red. Rowan didn't stand a chance; he dropped the Hound like a doll as the thick gas choked and blinded him, forcing its way into his lungs. Coughing and spluttering, he lost consciousness.

"Rowan!" Wendy shouted, putting her hand out. She didn't know what happened, but there was no way Rowan could have gotten out in time.

The Black Hound walked out of the red smoke with Rowan held by his neck... Rowan was useless to him as the Blessed Three explicitly made it clear that they want no children. He was just getting him out of the way. He threw Rowan over his shoulder and left him there. Two targets left... he wondered who was going to go down next. 

Jessica got next to Wendy, and put her fists up, taking a boxing stance.

"Wen, barely know you, but..." Jessica said, facing the Black Hound. "I'm gonna have to take 'im alone. He got Kiri and Diana... and it's the best I can do for Diana."

Jessica somberly said, as the Black Hound took steps forward, and put his grenade launcher up behind him. It was clear he was getting ready for a physical confrontation. It looked like the end for the two of them, and Jessica was at least going to buy time for Diana's sister.

There was one thing Wendy wasn't going to do, and that was leave. She didn't know what the Black Hound wants, but she couldn't in her right mind leave Diana and Rowan behind like this. Her hands started a brilliant spark of electricity.

"... If I leave, I have no idea of what will happen to Diana and the others.... I just can't leave them behind."

"Alright, works for me, I'll draw his attention!" Jessica said as she quickly closed in with her fist cocked back. She threw a punch at the Black Hound that would [i]normally[/i] devastate any other person due to her raw strength, but the Black Hound caught it. Merely sending him skidding backwards a few feet. The Black Hound punched her with his other hand so hard that it sent spit flying.

All while Wendy was getting around him, and channeled her electrical ability to manipulating anything metal she could get her hands on. Trash, and pieces of the building that was broken off due to the attack, or due to decay. They rose up into the air, and she sent them flying at the Black Hound at high speeds... and did nothing but distract him from Jessica. That was enough to allow the redhaired girl to get her hand free and punch the Black Hound in the chest so hard that he was sent skidding backwards, and wasn't about to let him. She clocked him again with another haymaker that knocked the Black Hound back.

"C'mon," Jessica said, honestly surprised. "Why won't you go down?"

The Black Hound collected himself, and stood straight up, Jessica charged him yet again - but this time got the Black Hound's boot straight to her gut. That knocked the wind out of her, and she was forced to kneel forward, and that just left her open for the Black Hound's own uppercut that sent her flying backwards with a stream of blood coming out of her face.

"Jessica!" Wendy said, as she shot electricity at the Black Hound... and was ignored as he marched towards Jessica. 

"Damn it!" Wendy said. Nothing they do can even hurt him. Maybe they should have just ran.... but it was stupid stubbornness keeping her here. She couldn't just stand here and watch... she needed to plan her next course of action. Wendy reached into her satchel, and touched a piece of paper, and her hand turned into paper as she adapted paper manipulation. Wendy dipped behind a wall.

The Black Hound picked up Jessica by the neck, and stared her straight in the eye. She spit blood straight into his helmet.

"Go to hell, you bastard."

Jessica hissed.

Normally, the Black Hound would have ignored such a comment, but....

"[i]Hell is where I belong... but, some day, I hope that some day you'll forgive me....[/i]" 

This was the first time he showed emotion... and even though his helmet made all of his speech robotic, and monotone, it sounded like genuine emotion. He pressed a button at the side of his helmet,  and said,

"Zenith."

A portal opened behind him, and he placed Jessica inside, and it closed behind him 

That meant there was only one left.

The last one standing... Wendy... had disappeared while he was distracted. No matter. He had methods of finding her. The Black Hound pressed another button on his helmet, and various scanners thoroughly combed the area. It focused on a footprint in the dirt. Then with another press of the button, the Black Hound switched his sensors to thermal. He saw the frame of Wendy hiding behind a wall, and he marched towards her. While he marched after her, he pulled his grenade launcher out, and loaded up another canister.

Wendy could hear his footsteps... A terror had crept up Wendy's spine as she found her legs shaking. She put her head up against the wall, and said to herself, "This can't be happening... this [i]can't[/i] be happening..." Wendy just wanted to show off her art, not get hunted down by what amounted to be the god damn [i]Terminator[/i]. She has to do something. He [i]has[/i] to have a weakness. Wendy knew that she couldn't muscle through this.

Then again, she never had much in the way of strength to begin with.

She could hear the footsteps getting closer she had to move. She just darted forward, and ran as fast as she could. She used that running start to turn into paper... her skin turned plain white as she separated into paper slips that traveled faster than Wendy could on foot. She was only able to barely miss the Black Hound. Who stopped and looked up... trying to scan where she was heading. It was the building where he took out Diana.

The Black Hound marched inside....

[hr]

Wendy turned back into paper in the building. She didn't know what happened to Diana, but she went up here. Applying knowledge to this situation, there was no way that the Black Hound could have ran up here, captured Diana, and then start up on their trail. [i]In two minutes.[/i] Wendy quickly scanned each of the rooms... she shouldn't have let Diana run off like that. Until she finally found her older sister lying down on her back, unconscious.

Running towards her was just first instinct, Wendy knelt down and started shaking Diana.

"Come on, Diana," Wendy said as he heard the Black Hound approaching.... [i]How did he find me?[/i] Wendy thought to herself as she thought about whether or not she should fight, or she should-

The Black Hound ran through the wall, giving Wendy little room to react. Wendy screamed, and had to think fast. She pulled paper sheets out of her bag and threw it into the Black Hound's face. Attaching itself to his helmet and blocking his vision. Wendy quickly ran out the front door, as the Black Hound perused her, and came up to the grand lobby of the hotel. She looked over her shoulder and saw the Black Hound peruse her, and panicked a little. She hopped off the railing, and used her power to cancel her weight, and allowing herself to flutter like a piece of paper, gently to the ground floor.

Her pursuer didn't stop for a second, and merely aimed his grenade launcher at her, and shot it... displaying his killer aim as he shot Wendy right outside the head with it. She let out a cry of pain as she lost concentration, and hit the ground with a thud. She rubbed her sore head, and all she could hear was [i]ringing[/i]. But, it wasn't long before a red gas filled the area, and she realized what was going on. She yipped as she turned into paper, and tried to teleport her way outside of it.

The paper gathered itself, and then reformed into Wendy's shape... and there was an ominous black shadow over her.

The Black Hound had cut her off, and was standing in front of her. Before she could react, the Black Hound punched her square in the gut (fortunately holding back his full strength), and left the girl crying in pain. She fell down to her knees with her hands over her gut, but she had one last desperate attempt... she was trying into paper, her skin turned white, but with the pain, she found it hard to transform. The Black Hound whacked her with the butt of his grenade launcher in the face, which knocked her on her back, and left her own face bloody.

She covered her face... barely conscious, but she was going to make it work, she pushed herself to her feet. In a last desperate attempt, to take out the Black Hound, she threw all of her books out of her satchel at him.. Every book hit him 

The Black Hound just stood there, like a statue, and let the books bounce his body doing nothing more than tickle him.

Stopping that soon enough, he turned that standstill into an all out march. Wendy tried to limp away, but the Black Hound caught her, and grabbed her by the neck, and held her up into the air. Motionless for a few seconds as he stared at Wendy... in contrast to Wendy who was using all of her strength to wiggle free of the Black Hound's iron grasp.

"... On two separate occasions, you had the opportunity to flee," The Black Hound started off. "Yet... you stay behind and face off against an opponent that you couldn't hope to defeat when you could be back at the Academy by now.... I want to know..."

[i]Oh great... he's going to monologue now...[/i] Wendy thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

"... [i]Why?[/i]" He asked. "Why not save yourself?"

Wendy grinned... she was going to die here, so she might as well....

"Because..." Wendy trailed off. "I'm not some bastard like yourself! That just kills, and destroys, and ruin everything in sight! Unlike you, I know how it feels to [i]feel[/i]. I stayed behind because I have people I care about, and don't want to see get murdered by sub-human [i]filth[/i] like yourself. I'd rather die than just run away and let them die..."

With one last breath, Wendy spat blood right into the Black Hound's helmet.

It was supposed to be an act of defiance, but it elected a different response....

"You are correct... I cannot feel the same way you can. But, your selflessness... you can say I admire it. I admire [i]you[/i]," The Black Hound said, earning a look from Wendy. "Which is why I am electing to spare you from capture... my superiors will not complain if I bring in three Metahumans."

With his other hand, the Black Hound grabbed the last canister of Metahuman suppressant gas, and held it tightly in his hand. Which made Wendy look at him confused.

"But... mark my words, while I am sparing you...." The Black Hound began his warning. "... The organization I work for is powerful. Far more powerful than you'd ever imagine. If you stick your nose in our business looking for your friends...."

The Black Hound crushed the canister, and gas came flying out with an audible hiss.

"... [i]I'll have no choice but to kill you.[/i]"

"Wait-" Before Wendy could say anything, the gas entered her lungs, and her already weakened body didn't have that much to go before she passed out completely.

Despite all of her strength, she couldn't save the people she cared about... there was an overwhelming power standing in her way.

[i]What did the Black Hound mean?[/i]