[hr][i][h1][color=forestgreen]Veronica Emily Davis[/color], [color=#ffe0bd]Rhea Harlow[/color], & Makoto Koda.[/h1][sub]Written in collaboration with [@Mr Allen J][/sub][/i][hr]
[i][u]Old Raygate, Prince Ed-Field[/u][/i]

The dead haunted Rhea's dreams again. Glassy eyes, half-submerged corpses, pools of crimson. This time, the horror did not take her. Walking through red water, she placed a white rose on each of the dead. A brilliant light escaped their bodies as the souls broke free, and the scene evaporated.

A blue sky with clouds materialised above her, and beneath her feet lay flat sand. A light breeze caressed her skin. The Black Hound stood 15 feet from her, hands clasped at its back. Its suit was in perfect order, a rifle strapped in between the shoulders. They eyed each other, unmoving. 

"I'm not afraid," Rhea said. The Black Hound gazed at her silently, unflinching. The sand shifted, dissolving as the dream faded.

[b]~*~[/b]

Sitting with a protein shake and a banana, Rhea stared blankly at her laptop as the search reached 98%. She was dressed in her gray track gear, hat and all. Sure, she didn't actually courier for a couple more days, but spy work put her on edge. It was best to dress appropriately, she figured.

In a proper state of mind, Rhea shook her head at her actions earlier. [i]When do I ever sit at a cafe?[/I] She normally considered it boring, but after her traumatic experience and a lack of sleep, she must have felt out of character. Enough so that she'd sit and idly chat. 

[i]Well no, it wasn't entirely small talk with Malik.[/i]

The screen flashed as it completed its search. Results from the surface web came up with nothing more than [i]Did you mean Founding [u]Fathers[/u]?[/i] With the dark web results, however, Rhea found a lead. The page was plastered with ‘Founding Family’ and filled with cryptic messages. Rhea snapped a screenshot and printed it, mulling over the paper with a pencil.

She sighed. [i]No, it doesn’t make any sense. There must be some kind of code…[/i]

Rhea stuck the page to her whiteboard, scribbling notes beside it with a felt marker. Having also caught up with the news, images of the Black Hound and the masked, grotesque behemoth were also tacked to the board. From the stories, both had used some kind of teleportation. Both mainly targeted Metahumans. As Malik told her, the DGMHS girl who disappeared was likely also a meta. If she pretended they were all connected, she assumed the ‘Founding Family’ had some deadly fascination with Metas. Or it was just an ‘instill fear in the masses’ tactic.

Rhea made an annoyed face. [i]For now, we treat them as separate entities. There’s not enough evidence to say otherwise.[/i] She leaned back and stared up at the whiteboard, idly sipping her drink.

[hr]

The two assassins made it to the general area of their mark. They got out of a simple sedan that was supplied to them by the Black Hound. It had no tags, nor anything to track it to anyone.

"Old Raygate..." Makoto said as she stepped out and put a mask on to complete her outfit. "Ain't this place full of nothing but druggies and hookers?"

"That's what concerns me," Veronica said as she got out of the vehicle herself, her sharp green eyes went left to right as she searched for any possible threats. There was a homeless man that looked a little eager until Veronica shot him a gaze so sharp that he was forced to retreat. "What sort of gutter-trash knows about our boss?" She said as she slid on her own mask.

"Ooooh, gutter-trash," Makoto playfully teased. "You sound like a British woman!"

Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Just shut up and grab the bag," Veronica said, and Makoto reached into the backseat and pulled out a black gym bag that wouldn't be suspicious if it wasn't being carted around in the dead of night. 

"Sure that we even need this?" Makoto asked. "With my chains, and your knives... Anyone would have trouble fighting us."

"I don't like to take risks... especially when the other side may be packing a [i]handgun[/i] at least," Veronica said.

Shrugging, Makoto just grabbed the gym bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Let's get a move on."

The two were brought to the middle of a field... and that's when Veronica started to get a little concerned. She approached the fence, and quickly glanced at her phone, and was tracking whoever was tracking them here... Okay. This place looked like a hold-out by some gang or something. Which lead Veronica to assume they're packing heat.

"Makoto," Veronica said, gesturing for the bag. "I think we're going to need our little [i]help[/i]."

"Oh yes," Makoto smiled as she knelt down and put the bag there, too. She unzipped it, and pulled out a metal case - taking that case out, she opened it to reveal their "help." A fully loaded MP5SD3. With an attachable stock, and silencer. Both of which Makoto were quick to attach. Makoto held the submachine gun in both hands.

Veronica was wrapped in a green aura as she pulled throwing knives out of her secret compartment hidden in her sleeves. "Let's hope we don't have to use this...." Veronica said.

Makoto waved her hand and tore the fence open with her metal manipulation. Nodding their heads, they approached the train car with their heads down. Proceeding towards it quickly as they could, but crouched down. When they were within a few meters of it, Veronica gestured towards Makoto and said....

"We don't know how many people we're up against," Veronica said. "Or who... I personally want to scout around a little bit, but I don't think we can have a peak in there without attracting some attention."

"How about we roll a flashbang in there?" Makoto suggested. "Run in, tell them to put their hands up, then get some information."

"That could work... I honestly don't see more than five people being in there," Veronica said as she reached into her pants and pulled out a flashbang... she keeps one on her at all times just in case she needs a quick getaway. She'll just have to rely on her smarts from here on in.

She made the flashbang float in her hand.

"You open the door, I throw it in, then you hold it shut," Veronica ordered.

"Aye, aye, sweetheart," Makoto cheerfully said as she got in position.

Veronica groaned as the flashbang fell right into her hand, and she started walking over towards the door, ready to toss it in with telekinesis.

Makoto extended her will to the door, subtly pulling the door open with her metal manipulation. 

"On three," Veronica said. "One... two..." 

Makoto nodded her head when Veronica looked at her.

"...Three!" 

Makoto pried the door open swiftly, and Veronica tossed the flashbang in at blinding speeds with her telekinesis. Right when the grenade went in, Makoto slammed the door shut and sealed it tightly so their target can't escape.

The grenade exploded loudly and brightly inside the train car. It would be sensory hell on everyone in such a close area.

A cocky grin formed on Veronica's face as she pulled the knives out of her sleeves again.

"Let's go," Veronica said as she quickly moved in before the effects would wear off.

Low voices interrupted Rhea’s thoughts. Normally she didn’t pay much attention to what happened outside the paper-thin walls of her safe house, so she wrote it off as some kids finding a place to get high. Moments passed, then she heard two sets of footsteps crunch on the dry dirt outside and pause. Murmurings.

[i]What the hell?[/i] Rhea crept to the wall, pressing her ear to the metal.

[i]"On three,"[/i] She heard a voice say. A countdown. Nothing good ever happens with a countdown.

[i]"One... two…”[/i]

“Shit!” Rhea ran from the wall, scooping up her bug-out bag in the corner as she crawled up a ladder to the emergency hatch.

An alarm went off as the sliding door was ripped open. She heard an object clatter against metal as her hand punched the ceiling hatch. Rhea scrambled out with her body half on the roof as the flashbang exploded. She laid there a moment on the hot metal, absolutely deaf. Slowly, wincing in pain, she got to her feet and evacuated the train container. Tapping into the batteries within her backpack, Rhea empowered her run, aiming to hide in the warehouses. There was just an empty field to cross first...

"Hmph," Veronica said as their target made a break for it. Turns out there's only one person. That makes this much easier... but, she apparently has bloody superhearing or something, because how else did she notice them in that metal box of death? Doesn't matter how, but they had to stop her. She brought these throwing knives out for a reason. They glowed with a green aura, as she cocked them back to throw. Veronica made sure to use her deadeye to line this up perfectly.

With one toss, she threw five knives at Rhea's legs... fully intending to injure her legs enough to catch up with her bony ass. Or leave a trail of blood.

"... You know I can just, you know..." Makoto got really close to Veronica and whispered. "... [i]Teleport over to her[/i]... you just gotta give me a second." 

"Oh..."

Rhea was roughly 20 feet from the warehouses when a searing pain ripped through the back of her legs. She collapsed, looking down to find small knives embedded in the muscle. The two footsteps she heard earlier were standing outside the container, staring at her. Two women, armed and dangerous. With gritted teeth, she tore the knives out and stumbled into the nearest warehouse.

[i]Who the hell are they?[/i] She wondered, limping up a ramp to the highest level in the building. Her healing abilities had scabbed over the wounds, but the muscles within were still quite torn. She wouldn’t be running for a while. Her options were limited to hiding or an ambush. Maybe both.

Finding a dark spot within the warehouse that had a full view of the door, Rhea pulled out a pistol from her backpack. She aimed it at the ground floor, then at the broken windows, and stayed very quiet.

Tracking the blood trail was easy, Veronica and Makoto merely followed it as they chased her into the building.

"Perhaps it's time for me to flaunt my teleportation?" Makoto said. "Just to see what she's packing." 

"Very well, then," Veronica said as she leaned up against the wall. "I have an idea before you go charging in."

Veronica focused on a random rock, and lifted it up into the air... she focused on one of the windows off to the side of the building that wasn't quite broken.

"On my signal, you go in through the other side," Veronica said.

Makoto nodded her head as she focused on the past, and the memories that came with it. Until she was able to channel a power using past memories. She was surrounded with a black smoke, and she focused on the building. 

"Ready."

Veronica tossed the rock through the window, causing a violent cacophony as it shattered what was left of the window. It would be enough to give the already jittery Rhea a spook, but that was to cover Makoto's entrance.

She disappeared into a slight "pop" of black smoke, and appeared inside the warehouse. She leaned up against a warehouse crate and peaked around cover. She had no idea of where Rhea is....

Rhea's pistol snapped to the sound of shattered glass. A stone skittered across the floor, rolling to a stop. She breathed, loosening her grip. It wasn't a person. A distraction, perhaps. Rhea slowly shifted her weight, creeping across the metal ledge. Her eyes squinted in an effort to penetrate the darkness. [i]A distraction for what?[/i]

Her foot snagged a rusted piece of metal and it snapped, tumbling down to the ground. The sound held a faint echo. Rhea sweated, frozen in place. [i]Shit.[/i] Grimacing, she continued to move stealthily, tempted to just run. 

That was enough for Makoto to pin her location. She looked right at the girl - her gun reflected a light that Makoto was able to track. She grinned... tempted to just start shooting, but she needed this mark alive long enough to question her. She was engulfed in the black smoke yet again, before appearing again behind her.

"Hello there..." Makoto said, trying to startle her even more.

A single gunshot split the air as Rhea spun around, firing at the shadowed figure. She didn't take the time to line up her shot, so she had no idea where exactly she was aiming. And if she didn't reveal her location before, she definitely had now. 

Makoto had quickly teleported in front of her when Rhea spun. Knowing exactly what she was going to do next. "Don't telegraph yourself so much, sweetie," She said as she shoved the MP5 in Rhea's face, pressing it against her skull. "Now honey... you're going want to drop that little peashooter there."

The cold metal against her forehead sent chills up Rhea's spine. Even in the darkness, she knew how much lethal force was pointed at her. [i]God dammit... they got me.[/i] Growling through clenched teeth, Rhea tossed her pistol to the side. It made a satisfying clatter as it fell to the ground floor.

"Thank you," Makoto said in a cutesy, mocking, tone. "You can come in now, Ver- [i]Terror![/i]" Makoto shouted as a signal for Veronica to come in.

"... Amazing," Veronica sarcastically said as she strut her way in, twirling her knife around her fingers. "You apprehended her without even needing my help... I guess there's a reason I keep you around."

"Other than my pretty face, of course. Haha!" Makoto laughed.

Veronica rolled her eyes as she walked up. She pressed the flat of the blade against Rhea's throat in a threatening display. Just to keep her compliant.

"Makoto, search her for anything else," Veronica said as she kept Rhea's head firm with one hand, and the knife against her throat with the other. "Stand up." She said as she pulled Rhea to her feet.

Makoto slung the machinegun over her shoulder as she cracked her knuckles. She patted Rhea down starting with her pants, then moved upwards before her hands hovering over her chest.

"... What a pancake." Makoto mocked before she continued to pat Rhea down. Before she reached around and pulled that backpack off. She quickly searched it and found all sorts of things. Such as a baton, batteries, a phone, and some food. If Makoto were to take a guess, this broad was a hacker or some kind of street rat hired to get some information. 

And ooooh boy she kicked the hornet's nest with this one.

"She's clean," Makoto said, prompting Veronica to begin.

"We're with... ah..." Veronica trailed off for a moment. "Ah, doesn't matter does it?"

Veronica grinned.

"What we're interested in is your suspect search history..." Veronica trailed off again, narrowing her eyes. "Mostly, this nonsense about a [i]Founding Family[/i]? Funny, ain't it. Ah, what do you know?"

The sugar-coated mockery was somewhat disarming. It relaxed Rhea's nerves enough that she began to breathe normally, despite having a knife to her throat. Rhea remained compliant as she was searched, silently studying the two women. The 'Makoto' dressed in an oriental mask and cloak, while the 'Terror' boasted a long coat and metal mask. Both appeared athletic, and both seemed at ease with their... job? If kicking her ass was a job, who ordered it? Who's toes did she step on?

[i]I've run packages for White Spider, a couple low-key gangs, and DOVE, but Hallmark is on good terms with all of them... Unless... Unless this isn't about work.[/i] She briefly saw Malik's frantic face in her mind, how he demanded she not get involved. [i]These women... they're connected to the Founding Family, I'll bet.[/i]

The Terror spoke in her ear, confirming Rhea's suspicions. [i]"...Mostly, this nonsense about a [/i]Founding Family[i]?..."[/i]

Rhea supposed these 'investigators' weren't complete assholes, although she was royally pissed about being at their mercy. Her options were severely limited, and if Malik told her anything useful, it was that the Founding Family made people disappear. The less she said, the better. 

“I don't know anything,” She spoke her words carefully. “I was just tipped off.”

"Tipped off?" Veronica said, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, right, like we are going to believe that." She started laughing. "You better start talking, because if not, I'll just slash your throat and move on - [i]for wasting my time.[/i]" She pressed the blade against her throat a little harder.

Rhea trembled, attempting to shrink away from the razor. There was no wiggle room, just the muscled arm of Veronica keeping her pinned. 

“Terror, if I may,” She used the name Makoto called Veronica, “No one knows about the Founding Family. I only heard about it earlier today, and it’s my job to know shit.”

[i]My job? Well great, let’s just tell her all about that, mm?[/i] Rhea gritted her teeth. Her fear was making her mouth run. Evidently, the last thing she wanted was to waste The Terror's time.

"It's [i]my[/i] job to kill people who "know shit," [i]sweetheart.[/i]" Veronica said with a cocky smile from underneath her mask. "From [i]whom[/i] did you hear about the Founding Family?" She hissed. "Don't make me ask again." 

Within her power, Rhea refused to sell out Malik. If she could spin a story in a way they would believe it, she’d be able to keep him anonymous. He’d be free to find that girl, which was the least she could do. Rhea had to pull herself together, just this once.

“I swear I never got his name, we were just two strangers having coffee. He told me his friend went missing and he dropped the ‘Founding Family’. I was curious.”

"Well, you better start telling me when, where, and what-"

Veronica was interrupted by the sounds of sirens approaching... She turned her head and saw police lights approaching the field. It was that damn flashbang. Probably sounded like an explosion.

"Oh," Makoto said. "What are the odds of them stumbling up here, Terror?"

"Enough for us to move, damn it," Veronica hissed, she pressed her earpiece with her other hand. "Foundation Woman, we're bringing that target of yours back to base for further interrogation," Veronica started off. "Have Zenith extract us."

"Oooooh," Makoto excitedly said. "We get to have more fun with her - and she's actually kind of cute."

A blue swirling portal opened up behind them, and Veronica took a step back, putting her knife away. However, Makoto pulled that MP5 out, and aimed it at Rhea.

"... It's in your best interests to step inside, girl." Veronica said.

Rhea’s mouth hung agape at the swirling blue energy. [i]This is the portal. The one the Black Hound uses. But that means…[/i] She eyed the gun pointed at her. [i]I’m really not gonna like where we’re going.[/i]

“Not every day I walk through freaky energy...” Rhea said, putting her hands in a gesture of surrender. She held her breath and entered the portal.

"That's a good doggie..." Veronica mockingly said as she followed in after Rhea, then Makoto stepped in.

After they were gone, the portal closed, and other than the discarded gun, there were little signs they were even here.