[center][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjExNi4zZGMwZDYuUjNWdC4wAA,,/straightjacket-bb.regular.png[/img][/center] [center][h3][b]&[/b][/h3][/center] [center][img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i374/bensundeitestutho/coollogo_com-2097171_zpsaq2ecgmy.png[/img][/center] [h2][b]Pacific Point- Bed, Bath, and Beyond[/b][/h2] [b]Mentions:[/b] [@Dedonus](Kyra Muller) [hr] Gloved fingers dug into triggers as soon as the crackle of water boiling hit the air. Gum recoiled deeper behind his hiding spot as 5.45×39mm rifle rounds and a single 12.7×41mmSR revolver round cut through the misty cover that erupted from Kyra. Muzzles flashes stung the young boy’s eyes, the snaps of bullets clawed at the inside of his ears, and even with the air drenched with water the foul fumes of spent gunpowder burned in his nostrils nearly making him wretch. The shooting lasted only a moment. Gum and the robbers looked onwards expecting to hear a bullet ridden corpse crash to the wet floor. No sound came amidst the falling water and as soon as the steam cleared they were greeted with empty store space. [b]“Merde”[/b] Devil cursed, head darting to and fro in search of the foxy hero as Gum’s trouble face exploded into a smile. [color=48D1CC][i]“How’d she do that?”[/i][/color] Gum could only wonder in barely restrain silence as a brief surge of panic seemed to sweep through the ranks of the robbers. “Fockin’ damn it, did she turn invisible or somethin’?” Tower asked, spitting blood from his cut lips as he bent over and wrenched the whimpering (partially scalded) Hermit back to his feet. “Unlikely.” Devil said quickly and firmly as he looked between the robbers. “Even if she turned invisible when the steam rose up we were firing enough that we would have at hit her a dozen times on pure accident. Fire isn’t her only trick it seems, she has some kind of movement based power.” “Like teleporting?” Tower asked, thrusting Hermit’s AN-94 into his uninjured hand. “Or turning into steam, slipping between dimensions, shrinking down to the size of [i]my patience[/i]-” The Frenchmen’s words lingered as he turned his gaze back to the hostages and rubbed the hammer of his revolver. “However it doesn’t matter where she can move. She’s still in this store and likely isn’t going to leave until we’ve bent over and kissed her furred ass like she expects criminals are supposed to. Everyone keep your eyes peeled and remain together!” The robbers nodded collectively and turned their gaze outwards from the area they had previously fixed their gaze on. Those who were near the hostages moved forward, walking past them as they began to look towards the edges of the store for any sign of the intruder. Seeing his chance Gum slipped towards the hostages, walking in a crouch to lower his profile. Water had pooled to the point it was up to the welt’s of everyone’s shoes, making it difficult to move without splashing about. Yet the sprinklers still continued to drone on and masked Gum’s noise with their own. Gagged and restrained not even the three hostages saw Gum as he came up behind them. Splaying his fingers out as hardened Keratin claws pushed from his finger tips. Dragging the feline cutters across the hostages bindings Gum heard a series of satisfying snaps as he clipped through the zip cuffs and restraints. It was only now he had really begun to realize how properly sharp his otherwise small claws were. [color=48D1CC][i]“Just go out the back.”[/i][/color] He whispered into the ears of the employees as they shed their bonds with only the gags choking back screams of surprised. One by one the three minimum wage workers turned and stood to their feet. Despite Gum’s warnings however they abandoned any semblance of stealth and bolted towards the fire exit at the far rear of the store. The splashing of three sets of shoes alerted one of the more keen eared robbers. Almost reflexively he shouldered his weapon and wrapped his finger around the trigger to fire. He failed to see the blue eared cat boy crouched down barely three feet away. Without thinking Gum kicked off the floor and hurled himself at the robber, arm pulled back and hand opened wide. Only the splash of the young boy’s shoes bursting from the pooled water tipped the robber off and he turned his head just in time to see an arm swinging towards his face. In one swift motion Gum drew his right hand down the left side of the robber's face. Claws, like steel razors cut into his forehead and were pulled straight downwards by the falling moment of Gum’s leap. Claws pushed down through the eyebrow and outright split into the eye with a hot oily spurt of fluids. [color=red][b]“ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” [/b][/color] A high pitched scream shook the store and every robber spun in place to see one of their colleges crash to the floor, a fount of blood spilling from a mess of gore where an eye had once been. Gum landed on his feet in front of the collapsed man covered in a hearty smattering of red. The boy barely had time to fully realize what he’d done when another robber fired from the hip. Moving without thinking Gum rolled sideways throwing pooled water in a spray as bullets tore through the space where he had been moments before. As he rolled Gum outstretched his arm and scooped the gun besides the fallen robber into his hands. Jerking to his feet the boy turned the rifle that seemed laughly large in his hands towards the man who had fired on him. [i]“!!!”[/i] The armed man already had his finger on the trigger of his gun and even with Gum’s reflexes could have been the first to fire. Yet in that moment, and only that moment, the robber hesitated. A child was pointing a gun at him and his finger refused to listen to him. Gum’s finger smashed back into the trigger of his rifle without a single loss in momentum. A brief, thunderous series of bangs cut through the air as half the clip of an AN-94 was emptied into a 27 year old robber. No shout of pain or cry of agony escaped the second robber’s lips as he crashed to the ground. The high power rounds of the rifle had punched clean through the light kevlar vest he wore and had refused his lungs to the consistency of soup in a matter of moments. It had only taken a instant to pull the trigger but for Gum the man’s body seemed to fall in slow motion. He felt as if he could see blood droplets land in and send ripples through the water pooling on the floor before the man’s body dropped. Adrenaline blasted through his bloodstream as he looked up to see every robber in the store point their guns at him. Denied even a second to fully recognize what he’d done Gum bolted and ran to the right as Tower and the remaining robbers fired at him. His legs carried him ahead of their aim but only barely as wall of gunfire followed him, reducing the shelves and displays he passed to nothing in a haze of chaff. [color=48D1CC]“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”[/color] Gum screamed, unable to contain his fear and unbridled panicked as he moved. As Gum ran Devil stepped back and slid behind a shelf on the left side of the store watching as their hostages ran out the back door. [i]“As much as I hate to admit it the renard was right. We can either leave here in chains or in body bags, but not as free men. Not unless…” [/i] Glancing around Devil reached into his jacket and pulled out a phone. At a glance the cellphone seemed like any other but it’s sleek exterior, dead black coloring, and the strange checkering across the entire frame gave away it’s more advanced nature. Without a pause or the consideration of any alternative Devil opened the phone and speed dialed the only number stored to memory. Pressing the phone to his ear the dial tone rung in his ear drums before a voice on the end greeted him. [b]“Yes, it’s me. I’ve reconsidered your offer.”[/b] [color=F5DEB3]“...”[/color] [b]“No.”[/b] [color=F5DEB3]“...”[/color] [b]“Yes I understand I’ll be at a disadvantage in regards to negotiating our place in things but I’m willing to accept that for some assistance.”[/b] [color=F5DEB3]“...?”[/color] [b]“Don’t act surprised, besides there’s more than enough in it for you. There are two here, but she said there were others on their way.”[/b] [color=F5DEB3]“...”[/color] [b]“Hmmm. That’s less than ideal but as long as you actually come through it shouldn’t matter. We’ll try not to die then.”[/b] Hitting the end call button Devil flipped the cell phone closed and tossed it to the floor. It had begun to smoke. By the time it fit the floor it’s frame had collapsed in itself the plastic melting and the circuitry cooking to unrecognizable state. Even in the constant drizzle of the sprinkler system the strange cell phone was quickly reduced to a blob of inert plastic... [hider=Crude Position Map 3] [img]http://i.imgur.com/aOrrubR.png[/img] [/hider]