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[b]Time: Evening - Day of the Satellite Attack
Location: Chinatown, Lost Haven[/b]

Charlie parted ways with Maddi taking the long way home. As she had promised, she was safely assuming there’d be someone watching her or trying to follow. Her mask and hood stayed firmly in place. 

It worked out at least, it gave her plenty of time to think and reflect. She patted her ribs again, checking if they were still broken. The unbelievable events from the start then end of the day were almost too much. Charlie walked by small shops, big stretches of department stores, traffic at her side. Slowly a frown began to form underneath her mask. Occasionally looking over her shoulder at the traffic and anyone paying specifically to her. Her next right was down an alley. It was slowly starting to sink in just how deep she was involved in everything now. It was one thing to defend yourself against an attack but to go on the offensive was another. Willingly putting herself on their radar. A lump began to form in her chest, her palms became clammy.

Avoiding a few dumpsters she stopped in her tracks at the sight of a stray cat perched above on an fire escape platform. She squinted up at it, it’s silhouette was [i]off[/i]. She hesitated looking behind her then back up at it. Slowly she stepped below it, the cat’s eyes never left her as she passed. The heavy eyes were still felt even as she exited the alleyway. Unease creeping up the nape of her neck. Pausing at the exit she pulled her radio free hooking it to her hip. Music began to quietly play through a bit of static. Charlie adjusted the attena a bit to clear it up. 

Through the dark of the alley she couldn’t see the cat anymore, she moved on hoping to leave it behind. She began to wonder how much her Gramps knew of others in Lost Haven’s magic community. Puck referenced his work with networking with other alchemists here in the city. Had he visited The Red Devil? How would he react knowing Puck had healed her, that she met him personally?

More importantly how would her mother, Jules feel about standing off with the Witchfinder General. 

[i]“Are you insane? Do you have a death wish? What were you thinking!”[/i]

Charlie’s answer instantly popped in her mind.

[center][i][sub][color=FFA07A]“Did you know that alchemical formulae share basic structure with the geometric circles used by high magicians of the time?”[/color]

[color=FFA07A]“Really? I was a chemistry major for about four weeks at a university in Georgia.”[/color]

[color=FFA07A]“Those bastards won’t keep getting away with this, we’ll make sure of that!”[/color]

[color=FFA07A]“That was . . . exhilarating!”[/color]

[color=FFA07A]“The Witchfinder won’t be coasting on waxy wings for much longer.”[/color][/sub][/i][/center]

Charlie smiled holding her staff close, she came to a slow stop. The lump began to loosen, helping Maddi was reason enough. She continued to walk flapping her hand in front of her face trying to cool off her cheeks. Her mind came back to the unease once again, someone or something was watching her still. She turned looking over her shoulder, there were a couple vehicles in the back alley parked but saw no movement. She turned down the radio some more then carried on back to the main street, picking up her pace.

In the relative safety of the street and surrounded by people. She checked again then carried on. Behind her a black escalade crept out of the alleyway she was in - entering traffic. 

She walked to the end of the block dodging people, entering through a department store she looked hilariously out of place in her old clothing, some sales associates immediately gave her dirty looks. 

“[color=honeydew]Just passing through.[/color]” She mumbled, preoccupied. 

“Take your gross cat with you!” One of them hissed at her.

“[color=honeydew]My what?[/color]”

He pointed at the disfigured animal sitting patiently at the entrance, eyes on Charlie. Her breath caught. “[color=honeydew]That sure as shit isn’t my cat.[/color]” She took long quick strides away ignoring the sales associates calls for security. Some mall security cops blocked her path at the exit. She began to run and vaulted over them using her staff.

“H-[i]Hey![/i]” One of them shouted.

“[color=honeydew]Sorry, not sorry![/color]” She said over her shoulder sprinting through the doors on the opposite end coming out to a new street. She sprinted away to the otherside of the block taking refuge once again in an alley, she didn’t stop moving. 

“[color=honeydew]Fuck this bullshit cat and bullshit Hounds.[/color]” She said to herself, making it to the other side of the alleyway to another back alley. No vehicles and it was deserted. Slowly stepping out she decided to take another right and head down away from the street. Hoping to cross some residential backyards incase she needed to call for help or find some shelter. Above on the rooftops the very same cat stalked behind her.

The dreadful unease crept up again but the source was nowhere to be seen. Charlie began to fast walk looking in every direction for that damned cat. She quickly approached the end of the back alley, the ripe smell of a butcher’s shop shipping dock down a bit of a ramp of pavement backing into the two storey shop. She clicked on her flashlight to get a better look of the back end of it. Would doubling back throw off her creepy cat pursuer? Another click the light disappeared. 

Headlights suddenly flooded behind her, casting her shadow long. She turned her heart racing, shielding her eyes to see a black escalade several feet away. It sped forward with a squeal of tires, she dashed down the ramp to the shipping dock. Nearly crashing into the door she tugged on it, naturally it was locked. It was made of steel. She tore a hole for herself to squeeze through the rings of bullets against the door sent her scrambling away. She headed straight for the walk-in freezer past plastic sheets. Gunshots followed her. 

She sidled between hanging aging carcuses, the smell of meat was potent and surrounded her. Her quick breath came out in frosty puffs. She headed straight for the exit of the freezer. Meeting another locked door, she promised herself she’d return to fix them if she survived. Breaking through the hiss of warm air rushing in, putting her body weight into it scrambling to the otherside and slamming the heavy door shut sealing it behind her. Buying herself a few seconds. Charlie tried to think of a plan of some sort knowing this was nowhere to stay. She saw the security camera and the flashing red light of the motion detector now that she was shopside. Dragging the sleeve of her shirt below her nose.

Charlie dashed for the shopfront window smashing it with the butt of her staff, the alarms began to blare. She ran for the emergency exit pushing herself up the set of stairs to the roof. Trying to force herself into a unpredictable path for the Hounds, her instincts screamed for her to take the path of least resistance to run as hard as she could to safety. Making her way up a couple set of stairs she pushed onto the roof. Looking for more escape options, she peered up to the building next over, standing a storey taller than the one she was on. She locked then sealed the door behind her. 

“[color=honeydew]Fuck fuck fuck![/color]” She swore stepping up to the ledge, bending down at the knee, contemplating a ladder whether to go up or down. Basic concrete and tarmac surrounded her, enough to make a short ladder up then make another over to the otherside to really throw them off. She began scribbling against the ledge with a sharpie. Sirens weren’t coming either, chatter over her little radio was ignored. She finished her equation in a straight line a ladder shot up made of concrete eating up the materials of the building coming up to 8 feet. Steadying it as she lowered it to the building.

The Hounds began pounding at the door, she began to climb up not wasting time. About two thirds of the way up the Hounds burst through the door.

“There she is! Wound her!” They shouted.

Charlie flinched at the gunshots, panic gripping her heart sending it into overtime. She climbed at the last few rungs she launched herself over the ledge of the building slapping her hand against the makeshift ladder making it crumble before they decided to try and follow her. She rolled far away from the ledge before she stood up and ran to the opposite end about to start the ladder again. Stopping she looked over her shoulder at the cat - glaring fear and hatred. Ugly, undead, obviously the results of necromancy.

She pointed with her staff at the cat, “[color=honeydew][i]Abraxus.[/i] Was starting to wonder when I’d see your undead bullshit again.[/color]”

The cat sat silently, tail crooked moving back and forth. Charlie stared hard back at it. Then pushed off from the ledge swinging her staff low to launch it off the roof, the cat hissed rearing back on it’s hind legs being caught under the belly. Charlie tossed it over the ledge of the building. Completely doubtful that killed it.

She made another ladder scaling down the opposite side of the building, then found her way down back to the street. She ran for several blocks, neither the cat nor the car was in sight. She never paused. She was deep in the financial district, the downtown traffic had dwindled considerably but never truly left. She had run at full speed for a few blocks but eventually slowed to a quick paced jog. When she finally stopped she was out of breath, steadying her arms on her knees. Leaning against a lamp post. 

Across the street several people had gathered outside of a newspaper stand watching a little tv. Charlie peered then wiping her brow she walked over to see what the commotion was about. The news was showing images of cellphone footage. Grainy but clear enough, light washed out the picture entirely. The person behind the cellphone fell to the ground, eventually righting themselves to focus on the utter destruction. In the corner there was a message replaying from The Hounds of Humanity with the news anchor rendered speechless. Charlie starred, eyes wide. Horrified.

This was the radar she was on now. Hollowed out she stepped away then turned her eyes up to the sky, wondering vainly what satellite now was aiming it’s sights on Lost Haven. 

What bright light would take everything away.

She ran home.