[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/klHHPfB.png?1[/img][/center]
[center][b]Christopher Arthur III[/b][/center]
	Things were now starting to make sense to Chris. The Hound’s attack on S.T.R.I.K.E. was not only a preemptive strike, but also a weapon’s run. This explained the vast arsenal that the Hounds possessed. They had the entire S.T.R.I.K.E. armory at their disposal. The most dangerous stolen property that had fallen into the Hound’s hands was in fact not even a weapon: S.T.R.I.K.E.’s entire database on superhuman and paranormal individuals. While Chris had purge the names of the individuals from the files when the Hounds launched their assault on S.T.R.I.K.E., the database still contained the research on the heroes’ powers. There was plenty of material there for the Hounds to formulate some sort of counter strategy.

	The Hounds’ sneak attack on the heroes took them all by surprise. Without Flux’s timely intervention with her force field, who knows what would have happened to the gathered heroes. Once the first onslaught of weapons had ceased, the heroes had their chance to strike back. One of the witches brewed up a severe thunderstorm in an attempt to slow the Hounds down, while the flying bricks rushed ahead for some hand-to-hand combat. Even in the distance, someone or something was taking out some of the choppers before they had the chance to close the gap between them and the heroes.

	[color=c0c0c0]“Maya,”[/color] Chris said while there was still a moment of peace, [color=c0c0c0c]“I’m going to need you to head into the basement in the Sherman Center so we can locate that satellite. Once you’re safe, I’ll guide you through the process.”[/color]

	For a moment, Maya paused, probably because she was terrified due to the current circumstances. She was not used to all this fighting and danger. Nevertheless, she gave Chris a quick hug and raced inside, where she would be safe from the Hounds, unless the heroes were defeated. And if that would happen, no one would be safe in the entire world. Chris had made sure there was a defensible bunker underneath Sherman Center, so strong that not even the stolen S.T.R.I.K.E. weapons could not dint the structure.

	Chris then turned his attention back to the Hounds. He tried to lock onto a target with his long-ranged weapons, but the mystical storm that Lady Hex had summoned was throwing off his targeting system. Although his weapons were still operational, Chris believed it was too risky to use them due to the odd chance of friendly fire.

	Meanwhile, the Judicator had already made his approach. Even with the stormed that Lady Hex had conjured, the power-armor villain was not deterred by the winds or the thunder. He just plowed through the weather, as if he had nothing to fear. Once he was in a position just out of reach of any of the heroes, a red beam was fired from his armor and scanned the area, identifying which heroes were in the field.

	“Use your silver armaments at these locations,” the Judicator radioed to the other Hounds. After he had sent this message, he shot out two flares, one landing near Pantheon, while the other in the direction of Lady Hex. He also launched several disc-like objects that were spraying a freezing coolant. Not only was this device transforming the rain into sharp icicles, but once they reached the ground, they would slowly cover the road with ice, preventing anyone, especially Slipstream, from moving quickly on foot. 

	“Foolish heroes,” the Judicator barked out while shouting over the rumble of the mystical storm behind him, “Your day of reckoning has come. Your fates sealed. Your sentence death.”

	[color=c0c0c0]“Not unless I have anything to say about it,”[/color] Chris quipped back as he darted up into the air towards the Judicator. He drew his sword, the edge of which was crackling with the energy that lined its blade and aimed a targeted blow at the armored Hound. However, the Judicator effortlessly deflected Chris’ attack with the high-tech axe that he was wielding.

	“You are pretty lively for a dead man,” the Judicator taunted Chris while they both faced each other in the sky.

	[color=c0c0c0]“My demise was definitely highly exaggerated. But I think we have some unfinished business to conclude.”[/color]

	“Indeed,” the Judicator agreed before launching a barrage of missiles at Chris. Now the ball was in Chris’ court. Would he use his shields to deflect the projectiles, or would evasive maneuvering be required to remain unscathed? And Chris only had a single moment to make the decision.