[Center][h1][color=D1D0CE]GARGOYLE[/color][/h1][/center][Right][sub]Location: What used to be Seattle, outskirts[/sub][/right][hr][hr]Chris blinked as a bottle of water appeared in front of her face. It took her a long second before she proceeded the new information. She reached up with a slightly shaky grey hand and grabbed the water.

"[color=D1D0CE]Thanks.[/color]" Chris croaked out. She blinked down at the water, unscrewed it and took a drink. As soon as the water hit the back of her throat she began coughing against the accumulated grit and grime. 

[i]Chris groaned as the building began to settle wrong. She shifted the concrete around her as best as she could. She could feel sweat trickle down her back despite the layer of stone between her and the world. She tried to focus on keeping the crumbling building from continuing to crumble. At least while she was under it.

"[color=D1D0CE]It's shifting.[/color]" Chris finally said. One of the many engineers pipped up.

"[b]Can you move another support to the lower left quandrent?[/b]"

Chris felt her teeth grind together and she vaguely wondered as she worked if pretend superheroes get good dental. Because after today she was going to have no teeth left after they all cracked and fell out of her mouth.

There was another groan somewhere deep in the structure; then nothing. 

"[b]Okay.[/b]" The same engineer said. "[b]Quickly, before it destabalizes again.[/b]"[/i]

Chris sucked in a ragged breath and spat out a disgusting wad of grey grit. A firm hand slapped her on the back. 

"[b]Good to know you're human under all that stone hero.[/b]" The man who passed her the water said attempting some levity. 

[i]Chris's knuckles were white as they clenched the steering wheel. She wasn't sure if her old beater of a car would survive the trip, but she knew she had to try. The news station she had tuned her car's radio drifted in and out of clarity.

-fsxxt-ilitants have moved into -fsssshst-are. They're cutting a line of destruction through the c-shhhxxxt- and the heroes are hard pressed t-fxxsh-

Chris pressed her foot down harder on the gas petal. The whine of her engine was alarming but it was still the last thing on her mind. She could now see smoke rising on the horizon. Just ahead of her was a road block of cop cars.[/i]

Chris attempted a smile. It felt weird on her face considering the circumstances. But there it was. "[color=D1D0CE]Hero?[/color]" Her voice was still craggily so she took another swig of water. 

"[color=D1D0CE]The only hero I see is everyone around.[/color]" She raised the water bottle as she gestured. "[color=D1D0CE]Not one of you have special powers yet you're all here. Risking your life for strangers.[/color]"

[i]The flashing lights of the ambulance sent the shadows dancing like crazy around Chris. Her hands shook as when pressed them to the ruined floor she knelt on. She had long since abandoned trying to maintain her fledgling superhero identity. She didn't really care if everyone knew what she looked like anymore. Saving lives was far more important. Worth so much more then anonymity. 

She felt hallowed out from all of her effort but she couldnt give up yet. Not when she and the rescue workers could hear the desperate cries of the trapped child. Behind her she could hear the murmurs as a few of the structural engineers talked quietly. They had approached her earlier and had asked for her help. She wasn't assigned to this rescue crew, but it was a unique problem. They didn't have updated blueprints of the building and if they shifted the rubble in the wrong place they might crush the people inside. 

They could get the plans but it would take time. Time the child might not have. It was a race against time. Less and less people they pulled from the debris were alive. It was horrifying and if Chris failed here it'd be another dead soul to add to the list.

Chris focused on the concrete under her palms. She could fell the texture of it, the weight. If she grabbed at it, it would move. She knew this. But she couldn't feel any further. She felt tears prickle at her eyes and blinked them away. She had to do this. She had to save this child. She HAD to.[/i]

A surprised look crossed his face then he too smiled. "[b]I'm just dojng my job ma'am.[/b]" 

"[color=D1D0CE]We all are.[/color]" Chris agreed. The two of them lapsed into silence as they sat on a chunk of rubble, staring vacantly at the relief efforts still underway.

[i]Chris easily lifted the larger woman up and into the waiting arms of two large firemen. Her cries of joy were a welcome counterpoint to the prevailing undercurrent of grief.

"[b]Thank you! Thank you![/b]" She cried to everyone around her.[/i]

There was mostly silence as efforts continued. Hours ago someone found a working TV and had tuned into a world news station. But they had turned it off a little while ago. Nothing much new had been reported and what was being reported was depressing. 

"[b]Food.[/b]" Another relief worker called out. It was a woman this time. Chris couldn't tell her age under the exhaustion that sat heavily upon her. She accepted the offering with a small thanks. She blinked at the wrapper. Jimmy John's. 

[i]There wasn't much time to come up with a cover story as Chris slowed to a stop at the roadblock. A police officer stepped up to her rolledmdown window.

"[b]I'm sorry miss. But this whole area is closed off. Please turn around."[/b]

Chris's mouth opened before she could think through her plan. "[color=D1D0CE]I'm here to help.[/color]"

The cop's mouth pressed into a thin line. "[b]I'm sure you think you'll be helping but this is best left to the professionals.[/b]"

"[color=D1D0CE]I'm S.T.R.I.K.E.[/color]" Never has Chris been so thankful for her darker skin for when she blushed it wasn't obvious. 

The man looked skeptical. "ID?"[/i]

Chris carefully unwrapped the sub and ate methodically. It was strange just sitting here and eating and watching others work. The need to be helping shift rubble was strong. But she was tired and she knew she needed the rest. And as awful admit was, the team's were beginning to switch away from rescue to recovery, despite the thousands still listed as missing.

[i]Chris stood uselessly to the side as a mother clutched her dead child to her chest. Her wails echoed loudly in the space.  Even at her lowest Chris hadn't felt this terrible. She had pushed and pushed her powers away. Was this the price? Was this her punishment? If she had a better grasp of them, could she have felt, could have anticipated where the building's structure was weak? 

If the crews could have worked faster with her aid that child might still be alive. Another mother wouldn't have to mourn the passing of a child. A life cut short. Because of Chris. Because of what she couldn't do.[/i]

"[color=D1D0CE]Look.[/color]" Chris pointed towards the jagged horizon. The first colors of dawn were reaching up into the night sky.

The man next to her looked up. The two of them sat there shoulder to shoulder watching dawn breakover the devastation.

[i]Chris had never seen such wreakage in her life. People killed like ants over what had once been a vibrant city full of Life. But now it was a tomb. A husk. Screams and cries assaulted her ears even though she had covered herself in a thin crust of stone.

"[b]You Gargoyle?[/b]"

Chris turned to look at a middle aged woman with a clip board.

"[color=D1D0CE]Uh- Yes.[/color]" She replied inelegantly. 

"[b]Good. They radioed up what you can do. I've assigned you to Alpha Team.[/b]" without waiting for response the woman took off at fast clip leaving Chris to run to catch up.[/i] 

With the water and food finished off the men and women of Alpha Team got wearily back to their feet. The only ones resting in this ruined city today were going to be the dead.