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[i][b]Three Days Later...[/b][/i]



	The people of Crown Ridge had been on edge since the battle between the heroes and the Hounds of Humanity which had become popularly known as “The Siege of Lost Haven.”  Crime had been up, and the Crown Ridge Police Department had been struggling to keep up with the increase in criminal activity. So despite their strict anti vigilante doctrine, some members of the CRPD had somewhat softened their stance when it came to getting help from outside the law, at least privately. Although some members of the local law enforcement community had at least temporarily softened their stance on vigilantism, the ban on vigilante activity still remained. 
However, none of this mattered to Lyger, who had remained vigilant in his mission to protect the city. He had been out each night since the Hounds of Humanity had threatened Lost Haven, and by extension Crown Ridge with annihilation, scouring the city for those who wished to do it harm. 

Now, he found himself on the rooftop of the Gabriel Building, overlooking downtown Crown Ridge, looking for any sign of trouble. However on this night, things were quiet. In the preceding nights there had been numerous armed robberies, assaults, and even a small riot, however, tonight there was no such activity. In fact, he had been getting ready to call it an early night when he became well aware of a presence nearby. At first, he thought that perhaps it was Flux, but then he realized that this presence was not only behind him, but [i]above[/i] him. 

“Something I can help you with, Icon?” Lyger asked without ever turning to face the hero of Lost Haven.

[b] “You're not an easy man to find.” [/b] Icon told him as he lowered himself to the rooftop.

“I know. That's kind of the point.” Lyger said.

[b] “Arthur and I have been talking.” [/b] Icon started. [b] “Over the last couple of years, we've been facing threats that are growing in magnitude. Each time, there has been a group of us that have come together to meet whatever crisis we were facing head on, and we've been able to beat it back. D-Day, Pax Metahumana, the Hounds of Humanity.” [/b]

“Go on.” Lyger told him.

[b] “We think that maybe it's time that we put together a team, officially.” [/b] Icon said.

“You're talking about The Guardians.” Lyger said, referencing the name that the media had given the group of heroes who had come together to save not only the city, but the entire world on more than one occasion. “I don't know.”

[b] “Look, if the Hounds of Humanity taught us anything, it's that we have to be better prepared. If we don't get better organized, we might not be able to stop whatever comes next.” [/b] Icon paused for a moment, letting his words linger in the air. [b] “But it's not just that. There has to be some kind of accountability. Look at what happened this last time, there were people fighting along side us doing just as much damage as the Hounds were,  with about as much regard for life.”[/b]

“I agree.” Lyger said as he remembered seeing Pantheon summarily execute more than on of the Hounds.

[b] “We have to be better than that, if we're not we're no better than the people we're trying to stop.” [/b]

“You're not wrong.” Lyger conceded. “I'm just not sure that a team is the right way to go. Especially with Arthur involved. He hasn't exactly shown that he's the best man to put this kind of thing together. He almost got some kids killed against Diplodoc because he thought that they were ready, when they clearly weren't.”

[b] “And that's why I want you to join us.” [/b] Icon said.

“I don't really play well with others.” Lyger said in a matter of fact tone.

[b] “But you're one of the first to show up when you're needed. And you are always willing to put it all on the line. Look, you may not think of yourself as a team player, but you're exactly what we need. I'm not sure we can do this without you.” [/b]  Icon told him. [b] “Besides, I think you make Arthur nervous.”[/b] Icon said with a grin.

“He told you to tell me this was your idea, didn't he?” Lyger asked with a lightness in his tone that hadn't been there before.
[b] “He did.”[/b] Icon confirmed with a chuckle.

“Alright, I'm in. If for no other reason than to keep an eye on you all.” Lyger told him.

[b] “That's all I can ask.”[/b] Icon said as he lifted off the rooftop. [b] “See you around.[/b]


[center]***[/center]


[b][i]Now[/i][/b]

For the better part of a month, Lyger had been tracking the movements of the Winter Park Gang, who had been ramping up their activities since the heat that the Hounds of Humanity had generated had begun to wane. Lyger had been relentless in his pursuit of the criminal enterprise, which had ties to the Shroud Syndicate. He had chased down lead after lead, however, he had failed to find any information that would bring him any closer to the Winter Park Gang's leadership, particularly the one who called himself Rabbit. 
Until last night.

He had been tracking a low level thug named Jason Fortin, who was a glorified drug runner for the Winter Park Gang. Fortin was a nobody, a loser. He'd done time for petty theft and drug and weapons charges. He even did a stint in Tartarus Island because of his fetish for underage girls. However, despite the fact that he was a complete waste of skin, he had connections to Rabbit and some of the other high ranking members of the Winter Park Boys. 

Lyger had followed Fortin from his apartment on Fryburg Way to what Lyger had learned was his favorite night club, The Golden Mango Gentleman's Club several blocks away. He had waited for the lowlife on the rooftop of a neighboring building until Fortin left through the front door just over an hour later. Lyger continued to follow him as he left the establishment, and once Fortin was far enough away from prying eyes, Lyger had swooped down, knocking the scum back face first into the wall of  a nearby building. After a few moments of being pummeled by the black clad vigilante, Fortin was more than happy tell him anything that he wanted to know. 

Acting on the information that Fortin had provided him, Lyger had set up shop on the roof across from the waterfront. According to Fortin, the Winter Park Gang would be meeting with the Russians for a weapons deal that could potentially net the Winter Park Gang a small fortune.

Lyger waited in the shadows, watching the shipping vessel “Pelican Breeze,” on which the deal was supposed to go down. There was no activity on the street below, and the area near the ship was completely still. Yet when the clock tower across town chimed, indicating that it was nine o'clock, the activity began to pick up. Several cars began to pull up to the ship, and a number of people, all appearing heavily armed began to pour out of the vehicles. 

This was it, Lyger was finally going to be able to make a move on Rabbit himself, all he had to do now was wait until all the pieces were in place.