[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/427634103614177303/582345123720069121/dont-walk-run.png[/img] [sub]September 12th, 2015[/sub] [img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img][/center] [center][h2][color=2294CD]The Great Heist[/color][/h2] [sub]A City Awakens[/sub] [img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img][/center] As Ragtag escaped, the Guard stared at the graffiti on the building with an almost sad look upon his face. “Kids these days…” Several blocks away, Ragtag was still dashing through alleys and shortcuts towards the portal hub... [center][img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img] [h2][color=0035C6]Final Guard[/color] and [color=008D63]Junior Guard[/color][/h2] [sub]The Shaker[/sub] [img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img][/center] Wire shifted and churned, dragging the pilot out of the helicopter and dangling him over the city. A deadman's switch, to ensure her livelihood. It was a stopgap, crude and barbaric. Slowly, and carefully she weaved wires under the man's clothes into a harness. The command issued, she turned her attention to the crowd below. Cars had started to clear out from the street beneath, more parking or leaving than transiting. People stared up in awe and confusion, some even videotaping her. That actually made her smile, the plan coming together in this stage at least. The smile faded when she felt some of her wire move without her consent. Quickly she turned around on the tightrope, walking to one side to lean over. Some First Guard soldiers were being dragged out of the entrance of a nearby building, with wire pinning their arms to their body. Coiled around their guns was more wire, in opportune spots to disable the ability to fire if wielded. Rats rooted out of their nest, tsk tsk tsk. Again she raised the megaphone, speaking with a newfound enthusiasm. [b]"I have five hostages now. If you try to sneak up on me again, I'll start taking people hostage from the nearby office buildings."[/b] Sighing, she moved back to the center of her tightrope. More work began as Spindle focused on the jungle of wire suspending the helicopter. There was a lot of wire that wasn't helping to keep the helicopter airborne, and she slowly unwrapped that wire. It took all of her focus to tie it to the wire she was balancing on, eyes glazing over slightly with the effort of controlling a hundred wires at once. [hr] Out of the corner of his eye, [sup]4[/sup]Sight could see Presidio preparing forcefields and a twinge of jealousy emerged. He didn't know how good she was at using her power yet, but if [sup]4[/sup]Sight had it, he could do wonderful things. She asked about briefing, and [sup]4[/sup]Sight decided to answer the newbie. [b]"I'll brief you enroute and now."[/b] SWAT had hurried off to grab equipment, obviously not being fully prepared for the mission at a moment's notice. Slingshot was finally waking up, dragged into the waking world by an emergency that demanded his full attention. Dart was separating herself from the groups to listen in on her comm. Matthew was separating himself too, but it wasn't physical. He was taking everything in, and while [sup]4[/sup]Sight could understand space and distance in moments, Matthew could read people. Genuinely, he would understand someone's wants within a few words. Reading their goals, reading their hopes. He had done it in promising the Junior Guard. Matthew had promised them a career as a cape, a dream for their generation. The next generation's dream would be decided by what they did today, and in the coming weeks. It was easy to imagine, gaining powers being a blackmark, a plague. The baby tossed over the spartan cliffs, but for being too strong this time. That was how Matthew had convinced [sup]4[/sup]Sight to join, he who was tired of war, tired of fighting, and tired of death. Matthew had promised that they could prevent that future from coming to pass. [sup]4[/sup]Sight switched on his communicator, and placed it into his ear. A small confirmation noise sounded, signalling the connection to their network. [b]"Alpha four leader, [sup]4[/sup]Sight. Your second in command for this mission is SWAT. At zero-six-three hundred hours a report was given by an agent working under the First Guard. A Little Bird was dispatched, with Delta squad onboard to respond to the possible threat. At zero-six-five-eight hours the pilot turned onto west fifth street after dropping off his soldiers. The helicopter was stopped in mid air by a high threat shaker, calling herself Spindle. The First Guard soldiers that were already in the area shifted over to take down the Shaker, and they are now hostages as well. Spindle's range is at least three hundred yards, though she has a limited amount of wire."[/b] Nodding along, [sup]4[/sup]Sight looked over his team as he listened. Their communicators wouldn't be playing this, instead they would get radio silence until he briefed them. Reaching up, he pressed the button on the flat of the communicator to switch to speaking mode, hoping SWAT would have his earpiece in. [b]"A shaker calling herself Spindle captured a First Guard Little Bird, and is suspending it with metal wire. She has a limited amount of wire, but her range is at least three hundred yards. Spindle has multiple hostages, so we've got to hurry to make sure there's no casualties. Everybody put a hand on me, we've got to leave ASAP. I can move us there if you do."[/b] [sup]4[/sup]Sight would finish speaking around the time SWAT arrived again. Slingshot approached first, placing a hand on [sup]4[/sup]Sight's shoulder. [sup]4[/sup]Sight wasn't actually watching his team, having closed his eyes, his body becoming slightly translucent. He could see the helicopter pad, could even hear Dart opening the door. She was rushing to get into the Black Bird, her squad close in tow. There was never a visible indicator that he was watching. After all his squad member placed hands on him, he would open his eyes and they would all appear on the helipad. It seemed to knock the wind out of [sup]4[/sup]Sight momentarily, as he leaned over and tried to catch his breath. When he had recovered, he would yell over the helicopter blades. [b]"Get in, I'll show you how to strap yourself in. Put on the hearing protection on your seat, and we can leave."[/b] [center][img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img] [h2][color=4B0082]The Fallen[/color][/h2] [sub]The Hunt[/sub] [img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img][/center] As Edith darted away from the twisting, breaking wreckage of the helicopter, five trucks roared into the streets of Serstol proper. The few civilians around looked up in confusion before they took cover. Multiple vehicles full of people, most of them with guns and several wearing what was clearly cape outfits? Right after that noise across town? Even a fool knew trouble when they saw it. "There's some kinda thing going on downtown, Guard mobilizing for that. Jackie says she saw someone matching the description of our missing person running away from it, so we're gonna come in from multiple angles. Comms on, I'm going to go scout," Transcendent called over from the center of the group as they slowed to a crawl. As the rest of the Fallen nodded and were otherwise in quiet agreement, the five vehicles split up slowly, taking side roads and alleys as they slowly diverged. Before they all separated, however, they could see Transcendent stand up, jump into the air, and shift into their breaker state. An alien form that seemed to have tongues trailing after it covered in mouths, they landed on the pavement behind the first vehicle and leapt forward, far higher than they had any right to be able to reach, before they started bouncing off of buildings as if they were made of air. Within moments they were out of sight, heading straight towards the last known location of their target. Across town, a young woman approached Edith slowly. “Miss? Are you okay? Is someone after you?” she asked slowly, concern coloring her voice. [center][img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img] [h2][color=800020]Red Eye[/color][/h2] [sub]The Bank[/sub] [img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img][/center] [b]"The. Bag."[/b] Percy enunciated carefully, the anger of dealing with an incompetent filling his voice. With hand still raised, Vanish approached the guard who had fired, and put her foot on his pistol. He wasn't reaching for it, too preoccupied by the glass embedded in his stomach. Crouching down, she wrapped her hand around the grip, the sensation surprising her in its implications. More than anything, it made Vanish uncomfortable. A flex of her power, and she raised herself off the ground with empty hands. Percy was watching the teller carefully, not concerned with the dwindling crowd or the other guard who was similarly incapacitated. That guard didn't have a gun, though he did have plenty to say about his injured leg. Mostly expletives. [b]"Heads up."[/b] Percy called out right before the door began opening again. He was looking at it now, frowning deeply. Something to do with his power? Vanish turned, finding a colossal crocodile man to meet her gaze. He spoke, voice sounding slightly inhuman to her ears. [i]Cliche?[/i] She thought, biting her tongue. Vanish wanted to respond, but she knew if she did, she'd talk over Percy. To his credit, Percy said something a bit more clever than she would have. [b]"You're one to talk, Creature from the Black Lagoon."[/b] He said, eyes back on the teller who was filling a plastic bag. Vanish spoke next, giving it a moment. [b]"We have at least two hostages. If you move closer, we'll have one hostage."[/b] She said, keeping her eyes on the 'man' with hand raised towards the guard bleeding from his stomach. After a thought, she raised her hand and fired a brick at an empty part of the room, letting it shatter against a wall. Vanish renewed the threat with one hand pointed toward the guard. [center][img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img] [h2][color=008080]Exiled[/color][/h2] [sub]Not with a Bang...[/sub] [img]https://drfhlmcehrc34.cloudfront.net/cache/7a/2e/7a2eca87d796d9fd03a702d75817da61.png[/img][/center] Right on time the slow rumble that the trio could hear became louder and louder until two [url=https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftanknutdave.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F04%2FJagdpanzer-IV-0-Serie.jpg]tanks[/url] rounded the corner. They appeared nearly identical to old models, if one was familiar with them, but given the Tinker who built them...It would be unwise to assume they were anything close to ordinary. Manifold smirked at the sight, he arm beginning to glow slightly before both tanks fired. Immediately her arm discharged twice, and two explosions erupted between the two sides. Seconds later the explosions seemed to go in reverse by something ...dark, tinted with an orange color. Barely a second later and the phenomenon was gone, and the tanks slowly advanced ever onward towards the trio. In the distance, they could hear a louder rumbling coming closer, the sound so deep it was making the windows of the truck rattle even from this distance.