[h2]C H A P T E R [s]1[/s][/h2] [b]N o t A S i n g l e S t a r[/b] _________________________________ [h3]Fort Hood, Texas —- // JANUARY 23[/h3][@Zoey White] As the vapor slowly began to fill the house, rolling like red tide across the brown carpet upstairs and eventually making its way into the master bedroom - along with the children's room across the hall. As the substance crept underneath the door and circulated into the room it would eventually be inhaled by the officer and his wife, it would quickly wake the two awaken in a stupor and fit of coughing. But more curiously was their eyes becoming blood red, they gripped at their chests in pain as it welled up in their gullets. The captain began to react strangely once these symptoms had fully set in, instead of attempting to flee the room - he turned on his wife placing two hands upon her throat and began to strangle her. She was however reacting as well, snarling and spitting out in a fit of survival, flailing her arms out and scratching at her husband. "[color=black]Seems like whatever that mist was supposed to do has worked. Operation Ground-Zero is over, we need to get the hell outta here.[/color]" Antonio quickly muttered into his comm and making his way back towards the road. Akasha was still getting a grip on herself, ingesting a small amount of the substance after it's activation - she slowly made her way to follow after the handler at a weakened pace. "[color=salmon]2, evacuate and head towards the road - the authorities will be here soon, probably.[/color]" She wheezed out into her own comm, breathing out the pain in her words. [hr][h3]???, Romania Midnight// JANUARY 24[/h3][@OwO] "[color=gray]G o o d[/color] [color=black]G i r l[/color]" The chubby little man slowly drawled out, his eyes squinting it slits as he quickly darted back through the door and plucking from his belt an especially [color=crimson]red[/color] throwing knife and with a quick and nearly irresponsible finesse flung it straight at the young psychic boy. In a flash it planted itself straight through the boy's stomach, which in itself wouldn't be lethal outright to most - but he was a promised child - and these blades of crimson were specifically made for them. The boy's mouth opened wide as he gasped for air, something within him screamed out as it was extinguished from existence. He wold struggle now, uncaring of the blade at his jugular and even pressing his neck against it while enacting this fit of survival. Just what exactly was this weapon? Well, the red would soon begin to darken to a gradual black until the entire blade was this inky color. That sense of danger that once welled up in each of the three, had been gone, now this promised child would only give off an aura of pity - and helplessness. [hr][h3]Several Miles from Varkhaus, Finland [Wilderness] Midnight // JANUARY 24[/h3][@ERode] The impending doom that was the gunmetal goliath was heard by our lovely Augustine, a confident smirk planted happily on her face as she stood atop the hillside with a boot heel planted upon the sniper's defeated face. Chumps is all these guys were - the damned Russians always put up better fights than the rest of those who challenged the church. Though she was just happy that her little boy was alright - no specialized weapons had been acquired for this little ambush, probably because it was for her. "[i]I probably should've gotten a radio before we left. I put too much faith in the idiots that make decisions.[/i]" She grumbled quietly to herself, chapped lips tightening as she awaited her golden boy to finally meet with her. Though their imminent danger was not quite completely dispersed. While the ground squad that had been sent after them was easily handled, several more would quickly be moving in on both of the party's positions. Augustine was quite durable and well enough on her own, but the pilot would probably need to continue being protected from this point forward as tens of armed men continued to scurry into the forest. And although the promised child's ability was incomprehensible to them, a stray sniper round that wasn't accounted for could still be the end of him. "[i][color=forestgreen]We probably should have salvaged more off of those guys. We still have to situate the matter of how we're going to get to a base without making a scene - because that uh - Golem, that's going to cause a scene.[/color][/i]" Breathed heavily, the cold gradually causing him to weaken more and more over time it seemed. [hr][h3]St. Peterburgh, Russia Midnight // JANUARY, 23[/h3][@Rune_Alchemist][@Kazemitsu] 3's opponents would not relent despite his extinguishing of one of their brethren. Their sights could easily deduce the shadow-wielder throughout the smoke and maneuvered through the weaving of his spike seemingly out of nothingness. The remaining Gardna of the group were on a full-on offensive now, and while a typical human would have difficulty against a promised child, these were specifically made for this situation. One of the gardna which was identifiable by a red stripe across the shoulderguard in particular led the charge. This slightly larger unit seemed to electrify it's spear and aimed it's bladed end out in the general direction of the promised child whom had just executed one of it's own and from the spear an bright-hot beam would quickly fire out in 2's direction cutting through concrete and iron in the path of ruin. All the while, three others would constantly be making advanced towards the shadowbender. One continued to jab at every interval of delay in his motion, another would constantly be trying to flank him. As for our little venomancer, she would have a mere few moments of safety as the remaining combatants that followed on her tail without any hesitation. She would need to be on her toes as her miracle was "Specifically" not very well-suited for this type of opponent. She would need to utilize every detail of her environment to lose them, challenge them, or survive - or just meet back up with 2 and tag-team the down. [hr][h3]Tokyo, Japan Evening// JANUARY 24[/h3][@Melkor] "[i]The subject couldn't have gone far. Call for Public Safety and more investigators, we need to tear this whole district apart till we find it.[/i]" One of the research team members spat out to the others, they seemed to understand and obey without any hesitation. It was a manhunt now, or a creature hunt, whatever you wish to call it. 5 and its handler had no time to reconcile or discuss the situation, not that he would listen anyway. Their safety would take precedence over the mission at this point, so the next route of options - would be fleeing the country, posthaste. They had no contacts in Japan, and while this handler's wallet was filled with the country's currency if they were on the run it wouldn't have too much use. Unless. "[i][color=black]We need to find someone that can get us North.[/color][/i]" Henrietta sighed out, an exhausted look on her face. Henrietta really didn’t want to have 5 take any responsibility upon itself. So this was all on her at this point. [hr][h3]Geneva, Switzerland Midnight// JANUARY 24[/h3][@Eleven] The car ride wasn't an enjoyable one, unfortunately so. Rather than giving 7 any acknowledgement to her kind words, he tapped his knee and set his eyes outside of the tinted window as he watched small townhouses and streetlights pass by. Their destination was a nearby airport, the trip wasn't a very long one - maybe an hour or two, but it was quite scenic. These areas as affected by the hardships of the world, though they did become a lot more rainy. The driver would constantly peer back at 7 through the rear view mirror, eyes widened with a bit of concern. "So, um - Are you guys heading back to Italy?" "[i][color=black]No, keep your eyes on the road and mind your own damned business.[/color][/i]" Emm continues to idly tap in anxiousness on the drive. He'd never been to the front line to be honest, never was a fighter, more of a big-brain manipulator. Would he die out there? He'd heard rumors that some failed promised children had been taken and recreated by the Russians and -that- was the real threat. So many thoughts rushed through the handlers mind, it was visible on his face. [hr][h3]Liverpool, England 01:00// JANUARY 24[/h3][@Vocab] The surviving groups of mercenaries quickly move in on the position of the two. Two units of five pushed forward and holed themselves into an abandoned sailboat raised up unto the dock, posting along the raised edges along the boat to aim out towards the promised child and fire in uniform bursts while attempting to remain in cover. As for those who were not so lucky to reach this bastion of cover? The fire of the promised child’s machine gun fire. Those closer to the building that they needed to get to seemed to be equipped with better weaponry. Laser sights on long-range rifles, all the identifiable as four long red traces through the night air. It wouldn’t be too much of a big deal for her if not for the numbers, but it would make movement difficult for her if she were not to be cautious. She could still die from bullet fire after all. [hr][h3]Berlin, Germany 01:00// JANUARY 24[/h3][@Savo] "[i][color=black]Dispose of them discretely and then we're leaving.[/color][/i]" The handler spoke as he quickly began to pack materials within the room. There wasn't much, just a small generator, a few laptops, bedding, suitcases with weapons, but still all the same the ginger haired man frantically placing stuff that wouldn't fit in briefcases into garbage bags. They were on a tight schedule to get out of the country now that the leader of it was now executed, the chaos that ensued afterward would probably be a danger to everyone regardless of who they were. "[i][color=black]Get us a ride to the border once you're done. Discretion. Discretion. Discretion. We just killed the leader of this country and we need to just disappear in a puff of smoke.[/color][/i]" Tossing the garbage backs towards the wall he huffed out to the promised child.