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[i]“I wasn't always like this...” [/i]

Lyger heard the words of Insomnia even as he raced through the streets of Crown Ridge on the back of his motorcycle in search of the maniac. Earlier in the night, the madman had taken control of a local news station, where he slaughtered the crew and broadcast his intentions to the entire city. The scene that had played out on television had been effective in delivering the maniac's message, and it had the desired effect on the populace, as there had been reports of rioting and looting throughout the city.

[I] “For years, like so many other people, I struggled with the inability to sleep. It affected my family, my work, my life. In fact, there was no aspect of my life that didn't suffer because of this affliction. So, I set out to do what any person in my position would do...I set out to find a cure. Unfortunately, the cure didn't work out as I had anticipated. You see, the cure that I found did not cure my affliction, it did so much more than I had ever dreamed. Though at first it was painful, both physically and mentally, to the point where I believed I was losing my mind, eventually I came to realize that this cure, this wonderful miracle that I had created, truly had liberated me. Now I see things the way they really are. I am able to see the world for the nightmare that it is. Truth be told, I have never been more alive, I have never seen so clearly. And soon, I will help you all see as clearly as me.”[/i]

The madman's threats echoed in the back of Lyger's mind as he continued his search for the maniac. Through the hijacked broadcast, Insomnia had boasted about his plan, and how he, and several like minded individuals would soon release the “cure” that had turned Insomnia into a monster into the city water supply. The thought of an entire city overrun by an army of Insomnias sent shivers down his spine. In fact, he had even thought of calling in some of his new “friends” to help, unfortunately, Icon was currently occupied and Iron Knight was otherwise unavailable. And even though Slipstream's abilities could prove useful, she was still too green to help in Crown Ridge, and he would be damned if he were to get her killed in this hell hole. So he had no other options, he was on his own. 

There were 3 main locations that would most likely be the targets for the chemical dump, the Pequawket Water Plant was the least likely of the three main water plants to be attacked, as it only supplied water to the Lower East Side and Carson, while the Casco Plant only supplied water to the South End. It was too small of an area to make any real impact, and if Lyger was sure of anything, it was that Insomnia wanted to go big. 

That left the New Portland Water Plant, which provided water to about ninety percent of the city. If Insomnia really did plan to put his “cure” into the water supply, this is where he would do it. So that is where Lyger was going, he just hoped that he wasn't too late.

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Lyger approached the New Portland Water Plant and soon realized that he was not the only one that had deduced that Insomnia had chosen this location for his target. Outside of the water plant, chaos had erupted in the streets. Self proclaimed vigilantes had made their way to the water plant in an ill advised plan to protect it from Insomnia, however, their misguided but good intentions fell to the wayside when they began fighting one another, and soon, a full on riot had had erupted in front of the water plant, a riot that had overwhelmed the Crown Ridge police officers who had arrived on the scene to protect the plant from any attempts by Insomnia to tamper with the water supply. 
Lyger jumped from his motorcycle and drove his foot into the jaw of the nearest rioter, instantly knocking the man unconscious. He had barely landed when a second man moved on him, only to be met with a jab to the throat and a right hand across the bridge of the nose. Though his strikes were punishing, he still held back, not wanting to do any real damage to the rioters.

[I] I really can't blame them. They're scared, they're acting out. Who knows, if things had been different, I might have been one of them.[/i] Lyger thought to himself as he planted another of the rioters face first into the street. 

For every rioter that Lyger put down, it seemed as if two more emerged. While he was engaged with a pair of rioters, another was able to get behind him and hit him across the back of the head with a wrench. The sudden attack nearly knocked him from his feet, and for an instant he was thankful that Ash had been able to reinforce his head gear with some light armor for just this type of situation. However, before he could react to the newest attack, another came, this time, one of the rioters had grabbed is legs and held on as tight as he could, then another came, this one grabbing him around the shoulders. Before he knew it, over a dozen of the rioters had surrounded him, taking him off his feet and began punching and kicking him all at once. 

[I] Well, this is an embarrassing way to go out...[/i] Lyger thought to himself as the idea that this might just be it for him entered his mind. 

Lyger struggled to get free of the rioters, however, there were too many of them. As he struggled, he was pounded with punches and kicks. The rioters stomped him and beat him with blunt weapons until he couldn't fight anymore. Then, just as he had come to the realization that he couldn't get himself out of this situation, that his overconfidence had not only cost him this battle, but perhaps his very life had set in, the pummeling stopped. It was almost as if his assailants were being pulled off of him one by one. 

Surprised by the sudden end to the beating that he had been receiving, Lyger looked up and saw that the rioters who had been assaulting him were floating several feet off the ground above him. Then, all at once, they were slammed down onto the pavement. Confused by what had just happened, Lyger sat up and looked around him. He saw a number of other rioters engaged with the police, and then he saw a familiar figure standing a dozen or so yards away from where he sat. It took him a moment to figure out where he knew the young man from, before he figured it out. It was the same young man who he had rescued from the Hounds of Humanity several months prior. 

“It looked like you could use a little help.” The young man said to him. “I didn't really get a chance to thank you the last time we met...They call me Reklis.” he said as he offered Lyger a hand up.

“You shouldn't be out here, this is a dangerous situation.” Lyger told the young man who simply looked at the black clad hero incredulously.

“Clearly.” He said as he began walking towards the entrance of the plant. “See you in there.”