[@Doc Doctor]

The pneumatic hiss of a pedal compressing stirred the strangest recollections in Najwa’s subconscious. She was reminded of the whoosh of automatic doors; a novelty she’d forged negative associations with, given her childhood experience with Xanathan, until her arrival to Tamarin. She’d been so amused at the locals aversion to opening their own doors, instead relying on sensors. There was another sound beneath the hiss she did not recognize; it was like a shrill whisper from miles away that became a discordant chorus as thousands of microfibers cried out before being summarily executed. A shiver traced along her spine at the subsequent frequency of a metal rod being sliced into. 

The Lioness assessed everything she’d learned about the assassin in their brief exchange, processing scenario along scenario and reaching her conclusion between the first touch of the pedal and its compression. The level of weaponry she’d gleaned through her enhanced senses, paired with the deadly efficiency the westerner operated with, had Najwa reach the same outcome with each concurrent scenario. Failure was not an option for this one, and retreat seemed unlikely. 

Her preternatural strength, dexterity and coordination came together in awesome concert. Before the gear shift began to slide back into reverse, Najwa’s left boot had already created a deep furrow in the narrow thoroughfare’s cobbled surface, exposing the photosynthetic fiber optics housed within. Stress cracks formed along the solar collection panel beneath her rooted right boot. 

In tandem, Najwa’s upper body adapted with a celerity no human could hope to attain. The awesome force she’d generated flowed from the Lioness’ hips into her right shoulder as it braced along the luxury coupe’s grille and bumper, before her lift had reached its apex (with negligible loss to her overall output). Her left hand tore through the composite metal foam frame at that same moment, with the shifting of her grip. The gloved expanse of her palm came to a stop against what she presumed to be the coupe’s axle. 

The end result of her blink-and-you-miss-it adjustion was the creation of a reinforced bulwark the 420z crashed against. The acute-angled luxury coupe’s trunk crumpled. On her end, the shockwave’s majority traveled through the improvised barricade and into the road as the Nissan immediately bucked backwards through the smoke and into the reversing-sedan with a horrendous bang. 

To the Lioness, it was like taking a charging elephant head on. The channel created by her left foot expanded. She fought through the devastating vibrations, muscles aflame. The dull groan of metal grew silent. A soft ocean breeze swept across the thoroughfare, stinging the superficial lacerations Najwa received from vehicular shrapnel along her chin and exposed forearms. With a heavy sigh the Lioness released the now-lodged coupe’s warped frame and stepped back. 

Behind the relative safety of the rooted coupe, Najwa went against her evaluation of the assassin and would attempt something unexpected. Negotiations. Given the hitman’s position in the driver’s seat, he would be in extreme distress following the collision. Even the most advanced suspension system would have seen his body ragdoll against the sedan’s interior, therefore making it highly unlikely he would have found an opportunity to discharge his high-caliber weapon. 

“Representative Ngele is beyond your reach! Think this through; you’re in the middle of the ocean and we know what you look like! How much longer do you think this fight will stay contained? If you value your life, throw down your weapons and exit the vehicle.”