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[color=MediumOrchid]"There, there..."[/color] Patricia was patting Katharines's shoulder. [color=MediumOrchid]"I-I get it. Some of my older coworkers do that to me all the time. Insult me, that is. You wouldn't believe some of the things they've said,"[/color] Patricia laughed, though Kat could tell it was empty. [color=MediumOrchid]"You just... you have to remember... you're your own person. N-not defined by someone else. He just hates you because he's bitter. Or, well, I don't know. Th-that's just how it is for me."[/color] 

Kat nodded a few times, still sobbing, before grabbing onto Patricia's shoulder and sobbing directly into it. [color=Crimson]"I want to be a hero! I r-really do!"[/color] she basically yelled as she cried into Patricia shoulder. [color=Crimson]"I don't want to kill people anymore, or have to stay hidden from HERO or hurt people or do bad things or help the mafia! I j-just want things to be...more normal,"[/color] the girl moaned, her face planted directly into Patricia's arm, two waterfalls flowing from her eyes as she ranted. [color=Crimson]"You have to understand, I don't w-want to be a monster! I r-really don't! But my dad...he's always watching, he'll f-find-"[/color]

Kat stopped talking all of a sudden, looking up from Patricia's shoulder as an eerie, almost unnatural coldness filled the room out of nowhere. Kat looked over, eyes red and leaking tears like mad, as she saw that across the room, on the little perch, Bellatrix had awoken. The blue creature with the single golden eye stared at the two, and Patricia could immediately feel that this creature had unholy powers, that it could change people. While Patricia only felt a slight sensation from the creature, not enough to cause drastic changes in her personality, the creature was staring directly at Kat, and the girl seemed to be changing. She pulled away from Paricia, sitting on the bed, staring at the creature.

[i]"Katharine~"[/i] the Spectator said in an unfitting, feminine tone, the bat-like creature still watching Katharine. [i]"That was a very naughty thing to say."[/i]

Kat wiped her eyes, her face returned to that steely, cold, villainous glare, the one on her face when she took out Martino and Brie. [color=Crimson]"Right. That was foolish. Of [i]course[/i] I want to be a villain."[/color] She giggled, but this giggle wasn't a teenage 'oh, that was funny' giggle- it was a giggle of an insane person. Kat stood. [color=Crimson]"I should go. Shouldn't keep the prisoners waiting long. Where did I keep those pliers?"[/color]

[i]"That's right,"[/i] the Spectator crooned. [i]"Now, let's get our guest here acquainted to Zero."[/i] As Bellatrix the Spectator's gaze focused onto Patricia, Patricia felt a splitting headache come on and disturbing thoughts fill her head. Murder, bloodlust, murder, brutality, murder, betrayal, murder...all of these dangerous, evil sentiments swarmed her brain, accompanied by a pounding migraine. Fortunately for her, this only lasted a few seconds as Katharine literally swiped at the Spectator. [color=Crimson]"Leave her alone!"[/color] Kat shouted at the creature, who fluttered up back to her perch quickly, the effects on Patricia wearing off as quickly as they came. Bellatrix shook her one-eyed head. [i]"So protective, almost heroic. Well, at your request, Madam Malady. Let's go get that torture out of the way. Leave her here. We can deal with her later."[/i]

Kat nodded obediently. [color=Crimson]"Right, later,"[/color] she said, grabbing a pair of pliers from her drawer as the creature fluttered onto Kat's shoulder like a pirate's parrot. Kat walked out, unlocking and opening the door, She turned her head back to face Patricia, looking into the room, her scary crimson eyes tinged with sadness. She opened her mouth, and she appeared to mouth the word "escape" at the girl before closing the door. As Kat's footsteps faded down the hallway, there was no familiar turn of the deadbolt. The room was unlocked. 

[@canaryrose]
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Blake moaned as he struggled against the net. It was very uncomfortable and very tight, and had him been very roughly to the ground. He looked over at Rumi, who had managed to dodge the net and was currently questioning him on why he didn't do the same. [color=CC5500]"I'm not used to people coming out unscathed from that much fire, Rumi. That was enough fire to toast even Will with his water shield. This guy is intense,"[/color] Blake muttered as Rumi continued to go to work on the net. Though his knife cut quick, the net was very thick ad and composed of many different fiber ropes. [color=CC5500]"Listen, give me a moment and I can burn my way out once my fire comes back. G-go help Jamie,"[/color] Blake said, nudging his head over in Jamie's direction. He was watching the fight from his position on the ground, and for once, he wasn't confident that Jamie had this one in the bag.

Meanwhile, over by the fight, a loud gong-like noise echoed out as the vibrational blasts hit Paradox, but the robot-man, or whatever he was, was hardly affected. Paradox, instead of being blown to kingdom come, only stepped back three steps, his mask (or helmet, or headpiece, or head, whatever it was) still analyzing Jamie like she was a guinea pig (which she possibly was). [color=20C20E]"Damage capacitance calculated. Result: wholly inadequate output. Damage to outer shell: 7.4%."[/color] There was a whirring of metal as what appeared to be two gatling guns, one on each of Paradox's forearms, formed, and Paradox aimed both weapons at Jamie. [color=20C20E]"Lethal force: unnecessary. Plasma incapacitators readied. Firing now."[/color]

A barrage of green pellets of energy rained down on Jamie from the two gatling guns. The weapons were not lethal, and did not even pierce the skin, but they hurt like a bitch, and they stunned, like there was was some type of charge. After bombarding Jamie with the stun pellets for a solid 10 to 15 seconds, Paradox raised his arms, the gatling guns disassembling and re-entering his forearms. Paradox waited for the dust to clear patiently. [color=20C20E]"We will see if my plasma incapacitators are sufficient to deal with HERO rated S-tier threats."[/color]

Meanwhile, as Blake watched in near horror, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and he heard Tom's voice say, [color=SteelBlue]"Hey, Blake!"[/color] That meant that Tom was texting him. Blake kind of wanted to check his texts, but he knew it was a very bad time to do so, so he instead waited. It probably was just a funny meme or something anyway, not an emergency, after all. 

[@canaryrose] (again), [@Scarifar]
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Grace sat there helplessly. She did not like the feeling of being helpless. She [i]hated[/i] this feeling. Portals had given her the ability to be anything but helpless, to be useful, and feeling this emptiness, this lack of power, it hurt. She did a smile a bit as Tom gave her a hug, though. She [i]did[/i] like hugs, and the re-assurance from Tom gave her enough energy to pick herself up and crawl over to the hole where Tom was looking before. She peaked through again to observe the scene below, where thankfully they hadn't noticed any of the light or the kerfuffle above. She saw a superbly attractive young mafioso talking to Angelica.

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"Well," Tommy was saying, looking over at Angelica. "He's been...he's been doing work with this organization. Zero, they call themselves. They're a real shady organization. I don't like them one bit. But apparently, they have a lot of money and influence, and my old man is all [i]about[/i] money and influence, so they've been in cahoots. Trading heroes for money. It's some sick stuff to be messing with human lives, though. I can live with coke and guns. Heroes, though?" Tommy shook his head, and continued to shake his head as Angelica offered any sort of help. 

"Listen, I don't want a nice lady like you getting caught up in this. This isn't just some normal mafia stuff you see in Goodfellas. I've met two of Zero's guys, and they're scary powerful. I mean, Dad is a good fighter, one of the best, if not the best, but I think even he would have a tough time going toe-to-toe with one of Zero's goons." Tommy shook his head. "Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I don't like putting ladies in harm's way. Especially ones that are so sweet as you are." His hand had found Angelica's hand, and he lifted it up, looking into her eyes. "A quick kiss, m'lady?"

[hr]

Grace stopped looking then, pulling her head up as Tom finished sending the last text. It seemed Angelica was doing well for herself for the time being, getting all lovey-dovey with the Greek god mafioso boy, though the facade couldn't last forever. She turned to face Tom as he sent his last text. [color=DarkOrchid]"I think I said this already, but I'm sorry for being useless." [/color] She sighed, looking down and scooting closer to Tom, as she waited. Her violet eyes moved over to his own, and she started to speak, but then shook her head and sighed again, looking away. Her whole body was shaking. She knew that any wrong move, and they would likely be very forcefully dragged out of the cellar to their demise. 

Well, she did sign up for this, she supposed.

Meanwhile, not long after Tom had sent his text, Christina responded.

[color=salmon]"Hi Tom, this is Christina. Powers briefed me about your mission ahead of time, so I know. Thank God you're OK. I need you to listen to everything I say closely.

I sent an alert to Division X and some other heroes, they'll be on their way shortly. I also sent an alert to Powers, hopefully he'll be back soon. Everybody is on their way, we will help ASAP

Try and find everybody before they get killed, and pls don't get killed yourself. Stay safe. See u soon.

-Christina

PS- if u run into Vinnie, try and lure him outside. trust me. otherwise, kick some ass[/color]

[@KaijuBaragon][@sleepy]
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