[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200714/cd9c50cc6e6d06543510ad8c4dfdabf4.png[/img][/center]
[center][@Hitman][@Jumbus][/center]
[hr]
The security guard that Chad was talking to was clearly uncomfortable with his position and decided to leap at the opportunity to escape that the inexperienced hero offered. He bolted straight to his feet and ran towards the elevator - he could run as fast as he wanted since the traps that had originally lined the hallway were taken care of only a few minutes ago. Chad watched as the guard ran, following at a pace far too quick for a person with a broken leg. 

Thankfully, Chad currently had a wall to lean on. If he didn't, Chad doubted he would be able to move safely, let alone use his power to keep up with the guard. Compared to what Chad was used to, it was pitifully slow - but Chad didn't feel comfortable using his power at higher levels right now. If he made a mistake as he did on the jet and accidentally used his injured leg, Chad would experience incredible pain. Even worse, he might fall - and getting up from a fall would cost Chad time he really didn't have.

When Chad caught up to the Guard, he was slamming on the call button to no avail. Looking at the display right above showed that the elevator was actually [i]descending[/i], rather than rising to the floor Chad was on. It wouldn't be long - maybe a minute, two at most until the elevator comes back up.

Chad immediately walked to the stairs, much to the confusion of the Guard. It took Chad a few seconds to realize what was really happening - if the elevator was going down, that clearly meant someone called for it. And while it might be someone who could help, it was just as likely that the person coming up was a member of the Wings of Law! Chad didn't consider it, but it also could have been a guard with a gun, which was just as dangerous as someone with a Power. Chad was not in the condition to fight someone on equal footing, and even if he managed to get into the elevator without conflict, there was no guarantee someone wouldn't call it back down.

Of course, the reality of the situation hadn't crossed Chad's mind at all - he was seeing Cora and Rumi's OMNI descend. It was to be expected Chad was feeling pretty paranoid right now, so the possibility that someone was leaving the floor rather than coming up hadn't occurred to him.

Chad sighed in relief as he came to the stairs, seeing that there was a firm metal railing along the side. If there wasn't anything to help him climb, Chad would have had to risk the elevator. Hopping on one foot, Chad climbed the steps to the next floor. Chad bit his lip hard as his left foot smacked against one of the steps - too low. Luckily, he didn't scream or fall down the stairs.

The last thing he needed was to break his other leg

[hr]
[i]15 Minutes Later[/i]

Chad was really hating himself right now. 

WHY DID HE TAKE THE STAIRS!?!? At the time it seemed smart - avoiding an immediate confrontation that Chad might have lost, and not run the risk of being trapped in an elevator in enemy territory. As it turned out, going through the evil hideout crawling with henchman was a lot more risky and dangerous than taking a single elevator, which [i]might[/i] have had an enemy inside.

It could have been worse, if we're being honest - Chad was able to mostly evade any Guards he saw. Although, that was less because Chad and his broken leg were amazing at stealth, and more because they were being invaded. It didn't help that most of them weren't exactly the best Security material out there, considering they were relying on Television ad recruitment. Really, one of the Guards even saw Chad, and purposefully ignored him in order to escape without having to deal with someone with a superpower. 

Not that Chad knew, of course. In his mind, he was displaying a hidden talent for covert action that even James Bond would be impressed with. If he wasn't wracked in pain, Chad might have attributed his stealth skill to all the times he snuck snacks from his parent's pantry late at night, or how he managed to hide his face tattoo from his Mom for nearly 2 weeks.

Not important right now. Chad could feel the swelling in his boot - it had set on especially hard after he started climbing the stairs, and his ankle felt as though it were constricted with a vice. And though it was uncomfortable, Chad knew messing with his foot was the worst thing he could do right now. Chad had at least a few broken bones, and the first aid training he received at school was woefully ill-equipped to handle such an injury. No, the tightness of his boot probably served as a better splint than whatever Chad could fashion out of Table legs and duct tape, or whatever other materials he could manage to scavenge around here.

Not to mention it didn't take time. How long had it been - 10 minutes? 15? Chad hadn't seen any clocks yet, and even if his phone hadn't been destroyed by The Shocker, he wouldn't have been able to use it after getting drenched by Sea Serpent. 

Chad grimaced slightly beneath his tarnished helmet. Things were not turning out as glamorous as he thought they would. It would take several weeks to heal his broken ankle, his costume would probably need to be completely recreated after all the damage it sustained, and there was a fair chance that Starbright had gotten injured because Chad got caught early in their fight. Heck, the fight might even be over already - Starbright probably won though, if it was over. He was really strong, after all. 

And how come, despite all of that, the only thing Chad was focused on was that he was wet? It was stupid - it's the middle of July! He wasn't going to get sick from being a little damp in one of the warmest months of the year. Chad had broken many bones before - he had the scars to prove it, and Chad could even recall Percy lecturing him about safety with that light accent he had when he was concerned... 

So why did none of those memories come back to him instead? All he could focus on was coming in after playing in the rain, many years ago. A scraped knee, covered in mud, soaking wet - much to the amusement of his parents, who seemed so much bigger back then. Chad could almost feel the soft cotton towel his mother used to dry him off back then-

[color=8B4513]"Starb-!"[/color]

It was instinctive. As Chad blinked away tears from something that had gotten in his eye, he saw his ideal walk from around the corner - and the fact he was accompanied by an unconscious Sea Serpent made it all the better! The only thing that stopped Chad from limping straight towards him was the fact that Starbright was accompanied by a guard. Chad cut off his scream (especially good, considering he was still in the middle of enemy territory), and threw himself behind the nearest corner. 

Luckily, he caught himself on the corner of the wall before he fell to the ground. Chad didn't see if the guard was armed - but if he was, Chad wouldn't be able to help. While Chad might normally be able to move fast enough to charge someone before they could shoot their gun, there was no way he'd be able to do it with a broken leg. At best, he might be able to use his arms to keep himself from skidding across the floor at over a hundred miles per hour, and pray the guard was a bad shot or wouldn't expect him. 

Chad made his plan in only a few seconds. He'd follow Starbright, and swoop in to destroy the guard (NONLETHALLY!!!) when he was distracted or Chad got close enough! And they'd begin searching for Mr.Powers!

It was pretty surprising, honestly - despite vastly overestimating Starbright's combat abilities, Chad didn't seem to consider the possibility that Starbright had already talked the Guard over to his side. Maybe cartoons and movies had rotted his brain? That or the pain and possible internal bleeding were messing with Chad's head.