[sup][h1][center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/82fa3fb006e4a85a60530826f3e0fbe1/5ba732607eca068a-39/s400x600/d4a9d9d820de7c97233fbf8c007097f3049db381.gifv[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] S A R A H M A R I E K I N G[/color] [color=orange]S A R A H M A R I E K I N G[/color][/center] [/b][/h1][/sup] [center][sup][i][color=lightgray]Millenia Park; with Kenzo Yamamoto Abilities Used:[/color] [color=orange]N/A[/color][/i][/sup] [@McNephelim][/center] [indent]While her legs carried the rest of her forward across the Park, Sarah’s mind lagged behind her. She hung on Taiwu’s words: [color=orange][i]The Old Man won’t have your back forever,[/i][/color] the Dragon’s words echoed in her head. Was it actually a threat on Shimazu’s life? Or was an ‘enemy’ dispensing genuine wisdom for her to consider? What was to stop Taiwu and Xiao Feng from dropping in on the Lucky Noodle while it was still in shambles from the monster’s attack? Would the Detective still be there when they arrived? He seemed capable of deescalating tensions, and he’d carry the weight of the police, which, trouble as they were in their own right, counted for something when they were on a person’s side. Maybe there’d at least be a watch on the restaurant, given everything that had happened there. Still, Sarah’s pace stuttered as she considered abandoning her search for Maddie to see to it that her Sensei and the Lucky Noodle were kept safe. Just as she started to break step to turn back, Kenzo spoke up. For a fleeting second something akin to a genuine smile found itself occupying Sarah’s face. She pushed out a single, hearty [color=orange][b]“HA!”[/b][/color] from her chest. [color=orange]“Now that would be something,”[/color] she said. [color=orange]“The Mighty Xiao Feng, owns three quarters of Little Asia but still can’t get a good meal.”[/color] Still smiling, she shook her head. [color=orange]“Nah.”[/color] She stopped for a second, sneaking a look at the amulet, which still pointed across the Park. [color=orange]“Shimazu’s block is the last piece of Little Asia that hasn’t fully fallen in with The Blue Dragons,”[/color] she explained. [color=orange]“He explained it to me a while back, Shimazu, that is. Xiao Feng wants complete control over his corner of the city; something about making the Asian district a ‘monolithic whole,’’ whatever that means.”[/color] She shook her head a second time. [color=orange]“But it’s all bad news.”[/color] She lowered her voice before continuing: [color=orange]“having to pay protection money to The Blue Dragons isn’t the kind of unity anyone needs. Same goes with 70th Street.”[/color] Before long, the pair had reached the edge of the park, and begun crossing through Riverside. With more cover off alleyways, obstacles, and uncaring bodies keeping prying eyes away, Sarah stole periodic glances to the amulet, which even still, pointed her and Kenzo further East. As they passed by the area of the Millenia Dome, she noticed the growing mass of people around the stadium; she wondered if there was a game on that evening, vaguely recalling attending High School with one of the Knights’ running backs. Arriving at the last bus station before the bridge to the Financial District, Sarah checked the amulet again. [color=orange]“Still going East,”[/color] she said, tucking the amulet back into her pocket. [color=orange]“Looks like we’re in for more of a trip than we thought.”[/color] A bus pulled up to the stop, the LED sign in its front window displaying a location across the bridge as its next destination. The doors pulled open, with a few people getting off, and leaving the driver looking down at Sarah and Kenzo. [color=orange]“Yeah,”[/color] Sarah said, pulling out and swiping a seldom-used bus pass as she boarded. At the top of the steps, she wheeled around and faced her companion. [color=orange]“One way or the other, this is the point of no return.”[/color] She turned back and found herself a seat close to the front, and sat stretched to save the seat next to her should Kenzo decide to continue on with her.[/indent] [CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]https://c.tenor.com/_dREp7THfQIAAAAd/tenor.gif[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] Z H A N G, T A I W U[/color] [color=6ecff6]Z H A N G, T A I W U[/color][/center] [/b][/h1][/sup] [color=lightgray][sup][i]Little Asia, with Young Thugs, The Driver & Xiao Feng[/i] Abilities Use: [color=6ecff6]N/A[/color][/sup][/color] [@Nallore][/CENTER] [indent]As Sarah continued her way across the Park, ruminating over what Taiwu had said, Taiwu’s train of thought ran along similar tracks. As the girl and her companion fell out of view of the car’s mirrors, he wondered whether or not his intuition had been correct. Was Shimazu in good company? Enough so that he and Xiao Feng would be best off staying away from the Old Man for the time being? The owner of the Lucky Noodle did have his history with the city’s Police Department, and a few contacts with the Department of Superhuman Affairs that likely remained in place. While Taiwu wouldn’t have flinched over scorching a few officers, he knew so much that Xiao Feng preferred to keep his business as far off from police involvement as possible. But if Shimazu was actually alone, then he [Taiwu] and Xiao Feng could simply walk into the restaurant and strong-arm him into paying the protection; as surely as he wouldn’t always be there for the girl, she wouldn’t always be there to back him up either; who would cover him and his establishment should she decide to take her powers elsewhere? Taiwu was only pulled from his own mind at the intrusion of Xiao Feng. [color=6ecff6]“Too many witnesses,”[/color] he replied coldly on his refusal to fight her then and there. [color=6ecff6]“The 70th Street lot wasn't far off; plus DSHA and Town Hall.”[/color] He peered back in the rearview mirror, where now the park itself had been obscured by the clutter of buildings in Mapleview. [color=6ecff6]“I want our fight to be one without interference. No help from her friends. No random do-gooders trying to step into things that don’t involve them. And most of all, no police or DSHA agents to break it up. A proper one-on-one battle. Nothing short of that will suffice.”[/color] The car rolled to a stop near a huddle of scrappy-looking young adults. As Taiwu followed Xiao Feng to the trunk of the car, he sized the kids up; they looked like the sort to do just about anything for the right price. [color=6ecff6]“If you’re looking for a pay day,”[/color] he said to the group, [color=6ecff6]“we’ve got a proposition.”[/color] He stepped aside to allow them to see the bag of money being offered. [color=6ecff6]“If you want this, rough up the Lucky Noodle; give its owner a good scare.”[/color] He stepped in closer, presenting them with an ornate knife from off of his belt. [color=6ecff6]“And for a bonus,”[/color] he said quietly, [color=6ecff6]“the owner, Shimazu, has a lapdog. Her name is Sarah. Bring me back this knife with her blood on it and I’ll personally pay extra; we can negotiate the price should you complete the task.”[/color][/indent] [center][h1][b][u]Katherine Tran & Horace Wolfe[/u][/b][/h1] [sup][color=lightgray][i]With Artemis. Veridian Technologies Conference Room - Nighthaven[/i][/color][/sup][/center] [indent]“Fancy suit?” KT’s eyebrow raised. “If you decide to work out in the field you’ll want something that will conceal your identity,” Wolfe said. “That and protect you if you have to fight.” “I’m not sure I’m much of a fighter.” “We can teach you a few tricks. For now, you can support Artemis from behind the scenes.” Wolfe looked at Diana. “I know you’ve been set on tonight,” he said, hinting an apologetic tone. “But given today’s events, you may want to reconsider. Security may be tighter than our intel has shown. It’s likely they’ll be expecting something. But if you’re set on following through, we should at least do another round of recon.” “So the Delgato guy is running for mayor?” KT asked in surprise. “Isn’t like, a bigtime mob boss?” “He keeps his enterprise well enough under the table to save his public image. Buying out the police helps too.” “But,” KT thought out loud, “if we can find a trail linking that lady to him--” “I know what you’re about to say, and I agree.” Wolfe interjected. “But it’s not likely that he’ll have left a trail. Anthony cleans up his loose ends better than anyone else in his business. Not to say it wouldn’t be worth checking.” “What if I testified?” KT mused hopefully. Wolfe shook his head. “Unfortunately, there are legal blocks on that. Convincing a whole jury of the authenticity of your powers aside, the DSHA has clear laws in place to limit the extent to which psychic abilities can be leveraged in court. Our best course of action is to allow a proper investigation to unfold. For now, Ms. Tran, focus on the Artemis mission.”[/indent]