Diamond_

October 25th 2008 - Galaxy City

Originally Posted by Ebon Dark


In the low ambient light of his lab, Drake could be seen hunched over a repair station. In one hand, was a small flashlight, and in the other, a laser torch. As he brought it down to whatever was on the table, bright sparks leapt up from what looked to be the remains of the Shadow Harness, playing tag with the shadows of the room and sending them running into each other along the walls of his Talos home.

Outside, the madness of the evening (Was it evening? No one had seen the sun in days, so it was hard to tell without a watch.) was only just beginning. All across the City, and even in the Rogue Isles, creatures we thought only resided in our nightmares and childhood stories, rampaged and caused disruption wherever they went. Ever since the the sky had turned black, the entire City had been caught in a stuggle to survive. If this had happened anywhere else, we probably would've been taken over long ago. Thankfully, there were people in the this City who would take up the cause to protect it's citizens.

People like Drake and the Templars of the Abbey.

Small beads of sweat dotted Drake's forehead as he worked. He had been doing his nightly patrols when he was ambushed by a pack of Werewolves. He had managed to fend the small group off, but not before damaging his new armor in the process. To make matters worse, he had gotten home to discover that one of the large Jack-in-Irons creatures had crashed into the local power station, sending his entire neighborhood into a blackout. Now, in the very dim emergency lighting of his lab, he struggled to make hasty repairs to his armor before bringing the fight back to the streets as distant sounds of struggle echoed from outside.

"Almost done..." he whispered. Sparks kicked up from the table once more, illuminating the room for a brief instant. In the momentary light, we get a glimpse at the armor on the table. It was very similar to the previous Shadow Harness, minus a few aesthetics. It was considerably less bulky, designed more for movement than protection, and had a myriad of components attached. The helmet was completly differant, more streamlined and advanced than the previous model, and served to give Drake a slightly more menacing appearance. He had decided to stay with the same colors and the circuitry design theme he was known for, but most everything else about the armor was at least a little differant.

One more shower of sparks kicked off from the table before Drake set the torch down and removed the goggles he had been wearing. He held up his work and made a quick scan of it with his flashlight, checking for any damage he might have missed. Satisfied that he hadn't missed anything, he set the flashlight down and grabbed both the helmet and main body portion, carrying it to another table in the far corner of the room. He hooked several cables into the armor and set the helmet in what looked to be a cradle specifically designed for it. Nearby, a monitor kicked on and computer banks began to whir. Drake sat himself down in front of the monitor, which cast an eerie glow over the dimly lit lab, and began typing commands into it. On the screen in green text, a simple message came up.

All systems operational. Begin diagnostic? Y/N

Drake pushed the 'Y' button on his keyboard and the screen changed to a 3D layout of his armor, spinning in suspended rotation. As the status bar at the bottom of the screen slowly filled, Drake leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands behind his head. His thoughts began to drift to the events over the past few weeks; the reinstatement of his Hero License, his expansion to the Rogue Isles, his new employment with Rogue Entertainment, and the insanity that still raged outside. Many things had happened since he had come back to Paragon...and he still had not even seen anyone from the Abbey. I really need to meet up with Kara and catch up...she'd know what's been going on with everyone lately, he thought to himself. He'd also heard some new voices over the comms the past couple days and had had wanted to get together to meet some of the newer members.

Just then, a sudden explosion nearby woke Drake from his reverie. He bolted upright in his chair with a start, noticing that the diagnostic was complete. Hmmm...must've dozed off, he thought with a pause. Shaking the sleep out of his head, he returned his thoughts to the explosion, and swiftly walked to a nearby window. Outside, and less than 3 blocks down the road no less, one of the creatures known as Eochai picked up a parked car and hurled it down the street. Instinctively, Drake's cybernetic eyes zoomed in on the car. No one appeared to be inside. Thank god for that, he thought. The car soared through the air for a good 5 seconds before impacting with the street in a fiery explosion, sending PPD response teams that had arrived seconds before, scrambling for cover. The beast reared back and roared, almost as if it was celebrating the destruction it caused.

Drake scowled and turned back to the diagnostic table and quickly began assembling and slipping into his armor. Finally, he pulled the helmet down over his head with a 'hiss' and a 'click.' His HUD sprang to life in front of him, with various status bars dotting his vision. A small window in the botton left corner of his screen began scrolling through a list of commands. Drake scanned through the list, verifying that all systems were operational at at least 92% efficiency, and canceled the internal diagnostic. Drake didn't have time to wait. Making some final adjustments, Drake strolled towards the door, stopping only to grab his cape off a nearby hanger and clasp it to his armor. He clicked off the emergency generator and closed the door to his lab.

As he walked over to the window, he grabbed a small medkit off his desk. Reaching inside, he pulled out a very tiny capsule with a needle at the end, also known as a StimPack. Placing it inside a small slot on his armor, he initiated the injectors and the complex mixture of mental and physical stimulants began coursing through his bloodstream. Drake felt a momentary dizziness before his vision snapped back into sharp focus, instantly feeling alert and ready for anything...and he had a distinct feeling he was going to need it. Taking one last look around his darkened apartment, he walked to the window and stepped out onto the ledge. Off in the distance, the Eochai continued it's rampage through the City, kicking over trucks and PPD vehicles, uprooting trees, and causing general destruction as other Heroes began to make their way towards the creature. Drake sighed and crouched down on his window ledge.

"It's going to be a long night..." he muttered and leapt off into the darkness towards the beast.

August 2nd 2006 - "Boomtown"

Originally Posted by Rhuby Quartz

Where are you?..

The voice rang loud and clear in her mind as Rhuby flew feverishly towards Boomtown. Dr. Reynolds had been correct.. tracking down Malta and their current Tac Ops had proven to be much simplier than before, she just had to open her eyes. Unfortunately, she always seemed to be one step behind them, picking up their dust trails and never able to be on top of them.

"Not now" She grumbles aloud, just a whisper to herself, but it seemed so loud in the dead city.

I know what it is you seek

Rhuby growled, looking back and forth among the smoldering rubbish. "I KNOW you do! You're in my [censored] head! I'm busy right now and its important so just tell me what you want so you can leave me alone!"

They see them..

Rhuby paused.. stopping in mid flight and feeling her heart leap a bit.. her voice came out a bit softer.. "who sees them? .. Where are they?"

It was then Rhuby's eye caught sight of something she found rather odd. Below her, several of the Devouring Earth seemed to be walking towards something. Sentries, Quartz, and a many of the Lesser devoured marched north towards an unknown destiny.

Yes..do it


[censored] hell, She thought to herself. It was almost obnoxious to know her every thought could belong to him if he so wished it. She had wondered if they would lead her to them.. if she should follow him. Now she was sure of it. She flew overhead, seeing more and more of his little children making their way north of the entrance.

Darting her eyes back and forth, it wasn't long until she found them gathering in a semi circle around what appeared to be the remains of rather large fight. But it wasn't the bodies themselves that made her eyes grow wide and her pulse race.. it was those blue suits.. She knew what they represented. Malta.. She was too late again.

Rhuby flew down ahead of the Earth, looking to and from for any sign of Kara. Many of the men appeared disposed of, some were alive, collecting the wounded and shouting to each other... wondering what the hell was going on.

.. "She's not here" She said to herself. .. She clinched her fists tightly. That wasn't necessarily good news.. She could have been captured.. She could have been fine, but she also could be badly wounded.. and she had heard nothing over her comm.

You hate them..

Rhuby didn't respond to them, but her frown grew deeper as she looked at the few soliders left who were readying themselves for another round.

Is that what you want?

Without hesitating she simply replied, "yes. I want you to kill them.. all of them"

The voice inside her head grew quiet as the creatures behind her hissed and howled...chitters, like sounds of a wild, dark night rang out and the ground shook from the stomps of the stampeding Earth. Rhuby watched with pursed lips as wounded Ops engineers quickly fumbled to set up turrets.. the shots mowing through at least half a dozen of the Bladegrasses and fungi. Their cries squealed out over the sounds of human screams and random gunfire. Before the engineer could set up a second, one of the Devoured projected its acid-like spit onto him. The slime burned into his flesh, sending them back rolling and reeling onto the ground in pain, but only long enough to hear his own bones crack and break under the weight of the monster and its sentry companion.

It was amazing.. even in the most sudden of battles, the Malta seemed so well organized, as if they never paniced. Still, their well-trained formations and skill was over-powered by the sheer numbers of the Earthen beasts. The air hummed with the sounds that emited from the small plants the Herders would erect.. Healing spirits that fed the Devouring life and strength. Rhuby couldn't seem to tear her eyes away as they feasted on the flesh of these men she could feel no pity for. She could feel her humanity slipping more and more with each passing day...and yet she felt so empowered. As She stood there, she almost felt as if it was her who commanded these beasts.. who avenged her. She didn't need Jack to save her, She had the whole earth at her beck and call if she pleased. Somewhere deep down though, she knew it was wrong.. that this alliance he pushed for had an alterior motive... but right now she just couldn't be bothered with what that may be.

Finally she tore herself and her sight from the massacre and pulled out her cell phone, dialing an all too familar number as she casually walked away.

"Yeah.. Justin.. I need a favor. What? Look don't worry about where I am, I'm fine.. I need to know if you can track or trace Kara Reynolds.. .. Yeah.. Diamond, sorry." She groaned and rolled her eyes. It was always work with him. " I dont know.. that's why I need the Trace. Well what if I tried to contact her comm to comm, could you pick up her signal then.. I mean if she even has it on her? ... great, I'll do that and you send me the cooridinates as soon as you get them"

She hung up and touched her subcom, trying to make a connection with Kara. It took a while, but soon she was given all she had asked for..


-----------------------------


It was very early the next morning... the sun just begining to creep up over the horizan as Rhuby walked silently through the base. She brought with her a beautiful, tall vase filled with a dozen blue roses and plush bear with its hugging arms wrapped around the bottom of the vase. With careful precision, she set the vase down on the nightstand next to a sleeping Kara. Rhuby smiled over at her to see she was almost still in the exact position she had laid her in the night before. She shook her head and grinned, placing a small card to stand in front of the vase. Turning, she faced Kara again.. looking over all her deep bruises and cuts. She hated herself for not being there.. though she knew if the Malta had been fresh as they were for Kara's apparent battle, she would have been little match to them. Still, she hated knowing Kara had to face them alone.. She hated knowing Kara had to face anything alone.

Rhuby kissed her fingertips and placed them on Kara's forehead before turning and heading back out of the sickbay. As she crossed the open area of the mainroom her cell rang and she quickly answered it.

"Hello? .. Ugh.. Jesus Christ, I'm COMING.. I had a good reason okay? Fine." She hung up with a huff and then smirked, pulling her black mask over her face as she shook her head. "He's so damn annoying sometimes.."

October 14th, 2008 - Talos Island


She was alone...finally.

The sound of the pounding waterfall that cascaded before her drown out the far off sounds of the city that so often beckoned to her. Her emerald eyes opened like morning glories, taking in the falling stream of water, watching the dancing mists of water vapor be swept into an almost ethereal dance around the small cove. The chilling breeze of the on setting autumn would of chilled her exposed skin had been able to feel such things any more.

Regrets.

She closed her eyes as that word danced through her mind, taunting her in the darkness. They come at you when you least expect them, she thought nibbling at your subconscious, summoning memories you thought you’d buried long before. She sighed as she reflected, thus far, her list of regrets was far much longer than she would've preferred.

She drew a deep breath, letting her fields drop from her white clad form. The biting chill of the cool mist and night breeze from the surrounding bay was finally able to bite at her skin as goose pimples arose across her smooth flesh.

Things you wish you hadn’t done, things you wish you had done, she thought bitterly. There is always that /one/, She knew.

That one regret that makes all the others pale in comparison.

Sure, she accepted She had made her share of mistakes, everyone does. Just like she was deeply aware she would make more; there was still many years of living ahead of her.

So many years left of fighting, seeing that each night you may be able to prevent at least one person from suffering even a moment of what she herself had.

She reached up, her white gloved fingers lightly closed around the mall gold locket hanging between her breasts. Gingerly they caressed it as if it was a holy relic as she remembered. Her one true one regret, the one that haunts her. The very one that so often found her at night as she she lay alone in the dark.

She has so often thought to herself, remembering with dread at her reaction. The dread that gripes her heart still as she remembers how she froze. Unbelieving that such an opportunity had once more arisen. A chance to let her heart dance just once more, safe and embraced, protected and as one. She thinks bitterly remembering as before she had found her voice the others had spoken. Her moment had passed, the one who sought for her had misunderstood. Her eyes closed again, the memory of what had followed and the distance and pain that came with washed over her again.

Do such moments ever come again? Will there ever be hope?

She never dares to truly hope, yet here she remains. She reminds herself that so much time has come and gone, slipping past her as a musical piece that has moved beyond her performance. She finds herself alone on the darkened dance floor of her memories, wondering what happened to the time, what happened to her life.

Looking back, suddenly she feels very old.

This life has been hard. Nights of constant struggle for others, battle after battle against the selfish, the power mad, psychotics with dreams of conquest or just brutal bullies, countless injuries....most of it facing alone so the others do not have too.

Kara sighed as the breeze carried the watery mist over her form once more as she knelt there in the moonlight before the grand water fall. She knew and has known all along, it takes its toll on a person.

No matter how strong you are, a person will eventually break down.

It’s crazy, she knew this. Her mother had once told her that a person 'dances through thier life, existing', experiencing'. Granted it is no dull existence, this she knew with certainty. Many people have envied her, her life as a heroine of the city, the wonderful and amazing things she sees and faces on a daily basis.

She grimaced, for the fact is, she doesn’t envy herself. Sure, this place has made even her wildest dreams come true, She has even made it into space, walked on different worlds! Nothing on Earth or her whole life had prepared her for the rush of walking through the shimmering event horizon one of Portal's grand machines to discover new worlds and new people.

Fighting for them as well, and ultimately defending her world from the threats that had been discovered there.

Are you happy? She sighed, remembering her father's final question. She had allowed him to meet Phil, allowed him to meet his Granddaughter. Yet of all of the final rotten things he could've asked her as he left.

"Are you happy Kitten?"

She would've thought she would be—she should be. After this brief moment of shameless self reflection she was off to yet another Vanguard briefing, the another night of patrol's at Swan's suggestion. More missions, more exciting and dangerous adventures.

Yet....there was the void, an vast absence each time she stepped through the glistening event horizon or flew up into the night sky for a night of patrols, an absence that’s there as she fights or flees her attackers. An absence that no matter what good is done by the night's end., no matter how many she saves or cares for amongst her 'new family...is alway there.

She looked up to the falling loveliness of the never ending flow of water and sighed. Her comm buzzed insistingly as she could already feel the tug at her heart, a tug that she knew she could not refuse.

Someone, somewhere needed help. She would not refuse of course, it was not in her nature to do so. She allowed herself one last moment of reflection as she clutched her locket tightly.

No, she thought. She was not happy, not really.

She was fine though...

... as always

October 24th 2007 - Talos Island

Originally posted by Doc Cyber

Tim stood side-by-side--literally--with an old friend while the two of them tried desperately to stay one step ahead of the insanity being unleashed in Talos Island.

"You've gotta be kidding me," his compatriot, a mutant named Mind Wave, exclaimed. "First we got Arachnos in Overbrook. Excuse me, New Overbrook. Whatever. Okay, fine. Then we get the Rikti 'again'. Everybody says that, 'again', like they ever [censored] went away. Are they still nursing that giant whatever-the-hell-it-is down in the sewers?"

"I don't--" It was all Tim could do to get a word in edgewise. But then again, that had always been half the fun of working with Mind Wave. He smiled, and let the rant wash over him.

"And now here we are, in a pleasant-yet-profitable business district in Talos Island, fighting John Kerry lookalikes and Warwolf wannabes? To say nothing of really hot babes in really ugly hats." Mind Wave ducked, narrowly dodging the thick cudgel that swung where his head had been moments before.

"Hey!" Tim exclaimed, mock-insulted. He channeled an antimatter charge through to his fists, then smashed those energy-laden fists down on the offending zombie. It crumpled like a papier-mache construction. "I voted for him!"

"Well." Mind Wave grinned at him, pausing for a brief respite. "He does look like a zombie."

The two friends shared a good laugh, having just enough time to catch their collective breath before the next wave of madness washed over them. It seemed an endless affair, one wave after another--zombies, followed by witches, followed by vampires, followed by (gulp!) a werewolf. For Tim, it began to slowly settle into a semi-predictable pattern. Blast, weave, blast again, duck, blast, punch, channel-and-SMASH! Rinse and repeat. For his part, Mind Wave was doing his best to batter their foes with his psychokinetic powers, as well as reinforcing their own energies with waves of healing force.

It wasn't until the end of the second hour of fighting that something caught Tim's notice.

They'd been involved in a fight with one of the werewolves--one of the bigger ones, as it turned out. Both heroes had been knocked about like tenpins, and it had been all they could do to stop the brute before it ran off and menaced passersby. It was as Tim was helping Mind Wave regain his feet that he saw it. Small and white with flecks of color, glinting dully in the perpetual twilight that now blanketed Paragon City. It didn't show on IR or UV scans--almost as if it weren't actually there. He had to walk over and physically pick it up before he was convinced of its existence. Wow. It's beautiful. He wasn't sure if it had been dropped by the werewolf...or actually where it had come from. It was a small porcelain mask. It was clearly intended for a feminine face, and it had been painstakingly painted with a particular colorful design. It looked delicate, but the heft of the thing implied otherwise.

"Yo, Doc!" Mind Wave shouted, on the verge of being surrounded by zombies. "You wanna give me a hand over--OW!--here? Hey! Get yer damn undead hand off my wallet!"

It took a real effort of will to tear his gaze away from the porcelain mask; when he looked up and saw his friend in the fray, he realized he had no idea how much time had gone by. Oops. Must really be getting tired. One too many Red Bulls, does it every time. "Coming, mother!" he yelled back, unconsciously tucking the mask into his belt. As he ran back into the fight, a LOW CHARGE warning flashed on his eyepiece's HUD. Crap. Hope we can finish this fast.

August 2nd, 2006 - King's Row

"It's been confirmed sir" Fergie said in a hushed voice as he met with his superior in the decaying church. "She and several heroes took out -both- operations centers in Bricks"

Alpha couldn’t help but feel a sense of wounded pride yet he also felt elation. She was still out there...his prize. "Go on..."

"Kingdom Red 0-1-0 and Kingdom Red 2-0-2 's teams were completely dispatched..All personnel either eliminated or arrested......and there is more"

Alpha sneered with this [censored] there often is...still though the more she fights the more she moves closer to him. "Of course there is...”

Fergie cleared his throat "Yes sir...it seems Crimson's contact led the girl to a Malta site as predicted ...yet due to the numbers she had at the time of her meeting..."

Alpha nodded disappointed "Yes yes our people could not attack her....go on"

Fergie sighed "They remained close but lost acquisition of the target when she and her team entered the portal...they were able to identify her companions...CAPES heroes...Thornechild, War Bow..."

Alpha quirked an eyebrow Thornechild....a new danger...he wasn’t aware Kara knew or associated with this MH. She represented a whole new realm of threat to the hunt. She possessed a level of hatred for the Malta that he had for Diamond....War Bow though, a relative unknown...yet one who seemed to now know the Malta...he would have to be watched. His thoughts continued as Fergie droned on...

"...Ghost Shadow, Ariel and ...Tomoya of the Templars"

Ghost Shadow another relative unknown but such unknowns were a concern of his, he had heard rumors of her...time to make those rumors fact...Ariel...good lord, how many friends with claws does this [censored] know? Tomoya...not good...Kara was reconnecting with some old assets...might be time to move the schedule ahead a bit before that insane fiery kamikaze got too involved in her sisters life once more...damn.

"They were successful in stopping Raptor 2-1-1's engagement against the Devouring Earth that Blue Alpha 1 was running for the girl's father's Crey Project..."

Alpha quirked a brow, this is new he thought "Devouring Earth?"

Fergie nodded "Yes sir they were raiding a DE held ground when her team hit them...took out the DE's as well as Blue's unit under Raptor...then Diamond was snagged by a containment team when the Crey messed with her dimensional anchor signal....as usual the girl fought through and escaped..."

Alpha grinned thinly, of course she did...beautiful "Enough of this...current sitrep?"

Fergie checked his sheets "Last report...Our team intercepted a call the girl received from Swan, she is being dispatched to help a team of younger heroes in Boomtown fight Babbage...The team's leader is proceeding there to engage once the target can be isolated..."

Boomtown, Alpha sneered...how perfect "Who is the team leader again?"

Fergie stopped slightly stunned at Alpha's forgetfulness "Shrike 0-2-1 ...sir"

"Ahhh Julian...Thank you Fergie...move out and await the runner's dispatch...that will be all" Alpha dismissed him with a casual wave of his hand.

Standing Fergie turned and walked up the aisle and out of the church, carefully making sure Alpha could not see the expression he now wore on his face.

Alpha sighed and stretched as he took in his surroundings. He tilted his head to look up at the crucifix. The image did not look back at him, the Israelite's agonized gaze forever turned towards the arched ceiling and the sky that lay beyond it.

"Redemption through sacrifice. Life-blood to remove the stain of disobedience." He muttered to no one...

The price he could not pay.

There was an old method that ranked the gunslingers under the Malta Group, much like the Servants under God. Seraphim and Cherubim, thrones and principalities, angels and arch-angels. Like the Servants, they too obeyed without ceasing. To disobey was to be found flawed and cast out. The wrath of the Malta Group struck more fully against their failures, their flawed creations.

He knew that. He had been a Sword of the Malta group's wrath for too long. At the time of his recruitment, he had been perfect. Time passed, and more was demanded of him, so that he had to become even more perfectly deadly. Hatred-honed into a weapon far more dangerous than a sword. He had hated those who disobeyed the Malta, he then grew to hate the Malta for constraining him in the Crey Project far past his allotted time, and he hated that -[censored] for humiliating defeat after humiliating defeat while he tried to do his duty.

Most of all, though, he hated the demand of perfection that the Malta embodied.

He stood and walked to the aisle, his eyes still fixed on the old worn cross. He himself was imperfect. He had failed against Diamond. Yet he was the only one to face her over and over again after his failure. She had taught him the true meaning of hatred

Hatred.

He turned and strode past the crucifix, leaving the Israelite to his celebrated agony. Behind him, the votive candles on the altar flickered and went out.

===================

'Boomtown"


Kara stood beside the smoldering hulking mess of the fallen Babbage as her more inexperienced teammates began to disperse. There were many 'thank yours’, cheers and high spirits as the rag tag team began to break up. She had been in the Abbey sharing drinks and conversation with Delia and Sam after her near miss with a Crey containment team, when Swan's call had come in.

She had asked her 'student' to head to the ruins of Baumtown, now known simply as Boomtown to aid the efforts of several younger heroes in stopping the rampaging Machine from attacking the reconstruction efforts being made there. Sore and stiff still, Kara responded nonetheless and eventually after a long battle that stretched almost forty minutes they were able to down the metal giant.

With a final wave Kara lifted up gracefully into the night sky and headed for the entrance to the rubbles strewn zone. Her thoughts flowed and bounced, memories both good and bad lingered amongst the dead building she glided over. She held the romantic thought that the zone resembled her vision of a place where old skyscrapers had come to die...

It was amidst this thought that she was struck...

========================

Shrike 0-2-1 carefully maneuvered his team of 2 operations engineers who flanked on either side of him and his phalanx of 5 Tac-ops troopers, all of which moved like sleek black panthers beside him, over the crumbled terrain. His pair Sappers hid and waited, as she drew closer flying right into his trap. Her team had disbursed enough now for him to strike.

"Make it brutal" his order had read. He smiled in anticipation of the coming fight. He had seen the target up close...he had every intention of being brutal tonight after what she had done to so many of his comrade during this op of Alpha's....

Using silent hand signals he positioned his team into place and then signaled the sapper team with "Now!...Now!... Now!"

======================

The pair of bluish white beams struck the young heroine and lanced through her unsuspecting form with clip like precision. Kara scream as the white hot agony robbed her of her breath and strength as if struck by a rushing comet. Her form twisted and fell like a marionette cut from her strings mid performance. She fought the pain as the ground rushed up to meet her before she fully grasped what had happend to her...

The impact across the fallen wall of dirt and broken concrete brought a fresh new wave of pain that swept through her unprotected body and burst through her mind with painful brilliance. Her body slipped from the wall and flopped to the ground as she fought for breath.

Painfully she rose to her knees, as the dark shapes above her rapidly descended. Loud chainsaw like bursts from the pair of small auto cannons send rounds tearing into her thighs and upper chest throwing her backwards, her head striking a large chuck of rubble with striking pain.

Loud pops around her and the concussions that followed rolled her to her to belly, face down once more as she found herself pinned by the sticky grayish white webs of the exploding grenades. Her mind swimming in pain as instinct began to take over, her strength slowly returned...her fields struggled to return and almost made it...

White hot pain struck her form again as the Sapper pair slammed their lances into her back, her strength vanished once more. Through her haze of pain and the wash of bluish white light, she could see the approach of darkened figures in armor...

"No...Not again...please " she whispered a plea in vain..

As ordered the Malta struck her with whatever they could, rifle butts found purchase across her back, fists across the back of her thighs, boot tips struck her sides over and over, one of the Tac ops soldiers took great delight in repeatedly kicking her across the left side of her face. Blackness threatened to wash across her mind as her form struggled with its bonds as her punishment continued...

Her form twisted and shuddered at each strike the sapper fought with their sticks to keep them on target as the agents continued their beating. Shrike 0-2-1 smirked and ordered his engineers to begin to stand down their auto cannons. It may exceed his orders but when this target had been subdued enough, he was going to allow his team to bring her back to the team's bolt hole. She would make interesting barracks entertainment for his boys...hell they have earned it.

He sneered, Alpha wanted her broken...we will break her.

A brief flash of strength sparked through Kara as one of the Sapper's sticks broke contact and another slipped to run along the thick dissolving webbing that pinned her. She knew she did not have enough time to 'Nova' nor even to beak her bonds...she was in a horrific fight for her life now, she knew this. With all of the energy and strength she could muster she blasted the very ground beneath us with an agonized shriek tearing from her throat.

Shrike looked up and away from his engineers as the ground underneath his team erupted tossing them back and off of the target...

"No...." he breathed as he watched the girl in the torn black costume rise and swirl with the grace and speed of a wounded trapped predator begin to wildly fire at his now disoriented team..

Her instincts and fear overwhelmed her pain; images once hazed and unclear became sharp and focused. She whirled on each of the started launching rapid salvo after salvo at them with panicked but even precision. Three of the Tac-Ops recovered enough to bring their weapons to bear and open fire, only to watch her fields flicker over her bruised and bloody skin to absorb or deflect the rounds.

Rising to one knee Kara whirled and fired again and again. Her mane disheveled and wild flew through the air at each turn, her look feral with fear as both sappers crumbled under her onslaught. The ground around exploded as chips of concrete and dirt were tossed into the air. Burst after burst struck her fields as she turned to finish off yet another Tac-Ops soldier with sustained fire.

Sensing the threat the four remaining Malta around her rushed her as their web grenades exploded around her yet failed to find purchase. Shrike and his engineers opened fire madly and with lethal precision as the ground around the young girl and the four Malta Tac-Ops troopers flash a sudden brilliant white. The concussive force was enough to knock the Engineers and Shrike off of their feet as the sound of the massive explosion bounced echoes off the decaying buildings of the zone miles away.

Shrike fought to get to his feet, his finger diving for his belt to teleport to his men's side to bring the wild MH back down. His eyes grew wide as he took in the massive cloud of debris that was now where the target and his men once stood. An ominous dark brown cloud choking with clumps of earth and debris billowed and wafted away from where she had been kneeling. He could see nothing as his Engineers knelt beside their auto cannons, the tiny machines now strangely quiet as they panned back and forth with a soft whine, searching for a new target....any target.

Agonizing long seconds passed as the three waited for the cloud to disburse enough to see through. When it did Shrike felt his throat tighten, laying broken and unmoving half buried in the earth and pieces of concrete lay the still forms of his team. All seven dispatched in less than a minute....and the most shocking revelation, there was no sign of the target!

A hiss and snap followed by a choking cry, brought Shrike out of his assessment. He turned sharply to his left as the Engineer there was tossed up into the air only to crash to the ground and lay unmoving. His armored vest smoldering just above his heart. To his right his remaining teammate flattened himself to the ground as the auto turrets continued their scan in vain.

Shrike keyed his teleport and shot to his far left and dropped behind a broken and burned serving counter with the ruins of a long dead McDonalds. His eyes scanned the area around his remaining Engineer, he was waiting for her shot or her retreat from this position he could see everything, once he had her position, he would take her out...orders or not.

He did not have long to wait as a flash fired from a large pile of rubble not to far where she had originally fallen, took down the Engineer with frightening ease. He teleported right before her and fired...

Kara whirled back in utter pain from dropping the last engineer only to find herself face to face with the enraged gunslinger. The double shot from his pistol filled her ears with a deafening sound. One round deflected exploded into the rubble pile above her head, the second tearing deeply into her right shoulder. She screamed and her form twisted in agony as she blasted out of blind instinct her barrage pummeling him backwards and to the pile just across from her.

Shrike yelled in agony as liquid fire tore into his belly as he felt himself tossed back from the girl, his shoulder struck the wall of debris behind him as he slid to the ground, his finger pulling the trigger of his weapon over and over sending round after round at her.

Kara screamed as she continued to fire shot after shot into the wounded gunslinger who laid a mere six feet away from her, matching him shot for shot. Pain tore through her as his rounds found her flesh, burning deeply into her stomach and chest as she blindly fired.

Shrike's mind grew numb as he fired over and over, the pain washed over him as he pulled his trigger. The blunt force of each blast crushed bone and burned skin as his armor buckled under the incredible force of her attacks. Eventually his sight glazed over and his strength failed, his world had turned into one of bluish white hot pain. Darkness washed over him before he even realized he was out of ammunition. He felt his pistol slip from his hand. He never felt his hand drop nor heard the metallic click as his pistol struck the rubble floor of the zone.

Kara lay there panting and in agony, her wild eyes darted about as if expecting more of them to arrive. Her body burned with pain, even breathing had become an effort. She could feel her energy shift and mend, her body had already begun to reset. The waves of agony pushed her to the brink of unconsciousness.

Slowly she closed her eyes and began to sob; tears ran over the throbbing bruises that dotted her face as she fought off the pain. The sheer speed and ferocity of the encounter now caught up with her. Her emotions collided as she cried, tears mixed with the sweat and blood that covered her cheeks. A soft painful "ouch" occasionally slipped from her lips as she sobbed fitfully.

She wept for her pain...she wept for what she had been forced to do but mostly she wept for the fear that still gripped her heart.

In time she felt strong enough to stand, her torn cape covered in her blood flapped hap hazard behind her as she stumbled through the rubble. Her body weak and shaken, she tucked her right arm closely to her as she tried to take flight. She was exhausted as she lifted off of the ground, her instinct to flee still strong despite the waves of pain the flight brought with it.

She hadn’t the strength to get back she knew this. A familiar shape loomed before her, a hole along its monolithic side. The chunk of its side long removed bare its naked floors for all too see. Ancient and weathered floors beckoned her with a distant hazy memory of safety. She floated down and softly landed on her knees. Her eyes faded in an out as she crawled to a familiar corner near a turned over rusted oil can, once used to make a fire long ago.

Her mind faded, exhaustion slowly overwhelming her as a feeling of false safety began to settle in. Softly she keyed her mic, coughing a bit...

"...going to turn in now...night" she dutifully reported in.

A far away voice came back "...Kara?" Her eyes fluttered open a moment as she looked for Sam.

"Hmm?" Kara curled up tightly in the corner of the litter filled room.

"You don't sound well" Sam tried in a far away voice.

Can't allow them to worry, she thought wearily. Someone told me this. "I'm fine ...just need some rest." She slurred wearily "Good night Sam...."

Her world slipped softly and slowly into the sleep of exhaustion, a sleep to escape pain she could no longer deal with. Just wanted some peace, she thought as she dreamed she could hear Sam and Jeff wish her a good night...

October 23rd, 2007 - Paragon City. Rhode Island


<Thought it would be neat to tell ghost stories or funny halloween stories from This year's events So feel free to pen one up and tack it on to the thread! Happy Halloween!>


Kara was exhausted...again.

She had been fighting all night since the invasions alerts had sounded once more out over the beleaguered city soon after the first attacks had begun. She had a feeling this was coming, Yet her heart froze as she and her students watched the light bleed out of the sky that morning to sound of those far off sirens.

The Children had been terrified. Most of them still shaken from the bombing this summer. Her first thought was for the children and had stayed by them until eventually the school was closed early as the attacks in the city grew in number. Their parents no doubt heading for the safety of one the any rescue stations being set up in the city or evacuating.

It was Halloween time in Paragon City again...and once more the city found itself locked in a struggle to survive.

She came to a rest at the tiled patio of the backyard of the house she shared with Luci in New Overbrook. Over she shoulder she looked out across the mayhem of the city trapped in perpetual night once more. The flashing lights of the floating helicopters and airships could be seen across the whole of the city as they moved from one crisis to another.

The shrill wail of the police and emergency sirens danced up to her from the streets below to mix with the horrible trills and screeches of the city newest invaders. The cries of the undead and howls of the wolves blended with police gunfire and the far away booms and blasts from responding heroes helped to compose a terrifying opera of the night for the besieged city.

A performance that continued uninterrupted across all the zones of the city she now called home.

She entered the sliding patio door hesitating only a moment before she noticed it was left slightly ajar, stepping over one the various 'booby traps' that had to have been set up by Phil and Katrina. Good girls, she thought to herself as she moved into the living room. She had called her ward and 'Spooky' every hour on the hour tonight, to be sure that they were all right.

Of course the hero in them had them prepared by still she worried.

She smirked as she thought how casually Phil was taking the events. She was even becoming exasperated sometimes with her guardian's persistent calls. Why Kara was even given an update on the goings on with the TV show 'Heroes" they occasionally watched together.

Kara frowned a little at her sitter's absence, wondering what illusion of terror little Phil may have conjured up for her, until she saw Rachel's bag next to Smokey and Luci's cat curled up asleep across the couch they had claimed as their own. She knew her roommates were home.

She smiled a little relieved as Skald her little shadowy chinchilla pounced at her boots then bounded after her shadow as she walked into the kitchen. Her heels clicked across the tile floor as she began to make herself a quick hot chocolate. She picked up her odd pet and cuddled it as her chocolate was warmed in the microwave. It trilled as he cuddled back his fur warmly tingling her skin as he fed briefly from her touch. Kara shook her head as she scritched his ears and waited for her drink to heat.

Atop the counter she found the note left by Katherine for her. She set Skald down on the counter and picked up, barely acknowledging as Skald scampered off back to his shadows.

Katherine. the note said, had decided like most others to leave the city most likely until this crisis had passed. Her husband's family lived in the suburbs just beyond what Magi had learned was barrier of the darkness. She half thought about sending Phil with them, yet something in the child's voice had left that as only an option for now. Should things escalate further, Kara thought she would not hesitate to ship her young ward out to Katherine and her family.

She shook her head at the thought for now as she retrieved her mug of hot chocolate from the microwave. Setting down the note she walked back out into the living room.

The wide screen TV, though muted, bathed the living room in a flickering blueish light as it showed various images and locales through out the city. Emergency information and instruction continued to run across the bottom of the screen telling any who remained awake what to do to secure themselves during Paragon's most recent invasion. Reporters and experts added their impressions and advice as the first night of the most recent invasion was coming to a close.

Kara paused as the TV showed yet another battle in Peregrine with the giant Eochai. She sighed he was everywhere tonight and from what she had gleaned from her MAGI briefing...

..It was going to be a long invasion.

Kara slipped carefully down the carpeted hallway to peek in on the girls. Apparently they had decided to 'bunker' up and sleep within the one room. She smiled as the moved into the 'heavily defended' room carefully avoiding all of the 'booby traps' the children had set through out the room to capture any 'Halloween critters', as the Phil called them, that may come for them as they slept.

Kara bend over to re-tuck Kat in her sleeping back, pausing only to scritch Columbus between his ears as he closely watched over his guardian. She then knelt next to Phil's bed and re-wrapped her up in her thick comforter. Kara watched over the pair for a moment and smiled.

Her heart stopped at the suddenness of her comm.’s buzzing. "Omigawd!" She leaned forward and kissed the top of Phil's head causing the child to stir only slightly. Careful to avoid the traps Kara navigated back out into the hall to answer her comm.

"What!?" Her voice weary but slightly annoyed at the interruption. She listened to the situation and briefing and shook her head.

"No...I can't not right at the moment, I'm down for a few hours..." She smirked at the passive attempt by the Hero Corps Rep and then listened to her updates.

"No...No...Yes...fine I will as soon as I can"

She walked into her darkened bedroom not even bothering with the light nor even to change out of her costume as she collapsed on her side of her bed. She paused only to set her mug on her night stand as Doomey Bear came to life and sighed helplessly. Kara smirked at him as she lay back on her bed and closed her eyes as her gothy care bear droned on... and on slowly....

Night is my home and prison
sanguine
trembling
I wish only for death
singing in the dark church
my heart is as black as my nail polish
my energy is sapped by the outside world
Eyes closed for the final time, the soul released
helpless
i am fallen and will never rise
i will show the world one day
endless tears


Kara giggled once at the absurdity of the night and her gloomy bear's words. Soon she found herself in a fitful sleep.

Across the city darkness continued its strange danse macabre...

October 30th, 2006

Originally Posted by Lucianna

(A commerical often run during the Halloween season!)

FADE IN:

A chiming mysterious sounding music plays, as the scenes play out with no sound

The camera pans across a moonlit suburban neighborhood.

Children are out in Halloween costumes going door to door.

The camera zooms in on one house.

Three children, a ghost, a boy dressed as Statesman, and a girl in a cowboy outfit walk up to the door and shout "Trick or Treat."

Two soft pink balls of light float pass a window on the far side of the house, pass a closer window, then stop at the door, casting pink light on the children outside. The door opens and a delicate, female hand takes the candy bag from the ghost, then hands it back; something heavy was added to the bag.

The three children walk away from the house smiling.

Statesman lifts his mask and pulls a bottle of Sprite out of the bag and takes a drink.

A child in a spaceman outfit walks up to him and askes where he got the Sprite.

Statesman points to the house behind him.

The next scene shows a long line of costumed children at the door and other children leaving Sprite in hand. Diamond stands in the doorway, hands glowing softly. She gives a Sprite to a girl dressed as a princess and waves as the little girl leaves with a smile on her face.

The scene changes to a pumpkin carved in the shape of a Sprite bottle then

FADE OUT

August 1st, 2006 - Steel Canyon

Footsteps on the floor, each deep thumb echoed by the beat of her heart. A laugh, a murmur and a footstep closer, she held her hand over her mouth - soft sharp sobs choking her as she fought to keep silent. A creak, a groan and the sound of a door slamming shut. She curled further into her bolt hole. She willed herself not to be found. She prayed to anyone who would listen and with every breath took...

She knew they approached.

Footsteps on stairs and fingers ran along the banister, the weary climb upwards, closing in. She fought the urge to run. Deeply fought panic, fought tears. Whispering, mutterings and the sound of shuffling feet on wooden flooring, they were close. A scream caught deep within her throat, her lungs unable to work, she felt light headed as she listened to their ever-approaching footsteps and still she could not breathe.

Then nothing. A clatter, a crash followed by silence. Unbearable silence. Silence compounded by the darkness that bled into the room, like water in a sinking ship. Closing in around her, she'd be suffocated by the darkness before they got her. As if her own fear would kill her. She waited. Listening. Not a murmur, not a movement, then a hiss of breath, her own. Silence. She glanced at the door. They had to be on the other side. Waiting. Listening. A step, a single footfall resounded outside. She cowered. A hand brushed upon wood, fingertips dancing lightly over the handle. She shrunk back, breath held, knees clutched tight to her chest. Listening. Whispering in a strange tongue, but full of dark intent sounded, then the noise of a hand grasping the door handle.

A burst of light and her eyes shut tight. She would not look. Monsters under the bed go away if you don't look at them! She refused to look. Mutterings, murmurings, and a hand on her wrist! Revulsion! - She jumped away. Arms like vines reaching forward to ensnare her. She curled further into herself. Terror gripping her, sobs coming quickly now. Dry, sore and with the threat she'd pass out. Each touch made her sick. Each gentle caress made her tight with fear. Their voices, insistent now, but she couldn't understand. They spoke in a foreign tongue. Laughter..always the laughter, deep and all around her yet distant. She cried out, begged. They pulled, they coaxed, they stroked. She did not move, She did not open her eyes.

Footsteps. Downstairs. Rushing towards them. She thought of a savior. She would go to them. She waited. She listened. Raised voices, a slamming door. The urge to open her eyes, just to see who had come for her!, but she feared the thought of seeing -them-. Demonic, horrific, their faces alone enough to scar the mind, instilling terror, enhancing fear, her eyes stayed closed. A movement, a brush of air and another hand on her leg with a gentle whisper that made no sense. She could feel their breath on her. They were almost in the cupboard beside her, filling her chamber with a vile putrid stench. The smell of death, she screamed. She didn't want to die. Her scream turned to sobs, tears flowing from her tightly pressed eyes.

A scuffle, irate voices and they left her haven. Maybe her angel was here. She didn't dare check, then silence, broken only by her soft sobs. Minutes stretched and they never made a sound. Deathly still. A laugh, then a mass of twisting, grappling hands filled her bolt hole. Touching her everywhere. Grabbing her, hauling her out. Throwing her to the floor, lying curled in the light. Violated. Frightened. A heated discussion erupted as she cried on the floorboards, the light stinging through her eyelids. She began to crawl. Her legs were pulled out from under her with a slap and a shout. Confusion.

Pulled to her feet, she stood, naked in the light. Her eyes still closed. They shouted, they screamed. She cowered, She cried. Pushed forward. She stumbled. Hugging herself, she walked ahead. Terrified she walked slowly and they yelled, shoving her to verify the point. She fell. Flesh scraped on splintered wood, blood welling and her ankle twisted. She limped onwards. She knew she approached the stairs, but fear kept her eyes closed. She reached for the banister and they screamed in anger at her, with a final push to her back. She fell. Tumbling. Breaking. Screaming. The crash and roll into wall on the ground floor stealing her away to the darkness, fading her from their world back to her own.....

Kara awoke and bolted upright barely stifling her scream, her body taunt and ridged with fear...waiting...

"No Damn it!" she whispered harshly to herself. She drew her knees up to her chest and pressed back against the headboard of her bed. Her arms came up instinctively around her knees as she tried in vain to stop herself from shaking. Curled tightly on the half of the bed where she slept she tried to become invisible, to no longer be.

Slowly as her eyes adjusted to the dark room around her , signs of familiarity and of safety began to appear. She was in her own room, safe and alone. She drew a tight shaky breath as she began to remind herself of where she was and who she was.

The attacks and that monster in Cait's dimension had brought back her nightmares, that was all, she assured herself. I am safe...

I am safe...

She swallowed, and closed her eyes tightly as she rocked herself slightly back and forth in the dark. She fought to forget their faces, their touch..the fear of being hunted..all of it. She fought the feelings and struggled to place them all back in the dark boxes where she kept them in her heart. She could deal with this, soon it would be all over...

I am safe...

============

Across the city ...

He smirked as he read the reports of the attack on the Crey Lab. He turned to his aid, his cigar glowed softly in the darkened room of the ruined apartment.

"The Rikti hit the lab first Fergie?"

Fergie stifled a yawn but nodded as he sat on the decayed moldy ottoman, his papers and nightly reports from his teams in the field lay spread out before him on the ancient card table.

"Yes sir, it seems the target and three of her friends..." Fergie began.

"Yes, yes " Alpha sneered coolly "I saw that too, The albino Abattoir, this enigmatic Kheldian that pops up from time to time with her and ...well the Wystan boy again"

"Yes sir..though it appears she hit the lab by accident, it was IV 's contact that led the team to its position...someone in Crey security put out a distress call" Fergie added "She couldn’t have known it was one of her father's ops until they were on site....and well then they trashed the place..Rikti, Crey personnel and well quite a few of Blue's men.."

Alpha chuckled "And the team we had on stand by that night?"

Fergie reached over and picked up the Styrofoam cup of long cold coffee and slurped it wearily "The team commander wisely decided not to hit her..as you ordered...only when she is alone"

Alpha nodded "Yes he did very well....signal him this morning. We will use his team tonight" he turned to the grime covered window and gazed out into the alley below "Everything is prepared then?"

Fergie nodded "As you instructed, evidence that regular Malta ops with ties to Blue's teams has been leaked to Crimson's contacts...he has arraigned for one of his men to meet with her..alone"

Alpha grinned "And then the Team commander will hit her tonight..."

Fergie nodded and stood knowing the briefing was coming to a close. He had runners to send out to deliver the orders to their hidden teams all over the city. "Yes sir..I'll post the orders now"

From over his shoulder "And Fergie?"

"Yes sir?" came the tired response.

"Make it brutal...." Alpha said with a hint of glee.

Fergie drew a breath, elimination, manipulation, these were things he was fine with..constant purposeful torture he was not. His eyes narrowed a bit but he responded evenly "Brutal...yes sir...termination?"

Alpha turned almost astonished

"Oh no....no no no Fergie..not yet" he grinned thinly " Not at all, she is almost ready but not yet tender enough...soon but it will be by my hand not some team leader that doesn’t deserve this kill...now carry out my orders." with a wave of his hand he dismissed his friend and aide and turned back to the window.

Fergie stood for a long moment, his hand rested atop his holster, its knuckles tight. He watched his friend and mentor for a long while before he sighed resigned..

"Yes sir"

With that he turned and walked out into the litter strewn hallway and headed off to issue the orders of the day.

This is madness, was his only thought...

Across the city the sun began to creep over the horizon slowly as its reddish orange glow slowly began to awaken a sleeping city.

July 26th, 2006 - King's Row

I see you…

With a bit of a bounce to her step Kara stepped out onto the sidewalk in front of the Abbey. The warm late night breeze that blew through the Row wafted through her hair as she stretched. It had been a fun night, playing a little truth or dare with her friend's. A bit of a rest from the last few nights.

Glancing around. You think you're alone. Safe. Alone.

The streets seemed deserted and quiet save for the lonely hiss from the approaching street sweeper. Recognizing her from her white costume the man hunched over its controls waved to her smiling as she waved back

Secure.

Her fields shimmered to life softly around her as she prepared to take flight,a muted beep from her cell phone. Once opened she paused and began to speak into it. Laughing sweetly as she was forced to pause as the sweeper went by before continuing her conversation once more...

False security. And you believe in it. No one will hurt you, in your own little blanketed world. A world where everything is good and true, where nothing can go wrong.

Kara flipped her hair back as she joked softly and leaned for a moment against a closed newsstand.

Except me.

Kara's lilt of her high pitched giggles grew louder "Katherine that is so bad!"

You think nobody's watching? Don't you feel it? The sensation of eyes burning into the back of your head, always watching; every move you make, everywhere you go.

"No! " she giggled "Like no way!" Pausing a moment Kara's back stiffened slightly, her smile reduced to half as she began to glance around. Her gait flooding with a bit of uneasiness as she continued her conversation.

I'm always there.

"Uh huh.....well no...I mean no I couldn't....you so know this" a pause "a firby...what? Yeah I know..pathetic"

Like a shadow, like the darkness that seeps in after the sun dwindles. I watch when you think no one is there. I've seen everything. Everything you wished to hide, to keep a secret. I know everything about you.

"Kath?....Kath! Let me call you back...sure...no I'm fine...right in a bit, Kiss Phil for me...thanks" Kara closed her cell and allowed her eyes to scan the shadow encroached rooftops and the quiet darkened alleys around her.

Everything.

Her fields intensifying she crossed the empty street and stepped into the mouth of the alley across from the Abbey and paused. Shuddering softly her eyes narrowed as if she sought to pierce through the shadows, her ears careful for any sound....Slowly she entered the alley...

It was good the way you thought you could get me. I like to play, but those games bored me. Easy. Obvious. They were nothing compared to what I fantasized about doing to you. Every night, as I gazed at you, I transformed your flesh, imagined it changed, sliced with a razor. .

She paused the sound of her own breathing filled her ears as a chill raced down her spine, never seeing the black gloved hand behind her move just inches from her soft black mane before retreating back to vanish into the darkness.

Carved. Sculpted...Made beautiful.

Kara took a hesitant step backwards, bringing her arms up to wrap around her chest, her eyes sweeping over ever inch of the litter strewn alley before her...

Blood makes everything beautiful, a crimson rush to wash away the repulsive, distorted mass that passed for a face. Distorted by sense of justice, obsession for obsession. Bet my last breath my obsessions are worse, more fun, more dangerous, more exciting.

Stepping back out of the alley her shoulders were grabbed from behind, a scream lodged in her throat and she felt her revulsion at the unwanted touch rip through her. She whirled, prepared to blast her attackers as she had been doing all week.

"Easy Ma'am!" The Longbow agent said quickly, recognizing he was in danger.

She laughed and lowered her head "Ugh! You so scared the heck out of me!"

It's OK though, I only want to hurt you.

He smiled and shook his head "I'm terribly sorry Ma'am...we just don't get to see you down here that much...well except for that Malta mess last week"

Make you bleed. Make you sorry. I watch what you do; imagine how I could turn your world upside down. It would be so easy; you live outside the norm, head in the clouds, away with the faeries, and not in a good way. It's strange the way you think you are right, righteous even.

"Ironic that you should so bring that up" Kara smiled a bit more relaxed "I guess I'm just exhausted tonight...I'm seeing ghosts in the shadows"

You're not.

"I'd offer to escort you off the street Ma'am or call you a cab but that would be a bit silly eh?" The agent grinned as he motioned to his partner across the street.

They say some people look at the world through rose coloured glasses; you walk about with a blindfold on. Oblivious to the reality that exists outside your sad little existence, to the truth. The real truth, not the bedtime stories you convince yourself to be true.

"Oh I'll be fine thank you..." Kara smiled warmly.

The lies are all in your head.

"I'm going to head off home..Ive got an middle aged meddling babysitter to relieve" She continued.

He blinked as his partner walked up "Ma'am?"

She giggled and waved her hand "Never mind...good night boys!" she floated up "Be safe !"

And it is this truth, this reality that will get you hurt, and I'll watch while it happens. When the delusion breaks, when someone shatters your illusions and hauls you back to the real world. Then the real games will begin.

Like a brightly lit shooting star, Kara headed out over the sleeping city and headed for home. Still unable to shake the feeling of the alleyway even though she was leaving it far behind.

===========

With a simple yet graceful move the large combat knife was returned to its sheath, soundlessly. Cool eyes followed the heroine's retreat across the night sky from the shadows at the mouth of the alley. Her night of supposed rest was chosen for his own selfish reasons. It had been far too long since he had seen his target up close and personal. Alpha grinned as her light began to fade...

Let's play soon....

October 29th 2006 - Paragon City, RI

"....As I was saying Michele, a city now already well within its second week of darkness and yet with no end in sight the attacks its citizens have been facing are still continuously met by ..."

SHADOW
Boys and girls of every age
Wouldn’t you like to see something strange?

"Once more this is Peter Holloway, Channel Nine News...most roadways remain clear of nonessential traffic as emergency vehicles move throughout the streets below me and the skies filled with..."

SIAMESE SHADOW
Come with us and you will see
This, our town of Halloween

"This is an update to the Emergency Broadcast system...remain in your homes....prop open any and all doors and leave them ajar..."

PUMPKIN PATCH CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night

"....and get to safety at once...do not attempt to encounter the creatures invading your home..."

GHOSTS
This is Halloween, everybody make a scene
Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright
It’s our town, everybody scream
In this town of Halloween

"....I can clearly see literally hundreds of heroes across the city engaging these creatures of the night as they go from secured door to secured door ...like some bizzare...macabre version of the age old trick or tricking..."

CREATURE UNDER BED
I am the one hiding under your bed
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red

" ....I heard the screaming from my daughter's room and my husband and I just ran upstairs...."

MAN UNDER THE STAIRS
I am the one hiding under your stairs
Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair

" ....It was simply horrible! One minute I'm trying to run into Blockbuster...the next....just these freakin' eyes!"

CORPSE CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween

"....repeat do not attempt to apprehend or encounter these creatures.."

VAMPIRES
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song

"They came out of no where! I mean all claws and fangs...if it wasn't for the heroes nearby they would've ate Frankie..."

MAYOR
In this town, don’t we love it now?
Everybody’s waiting for the next surprise

"...I have mentioned earlier at previous Press Conferences, all civil authorities are in complete cooperation...we will get to you as quickly as possible, As mayor I guarantee my fellow citizens Paragon will..."

CORPSE CHORUS
Round that corner, man hiding in the trash can
Something’s waiting now to pounce, and how you’ll scream

"....Diane, The Heroes tell me the worst part is the wait...though brief it can seem agonizingly slow in between what MAGI calls the portal recycle..."

HARLEQUIN DEMON, WEREWOLF, AND MELTING MAN
Scream! This is Halloween
Red ‘n’ black, slimy green

"...As mentioned earlier the Mayor has urged all citizens to remain home....schools have been closed...some businesses have also been advised to close ...for the duration...."

WEREWOLF
Aren’t you scared?

"(screaming in the background) ...Oh My God! Andrew!...as you can see behind me ....careful careful now! ....Its total chaos, someone in the studio has opened a door!....(wolf howls)

WITCHES
Well, that’s just fine
Say it once, say it twice
Take the chance and roll the dice
Ride with the moon in the dead of night

"....I can't believe I'm seeing this Michele, it's like something out of a children's book...from the doorway of the Burger King have come a trio of....GET DOWN!..."

HANGING TREE
Everybody scream, everybody scream

(A jostling camera , people running and screaming, sounds of sirens and explosion)....Oh my god! Oh my god! Don't LOOK BACK!!...."

HANGED MEN
In our town of Halloween

"...repeat this is an emergency broadcast...this is not a test...."

CLOWN
I am the clown with the tear-away face
Here in a flash and gone without a trace

"UNIT 1 L 19 RESPOND....DISPATCH TO UNIT 1 L 19..PLEASE RESPOND.."

SECOND GHOUL
I am the who when you call, \"Who’s there?\”
I am the wind blowing through your hair

"A ghost just leaped out at us...Carrie just took off and I went to go after her but this zombie...A zombie grabbed me...thank god that robot lady showed up..."

OOGIE BOOGIE SHADOW
I am the shadow on the moon at night
Filling your dreams to the brim with fright

"..This is simply incredible Diane, ...it has to be thirty no! forty feet tall! striding across the streets....its head a massive flaming pumpkin!"

CORPSE CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
Halloween! Halloween!

"...this has turned into a massive battle! Dozens of heroes have arrived to drive the thing back across the bridge....Oh My Gawd there is another one! Another one has appeared right as the first one dropped...."

CHILD CORPSE TRIO
Tender lumplings everywhere
Life’s no fun without a good scare

"(Screaming and people running) .....please please remain calm....let them through to -them-...please...oh my god!....Nooo!..(static hiss) *PLEASE STAND BY* (Tone)"

PARENT CORPSES
That’s our job, but we’re not mean
In our town of Halloween

"...at this point it is the best we can offer anyone left in the city...we sorta have this down to a science of how we patrol....we will see the city through this...we will"

CORPSE CHORUS
In this town

"...rescue shelters have been set up throughout the city....volunteers have been donating blood and cooking food all day Diane...Citizens are urged to stay in their homes yet ..."

MAYOR
Don’t we love it now?

"Once more as Mayor of Paragon...I promise every step and precaution has been met...next question please..."

MAYOR WITH CORPSE CHORUS
Everyone’s waiting for the next surprise

"Mister Mayor...Mister Mayor!...When can we expect and end to..."

CORPSE CHORUS
Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back
And scream like a banshee
Make you jump out of your skin
This is Halloween, everyone scream
Won’t ya please make way for a very special guy

"As mention before...this creature is not what has been identified as Eochai....it is similar to the creature known as Jack of Irons..."

Our man Jack is king of the pumpkin patch
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King now

"....unbelievable Michele as i am watching the mighty giant has fallen into Talos bay...the heroes are pressing their attack now....watch those people Frank!..."

EVERYONE
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

"...they are everywhere..." (static hiss) "i don't know what happened to my wife...." (static hiss) "They just came out and came right at us....only they were dead" (static hiss) "Please....get back...get back.." (sirens)

CORPSE CHILD TRIO
In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song

"Repeat this is a broadcast of the Emergency Broadcast System..this is Not a Test..."

EVERYONE
La la-la la, Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

Seven killed in Malta shootout in King's Row
Paragon Tribune
Sat Jul 22, 7:12 AM ET

KING'S ROW - ....Seven people were killed when Malta Operatives militants staged a daring ambush on a band of Heroes who were investigating a reported an alleged Nemesis robbery of a warehouse in the King's Garment District, police have said.

Instead of finding a Nemesis raiding party the force of six heroes soon found themselves involved in a massive firefight with what has been described by police as a force of over fifty Malta operatives. The resulting battle left two of the Heroes, a Van Dyne a noted empathic healer and druidess and Melt a young 'tank' of Ice origin to be treated at Crowne Memorial's emergency room. The remaining heroes arrested the surviving Malta and called in police and emergency units.

It was at this point that a smaller force of Twenty more Malta opened fire on the four remaining heroes and the recently arrived emergency personnel. The force even contained several 'Titan' class Malta units and caused severe destruction to the surrounding area , destroying two police cars and an ambulance forcing the already injured heroes to respond further.

Three policemen, three of the Malta operatives and the hero 'Dark Sword' were killed in the ensuing shootout, according to the on sight police commander, Lieutenant Kyle Worachart.

"The second attack( the ambush following the assault inside the warehouse) was unusually well-coordinated, even for the Malta" he said.

"They (Malta) detonated a bomb just minutes before the ambush, injuring three people and distracting approaching Units and Heroes who could have come to the aid of the on site personnel under attack."

"This second group just came out of no where seemingly and caught all of the on site personal off guard." He went on to say "It was a real battle to overcome them"

The Malta Operatives planted another bomb near the scene of the attack, but Longbow demolition experts managed to defuse it.

Several Dozen Malta have been arrested in connection with the attack, police said.

The ambush was the bloodiest attack in more than three weeks in King's Row, a city zone that has been well on the rise since the deployment of Longbow and and an increase to the police budget to allow a larger force presence on the zone's streets.

This seemingly new incursion of Malta Group's operations, usually restricted to Peregrine Island is the cause for concern for the Longbow Commander in King's Row.

"It was as if they had a definite target in mind tonight" Commander Jenelle Howard said. "The Malta usually work well together, function as a unit. Tonight they got sloppy, it was as if there were two separate forces of Malta present here tonight."

She went on to add "That kind of miscommunication is rare with them. The Police and Heroes got lucky this morning."

October 24th, 2006 - King's Row


Officer Charlie Harrison patrolled through King's Row feeling distinctly out of place, missing the presence of other people. He could hear the reports filter through his radio as he maneuvered his cruiser down a back alleyway in the forgotten and dark garment district.

He sipped cool coffee from a chipped and worn Styrofoam cup as his eyes scanned the area for what had already been dubbed 'rogues' as high above him and through out the area Longbow and the city's Heroes responded to the invaders.

Halloween had arrived early once more it seemed for the city. The perpetual evening had the city in an uproar as ghouls and monsters could emerge from any closed doorway. Chaos and mayhem had become a nightly norm for a city already besieged by oddness in his opinion. The atmosphere this night was one of creepiness blended perfectly with insanity.

Officer Harrison was an old school cop, part of him deeply resented playing constant back up to the overabundance of Metas the city seemed to always draw. However every now and then an important crime or investigation deemed beneath the vaunted heroes arose and well Charlie Harrison was always there to volunteer.

Tonight his captain had ordered extra patrols to guard against thieves taking advantage of the chaos and to ensure the safety of the citizens walking the streets unchaperoned or who failed to find cover. There had been numerous missing people due to the invasion and his precinct captain was determined to cut that number down as best as he could.

Though throughout this crisis, like the first one Heroes tended to now work in packs, occasionally a hero would go solo and be overrun by the doorway ghouls and they would get by him and flee into the city to seek prey. It was the job of he and his fellow officers to prevent that from happening. To protect the citizens and call down hero support to deal with theses so called 'rogues'.

Harrison smirked and thought, Heh Don't need a hero to shoot a monster.

Turning the corner of an old worn down warehouse Harrison caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his cruiser's spotlight. He deftly stopped his cruiser and stepped out; he could have sworn her saw the flapping end of a small flashy cape disappearing through the broken door of the warehouse. He sighed as he reached for his mike.

"Unit 1 L 19 to dispatch, found some kids out messing around the old Dooley place...gonna flush em and get em off the streets"

"Rodger 1 L 19"

Hefting his belt back up his large frame, he unhooked his mag-lite and headed into the darkened doorway. His eyes scanned the interior as he walked into the musty darkened hallway. A nearby scuffled from down the hall echoed back to him. He quickened his pace towards the corner.

That passage led deeper into the decaying warehouse; and worryingly, it also ran into an area where a number of gang bangers had recently gone missing. Whether from rivals hiding out from the invaders or just some rogue Lost, Harrison knew this was no place for children.

He rounded the turn and flashed the light as he scanned the dank intersection.

The corridor was completely empty.

"I must be imagining things." Harrison thought, there was no sign anyone had come this way. He sighed at the silence and turned back to the entrance. From far away laughter echoed back towards him.

"Hello?!" he called as he turned back his beam slicing a small lit glimpse into the murky interior.

Another distant high pitched giggle was his only reply.

He followed the sound. If there were children in here, they could get hopelessly lost and end up in some serious trouble.

Very quickly as he moved in deeper and deeper, the neat corridor gave way to a maze of boxes, girders and other debris. He began to scan the area around him with his flashlight. His eyes tried to pierce the shadows. He blinked as he caught a glimpse of a small figure in front of him briefly in the dark.

A scuttling came from behind him.

"Hello?" He spun around. "This is the police. You shouldn't be here children; it isn't safe. Let me take you back."

Something brushed past him.

A small body swiftly disappeared further into the gloom.

He turned again and followed the child. He had only taken a few steps when he felt his legs press against a cable stretched across the passage. The next second his feet were swept behind him and he fell forwards, his body slamming heavily into the floor. Ages of dust and ancient debris flew up around him and he coughed as a high pitched happy little cry filled his ears.

"Trick and Treat!"

Harrison rolled onto his back annoyed but not wanting to frighten them off. His eyes adjusted to the dim light of the mag-lite on the floor next to him. He looked up to find two children leaning over him. They were both brightly clad in Halloween costumes, one as some Meta with a shiny cape the other a happy clown.

"That was a good one," he conceded as he dusted himself off a bit. "Now you really shouldn't be in here."

"Trick and Treat!" The children repeated with bright grins and glee in their eyes.

"I'm afraid I don't have any treats." Harrison then frowned as he noticed the change of wording. He chuckled. "Wait, shouldn't that be Trick or Treat?"

The children looked at each other and grinned wider.

"You got tricked-" The cape said nodding to the little clown.

"-And we get the treat." The clown finished; her tongue ran over a row of needle sharp teeth as she grinned inhumanly wide.

A sharp sudden chill ran through the officer's body at the sinister tone the child who was no child had used and their mutual unholy growing grins. He struggled quickly to sit up only to be pushed back to the cold wooden floor by four small arms possessed of inhuman strength as the pair pinned him. Smiling to each other only once more they moved in to devour their shared treat.

The short-lived scream echoed along the deserted corridors of the warehouse as Officer Charlie Harrison joined the list of the 'Missing'.

< Mortal world turned to ice... Here be goblin paradise! >

October 6th, 2008 - PPD 27th Precinct, Skyway


It had been a quiet night in the Precincts squad room tonight, Kara mused as she helped herself to a cup of coffee. She had accepted Bill's invitation to patrol tonight now that the Rikti's most recent offensive had been stopped.

Things in Skyway were simply routine tonight, the Trolls and the Lost, like most of the citizens of Paragon seemed to be just content to enjoy a peaceful night for a change. Diamond smiled as she stirred the dissolving sugar into her mug as she returned to the desk she often occupied in the old station house whenever she stopped by to help.

Well, she thought to herself, Quiet nights have their own way of turning out to be fun.

As she settled atop the old creaky desk, she crossed her long legs and allowed her gaze to sweep around the small office. The soft sounds of the rain thudded just beyond the window already adding a soft atmosphere of lazy gloom to lace her companions boredom.

To her left Bill, the Templar known as Guardian Star leaned back on his chair, white booted feet on his desk, eyes closed. He seemed unaware of her gazes and those gazes of Nancy and her boy friend Kevin. Psywarp, as Kevin was registered as was happy at the moment. As he was the newest of the four he was often teased and humiliated whenever the other three got bored. His friends knew he was a good sport and Kevin gave back as good as he got.

Tonight however, he seemed to be spared and used the welcome silence to get onto a website he’d never dared to go on at work before.
He only meant it to be brief.

Sapphire Rose, noticing her boyfriend’s preoccupation, tilted her head slightly, and narrowed her eyes. Nancy's intuition told her that he was doing something worth teasing about, but decided to leave him alone. She knew about the need for privacy, a concept Bill and occasionally Kara had never grasped. Not that her friends had ever forgotten such a thing out of malice, actually in most respects it was just the opposite, especially in her friendship with Kara. Her curiosity tonight, however, was growing.

The phone on Kevin’s desk rang, breaking the silence. After a few minutes of soft conversation, the young hero hung up and shut down his computer, before hurrying out without a word. Leaving just Kara, the semi snoring Bill and herself left. Carefully, and treading lightly, she walked over and settled at Kevin’s desk, turning the computer back on.

Kara quirked a brow as her eyes followed Nancy. She took a soft sip of her coffee, enjoying the warm sensation despite the quasi awful taste of the stale blend.

Nancy frowned as the screen came to life. It was password protected. She hissed in annoyance, and reached to turn the computer back off, but jumped up as a hand touched her shoulder. Spinning around, she gasped as she became only millimeters away from Bill.

He grinned at her response, before reaching down to the keyboard and swiftly typing in the password. “Now, why would you want to access Big K's computer?” he asked her as she sat back down on Kevin's old office chair, breathing deeper than before.

When she didn’t reply, he pouted teasing her, “Nancy, why don’t you want to tell me?” To Kara "Could it be she doesn't trust her little 'squirrel' "

Nancy gasped "How could you know that I call...." she snapped her jaw shut and looked over pleadingly to Kara "Kara....call him off before I kill him"

Kara took another sip and blinked innocently "William....behave now " she her grin spread softly across her lips "Before she kills you"

Bill held his hands up in a mild protest "Hey hey hey No kill ...I was just wondering why she was snooping"

Nancy frowned as she fiddled with the keyboard "I am not snooping "

Kara smirked and shook her head "Right it so isn't snooping" she chided Bill "Besides you yourself cant be trusted"

Bill blinked unsure how this was so quickly turning on him "Me? Why can't I be trusted?"

"Well ..." Kara found she couldn't resist " For one thing you are a guy.."

“Definitely and Two because you know his password, so can’t be trusted.” Nancy replied snippy, still on edge, as she opened up the Internet. Just as she pressed the button to open the ‘Site History’ panel, another voice rang out.

“What are you two doing at my computer?” Kevin yelped in alarm, panic clearly written across his features.

Nancy leapt up from his desk immediately, “Oh! Hey Squi..." she barely stopped herself steadfastly refusing to turn around to catch Bill's smirk at her term. " Um Kev...My Internet connection died, and I really needed to check something.” She openly lied as she walked towards him.

Bill, Kara noted, stayed where he was, eying the screen with smug surprise. She watched as he clicked the top link on the panel, and then watched with a growing amusement herself as he grin widened to the point of wickedness.

Kevin and Nancy realised instantly that the other man had found something embarrassing, and Nancy, deciding to do the right thing for her man, as well as to cover up for her own crimes, grabbed Bill’s arm and twisted it before pulling him away, deciding to not look at the screen.

As soon as she loosened her grip, Tony walked off, back to his desk. A swagger and a smirk to his step as he silent cackled to Kara, who could only meet such a attitude with a look of mild amused confusion and curiosity.

“I’m doomed,” muttered Kevin before he closed the window, “About that site-“ he tried desperately to explain to Bill.

“Tim,” Nancy tried to interject firmly, “ I honestly don’t care what was on it baby.”

“You might as well hear it from me guys," Keven began speaking to the three other heroes "but please, don’t tell anyone… Not that it makes a difference.”

Kara intrigued now nodded "Um..sure We so won't Kevin..." Raising a brow "Sooo what is the site?"

Bill chuckled "Oh its a doozy"

Nancy spun to glare at Bill "Hush now...I am sure it isn't that bad"

Her boyfriend sighed “I run… A beauty advice web page.” He bit his lip as he said that.

Kara instantly covered her rapidly growing grin with her free hand as Bill leaned back once more in his chair. He stretched his arms out to clasp his hands behind his head as he lifted his boots to lay them across his desk once more. His grin was broad and smug now.

Oh yes, he thought. The smell of blood is in the water now.

Nancy’s eyebrows shot up, and she gaped at her man, “That wasn’t what I…” she trailed off into a stunned silence, before awareness sparked in her eyes, and she shrieked in horrified realisation.

“You’re ‘Smooth-Skin Kaye'?!....Kaye as in /K/?!!....for KEVIN’?!!!”

Yep, Kara thought as she sipped from her mug once more. Quiet nights sure can be fun too.

July 16th 2006 - Founder's Falls (continued)


Elsewhere in the City...

The cool sea breeze wafted along as it gently blew through her hair and caressed her cheeks. She closed her eyes as the deep voice continued beside of her...

"...it is as we suspected" Crimson said a little harshly. "You practically knew this when you brought it to me"

Kara sighed. She had expected this, confirmation didn't make it any easier to accept. She had traveled to meet with her old contact out of desperation following her almost nightly brutal run ins with an elite group of Malta operatives. She had, a few nights before met with he and Indigo in a bar deep within Founder's Falls. There she had told them what she was enduring and the meager evidence she had uncovered to that point.

Tonight he had called her to go over what they had discovered.

"The is a very -real- possibility that this is very much a rogue unit bent on targeting you my dear. The collateral damage has the potential for almost epic proportions the more people you involve in this"

She sighed, she knew where he was going to go with this and wanted to head him off..

"Crimson...I so can't keep this much more of a secret, the people in my life and those I care about are bound to start discovering this" she opened her eyes and scanned the dark horizon, the wine dark bay shimmering in the pale moonlight. "Lissa knows already as much as I do...Ivy is starting to ask questions and Iz can so feel the pain and rush whenever I'm jumped" she sighed once more, a bit of fear squeezing her heart "Like Gawd knows who else may have received one of these interviews.."

She shuddered as memories of the past and present danced and blurred and as she fought to mask them from the bond she shared with Iz. His voice cut through her attempts like a machete..

"Diamond..you , yourself told me about these interviews. You have to know these people are being marked." he voice betrayed an irritation at her naiveite' "Simple questions to illicit an emotion response of what they think of you and your ties to them...tell me " he leaned closer making his voice cold " Can this Lissa stop even one Tac-op? Can this Ivy handle a full Squad of the type chasing you?'

Kara winced and half turned her head to glare at him "They do an excellent job out there against them when we patrol togeth...i cant think of any of the Temps who couldn't help me!"

Crimson signed no longer hiding his irritation "Damn it girl...they were marked to strike when you -aren't- there" he spat "Grow up and face the reality of the situation...if they get involved...if you do anything other than what you have been doing...they will remove them from the game board"

He turned his cool hard eyes to her "and I mean remove them"

Kara turned and looked back out across the bay "What am I supposed to then....keep taking this?"

Crimson smirked, he felt her resolve weaken "Yes...if you can endure these attacks for a little longer, we can find a pattern to the rogue's low tech approach. Indigo and our operatives, will spot ad trace and then allow you to follow and finish...plain and simple"

Kara closed her eyes "I'm to be the bait?"

Crimson smirked, Yes, he thought she is understanding now "Yes of course..I mean you are already in play , why not allow these animals to think nothing has changed...let them think they have you and your friends pinned and they will continue to run their pattern"

Kara wrapped her arms around herself as she listened, she despised keeping things from her loved ones. She had been too good at it recently and now it was starting to seem like she had to for their own good. She wavered but Crimson kept at her.

"Once we establish their pattern of operation..I can begin to wield you to shut them down and finish this. " he grinned wolfishly "Diamond...these rogues have caused the regular Malta operations around to step things up...because of them hunting you...more heroes and citizens are being harmed"

Her shoulders drooped and Crimson knew then her had her.

"You have to do this my way...and soon it will be finished" he clamped his hand on her shoulder mindless of the way she flinched deeply and tried to shrug him off as if in revulsion before she caught it. He held his touch firm to drive home his point...

"You must continue as if things are normal ....to protect their lives. How expendable do you really see them if you don't do it my way?"

She snapped her eyes shut tighter at the word 'expendable'. The metallic clicking of a hammer coursing through her mind.

"you don't wish to see another barrel placed against the side of one of their heads again do you girl?"

"ENOUGH!" she snapped as she whirled to brush off his arm, her eyes flared with anger and frustration. He locked his gaze to hers and watched as her defiance melted away in the face of his more dominant resolve...

She sighed...

"....fine" she lowered her head "I'll do it your way...for them"

He nodded , she understood, this was the way of the real world.

"Good girl" he smirked at her "Now get back out on your patrol...Ill make arraignments for the plan to begin within the next few nights...once we have something Ill call you to direct you in...good luck"

She turned to look at him "and the Crey Project? what about them and their Malta?"

"No change in your patterns...you have to deal with the Crey and the Malta as usual. Of course I wouldn't let on you know of any organized attack against you to others...just the fighting associated with a routine nightly patrol" he shrugged "if they are there with you then...fine you can protect them...but they cant learn of the scope of this thing...and now you know why" he gestured once more "No scurry off ...Ive got to set this up for you...and be careful...you are no good to me dead" he added with a smirk.

"thanks" she turned and flew silently away.

Crimson watched her go with no small degree of satisfaction. She had refused him and his offer to be one of his operatives almost a year ago. She was a natural against the Malta...a weapon he had to posses.

And it was beginning to look like he had her now!

=======================

In Founder's...

Dr. Reynolds sighed as he heard himself beg the young woman who was almost killed because of his inaction and futile attempts to rescue his daughter from a life she didn't need saving.

"There is more..." he added darkly, reaching into his jacket he produced a manila folder and clutched it in his hands tightly "This is essentially documentation of my work detailing the real -why- for the Crey's pursuit of her now"

He looked up at her "Kara has been cloned as have a few other heroes in the city but known of them have been able to match her abilities or her control"

"Ms. Quartz...the thing they seek in my kit..." he swallowed. "In Kara is her ability to alter and control her flow of energy...her ability to flow from the form that emits powerful focused blasts of her energy to her defensive capabilities to her incredible strength and endurance.."

His voice carried his shame "The seek to infuse that ability into their Paragon Protectors to make them more effective..." he shuddered "after her 'surgery' she would become the template for a new generation of 'Protectors'...an army of ranged and in close mutant clones to be controlled by them"

He slowly reached out and handed her the folder containing his work and findings....

"Please..." he sighed "Whatever you can do...I will keep that phone for your calls only...I will do whatever i can if you decide to help...if not you need only not to call again" his eyes shifted around and in the shadows of the columns surrounding them. "i should let you go...thank you for your time"

With that he turned to head off back into the city.

=========

Originally posted by Rhuby Quartz

Rhuby listened to him speak.. but from the moment he said his name, she grew stiff, a frown etched deep on her face. She swallowed thickly her eyes locked on him hard..

As he explained, she did her best to comprehend it all, feeling a bit overwhelmed. She glanced down at the manilla folder.. taking it slowly and just seeming to stare at it. She looked up again when he turned to leave and finally broke her silence.

"Wait.. " .. She paused.. what was she going to say? She wasn't sure.. but she knew she didn't want him to just go. " .. Why are you helping her now? .. After everything she's been through.. everything you put her through to insist she be 'normal' .. What makes this different? Why would you care if they use her powers to make better paragon protectors? Wouldn't that in turn give you exactly what you wanted? a human daughter?"

She watched him carefully and swallowed back the lump in her throat. "Why can't you be proud of her, Dr. Reynolds?. Maybe you dont want a mutant for a daughter.. but did you ever think maybe she didn't want to be a mutant in the begining either? She suffered so much just adjusting to her gifts and now the only flesh and blood she has alive is making her feel like a monster. Do monsters save lives? Protect the city you live and work in? Your people.. have killed hundreds and injuried more. This .. project alone has cost the lives of many men.. men with families. Why?.. because you can't be proud that your daughter is doing something great?.. Mutant or not, Kara is amazing.. and she's done amazing things. And she has no one to share that with.. no one tell her good job.. because you treat her like a lepor."

She sighed.. and tucked the folder under her arm. ".. I want to help. Just tell me what I need to do.. and I'll do it. I'll help as long as I am able to."

================

"Wait"

He turned back to face her at her words. She spoke finally and asked the question he had been prepared for yet found no voice immediately as she spoke to him. Shame filled him at her words, one key word standing out for him.

"Why?"

He wasn't sure how to answer her. After everything she's been through, his heart froze, he was now all to aware what his abandonment had meant for her..what had happened to his little girl...

The ultimate betrayal of a father to a daughter...how complete his failure had been. His look as he lifted his eyes to meet hers held the only answer he could give her...complete and total understanding of the depth of his crime.

He could give no voice to it as he heard her words. Her description of the woman his daughter had become, and how little he was there to help her...until now.

".. I want to help. Just tell me what I need to do.. and I'll do it. I'll help as long as I am able to."

His heart leaped at her words. She is going to help me! he thought...then corrected himself...no she is going to help her. He nodded and in a even voice..

"Thank you...thank you" he stepped closer and kept his voice low. "I need you to find this rogue group, find how they operate. They are using very -low- key and low tech methods to mask their presence in the city. The Malta and Crey on ..." he swallowed " my project cant find them...and from the look of things neither can she"

He sighed "They know very little ...only what they interpret from scouting. They have no computer network and any info they find that way will be dated and left open to what they gather from um...well scouting."

"This mentor of yours has not completed anything on your new 'training'..only that you are his student." he looked at her "Given the nature of his abilities they like me can only guess at what you can do and also given your being new at it wont think you would approach that way given what they know of you..."

He nodded "The type of man this is...this rogue gunslinger. I know him..he was the leader of the Malta when you faced them...his ego wont let him consider such an approach...that is your weapon. You are a virtual unknown to them..they are ...they have to be going off of old data about you"

He drew a breath "Alpha wont be expecting you at all. So you can help her by finding out how they operate and more importantly how to track and trace them for her."

"You see Ms. Quartz that is the only real weapon they have over her. Until that is removed she probably wont turn to any of you...those she cares for because they already have all of you marked."

"If you have been approached oddly about her recently then you can be assured they are holding you hostage...keeping her silent, preventing her from turning to you least you be hurt"

He looked down "That is why I am in need of your help...she is blind out there, without knowing from where the attacks are she is forced to wait on each attack in order to fight them....you can help her take the fight to them"

He sighed "I will keep the phone and we can speak that way..I can not meet with you again..unless it is an emergency...If I find out anything I will leave a message for you...in the mean time I will do what I can to hamper the Project's efforts at her"

He turned to go again, adding over his shoulder "By the way...i do not get a normal daughter when they are done...they intend to keep her as a Protector template once sh has been...altered through surgery..." he choked "Lobotomized to be controlled by them to lead the new generation...that is why..."

With that he turned to head off into the shadows of the city...

===========================

Pain mixed with a whirling flash of white hot light as she felt weightless for the briefest of moments. It was almost comical as she felt suspended in midair before crashing painfully across the back of the dumpster.

A snap of stars graced through her mind to a dance in perfect rhythm with the waves of pain that gripped her body as she rolled off the top of the metal container as another salvo of bullets crashed across her. The impact of the shells rolling to flop behind the dumpster like rag doll.

She fought for control, she fought to focus as she dropped to the pavement, the cover of the now dented and bullet ridden dumpster offered a brief but much needed respite.

focus girl...please not like this

Her thoughts kept her rooted, awake as she fought for breath; she had no strength as her lungs had to fight for air. She crawled pitifully in the soft muck behind the dumpster as the alley went silent.

Oh Gawd here they come.../think/!!

Sapper first...right? She thought as she laid there, her strength not returning as fast as usual. A new approach, she thought as her ribs burned with each movement followed by a deep deep pain in her hip. She had taken a massive shot from the sapper's stun stick this time. She felt them close as a sharp burning sensation course through her; it wormed and blended with her pain brilliantly. Smirking to herself she refused to allow her energy to show just yet. No fields, no protection...not yet

Only one shot at this...don’t blow it

The four forms rose up around her like silent mountains, obsidian and mighty. Their armor making them look inhuman, making all signs of compassion and restraint as they fell upon her. A bluish white flame rose above her like a lethal surreal sunrise as a rifle butt connected with the base of her skull. Her thoughts swam as pain swirled now with the terror she fought as boots connected with her side. She felt a rib snap as she rolled into yet another kick....

As she rolled her eyes snapped open, like dark demons their images flowed, their forms taking different shapes and in the distance ...always the laughter...

The Sapper's light descended...

NO!

At the last second she rolled up with a gazelle's grace despite the pain that engulfed her...the pain that wracked her...as the stun stick pierce the cracked pavement of the alley where she had been only moments before. With the predatory instincts of a cheetah the four Malta operative instantly shifted to bear down on their prey's new location amongst them to press their attack but it was far too late....she had won....again.

The alleyway behind the modest Dunkin Doughnuts erupted in a small but brilliant kiss of silver-is white. The detonation and shock wave rattled the windows and awoke the neighborhood. From her knees, her arms stretching out and up, like an archangel deciding the fate of the damned before her, her energy shot out in all directions and slammed unforgiving into the bodies of her attackers.

Their forms, crushed and broken by the tsunami of force and white hot pain that extended from her, were tossed away from her like discarded rag dolls. They careened off of the brick walls of the alleyway and slide to its littered covered floor.

She stood slowly and painfully as she fought to catch her breath. Painfully she rushed her recovery, feeling her body strain in protest at her reckless decision. She knew it wasn’t over...there was one more.

Her fields swarmed over her as he appeared before, his drawn pistol already up and pressed against her forehead. She rose before him like a vengeful goddess as he pulled the trigger twice with quicksilver like speed. His double pumped rounds finding only the alley wall for purchase.

His miss and momentary surprise gave her enough time to supercharge her most powerful blast as she took careful aim above him. Her look almost feral from pain and adrenaline danced with her thrill of knowing she now had him...

He looked up and raised his arm to fire as her blast struck him just below his throat tossing his body wildly into the air. She whiled and let loose an arc of her energy and grinned as the torrent caught his form in mid-flight. She adjusted her coming salvo with practiced ease as shot after shot battered her foe until, like his team he too lay silent amongst the forgotten kibble of the alley.

She hovered in silence, poised still to complete her dance as she waited in perfect position. She was fully prepared to continue her surreal yet graceful ballet, should another foe present themselves for the performance. Her body screamed in protest as it reset itself, cracked ribs moved back into place as bruises faded painfully. She closed her eyes to the agony as a tear graced her cheek. She fought to listen to the sounds of the alley as her body repaired itself.

Thundering feet and the far off hiss of a radio report brought her back to reality as she landed in the middle of the five crumbled forms. She turned to face the arriving police officers who recognized her instantly....

Once finished giving her report she flew off into the night heading for the Abbey. For a change it was she who needed a drink this time...

October 21st, 2006 - Independance Port

Originally posted by Mazin


It is just another night in the latest invasion of Paragon City, the streets filled with the heroes of the city as they fight off the supernatural entities that burst out of doors here and there. Still... some places are quiet. Those places where people do not gather are not teeming with the denizens of the night... well, just one.

The hero without a superhero name, Mazin Wystan, stands outside a warehouse door, black wisps rising off his skin and armor. They thicken, warping and bending the light around the young demon to allow him to fade from sight. He takes a moment to look around, making sure the area is clear, before he advances on the door, knowing well that this warehouse has been abandoned for years and no one should be answer that isn't a monster.

He raps his knuckles on the door sharply then... jumps out of the way, crouching low to decrease the profile of the few black wisps that mark his presence, something that an alert villain can spot if given the chance. The door opens, and from it steps a werewolf, looking completely ready to rip something apart. It lets out a ferocious roar, only to be cut short as it blinks, peering left and right. Normally it would venture out into the city and find some more prey, but it would appear this is the middle of nowhere with no people in sight. With a dejected look, it returns through the door, which closes behind it with an unseen hand.

After waiting several more seconds, Maz rights himself and steps forward to bang on the door again, quickly returning to his position. This time the werewolf and a ghost buddy step outside, glaring around at the night. Did they imagine it? Were they simply that eager to rend something apart, which resulted in wishful thinking, or hearing? It had to be that as there is nothing there, and heroes would not hesitate to rush forward to vanquish evil. They then disappear through the door again, both looking dejected, and swearing to pay more attention and not make the same mistake again.

But the next time they begin to catch on.

They try to feint him by going back inside, only to open the door again before it fully closes. Each time they give up, the knocking returns, and soon enough, a small army of very pissed monsters are standing outside the door.

Grinning like a cheshire cat, Maz scrambles through the open window of the warehouse quietly, then tiptoes over to the closed door. This time his knuckles descend on the other side of the door, causing every monster outside the warehouse to spin on the door, confusion rampant..

Hours later, when the sun should be coming up if not for the everlasting night, Maz knocks continuously on the door, trying to get them to come out but to no avail. In the end, it looked like he broke something. They simply lost all will to do anything, and just stopped answering the door. With a satisfied look and a show of dusting off his hands, he announces to the empty group of warehouses.

"Well, it seems I've stopped the invasion on this front. Time to go home."

July 1th, 2006 - Steel Canyon


The night before...

The rain steadily poured down as the lone watcher shifted from his hidden perch to draw a better vantage point to keep surveillance at the Hero's loft. His intended target had gone inside not too long ago. He watched patiently, like a silent obsidian panther he crouched virtually unmoving as he made notes and sketches of this new location.

His eyes scoped out each area of potential fire and the areas flanking the objective should this place require attention. A soundless shift brought his thermal scope into place and shifting its intensity, the watcher was able to quickly locate the target and her associate.

With practiced ease he remained in place departing finally only once he was assured that this place too could be assaulted if necessary. A simple annotation to his recon would mark the owner of the apartment for research and marking as well.

Pity though, he thought to himself. The little MH can certainly play the violin....

======================

In another part of the city, yet another watcher settled deeply into a perch he had carved out days before for himself. His target established so easily with a simple contact. He mused how odd it was to operate this way and yet so lethal and direct. A simple stumble and a handshake confirming his target. Following had been problematic but eventually easy to overcome.

Even tonight, though deep down he was impressed, this target had experienced our tactics before, he remembered thinking as he watched her take off from the payphone. Either that or some random occurrence had caused her to tense up like that.

It was the life they lead, he mused as he switched to thermals to keep track of the apartment's occupant. These MH’s, always on the go and always expecting trouble. He smirked he preferred prey that could fight back...even if it was a bit unskilled.

He waited until the target had retired for the night then moved on as per the assigned schedule. He almost looked forward to reacquiring this one when her turn for surveillance came up once more.

This one would make good sport...

======================

July 16th, 2006 - Undisclosed Location

This afternoon....

"Yeah... This is Rhuby Quartz. I want to meet you tomorrow night... midnight... by the fountain in Founder's Falls."

Closing his eyes tightly, he closed the phone with shaking hands as he had listened to the message for a second time. Drawing a breath he steadied himself. This was not going to be easy for him but it had to be done.

He was only going to get one chance at this before he knew his betrayal would be discovered. He was no spy or undercover type. He was a simple doctor. He checked his watch and made the mental notes he would have to be sure all went according to plan.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his hand across his now glistening forehead.

Why am I surprised she would agree to meet so soon, he mused. What was I expecting an appointment next week in an alleyway? She is one of those hero types...what was her daughter's group's name...these Templars... she must know what she is doing...

He spent the rest of his day within his lab, careful not to break his routine. He would occasional catch the new security chief walk the hallways receiving reports and conferring with 'Blue' on the night's activities. Something big had happened, he knew what his daughter had done last night from this morning's news reports...every channel had it on.

What shook him today was the cold blue fury that burned in Blue's eyes as the morning briefing covered the extent of the damage she had done to his....their operation and Blue's mercenary group's operations in Peregrine.

The concern and furious activity from the Project's Crey and Malta security personal was intense this morning. It was to him so similar to the reaction at his practice's barbecue that far off summer day when Kara and her friend Mary had accidentally knocked the Hornet's nest onto the grill.

He smiled a bit softly remembering his daughter was never really good at volleyball.

Using the confusion and praying a little their attention would be focused on containment of the crisis in Peregrine, forcing more of a low key approach, He gave his watcher the slip by sneaking clear of his apartment.
He walked casually down the backstairs of his apartment building and out into the cab that would take him to King's Row and then instantly into the other waiting cab to Steel.

From there he stepped onto the green line for Talos and simply walked to Founder's Falls. Before long he found himself standing amongst the columns and pillars of William's Square standing amongst the shadows waiting for her to arrive.

He opened the Tribune and began to read, occasionally scanning the vast area before the fountain. He tried to swallow but found his throat was dry. He was unsure how he would be received...he still remembered what this person had once endured because of his cowardice

And to his shame he prepared meet her.

She and others like her could hold the key to ending this nightmare for him and his daughter. Before this could happen, they would need the confirmation, he alone could give. He was only going to get this one chance to deliver it.

"Melissa...” he whispered to himself "Please if you still watch over me...give me the courage to set this right"

Closing his eyes for the briefest of moments he could almost see his late wife, smiling that smile that had lit up his world once. A world now long gone...and yet for this moment, he could feel her near him.

He opened his eyes and waited....

Seeing her approach he stepped out and walked across the concourse to meet her stuffing the paper underneath his arm.

He cleared his throat "Rhuby?..Rhuby Quartz?"

================

July 16th - Founder's Falls

Originally posted by Rhuby Quartz

"You can do this.. just dont let your guard down. You have no idea what you're up against"

Rhuby told herself as she looked back at her reflection in her dressing room mirror. She had asked off early that night.. but still her set ran long. She had no time to really change out of her work getup, as much as she hated to meet this man looking like a well-paid ****** as she put it. Her blonde hair slicked down against her face instead of feathered out and loose like she liked it.. Adorened in a tight red dress that went to the floor and had a thigh-high slit up the left side. Manticore had joked with her and said she reminded him of Jessica Rabbit. Yeah right.. she didn't have the knockers for that. Still, she took off the elbow-length gloves and slipped on a jacket, hurrying out the door and towards William Square.

As she walked along the cobblestone, her heels clicking loudly.. She prayed this wouldn't be a hostile meeting.. or a potential kidnapping. She was here for Kara.. as Kara had been for her many, many times before.

As she drew closer to the fountain she could make out a figure of man. She began to thank God the figure didn't appear to be very atheltic. Still, brains was mightier than brawn, so she wasn't out of trouble yet. She stopped short when he asked her name.

"I'm Rhuby Quartz. .. And just who are you?"


==========


"I'm Rhuby Quartz. .. And just who are you?"

He steeled himself and drew a breath as he turned to face her once she had grown close. He stopped and blinked only a moment of surprise over her attire. All too quickly his nervousness returned and he pushed his glasses back up along his nose as he spoke to her in a hushed tone.

"Thank you for meeting with me...I promise I will be as brief as possible" he cleared his throat. "My name is William Reynolds...Doctor William Reynolds.."

His look betrayed a pained look that seemed to indicate such a pronouncement no longer held the same degree of pride as it must have for him. His shoulders slumped a degree yet he held his ground and pressed on.

"I am here to tell you things you may not know.." he sighed " Kara has a way of protecting people...you see there are things going on she may not be aware of given the nature of the renewed Project." he paused "Things you may not know and now things I know you haven't been told..."

He looked up to see her reaction "I am not sure how much you know about her year long battle with Revenant Project, and how much my foolishness not only led to the actions taken against you but in an effort to save my daughter....I almost brought about her death..."

He sighed and looked towards the fountain , his features betraying his shame.

"Somehow early this year she had the entire network of computers the project you and she faced the year before shut down and " he shook his head with a small degree of pride in a father's voice "in doing so wiped away much of our research and even somehow had our own computers send out signals to give away their location to heroes and police....she sent them packing Ms. Mayhann...she defeated them....us...she won."

"Somehow I was spared from prosecution but yet still desperate to 'save' her...blinding myself still to what she had become"

"You see I fully believe the interests of the project could be used to help make her normal... I saw only the worst...her behavior was so different than what she was when she was..." he stops before he uses the word normal.

"Well slowly around April the decision was made in the Crey to begin once more....a new softer approach...or so I was told...research was show to me ..genetic research to help Kara release the energy she generates and keep her from using her gifts ..so she could lead a normal life once...was shown to me..."

Almost a whisper "So she could come home again...."

"Well around May the Crey began again...a smaller though no less effective set up of research labs and security...much of the same as before...Even a -new- Malta team was hired.....I was given carte blanche to prepare for her retrieval and the upcoming procedure..."

He closed his eyes "It was then a few things began to become clear...things began to spiral out of the Crey's control..Kara seemed to go on the offensive suddenly...our labs our personel ..strikes against Malta operations all over Peregrine and the city...even Malta operations that had nothing to do with the project...."

"And there was an aspect change in her...more often than not it seems she was doing this on her own more and more....the Malta commander with us believed this was the time to strike her harder...her strength has always seemed to them to stem from her friends and resources...resources that had appeared to be dwindling on her.." he drew a breath ...

"That was when we made a discovery...several of our teams were suddenly being caught in a cross fire between her and another set of hunters" he said darkly "Malta or Malta level training...it seems she is being hit almost every night...their tactics are much different..it seems they intend to inflict as much damage as they can but not contain her nor kill her...just hurt her."

"The consensus was and remains that this may be a splinter Malta cell...the Malta gunslinger with the project now seems to think it may be the previous Malta commander of the project who has now gone renegade with an entire company of elite trained Malta...Malta not trained for America...so in a sense ghosts..."

He looked over to her "We tried to use a portion of our security network to find them...any trace of their network and found -nothing-...no cell lines...no web....no high tech bases or bunkers...only a trace showing this team arrived in Paragon Mid May and then...vanished"

"I also have reason to believe the Malta working for the Crey project now may have accepted this in order to use the Crey in tracking this rogue down using Kara as bait..."

"On top of this Ive discovered the true reason Crey has been looking for her...how I was being used by being shown doctored research..they are after Kara..." his voice floods with shame "for her ability to 'shift' between each of her forms of energy so fluidly...they seek to incorporate this into their Paragon Protectors..."

"I cant allow this to happen...I started this for her and those who have been hurt by this... i will find a way to shut this down. " he sighed "I am telling you this because they can only succeed in a vacuum...their strength ...any of the factions now in this...that and I may not get another chance to reach out to someone...to deliver this information"

"I am telling you this to prepare you...Kara has always tried to endure things alone to protect others....the way this rogue is behaving...driving her to push herself..its like he is herding her until he can position his pieces on a chess board..."

He looks up to her "and then eventually when he is ready....checkmate"

"I don't know what telling you will do..except make just one more person aware...but please if you can help me to help her....or merely just help her...I will do what I can to use my ties to the Crey to see what I can do to help you"

He looked up into her eyes with the eyes of a desperate shamed father "Please...."

October 21st 2006 - Steel Canyon

Originally posted by Skilla

Lissa curled up on Bryce's big bed, legs tucked under her, papers and magazines scattered across the sheets. Bryce poked his head out of the bathroom, his long, wet hair falling around his bare shoulders.

"The doctor told you to keep that leg elevated," he reminded with a stern glance.

She sighed and uncoiled, propping her right leg up on the bolster provided for the purpose, leaning back against the pile of pillows behind her. "It doesn't even hurt anymore," she complained.

"Yes, but the doctor said to keep it elevated. He wants you to stay off of it until at least tonight," he reminded, straightening the bed clothes a bit. He hadn't allowed her out of bed the whole day, not even to change out of her pajamas, which he had insisted she put on after he had carried her in for her bath. "You don't need to get out of your pajamas if you are staying in bed," he had said.

"This is silly! I can regenerate!" she protested now, crossing her arms across her deep blue velvet camisole.

"He said your regeneration might be slightly slower right now due to your surgery, 'Lissa. The less you move your leg, the faster it'll heal." He leaned over, kissing her forehead. "When a certain someone falls off the Talos tram platform and breaks her leg in four places, she needs to stay in bed," he teased.

Melissa blushed at the memory. "It couldn't be me getting stepped on my some giant monster...no! It had to be me getting my foot tangled in the tram railing and falling [censored] over teakettle onto the plaza, ending up in the hospital, and probably missing the most exciting fight of this whole damn invasion!"

"Shh, sweetheart," he soothed, kissing the top of her head gently. "It's only one fight. I'm sure there'll be plenty more. Now, you hungry, baby?"

"I can get it..."

"No," he said firmly. "You are goin' to stay in bed and let me get it. Now, what do you want?"

"Just some strawberry yogurt, please," she asked, meekly.

"As my goddess commands," he smiled, strolling off into the kitchen. "Whatcha working on, sweetheart?" he called as Lissa heard the door to the fridge open.

"I'm trying to Feng Shui the house," she replied, frowning over the floorplans in her lap as she consulted a brightly colored book to her right. "It's harder than it looks."

"I'm sure Ozzy could help," he offered, handing her the pink lidded carton and a spoon.

"I want to try doing it myself first," she smiled, opening her yogurt. "I figured I'd get him to check it after I'm through."

Bryce smiled affectionately. "My independent goddess," he grinned, kissing her gently. "So what have you figured out so far?"

Lissa pulled her stack of papers towards her and slowly started explaining the ancient art of Feng Shui. Bryce put an arm around her shoulders as together they poured over paint chips and countertop samples. Outside, darkness reigned and the city was filled with the howls of werewolves and the eerie shrieks of ghosts and ghouls.

Lissa paused, looking up at Bryce. "Do you think Jerry is all right, wherever he is?" she asked, a sudden concern in her eyes.

"I'm sure of it, babe," he replied, smiling down reassuringly.

She snuggled a bit deeper into the warm oasis of her lover's arms, relishing the sweet tang of strawberries on her tongue as the wind screamed around the curtained windows. Tonight, the war would continue, and Lissa and Bryce would be a part of it. But for now, the fight could go on without her.

July 15th 2006 - Founder's Falls

Originally posted by Templar Rhuby Quartz

A few nights ago

Rhuby pushed open the door to the Lounge.. she had been asked to come in and work Marcus' shift as well. He was home with pneumonia and wouldn't be back until the weekend. No matter, if it gave her an excuse to stay out of costume for a few more hours, she'd take it. She ran her fingers through her hair to smooth out the hairspray and fluff it a by more. She was tired, and ready to be home where she could take a hot shower and curl up in bed.

"Miss Mayhann? Oh Miss Mayhann!" a young woman's voice rang out. Rhuby glanced up and behind her to see a girl around her ages, perhaps a year or two younger come bounding her way.. and almost trip on one of the cobblestones of the courtyard. She flustered at her clumsiness, but approached Rhuby with a large smile on her face. "Miss Mayhann! Hello! Oh I'm so glad I finally caught up with you!" She spoke with an accent that reminded her of Caitlyn only not nearly as thick.

"Can I help you?" Rhuby asked with a slight brow raise. Not that she minded pretty girls running up to her, but with the stress of the week, she felt like she could live without it.

"Yes you can" replied the girl who clicked a pen she had been holding and began to scribble something down on a notepad. My name is Iliyana Kamerov and I'm on assignment for the Paragon Tribune. We're doing a piece on your Co-worker, Miss Kara Reynolds? And I was hoping I could ask some questions about her?"

Rhuby inwardly groaned. "I dont really want to talk about her work in the shard or anything like that. I know you newpapers to just splice it all up and print out whatever the hell you feel like and I wont be responsible for making Kara look bad." She turned to walk away before hearing the girl clamour quickly.

"no no no no!.. We're not doing a piece on Diamond! But on Kara Reynolds! And her work with the schools. We want to inform people about the good people that are working with their gifted young. You don't have to answer anything you don't want to! Please.. If I dont get this, my editor Peter will kill me!"

Rhuby looked back at her and sighed and nodded. "alright.. just a few. But if this comes back as garbage, I'll be looking your editor Peter up myself. "

The girl smiled in an amused sort of way and then nodded. "Alright. In your own words, how would you say Miss Reynolds was a teacher?"

"She was great really.. Kara has a big heart and desire to help people. And She's brilliant.. smart as hell really.. I don't know anyone else better qualified to teach any age group than her. she's patient and affectionate. She just has the ability to give the children the attention and aid they need."

"Good good.." The girl said as she scribbled onto her notepad feverishly. "Do you feel she is able to relate to the child's gifts accurately?"

Shrugging a little, rhuby fluffed her hair again as she spoke. "Yeah.. well I mean, Kara knows what its like to be ostracized from the world. She had a difficult time when her powers first surfaced. Granted she was a teenager at the time, but that doesn't mean she doesn't understand.. a lot of those kids really looked up to her, and wanted to be like her. She was a good role model for what you could do with your life as a mutant and the good that could come from having these gifts."

"I see.. " She paused.. and the looked up at Rhuby a little embarrassed and spoke again in a much smaller voice. "Um.. You couldn't perhaps.. spell Ostercized for me, could you?"

Rhuby smirked a little and complied.. funny though.. an intern to a huge paper and she had trouble spelling. Maybe she was just nervous she told herself.

"Thanks.. and sorry about that!. Alright.. mm.. So what is your relation to Kara?"

Freezing in her place for a moment she eyed the girl a little hard. "How do you mean?"

"Um.. well.. How did you get chosen to be her aide? Were you her friend, Are you her cousin.. Something... else?"

"We were friends." She stated bluntly.. frowning only slightly. "Kara was the first friend I made after my own powers surfaced.. and she was who lead me to NPI. We have a trust. She knew working with those kids would be just as good for me as it would be for them."

"I see, I see.. So, if someone were to ask you if attending Miss Reynolds Fall or summer class was beneficiary, what would you say?"

"Well, I would say yes. Our school year went perfectly and we saw a lot of the kids in there flourish.. they opened up and gained a sense of self some didn't have coming in. I would gladly recommend it."

With a smile, Iliyana jotted that down and then looked up, smiling. "Thank you very much Miss Mayhann.. I think that's all I need. " She held out her hand to shake Rhuby's. "It was a pleasure meeting you! And I hope you have a very pleasant night!"

"You too.." Rhuby said with a slight smile. She watched the girl walk off for a moment before turning back. She couldn't shake this sinking feeling that write up was gonna be bad.. but there wasn't much she could do about it now. She'd call the paper in a few days.. make sure things were going smooth.



-------------------------

Present Day


"Yes.. I need to speak to a Peter in editing? I'm afraid I dont know his last name." Rhuby spoke into a payphone just south of her apartment in Steel. She had been advised by one of the guys at work not to call from her phone, with her being a hero and all. He was a paranoid type of guy, but Rhuby had become a paranoid type of girl as of late. She waited patiently on the phone listening to the elevator music as she was transfered.

"Peter Horovich's office?" an older voice came onto the line. a Secritary no doubt.

"uh yes, this is Rhuby Mayhann.. I was approached by an intern of Peter's several days ago in reguards to the Kara Reynold's piece. I was just calling to check up on the piece. Is there anyway I can speak to Him myself?" She tried desperately to sound perfessional.. but came away feeling stupid. She wondered if this woman would hang up on her.. thinking she was some nutcase off the street.

The women didn't know.. she just fell silent for a moment and then spoke again and a little confusedly. "I'm sorry.. you said a piece on Kara Reynold's?" She paused again. "I'm afraid we're not working on any stories about her."

Rhuby paused now too and frowned. "Oh.. well.. Was it already printed and I just missed it in the paper.. That was awfully fast.."

"No no.. There is nothing on the schedule about it.. Let me check next month.. " A few keystrokes and then she replied. "I'm sorry, we have nothing about that. "

"Really? That's kind of weird.. I mean I was just approached by his intern 3 or 4 days ago.. "

"Who's Intern dear?" The woman replied again.. just as confused.

"Whatever you said his name was. Peter.. something or another."

A soft laugh.. but it came off a little nervous. "You must be mistake. Mr. Horovich doesn't have an intern at the moment. He wont be interning until the fall. Maybe she was for another paper?"

The frown on Rhuby's face deepened. "What? .. no.. This woman said clearly she was from the Paragon Tribune and that her editor PETER would kill her if she didn't get the piece. If he doesn't have an intern.. then who the hell did I speak to?"

"I..I am afraid I don't know Miss. But there isn't anything I can do for you."

".. Yeah.. Well, thank you for your time.. Sorry to bother you." And with that, they exchanged goodbyes and rhuby hung up. As she stepped out of the payphone booth, her mind reeled. What was going on? Who was that woman? Its not like she asked anything horribly personal about Kara.. so what good would a FAKE interview be? It was then Rhuby felt something chilling go up her spine... and it made her skin crawl. It reminded her of when Kara and her had been running from Malta.. afraid of being watched... Being watched?

Rhuby turned quickly and glanced around. Was she being watched? Before it was too late, she would think to herself, she shot into the air and flew as high as she could. After waiting a few moments she flew over to her apartment ledge. She knew she left the window unlocked, and she could slip in that way... If she was being watched, she wouldn't want to show anyone where she lived, if they didn't already know.

Feeling overwhelmed for a moment, Rhuby struggled to catch her breath. She needed to call Kara.. let her know what had happened and to be on the look out for anything.. suspicious.. She hated to worry her anymore than she was, and she knew this was all her fault. She should have refused the interview.. but it seemed so innocent.

Rhuby moved over to her dresser to retrieve her cell phone and noticed she had missed a call.. and from a number she didn't know. She dialed into her voice mail and listened patiently.

"Rhuby Quartz, you do not know me but I am aware of you. There is something going on that you may not be aware of, something of great importance. I am willing to meet with you to discuss it, and how you may help. I stress that this is becoming a life threatening situation for someone you... know. Call this number 555-6767 it will have a voicemail for you to leave an appointed time and place to meet. I will attend, we will not speak again until then....*click*"

She felt her face go pale.. what was going on.? .. If this had to do with Kara.. if she had gotten her into trouble.. she'd have to do something. She swallowed thickly, listening to the message again.. before ending the call. Punching in a few numbers, she waited through the rings until a voicemail picked up.

"Yeah.. This is Rhuby Quartz. I want to meet you tomorrow night.. midnight.. by the fountain in Founder's Falls."

Hello all! We have a smnall tradition over at the Templar forums each year they did the Halloween event starting the year after the release of CoV (The year without a Halloween :P). We had a Thread with Spooky CoX related stories!

I decided to share them (mostly mine and it will be indicated if it was another Templar) with you guys and eventually update them with this years stories as the event progresses!

I hope you enjoy them in the spirit of the season!

D!


=======================================


October 19th 2006 - Steel Canyon

<Thought it would be neat to tell ghost stories or funny halloween stories from This year's events >


Kara was exhausted...

She had been fighting all night since the alerts had gone out soon after the first attacks had begun. She had a feeling, her heart froze as she and her students watched the light bleed out of the sky that morning. Every fiber of who she had become returned her to that weekend of darkness two years ago. Her first thought was for the children and had stayed by them until eventually the school was closed early as the attacks in the city grew in number.

It was Halloween time in Paragon City again...and once more the city found itself locked in a struggle to survive.

She came to a rest atop the tall building in Steel where she lived and looked out across the mayhem of the night. The flashing lights of the floating helicopters and airships could be seen across the whole of the city as they moved from one crisis to another. The shrill wail of the police and emergency sirens danced up to her from the streets below to mix with the horrible trills and screeches of the city newest invaders. The cries of the undead and howls of the wolves blended with police gunfire and the far away booms and blasts from responding heroes helped to compose a terrifying opera of the night for the besieged city.

A performance that continued uninterrupted across all the zones of the city she now called home.

She entered the sliding patio door hesitating only a moment before she noticed it was left slightly ajar. Good girl Phil, she thought as she moved into the living room. She had called her ward every hour on the hour tonight.

She smirked as she thought how casually Phil was taking the events. She was even becoming exasperated sometimes with her guardian's persistent calls. Why Kara was even given an update on the goings on with the TV show Jericho that Phil had watched with Katherine.

Kara frowned a little at her sitter's absence until she saw Luci's bag and Fly curled up asleep with Smokey and Luci's cat across the couch they had claimed as their own. She knew her roommates were home.

She smiled a little as Skald her little shadowy 'chinchilla of darkness' bounded after her shadow as she walked into the kitchen. Her heels clicked across the tile floor as she began to make herself a quick hot chocolate. She picked up her odd pet and cuddled it as her chocolate was warmed in the microwave. It trilled as he cuddled back his fur warmly tingling her skin as he fed briefly from her touch. Kara shook her head as she scritched his ears and waited for her drink to heat.

Atop the counter she found the note left by Katherine for her. She set Skald down on the counter and picked up, barely acknowledging as Skald scampered off back to his shadows.

Katherine. the note said, had decided like most others to leave the city most likely until this crisis had passed. Her husband's family lived in the suburbs just beyond what Magi had learned was barrier of the darkness.

She half thought about sending Phil with them, yet something in the child's voice had left that as only an option for now. Should things escalate further, Kara thought she would not hesitate to ship her young ward out to Katherine and her family.

Yet, she thought. The little jester was registered and could...She shook her head at the thought for now as she retrieved her mug of hot chocolate from the microwave. Setting down the note she walked back out into the living room.

The wide screen TV, though muted, bathed the living room in a flickering blueish light as it showed various images and locales through out the city. Emergency information and instruction continued to run across the bottom of the screen telling any who remained awake what to do to secure themselves during Paragon's most recent invasion. Reporters and experts added their impressions and advice as the first night of the invasion was coming to a close.

Kara paused as the TV showed yet another battle in Peregrine with the giant Eochai. She sighed he was everywhere tonight and from what she had gleaned from her MAGI briefing...

..It was going to be a long invasion.

Kara slipped carefully down the carpeted hallway to peek in on her sleeping ward. She smiled as the moved into the room carefully avoiding all of the 'booby traps' the child has set through out the room to capture any 'Halloween critters', as the girl had called them, that may come for her as she slept. She knelt next to the child's bed and rewrapped her up in her thick comforter. Kara watched over Phil for a moment and smiled a bit.

Her heart stopped at the suddenness of her comm.’s buzzing. She leaned forward and kissed the top of Phil's head causing the child to stir only slightly. Careful to avoid the traps Kara navigated back out into the hall to answer her comm.

"Yes?" Her voice weary but slightly annoyed at the interruption.

She listened to the situation and briefing and shook her head.

"No...I can't not right at the moment, I'm down for a few hours..." She smirked at the passive attempt by the Hero Corps Rep and then listened to her updates. "No...No...Yes...fine I will as soon as I can"

She walked into her darkened bedroom not even bothering with the light nor even to change out of her costume as she collapsed on her side of her bed. She paused only to set her mug on her night stand as Doomey Bear, her automated stuffed gothic teddy bear made in the image of a 'care bear' came to life and sighed helplessly. Kara smirked at him as she lay back on her bed and closed her eyes as her gothy bear droned...

the night falls in a heavy,
suffocating cloak,
entwined are we.

the flames for which we yearn
flare once, then die,
smothered by the abyss.
all hope must surely perish.

your heart beats no more.
how could you fail to believe?
shadows surround us, crying,
we are fallen.


Kara giggled once at the absurdity of the night and her gloomy bear's words. Soon she found herself in a fitful sleep.

Across the city darkness continued its reign...

July 11th, 2006 - Steel Canyon

The Man has met his match...

Fergie thought to himself.

Now it's his problem.

The no longer youthful Tac-Officer sighed to himself...

My problem, more like.

I guess I’m afraid...

He stopped at the streetlight hidden, blended with the other commuters and pedestrians of the city. Walking the grey sidewalks, rain soaking his tattered trench coat, he flips up the high collar and hunched his shoulders, shoving his calloused hands deep into its pockets, trying to keep warm and failing miserably.

His thoughts swam and swirled, in battle with his training and his own fears. The rain seems relentless tonight. It beats down a steady tattoo on his weary head, pounding the bruises, whips into his face, stinging the open cuts there.

His bleary eyes look up at the buildings that are almost too tall to see the top of in the smog, alien and dark, speckled here and there with points of light. I'm lucky, he thought I can move in these streets..... for now.

Is She there...up there watching ..looking...seeking?

The sidewalks and roads are so crowded, he decides, so crowded, She can not see me.

This is Paragon City. City of Heroes. He sighed. Like Hell. And I shouldn't be here. I should be at home, sleeping. Or drinking. Or actually completing our original assignment and getting paid.

But I don't get to decide for myself

Because I'm not Gunslinger, I'm little people.

But that's not really my problem. Sure, Alpha can be a pain in the [censored] sometimes, but who can't? No. My real problem is that I'm getting more and more time to myself and that I'm using that time to /think/ about what I'm doing. That's something I didn't used to do. And that’s why I guess I’m afraid. There’s something else I’m afraid of.

Her.

No not just her ....what she is...what she stands for...all of them.

I used to follow metas and kill them. They were a threat: A hazard: Too dangerous to roam the streets. And that’s what Malta Extermination Units were for. That’s what I was for. If they couldn't be controlled...kill them...period.

But here I am walking down the sidewalk, thinking about it. And I am slowly realising that it’s not that simple anymore. And I know I could run. Right, betray the Malta...everyone knew there was no ex malta operatives anywhere in the world....alive.

But isn't that we were now..deserters? What does he hope this will accomplish? Is she why he doesn't sleep anymore? Does she make him scream at night?And I guess it’s that that started me thinking in the first place. It’s that thought that makes me feel strange again.

What right did we have to play God? Not that I believe in Him anymore.

But Metas... accepting them into society without the proper controls ,now that was just asking for trouble. Society got in way over it's head. And guess who had to dig it out....right? Alpha knew this and I've followed him since my recruitment....he trained me since day one. All of those years ago...

He’s good though. I don’t agree with what it’s come to, but he’s good.
And I used to see past it. I used to fire, I used to hit, and then I used to move on.

He paused as he waited by the newsstand for the runner to deliver his block of messages and receive tonight's orders from command. The wind stirred a chill in him as he stood waiting. His mind still a swirl of uncertainty. People and cars passed the non descript man unknowingly, not seeing him, more intent on their doubts and fears as they walked on by.

But I’ve changed. I can still pull the trigger and, Hell,I’m as sure a shot as you’ll ever find. But I can see my shot tear through them. I can hear them scream. I can smell the blood. I watch them hit the ground and eventually lie still as their life slips away. But it’s not life, is it? They’re not real. Not human. They’re not live, they’re just metas...right? It’s so hard to remember that. They’re not /human/.

But they look it.

And I get nauseous, or squeamish, and I don’t know how to stop it. Yeah, sure, they’re just metas...she is /just/ a mutant, I know that. But it unnerves me: I've watched her, build loyalties, sacrifice herself for others...especially her own teammates..just like one of us. Yeah, you heard me. No not like one of us....better than us. This time judging from the Intel he was reading she wasn't telling any of her /remaining/ assets about her nightly attacks.

She is protecting them! Would Alpha do such a thing for his team?,...would he for /me/?

Its like she wont accept her place. She thinks she’s still human, protesting this falsehood right until it’s over. And she'll die anyway; its only a matter of time before Alpha's plan comes to its finale. She is dancing , as she would put it right to his tune. Its like he was counting on her to isolate herself....

But I keep asking myself..is this a righteous kill? Sure she is hitting our cells...but would she be this intent on /just/ Malta if he hadn't been gunning for her? If she wants enduring this much punishment each night?

He pauses in his reflections as the runner arrives via a chipped and worn skateboard. The exchange is brief and subtle, one packet for another. Fergie turning back the way he came as the skateboarder continues on to his next drop. The rain chills Fergie as he skulks down a litter filled alleyway...

But if I want to keep my job, I need to keep my head or someone’ll knock it off my shoulders for me. Alpha is depending on me..
Maybe if he kills her we can get back to business. I have to stay focused.

So I choke it down. I look away. Then I move on.

It’s Part Of The Business.

But I can’t block it out anymore.

=======================

originally posted by Skilla of the Templars


She dashed through the summer rain, clutching her violin case beneath her raincoat, puddles splashing up into her little beige sandals. Her red hair was plastered wetly to her head, the carefully straightened waves springing into sopping curls in the humidity. Her bangs flopped into her face, water streaming into her eyes. Blindly, she tried to flip the curls back. Suddenly, she collided hard with a fellow pedestrian, the bigger man sending her back to the pavement. Her coat flew open, her violin case skittering along the concrete, the rain instantly rushing in to soak her pretty white sundress. "Damn it!" she said, ignoring the muddy stains marring her hem as she reached for her fallen instrument. Quickly, she pulled off her little blue coat, flinching as the chill rain hit her bare shoulders, and wrapped it around the case, cradling it like a child.

"Sorry," she said, looking up to see if her fellow passerby was in a similar predicament. She frowned a little, as she saw she was alone on the sidewalk, the other man having seemingly melted into brown sugar and rain. "Huh. Guess he was ok," she sighed, surveying the mess she'd become, her dress slick with mud, turning slightly transparent in the relentless downpour. Bryce's place is closer, she thought, holding her case a little closer to her body. I'm sure he'll be happy to help me get cleaned up, and warmed up, she smiled to herself, pushing back her short, heavy curls, and dashing back off into the storm.


==============

[ QUOTE ]
she smiled to herself, pushing back her short, heavy curls, and dashing back off into the storm.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fergie watched from the alleyway he had ducked into as the Sverund girl had moved on through the storm. She was what was called a 'target of opportunity'. Alpha's standing orders were to observe and perhaps if necessary eliminate. Something Ferguson could easily had done just now. His training giving a far more severe advantage over her abilities.

Why didn’t I? He thought, it would drive Diam..., he corrected himself quickly...the primary target into a frenzy. Have her fully off guard the way Alpha wanted...

Yet it seemed unsporting and as Fergie thought about it would give her back her allies...

He had watched how she cradled her violin case, protective of it as if it were her child. He understood this for he too played the instrument, but had not for so long...

Ancient history, he reminded himself as he headed back into the rain to complete his objective.

Still though...

I wonder how well she can play?

=======================

".....as reported earlier by this reporter, a criminal investigation of several Crey Pharmaceutical Laboratories has completed tonight with the shut down of no less than three of these underground facilities and the arrest of more than four dozen Crey scientific, medical and security personnel, including Doctor Phyllis Haversham, a noted Crey scientist.

Acting on a tip Paragon City Heroes, Sergeant Harriman, Medico and Vanguard along with Diamond, raided a warehouse and three labs spanning from Skyway to 'Crey's Folly' and discovered what has been reported allegedly as an illegal cloning operation that may somehow be tied to the rumored Crey Project Revenant.

According to preliminary reports more than two hundred of the Crey's own hero team the Paragon Protectors have been taken into custody or have been taking to medical facilities.

The four heroes have begun to turn over all evidence to Police authorities and aid in the disposition of the arrested suspects. I am now being told that Diamond is available for questions Mary so I am working my way over to her and the on site Police representative Captain Lyle Davis..."

Stepping away from the milling chaos of the police fire and rescue workers, Sgt. Harriman's large armored form stepped back to an abandoned alleyway across the street. His helm firmly tucked under one arm as he dragged on his cigarette. His steel blue eyes scanned the brightly lit area where the more experienced heroine was now speaking to the reporters as Vanguard stood beside her. Harriman smiled; it was amazing to all three of them that she came to help. All of them were far below her security level but she was exactly what they had come to expect from what they knew of her...

Besides, she did exactly what his so called informer told him she would do. Taking another pull on his cigarette he shook his head, tonight the four of them had made the press. First time for him and the others, they couldn’t have raided these places without her. Not with all of those Protectors...too many for just Vanguard's and his blasts...

He took out his cell and dialed the prearranged number. The other end answered at the first ring.

"It is done?"

"Yep all three facilities are finished and she came just as you said she would" Harriman said in a hushed tone. "Tell me something, what is this to you anyways and why us? We’ve never met as far as i can tell, your voice patterns match nothing I have on record"

A soft humorless chuckle followed "No no we have not Sergeant and I'm not surprised. Allow me to answer your second question first I chose you three because you were in the area and able to deal with the threat...plus I knew she would come to your aid...as for what it is to me. I’m sorry you will have to suffice with a single answer this time if you wish to work on such a thing again"

"Good enough I suppose...and you knew she would come how?"

"Your last question Sergeant, I'm afraid I must go, let's just say I know her and I had to do this." a pause " Enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame Sergeant as I will enjoy this rare moment for myself"

With that the call ended. The armored hero looked up as Medico padded across the street to him in her bouncy like way.

"Will! Will! She is waving us over! “She landed right before him as he slipped his cell back into his belt.

"Oh?" he said amused

"Oh Yes!" she nodded "She wants us all to get the credit for the interview she even got annoyed with the reporter, she says she was only here to help and -you- were the leader of our team!" she paused to catch her breath "they want statements from you! From all of us!"

He stumbled behind her as she snagged his arm, dragging him back into the chaos before the ruined lab.

=================

“Enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame Sergeant, as I will enjoy this rare moment for myself”

The caller hit his end button and paused as the rain beat down steadily soaking through his thinning hair. He drew a breath and sighed pressing the phone to his forehead already slick with sweat and rain. He tried to steady his already shaken nerves, he had not expected so quick a response, and Poor Phyllis had not had time to get clear.

Not that he had expected her too; she had done what he had come to expect from such Crey project leaders. She had donned her armor and attempted to defend her part of the project. Now she would face justice...

Good...

He lowered the cell phone and drew a breath. If he was right, he knew one of the two people he needed now Kara would've told. The other she would not have. He wasn’t surprised given what he had learned of the other through their recent intelligence reports. Yet he knew Kara...he knew this call was right.

One had to know already...this one would not.

He dialed the number and waited, frowning softly as he got a voice mail.

Drawing a breath he began...

"Rhuby Quartz, you do not know me but I am aware of you. There is something going on that you may not be aware of, something of great importance. I am willing to meet with you to discuss it, and how you may help. I stress that this is becoming a life threatening situation for someone you... know. Call this number 555-6767 it will have a voicemail for you to leave an appointed time and place to meet. I will attend, we will not speak again until then....*click*"

Slowly he replaced the cell phone into the pocket of his trench coat and raised the collar. Stepping out onto the sidewalk from the alleyway he hailed a cab. He would await her message he had to get back before he was missed. Stepping into the yellow cab, Dr. William Reynolds headed back into the bowels of the city. Atleast now he felt he was doing the right thing and it terrified him.

============

Origninally posted by Orion's Fist of the Templars


Bryce is standing quietly in his apartment at the arched loft window watching the rain come down, looking for any signs of trouble on the street below around the complex when he hears Melissa knock on the door, he turns on his heels slowly and strides over to the door, opening it and smiling brightly when he sees her, restraining a laugh that escapes as a small chuckle anyways at her predicament.

"Hey beautiful? You been tryin' to use the sidewalk as a water slide again?"

he lets her in and closes the door behind her, taking her stuff from her and setting it down in the corner near the door, he gives her a small kiss before he walks into the bedroom and gets into his drawer, coming back with one of his old "Property of Paragon City High School Basketball" T-Shirts and a towel.

"Thought you might want to take a shower, get all the gunk off of ya. I'll fix you somethin' to eat while yer in there if yer hungry...."

he smiles as he thinks about the turn of events his life has taken recently and how fortunate he has been thus far to be surrounded by so many people that care about him and the woman he loves.


==================


Orginally posted by Skilla of the Templars

"My hero!" Melissa laughed, heading for the shower. "Food would be fantastic!"

It's nice to be able to take a shower without worrying about whether someone is listening...or watching, she contemplated as she turned on the water, and reached for the soap. After three "lather, rinse and repeats," the little bottle of shampoo she'd left the last time she stayed was empty and she finally felt clean again. She toweled off, stepping out into the steamy room, and pulled on Bryce's t-shirt. She giggled at her blurry image in the foggy mirror, as what must have been a nearly skin tight T-shirt on Bryce dwarfed her minuesque proportions. The fabric brushed the back of her knees as she fiddled with the neck, which insisted on drooping to one side, exposing one bare shoulder or another. She laughed stepping out of the bathroom.

"I look like a Calvin Klein model for a new perfume," she giggled, striking an overdone, over sexed, pouty-lipped poise against the door frame. "Possession...the new fragrance from Calvin Klein, for men with clingy girlfriends...." she giggled again, going to kiss Bryce softly on the cheek. "Thanks handsome, now lemme check on my baby..." She crossed quickly to her case, and opened it, wiping off the mud and grime from the outside with her ruined dress. Carefully, she pulled out the gleaming instrument, checking it for cracks or dents with a practiced eye. Experimentally, she drew the bow across the strings, and winced at the dischordant cacophony of notes that burst out. "God. It's completely out of tune!" she grumbled, coiling up on Bryce's huge bed to begin the involving task of tuning. Her face grew concentrated as she adjusted each key, playing a single note over and over until her perfect ear was statisfied, lost to the world as she retuned her precious instrument. Finally, with a sigh of happiness, she drew the bow across the strings, a soft rainbowed harmony following the mahogany and horsehair. With a smile at her lover, she stood, and began to play, an elegant piece by Beethoven, letting the music fill the room with its soft nuances. Mozart followed, and Haydn, Perlman's exquisite solo arrangements of his traditional Yiddish folk songs, and finally she drifted into pieces of her own compositions, half written, half inspired, until at last she played on instinct alone, her eyes closed, breathing the music, playing as if the bow was an extension of her own limbs. Nothing really matched the beauty of that moment, her damp red curls swaying around her face, sublime in its creative expression. She lived music, harmonies and melodies running through her veins. She was music...

Suddenly she stopped, embarrassed, looking up. "Sorry. I got lost there. I'm not even sure what it was I was playing...I should write it down I guess, if I can remember it. I was just letting my baby sing..." With infinite tenderness, she laid the instrument back in its case, shutting it firmly, and went to join Bryce at the table.

July 6th, 2006 - Somewhere in King's Row

"Report" Alpha barely glanced up as he continued to clean his weapon.

"All intel is still being collected" Fergie said from the shadows of the doorway "all interviews were conducted and all primaries and secondaries are currently being monitored by the rotating schedule you created"

The aged gunslinger grinned "Wonderful thank you Fergie...once they are all in collect them and bring them to me"

Fergie nodded and retreated to the hallway to carry out his commander's orders.

Soon you little [censored], Alpha thought as he worked the action of his reassembled pistol....real soon now.


=============

July 6th, 2006 - At an Undisclosed Location in Brickstown

"Sir its as if they don't exist but we know they are here in the city" said the Tac-ops officer. His voice echoing somewhat in the darkened womb of the Crey security center.

"How....How is that possible? " Dr. Reynolds gasped standing up placing both of his palms across the dark table top. "How can Malta be in the city and other Malta not know where they are? what is this Commander?"

"A very intriguing Question" snipped the Crey Security chief as she took a rather long drag from her thin black cigar "For that is now the fifth containment operation these so called 'shadow Malta' have interfered with or blown this week"

She turned to the bulk of a man in dark fatigues seated beside her. The Chief found the Malta's new head of the Containment/Security units was very quickly grating on her nerves. "Or is this some insanely unprofessional method to raising your initial figure?"

Blue Alpha One quirked a brow then smiled shaking his head almost innocently though a soft ember of anger grilled steadily in his gaze "Well to be honest No Ma'am it taint....taint at all"

He rose and walked over to the main board "Way's I figure it....she has got one of our boys with a bur under his saddle..."

Dr. Reynolds blinked. He wasn't used to the Western and cliched expressions this new Malta commander favored employing "Excuse me...she did what?"

"Pissed off one of his people -BIG- time" snapped the Security chief coolly "So what are you saying..we have a rogue?"

Blue's eyes narrowed and he shook his head evenly "Yes Ma'am...we do at that and one who knows how to operate under the radar....waaaay under it seems."

He sighed and continued "If we are to bring in your little darlin' Doc...we have to begin to track these pards down and well no matter what ..."

He turned to look back "with this many players on the field...and with the eventual involvement eventually of all of those pesky assets your little Kara seems to pluck outta the air...well..."

He grinned and lifted his leg to place his boot in the cent of his chair resting on his elbows across his knee, his demeanor like out of an old cowboy film from the fifties, even dofting his hat a bit with in finger.

"Well....we are looking at quite a reckoning..."

"oh my god" breathed Dr Reynolds.

"Sweet Jesus...we have to bring them in or find them ourselves" the Security chief snapped.

"I would...'especially with all of the ops both of our folks have a going" Blue added "and eventually if'n this is one of ours...in time we may be pulled from here to hunt him down proper"

Blue grinned "Don't you just love chaos theory when it applies to the work y'all just have to enjoy?"

My god, thought Dr. Reyonlds...

...what have I done!

I woul dlike to once again put in for a return to the old thigh high boot look. I disagree that the boots made the female legs look fat, it did add a degree of depth to the costume piece that now looks like a long sock :P

We already have the long sock look on the disco bottoms, be nice to be able to /choose/ between such a look again.

Choice is always a good thing

Oh wow Foxbat?

Ping Pong Ball Guns?

Centipededmobile? (if I remember it defies description :P )

Cool!

No question, but welcome Bruce, can't wait to see where such a mind takes our upcoming Story arcs and potentional new missions!

June 29th, 2006 - King's Row


The cool warm night breeze felt good on his face as he stepped out onto the ancient rusted fire escape. The soft orange glow of his cigar softly lit a cruel weather worn face as he leaned against the chipped brick wall of the abandoned tenement. His eyes scanned over the reports he held in his hands.

He smirked as he began to take in the night's reports. The patrols and the surveillance teams were right on schedule. He read the recon contact sheets with an amused smirk...

"Not bad Fergie" he said to the shadowed form behind him at the window.

"All of the reports are not in yet tonight sir...but it looks like the target is off world tonight"

Alpha grinned a hallow smirk "Oh but she will be back....her training demands it....our info on her promotion is accurate"

"Yes sir...."

"Perfect...teams all been re-briefed?" he turned to look at him as he reached the recon report for the Sverund girl. He smirked at the transcript. The girl knows...but cant find us either, He thought. Screaming randomly...not too shabby.

"Oh yes sir...and tactics have been shifted to meet any of her forms....its only a matter of time...but sir?" Fergie began

"What?" he drew in a long warm bitter sting of tobacco and exhaled a thin stream of smoke to the night air

"Sir a few of the team leaders are wondering when we move in for the kill?" Fergie cleared his throat nervously , he knew what was coming.

"Keep sending them out...no change to the objective" Alpha droned

"Sir the leaders are concerned about attrition and ...well..." Fergie shifted uncomfortably.

"OPS is worried she is hitting their usual operations here in Paragon?" Alpha half turned to look at him.

Fergie nodded "She is getting motivated....more so than usual"

Alpha grinned "That is partially the point....and the reports...is it mostly just her and the police?"

Fergie nodded "yes sir...but with the new Kronos Project being shipped..' he was silenced by his friend and commander's hand being raised.

"Focus on our ops Fergie..let me worry about main OPS...this is going according to plan" he inhaled again pausing to savor the taste "Send out tonight's orders and get ready to bug out to site twenty one"

Fergie opened his mouth to say more and stopped himself nodding "Yes sir...right away"

Alpha smiled. Oh yes...right to plan. He thought to himself as his eyes traveled along the night sky.

British Military Says Five Killed in Helicopter Crash in Southern Cascades

Posted: 09 May 2006 1040 hrs
- AFP

FIREBASE ZULU : The British military in The Shard said that five of its troops had died in the helicopter crash a day before in the southern part of the Shard Zone known as the Cascades Archepelogo.

"Five of our troops perished in the helicopter crash," British military spokesman Major Sebastian Muntz told AFP Sunday, adding that the military had nearly completed the work to recover the wreckage.

"Most of the wreckage has been recovered," he said.

In London British Defense Secretary Des Browne had said that up to five troops died in the crash, but was not yet ready to confirm the number until the families of those involved had been notified..

"There were no more than five people on board the helicopter," he told BBC television. "We are currently informing the next of kin."

Browne said investigations were underway to determine what happened and reiterated his condolences to the families of the dead military personnel.

The crash, which occurred on Saturday, sparked bloody clashes with at least five refugees killed and dozens wounded, as well as scores of Rularuu killed that were in the area, when British troops sent to recover their dead from the crashed Lynx helicopter clashed with an angry mob of refugees and the local Rularuu guardians.

Browne said that about 200 to 300 people "involved in serious disorder were brought under control within a matter of hours and calm and order restored by (Saturday) evening". The refugees were believed from a camp disrupted by the current operation in the Chantry..
"Many of the refugees have been flooding into the wilderness of the Cascades to avoid the current fighting but the camps in the Cascade are unable to fully accommodate them as of yet" Said Maj. Ian Vellacora of the British forces operating with the Expeditionary Forces.

"We simply haven't been able to settle them all down yet and get proper organization."

The operation referred too is the Joint Expeditionary/American OPERATION SWARMER which has been attempting to open up convoy routes to the refugee camps in the shard Zone known as the Chantry since it launched on April 20th of this year. The operation has met with limited success and is nearing the end of its second phase.

British and American soldiers, along with Heroes from the Firebase Zulu Security Contingent had worked together "to restore stability to the area round about the incident" and refugees are being given what food and medicine that are available. The camps would soon be now going "about their normal business, soon.", Maj. Vellacora added.