Beyol altered the shape of the grip on his khe blood soaking his hands was making it difficult to hold onto it properly. He took a step into the puddle, the faint squelch-spsh of his footsteps eg lightly in the empty room. He looked down at the body and tilted his head, it had taken a while to peel all the stone off the man’s skin. It was informative, though, in more ways than one. First of all he’d learhat people with abilities like this actually wore their power like an armor that affixed itself to the skin. Blunt force trauma while they were restrained would be far more effective si couldn’t protect them from the shock of hits.
He watched the thug’s st breath rattle out and turned away, walking over to a bucket where he tossed his knife ihe water. Instinct told him that his metallic blood wouldn’t be affected wheurhe bde to his bloodstream, in fact, he’d do before. It just seemed unsanitary this time around. He let out a breath and looked back over his shoulder.
These guys work for a self-procimed Supervilin named Shark arently runs all the gangs in New York City, he didn’t take kindly to the killing of that cabbie. I should keep in mind that taxis have dash cams now. He frowned and held his hand over the bucket, the metal liquified ihe water and rose up and into his palm before sliding into the cut on his wrist. And that ‘King’ of New York works for someone else… He opened his other hand and looked at the white queen pin. Ishtar, huh? A literal goddess who awaken powers and even gift them.
He frowned in ption as the cut on his wrist sealed up, They’re… proud of being vilins? Why?
He looked back at the corpse and shook his head, Not my problem, Sonya ovna es first.
After ing up a bit more he slipped out of the old building, just another abaructure in the heart of this overpoputed city. He still didn’t know where Sonya lived, but he knew where she worked. The location of the ASTA bs was on knowledge and he needed a better look at the pce. Footage of her ing and going was ohing, but g the structure itself could prove valuable iure. He stalked dowreets, pretending to wander and stig to poputed areas as long as he could to remain in the crowd, even this te there were parts of the city that were packed with people.
This pce really never sleeps, He thought as he rouhe er ahead of his destination. He kept walking as the outer walls of the boratory came into view. The big golden ASTA logo on the side gleaming under artificial light. His eyes shot up, there were drones patrolling the exterior and armed guards at the main gate. The automatic ons strapped to their chests were far more than the average security force maintained. Paramilitary? He mused and beeliowards the main gate. He held up a hand, “Excuse me!” He called.
The two guards turo him and frowned, one of them spoke up, “This is a secure area, please keep your distaer business hours.”
He pyed up his best wounded expression, “Oh! Sorry about that, I’m o the city and just need some dires,” He said with a false smile, his eyes sing their features, What outfit are you from- what? He noted a tattoo on the neck of one of them, a fish? No, A shark.
“Where are you heading?” The guard with the tattoo asked.
“Times Square? My phone is dead so I’m pretty lost,” He said with a nervous ugh.
The guards exged looks and snorted, “Kid you are way out of the way, might want to go home and charge your phoay off the streets at night around here,” The man with the tattoo said.
Beyol’s shoulders slumped, “O-oh, I wao see it at night…”
“Try again tomorrow, even if I gave you dires it would take you at least an hour. Do you know how to get back to where you’re staying? Need us to call a cab?” The guard asked.
He scratched his head, “I-I know where it is, I’ll make my way back…” He said with a shake of his head and turned away, walking back the dire he’d e. Only after he got out of eyeshot did he double bad make his way around the side of the building, walking around the exterior to check for any other entrahere were none. He frow the drohis will be more difficult than I thought, and that guard… he art of that Shark person’s group, wasn’t he? A mole?
He rounded on his heel and started his way back to his hotel before pausing, No, better not, I’ll find somewhere else to sleep. Those thugs found me immediately. They know where I’m staying.
His ph and he frowned, pulling it out, This guy…
–
Phan Duong sat on his couch with a scowl on his face, staring down at the phone oable. He’d set it to speaker and it was still ringing. He gowards his fiance who gave him a patient but disapproving look. “What?” He asked tersely, “I want to know this is being handled, you said he was one of the best, right?”
She closed her amethyst eyes a out a sigh, pulling back her bck hair over her ear, “Darling, these things take time, he’ll say the same I assure you.”
The phone clicked and a voice came through the other end, “Razor.”
“Razor, is it done?” Duong demanded, leaning towards the phone.
“I don’t like being on speaker phone,” Razor responded coldly.
“It’s just me and Hyunh,” Duong said, “Now ahe question.”
“I am perf my initial iigation and g,” Razor clipped, “These things take time, sir, I ask that you be patient.”
Duong scowled, “The hero lising begins soon, I don’t want that woman taking credit for it!”
“Then you should have called on me sooner,” Razor said, “This will happen on my timetable, I suggest you listen to Miss Feng and atiently for my reports.”
Duo his face grow warm, the lights in the room flickered as he glowered at the phone. He grit his teeth and ched his fists, This bastard! He froze when a gentle ha on his shoulder and rubbed it solingly. He whipped his head towards Hyunh who was looking him in the eyes with earness. He let out a breath and ran his fihrough his hair which started to stand on end, the lights being steady again, “Fine. But I want mur reports.”
“As you wish,” Razor said and ehe call.
Hyunh squeezed his arm, “Beloved, I know you are eager to see this woman die, but I urge you to be patient with him. Your temper could be the death of you one day if you are not more careful,” She said softly, her hand slipping up to take his cheek.
Despite his desire to sh out, he rexed a little, “F-fine…” He huffed.
–
Sonya hummed lightly to herself, her fingers running over the surface of her helmet. She traced the lines and edges of the design. Amos really did a good job with this thing, she thought absently before turning back to her desk. The door to the partment slid shut with a quiet hiss, seamlessly blending into the wall. Her expression fell at the sight of the doodle she’d left on the er of one of the stiotes she’d left for herself on top of a pile of packages. A chalice.
The Chalice, she frowhe trigger that Otis pulled to start the domino effect that led to the war. He’d brought it out just at the right time, whehics were at their peak and things were going well for humanity. If we’d stayed uhe world would have been fine, better than fine. She plucked the note up and eyed it silently, ve. Very ve. Was it just luck that the first Mythigeon he picked to raid was host to the chalice?
Her eyes narrowed, No, that doesn’t sound like Otis. He knew something, knows something, inside information perhaps? How? She ched her jaw, Does he know the nature of dungeons when he enters them? He seemed so fident back then when he decred they’d raid the dungeon and hand picked everyone who came in with him.
She put the note back down, It’s the only expnation I have right now. What if I shook his hand?
She scoffed, He only has eyes for Mythid I’m not about to out myself. I’ll figure out another way. I ’t track him, though, I ’t even remember what he looks like, damn it.
She’d tried drawing the image from her memory after the dream but it had e up blurred. Whatever it was, it was an omnipotent ability that re impossible to retain his fa your mind after you left a certain distance, even pictures taken of him by the media came up distorted. Infuriating. She let out a sigh and rubbed her temples, Rex, Sonya, you have visitors ing.
Her ph in her head and she gnced up at the clock, Shark’s Calling? I have a few minutes, I guess.
Sonya sat up, her eyebrows rising,
Sonya smiled and rexed, resting her on her knuckles,
She o herself,
The call ended and Sonya smirked, “It’s going well,” She said and got back to her feet. Recruiting gangs and criminal anizations is ohing. But the most dangerous and powerful individuals will be hiding in the prisons around this time. I’ll draw them into my orbit. This atta the heroes will serve to decre the existence anized vilins a some of the attackers arrested. After that I just o…
A chime came to her door and she gowards it and then at the clo her HUD. Oh, it’s time.
Sonya walked around her desk leaned against it before willing the door to open in front of her. She cracked a broad smile and spread her arms wide, “Wele, future heroes!” She said brightly as Firestorm, Bandit, Bluestar, and Lifesaver walked into her office. They looked around curiously, their eyes wide with i. She gri them and o the security guard who had guided them and Marta who was standing outside. Marta nodded bad turned away as the door shut behind the gathered heroes.
“Hello Miss ovna,” Firestorm said brightly, walking over and shaking her hand briskly. She pat his hand and pulled him in for a hug. “Oh!”
“o be so formal, dear! We’re friends, aren’t we?” She said warmly and pulled back, looking him up and down, “How has this brief vacation been?”
“Rexing, if a bit stressful, I wish I was bae,” He said soberly.
She pat his arm, “Not long now, Hero Day is in a few days and then we’ll send yht back to work. There are plenty of talented young people back there who cover for you in the meantime.”
He scratched his nose, “Y-yeah.”
She turo the other three. Bandit was rubbing his ned Lifesaver was admiring the design of the room. Only Bluestar had her eyes fixed on Sonya. Sonya smiled at her and walked over, “Bluestar, did you get the packet I sent you?”
The girl blinked, “Uh… yes, I read them all, but I’m fused about why.”
“I hear you have a degree in business administration and some solid experience managing people,” Sonya said casually, “I’m thinking about putting in a good word for you to bee a guildmaster. The job would suit you.”
Bluestar gaped at her but Sonya was already in her own pace, she turned away with a whirl and walked to her desk, “Now, for why I brought you all here! I have presents!” She chirped and put her hand on the packages. “Who wants to try theirs on first?”
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