***
"So if they'd been better with the pay plan, you would have worked for the Council?" Horizon asked as he used his powers to blow the warehouse
door inwards, flattening the rather shocked guard in the process. Lady of the Peace followed up with a fireball through the opening that set the other people
in the room on fire.
"Sure," Sell-Sword said as he stepped in, firing a short burst at one of the guards. "I've worked for worse."
"Worse then Nazis?" Lady wondered as she followed him in. Flames flickered around her hands as she whispered an incantation. A moment later, flames
formed just below the rooftop and dropped on the Nazis running towards them. As they tried to find cover or just charge through, Horizon picked up the door
again and threw it at them.
Sell-sword tagged the guards still breathing and teleported them to the Zig. "You'd be surprised," he said.
"And now?" Horizon asked as they walked into the warehouse, ignoring the sirens wailing.
"I'm under contract to the FBSA and Riot Force," he shrugged. "And the pixie pays well. One of the kids better habits."
The gravity giant chuckled. "And you hired this guy?" he asked Lady. Before she could answer, a pair of Nebulas emerged from a side room. Lady
knocked the first ones gun away from her with one hand, formed a sphere of magical energy around her other fist, and punched him in the face. As he flew
backwards and collided with a wall, Sword swapped modes on his rifle and unloaded a shotgun shell into the other Nebulas chest.
"Two reasons," Lady smirked. "One, he's worth the contract. Two, I don't want to go up against him." Horizon considered this, then
nodded, moving on ahead.
"Gee fairy princess, I'm flattered," Sword laughed.
"Just go earn your paycheck mercenary," she said, rolling her eyes. The armored hero shot off a mock salute and moved on. She took off her glasses
and wiped them on her coattails, then jogged after them.
This particular Council safehouse was relatively well-defended, but with more Nebulas then any other type of soldier. The trio of heroes were deep inside the
base and causing havoc before the Nazis could get organized, and showing no signs of slowing down. "Factory floor," Lady noted as they passed through
a break room and onto a balcony looking over the large room, filled with crates, conveyor belts and Nazis.
There was an amused chuckle from behind her as Iridium Horizon stepped past her. "Mind your head," he said, raising his arms. Even as the Council
soldiers below raised their weapons, their surroundings went wild. Crates flipped up into the air and down onto unlucky men, tools flew in all directions, even
one or two Nebulas found themselves airborne.
It only lasted a moment, Horizon having his limits, but it was enough to throw the gathered villains into chaos. As he backed up, trying to get his breath
back, Lady of the Peace and Sell-sword jumped over the railing and took to the air, floating over the factory floor and launching their own all-out assault.
Flames, grenades and gunfire rained down on the Nazis, sending the survivors running, and by the time the pair were done, Horizon was ready to go again,
finishing off those left standing.
"Quick, brutal, and effective," Lady smiled as she landed back on the balcony. "Now, to find their computers and find out just what they've
been up to," she said.
"That won't be needed, Miss Ifrit Barnes," replied a new, stern voice. The trio turned to find a Council Archon standing there with nearly ten
Vortexes standing behind him. "Had you asked, I would have been more then happy to tell you about our recent operations," he continued, a cold smirk
on his face. The three members of Riot Force didn't move, given the number of weapons aimed at them. "After all, they did involve you somewhat."
"You know this guy?" Sword asked.
Ifrit shook her head. "Not really... he does look familiar though," she replied, thinking.
"He knows you," Horizon pointed out.
"Yes, but she lacks a secret identity," the Archon smirked. "Most troublesome. My name is Cartney-"
"Now I remember you!" Lady interrupted, snapping her fingers. "Faes Piñata!"
She was rewarded with a slight twitch from the Nazi, confirming her theory.
"I remember that story," Sell-Sword said, a smirk clearly in his voice. "She was after candy, and Wide said-"
"Enough!" Cartney snapped, his calm facade cracking somewhat. "There are more important things for you to worry about right now."
"Like the fact you're smirking about knowing my name," Ifrit replied. "I'll admit it's a concern, but it's a fact I've had
to deal with from day one."
"Actually, you are still new enough to life as a costumed 'hero' that you are of little concern," the Archon said, the knowing smirk
returning to his face. "The Council is more interested in your brother, Robert. Or does he prefer Knight of the Peace?" he smiled. Ifrit flinched
slightly. She'd seen it coming, but even so... "Unlike you, I believe his powers are based in his armor, correct?" he asked, in the tone of a man
that already knew the answer.
As Ifrit glared at him, the smirk widened. "In an odd twist of fate, even as you entered this facility, I received word that the Sky Raiders have stormed
the medicomm facility in New Overbrook. Until they are driven out - an hour at the most, I expect - there will be no medical teleports there. So when they
attack your brothers apartment..."
"You son of a bitch," she growled, flames flickering around her. The Vortexes readied their weapons - then one of them jerked suddenly, his yelp of
pain taking on a slower tone then what would be expected. Cartney spun, only to duck as a red blur leapt over his head and landed in front of him.
"Hey guys, check out the new upgrade!" said the small woman in red power armor. All three heroes recognized her as Net Sabre, one of the supergroups
subteam called the Sabres of Paragon (Ifrit also recognized her as her flatmate, but hey, secret identity). Cartney growled as a pair of Vortexes fired on her,
only for Net to use her stolen speed to slip out of the line of fire - and it took their attention off the other three heroes for a moment.
Cartney was reminded of this critical fact when an almost solid blast of flame slammed into his chest, knocking him back several feet. His attention refocused
on Lady of the Peace just before she flew at him, a glowing fist colliding with his face and throwing him backwards. At the same time, the other three members
of Riot Force opened fire on the other Council soldiers.
***
"So if they'd been better with the pay plan, you would have worked for the Council?" Horizon asked as he used his powers to blow the warehouse
door inwards, flattening the rather shocked guard in the process. Lady of the Peace followed up with a fireball through the opening that set the other people
in the room on fire.
"Sure," Sell-Sword said as he stepped in, firing a short burst at one of the guards. "I've worked for worse."
"Worse then Nazis?" Lady wondered as she followed him in. Flames flickered around her hands as she whispered an incantation. A moment later, flames
formed just below the rooftop and dropped on the Nazis running towards them. As they tried to find cover or just charge through, Horizon picked up the door
again and threw it at them.
Sell-sword tagged the guards still breathing and teleported them to the Zig. "You'd be surprised," he said.
"And now?" Horizon asked as they walked into the warehouse, ignoring the sirens wailing.
"I'm under contract to the FBSA and Riot Force," he shrugged. "And the pixie pays well. One of the kids better habits."
The gravity giant chuckled. "And you hired this guy?" he asked Lady. Before she could answer, a pair of Nebulas emerged from a side room. Lady
knocked the first ones gun away from her with one hand, formed a sphere of magical energy around her other fist, and punched him in the face. As he flew
backwards and collided with a wall, Sword swapped modes on his rifle and unloaded a shotgun shell into the other Nebulas chest.
"Two reasons," Lady smirked. "One, he's worth the contract. Two, I don't want to go up against him." Horizon considered this, then
nodded, moving on ahead.
"Gee fairy princess, I'm flattered," Sword laughed.
"Just go earn your paycheck mercenary," she said, rolling her eyes. The armored hero shot off a mock salute and moved on. She took off her glasses
and wiped them on her coattails, then jogged after them.
This particular Council safehouse was relatively well-defended, but with more Nebulas then any other type of soldier. The trio of heroes were deep inside the
base and causing havoc before the Nazis could get organized, and showing no signs of slowing down. "Factory floor," Lady noted as they passed through
a break room and onto a balcony looking over the large room, filled with crates, conveyor belts and Nazis.
There was an amused chuckle from behind her as Iridium Horizon stepped past her. "Mind your head," he said, raising his arms. Even as the Council
soldiers below raised their weapons, their surroundings went wild. Crates flipped up into the air and down onto unlucky men, tools flew in all directions, even
one or two Nebulas found themselves airborne.
It only lasted a moment, Horizon having his limits, but it was enough to throw the gathered villains into chaos. As he backed up, trying to get his breath
back, Lady of the Peace and Sell-sword jumped over the railing and took to the air, floating over the factory floor and launching their own all-out assault.
Flames, grenades and gunfire rained down on the Nazis, sending the survivors running, and by the time the pair were done, Horizon was ready to go again,
finishing off those left standing.
"Quick, brutal, and effective," Lady smiled as she landed back on the balcony. "Now, to find their computers and find out just what they've
been up to," she said.
"That won't be needed, Miss Ifrit Barnes," replied a new, stern voice. The trio turned to find a Council Archon standing there with nearly ten
Vortexes standing behind him. "Had you asked, I would have been more then happy to tell you about our recent operations," he continued, a cold smirk
on his face. The three members of Riot Force didn't move, given the number of weapons aimed at them. "After all, they did involve you somewhat."
"You know this guy?" Sword asked.
Ifrit shook her head. "Not really... he does look familiar though," she replied, thinking.
"He knows you," Horizon pointed out.
"Yes, but she lacks a secret identity," the Archon smirked. "Most troublesome. My name is Cartney-"
"Now I remember you!" Lady interrupted, snapping her fingers. "Faes Piñata!"
She was rewarded with a slight twitch from the Nazi, confirming her theory.
"I remember that story," Sell-Sword said, a smirk clearly in his voice. "She was after candy, and Wide said-"
"Enough!" Cartney snapped, his calm facade cracking somewhat. "There are more important things for you to worry about right now."
"Like the fact you're smirking about knowing my name," Ifrit replied. "I'll admit it's a concern, but it's a fact I've had
to deal with from day one."
"Actually, you are still new enough to life as a costumed 'hero' that you are of little concern," the Archon said, the knowing smirk
returning to his face. "The Council is more interested in your brother, Robert. Or does he prefer Knight of the Peace?" he smiled. Ifrit flinched
slightly. She'd seen it coming, but even so... "Unlike you, I believe his powers are based in his armor, correct?" he asked, in the tone of a man
that already knew the answer.
As Ifrit glared at him, the smirk widened. "In an odd twist of fate, even as you entered this facility, I received word that the Sky Raiders have stormed
the medicomm facility in New Overbrook. Until they are driven out - an hour at the most, I expect - there will be no medical teleports there. So when they
attack your brothers apartment..."
"You son of a bitch," she growled, flames flickering around her. The Vortexes readied their weapons - then one of them jerked suddenly, his yelp of
pain taking on a slower tone then what would be expected. Cartney spun, only to duck as a red blur leapt over his head and landed in front of him.
"Hey guys, check out the new upgrade!" said the small woman in red power armor. All three heroes recognized her as Net Sabre, one of the supergroups
subteam called the Sabres of Paragon (Ifrit also recognized her as her flatmate, but hey, secret identity). Cartney growled as a pair of Vortexes fired on her,
only for Net to use her stolen speed to slip out of the line of fire - and it took their attention off the other three heroes for a moment.
Cartney was reminded of this critical fact when an almost solid blast of flame slammed into his chest, knocking him back several feet. His attention refocused
on Lady of the Peace just before she flew at him, a glowing fist colliding with his face and throwing him backwards. At the same time, the other three members
of Riot Force opened fire on the other Council soldiers.
***