Heroes The Breakaway Chapter 1-Sweet Home Chicago

Bug sat perched high outside the lights of the street below. It was cold, cold and quiet for a night in the city, but he didn’t care, he was here for one reason and one reason only, to aid his friend, one of the only friends he truly had ever known.

He reached and felt in his back pocket, the lump was still there, the communicator that humans called a “cell phone”. He traced the outline of it quickly and then brought his hand back up to lean over the edge and look downward towards the street. Gabriel had given it to him a month back when he left for Chicago, and told Bug to just press and hold “2” after turning it on, this would put them directly in touch. He knew that Gabriel would come, but first, he sat and watched, waiting for any sign that his friend was being moved. He didn’t know anything except that McManus was below his feet, somewhere in this very building, and he planned to sit and watch, waiting for the moment he left.

The lights in the main courtyard came on, several agents could be seen with those damned V batons walking around and talking amongst themselves. There were two armored cars lined up one in front of the other, and Bug eyed them with interest. They were not the usual armored cars one might see moving money around, no; these had a purpose well above and beyond the simplicity of moving currency. He watched with great intensity now as the men began to move towards a heavy door and with a loud click he saw four more agents, his friend and four additional agents exit the building. He could not help but grin as he saw his old friend, dressed in a hospital robe and hobbling on a peg leg of some sort. He grinned not because of his friend’s circumstance, but with the knowledge that if given half a chance he could probably still whoop the lot of them.

Bug ducked down and reached into his back pocket, removing the phone he pressed the power button and the screen flashed to life. He held “two” and across the screen it simply said “Gab… Dialing”. A voice spoke from the other end, “Well?” Bug instantly recognized Gabriel’s voice and simple spoke “It’s time”. He could hear Gabriel’s smile as the connection went dead and Bug brought the device away from his ear and looked at it curiously. He crushed it to powder and looked over the ledge; the two vehicles were exiting the facility already. He frowned, for he didn’t know how many agents there were now, not to mention which vehicle McManus was in. He watched as the two armored vehicles turned left and he glanced, seeing the rooftop adjacent to this building. He ran and with a slight effort leapt the gap and landed on the next building over. He continued to follow the two vehicles in this manner, bidding his time and awaiting the right opportunity.

After a few miles the vehicles were approaching a darker area of town. The lights were further spaced and the buildings were getting lower. He knew that it was now or never.

The two vehicles came to a stop at a red light and Bug came off the small building like a shot, landing so hard on the rear vehicle he dented the heavy steel top about two inches. There was instant commotion and two agents appeared from seemingly out of no where with machine guns barred. He barely had time to roll when the shots were fired. Multiple rounds hit his iron hard skin, and though the small arms rounds didn’t penetrate, they certainly hurt like hell. Spinning and diving into a roll he caught the two guards in the midsection, one with his foot, the other with his right arm and both instantly folded in half, hitting the ground and gasping for precious air. He swung to his side and grabbed the heavy doors on the back of the vehicles, ripping them off the hinged and was instantly with V batons. He dodged and swung hard as one burned through his tee shirt, and the second missed his face by a mere inch. He reached and grabbed the first guard by the collar and threw him into the second. They both flew violently into the interior cabin and slumped over unconscious.

He looked; McManus was not there, only his mech arm and leg. Bug bit his lip and quickly grabbed them off the table they were strapped to and felt the vehicle lurch, then turn. He spun McManus’ leg in his right hand, arm in his left, and sprinted out of the vehicle and onto the street. The lead vehicle was gone. He grunted and listened. About a block or so away he could hear screeching tires and leapt into the air, crossing the distance between himself and the sound. It took a minute but from the rooftops he finally located the vehicle slipping and weaving through the city streets. He accelerated his forward motion and hit the second vehicles rear doors with his right shoulder, lurching it forward slightly. The brake lights illuminated and then dimmed, the engine revved up and the vehicle shot out from under him, thundering down the street and throwing Bug to the ground once again. He rolled, the sounds of the mech arm and leg slapping the pavement. He stood to his feet and he could hear the sound of sirens approaching, of course they would have to go and invite more to the party. Bug clenched his jaw and began running once again, closing the gap between himself and the vehicle with almost blinding speed.

This time he swung around the front of the vehicle and hit the windshield with the mech arm so hard that even the shatterproof glass groaned and cracked under the pressure of the impact. The driver instinctively swerved but Bug was expecting it this time and using the mech leg he steadied himself on the hood, leaping up to the roof of the cab and began to go to work on the steel. The sirens were getting closer and Bug was beginning to realize this wasn’t going to be as quick a rescue as he had hopped.

The mech leg smashed into the steel as Bug swung it hard, a slight dent but not much else. He brought both up again, and mustering all the strength he could, prepared to bring them simultaneously down again.

Macmanus could only sit and grin as the vehicle swerved left and right, John could hear the pounding on it's armored exterior.

It's jest not yer day boys... The mechanic growled as the agents were scrambling to protect the vehicle. They jumped to their feet and shouldered their weapons.

Something was working the roof of the vehicle over like a prize fighter, the thick steel whined and screeched as the powerful blows rained down on it again and again. The metal was reaching it's breaking point, the roof folded into the open. boxy vehicle.

What the hell?... MacManus barked as his mech leg was dangling just above him through the hole on the metal.

Good leg...come here you! John said with a grin as he reached for the appendage. The agents pointed their guns at the mechanic.

Don't f#$@ing move MacManus! One agent snapped as he kept his weapon trained on the hero. The others were watching the roof, guns aimed, safety off.

Gabriel flipped the phone closed with a smile indeed. It had been some time since the last events in New York and his disappearing act. Of course, he was always just a phone call away, but, with the heat that the Colonel was bringing down on the group, Gabriel Anchorage had decided it best to use his wings and make himself scarce. It was damn hard, that was for sure, leaving a group who'd finally embraced him and brought him in as a family, but, it was for the best, as far as he was concerned.

So, a little older, a little wiser, and with some new tricks up his sleeve, Gabriel had become a bit of a vagabond. He came and went like the wind, usually never staying in one place too long. Sure, there were the occasional stories of a glowing white man with glowing white wings saving the day here and there, old habits died hard after all, but, for the most part, Gabriel had managed to keep his profile rather low. But, now, with Bug's call, the time for low profiles had ended.

Since last seeing everyone, Gabriel had learned to pull back that natural, blinding white glow that always permeated his skin, allowing himself a normal flesh tone, like everyone else. All the better to blend in with, my dear. The only point of note was that it always seemed like he was, indeed, glowing, but with good health this time, rather than being a beacon of light. He slipped the phone back into the pocket of his jeans and, in exchange, produced a handful of change. He tossed the money onto the counter of the greasy spoon he'd been sipping a cup of coffee at, flashed the waitress a grin, and briskly made his way outside.

He'd actually located himself in the Windy City as well, knowing that Bug's call would come soon, and, though he hadn't seen his strange, small friend in some time, he had, indeed, meant it when he said that he'd be there whenever the call came. Gabriel slipped into the alley beside the diner, and, once he was sufficiently away from the main street, tendrils of pure, white light surged outward from his back, twining and solidifying into a pair of wispy white wings of energy. A small grin curled onto his lips, and he crouched, tensing those well-developed leg muscles, before bursting upward, rocketing into the night air.

Once he was at his cruising altitude, Gabriel scanned the surrounding streets, some wispy tendrils of that same white energy curling upward from the corners of his sky blye eyes like so much smoke. It wasn't long before his ears and his eyes led him to the commotion Bug was causing. He narrowed his eyes to slits, tucked his arms close to his body, and swooped for that speeding armored car. The wind whipped his light hair from his face, and, despite the serious nature of the matter at hand, he couldn't help but grin.

Swooping down to street level, Gabriel landed in a crouch about twenty yards in front of the car that Bug was assaulting. He clapped his hands together, and that same white energy as his wings burst to life around them. He set his palms to the pavement, his eyes snapping up to where Bug was currently working on the roof.

"Bug! Get him out of there now, unless you think you can take a damn hard stop!"

Dragging his hands upward, a wall of sorts, made of that glowing white light, grew and solidified in front of the car. Gabriel held his palms out, against the wall, directed at the car. He bent his knees, ground his teeth together, and braced for impact.

Bug could hear the words being exchanged inside the vehicle as the roof gave way. Hearing the sound of safeties on weapons being released and knowing that his old pal, as tough as he was, could not survive if they pulled the trigger, he acted fast. Doing as he was instructed by the Agent, Bug dropped the leg to the floor he heard it clunk hard against the diamond plate. One of the agents swung and pointed his weapon up through the ragged hole in the roof. The pulsating red dot square on Bug’s chest as he barked his command.

“Get down from there you little freak!!”

Little freak? Bug could feel the slightest tingle of anger set in the pit of his stomach, if this man only knew. Bug had always wrestled with apprehension when it came to fighting the authorities of this planet, he himself having once been a peace keeper on his own home planet. Had it not been for that very devotion to upholding the law he wouldn’t even be here on this planet, stuck like some intergalactic, ship wrecked foreigner.

“Drop the arm too!! Now!!”

Bug could see the streak of white zip over his head, and he knew what that meant, only one person he knew could produce that signature sight. Looking down squarely at the Agent’s visor Bug nodded with compliance as he dropped the arm, right on top of the Agent.

“What the f…..”

The arm wasn’t falling hard or fast, but it was enough to make the Agent move his weapon, and enough for the second Agent to spin to see what was going on. More importantly not a single weapon was trained on MacManus now, and Bug stomped his booted foot through the roof and dropped into the vehicle like an unwelcome party crasher. He grabbed the first Agent’s weapon and busted it in half at the chamber with a squeeze; the second received a kick in the helmet so hard he went limp, the cracked helmet rolling across the floor. With that charismatic crooked smile Bug turned to MacManus only to feel the shutter of a V-Baton hit him square in the back. Even with his alien biological make up, super tough skin and strength, Bug hit the deck as the pulses of energy passed through him. The Agent must not have known about Bug however, because though the V-Baton’s did knock him over, they didn’t knock him out, and the second the energy weapon was off him he was already recovering. It took a second but Bug’s foot shot up and caught the Agent square between the legs. As his eyes crossed and the signature groan of anguish which typically follows such an event filled the back of the vehicle, Bug rolled over and tore the chains off the wall which held MacManus. With a smile, after hearing Gabriel’s shouts, Bug handed MacManus his mech arm, picked the huge man up and slung him over his shoulder. Reaching down and picking up the mech leg in his off hand he kicked the back of the armored vehicle open and leapt out just in time to hear the horrific sound of shredding metal as the vehicle slammed head long into the energy wall.

His Doc Marten boot soles made a slight squeaking sound as he slid to a halt on the street. He gently set MacManus down on his one leg and gave his old friend a crooked grin pointing to the hospital robe the Agents had been making him wear. He spoke with that strange, tinny accent… “Nice.”

He spun and leapt towards Gabriel in case there were any other Agents in need of dispatch, knowing that MacManus would be able to get his arm and leg up and running in seconds.

The armored transport vehicle was all over the place, weaving and shuddering as the driver struggled to retain control. The agents were huffing and puffing as they fought to stay on their feet.

John tugged at the heavy restraints that they had him clamped in.
A$$holes... The mechanic mumbled. As the seconds passed, the roof of the vehicle was more and more open, the steel that was pushed in made it even more difficult for the armed men to maneuver. John caught a glimpse of greenish skin and long, strange dread lock style hair through the opening in the roof.

Your day just gotta lot worst ladies.... John sneered as Bug fought with the agents. The small hero fought his way into the cramped vehicle and began to disarm the heavily armed men. The busted helmet of one trooper rolled to John's feet (foot) admidst the crashes and groans. John watched with glee as Bug kicked one of the seasoned agents right between the legs.

He'll never have kids now. The mechanic said as the man went down.

John was happy to see that this was indeed a rescue and not an assault by some freakish enemy as was often the case.

Glad to see ya Bug, ya bring anyone else to the party? John watched in amazement as bug pulled the chains from his arms off like they were taffy. Bug's otherworldly strength and speed were always fun to see in action.

A sudden brilliant light was just ahead, even in the back of the windowless vehicle the light was bright. It was like a small sun shining from the front of the vehicle. Bug scooped up the mechanic and leaped from the vehicle. The two heroes landed like cats as the doomed truck slammed into Gabriel's wall of energy.

The vehicle collided and spun up and over the wall of light, it resembled a crushed soda can now, with wounded agents hanging out of it. The sound of sirens was getting close now, more agents and CPD were on the way.

As John slipped on his mech hand and leg Bug pointed at the big man's outfit, some scratchy government issue boxer shorts and a several sizes too small hospital style gown, both were bright white. The quiet hero grinned as he spoke in his strange voice.
Nice...

This ain't the half of it Bug, they wouidn't give me no beer or cigars in there...buncha a$$holes...
John said with a grin as his limbs clicked into place. The familiar motors of his creations hummed and whirred, the hand glowed a subtle red from the joints in it's metal fingers and wrist, the leg banged and clicked as John fit his knee into it.

John pulled the paper like gown from his torso, it was ill fitting anyway, it fell to the street and drifted away, the mechanic now stood in the street bare chested in his boxers, feeling like a new man with his mech limbs returned to him.

Two cars of Riggs agents came close to the heroes, stomping their brakes as they saw the wrecked armored car vehicles and the heroes making their escape, there were two agents in each car, these 4 were suits, they did not exit the vehicles instead they put the cars in drive and sped away.

The cops came too, they stopped 20 yards or so from the heroes and using the 3 squad cars as cover they trained their weapons and began shouting orders.
We don't want anyone else to get hurt today, your presence here is a violation of federal and state law we ask that you let us take you into custody, we would be happy to hear your side of things after you submit to our custody.

The officer put down his hand held through which he was broadcasting from his cars P.A. system, other cops were speaking with him. He resumed his attempt at negotiating with the fugitives.
John Mcmanus is a wanted man, he was in RAID custody for crimes pending from RIGGS ACT violations, destruction of public and government property, assault on government agents, attempted escape from a government facility, and possession of unlicensed technology.

The cop took a breath...
If you do not wish to be taken to a RAID facility then leave now, we will take Mcmanus back into custody and forget that we saw you here today.

The cops were trying to deal, probably because there was not enough RAID agents at the scene yet, most likely it was because the cops knew that they could not take John, Gabe and Bug.

John looked at the police, more were arriving, 2 or three more cars worth. John smiled and looked at Bug and Gabriel.

Just like old times fellas...

Bug watched in amazement as the armored truck went into the air and crashed as if it was a feather light object. He nodded to Gabriel, about the closest he ever came to a warm welcome, however his crooked smile confirmed to Gabriel that he was more than happy to see his winged friend.

Turning to John he reached into his back pocket and removed a cigar. John would be able to see that it was a very cheap cigar, probably taken from a homeless person in a back alley somewhere. It was bent and partially crushed, but it had obviously never been touched to lips. Bug handed it to John with a quick smile. John would know that this act was more than a simple gift, coming from Bug this was as good as saying “I will always have your back.”

As the cops began to show up and surround the three heroes, Bug assessed the situation. Hearing the words coming from the police officers he rolled his slightly glowing, pink eyes and looked at John, a look that said “Yeah right!”

Bug began backing up slightly towards Gabriel so that the three of them were close, strength in numbers and all that, and he watched, and waited. He knew that the longer they stood here the more likely it would be for Riggs Agents to show up and really make this party an exciting one. He tensed his muscles and he could feel the heat coming off of Gabriel as he turned and looked at the man. Smiling a crooked grin he winked, non-verbally telling his other friend on the scene, “We fight as a team.”

Gabriel dropped into a crouch as the car first slammed into the wall, which sent the soles of his sneakers sliding on the pavement a good few feet, and then flipped over it. He cast his eyes upward as the vehicle piroetted, almost delicately, in mid-air, before crashing back to the ground. The white wall of energy vanished in a plume of what could best be described as smoke, and our stalwart winged hero slowly rose back to his full height of about six-three. Those sky blue eyes of his ticked between Bug and John, and that trademark million-dollar grin slipped onto his lips, as easily as ever.

"So... looks like I've learned to blend in a bit better... what'cha think?" He glanced down at his now flesh-toned hands, a far cry from that unyielding white tone of some time ago. His eyes rose back to the other two heroes. "Well, minus the whole... glowing wings and energy eminations, of course." He offered a shrug, bringing one hand up through his blonde hair.

Gabriel leveled his intense gaze on the police as they showed up and got themselves into position. The white glow flared up around his hands again, and in a, literal, flash, he held a disc-like shield on the back of his left forearm, and a long javelin of light in the other. He stepped forward, a pace in front of John and Bug, and swept his shield up to cover his body, peering over it with eyes narrowed. Of course, he knew full well that the duo standing just behind him needed no shielding, but, this was Gabriel, after all.

"So... Gentlemen..." He grinned. "Fight..." He raised his javelin overhead in a fighting position, eyes still trained on the officers. "Or flight?" The energy wings that stretched and pulsated from his back flexed, then extended to their full span, an impressive thirteen feet or so. That was more an intimidation ploy for the officers than anything else, and he folded the wings close to his back once more a moment later. He cast another glance over his shoulder with that same grin.

"All we need is a giant robot and a guy with a mask skulking through the shadows, and it'll be a regular High-School reunion, hm?"

A total of 6 Chicago Police Department cruisers were now in the intersection where the rarely seen fugitives Bug and Gabriel Anchorage (aka Shaman) had just made a daring rescue of John Macmanus from RAID custody. Two armored prisoner transports lay in smoking ruins at the intersection, the RAID agents were wounded and limp in the wreckage, a few of them badly wounded. CPD was attempting to negotiate with the heroes, they were really only trying to buy some time until a secondary RAID unit could make it to the location.

A dozen police officers were watching the 3 men with their weapons out, the officer in charge spoke again over the P.A. system in his car.
I am still willing to forget that you were here today, but you must leave the area immediately. We will give you five minutes to think it over and then more federal agents will be here and WE WILL TAKE ACTION, we have orders to bring Macmanus in.

The officer put his handheld down and motioned to some of the cops nearby, they fanned out a little, they were setting up a rough perimeter. Some of the officers had semi automatic rifles, some had their pistols.



John took the cigar from Bug and put it in his mouth, the nicotine stung his tongue, it had been many months since he had anything to smoke. Wearing nothing but boxers John had nothing to light it with. Seeing Gabriel create his shield around them he had an idea.

Hey Gabe...a little help. John motioned to the cigar hoping that the winged man could summon up a little heat. The mechanic never took his eyes off the police as he munched on the cigar.

Gabriel's eyes slipped back and forth as the men started to surround the trio, and, yet, the smile never faltered from his lips. He glanced back to John and Bug, arching a brow.

"He's willing to forget! Isn't that sweet of him?"

The smile lessened to a smirk, and he tipped the point of his javelin backward, touching it to the tip of John's cigar. There was no sizzle, no hiss of heat, but, within seconds, the sheer heat of Gabriel's light energy ignited the end of the smoke.

"I'll bet you twenty bucks that guy thinks this is something new to us..."

John took a long deep drag of the cigar and smiled.
Oh yeah baby, that's the stuff....

The mechanic nodded at bug as he enjoyed the smoke. Knowing that Bug wasn't big on expressing himself, John knew what the cigar meant.
I'm glad to see ya too. The mechanic mumbled in between puffs.

Thanks Gabe, for the light and you know...the thing with the truck a few minutes ago.
John looked just beyond the intersection at the cops.

Fellas I can't stand here all night in just my skivvies. And I ain't waitin' no five minutes for these jerks.

With these words John reached down with his mech hand and quickly snapped up the manhole cover that was near his feet. He picked it up and flung it at one of the police cars, it slammed into the vehicle. The car moved 5 or 6 feet back as the thick steel circle struck it. The manhole cover wedged right into the passenger side door and stuck there like a giant coin.

It took a second for the CPD to respond but they did, gunshots rang out as they fired at the heroes.

Bug too was tiring of this little party, and was just starting to think about responding when MacManus threw the first blow. With a flashing, crooked smile, Bug’s soft pink eyes flashed violently and he sprang from his spot with such force his boots indented the asphalt. Bug passed behind the manhole cover so they crisscrossed in mid-air. Just as the manhole cover struck the first car and the police were turning their heads, so Bug hit the one beside it, burying his shoulder deep into the passenger side front quarter panel. The vehicle lurched and the tires squealed in protest as the now “L” shaped vehicle pushed itself back into two of the officers who had only seconds before been barking their orders. Bug sprung up and cleared the car, plucking the megaphone from the officer that had been in charge with a tendril of his hair. The thick hair curled around the handle and held tight as he came down between the two officers.

One spun and fired, Bug ducked and the bullet from the 9mm hand gun exploded on the bullet proof vest of the police officer behind him. The man howled in agony for though the vest stopped the rounds impact it certainly didn’t stop the 1,200 foot pounds of energy that suddenly came to a grinding halt on his ribcage. Bug flipped in the air and his heel came down square on the gun wielding officer’s shoulder. There was a sickening crunch sound as bone gave way to pressure and this officer too slumped to the ground, dropping his firearm and reaching across his body in a vein attempt to immediately nurse the pain.

Bug spun and a second tendril of his hair picked up the Taurus hand gun now lying on the ground. The tendril wrapped like a snake around the weapon and squeezed so hard it broke to pieces and fell to the asphalt. Two of the officers sheltered behind the next vehicle over were now spinning to respond, Bug pressed himself tightly behind the vehicle he had mangled and cleared himself of their firing path, he peeked up towards MacManus and Gabriel, there was a distinct wink followed by that charismatic crooked grin.

John watched as Bug engaged the police, the small hero was somewhat bullet resistant a talent that allowed him to get real up close and personal in a fight. John was still behind Gabriel's energy shield but he wanted to get closer to Bug and to get closer to the cops for a good fair fight.

Walk with me Gabriel... The mechanic said as he moved toward the cops. John held his mech hand up near his face, an old habit that he picked up in his amateur boxing days and a habit that had probably saved his life in the past as it was almost bullet proof. John quickened his pace, hoping that Gabe could keep the shield up for a few more moments.

As John closed the gap between him and the police he was near enough one of the undamaged cars for some action. John shifted on his feet and lifted his enormous mech leg for a kick. The police cruiser squealed on it's tires as John connected with it and slid longways back into the officers that were hunkering down behind it. The officers scrambled out from behind it, they were out in the open now.

Run you mutts! John shouted as he lunged at the startled officers. John lurched to his left and caught an officer by the arm and pulled him close.

The mechanic was eye to eye with the man, the man's feet were off the ground, his legs dangled helplessly. John shook the man violently and slammed into the ground, just enough to stun the officer.

Get the hell outta here and leave us alone! John barked at the retreating cops.

To the right of John, Bug and Gabriel were 3 intact police cars, the officers there were holding their ground, they still fired sporadically at the wanted heroes.

The cops that John had just tangled with were moving away from their wrecked cars, they ran to some streetside apartments and took cover at the front stoop.

Gabriel walked ahead of John, keeping his shield held high. The bullets, rather than bouncing off and flying elsewhere, instead simply seemed to disintigrate, thanks to the supreme heat of the energy Gabriel created. He stepped aside, smirking, once John made his move, and turned to face the other three police cruisers, raising his shield again to guard against the sporadic shooting.

"Okay, guys... This really doesn't seem to be working for you... why don't you just give up already?"

He lowered his shield then, rearing back with his javelin arm, and sent that slim, straight spear hurtling through the air, until it pierced the hood of one of the cruisers, immediately rendering its engine useless. The javelin, and also, the shield Gabriel held, vahished in more plumes of smoke, though that light erupted around his hands once more. He ground his teeth together, narrowing his eyes at the cops, then, with both hands, started winging orbs of that energy toward the officers, each one erupting in a small, but powerful explosion of light and heat when they struck anything solid. His aim was to hit the ground and the cruisers, to disorient and frighten the officers, but, should a couple of the orbs slip and send a painful message, well, hey, them's the hazards of the jobs, right?

Gabriel's javelin found its mark, the car shuddered as it pierced the hood it's flashing lights immediately went dim. The 6 officers positioned near these three cars began to move away from the vehicles, Gabriel's orbs began to pop at their feet. One or two landed very near an officer giving him cause to shed his smoldering pants and shoes as he ran. He shrieked like a little girl as he squirmed out of his burning clothing, still scrambling for cover all the while.

Move out men, get out of here! One officer barked as the men ran away from the cars and the heroes. Gabriel's orbs collided with the asphalt near the cops and all around the parked cruisers. The cars shook as the orbs exploded, each one a small brilliant pop of light and heat. The asphalt glowed a white orange for a half second where the orbs hit and then quickly cooled and faded to black.

The police ran straight back and took cover behind some garbage cans about 50 feet away from Gabe, Bug and John. They were no longer shooting, they waited and watched in fear.

To the left and across the street from the fugitive heroes were 2 or 3 officers crouched on the apartment stoop and to the right and much further away (50 feet or more) were 6 cops sweating behind some garbage cans. At the ground around the heroes were several of the CPD's finest either unconscious or wounded.



Morons... John grunted as he watched the cops run for it. he spun around and turned to face Gabriel and Bug.

Let's get outta here boys, I'm thirsty and in need of....Aaaarrrgggh!

Before the mechanic could finish his thoughts the area lit up with energy, a streak of it was attached to John, the big man went to his knees as the crackling burst struck him. From an alley to the right of the heroes, just past the police car that Gabriel had struck with his javelin were a small group of RAID troopers. They had manged to creep very near the heroes undetected, the highly trained agents were only 20 yards away in the dark alleyway. They were in full armor and were using a plasma energy gun on Mcmanus. They crouched low as they fired the powerful weapon. There were 8 of the RAID men in the alley, two others trained their guns, one at Gabriel and one at Bug, the men fired the weapons hoping land more direct hits.

The electric charge of the attack was taking its toll, John could feel his body stiffening up, his mech limbs whined in protest as the current passed through them, the many small motors in the limbs clicked and stalled. John had experienced these weapons only once before when he was incarcerated and he knew what was coming next, he would most likely pass out.

Rharrg! The mechanic howled as the energy flashed and hissed.

"Shit! Those RAID bastards just showed up." Announced O'Mally.

Painted in the flashes of red and blue, the old Irish-American stood looking out the front window of O'Mally's Corner Pub. Hands on his hips and a disgusted look on his grizzled face, he wanted nothing more than to enter the battle. "Goddamn son's of bitches! Y'know lad, if I were twenty years younger I'd go out there and crack some skulls. It'd be just like the good ol' days." he recounted to the young man standing at the pool table behind him.

The pub was closed and he and his much younger opponent were the only ones in it, otherwise the ex-crime fighter would not have been speaking so candidly about his days as a hard hitting vigilante.

The young man, chalked up his cue, uninterested with the events transpiring outside and uninspired by his much older friend's hint that he step up to the plate. He bent down and drew a line on the eight ball, a confident smile forming at the corner of his mouth, but when O'Mally hollered, "Christ! They took down the big guy!", he scratched.

"Jesus Christ, O'Mally!" Swore the young man, in a thick Dublin, Irish accent.

"Hey! Don't be taken the Lord's name in vain in my place!" Retorted the feisty old bar keep, even though he himself did it regularly. "How in the hell can you ignore what's happening out there! They're your own kind, boy!"

The Irishman laid his pool cue on the table and dropped a hundred dollars beside it. "T'ain't my kind, O'Mally and only a plonker would step into that there mess." he calmly responded. "I dun owe any of those there boys me blood, and how'd I know they'd do the same for me?"

"When I was young we never asked those questions. We just did what we were good at." Growled O'Mally.

The young Irishman, picked up his leather long coat he had draped over a chair and placed his silk banded fedora over his pale sandy coloured mop of hair. He then reached down and picked up his aluminum cane and stared at the old man. It seemed for a moment that his words touched something inside him, but then he silently turned and headed out the back door of the pub.

O'Mally watched the man vanish before he disappeared down the aisle way. Though he still remained visible, it was evident that the spirit and pride he felt during his time didn't exist for these new meta's, the Riggs Act saw to that. He turned and looked out into the street once more, watching the police and RAID enforcers converge on the three 'super-beings'.

Gabriel whirled, hearing John's yell, then cast his eyes quickly toward the officers using that large plasma gun. He cursed under his breath, and, in a snap decision, took off toward his large ally. He lowered his shoulder, clenching his teeth tightly, and steadied himself for the jolt as he threw a body check into John, hoping to knock him out of the beams path. The current surged through his body as soon as he struck the bulky mechanic, and Gabriel felt all of his muscles lock painfully, before he bounced back, landing onto the pavement on his back.

He groaned, his back arching upward momentarily, body shuddering, as the current passed through him, agonizing, even in that brief moment. He rolled onto his stomach as soon as he was able, and quickly re-made that large white energy shield of his. He staggered to his feet, holding the shield in front of his body, and made his way over to try and cover John, if possible.

"Bug! The alleyway! Heads up!"

MacManus was clear of the beam, all of it's energy was now flowing through Gabriel. Gabriel's unique talents involved energy and heat, the attack on the powerful hero was not as effective as it had been on John. Gabriel was able to get on his hands and knees and to create one of his energy shields, the crackling energy attached to the glowing shield seemed to just be absorbed harmlessly. Gabriel moved nearer to John, the mechanic was now within the protective shield.

The RAID men were moving closer as the moments ticked by, ever the trained professionals they stayed low and moved quickly as they watched Gabriel create the blinding shield.

Gabriel's shield seemed to make the plasma gun's attack useless, but how about more than one plasma attack? The Raid men trained the two other weapons on the glowing wall of light and fired. The beams struck the shield, Gabriel could feel the difference now, the weapons were putting the hero's power to the test.

The RAID troopers were using this attack as suppressing fire, they rushed closer to the heroes, they were only 20 or 30 feet away now. They spread out , the men with the plasma phase guns stayed up front as the other 5 troopers moved a few yards to left and right of the guns.

Macmanus was moving again, he rolled slowly to his side, he was clutching his chest as he opened his eyes.



John opened his eyes, there was a very bright light all around him. Gabriel was close by John could see the man gritting his teeth, his eyes fixed as he concentrated on the protective shield. Beyond the shield were explosive white flashes, the RAID men were turning up the heat, John could sense that they were closer now.

The mechanic struggled to get to his feet, his mech limbs were shut down, just dead weight now.

Nothins over 'til i say so!... John grunted as he slammed his mech hand onto the asphalt, it clicked back to life, the motors and gears turning again, the big man flexed the fingers as he made a fist. Next he stomped his enormous leg onto the street, it took a second or so but it vibrated back to life as well, the hydraulics whining as pressure returned to the limb.

John walked to Gabriel and helped the man get to his feet, the two men were almost back to back now. Sweat was dripping down John's face as Gabriel's shield burned all around them.

Damn Gabe, it's like late July in here! John wiped the sweat from his face. It seemed that the RAID goons had the upper hand.

Faint trails of static electricity cut through the darkness, minute tendrils of light generated by the magnetic field that supported the floating form of Jasper Flash. Smoothly, silently he landed a top the building, surveying the fray below with pent up rage. O'Mally's words kept on running through his head until he found himself, literally pulled into the action as he used his ability to generate magnetic fields pull him into the sky at great speed, hurling his body to the top of a nearby building. A power he wished he could use on others, but he had long since given up trying and accepted that he could only use the ability to lift himself or magnetize other metallic objects.

Standing on the edge of the rooftop, he leaned over not worrying if he was seen and studied the battle. He wanted to make sure he was needed before throwing his life into the shitter. Since he came to America he had managed to keep a low enough profile to pass under the radar of RAID, keeping his arse out of harms way but now he teetered on the edge of a whole new life. He could feel the fear burning a hole in his gut and he suppressed it as best he could. One just didn't up and pick a fight with RAID, they were highly trained and motivated, armed to the teeth bad asses. If the others went down, he knew he wouldn't last long, but O'Mally was right, THEY were his kind and they didn't deserve to die at the hands of corrupt government bent on genocide.

Gripping his copper cored aluminum cane, Jasper channeled all the static electricity around into it, until the rod began to dance with white lightening. He could feel the power surging within his body, flowing in and out into the air and he focused on holding that charge enabling him to form fields, draw arcs, and release it when necessary.

He could see that two of them were in trouble as the RAID officers laid into the white shield with their plasma beams on continuous flow. The electricity in the area was incredible, and though one might think it beneficial to an electrical mutant, like most things, too much tended to cause a loss of control. Still he, felt that even the fast man with the pseudo-pod hair wouldn't be able to take them all so Jasper took his leap of faith.

Using his magnetic fields to slow his descent, Jasper sped to earth and landed behind one of the troopers laying down a suppressing fire with his plasma rifle and gave him a taste of his own medicine. Pointing his energized cane at the amoured man he focused on drawing on arc, and just as he became aware of the feeling of static electricity playing along his skin. BOOM! A blinding white bolt of lightning sought him out like a homing missile.

The bolt struck the RAID trooper full force, but Jasper hadn't counted on their armour having dampeners. Fortunately his first strike had power enough to burn them out and at least render the man unconscious instead being fried alive, but he wouldn't be able to produce another burst of that magnitude for a while. Now he was a target and Jasper realized that he would have no choice but to engage the officers in close combat, so he prepared himself for the fight of his life.

Gabriel could feel the pressure, that was for sure. He grunted and clenched his teeth together tightly, eyes narrowed to slits with the exertion. The sweat, both a result of the effort and the heat, dropped from his brow and stung his eyes. He shot John a glance and offered a tight, strained smile.

"Well, too much longer, and Summer'll be over and we'll both be on the ground, twitching."

He snapped his eyes back to the shield and forced it to burn even brighter for a moment, the corded muscle standing out in his arms and neck. The white energy was just transparent enough that he took note of the man who jumped down and disrupted the suppressing fire. Another grin crossed his face, only this one seemed quite more lively. He shot another glance back at John.

"Dropping the shield. I'm going hard, you come right after in case they zap me out of the air."

With that, he offered a brief nod, facing the shield once more. He hesitated for a split-second, before he simply cut the white energy flow, which resulted in a wall of blessedly shrouding smoke. Before the haze cleared, Gabriel was in motion, taking two bounding steps, before diving forward and giving a powerful flap of his wings, sending him surging in a low, blurry streak at the plasma gunners.

John pushed more sweat out of his eyes with the back of his left hand and nodded at Gabe.

Let's do this. The mechanic said as he eyed the RAID troopers through the energy shield. John also took note of the stranger as he picked a fight with RAID. Through the white energy John could only see the man's outline but he did notice that this person wore a fine hat.

I like this guy all ready.. John said as he watched.

Gabriel nodded and brought his shield down, a smoky haze enveloped the heroes and RAID agents instantly as the shield vanished. Gabriel launched into the air, his great wings flashing in the gloomy smoke, the winged man came straight at the two remaining agents that were firing the plasma phase guns. The RAID men were off their guard for a second, as the bright shield disappeared and the smoke surrounded them, they were unprepared for Gabriel's assault.

The winged man crashed into the men, they fell onto their backs, firing the weapons wildly into the air, they adjusted quickly attempting to get to their feet and hit any targets. The smoke made it difficult to see anything for RAID and the wanted heroes alike, things seemed to be moving in slow motion with the smoke everywhere.

McManus sprang into the air a half second after Gabriel, his powerful mech leg pushing him like a freight train. John landed just to the left of one of the RAID men who was on his back, firing the plasma gun wildly into the sky. John slapped the gun from his hands, it went flying, lost in the smoky gloom for now. John slugged the unarmed man square in the front of his riot helmet, the man slid back many feet on his back, his body armor squealed as it scraped along the asphalt. The trooper was dazed, he laid still for a moment as John turned to face Gabriel. The winged hero was virtually on top of the the man with the remaining plasma gun. The trooper was walking on his feet and elbows like a crab as he fired randomly into the smoke and dust. The trooper was good, he had not dropped the gun when Gabriel got the jump on him but he was not nearly as fast as the winged man.

Jasper watched the fight as he stood near the unconscious agent in the smoldering armor, the Irishman could see Gabriel's glow in the smoke, the hero seemed supernatural in the smoky gloom. The agent that John had punched came sliding at Jasper's feet, the man's visor looked like it had been hit by a car.

The other RAID men were not just cowering in the smoke, the five men shouldered their weapons, automatic gun fire erupted in the gray haze, the muzzle flashes looked like lightning in a storm cloud as bullets whizzed all around Jasper, John, Gabriel and Bug.

Jasper felt like he was back in Dublin, hiding out from the coppers under the Ha'penny foot bridge, taking advantage of an evening fog over the Liffey. Only these troopers were more determined and far better trained than the Gardaí and there'd be no sneaking away in the mist this night.

Standing over the unconscious RAID enforcer, Jasper took what precious time he had to catch his breath after unleashing his bolt, then another came sliding along the pavement toward the newcomer losing enough momentum that he was able to stop the man with his boot. His visor had been crushed and the agent was limp as a noodle. A barrage of gun fire immediately ensued and Jasper fell to the ground in a crouching position.

"You're in thick of it now, m'boy.", he muttered to himself as he quickly scanned the foggy field of battle, pinpointing the firing squad and the glowing man, but the other two were obscured. He knew there was no turning back now and he bolted toward the gunmen like a sprinter out of the blocks, spinning his metallic cane before him like a majorette on speed.

It was an impressive display. As he moved into the path of the gunfire, the cane struck and deflected the bullets as if the man were lightening fast with inhuman precision, but in fact Jasper had neither. Though he was faster than normal, he certainly couldn't bat a bullet out of the air, but what he could do was generate a magnetic field around his metallic cane causing the bullets to be drawn to it. It was a skill that, Jasper was confident using when he knew roughly where all the gunmen were, but he had to avoid getting caught in a cross fire. He, however had no intention of attempting to fend off a concentration of gun fire once the smoke cleared and decided that their best chance for survival was to separate the humans from their guns. To do that, however, he had to get close. A lot closer than he had initially intended.

Running through the smoke, Jasper suddenly found himself beside a mountain of a man and tried to stay before him so that the bullets wouldn't be pulled into his path as they curved into his spinning cane. The magnetic field generated by the twirling piece of metal had become a powerful vortex, drawing in the bullets and almost consistently deflecting them to the side. A good defense for one man, but a little hazardous for others, so Jasper knew he had to reach the gunmen as quick as possible before he inadvertently deflected a bullet into a friendly. A few times as well, he felt a bullet whiz past him and knew that even if he had to, he didn't think he be able to fend off the automatic fire for much longer than his straight away run allowed. He just hoped he could make it through in time.

The melee on the street was absolute chaos, Bug had nearly been baked by plasma fire, he had a large cut on his right arm that was oozing a thick purple blood and in the confusion he had somehow become separated from his friends. He watched as the plasma gunners were taken out and now a firing squad was laying a wall of death towards his friends.

This new comer, though he was a stranger, and Bug wasn’t much for strangers, was protecting the two men he loved and as such Bug trusted him, for now. Bug bounded from the side, having been sneaking around to flank the authorities and hit them from behind. The man on the end, his M-4 wailing into the night as the officer fired as fast as he could, never knew what hit him. Bug collided with the man so hard that his weapon went flying, partly from the brunt of the impact, partly from the fact that his shoulder bone was now protruding from his skin. The Officer tumbled into the man next to him and in turn that Officer dropped his firearm. Bug whirled and kicked the second M-4 right out of the air, bending it in half and sending it flying off into the night.

The megaphone he still held in his hair came whipping around he brought it to his mouth. The stranger was now among them and three more Officers quite capable of fighting. In his strange, tinny accent Bug clicked the trigger on the megaphone and screamed… “CEASE FIRE!” hoping it would cause the three Officers who were left to pause at least for the briefest of moments and give the others a chance to cross the distance and finish this fight.

John drew his mech hand back, winding up for one hell of a punch, someone was coming at him through the smoke. John was pleasantly surprised to see the stranger in the stylish hat and not one of RAID's goons.

The dapper man was clutching a walking stick of sorts, he held it out like a weapon. John could feel the electricity surge all around him and the stranger. John looked down at his arms, the short black hairs were standing on end.

As the RAID agents fired their weapons Jasper focused on his cane, a storm bullets came flying at John, Jasper and Gabriel (who was close by). John held his metal hand up in hopes of deflecting some of them, but he soon discovered that for now there was no need.

The deadly projectiles whizzed at the three men but were quickly pulled to Jasper's cane. The Irishman pulled the bullets from the air with grace and ease. John dropped his hand to his side as he watched the stranger work.

Shit, I hope yer on my side.... The big man thought to himself as he watched Jasper bob and weave.

A few seconds later the gunfire ceased as Bug shouted to the RAID agents. Jasper, John and Gabe could hear Bug tussling with the men, one agent cried out in pain as Bug crushed his shoulder. Another second passed, the gunfire started again as the troopers opened up on Bug. The RAID men were facing away from Gabriel, Jasper and John as they drew down on Bug. Their muzzle flashes could be seen in the dissipating smoke.

Three on one, it's just about a fair fight... John snorted as he spoke to Jasper.

These RAID mutts sure are slow learners... John grinned, chomping down on his cigar as he walked quickly nearer to the RAID men and Bug.

They think they got Bug dead bang, that's what they get fer thinkin'. Let's walk over there and see what's what... The mechanic said smiling at the Irishman.

As Jasper sprinted past the big stranger toward the five shooters the strange little rasta-skateboarder came out of no where and made short work of two of the troopers. He moved like he was made out of rubber, or more like a super-ball, the electrical mutant figured and as he pulled his little trick with the mega-phone it gave him the perfect opportunity.

His aluminum cane spinning before him, it wasn't even contacting his hand anymore but rather orbiting around it. Electrical arcs formed as a powerful charge grew, licking his body with minute tendrils of energy as he neared the three remaining troopers. His timing had to be perfect.

Jasper leaped in mid-stride, propelling his body high into the air; his powerful legs launching him over the closest man and as he rotated over the second, swung his electrified cane at him. He wasn't aiming for the man though, instead he aimed for his automatic rifle and as his cane made contact, the RAID weapon became a super magnet, fusing the bullets within and attracting anything else metallic within a short range toward it. He, however, only noticed at the last second that the big man had metal limbs, but as far as he could figure he'd most likely win any tug-o-war with the agents if it came to that.

Jasper alone was immune to the magnetic field, having the ability himself to repel the attraction and so he continued to fly through the air naturally, unfortunately his path took him directly into the awaiting strike of the third RAID agent. Well trained and strong the man threw a kick into Jasper's chest as he landed, winding him and knocking him backwards into the air.