Into the Black

Pterano · **Reply #520 on:** December 19, 2013, 12:10:25 AM

Tony nodded at his instructions, and gratefully exited the car, lifting his arms high over his head and standing on tip claw as he splayed his tail out behind him in order to get in a good stretch before moving to the back of the car and retrieving one of the assault rifles.

Smiling as he cradled it, he almost lovingly pulled the slide back, loading a bullet into the chamber. "All right... let's do this. I'll go in the back then, and see you on the other side." The ferret gave a wave, and jogged for the back of the factory now, having committed the general layout to memory on the way over.

Jogging through the night, Tony arrived at the rear entrance, tensing himself now and getting ready for what was to come. Pushing open the door slowly, he made his way inside, creeping forward, weapon at the ready as he began making his way cautiously through the factory. Little did he know, this night would not go as planned...

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #521 on:** December 19, 2013, 02:40:58 AM

Emilena flicked her hands and zoomed in on the area with the newcomers. "They're in two groups," she reported. "A lone one by the rear entrance, and a pair...a bit off of that position, coming in. Adrian, you deal with the one at the rear entrance. Kojurro, keep your eyes peeled. The duo are coming this way." She squinted. "They've got something jamming their signal, it's hard to tell where they are..."

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #522 on:** December 19, 2013, 02:57:38 AM

Adrian nodded a little, making his way through a tunnel towards where Tony would breach the factory. From his vantage point, Kojuuro adjusted his aim, covering the door the two others would be breaching from, pulling the bolt of his rifle to chamber a round.
"I have eyes on the two, Emilena. Be careful. They're packing serious firepower, and one of them is a high-ranking purifier named Marcus. Real piece of work. I'll try to take care of him, you get the other one."
He said coldly...

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #523 on:** December 19, 2013, 03:46:29 AM

"I can't move yet," Emilena said tersely. "They'll realize something is up. But hold your fire for now; if they keep walking in the same direction, they'll set off a static field that short-curcuits any neuro or electrical shields. Your sniping will be far more effective after that. Adrian, get yours out of the picture quickly!"

Suddenly, Lily jumped beside Kojurro. "I--I thought I saw something!" she stammered, staring nervously at the blackness of the room. "It was...but now I can't...I'm sure..."

Pterano · **Reply #524 on:** December 19, 2013, 12:23:42 PM

Tony emerged from the first building and into one of the inner yards of the plant. His assault rifle was at the ready though slightly lowered, the butt resting against his shoulder as he scanned the open area. He couldn't see anything just yet... but he wasn't at the center of the factory either, if he recalled correctly.

Darting out from the doorway, he made his way over to one of the walls to keep his back to it and move along it to the next building. He kept his eyes on the open ground to his left though, his adrenaline coursing through him as he slid along the wall.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #525 on:** December 19, 2013, 01:29:12 PM

As Tony stepped into the inner yard, Adrian opened the door behind him, stepping out with a small grin.
"Sorry, but I'm going to have to stop you here, whoever you are."
He said coldly...

Pterano · **Reply #526 on:** December 19, 2013, 01:35:46 PM

Tony froze, his eyes widened. Dammit! How could he have been so careless? He didn't turn around however, as he hadn't been ordered to, nor did he drop his weapon. He remained stiff, swallowing hard as he tried to think of what he could do. The voice sounded close but he couldn't tell exactly how close. Should he try and whip around and hit this guy in the face with his rifle? But he had to assume he was being covered with a gun, and one false move could result in his death.

"Take it easy." he said now, raising his arms slowly, the rifle in one of them. "I don't... know if you're involved with these... these... freaks but... I don't want... you to think I'm some cold-blooded killer." he said now. "I'm just trying to keep the world level... to stop it from moving too fast... this wasn't anything personal." he said, hoping his pleas would prevent him from getting shot. He closed his eyes, and resigned himself to whatever fate awaited him. Adrian could see the ferret visibly start to tremble now, as if he feared his next breath would be his last.

When it boiled down to it, Tony was just a kid... he wasn't used to the rough life the rest of the Purifiers lived, and it showed in the way he shook. He wasn't a hardened combatant... not really.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #527 on:** December 19, 2013, 01:58:57 PM

Adrian stepped in, quickly relieving Tony of his rifle and tossing it aside after removing the magazine and emptying the chamber.
"Look, I have no intention of killing you, but I can't allow you to help those two you were with. Y'see, the one that they're after is someone very important to me, so you're gonna have to stay here for a while."
He said, procuring a set of light polymer handcuffs and cuffing Tony's hands behind is back...

Pterano · **Reply #528 on:** December 19, 2013, 02:10:56 PM

Tony offered no resistance to the rifle being taken from his paws, almost breaking out in tears as Adrian said he wasn't going to kill him. This guy was a professional, unlike Tony, as the gun's chamber was emptied, the clip was tossed, and the rifle was placed aside. Tony's arms were soon cuffed behind his back, and he continued to shake, though felt relief he wasn't going to be shot.

A sob actually escaped his throat, his previous "tough-guy" veneer having melted like snow under the sun. "Oh god..." he said, jaw shaking. Why had he ever run away from home? What had he gotten himself into? Was this what it was like? Was the dirty side of his father's business like this? Was this what his father had meant when he said he wasn't "mature" enough? He had so far never killed anyone in his life, but cuffed as he was, he realized this was no longer a game.

He tried to stop the tears, but his reality had completely caved in now. He wasn't in some game... what had he been thinking!? Confused thoughts whirled around his head. He started almost babbling nonsense. "Look... if you just let me go... I'll turn around and never look back. I promise I won't tell the others." he said now, his voice cracking. "I just wanna go home..." he said softly, his shoulders slumping. "I just wanna go home..."

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #529 on:** December 19, 2013, 02:21:28 PM

Adrian sighed, placing a hand on the kid's shoulder.
"Look, if you run now...there will be a world of trouble. Purifiers aren't exactly known for letting associates of theirs off the hook. Especially not that dog Marcus. What were you thinking, joining up with those guys in the first place?"
He finally asked, shaking his head a little.
"Look, we'll stay here until the other two are taken care of, and then we'll see what happens from there, okay?"

Pterano · **Reply #530 on:** December 19, 2013, 02:42:32 PM

Tony almost jumped out of his pelt when he felt Adrian's hand on his shoulder. He settled back down, trying to get his nervous tremors under control. Come on Tony... stop acting like a kid who's never done this before! he inwardly pleaded with himself. Your pops would want you to be strong... stiff-lipped. You can't cry like this.

He opened his eyes, unable to wipe the tears from his cheek fur, but he'd stopped sobbing at least. Blinking his eyes to clear those salty droplets out, he sniffed. "I... just... I just was so tired... tired of my father saying I wasn't ready for 'serious work.' That I wasn't ready to be an adult yet. I'm 24, you know. I'm not a kid anymore..." he said, though he didn't sound too convincing. "I just... I don't like what's happening to this world. All this technology they CLAIM is enhancing our lives but... is it really? Is it REALLY doing us any good?" he asked, leaning his right side against the wall now. "I feel like we're going too fast... like we're changing ourselves in ways that can't ever be undone. I was nervous... I wanted to stop it... I don't even know what I'm doing." he said now, trailing off in a soft tone and adding a heavy sigh at the very end.

bushwacked · **Reply #531 on:** December 19, 2013, 03:18:22 PM

The sound of footsteps reverberated as Marcus and Aaron made their way cautiously down the corridor that snaked around to the main courtyard of the factory. The air smelled of damp, and moonlight leaking through broken sections of ceiling revealed weeds pushing their way through the cracked floor. Marcus held his rifle up at the ready, flicking the sight between patches of shadow where someone could be hiding.

"Keep your eyes peeled for Kibagami," he told Aaron, keeping his voice low. "The fox with the sword. It's easy to underestimate him when you have a gun, but he's quick. If you manage to hit him, keep shooting until you're sure he isn't getting back up." The corridor split to the left and right ahead of them. A sign hanging loosely down read Courtyard <-. They had almost arrived.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #532 on:** December 19, 2013, 04:53:43 PM

Emilena searched the zoomed-in area for the figures. "They, uh, I guess they didn't hit the field..." she muttered. "Where are they?"

More importantly, why isn't Kojurro standing on the right side of the room? Unless he's sniping through the far window, he's not even facing the right way...

Something is off... she realized. She zoomed out to view the full factory and saw a completely different pair of dots moving in on her position. Whoever the two were somewhere near Kojurro, it was a separate group.

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

Suddenly Lily saw a flicker again. "There's something is the room with us! I saw it again!" she cried.

At that moment a silenced tranquilizer dart shot out of the inky blackness, aimed right for Kojurro.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #533 on:** December 19, 2013, 05:17:05 PM

Adrian nodded a little, sighing.
"I know what you mean. Right now, people are still trying to adapt to the changes that have come about. But progress is being made. It won't be easy, but I know that there are politicians working on laws that will integrate augments and non-augments into forces equally. Look at it this way. If a building went down, then having a group of augs able to lift and clear the rubble away would be a lifesaver. Same for police, or emergency responders. In a way, what Augmentation is is just a new tool. And just like any tool through history, it will take some time to be accepted and put to the right use."
He said reassuringly, smiling softly.
_________________________________________________________________

In a heartbeat, Kojuuro dodged to the side, the dart embedding itself in the wall where he had just recently been.
"Damnit, we're being flanked. Adrian! Report in! We've got more company! If you can, you need to go cover Emilena!"
He yelled into the comlink...

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #534 on:** December 19, 2013, 05:41:32 PM

Something invisible and heavy smashed into Lily, who hit the wall with a strangled cry. Both she and her assailant screamed as lethal electrical shocks coursed through their body; Emilena had warned not to touch the walls for a reason.

The shocks disrupted the invisibility field, revealing the Rhino agent that had attacked Soren's house yesterday. Stumbling backwards, he tore haywire electrical devices off his body.

"Exstasis..." sighed the second figure, who remained invisible. "I thought we said this was going to be a quiet extraction..."

A smoke grenade rolled out of the shadows and exploded, removing all remaining light from the room. The rhino ran into a wall and was electrocuted again. Lily, meanwhile, was coughing up what tasted like blood and shaking uncontrollably.

"I don't know who you are," the smooth-voiced agent said to Kojurro, "but I've no quarrel with you. Give us Ms. North and we'll cause you and your fox friends no further trouble."

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

Emilena drew her sword. The other pair had bypassed all their traps since Emilena wasn't watching them and didn't set any off. Her only hope now was the element of surprise.

Sprinting silently at the door they were soon to come through, she sprung forward, timing her strike so it would occur as they walked in. If possible, she'd kill the one that wasn't Marcus in a single swing, and make this a proper 1-on-1.

Pterano · **Reply #535 on:** December 19, 2013, 05:47:38 PM

Tony looked down to the side, at the wall he was leaning against. "I KNOW it has its uses but... what about jobs that could vanish because of it? What if we live in a world where everything is automated? Nobody would have to work anymore... and people like my dad would be out of business." he muttered. He didn't mention that his father actually had started using some augs in his business as of late, but the ferret figured it was best left unsaid for now.

He heard Adrian's comlink hum, and he looked up now. "Trouble?" he asked, swiveling his head in Adrian's direction for the first time now.

bushwacked · **Reply #536 on:** December 19, 2013, 06:07:56 PM

A girl's scream echoed down towards Marcus and Aaron, followed by the faint sounds of a scuffle. Marcus inclined his head. "Sounds like they've got problems of their own. Hurry up." He moved forward faster now, not caring about masking his footsteps - whatever was going on in the courtyard should drown out the worst of it. Rounding the corner, he saw a set of wooden doors, rotten, hanging off their hinges. Beyond, open air. The sound of shouting was louder now, clearer.

As they passed the doorway, something shone in the corner of Marcus' vision. He spun sideways even as he continued running forwards, not registering that the glint was moonlight shining off Emilena's sword, not even registering that it was Emilena herself who was wielding it. Acting purely on reflexes, he dodged the razor-sharp metal's path and twisted, slamming the butt of his rifle against the side of the assailant's head. Feeling the impact run up his arm, he hit the floor with a grunt and rolled, turning to face her.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #537 on:** December 19, 2013, 06:10:41 PM

Emilena went tumbling with a grunt. Her sword skittered out of her hand.

She tried to get to her feet, but she felt concussed. She barely managed to get to her elbows and knees. She registered blood dripping from her head and nostrils.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #538 on:** December 19, 2013, 06:12:20 PM

Adrian thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"If they do it right, then there won't be any need to lose jobs. Right now, the big issue is people's greed and desire for the easy way out."
He said, freezing as he heard Kojuuro over his comlink.
"How many people were with you in the car?"
He asked, turning back towards Tony...
___________________________________________________________________

Upstairs, Kojuuro smirked, reaching behind himself and drawing his sword with a small chuckle.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, whoever you are. You see, I made someone a promise that I would protect her. And seeing as that oaf that's with you just hurt her...Well, I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you both out."
He said coldly, eyes gleaming in the low light...

Serris · **Reply #539 on:** December 19, 2013, 06:14:06 PM

Aaron's ears pricked up as he heard the sound of fighting coming from one of the rooms. His heart pounded furiously. Sure, he had been in a few scraps before ó his construction company tended to work in some really bad areas but a full-out gun fight? That was new.

Taking a deep breath of the musty air, he got his rifle ready.

He was confronted by a door. He was about to open when a chill ran up his spine. He could smell something behind the door ó and it wasn't friendly.

Raising his rifle, he sent a quick six round burst through the door and gave it a hard kick.

--------

Soren nodded as Mr. Altyn hopped into his car and drove off. "Yeah, the Purifiers got to him. Cut off his fingers."

He opened the back of the repulsortruck and spotted a Shetland Pony "unicorn" digging through the boxes. He facepalmed. "Anne! What the f--- are you doing this time!?"

Anne turned to Soren, her arms clutching several new pieces of electronics she pilfered from the truck's cargo. "Uh, this your truck?"

"No. But we need it!"

Soren shook his head and sighed. "Ugh, just...stay out of the way." He poked his head through the divider into the driver's seat. "Hey, Axel, do you think we should see what Lily and the others are up to now?"