School House Rumbles 3: Act 3. Warriors and Liberators.

[Cthulhu_of_R'yleh]

She smiles back. "Thanks. I just, you know, wanted to make sure that was clear."

"More than I'd like." He teased.

"You having it out is making me feel uncomfortable," she says, sounding a little edgy.

It wasn't like he was planning on cutting her to pieces or anything.. "Oh, okay." He quickly slid the blade back into its scabbard. "Sorry."

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

Mack smiled slightly. He'd been faltering, but it seemed his choice had been made for him.

It hadn't taken long - just minutes after they'd gotten off the shuttle, and now the Cadets were scattering to the four winds. Takeshi was leading some sort of strike force to attack Baad industries, Elewa was off securing his family, and who knew what the rest were getting up to. They were all so easily distracted. Mack hadn't even had to do anything. And if he was right, they were about to present him with a golden opportunity.

But first, Mack needed to pump Jacob's contact for information.

In a flash of speed, he appeared next to Raveneye.

"So," Mack murmured, watching the others plan their raid with lidded eyes. "I heard ya were the guy with the info: If a guy wanted ta shank Bale Volkov, what kinda stuff would he have ta worry 'bout standin' in his way?"

Xaric looked at him a moment before responding.

"Beyond the general public and possible innocents working for him, there is also the robots, Reclaimation Force soldiers, various automated sentry weapons, Baad Industries clones of Vivian Baad meant for combat, Volkov's personal mercs, and his mysterious troopers that appeared after you left. There are hundreds of them. They all wear masks and the same form of combat armor. All also appear to be empowered of some sort, but more than the norm. Each has more than two powers like the rule is for empowered. How that is possible is anyone's guess."

[Hazard]

Robert nodded slowly as he absorbed the information.

He kind of knew all that... well, not the Vi clones. That was kind of a surprise, but he knew the rest.

Innocents.

It was obvious. Volkov was the government. He was the law. As far as most of Eden knew the man was right. Of course, there were going to be innocents working for him. People that really thought they were doing the right thing.

Good People.

It had been fight with the robots, but innocent people...A month or so ago he would have trusted they would have been able to get through to them. That in the middle of the battle, their feelings would be felt. That an understanding would come.

Now, not so much.

It was a mess. It was confusing. It was annoying.

Robert sighed.

What did he want to do?

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

"So, we're not going to have time to see our families then?" Rivia sounded sad, but understood the importance of what he was asking of them,

"Most likely, no. We have maybe about twenty hours at most before things have to be set in motion. That gives us enough time to get everyone together and launch our attacks, hopefully before Volkov finds out for sure that you're here and what we plan."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Xaric looked at him a moment before responding.

"Beyond the general public and possible innocents working for him, there is also the robots, Reclaimation Force soldiers, various automated sentry weapons, Baad Industries clones of Vivian Baad meant for combat, Volkov's personal mercs, and his mysterious troopers that appeared after you left. There are hundreds of them. They all wear masks and the same form of combat armor. All also appear to be empowered of some sort, but more than the norm. Each has more than two powers like the rule is for empowered. How that is possible is anyone's guess."

Hearing all of this makes Maxana frown. She and the others had discussed the possibility of Volkov's cronies having full access to the Empowered ability tree, but she did not think it would be to this scale.

"Before the Final War that ushered in the rise of Eden, humans were capable of using all the empowered abilities, plus other ones. Volkov must have found away to unlock these other abilities." She pauses, thinking something over, and then adds, "You not knowing this means you do not know about Volkov's power, yes?"

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

Skye whistles appreciatively. "How large is your resistance network? Those sound like very very lofty goals.." She says.

"Not as many as I'd like, but more than you might expect. Several Paragon cells that have laid low since HQ fell. Some of my own forces, of course, and other law enforcement officers. Plus some upstanding citizens and some not so upstanding ones."

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

"Then I'm hitting Baad."

"That can be arranged."

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

She smiles back. "Thanks. I just, you know, wanted to make sure that was clear."

"You having it out is making me feel uncomfortable," she says, sounding a little edgy.

"Love you too," Maxana calls back.




She rejoins the group in time to hear the tail end of their discussion. Mr. Raveneye sounds like he has a definite plan, which is much more than what they had. It also sounds like he has the means to do it.

But depending on how long they have been gone, that will be much easier said than done. It already is, but it will be that much more so. "Mr. Raveneye, how long have we been gone?"

"Months. Far longer than you think."

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

Hearing all of this makes Maxana frown. She and the others had discussed the possibility of Volkov's cronies having full access to the Empowered ability tree, but she did not think it would be to this scale.

"Before the Final War that ushered in the rise of Eden, humans were capable of using all the empowered abilities, plus other ones. Volkov must have found away to unlock these other abilities." She pauses, thinking something over, and then adds, "You not knowing this means you do not know about Volkov's power, yes?"

"I know some of it, but only from old books passed down in my family. Nothing like what you can do, mind. But I've seen these soldiers use all of the elemental forces and have all the physical capabilities that empowered can have."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"You went for a two on one, why would you assume that one of us wouldn't take advantage of the distraction?" Sloane asked curiously.

"Yeah, but I didn't expect Cas to be invisible while doing it."

"I know. But sometimes, things don't work out like we think they do."

Sloane wrapped her up in a tight hug, burying his face into her shoulder.

"For luck, Ramilia. Let's get through this alive."

When he wraps her in a tight hug, she starts blushing again. She turns to face him and returns it. "Thanks. We've come too far to die now."

"More than I'd like." He teased.

"Sometimes you need to make it extra clear to make sure the point is gotten. Not saying you'd try anything otherwise."

It wasn't like he was planning on cutting her to pieces or anything.. "Oh, okay." He quickly slid the blade back into its scabbard. "Sorry."

When he puts the sword away, the feeling of uneasiness recedes, and then vanishes completely. With a relieved sigh, she nods. "Thank you. It's fine. It's just that something about it was making me uncomfortable."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Months. Far longer than you think."

"That is what I thought." Not good, but better than being gone for years. After a moment, she continues, "How exactly did he explain me being killed with the others? An heiress from Sector One being killed must not have gone over very well."

"I know some of it, but only from old books passed down in my family. Nothing like what you can do, mind. But I've seen these soldiers use all of the elemental forces and have all the physical capabilities that empowered can have."

"So you do know about Ether, Leyline and all the technology found outside the dome, then? However Volkov unlocked his powers, he must have done the same for his men, meaning that they are extremely powerful."

[Cthulhu_of_R'yleh]

"Sometimes you need to make it extra clear to make sure the point is gotten. Not saying you'd try anything otherwise."

"Fair point, though if I were to try that, it'd be on you." He smiled casually.

When he puts the sword away, the feeling of uneasiness recedes, and then vanishes completely. With a relieved sigh, she nods. "Thank you. It's fine. It's just that something about it was making me uncomfortable."

"Well... It is the sword from that corrupted god we killed. Might have something to do with it." He was about to make a comment about how it might've been possible the swordsman wasn't evil to start with, before he heard;

"Not as many as I'd like, but more than you might expect. Several Paragon cells that have laid low since HQ fell. Some of my own forces, of course, and other law enforcement officers. Plus some upstanding citizens and some not so upstanding ones."

"I know some of it, but only from old books passed down in my family. Nothing like what you can do, mind. But I've seen these soldiers use all of the elemental forces and have all the physical capabilities that empowered can have."

Tilting his head, he nodded. "Conversation out there's getting interesting. May be time to head out soon... Possibly." The idea of heading back into a fight, while... a pleasant one, he didn't necessarily mean he wanted to go right this second.

[Eternal Torment]

"Yeah, but I didn't expect Cas to be invisible while doing it."

"Well, that is something only he knew he could do. At the time, I was thinking that he'd go straight hand to hand like you and me."

When he wraps her in a tight hug, she starts blushing again. She turns to face him and returns it. "Thanks. We've come too far to die now."

A light blush coloured Sloane's face as well. Ramilia was so close that they could practically-

"We're not going to have an easy time. But when have we ever gotten a clean break? Let's make the best of it and give 'em heck."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Fair point, though if I were to try that, it'd be on you." He smiled casually.

She rolls her eyes. Yeah, a real Casanova. "As flattered as I am, you're not my type."

"Well... It is the sword from that corrupted god we killed. Might have something to do with it." He was about to make a comment about how it might've been possible the swordsman wasn't evil to start with, before he heard;

Tilting his head, he nodded. "Conversation out there's getting interesting. May be time to head out soon... Possibly." The idea of heading back into a fight, while... a pleasant one, he didn't necessarily mean he wanted to go right this second.

Nodding at the first comment, she decides she'll mull that over later. "Why, do you have something you'd rather do than listen," she says with a raised eyebrow.

[Tami]

"Most likely, no. We have maybe about twenty hours at most before things have to be set in motion. That gives us enough time to get everyone together and launch our attacks, hopefully before Volkov finds out for sure that you're here and what we plan."

Rivia sighed and nodded, "Then lets' get this over with."