Episode: 1.13

--- Rook ---

(Shit, shit, SHIT!)

Her eyes moved over the armed men as she gripped the knife she usually kept in her boot. All it would take is one moment and she’d be ready to break her cuffs and deal with the thugs.

(Have to figure out a plan…)

She’d lucked out, and whatever concussion she had, was mild enough that most of the effects were already clear, something that that teleporting Deviant did not help with in the slightest. As was, she’d probably have a migraine and fuzzy thoughts on and off for the next few weeks.

She shook her head.

(No, I can deal with that later… Right, now I need to wait for an opportunity to deal with these guys…)

Unfortunately, this meant she could only grit her teeth, as her eyes fell on a number of crying kids with guns pointed at them, unable to help the poor things. No matter how much she wanted to (break these jackasses’ legs…)

She took a calming breath, forcing her more… violent impulses into the background. She needed to stay calm.

(Okay… I know I can take them, but I can’t risk the kids getting hurt…)

“That’s everyone.” One of the thugs commented nearby.

She glanced around as her face twisted in confusion.

(Wait…where’s…)

“Good,” the leader nodded, before speaking into his radio, “Moving to phase 3.”

Her eyes quickly looked over all the other hostages as a handful of the men began to break away from the majority and move further into the mall.

(Shit, Jericho ‘s not here…)

(If I’m lucky he got that stupid suit and is waiting for me outside…)

She managed to hold that thought for a full five seconds before cringing.

(Who am I kidding? That dumbass is probably working on something that’s going to get him killed.)

A strange whirring sound snapped her out of her thoughts.

One of the thugs started glancing around. “You guys hear that?”

“Wonder if the cops sent in a drone or something?”

“Maybe…” The leader admitted, “Either way keep your eyes up.”

She frowned at that bit of by play.

(Cops in this city don’t have the budget for drones…)

(And as sad as it is neither these guys nor the hostages are important enough to bring in a specialist squad this fast…)

She bit her lip, as another thought crossed her mind.

(I’ve made sure no one from Asylum can track me…)

She looked around the room, watching as the thugs looked for the source of the nearing sound.

(Could be a Tech mask, though this situation is bit much for one hero…)

She tried wracking her brain for any Tech based heroes, and while she could remember one, she couldn’t remember his name or if he used drones. Just that he was a part of some team, and given what little she could remember about the teams in New Haven… (They’ll just cause more damage than they actually fix…)

Her teeth ground together, as she remembered something else.

(Then again when has that ever stopped those glory hounds.)

A movement in the air caught her attention, and her eyes jumped to a little R/C car diving over the edge of the second floor. Or more accurately they jumped to what looked like a teddy bear wearing a small crown and mask, strapped to the top of said R/C. As well as an old beat up box that was being pulled behind the car. What’s more the three odd items were tied together by what looked like an extension cord cable.

“The fuck is this?” One of the thugs asked, unknowingly voicing the thought of everyone else in the room.

“Language.” A voice she really hoped she was hallucinating said. “There are children present.”

“Who said that?” The same thug asked jumping with his gun aiming around.

“It’s coming from the bear.” The leader growled looking around the second-floor railing. “Where’s four and five? They were supposed to be on second floor overwatch.”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Oh, I hate to be the bear-er of bad news… but those guys are bear-ly conscious right now. Heh-heh, get it?” The bear told them in a cutesy voice, before breaking out into a fit of rather disturbing giggles. Something that troubled her more than anyone else, since she actually knew who the voice belonged to.

The leader glared at the bear before grabbing his radio. “Two, where are you? Two, come in. Where are you?”

“Oh, are you trying to talk to the Mask?” The bear began, before its voice echoed on the radio. “Sorry, but they had a claw-ful accident, I can bear-ly believe it. Heh-heh, get it?”

The leader glared at the radio before throwing it across the room. He gave the room another once over before walking to the bear and picking it up, R/C car and all.

Glaring at the bear, the leader shook his head before growling, “Who are you, and what do you want?”

“Oh, lots of things… but for now I’d be paws-itively delighted if you let the kids go.” The bear told them, its childlike voice giving way to a downright feral growl, she didn’t know Jericho capable of.

“Or what?” The leader challenged.

“I’ll do things you’ll find simply un-bear-able. Heh-heh, you get it?”

“You expect me to be scared of some punk too scared to show himself?” the leader scoffed, eyes still roaming the room, searching for wherever Jericho was hiding.

“No, even I’d bear-ly believe that.”

“Then why should I do anything you say?” The leader snarled; his growing annoyance obvious to all.

“Well, aside from you’re three friends?” the bear paused, before continuing with an obvious smile to its voice, “There’s the surprise that’s about to pop out of the box, you could say it’s the bomb of the party. Heh, get it?”

Everyone’s eyes jumped to the beat-up box as a deathly silence filled the room, or it would’ve if not for the heart stopping ticking sound echoing through the air.

“3…” the bear counted.

“Shit!” The leader cursed, dropping the bear.

Her eyes went wide.

(Jer wouldn’t…)

“Language, 2…”

“Get down!” the leader cursed jumping away from the box.

(He, he wouldn’t hurt the kids…)

“1…”

Everyone flinched, diving for whatever cover they could manage as the box began emitting a crackling sound just before exploding…

“and pop goes the weasel!”

…to reveal a jack in the box.

“Pfft…” She bit back her laughter, running a hand down her face as she tried to wipe the smile from her face, with one of the hands she’d freed during the commotion.

(That fucking dumbass… nearly gave me a heart attack…)

“Shit… I thought it was an actual…” One of the thugs laughed in relief.

“I know, nearly shit myself…” Another joined him shaking his head.

A fist hit the ground as their leader growled, “He’s fucking with us!”

“You guys are un-bear-able, how many times do I have to say it?” The bear groaned from its position on the floor, before chastising the armed and pissed terrorists. “Language, there are children present… and did you have to drop me? You guys are proving yourselves to be bear-ly competent at this whole thing…”

“Everyone up, search the place, he can’t be that far!” The leader ordered his men as he forced himself to his feet.

The others forced themselves up as well before making several gestures over who would search where.

“You think you can psych us out with a fake bomb?” The leader snarled. “Then I guess we can psych you out with a real execution!”

The leader’s eyes roamed over the hostages before falling on her and narrowing as he spotted her broken cuffs. “And look we even have a volunteer!”

“Oh, shit…” She cursed under her breath as the man aimed his gun at her.

(That fucking dumbass… I’m going to rip his heart out for this…)

“Language!” The bear, (no, that dumbass) Jericho, scolded her before continuing in a confused tone. “Wait, hold up… did you say you thought that was the bomb? But the bomb is obviously behind you, I even marked the box and everything…”

Rooks eyes widened as they fell on a box sitting just a few feet away from her. This one with the word ‘BOMB’ clearly spelled out in black marker, and a little lit fuse trailing off the O that had been filled in completely with the marker.

“Not falling for it.” The leader said through ground teeth, not even bothering to glance behind him as he sighted his aim.

A loud pop detonated from the box, before smoke rapidly consumed the area, hiding everyone from view. The surprise smoke bomb threw her aggressor off just long enough for her to dive away from the spot his bullets quickly tore apart.

She idly noted a heavy thudding sound come from the other side of the room, giving her a decent idea of where Jericho had moved to, as she swept her foot out catching the lead thug’s leg and sending him to his knees and level with her.

(On your feet…)

She rolled into a proper crouch.

(Catch the swing…)

Her hand shot out catching the butt of the target’s rifle.

(Straighten arm…)

She twisted the gun and pulled it as far as it’s strap would let her.

(Break and mute.)

Her elbow hit his twisted arm, sending a cracking sound into the air, only to be overshadowed by the target’s scream. One she abruptly cut off as her elbow flew up the target’s arm before crashing into its throat.

(Finish.)

She pulled her arm back before grabbing the back of the target’s head, and slamming its face into the tiled floor, before repeating the process once, then twice, more.

A slight hiss in the air alerted her.

(Block, then pin.)

She raised her arm catching the knife across her forearm, before wrapping her arm around the new target’s.

(Cripple.)

Her boot hit the second target’s knee with a crunch, eliciting a scream as a third came into sight.

(Dodge, steal, and stab.)

She dropped to her knee throwing the second target’s face into the ground as she ducked under a second knife.

Tensing her arm, she loosened the second target’s grip on its knife before reaching over her shoulder to take said knife.

Spinning it in her hand she slammed the knife into the third target’s thigh, causing it to flinch before it could take another stab at her.

(Release, weaken, break, and finish.)

She let go of the second target’s arm, making a fist with her freed hand.

Her right palm struck the third target’s diaphragm, before her left fist hit its jaw on one side and her right elbow hit it on the other.

She grabbed the back of the third target’s head, before bringing it down as she broke its jaw on her knee.

Releasing the third target, she turned around to deliver a swift kick to the second target’s temple, knocking it unconscious.

(Search area…)

Her eyes roamed the court as the last of the smoke finally gave way, revealing the hostages unharmed, and Jericho standing over the last two targets.

Breathing in she, paused just long enough to feel her heart pounding harder than it had at any other time in the last six years…

(All threats eliminated.)

…before promptly letting herself fall on her ass.

“Fucking hell…” She laughed, letting out a shaky breath as the stress slowly left her with a migraine.

“Language!” the bear called out after a moment.

She glanced from the inanimate bear, that somehow managed to glare at her judgmentally, to Jericho who held a walkie talkie near his frowning mouth, before promptly flicking them both off.

“Sign language!”

She shook her head, unable to suppress her laugh despite the pain.

(That fucking dumbass…)