Dray Ahsan lay in wait behind cover. He and his team had been preparing for this raid for weeks. Inside the giant warehouse before them was brand new non-lethal weapons technology. With this haul, he could finally improve grunt weaponry and defense leading to more successful physical raids at least. Dray was giddy with excitement thinking of all the possibilities he had if this raid was successful. But first, he had to focus on the mission.

He could of course just wait it out and leave his team to do the mission but his wife told him he needed to be more active so he decided to join the field team just this once. Thinking back on that conversation, he instinctively touched the base of his ring finger. The jewelry that he held so dear to him was absent at the current moment, which made sense but still left him feeling uneasy. If only he could've seen his wife off before he left but it looked like she got up for her morning jog at that point.

He and his team were at their warehouse a few hours before dawn. It was so early that even the birds were currently asleep. Let's pray that that one bird stays asleep, Dray hoped. If a hero were to jump in right now, it would definitely complicate things. "Sir, are you ready?" a gruff voice asked. Dray took a deep breath.

"Yes. Let's begin."

The team spread out into separate smaller teams as they circled the building. Slowly but surely, two teams go through the windows while a third, led by Dray himself, used a stolen key to open the back door. Dray peeked in, careful to not let his helmet. bump into the doors of the place. I shouldn't have done this in full costume, Dray lamented. But, due to brand recognition and staying incognito being so important in this line of work he didn't really have much of a choice. He began to take a full look at the guarded warehouse. The security consisted of five policemen and a police sergeant to facilitate the whole operation. The technology they were looking for was inside two big trucks. The plan was to take as many of the weapons as they could and use their own getaway vehicles that were parked close by. Other than that, a few workers and drivers were carrying the merchandise. Dray taps on his earpiece.

"Everyone in position?"

"Affirmative" was the reply.

"Okay...go."

In a quick flurry the tall, buff beastman rushes forward and tackles the police sergeant, knocking the wind out of him. Two other policemen raised their guns at him but were too slow as he knocks the guns off their hands with a swipe. The grunts stationed by the windows quickly came in afterward, brandishing their short-range tasers to incapacitate the workers. Once Dray determined there was no threat he ushered his own team to begin stealing the technology. Everything is going according to plan. Dray takes another deep breath before walking into the building himself. A policeman on the ground looks up at him and Dray looks back.

"Technus..." he says before passing out from the taser's damage. Dray smiles. Good. At least I'm not so easily forgotten. Dray continued forward and takes a look at the weapon himself as his team starts unloading crates of them. A shock baton with a tip that could separate and launch out like a long ranged taser. It's even retractable, giving it the ability to be used multiple times in quick succession. Perfect for incapacitating multiple enemies or one very strong enemy. Yes, this is perfect. Just as Dray thought he could finally relax, the glass windows above him shattered as a flying figure crashes down and onto his general.

~~~

Amirah Law was laying in wait behind cover. She got a tip from a colleague that there were a suspicious amount of vehicles parked near a warehouse. It was odd considering the time of day. There with her was another colleague and friend looking into the warehouse with a pair of binoculars. "Well...that tip was actually accurate. It looks like there's a team of people just waiting outside the warehouse"

Amirah nods. She had hoped that nothing would've happened for that day's morning patrol as today was an important day for her. Her husband and she were finally going to move out of their crummy 3-room apartment and move to a bigger place. As such, she wanted to be home for that. After all, a morning jog wouldn't last five hours would it? She could only hope her husband was still asleep once she reached home. Thinking about her husband made her hand hover over her ring finger but she stopped herself. There wasn't a ring there to play with anyway.

"Well, what do you think Talon? Should we go in?"

"Hm. No. Let's not get hasty. We don't know who we're dealing with." Please just be some average low-life...

"Hmm...oh? Hold on..."

"What is it, Banshee?" Amirah asked. Banshee was well-known for being too playful and cocky during missions so Amirah needed to keep him in check.

"I think that's Technus over there."

"What?" Amirah gestured at Banshee and borrowed his binoculars to look for herself. He's not joking...Technus? Here? Damnit...

Amirah handed Banshee back his binoculars as Technus and his team made their move. "This is our chance Talon! Technus is here in the flesh! We can take him- or her in and-" Amirah quickly silences Banshee with a hand over his mouth and a fierce look in her eyes.

"You're too loud," she says. Banshee hurriedly nods with a strange look of awe and wonder in his eyes. And yet, it made complete sense. He couldn't believe he was working with the Talon. The number one hero in the district and probably the best hero in the entire country. While she has not officially been recognized as such, she continues to get achievements no hero could ever dream of while also doing so faster than anyone else in history. It also helped that her looks were as great as her strength. Jet black hair tied up in a unique bun that looked like feathers growing from her head, a metal mask that covered her nose and mouth, aviator goggles resting on her forehead, and most of all, big silver wings on her arms. Her torso, arms, and legs were covered in dull but tough armor that mainly protected her from melee attacks while her feet were fitted with giant retractable metal talons, should she need them. She was kind, beautiful, and unbelievably strong.

As Banshee was still stuck in his fantasies, Amirah removed her hand covering his mouth and took a look back at the warehouse. Technus and his team have started moving in and the familiar flashes of tasers shone through the windows.

"We make our move now. You head below. I'll just jump in." Amirah instructs Banshee as he snaps out of it.

"W-Wait, that's it? There's a lot of people there I thought you said-"

"No time. I'm going in." And with that, Amirah slips her goggles on before powering up a jump and launching herself into the air. Having practiced with her mechanical wings and abnormally strong legs, this process was instinctual for Amirah. She streamlined her body to go as high as she could before spreading her wings and gliding over the building. She looked for a good opening to get the best outcome of her dive and saw that the beastman Technus always brought with them was wide open.

She immediately dives down, like a hawk who has spotted its prey only switching position to ensure she drops in feet first. She crashes through the glass ceiling window of the warehouse and lands on the beastman hard, the concrete floor beneath him cracking. The beastman was instantly knocked out cold. She normally wouldn't use this much force but the beastman could take it. And she was in a hurry.

Technus' grunts all stopped in their tracks, panic and fear starting to set in as they realise who exactly was in their presence.

"Technus! I know you're here." Amirah shouted. Technus soon emerged from the back of the delivery truck with a strange item in his hand. Is that a weapon? I should be careful

"Well, looks like you caught me,"

Amirah scoffs. "What are you doing out in the open Technus? I thought you were smarter than that." Technus was dressed in their usual get-up. A dark cloak was around him at all times to conceal his weapons and knick-knacks underneath. In the times Amirah got a good look, she could see how Technus would wear a simple shirt and jeans underneath to facilitate various belts and pockets that housed said weapons and knick-knacks. On their head was a black helmet that resembled a fox's head with glowing blue eyes.

"You know...thought I would get out some exercise~" they replied, stretching slightly which caused Amirah to flinch. Technus always seemed to have a voice-changer within their helmet. This combined with the fact that they are usually covered from head to toe with their cloak made even determining their gender difficult. The only thing Amirah could confirm in all their scuffles was that Technus was maybe a bit shorter than her.

"Surrender now and I promise to make your arrest painless."

"Oh come on Talon, I'm just a simple thief. No need to be so serious. Can't you just give me a pass? It's not like I killed anyone."

And that doesn't mean you haven't done anything wrong you maniac. Amirah held herself. She herself had a choice. She could quickly get Technus out of the way and rush home to meet her husband or she could finally make the arrest on the big-time criminal. Bringing them in personally would push her up in the ranks. Amirah sighs to herself. ...I can't disappoint Dray like that.

~~~

What a predicament I got into...Dray thought to himself. Of course, out of all the heroes it had to be Talon. The biggest threat he could've possibly faced was right in front of him. That signature talon emblem on her mask has continued to haunt him. Whoever had the misfortune to witness that emblem too close never saw the light of the day again. Or, at least for the next few months as they heal from their injuries. He glanced at his watch and noticed how little time he has left.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Ugh...Mirah would probably be heading home right about now. Dray realized. He knows the threat in front of him is what he really has to focus on but the thought of disappointing and possibly worrying his wife still made him uncomfortable. I need to cut my losses and quit while I can.

"Well Talon, what's your plan here? You're all alone and completely surrounded. I can easily-"

"You know very well how little any of you pose a threat to me."

Dray clicks his tongue. "You don't need to be so blunt about it...Are you in a hurry Talon? Got someone waiting for you at home, hm?"

Talon squints her eyes and gets low, preparing to pounce. Well... it's now or never. Dray himself got low and prepared for a confrontation. He knows he could never win in a straight fight but he could distract her long enough to escape.

Dray sneaked his hand into his pocket but before he could pull anything out, a shriek from the main entrance shocks both Talon and himself. The scream reverberates throughout the entire building, shattering glass and shaking the walls around them.

Banshee huh? That's my ticket out. As Talon covers her ears, Dray turns around and raises two fingers up and out. His grunts quickly started scattering, running out and away from the warehouse. He slipped behind the delivery truck and started making his way to Banshee. However, as he was moving a loud impact crashed into the other side of the delivery truck, knocking it over. Dray was lucky to move out of the way before it crushed him. Talon had that look in her eyes. The one that strikes fear in all the villains alike.

Damn, she's serious.

Banshee lets out another indiscriminate scream in an attempt to incapacitate the people in the building, unknowingly letting Dray's team escape.

"Talon! Talon, I'm here to help! Are you okay?!" Banshee screamed, this time without his powers. Poor kid doesn't know what he's doing. Before Dray could finish his thought, Talon flew towards him, her talons scraping against his helmet and he just barely dodges out of the way. Dray catches his breath before running towards and tackling Banshee.

"W-Wha! What are you-." Before Banshee could complete his sentence, Dray finds a nerve in his leg and punches it as hard as he could. Talon is behind him a second too late. He quickly moves out of the way and Banshee lets out another sonic scream, ironically hitting and launching Talon away as she jumped towards Dray. Dray laughs before running out the door.

~~~

Amirah recovered midair narrowly avoiding crashing into the wall. She spots Technus running out of the building before she dashed forward and kicked the large warehouse door open with relative ease. But of course, she was just a second too late. Technus was gone into the night. Amirah prepared to jump into the air to continue her search but a beeping noise interrupted her. She checked the source of the beeping, that being her watch.

Damnit...I'm too late. Amirah's "morning jog" was supposed to end by this point. Anytime after this and she would just end up worrying Dray. Amirah sighed deeply. Well...it's not like this is the first time Technus escaped. Amirah walked back into the building only to find all the grunts and even the beastman missing. She is only met with a dazed and confused Banshee on the ground. A complete failure. She's disappointed in the outcome of the patrol but she knew there was at least some happiness waiting for her after.

She walked over to Banshee and pulls him to his feet.

"Talon, I-I'm sorry I-"

"Yeah sure. It's alright. You're still new but...I need you to do me a favour."

"Huh?! Yeah! Okay! Anything. Just let me know."

"Could you handle the paperwork? I have...urgent important business after this."

"Huh oh uh...sure. As serious as always huh Talon. Take care!"

"Thanks." Amirah takes this opportunity to quickly walk out of the building and launch herself outwards. I need to get home!

~~~

Dray unlocked his window before climbing into his room. He peeked out and into the living room to confirm that he was still alone in the apartment. His room was currently filled with boxes as he and his wife were preparing to move that day. He cursed the fact that his simple raid was interrupted earlier but he had other important things to worry about.

He quickly changed out of his costume and stuffed it into one of his boxes. He rushed to the small kitchen they had and pulled out two cup-noodles. He filled his electric kettle with water and let it boil, pretending to be busy. Not ten seconds after this, his dear wife Amirah opened the apartment door and walked in.

Dray smiled and walked over to his wife, giving her a kiss on the cheek. He gagged. "Wow, you really...worked up a sweat this time. Blegh." Amirah laughed. "I told you to stop doing that. You reap what you sow." Amirah looked over Dray's shoulder and rolls her eyes.

"Cup noodles for breakfast?"

"Hey, I can't cook much if we're gonna move out in like 2 hours. Besides, nothing wrong with a morning-"

"No, stop" Amirah smiled, putting a finger on Dray's lips "Do not finish your sentence. It is completely wrong". Dray blushed slightly at the gesture. He should've been used to his wife's eccentricities by this point but his shy nature and years of inexperience with love always betray him. At least with the Technus persona, I can hide behind the mask and go all out.

Dray always admired his wife's outgoing and friendly nature. He could only try and bluff as Technus but even as Technus, the people close to him can always notice when his persona slips.

"I am going to rinse myself off to wash away this sweat...let's relax a bit before we start worrying about the move," Amirah says as she gently caressed Dray at the hip, returning with a kiss of her own before heading to the bathroom. Amirah being slightly taller than Dray always made these expressions of love easier for her than it was for him.

Dray slowly poured the hot water into the cup noodles and sat on the tiny couch they own. Amirah came from the bathroom soon enough and quietly sat next to Dray. Dray sneaked a glance at Amirah which earned him a smile as, of course, she noticed. Dray smiled back. As the two of them sit silently together Dray let out a sigh.

Well...I can't hide it any longer. Once we make this move, I'll reveal my real job.

~~~

As Amirah sat silently next to Dray, she thought of a myriad of ways to tease and annoy him but the importance of today also struck her. They were finally properly moving in together. She had been mooching off of his apartment since he was living alone anyway and she just lived with her parents who were not as excited that she moved out.

This is it...I can't delay it any longer. Once we move in, I'll reveal my identity.

Amirah sat next to her husband in a comfortable silence as they both lean against each other, patiently waiting for the movers to arrive. It felt to Amirah that Dray was also nervous about something which she assumed to just be the move. Once the movers arrived, they made the painful process of bringing all of their things from one house to another.

~~~

After a few hours, Dray and Amirah finally moved all their boxes into their respective rooms. They had decided to go for separate rooms due to their conflicting interests taking up space but Dray was sure it won't stop Amirah from barging into his room anyway. Not that he was complaining.

"Wait...I think I left something back at the old house." Amirah alerted Dray from her room.

"What is it?"

"Uhm...the necklace you bought for me."

"The one with the little hummingbird thing?"

"No...ugh the- the flower one. The one from when we were dating...wait."

Amirah ran into Dray's room and looks started looking through his boxes. Dray raised an eyebrow.

"Woah Woah relax. It was an old necklace anyway, no need to panic."

"No, Dray. I have every reason to panic." Amirah looked back at Dray with a worried look on her face "...I really liked that one." Dray sighed.

"Alright, I'll look through your boxes again."

"I already did."

"Yes but you never look close enough. I think you just put it in there somewhere."

Dray moves out of his room and into Amirah's checking her boxes of belongings thoroughly. Eventually, he came across a box that was smaller than the others. He took a close look at the items inside.

"...Armour?" He rummaged through the box before eventually finding it. The mask. A metal mask with a talon emblem to its side.

Amirah...Amirah is Talon?!

~~~

Amirah briefly glanced at all the boxes in Dray's room. She knew she wouldn't be able to spot the necklace as easily as this but she was making full use of her powers since this necklace meant a lot. She was just about to quit before she noticed a full but open box in the corner. She rushed to it only to find a black cloth at the top.

I've...never seen him wear this before.

She moved the cloth away only to immediately cover her mouth.

A black metal fox head was underneath the cloth. She looked past it only to see various different weaponry. Weaponry she's seen before.

No way...Dray is Technus...?