Hello everyone. Yes I am still alive, yes I am still writing, and yes Real Life is still kicking me in the $$. Anyhow I know this isn't the full mission, but I wish to give you all a sign to let you guys know I am still alive and still writing. I just have to say one thing; college is going to suck. But I will try my hardest to get out another chapter. I mean, how long has it been since I updated. *checks story* 56 days... ... ... Well, I'm not gonna let that number climb anymore.

** The Beast had drained us. Broken our powers… Felt like the end, almost wish it was. The Beast had just put itself back together, and Empire City… is dead. Our ship ran for it, fleeing south to New Marais. People kept their distance whether from respect or fear, I don't know. Either way I was pretty alone, none of us wanting to talk to one another. Others kept busy, acting out their routines as if it would make the world right again. But I knew better. We had been given powers to defeat the Beast, to save humanity from destruction. I was strong, I was ready, I had fought it with every scrap of power I had, and it wasn't enough. That needed to change. And change happened. The next day Morgan worked with Zeke to build weapons that could amplify our powers. She immediately jumped in to help upon seeing what he was making for Cole, designing her student's weapons to suit them for what they know. And Dunbar allowed her to help, taking the opportunity to be friends like before. Agent Kuo gathered intelligence on the Beast. Town after town was lost as it traveled down the coast. She also used her contacts to requisition a smaller boat. New Marais was in lockdown, wouldn't let anyone in. We were going to have to sneak in through the swamp. I don't know if you ever let someone down, got your ass kicked or straight up failed. But those are the moments that define us. They push you farther than you've ever thought possible and force you to make choices. No matter what the cost. **

Before I continue I guess I should describe what I look like… again. I still wear my favorite red T-shirt with the green moon on the back. Instead of wearing shorts, I'm now wearing blue jeans instead of shorts, after skinning up my leg during one episode of patrolling Empire City. Standard blue free-runner sneakers are on my feet and black tipless gloves cover my hands. Silver also has her red shirt with the flame design on it. Her hands are free of the white hand-wraps after saving someone from a burning building. But that's another story.

hr

"Hello, Cole, Laura, Selvena," Agent Lucy Kuo calls out to us as she walks up to the front of the boat. "You know when you go to talk to Wolfe, everything is going to become completely…" She stops upon seeing something up ahead and rushes to the cockpit of the craft.

"Zeke! Zeke cut the engine!" She hisses out to Zeke, whom immediately cuts off the propellers. Without the motors running the area goes dead quiet aside from the sounds of the swamp and the sloshing of water.

"Something wrong?" Silver asks as she looks at Kuo, whom answers by pointing up ahead at several towers. "We've got a Militia blockade. This boat gets any closer and their artillery will sink us."

"Guess it's time to say hello to the neighborhood," I say, cracking my knuckles before Morgan and Zeke call out to us, carrying three objects in their arms.

"Hang on Mittens," Zeke calls out, making me groan out. Ever since Silver got rid of her wraps, that's been my new nickname. "We've got something for you three." He hands a giant tuning fork to Cole while Morgan hands Silver and my some odd looking blades. In addition to being a mere foot long, the blade looks to be missing the fuller entirely, leaving a Tesla coil attached to the guard. The two halves of the sword reunite at the central ridge as normal on a double-edged sword and I note how the actual edges, while sharp, aren't as sharp as they could be. Seems it's our duty to sharpen them when we get the chance.

"You're sure these things are ready this time?" I ask, remembering what happened with the first and second prototypes. Swung them a few times too forcefully and they got bent real badly. Some even had to get melted down entirely they were literally bent out of shape. Zeke just shrugs and motions for us to try out the latest ones. Silver grips hers, still unsure if it will actually work or not. With a shrug of my shoulders I swing the blade, charging electricity into it. The result is impressive; lightning arcs through the metal and it glows in blue-green energy as the blade extends outward and seems to lock itself in place at three feet long.

"Well I'll be damned..." Zeke says as I swing it a few more times, watching the electricity sparkle between the split blade and the coil with a nod of approval. Cole swings his tuning fork as well, the electricity zipping between both coils.

"What on earth are those... things?" Kuo asks, unable to really put a name on the objects we're wielding. Morgan is the one who speaks up, pointing to our blades then Cole's fork. "Volt blades and the Amp."

"Oh yeah, these will definitely make an impression," I say before sliding it onto my back, the blade compacting itself down without electricity.

"This is great work Zeke. Thanks a bunch," Cole adds as we jump off the boat and onto the shoreline.

"Thanks brother. Go have some fun." Zeke calls out with a wave. McGrath nods back and lands down onto the pier, electricity bursting from him as he touches down. We all look around the swamp area before proceeding on foot to where we guess would be the mortar placements. Finding nothing out of the ordinary we just walk onward through the swamp.

"Hey Kuo how does the NSA even know what you're up to with us?" Cole asks as he starts up a conversation with the NSA agent.

"I... took a leave of absence," she replies, as if a little hesitant to reveal that information.

"Why's that, you seem pretty 'by the numbers'." Our electric man asks as we leap onto parts of wood that seem to be sticking above the water, allowing us to cross the hazardous liquid.

"The NSA plans to deal with the beast by deploying the military, Wolfe has a better plan: you. He invented the Ray Sphere technology. You want enough power to defeat the Beast, he's your man." Kuo explains as we soon near what is a milita camp.

"Well, at least we're good for something," I comment as I bring up the rear of the group, looking around left and right for anybody with a gun. As we continue to walk along the swampy ground, Silver stops for a moment and looks at some spot. Suddenly gunfire fills the air as these guys in light-tan and orange come rushing out of the grass with AK-47's firing bullets at us. My arm is outstretched as I work to create a shadow shield, only managing a small blur before it fades away. Bullets scratch at my sides and thankfully don't hit anything vital. Silver ducks down behind a log, gripping her Volt blade in one hand and firing off lightning bolts with the other.

Yes I know this isn't the whole chapter, but it's only to satisfy my guilt of not posting sooner.

lazy Lynn - I'm still thinking about that. But I do have a few ideas in my head

madrox23 - Lol. You make it sound like I'm writing a porno. Lol, got ideas for those scenes.

godofmadness43 - here ya go

General Herbison - Sorry that you missed me longer

Manakete King - Yeah I know, but that's what you get for not taking it to the writing center. (and this is at 12:48 am)

Black-Kat-77 - I'll be sure to read your story now.

Now to go to bed.