[ ] Start slow, find some merchants and double team them.
We were still making plans when Dad came home.
"Emma? It's good to see you. Are you staying long?" Dad said. I knew he'd been worrying about my lack of friends.
"Yeah, I've moved back home and I couldn't wait to see Taylor."
"Actually Dad, would it be alright if Emma stayed the night?" I asked, feeling like I was six again.
Dad just chuckled, "Sure kiddo, do you need to get anything from Emma's place?"
In the end, Dad drove us back to Emma's so she could grab a change of clothes and her nightwear, both sets of it. On the way back, Dad stopped to get us some pizza and when we got home we made ourselves comfortable in the living room.
Dad sat with us for an hour or so before excusing himself to give us some time together. I could hear the TV in his bedroom so I knew he wasn't asleep.
We were still giggling at our latest movie when I realised how Emma was sitting. She was upside down on the sofa with her head hanging off the edge and her legs twisted at an odd angle.
"Geeze Emma, do you have a slinky for a spine?" I asked.
Emma laughed but there was a faint blush on her cheeks, "kinda, I started exercising to deal with… well, you know. Turns out I'm really flexible," she said with a pointed look.
Huh, enhanced agility came with flexibility? That made some sense.
"I'm not sure you could reach my level but here, I'll show you some stretches that should help."
Clearing some room, Emma slowly lead me through some simple stretches she insisted would make me more flexible over time.
As Emma stretched her back, I felt my eyes drawn towards her chest. I couldn't help it, she had always been top heavy and as she nearly folded herself in half I was amazed she didn't pop a button.
"Show off," I muttered with more than a little envy.
When it started to get late, Emma I moved up to my bedroom. Once we were sure Dad was asleep, we got changed into our 'costumes'
Emma's looked great, the black and white clothing really suited her and the mask did a good job of covering up her scar. Combined with the black wig and bow that looked almost like cat ears, she was almost unrecognisable.
By comparison she made me made me feel scruffy in my old jeans and slightly burned hoodie.
"We really need to get you a costume," Emma said as I wrapped my scarf around my head. "Why don't you put your hood up or something?"
"I know, but I can't afford anything better. I can't cover my head with anything because it would just catch fire when my hair starts burning," I explained.
"Hmm… I know, let's go raid the Merchants, once we've got some cash I can help you design a costume!" Emma lit up at the idea. She'd wanted to be a model when we were younger and her fashion sense had always been good.
Sneaking out of the house, we quickly made our way across the rooftops. I had to be careful with my blasts to not knock her off balance. While she couldn't propel herself like I could, her enhanced speed and agility meant we could still move fast.
Moving across the rooftops was a novel experience, Emma was incredibly fast and agile, bouncing from roof to roof quickly while I could cover larger distances in less jumps.
Emma had being doing this a bit longer than me but I was more familiar with the gang's than she was so I led the way. We started at the house I'd destroyed the other night and worked our way outwards.
Emma hadn't made a comment when she saw the house but I could see her trying to hide a smile. Ignoring her, I lead us towards the old train yard. While the Merchants didn't really hold territory for long you could usually find them around there.
What we eventually found was an old warehouse close to the train yard. The doors and windows had been bored up but Emma spotted people hanging around by the doors and we could both see light seeping through the boards on the windows.
Emma moved like a ghost as she lead us past the guards and up onto the warehouse roof. there were some skylights scattered around and we carefully crept up to one. Below us, there was a drug factory in full operation.
Rows of tables stretched across the floor, beakers and jury rigged equipment covered half of them while the rest were covered with drugs in various states of completion. Further down, I could see a team of people packaging everything up
"Why are they naked?" I asked. The people gathered round the tables had been stripped down to just their underwear.
"Security," Emma whispered, "So they can't steal anything, nowhere to hide it. See over there? Im guessing those are the guards. They're probably more focused on the workers than anything else."
Shifting slightly, I could see what she meant. Not to far away from the packaging was a pair of Merchants, one had a bat in his hands while the other was playing with what looked like an old shotgun.
"I see at least a dozen guards and one gun, how about you?"
"Four guns, twenty guards," Emma corrected, "there is a couple in the shadows and the one by the door keeps checking on his gun."
"Think we can handle this?"
"Maybe… I'm a bit worried about the guns, I'm not bulletproof."
I grinned, "I am. I can go in first to get their attention and draw their fire."
Emma nodded, "Alright, I'll start on the outside and work my way in."
With that, Emma slunk away into the shadows. It was only as I lost sight of her I realised we had no way to communicate. Cursing myself, I counted slowly to sixty. Hopefully, that would give Emma time to get into position.
As I counted, I moved towards a different skylight. The guards would probably open fire as soon as they saw me and I didn't expect them to care about any of the workers who got in the way.
What the hell am I doing?! I've been a cape for little over a month and here I was, about to use myself as the target for trigger happy Merchants! Shaking my head at the absurdity, I jumped, slamming my feet into the skylight.
The old glass shattered, raining down around me as I fell the three stories to the ground below.
I landed with enough force to crack the concrete, my power drawing in the energy from the impact. There was a moment of stunned silence then the Merchant with the shotgun fired.
My arms were already in front of my face and I felt the pellets slam into me. I made no attempt to move as every Merchant in the building followed suit. The unarmed workers ran for the exit and I really hoped Emma could deal with them.
The gunfire stopped and I realised they were out of ammo. Not giving them a chance to reload, I swung my arms backwards and fired a blast that propelled me forwards. I grabbed the shotgun and pulled it from the Merchants unresisting fingers.
A single punch laid him out and I snapped the gun over my knee.
"Shit, cape!" one of the Merchants shouted and sprinted for the door. Just as he reached it, Emma came through. Grabbing the Merchant, she spun him round and slammed him into the wall. He slid to the ground with a groan and stayed there.
"What are you waiting for! Stop them!" Another Merchant shouted. He was big, nearly six foot with his long hair pulled into a low ponytail and his clothes looked liked they were from a brand name.
I guessed he was either a lieutenant in the Merchant's or a dealer/supplier that had been absorbed into the Merchant's.
Emma charged forwards, focusing on the leader while I moved to disarm another. As I blasted forwards, Emma passed in front of me and I realised I wouldn't be able to stop in time.
Thankfully, Emma saw me coming. I collided with and then through her, carrying one of her clones with me as she quickly regained her footing. I ended up going face first to the ground.
"Watch it!"
"Sorry!" I shouted as I climbed to my feet. The Merchant I'd been targeting had bolted and so had the leader.
The remaining Merchants advanced slowly, trying to box us in. As soon as they were close enough, Emma jumped. Cloning herself, she used her double as a springboard to land outside the ring ricocheting off the ground with a handspring to land lightly on her feet
With Emma clear, I slammed my fist into the ground. The wave of force knocking them back, and several off their feet.
While I dealt with them, Emma charged a Merchant who was fumbling to reload his revolver. It was snub nosed thing and she reached him before he'd even managed to get a single bullet in.
She pummelled the Merchant with a quick, complicated series of punches that left him sprawled out on the ground and moved on.
Something drew Emma's attention and she threw herself backwards, turning the movement into a series of flips. There was a bang, loud enough to rattle the windows, and her clone hit the ground.
Near what had once been an office, the Merchant leader was resting an anti-materiel rifle on the metal railings, chambering another round. He aimed at Emma who sprinted towards the remains of the building's original shelving.
Throwing the Merchant I was holding away, my temper flared. The ground under me exploded as I charged forwards. Seeing me coming, he swung the rifle 'round and fired. The shot hit me in the shoulder, spinning me 'round as my power struggled to absorb the energy.
Ignoring my now bruised shoulder, I grabbed the table next to me and threw it as hard as I could at him. He dove to the side, dropping his rifle as the table crashed against his hiding place.
Before he could stand up, Emma dropped out of the shadows, driving a stun gun into his side and pulling the trigger.
Ignoring his screams, I turned to the few remaining Merchants, "anyone else?!"
A couple dropped to their knees, hands behind their heads. The rest just ran and I let them go, they weren't worth chasing.
While Emma zip tied the leader, I walked into his office. I ignored the gun on the table and his personal staff of drugs. What really had my attention was the piles of cash, mostly large bills. It looked like he'd been sorting it when we broke in as most of it was arranged in neat stacks.
I was just shovelling it into some discarded bags when Emma stuck her head into the room.
"Skidmark and Squealer just pulled up. We need to go, now!"