The Omega Shuffle Story Arc: 5.4

Grue looked steadily at his friend. "Okay, ready?"

"Man, this better fucking work."

"You said yourself you've done this before. Do you have a better idea?"

"It's not your neck on the line," Regent groused.

"Okay man. Do it."

Regent used his power on the spider holding him hostage without any preamble. He paused only to sigh in relief when it fell to the ground without biting him. "Hell yeah…"

Both young villains turned at the gunshot. "Tattletale!"

Grue sent his power exploding ahead of him like a rolling, billowing cloud. It rushed forth covering the hallway all the way to its end in its oily darkness. He hoped that would be enough to distract Matriarch, or at least blind her long enough to get his teammate clear. Assuming she was still alive to benefit from it.

His power didn't affect him like it did everyone else except for making everything look like a black and white movie. His rush stalled only when he saw Tattletale's body sprawled on the ground. She wasn't moving.

Ignoring Regents cursing behind him about not being able to see, he ran to the still body of his friend pausing only long enough to grab the pistol she had holstered at her side. Pistol in hand he moved into a sprint to the end of the hall intent to make Matriarch pay.

As he rounded the corner to enter the room, Grue snarled. "Matriarch!"

He raised the pistol as he saw her running away from him, rifle on her back. His anger burned almost as hot as the day he gained his powers fueling each pull of the trigger. The cape stumbled slightly at the impacts but incredibly didn't stop as he emptied the clip into her back. Nor did she stop running through the room only to surprise him by leaping through the window.

Matriarch's dive altered just enough to spin her body so the impact would be absorbed by her back. It was then that he noticed she was holding the kid tightly in her arms. Grue watched stunned as her thin body shattered the window without effort. Her spin protecting the kid. It also allowed their eyes to meet for just the barest of moments.

"Grue, look out!"

Only months of working with, and trusting in the voice saved him from the ridiculous explosion that ripped through the room. The force of the blast altered his dive so that he ended up bouncing hard off the hallway wall. It took a moment for the building to stopped shaking. It was only then he uncovered his head to look down the hall at the person who saved his life from Matriarch's trap. Badly shaken, Grue rose enough to slowly make his way to his teammate.

"Tattletale…"

"I can't hear you Grue, but yeah, I'm okay."

He helped his friend to get into a sitting position while looking her over. Incredibly he didn't see any wounds. He slightly squeezed her shoulder to ask how, and to assure himself she was really alright.

"That rifle has a few tricks I never even thought of," The wounded cape explained. "It can shoot non-lethal rounds. Kinda like a mini concussion grenades, but more localized. I didn't even see it coming until she shot me. She had this planned the second she realized we were the ones who were being sent in. Is Regent alright? One squeeze for yes, two for no."

Grue looked down the hall. Regent sitting against the wall. He picked up a bit of fallen plaster and threw it at his friend to get his attention and to see if he was conscious. It made Regent jump when it landed next to him but proved he was alright.

He squeezed Tattletale's shoulder once. "Good. Give me a hand up? We need to get to the street."

Grue sighed but helped her up. The last thing he wanted to do was to engage that cape again, but she was right. There was no going back now.

It didn't take long for them to get to Regent who was standing on his own now. As they passed through the remains of Grue's power, Regent smiled. "Thought you bit it."

"Even if I had, you still can't have my laptop," Tattletale returned easily.

Regent laughed before turning to Grue. "Check this out."

Grue moved to the doorway to see what Regent pointed at. The stairs were gone. Or more accurate to say, they were destroyed.

"She blew up the stairs to trap us in the building," Tattletale observed tiredly. "Smart."

Grue shook his head. "What the fuck…"

All three capes stood quietly for a moment looking at the ruined staircase before Regent spoke. "If no one else is going to say it, I will."

Grue ignored Tattletale's weak chuckle to turn to Regent. "Say what?"

"We got played like a virgin on prom night," Regent stated with mocking smile on his face. "She left us spread eagle, bleeding, and wondering what the fuck just happened. Got to give Matriarch her due. She's got style."

Grue snarled. He was not even slightly amused by Regent's ill humor. "She still has to get past Bitch."

XxXExiledXxX

Being shot, I decided, was not fun. Being shot fifteen times by the villain behind me was even less so. I absentmindedly noted to myself that at least my theories on my costume were right. None of the bullets penetrated but each hit still hurt like hell.

I had the girl hugged tightly to me as I dove. Grue's darkness didn't affect me the way it seemed to everyone else. Actually it did. I couldn't see or hear anything but I could still sense my bugs. Not just that but my power also told me where each and every one of them was relative to myself. I first noticed this when I encountered his darkness at the bank, which led to my current strategy.

I'd set cockroaches along this route knowing it was the only way to get out. I spun midair just enough to take the impact from the window, which I hoped would be enough to protect the minor in my arms. As my body smashed through, I had to admit, this was probably stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. I just hopped this wouldn't be the last thing I ever did.

As we left the speculative safety of the building to sail into the air, I smirked slightly. As I activated my omni tool, I couldn't help but think, I was hanging out with Sebastian too much. The rush of wind as it passed me terrified me as much as it thrilled me. The only thing I could compare it to was like riding a rollercoaster you couldn't see, without a safety harnesses. Only, more so. Especially when the signal I sent was received.

The grenades I placed in the room and in the stairwell detonated doing what they were designed to do. No flash-bangs or concussion effects here. They exploded ripping the apartment and stairs to shreds. I figured that should be buy me sometime.

Thankfully, Grue's darkness over the building kept the sounds of both explosions contained. As we flew out of the cape's miasma the only evidence to any outside observers would have been the flames and debris that breached it. If I could have unlodged the lump in my throat, I would have screamed as I looked down in equal parts terror and exhilaration. Not screaming allowed me to hear the sounds of close gunfire as I passed the halfway point down the building. Looked like Renegade was keeping them busy.

I tucked myself into a roll bringing my legs downward as I watched the approaching pavement. My timing was just right thanks to the bugs I moved to my expected landing point. Once more I activate my omni tool.

A burst of static erupted around me, killing all the inertia I gathered free falling from the building. One moment I was hurtling to my death, and the next I hung seemingly suspended inches from the ground. I grunted as the forces of my descent continued while I didn't. The effect only lasted a moment before it burst like a popped soap bubble. As my feet touched the pavement I whispered a silent thank you to Sebastian for his thoughtfulness in creating that bit of tech for me. After my encounter with Lung and being trapped on a rooftop with the great rage monster he turned into, I thought it prudent to always have a way to get out of such situations, just in case.

As I tried to calm my racing heart, I couldn't help but think that was a serious rush. Suddenly, I had the irresistible urge to watch a Ricochet match.

Yeah, I was definitely hanging out with Sebastian too much.

Before I could catch my breath from my daredevil maneuver, I looked to my left and seeing Bitch come around the corner. I quickly raised my arm firing a Neural Shock that caught the cape by surprise before she even managed to understand she was under attack. Bitch tumbled backward rolling over the rump of her giant dog. Immediately knowing something was wrong, all three bone spiked monsters screeched to a stop quickly turning around to the twitching body in the street.

"That's right, protect your mistress…" I whispered to them. The three brutes stood in a protective circle around her growling while looking around.

Tattletale assured me during the ride to the Bay Central that Bitches dogs were real dogs that she altered with her power. During the bank job I noticed that she controlled them with commands and whistles. That suggested training and that whatever her power did to them, did not alter their brains so whenever they were powered up, they still thought like dogs.

Bitches dogs knew I was in front of them but immediately dismissed me as a threat since I wasn't acting like one. Without her to command them, they defaulted to protecting their mistress. Just as I hoped. I looked down to the still unconscious girl in my arms She looked fine but her continued unconsciousness worried me. I adjust her in my arms before I rose to my feet running in the opposite direction of where Bitch lay twitching.

"Renegade, I'm clear!"

XxXExiledXxX

The world distorted. Edges of his vision blurred and warped so the only thing vaguely recognizable was the small point directly in front of him. For the hairs breadth available, it looked as if he was seeing his target through a swirling vortex of dark energy. It felt like his entire body was stretched between locations. Which was pretty much what was happening. It was also why so few biotics who were powerful enough to create this effect did so. The series of fields the asari labeled 'Charge' was never what a normal person would call a 'comfortable' experience. It was, however, extremely effective on several levels if the biotic employing it could endure the experience and still function.

The force of his trans-location erupted around him in a shock wave as it brought him into the building across the street. Anything and everything not nailed to the ground was sent flying. Including the three combatants in the room. He casually took note of the surprise on the man's face before pain slowly registered.

The shotgun blast ended the his agony. By the time the world reassured her dominance, Renegade followed up with two more rounds. He chuckled to himself as he turned on his heel heading back into the street. Casually switching his overheated shotgun for his rifle.

"Let's go find three more," He mumbled to himself moving ground eating stride.

Rifle to his shoulder he unloaded a barrage of rounds into the group ahead of him. The first one fell to the onslaught but the other two abandoned their cover making a run for it. He broke into a run throwing a grenade upward into the open window on the second floor. Almost as an afterthought he sent a shock wave into a completely different group.

Gunfire and explosions joined the warbling concussion of his cascading dark energy eruptions. They rivaled with the curses and screams of the dying. Bullets impacted around him as he wove through the chaos he knew so well. The buzz saw cadence of his assault rifle breaking into the din here and there as he picked off targets of opportunity.

Now this was familiar. This was something he knew well. Life and death walked a cusp only three pounds of pressure away. Those who lived knew that to stay that way they had to out think as well as out aim their opponent. The only comfort for those who failed that test was that nothing mattered anymore. Adrenaline pumped through Renegade's veins as sweat poured from him with each use of his abilities. Even the tug of in his head that corresponded with each use of his biotics soothed him. He fell into the ebb and flow of battle the way most people did breathing. Instincts honed from a career of solving problems for the Alliance directing his steps allowing him to stay one step ahead of the enemy.

Camo clad men moved from cover to cover trying to keep up with his unpredictable movements due to the fact he never sat still. The Alliance liked formations, battle lines, and carefully and completely dominating an area until they held full control. These men fought with a classic military readiness that harkened to the beginnings of that great organization. That worked well when you were fighting a war, but in a skirmish, Renegade found the opposite worked so much better.

Unpredictability had been a trademark of his for a long time. He dropped another opponent. No need to change a winning tactic if it still worked.

He didn't hold ground. Even giving up superior cover for ineffectual. Moving from one location to another so fast the enemy had no choice but to follow him or risked being flanked and killed themselves. Making them chase him through the streets or from one building to another. Even as he Charged into overwatch positions taking out snipers and rocketeers before going back to the street, or vice versa.

His movements kept them from getting organized and entrapping him. A fact confirmed by the sounds of the com traffic of those who pursued him. More than the simple basics of this tactic though, it allowed him to get a feel for the kind of soldiers these were as well as put himself into a position to really hurt them.

So far, he wasn't impressed.

"Renegade, I'm clear!"

He breathed a sigh of relief. He knew she could do it, but so many things could go wrong in the heat of battle. He put his back to the wall before checking around the corner to make sure it was clear. "Outstanding! I'll be there shortly. I think I managed to get their attention."

He heard Matriarch snort as he switched out his rifle for his pistol. "I'd say. They're swarming your position…"

The pistol jerked three times as he put down the armed man who ran around the corner. The other one was too fast as he changed directions going back the way he came. "Yeah, I'm pretty popular right now."

"I'm two blocks away; come on!"

"En route, though I'm going to have to shake my fans. Keep going until you get to our rendezvous location. I'll be there soon."

"But…"

"Go!" Renegade ordered before he leaned out of the corner. Gunfire immediately riddled the wall in front of him. He changed directions again kicking open the door beside him. Pausing only to slap a proximity mine to the door frame. Trap set, he broke into a run for the far window. The noise did not go unnoticed as he dove.

The explosion of the mine detonating signaled the end of another enemy. As Renegade hit the ground he immediately fell into a roll coming up behind an abandoned truck that looked like it'd been sitting there rusting for years. His quick assessment of the area showed only one other who had spotted his new location. As he swapped out his pistol for his shotgun he watched the guy break the window to clear his line of fire. Once again Renegade vanished into an auze streak easily killing the man as he arrived.

"Behind you!"

He reacted instantly as he always had when a teammate warned him of danger. The booming sound of his weapon firing broke the momentary stillness as well as sending the body he shot flying through the thin wall.

"I thought I told you to get to the rendezvous?"

"Like I would leave you to get killed by these guys," He heard Matriarch retort. "Besides, I'm the closest thing you have to a sensor suite until we get Chatika back online. Someone has to watch your back."

Turning from the cooling corpse he continued his advance. An approving smirk on his face. "I'll make a marine out of you yet."

"I'll settle for a cheeseburger and getting the fuck away from all these guys trying to kill us!"

Renegade chuckled. "It's a date. Just need to get rid of the paparazzi."

"Wait, what…?"

He moved into a sprint heading down stairs. He announced his arrival to the four waiting from him in the same lethal manner as before. One slammed against the wall with bone shattering force while the other one dove away. His shotgun cut down a third as Renegade took to cover behind a stone pillar switching back to his pistol.

"Come on, fucking try and kill me already!" He shouted as he fired several rounds into the man hiding behind the counter.

"Can you please not antagonize the murderous psychos with guns?"

"Do you think they'd stop shooting if I were nicer!?" He replied as weapons fire impacted against the pillar. "Hey, I don't suppose you guys would be interested in getting a beer instead trying to kill me? I'll buy!"

If anything, the weapons fire increased against his cover making him laugh aloud. "I don't think they're interested. Maybe the next group."

He heard her scoff, and affectionately mutter 'asshole' under her breath. She was right though. It was time to get going. He moved out of cover just enough to take down the last of combatants in front of him. It saved his life. Pain lanced through his head as shrapnel peppered him from the stone column of his cover. He quickly rolled away only to get hit again by shrapnel from more near misses.

Through a hole in the wall he could easily see the barrel of the rifle that was pointed right at him. The sniper was posted on the roof of the building across the street. Renegade refreshed his barrier as he broke cover running directly toward him.

The first round hit him square in the shoulder. His barrier easily took the impact not even generating enough force to break his stride. The second one hit in him in the chest. Again his barrier absorbed the hit. Still, enough kinetic energy transferred through for him to grunt from the impact. However, before the sniper could adjust his aim and pull the trigger for a third shot, Renegade was finally close enough to act.

Once again the shockwave exploded from his entry sending them man skyward. Renegade's power rolled around him in a maelstrom as he thrust his hand forward pushing a forty-eight hundred newton force field into the sky borne figure. The unfortunate man screamed his plight into the darkness around them as he shot upward into the city's sky. Breathing harshly Renegade turned away, holstering his pistol while pulling the sniper rifle free from his back. No matter where he landed, he wasn't going to be a threat to anyone anymore.

Through the scope he spotted his target. The man was dressed in a costume so skin tight he looked almost skeletal. The only identifiable detail on it was in a decal over his mask. A coiled snake.

He was standing next to the humvee Taylor noted earlier. Communications radio in his hand with his head tilted upward. Despite how random and chaotic his movements were, every single one was meant to bring Renegade to this location. Killing these men didn't matter nearly as much as killing this one would. Anyone who could afford to spend this much on an assault, would surely be able to get replacements to lost personnel. As the crosshairs fell over the bridge of where his nose would be, Renegade pulled the trigger.

Incredibly, the man dove to his right. Snarling Renegade adjusted his aim and fired only to miss him again. He took aim for the third shot only for his target to leap into the vehicle. Once again the mass accelerated round missed the man by a hair's breath.

"All units, disengage! Protocol Sigma-Five."

Disgusted with himself he lowered the rifle barely noting it's alarm ringing. Renegade activated the heat venting sequence as he watched the vehicle race deeper into the city.

"Renegade?"

His eyes tracked the fleeing vehicle before he lost sight of it. "Yeah, I'm here."

"All of those soldier guys are leaving. What happened?"

Renegade didn't immediately respond. Instead mulling the encounter with the cape in his mind. "I think, we won."

"You don't sound sure of that," Matriarch noted.

"No, I guess I'm not," He admitted. "I'm en route to your position. Then we'll head to my place to figure out our next move. Whatever this is, it's not over."

Renegade frowned into the night. No, this isn't over yet. We're just getting started...