Overcast 3.6

Taylor instinctively drew upon Archmage's TK, forming a bubble of kinetic force around herself and Amy. It proved unnecessary as she noticed the slumped corpse against the wall and the wild-eyed Tesla holding a smoking pistol. She might have taken more issue with that if it wasn't for the shotgun held in the man's now loosening grasp and the swastika plainly displayed on the neck. People were already shouting and screaming, ducking for cover.

"More of them outside." Tesla twitched her head toward the door. "Disposable. Extreme extremists, disliked even by their own kind. Disavowed."

"They'd really try this? Here and now?" Taylor demanded to know, rage building up in her chest.

"Desperate. Scared of your power, the change you bring. You're more vulnerable in public." Tesla shivered. "Not the first time they'd do something like this." She gestured to Amy knowingly.

Fleur. Empire claimed it was a rogue member, denied all involvement, but… Nazis. Hell.

Taylor's jaw clenched from the sheer fury that she was now feeling. How dare they, the fucking liars, they who so adamantly defended the unwritten rules and made themselves out to be the chivalrous saviors of the city.

Nova.

Oi, Tay, been a minute. Watcha need?

I want you to eat all the shithead nazis outside, but that would probably get the Protectorate on my back. But I'll settle for scared out of their damn minds.

Heh, easy that. Lemme at the drongos!

Taylor focused and with a burst of light, Kite went charging out the door in her Changer form with a bone-chilling cry somewhere between a roar and a shriek. Taylor heard shouts of panic and dismay and the thunderous noise of gunshots. Automatics and shotguns by the sounds of them. These people weren't playing around.

"Taylor, we need to get this away from the boardwalk." Amy said urgently, tugging at her arm. "Too many civilians."

"Yeah. Can you call your family?"

"Already on it." Amy had her phone out, dialing Victoria. Taylor thought Lady Photon would have been a better choice, but she'd take what she could get.

She kept tight hold of her telekinesis and formed a barrier around the shop as a whole. Bullets were soon deflecting off of it from outside, even as Kite continued to shriek horrifically. She glanced over to give Tesla orders, but froze as the time-traveler simply gone from where she'd been before.

I'm too used to ordering my projections around. Taylor thought wryly. Kite?

RIPTEARKILLCONSUME!

Ah… Avoid killing them? And can you lead them away from the civilians too?

A general sense of confusion and hunger, then finally, agreement drifted through the bond. The sounds of gunfire began to drift away from the shop itself, though they didn't fade entirely. Finally, Taylor stood up and began to wave Amy through the front door. Luckily for her, the TK field was still in place. Something struck it with immense force before being deflected away and a massive rifle shot echoed through the air.

Taylor hissed in frustration and ducked back into cover with Amy. They weren't even trying to be subtle anymore.

Arachne, you're needed now

The villain appeared, purple eye lenses flaring. "I am yours to command, Olympia."

"Sniper. No idea the distance. I need him mind blasted." Taylor glanced around the shop. "Also the civilians. Make sure they don't remember our faces."

"Whoa, whoa." Amy protested. "No Mastering civilians please!"

Arachne's eyes shot to Taylor. "She is not in sync with her power. I can mindwipe her as well." She offered.

"No, wait," Taylor waved off Arachne. "Amy, I'm not Mastering them, I just need them to forget my face. I can't help it if the gangs have my I.D, but I don't need it plastered all over the news either."

"But, wah… Brains are more complicated than that! Removing you can't just edit and delete memories that easily!" Amy complained.

"I can." Arachne giggled. "I'm the strongest telepath in the world."

"Telepathy isn't possible." Amy countered.

"Not here it isn't~"

"You, I… argh! Just do what you need to Taylor." Amy growled with a frustrated sigh, seeming to decide to ignore Arachne.

"Do it." Taylor gave Arachne the go ahead.

As one, every single person in the shop began to display glowing purple eyes, then they all slumped bonelessly to the ground. In the distance, the sound of fighting died off, and Taylor felt Kite revert to her human form.

"It's done. You're going to need someone else to deal with the sniper though. He's a parahuman." Arachne dropped casually.

"Victor." Amy supplied helpfully, leaning against the wall. "He's known for using a sniper rifle sometimes. If he's here, Othala might be as well."

"Hard to believe the Empire is going to these lengths to kill me." Taylor commented dryly. "They have to know this will kill their PR."

Amy looked troubled. "Yeah, they really do try to keep their public image clean, I mean as clean as neo-nazis can be anyway."

Taylor shook her head to clear her thoughts and then brought out Legacy. "You got this?"

"The only one who can hurt me in this city is a ramped up Lung. Maybe." The hero grinned brightly. "A sniper isn't a problem."

"Then go."

Legacy gave a lazy salute before vanishing in a blur of speed.

Legacy tried to keep up a smiling face around Taylor, but the instant he was out of sight, he let it drop. He was feeling a deep, burning anger, the rare kind that he always tried to rein in before it became too strong and led him to make mistakes. But this… The old code had been sacrosanct back on Legacy's world. It was what kept the UHF and Black Hat Syndicate from open war with each other. It was the foundation of superhero life. And to see it so blatantly violated… That was how you got villains like Dr. Jackal or Apostle and incidents like the Downfall or Encore. Horrendously wasteful, destructive events.

Now here he was, faced with another rogue group. Well then he'd treat them how he treated the Talons: He'd smash them into a million shattered pieces, put away their leaders, and make sure they never formed into anything coherent ever again.

A gunshot slammed into his skull, crushed itself there, and then fell away toward the ground. Right, sniper. Should probably deal with that first. Legacy didn't have conventional super senses. He had enhanced perception when moving at high speeds, but in terms of vision, hearing, smell, those were all normal base-line human. Another thing he did have was excellent training and instincts when it came to hero work. His eyes darted around rapidly and found the most likely trajectory the bullet had to have come from if it were to hit him and also be covering Taylor on the Boardwalk. It was a nearly impossible angle, but for a skill thief… maybe just possible.

He blitzed forward, sound barrier breaking around him, coming to a deadstop at the building he'd mentally tagged. Legacy was easily able to pick out Victor with his massive sniper rifle.

"We really should stop meeting like this." Legacy called out.

The barrel of the weapon went up sharply and fired at his chest before Victor dropped the heavy rifle and pulled a smoke grenade from his belt, dropping that onto the floor and letting the dense cloud obscure Legacy's vision.

He was actually mildly impressed. He pulled back his hands and made a thunderclap with them, sending out a shockwave strong enough to disperse the smoke as well as knock Victor off his feet from where he'd begun running for the stairs. Before he could continue, another figured in a hooded robe dashed out from a nearby pillar and tapped Victor on the shoulder. The villain jumped to his feet with sudden alacrity and then ran forward at superhuman speeds. Not the high quality that Legacy was used to, but still very impressive.

The knife Victor used to try and stab him was less so. The steel bent on Legacy's skin. He retreated backwards and the hooded figure tapped him again.

Great, another power granter. Though weaker than Apostle by the looks of things…

Legacy drifted forward and held out his hands placatingly. "Son, I guarantee you that nothing you have in your arsenal is enough to take me down. Just make this easier on both yourselves and surrender."

Victor, still oddly silent, answered by stepping forward and decking him across the face. It shouldn't have done anything, but whatever her name (Othala? That sounds right.) had done, it had given Victor a measure of super strength, enough to at least throw Legacy backward and through the wall. He halted his momentum with a thought and then reorientated himself so that he could see the two trying to flee the building. This was getting irritating.

So Legacy did the smart thing. Rather than continue to pursue them, he drifted to above the building, found the car that was most likely their getaway vehicle… and came crashing down on the hood of it as soon as the two tried to drive away. It looked like it was enough to knock out Othala, but Victor still struggled in his seat. Stalking forward, he ripped off the door and pulled Victor out by the front of his armor, only to then notice the slightly glazed look in his eyes.

Oh shit.

He looked Mastered if Legacy's experience was anything to go by. Pulling back his hand, he gave a (relatively) light slap across Victor's face. It was still enough to knock out a tooth, but it did snap Victor out of whatever daze he was in.

"Fuck!" The man cried suddenly, grabbing the front of Legacy's costume. "You are Legacy, yes? Of Olympus? You need to stop them, stop us!" He practically begged, panic alight in his eyes.

"Explain, now." Legacy said calmly, but firmly.

"We, I… Ahem, the Empire was having a meeting, but a man appeared escorting a woman. The woman spoke and suddenly, our minds were not our own. She ordered us to attack the girl named Taylor Hebert." The villain rapidly explained. "I couldn't control myself. None of us could. We would never break the truce, never!" The man declared.

Legacy doubted that they 'never' would have tried to pull off an attack on a hero's civilian i.d, but he'd done enough research to know they'd have to have been a lot more desperate before they tried something so blatant as this.

"Describe the man."

"He… I can't remember his face. But he had a cane. And a top hat." Victor threw in.

Of all the…

"Stay here." Legacy said politely, before rocketing back into the sky.

He needed to get back to Taylor and fast.

Taylor meanwhile hunkered down in the shop with Amy, Arachne, and Nova, feeling stressed about the sniper that could potentially take off her head if her concentration slipped. A few more heavy rounds bounced off the barrier, just reinforcing the point.

"Hey Tay…"

"What is it Arachne?" Taylor asked shortly, taking a chance to glance over the window, only to duck down as another round struck the barrier.

"I'm sensing some more hostile minds coming at us." She said nervously. "I can also sense some friendly minds. New Wave and Protectorate maybe?"

"Is the whole damn Empire going for you?" Amy growled from the side. "What did you do to piss them off?"

"Nothing as far as I know! I've only gone after the Merchants and ABB!" Taylor protested.

"Well I can shut down the normie minds that are with the Empire, but I don't know about their villains." Arachne explained. "Still, no cannon fodder is good, right?"

It was better than nothing. All those guns the Empire goons probably carried could make a big difference. Better to take them out of the fight now.

"Do it."

Arachne's eyes glowed and then she nodded. "It's done. Empire and Protectorate are starting to go at it in the downtown area, I can sense the destruction and chaos already."

"Victoria is here." Amy declared.

"Have her get inside the store."

"No need Tay." Arachne cut in. "Legacy is sending the sniper running."

"Amy, Taylor!" Victoria burst into the store, relief written over her features. "You guys are ok!" She scooped up Amy into a tight hug, the healer giving a gentle smile and patting Vicky on the back.

"We're ok." Amy confirmed. "Taylor made sure of it."

"The Empire is gonna pay." Vicky snarled, before turning on Taylor and opening her arms. "Taylor…"

"Vicky no."

"Vicky yes!" She grabbed Taylor into a bear hug as well. Taylor could've sworn she had to draw upon some of Legacy's durability, else her spine might have cracked. "Thanks for looking out for Ames."

"Of course." Taylor wheezed out. "Sorry she was in danger cause of me."

"None of that now!" Glory Girl declared. "Not your fault the Empire decided to be a bunch of truce-breaking fuckers!"

Before Taylor could answer, Arachne suddenly shot up, panic racing through her mind and into Taylor's. "Olympia! We've gotta go, it's-"

A figure melted out of the shadows. With precision beyond anything Taylor could track normally, they sliced open Arachne's throat before turning and throwing another knife into Nova's. Both supers died, sending psychic echoes through Taylor's mind, a dribble of blood leaking from her nose.
Then Magician stepped forth from another shadow, palm glowing with power now aimed at both Amy and Vicky.

"Hello Taylor." Magician grinned darkly. "Let's have a chat, shall we?"

"Magician." Taylor snarled. "What the fuck are you trying to pull?"

"Many things dear. Many things." He chuckled. "How do you like my distraction?"

"You sent an entire gang after me… as a distraction?" Taylor asked incredulously.

"You underestimate your own power." Magician commented while glancing warningly at Vicky and Amy. "Don't make me kill your two friends. I just need your cooperation for a bit and then this can all be over."

"Taylor, who is this bastard?" Glory Girl asked, body tense, ready to spring into motion. "Doesn't he know I'm invincible?"

"Two-shot shield. I just need one attack to down it, then a follow up to end you." Magician easily shattered her brave facade. "And your sister isn't invincible even in the slightest."

"Arlen." The shadowed figure said quietly. "Please. You don't have to do this."

"Hush now. You can go away, I don't need you anymore." Magician made a shooing gesture. "Maybe go fight some heroes."

The figure stiffened and then vanished.

"My sister-in-law. Quite good at what she does, but I'm afraid my brother's softness has rubbed off on her." Magician explained. "You didn't think you were the only one capable of bringing back dead supers, did you?"

"Kind of…" Taylor felt confused.

"Oh you sweet summer child. Never assume you're completely unique. I killed the first Encore and stole his power, no matter how imperfect it might have been." He seemed to glide across the floor toward Taylor. "Soon, I'll have your power, the perfected version." He grinned brightly. "Don't worry, if you die during the process, I'll be nice and bring you back too."

"Why?" Taylor demanded to know. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I won't settle until I have everything I desire."

Alright, that's enough of this. I've trained enough to get rid of him.

With an effort of will, Taylor tried to send Magician back to the void, to unravel his physical body and stop his madness. She felt a pressure, a psychic resistance, then Magician tensed, fighting back against her influence. They remained there for a moment, motionless.

Glory Girl took the opportunity to dash forward and try to deck the supervillain, much to Amy and Taylor's shared frustration Taylor didn't have the concentration necessary to tell her to stop, to run. Every fiber of her being was pushing against the mountain of will that was Magician's mind.

Magician apparently didn't have that problem. He managed to both fend off Taylor's mental assault while at the same time ducking under Glory Girl's haymaker, before kicking her through the wall and out to sea, skipping along the water like a large rock.

Enough was enough. Magician was killed by Ares, right? So Taylor began to dig through her power, searching for Ares. He seemed to retreat from her probing, diving deeper and deeper into the light, trying to lose himself.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Magician growled out from between gritted teeth.

"Then give up." She growled back.

"Not happening."

"Then I'm going to have to kill you the old fashioned way." Taylor snarled.

Right as she almost had him, the mysterious entity that was Ares, filled with both rage and sorrow in equal measure, the ceiling gave way and Legacy burst down. With one deliberate blow, he smashed Magician in the chin and sent him flying up into the air. Following swiftly, he then punched the supervillain in the chest and sent him flying into the city.

Taylor let her psychic assault end, relief flood her body. "Legacy, grab Vicky!"

"On it." He glanced into the distance. "Get me back here ASAP if he returns."

"Will do."

Legacy rocketed off toward the ocean, giving Taylor a moment to breathe easy.

But only a moment.

A.N: I'm going to try and get the next chapter out in sooner than a week, just so I don't lose motivation to write or put it off too long like I constantly do. Hope y'all enjoy, don't forget to review, I love hearing from you folks!