Boring asf chapter I need to keep up with the parties involved so you guys don't forget who they are when finale comes - which should be about ch 65 ish, so sit tight

TLDR at bottom

Shit! Go!

A mad scramble. His heart pounding in his chest. His breath straining in his lungs. He pressed his back against the bleached sheetrock and felt the adrenaline throbbing through his veins. As quickly as he could, he covered his mouth and crouched behind a filing cabinet, trying to keep as quiet as he could. He shut his eyes and curled up before falling perfectly still.

Dammit! Stupid! Stupid!

Rock let out a slow breath and pressed his ear against the wall, listening for his pursuers.

*click*

Overhead, the office lights flicked on. A pair of footsteps and the low mutter of conversation followed. Rock held his breath and cursed himself. After Kain had gone downstairs to fetch reinforcements, Rock's original plan was to simply wait there - by the 10th floor elevators - until either his father or Kain met back up with him. He figured that if Terry didn't find him, Kain wouldn't be too long in coming.

"…You sure? I mean… we're on floor 10. Iori was supposed to be guarding floor 3. No way somebody made it past that lunatic."

"Nah man, I swear I saw something move. Just give me a sec..."

So when the elevator chime hailed the arrival of someone, Rock was far too hasty to run and greet who he assumed must be either his father or Kain Heinlein. It was too late when he noticed the elevator was coming downwards, as opposed to upwards, and barely had time to round the corner - into an office area - before two heavily armed Howard Connection soldiers stepped out into the foyer. Rock hoped the darkness would allow him to remain undetected, but one of the henchmen must have seen his ankle fly around the corner.

Dammit! Ugh… shhh, just quiet...

Rock controlled his breathing and curled himself tighter in an attempt to make himself less noticeable. He knew it was a useless venture, since he was wearing a dark navy-blue police uniform, whilst the office walls were bright white, but he did it regardless whilst preparing the only other method of defense he had… offence.

C'mon, c'mon c'mon...

He planted his palms against the cold floor and attempted to pull energy from the earth - but 10 storey's up was about 120 feet from Rock's power source. It was like sucking air through a mile long straw, and even attempting it was exhausting. Still, Rock persisted. He knew these men were well armed and could kill him in an instant if he couldn't generate any chi… but can I get enough before they find me?

Boots squeaked against the white office tiles as the two men dutifully searched the area. Rock didn't dare raise his head to see where they were, but sound alone told him they were rapidly approaching his badly concealed hiding spot.

… gah!

Not enough energy, he needed more time. Rock wasn't used to manipulating tectonic power from such range. It easily slipped out of his grasp, like sand escaping between his fingers. Was a technicality like this going to be his death sentence? He had never tried to use chi while in a very high building, and didn't even consider his proximity to the ground to be a factor in his battles. How the hell was he - or Terry for that matter - supposed to battle Geese?

Wait, Geese uses the same power, right? Maybe he can't use chi either? Agh… don't get distracted.

Rock refocused and tried again, pulling energy through the pillars of concrete supporting the building. He couldn't afford to die now. There was no way he had suffered so much bullshit only to be unceremoniously shot while cringing behind office furniture. No way.

Behind him, the henchmen continued clearing the room.

"Ya find anything?"

"… just gimme another sec. I swear I saw something move right about here..."

They were close now. Too close. Rock glanced to the side, and saw the tip of somebody's boot poking out from behind a desk. That scared him - jolting adrenaline through his brain. Another split second and he was finished...so he did whatever he could. Rock had been in the process of pulling energy through a pillar up his side of the Tower, and his panic - or perhaps per his instinct, forced it to burst. Although he couldn't see it, he felt the blue wisps of his power gouging holes in the building's support.

*Rumble*

Rock's stomach dropped as the floor began to pitch. He wasn't exactly sure what effect his chi was having on the concrete beams, but judging by the way the building trembled, his mind was consumed with the image of Geese Tower collapsing to the ground. It took everything within him not to cry out in panic.

Oh shit! Oh shit, please hold! Shit! If the building falls...

The soldiers seemed to harbor the same worries, and they shouted as the floor swayed and bucked beneath them. Search forgotten, they stumbled as they ran back to the elevators. Rock heard them yelling into their comms as their footfalls pounded down the stairwell.

"Oh shit! Oh shit what happened?! Fuck! Phone the boss!"

"Damn! Somebody is trying to bring the building down! It's gotta be Kain! Call reinforcements! We've gotta go dow-..."

Rock squeezed his eyes shut and prayed fervently as the building was subject to another tremor. The walls screeched and groaned as concrete settled against concrete. After what seemed like an eternity, Geese Tower stopped shaking and Rock breathed a sigh of relief.

Oh god… I almost killed myself… phew…

With a groan, Rock slumped back against the wall and sighed. His head hurt with the effort of controlling his Chi. His hands lay trembling in his lap, and he squeezed them into fists in an effort to regain his composure. He threw his head back and looked to the ceiling as he considered his predicament.

Okay, Rocky… chill out… what now?

He couldn't fight. Not like this. He needed power on-demand, and his power was going to get harder and harder to use the further up the tower he climbed. Right now, the best strategy was to retreat back to the lower floors and wait for Terry there, but judging from the drumming footsteps running down from upstairs, Rock feared he'd be detected all the more quickly if he descended the tower. Perhaps it was better to continue climbing? At least they wouldn't expect him there.

Actually, the best thing if I never got involved in the first place… ugh, fuck. Adam, why did you have to die?!

Rock sighed once more. Of course he didn't blame Adam. Adam hadn't done anything wrong. Adam had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and as a result had gotten murdered by Geese Howard. Adam was going in the ground because of Geese… and Rock was climbing this tower, not because of Adam - Adam would have gone nuts if he knew what sort of bullshit Rock had buried himself in for the sake of petty revenge. No, Rock was here, facing death, because his own warped sense of justice demanded it from him. This was a purely selfish venture, and a supremely dangerous one.

Fuck! Stupid, stupid! Dammit Rocky!

And not just dangerous for him! It was dangerous for everyone he had dragged into this mess. Because of Rock, Iori had all his nails ripped out, and was probably now suffering a broken leg from the fall. Terry was now also climbing this tower of death, for his sake - and who knows if he was injured! Could he even die? No, No, don't even think about it!

The thought threatened to paralyze Rock entirely. Adam had died. Iori had almost died. If Terry were killed as well, then truly Rock would've lost everything. Isn't that what Iori said to him before Rock had dropped him two storeys? "If you climb those stairs, you'll lose everything?"

No! I won't let it happen!

Rock gritted his teeth and hardened his resolve. He wouldn't ever let something like that happen. He didn't know how to prevent it. He didn't know if his power was sufficient… but he resolved in heart. Nobody else was going to get hurt because of him. Nobody!

And he climbed the tower.

TLDR:

Rock: (FL 10) is snooping around, gets seen and Geese Henchmen look for him. Rock is having trouble using 'Gaia" power because not used to it. Far away from earth surface (elevation approx 100 ft) He blows a support in Geese Tower, and the henchmen looking for him think it's Kain blowing shit up, and run downstairs. Rock's mind flies to the worst case scenario, and wonders if Terry could get killed because of Rock's stupidity. Says he won't let it happen, and decides to climb further up the tower. (whyyy? to hide? nooooo who knowws ehehehe. Stupid little ducky)

Terry: (Fl 3^) currently climbing tower. just finished making Yag his bitch.

Yag: moping on floor 1 with a bad concussion, some fractured ribs and wounded pride.

Kain: headed to basement to blow the car bombs up. Recall that there were supposed to be 6 - and the police found 4. Rock had damaged one of the supports in this chapter, and Geese troops think it's Kain blowing stuff up in the basement. They're headed down the building.

Geese & Billy: FL 20