It was an average day in the Loud House. Lori had just entered the room she and her younger sister, Leni, shared. The aforementioned blonde was lying on her bed reading a magazine as here older sister walked in.
Lori walked to the end table beside her bed and frowned. She felt the light blue covers on her bed and lifted the white pillow, only to find nothing. She glanced around the room and let out an agitated sigh.
Leni, hearing the sigh, looked up from her magazine and turned to her sister
"Oh, hey, Lori. What are you doing here?" the ditzy girl asked, only just noticing her sister's presence.
"Leni, have you seen my phone? It's, literally, missing," Lori demanded as she kneeled down to look under her bed.
Leni scratched her head and let her eyes drift to the left as she tried to visualize the last time she saw her sister's phone. She finally shook her head and frowned.
"I don't think so," she replied.
"Damn it! Mind if I use your phone? I just have to call mine," the eldest sister requested.
"Go ahead. It's over there." Leni pointed to the brown desk next to the door. A blue phone sat on top of it.
"Thanks, Leni. You are, literally, a life-saver." Lori grabbed the phone off the table then gasped. She turned to Leni with her eyes narrowed.
"Leni, this is, literally, my phone! Why is it over here?" Lori demanded.
Leni tilted her head like a curious animal. "Is it? I thought that was my phone."
Lori turned on her phone to find that it was open to her social media page. A few seconds of scrolled led Lori to the conclusion that Leni had been using Lori's social media as if it were her own.
"Leni, I, literally, told you before, do not touch my phone!" Lori screamed.
Leni flinched from the outburst. "I am so sorry, Lori! I swear I didn't know that it was your phone."
"Oh, like how you literally didn't know about my dress? Or my costume? Or my toothbrush?"
"Yeah, exactly!" Leni nodded enthusiastically.
"Leni, I, literally, can not live with you anymore. I need a new roommate," Lori said.
"But, Lori, it's not that bad," Leni protested.
"Yes, it is, Leni! I can't be roommates with my stupid, little sister anymore!" she shouted.
Leni's eyes began to tear up after the comment. She didn't even have the courage to defend herself. She'd crossed the line this time, even if she didn't mean to.
"I am, literally, leaving. And do not follow me!" Lori commanded. She stormed out of their room, slamming the door behind her.
Leni sat frozen for a moment, her brain struggling to process the events that had just occurred. Was Lori serious? Was she really going to switch roommates?
Leni didn't know for sure, but it sounded sincere. She wished that she could fix this mess.
As Leni was sorting out her thoughts, she heard a knock at her bedroom door.
"Come in," she said, with less cheer than she would normally have.
Her brother, Lincoln, opened the door.
"Hey, I just wanted to check and see if you're still coming with us to dinner tonight. I heard the whole thing with Lori and I thought you might want some time to sort it out," Lincoln said.
Leni thought for a moment before giving her answer. "I think I'll stay home," she decided. She didn't want to start another argument with Lori in public. It'd be better to give her some time to herself.
"If you say so. Can you take care of yourself?" he asked.
"Of course I can. Have fun, Linky," Leni said. She gave him a sad smile and Lincoln reluctantly left the room.
As soon as Lincoln was out the door, Leni began to sob. She had lost a friend that day and she was distraught. She hoped that they would eventually become friends once more, but something told her that this time was going to be different. They weren't going to resolve this feud so easily.
It was an hour after the confrontation when Leni heard her stomach rumble. Her siblings had already left for dinner so she was to feed herself alone. She dropped the magazine she was holding and walked downstairs to the living room. She was surprised to hear the TV playing downstairs but decided that the family had simply forgotten to turn it off.
She walked past the living room and into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and scanning the contents. She thought about her choice for a moment before bending down to grab a bowl of leftovers.
"What are you doing?" a voice shouted from behind her. Leni jumped into the air and spun around, holding her hand out and preparing to emit energy at her opponent. Then, she noticed her opponent's identity.
"Lori?" Leni realized. She lowered her hand before she hurt her sister.
"Leni?" Lori demanded. Her arm had been pulled back, ready to strike her. She slightly relaxed her fist and lowered it to her side. She narrowed her eyes at Leni.
"I thought you went with the others!" they both said in unison.
Leni shook her head. "I wanted to give you some time alone so I decided to stay home," she said.
"Well then, literally, leave me alone. I stayed home to get away from you," Lori responded.
Her sister's harsh words stung Leni's heart. The younger sibling said nothing in response and shrunk away from her sister's cold glare.
"Stay away from me, Leni." Lori spat out the final word before leaving the kitchen.
Leni flinched as Lori walked out of the kitchen. She grabbed the bowl of leftovers and a fork before taking it up to her room. She sighed as she sat it on her bed. She suddenly wasn't as hungry anymore. She laid on her bed and picked up her magazine. She desperately tried to keep her focus on it but her mind drifted elsewhere.
Why had Lori been so harsh? Leni never wanted to be anything but nice to her sister. She was surprised by Lori's continued hostility, she was never like this.
Leni sighed as she gave up trying to read and tossed the pink magazine across the room. She decided to see if there was anything to distract herself with in the Full House Gang's hideout. The hideout was where Lisa's bunker had been. Shortly after they became the Full House Gang, they decided to expand the small bunker into a full hideout.
It contained everything from a meeting room to a supercomputer room that connected to the Royal Woods crime map.
Leni made her way to the crime map and sat down at the desk. She gazed up at the map, scanning Royal Woods. Not a single alert appeared on the screen. She knew that she should be happy about such a thing, but she couldn't help but feel a bit upset. She needed something to take her mind off the situation.
She leaned back in the chair and watched the map carefully. Crime used to be close to nonexistent in Royal Woods, but that had changed ever since the superheroes began to come out. It seemed more villains had gravitated to their city. The team barely got a night of peace these days.
After a few minutes, a red dot appeared on the map. It was near the north end of Royal Woods. Leni switched on the police radio.
"10-90, possible 10-32. Standby, moving in," a female voice spoke through the static.
10-90 was a bank robbery. 10-32 was a person with a gun. A bad situation indeed. Leni had to get there quickly. She stood up and focused her mind. Just like the rest of the gang, her suit had been connected to her mind. She could trigger it to seemingly appear out of nowhere using nothing but a brain signal.
It had been hard for her to get used to at first, but she'd eventually perfected the art. The nanobots within her body connected, forming her superhero armor.
The blonde then exited the bunker before pulling out her phone. She marked the location of the crime on her map and climbed into Vanzilla. Within a few seconds, she was on her way to the bank in the modified van.
Leni parked a street away from that was being robbed. She'd heard over the police radio during the drive there that the robber was surrounded, yet had hostages. It wasn't the most difficult crime Leni had ever dealt with, but it was still risky.
She was quite aware that this could result in multiple deaths, but she was confident. She remembered how she used to be shaking in fright every time she heard that there were lives in danger. Their deaths could've been because of her.
It wasn't as if she worried less about the lives in danger these days, but she simply controlled her fear. The thought of innocent people being killed because of her messing something up still terrified her. She pushed those thoughts away though. Being scared would only make her clumsy. Clumsiness led to errors and errors led to lost lives.
No one would die today. Not if Leni had anything to say about it.
Police cars surrounded the entrance to the bank. The roads nearby had also been blocked off. The police force was good in Royal Woods, but they still benefited from having the Full House Gang around.
Leni walked up to the chief holding her gun in her hands. She looked at her in confusion at first and raised his gun slightly. Then her body relaxed.
"You're one of the The Full House Gang members aren't you? Um... Eleven of Hearts?" Sabrina realized.
"Yep!" Leni agreed.
"Well, in that case, you can go on in. Just don't get yourself killed okay? Don't let that bastard shoot nobody else either," Sabrina advised. Leni nodded.
"I won't. I promise," she said before walking to the building and examining it. She saw a window on the second floor that had been left open. It would be a perfect point of entry if Leni could reach it.
She examined the wall below the window, but couldn't find any way to scale it. She wished that Lori was there. She could easily fly them up to the window. The thought of Lori instantly brought the events of earlier that day to mind. Leni's face fell as she reflected on her sister's anger.
Leni distracted her mind by finding a suitable entrance. She couldn't go through the front door and risk getting those people inside hurt. All the other windows were closed and there were no other doors. Leni stood in thought for a moment before realizing something.
She had superpowers.
She walked around the side of the building and glanced in the windows. She found one on the back wall of the building that was straight behind the criminal. She charged some energy in her hand and blasted it through the window, shattering it. Glass shards fell to the ground inside the building.
The hole wasn't nearly large enough for Leni to climb through yet. She gathered energy in her hand again, but before she fired it, she looked at the criminal inside. He had turned around to face Leni but didn't make any move to stop her.
He wore a black mask that surrounded his entire head. It only had one opening, and that was for his eyes. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt accompanied with black pants and gloves. He clasped his hands behind his back and stood straight. His green eyes seemed to stare into Leni's soul, unsettling the teenager a bit.
'I should lower my arm.'
His eyes looked as if they emitted light for a short moment. At the same time, Leni decided to lower her arm and release the energy she had gathered. It wasn't a wise decision, in fact, it made no sense at all, but Leni had done it. It was as if the suggestion simply popped into her head and she decided to do so.
The man's eyes glowed again.
'I should take the front door instead.'
Leni happily did so, although it was a stupid thought. She walked in the front door, much to the surprise of the police.
The man was standing behind a line of 6 people. They weren't tied up or restrained by anything, they were simply standing there. Leni was confused but assumed it was a new method that she hadn't heard of before.
"Hey, could you let those hostages go, please?" Leni asked. The man barked out a laugh and shook his head.
"It will not be as simple as you believe, young one. You should refrain from approaching me, for their sakes and yours," the man said. He had a gruff voice.
'I should back up.'
Leni took a few steps back until she was standing in the doorway. The man laughed as if he had just played a prank on the hero. He clutched his gut and bent backward.
"Why are you laughing?" Leni asked, tilting her head to the side. She saw no rhyme or reason for the man's actions. When the man finished, he looked at Leni and seemed to smile under his mask.
"I am known as Leverage. It is simply due to the fact I can plant a suggestion in within the human brain non-verbally. It is quite difficult to ignore, especially for someone as dimwitted as you. Strong-willed and brilliant targets alike succumb to my suggestions. It is truly an event to find someone able to deny the idea I have inputted into their mind," the man explained.
"Wait so you can control my mind?" she asked.
"It is not quite as simple as that, but seeing as you would have little understanding of my true enhancement, I will not waste precious time explaining the full definition of my non-genetic, experimental advancement to you. After all, you are merely an inconsequential interloper. Although it would be beneficial to recruit an enhanced hero to assist me in the completion of my crime, especially a beautiful one." Leverage said.
"Could you say that again, please? And make it a bit easier to understand," Leni requested. Leverage sighed.
"It is of little importance to you. I must plan my departure." Leni shook her head in response.
"I'm sorry, but I have to give you to those policemen outside," she disagreed.
"Ah, I have an adequate solution," he said. He seemed to be ignoring Leni completely and speaking to himself. His head looked down to the ground at an angle and his fingers rested on his chin.
"Well, if you aren't going to come, I'll have to hurt you," she warned. She raised her hand and held it toward Leverage.
The man swung his head up to look at Leni. His eyes flashed and she felt his suggestion in her head.
'I shouldn't fire this.'
Leni tried to resist, but she decided to lower her hand. She glared at the man.
"Very well. It is the one method that has potential to succeed, although it may result in the fatality of the hero," he said, once again to himself. He walked in front of one of the hostages and grabbed their chin before turning their head to his face.
"I do believe it is your opportunity to be useful. Have you ever had the desire to fight alongside a hero? I assume you have. What would be your response if I mentioned your desire would come to fruition?" he said to the hostage.
He began to walk down the line, looking at every one of them before stopping at a woman. "You are not a component of my arrangement. You are not worthwhile," he spoke in a menacing tone.
He grabbed her head, a hand on the top and a hand on her chin. The fear in her eyes was obvious.
"Please. Please don't. I have a family. I have a daughter. She's only 6. She needs me," the woman begged.
"If you wish to place the blame on someone, place it on the hero. If she had not invaded, your daughter would still have her mother. Pray to whichever deity you place your faith in. These are your final breaths," Leverage said.
"I-It's her birthday. I came here to get the money to pay for her present. She's waiting for me in our car outside. Please, have mercy. What if your mother died on your birthday?" the mother pleaded. She began to cry, her blue eyes meeting Leverage's cold ones.
"My mother despised me. She abused me throughout my childhood then sold me to the scientists. I was barely 10 when I was tortured and experimented on. If she died on my date of birth I'd be overjoyed."
"I'm the only one she has. If I die, she'll have no parents. No one to care for her. No one to love her. She won't get to see my face in the morning. I just wish I could see her beautiful, shining, happy smile once more. I wish I could hug her and tell her I love her. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve to go the rest of her life without her mother's love," the woman shouted. Tears slid down her cheeks and her eyes had become red and puffy.
"Please, don't do this!" Leni shouted. She lifted her hand and charged an energy blast.
'I shouldn't do that.'
"NO!" Leni shouted. She tried to resist. She used all the strength she could gather from the sadness.
"Please. My daughter. Think of my daughter. She'll grow up without a loving mother. I'll never get to watch her grow up. I won't get to see my lovely ray of sunshine grow into a woman. She'll never be able to experience the joy of having a supportive mother there with her. No more waking up to the smiling face of mommy. She'll be torn apart!"
"Please! Leave her alone! It's too cruel. I'll leave. Just don't kill her," Leni begged.
"The world is a terribly cruel place, is it not?" Leverage laughed as he jerked his hands quickly. A sickening crack rang out through the room.
Tears fell from Leni's eyes. How could someone do something so harsh? She thought of all the times her mother had been there for her. All the times her mother had shown her love. All the times she had hugged her caring mother. Then she thought about her mother being the one that Leverage had killed. Her mother dying on her birthday. Holy moly, this shit got dark real fast...
Leverage dropped the woman's limp body to the floor and turned to Leni.
"Mommy's dead due to your appearance, hero. I will locate the child and murder her as well in the event you attempt to resist," he said.
Leni glared at the brutal man. She raised her hand and charged more energy in it. Leverage would pay.
'I shouldn't do that.'
"No! I'm not letting you do your thing to me again!" Leni shouted. She forced her way through the mental suggestion. Nothing would stop her from making Leverage suffer. He killed someone's mother. A child's mother. On their birthday. A day that's supposed to be filled with happiness and love. Now the child's life is ruined and they'd never get to experience a happy birthday with their birth mother ever again. It would be pure luck if the daughter got a family that cared for her.
It set off a fire in Leni's heart. He pissed her off. She couldn't stand for this. No mental suggestion would break her. She fired the energy that slammed into the man's stomach. He flew to the back wall and crashed through the window. Leni chased after him.
She leaped out of the back window and landed in front of the man. Leverage glared at her.
'I should go back inside.'
"I'm not listening to your silly suggestions anymore!" Leni screamed. Leverage stood and shook his head.
"You have decided to travel down an extremely risky path. The next fatality is purely your fault. If you had simply heeded my words, the child would not be threatened," he said. He threw a hook punch to the left side of Leni's face and ran around the side of the building.
Leni recovered from the strike quickly and rushed after the Leverage. He ran straight toward a white car parked on the side of the street. It was as if he had planned this beforehand or was simply perceptive.
Gunshots rang out as Leverage came into view of the police. He ran past them without pausing and tugged the car door handle. It was locked. Leni was catching up to him now. She shot a ball of energy at him. Leverage dodged to the side and the energy smashed through the car window. He laughed as he reached inside and pulled out a young girl.
Leni leapt at him as if she was going to tackle the villain but he dodged out of the way. She crashed into the car door and fell to the ground. He ran around to the back of the building as Leni picked herself up and chased after him.
When she had climbed back through the window, she saw him standing there holding the child by her arm. The child's eyes were focused on the dead mother on the ground.
"M-Mommy? Mommy, wake up! You have to get me my birthday present. You promised," the child said.
"She won't be waking up, kid. Not in your tiny lifespan," Leverage said. He chuckled as he took a gun out of its holster on his hip. The girl didn't seem to notice, she just looked down at her mother's body.
"Mommy…" the child whispered. Leni couldn't bear to see the pain this young child was going through. It was horrible.
She fired energy through her hand at Leverage. The villain held up the child to block it. She began to scream as the energy slammed into her stomach. Leni glared as she ran toward the man, pulling back her fist.
Leverage tossed the child to the side as if discarding litter. He dodged to the side before Leni reached him. Leni was unable to stop the momentum and slammed her fist into the wall. She grunted in pain before turning toward the Leverage. He grabbed the child by her collar and held her up.
"It seems that you need a bit more incentive. If you obey my suggestions then the child shall be spared," he said.
"Don't hurt her! She hasn't done anything wrong," Leni said. Leverage chuckled as he seemed to enjoy this.
"She doesn't have to be injured if you do as I say," he said. Leni glared at him before letting out a defeated sigh.
"What do you want me to do?" she asked.
'I should distract the police,' Leni thought.
"Do you understand what my desire is? I must leave here, but the law enforcement will not accept it. All you must do is confront them, then all of these innocents will retain their life," he stated.
Leni hated this. The police were simply doing their job, they didn't deserve her unprovoked attack. But it was for the child. She promised herself she wouldn't hurt them, only distract them.
"I'll do it, but you are totes getting caught," she said. Leverage shook his head.
"My opinion could not differ more. You will have assistance from these unfortunate hostages. Try to ensure they stay alive. It would be a shame for you to complete my suggestion only for these ones to be killed."
"Leave them out of this," Leni ordered.
"Do your job as a hero," he said.
'I should go now,' Leni thought. She gave one last glare at the Leverage before leaving through the front doors. The police officers aimed their guns at her instantly but relaxed as Sabrina recognized her.
"Where's the criminal?" Sabrina called out.
Leni didn't respond. She couldn't or else it would break her heart even further. She simply raised her arm and shot an energy blast at the officers. They were thrown back from where the blast had struck.
"I'm really, really sorry about this, officers," she shouted. They paid no attention as they held their guns at her.
"Eleven of Hearts, please, stand down. I repeat, stand down!!" Sabrina shouted.
The other hostages finally joined her outside the bank. They ran past her and began to engage the police.
"Wait!" Leni shouted. They paid her no heed. She held up her hand and fired another energy blast… straight at a police car.
It exploded, throwing the officers and hostages backward, injuring many of them. She winced as she saw them skid across the road. She wanted to stop, but she couldn't risk Leverage hurting the child.
She was about to fire another blast but was stopped when she heard a familiar voice.
"Eleven of Hearts, what are you doing?" a yellow-haired teenager asked. The High Card floated in the air above the chaos.
"Lo- High Card? What are you doing here?" Leni asked. The High Card sighed.
"I'm stopping a crime, Eleven, one you, literally, just started," she stated as if it were obvious.
"I definitely did not start this," Leni protested.
"Then how, exactly, do you explain this?"
"The bad guy made me do it."
Lori glared at her sister. "You do know I have to stop you," she said.
"You don't get it, High Card," Leni tried to begin. She was stopped by a hard strike to her jaw. High Card had swooped down from above to take down Leni.
"You're hurting innocent people, Leni. This goes against, literally, everything we stand for," she said, breaking codenames.
Leni shot an energy blast toward her which she swiftly dodged and countered with a punch to the gut. Leni stumbled backward from the hit allowing Lori to throw two more punches.
"Lori, stop," Leni pleaded, also neglecting codenames. Lori shook her head.
"Leni, what you did was wrong. You have to be stopped," she said.
"But Leverage made me do it. He would have hurt her," Leni explained. Lori raised an eyebrow.
"Who's Leverage and who was going to get hurt?" she questioned.
"Leverage is the bad guy who had loads of good people tied up. He had a little girl and said he was going to hurt her if I didn't do what he said," she said.
"Where's this guy now?" Lori asked.
"I don't know, he left," Leni responded.
"I'm going to go after him. Leni, you stay here and help the wounded," Lori ordered as she began to walk away. She stopped and glanced back at Leni.
"I don't even trust you to help them. You better not try anything," she warned. Leni nodded.
"I'm really sorry, Lori," she apologized.
"Save it. Just do something useful for once," she said. She leapt into the air and shot off, scanning the ground for any sign of the Leverage.
Leni looked at the civilians injured by her energy blast. She felt bad for hurting them. She had to do something to help them.
Lori let out a huge sigh and activated her transceiver. She needed to know where this criminal was. "This is High Card, reporting to base. Does anyone copy?" Lori waited for a brief pause before someone replied.
"Card Counter, here. What are your reasons for establishing contact?"
"I need you to search for a criminal by the name of Leverage. He caused a riot earlier and escaped. I have no idea where he's headed next but he's dangerous."
"Hmm, I see. Any description on any of his facial features or articles of clothing?"
"Nothing I know. I was, literally, too late to even catch a glimpse of him."
"Understood. I will make do with what I have. Approximate time for any results will be a mere three minutes."
While waiting for what Lisa's search result, Lori soared through the sky, flying high over the city where the cars looked like mere ants under her. She tried her best to look for any suspects but her conscious was distracting her. The blonde was furious at Leni. Despite understanding that Leni had not been in control of her actions, she was angry at how weak and susceptible she made herself to be. She had such an amazing power, she could have easily done something about him yet, somehow, she got outmatched and caused multiple civilian casualties. And here she was now, having to do her job for her.
"After searching through multiple surveillance footage, I can conclude that such individual by the alias of Leverage is advancing toward the vacant radio station from the year 1960. Proceed with caution sister, this adversary possesses the ability to telepathically hijack the frontal lobe and manipulate his victim's decision making," Lisa informed through the receiver.
'Well, that sure explains a lot' Lori thought herself. "Thanks, Card Counter. High Card, out." Lori increased her speed, producing a sonic boom as she accelerated toward her target's location.
Lori found herself in front of the large, rustic building with a radio tower on its roof. She walked to the front entrance and grabbed the handle, finding it locked. Lori balled her hand into a fist and smashed the door open, entering the facility with ease. She found herself wandering through multiple corridors and empty rooms but to avail. That was until she came across the last room. The recording area.
Lori went to the knob and was met with the stiffness of it being locked. With a single, quick jab, the door fell from its hinges and onto the ground with a loud thud. However, there was no one inside.
BBBTTTZZZZZZ!
Lori then felt her scarf being quickly pulled off of her and was immediately followed by a jolt of excruciating and burning pain entering through her exposed neck area as her hairs stood up. Her entire body felt like it was on fire while her teeth felt like they were being pulled from her gums. She collapsed onto the floor as her body rang with pain and numbness, only able to move her eyes. A man stood behind her holding a taser in his hand, buzzing violently as the blue arcs streamed between the two prongs.
"I was expecting a lot more," a man in all black said coldly, his greens eyes piercing through her soul,. "Especially from the one who claims she is more proficient than the other brat, I went up against today. I am extremely disappointed."
The villain knelt down on one knee and looked ever more intensely at the helpless heroine in front of him. "I am quite serious. Getting the drop on you wasn't even close to a challenge. I didn't even need to use my powers to subdue you. You heroes are nothing but a joke."
Lori felt shame wash upon her as his harsh word were nailed into her brain. How could she have been so stupid? She had reprimanded Leni for her incompetence yet here she was, at the mercy of the same villain Leni had fought today. Leverage stood up and walked out of the room, only to return with thick, green chains in his hand. Lori knew what was happening and struggling to pick herself up.
I should lie back down.'
Lori felt herself obeying and back on the floor. He began to wrap the green chains around her wrists and then her legs. He reached for the transceiver in Lori's ear and crushed it with his bare hand.
"Tomorrow, I will kill you. But, considering how many of your kind are constantly foiling my plans, it shall be useful to have you as an asset for the heist tomorrow. Once that is complete, I am pumping your body with lead," he said as he pulled out a pistol. He cocked the back of it and placed the barrel on Lori's calf. Lori's eye widened as she realized what he was doing. "No wai-!"
BAM!
"Try flying away from that," he said sadistically to his prisoner as she wept from her wound.
Meanwhile, Leni was in the backyard of the Loud House. After Lori had reprimanded her she had returned home in Vanzilla. She entered the hideout through Lisa's bunker, expecting Lori to be within, ready to chew her out for what had occurred previously.
However, to Leni's surprise, she wasn't anywhere to be found. Leni glanced around, ensuring that she had not missed the teenager somehow. Leni didn't want to worry too much on the subject. Lori could have been simply fighting Leverage.
No, something was suspicious. It had been quite a while since Lori had taken off. Leverage could not have gone too far in the time he had. Lori should have easily been able to track and defeat him. She should have at least contacted someone if she had dealt with Leverage.
Leni knew that her mask had a built-in phone in order to contact her teammates. Lori would most likely report to Lincoln or Lisa, therefore it was as good as a place as any to begin. She tapped an earpiece on her mask and decide to contact Lisa first. It was likely that Lori would have gone to her for assistance in tracking the villain.
"Lisa," she stated. The earpiece beeped its acknowledgment and seconds later she had a direct link to her younger sister.
"Greetings, elder sibling. What are your reasons for contacting me?" she asked.
"Hey, Lisa, do you know where Lori is? She should have been back by now, right?" Leni asked.
"Correct. The approximate time it would require to dispatch of the criminal known as Leverage is lesser than that of the time used. Chance of failure is quite high, yet I will refrain from boring you with the statistics," Lisa said.
Leni had become accustomed to being confused by her sister's speech. She didn't ask questions these days, as the explanations were even more confusing to her limited intelligence.
"So, where is she?" Leni asked again.
"During our previous established contact, she stated she was entering a vacant radio station. She has not reported in since. I believe she still resides on the premises," she explained.
"Thanks a bunch, Lisa," Leni said.
"It was of no bother, elder sibling," the genius said. Her earpiece let out an extended beep, stating that they were no longer in contact.
Leni thought for a moment. She would have to find that radio station. She didn't have the address, which she should have asked Lisa for, and had no other clues.
But then Leni realized something. 'Didn't Linky say that we can track others with the help with of Equip-App?'
Leni replaced the built-in communicator with a built-in tracker from Equip-App. A map of the entirety of Royal Woods appeared in her eyes. Red dots, which indicated the locations of the members of the gang, were present in various locations. The dots had names written under them. Lori's dot was at an old radio station, most likely the one that Lisa had told her about. It was nearby, only a mile or two away from the hideout.
"I have to get there before Lori's hurt," Leni declared.
She climbed out of the bunker and over the fence. She stepped into the woods, within would be the radio station.
It was darker than usual, therefore Leni switched on night vision. Her lenses turned a shade of green that allowed to see more clearly than she had previously, calming her a bit. She was fearful of the dark. It had taken all of her courage to keep from turning and running back to the base where she would wait for her sister to help herself. She needn't worry now, as the night vision illuminated her surroundings, at least to her eyes. But that was all she needed. If she made visible light with her energy, Leverage could see her coming easily.
After making her way through the woods for nearing ten minutes, she finally made it to the abandoned radio station. Leni came upon a door that had been smashed open. Lori had been here, whether that was a good or bad thing was still up for debate.
She wandered through multiple corridors and empty rooms, seeing no further signs of Lori. She began to believe that her sister wasn't the one who broke down the door after all. She switched on her tracker once more to assure she had the right place. Her and Lori's red circles were almost overlapping, she had to be here somewhere.
Eventually, she heard a wailing echoing throughout the station. Normally, Leni would be near terrified of an unexplained noise such as that, but she needed to find Lori. Now was most certainly not the time to be afraid of some petty "ghost". It could be the wailing sounds of Lori.
All the chained up Lori could do was scream for help in hopes that someone would hear her. It had been to no avail thus far, yet she couldn't give up. For all she knew, one of her comrades could be in the building, searching for her. She knew it would not be, however.
She winced as she felt Leverage's boot slammed into the side of her head. She tasted the metallic flavor of blood on her tongue. She wished she could raise her hand to massage her injury, yet the chains restrained her.
"No one will be able to hear you. You are wasting the very short amount of time you are so graciously being allowed to live." Lori glared at him.
"The Full House Gang will find you," she stated.
"I'm sure they will try when they realize your absence. I assume they have a fancy way to track your location as well unless their incompetence did not allow them to foresee something such as this happening. The truth you refuse to accept is that I will disable or kill every single one of them. They are a waste of time, nothing more," he said.
"One against twelve? Do you, literally, think you can stop them?" she asked.
"I do. If they are anything akin to you or your comrade they will all fall. And you will be helpless. You will lay there and watch as I kill each one of your loved ones. I wouldn't want you to get bored either. I'll cause them as much pain in as many different ways possible," Leverage said, seemingly to love the thought of it.
"That is, literally, disgusting," she said. He chuckled.
"Then you best hope that your little team doesn't find you. I, however, will keep my fingers crossed."
"I am so not visiting you in prison," she said.
"You won't live long enough to see me behind bars. Hell, I won't live long enough to see myself behind bars," he said.
Leni was approaching where she had heard the noises come from. She heard a shout from behind a nearby wall, making her jump. She leaned against the wall and pushed her ear up to it. She listened as Leverage and Lori spoke, with the former threatening her and the rest of the Full House Gang.
She narrowed her eyes as she continued to listen to Leverage and High Card. No one threatened any of her sisters without receiving Leni's rage.
Leverage heard crashing through the wall behind him. He spun around to see the Eleven Of Hearts glaring at him, hand outstretched. She lowered it and climbed through the hole she had made in the wall.
"You know what time it is! It's eleven time!"
Before Leverage could attempt a suggestion, he felt an energy blast slam into his gut, sending him flying across the room. He was only stopped by the wall, which shook as it felt his force. A metal shelf that had been barely attached to the wall crashed down onto him.
He ignored the pain he felt and glared at her.
"Well, you have returned. I had assumed you had already been taught a lesson. Perhaps more bloodshed is required before you receive the message?" he said.
"You aren't going to do anything to my family," she stated.
Leni turned to where Lori was chained to the floor. She began to fiddle with the green chains, releasing both of her arms before moving to her ankles. She noticed a red circle on Lori's calf. Blood was scattered around the wound and was dripping down her suit.
"O.M.G., High Card! Are you okay?"
"I'm, literally, fine. Don't worry about it."
"But you're bleeding! You ne-"
However, Leni watched as the supposed 'blood' changed into a metallic grey and began to seep back into Lori's suit; quickly confusing Leni by the revelation. Leni began to focus her energy into her index finger and quickly began to burn through green-colored chains. Lori felt her binds loosen and soon enough, she was free. Leni helped Lori back on her feet, who was standing up completely fine.
"Thanks, Eleven of Hearts. I don't know what those chains were made out of but I couldn't break them no matter how hard I tried," Lori thanked her with a smile.
Leni nodded silently, still shocked how her sister was perfectly fine. But suddenly, it clicked and she put two and two together, realizing what was going on.
"Lor-I mean High Card... Did you fake your injury?" Leni asked.
"Yeah. I manipulated the suit's nanotech to make it appear as if I really had a gunshot wound. All I needed to do next was put my theater practice into some good use. Did you, literally, forget these suits were bulletproof, Hearts?"
"Oh I guess I did forget," she said, rubbing the back of her neck.
CRANK*CRASH*CLINK*
The sound of debris being pushed to the floor and the groan of Leverage caught their attention. Lori gritted her teeth, as the fight only now begun. "Heads up Hearts. We still got a villain that we need to fry." Lori warned her younger sister as she began to levitate off the ground. Leni nodded and charged her fist with bright, seafoam-green energy. The man was going to pay for what he did today.
Leverage felt his entire body ache as he tried to walk the pain off. The bimbo got to him before he could even react. He saw in front of him that the other girl he had captured was now free as well. Not to mention, she was hovering off the ground and seemed completely fine. She was faking everything the whole time. 'Shit! This is bad news. It will be difficult for me to use my powers against two at once. I can't win this one on my own, I just have to make it to the exit.' He told himself. Leverage's eyes began to glow green again. Leni found herself puzzled as by the familiar sensation of her not thinking for herself again.
I should aim my blast at Lori.'
Leni shifted her charged hand and aimed it at Lori, who noticed and a moved out of the way before Leni fire a beam of energy. "I'm sorry High Card! I swear that wasn't me!" Lori cursed under her breath after realizing what was happening.
"I know Hearts! He making us try to fight each other to distract ourselves!"
'I should pick up Leni and then throw her down onto the ground.'
Lori felt compelled to engage her sister as she started flying straight to her. She struggled to gain back control over her body but proved futile. She picked up what seemed to be a frightened Leni who she then threw straight back down. Lori finally understood the sheer control and power this man possessed and why Leni had such a hard time against him. He was a master manipulator and knew what he was doing. No wonder he spoke with such arrogance.
Leverage saw the two were now away from the door that lead to the nearest exit. He had bought himself enough time and he began to sprint like a madman towards the door. Leni, though still fairly disoriented by Lori's attack, saw what he was doing and raised her palm at him. He was just in arm's length away from the door before he felt a hard, blunt, and burning force hit him on the side and sent flying away from the door.
"Nice job, Hearts!" Lori cheered as she saw her opportunity. She flew straight toward the villain before he could even recover and punched in him square in the face. Leverage was sent back skidding on the ground a few feet. Leni sighed as he appeared to be unconscious. "Let's tie this guy up and get back to base, alright?" Lori said triumphantly.
She saw the green chains that he used against Lori a while ago not far away from her. She picked them up and began to make her way to the Leverage's defeated body. Just as she was about to grab his wrist, he quickly turned his head, with eyes glowing even brighter with a green aura steaming off them. Leni and Lori found themselves completely paralyzed as if the had become stone statues.
"Medusa's Glare I call it. My most powerful move. You are under my complete control as long as I do not blink. Now then..." Leverage said menacingly. Lori, no matter how hard she was telling herself to do something, could not perform it. Leni however, wasn't. In fact, she was confident. She had a trick up her sleeve that could turn the tide. One she was sure would work. She what she had to do to put this villain where he belonged. Leverage began to walk over to the side of the room where his gun had sitting. He picked up a few other things before he was ready to leave. He then walked over to Leni.
"It seems as if I won't be able to penetrate anywhere your suit is covering. However…" He placed the barrel on top of Leni's exposed forehead. Lori was now desperate to at least move a muscle yet she was still under his effect. She wanted to sob and beg him to stop but her entire body had been frozen except her eyes. She felt incredibly guilty for putting her little sister where she was now. Knowing she made her cry today over a petty argument. "I'm sure the area here will finish the job. Anything you wanna say to your partner?" Leverage asked.
Leni herself able to move her face again yet her body was still immobilized. A large smile began to stretch across her face. "High Card, close your eyes." The two of them formed a confused look on their face before being immersed in a blinding, sea-foam green light. Leverage found himself having to close his eyes due to the sudden flash. Leni used this opportunity to grab the gun from his hand shot a powerful beam from her chest at the criminal. The gun began to melt in her glowing hand and Leni discarded it promptly.
Lori found herself able to move again, shocked by her sisters brilliant trick. There was nothing more she wanted to do at the moment than give her sister the biggest hug. But before she could even, Leni began to shout at here something. "Lori, go supersonic. Now!"
Lori was then confused again. "Leni, we're literally indoors. Why would I-"
"Just do it!" She said desperately.
Lori obliged and proceed to do what he sister said. Leni covered ears as within an instant, a thunderous boom rang across the room. Leverage, who was still disoriented from the flash, then winced as his ears felt like they exploded after a deafening sound was produced in the room.
Lori saw this as she instantly made it to the other end of the hall and realized why Leni was telling her what to do. If they kept Leverage dazed and confused, his power wouldn't work as he wouldn't be able to think straight. She performed another supersonic dash. Once again the boom had kept him distracted.
Leverage opened his eyes only to be met with another flash of light. He was losing sense of everything around him as he felt the blast of energy hit him square in the chest and another roar of the sound barrier being broken prevented him from even thinking straight. And before he could collect himself again, he'd feel powerful punch sending back to the ground and once more receive blinding flashes that were disorienting him. Lori and Leni then stopped and looked at each other at the opposite ends of the area, nodding in what they were about to do.
"Let's end this now!" Leni shouted in fierce determination as a blinding X formation made of pure energy began to charge around her chest area. "Maximum mass and energy output," she grunted under breath. Lori began to tense muscles, bracing herself for what she was about to do. "Maximum flight speed and strength," she said to herself as she began to levitate, with the wind them began to swirl around her.
Leverage, finally starting to wrap his head around the situation, became wide at what was happening. Struggling to get up, managed to get on his two feet again and his eyes began to glow once more.
I should stop what I am about to do. The two heard the thought enter their head, wincing as they felt themselves struggling to fighting their compulsions and obey what he had ordered. Leni her X beginning to fade and dim ias Lori felt herself beginning to descend.
"NOT THIS TIME PUNK!"
They both screamed as with their sheer willpower and determination combined, they two of them nullified his effect. Leni's energy X grew even bright and bigger as even more wind pressure form as Lori began to float towards the roof. Leverage's felt fear wash over him as they had become immune to his order.
Leni stretched her arms out as she released her most powerful blast she had ever produce, forming a gigantic pulse of concussive energy.
Lori bursted straight toward their enemy with tremendous lightning speed with her fist clenched.
Leverage didn't have time to even react to the blitz attack as he felt the full force of Leni's beam and Lori's punch feeling as if he were being crushed. The last thing the villain Leverage remembered before blacking out was the colors of seafoam green and baby blue…
Lori and Leni dragged the unconscious and restrained Leverage out of now totaled building. Their final attacks were stamina draining and were so powerful that it had inadvertently destroyed much of the interior. Once outside of what appeared to be the parking lot, the two stopped. Lori had no energy to fly them home and the both of them got their transceivers destroyed. Catching a cab home didn't sound like a bad idea to be honest.
Lori looked at her younger sister and smiled. "You were amazing back there," She complimented her.
Leni chuckled happily. "It was nothing. I just wanted to make this guy pay for what he did."
"No. I need to apologize to you Leni. You are an amazing hero and it's time I start giving credit where credit is due."
"B-But, I was the one who let him get away. I hurt those cops. I couldn't stop him from hurting that girl's mom."
"You avenged her Leni. He's caught now because of that. And police were informed you weren't in control."
"I-I…" Leni paused for a moment and looked down at the ground in self-doubt, "I'm still a bad sister. And roommate. I don't know how to do anything cause I'm just another clutz."
Lori put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "That title belongs to me. I got myself caught and nearly got you killed. I am so petty with everything and it ends up backfiring in my face. I am so sorry for making you feel awful Leni. You are wonderful to have by my side."
The two pulled in for a loving embrace as they sobbed in each other's arms as they comforted one another. Today had been the toughest fight of their life yet they overcame it together. As sisters.
Leni sniffled before asking Lori, "Does this mean we're still roommates?"
"Of course Leni," Lori said with misty eyes.
As they walked, Leni stopped for a second, Lori noticed. "What's wrong Leni?"
Leni responded by punching Lori in the arm and it wasn't a playful punch. "Ow!"
"That's for punching me earlier!"
"Well, guess I deserved it."
Welp, that was a bit longer.
Trivia:
1. Jack actually cried when he wrote the mothers death scene, it was apparently too depressing for him to handle due to his personal reasons.
2. This Took FOREVER TO WRITE!!! Jack refused to let Meh help. Then after so MANY FRICKIN MONTHS HE FINALLY Let him help.
3. The 'Its Eleven time' quip was my idea, Meh loved it because it reminded him of old comics he read.
4. Some elements were anime inspired, by i changed them because, i don't like anime much, i only like a certain amount of animes like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, My Hero Academia. Calling your attacks is stupid.
5. The first version, didn't include Sabrina, we literally forgot about her and Brendon. But here I changed it so Sabrina is present. Brendon was home sick during this time.