Friday, December 28th, 2016
Safehouse F
Chicago, USA
Guinevere was decidedly apprehensive about the meeting.
Despite who she was, the fifteen-year-old was scared of but one person and that was the person currently sitting on a chair a few feet from her. That person was smiling, but the simple name tag: HIT GIRL, scared the hell out of Guinevere. Beside Mindy sat Saoirse and Stephanie. Seated around Guinevere were Juno, Nicholas, and Logan. Their apprehension filled the air and to make things worse, Stephanie was grinning. Finally, Mindy spoke.
"You guys ready to get back out there?" she asked Guinevere.
"Yes, Mindy."
"For now, you will operate alongside Team Los Angeles, however, you will be your own team unless Erika needs you to bolster her team. Team San Diego is still yours, however, you will be junior to Erika, understand?"
"I do."
"Get your gear packed – you fly out tonight," Mindy directed. "Your combat suits and equipment will be waiting for you in Los Angeles."
As everybody stood up, Guinevere approached Mindy.
"Thank you for everything, Mindy," she said.
"Make us proud out there," Mindy replied.
"Stay safe," Stephanie directed.
Saturday, December 29th, 2016
Burbank Airport
California, USA
It was the early hours when the jet touched down on Runway 8 with the usual chirp of protesting tyres.
At the executive terminal, the jet braked smoothly to a stop beside a parked Chevrolet Colorado truck. Beside the truck, a young woman stood waiting for the jet's four passengers. A minute later, the hatch opened, and the stewardess waved her passengers down the steps. All four appeared a little tired, despite the luxurious accommodations.
"Hi, guys!" Sky exclaimed in greeting.
"Hello, Sky," Juno replied with a grin.
"Let's get you guys somewhere to sleep and we can get you all properly settled later today," Sky suggested as the bags were placed into the open flatbed of the truck.
"Are we safe with you driving?" Nicholas asked.
"You can walk if you like," Sky responded.
Nicholas grinned sheepishly as he held open the back door of the truck for Guinevere.
"Thanks," Guinevere whispered.
Juno jumped into the front seat, leaving Logan to join Nicholas and Guinevere in the back seat.
Oak Pass Road
The tired youngsters were shown to their bedrooms and allowed to get some rest while Sky headed for her own bed.
At around ten o'clock, Juno awoke, and she rolled away from Logan, pushing back the duvet so she could sit up. Juno then looked around the room and she spied the bathroom. Ten seconds later, Juno was happily emptying her bladder and contemplating what to do next. She could hear voices as she returned to the bathroom. Pulling open the bedroom door, Juno peered out into the corridor where she was almost taken off her feet by Maddie who was being chased by James.
"Wow! What do we have here?" James exclaimed when he took in the sight of Juno dressed only in her bra and panties.
"Hi, Juno," Maddie said. "This is James – he's another Predator weirdo – ignore him."
Juno laughed.
"James?"
The boy turned as he recognised a familiar voice.
"Guinevere!" James exclaimed. "And Nicholas."
"We were told you would be here," Guinevere said. "I see you've met Juno – she's a not-so-normal non-Predator."
Juno grinned at the put down.
"I don't recognise him," James said as Logan appeared.
"I used to be Kai, back in the day . . . plastic surgery."
"Cool!" James exclaimed. "So, you guys are Team San Diego, then."
"Yes, we are," Juno confirmed proudly.
..._...
Team San Diego sat down to breakfast.
They were joined by Team Los Angeles, even though they had all eaten breakfast already. James had no problems having a second breakfast and Maddie nibbled on her third slice of grapefruit that morning – they were both growing teenagers, Erika considered with a chuckle. Guinevere was a lot perkier after a good breakfast and she was pleased to be back on the west coast where things were a lot warmer than the cold, snowy weather of Chicago.
"Mindy mentioned a surprise," Guinevere commented.
"Yes, we have a surprise for you, Guinny, dear," Erika replied.
"What kind of surprise?" Juno asked warily.
"Probably, a Claymore in a box type surprise," Nicholas commented. "It is Mindy after all."
"That's fair," Erika conceded. "But, no. Okay, I need Team San Diego in the truck."
"Can I come – please?" Maddie asked.
"You already know what the surprise is, Maddie," Erika groused.
"And?"
"You can stay here," Erika pressed.
"You are so nasty!" Maddie exclaimed as she stormed off.
"Teenagers – what a hoot!" Erika chuckled.
Mulholland Drive
Beverly Hills
The drive was swift – with Erika at the wheel it was always swift – and before long, they slowed on a corner that had a fabulous view out across the valley below.
However, Erika did not stop for them to enjoy the view, she turned left up a very bare, hardly noticeable, drive. It almost looked like a utility entrance, at first sight. Erika pressed a button on a small remote control and a twelve-foot steel gate which had been blocking access, slid soundlessly to the left. Erika drove on up the short drive and pulled up beside a large double garage.
"What is this place?" Juno asked.
"Looks like a bunker to me," Logan commented.
"You have a point there," Nicholas agreed.
Guinevere stayed silent as her eyes scoured the area. She identified a small handful of active and passive security devices within easy sight and she assumed that there were many more besides.
"I'd go with a fortified bunker," Guinevere observed.
"Not bad, Guinny," Erika commented as she used three keys to unlock the double front doors before pulling open a small flap just to the right of the solidly-built right-hand door.
"Place your hand on the pad, Guinevere," Erika directed.
Guinevere did so, and the vertical rectangular pad reacted with a ring of green LEDs racing around the outside once before flashing twice and the right-hand door audibly unlatched. Erika waved the young vigilante inside.
The fifteen-year-old grimaced as she tentatively pushed the door open.
..._...
Nicholas' eagle eyes clocked the thickness of the front doors, not to mention the multiple layers of armour sandwiched between the wood, as well as the various mechanical and electronic locks which secured the double doors.
The boy's attention was so focussed on the structure of the front doors that he walked straight into Guinevere who had stopped dead two steps inside the property. The girl was mesmerised by what she was seeing. She had expected to find some concrete monstrosity reminiscent of Safehouse F, back in Chicago, instead, the inside of the property was simply unbelievable.
"Move, dumbass!" Nicholas growled before he too paused as he saw what Guinevere was staring at.
"What's the damn holdup?" Logan growled.
"Yeah – what's going on?" Juno added.
Erika grinned as all four youngsters went quiet and simply stared at the vista laid out before them. They were captivated by the double-height living room which was filled with oceans of natural light which flowed from eight windows, four per level, arranged like the bow of a ship with each vertical set of four windows angled outwards at an angle of 45-degrees. The view beyond those rear-facing floor to ceiling windows, each pane of which was six-feet-square, was exquisite and allowed a panoramic visual feast across the valley below – you could just make out the house at Oak Pass Road a few miles away. The walls were painted a pale cream which accentuated the natural light pouring through the giant windows. The floor was made from polished dark oak which complemented the light walls and ceiling. After stepping through the double doors, you found yourself looking down into the living room which was accessed by descending three broad steps. Passageways led off to the left and the right. In the centre of the living room, a pair of slight-coloured L-shaped couches were arranged at right-angles to one another with the first looking out over the valley and the other to the left. Two comfortably soft, matching chairs complemented the two couches to the right. On the wall to the left as you looked out of the windows, there was a real log fire.
From the living room, you could access the adjacent dining room by ascending three steps. The dining room was equipped with a large dark wood dining table which could comfortably seat ten. A trio of vertical windows allowed the viewing of the same valley vista as the living room. The dining room was also accessible via a broad archway from the right-hand passageway which led from the entrance vestibule. Also leading off that same passageway was the capacious kitchen across from the dining room. There were two island counters, one with a sink and other with a six-burner gas hob, a fume extractor, and seating for four, side-by-side, facing across from the hob which backed onto the sink. Beside the hob counter, a massive built-in fridge was installed beside a double built-in oven and a microwave. Large windows and a set of sliding glass doors allowed a view out onto the rear-facing sundeck and a large swimming pool. Also, on the same level, past the living room, at the opposite end of the property to the kitchen, there was a small den which had triple windows looking out to the rear over the valley and a double set of glazed doors opening out onto the front yard. There was a fireplace on the front wall, equipped with a real-flame gas fire and above it, a sixty-inch wall-mounted OLED television with surround sound speakers strategically placed around the room. Two leather couches provided ample seating space along with two comfortable leather chairs, all upholstered in a dark brown soft leather. In a small nook, off to one side, there was a wet bar with two bar stools.
Immediately to one side of the entrance vestibule, the kitchen side, two sets of stairs led up and down. Upstairs was the master suite, facing the rear of the property. At the top of the stairs which turned back on itself, you found yourself on a mini-bridge passing over the entrance vestibule and looking down on the living room. To the right was the master bedroom which was equipped with a large bedroom which held a queen-sized bed and a wall-mounted fifty-inch OLED television. A private seating area and a balcony looked out over the valley and the sundeck. Past the bedroom, there was a ginormous bathroom with a whirlpool bath and a multi-person shower with massage jets. There was also a large walk-in wardrobe and a door leading out onto a private sundeck at the west end of the property and looking down on the sundeck below. Across the mini-bridge, at the opposite end of the property, there was a study and external steps leading up to the flat roof of the property and some 'interesting additions' to the buildings defensive capabilities.
The remaining four bedrooms were all on the lower level, below the living room, kitchen, and den, accessed via a staircase from the entrance vestibule. At the base of the stairs, there was a corridor. The largest bedroom was below the den and provided a door to the outside which led up to the ground level at the end of the property. There was a large queen size bed, a couch, and a small desk. A set of sliding patio doors led to a small private balcony while a door led to an ensuite bathroom. There were two further bedrooms located beneath the living room, each with a king size bed and its own private balcony and a shared ensuite bathroom. The fourth bedroom, located below the kitchen and dining room, was fitted out with a pair of double beds, a private balcony, and its own ensuite bathroom.
At the rear of the property, overlooking the vast valley, there was a marble-tiled sundeck with a jacuzzi and a swimming pool. There was a single glazed door from the living room, at one end, a sliding glazed door from the dining room, and a sliding glazed door from the kitchen, all allowing access onto the sundeck. One wall was fitted with a 48-inch wall-mounted television and there were various couches and sun lounges arranged around the pool, along with a fitted bar which included a barbeque, and a glass-topped table with eight chairs.
"Christ!" Nicholas finally exclaimed.
..._...
"This is all ours?" Juno asked for the speechless Guinevere.
"If you promise not to blow it up!" Erika chuckled.
"That wasn't our fault!" Logan bristled.
"Let me show you guys the garage," Erika grinned.
The small group followed Erika over to a door beside the stairs leading upwards and she punched in a security code which released the door. Nicholas was very curious, and he stepped through.
"Guinny!" the boy called out.
Guinevere pushed past the ever-inquisitive Juno and she stopped dead. The garage was enormous with two double doors and with enough space to hide away four vehicles. There was a smart red Audi S3 parked over to one side, then came Guinevere's own 2015 Honda Interceptor in pearl white, her racing red BMW R1200 GS Adventure, Nicholas' Cordoba blue BMW R1200 GS Adventure, Logan's Honda CB5900X, and Juno's 2016 Honda CRF250L. Juno screamed when she saw her pride and joy. The teenager almost flattened Guinevere as she bolted past to checkout her Honda.
"It's safe!" Juno squealed. "I was so worried!"
"Can a teenage girl actually make out with a motorcycle?" Nicholas enquired.
"We might just be about to find out," Logan grinned.
Erika was chuckling when she handed over a fistful of keys to Guinevere.
"Here you are, Guinevere," Erika said. "This place is as secure as it gets. Assuming you can prise Juno from that machine, you can select whatever rooms you want; it's your place – this folder has codes and instructions. Come with me and I'll show you some of the more special features of Mindy's funhouse."
"You getting close to orgasm, yet?" Logan asked his girl.
Juno scowled as she released her Honda.
The following morning
Friday, December 30th
Mulholland Drive
When Guinevere awoke, she suffered that natural phenomenon most people encounter when they awake somewhere different.
For a moment, as she panicked, she reached for the compact Glock beneath her pillow. Then she relaxed as she saw Nicholas asleep beside her in the enormous bed. After shoving the pistol back under the pillow, Guinevere slipped out from under the duvet and she walked over towards the floor-to-ceiling sliding doors which opened out onto a balcony. Through the glass, Guinevere could see the most amazing view. Over to the right, she could just make out the sea. Straight ahead, she knew, the twins would be waking up to cause trouble for Erika at Oak Pass Road, a mile away. Having their own home felt like bliss. She listened, but she could hear nothing. Guinevere strolled out of the bedroom and along the platform which passed over the living room. The view through the windows was even more stunning as much more of the valley was visible.
"Now, that is something to wake up to," Nicholas commented as he joined Guinevere.
"Hi."
Nicholas put an arm around Guinevere and he enjoyed the feel of her soft skin against his own. The girl was completely naked, just how Nicholas liked her. He too had slept nude, and Guinevere wasted no time running her fingers across his pride and joy which had already been at half-mast. Guinevere was grinning as she pulled Nicholas back into the bedroom and on into the enormous shower. Nicholas found himself pushed to the tiled floor as Guinevere turned on the water. The boy grinned at the view he was getting of Guinevere's groin with its red pubic hair and he groaned audibly. Guinevere was grinning too as the water ran over her breasts and down her curvaceous body. She had her eyes fixed on the item pointing almost straight up Nicholas' body.
Then, she slowly sank down and down. . .
Juno was enjoying her second bowl of cereal when the eleven-year-old suddenly dropped her spoon and she clamped her hands over her ears.
She knew exactly what the excruciating sound was, and she was horrified by it. It was very hypercritical when you considered that she was a screamer too. However, whatever was happening to Guinevere, it was something amazing, Juno grinned.
"I think Guin and Nick are up," Logan commented.
"Disgusting behaviour!" Juno grinned.
"I just need to tickle your thingumajig and you scream out just as loud," Logan pointed out.
"I don't . . . well, maybe," Juno conceded.
"It's good to have our own place," Logan said.
"Even better that our bedroom is a long way from theirs," Juno agreed.
"For them," Logan grinned with a twinkle in his eye.
Juno simply blushed bright red and said nothing as she took a large spoonful of cereal and milk into her mouth.
..._...
"Morning!" Guinevere announced as she breezed into the kitchen some twenty minutes later.
Unsurprisingly, at least to Guinevere, Juno was naked and recovering from a major orgasm. Juno grinned sheepishly as she pulled her T-shirt back on. Logan was at the kitchen sink washing his hands. He grinned at Guinevere.
"Your screaming got Juno's motor running," Logan explained.
"Doesn't take much, does it?" Guinevere teased.
"Not really – she's still ultra-sensitive in the clit department," Logan admitted.
"Hey!" Juno complained. "Less talk about my thingamajig."
"Juno, you're thirteen, call it by its proper name," Guinevere tried.
"Leave her be," Nicholas said as he entered the kitchen. "She can call it whatever she wants."
Guinevere frowned as she poured cereal into a bowl. Sometimes Nicholas was a bigger protector of Juno than she was . . . which annoyed her no end. Nicholas would defend Juno to the ends of the earth, Guinevere knew – he was like a big brother to her – but, that was Guinevere's job, not that sex-mad oaf. Just to annoy Guinevere even more, Juno gave Nicholas a quick kiss on the cheek as she headed off to get dressed.
"Thanks, Nick."
..._...
The rest of the day was spent enjoying their new home.
By mid-morning, Juno and Nicholas were training out beside the swimming pool. Nicholas held a large training pad while Juno punched it with her gloved fists. Logan was working on his motorbike, leaving Guinevere on her own. Guinevere was stretched out on a couch reading the owner's manual for her new Audi S3. Part of her mind was working on their future in Los Angeles, and eventually, back down in San Diego. She had persuaded Erika to let Team San Diego join Team Los Angeles out on the streets the following evening.
They had proved themselves to Hit Girl, but Guinevere knew that they would have to prove themselves to Erika.
The following evening
Saturday, December 31st
Safehouse C
18:45
Things were very busy as the two teams geared up.
Juno felt nervous as she pulled on her combat suit. Chrissy helped the younger girl with her armour, checking the suit over. There would be no unnecessary rivalry between the two teams – they would work together, for each other. Maddie ensured that everybody had the correct radio settings and a valid SD card inserted in their communication equipment, not to mention a spare SD card secreted about their combat suit. James was on hand to assist with weapons and he had ensured that each of the seven vigilantes going out that night was equipped with everything they needed from the comprehensively equipped armoury. Erika and Guinevere were planning together as they figured out the night's operations. They had not been happy to receive an urgent message from Chicago, but they took it in their stride.
"Okay, this message from Chicago is a little worrying, but we can handle it," Erika commented. "Nobody knows that Team San Diego is back in business . . . in Los Angeles. We can use that to our advantage."
"It'll be good to be able to take the fight to that fucking dildo," Guinevere growled.
"He's had an easy time, recently," Erika said. "Dieter needs to be put in his place. As you can see, we're going to hit the bastard in his wallet tonight."
"Looking forward to it," Guinevere replied.
..._...
Mindy had gone to town for Lilith and her team, much to Lilith's surprise.
Initially, attention had been drawn to Bane's brand new 2017 Ducati Panigale 959 in Ascari Black which Bane had almost cum all over. Then, attention had turned to the four brand new machines arranged side-by-side in the vehicle garage ahead of QUAKE and SIDESWIPE. Lilith's Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin DCT had been destroyed just a month before. Her replacement made use of the identical deep red colour scheme with flashes of fire on the frame. Lilith took her time stretching her right leg over the seat of her new 2017 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade. It felt so good, like nothing she had ever felt before. At the rear of her machine, Lilith carried a compound bow with a quiver of arrows and an H&K G36C assault rifle. Next, there was a matching motorcycle in dark blue which belonged to Trauma. He would be able to keep pace with his girl – if she let him, of course. Lilim had received an upgraded motorcycle, a Honda CB500X in light grey while Riptide was awestruck by his own Honda NC750X machine in royal blue with red markings.
"Let's take these beauties for a ride," Trauma commented with a wink at Riptide.
"When we get back, sweetie, not right now," Lilith responded with a broad grin.
..._...
Mist had figured out a perfect target to start chipping away at Dieter Mannheim's empire.
She wanted to reduce his income for a start and a large chunk of Dieter's income was undeclared to the IRS and crucial to his black operations. Scattered around Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, Dieter operated around two dozen illegal casinos. Those casinos had an impressive patronage and some very nice rewards for the expert players, plus some extra income from Dieter for the not-so-expert players. Mist knew that she would make Fusion very unpopular as there were quite a few LAPD officers on the payroll protecting the casinos from raids. Their locations tended to change on a monthly basis – even weekly for some of the higher value places. But while certain corrupt LAPD officers were on the payroll of Dieter, certain snitches were on the payroll of Mist.
That night, Mist was out in SIDESWIPE. The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS 2-door coupe in Nightfall Grey Metallic was equipped with a 6.2-litre V8 engine producing around 500-horsepower. Zero to sixty took just four seconds and Mist was very familiar with the awesome power under her right foot which went via an 8-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters to the massive 275/35YR20 rear tyres. As she cruised along East 5th Street, she knew that she was entering the wolf's layer. Dieter Mannheim's own headquarters was just a short distance ahead and so were the men of his personal guard, the Panther Brigade. They would have to tread gently, but firmly, to get their message across to Dieter that Fusion was not to be messed with and that one day, Fusion would prevail.
Mist pulled up just short of Broadway and she reversed into an alleyway.
..._...
It was a heavy force which the Los Angeles branch of Fusion was putting on the ground that evening.
There were seven operators on the street with two support staff providing backup from the Command Centre at Safehouse C. That backup was essential as they were fighting a major force who were well 'dug-in' within the criminal underworld of Los Angeles. While the operators closed in, their support, Crypto and Paradox, would watch their backs via hacked CCTV and other strategic systems. That was essential to prevent counter and flanking attacks. The ace card which Fusion held that evening was Team San Diego which more than doubled the normal Fusion: Los Angeles force.
If all went well, Dieter Mannheim would end the night with a very bloody nose and an injured wallet.
..._...
To bolster the deception, Venom and Bane went in first.
They went in via the rooftop, having jumped from an adjacent building onto the flat roof of the building. The building itself was supposedly abandoned – at least it was from the outside – and was owned by a subsidiary of a subsidiary of the Tomahawk Group, Dieter's legal organisation. The same company also owned a redundant movie theatre alongside. It was the movie theatre which housed the main casino floor in what had once been the main theatre screen. The rows of seats had gone, and the sloping floor had been levelled off, the seats replaced with card dealers, roulette tables, craps tables, and other money grabbing games, including the ubiquitous slot machines. The smaller theatre building which Venom and Bane were assaulting held the large bar and restaurant facilities. The place was designed to keep people gambling from about four in the afternoon to four in the morning, feeding them and providing plenty of alcohol to keep their guests happy and spending, gambling, . . . losing.
By the time Venom and Bane were gaining access, the gambling and the drinking were well under way and had been for almost four hours.
Venom & Bane
"Alarm system bypassed," Crypto advised from the Command Centre. "Releasing roof hatch now."
As advised, the steel hatch located on the flat roof beside a large air conditioning unit clicked open without setting off any alarms . . . that they knew of. The two vigilantes dropped down a vertical steel ladder to a steel catwalk which hung eight feet below the roof. Below them, the curved ceiling of the main theatre was visible. There were a myriad of catwalks and cable runs along with air ducts and pipework which fed the theatre.
"We're on the catwalk and heading for the hatch down into the upper bar," Bane radioed.
"Copy that – alarm is disabled, and the hatch lock has been released. CCTV shows no one nearby the hatch," Crypto responded.
The two girls crept forwards, watching for anything which might give them away and ruin the surprise. They each carried a heavy weapon in the form of the ubiquitous P90 Personal Defence Weapon along with their usual array of bō-staffs and blades. They both knew that they would have to fight hard, but both knew that they had plenty of backup that night. They reached the hatch and they lifted it up.
"CCTV is on a loop – you're clear," Crypto advised.
Bane stuck her head down and she found herself in a narrow corridor which, as Crypto had promised, was completely devoid of life. They were able to hear the reverie of the gamblers in the bar which was just a few yards away. They were in a corridor which led behind the upstairs bar. Being a casino, combined with the fact that casino owners had turned suspicion and paranoia into an art form as they endeavoured to catch anyone who dared to cheat the house. Naturally, an illegal gambling house allowed illegal methods to deal with the cheats and many never saw the light of day. The down side of all that suspicion and paranoia was that each and every game table was festooned with more CCTV cameras than the average British high-street. However, Crypto was doing her best to hack into the immensely complicated system and gain some form of control.
"How many do we have on the floor?" Bane asked.
"There appears to be upwards of forty goons and about eighty patrons, most of whom have their own heavies with them," Paradox replied.
"Sounds good," Venom confirmed. "We ready to crash this party?"
"Bane is ready, dear sister."
"Lilith, standing by!"
"Lilim, standing by!"
"Trauma, standing by!"
"Riptide, ready to go!"
"Mist is ready to breach!"
"Crypto and Paradox are ready to support."
"Let's move this along," Venom growled as she stepped forward into the bar.
..._...
The barman was dutifully feeding copious amounts of alcoholic liquids to his patrons.
The expensive shots of whiskey and bottles of champagne were top shelf with a price to match. Those invited to the off-the-books casino had the money to spend and they expected only the best in exchange for their money. For many, the money was quite simply the proceeds of crime. Passing the cash through an illegal casino began the laundering process of making the illegally obtained cash disappear. The barman also served a secondary role in the casino – he carried a weapon and he guarded a weapons' cache, just in case somebody should choose to cause trouble. It happened often enough – alcohol made people do stupid things, especially when they were losing money. The barman had a sixth sense which allowed him to go about his primary job while still keeping a wary eye open for trouble. That sixth sense was beginning to concern him as he handed over a glass Jack Daniel's Monogram to a patron and then marked off the ninety-dollar cost against the regular's tab. He swiftly turned to his left, his righty hand on the butt of his holstered Smith & Wesson 1911 pistol.
"Slow down," an electronically enhanced voice suggested as a very sharp blade touched the barman's neck.
The man paused in his movements, knowing that he was dealing with a Fusion vigilante – only they would be so bold, so silent, and so well-armed. Venom reached forward with her left arm and she tasered the man in the neck. The man dropped like a sack of potatoes allowing Venom to disarm, bind, and gag the man. As she reappeared from behind the bar, Bane was busy dealing with a large man who had had a bit too much liquor.
"Beat it!" Bane growled and the man nodded, raising both hands in the air.
"Right you are, girly," he chuckled as she made for the nearest exit.
The alarm had still not been raised, however, that small peace before the storm was about to end. Bane saw the movement and she saw the gun appear around the archway which led to the staircase to the main floor below. Quick as a flash, she sent a titanium knife to intercept. The blade dug deep into the hand holding the pistol and continued on into the drywall and stone beyond, pinning the security officer's hand to the wall. The man yelled out in agony, alerting his fellow security officers who swiftly sounded the alarm.
Bane smashed the idiot around the head, putting him out as she and Venom descended the staircase.
..._...
The boss of the Casino was Jeremiah Rett and he had a perfect streak when it came to security.
His facility was impregnable and even the slightest attempt to gain entry would sound one of a hundred different alarm systems and alert the security officers on duty. It was an event which they trained for but hoped would never happen – Dieter Mannheim would not be happy. Therefore, finding a pair of Fusion vigilantes already inside the facility was a rude surprise. The first security officer to attempt to leave the security office made it six inches before there was a vicious snap as the man dropped his weapon and grasped his face which had exploded into a fountain of blood. All eyes focussed on the slim frame of Mist as she recoiled her seven-section four-foot-long chain whip.
"Hiya, boys!" she growled as she kicked the security officer in the stomach, sending him flying back through the door and crashing into his colleagues.
Mist followed up with a pair of flashbang grenades which immobilised the seven men inside the room. Mist then pulled the door shut and she swiftly smashed the electronic control for the lock. There was total silence – well, once the flashbang grenades had gone off there was – as the three vigilantes glared out across the eighty-odd faces.
"Get them!" Rett yelled. "There's only three of the bastards!"
"I think you need to recount," a voice called out from the far side of the capacious casino.
"Fuck!" Rett exclaimed as he laid eyes on an unknown vigilante clad in a deep red combat suit with flashes of fire accentuating her curves, who was in fact, Lilith.
"Yeah!" another voice called out as Trauma threw a security officer across the nearest Blackjack table.
"Don't forget, little me," the vigilante known as Lilim who stared through bright red eyes said as she strode brazenly through the throng of casino patrons with Riptide a few feet behind.
Rett was apoplectic with rage as he realised that not three, but seven Fusion vigilantes were loose within his casino and he knew that the night could not end well for anyone.