Forum Thread

The two ‘ambulances’ quickly pull up and two cleverly disguised mafia members escort the injured into the fake ambulances. They speed off, and quickly disappeared through Sixth Avenue.

Which was quickly crowded once more by people swarming to leave. The actual paramedics soon pulled up, looking around for any injured amongst the fleeing, panicked crowd.

Perfect for Ldeya and the trio of assassins to blend in and make their escape. Or not.

"...As much as you are worried for her, take care of your own personal well-being first. Clearly, out of the two of you, you ARE the one whose lying on a operation bed, are you not?" Shieta sighs, and spoke cynically.

As much as she pities Ophielia, she would be lying if Shieta said she didn't hold a single grudge against her. Afterall, she was one of the main reasons of the emotional downfall of her old friend.

Sometimes Shieta wants to ask Huixin, what in the world does the other see in her. But they had this conversation one too many times that Shieta fels like she already knew the answer already. But it doesn't keep her from asking out of her own selfishness once again.

"...What do you even see in that women? Do you pity that she is trapped? Or do you relate to her? Tell me Huixin.. I don't understand."

---

Ostium was assisting Asper and Cassius in destroying more ESA transports when he suddenly saw a massive force of agents approaching them. He knew that as a group, they could end the strike force in a few minutes but Ostium had a much more… entertaining… idea. He signaled Asper and Cassius to follow him and all three proceeded to stand face to face with the squadron of agents. Ostium then put his hands up in a sign of surrender. The other two looked at Ostium as if he had finally lost his mind completely but they caught on to his plan and also put their arms up. As the agents lowered their weapons, Ostium summoned a portal above the squad and a sheet of frigid seawater poured out. Taking advantage of the distraction, Asper and Cassius rushed in.The agents attempted to fight back but the sporadic bursts of gunfire were quickly silenced. Chains wrapped around necks, swords found themselves buried into abdomens, wounds filled with saltwater. As the squad was quickly and brutally dispatched, the three stopped to take a breather.

“I believe we are now guilty of perfidy under the Geneva Convention,” Cassius said in a soulless tone

“I believe you mean the Geneva Suggestion, Cassius!” Ostium said, out of breath but still laughing

“Both of you are wrong, it’s the Geneva To-do list.” Asper retorted with a wicked smile.

The trio’s merriment was cut short as they noticed a blue haired woman wearing sunglasses in the distance. They initially thought nothing of it but Cassius quickly became alarmed.

“I am fairly certain that is the leader of the ESA, Ms Ophelia.”

“Alright, fall back for a sec, I’ve got a call to make.” Ostium replied

The three quickly ducked back into the nearest alleyway and took a few moments to rest. Asper was exhausted after having ran at full speed for so long, Cassius was similarly tired from using his chains to hold back entire vehicles. And the effort to open a portal to as far away as the Atlantic Ocean was similarly taxing on Ostium, even though he had only kept it open for 20 seconds. After they had all caught their breath, Ostium took out his communication device and called Huixin.

“Hey boss, we found their leader in the Square. She appears to be alone, we already took care of the agents she sent. Now would you like her stabbed, strangled, shot, electrocuted, incinerated, drowned, frozen, decapitated, impaled, dismembered, blown up, or all of the above?”

"...I’m fine, Shieta. Better than most others in fact." Huixin laughs, eyes softening just a little at the older woman’s concern for her. “Besides. I have you and Saeng-i, don’t I?”

"You’re asking me why I care about Ophelia? Shieta, you’ve asked this time and time again. And patiently I have replied you with the same answer all the time."

Huixin pauses, eyes crinkling with a smile.

“Ophelia is…complicated. But beneath it all, she’s just the same as any of us. The rest don’t know this, Shieta. But I told you before. She doesn’t like the government either. And she’s my friend. She always has been. Try as I might, I will always choose to protect her.”

“I know this explanation probably doesn’t suffice. But there’s really not much more I can offer to you”

The comms buzzed, and Huixin let out a soft chuckle upon hearing the energetic trio.

“Good to hear from you, Ostium. You did a wonderful job out there, all three of you. And Ldeya, of course. But no, you must be tired. And she is extremely dangerous, a literal walking nuclear weapon ready to go off at any moment. Come back to our new base and rest, yeah? We’ll attack her when we’re ready.”

---

Bubblegum pink hair sped into Ophelia’s view, as the ever-cheerful weatherwoman came into view “You look horrible, boss, tough day?” Ellie called out with a chirp, easily outrunning Ophelia with her enhanced speed.

“Need a boost? I hear Town Square’s been attacked~ Come on, let’s go find the shooters!” The sun shined brighter with every cheerful word she spoke, and she practically speed-skipped after Ophelia.

“Tough day? You have no idea, kid.”

Ophelia mumbled, nodding faintly at Ellie.

“Let’s go.”

---

After hearing Huixin’s reply, Ostium mockingly groaned. “Well gang, we’ve been ordered to return to base.” he said, rolling his eyes dramatically.

“Yeah just one thing boss,” Asper said, clearly holding back laughter. She then produced a collection of bloody wedding rings from her pockets, having been taken from the agents. Some of the rings were still stuck onto mutilated fingers. “What do we do with all these souvenirs?”

“Well we are obviously going to add them to the hoard but they have to be cleaned first.” Ostium replied, also holding back laughter. “And guess who’s gonna be cleaning them? That’s right YOU!”

Asper’s smile quickly vanished and was replaced with a scowl. But before she could protest, Ostium created portals underneath her, himself, and Cassius. The three assassins vanished from the Town Square and left behind only a small letter that Ostium had written.

DEAR MR/MS ESA BOSS,

THANKS FOR THE FUN. COULD YOU PLEASE SEND MORE QUALIFIED AGENTS NEXT TIME?
KILLING THESE ONES IS GETTING KINDA BORING Y’KNOW?

NOT SORRY,
JACKAL, REAPER, HANGMAN

Ellie zipped away into the distance, feet barely touching the ground as she headed towards Town Square.

Storms formed above the Square, rumbling ominously yet not raining. Lightning flashed across the sky, and Ellie’s eyes turned purple.

“Keep up, boss~”

The answer was the same as expected. Shieta didn't know what she was expecting from her in the first place. It was as if she thought that after their re-encounter today would somehow change Huixin's opinion or something.

How arrogant of her.

How dare Shieta pride herself in the fact that she might be one of the few that actually knows Huixin on a personal level when she has almost forgotten that when her boss made up her made, it was impossible to sway her. How could she have forgotten something so important?

This trait used to be something that Shieta has oh so admired. Something that Shieta loved to see. But now.. it had become something like old chewed up gum stuck under a students desk rotting away.

Something that clogged her throat and made her want to look away.

"...Fine then. It seems like you have healed well enough that you can hold complicated conversation without being bent over in pain. Here, take this and go talk to the others. "

Shieta's face scrunched up almost inaudibly, and changed the subject smoothly. Right, keep her head calm. Whatever Huixin wants to do with her life, it's not any of her business. She turned her head away from Huixin and handed the other a vial of clear medicine before shooing her out.

"Now go, the others need you. Shoo."

---

"I'm well versed in firepower, not speed."

She said, under her breath, running as fast as she could.

---

“Thanks Shieta” Huixin downed the medicine, and headed to the meeting room.

She could sense Shieta wasn’t too keen on talking. Huixin didn’t know what was wrong, though. But common sense told her to give the doctor some space.

And Huixin wasn’t stopping here. She needed a bigger plan.

One that would properly shock the ESA out of their wits

note: anyone that wants to get kidnapped by the ESA meet at the meeting room

---

Ellie laughs and floats back over to Ophelia, a gust of wind boosting her speed significantly, both her and Ophelia.

“I’ll give ya a boost, boss. Looks like you could need some help”

Ellie teases

Xuanji was hungry.

Also she wanted to find Huixin to give her the new reports. Well, the meeting room was one great place to go for both food and the leader of the Mafia.

Entering and going up in the elevator, Xuanji navigated around the base until she was at the meeting room. She hasn’t bothered to bring Poe because he was ahem… sleeping, no, making a mess of her rubbish bins again.

Now, where were the snacks again?

"Thank you, Ellie."

She said, rather tiredly.

"Anyone on site?"

---

Ellie speeds along cheerfully, soon bringing Ophelia to the Square.

“No one I could see that looked suspicious, boss. But I did see the ambulance paramedics, they look really confused. Shall we go talk to them?”

“Oh. And there’s major jams everywhere around Town Square. But you’ve probably already heard about it, amiright, boss?”

"I've heard."

Ophelia glanced around, neutral expression fully settled down.

"Where's Task Force 1?"

---

“Dunno. I’ll go look for evidence”

Ellie zips off into the distance and soon returns with word from the paramedics

“I interviewed them, civilians and paramedics. But it seems that the injured were already carried away in a seperate ambulance. The paramedics who just came have no idea about it, though.”

“Need me to do anything, boss?”

Ellie asks, a cheery harbinger of storms. And energy. Too much energy.

"Find those ambulances. I'll call up anti-terrorism."

She sighed. It was turning out to be an awful day.

---

Ophelia had barely finished her sentence before Ellie shot up into the air, speeding through the sky like a mini hurricane.

Ellie landed back down “Boss, they all look the same to me” She grumbles, before shooting back up into the sky.

She came down several minutes later, looking happier.

“Found two of em’ with tinted windows, though, boss. You think that could be it?”

"Tinted windows? Get on that. Trail it. Turn on your tracker."

Ophelia sighed.

"I have paperwork to do now."

---

“You got it boss!”

Ellie zipped away, landing silently atop the ambulance and settling down. She flipped open her watch, turning on the tracking device.

“All set, boss~” She answers through comms

She sways happily atop the vehicle, going somehow unnoticed as she hums like a cheerful bird

"Thanks. I'll get task force one on this with you."

She changed to secondary comms, directly messaging the Captain of TF1.

We have a situation.

She paused for a moment, watching the screen.

Crazy bastard - omw.

---