(Eiling P.O.V)
The time had come. Eiling was prepared and he would ensure that everything would go according to plan. That was also the reason he was on the field with his men. Partly to see it through and partly to make sure the task force didn't mess up. He still didn't fully trust in them but at least the losses to his own men would be reduced when dealing with the target. What better plan than to use freaks to deal with a freak?
"General. Alpha team has set up a perimeter surrounding the house. Bravo team is sweeping the property to cut off the target from any escape routes."
A soldier saluted and said.
Eiling nodded.
"I'm moving in with task force x to engage the target. Have our snipers ready to shoot at any sign of aggression."
The young lieutenant grew hesitant.
"General, are you sure that's wise? You put his threat level at code red."
"I know the risks soldier. But you should also understand that a man who believes in something bigger than himself is fearless. Next time you ask me dumb questions instead of carrying out my orders, I'll make you regret it."
The lieutenant gulped, saluted and left.
Deep down Eiling knew that the men were restless. They were used to dealing with normal enemies in operations. Now they were facing something more. Something stronger than a baseline human. However, like always Eiling would push through any obstacles and emerge victorious in the end. It would have been nice to use Dr. Anslow T. Raymond's serum to enhance his soldiers but the good doctor had been found dead at his house. The nature of his death had been shocking as well. They had found a mummified corpse of the late brilliant scientist and autopsy hadn't revealed anything.
Eiling shook his head as he advanced towards the mansion. It struck him as industrious how his target had afforded such a home but he was aware that Jin might have had contacts with some influential people in the city. Not that he cared about such things. To him what mattered was protecting his nation by having it reign supreme in military strength. And Jin was the way towards that. His obsession had begun when they had acquired the huge ball of mystery that had contained a living human inside and then regular updates from Wells about the nature of Mr. Anderson's body had finally convinced him that the young man's D.N.A was a gold mine.
A brief smile graced his lips but he quickly contained it. The reason being the extra-ordinary line up that covered his sides. Task force x was out fitted with different costumes all with an X insignia on them.
" It's time to prove your worth to me Task force X. Don't disappoint me. Your abilities have been enhanced and the training has allowed you to hone them."
"Don't worry Boss man. This punk is going down."
Iron edge alias Tony Woodward said, his body turning metallic. He looked at his hand and chuckled as it changed form into a long blade.
Bette Sans Souci aka Impact let out an exasperated sigh.
"I still can't believe that you roped me in with these clowns Eiling."
She said with frustration evident in her tone.
"It's General to you, Impact. Don't forget your place."
Eiling said as he patted his chest pocket. Impact bit back her response. Eiling had a sufficient incentive to ensure she remained loyal. The incentive was in the form of a device planted on their spines that went from releasing a weak electrical charge to their nervous system to blowing up their heads into chunks.
Of course the same couldn't be said For Farooq Gibran. They had him inside a suit of armor that looked like a cross between futuristic and normal army combat gear. The metallic armor covered his torso only and left him armorless from the waist down, where he wore normal camo pants and combat issued boots. The design had initially baffled her due to how dumb looking it was. There were ports half an inch think doting the back of his armor where they connected him to an electric outlet to juice him up. He had three glowing holes on his chest and his gloves had the same port similar to the ones on his back. He completed the look with a full helmet that covered his head completely leaving space for his haunted looking eyes only. Farooq was a silent man whose only obsession was revenge.
Eiling knew that he had the most power as compared to the two but would normally follow their lead. He wasn't the only one with fancy toys either. Impact had gauntlets that synthesized an explosive foam that she sprayed out to cover for her long range weakness. The gauntlets had settings where she could use a gun specially made for her to shot explosive rounds without risking blowing up the pistol in the process.
Iron edge had been the first successful enhanced meta human through the efforts of his brilliant scientists. They had pushed his ability from just turning into metal to him having a limited power in shifting his mass to form weapons. Eiling was ready and if they still failed…well…he was never out of options.
"Iron edge. You're the frontal attack. Impact support him from mid range. Don't hold back, Iron edge can tank your explosions. Blackout you will cover my retreat if anything happens and once I'm out of the kill zone, go nuts. Understood?"
He didn't need to look back to see them nod. They all understood that he held their lives in the palm of his hand. Literally.
(Jin's P.O.V)
I opened the door and came out stretching my neck and body to get rid of all the kinks. My body was brimming with energy and I wanted to cut loose badly. I wonder how big of an increase in physique did the serum give me? I was peak human before and mirakuru increases physical strength upto ten times. I clenched my hand and stared at the veins visibly straining under the skin of my fore arm. Could I do it now? I really want to try it now. I pulled my arm back, clenched my fingers into a fist and Bam!!!
A cloud of dust rose up from the cracked pillar of my mansion. The cracks spread out evenly a couple of inches away from the imprint of my fist.
"Hahaha. Next, I'll be able to form shockwaves with my bodily strength alone."
I cut myself away from the chuuni vybe I had been giving off and stared at my guests. Oh? this line up is interesting. Goes to show just how much my presence fucked the time line. But why should I care?
"Normally you're supposed to call ahead, General."
"Bastard! You're the guy who was with Iris the other day!"
I rolled my eyes.
"Yes yes... I'm also the one who brought down a lightning bolt down on your ass. Now shut up you dumb bitch. Let your owner speak."
I was still mad about my last conversation so suffice it to say, I was itching for a fight and had zero fucks to give.
Eiling looked at Tony menacingly and the big guy stood down.
"Mr. Anderson...your country needs you. Thousands of American soldiers give their lives each year in protection of our loving nation..."
"Stop. Just stop. General, there is no way you're convincing me of anything when you and I know you came here fully intending to use force. So cut the crap. I'm not afraid of your band of rejects or interested in joining them. I am my own person and freedom is what I value most. Come at me."
Eiling's face changed.
"You're leaving me no choice Mr. Anderson. You are the main suspect of the death of multiple people across the city. Even if you do manage to escape, the man-hunt for you will be on. Come with me and I can make it all go away."
I laughed.
"You think I'm gonna escape? Trust me General, there's nowhere I'd rather be but here. Let's get one thing clear, I will not die today, but you will."
Eiling stepped back sub consciously in fear at the bloodthirsty look on my face. I fully intended to keep my promise too. I stepped forward and cocked my head to the left. Behind me I heard a bullet impact the wall. Seamless evasion to the rescue again. That shot opened up the flood gates and I quickly formed a shield of water at my front. The bullets lost momentum and the dropped to the ground.
Foam like substance was sprayed towards me by Bette Sans Souci and knowing her abilities I formed a bubble shield of Cosmic water around me with multiple layers.(That's what I'm calling his special water) The foamy substance clad to my shield and a second later exploded.
"Fuck!"
I shouted due to my ears ringing. No more tanking her attacks. A bullet soared towards me and after impact with my shield exploded pushing back my shield towards the double doors of the house. I slammed through the doors and into the mansion. I lay there for a second stunned but with no injuries to speak of.
How in the heck had Eiling enhanced Bette? I had noticed the gauntlets and the guns that were attached to the gauntlets but I hadn't paid them anymore attention. She had caught me off guard. Seems like my meta - knowledge was losing the advantage as the days went on. I doubted that Eiling had scientists with the capabilities to create fancy gadgets like that. This stank of a conspiracy. Which means... Thawne. Of course. He was a master planner who took almost every detail into consideration and guessing by the fact I didn't fit into his meticulously fleshed out plans it wouldn't be a stretch to say he sent Eiling my way. Not to mention the three metahumans who didn't have a big role to play in the future due to dying too early.
This was a way to kill two birds with one stone. Get Eiling to owe him a favour in case he succeeded and I died or was captured. Or, he could simply watch 2 of his adversaries kill each other. He was either too arrogant to believe that the line up was enough to put me down or he had a back up plan Incase I killed Eiling and his men. I was counting more on the latter. I felt like clapping for the guy. Wow.
No more playing around then. I had wanted to savour the fight as I crashed them but it seems like I had almost fallen for an obvious pitfall of overconfidence. If Bette had some new toys then the logical conclusion would be that so would the other two. Who knew what upgrades they had been given? I would have to be especially careful of the one in the full helmet. The other two were known to me but he was a mystery.
One thing I was certain was that this was going to be a hard fight. I never once thought of fleeing however. Even in the face of such odds, these fuckers would know never to mess with me again.