Large pools of rain splashed over the five of them. They had gone out in their uniforms without time allowed for a change of clothing.
"You four better stick to my ass or so help me God I'll wring out your fucking necks!" Warned the Hero that they now accompanied. She was a mid-tier Evolved with water capabilities to both manipulate water as well as transform her body into a fluid substance. At the academy, she was one of the first to arrive at the steps leading to the campus. However, before she could make her way to the gymnasium a group of four students had already encircled her begging to be of aid to the Hero. Reluctantly she had agreed to their request, knowing no better than the risk placed on the civilians who were in danger.
The ensemble were on the outskirts of the park running as fast as they could in order to conjoin with another team of Heroes who were supposed to be clearing debris and searching for survivors. From there they would enter the park then assist the heroes wherever they could.
That was their plan but slowly devolved as the weather grew more extreme. A low fog settled over the city, restricting sight with accompaniment from the downpour of rain making the streets a hazard which caused a multitude of traffic accidents further from the park. To make matters worse the lack of an internet signal was undoubtedly a coordinated issue as even the Hero's receiver ceased working. Problems persisted that forced a great disturbance in the Hero who now led them around the area assisting any person still hiding or stuck. All the while on the lookout for any sign of another hero. So far they had seen none.
Overhead the honks and beeps of cars alerted them to a massive pileup on the congested highway. There was no insignificance to the dozen or so injured people. Using her sonic propulsion, Claire threw herself over the concrete barrier of the road to survey the damage. Babes cried and the thunder did nothing to hide the screams of woe. The others had at some point gone through injury, harm, and even seen the deepest of despair upon someone's face. Claire had not. She had suffered pain and stared a monster to death, but not once did she discover an image of hopelessness. The people who should be helping and aiding one another were instead the very demon one hated to meet.
Many had fled their vehicles scampering for any vestige of comfort. The rain weakened them, making their clothes sticky and their bodies sluggish. They stomped on the legs and heads of those too slow to get away. Gnawing at hands that pushed them closer to the edge of the barrier. No one fell but Claire cringed thinking how anyone could go toppling over at any moment.
For the first time in her life, Claire saw these people no longer as humans. They weren't the demon from her memory but more of an animal. Cattle that scurried while cooing soft cries. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a mother and her three children unable to exit their car due to the bodies that boxed them inside. The mother's face weeped while the children were up in a fervor tossing the jingling toys. Eventually, the woman stuffed her face on the steering wheel consciously giving to fate what she was due. What frightened Claire more so than anything, were the people not helping her. Those with that crazed look saw her face and her children all too clear yet took no lead.
'Would Kage help me if I was her?'
'SLAP!' She couldn't believe herself. He was stuck in her head and why? Kage didn't want that. She had Gan. Gan is a good man. He's better. He's stable…
"Fuck me." Claire clutched her outfit just about the heart. A throbbing would bring tears if not focused. It was not the time, however, these thoughts stung, poisoning the process to decide. Especially in this horrid state of the world, such thoughts simply killed intuition.
Claire shot across the crowd to the top of the woman's car. A smile crept on Claire's face remembering how slow her speed had originally been. That only now after so much training and practice alongside Kage had she been able to accomplish such a feat.
'Tap. Tap.' The woman removed her head from the steering wheel to look at the window to her left. Claire's face appeared there with a bright smile thrusted on with a kindness that would glow. Her face adorned by yellow goggles sweeping the wind from her vision. She cupped her mouth touching a finger to her throat that increased the vibrations. Then, she threw her head to the crowd yelling, "STAND BACK! THIS WOMAN'S TRAPPED!" The stampede grinded to a halt with those nearest toppling onto their bottoms from the sudden fright. People's faces went from their frantic worry becoming a sulky expression worn with guilt. They had been wrenched from their instincts only to bask in their faults.
Those near the car door backed away giving room for the woman and her children to exit. They left the vehicle with the mother carrying a girl and boy in either arm. These people then turned their attention to Claire for some sanctity. Placed on the spot, she froze. A burning red ate the courage from before replacing it with a stuttering mess, "Uh… um… y-y-y-y-"
"DON'T BE AFRAID! The Heroes are here now! We will protect you and put a stop to this villainy!" Their leader floated up above the crowd using a pillar of water as her platform. She stood hands on her hips while an encouraging demeanor partook in her movements. Smiles and tears of joy crept up on the people. Even these simple words gave way to a happiness that would be unfulfilled for some time.
The woman jumped to Claire's side placing an arm around her back and lightly to her opposite arm. "You did good, kid. Actions are always better than words, so don't think too much next time. Keep a smile and act sure as shit." The woman's face was clearer than anything else as her aura was like the air on a cool day. "LISTEN UP! WE ARE HUMANS! Don't devolve into wolves around me, YOU HEAR! There are steps not far down the left of me; take them then you will only be a block from that Old Fart's Noodle Shop," Her description of the shanty noodle shop run by a senior as well as cranky Gregory Clevens elicited laughs from a few. "It'll only be another turn of the corner to the right end of the road and the Jefferson Bunker will be there. Help each other and we'll all get through this." The people clapped and cheered. That guilt brought the tramplers from before to realize their harrowing actions forcing a duty to recompense. The crowd reformed as it aided those they harmed while apologizing fiercely.
When the Hero went to aid Claire on the highway, she had left the boys to scour the rubble from the office buildings. Their responsibility was clear in searching for anyone that had been harmed in its collapse. If someone was found, they were to administer only necessary first aid then move on. Gan and Kage were tasked with lifting the larger bricks as well as fallen pillars of concrete. Meanwhile Jacob cleared a spot indoors setting up a center for those injured leaving Isaiah to scour floor to floor making use of an unknown ability that allowed him to easily find those hidden deep within the ruins.
A secret that even now annoyed Kage to an unknown degree.
Just as Claire and the woman returned, they had lifted out thirty people from not only the building but along the entire street. Kage shifted from clearing rubble to administering medical attention with Jacob maintaining his position as a lookout in case any Villains decided to rampage nearby. The Hero was stunned by their coordinated display. Many others would have been sloppy as well as too inexperienced to understand the gravity of the situation. This was not the case for this group as each of them held the same stoic expression as their work was pushed to the forefront of their movements leaving anything else to the waist side. She was impressed by their work.
This fruitful effort was constructed from a sole proprietor that she was able to discover. The boy who had initially pleaded for her help to join. He, who had irradiated eyes that shone a different story behind their blue irises.