Kage bent low over a dirt rat's mangled leg. This child of impoverished origin stuck a dreadful smile plaid in complexion while Kage tended to the splintered bone. The amateur hastened in resetting the appendage. Bone bloodied with muck and earthly soot stared him in the face, telling of devilish tricks. Tricks that cast his mind to the gutter as the boy wheezed out stolen breaths. This amateur placed a palm to the solid colored in a tainted white, yet before the shove could come, a tiny finger poked his cheek.
Touched by a fading light, the forefinger dragged across the side of his face; caught despite its ascent to the Hell below. Kage held that hand receiving the gratitude from its owner. An owner who christened upon him an uplifting tale, one that may never be uttered as the final shudder wrought the body. As another breath could be taken from the lungs of the lad, the amateur swore that a beaming light rose from his right breast then fluttered to somewhere far away. A peaceful land unabashed in this sin. Some place where a boy could dream and play without a care for their impending fate.
Kage felt spellbound, unable to allow that hand to fall.
Thus, an oath caked his brain. Shot by disgust, pity, and stifled rage. Those responsible would fear the ruin brought by these actions. Everyone, whether Villain or belabored Hero, too busy with the fat of their meal then appear.
However, that hand was laid to rest as Kage stood from floor gazing out over the crumbled wall that gave a scenic view of the mounding plumes of smoke spread over Corodone. The third floor had become unstable due to a cocksure Hero having wandered to the center of an ambush. From what survivors muttered, he had fled in a fit of fear launching pillars of meat to abide time for his escape. Subsequently, the Villains took chase wreaking havoc in the inside of the building before catching the man and ripping him limb from limb. A mess of guts on the sidewalk signified the truth to such a story.
More injured witnessed several Heroes as well as Villains so locked in combat that a cyclone of devastation rampaged apartment complexes. Not a soul was discovered in those wreck with no indication given as to the victory of either encounter. If Kage had not screwed his counting, then in total there were five Heroes who were seen killed while thirteen Villains' skulls splattered across walls. Heroes were not leaving survivors this night.
These numbers served to spike Kage's senses. The announcement at the school was woefully wrong with the O.A.S. dreadfully inaccurate in its measurement. There had been thirteen villains only in this sector of the city, explaining the attack to be a coordinated assault on strategic locations. The goal, possibly to weaken the Heroes along with the few squadrons of Military Police held up within their barracks.
The Black Queen, no doubt that coordinator, besieged Corodone with a ragtag group of monsters. Her forces were divided to sustain a barrier forcing back the stronger Heroes while slaying their weaken brethren. All in an effort to buy time. But, what for?
If solely thirteen were allotted to his location, then the Heroes had either cleaned up quickly then moved further or were devoured just the same. Kage spied the beginning of the artificial trees, ones not yet ripped by flames. At the center of that harrowing forest would the leader, encircled by layers of her strongest comrades reside. Then came the next questioning provocation, what was the point to claiming a park? It must be an ensured distraction luring those too foolish to realize their intentions. Intentions that Kage could not fathom, yet.
'No, if this was similar to the Conquest of Dallas' Twin Spires. How they invaded under the conditions of strange weather patterns as well as the headquarters formed in a well-populated and exposed area. If it were truly the same, then next, select groups will target the real purpose of this operation.'
Remembering the event quite clearly, Kage flipped through his pocketbook reaching the marked page on the Twin Spires incident. The Villains there had used a similar strategy. A flashy introduction highlighted their location to the working Heroes making their location too obvious. They then split these Heroes away from one another, killing them then grouping together once again to tear down the heavy hitters. However, while the Heroes focused their efforts to reach the center to behead the enemy leader, six groups of five Villains snuck past with ease. They sought four locations: Military Police's barracks, the mayor's home, power stations, then the underground bunkers.
Official numbers were never officially released, or possibly counted, due in part from the censorship of the media, but estimates ranged from a few hundred all the way to four thousand dead. Of the forty bunkers in the city there were thirteen that were confirmed to be raided. Within those bunkers not a versed life left other than the Villains that visited.
"MISS!" Kage screamed; sweat leaving his skin awash and clammy. Gan saw his face only then was the enormity of their situation conveyed to the cohort. Not once had such a cold grasp-controlled Kage into action.
The woman bounded to his position overlooking the park while his friends made their way to the same floor he had called from.
The Hero sighted the gore lacquered on the boy's hands. It was odd that someone his age felt seemingly little predisposition to the mayhem. Even his friends beset a queasiness to their steps with the occasional vomit spewing from each gut.
'What has this boy already gone through to wind up this way?'
"We need to alert the other Heroes as quickly as possible. The Villains here aren't looking to hold the park. They're buying time."
"What do you mean?"
"It's exactly like the Twin Spires." A familiarity haunted the woman's eyes. Some faint memory resurfacing to couple the devious plot unfolded before them. Kage was correct in his assumption when he approached her at the academy. Her bubbly costume was recognizable from the old video tapes which displayed key moments of that attack. Although, at the time, she was a sidekick and considerably younger, there was no way she would forget the deaths of the countless who were fooled by the ploy. Not, after all this lost time, did their vacant eyes form wisps of horror.
She whipped around, her mini cape flapping the air. "The bunkers!"
"Yes." Kage released a ghoulish nod that ate of little energy. "They'll go after those closest, then branch out further. By then the damage will be done."
"Alright…" A decision was thrown to the air. They were only kids. Not even junior that could rely on some faint inkling of knowledge to assist them. If they stuck together, at best they would evacuate a single bunker before the Villains made their move. Some may already be gone, same with those inside.
Clenching her eyes, she made a silent prayer. "Kage, was your name?"
"Yes, Kage Tesler."
"Kage… you take one of your friends and head out to the Lincoln bunker." He perked his sight at Isaiah, surprised by the request, Isaiah nodded without much thought put toward his decision. "That one is the nearest and may already have been taken out… Never mind, don't think about that! You rush there as fast as you can, getting as many as you can." The pair oriented themselves in approval at the order.
"YOU!" She pointed at Claire, "You can move much faster than these bozos, so I'm gonna send you to the northern sector. Alert any Heroes you can find but get to Davidson and Gallagher. From there move out to those further away." Claire nodded her head. "Lastly, kid with shades, we're too far from the eastern district so you check up on the Police Department near the substation." Jacob held a questioning stare. "Ya know, the fucking arcade palace." He recognized the place immediately, waving his finger. Next was his attention thrown to Kage who gave a knowing expression. That building was just beside the subway that Daniel would have taken. "You all better not get hurt, and don't fight any of them. I'd rather not have a dozen legal battles after this is over."
They yelled in approval then took off in their respective directions. A thumbs up was given by the five of them subsequently leaving Gan in a confused state.
The Hero made sure the wounded were bandaged then grabbed her receiver, fiddling with the dial. It still didn't work.
"Excuse me, uh..."
"It's Miss Bubbles to you, boy."
"Sorry, Miss Bubbles, what are you going to have me do?" Miss Bubbles measured Gan up and down. She caught a slight glimpse of his muscle hypertrophy while lifting a couple pillars impressed by his ability and technique. He had an expert's level of control over it which gave credence to a hidden strength. On top of that was his base appearance; to put it simply he looked like some skinny wimp.
"Seeing how we haven't seen any Villains must mean one of two things. One-" She rose her index finger, "They are still biding their time or two-" She rose her middle, "They have already moved their first and second layers out now hunkering in the midst of the park awaiting some grand Hero to arrive. Which gives us an advantage no matter which option. If the first, then we can stop them from sending their players to the bunkers."
"What about the second option?" Her smile turned devilish as her aura heated to a point where Gan swore, he felt his skin melt.
"Then, we can score some big ones. Doesn't that sound fun?" An ambient silence echoed in Gan. The stairway had finally unsheathed itself and what lay at the top was the brilliance of greatness. This would be his moment to seize. No one shall take that from his grasp.