The Metahuman Agency: The Superhuman War

Invasion: San Francisco

The Inferno thundered over San Francisco Bay, its monstrous shape churning forward as the vestiges of Wormhole's portal vanished. Standing on the bridge, Jacqueline looked through the great glass window. And for a moment, as she stared outside, she felt the world around her go silent.

For the first time in over forty years, she was...home. San Francisco hadn't change much at all, had it? The city looked the same. The bay looked the same. The massive Golden Gate Bridge, which she'd always found so awe inspiring as a little girl, was unchanged. It was like stepping into a memory and the effect of the sunset above the city gave it an almost dream-like effect

Jacqueline felt her breath catch in her throat. She swallowed hard, her skin prickling, trembling. She didn't know how to feel. She'd been ready, so ready, to start destroying the place. But now, looking on it, she felt like a statue, unable to move.

She remembered flashes of her young life in the place. Many a sleepness night spent toiling over PR1 in her room, the window open and listening to the sounds of the nightlife outside. The smell of the sea constantly stung her nose, while the sounds of cars, people, and the occasional plane passing overhead lulled her finally to sleep around three o' clock in the morning. Sometimes she'd stay up so late, fueled only by candy bars or cold coffee, that she'd bear witness to the sunrise. She'd lean out her window, barely keeping her tired eyes open, as the sun rose over the city and touched her pale face with its warmth.

Jacqueline closed her eyes. Her clenched fingers uncurled with a metallic grinding noise. And she heard a disturbingly alien noise inside her helmet. A sniffle, almost child-like. She opened her eyes, her vision blurred.

She was crying.

Jacqueline blinked, feeling the sting of tears running down her face. She inhaled, sniffling loudly, her nose running with snot. She was surprised. Where had that come from? Could it possible she was...?

No, Jacqueline thought, gritting her teeth and angrily shaking her head. Stop feeling sentimental over this garbage city! Its brought you nothing but torment and painful memories! It needs to die, just like father, just like Amanda! Just like everything else that's been dragging you down!

Jacqueline stomped her foot to the floor to psych herself up, rattling several nearby terminals. She then barked: "Are the men in the air?!"

"They are," One man said from nearby as he typed on his viewscreen. "Ma'am, I'm reading heavy military forces in the area. Should we-"

"Pests," Jacqueline spat. She waved a hand dismissively. "Don't bother with them! They're distractions. Send all helicopters toward Alcatraz. Let's soften those metahumans up."

"Soften them up?!" Wormhole cried behind her, sounding aghast (as usual). Jacqueline turned to him. The old man was fixing his bowtie, ruffling from where she'd grabbed him. "Ma'am, I don't mean any disrespect but we can just nuke those bastards from up here! Sending forces down there compromises us! Its bad strategy! Those metahumans are clearly taunting us, luring us into a trap!"

"A trap?" Jacqueline sneered at the old fool. She tapped her helmet. "Those brainless dolts couldn't put together the remnantsof a trap with the limited time they've had. Besides...I don't want to blow them up from on high. I want to kill them myself. But if it comes down to it..."

She turned to one of her technicians. "Status of the coilgun?"

"Uh..." The man tugged at his collar nervously, a sticky hand slipping off his keyboard. He turned to face her. "Sixty percent and charging ma'am. I'm afraid its..."

"Good," Jacqueline interrupted him. She turned back to Wormhole. "We'll fire the coilgun if those metahumans give us...trouble. But again, you're worrying too much. I've learned from my mistakes. They can't stand up to the full might of the Skeleton Crew. No one can."