The Metahuman Agency: The Superhuman War

A Rock And A Hard Place

Low rumblings echoed through the elevator shaft as it ventured downward. Jason ignored them, his gaze fixed ahead. Everyone else was quiet too, either from fear or anticipation. Or both. Both was most likely, he concluded.

Soon enough, the elevator stopped. The doors opened up with a low hiss. Beyond it was another steel hallway, this one dividing up into multiple sections, winding off into dark metal passage. More steel pipes covered everything, bursts of steam hissing through the hallways. A sign was plastered on the ceiling, reading: "BRIDGE" and pointed straight ahead.

"How nice of the bitch to give us a sign pointed straight at her," Laureen growled ruefully. She limped forward, stepping gingerly around merc bodies before stepping into the hallway. It was eerily quiet as she looked around. Jason slinked forward alongside Tuatara, scanning for threats but saw nothing.

"Looks quiet," Jason said, licking his lips. He had no spit. "But I bet it won't be that way for long."

"Then let's move and cut the chatter," Tuatara growled, slinking forward. Hiroshi floated out behind him, Audrey lumbering after him. James came out last, muttering to himself under his breath, constantly fidgeting with his hands or tweaking his shirt buttons. Jason assumed a low crouching stance and scuttled forward along the floor, twisting his head from side to side. Laureen led the way, limping slowly, going quiet.

The dreadful silence hung in the air for a long few moments. Then panels of the ceiling opened up. Tuatara cried, "Look out!" just before two automatic machine guns burst from the ceiling. They opened fire, Jason flipping aside as bullets slammed against the floor.

Hiroshi fired, one of his energy blasts striking an autogun and ripped it loose, sending it flying across the hall. The other autogun kept firing, Jason flipping himself just ahead of its bullet spray. Audrey then flew forward and smacked the gun loose. It was torn free and hit the floor in a pile of sparks, the chaingun spinning uselessly before finally come to a halt.

"Is this the fucking best she can do?" Jason snorted as he rose and dust himself off. He laughed ruefully and grinned. "Man...and here I thought invading her personal airship would be an actual challenge! This man...this is too fuckng easy!"

At his words, a sudden clomping of dozens of feet came down from the hallway. Jason craned his head and caught of a glimpse of shadows dancing off the walls. A lot of guys were moving toward their position.

Ah...me and my big mouth.

"You and your fucking big mouth!" Laureen snapped, as if she'd read his mind. She sucked in her breath, beginning to move backward, as everyone else go into combat poses. Jason raised his fists, readying himself as the oncoming swarm of mercenaries rounded the bend.

They stampeded into view, wielding a variety of guns. The ones in front were carry massive riot shields and fired their guns from the slit in the shields. Audrey spun around, Tuatara diving behind her. Jason followed suit, snagging Laureen's arm and yanking her into cover. Bullets bounced Audrey's arms and shell. She roared, before spinning and stampeding into the fray of mercenaries.

She bulldozed through the riot shield wielding mercs and kept going, arms swinging and knocking mercenaries aside in her path. Jason let of Laureen and flipped himself forward. Two of the riot shield wielding men were getting up. Jason kicked the first one before slamming the second's into an exposed pipe. Both went down for good.

Bullets roared as Jason charged forward. Audrey was ahead of him, slapping aside mercs in her path, bullets spraying wildly around her, bouncing her shell and the walls. A few mercs darted past her, managing to avoid her wrath but Jason was there. He jumped on one man's throat, wrapping his legs around the guy's neck before piledriving him into the floor. In one smooth motion, he flipped upward, scissorkicking a second guy and sending him flying. Jason then spun on one finger, knocking the final two guys out brutal kicks of his legs.