The Platform of Surrender [SHOWDOWN]

Just what Delilah Pryce had to gain by this insane war between the MSAD and Hammel was minimal at best. She cared little for either side of the coin and had sided with the MSAD because she had a partial contract with them when Gabriel Underwood had been alive. The new default leaders of this wayward group had picked up Delilah's contract where Gabe had left off and deposited quite a hefty sum into her offshore account in the Cayman Islands. This sort of job wasn't new for Delilah but she still had a long way to go before she could be called a true professional. This fight wouldn't be easy, it never was when other meta-humans were involved. Truth be known, the MSAD would probably fall today in this battle and judging by the looks of the twins, it was a small fact. The twins were driven by rage, something Delilah herself knew all too well. This sort of rage only led to a lot of pain and death and while Delilah was paid to do her part, she wouldn't lay her life down for anyone in this place. The terms of her contract were precise and clear, kill all and any that she was able.

Dressed in black combat boots, cargo pants and a tight long sleeve shirt, she looked like something out of a bad action movie. She even went as far as to put on a pair of black fingerless leather gloves to give her better grip with her pistols and other offensive weaponry. Delilah stood in the foyer, near the main door, pulling her long black hair back into a pony tail. When the main even finally did kick off, it would be fast and hard and full of blood. She wondered quietly if any of the members of MSAD had ever been in a true battle and not some poorly put together bar fight. Taking someone's life wasn't as easy as it was made out to be...unless your were naturally unhinged. Delilah found it rather easy, but her mind wasn't exactly typical. These other rag tag misfits were a mystery and just mind end up with more on their moral plate than they could eat.

The twins, gestalt and rather intriguing, seemed to be the more violent and composed of this group. Delilah figured they would be the primary destructive force in this fight, a thought which made her smile. The two woman were very attractive and had put more blushing thoughts into Delilah's mind than she had had in a while. Maybe if they all three survived this war, then pursuing some personal time together might be in order. However, thoughts such as those would have to wait and give way to organized and violent ones instead.

Dropping her hands to her side, Delilah let her fingers tap against the pistol she had holstered to her thigh. The man, Paulo spoke, his voice grating on Delilah's ears, but his message more unnerving than his presence. Sean Neville was moving and that wasn't what Delilah wanted to hear. She had hoped the aging man would have stayed behind, but apparently no such luck. She knew he would be poking about in all their minds during the battle, trying to sway them this way and that and Delilah really didn't like that feeling.

As fortune would have it, Sean had been home when all of this happened, tending to his chores. When he’d woken that morning, he’d expected it to be a lazy day, although that sense of dread he carried remained in wait.

When his phone rang, and he heard those nine words, the sense of dread reached the front of his mind, to be pushed away by preparation and a sense of urgency. M.S.A.D. had kidnapped James and Niko. They had kidnapped a ten-year-old boy, those amoral, unprincipled, miserable...

Already, he was moving through the house, grabbing the bag of supplies he’d set aside for now. He left a note for L.C. telling her not to worry, and then he was in his garage. “You’re staying where you are until I pick you up.” They needed to stick with the plan, and Chase couldn’t run off half-cocked this way.

Then he hung up and began calling the other drivers, telling them to pick up their charges. One-by-one, he alerted all of the members of their watch group, warning them to be ready and to expect to get picked up by their car within a few minutes.

While driving, and ignoring the rule about using cell phones while driving because it was the least of his priorities, he tried to reach Josh. Unsurprisingly, he only reached his voice mail, and so he left a quick message. Thanks for everything, Slim. There were letters waiting for Josh if he didn’t make it, but he couldn’t focus on that possibility right now. They had to succeed because the children, a specific child right now, were in danger.

He swung by Chase’s first, out of obligation, and then picked up Anya and the rest of his group; the van was full. The only way the van could be more conspicuous would be for him to have painted the Hammel crest on the side, but they had to make do with limited supplies.

All of the vehicles arrived within a couple of minutes of each other at the end of the block, where they had agreed. The telepath was scanning for mental presences, while he reviewed their plan one more time and took inventory of who was armed. He wasn’t, because he couldn’t bring himself to be; while he was a pragmatist, he still abhorred weapons, and his powers would keep him relatively safe. He handed out energy bars to everyone, since he’d need the glucose and others might benefit as well.

“Remember the plan. Anya, try to block as many of their powers as possible. That won’t stop their guns, but it will disorient them, and will put them at a disadvantage. Remember, the twins are fully synchronized and bloodthirsty; they’ll offer no mercy. Everyone with offensive powers, a weapon, or any sort of military training pairs up with someone who doesn’t have the benefit and stay with them to the best of your ability. Getting Niko and James out of there safely is our highest priority.” He had stressed that in the brief calls he’d made to everyone, explaining the situation.

Casting a quick glance over his shoulder at their target, he formed the pictures of the interior in his memories and projected it onto the others, so they had a common frame of reference. “That’s as good a picture as I can give you of the interior.” They had discussed house plans to the best of their ability already, and they would have to go from there. “If anyone gets hurt, try to get back to the vehicles for safety. If you can’t on your own, one of us will get you there.” That was to minimize further injuries to their group. He had stressed the potential for injury through every discussion, every meeting; they were all adults and had to fully comprehend the risk. Particularly now, when there was no turning back.

“One last thing: nobody gets left behind.” They were friends, they were coworkers, and now they were a group. Come Hell or high water, they would all leave together. Even if they had to commandeer another car, they would leave all together.

From here on out, if you have questions, think them and I’ll find you. Worry if I go silent but only after you rescue James and Niko.

With that, he led the group of Hammelites down the street and onto the property where the M.S.A.D. compound was located. Once there, they broke into their smaller groups.

The whole time, since the day Jake brought Levi to Hammel, Morgan felt like he was caught in a nightmare. Now he knew he was, but he’d suddenly stopped wishing he would wake up. He couldn’t close his eyes and turn on the nightlight like he’d used to. He had to step up. He had to keep his eyes open.

For as terrified as he was, Morgan was surprisingly lucid. In the car ride to the scene (a battleground, as it were), he fondly took a lingering look at the cell-phone picture Darryl had sent him of himself holding his newly born son. He hadn’t had a chance to meet the baby yet…but he would. He was determined that he would.

Tired of running, and being scared, Morgan’s heart beat at a rapid, but steady pace. He was ready to fight. Ready to protect who he loved and what he believed in. No one deserved what had happened to James and Niko, and MSAD got everything that was coming to them.

Even Jake.

He was, however, a little unnerved by Anya’s shotgun. It was a more powerful realization of what he already knew: there would be blood. He could only pray there wouldn’t be much of it.
Sean’s words calmed him and when he stepped onto the lawn, it felt solid. Real. So real. He jolted a bit when Anya touched his arm. He balked stupidly at her, then frowned as she began to leave. He managed to reach out and catch her hand.

“Nothing is going to happen, Anya. You’ll be around to feed Dashenka breakfast tomorrow.” A gentle light collected around Morgan as he focused his thoughts, his energies—everything—into his powers. Anya was the crux of their plan, and he was there to protect her. “I promise.” He murmured, letting go of her hand as he felt his skin warming as the light drew to him.

Vincent had been a man of war for a long time and he had hoped to have left that life behind him when he left the Army, but it seemed fate had other ideas in store for him. Men of violence rarely escaped that lifestyle and while Vincent wasn't the irrational violent sort, he did seem to have a knack for chaos. Fighting and war just came natural to him. All those firefights he had been in over in Iran and Iraq never once left him uneasy or unsure of his actions. When the violence started, Vincent's mind just seemed to click over into another mode and he became a war genius. His ability had a lot to do with his success on the battlefield, but it was his natural sense of carrying out what was right and wrong which pushed him to excellence. However, even the most skilled eventually burned out at one point or another and Vincent had just begun to get over that point. Ever since he had lost his squad and all those innocent villagers in that bloodbath overseas, the tougher it had been for him to function. Thanks to those like Sean Neville, Vincent had been learning to deal with his mental breakdown and had even been sleeping better at night.

Standing in his living room, Vincent pondered what was just about to happen. Nothing about this was legal in any form or fashion and there was a very real chance Hammel would burn for the war which was about to erupt. This thought took a backseat as Vincent's own sense of right and wrong took over. The law might not agree with what Vincent and his co-workers were about to do, but it was morally right. The MSAD had kidnapped James and his son and that wasn't right on any scale. Sure, James might have been fair game considering he was adult and knew the consequences of his actions or his husband's actions, but the boy...well...he was just a boy. Drawing kids into such violent actions demanded punishment and Vincent would deal this punishment out in spades.

It didn't take long for Sean to pull up in his van and it took even less for Vincent to bolt out his front door and into the van with everyone else. The van was crowded and the silence was almost deafening. Squeezing his large frame into the van, Sean pulled out and was off to pick up more of this ragtag team. As they traveled, Vincent wondered just how many of them knew what they were getting themselves into. The compilations of powers present was impressive to say the least, but when the chaos started could any of them remain calm enough to use them? For a moment, Vincent thought about voicing his concern on this matter, but then bit his tongue and held his peace. Hammel had the best and these people had shown magnificent control in the past. It was just hard to shake worry before any sort of battle.

Finally, Sean stopped the van just sort of the MSAD compound. It was impressive and very large, which posed a danger in and of itself. As Sean explained his game plan, Vincent listened and leaned over to look out the front window some. A mental picture of the compounds layout flooded his mind and he closed his eyes, shaking his head at the feeling. Having someone poking around in your head always felt weird. Vincent had trust in Sean though and offered no resistance to this mental intrusion. He would keep himself as open to Sean as possible as the man would be leading the mission from safety inside the van. "I'll take point and be the distraction so to speak. Physically I'm unstoppable and that should keep them a bit off their feet," he said as the group began to pile out of the van, "Just keep your heads, move fast and don't play the hero and I'm sure we'll all go home alive," he added with a nod, taking a long breath, waiting for the charge.