Foreign Justice (AAT, Drifter and Invites)

Every time he dropped down a floor, pain shot through Drifter's hands, and not to mention the bullet wound in his arm. Halfway down he was starting to think he might have to stop, but he knew his best chance of getting away was getting to that.....hearse?

Yeah, that's what it was.

Lukas knew he wasn't going to get to it without getting shot at, but he didn't think this assassin guy would go all sniper mode within seconds. Unfortunately though, that's what happened.

Drifter had made it all the way down to the third story of the building, bullets wizzing past his head. It seemed the guy below him was also getting shot at, and had been hit. For a second it looked like the guy actually died, but apparently he had some form of armor on.

By the time Drifter got to the second story, Veil had started the car. It looked like Lukas was home free........ Until he got shot in the hand.

Luke fell the two stories all the way to the ground, barely managing a sloppy parkour roll to cushion the damage. He was yelling in pain, holding his blood covered right gauntlet. It wouldn't do him any good any more.

Just.....get to the car. Get to the car or you're dead. Suck it up. Drifter thought to himself as he painfully staggered toward the hearse. He was breathing heavy, with two bullet wounds, one far worse then the other, and hands that felt like they could never pull a trigger again.

He got into the car, and once the driver sped off, Drifter instinctively pulled his very special handgun. He pointed it right at Veil's head.

"Who are you!? Why are you here!? Keep driving while you talk!" Drifter yelled through his robotic voice changer. Anyone in their right mind could tell he was seeing red, probably due to the pain. That said, Veil probably wouldn't like the gun to his head.

Fuck! Veil screamed, slamming his hands on the steering wheel as he heard a series of bullets slam against the back section of the car. The assassin had to be aiming for the tires, why else would he shoot back there? And while the tires were filled with a hardening gel to theoretically function after being pierced, they had yet to be tested in a real-world scenario. But that of course was only one of many problems currently facing the vigilante. To his right sat a man, clearly in pain, possibly bleeding out, pointing a rather threatening gun in his face. Behind him was a set of police cars, their patrolman already reentering their vehicles to start what they could only assume was a chase. And of course above him was the unknown man who really REALLY wanted to see his fellow vigilant killed for unknown reasons. You're the one that signed up for this he mentally scolded himself. In a situation like this, it wasn't too hard to feel incredibly overwhelmed. Breaking the chaos down into steps certainly couldn't hurt. First things first, get the hell away from here.

In a flurry of hand and foot movements The Veil pounded through the gears in his customized hearse. Elysium roared off, tires pounding against the pavement with the two police cars hot on its tail. I'm faster he reassured himself, knowing that their vehicles would not be able to reach the speeds that his could. Next up, was the crazy person threatening his life.

What exactly are you planning on doing?! he screamed, earnest frustration and confusion in his voice. You're gonna shoot the guy trying to get you out of this mess? Is that it?! What exactly were you going to do when I'm slumped over dead and we're still traveling at 100 miles per hour in what you've turned into a metal death trap? What then?! He was seething, visibly upset, a state he rarely let himself get to. I come here hoping to find a kindred spirit or some stupid sentimental nonsense and what's the first thing you do but fucking put a gun to my head! he said, unthinkingly answering one of Drifter's questions. At this point he was more talking to himself than Drifter. His mind running wild, he couldn't hold it in. The intensity of the situation and the whirlwind of emotion was getting the better of him, or was it the potential spinal cord injury? Either way being emotional about this was not going to help.

Go ahead fucking shoot me if that's your brilliant plan The Veil said, momentarily taking his eyes off the road to press the part of his gas mask nearest his forehead up against the barrel of the gun. Meanwhile he put his foot to the floor on the gas pedal, screaming through a red light and just barely missing traffic moving across the intersection. His eyes were wild, intense, deadlocked on Drifter. He hung there for a moment before returning his eyes to the road. Or if you're not feeling like dying or being detained anytime soon you could direct where the hell to go in this god-forsaken city to lose some heat he grunted out, his face red with pain and anger.

Clenching his jaw, The Veil attempted to take a deep breath to calm himself, get his bearings. Tears welled up in his eyes as the muscles in his back seemed to seize as he tried. That's not good he thought, starting to come down from the adrenaline rush slightly. And what exactly are you doing telling this man to shoot you? What kind of maniac even are you? We don't do that sort of thing! He could really be his own worst enemy, at least in terms of criticism. Huffing a few shallow breaths he tried to regain his composure, the sound of police sirens still hanging in the air. You can call me The Veil. That's a start yea, introduce yourself to the lunatic, I'm sure that'll win you all the brownie points with him. He needed to focus, get his head on tight or else, the two of them would end up in cuffs or worse...dead.

AAT-08317 walked along the street as the vehicle sailed away, as other officers had secured the entrance to the building. In their uniform, they wouldn't question his appearance or his identity. The assassin reached for his radio, as he switched it on and spoke in Russian: «Target is fleeing in vehicle. Has been joined by second. Is being pursued by local authorities. Advise.»

«Pursue.» A voice answered.

The assassin nodded his head, not before an officer yelled at him: "Private! Come on! They're getting away!"

The officer motioned toward the vehicle he was in, as AAT-08317 ran over and got in the passangers seat as the officer glanced at the rifle he held: "You a good shot kid?"

"Yes sir." AAT-08317 replied.

"Good!" The officer replied, before he threw his vehicle in drive and started to tail the hearse.

Drifter clinched his jaw. There was pure anger in his demeanour. Every movement, every twitch said that the young man wanted to blow up. There was a point after Veil stopped talking that Drifter pressed the gun to his fellow vigilante's head, gripping it more tightly as if he were about to fire, but he didn't. Instead he screamed, loudly.

"Mother fucking son of a whore! You... You.... You cock taking, silent assassin cliche cuck bitch! You shot me! You stupid cunt!" Drifter said, studdering with every word as he pounded his hands into the dashboard, and really anything else available to hit. After a good twenty seconds of that, he finally holstered his gun, and then sat back.

Drifter was now completely still, having won the internal struggle with his anger. That said, he was still in the middle of a very different, external problem. He was bleeding.

He's cool.... He's a friend. Calm the hell down already.. What is it with you and your temper anyway? Drifter questioned himself. It was at this point his rescuer told him his name, or at least, an alias. It was kinda neat, The Veil or something like that.

"I'm.... I'm sorry. I'm just hurt, and a little jacked. My name's Drifter.... Really not sure where we come up with these handles....." Drifter said, looking around the car for anything that could help stop the slow but steady bleeding from his arm. What he found once he did was actually really surprising. The hearse was basically an ambulance.

"Wow..... Um, can't say i expected all this to be in something designed to carry dead bodies... You don't mind if i patch myself do you?" Drifter said, crawling into the back without waiting for an answer. He removed his broken right gauntlet, then got a turnikit and some heavy duty bandages around the wound. The other shot that he took in the hallway had been partially stopped by his armor, and wasn't bleeding. Any treatment of that could wait. For now he just grabbed a bottle of pain pills and got back into the passenger seat.

He uncapped the bottle and swallowed about six pills, then withdrew a flask from a pocket to wash it down. He squinted under his mask at the burn of the liquor.

"Ok, right, directions. Well, first of all you need to be out of sight of those cops behind us. Shouldn't be too hard judging by the speed of this thing. For now take a left, um, another left, a right, and then we'll be going off road. I have a place about a mile off the freeway." Drifter said. The directions were relatively simple, but in LA while trying to outrun cops they probably seemed like anything but. Regardless, Drifter would guide his fellow vigilante as much as needed.

For a moment, Veil's life flashed before his eyes. The family and the friends that he'd isolated himself from to start his vigilante life, the people back home who depended on him for work and pay, stupid things like never getting to see the upcoming sequel to a movie he enjoyed or not having eaten his mom's home cooking in months, all of it zoomed by in his brain as Drifter pressed the gun hard against his temple. At least it'll be quick he thought, gritting his teeth and bracing for the inevitable end... But then a second passed, then another, and all at once there he was again stuck in the car with a raving lunatic but suddenly not about to die. Okay maybe raving lunatic was a bit harsh. The two of them were probably more similar than he'd like to admit. All the same after his ravings were done, Drifter slumped back and at least introduced himself.

At least now I can act like I learned his name from him Veil thought, glad to not have to come off as quite as much of a stalker. But there was now the issue of the man's hand. Ben hadn't gotten a good look at it before, but now that they were rapidly putting the police cruisers in their dust he had a moment to look. A bullet from the assassin's gun had torn through Drifter's hand.

I don't even wanna know what that feels like Veil thought, thinking back to all the times he had burned his fingers and how bad just that had hurt. Then thinking back to the sniper round through his leg he quickly shook off the thought of injuries, trying instead to focus on what Drifter was talking about.

Believe it or not he started in response to Drifter's surprise at the equipment in the back of Elysium a lot of hearses used to double as ambulances. Elysium here was one of them. He slapped the steering wheel once and smiled behind his mask. He was proud of the work he'd done on the vehicle. While not exactly the most inconspicuous thing he could have chosen it served its purposes perfectly. Well, mostly perfectly. Honestly Ben had never considered escorting other conscious individuals in his passenger seat when he designed her and so had left no barrier between the front and back. This of course meant that Drifter had full access to the medication and tools in the back.

Having reached a bottle before The Veil could even respond, he simply let out a grunt, currently more concerned with dodging vehicles and putting as much distance between themselves and the police as possible. Hearing Drifter's directions just as they approached the turn a forceful hold on was all he could muster before cutting the wheel to one side then the other and throwing the e-brake. Elysium's turned out tires squealed against the pavement as the majority of her weight lurched off to the right side. Deep black tire marks scorched the road as the hearse slid side first at a nearby building. Releasing the handbrake The Veil then floored the gas pedal once more and the specialized vehicle shot forward, sucking The Veil to the back of his seat. Through his rear view mirror he could see traffic behind him slam to halt, as they tried to avoid the maniac driver in the hearse.

No use slowing down now right? Veil turned to Drifter momentarily with a wicked grin. He loved getting to drive Elysium like this, to show off a little and leave the rest of the cars on the highway wondering just what the hell he was doing. Was it dangerous? Sure. A little suicidal? Probably. So okay he thought probably definitely not fair for me to think of this guy as a lunatic. He chuckled to himself as the thought crossed his mind. They'd be home free in no time.

AAT-08317 sat in the passenger seat of the police cruiser, as it followed the direction the two vigilantes were escaping toward. There was a constant chatter over the radio, as other officers frantically were communicating information to each other in regards to the whereabouts of the two suspects. According to their reports, the third had disappeared. He sat by, as the police cruiser came to a halt as the other officer slammed his hand across the wheel.

"Damnit!" The officer jeered, as he looked toward AAT-08317 to say, "They were too fast!"

The assassins eyes focused on black markings of tires that were made on the road before he gestured toward it as there seemed to be a disturbance in the flow of traffic, as he simply said: "Perhaps too fast."

The officer then turned his eyes and squinted on the markings, before a smile was brought to his lips and he said: "Good eyes!" The officer started driving, as he turned the radio on to report the findings to other officers in the area. AAT-08317 kept his eyes on the road, as the cruiser followed a faint trail down the highway.

Apparently Drifter's new partner by circumstance had decided to drive like a bat out of hell. Really, they had long since pulled away from all the cruisers. All this chaotic driving was doing was feeding the police scanners with new tips from random callers. They weren't going to be home free, not by a long shot.

That's why Drifter wasn't directing them to some safehouse. Sure they could lose the cops there, but what they weren't going to do was lose this assassin. No, the place they were going wasn't a place to lose heat, it was an armory.

"Alright, pull off here. I hope this thing is all wheel drive." Drifter said as he pointed toward a dirt road, if you could call it one at this point. Truthfully, it was more of a rough path, or maybe a trail.

"Hold on! It's really easy to roll anything that isn't a dune buggy out here." Luke yelled as they entered onto the bumpy pathway. The two vigilantes would go up steep hills, around ditches, and hit more then a few jumps on their way to their destination. But finally, after about a mile, they would arrive.

"Alright, that's good. Stop. Really, stop. Riding this thing here made me car sick." Drifter said, quickly opening his door to get some air, if only to stop himself from vomiting. But regardless, he would take a minute to stretch his legs, and gather himself. He checked out his newly treated wounds as he leaned on Elysium.

"He got me good.......... Wish i could say we got away, but we have about five or ten minutes tops. I hope you're ready for this. If you're not, you should leave. No use in getting yourself killed for me." Drifter said, breathing a little heavy but looking a bit better then he did a few minutes ago. He kicked himself off the hearse and began walking to seemingly nowhere. It looked like he was about to hike out into the middle of the desert, but he stopped and reached down.

He pulled a hatch up, large enough for a person, or maybe even a wagon, to fit through. It was very well hidden before he opened it, so it was clear Drifter had been here before.

"It's an old gold mining shaft. I decided to use it as an armory slash hideout after i found there was nothing valuable in it. Plus, it doesn't go very far at this point. The rest of the shaft caved in. Pretty much just a room now." Luke explained as he waved for the Veil to come inside. If the vigilante did, he would see that Drifter had set up a truly livable area for himself. It was by no means a mansion, but the walls were covered in sheet rock, there were a few cots and camping gear in a sectioned off area, and a metric ton of shelving lining the whole place.

What was on the shelves, you ask? What he spent his money on. Custom computer hardware, weapons, ammo, explosives, replacement pieces of his armor, and of course, at the end of the long, hall like room, was his monster of a computer. It had around five moniters, and next to it sat the generator.

Lukas powered the place up, then sat at his helm. He began to fanatically type as he talked.

"Arm yourself with whatever. I got pistols, shotguns, a rifle or two, an AR15 over there. There's even a bin of grenades, and a couple replacements for my gauntlets, if that's your style." Drifter said, all the while staring blankly into his screens. On them were various official looking websites, and even a satellite view of the area.

What Drifter was doing was simple, really. He had his phone on this whole time, well aware that nowadays that type of thing was tracked, especially in places like LA. Luckily it was encrypted enough not to give away who he was, but it did show the cops his location. Up until this point, anyway.

He connected his phone to his computer, then, using a program of his own invention, kept the signal that his phone had been emitting all this time moving. This meant that it would seem to the police that Drifter was now back on the highway, going in a completely opposite direction at rapid speeds.

And for good measure, he flooded the radio waves in the area with gibberish. The cops had no way of tracking him, but he was sure the assassin still had a way. Mostly because Luke was going to give it to him.

The gibberish was actually a variation of morse code, but even somebody proficient in it wouldn't be able to decyper it. It was sped up you see. But with what the assassin had shown in their encounter, his senses were very, very atuned.

"Follow freeway until you get to a dirt road. After that we're a mile out. You'll see our vehicle. Let's settle this." The morse would read.

Of course, the assassin could have not been listening to the police scanners, but really, what professional wouldn't be right now? In the end it didn't matter, the guy was a contract killer most likely. They would meet again, Drifter just wanted to do it on his own terms.

After his work was done, Drifter got up, replacing his broken gauntlet, and loading both with his high powered taser rounds. If he got this guy, he didn't want to kill him, not yet. He also grabbed a shot gun, just in case, and a few grenades. But really, he wasn't planning on setting them off in such small quarters.

"Lock and load........ Unless, well, you don't know how to use these."

The Veil followed each of Drifter's directions to the T, weaving in and out of the traffic around them and leaving even the most hellbent of drivers in their dust. It was the beauty of a vehicle like Elysium. Not only was she taylor made to The Veil's field needs but she also served as an ideal getaway vehicle. Precise turning, roll-resistant, fast as all hell and last but not least, capable of off-roading. That last bit may not have been the actual truth but according to Drifter it was exactly what they needed. That's totally not strange at all Ben thought as they turned off the road into some rather harsh terrain. No, no no he's definitely just leading you away from the main roads where the cops can easily catch up to you. His paranoia was trying to get the better of him. But quieting that nagging unrelenting voice he continued to push Elysium through the sands to wherever Drifter was taking them.

After a few close calls and bumpy patches Drifter abruptly instructed Veil to stop, which of course he did. I"d like to see you drive this thing he mentally shot back like a scorned child. His driving was something that he took pride in and he felt more than a little insulted at the sick comment. But whatever, they had far more pressing matters to get to. Like getting Drifter treated.

I think you should ask yourself the same thing The Veil quickly shot back in response to Drifter. Seeing him leaned up against the car it was obvious that he was not doing especially well. And that hand, he had to have some major damage to it. There'd be some loss of function for sure. The thought sent a chill down Ben's spine. An injury like that would be a career ender for him, and impossible to explain. He fanned his hands outwards at his sides in response to the thought before quickly balling them back up. And as Drifter moved off in the direction of what The Veil could only assume was their destination, he quickly hopped back in Elysium and turned her around. She was now facing in what seemed to him to be the only direction from which this place was accessible. If they were going to have to fight, he'd be prepared.

Jumping out of the car but leaving it running, he returned to Drifter's explanation of the shaft. Glad I'm not claustrophobic he thought, thought still wasn't too keen on the idea of entering an enclosed space that had a history of caving in. But could only assume that this place would be the most fortified that Drifter had and so he followed the man down the rabbit hole. Upon reaching the bottom his mouth dropped inside the gas mask.

He was surrounded by an armory. Military weapons of all sorts lined the walls, all capable of dealing swift death. Already he knew that Drifter was a killer, but he was not prepared for such a selection in instruments of destruction. His mind then snapped back to him as Drifter commented about taking his pick of weapons and that it was time to "lock and load". Good job genius he scolded himself you're gonna have to explain to him. Otherwise he's gonna try to kill this guy. Shit. He knew he was right. If he said nothing the blood of this assassin would be on his hands.

Taking a few steps towards Drifter, The Veil rolled down his sleeves and opened up his armored trench coat. I'm all stocked up already he said, his wrist lasers and rather large stash of gas grenades strapped to parts of his body and tucked into pockets inside his coat now on full display for his fellow vigilante. All non-lethal too unsure of any way to word it that would hit the right mark with this man. Thankfully though the admission did trigger Veil to remember something about his own weaponry.

Oh shit he fumbled out, reaching into his shirt pocket and pulling out a pair of thick glasses with translucent orange lenses. You're gonna want to wear these he said as he tossed the protective eyewear Drifter's way. Otherwise what I'm packing is going to be as harmful to you as it is to your friend. Without another word, The Veil would turn and head back up the ladder that took him down to the mine shaft. Out on the surface, he turned on Elysium and ducked down next to her. Whatever this mystery assassin had planned for the two of them, he was ready for it.

As the police cruiser drove along, AAT-08317 sat quietly. They two in the vehicle were watching the dirt trail carefully. There were markings similar to the black marks that were burnt into the street. The assassin familiarised himself with the pattern early, in order to track it better. The radio suddenly filled with static, that interrupted the communication between officers. The officer driving the vehicle started flipping the switches, searching for the channel as he cursed: "Damnit!"

"Keep driving." AAT-08317 said, as he listened to the static. His target was inviting him. Expecting him. But they didn't expect the police.

"There is nothing out here!" The officer said, as he turned to AAT-08317.

"There is. If you have doubts, let me drive."

The officer looked at him questioningly, before he stopped the vehicle. He turned the key, before he asked: "What is your number?"

AAT-08317 stared back at the officer, before he replied: "08317."

The officer nodded his head, before he said: "Alright then, I'll scoot. You can walk around."

AAT-08317 nodded his head, as he laid down the rifle and opened the door to the vehicle. He watched as the officer scooted over, as the policeman placed his hand over the rifle. In a split second of seeing the officer try to lift the rifle, AAT-08317 turned and fired a shot through the window of the vehicle, killing the officer. Having the silencer attached, the other officer died in silence. The assassin walked to the car, as he took the rifle and placed it in the back of the vehicle as he took the drivers seat.

AAT-08317 reached to the shotgun mounted between the seats, as he ejected them and placed them in an evidence bag, before he secured a flare in the bag. When the flares were activated, the shells would explode and spread the pellets about.

Picking up the rifle, he fired a shot to make an echo in the area, before he turned on the sirens, turned the key and stepped on the gas. He raced toward the location, as he reached for the bleeding body of the officer before he patted it over his uniform.

In the distance, AAT-08317 saw the hearse, as he raced toward it before he slammed on the breaks. The disguised assassin looked toward the two figures, knowing they knew neither his face or voice.

He looked toward the Veil, analysing the figure as he spoke: "Please, we aren't here to arrest you. Someone hit him, I think he's dying. Please, we need help."

Drifter rubbed his hand. Even with bandages, a gauntlet covering it, and pain pills, the wound hurt. It would make even typing on a computer difficult, as he found out just moments ago when performing his little hack. It would be a life changing injury for practically anyone, but that's why Drifter had made connections before starting his vigilantism career. He would be fine a week after this, like nothing happened.

Even though Drifter had rearmed himself, his new partner had not. Apparently he was 'all stocked up'. Drifter just chuckled at that, but burst out laughing when Veil continued on to tell him the gear he had was non lethal. Luke honestly thought it was a joke. After a few awkward moments of Veil not laughing with him though, it was apparent that this guy was serious.

"Oh, shit......... You're..... You're not joking. Out of all the vigilantes to save my ass, i get one that thinks it's ok to use non lethals exclusively........ Did you see the shit that guy was packing? He'd kill you without blinking dude! This line of work isn't for tree huggers.......... But.....you know what? It just so happens that i don't care in this instance. I want him alive. Teach him some fucking etiquette. Just hit him with whatever you got in that trenchcoat, I'll handle the rest." Drifter said, loading the shotgun in his hands. That's when Veil handed him a pair of glasses. Apparently he needed them to protect his eyes, despite having a flash bang resistant helmet.

That said, he would rather play it safe and not get his eyes burned out. He popped the orange lenses out of the glasses, and then put them over his normal ones with some velcro strips he had laying around. After that, he set about getting into position.

He walked outside, staying close to the armored hearse. It was really the only cover out here, in the middle of the California desert. He waited, and waited, eventually seeing headlights coming down the road. It had gotten a bit darker since the encounter at his workplace.

The reason Drifter had played his little morse code gambit was two fold. First, it was to keep the cops from communicating, and second, it was to make sure that whoever came down that seldom used dirt road had heard his sped up transmission, and had the training to decipher it. Only one man in the area, that was also after him, fit that bill.

Sure, maybe a clever rookie cop managed to track him down without the radios and without his cell phone signal, but it was incredibly unlikely. Either way, assasssin or not, this person was a witness, secluded and in the middle of nowhere.

Drifter was taking him down.

The vigilante, upon hearing the man's ridiculous plea, shot his gun into the air, then slowly trained it on the man from behind the relative safety of Elysium.

"So, let me get this straight. You, an officer of the law, with a working car, gun, and probably a phone, decided to take your partner off road a full mile to two armed suspects instead of a hospital, which is up the highway not too far from here? You have got to think I'm dense." Drifter laughed, ready to fire with dead eye accuracy if the 'cop' even so much as twitched in a hostile manner.

"Not only that, but i happen to know that there is no way the police could have tracked us all the way out here. I scrambled their radios, proxied my phone signal, and sent a message detailing where we are that only one person would have the ability and training to comprehend. Even if i believed your story, and believed a beat cop had managed to find where we went, why is it just you that's here?" Drifter said, totally insulted that this guy thought he could fool him with this bullshit story. Whoever this person was, it wasn't adding up.

"But whatever, I'm an asshole, so you're dead even if you are just here to see if two twenty something vigilantes know how to save a dead man's life. So, let's get on with the day's bloody business. I believe now is the point you draw on us?" Drifter said. He perched his gun on the hearse, aiming it at this man while he held an unpinned grenade behind his back. Things were about to get bad.

Trying to brush off Drifter's condescending tone about The Veil's choice of weaponry, he sat and waited by Elysium for their pursuer to finally arrive. But before the assailant even showed up, Ben heard a gunshot in the distance. Instinctively he threw open the door to Elysium, ducking behind it. After a few moments of no further gunfire or signs of a shot being fired at them, he peaked his head up from through the window. They were still alone out here, but that shot seemed to indicate that was about to end.

Sure enough, a lone police car came driving over the harsh terrain in their direction. That is incredibly strange The Veil thought, his right hand moving to the lever next to the steering wheel. Why is it just one? We had a good number of them following us before... That question was quickly answered as the vehicle's brakes were slammed hard and the patrolman inside came barreling out, looking exasperated. He informed them that he wasn't here to arrest them and instead just needed help with his partner who had been hit. That's even stranger. The Veil's mind was racing. They were more than a mile off the main road, few other vehicles would even be able to get out here let alone know where they were, so the likelihood that this man's partner was hit close by was unlikely. Secondly, he was in a police car, as good as an ambulance for getting a person somewhere quickly, like a hospital. So instead of turning on his lights and sirens and rushing his hit partner to a hospital, this man had driven more than a mile off the beaten path. And the nail in the coffin for the man's story, he obviously knew who they were and why the police were after them, so why would a cop come for two violent offenders looking for medical help. Something didn't add up here.

Another gunshot rang out from somewhere, forcing The Veil's eyes darting around. Quickly of course he realized that it was his fellow vigilante, as the man trained his weapon on this suspect person. Drifter it seemed, had a mind very similar to his own. At least we've got that in common. He may be a little crazy, but at least he's smart. That was only further confirmed as Drifter unveiled the levels of concealment and deception that he had set up. All that computer business in his bunker had been a disguise for themselves and a lure for the assassin. Very smart... The Veil thought, slightly unnerved by the man's technological aptitude. What he had said made a lot of sense, and only further confirmed The Veil's suspicions about the man before them. Either this is the dumbest cop with the worst luck to run in to us...or he is exactly who Drifter was trying to lure here. In a situation such as this, that was good enough for The Veil to take action.

With a mere flick of his wrist, concealed by Elysium's dashboard he activated her special headlights. When they turned on, it was not a bright white cone of illuminating light but a brilliant cone of blinding blue. The light from the blinding headlights immediately enveloped the patrol car, the man and the surrounding area. If he had been, or so much as looked in the direction of Elysium, it would mean the end of his sight. Even through the wavelength protection of the visor on his gas mask, The Veil had to squint from the light of the intense beam. If you are just a dumb scared cop he thought as he pulled a halothane grenade from inside his jacket ready in case the so-called patrolman went on the offensive I'm so sorry. I just can't afford to trust you.

AAT-08317 sat comfortably as Drifter shot his weapon into the air. He didn't seem phased at all as the vigilante then lowered the weapon down toward him. The assassin's fingers wrapped around the seat adjuster, willing to flip it in a moment. The shotgun was an issue, but with the distance the vigilante stood from the car, and the spread of the pellets, nothing AAT-08317 couldn't manage. Obviously his disguise didn't work, but the assassin always had back up plans.

The makeshift bombs that AAT-08317 made were placed carefully in the position with the closest proximity to the engine. The officers car just needed to be active, which it was. The rest was down to speed and reflex. The assassin positioned himself to be far enough to pick up the speed from the throttle he needed to make the the police car an explosive. He didn't intend to kill the targets with his strike, they would see it to easily. So now, he spoke.

"Regardless of whether or not you believe me is not my concern. However, what decisions you make do." The assassin heard the pins of two grenades flick out, as he continued: "First, priming your grenades. Second, using a strictly close quarters weapon at further than 25 metres. And the third, killing a diplomat."

As soon as the Veil activated his headlights, AAT-08317 closed his eyes and threw his seat back to avoid the beam and shotgun. White returned with what should have been black. He was lucky to have been looking at the two vigilantes, instead of the vehicle. Grabbing the empty shotgun, AAT-08317 wedged it between his seat and the throttle pedal of the cruiser. Using his two free hands to swing open the door of the vehicle, AAT-08317 positioned himself in a way to roll out of the door, while his other twisted the flares that activated his makeshift bombs. With them being pressed against the panelling near the engine, the assassin knew when they detonated, they would explode near the fuel line. Grabbing the rifle in his lap, the assassin hurdled out of the vehicle as it zoomed toward the two vigilantes, as the front exploded in a red flare.

AAT-08317 knew that the vigilante's would have plenty of time to move out of the way, and he counted on it. He took this advantage to lift his rifle and place the selection on automatic. As the assassin fired, the muzzle flash suppressor covered the occassional flashes of light as he disappeared into the darkness.

Drifter smiled. Just as he had thought, the assassin had revealed himself after only a little bit of poking at his story. Lukas hadnt been entirely certain that this person wasn't who he said he was, but his little experiment had paid off. Not only did the man give away who he was, but he told Drifter why he was there. It seemed like everything was out in the open now. There was only one thing left to do.

Drifter had a car headed toward him at full speed, and the assassin had jumped out slowly after. Lukas knew that the vehicle was either weaponized, or was serving as a distraction so the Russian could shoot them, or both. Either way, he needed a better way of protecting himself then simply jumping out of the way.

Luckily, Elysium had shown itself to have pretty decent armor. So, as soon as the police car started moving, Drifter opened the door to the hearse and got in, then turned in his seat as to cover his chest in case shrapnel got through.

What happened next was quite the show. The police car blew up in brilliant fashion, no doubt pushing Elysium a decent distance, and then Drifter heard the sound of automatic gun fire. Fortunately, the bullets that got sent his way essentially merely dented the hearse. The explosion did some damage to it, but Drifter himself was alright.

That said, he was glad he wouldn't have to pay for the repairs on this thing.

Drifter took a few seconds to let the adrenaline settle, breathing heavy into the hearse's seat. He let out an extended laugh at the situation, or maybe the best description could be a cackle. The Russian government had sent an assassin after him? That was just so cool to the young vigilante. But he had no time to think of the achievement. He had a fight to win after all.

He turned on the music on his helmet. He had hooked up an mp3 player to it just for shits and gigs, but occasionally he used it when he wanted to get pumped during a fight. Say what you will about inhibiting hearing. Drifter worked his own way.

First things first imma say all the words inside my head...

He stuck a pin back in the frag grenade he had been ready to pull the spoon on, then put it away. Instead, he pulled out two flash grenades. He knew this guy would be using the darkness to his advantage, so he was about to take that away.

I'm fired up and tired of the way that things have been.. oh-oooh. The way that things have been.. oh-oooh

He got out on the other side of the hearse, figuring the assassin had moved in the direction he had last seen him at, then activated the pair of flash grenades. He threw them as hard as he could into the air. The point? A split second of lighting. When they were close, they could stun you, but at a distance, especially over head, they could serve as a great way to access a dark area.

Second thing second, don't you tell me what you think that I can be.

On top of this, his lenses allowed for a minor nightvision. It wasn't exactly military grade, but combined with the flash bangs, he would be able to make out the figure of the assassin. Once he did, he would fire at him with his right gauntlet, while still holding the shotgun in his other hand.

I'm the one at the sail, I'm the master of my sea, oh-oooh. The master of my sea, oh-oooh

The ammo was his only none lethal type. They were nerve stimulating bio electrical taser darts. Basically,  they could tense up your muscles just as much as nerve gas while also inflicting the debilitating pain of a normal high powered taser. And these things were coming at the assassin in full auto mode.

If he hit the assassin, he would prepare to finish the job. If he didn't, he would duck under the safety of cover that Elysium granted.

Ben's guilt immediately alleviated as the man in the car dropped the facade immediately upon hearing Drifter. Well that didn't take much he thought, perplexed at how easy that had been to pull out of him. That said, there was still more than enough for the two vigilantes to deal with, like the fact that a fiery vehicle was barreling at them!

Quickly killing the blinding headlights, Ben Jumped into the driver's side of Elysium. Drifter it seems had a similar idea, seeking shelter in that wonderful machine. Shifting quickly into reverse, Ben stuck the pedal to the floor, sending Elysium backwards and hopefully minimizing the impact. With a loud thud and the crunching sound of plastic and metal that plan was tested. The Veil's neck jerked hard as the two cars collided, the patrol car then exploding at its front end. Shit shit Ben mentally screamed as he once more pulled Elysium backwards, preventing her from potentially catching fire with the other blazing vehicle. He wished he'd have the time to investigate the damage but there'd be no time. Instead he needed to keep moving, and keep an eye on their assailant. Above all he needed to focus.

Turning his treasured vehicle in the direction of the would be assassin he flicked on Elysium's headlights, the non-blinding kind. Bright cones of white light illuminated the area in front of the getaway car just as Drifter let loose a pair of flash bangs. Wait, when had Drifter exited the vehicle? His head must have gotten jarred from that impact. That or he had been so laser focused on the assassin that he'd entirely forgotten about his "partner". Two people to keep track of Ben, come on. Not that that would be especially hard now that the spotlight was on the retreating man and the other vigilante was firing. Gotta put a stop to that The Veil thought, hearing the gunfire from both sides.

Rolling down Elysium's window he'd pull two halothane grenades from within his jacket and lob them on opposite sides of his target. Take a nice deep breath asshole he mentally taunted as the thin white gas quickly blanketed the area in front of Elysium. The Veil knew the effects of his signature anesthetic well, rapid onset loss of muscle control, delirium, confusion, dizziness. All could happen with the first breath, from there it would only take a short time more before anyone unprotected fell unconscious. Lifting a hand to his mask, he'd turn the canisters on his gas mask, shutting them tight to the outside world. Then with a sharp eye he watched through Elysium's windshield for what would happen next.

AAT-08317's eyes began to see more clearly after the blinding flash, as he heard the sound of two grenade pins being pulled. The assassin made quick work however of his disguise, using his combat knife to remove the garments before he pulled it to shreds. He then recoiled in the grass, as he covered his head from the explosion. Hearing the flashbangs go off, the assassin rolled to oneside to move his position carefully. The dark tint of his nanoweave absorbed most of the light, not giving much room to spot his figure before AAT-08317 heard the distinct sound of Drifter's gauntlets firing.

The assassin barely had time to roll out of the way, as one of the tasers struck his lower leg. Pain surged through AAT-08317 as the voltage ran through his system to his mechanical organs. The assassin heaved out a pained gasp, barely getting enough strength to pull the taser out and crush it. Blood shot from his mouth and nose, as his heartbeat lowered dramatically. AAT-08317 swore under his breath, before he heard the sound of a gaseous substance hiss. The assassin reached instantly for his gasmask, pulling it on just in time before activating the filter as he coughed painfully.

Pushing himself from the grass, he stumbled a bit before he lifted his AN-107 rifle and fired a shot at the central mass of Drifter, intending to hit the vigilante in the arms once again to disarm him of his shotgun and leave him defenseless, before he adjusted his aim toward the Veil.

AAT-08317's shots were on target toward Drifter, but a surge of electricity through his organs sent his shots wide from the Veils before he stumbled forwards again and coughed. He then reached toward his utility belt, removing a flare before he twisted it and threw it toward the hearse.

This is almost over. You and this guy just have to press the advantage. Drifter thought to himself as he watched The Veil throw out a couple gas grenades. His fellow vigilante hadn't asked if he had a gas mask, but perhaps he assumed. That or he was trying to prevent this bastard from getting shot. Regardless though, Drifter indeed had one in his helmet, so he was fine.

AAT was coughing, and overall seemed hurt. That didn't stop the assassin from taking a few more shots at the two vigilantes, however. Drifter had already been in motion to take cover behind Elysium before the bullet came wizzing at his arm, and because of this it only struck the barrel of his shotgun. Drifter threw it to the side, agitated.

"Shit!" Drifter said, on account of his only lethal firearm being useless now. Looks like it was taser darts or nothing.

He needed to lay down some more fire to finish the job, but this guy had a gun too, and would no doubt take him out if he so much as poked his head over Elysium. Drifter had to think fast on what to do, and as if he had no partner in this fight.

He removed two grenades from his pack, then threw them toward the assassin. They were some of the last he had. One, a simple smoke grenade, and the other, an acidic chemical bomb. This thing was basically all the corrosive substances and acids Drifter could find, mixed together and detonated. The result was something that irritated the lungs, eyes, and skin.

This tactic was merely to add to the things they had already thrown at the assassin, and to hopefully irritate his enchanced senses to a degree that Drifter could be relatively safe moving out of his cover.

Once the smoke and gas bombs went off, Drifter would roll out from behind the hearse, and fire a steady stream of his taser darts toward AATs position.