Meetings of an assassin and a Mutt.

It was cold nights like these that could make someone reconsider their living situation. Their life in general. That was what Jake had been considering as of late because of a few, lovely factors. First was his friends. He didn't have a lot of them and in his line of... Current. Work. If you can call what he did work.

He preferred to call it work, as life sounded less degrading. His work was to spend his nights exploring the night looking for some sort trouble he could introduce himself into. Or if he found a den of supernaturals, to get information when he could about anything because he was seriously lacking in that. His last source decided to just go while he was... Busy getting his life thrown into a loop that shook itself so much more then it needed too.

But that was all the more important in making him realize he really needed to reevaluate his life while also further increasing his ability to get into his work and make progress. Even if hunting for not very nice beings that were in no ways natural was not really what you could consider work. Or a life.

But no matter what. He couldn't deny this was better then high school ever was. The pull of a normal life no longer called to him when he had met dragons and vampires. Demon lords and Queens. Metas and all kinds of people. He certainly would not have met some... Interesting people, if he hadn't discovered this life for what it was. He certainly would not have met Ann.

And it could be seen in the way he was hanging off the edge of a building now, his legs hooked onto the roof and keeping him from falling, his shirt in his hand and his eyes a glowing red. The whole city was his to see and his to explore in a sense. Nothing was hidden from his sight and he loved that. Certainly helped him to find those that wished they were not seen, something that was... Becoming less and less of a happening. Maybe too many heroes, maybe he wasn't seeing as much as he thought he was.

Whatever the reason, he kept his sight for the smallest suspicious act, the strangest event. Because no matter how quiet, something happened every night and he was well acquainted with the idea of that. He just needed to find it first, interrupt it second like the supposed 'hero' he was as Ann liked to remind him. He was sure he could handle whatever came after. After all. He was quite the not so nice unnatural himself when he most certainly needed to be, and many of those that met him were beginning to know that. Even if he was still at large, an unknown in this big world that just didn't know how big it was.

Resorting to clicking his tongue over and over, Jake found the night was just not his... Night. That and hanging upside down as long as he had was really starting to get to his head. Giving one last lazy scan, he sighed for a moment right before stopping at a sight.

A red light adorned the side of a building. Over-watching a series of red lights he had no good sight on. A part of him thought to give the sight a pass... But nothing else had happened that night. Whoever decided that clinging to walls was the best way to watch someone. They garnered his interest. Kicking off the building, Jake fell for a few seconds before unleashing his wings, letting them catch to the wind as he soared overhead towards the... Fiv... three.

He watched as two lights, a sign of life, turned off and dropped, becoming black masses among the vibrant red of the city brim with life. They were dead. By the time Jake even got close to the scene, the third life was gone, leaving only two. Close as he was, it was easy to see the outline. A child, and someone thin, so woman or lanky man. Red vision was nothing if not non descriptive besides a human shaped red light.

But it allowed him to follow this person he might have not been able to track without it. He kept his distance, the red lights of his eyes would have been dead giveaways to his position, but he could track them from behind any wall and building till finally, they stopped.

That resulted in the boy sitting outside this wall, a little high up,  his shirt was back on and his fingers were dug into anything to keep him aloft. The killer who saved the boy was inside, messing with things that looked like arrows, taking some sort of mask off and putting ether another or the same one back on, he wasn't sure. And when it seemed they were coming out, he turned his vision off and melded into the shadows, very easily seen if someone was paying attention thanks to the fact his clothes were not built for hiding, but Jake was sure they wouldn't have expected someone to follow them. And you didn't normally see what you didn't expect.

Or maybe they did, paranoia did that to people. Still, when she left the hole in the wall and closed it, making it seem as if just an ordinary wall, he gave her a few more seconds before making himself known. Just who was this murderous... Female. Without his red vision, she was indeed, a woman. A woman that could burst a mans chest open. Lovely. "Must say, that earlier show was quite something. But frankly, the idea of murder isn't something that should be considered so easily. Oh, and don't run. I can find you. Very easily." Jake called out as he dropped from his height to the ground with ease.

On the same level as her, Jake looked a little surprised at just how... Small she was. He towered over her. How old even was she? Not letting the idea of young age change his view, he kept his eyes on her with a frown, arms crossed as he waited to see what she did. Talk, attack. Not everyday something followed you to this secret hideout of theirs.

Jake kept his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed at the woman... Small woman, for any kind of dangers could present themselves though her. One of those dead bodies had a hole in them. She was more capable then the average woman and that meant he had to be careful, even if all she seemed to have were knives. Big, sharp looking ones at that.

But she didn't scare him, no matter how much her threats attempted to cut him. They were threats. Albeit, ones not needed. Tilting his head till a crack and satisfying pop sounded, Jake grabbed at the hem of his shirt, ready to take it off in case he needed his wings. "Look. I don't know you too. In fact, I didn't even come here to fight. I saw your very. Quick execution of the man who killed that couple." Jake's eyes looked to the red lines, rings that seemed to have appeared on her. Those looked dangerous. Perhaps they were.

Taking his left hand, he'd bundle it into a fist before focusing it, allowing a red, chaotic energy to form over it, sparks of the energy seemed to break away and vanish the instant they did, but for the most part, the power still looked as menacing as ever. "But if you insist on starting a fight. I can't promise what will happen to you, this building, and the nearby buildings. But there will not. Be enough to find you for a bucket." Jake decided to throw the woman's threat back at her, even when his threat was half hearted. He wouldn't use his red energy here. He wouldn't destroy this building and the ones around him. Oh how he could. But he wouldn't. It'd hurt too much and it wasn't what he wanted... That and there would be waaay to many deaths on his part.

Opening his hand, he'd shake it as if shaking off the red energy, letting it evaporate and vanish. Ever since his encounter with Madeline, he had been getting much better control over the energy when he focused it in a singular area. And it didn't pop up randomly as much anymore. "So... How bout we fix the not knowing each other part. I'm Jake. But if you prefer Lucifer, Zaapiel or Mutt even, go for it. I personally like Jake. You?" The boy finished, his left hand returning to the hem of his shirt. The woman looked like a close fighter with some range, not that he could exactly see how she managed to from afar, blow a hole in man. He could use his wings to gain distance. Even if it was only once. Mainly he just didn't want to ruin his shirt. He ruined too many of them with his wings or other outside sources... Like Vampire Queens. Stupid Vampire Queen.

Silence was a valid answer. Jake thought as he kept still, waiting for some kind of verbal answer, because he also knew that silence was not going to be the final answer. Of course, it allowed this woman, whoever she was, to think of an answer, to also think of how to treat this situation. That was the logical course of action.

Jake felt that way himself. The silence dragged on, and that allowed him to think of the many ways this could end so very badly. Allowed him to tense and relax his muscles over and over, to think and think. And when he couldn't think of anything, he looked at her to try and understand her. Subtle moves he couldn't fully read, for he never really did before. But he got the sense of something, something that said for now. There would be no fight.

That was good enough for him, even if she got his name wrong. A fair enough mistake, he still didn't understand how Jacob and Jake ended up the same thing. To damn different in his opinion. But when she finished speaking, it did give Jake some food for thought. What did happen now? He never really encountered a situation where the opposing just stopped wanting to fight. Most people he met just fought in a situation as tense as this. "Well, first off. Just Jake. No Jacob. Jake." He frowned as he thought of how to go from there, a surprising more difficult challenge then he first thought, till something hit him.

"And I'd be careful bout that nick name Kat. Apophis is known to be chaotic. A paranoid being that knows their ancient Egyptian history would take you a bit seriously on that name." He chuckled, before looking upwards, his teeth pressing into his tongue. "But yes. Where do we go from here... See. I am what some might call a bit of a stupid hero. Now frankly, I could try and force you into the justice system for murder, but he did kill those people and I do believe the evidence would be hard to place you. Not just that. You seemed to have done it with no remorse, so a trained killer... And someone with a lot of money, based on the wall that leads to a small room with several oddity's... Well, I should say couple. Bed and a box doesn't amount to much." Jake finished, hoping his words unsettled the woman just a little. He shouldn't know what was inside the room, she should have been easily able to tell his position would give him no sight, so how did he know?

But it wasn't fully his idea to unsettle her, that was just to keep her guessing. No... It was more he was trying to figure her out while keeping her from figuring him out. She had to he a trained killer, you don't kill without some remorse like that, but it seemed she held none for something so recently done. And she had to have money. This... This wasn't made over the course of years. This was built for someone by someone with quite a bit of money. This building looked abandoned. Which meant it was the perfect place for a hideout. Just who did this woman work for... He wondered.

”Well, ‘Just Jake’ … She was quick to retort, even if it was with sarcasm. ”You speak as if my goal isn’t to spread chaos. That’s what I am.” She spread her arms wide, as if to say ‘all of me’. ”I am an agent of chaos, Jake. I spread death and destruction like the plague for the sake of my mistress.” At that she smiled fully, but it wasn’t a pleasant smile; on the contrary, it was cold and calculating, sharpening her features instead of softening them. It was,in other words, the unfeeling smile of a killer. She didn’t know if her grand posturing would fool him; he seemed sharp, but she felt she had no choice; especially as his next words left her so rattled.

She showed no signs of shock or disconcertation at what he knew- or rather, guessed. He had to guess. He couldn’t know much about except for her face, and even much of that was obscured by the cloth pooled around her neck. No, it was a guess, but even so, she let her hands slip to her side, touching for reassurance the shuriken she knew lay in the pocket of her belt. He was making her feel … nervous, and vulnerable. And she didn’t like feeling nervous or vulnerable. Memories of his red energy flicked through her mind and she took an uncomfortable step backwards; she had no idea what he was aiming for, but she wasn’t going to let him anywhere near her. Oh, his words shook her to her very core; if he was close to discovering who she was … that wasn’t a price she could afford to pay.

”You don’t know anything about me.” For the first time that night, there was emotion behind her words. She was vulnerable, and being vulnerable brought to the surface things she’d rather keep down. Fear, and anger, but most of the guilt. ”You know nothing about my feelings!” She almost yelled, her words nonetheless echoing off the ceiling. She knew she should stop, but- she shouldn’t have let him in. She shouldn’t have made herself so vulnerable. The instant she did, she left herself open to this. Her words had cut her like a knife, the implication of her inhumanity tearing from her the only certainty she had in her life. ”I kill to survive, you arrogant bastard.” She was angry now, her red-hot temper boiling to the surface.

”The things I’ve done, the murders I’ve committed, it was so I live! You have no idea what it’s like to be forced to do things you hate! I’m ordered around like a dog; no, worse than it, at least a dog has freedom of thought. I’m a weapon, to be wielded by the highest bidder and aimed at innocents and children.” She gave a hollow, mocking laugh; unthinkingly her blade had leap to her hand as she paced, and this she swung wildly, the force of the strikes carving gouges in the roof. ”I have no choice in the matter, you see; I can’t escape them, I can’t do anything but what they-” She choked up, and with horror she realized she almost about to cry over something so … trivial. She’s never had to talk about it before, never been confronted in uniform before, and she’s never stopped to think about it.

”Oh, dammit.”

She cursed under her breath as she angrily scrubbed at her eyes, the emotions caused by a late night and the suppressed thoughts she kept down below threatened to burst to the surface. This wasn’t like her; she didn’t talk to people, she didn’t want to. So why was this Jake so easy to talk to? She put it off to the late hour; she needed to sleep, but that wasn’t going to happen as long as Jake was here … but it would be the height of rudeness to send him away, not after she so bluntly suggested they go on a date. She couldn’t bear to face him; he must feel she was weak, or a child to be acting so emotionally. She had to face him. With a determined grimace on her face and hoping she didn’t notice her outburst, she turned to him, trying to keep her features emotionless and not quite succeeding. She has a hard controlling her emotions, has since she was a child. Her hand clenched the hilt of her sword until the knuckles turned white, concentrating on that instead of the feelings bubbling just beneath the surface.

”I … apologize for my outburst. It’s been a long night, and I can use a … drink. Yes, a drink. Would you be … amenable to do that with that a remorseless killer like me?”

Well, her sarcasm gene was working just fine.

The woman's first words left Jake with narrowed eyes. He was not looking forward to another person claiming to be a god. Thankfully, she just claimed to be a servant to her mistress.. That wasn't as bad... Perhaps it was. It just meant there was another being out in the big world claiming to be a chaotic god, that or this chick was crazy. He had to think of all the possibles. They'd be good for later.. And now.

However, it seems his plan to keep her wary, maybe shake her up a bit, flipped a switch. Instead of the seemingly cool, calm and collected assassin, a bumbling woman appeared, with far too many problems he wasn't connected too, had no play in or even wanted to know were unleashed on him... This was certainly new. Normally a person attacked him by now... Not this.

It did seem she herself realized what she was doing and collected herself from the broken mess she had become. But her words were not forgotten, even if Jake didn't want to care, for what she said was serious... Yet had all the problems she spoke about in itself. Frowning, he considered them, barely catching her asking for him to join her for a drink, which in itself would be nearly impossible. He was tall and somewhat built, but he was still young, he could get into low security areas if he tried to play an adult. Any place with her kind of drinks most likely wouldn't accept him. That and he had no Id.

"Have to decline, not much a drinker. Anyway, I call bull on you being less then a dog." Jake sighed as he grabbed at the hem of his shirt again. For some reason he really wanted to let his wings out right now, as if he was going to need them to fly very soon and he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was that his next words, a mere guess at most, would make this assassin angry. "A trained dog doesn't complain about their position. Their role. Someone less then a dog would have just attacked me. They would not cry and complain that their life is rough, because it is their life and they don't care that it is... Clearly. You do." He frowned more, turning so his back was to her, not the best idea, but he was quick, and he had her at the edge of his sight.

"Me. I find people. I punch them into submission. I then leave and I find more. My life is dull. It grows boring. I don't have a clear goal. You must, if you hate your current one." He also decided he should shut up. This was not something he told people. This was something he kept to himself and thought about, but he had no answer for himself. Perhaps he was now looking for others to give him that answer. Perhaps her outburst just let his guard down.

"How bout this. Kat. A Mutt with no clear goal. A supposed lesser then dog who hates her current life. Why don't we do something to piss off your 'master?' Why don't you take charge of your life like you want too. And don't say you don't. I have a feeling that deep, deep down. You know you do. Doesn't even have to be that big... Could just ring their doorbell and run for it... But that itself. Would be bare bones to what we could do. Don't you think?" Turning back to face her, Jake was really, really surprised at how calm he felt. Cause he felt like a total freaking cheese machine right now. But his words carried conviction. And his mood was... Well in the mood to do something bad to bad people. Once, a year ago. He was a kid that looked at all the bad people and the good people and decided he wanted to be a good person. He sometimes thinks he still is. He just isn't stupid.. And sometimes doing bad things was really fun. Even more so when the bad thing was done to badder people. Spider taught him that much.

His rejection stung, it was true, but she hid it, determined not to have another outburst like she had. He saw too much of her, and she refused to let him pierce beneath the veil of mystique she so carefully cultivated. She had already revealed too much to him. His words met a blank face, the cold and hard mask up again; despite it already losing much of it’s potency, she needed to rely on it, to harden the emotions and thoughts threatening to well up inside her … and yet his words were honey to her ears. The thought was certainly entertaining, and already she was thinking of excuses to make to Carolina as to why things went south. But … could she really do this? This would start her on a path of rebellion she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready to go down and, once started, it would be hard to turn back.

The wind whipped her hair around, startling her out of her thoughts. She paused only long enough to bite her lower lip in worry; then with a steadying breath, she stepped next to the boy, posed against the dark of the alley. A sense of … not quite relief, it was something else, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Is this what it’s like to have a friend? Though if this classified as a friendship, she’d have to reevaluate everything she’s learned from movies. She cast her gaze over the city, taking the time to contemplate her decision. On some level, though, she knew her choice was already made the instant she stepped forward.

”Even a dog will bite an abusive hand … perhaps it’s time I broke my collar.” She touched a mark on her shoulder where, underneath the clothing, was a tattoo of a silver sword. ”For years I’ve done their bidding, performing atrocities and committing crimes that in a just world would have me executed.” She paused here, the words escaping her mouth surprising the young assassin. She had never put thought into it, but it was true; she was an awful person. ”I deal out death and destruction like the old testament God and there is a part of me that enjoys it. There is a monster inside me, a hungry maw feeding on the evil in my heart. My entire life, I was taught to let it grow, that the evil inside would help me in my mission. But now, I think, it is time to starve it. What did you have in mind, Jake?”

Giving the woman some time to think allowed the boy time to himself to think. Only there wasn't much to think of. The gal clearly had a problem that he felt like he really shouldn't try to get in the midst of. But the stupid side of him was indeed piqued. No matter what organization she belonged too, it seemed that it was not a small one, or one with many morals. If they would get... No. Order. Turn a young woman like this into as she feels, a murderous slave. Then they have time, they have money, if this place was anything to brag about and they have motive. He felt this woman might not be the only one among them. Weather they felt like her, was something else entirely.

However, it seemed he was good to turn his back on her, as she stepped to join him, and stated her intention. What came after that, both surprised the boy and... Well. Worried him. Once more, he was told that this company was dangerous and did anything to further themselves. The death of children and more. Things he should be slamming her into the ground for, yet it was clear those deaths took their toll on the young woman. But after that, what she said with the gods and verbs and other religious acronyms just kinda flew right over his head, his hatred for god like beings... Well, beings that claimed to be them, following after.

But he reigned himself. The woman asked him of all people where they should go from there and he frowned. He didn't have a clue as to who it was this woman worked for... But he could. "Don't know about you. But this is your master to bite. And seeing as I don't know how hard you want to bite... Point me in any direction to a base of location, something to disrupt even. I'll fly us there." Knowing the girl might be a little confused by his use of fly, he took a step away from her and twisted so nothing would get in the way, before finally using his hands that had been on his shirt for so long to take it off.

Only the next instant, as soon as the fabric was clear from being torn, his grey wings unleashed into the world. Long, big and capable of flight, he folded them to his back and held his hand out to her, unsure how he was actually going to carry her... Hopefully she had good upper body strength, otherwise he might have to carry her and he wasn't sure he was super into the idea of that. And he wasn't sure why. "Well?" He asked, ready to pick her up and jump into the night sky, using his wings to carry them wherever she wanted them to go.

She was framed against the moonlight, her shadow cast on the ground across the rooftop. This was not where she wanted to spend her night, spilling her guts out to a stranger … but it’s where fate has led her. And Jacob understood. She saw it in his eyes, in the tone of his voice, the tremble in his voice. He has been abused, used, just like Katrina, and the strength he had was derived from that. She respected that. Someone who can turn their weaknesses into strengths, their dark past into a bright future, was worthy of trust. He was a man after Katrina’s own heart, and as he turned back to her, a slender finger tucking her long hair behind her ear, the stoic mask was back in place; but that wasn’t a sign of distrust, but the opposite. She had shown her heart, worn her heart on her sleeve like a bracelet, and now it was time for business. And he was trusted enough to know this.

And then he stripped, and her mask cracked for a brief second, showing her surprise as the grey wings unfurled. Out of instinct, she grabbed the hilt of her sword, a reflexive response born from years of danger. But she wasn’t scared, no; just the opposite. She was fascinated, by the wings in general, and the science behind it. How did it work? Were they kept inside his body? Wait, no. Not the point. She shoved her excitement and curiosity deep down, though her eyes still twinkled with repressed inquisition. This was business, not time to sate her personal curiosity. Still, she couldn’t help but give one sarcastic comment. It’s who she was, after all.

”How pretty. What’s your codename, pigeon?”

It wasn’t said mean, just with a sardonic smirk. Still, Katrina had to admit, flying would be a much better way to get around than just running across rooftops, even with her movement abilities. And it could be fun. But how would she cling on? The most efficient way would be for him to carry her, but the thought of that was embarrassing for multiple reasons and she had to fight hard to keep the flush off her cheeks. No, this is what magic for. As suddenly and instantly as the sunrise, gold rings appeared on Katrina. Her neck, wrists, and ankles were encircled with it, with a runic crown in a golden circle spinning in the palms of her hands. The look on her face was one of both excitement and mischievous joy.

”Turn around, Jacob. I can stay. We will head to the docks. There is an … operation there. I will find a way to shroud myself.”

There was a science to emotion and words. Jake had to think that. Otherwise, how else would a person calling him pigeon could make every muscle fiber in his body flex in response. As if the word was a physical attack. But wasn't. And his muscles knew that enough that they calmed, yet remained on guard. Pigeon. That was his nickname. But only to Ann. Only she called him Pigeon, like he called her Spider. It was their thing. Alone. But he couldn't tell Kat that, for she was still a stranger. A dangerous one at that.

"Nah, I don't do code names. At worst, Lucifer or Mutt if you're feeling it." Jake stated, telling both truths and lies in a tone he didn't mean to take, a little hostile, too hostile for his liking. He didn't do code names, not anymore. At some point, when his suit was ruined, and his mask lost, he just forwent the idea of secret identities. They were more a child's want then any help. But when it came to him and Ann. Their thing was simply. Well. Simple.

"Huh? Alight." Jake spoke as he turned around, his tone softer then before, mildly intrigued in the sight that had just betwixt his eyes. He was sure he had seen several gold looking rings grow about the woman, as if becoming a part of her. Odd. Still, was she planning on holding on to him somehow? Of going her own way. It wasn't till she latched to his back, that he realized. She was clinging to him. Jake shook a little, getting use to the feeling, the weight. Not that her weight affected him much, if at all. She was rather small.

With her attached and he ready to go, he made sure his wings didn't have a chance of connecting to her before climbing to the open sky and jumping high into the air, before catching to the wind and using the strength of his wings to lift the two of them into the open night air. His hand was on his shirt which was pressed into his shoulder, he wasn't willing to lose it tonight. He didn't want to be shirtless for the rest of the damned time he'd spend with the woman. He was shirtless enough around other people.

But with that all thought though, Jake began to fly towards the docks. Moving at the speed of a car, wind brushing his hair about, and he wasn't sure how Kat would do, the way she was, but she'd have to handle, for every second they got closer to the docks, and he'd need her to direct him. He was curious about this operation, but he was sure he'd find out more the closer they got. After all. He wanted to know more about this rather evil sounding organization. And Kat seemed like his book for doing so.

The night air was cold on the exposed skin of Katrina, and she shivered. In a typical situation, she would be uncomfortable, clinging so close to a strangers skin. But this was … different, she supposed. He had ripped open a part of her she didn’t know was injured, poured salt in the wound then offered to sew it up. He was different, a wild creature that saw through to the core of her. Both of them were dogs, serving a master they would inevitably bite. It was almost a bonding situation, but not romantic; wrapped in the dull gold and rust red armor of hers, with the streaks of tears still stained on her face, she couldn’t help but feel anything but sorry for herself. Another shiver ran through her body; after the exertion of the previous few minutes, she was freezing.

But she didn’t have time to feel cold; they were nearing the docks, and there a few telltale glimmers that her trained eyes spotted. The typically dark and abandoned docks, a throwback to an earlier era, beamed with energy. It wasn’t firelight, nor any kind of electrical light he would be familiar; a mix of magic and advanced technology, the white light illuminated only a specific area before stopping short, casting the rest of the area in darkness. It was as if it applied to video game logic. Not that Katrina thought of it as such; it was reality to her, the kind of technology that the Silver Hand have. This was normal, average.

And then the sound she’d heard a million times before; a crackling sound, like static on a tv, and then in that second she leaped off him. In the brief second she flashed past his eyes, orange rings circled her wrists and then two balls of energy froze seconds from her. It lasted for only a second, enough time for him to get away, before they disappeared, flashing off into the distance. And still Katrina dived; orange turned to gold, and her mask was pulled up, shrouding her features, shrouding her sin as she was aiming towards the ground again, her companion forgotten. Rage roared in her and she drew her sword the second before she landing, immediately poised with all the grace and power of a roaring tiger.

Bad news; they were Shield. Silver armor were over them, advanced weapons held in their arms, visors on their face; they looked like a mix of Robo-Cop and Ultron. (She had done some reading of pop culture.) These were the Silver Shield, magically augmented, cybernetic, highly trained soldiers. If they were here- she didn’t have time to think about it. She jumped to the side, jumping to the side as they unleashed fire on her position. The rifles they had incinerated teh concrete pier, exposing the water below. Apophis cursed under her breath. She was stronger than any single Shield in straight up fight, but like this- she took a deep breath, and from one of the large pockets she took out her compact bow. With a flick, it expanded, already strung, and then an arrow built similar was fitted to the string. A deep, steadying breath and then the gold rings turned to red.

She stepped out from around cover, the arrow already loosed. It flew with all the force of a ballistic missile, blasting through the first and sending him crashing to the ground and knocking a giant hole in the second before splashing into the water, creating a wave of water that lapped over the pier. She took a deep breath again, losing the air she hadn’t realized she was holding. The bow was held loosely, and then- a muzzle was pressed to the back of her head. Immediately she froze; every single instinct told her to move, but the cold breath on the back of her neck could only come from another member of the Shield. She hadn’t noticed him, hidden by an outcropping of wood nearby, a perfect place to watch. Obvious tactics, and she had missed it, so blinded by rage. Stupid, stupid.. And now she might die unless- she scanned the sky. Could he help her?


By Ala’khir, she hoped he could help her.

There was no easy way to describe flight. Flying in general. When you jump, you're weightless for a few mere seconds, before the weight pulls you back down. Gravity, body, all working together to plant you on the ground. But what Jake did defied that. His wings carried him, having a strength of their own with each flap, how the wind curled around them, pushed and pulling. He had long given up on figuring out how they worked in all the scientific ways he could throw at them. Maybe he'd give it another try, when he worked out the science of the fact they slid into his back as if vanishing, no added fat, muscle or bone. Slid out without taking anything... Yea. Later. After all, the pier was close now. He couldn't be thinking science now.

"Okay..." Jake spoke, eyes scanning about the docks, questions raising into his throat. What would they do, what was their to be worried about. He didn't get the chance, the woman simply jumped from him, diving towards the dock quickly, orange and such colors bouncing off her in such a way he had to worry. What did they do, how could he deal with them in case this turned out bad for him.

Not that he should be worrying about her, floating in place, Jake closed his eyes and turned his red vision on to get a better idea of what was happening. He was surprised that she was already on the offensive when it came to an organization she had just considered herself a slave too mere minutes before. Had he really changed her tune so easily? Or was this normal? Was this... Easy for her? Whatever the case, the bodies she faced, mixed with red and... dark, as if metal was in their body, were focused on her, and not him, not yet, perhaps if the dark was on his side, not ever. It allowed him to get closer, close enough that when the red body he saw sneaked up behind Kat, he was already moving, wasting no time.

Turning off his red vision as he closed in, Jake swooped the solider behind Kat, letting his wings vanish as his hands gripped into the shoulder pads, using his strength and the momentum of his swoop to flip himself and the shield solider over Kat, and in quick succession, he threw the agent at another, before landing in front of the woman he had come here with. Low, eyes forward, hoping his sudden appearance gave some surprise, not expecting it to slow them down, he barely had time to let out a breath before he shot forwards at a high speed. He wasn't a blur, anyone could follow him, but he was faster then most would expect, catching the ground with his hands, Jake performed a front walkover into one guard, feet bringing the shield solider down as the boy followed though, standing on the solider for a mere second before pouncing towards the next. He had seen what their weapons did to concrete, he was very sure one hit would badly bruise his normally hard skin, hell, he was sure it'd cut into the skin.

So he stayed quick, jumping low and kicking off soldiers and anything to get to the next one. He was a gymnastic athlete, and he was showing why with each move, turned from a sport into combat, showing this was not his first fight with the ease he was able to use his acrobatic prowess in combat. Only the boy had an advantage. He had a assassin. Any armored unit he couldn't reach, passed by, missed, he hoped Kat was dealing with.

He had to hope. He'd suffer otherwise.