More Human Than Human (Open)

North Side of Chicago, Chicago Illinois-

The sounds of bass and electric guitar drifted across the dark apartment, riding the rooms cold air, as unsteady hands tightly gripped a spoon held over the flame of butane lighter. This was a common scene in these parts of Chicago, where the neighborhoods were hit particularly hard by the crack, heroin, and more recently prescription drug abuse epidemics. What was uncommon about this scene however was the fact the butane lighter was suspended in mid-air by the woman shakily holding the spoon. The woman appeared young, no more then 28, and was certainly a head turner, even though she looked sick, shaking and groaning. However nothing would lead you to believe she was a "Meta" as those with unexplained supernatural powers had come to be called.

The young woman's apartment matched her appearance, full of potential, as well as uniqueness, but dark and disorganized. The curtains were drawn, though some sunlight crept in from under them, aiding the lighter in dimly illuminating the dark room. What little light their was made it clear this room hadn't been cleaned in weeks, but also revealed a collection of military medals, awards, and citations from nearly every conflict the United States had been involved in since WW-2. Dusty black and white pictures were hung on the walls, some weren't visible through all the dust, but others were snapshots into a bygone era. Snapshots which most amazingly all held the image of the girl sitting on the couch, looking as if she hadn't aged a day, despite some of the photo's being almost seventy years old.

For all of the oddities this apartment held, it was also clearly the apartment of a drug addict. A drug addict whose only moments of peace was currently coagulating inside of the spoon she was holding above the flame. For now however her gaze was fixed at the blank wall in front of her, which seemed to captivate her like a good book, drawing in all of her attention. Though she was looking at a blank wall it was clear her mind was racing, but where? Wherever her mind had wandered it was most certainly the reason she was melting down opiates to load her syringe with this early in the morning.

A glass of milk levitated towards the girls mouth, which she took, taking her hands off the spoon which now was hovering suspended in the air.The girl took a long sip of the glass of milk, her gaze still fixed towards the far corner of the room, where some distant nightmare from the past replayed itself. Floating past the glass of milk and towards the spoon was a small syringe, a tourniquet floating behind it and landing on the girls lap.

As the pace of the music picked up so did the young woman's nightmare. Inside her mind could be heard the sounds of screams, gun and artillery fire, the sounds of planes, and the rumble of tanks. A war was raging within the young woman's mind, which was only fitting she'd only begun this war in her mind when she ended nearly seven decades on battlefields throughout the world. Though she was at peace for over a decade, Erica Von Manstein AKA "Wraith Renegade" had found no peace. Her incredibly long life now seeming more like bondage then a gift, which she would trade anyone for anything. Erica's Meta-Gene was like drinking from the legendary fountain of youth, which captivated the hearts of mortal men for centuries. Only Erica knew firsthand man was never meant to be immortal, her body literally acting as a prison for her old soul.

Deep in the recesses of her mind a bomb exploded loudly, as Erica was sure the building was shaking. Their was another explosion, this one being the feeling of a euphoric rush as she dammed that river. Then slowly closed her eyes as momentary relief from the violence within her mind came over her once more.

(5 Hours Later)

Club Mardis Gras, North Side of Chicago, Chicago Illinois-

The alternative musicfilled the air with a sound you could almost reach out and touch as Erica Von Manstein athletically hung upside down and spun clockwise from the top of a stripper pole. Several dozen men were gathered around the stage placing dollar bills all over the black stage. They hooted, they hollered, they yelled compliments and obscenities at Erica, who seemed to high to keep her eyes open, much less comprehend what these men were saying. They were a collection of gang bangers, mobsters, and local toughs and scumbags, most of whom packed Club Mardis Gras on a nightly basis.

If war was hell, this was most certainly limbo, which Erica feared more then death. Death was comfortable, death was warm, death was welcome. This she knew firsthand, as she'd tried to take her life a month ago, only to hear the sound of the round being fired, feel the impact, and have little more to show for it then a sore jaw and a migraine. She felt she didn't belong in this world anymore. An automated, digital world, which she saw be built at the time the "Great Generation" was put out to pasture. Though she retained her beauty, her mind felt wary, as she'd seen humanity figuratively evolve but not change and Meta's literally evolve but retain many of humanities greedy desires.

Ironically in this moment when Erica never felt any older, a well dressed and groomed mobster yelled "Show us that nice young ass!". Erica tuned him out as she simply vibed to the music, suspended upside down by her powerful legs. The cares of this world having left Erica for the last twenty minutes after she'd shot up in the changing room. It simply got her through dealing with these assholes without killing them with her bare hands. What choice did she have? She needed money and knew she was finished ever working for the government again.

A freezing cold breeze blew against Erica's exposed skin, instantly giving her goosebumps. Her natural reaction would have been to cross her arms, but this was impossible as she was using them for her move. After a few moments of continuous cold Erica grew angry, so she flipped down to the stage like a gymnast, to head for the dressing room and warmth. She didn't care that her set wasn't up, she didn't care about anything anymore.

Curiosity got the best of her however, so she looked towards the doorway to see a figure standing in the shadows, the cold wind of Chicago whipping behind them. All the men around the stage starred at this mysterious figure to, though most of them seemed to have some sort of idea who it was. By their motions and emotions Erica could tell pretty quick there was about to be a dust up. Though to her it was all the same, as the club could fall into Lake Michigan so long as she got her money. It had been a long time since she'd involved herself in the world of hero's and villains..... Why get involved now?

(Feel free to have a hero, a villain, or any combo or number of them join in to take on the clubs patrons. Maybe we'll all get along? Brawl? Or have some sort of tag team? Open for anything in this little introduction!)

The wind roared as the trio walked into the club. Everyone seemed to be staring at them which wasn't without reason. In the underground world Yumo, known as Blood Weaver, Helia, known as Illianis, and Eeli, known as Creator, have been rising in popularity. The people around them were so bent on killing them that the trio dared not come to a place like the one their in now without their uniform. This was a club and they didn't really have anything else to do so they decided to come here. They were getting all kinds of glares from the people around them but they really didn't care because if the guys wanted to fight they would've picked one when they entered the establishment.

--

Helia was wearing her signature hero suit as she walked in. A thin fog covered the floor as she stepped in with her glistening black combat boots. She strode in the club with a thick swish in her hip with every step as the beat to the music rushed into her veins. She could feel every string of music played as she walked closer and closer to a nearby speaker. When she finally passed she was partially sweating from the rush she got while listening to the music.

Her red hair swayed behind her as some stuck to her now shining brown skin. The fog seemed to whisper with the song as it rose from the ground and slipped onto a stage where a nearby girl was walking away. She stopped and looked at the three as they walked in with a sudden chilling atmosphere about them. They came here to have fun but the air around them made it obvious that they were ready to fight at any point during the time they were here.

--

Eeli looked around as his kimono shirt top blew up showing the thin bandages that wrapped just under his waist and down to the middle of his thighs. All that remained were a pair of thick leg warmers that hooked onto his shoes at the bottom. His white hair stuck in place as he walked with a slight shyness about him. His skin glowed from the bouncing lights around the clubs as the music boomed in his ears.

"Can't we get some slow grind music....or some sex music." He said with a slight whine then he began to head to the nearby Dj booth to ask for a change of song.

As he did so several people stared at him. It was as if Eeli was a helpless little girl in their eyes. They just stared at him then began to crowd him slowly as he asked the dj to change the song. After talking to the guy for a couple of minutes on his choice of songs he went to the side of helia. People stopped following him and now began to watch him from afar. He looked her then looked around as her fog crawled up his body as it crept up the stage.

--

Yumo walked in with an air of violence around him. His orange eyes scanned the room for any takers in a fight and they set on some drunk men down by helia. He smirked then began to walk to the unknowing crew of people. The drums in the song playing fit the violent interaction yumo was thinking of. He licked his lips as the fog that rose clutched onto his skin.

"Hmmmmm maybe I'll change my pace on the night." He whispered to himself as he rolled a piece of his hair in between his fingers.


His white hair blended with the misty fog until the red swayed like a hidden animal in water. His black jacket began to fall showing his chest height long sleeved shirt. His black Khaki pants clanked as chains swung freely from the belt loops. A pair of black and red high tops completed his clothes as he walked next to Helia. He looked at her then at the girl she was looking at.

(Sex music? Change by Deftones is the epitomy of "Sex music" lol. Gets the panties dropping!)

As Erica Von Manstein departed the stage at Club Mardis Gras she turned her head to main entrance, quickly noticing one shadowy figure had turned into three. She didn't recognize any of them as they stepped into the club from the cold darkness of a winters night in Chicago, though it was clear the mobsters, gangsters, dirty cops, and other low lives in Club Mardis Gras had a pretty good idea who they were. From their getup's it was clear they were some sort of group of hero's, villain's, or vigilantes. Whatever they were, they were certainly Meta's, even though none of them appeared old enough to drink. It seemed they all getting younger these days.... That or Erica was simply getting older, despite the fact she hardly looked as if she'd aged more then a few years in the last fifty. Something upper class house wives pay tens of thousands of dollars to try to achieve, but what seemed like a prison sentence to her.

Erica reached into the side pocket of her getup, producing a stack of bills she'd earned from her set. She fingered through the money, counting silently in her head as she made her way to the dressing room. Ten.... twenty.... thirty.... forty... fifty... sixty.... seventy... seventy three... Not bad for ten minutes.. She thought to herself as she put the money back into her pocket. As she was about to enter the dressing room she glanced towards the three various Meta's who seemed to be causing a stir. Each Meta had broken off from the rest, moving to different parts of the relatively busy club, which was somewhere between a dive and a gentlemen's club. Each Meta was also walking around like they owned the place, which was a recipe for trouble at a club that was a front for the mob. Regardless of this their attitude annoyed Erica, who knew she was "Tough" but felt little need to advertise it.

Pushing the swing doors inward Erica entered the always chaotic dressing room, because as annoyed as she could be, she had little real vested interest Club Mardis Gras other then seeing to it she earned enough afford her growing Morphine addiction. An addiction which was becoming increasingly expensive, though luckily for Erica her lack of a social or home life meant she was free to spend whatever she made on trying to erase the memories of the past. For now Erica was more concerned with getting out of her skimpy lace costume and dressed in her warm winter clothes. It was far from closing time, but Erica made several hundred dollars, more then enough to get her through until she had to show up tomorrow.

Ten minutes later Erica was ready to leave, wearing black tactical boots which she always wore, tight blue jeans, a black Guns N' Roses t-shirt, and a black hoaded zip up, which she left open. She looked like the typical mid-twenty something year old woman, though she was so much different then one of her typical opposites in more ways then one. A fact Erica was all to familiar with, for as she was changing the dressing room was in its typical chaos, with nearly a dozen girls coming and going. Some changed their outfits, some fixed their hair others chatted about particularly disgusting customers, while others did lines off the long counter top which sat below the large mirror in the center of the dressing room. They all talked among themselves, yet not a single one said anything to her as she grabbed her small gym bag and headed for the door. Erica hardly cared about this however, as she'd isolated herself from anyone and everything she could over the last decade when her life truly turned to shit.

Erica's mother had always called her the "Apple of my eye", well it seemed at ninety two that apple was rotting. She wanted nothing more then to crawl into the dark and fade away, yet more and more she was feeling like her life was simply a cut that never healed. Being mortal was one of the attributes that defined humanity, and if she was immortal, or close to it.... What did that make her? Something more human? Or something less human? Erica was far from religious, yet more and more she found herself praying that her life was just a dream. One that she'd wake from decades in past..... Her prayers were totally unanswered.

As she exited the dressing room things in Club Mardis Gras seemed more of the same, as a room full of unsavory characters carefully eyeballed the three young Meta's who'd recently entered. The three Meta's all had an air of arrogance about them that was common in Meta's, one Erica recognized in herself, albeit a younger self. The girl onstage was dancing, yet no one seemed to be paying attention, as the gazes of nearly everyone was fixed on the three Meta's. If the blasting music went silent you'd likely be able to hear a pin drop, as the situation was most certainly tense. Why not make it a little more tense? Erica thought to herself as she shrugged and headed over to the female Meta who'd she'd caught glancing at her earlier.

When she came up to the girl Erica casually said "Hey are you guys old enough to be in here?" with a hint annoyance in her voice. Before the female Meta could respond Erica said "Because if you're not, you and your friends are certainly causing a whole lot of problems thinking you're hot shit when you shouldn't even be in here.". With that several burly bouncers lumbered over, the closest to the female Meta outstretching his hand and saying "ID". As much as Erica could care less about Club Mardis Gras, she'd never lost her love of calling out people who stuck their chests out high. That was something that hadn't died with time, morphine, or apathy....

Helia looked at the girl then scoffed with a tint of anger. That's when multiple bouncers surrounded the trio and tried to get them to show ID. Helia looked at the bouncers and shrugged.

"Can't be helped." said then she nodded at Yumo and Eeli who just shrugged and cracked their knuckles.

Helia snapped her fingers and tendrils of fog grabbed multiple bouncers and threw them across the room. Helia stepped onto a stage in the middle of the room and began to dance around the pole as the song Change by Deftones began to rip through the speakers. The fog wrapped around her like a major groupie as it protected her from the bouncers trying to get to her.

Eeli kicked his foot out in front of him sending the guy in front of him flying into the bar. He then pulled a whip from thin air and began to beat each of the bouncers that tried to get him. He twisted all around them as the song stated playing. Using their own weight and power he slowly beat all of them as if it was no problem, cracking the whip when he was done giving him a straight lane to the bar where he sat on the counter and swayed to the song.

Yumo pushed his arms out and blood spilled out and latched onto all of the people in front of him. He spun on his hands and caused all the guards to fly across the floor where he one by one beat the snot out of all of them. He got up and began to walk to the bar slowly as the music invaded his body.

(Assuming since it's 3 vs 1 I can engage each of your characters once in a turn? Otherwise things would be kind of pointless.)

When the female Meta said "Can't be helped.", Erica smiled and said "I was so hoping you'd say that....." as several more bouncers pulled up alongside her and the two male Meta's shrugged and cracked their knuckles. It seemed there was about to be a fight, something the bouncers, mobsters, and likely these Meta's all expected. What the bouncers didn't expect however was the fact that Erica, who they knew to be nearly silent, keeping to herself for almost all of her shifts was in the middle of it. She was obviously confident, which was perhaps the only reason they didn't move her towards cover. They figured she'd been in fights before, that much was evident, but they didn't know the half of it.

As the female Meta snapped her fingers the fight was on, and the three Meta's came out swinging. Erica quickly identified their powers as the bouncers bore the initial brunt of the Meta's various attacks. It seemed the female created some sort of mist which protected her, as well as acted as an offensive weapon. She supposed one of the males powers was being able to manifest objects, as that whip had appeared from nowhere. The other male seemed to be able to do something with blood, though she wasn't quite sure if this was an organic power, or if he'd been carrying the blood as a weapon.

Bouncers flew across the room from the various attacks, as the gangsters, mobsters, dirty cops, and anyone who was packing heat drew their weapons and began firing their handguns at the teenage Meta's. Each teenage Meta danced to the music, seemingly thinking they were in for a good time. This club was a front for the mob, but the mobsters weren't what these young Meta's needed to fear. What they needed to fear was in the middle of the room, calmly taking in the situation, analyzing her best plan of attack. The numbing effects of the morphine which Erica shot into her veins an hour earlier abating as her adrenaline kicked in. Erica seen and lived through a lifetime of war, but it had been over a decade since she'd used her powers in anger. She was about to find that it was just like riding a bike... You never really forget....

Erica first chose to attack the male with the whip, who was ridiculously cracking the whip he'd manifested, swaying to the music. Using her psychokinetic powers, Erica outstretched her arms towards the blood which the other male Meta had spilled out and lifted the liquid into the air. With a quick movement of her arms towards the male Meta with the whip, the blood flew across the room with great speed towards the male Meta with the whatever. Whatever harmful effects the blood had about to be used against him.

Erica then engaged the other male, lofting a table into the air with a wave of her hands, then sending it flying towards him with a rush of her arms. As she did this Erica noticed many of the other dancers, even some of the bouncers and gangsters gaze was fixed on her, as the "Girl" they'd more or less known for the past few years had suddenly revealed herself to be a Meta. Erica figured her time at Club Mardis Gras (Or whatever was going to be left of it) was about to be at an end, as Chicago mob boss and owner of the club Pasquale Genovesi was said to hate Meta's down to his core. Ironically enough his clubs best chance for survival was in the hands of one of these Meta's that he despised so much...

Erica then acted against the female Meta. The fog around her protected her as she danced around the stripper pole, but it didn't protect the top of the pole some fifteen feet from the base of the stage. With a downward motion Erica sent the pole crashing down as the female Meta was giving what Erica considered a poor performance on an amateur night. Wasn't exactly a kill move, but it certainly showed the female Meta that she and her friends that they weren't the only ones with unnatural gifts.

(That's what I was hoping you would do so it's all good.)


Helia was having a riot as she swung around the pole playfully dodging the people trying to touch and harm her.  Her feet connected with one thugs face just as the pole snapped.  Her fog rushed to her aid and created a slide which she fell down.  When she touched the floor with her head she rolled onto her hands and wheeled herself onto her feet.  Helia then looked at the girl from earlier whom she noticed leaving the stage.

"Nerfram cage of the damned." She called and the fog let out a low hum and entrapped most of the thugs and cops in the building.


With one full swung of her arms together the cages collided with one another knocking everyone in it out.  Now the room was quiet as the Dj ran away with his laptop which held all the music. Helia watched him leave then casually walked over to the door and shut it then locked it when she looked to make sure nobody was coming.

"Okay Nerfram calm down." She said with a slight sigh.

The fog hummed then all the cages were gone and the people were pilled onto the floor in a nearby corner.

"Got anything else you wanna throw at us or do you wanna actually talk about this?"  Helia asked with a slight tone of instigation.

She wanted the girl to fight her she needed a good cat fight, fighting a bunch of guys all day was just boring because most did the same thing but fighting a girl, that was a whole different ball game.  However if the girl chose to talk rather than fight then she was going to talk.
---

Eeli was swinging his whip when he noticed something lift out of the corner of his eyes.  He turned to see blood flying towards him.  He kicked off the bar table and using his immense speed appeared on the other side of the club next to yumo who without looking at who it was swung at him.  Eeli ducked and tripped him up before he could fight back.

"Really man, Really."  Eeli said as helia went to go lock the front door.

The Dj was gone so it was quiet now in the bar except for the whimpers and cries of the people who worked here.  Eeli walked over to them and grabbed one of the girls hands gently.

"Sorry bout the mess we really did only come here to have fun, you know how it is at those good guy clubs and parties don't you...or you've at least heard about the legendary boredom that you receive as a gift for attending?"  Eeli asked sweetly to a young blonde girl sporting a curly ponytail and a maid's outfit.

He then backed off so that the girls and guy could calm down and he walked up next to helia.

"So who's the lady?"  He asked helia who just shrugged at his response.

---

Yumo was kicking guys left and right.  Bullets were hitting him but bouncing off, knives were breaking in two along with the arms of the people using them.  Yumo looked as the people constantly fell to the floor at his overwhelming strength.  He turned around to hit another guy and was met with a table.  The table hit him and almost knocked him off his feet, but he quickly moved his feet to balance the weight out then he began to swing the table around like it was nothing more than a simple feather.

"Thanks!"  He yelled into the air.

He didn't know who did it but whoever did probably knows now what they've done.  As yumo was about to send around five guys flying though someone hit him blindly and broke through the table.  He turned quickly and began to swing but he missed and was met with white hair just below his eye sight.  He then fell to the floor and was now looking at Eeli who was shaking his head in shock.

"My bad."  Yumo said then pulled himself up and laughed a little.

Before yumo could think about what to do next all the people that were around him were gone. He looked to see them being piled in a corner.

"Mann there goes my fun for the night."  Yumo whined as he walked over to helia.

(Great post!)

One by one the Bouncers, gang members, mobsters, and anyone else standing up to the three Meta's were either incapacitated or running scared, leaving only the three young Meta's, Erica, and a few scared dancers as the only people left conscious on the clubs floor. Looking around at the destruction Erica chuckled and said "Wow... You guys really know how to kill a party..", as she surveyed the room. Sighing she continued and said "Well looks like I'm out of a paycheck for the foreseeable future.". Erica's attention then focused on the three Meta's who'd started all of this, as the female said ""Got anything else you wanna throw at us or do you wanna actually talk about this?". Meanwhile her male companions seemed to joke around, talking to the other girls, one asking "So who's the lady?", and all the while staying very loose, even as the sounds of sirens crept ominously closer.

Erica pondered the female Meta's offer.... She was outnumbered 3:1, she hadn't fought anyone remotely close to her skill level in over a decade, she was a drug addict and far from her peak condition, so she knew she should see to reason and attempt to talk this out, but she was who she was. It was also partially that Erica needed the release that violence afforded, as she often turned to destroying herself when destroying someone else wasn't an option, despite the fact most of her issues were because she'd lead such a violent life. By now Erica was bonded to violence, shaped by it, long before these Meta's were even conceived. Still she knew her odds weren't good 3:1, she needed to even them somehow....

Suddenly it came to her, Erica focused on the female Meta and said "Alright smokey... How about you fight me without these two.... That is if you're not afraid to take me on... One on one that is... You have skill! But your pride is the only thing holding you back.". Erica readied herself from an attack from all three, though she hoped the female Meta would take her up on her challenge. She knew the guys wouldn't complain... Erica knew teenage boys, Meta or not well enough to know they'd watch a good cat fight without jumping in if they had the opportunity to.

As Erica waited for an attack, several of the other dancers moved to escape the club floor, rushing for the dressing room. Most were in shock, shock of the massive amount of destruction that had ripped through the Mardis Gras Club, and shock that they'd been working alongside a powerful Meta. All the while they clung to their money, clothing, and handbags, as they tried to either head out the backdoor, or wait in the dressing room until the Chicago PD arrived. Which by the sound of the fast approaching sirens wasn't long off, which would no doubt complicate the situation greatly when they arrived.

(Thanks and same to you)


At first helia thought the girl was going to agree and just talk about it but then the girl called her out.  Eeli and Yumo knew well enough that once a one on one fight was called it was best to stay out of it unless they felt like being part of her onslaught of attacks.  Helia looked at the door and noticed flashing lights barley noticeable and also In the near distance there was the sound of sirens.  Helia cracked her knuckles and smiled.

"We gotta make this quick since the cops are coming, but lets not go easy okay, I know I look girly but trust I bite is worse than my bark."  Helia said then her fog wrapped around her waist and pushed her forward.

When her fog let her go she spun onto the ground landing on her hands, and swung her leg in a wide sweep.  She aimed the hit at the ladies head and was backed by the speed given to her by her fog.

--
Eeli and yumo were posted up at a nearby table that had yet to be overturned.  They pulled out a stack of cards and began to play a game of gold fish out of boredom as they watched the fight begin.

The female Meta seemed to agree to Erica's challenge, saying "We gotta make this quick since the cops are coming, but lets not go easy okay, I know I look girly but trust I bite is worse than my bark." . Erica chuckled to herself, stepping forward and saying "I certainly hope it is! Well the cops be occupied processing everyone who's escaped the club for the next few moments... That should give us enough time to see what exactly you are or aren't made of.".. Erica spoke with confidence, the confidence of someone who'd clearly seen her share of fighting, even though this was her first what seemed like even fight in a decade. In fact that's what perhaps what was most appealing about all of this to her.... A challenge!

It was Erica's adversary who struck first, using her command of this strange fog to propel her forward, as she executed a high leg sweep aiming for Erica's head. Erica dodged it, though much slower and closer then she'd have liked. It was clear inactivity and abuse over the last years had slowed her from where she was in her peak shape. Still she'd managed to avoid the first attack, though she was somewhat off balance.

Quickly Erica regain her balance and began her counterattack, using her telekinetic powers to hurl a pool table the female Meta's way. As the table sped across the room towards Erica's opposite, she kicked toward the Meta's center mass, hoping to catch her off guard.

Helia missed her shot but she noticed that the girl had to balance herself afterwards before she attacked again. Helia jumped onto her feet and was about to swing her fists at the lady but she was met with a kick in her stomach. Helia was thrown off her feet and fell in the way of an incoming pool table. She looked at the pool table with shock for a second before her fog rushed between them and formed a wall of giant spikes; skewering the pool table like swiss cheese.

"Your a little rusty don't you think." Helia said as she stood up.

Although the hit startled her it wasn't that hard so she was able to jump back up. She brushed her arms off and began to run towards the girl. She jumped into the air and was flung her fog towards her target. She was holding her form of a midair split, causing herself to look somewhat similar to a line. She held her right leg close to her chest as her left leg was aimed at the lady. If her front foot missed she would make sure she was hit by her second foot, and if her first hit made contact then her second hit would by like someone preparing for a VERY hard kick to a kickball which she hoped would send this woman into a spiral.

The female Meta Erica had been battling fell to the ground from Erica's kick to the chest, but the "Knockout" she was going for with the pool table missed. The meta using the mysterious fog she had mastery of to cut the heavy, solid pool table into little pieces. With that the female Meta tried to goad Erica, saying "Your a little rusty don't you think." as she regained her footing. Erica knew the Meta was right, she was a long way away from where she use to be, but she wasn't about to let this teenager think she had anything over her. Laughing, Erica said "I am rusty... That's most certainly why you're still standing...", as she readied herself for the Meta's next attack.

She didn't have to wait long, the female Meta unleashing a combination of kicks towards Erica's head. Erica's reactions were slowed from the Morphine coursing through her veins, a decade without a worthy opponent, and inactivity. Slow on picking up the other Meta's attack, the female Meta's first kick landed, sending Erica reeling backwards, but the second kick was blocked by a broken board which Erica used her telekinetic powers to send across the room to block for her. Erica stumbled backwards from the kick, regaining her footing after a few moments and spitting out blood from a split lip which quickly healed thanks to Erica's awesome durability.

Meanwhile the sound of sirens, shouting, and other obvious signs of heavy police activity were right outside the door of the club. Erica turned from her opponent and could clearly see the reflection of the Chicago PD's squad cars lights through the tinted glass windows of Club Mardis Gras. It was then that she came to the realization she needed to get out of here, as she certainly didn't want the police knowing anything about her powers. So she turned back to her female opposite and said "Well.... I suppose we should all work together to get the hell out of here. Unless we want half the army here in a half an hour. Any ideas hot shot??" Erica sounding somewhat friendlier.

Helia watched the girl and laughed in amusement as she asked for help.  Helia looked at Yumo and shrugged as he stared at her.  He bit his bottom lip and stood up.

"I didn't here a no."  He said then he was gone out of the side of the building.

"We should probably go while we can."  Eeli said grabbing the lady's hand as he ran to the back door.

Helia was right behind them and behind her was the sound of explosions and bullets firing to no avail against the dreaded demon Blood Weaver.  Helia closed the door quietly and began walking casually down the alley.

Erica nodded as Eeli said "We should probably go while we can." , took her hand, then preceded to make a run for the backdoor. As they ran, Erica pushed the door open with a wave of her hand, her telekinetic abilities doing the rest as the door swung open. As the door to the rear alleyway opened, it was clear the police were right outside, the wail of sirens filling Club Mardis Gras. The sirens also making it evident that the Chicago PD were at the front entrance to the club, paying no mind the the rear entrance, for at least the moment... Erica knew that would change once backup arrived and the Chicago PD tried to set up a tight perimeter around Club Mardis Gras.

As Eeli, Helia, and Christine raced into the alley, the sounds of explosions, guns firing, and radio's blasting filled the air near the front entrance as Blood Weaver set about destroying their front perimeter. Hopefully it was just the kind of distraction they needed to get off without any hitch, as Erica now surprisingly allied with the people she started off the night by fighting. Erica had no real allegiance to Club Mardis Gras other then a paycheck, part of her was even happy to see the place burn, which made it easy for Erica to team up with these three Meta's.

As the three raced down the small, dank alleyway, which reeked of week old trash, rat droppings, and putrid water, the unmistakable roar of helicopters rotors came into earshot. Next the three were illuminated by a powerful searchlight from the Chicao PD Kiowa Warrior, which hovered near a hundred feet, directly over the three Meta's. From a booming megaphone aboard the aircraft the pilot said "Stay where you are with your hands in the air... Fallure to comply will lead to us engaging you...". The pilot repeated the message as he steered the helicopter to the side of the alleyway, which gave the S.W.A.T Team sniper a clear shot at the three Meta's trying to escape the melee at Club Mardis Gras.

Slowly Erica raised her hands, careful to not appear as if she was doing anything other then complying with the pilots demands. She turned to the other two Meta's and said "Do as he says.... Trust me...". A moment later Erica flicked her wrists, causing the Helicopter to spin wildly to the side. She then said to Eeli "Run! I'll catch up when I'm done here.". As the others came to a decision of what to do, Erica struggled with holding the helicopter steady, as it had been quite some time since she'd levitated an object quite this heavy, especially one that was a forceful as a helicopter! Still Erica's powers were to great for the helicopter, which she set down on a nearby rooftop. Before she ran to rejoin Helia and Eeli, Erica made sure she used her powers to rip the blades off the helicopter, rendering it useless to the Chicao PD.

At first Eeli and Helia were skeptical about doing as this man in the chopper said...they could have easily destroyed the flying annoyance but they decided to let this women take the lead. Suddenly as the lady put her hands up though the copter went wild. In the distance there was a sniper but all Helia and eeli saw before they took off down the alley next to them was him falling. They stopped a good ways down the alley and decided to wait for the lady.....Yumo would be there soon so it was only a matter of time before they had to really disappear.

"So what's your name?" Helia asked when the girl caught up to them.

--

Yumo crushed a good fifty squad cars with ease as the cops ran running. They were shooting him with bullets but the bullets basically blew out in a puff of smoke as he tipped all of the cars over. Suddenly several lights were on him and the roar of helicopter wings filled his ears. He covered his eyes and looked up to the shining birds in the sky. They were yelling at him to stop but all he heard was the last word they said, which was boy. He swung his arms and blood rushed out in waves, and they sliced through all the helicopters with ease.

He then began to run towards helia and Eeli along with that new chick. He jumped atop some buildings in time to see a helicopter get snatched down. He then saw a little ways away a cop ready to take off the heads of who he assumed to be his friends. He pushed his hand forward and a large sphere of blood rushed towards the guard exploding on him like a solid rock. He fell off the roof of the building and onto the ground hard.

Yumo then jumped down the alley way as everyone seemed to be regrouping.

"We should be good for another like 45 min, but then we have to scatter like ants."

Erica finished with the Chicago PD Helicopter, then turned and quickly jogged to where the other Meta's were waiting for her. When Erica caught up with Eelia and Helia, Helia said "So what's your name?". Erica was ready to quickly respond with "Erica", as it was the name her parents had given to her when she was born in Bavaria during the rise of the Nazi's. However as she thought about what her "Real" name was, she realized that try as she might, much of what made her "Erica" had faded a long time ago. What the Nazi's, the US Government, every battlefield, sweaty hell hole, and apocalyptic nightmare they'd sent her to had turned her into something else.... A killer most certainly... But also A wraith.... A renegade.... What made Erica, Erica died alongside her innocence when she was recruited by the Nazi's.

Erica turned towards Helia and slowly said "I'm Wraith.... Wraith Renegade... And you are? Something tells me you aren't from around here.". The words leaving her lips slowly, as if she was just remembering them herself. It had been a long time since she had gone by that name. A name which she'd practically run to Chicago to forget. It was the reason why she injected opiates in her arm, the reason why she tossed and turned at night, and the reason why she'd severed all links to her past. She hated Wraith Renegade.... She hated the violence, the misery, and the pain. Yet part of her craved it.... And there was no denying she was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. This night serving as another perfect example of that.

As Helia responded to Erica, Yumo came bounding down the alleyway, having drawn most of the police off of the other Meta's. As he raced to rejoin his compatriots, he slipped off the roof of the building, landing hard on the concrete below. Erica chuckled at this, saying "Smooth...." playfully, as Yumo dusted himself off and said "We should be good for another like 45 min, but then we have to scatter like ants.". Erica nodded and said "By that time half the fucking Army is going to be after us....".

As the others all spoke amongst themselves Erica reached into her jacket and fumbled around for a cigarette. After a moment her hand emerged holding a white Camel Light and a black lighter. Erica cupped her hands to protect the flame from the cold, windy Chicago night air and said "Well..... I guess I'll be seeing you around?". She wasn't much for pleasantries anymore, decades of "Politeness" seeming like far to many for Erica, as she'd grown tired of the daily monotony of life. Before the others could respond Erica had already turned to walk down the alley, where she'd reach a main street, and eventually reach her tiny, dank apartment, where she'd try and kill yet another memory of wanton destruction she'd caused.