18 Chapter Eighteen: Rescue Mission

Looking in the mirror, Anne brushed her hair aside, 'I like these new suits you designed,' she said ever so kindly.

Looking at her suit, she was pulling forward her white shirt that had a bloody rose on it. Letting go of it, she pat her skirt, more red than an apple. Pulling on her red arm mittens, she tightened her black boots and pulled up her leggings some more. Turning around to face me, the chain attached to Anne's waste hits her side, 'I like the punk style, seeing as we won't be your typical heros,' she straightened her half-mask.

'Well, it makes it harder to be recognized,' I playfully tossed out my hand, wrapped in a fingerless leather glove, as well as the other. Shifting my hands to be on my sides, letting the breeze hit my bare arms since I wore a black sweater with torn off sleeves. With a scarf wrapped around my neck, black cargo pants with a chain slipping out, and like Anne, I was wearing black boots as well. Pushing my messy hair back, I walked towards the open window.

'We've been staking them out for days, it has to be were they're holding Yui and Mio's mother,' Anne moved aside me.

'Yeah, I agree,' as we stood their, sirens could be heard off in the distance from where we were. Though outside the room was dark, Anne and I had one light inside out of view.

In an non vacant apartment building, we had used it to stalk the men below us. Never taking off their mask, they all wore white mask and black suits. Each lacky wore a mask with a number, and either spades, clovers, hearts, or diamonds, as in the cards. Those of higher ranking had king or queens.

Occasionally, men would come in and out without mask, but rather they carried briefcases. From what we theorized, not only did these men had Yui and Mio's parents, but they dealt out some sort of product and worked with those who plan on heros downfall.

'We move in the shadows, use the snow as cover, and if you're seen, alert the other.'

'Yeah,' Anne but her lower lip.

Going towards the window, I stood on the windowsill, 'Let's get to it.'

'Wait,' Anne grabbed the back of my sweater.

'Anne?'

'Remember my parents will?'

'Yeah?'

'After this mission, can I talk to you about it?'

Looking at patrols going by, I looked back at Anne, 'Sure thing,' climbing out the window, I made my way to the roof. Looking down, I watched Anne leap out and disappear into the snow below.

Activating my ability, now instead of unsheathing a sword, my eyes glow a soft dark red. Anne's eyes glow a soft green.

Looking at the power lines, I encased my body with my my power, climbing up onto the lines, insulating myself and avoiding being shocked.

The wind begun to pick up, blowing hard against me, causing my hair to crazily fly upwards. Although I had insulated my body from being shocked, the cold still reached it's way to me, not as bad as it could be: nonetheless, the cold was still freezing to my sleeveless perplextion.

Looking down, I was suspended on the line above the courtyard between the "abondand" facility and were the fence was. Below, patrols made their runs and I saw her.

Anne had blended in with the snow. With just one guard remaining, Anne quickly vaulted out the snow, hit him in the neck with a precise chop, buried him underneath the snow, and then she went through the door onto the facility.

From atop, I continued along the power line until I was above the roof. If it were during the day, I would've been seen. Since we were using the cover of darkness, I was able to hop down and subdue the gaurd I landed behind. Wrapping my arm around his neck and other wrapped on his head, he couldn't scream as I choked him out. Going limp, I dragged his body behind a vent. Pulling out my phone, Anne texted me.

"Two below."

Going to the glass roof, it was dark inside. Drawing my power from covering my body to my eyes, I gained enhance vision and saw many gaurds below. From what I assumed, their mask had built in nightvision. Opening the glass roof, I dropped onto of the two guards, taking them out in one swift blow.

Lookimg below, I saw Anne scurry behind a group of crates. Watching her, she pulled over a guard opposite of her, and snapped his neck. She then proceeded to slip on his mask.

Doing the same, I took a mask from one of the unconscious man below me, diverting the flow of my power to my fist.

For reference, Anne and I call put given champion powers, "Divertion." With it, we can divert increased amount of force to whatever we wish, or balance it out like I did earlier to insulate myself. Not only that, but we can make it into a physical object of our design, such as my sword or Anne's staff. We were originally only able to use the small part of our power due to our previous successors limiting us, testing us. Now, we've been accepted, trained with Divertion, and here we are.

Taking out all the guards inside the compound, we headed towards a room with a closed door. Walking past many cargo units, we reached the door. Opening it, we saw a woman bond to the chair. Seeing no traps we approached her.

'Anne, door.'

Anne stayed at the door to keep watch.

Closing my distance, I angled myself to the woman's ear, 'Yui and Mio.'

'My daughters....why must you hurt them, I've told you everything....please, just let them be,' the woman began to sob.

'No no miss, we're there allies. We've came to save you, but what did you mean you told them everything?'

'I'm the hero, Ruby.'

'Oh no....'

'I told them where to find my friends, comrades, the kids, everything. I told them how to get in, what to expect, who to deal with first.....,' Miss Ruby had a blindfold on, yet she looked at where I stood, 'All for my girls!'

'Shhhhh.'

She dropped her head to look down like dead weight, 'How many?'

'How many?'

'How many survived?'

Bitting my lower lip, I looked back at Anne then Miss Ruby, 'Roughly three.'

'And yet it was all for nothing.'

Going around, I envisioned a blade in my hand, cutting both the ropes she was tied to and blindfold.

Moving her hands forward, he rubbed her wrist, covered red from the rope burn. Going to stand, she fell down immediately, 'I dont deserve to live...'

'Why didn't you use your power to escape?'

'My girls.'

Anne coming over to help her up, I led the way out. With Ruby on Anne's shoulders we heard movement. Going behind some crates, I stayed.

'Die bastards-'

Before the man could raise his gun, I swiftly moved into his face, grabbing his mask, yanking hin downwards, smashing his face against the concrete. With blood on my palm, I formed two daggers, one in each hand, and ran at the rest of the goons.

As they fired round after round at me, I dodged and weaved through the onslaught of bullets. As I got up close, they all needed to reload. With then dropping their guns and readying to fight hands on against me, I slit each and every single one of their necks. Flicking the blood off my daggers, I diverted the power from them throughout my body.

Approaching Anne, she stood up with Ruby, 'Let me just carry her on my back,' she gestured to the woman who looked to weigh twice her.

Yes, it's been roughly two years since we've gotten these powers, yet although Anne's twenty-one, and I twenty, Ruby looked to be in her late thirties. Also a hero, she probably weighed more than the average.

'Anne, even if you used your power, it be safer to take it sl-'

'Zen, I know, but we'll get overrun if not!'

She had a point. Looking at Ruby, she practically seemed dead inside. Not trying, not conversing, just there breathing our air.

'Divert it to your arms and legs an-'

'Zen,' Anne lowered Ruby, 'I know you always wanted to protect me, but,' she looked into my eyes, 'By doing so, you're always hurting yourself! I know you mean well, but treat me as a partner, not a damsel....k?'

'Let's go...partner.'

Busting through the glass entry, we were on the roof. With Anne barely keeping up with me, I diverted my power equal to hers to keep equal. Seeing a guard upfront, I swiftly switched to speed, took him out, and returned. Seeing the getaway vehicle I planted couple days prior, I hoped it wasn't tinkered with. Jumping off the roof, onto the snow, jumping the fence, to soon enter the car, we hoped in. Ruby was laid in the back while Anne and I were upfront. Turning the key, the car came to life. A plain old SUV, red to draw attention, no one would suspect getaway drivers to choose this over black. Before we could get spotted, we took off.