Chapter 1 - A night at the Electric Labyrinth

Jack has felt Erin bringing the pain on more than one occasion, so she knows what's coming. They've tangled enough that Ivanova knows better that to hurl objects at the super-agile, hard-to-hit woman, so instead it's an avalanche of TK waves that come at Cooper, even as the black woman grimaces and darts to one side, desperate to escape or at least get to the edge of the barrage!

Erin's telekinetic attack is a brutal one -- tearing up dirt and asphalt as it gathers force and slams into the van, blowing all the windows out and knocking the vehicle off of its wheels and onto it side, where it lands with a scraping crash.

Jack's acrobatics are almost too quick to follow with the naked eye, nearly carrying her beyond the area of the TK field, and her abnormal resilience allows her to hang tough and keep her feet when the edge of the invisible force hits her hard enough to knock down a sumo wrestler. Her dress tears a bit, but the prime physical specimen -- one of the best Nexus ever produced -- stands straight after it's all over. The dark skinned woman with the still-swinging braids just shakes her head at her buxom foe... the foe she's crossed paths and swords with so many times since their youth.

"As fucking reckless as ever," Cooper says hotly, appalled at the sight of the wrecked van -- which has two women inside it.

Connor runs behind Charlie toward the fight but his thoughts are on the van. Good instincts tell him that that is where Anika most likely will be. The van is totaled, blasted like a toy. Is she still alive? Fear coils within him as he sees Jack and Erin line up for another clash.

He beelines for the van, grabs the side and looks in. There, Anika. His heart reacts viscerally, hanging in his chest as he sees her unmoving and bloody. I've got to get her clear! torn metal and shattered glass litter the area.

Faced with and focused on the telekinetic terror that is Ivanova, Jack doesn't even see the shot coming...

Jack got shot in the guts.

Jack doesn't even hear the suppressed shot as the projectile passes right through her body. She's been shot before -- and worse -- but it still fucking hurts and is just a terrible thing to experience. "Agh!" she gasps, staggering from the wound, from the pain as she brings a hand to her abdomen and it comes away bloody.

Miriam. It's goddamned Miriam, and she should have known. And now she's dragged Charlie and Conner into the middle of it all, because she thought she could play the hero... again. Charlie is of course Tony, that alter ego he sometimes hauls out, and he's looking a little ragged, like he was roughed up before he even got here. Con is on it, the woman sees out of the corner or her eye. He's getting someone free from the van's wreckage -- hopefully Anika.

All these thoughts race as her senses assault her, as her usually impressive situational awareness is stretched to the limit. One thug still up, Erin thundering with her devastating powers like a goddess of old wielding a warhammer. The ambulance with at least one woman already loaded into the back. And the woman with the gun, the one who has so much to answer for.

Blood is running down one of Jack's legs and it hurts to move let alone run, but it just isn't in her to quit, to retreat. So just like that, quick as a blink she's on the move. She's darting, somersaulting, tumbling, cartwheeling -- until she's close enough to Erin to attack. Miriam is the one she want to take down, but Cooper knows Ivanova will just be a wrecking ball while she's still on her feet. So trying to time it just right, she sprints at the curvy woman and launches herself feet-first at her nemesis, hoping to scissor-wrap her legs around her foe's neck so she can take her down in classic Vovinam fashion...

Max's eyebrows raise in surprise at Seo-ah's directness, a playful smirk curling his lips. "Well, now that's an invitation I can't refuse," he quips, his tone carrying a hint of excitement.

With a smooth, fluid motion, he rises from his seat and sets down his glass, then steps closer to her, his eyes locked with hers. He bends and gently scoops her off of the couch, lifting her almost effortlessly. There wasn't much to do in jail the last three months and working out had been a daily ritual for him. Lifting her small frame isn't even a challenge.

His eyes remain on hers the entire time, and he carries her easily back into the suite, finding the bedroom, and lays her gently on the bed. He idly wonders how his friends are doing as he sets his phone to silent and places it on the nightstand, then climbs onto the bed beside Seo-ah.

When their current time is up in the VIP booth, Tav tips the two dancers and thanks them. Then, leads Selvie and Nadia to the hostess' station, where she settles their tab for the drinks and the dancers' time. They slip out of Moonrise and through a side door down to ground level, where they step out and hail a cab.

Tav, Selvie, and Nadia

The scene outside appears relatively calm, save for the presence of a pair of police cars stationed in front of the underground parking exit, hinting at an ongoing investigation. Tav notes the unusual sight, realizing it may be connected to what she observed on the surveillance footage. Nearby, bystanders gather, eagerly recounting their observations to the attentive officers, adding to the buzz of curiosity in the air.

Undeterred by the commotion, Tav, Nadia, and Selvie find no difficulty hailing a cab, the familiar yellow vehicles weaving through the city traffic with practiced efficiency. With their destination in mind, they embark on the last phase of their night.

"The Fairfax, please." Tav directs the cabby, as the three of them climb into the back seat together. Tav tugs her burner cell out of her little backpack and hits the speed dial to The Penrose. "We have just enough time for delivery." She states for her two companions. Tav orders food to be delivered to her apartment and it should arrive shortly after the fourteen block drive by cab.

Connor carries Anika out of the way, and knows that Jack is giving him the time to effect the rescue. He wastes no time and makes a beeline for the hospital.

"Hold on Anika, I will get you there next help I can, and protect you while you heal up. I promise as much shadow for you as I can."

With a sense of urgency, Connor makes a dramatic exit from the chaotic scene, Anika in tow, her form obscured by blood and scratches. The hospital looms several block away, a beacon of hope amidst the turmoil of the city streets. Time is of the essence as they navigate the bustling sidewalks, every step bringing them closer to the medical assistance Anika desperately needs.