Volume I: The Lost Boys

Beneath her mask, Vermite gives an awestruck expression at the torrent of magic ensuing before her.

Holy fuck! That’s so damn cool. Wait! Back to mission. Can’t get distracted.

She turns to Jackob and the team. "Ogre, would you please help grab Deion and follow Jackob? I’ll come with you to make sure you stay safe. Everyone else - you think you can handle grabbing the other zombie?"

Just when Paul thought he was out, they pulled him back in. The Zombie had jumped through a window on the other side of the building when he was yanked by a supernatural force, lifted off his feet, and sent flying backward into the condominium. A few seconds later he found himself lying on his back in the dark alley once again, covered with fine dust from the drywalls he had been smashed though, and with shards of broken glass sticking out of its body.

Retribution wastes no time, like a dog chasing a rabbit, they bound towards "Paul" and leap at him, elbow against his neck to stop him biting, arm and legs pinning him down with preternatural strength.

However, another thought comes to mind just as soon as they’re done chasing. Who is this doctor? Are they safe? Is Deion safe? An overwhelming sense of paranoia floods their system and they jerk their head upwards, eyes narrowed at the alleged doctor and his cronies. Something distant and dangerous floods through their eyes, even under the mask.

While rattled Blacklight did her best to shake it off. Though it was more of having a shiver run down her spine than a clarifying cleanse of fear. "I'm fine..." came out somewhat weak but a moment later she followed it with, "I'll be fine." and sounded a bit more believable as she answered Ogre. It was an effort to not just stand there, but seeing both Retribution running forward and Shadowhex flexing her power she grit her teeth. There were still plenty of shadows around and that meant this was her battlefield. She couldn't let that thing, Paul, get to another innocent before acting. She was better than The Shadow damn it!

She gathered up the shadows around the flailing zombie and did her best to hold it in place.

"Go restrain him, Blacklight!" Shadowhex calls, charging up her magic again, threateningly, hoping to intimidate the zombie enough for him to fight less.

A clunk! sounds out as Slugger hits a baseball with her bat, sending it into the back of the zombie's leg and dropping it to one knee, giving Blacklight just a little extra edge.

Try as he might, Dr. Harris couldn't ignore Retribution's cold stare. He felt as if he was a gazelle out on the savanna, with the leopard watching him about to pounce at any moment. He gave the Ogre a short nod, expecting him to pick up Deion so they could give him the help he required, then got up and turned to face Beau:

"Is everything...alright? You don't trust me, do you?"

Retribution comes back down from the instinctual adrenaline-filled high of a fight, but under Dr Harris' scrutiny, her body goes tense and her shoulders rise and fall with quick, sharp breaths.

"Who do you work for?" Their voice grits out, like they're unable to keep it locked down. "Where are you taking him?"

The anger under the surface makes it clear - not only does Retribution not trust any of the adults in this alleyway, but she is not going to let them take away a kid from school without letting the team in on the situation. Her trust is harder to earn, but like a dangerous animal, the best way to earn it would be to prove he's absolutely harmless and allow Retribution the leverage in the situation.

Ogre stands protectively over Blacklight as she unleashes her shadow powers at the zombie.

When the doctor addresses him, his head snaps around and he glares suspiciously at the lab coat, his clenched fist still hanging in the air.

He dimly hears a familiar voice.
He shakes his head, drops his fist, and relaxes.

"Yeah, sure. I'll grab him"

He picks up Deon gently, cradling the smaller kid in his arms.

"We should hurry. Is Deon going to become a zombie because he got bitten? You can help him, right?"

"I don't work for no one" Time was starting to run out, and the Doctor's impatience was showing: "This way" he motioned to the Ogre "It's not far from here. I can administer the antidote in my Lab, and explain everything. You should all come" he was happy to extend the invitation even if it wouldn't have been enough to placate the irritable young girl.

Vermite folds her arms while sharing in Retribution's skepticism. What started out as a simple pet rescue mission is now a biohazardous situation. She can't help but feel personally responsible for Deion's condition. After all, it was her offer to find Mr. Sleepy that riled him up. She had no idea he would react so proactively, nor could she predict zombies of all things would be involved. Nevertheless, Vermite feels the need to see this through and make sure Deion gets home safe. It's the very least she can do.

"Lead the way," she replies to Jackob, still fully dubious of his actual intentions. "Just don't try anything funny. This is already turning out to be a bad look on you, doc.

She gently pets one of the rats that decided to nestle into the nape of her neck. The others are vehemently locked on Jackob. Though they can't make facial expressions, their twitching noses and uncharacteristic silence conveys the sense that they too share in their leader's suspicion and are at the ready.

"Um guys, I don't know how long I can hold this one, even with that broken knee he's pretty strong." And when anyone looks over they can see that Paul the zombie is still struggling, Blacklight's tentacles pulsing waves of blacklight to match her pulse as they squirm and squeeze trying to keep him held. She was starting to get worried, guilty over not having been fast enough for Deion, and the possibility that it could escape again to hurt someone else was haunting her thoughts.

"Let me help you!" Shadowhex said and rushed to Blacklight, who was holding up Paul the Zombie. "Uhm... Anyone has any ropes here? HEY DOC!" Shadowhex calls out loudly. "Don't tell me you are playing around with zombies here and you ain't got nothing to restrain them with?"

"Ropes ain’t gonna hold them. We gotta get them to Containment back at the lab""

The doctor quickened his step, taking the front so he could lead the rest of the group to his workshop. It was getting dark outside, which was good; a group of masked heroes and a couple of Zombies were bound to attract attention. The few people who were out and about hurried to cross to the other side of the street as soon as they noticed the company; whatever super-craziness gripped New-York today, they wanted no part of.

Loud whistles welcomed their arrival to Dr. Harris’s Compound, which, from the outside, looked like an abandoned city lot, with gang graffiti covering the walls. There was another loud whistle coming from somewhere, and then the sound of chains rattling as the metal door creaked and slid open, revealing the junkyard behind it.

"Through here. Quick"

Dr. Harris didn’t tarry; he walked right past the deflated tires, rusted car engines and metal beams, stepping over loose wires as he lead them deeper inside. As he walked, more and more young men joined up with him – gang members, who despite their rugged appearance, deferred to the Doctor’s authority

"Miguel" Harris called out to the tattooed young man with a cigarette butt hanging out of his lips "Get these two to Containment" he pointed at the Zombies, talking as he walked "And get everyone ready; we need to move to ‘Site B’ in an hour"

Steel cuffs and metal restraint masks were quickly brought forward. Miguel and a couple of other hoodlums knew how to handle the Zombies, and where to take them – a large steel cage by the loud diesel generator – loud enough to drown the hissing and snarling of the dozen or so Zombies trapped inside.

Something about this place visibly spooks Retribution; they hesitate a little once they step inside, their usual bullheaded determination faltering under some sort of memory. But she doesn’t do anything except fall back into step with the rest of her team, hands clenching and unclenching over and over. They stay just a step behind Ogre, hawkish gaze hidden by the mask.

Upon entering the room, Vermite is quick to get a read of her surroundings. She clicks her tongue a couple of times, sending out a half a dozen rats to discretely survey the area. She pauses next to Retribution and Ogre so that she may close her eyes and tune into her swarmsight, giving her a front row seat to the rats’ exploration.

Upon entering the room, Vermite is quick to get a read of her surroundings. She clicks her tongue a couple of times, sending out a half a dozen rats to discretely survey the area. She pauses next to Retribution and Ogre so that she may close her eyes and tune into her swarmsight, giving her a front row seat to the rats’ exploration.