Endgame

*Eve follows him*
===
Tirea:<Then let's split up.>

Hector looked over at Astarte thoughtfully, "I guess I could shape her up a bit, not sure if I could do better than a Pro-Bender."

Dalia kept walking along like she isn't fearfully aware of the patrol. She looked ahead for ships that might be heading out soon.

Bored, and also slightly annoyed at the bickering, Mortal begins to let her mind wander.

E"Alright, then I guess anyone who's not staying here & training should come with me."

*Meanwhile, Roatha heads over to Astarte.*

R"(Hey. Don't listen to that guy. Being some Triad thug doesn't make him a Bending Master. He's probably no better than your average Bender off of the streets, so he has no business acting like he's hot stuff.)"
=================================
*There are none. The boat comes to a rest beside her. A cop in blue armor that's lighter in composition than the Metalbenders literally tips his hat to her.*

<Ma'am. What are you doing here? You know there are a lot of Triad busts in this area right now, right? It's best for civilians to stay inside until it's over.>
==================================
*So he eventually stops at a payphone.*

<Listen, it's me...Yeah, another astronomer was attacked, but we managed to save this one...Eve. There isn't much time to talk, we need fire control down here, & I need to know why these people keep being attacked...What? But working with us doesn't make them cops, who would put out a hit with that insane logic..? True, not many suspects left. Alright then, anything else...? Okay.>

*He hangs up & turns to Eve.*

<Someone has put a hit out on offices working with the police. It would take a lot of authority to make this kind of order. With Zolt incapacitated & MIA, the main suspects are either the Agni Kais or Senthose.>

*Eve crosses her arms*

<Well that's great.>

Why did I say yes in the first place? Oh right, to maybe become more financially independent...

At Euryale's suggestion, Mortal snaps out of her day dream, and stands up, "Alright, so, lets get going."

Hector spoke again before Astarte could reply, having shifted over to stand roughly behind Roatha, "I worry for the safety of my cousin, what is it to you?"

"Sorry," Dalia said, glancing over at them and nodding before heading inland.

*Roatha turns around.*

R"If you really worried about her, you wouldn't be making her hide your scumbag Triad friends. You know, I don't think it was Kane who burned her place down. I think it was that idiot over there."

*He points at Stefan with 2 fingers.*

R"You keep hanging around her, you're just going to land her in jail. Or worse. The best thing you could do for her is to just disappear. Now try not to burn down this house while we're gone."

*He walks around Euryale, who starts to lead the group out of the kitchen. Ven follows.*
==============================
*A block or so down, most of the Agni Kais are stuck in their necks in earth traps made from the road. A trio of them are back-to-back-to-back hurling flaming punches & kicks at a ring of police officers, who deflect the shots with their fists before stomping, causing the earth to rise up & trap them up to their waists. They then fire off their cables to secure the rest of their bodies.*
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<We need to get down to the station. Once there, I'll recommend that you be taken to a safe house.>

Stefan flipped Roatha off on his way out and called him a 'pansy ass' under his breath. Hector just stood with his arms crossed while Astarte chewed her nails and looked between the two groups.

Dalia watched them become apprehended from afar, shook her head and made her way around the scene at a safe distance. She was now just looking for a newspaper stand.

*Tirea follows Euryale, while Monu stays put*
---
<Sounds better than staying here.>

Noctis looks at Astarte, "I could help you practice, if you wanted."

Mortal walked over to Stefan and loomed over him, "Point that finger at my friend one more time, and you won't have any more." She then looks back to Euryale, "Alright, lets get going."

OOC: No Tirea does not follow while Monu stays put, because that's the exact opposite of what was said on the last page.

*Roatha didn't see or hear any of this shit, as he's already around the corner. Euryale heads off with Mortal. Soon, they're all clustered at the front door. Euryale is crouched down & feeling along the floor, while Roatha looks out the windows with binoculars.*

R"...This is ridiculous."

E"Quit complaining. We have to make sure there isn't anyone just outside who could spot us when we leave."

R"Well, I don't see anything."

E"I don't feel anything, either. The coast might actually be clear. To stay out of sight, we'll take the tunnels."

R"Does anyone actually know how to get through those without getting lost?"

E"We may not have a map, but we have something better. I can feel my way through them with Earthbending."

*She turns to Monu.*

E"You see, the key to Metalbending is to be able to feel your surroundings at all times. To be completely in-touch with details hidden behind many layers. Only then do you have a chance at detecting the impurities inside of the metal."
===============================
*A cop car drives past Dalia as Eve is taken to the station. She does eventually find a news stand. The top story is still "Zolt Escapes with Accomplices."*
===============================
*As mentioned before, Eve is taken to the police station. When they enter, Kane comes to them in the lobby.*

Kane<The Agni Kais have already been busted. It's Senthose. Do you have any leads on where he is?>

<I'm afraid not, Sir. What did the Monsoon prisoners say?>

Kane<To check the Council building. He was there, but he's already cleared out. The snow means he doesn't have to stick by the river. And there will be more storms on the way.>

<Why astronomers, Sir?>

Kane<Obviously so we can't know when he's weak, you fool.>

OOC:That's what I thought, but what Euryale said kind of confused me.

Eve:<Most of my work has nothing to do with the phases of the moon or eclipses. Though a lunar eclipse should occur soon, as we just had a solar eclipse.>
---
Monu:<Via seismic sense?>

Astarte quit chewing her nails and clasped her hands together in her lap, nodding to Noct. Hector looked over at Stefan who was fuming quietly on the edge of the room.

Dalia picked up a newspaper and turned it over, looking on the back pages for shipping movements.

Noct smiled, "Well, I'm no instructor, so, is there something you think I could help you with?"

--

"So, are we going, or not?" Mortal asked.

E"Yes, yes, just a minute."

*Euryale opens the door & walks out. The gates open as they walk towards them.*

E"There's a drain across the street that we can use to get into the tunnels."
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Kane<The sooner the better. He only becomes more powerful as we move into winter. Find where he is, so we can flush him out.>

<Of course. But Sir, we're losing personnel fast. I suggest we take her to a safe house.>

Kane<Right, right...we can use one of those Triad bases we seized, on the north end of the city.>
==================================
*All ships to & from Republic City have been postponed indeterminately.*

*Eve shrugs, indifferent to the location*
---
*Monu uses seismic sense to see if any people are around*
---
<Can I help to?>

"Well..." Astarte frowned a little, not exactly sure what she needed as it hadn't even been her idea. "Maybe... ice. I mean, using ice as a weapon... you did that at the Arena, right? I don't think I have done that..."
Hector tapped Eduj on the shoulder and walked out, murmuring at Stefan to follow. They went looking for a garden or courtyard.

Dalia frowned and put the newspaper down, then went off to sit in an alley and consider where she would go.

"Uh, yeah, I guess I could help you with that," Noctis said, pulling out her flask, and opening it so Astarte could use the water within, "Can you make ice from water at all?"

--

"Alright then, lead the way when you think best," Mortal said.

*As mentioned before, there's not really anyone around. When they arrive at the grate, Euryale simply lifts it out of the way like it were just laying on top of the hole. When everyone has squeezed inside, she puts it back on.*

"Mortal, please stop trying to Firebend. Darkness helps to hone your senses. The key to Metalbending is that feeling must be instinctual to you. Rely on it even before your sight. Also, we have no idea if these tunnels are protected from gas leaks, so you might incinerate us."

*Mortal hears that indescribable noise that she's probably heard enough by now to realize that Euryale must have earthbent, followed by a splashing.*
==============================
*The assistant finds them wandering the halls & walks up, raising an eyebrow.*

<Can I help you with something?>
==============================
<Alright, I'll take her there right now.>

*He starts to head back to his car, but stops next to a bulletin board.*

<Hey, wait...I drove past this chick on the way up!>

Kane<What?!>

*Kane walks over to see who he's pointing at.*

<...Am I fired?>

Kane<Tell you what: I'll see to this one personally. If I find her, you get a raise. If not, you know the drill. Now do your job.>

*He briskly walks out. The other cop shrugs & holds the door open for Eve.*

<Hey! I need volunteers for an escort!>
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*As Dalia is waiting, a couple of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] run into the alley, the older dragging the younger by his arm.*

Younger<What about Skoochy?>

Older<Forget him! Worry about yourself!>

"Yeah," Astarte nodded and raised a hand. She flexed and angled her fingers downward, freezing the contents of the flask.

"We were looking for somewhere we could get some fresh air and exercise," Hector said. "Inside the premises."

Dalia took a guarded stance and stepped back away from the youths.

Mortal puts a hand on Euryale's shoulder, then quells the flame she made to light the area, "Sorry. I guess I'll just tag along to you."

--

"Good," Noct said, liquefying the ice and pulling it from the flask, only to refreeze it, "There really isn't that big of a trick to using it as a weapon. You can leave it like it is, and try to bludgeon people with it, or you can split it along a fault line, to sharpen it." Noctis demonstrated as she was talking by having the block lash out at 'bludgeon', and sliced it in half at 'split it along a fault line'.

*Eve walks out of the opened door, a small having flitted across her face*
---
*Monu follows Euryale, using Seismic sense to help himself along*

*They ignore her & run to a stairwell. When they can't get it open, the older one puts puts his finger to the lock & shoots a jet of flame into it. They then enter the cellar, closing the door behind them. Clouds gather up above.*
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*Presumably he has a hand to the wall, otherwise it wouldn't work very well. He can see that she has created a path over the water, as they'd just reached a cross-section. As they walk, in addition to their surroundings, they occasionally notice flashes of vague figures moving along the tunnels.*

E"(There are...other people using these.)"

R"(You mean the hobos?)"

E"(No, it's...different. And they seem to know where they're going.)"

V"(Are they metalbending police?)"

E"(I don't think so...I don't like this. We should just head up to the surface the next chance we get. We won't be that far away from the apartment, & we have enough problems to deal with right now.)"
============================
<I don't know about exercise, but there IS an indoor garden right this way.>

*She points down a hall.*
============================
*Once back at the car, he drives across the bridge, the trip made much faster by the almost deserted state of the roads. Of course, the sky gets darker as the clouds gather.*

<With the Triple Threats out of commission, the Dragon Flats are much safer these days.>

Astarte extended her hands, "May I?"

"Thank you, that should do nicely," Hector nodded to her and made his way to the indoor garden with the others in tow.

Dalia stepped carefully over to the door and pressed an ear to it.