OOC: Man, you people need to learn restraint. Let people who haven?t yet had a chance to reply get in a post before you advance to nearly three pages!
Mere minutes earlier?
?Interesting,? murmured the figure sitting leisurely in front of the central computer, stroking the rugged stubble sprinkled across his chin. ?An invasion. Very interesting indeed.? Numerous monitors before him depicted various scenes plating out on the more prominent levels of the base in high definition, folding out the events above as plainly as if he himself were there to witness them. One brawny arm was slung casually over the arm of his chair, and scarlet hair was mopped across both scalp and brow of the lanky six foot figure.
Such was the appearance Shade had chosen for the day. As always, he stayed low in the complex, making sure that nobody in the vast institute was aware of his presence save a few choice individuals. Every now and again a lowly grunt might see a flicker turning a corner, but since no face ever graced him twice, he remained unnoticed. That was his job; Shade was an assassin, a rogue, a spy, all manner of seedy characters rolled into one highly efficient killing machine. A smile played across his lips as an eye fell on the elevator screen.
?Ah yes,? he mused, recognizing the winged girl in the elevator staring down the barrel, ?I know that one. Daughter of someone in power, I believe, though my file on her is rather incomplete. Cute, but one of those winged beings?perverse manifestations of nature gone awry. Don?t think I?ve ever heard about the male, he must be one of the enemy. Hmm?looks like they?re coming.? Suddenly, his legs became shorter, though nothing else besides height changed, as if sections of thigh had been lopped off.
With a curious chuckle, he tapped a button on the mainframe, switching the computer off, and strapped a small device to its side where it would be nearly impossible to view unless one searched for the thing. The assailant stood by the railing away from the machine, the hologram projector cybernetically connected to his arm blurring his image for a moment before he became invisible. It morphed his body to look exactly like the backround behind him, down to the last shadowy detail, hiding both depth and figure and virtually obliterating him from the human eye.
A smirk curled on his face behind the hologram as the two survivors walked to the central processing unit, unaware of his deadly eyes upon them.
To the present?
The cross-wielding man lit a cigarette and began striding back across the platform, murmuring unintelligibly. Nothing was viewable, no disruption rippled across Shades invisible shield, but the cool barrel of a pistol pressed against the fools scalp from behind, accompanied with a hiss, ?Don?t move. Explosions line these very walls if you try to retaliate, not that you could.? The bombs were a feint, but the rogue?s voice remained in its constant state of emotionless whispers, portraying no sign of deceit. ?Girl,? he called, ?come hither. We don?t want your pretty face scathed by the traps over there, either. Don?t worry, I?ve got this creep at bay.? The disembodied voice held no confidence or warning, only cunning determination.
