Neo-Chapter One/Operation: BINDING LIBERTY

"Yes." Reaver replied, calming down.

"I am an 0ccult Division operative before anything else. My mission, given to me by the Division, is to capture your group, which I have already mentioned." Repeating information, Reaver then approached Polly more, standing taller than her.

"Ironically, you and your group are exactly like the 0ccult Division. Same sense of loyalty, same exclusiveness, same effectiveness. Did you do that on purpose? Perhaps as a tribute to your fallen Helli0n traitor?"

"Not in the forseeable future," Audrey replied in an equally quiet whisper; surpressing a shiver at Nathanael's hot breath on her skin, "Now focus on the battle!"

Kirie, smiling lightly at the reference to the Harry Potter books that they both enjoyed, and after righting herself from the explosion, reached out to the trees. They immediately became alive; their branches swinging wildly about for a few heartbeats before they swooped down to beat the living daylights out of the approaching isotopes. Even if they weren't killed, very few would escape without broken bones.

As she did this, Zek scurried from his hiding spot behind her long black hair to rest on top of her head, "I should scratch that two-legger's eyes out for insulting you," He proclaimed, "And for destroying those trees." The other three animals shared Zek's sentiment.

"I can plant new ones." Kirie replied aloud; not wanting to break her focus on the trees by responding through their telepathy.

Meanwhile a, mysterious kid was just arriving in the hotel the renegades were supposedly in. "Damnit im too late." He said under his breath. From the flooded hotel, to the storm, to the explosions he could hear, and the damage he knew what happened here:occult division.

He could still remember his exact orders he received: we have reason to believe there is an occult operative in normal, illinois. They most likely are investigating the rumors of renegades hiding out there. You will be sent in under the radar. We want to keep this low profile. Where theres occult division, there is chaos. You will go in during the chaos, kill the operative, then get out before they count their losses, and as far as your presence in the area, EVERYONE is to be considered hostile. Even other ions. Your priority: detain the operative by any means necessary. The sooner we neutralize the occult division, the sooner we get the upper hand. he couldnt care less about the war. His job kill the operative is all he needed.

Now he just needs to find the operative. He had a pretty good idea of how to. Instead of finding the operative how about draw him in.if he killed... He had some regret. He wished he could have saved the renegades. Everyone should be free to have choice. Killing someone for not following someone else's choice is against his morals.

If only the hellion army hadn't been in his way. On his way here he ran into the hellion army.he had to wait for a while until they passed in order for him to get through. One curious thing he nited though was that they had isotopes as field officers. That was news to him. The hellion army has upped its field support now, so destroying the occult division is a must! Especially after the killing the operative did here...

His plan is to lure him into the building then drop the roof on him. He was given a small supply of c4. He will plant them, then draw the operative in using his power. He will probably think that a renegade survived.

On that thought he got to work placing charges on the backs of doors, on roofs, and support beams. Then to hopefully draw people in he took a deep breath then created a sphere of gravity then made it explode to create a shockwave in every direction. He left and hid in the building across from the hotel.

"Hold rank! Charge!"

Despite the barrage of tree limbs, several Helli0n troops made it to the Renegades, dirty with unmentionable filth and bruised all over. However, military training kicked in as the soldiers, eight in total at the moment, entered a formation and began to act. Two of them, psychics, erected a flat barrier in front of the squad while two others commenced launching fireballs into the air, allowing them to act as mortar shells against the Renegades. Three of the last four wielded weapons, two assault rifles and one sub-machine gun, while the last one unleashed two batons, each sparking with electricity. In moments, the guns opened fire.

Hikaru, who had been preoccupied steadying himself from sudden vertigo, quickly snapped back to the reality in front of him.

"Everyone! Take cover!"

It was then that a shockwave passed over the area where the battle was taking place, causing the Helli0n troops to pause momentarily from the suddenness of the event.

"What the hell?" Hikaru muttered as he looked back to the city, which seemed to be the origin of the blast.

He waited for a few minutes, but not seeing anything stirring he began to worry. did he leave already? Am i too late? he walked out and calmed down to think. He then heard some noise from the direction of the forest. He silently moved to the forest, and heard sounds of a fight. He pulled his cloak over, and drew his kuna. He slowly advanced until he saw signs of ions and isotopes. He stopped dead in his tracks.

This wasn't just a few stray ions and isotopes. He pulled back the sleeve on his cloak, and activated his communicator. " hello shawn, how is the mission coming? Did you detain the operative?"

Shawn was infuriated."Hell No! I just got here! Why would you send me here? This isnt a few strays, its a full fucking invasion force! Not only that, but they are going at it with the renegade isotopes, and ions! Its a full battle! Not only that but the hellion captains are isotopes! Why didnt intelligence alert me to this!?!?" Shawn was going to lose it. He knew they had the resources to know this, yet they didnt alert him.

The communicator was dead silent for a moment then a voice responded."we told you to prepared for a few ions and isotopes." Shawn took a deep breath." There is a difference between a few strays and a whole entire invasion force. They have divisions out here. I cant take out divisions. I will never find the operative, especially if hellion is backing him like this!"

"He is working under the radar. Hellion will treat as a threat like any other." Now im confused." Then why do you need me to kill him when hellion is going to do it themselves?" The communicator responded,"because you can build resources, help the renegades fight them off, or escape. Whichever one. The more allies the better." On that note the communicater shut off.

Shawn could see several fights broken out, he had to decide which one was in the worst. The element of surprise will be his advantage. He checked his kuna to make sure they were ready. Then he smelled something: smoke

"Shit! Its a forest fire!" It clearly wasnt natural. One word came to mind:hellion. "Those idiots!"
He needed to help whoever was inside the forest. "But where do i g-" he was cut off by an explosion, followed by a wimper. He knew where to go first. He saw the forest fire getting worse. i cant let them all die! Even if they are hellion... he was shouting to get peoples attention. It wasnt working, they were too into their fight. one option left... shawn grabbed the detonator from his pocket, covered his ears, and pressed the detonator. There was a flash, a massive shock wave, a noise loud enough to make his ears bleed, then a large amount of dust. That is all he experienced before he blacked out.

Nathanael tackled Audrey behind one of the War Machines just as two firebombs hit where they had been standing. The explosion from afar went off when they were mid-air, so it didn't rock their world too much. However, unlike most people who were looking around, Nathanael had a pretty good idea where it had come from, "I think Helli0n blew up our secret base!" He announced brightly. Never really liked the hotel to be honest. Yes, the pool was awesome, but kinda hard to work in a place that was in the middle of nowhere.

As for the remaining firebombs still in the air, Nathanael gave them a contemplative look before releasing a downpour of rain from the dark, stormy skies above. They were extinguished immediately, and due to the heavy covering of trees, the Renegades and the ANF didn't get wet.

Probably a good thing considering Hikaru's powers....

Alan immediately dropped to the ground, slowing his breathing and laying Polly's unconscious body next to him. He looked about, trying to find what his companion was looking at.

"What exactly are we looking at?" He whispered.

[[Internet! Oh sweet sweet internet!]]

As Allan spoke, the masked man soon picked up the voice of two men talking; one outloud and the other through what seemed to be a radio.

"What's your status?" the voice in the radio asked with mild distortion.

"I am clear of the ongoing battle. Reaver is nowhere in sight." replied the person talking on the other line, a female voice.

"Unacceptable. It should have already encountered the Renegades and captured them. This is unlike it."

"Sir, permission to speak?"

"...Granted."

"I believe HE may have compromised their group and is simply waiting for his chance. Remember, he was bred to adapt."

"That is true, indeed. Nevertheless, we grow impatient. We need him in the SAL soon. Operation: ROMAN ASSAULT was a success. The country is now under Helli0n control. Banshee, see to it that he returns quickly."

"Understood, sir."

With a click, the conversation went dead.

Upon hearing the name Banshee, the masked man tensed up signifigantly, but relaxed in a moment as to not alarm the Isotope next to him.

"Did you hear what they said?" the masked man asked Allan in a whisper, knowing that Banshee had unknowingly revealed some important information.

Suddenly, the sounds of explosions sounded nearby, followed by a slight gust.

"What? Was that an explosion? Did Reaver cause it..." the female voice belonging to someone named Banshee said, sounding almost caught off-guard and closer.

"Stay quiet." the masked man hissed, before tensing up again. Waiting a second, he suddenly sprang up and dove forward, knocking a person to the ground.

"Caught you." the dark-clad stranger growled to the red-haired woman under him, immediatly placing his Saif sword millimeters from her neck.

[[The dreaded double post!]]

Hugging the ground, Hikaru covered his head. Around him, bullets embedded themselves into the very dirt he laid next to, miraculously missing him. With his head low, the angry Ion could only hear as the fireballs crashed into the ground.

"Dammit!" Hikaru hissed before another shockwave hit him, this one followed by a sounds of a massive explosions nearby. Was the ANF camp attacked?

"Hey, you two better still be alive!" Hikaru yelled towards where he had last seen the Renegades before ducking. He also reached into his pocket for another coin, having lost the prior one.

Shawn having heard a brief bout of silence in the forest, minus the fire knew he caught their attention. He ran through the forest ducking and weaving to get through the forest. He could hear gunfire and fireballs.what the hell? he ran towards the sound. He heard shouting from what he assumed to be soldiers, but as soon as he registered it, he ran into some man with a coin full force."who the hell are you!?" Shawn shouted in shock after having run into this mystery man.

Audrey rolled her eyes at Nathanael's cheery attitude about their base being blown up. Normally, she would've told him that it was NOT a good sign that not only had the enemy found their base, but they had BLOWN IT UP...but she was busy analyzing the vision that had hit her when she hit the ground.

As Hikaru was shouting at them if they were alive (seriously? He was a stinkin' n00b in the ANF. They were renegade isotopes; the defyers of Helli0n. They should be asking HIM if he was alive), Audrey was already moving.

The new person crashed into Hikaru, but he had barely finished his words before the goth gave him a round-house kick to the face, followed by a swift blow from the butt of her glaive.

Visions did have its perks; seeing the future and when new people would run straight into their battle...

Shawn had gotten hit pretty hard by the glaive."I wasn't here to fight you renegades, much the opposite. Now, i'm pissed."shawn didn't say anything else. He instead grabbed her wrist, and performed a wrist toss, but twisted her wrist back while she was air born, and put all his weight onto her tricep using one knee, effectively pinning her down. "Make one move and i snap this wrist of yours! I don't intend to fight you renegades. Tell me where the occult operative is so i can kill him and be on my way!" Shawn having taken a hit from the butt of the glaive was in no mood for games. He would break her wrist if she attempted to move or use a power.

Nathanael, knowing Audrey could handle herself, popped up from behind the War Machine; looking more indignant than anything, "Oi! I mean, I know Shiela can be a bit of a problem now and then, but that's no way to treat a lady!"

Keiko, back in jaguar morph, curled his tail around his big brother's legs. He made no moves, but his stunning amber eyes were pinned to this newcomer. He was ready for attack.

The bachelor didn't have to look down to know Keiko was tensed, so he simply put a hand between his soft ears as he continued, "Tell you what, mate: we don't like the Helli0n operative either. Tried to kill us a few times, and that didn't really sit well with us. Currently he's unconscious and handcuffed in the presence of a masked man and our good buddy Allan. Not sure which way they went though. Now if you'll be so kind as to let Shiela up, I can vouch that she won't attack you anymore, but only so long as you tell us your name."

Shawn really didn't have any qualms with the renegades. He got up letting shiela up. "The name is shawn. I got sent here to defeat the occult operative. I have no influence over the fighting that is currently going on. Im neutral on those terms. You dont attack me, i wom't do any more damage to this city, than is already done." Shawn was already late due to the helli0n army having blocked his way around. "I simply am here to: defeat the operative then get out. When word got to anf of the occult division, i was the answer. I can't stop the army though i am working under the radar. They will treat me as any other enemy. If we can find the operative, i can clear us out of here. I know an alternate route out of this city. If we have to engage the operative, we need to do it smart." Shawn made a mental checklist of what to do."lets get some organization here. We need to get all of the renegades together. If everyone has a little bit of information, we can piece it together like a puzzle." He remembered the list of powers the renegades had. Audrey had visions.

"Audrey has visions. Is there any pattern in when her visions activate? There is a reason fora everything. If we know, why dont we send her a message through that? Tell her to meet us somewhere? Anybody know a pattern in her visions?" Shawn knew everything has a reason.

Audrey rubbed at her wrist with a small wince before slipping back into her normal role, "Audrey is here," She said somewhat crossly, "First, there's no pattern in my visions. They come, they go, I seek. Second, they aren't always accurate. Different time, different place, or maybe it won't happen altogether. Third, the future is always changing. It changes based on an individual's decisions. Nothing is set in stone, and not everything happens for a reason."

Kirie was stunned with the ease of this conversation, "We can't just hand him over!" She exclaimed; referring to Jett, "That's as good as killing him ourselves, which we agreed that that course of action wasn't appropriate for the time being!"

"He tried to kill all of us," Whitestorm told her simply, "So we need to kill him before he succeeds. That is the order of nature, and you very well know that. Kill or be killed.."

"Oh, be quiet." Kirie growled aloud, "This is different."

Audrey rolled her eyes at Kirie seemingly talking to herself. She almost made another crazy-nature-hippie remark, but held back. The battle wasn't over yet. Instead, Audrey cast her inner eye into the future; her coffee-black eyes glazing over as she searched for what she wanted.

"Kierie, your complaint was already solved by audrey. Nothing is set in stone, everyone makes a choice. The occult division and helli0n are made to take away free choice. You made the CHOICE to escape. You made the CHOICE to come here. So helli0n and occult now are trying to take away your CHOICE. I respect your CHOICE, but im making the CHOICE to hunt down the operative, which i now know is named jett. A name is all i need. Names hold great power in them. A name is what a person is in the eyes of others. If you want to help your friend allan. People who wear masks have something to hide. If there are TWO potentially lethal opponents, would you leave allan to a fate that he has done nothing to deserve? This is how helli0n works, they get your trust, then stab you in the back. If they were separate from the fight, i'll bet it is in the forest fire. Come with me or dont, my target is the operative. Im not going to interfere with allan's fate unless it jeopardizes my mission." With that being said, shawn turned on his heels and walked towards the forest fire, drawing his kuna as he does so, prepared for a fight.

[[Oh goodness gracious, Im finally back....Now please don't murder me. I'll get right to it.]]

Just because the renegades had gone ahead, didn't mean Zach had absconded back to the Occult division with pride. He gave his necessary update, looking back to the woods as clouds of smoke grew in the distance. Silent, he nodded to another fellow occult member. Both taking synchronous steps as they dashed back into the fighting grounds.
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"Hyah" Came the victorious yell as Vanessa descended with her dual blades in hand, looking back as the Scout she had been chasing finally fell back in destruction..Clouds of smoke rose, before the familiar Ion Meira looked before the obliterated machine.

The small jingle of her accesories glowed as she knelt forward and grabbed a piece of the Jvstice's armor.
"We need to get moving, there isn't much time." Vanessa ordered, walking on to where she suspected all the others were.

"You talk too much, you bastard." Hikaru shouted at the newcomer as he slowly rose up. Rubbing his head and left arm, the points of impacts, the ion glared at the man named Shawn.

"Now I have no idea what all of you idiots are talking about, but don't forget that there are still enemies in area. Stay on your guard." Hikaru recanted, picking up his coin again.

Polly rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall, unfazed by the height difference. That was nothing new for her, but she appreciated the attempt on his part. "You know what the difference is, though? We weren't forced into this loyalty. We're fighting for what's right and that binds us closer than any brainwashing mind-control Helli0n could ever do. It's a lot stronger than anything 0ccult has to offer. So, no. It isn't a tribute to our dead friend. Because we've been doing the right thing even when he was our enemy."

Polly's self righteous speech filled her with with more power and authority than she'd experienced in a long time. How long had it been since she'd had a talk like this? Not since....

Dismissing the thought, she changed the subject quickly. "I'll give you an ultimatum. You live and remain a heavily guarded, super supervised prisoner. You'll help us and supply us with information. Or. I wake myself up, leave you plummeting in darkness and kill you."

Nathanael swirled wind through the trees as he waited for the next target. Honestly, he felt like there wasn't much he could do in this situation. Surrounded by trees=no tornadoes. Trees=no lightning because burning trees=furious Kirie (not to mention he would probably wind up electrocuting their allies)...in short, being surrounded by trees hardly left any room for weather manipulation.

At least they wouldn't have to worry about Jett for much longer.

Keiko, on the other hand, perked up when he heard movement. Someone was running...running towards them. The jaguar grabbed the edge of his big brother's shirt in his jaws and yanked him down; preparing for the next phase of the battle.

With an animalistic growl of sheer frustration and anger, Kirie took off after Shawn, "I'm a renegade, and I know full bloody well how Helli0n operates, so don't even think to lecture me!" Her animals hastily followed her, and the two animals on her shoulders desperately clung to her, "And I'm not going to let you hurt them!"

Jett was part of 'them', but so was Allan. Shawn had said he wouldn't hurt Allan only if he didn't interfere, and knowing Allan, the isotope would somehow manage to get in the way anyways.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Audrey's vision cleared in time to see the ion and the isotope go running off, "You idiots, get back here!" Of course they didn't listen, so the goth turned to the remaining fighters, "0ccult Division!" She snapped out, "In about five seconds!"

Vanessa wouldn't listen to the others, She knew she heard something in this direction. So she was bound to find out exactly what it was. Meira however, decided to pause in step and back tracked over to where Audrey was and just glanced over to the others in amazement.

"Occult division?" She asked curiously, she had not exactly been briefed on this latest group, and had lacked the motivation to listen......But now she was intrigued.

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The two continued to run synchronously into the clearing of the woods before coming to a halt. The other division member looked down and froze the prints in which she believed were of the enemy, before picking them up and handing them over to Kishin. "They are close..Its best you go ahead first Zach, besides..You met these people earlier didn't you?" The female asked, to which Zach fixed his lenses to look over to the direction he felt the predicament were.

"Indeed, but I should tell them hello now..Catch up after planting the item." He ordered.

"Right!" She confirmed with a nod, before running off adjacent to where they were. Leaving Zach alone in the middle of the field.

Briefly glancing up at the darkened sky, he levitated with the wind and silently made his way over to his awaiting foes, a wicked smile on his face as he released two bursts of wind in the direction before him, with enough force to knock down trees.

There it was again...the disturbance with the wind. Nathanael caught a trace of it before Keiko yanked him down.

Then the trees came down around them from the force of said wind.

Audrey was mercifully standing in a gap, and not in imminent danger. The newcomer, however, was right in the path of a massive falling oak. Nathanael sprang forward from his crouch and tackled the girl at the waist. They landed to safety, but an agonize howl of pain put an abrupt end to Nathanael's intial surge of relief.

Whipping around, the bachelor was horrified at seeing Keiko in his jaguar form; a tree pinning his hindquarters to the earth, "KEIKO!" Nathanael screamed with raw emotion. Though he was strong, he was unable to push the tree off, and Keiko was letting out pitiful whimpers between hoarse coughs of pain.

"Help me get this off him!" Nathanael shouted to the others, "Kirie, where the hell are you?!"

Nathanael's voice may not have traveled far, but Keiko's mental scream to the nature isotope did, "Kirie, help me! I'm trapped under a tree! Please, it hurts so bad! Please!"

Vanessa had darted off.
But the soft ground of dirt had Meira looking up in surprise, as another gust of wind struck again. Nothing hit her this time, however a howl and a scream made her look over to a frightened animal. She noticed it was bleeding a bit from where it struggled, cutting its fur.

With a frightened gasp she raised her hand to the animal and clotted the blood to stop. "Stop moving please, i'll help you!" She screamed out to the jaguar as she ran to it. However with struggle as another gust of wind struck her hard, almost making her stumble against a nearby tree. This one was stronger, almost rolling the trunk more onto the animal as she managed to grasp it before it smothered his chest further. She couldn't reach the boy who helped her, but she knew he was perhaps more worried about the animal than his safety.

Pushing up she managed to use her minor bits of strength to give the animal space to wiggle out."Hu-hurry!" She screamed. She wanted to help, this wasn't in character for her of course...But she wanted to contribute to this group.

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He came into view then, barely enough to view as he witnessed a frail girl trying to raise a trunk off an animal, a familiar face not to far..However himself pinned under a trunk as well. This was his work in progress...

With a sadistic grin he made sure the others didn't notice as they stood around the other elementalist, he carefully made his way across by the bushes, bowing down a bit as he whisked more gusts of wind to the group..He wanted to buy her time..It wouldn't take long....

But by now waiting was going to take no time with him, as he unleashed a malicious laugh, walking out to the group before him. "We meet again weaklings.." He whispered, loud enough to be heard.

With the combined strength of Nathanael and the girl he had just saved, they managed to lift the trunk partially off the ground. Judging from the way Keiko was scrabbling at the ground with his front paws, his haunches were probably shattered. Not that it really made a difference. Bracing his back against the tree trunk, the Aussie pushed his little brother out the rest of the way. The second he was clear, he dropped the tree with a heavy gasp.

Then the wind hit him.

It almost knocked Nathanael off balance, and Keiko, still in jaguar form, was blown into his legs. Using his legs as support, Keiko slowly morphed back to human; his hips and legs perfectly intact. The little isotope clung to Nathanael's side with his tiny hands.

Nathanael let out a snarl when he realized that the Helli0n isotope who had just charged in was the one screwing with the wind. He had caused the trees to fall and put Keiko through agony. With a blast of fury, wind exploded away from the Renegades; nearly creating a sonic boom from the energy Nathanael put behind it.

"Back. Off." He gritted out, "Before I really lose it."

Keiko saw the electricity beginning to dance from his brother's fingers, and slowly shifted behind him. Though he had hardly ever seen him in a mood like this, the feline isotope knew it was dangerous to get in the way.