Thread: Empire - City of Lost Cause (Black_Out and meomeo)

The rookie was lucky his poor aim did not claim any innocent lives, but stray bullets violently shattered a few of the train's windows - one of which happened to be right above Vallie's head. The heroine had sought refuge under that window pane moments ago - the alcove offering a safe haven from the cursed green mist and the aisle through which the hysterical and trampling crowd dashed for the doors. It gave her some time to don her 'costume'. It didn't take long - now that most of it had gone up in the mist, Vallie was left with a silver breastplate and a girdle-lookalikebelt that stopped short at her hips. Luckily, she found lying on a seat a crimson woman's scarf one of the passengers left behind in her escape. She nimbly tied two ends to the front and back of the girdle, re-purposing the silk scarf into a temporary loincloth fitting snugly between her legs. She sure was glad to be clothed again... albeit very flimsily. That alcove did not remain a safe haven for long. Vallie screamed and cowered at the ear-splitting gunshots, and a hail of broken glass rained on her. A slicing pain at the back of her right hand elicited a wince. She glanced down and grimaced at a short trickle of blood oozing from a cut. Immediately that scarfloincloth also served as gauze for her fresh wound. Vallie had to scramble once more. Ducking low to avoid any further gunfire, she made for the exits. By this time the other passengers have evacuated. She only had to avoid the overturned luggage and broken glass strewn about, arriving at the train doors on all fours. To her left was the door to the platform, where cops in their cobalt blue uniform tried to rein in the panicking crowd. To her right Vallie spotted, some forty yards away, Vagabond twirling that scarf of his menacingly above his head, threatening to smash Mark into a bloody pulp. In hindsight, it might have been smarter to go left. Join up with the authorities and get her hands on her hammer lying on the tracks. That was probably her best bet of apprehending Vagabond. But her judgment was clouded by pumping adrenaline, and a burning desire for vengeance gripped Vallie. The villain who humiliated and embarrassed her with that damned smoke bomb was about to get away scot-free. Vallie was determined not to let that happen. When assessing what she did next... one really should bear in mind Garrison Agency had - after a thorough assessment of her abilities and mental acuity in combat situations - sidelined her for five years. Vallie was never the sharpest tool in the shed, and was prone to rash actions and poor judgment - which are exceptionally bad qualities for anyone, let alone a superhero. Oh but Vallie was real proud of her idea. I'll call a bluff , she thought rather smugly to herself. I know I am powerless without the hammer. Garrison knows. But no one else does. There's no way Vagabond knows. He's gotta be smarting from that bolt I shot into his back, probably still hella scared of me. I can use that to my advantage. She swung right and leapt down onto the tracks. The cut of rough gravel against her naked soles were dulled by adrenaline and feverish eagerness. She clambered onto the next platform, and from her elevated position shouted to Vagabond, Hey you! You got some neat gadgets, I'll give you that, but they aren't gonna save you now! This time I'm really gonna fry you. I will give you three seconds to surrender! One... two... To complete the bluff, she made a point to puff out her steel-clad chest and put her hands at her hips. At the same time she trained her eyes on the coils of his scarf, ready to duck out of the way in case he doesn't fall for her trick... A couple of straggling passengers gazed at the blonde woman with their mouths agape. Empire City had seen their fair share of vigilante heroes, but few look like an Instagram fitness model, and even fewer chose to do their business half-naked with a sheer silk scarf hanging between their legs. From a safe distance, camera phones raised in anticipation...