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

The crew did a final spot check of the various recording equipment, while the makeup woman performed the final touchups on Vallie's cheeks and brows. This was a rare look behind the scenes of TV production, and under any other circumstances Vallie would be squealing like an excited teenager. Look at the cameras and spotlights covering every angle of the interview! Prettied up by a personal makeup girl! Being on TV as a hero! Imagine the business and social media clout this would bring her. This could open so many doors. What's next... talk shows? And did just Allison just mention movies? But alas, all that comes with a heavy price tag. She is about to be outed as a superhero. Tomorrow morning everyone in the city will know her face. And everyone means everyone... from two-bit pickpockets to the crime lynchpins who probably wields more power than the police. The grisly pictures Garrison showed her flashed inside her head. She had no doubt what fate awaited once the cameras began to roll. She needs to get out. Go back home. Hopefully back into anonymity. And then the perfect opportunity presented itself. Allison got distracted over the phone. Sounds like she was clearing her questions with the news station. The makeup lady had her back turned as she rifled through her box of tools. Vallie stood up and slipped towards the door. No one took notice... until the sound technician lifted his head and eyed her questioningly. Need the bathroom. Be right back. She lied, and quickened her pace. By the time it dawned on him Vallie could have used the bathroom inside the private ward, the hero was nowhere to be found. Vallie's bare feet patted softly on the cold tiles. The signs to the lifts took her two rights and a left. Once there she rammed on the call button. Ten seconds of wait felt like minutes. Vallie half-expected to hear the click of Allison's heels, or see the reporter's silky brown hair whip around the corner. So when the doors finally opened Vallie hurried inside. She did not release the CLOSE DOOR button until the lift car jolted and began taking her downstairs. 5... 4... 3... Overhead the red number flashed far too slowly for Vallie's liking. Just so she wouldn't pop a vein, she diverted her eyes to a floor-to-ceiling mirror inside the lift. Her reflection stared back at her. The makeup woman did a better job on her face than Vallie herself ever had. Smoky eyeliner accentuated the shape of her eyes. The blush applied a post-coital glow over her cheeks. Long blonde mane brushed to one side and styled in a windswept, out-of-bed look. It all went so oddly with what she wore a flimsy plastic blue hospital gown. She turned slightly and saw the gown was tied at the back, with just four snap tapes. Vallie reminded herself not to make any sudden moves, unless she wants to flash her ass. Okay. I need some new clothes. But first things first... the hammer. Vallie did not have to look far. Her weapon was right there as the lift doors slid apart. A tiny-built woman - Vallie recognized her as Allison's assistant - brandished the hammer in a half-crouch. The hammer head quivered unsteadily. It was impossible to tell if it was due to the weight on the girl's slim wrists... or fear. She was backed against a wall as three raggedly-dressed men close in on her. Man they stunk . Of evil intentions, and literally. Their clothes reminded Vallie of Vagabond... and she has a hunch the villain is behind all this. She saw the glint of a switchblade extend from the sleeve of a tattered trench coat. Another hand raised a broken wine bottle threateningly. 'Why don't ya drop that thing before you hurt yourself, little girl...' 'Come along quietly now. Last thing we want is to scratch up that pretty face of yours...' The lift doors opening took them by surprise... just for a bit. Vallie knew it was her best chance. She sprang forward and wrangled the hammer from Sandy's hand. The next instant, three coils of lightning shot forth from the hammer, hitting each men right in their chests. One flew backwards into a garbage can. Another into a glass window pane, shattering it. The third bolt pushed the last man into the lift with such force his body dented the wall, before slumping limply. His switchblade dropped from his slack hand and clattered to the floor. That took everyone's attention. Rioters and hospital staff alike stopped whatever struggle they were in and turned their heads towards the lifts. For a half second, all of them stood in stunned silence. At the smoke, the smell of burnt flesh, and the three prone bodies. 'Ay! That's Hammer Time! Grab 'er!' Yelled one of the rioters. And back to all hell being broke loose. Sandy ducked just in time. A beer bottle whistled past her ear and smashed against the wall behind her. The girl curled up and cowered. This was it, there was no way out. The mob charged in from both sides amidst a loud battlecry. This was only Sandy's second day interning at Action Eight News. A dream placement - with a vague promise of a desk job upon college graduation - had turned into coffee runs, photocopying, and being yelled at by junior reporters like Allison. Three homeless men had just threatened to gang rape her and now she is about to be trampled by the whole lot of them. Some dream. She felt an arm curl around her waist... and the next moment she flew. So fast it was like riding on a rollercoaster. Sandy shut her eyes in terror until her Converses hit hard concrete. She opened her eyes and looked. Somehow, in a blink of an eye, she had travelled from inside the hospital to the pavement across the street. You okay there? Hammer Time pulled Sandy to her feet, with a grin and a wink of eye. Thanks for bringing me this. Sandy wobbled to her feet. She was just about to thank her hero when, from the corner of her eyes, she saw a large motorcycle, and a massive shape loom up from behind Hammer Time. Her ocean blue eyes widened, and she could manage to blurt out, WATCH OUT! BEHIND YOU!