A Lunch Break (07-07-2022)

## The Meal - San Arturo, Camelot [07-07-2022]

Void nervously sipped his soda as he sat in the booth all by himself. He decided to take a few hours to himself away from GEO, still a bit frazzled by the encounter with *that woman* during the attack. He started eating as soon as they brought out his food, a plate of chicken tenders cooked to a perfect level of crisp, as well as some of the best seasoned ranch that could be found in San Arturo. As he took a bite out of one of the tenders, he noticed Heralda's stupid smug face plastered across the restaurant's television. Some newscaster was interviewing her for her campaign, and although he tried not to focus on the whole interview he heard her mention her visit to the infirmary, as well as giving her "sympathies" to the Director and the others.

He sighed, putting the tender down and muttering, "Typical fucking politician."

He eventually went back to eating his meal, pushing his beef with Heralda to the back of his mind until he finished up. He wiped his mouth for any stray crumbs or sauce, and left £10 crowns on the table for the waiter. He paid for his meal at the register, as well as a to-go soda before departing from the diner. He exited the restaurant, checking the time and heading back to the parking garage where he left the car. As he strolled down the sidewalk he could've sworn he felt something following him with a chill down his spine.

Void hastened his pace, growing increasingly paranoid every time he looked behind him... even though he saw nothing. When he finally walked into the parking garage, he didn't even notice when the shadows suddenly shifted beneath him. At this point, blots of A-007 started to spread across his skin as his anxiety grew. He ascended the garage's levels and silently cursed his decision to leave his gun in the car, eventually coming up on the level on the third floor with the company car. He let his paranoia get the best of him once more and took a cursory look around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. He let out a sigh of relief as the A-007 that spread across him dissipated. "You're being stupid, man," he murmured to himself.

And that's when he noticed it... muffled cries and subtle motion from the trunk of a nearby car. While fear still dominated his mind, he didn't hesitate. It could've been a civilian that was locked in there, and this could be their only chance to escape. Void popped the trunk, pulling it open with strange resistance before seeing what he was "rescuing." A struggling Syndicate agent bound and gagged with cloth, as well as a mysterious metal cylinder connected to the trunk lid with a wire.

Then came the explosion. It blew Void back and left a bloody pool of viscera where the Syndicate goon was. A few shards of shrapnel lodged deep inside Void's chest, while most of his organs were still intact due to a timely manifestation of A-007 around them. It didn't mean the shrapnel didn't hurt like hell though, with Void clutching his chest in pain as the real attackers showed themselves. Nyx strolled out from a nearby car with a sickening smile on her face, and a scythe being held to Void's throat let him know Wraith was right behind him.

"Nice bomb right? And the bait too, you wouldn't believe how much he struggled. Anyways, glad you survived, although we both know it wouldn't matter either way," she said, flashing a signal to Wraith to execute Void as he subtly covered his palms in A-007. In a flash, Void was gripping the blade of the scythe as Wraith tried to pull it down on his neck, going for a complete decapitation. Void pushed the blade away from his neck with all his might, still winded from the explosion and impact but driven by fear.

Wraith eventually relented, whether it was out of muscle fatigue or an attempt to get a better grip on the scythe, and that was all Void needed. He shoved the scythe blade aside after getting a good gap between it and his jugular, shooting upwards and getting into fighting stance. He formed a small ball of hardened A-007 in the palm of his right hand, spinning it up using the rotational energy of A-004. He shot a terrified yet brave glare at Nyx before turning around firing the projectile he produced right at Wraith. It sizzled through the air and tore a hole through their shoulder before they could retreat to the shadows. With that Void turned back to Nyx and rushed her, coating his scarred hand in A-007 and throwing a punch.

She coldly caught it before it could hit its mark, gripping Void's hand painfully tight and swinging him into a nearby car with a chuckle. The car's engine collapsed under the impact, further bruising Void's back while he struggled to get back up. All he could concentrate on now was the sound of the sirens on the street below, no doubt the result of some civvie hearing the commotion. And then Nyx began her assault once more, rushing Void while he was still laid out across the car's hood. With overwhelming willpower, he managed to roll off of the car just before Nyx's fist slammed down on the hood.

And then, Void's prayers were answered as a figure landed a solid blow to Nyx's stomach with a resounding,

**"Fuck OFF!"**

She stumbled, caught off guard by the sudden attack before realizing who it was... *Specter.* She briefly entertained the thought of killing them in front of Void, but didn't have a chance to act before Specter put the tip of their blade to her neck. "Get the fuck out of here. Only people allowed to kill him is us," Specter coldly whispered. They failed to notice a shadow creeping closer towards them though, with Wraith's hand shooting up out of the ground and grabbing Specter's ankle in a painful grip. They used their immersion within the shadows to build up speed, throwing Specter to another side of the lot before surfacing with a glare of hatred and spite, "We still have a score to settle, ghostie." Nyx snickered, at least that made the two of them.

## Dame du Vide - San Arturo, Camelot [07-07-2022]

The sound of a metal slug being flung through the air hit Nyx's ears before she could spot Void. She attempted to armor herself, but it was too late... a golf ball sized hole was blown in her side. Her eyes immediately locked onto Void, holding his revolver with a trembling hand. He attempted to fire again, but Nyx managed to clear the distance in a single lunge. With a revolver pointed at her point blank now, Nyx swung at Void as hard as she could. He was sent flying back into one of the parking garage's concrete pillars, sustaining a few broken ribs from the punch itself and suffering a lot more broken ribs from the impact. The pain was so intense by now that he could only watch as Nyx strode towards him, forming a sharp blade of A-007 over her right arm.

"You're pathetic... playing hero for a world that's beneath you."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Void muttered as Nyx kneeled over him, trying to keep his eyes away from her face.

"You'll figure out soon enough, love," she said, drawing her blade back. Further away from them Specter struggled with their foe, barely keeping away the razor sharp blade of Wraith's scythe away with a flurry of skillful parries and blocks. Upon seeing Void in trouble however, they started to shift gears. They parried one hit from the right, another hit from above, and then as Wraith went for a swing from the left. With a swift sidestep into the light, Specter severed Wraith's right hand. They screamed out in pain, with the shadows around them writhing as a small glow emerged from beneath them. An arcane circle formed underneath Wraith before promptly teleporting them away. *"Shit..."* Specter whispered, turning their gaze back to Nyx.

She didn't notice it at first, but as she went to impale Void on her blade, the casting circle beneath her started to glow brighter and brighter. Just as her blade was a mere inch from Void's face, she was gone in a flash of magical energy... no doubt teleported to safety. Specter let out a sigh before slumping against a car as the sounds of the first responders' footsteps got closer.

## Post Action Report [07-07-2022]

Extraction picked up operatives Void and Specter from San Arturo Metropolitan Police (SAMP) custody following a civil disturbance near "Sam Goody's Discount Parking" commercial parking garage. Witnesses reported an explosion and sounds of a fight taking place on floor three, with no eyewitnesses of the fight itself. Following arrival, Specter and Void were placed under arrest with Void being transported to Saint Galahad Memorial Hospital for treatment under custody, and Specter being held a nearby police station. Following questioning, SAMP investigators released Specter and Void back into CACG custody.