As darkness descended upon New York, a lone man ascended the rooftop of an old, condemned building. The view from the building wasn't great, but it did allow him a good look upon the greater downtown from afar, those lights just starting to lighten the night of the city that never sleeps. The man, silently, watched as the city's night life began to come alive, the thousands who chose to work or play in the grip of shadows rather than the light. And the man knew, within those thousands, would be terrible peoples, murderers, gangsters, rapists...and even they were nothing compared to the true monsters that lurked within the city. Like a plague, they infested the city little by little, endangering the people and spreading their disease like rats.

Well, tonight there would be a new kind of monster to stalk the streets. And these monsters would begin the slow process of eradicating this disease...with itself.

A slow smile creep along his face as he turned to his companions, who were just joining him now. These two, his most trusted advisers and companions, who had been with him in this project since the first step. Now, after years of planning, preparation, carefully outlining each step and finding all the pieces to complete the chess board, finally, it would all begin to come to fruition. Tonight was the first step to cleansing the plague that had invested the world...and the General, for he needed no real name anymore, could barely contain his glee. He would, of course, for he was The General and he had soldiers that followed his example and lead. But for these two, he showed them just a little bit of his joy before hardening like a rock.

"Report."

The first of the two, a man barely into his thirties, tilted his head to the side as he listened to a voice in his ear, before speaking. "Everyone is in position and awaiting your orders, General. Teams one through four report that they are ready to commence "Operation: Revelations" at any time." Nodding to the man, The General turned to his partner, a woman in her younger twenties.

"And our "special" forces?"

"They are in place, with all their targets acquired. They merely await the command that will unleash them."

Smiling, The General clapped his hands together, rubbing them palm to palm as he looked out over the night once more, letting that scene of peace sink in for one more moment, before giving his order. The first order of many to come. "All forces, we are a go. Commence operations. Show the world what he can do. Show them all."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a much more active portion of the city, two beings stirred from their observation. All day they had been waiting, watching their intended target intently, hoping that the call for action would finally come. Well...one of them had been. Why the two had been paired had been apparent the moment they were given their target, but as one watched his overeager partner, he couldn't help but notice just how different they were. One, hyper with energy and all but raring to go. And him, calm, patient, knowing that the time would come. Maybe that's why they had been paired, aside from the advantage.

That was not something to consider now, however. The order had been given and it was time for them to act. Finally.

They had been tracking their target all day, keeping an eye on him in anticipation of this moment. Not that their target made it hard; he was well-respected, of that there was no doubt. And he clearly had no qualms with being out and about in public, without a care in the world for the look of it. But he knew just what burden this man had; they had studied him intently for this moment. He also knew just how tough this would be, even with all the training, preparation and planning they had put into it.

Their target was the leader of the X-Men, after all. Taking down Sam Johnson, known also as Cold Steel, would not be an easy task. But they were going to succeed.

They had tracked Cold Steel to one of the many bars in New York, where he had been for only a short while. Going in to encounter him would be a foolish endeavor, too many innocents to consider. They were after him and him alone; they didn't want others involved if they could help it. A stroke of luck, then, that he had already exited the bar and was making his way off to another one. Someone in the sky above was favoring them this day. With a nod, his companion was already moving into position to intercept him, cutting off his path. Meanwhile, he would wait in the shadows, wait for his chance to strike. He fingered one of the many knives he carried on his person. Time to bring this fool down.

On the street, his partner could barely keep the bounce in his step contained. It was finally, finally time! Finally, he was going to be able to go wild against someone that he didn't have to hold back on. This was going to be fun! Grinning, the man looked up to where CS was coming down the street. And what a foe he had as his first mission!

"Finally! I thought you'd never come out of that place. I've been waiting very, very patiently you know, San Johnson!"

Nights like tonight was why Sam loved the city of New York it as dark but the city as still bright and full of life. He had already stopped off at one bar and was on his way to his second. Athena was busy visiting her parents meaning Sam had the night to himself and without the worry of having to get up early to work the following day Sam had no problem hit up a few of the bars. Sadly he was still alone but was supposed to be meeting Gawain and Evee up at the next bar meaning he’d actually be getting some social interaction other than complete strangers. Sure, Gawain was still suspicious of him due to him being mind controlled but he was always happy to see Evee. He had a certain skip in his somewhat drunken step he was something that didn’t come easily to him.

Turning down the next street towards the bar that he was supposed to meet the pair up at he continued to sing ”Vibrations good like Sunkist, many wanna know who done this, Marky Mark and I’m here to move you rhymes will groove and I’m here to prove to you. Sam started to wave his hands a bit as well as he was getting more and more into the singing until he spotted someone walking towards him and staring right at him. Well walk isn’t a good word to describe what he was doing he was almost skipping towards him. Clearly the guy was excited about something.

>>>>>"Finally! I thought you'd never come out of that place. I've been waiting very, very patiently you know, Sam Johnson!"

Sam stopped walking and singing and then raised an eyebrow to the guy, who said he was waiting for him. Sam blinked and it took him a second to process it. ”Who? Me?” Sam pointed to himself and then he leaned in slightly to get a better look. Sam didn’t recognize him, which happened a lot. ”Why were you waiting for me?” Sam asked scratching the back of his head in confusion and at the same time he activated his sixth sense. He was pretty buzzed but he wasn’t stupid. If someone was waiting for him to leave a public setting either the guy was embarrassed about something or he was about to start a fight. ”Oh you’re one of those guys?” Sam asked raising an eyebrow immidieatly determining he was a T.A.T. agent or had any affiliation with the group. If they guy was with T.A.T. or hired by Amanda he would have just pulled a trigger instead of being seen.

”I get this a lot, you want an autograph right?” Sam asked touching his chest then feeling around for some kind of paper or pen which he didn’t have on him. ”Normally it’s kids asking me for one.” Sam said shrugging.

The man cocked his own eyebrow at CS when he asked a slue of questions. Each one was more confusing then the last, but the last one finally snapped him out of his funk. It all made sense, of course; CS had been going around bars, so he was likely slightly buzzed. While it would take away some of the pristine of the victory to come that his opponent had been intoxicated, he wasn't going to let that take away from the fact of what he was about to do.

That last question gave him the opening he needed, his grin going from ear to ear. Lifting a hand up, he made a little motion with his finger, circling it a few times before turning his attention fully on CS. "Sure...an autograph. You can make it out to Leo...but you think you could carve it into your flesh? Otherwise I'm going to do it in your blood."

Suddenly he was rushing forward, a hand cocked back in obvious attack. As he neared, though, something suddenly whizzed past CS, coming close enough to possibly cut his cheek. The point of the attack wasn't to inflict harm though. It was to distract. Even as the knife sunk into the ground, Leo was swinging his fist in for a strike at CS's face; first he was going to test the man. If physically he could not beat him, well, he always had that up his sleeve.

>>>>"Sure...an autograph. You can make it out to Leo...but you think you could carve it into your flesh? Otherwise I'm going to do it in your blood."

”Leo huh?” Sam didn’t hear the last part, or at least he thought his mind was playing tricks on him that was until the guy charged him. Something flashed past his vision and scraped against his cheek as the strike from the guy was coming in. Sam leaned back and fell on his back dodging the guys telegraphed strike as his cheek started to bleed. ”So your one of those fans?” Sam asked as some ice pillars formed under his back forcing him up quickly.

Sam was on his feet again and turned to face the guy that just swung on him, ”Listen man, if you don’t have pen and paper we can find some no reason to get all bloodied up.” Sam took a slightly dizzy step back and took a deep breath in trying to get everything to stop spinning. ”If you actually hit me that will be the same as striking an officer.” Sam reached up as some blood slide down his cheek. Sam touched it with one of his finger then looked to it. ”Look at that.”

With another breath Sam regained some of his control as the air around him started to drop in temperature started to drop. ”Look man, my girlfriend is gonna kill me if I get into a fight when she is out of the states and I’m kinda supposed to be going to meet some people. So I’m not really sure I have the time for this.”

Whether by skill or drunken luck, the man known as CS dodged Leo's strike with ease, although he did fall flat on his back instead of remaining on his feet. Hissing in disapproval, Leo was already rounding back on him, his fist drawn back for another strike when he felt it. Felt that sudden change of temperature in the air, even as he watched ice suddenly propel CS back to his feet.

His instincts taking control, Leo cautiously took a few steps back, watching his opponent warily. The man may have been intoxicated, but he was also the leader of the X-Men. To let him pride get the better of him against this foe could be fatal; the General had drilled that into them from day one. Sure, he was excited and he could remain that way during the whole fight; he just had to be excited and smart.

Of course, it was hard not to believe he had the upper hand when the man didn't even seem to realize that his life was in danger. Really! It was like this was just some big joke to him, something to pass the time before he continued on his merry way. Well, Leo wasn't going to allow that to happen. "Oh, your girlfriend is going to kill you is she? Well, I'm soooo sorry then; I'm going to have to disappoint her. See, she can't kill what's already going to be dead."

Obviously, messing around with this man wasn't going to be the best play here. With the temperature dropping, getting into close combat at this moment was not the best plan of attack. Which is why Leo had been paired with his current partner; it was Leo's job to cripple him while his comrade did the real damage. Smirking, Leo chuckled a little. "You're going to be fashionably late for your meeting. Fashionably late and dead." Leo sucked in a deep breath then...and then he roared. He roared...and all around him the world suffered from it, as the earth shattering roar erupted from him; he hoped CS heard this. Heard it and suffered.

Another death threat it seemed this guy was convinced he’d kill Sam. Sighing again and shaking his head Sam was about to counter the fact that you talk about killing someone in a fistfight you just do it. Wasting time talking is still wasting time. Leo didn’t rush back in again instead he roared. Sam’s ears started to hurt and his hands instinctively jumped up and grabbed onto his head trying to cover his ears. ‘Great’ thought Sam as he had a flash back to a movie. Everything seemed to slow as some windows on some nearby buildings started to shatter.

Sam took a few steps backward and fell on his rear and waited till the roaring was done. Before he lowered his hands back into a guard. There was an annoying high pitched ringing all around him now. Sam slowly got back to his feet as ice started to form under his clothing. ”You @$$” Sam yelled trying to hear his own voice that was slowly becoming more recognizable. Standing back up on his feet the air around him became colder as mist started to appear around him. If the guy wanted him to go deaf then Sam would make the guy go blind. Seems like a fair trade off.

”Why they hell are you attacking me anyways?” Sam asked irritated and still buzzed the ringing in his ears still pretty strong, ”Did I do something to piss you off?” maybe he slept with the guys girlfriend or sister at some point? He clearly didn’t recognize the guy.

The effect of Leo's roar was instant. One minute CS had looked lost, a bit baffled and slightly tipsy when Leo had first approached him. It had irked Leo to find that the leader of the X-Men was this...this...drunk, ignorant, foolish man. One of his roars had changed all that, Leo knew it the instant his beastly roar had connected.

All around them, windows rattled and then shattered as his roar broke them apart with ease. Anyone that had been nearby had fled now and those that were outside his effective range were fleeing too; no one wanted to go caught up in a mutant's fight. The gravel beneath them rumbled, loose stones bouncing and skipping; building's shook slightly as the roar rattled them. And most importantly, CS felt the effects of his roar up close and personal. Felt it and realized now that Leo might actually be serious.

When he finally ran out of breath and his roar ended, Leo gave a feral grin at CS, who was trying to shake off the effects of his roar. While it had not been directed at him this time, the roar still had set him off balance and slapped him from his stupor. Now Leo could really get into this; now CS looked like he was getting serious. "Awake now?" he mocked, bracing himself for what was to come.

They had studied him beforehand, of course. Of his battles and his tactics. Leo knew, as the mist started to form, what CS was planning to do. It was part of the reason Leo had been chosen as one of the two to take him down. It was also the reason his partner had been chosen. "It's not what you did. Its what you are. But don't you worry; your death will send a powerful message. So have the good grace to die, plague." With that said, Leo suddenly erupted again, this time aiming his roar straight at CS. It disturbed the very around around them, blowing away the mist with the air with ease before the brunt of it bore down on CS itself.

Ice was a very dangerous weapon. But like glass, it was fragile. And Leo's roar would shatter it just as easily. And all the while, having waited for this moment, his comrade struck.

Sagittarius had been chosen for this mission for two reasons; he could reign in his comrade if need be. And because his ability let him attack from afar. With a quick flick of his wrist from his perch, the man known as the Archer sent half a dozen knives in quick succession at CS, timing them to strike just as Leo's roar ended.And unlike his comrade, he wasn't wasting time. Each of his knives went straight for a vital.

>>>"Awake now?"

”What?!” Sam yelled irritation in his voice now as he tried to figure out a battle plan. That roar was irritiating not only did it make it difficult to move around due to it causing disorientation but it also shattered any of his constructs they could be strong sure but even with him constantly reforming it the vibrations made it difficult to hold something together including ice armor.

>>>>"It's not what you did. Its what you are. But don't you worry; your death will send a powerful message. So have the good grace to die, plague."

Sam shook his head and pointed to his ears and only made out a few of the words, like die. The others were muffled and he couldn’t make them out. Sam frowned and was ready to offer a counter until Leo breathed in again Sam raised his hands up to his ears and failed to block anything out this time he felt a small popping sensation and what ice he did form around his body started to shatter under his clothing.

‘Damn! She’s gonna be so pissed!’ thought Sam as he noticed the mist getting pushed back even though he was generating more. Once the roaring stopped again his voice couldn’t be heard again. Sam let out a quick war cry at least what he thought was one only to find his voice gone. The ringing ceased as well. Silence was an understatement it was like he was in a vacuum. Instincts kicking in and Ice started to form on his body, a thin layer at first and now that it wasn’t shattering due to the roar it meant he might have a chance now. It wasn’t like the roar could actually do any damage now that he couldn’t hear.

Sam took a step forward and his leg buckled from under him he looked down and noticed a silver tip sticking out of his knee. Sam landed on his side and then he was aware of the sudden pain that was covering his body. He was hit in several other locations his sides lit up with pain as well as his back. Luckily the ice stopped the most dangerous one. He felt a pinprick in the back of his head as his vision faded in and out.

He was laying face first on the ground now his good eye looking forward as he saw Leo standing over him. He was a god now the last thing Sam thought he’d see much to his displeasure. Sam hated him now. This was his fault.

Sam’s hand twitched slowly then fumbled towards his hip as he felt a scraping of bone and metal on concrete he winced and pressed the distress beacon on his hip. Sam’s vision started to fade and he started to hear something again. Something he thought he’d never hear again, the voices of his kids calling out to him.

It was almost disappointing, really, to see how easily the lord of the X-Men went down. Sagittarius watched, with no small amount of satisfaction, as all six of his knives struck home. One went through his knee, the other through his thigh as he dropped suddenly. Three more dug home into his back, either getting close to their intended target or hitting something equally damaging in return. The only one that didn't hit quite what he wanted as the one for his head; it hit, but CS seemed to manage to prevent it from digging home.

His professional pride was hurt a little by that, but in the end it mattered little. What mattered was the mission and from what he could see, the mission was all but finished. Gathering himself, Sagittarius began making his way towards Leo, clicking on their radios. "Leo, our mission is almost down. Is he dead?"

On the other end, Leo tapped the headset in his ear. Looking down at CS, who was struggling after being stuck with six of his comrades razor sharp knives, Leo almost felt cheated. This was the great leader of the X-Men? He'd gone down almost too easily that Leo wanted him to get up so they could get a proper battle out of the man. But, like his ally, he knew that the mission came first. Pride was not something they brought into this thing, not if they wanted to succeed. "Almost. Didn't quite get all the vitals. Must be loosing your..."

Movement from the man caught Leo's attention and he turned his eyes down to the man at his feet. He'd moved his hand to his hip and when Leo looked, he could see a device of sort there. Realizing what possibly might be a call for help, Leo quickly stomped down on the device before kicking the blade in his knee. "Oh ho, not so dead quite yet, are we? Well...let's change that, shall we?"

Sucking in a much deeper breath then before, Leo bent over CS, all but a foot away from him...and let his roar loose. He was standing over him, so the majority of this outburst pushed down on CS hard from above, driving the knives already in his flesh to dig deeper until they hit the concrete on the other side, bending in their efforts to go further. The force of his roar at this range, this concentrated, was so much that the concrete beneath even begun cracking, as CS's bones surely would and his body rocked.

When he finally relented, Sagitarrius had joined him, covering his ears as he looked down at the broken leader. He wasn't moving at all. Think you broke him loudmouth?" Panting, Leo grinned and flipped his body over with a foot.

"I don't know...still feels awfully cold. You still kicking dear leader? I hope the rest of your X-Men aren't as pathetic as you are. After all...our mission may be necessary but who says it has to be boring?"

Sam felt the vibrations only after seeing the red being get closer. Leo was bright, like a burning lantern amidst darkness one that you could see for miles unfortunately Sam didn’t really notice him until he was on him and kicking him. He was talking, Sam was sure of it. His lone eye opened as he felt a sharp pain in his knee. They guy was kicking him when he was down. What’s more it seemed that Sam was fighting more than one person unless telekinesis and his roar went hand in hand. Sam muffled a scream at least he though he could muffle it he was deaf now, he couldn’t hear anything really. The pain in his legs and various parts on his body was the only indication he wasn’t dead.

The dead don’t feel pain of that he was sure. Sam tried to move but felt nothing but pain his fingers twitched then he opened his eye and was looking at the guy standing over him and breathing in. Sam braced himself and did his best not to yell but couldn’t tell if he could be heard. His theory about not having to worry about the roar went out the window when he felt his bones rattle and what ever was digging into his body shake around. He would bleed out before helped arrived that was unless he could will some ice to seal the holes the knives made.

Imagine standing in front of some speakers at a rock concert and have them magnified by a thousand, that was what Sam was feeling as his body vibrated into the concrete. It was over at least that was how he felt. The air around him still got colder but he couldn’t move. At least that was how he felt. His finger twitched when he felt a foot under him and rolled him over. He opened his eye lazily at Leo who was talking some more. ‘Really? By this idiot?’

Sam’s sixth sense was still active and he felt another person come into view. Everyone else ran. This was the guy he had to thank for the knives it had to be. Sam’s eye shifted up and he felt his hear beat. That was a start he was still alive and if he was alive well, who said hell couldn’t freeze over?

The blood pooling around his body slowed and where each knife was the blood slowly hardened onto his skin the iron in the blood fell as the moisture turned to ice. Sam’s body might be rattled and broken but his mind? Hell that was all he needed. Amanda proved that to him. If he could think that was all he needed for his powers to activate.

Sam’s eye snapped open and some spikes of ice shot up from where some of his blood had pooled right around where Leo was standing. Sam’s body hurt but that didn’t stop the ice from forming over his body nor the mist from forming as the temperature became colder and colder. Well below freezing now as the ice on his limbs moved with a thought it was like controlling one of his ice clones only he was inside the clone.

Sam just needed some distance from the loud mouth and get his back against a wall then he could figure out a plan. The nearest building wasn’t far luckily Leo had roared him towards it and with the ice spikes he might have a second. He was still deaf so he didn’t know his inner monologue was starting to be verbalized, ”I get tagged team by a bunch of second string hit men. Got to be shitting me.”

Sagittarius was the first to notice something was wrong. It had started when Leo had said that the air around them was still getting colder. Logically, if CS were dead, the temperature should have gradually started returning to normal, not getting colder. The fact that it was getting colder meant that he was still alive, no matter how mortally wounded he was. And if the reports about him had been true then if he was alive...

Sagittarius was already moving back, even as he grabbed Leo by his shirt and yanked him back as well. A moment later, ice spikes erupted from the pool of blood that Leo had been standing in a second ago. Leo himself gasped in surprise, but wasted little time in using a quick roar to shatter the spikes that had almost speared him. He had almost gotten caught completely by surprise from a half-dead man...he'd let himself get too cocky.

Both of them locked eyes on the suddenly moving form of ice that was fleeing away from them. Logically, with the injuries that had been inflicted on him, CS shouldn't have been able to work, let alone run. But he was and all it took was a quick roar from Leo to blow the mist away and reveal why. It was impressive, Sagittarius had to admit. He'd created an ice clone over his own body, using it to move his body. He hadn't gotten far, planting himself against a building and talking aloud to himself.

A quick glance to Leo was the only signal they needed; drawing back, Leo focused his roar straight towards where CS was planted while Sagittarius pulled out two things from his pocket; a couple more knives...and a bullet. Lifting the knives, he flung them for CS's chest while the other hand hung onto the bullet for a moment, lining it up with his lung...and then he flicked it hard, his power launching it like a rocket for him.

Guess the leader of the X-Men wasn't so weak after all.

Once his back was against the wall he turned to see what was coming, another yell from the pipes. Man, Sam hated that guy he really did have a loud mouth if only he could close the distance and possibly sever said pipe. That wasn’t possible right now however. Judging from the situation not only was it two on one but also he was pretty sure something that shouldn’t be stabbed was stabbed his side lit up with pain when he was forced up on the wall. Was there still a knife there? The roar pushed him back and the ice around his body shattered as two more blades found themselves in his chest and the roar ceased.

Sam saw the other guy start to move and that was all he needed to see. Ice started to form up again around his body luckily he was bleeding still due to the ice shattering. It also made him extremely light headed at the moment as well a catch 22 if you will. He had quick access to moisture it also meant that if he didn’t get medical attention any time soon he probably wouldn’t find out who was trying to kill him.

Sam shifted to the side and he felt another sharp pain this time he saw it with his sixth sense. They were using bullets now because knives and sonic booms were too mainstream. ‘Should have stayed home instead of dealing with a bunch of hipster mutants’ thought Sam as he started to ice up again pretty sure it was do or die at this point. His thoughts were heavy now and even the ice that was quickly forming on his body seemed to way a ton he still managed to move the ice forward and up.

Still it was quite though he didn’t mind that no sound whatsoever, reminded him of the artic circle a bit when he went to train. It was peaceful up there. Though he doubted it hurt as bad as this. ‘Funny’ thought Sam as he willed his hand to give the two a final gesture of giving the pair the bird before it started to glow and a cold beam shot at the two hoping to give them one final headache.

Sam’s body started to slump forward and the cold beam ceased as he collapsed forward. ‘All the guys and gals who said they were gonna kill me’ Sam’s body smacked the pavement and his finger twitched as the ice around his body started to get pushed away with the blood that was trying to pool out. ‘Did I at least make it better?’ thought Sam as his vision started to go black.

Had to give it to CS; his first impression had been weak, terrible, unbecoming of the leader of one of the most effective mutant teams in the known world. Now, near death and crippled in more ways then one, CS was showing something becoming of the man they'd been sent to take down. Such a shame, then, that only near death was he only able to show something like this. Well, a shame for him. For them, it just made their task that much easier.

His knives and bullet did their work quick, as the fight that had grown in the man obviously was sucked out of him. Still, that didn't stop him from lifting up a final salute towards his enemies. A one fingered salute at that.

Had it just been that, Leo would have scoffed. However, that finger glowed for a moment before a beam shot from his finger towards them. Neither of them stayed still long enough for it to hit them; neatly dodging aside, they attacked in union. Leo with a burst of sonic roar that slammed CS against the wall again as he fell, while Sagittarius put another few knives into him, including one that slashed against his throat. Not deep enough to hit something vital, but it did leave a nice pretty trail of blood as the man slumped to the dirt.

Eyeing the man carefully, Sagittarius drew one more knife, spun it around in his fingers...and threw it right into his back where his heart would be. The knife parted flesh easily enough and even as the two watched, CS shuddered...and went still. They both watched for several moments, Leo stalking closer until he was standing over the man, watching for the rise and fall of his chest. Putting a hand to his neck, he counted to ten...and then stood up smiling and stalking back over to his ally.

"No pulse, no breathing, heck, even the air around him is warming up. I think we can count this a victory. Even easier then I thought it would be."

Snorting, Sagittarius stalked over himself, pulling out the knives that were still stuck into CS's body. He wasn't about to leave those behind. "You almost let him get you, so I wouldn't count it as easy. In any case, we're not done tonight. Time to meet up with the others. We have more work to get done."

"Yea yea...no rest of the wicked." The two of them disappeared shortly after, vanishing into the night to meet their fellows.

Leaving the frozen body of CS laying in a puddle of his own blood...while nearby, the tracking device lay still...beeping ever so slowly. Just like the little rise of steam that came from CS's body. Steam from his breath against the frozen air.

The car smelled of coffee that had once been warm, but had grown cold and abandoned. Ignored, as its owner scanned the city. Routine coffee, routine patrol. Nothing out of the ordinary. Its owner hadn't spotted anything more than a few people he'd had to talk to, a few warnings he'd had to drop. The trouble makers came out at night. For the MRC trainee, it was nothing to worry about. He hadn't needed his partner for this, so Raz had stayed on his own beat. They maintained radio contact, just in case.

The radio buzzed every now and then, with your average chatter. Something heard here, something seen there. Officer on their way. Copy that. A separate sound coming from somewhere other than the radio caught his attention. He hadn't noticed it at first, had glanced around in mild confusion, searching for the sound's source, but after a few moments, the Asian's hand had found his belt and pulled his X-communicator out. It was beeping. A distress signal. The car shifted into another lane as the Asian adjusted his course to the signal's source.

It didn't take long to get there. A police cruiser can go pretty fast when it wants to, and has its own ways to avoid worrying about lights. Blue and red bathed the area as he pulled onto the scene. He left the cruiser's light turning as he stepped out, shutting the door with a clack, stuffing the keys into his pocket.

The entire area looked like a mess. There were signs of fighting: a blood trail or two, cracked concrete, pools of blood and melted or melting bits of ice. Following the trail led him to the beacon's source. Sam. He repeated the name aloud, trying to get the man's attention. He didn't look good. In fact, he looked like absolute hell. He'd seen the man injured before... but never this bad. Thoughts ran through Shin's head about what to do. Doc Prof was too far. An ambulance was an option, but it might be too slow. Should he move him? He hadn't dealt with this sort of situation before. At one moment, he was both glad and upset about that fact. He repeated the man's name once more, hoping for some sort of groggy reply or sarcastic suggestion. If he didn't get it, he'd have to figure things out for himself.

"Sam! Sam, wake up."

Nope. Nothing. Crap. What was it they said about not moving bodies? You shouldn't. So. He didn't. He wanted to shake Sam, to wake him up, to make him better, but that wouldn't help. So... he pulled his police radio off his belt and filled in his partner about the situation. Put in a request for an ambulance. Then looked around and took note of the scene. He wanted to make sure they kept it sound so they could help him figure out what the hell had happened once all was said and done.

He was no detective, just a cop, so his analytic skills weren't up to snuff with everyone else's. But what he saw was a massacre. An attack by someone. Maybe more than one person. Knowing Sam, it was unlikely 1 person would get him as badly injured as this. He couldn't fill in any more blanks than that, though. He could see obvious woulds, cuts here and there. Places where something might've stabbed him, but he was no doctor. He couldn't say anything for certain. Just that there was plenty of blood, and Sam didn't usually start bleeding for no reason. In the time it took him to take in the whole scene, and look at Sam, his partner had made the call. The ambulance pulled in less than 7 minutes later.

An EMT got out, harried look on his face, and Shin clued him in to what he thought and what he'd found. The EMTs worked fast, getting Sam up and into the ambulance. Shin caught one of their arms. As he did, his partner arrived, pulling up in his own squad car. Shin looked to him, worry clear on his face.

"Toss me your keys." Raz called through cupped hands, standing by his car. "You want to go in the ambulance with him, right? I'll get someone to take your car back to the station."

The keys jangled as they sailed into an open palm. Raz caught.

Turning back to the EMT, Shin spoke in a hurried voice, telling him the location of the nearest healer. He knew a guy, Tim Eric the cleric. He worked at a church. He was a Catholic priest. The EMT wasn't used to that. Usually, it was a straight beeline for the hospital to get people fixed up. That was the status quo. That was important. But Shin was a cop, and he spoke authoritatively. He was certain. So... "Crap." The EMT muttered, turning to his partner. "We'll give it a shot. He's badly hurt. Maybe this 'Cleric' is the best shot he's got."

"Do you want to explain that to the higher ups?"

"It won't take long. We'll take him to the hospital after. That's okay, right?" He turned to the Asian. Shin nodded in reply. "Alright," the EMT sighed, pushing his brown hair back. There were black bags under his eyes, partially obscured by the black rims of his glasses. He was tired, and too old for this crap. "Let's go, then. Get in the back."

A few moments later, they were on the road.