Well, those words seemed to have had an effect! Liz couldn’t help but feel she was lobbing javelins at a bull though - there was a reason bullfighters rode horses in an arena. But there wasn’t much she could do - she’d chosen her course of action and now she had to stick to it. She needed this to become a test of wills because she doubted her chances at winning any test of strength.

She was running out of options though. Hercules was making it clear he’d break his own wishes if she goaded him enough. She still didn’t move from her position as he went back to cleaning out the vault. No sense in appearing like she was trying to become a target. Words were enough.

And his words opened up new avenues. She was silent for several moments, thinking, running calculations, weighing the odds, rehearsing her words.

She ignored his laughing and pointing. She ignored his defense of his own actions. She even ignored the hubbub she could faintly hear from outside the building, and the sirens. She figured an argument would fall on deaf ears or enrage him, even if he did look spooked but her suggestions.

Her blank stare of clinical detachment softened. “You’re trying to save someone,” she said, almost repeating his words. “Someone loved by your master. Is it a ransom? Medical? Money isn’t going to help, but I think maybe I can. Please, will you tell me what the money is for?”

“Yes.” was all he offered for a second then stopped collecting money. This should be enough. He didn’t count it but it was better than none. His master could count it decide what they needed to do with it and then he could ask the demi-god to get more or return some. Whatever his master deemed worthy for young William his master was indeed worthy of the god of strength. For while Willaim wasn’t physically strong everything else about the young child was.

“Yes.” he said again this time clearly getting tired of responding with the same answers. Then she started to ask more. The doors opened and Hercules and Liz were no longer alone. “In a way both. Medical bills are... difficult to understand. The healers have the abilities to heal yet do nothing unless there is payment involved.” he shook his head. “Different than my time. Different than all the others.” he said shaking his head and easily hefting the large bag over his shoulder.

“Money I was told is the answer.” he looked at her and smiled, “Unless you can wake the dead or the ‘Coma’ I doubt there is little you can do.” he said looking to the officers who were starting to run in. “If only my brother was here. Apollo would only require a song.”

Hercules stepped forward making sure to stand in front of Liz, while he was impervious to bullets he doubted the woman with the lizard was not. Mortals now seemed to be far less durable. “There is but one thing that can call me off from my mission. My master! Now, please retreat a safe distance so you don’t get injured when they fire!” his tattoos glowed and he took another step forward.

Well, if nothing else, Hercules was certainly sticking to his character. He was certainly coming off as a man from mythical times not-quite-accustomed to the modern day. Everything kept coming up Greek, which even if it was false, was somewhat entertaining and fascinating on a deep level that Elizabeth didn’t really have time for at the moment.

The blonde nodded along understandingly. “Medical practices certainly have changed,” she agreed, taking him at face value. It couldn’t hurt. Probably. “There’s a valid reasoning for it, but still it’s difficult to fathom.” She felt like the man wasn’t going to be a receptive audience for a lecture. It already seemed like he was giving up on talking to her, especially now that he seemed to be finished taking money. Only cool, reptilian uncaring kept Liz’s eyes from bugging out at the sight of all that cash and the ease with which he swung it around.

She answered his smile with contemplation. “No, I cannot wake the dead,” she began, “but I know someone who may be able to help with comas.” He was a resource that commonly slipped her mind, one she took for granted. DocProf, the school’s doctor, had a mutation that allowed him to heal so many different ailments, nigh miraculously. Perhaps….perhaps he could be of assistance?

Liz wrestled with the ramifications, and for too long it seemed. Hercules was moving on and police were coming in. She could hear clattering boots on the cold tile floor.

“Of course,” she nodded at Hercules and heeded his advice. She held up her hands and slowly walked backwards until she came to a wall and then slid along the side of it until she was out of anyone’s reasonable line of fire. She sank down the wall and behind a desk, the sight of various glowing tattoos lighting up Hercules the last sight before her head went below the edge of the desk.

“NYPD!” a voice bellowed out in announcement. “FREEZE! Down on the ground!” Many other voices and sounds. It sounded like the police had arrived in full force. Liz slid a hand into her purse and withdrew a small card. Moments later, she slid her mind into her face lizard and not long after, a small skink with a business card in its jaws was scurrying across the floor to the giant man with glowing marks. She couldn’t do more in the moment as a human, lest she be considered an accomplice, but Liz did want to help.

His path was already set he was there for money however should this woman of Lizards have access to someone with such an ability maybe... his eyes welled up at the thought of his master reuniting with his mother. His master had lost so much at a young age. Hercules allowed a few tears to streak down his face. True men cried. Even gods wept.

“Herclues! And No.” he responded. Looking from the men and women in blue and black their armor read S.W.A.T. as if a company of fly catchers were enough to best him. His eyes rolled onto a small little lizard holding a card in it’s mouth. He reached down gingerly and took the card from the lizard. “Thank you little one. Tell your master I have received the card.” though it would be obvious he had gotten it. It was obvious when the demi-god did anything.

“Now! Would any of you like to challenge me?” Hercules asked scanning the men and woman. “Know I don’t fight women unless they are capable.” he said hearing a gunshot then feeling a hot pin prick on his shoulder. It didn’t bleed but he felt it. More so than when they shot earlier. Did they have weapons capable of harming a god such as himself? If so he’d need to channel more power.

Hercules’s tattoos glowed more and he dropped the large bag of money making sure not on a lizard. “Very well! I shall take you all on!” he brought his fists up into his fighting stance and he debated where to strike first. Surging forward he stopped.

“Not now!” his hands lowered and he frowned, “It was just getting good! I was about to make off with the money.” his head wrung as his master questioned him. “I went to the bank to acquire money!” he was arguing with his master now. Upset his surprise wasn’t appreciated. The officers exchanged confused looks.

“But master....” his tattoo’s glowed more as he felt the call of his summon. “Very well!” his fist clenched tight around the business card he received from the lizard already having memorized the inscriptions. His face cold as he looked at all the would be challengers.

“It looks like you succeeded in your plan Liz. You shall not best me again!” his frustrated face turned to a warm smile and he waved before he vanished in a plume of light.

There was a small amount of surprise in Lizzard as the man immediately noticed them, and even more surprised that he reached out to accept Liz’s card. The skink was terrified being out in the open and being approached in such a manner, but Liz kept a tight hold on the reins and froze the creature, crushing its instinctive behaviors even as the giant took the card.

That he noticed them amidst all the action and the threats spoke greatly about him. He was very observant and wasn’t underestimating much. Who stared at the floor by their feet behind them when they’re being faced with a dozen officers in uniform and with guns?

A very dangerous and capable man. Whom she’d just given her contact information to.

Oh God, let this be okay! He wouldn’t be a danger...right?

The lizard couldn’t hear or see much as Lizzard was focused on returning to her birth body. When they reached it, Liz poured herself back into her own body, lifting her head and tuning back into the excitement.

He was about to fight and...no. Something stopped him. A voice? Liz frowned. Clearly the man was having an argument, possibly with his master? Some kind of earpiece, it seemed - she doubted the master was invisible.

Then he turned and when he spoke, Liz just stared. And then he vanished.

Not long after, Liz found herself on a bench, preparing to give a statement to the police. She’d already waved off attempts to have medical personnel check her out and had evenrefused the coffee they’d tried to provide, even as they searched the bank. “I’m fine, I’m fine. This isn’t my first time. Not even in my top ten worst times,” she’d told them, earning herself several strange looks.

She wasn’t shaking or in awe or shock or anything like they expected. Or anything like she’d expected of herself, either. Because this wasn’t like those other times she’d been held hostage. She hadn’t even been a hostage, had she? And Hercules hadn’t been trying to hurt anyone, it seemed. He’d actually done more to de-escalate the situation than the security guards did. And she completely believed his story about his master, even if she didn’t believe he truly was Hercules.

But foremost in her mind, as she stared at the bag of money left on the floor as forensics cased the place, was what Hercules said to her before vanishing. She had won, hadn’t she? Because of her, he had been stalled long enough for the police to arrive and he didn’t get away with the money. She had stepped up, a far cry from the terrified teenager she used to be. She mostly foiled a bank robbery! This was a good thing!

So why did she feel so terrible inside?