Twenty-Three: Right Before Disaster

'T, was it?'

She mumbled a response as her face was buried into a pillow.

'I'll assume that's a yes.'

Moving her butt up in the air, she pushed her face aside so it seemed squished, 'Yeeees.'

She seemed upset again.

'Why T?'

'Tear for tears,' she slightly started to tear up again, 'We say T since Tears is not the most, "heroic" name.'

'Neither is Psycho.'

'But it is cooler,' she turned her face flat against the pillow again, 'and I'm just a loser,' she mumbled.

Studying her fisuqe, she was was slender and close to pale yet a right tone of tan. Her hair was messy now since she had switched into pajamas since the meeting. Her nails weren't painted, but if anyone could reach perfection, she did. Even though she also cried a lot, for the few moments she didn't, her eyes were a hazelnut brown.

Since our meeting, The Gambler had brought Anne and I to their safehouse. We had to share rooms with another since they only had enough rooms for each member. Anne was with Diana, and I was with T. I could've slept with The Gambler or Psycho, but Psycho's weird and The Gambler didn't want company.

'I'm tired,' she was now laying on her side looking at me, 'Could you hurry up and turn off the light and come lay down?'

Removing myself from the desk, I shut off the light and joined T.

'Champion? what kind of hero name is that?'

I slid in the bed beside her, 'We didn't get hero names....so either call us Champions or our actual names.'

'Yeah,' she whispered as I heard her begin to snore.

Letting eyes slowly close, I fell into a deep slumber.

'Is this the future,' Blood walked around, a naked demon in brood daylight.

'-What is that!-'

'-everyone, run!-'

'-call the police! No, call-'

Then a man landed before Blood. His build was very muscular, like Dwane "The Rock" Johnson. 'Hello, I'm gonna have to-' he took a better examination of the short red fellow, Blood, '-What are you exactly?'

Looking at all the scared people, Blood retracted his wings to make him appear less harmful, 'I'm a demon.'

The man grew a panicked expression before pulling out a square object. pressing his finger on it, he begun to shout into it before putting it away. 'I'm not letting you get away,' putting his arms infront of his face, the man charged at Blood, 'BULL RUSH!'

Quickly, Blood dodged to the side, 'I don't want to f-' sensing danger, Blood bolted forward and turned around.

Where he stood before, a cloaked enemy had begun to emerge from out of nowhere, 'His senses are sharpened it seems, Bull Man.'

'Look, what matters is we stop this thing before it causes serious issues.'

'Sigh, just as I was about to have watched a wonderful game of Futbol,' he slipped a blade out his sleeve.

Trading blows, Blood manage to incapacitate both and run off. With his looks, it was difficult to hide amongst the others. Wherever he went, people screamed-

'-demon-'

'-monster-'

It really ticked Blood off. With their responses however, it almost seems that demons seize to exist in the future. Being grabbed by the shoulder, Blood is yanked down an alleyway.

'Hey, shhh, it's Annabelle,' she moved away from the frantic Blood.

'These humans are the same as before, but these ones seem to be unintelligible about demons.'

'And angels.'

'Huh?'

'From the time I sent you to the future till now, I've lived and grown with time. I've seen how humanity's evolved, to the point of were those in power erased knowledge about demons and angels. To them, Blood, you're a villain.'

'Can you help me then?'

She took his hands, 'I already know what your wishes are, and I'll help you in reaching the peace you want,' she moved her hands away.

Looking at her, she seemed to be in a plain white shirt, a coat, and rugged blue pants.

'What is that you're wearing, that looks nothing like a tunic or trousers?'

'That doesn't matter, what matters is we should get going,' grabbing Blood's hand, the two had made a run for it before they could be tracked down by more heros or law enforcement.

Waking up, I felt groggy. Blinking, I was greeted by a sleeping T. Her face close to mine. Lips inches away. Her snoring was now a sound breathing. She looked peaceful compared to her destructive self when awake. Placing my hand on the side of her face, I swore, "I'll make sure you can live fearlessly," I thought before climbing out of the bed.

Leaving her room, I walked past the others room, out the hallway, past the kitchen/living area, to the restroom. Freshening up, I looked back up at the mirror, seeing Anne.

She wrapped her arms around me, 'We're so close. The Gambler told me he believes Jack and Lily, known as Cryo Blade and Lilypad, are operating in a casino.'

'Did you tell him more of what we know?'

'We can use there help Zen,' she wrapped her arms tighter around me.

'I know,' I placed my hands on her arms, 'But wherever we go, trouble follows.'

I hate being right too.

'Ok guys,' The Gambler straightened his tie, 'This is the casino.'

Looking at the name, it was called the "Gambler's Debt," charming.

'Inside will be many villains, but not all, so do not, attack, innocents.'

Upon our arrival, The Gambler had also spilt us up into groups. T and I are Team A. Team B is The Gambler and Anne. Leaving Team C, Psycho and Diana the Strongest. Diana and Psycho had to sit outside and wait for a signal while T and I were sneaking in from the backside. Sitting inside, The Gambler and Anne were checking the area out.

With water pouring out the ventilation system and into the managers office, he grew confused and startled.

'What in gods name,' he approached the puddle. Reaching his hand to the puddle, it moved.

The puddle now made itself into two humanoid figures. Those two were T and I.

Before the manager could react, I moved to incapacitate him. Tying his arms together with a zip tie, I hid him behind the desk.

T's power was something more of control water, but she can also alter her own state of matter like that of water and those she touches. Sounds amazing, but it is a very painful process when your cellular structure is being altered.

Going behind the desk I used the admin password to access the computer. Going through it, I had found a way into the security system. Shutting off all cameras and disabling the locked doors requiring a keycard, is was Team B's turn.

Finishing up, Anne and The Gambler had secured several escape routes as well as gathered as much info they could. They had learned that there was an elevator that can be brought up hidden underneath one of the tables. Going around, The Gambler had used his skill in gambling to identify possible villains. Now it was Team C's turn.

'That's the signal,' Psycho pointed to the front doors opening without anyone approaching them.

The doors were sensor automated, but with the power shut off they opened up. Of course Team B needed time, but The Gambler had told Team C that they'll be done by the time the doors open.

Checking their phones, Psycho and Diana the Strongest had their targets.

Slowing down time within the casino, he kept Diana unfazed, allowing her to use her super strength to carry off large amounts of people and bind them together with many ropes knotted together.

Releasing his ability, all those frozen in time were going by what they were doing, confused by the men tied in center.

'Nothing to worry, these awful individuals are just do badders,' Diana shouted to calm everyone down.

Although Psycho's power seemed quite strong, since he hasn't properly mastered fully yet, ig he uses it for to long it'll kill him.

Coming into the main Area, everyone was there.

Anne, Diana, Psycho, The Gambler, T and I all gathered around a table.

'This is the one,' Anne pointed at it.

Grabbing the table, Diana ripped it off the foundation, revealing a staircase. With everyone going down the spiral stairs, we moved with caution.

'Shouldn't we had evacuated the area,' T said weakly.

'They should be fine,' Psycho said in a pained expression, 'I saw somewhat into the future and saw that those civi's will be ok.'

But we weren't.

A loud noise was echoing through the room.

'What was that,' Diana seemed on edge.

The walls surrounding use had opened up and the stairs began to collapse.

'Everyone! We gotta split up, jump!'

Grabbing T since she was the closet, I wrapped myself around her as we fell into the darkness.

'I got you! Don't worry,' I shouted. Deep down I knew Anne was capable of taking care of herself, but I was still afriad of the possibility of her being isolated.