65. On the Run from the L-Crew

Replicate and Alice were trapped in Tetherby industries with Xander the hunter and Adamborg with his blasters aimed at the two while Xander had his rifle aimed at the table. But to make matters worst there are no metahumans around him besides Alice to copy off of.

"Now Replicate you can either stand down or we can do this the hard way." Xander said.

"I always prefer the hard way." Replicate said. However behind his bravado, Replicate was clueless on how to escape this. If he attacked Xander, Adamborg would start blasting him and possibly harm Alice. If Replicate went after Adamborg, Xander would no doubt do the same thing. Replicate saw no way out of this. But he knew one thing, he sure as hell wasn't going down without a fight.

"Say your prayers Replicate." Adamborg said. "Say hi to Johnson for us." He aims his blaster at the two when something comes crashing through the window and landing behind Replicate and Alice. Replicate looks and sees that it's Carolborg.

"Surprised to see you here Carolborg." Replicate comments not taking his eyes off Xander.

"I was actually hunting down Adamborg when I heard the sound of his blaster going off so i came here." Carolborg told him before aiming two blasters at Adamborg.

"Nice to see you again Carol. I see that you found your way back." said Adamborg.

"You take the tin man. I'll take Xander." Replicate said to Carolborg.

"Way ahead of you." Carolborg glared.

Without warning, Replicate rushes Xander forcing the two out of the building while Carolborg and Adamborg start firing their blasters at each other. While this is going on, Alice runs out of the building and takes cover behind a car. She peeks over and sees Xander and Replicate fighting nearby where she sees the two matching each other blow for blow. Replicate throws a left hook but Xander counters it with one of his own. Xander goes for a knee strike but Replicate counters with his own. Replicate then goes for a different approach and lunges forward pushing Xander into a building where he goes for a right hand but Xander dodges and hits a headbutt.

"You're a worthy opponent Replicate." Xander says. "Just what I hoped for."

Replicate glared back as he recovered from the headbutt. Replicate punches Xander in the gut and face. Xander recovers and takes out a knife.

Carolborg and Adamborg are in the middle of a fire fight and Adamborg launches a missile towards Carolborg. But Carolborg dodges the missile and it hits a wall.

"C'mon baby. Let's not fight." Adamborg said seductively. "Come back to me and we can forget this ever happened."

"Screw you!" Carolborg shouted as she formed a gatling gun. "You're all machine! Just because you have the subconscious of a human doesn't mean you are one!" She then starts firing the gatling gun that Adamborg who jumps outside in an attempt to avoid the blasts. Carolborg follows him out and sees Replicate trying to avoid Xander's hunting knife. While she was distracted, Adamborg sneaks up behind her and grabs her waist before suplexing her to the ground. Once she's on the ground Adamborg gets on top of her and aims a blaster at her head.

"Sorry babe. This is your own fault." Adamborg tells her. Out of the corner of his eye, Replicate sees Carolborg in trouble. He ducks underneath Xander's knife before hitting a quick to the chest stunning him. Replicate then grabs a sewer plate and throws it like a frisbee at Adamborg which knocks him off her allowing Carolborg to get back up.

"Thanks." Carolborg said before blasting Xander who was trying to sneak up on Replicate.

Adamborg gets back up and turns his right hand into a chainsaw. "I'll cut your damn head off!" Adamborg shouted.

Then Carolborg turned her right hand into a chainsaw and her left hand turns into a blaster.

Replicate is dodging all of Xander's knife swings, but Replicate grabs Xander's right hand and not only did he disarmed the hunter but also broke his hand. Xander growls at Replicate.

"Don't expect me to say a pun." said Replicate. "That's Ms. Appear's Thing."

"You broke my bloody hand." Xander growls. "You're a dead man." He runs up and jumps up and kicks Replicate in the shoulder which in turn dislocated it causing Replicate to shout in pain. He then pulls out his machete with his good hand. At the car, Alice was watching as she saw that the fight wasn't going well. Replicate had a dislocated shoulder and Carolborg was getting overpowered by Adamborg as she tried to parry her chainsaw against Adamborg's chainsaw while firing her blaster at him.

"Gotta do something." Alice said. "I have to create an opening for us or at least do something to chase off Xander and Adamborg." She then gets an idea.

Meanwhile, Replicate was barely dodging the swings of Xander who swung his machete wildly. At the same time, Carolborg was being forced back by Adamborg until she was back to back with Replicate.

"This isn't going as I had hoped." Carolborg said. "Got any ideas?"

"Give me a minute." Replicate said.

"Anytime now!" Carolborg shouted.

"I'm thinking!" Replicate shouted back.

"Well it's time to meet your makers!" Adamborg said.

"I heard something over here!" A voice shouted from nearby. "Follow me!"

"Dammit! That sounds like Parkour!" Adamborg shouted. "We gotta bounce!" He then runs back to Tetherby Industries. Xander lets out a growl before following. Replicate and Carolborg look at each other confused when Alice steps around the corner where the voices were coming from.

"Neat trick huh?" Alice said.

"What did you do?" Replicate asked.

"I made an illusion of Parkour and you know the rest." Alice answered. "We can talk later, let's head to a roof or something."

Carolborg stood over Replicate as she put Replicate's shoulder back in place. "That should do it." She said as Replicate grunted. The three were on the rooftops not to far away from Tetherby Industries and so Alice had explained what she and Replicate had been up too.

"And that's about it." Alice finished.

"So William Tetherby was creating a weapon which is related to anti-meta research?" Carolborg asked.

"Yes, Professor Johnson was our only source for answers until that Adamborg guy killed him." Replicate said.

"That's my ex-boyfriend. He and I were turned to Cyborgs after one of Stuart's goons placed a bomb under my car." Carolborg explained. "After teaming up with Chandler, I got out and now the L-Crew gave me my life back and now I'm hunting down Adamborg and Stuart."

"Well it seems we have our own goals to take down the people we dislike." said Alice.

"Maybe the L-Crew should help out?" Carolborg suggests.

"No." Replicate said curtly. "The L-Crew can't be trusted with this. If anything they'll ruin everything we've worked for."

"Plus i think he has trust issues." Alice whispers to Carolborg.

"I heard that." Replicate growls.

"Ok I won't tell the L-Crew about this." Carolborg said. "But they will know about this weapon one day." Carolborg said.

"That day won't come." Replicate said.

"We'll have it destroyed before they find out." Alice said.

"Well if you say so." Carolborg said. "I gotta go." She then flew off. As she flew over city to her house she heard an alarm go off. "Sounds like trouble. Wouldn't hurt to go see what's going on."

Elsewhere Speed Queen is running through the city and stops at a building. "Everyone report on?" Speed Queen said on her watch.

"Firecracker and I got nothing dude." Amplifier reports.

"Someone explain again why I have to go with someone?" Firecracker growled.

"If you're seen patrolling with one of us, nobody will throw things at you." Speed Queen answered. She knew it wasn't the best solution to her brother's problems but it was all she could come up with.

"Well I thought I saw someone stealing a purse, but he were just returning it to it's owner." Ms. Appear replied.

"Nothing on my end." Crystal Princess stated.

"This is lame." Parkour groaned. "Why are we even doing this night patrol?"

"Because we haven't done one in a while." Speed Queen answered. She then hears an alarm going off. "Guys we got a robbery in progress."

"It sounds close to my location." Wildgirl said. "I'll check it out."

"I'll meet you there." Speed Queen told her.

At the bank, Surge and Armor were tying up the last of the crooks. "This is getting easy." Surge said.

"Yeah if we keep this up we'll round up every bank robber in Royal Woods." Armor said.

"Alright let's put the money back in the vault before the L-Crew shows up and thinks we're robbing it." Surge said.

"Relax sis, the L-Crew don't do night patrols anymore." said Armor.

"Oh are sure about that?" Armor and Surge stiffen up before slowly turning around to see Speed Queen and Wildgirl in the entrance of the bank.

"Oh hey Speed Queen and Wildgirl." Armor greeted nervously. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Really? Because it looks like you guys just tied up some people and are holding a bag of money." Speed Queen said. "Does that sound about right?" Surge and Armor look around and sees that the evidence was pretty damning.

"So looks like Parkour was right about them." Wildgirl growled. "You two are no good."

"Looks like it." Speed Queen agreed. "And here I was willing to give you two the benefit of the doubt. But now that I've seen it for myself, it's time we took you in."

"We were returning the money!" Surge argued.

"Oh in that case." Wildgirl said and morphed into a tiger and lunges towards Surge, until Armor punches Wildgirl in the face pushing her back.

Wildgirl gets back up and lets out a low growl. "Bad idea." Surge said.

"Yep." Armor agreed. "We should go." He then runs off and plows through the wall with Surge flying behind him.

"They aren't getting away." Speed Queen growls before raising her watch. "Attention everyone! Surge and Armor are on the run. Don't let them escape. Catching them is now priority."

"Yes ma'am!" Everyone said. Speed Queen then looks down at Wildgirl who was still a tiger.

"Let's get them." Speed Queen ordered before they ran off.

Surge and Armor fled through the city trying to escape Wildgirl and Speed Queen. "What the hell were you thinking!?" Surge shouted. "Punching Lana and then plowing through the bank wall? How was that supposed to show them we are ok their side?"

" I panicked, she was coming right to you. Besides you could have done the same!" Armor said.

"That doesn't matter. We could of just talked to them!" Surge shouted.

"They wouldn't buy it!" Armor said.

"You don't know that!" Surge argues.

"Actually he's right." The two look up and see Firecracker and Amplifier flying above them. "We wouldn't buy it."

"Time to take you in dudes." Amplifier said. Surge and Armor share a look before running off. "Don't let them get away bro!" Surge and Armor ran down the street while avoiding fireballs thrown by Firecracker and electric blasts fired by Amplifier.

"I'm starting to think this is a little much!" Surge said.

"You think?" Armor says sarcastically. "Try a energy blast or something."

"Worth a shot." Surge said before firing a energy blast at the two forcing Amplifier and Firecracker to fly out of the way giving Surge and Armor a chance to run into a alley. They stand in the shadows for a few seconds until they see Firecracker and Amplifier fly right by the alley. "They're gone."

"Damn this sucks." Armor said. "Ok all we need to do is get to the car and change. Then we should be good. Wonder if it's safe."

"It's not." Black Ice said out of nowhere startling the two. She forms a ice hammer. "You're done." She swings her hammer at the two but Armor quickly gets a hand up to try and block it. He does successfully but sees that his hand was now a hammer.

"I did it. I did it!" Armor shouts. He swings his hammer hand and shatters the ice hammer causing Black Ice to glare at the two. "And you look mad."

"Are you sure?" Surge asked. "I can't tell."

"Oh trust me, she's mad." A voice said. A few seconds later, Ms. Appear appears. "And you guys are going downtown."

"Sorry we have plans!" Surge said.

"We need to defend ourselves Surge!" Armor shouted.

"Do you want to make things worse dummy?" Surge shouted at him. "Let's bolt!" The two run out of the alley with Ms. Appear and Black Ice not far behind.

"I don't see why we don't fight them?" Armor said.

"Think about it. If we fight them, it'll make things worse than they already are!" Surge told him. "Plus if we ever reveal ourselves they'll almost never trust us."

"Damn. I never thought about that." Armor said. "But I'm not gonna lie, I'm getting a little tired." They continue down the road, they see a biker trying to rob an old lady. Armor quickly shoulder tackles him into a building knocking him out. Armor then eyes the biker's motorcycle: a red 1987 Harley Davidson Sportster. "This will work." He gets on the motorcycle and revs it up. "I'm out!" He drives off with Surge flying beside him.

"You sure you know how to drive that?" Surge asked.

"I had to drive a Moped when I to delivered pizzas." Armor said.

"Well that's good because you need it to outrun Lynn and Leni." said Surge.

Then Parkour and Multiple Girl drive in on their vehicles and glared towards Armor. "Stealing a motorcycle, I knew you guys were bad news and I was right!" Parkour smirked,

"Uh oh." Armor said before speeding up to try to make some distance, however Multiple Girl and Parkour speed up as well with Ms. Appear and Black Ice not far behind in the air. "We gotta lose them!"

"Head right towards Sullivan Avenue!" Surge shouted as she avoids a ice blast from Black Ice. Armor nods and turns right towards Sullivan Avenue but the L-Crew not far behind. "Damn it. They really want to get us."

"Tell me about it." Armor said as he swerved to avoid ice blasts from Black Ice. "Ok, so we've faced off against Lori, Lana, Luna, Lincoln, Lucy, Luan, Lynn and Leni with the latter four still chasing us. Who's still around?"

Then a mailbox is thrown at Surge and she stumbles to the ground. Surge gets back up and sees Prodigy approaching her. "I highly recommend you surrender so we can send you to the Dungeon." Prodigy said.

"I'll pass!" Surge said.

Surge then blasts the ground causing a dust cloud which blocks Prodigy's vision. "Dang it." She muttered. While she's blinded, Surge and Armor move on. Once the dust clears, Prodigy let's a low growl. Parkour then pulls up in front of her.

"Get on!" Parkour told her. Prodigy nods and hops on the ATV. "We just got word from Lori. Her team is gonna try to cut them off. We just gotta make sure not to lose them. Lola and Lily are already in position."

"Then let's go!" Prodigy said they followed the rest of their sisters.

Armor and Surge made their way down the street with the L-Crew not far behind. "This is getting annoying! We can't shake them." Armor said.

"We gotta try though!" Surge said. She then gasps. "Bobby look out!" Armor looks back at the road to see several crystals popping out of the ground. Armor tries to avoid them but ends up crashing into one which launches him off the bike and onto the ground. "Armor!" Surge goes to help her brother when a vine appears beside her and knocks her out of the sky and onto the ground by her brother. The two get up and see Crystal Princess and Greenthumb standing in front of them with Speed Queen, Wildgirl, Amplifier and Firecracker standing behind them. Armor and Surge go to flee but are stopped when Ms. Appear, Black Ice, Multiple Girl, Parkour and Prodigy pull up.

"No where to run now." Speed Queen said. "I suggest you surrender and come quietly."

"Look this is all a big misunderstanding!" Surge said. "My brother didn't mean to punch you."

"Yeah you would know Speed Queen." Armor agreed.

"That's different we are the ones who protect those who cannot protect themselves." Speed Queen stated. "You guys just showed out of nowhere and declared yourselves heroes? I don't think so."

"For the 8th time! We stopped the robbery!" Surge shouted.

"Sure you did." Firecracker said sarcastically. "And Hydro is now a reformed criminal and the Terror Crew are giving to charity."

"Look we've stopped multiple robberies. We aren't bad guys!" Armor argues.

"That's not what we saw!" Crystal Princess shouts. "Should I remind you that you stole that motorcycle?"

"Oh come on the owner was robbing an old lady. Which we stopped by the way!" Armor said. "And besides he wasn't going to need it anyway."

"I've heard enough excuses." Parkour said. "It's time we took you down." Armor and Surge looked at each other before looking around to see if there was a way out. Sadly there wasn't and they were surrounded.

"Looks like there's no way out of this." Surge said as she watched Multiple Girl split into four. "We'll have to fight our way out."

"Yeah." Armor sighed. "We have no choice." They get into defensive positions.

"Take them down!" Speed Queen ordered. The L-Crew are about to attack the two when something is fired from above. "Incoming!" The L-Crew move out of the way as more blaster fire comes raining down.

"What's going on?" Multiple Girl asked as she grabbed Greenthumb. "Who's firing at us?"

"Come on! Let's get out of here while they're under fire!" Surge said to Armor as she flew off avoiding the blasts.

Armor lifted up his motorcyle, got back on it and drove off. "That was a close one." He sighed.

"Tell me about it." Surge agreed. "I see the car! Let's head home it's almost one in the morning."

Back at the street, the blaster fire stopped and L-Crew took the time to compose themselves.

"Everyone ok?" Speed Queen asked and everyone nodded. "Good."

"What the hell was that?" Firecracker asked. He then noticed Armor and Surge were gone. "Armor and Surge aren't here! They must've ran off during the chaos."

"Damn it." Parkour cursed. "Now what?" Speed Queen doesn't answer. She's looking around and noticed something on the rooftops.

"Lori. Earth to Lori." Ms. Appear said getting Speed Queen's attention. "What now?"

"Luna, take everyone to base and see if Soothsayer can teleport everyone home." Speed Queen ordered. "I got something i need to take care of."

"You got it sis." Amplifier said. She then took off with the rest of team not far behind. Once they're gone, Speed Queen turns her attention back to the building.

"What are you up too?"

Carolborg stood on the rooftops watching Armor and Surge change back into their civilian attire (which is basically taking off a scarf and beanie) and watched them get into their car and drive off.

"Well at least they got out ok." Carolborg said. She then hears someone on the same rooftop. "Surprised to see you doing a night patrol Lori."

"I can say the same thing too Carol." Speed Queen said.

"I was hunting down Adamborg until something else popped up." said Carol.

"Oh, ok." Speed Queen said. "But i must ask, why are you helping Armor and Surge? You their partner or something?"

"What no?!" Carolborg said. "I'm not partners with those two."

"Me and my siblings was about to send those two the Dungeon and you opened fire on us." Speed Queen stated. "I want an answer Carol."

"You want to know why?! Fine! I did it because you guys are making a mistake!" Carolborg shouted. "Surge and Armor aren't bad guys! They're heroes too. They're just learning."

"That's a load of crud." Speed Queen said.

"No really! I have proof!" Carolborg said as she showed a hologram of the security footage of the bank. "I hacked into the security cameras and recorded it. But just watch."

Speed Queen looks at the footage and sees that Surge and Armor are fighting the bank robbers.

"Ok so maybe that's just one crime they stopped." Speed Queen said. "But that doesn't mean that they didn't do the others."

"Ugh. You're so hopeless." Carolborg groaned. "Look Lori, I'm trying to be your friend but you're making it really hard right now because you're being so closed minded about this."

"Oh come I'm not closed minded!" Speed Queen shouted back.

Carolborg's Eye started twitching from what she's hearing. "You gave me a chance when I saved your life from the old hospital and your siblings still hate me for my actions in the past. I held Mrs. Santiago hostage, I injected that serum that turns Bobby into the Berserker, I tried to kill you kill many times and you gave me not only a chance, but my old life back. I would of been rotting in the Dungeon throughout my life if it wasn't for you." Carolborg explained.

"I forgot about that." Speed Queen said as she rubbed her right arm.

"Not only do you run fast, but you're really good at jumping to conclusions for a slow minded speedster." Carolborg said as she turns her back on Speed Queen.

Speed Queen stood there in silence processing what Carolborg said. After a few seconds, Speed Queen breaks the silence. "Who are Surge and Armor?" She asked. "I know that you scanned them and found out who they are which is why you're trying so hard to defend them. Who are they Carol?" Carolborg turns around and gives Speed Queen a small smile.

"I can't tell you Lori." Carolborg answers. "It isn't my place to tell you." She then activated her jetpack. "I gotta go. See you around." She then flies off leaving Speed Queen alone. She lets out a sigh and them feels a presence nearby. She looks down and sees her cheetah guide.

"You're troubled Lori." The cheetah said.

"I am." Speed Queen sighed. "You see there are these two metahumans named Surge and Armor, my siblings and I thought they were robbing a bank, but they were actually stopping the robbery. Even my friend saw that and called me a hypocrite, well she implied that I was being one." Speed Queen said.

"I see. Now tell me, what does your head and heart say?" Cheetah asked.

"I think one is telling me to trust them but the other one is not sure." Lori said.

"And which one is telling you which?" Cheetah asked.

"My heart says trust." Lori answered. "My head says don't. Which one do I listen to?"

"I can't tell you dear one." Cheetah said. "I can't tell you which one to follow. I can only guide you. Use your instincts Lori. They'll help you make the right decision." The cheetah then vanishes.

"Oh great. What am I suppose to do?" Speed Queen groaned.

At Tetherby Industries, Xander with a cast on his hand and Adamborg stood in Andrew's office and Andrew wasn't pleased. "So they escaped?" Tetherby said angrily.

"Yes thanks to that blonde cyborg!" Xander said.

"Carolborg I should of known she would be back." Tetherby said. "Did you at least kill Johnson?" Tetherby asked.

"Yeah." Adamborg answered. "Left a nice big hole in his chest."

"Johnson was a loyal employee, it's a shame he had to die." Tetherby said.

"But it had to be done." Adamborg said. "He was a liability."

"Agreed." Tetherby said. "Now back to what you were doing."

"Yes sir." Adamborg and Xander said in unison before walking out. After they're gone, Tetherby pulls out his phone.

"Stuart? Yes it's me." Tetherby said. "We need to speed up our projects. Focus on Project V for now. Yes I know that but Johnson was a liability. Don't worry we'll work on finding someone to help you and your team finish preparing it. We'll discuss it later. Right now i would like to talk to you about mind control and if we can do it without relying to much on Mercer."

In the hallway, Adamborg and Xander were heading back to their stations. "Killing Johnson was good practice for killing the L-Crew." Adamborg was saying. "I can't wait to get my hands on them! Just stick with me Xander and you'll be fine." Suddenly out nowhere, Xander grabs Adamborg and pins him to the wall.

"Listen here. I am not your friend or partner." Xander told him. "I only care about hunting Wildgirl and nothing else. I don't care about you or Tetherby. As soon as I get her, i plan on leaving. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll let you work alone bro." Adamborg said.

"Excellent." Xander said as he released his grip on Adamborg and walks away.

After Xander is gone, Adamborg let's out a scowl. "I'll be keeping an eye on you Xander." He said. "Because i know for a fact that you can't be trusted."

Adamborg then walked back to his station.

At the Terror Crew hideout, Nuke and Johnny were sitting at the table with a bunch of money sitting on it.

"Four thousand dollars just from drugs." Nuke said. "Not bad. How much did the firearms make?"

"Three thousand." Johnny answered. "We're making a killing. Now all we need is Mike and Willy to come back with the rest of the cash from our other ventures." A few seconds later, the garage door is raised up and Squatch walks in with Candyman on his shoulders with a woman with green hair and fair skin wearing leather boots, a white shirt with a leather jacket over it and skinny jeans.

"Got the money Johnny." Squatch said placing a duffel bag on the table. "We also may have robbed a store on the way here."

"Nice." Johnny said then looked towards the woman. "Who's your new friend?" The woman then stepped up.

"My name is Sharon De Monet but you can call me Payback." The woman said. "And I'm here to offer my services."

Zachlor16: Hey guys. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Now next chapter we will be bringing in Payback and like Candyman, we don't remember who requested her so if you recognize her let us know. And before you guys make assumptions, neither Xander or Adamborg are turning good. They are bad guys through and through. So we'll see you next time and Happy Easter. Unless it's after Easter at the time of this recording then i hope you enjoyed Easter. See ya.

Smoke: Hey guys Smoke here. Not only wishing you a happy Easter. But an omake challenge as well. I want you to do an omake on the 2nd trailer to Avengers Endgame since it comes out next week. Anyway please review and happy Easter.