#and helicopters... and gun shots and explosion and construction work

[bunnihearted]

im so angry i could genuinely just bash someone's face in with a rock i fucking hate people so fucking much such a truly repulsive species

[nebulablakemurphy]

Miss American Pie

Chapter Two: The Perfect Partner Project

Warning!: This series features a romantic Yelena Belova x Fem!Reader pairing. Please keep scrolling if that’s not for you. 💜

Summary: After you’re freed from Dreykov’s control you team up with Yelena and Natasha to take down the red room.

Chapter One : Chemical Subjugation

“I thought you had a jet?” Yelena cocks her head to the side, as you approach the decrepit helicopter.

“I asked for one.” Natasha mutters, under her breath.

“This isn’t a jet.” You add, the closer you get, the worse it becomes.

“I realize that!” The man who’d been standing with his back to you whips around to defend himself. This must be Natasha’s friend. “But you know what you didn’t give me? Time. Or money. I’m not made of jets.”

“Aww, he’s sensitive.” Yelena coos, “I see why you keep him around.”

“I’m not sensitive.” He protests.

“Of course not,” you smirk.

“Listen you-“ he breaks off. “Who are you again?”

“Y/N Y/L/N,” Yelena introduces you, climbing aboard. “She’s my partner….” She shrugs, “you name it really.”

“Partner works.” You chuckle, joining her in the cockpit.

“If you say so,” Yelena waves a dismissive hand. Getting a feel for the controls.

“Wonderful,” the man acknowledges your title.

“Thanks for the ride, Dick.” You salute him through the front window.

“It’s Rick,” he calls back.

“I know.” You give him a thumbs up. Waiting until he turns back to his conversation with Natasha. Taking the opportunity to lean down, kissing the top of Yelena’s head.

She cranes her head back to see you.

You nuzzle your nose against hers, until an exaggeration throat clearing tears you apart.

“We don’t have time for this.” Natasha, of course.

Yelena scowls at her, “yeah, yeah.”

Breaking Alexei out of a maximum security prison using only an earpiece, stowed inside of an action figure is a terrible plan. Nearly as bad as using him for information on how to locate a facility that’s impossible to find, run by a man who’s too slippery to kill.

That doesn’t stop you though. Generally speaking it’s going well. Until one of Yelena’s shots triggers an avalanche.

“Woah.” She marvels at the scene before you, her masterpiece. “Now this would be a cool way to die.”

“Yeah,” you holler back, sarcastically, over the chaos.

“You were getting no where with your tiny guns.” Yelena points out.

“Slow and steady wins the race,” you remind her.

“Fast is better. Solves problems.”

“And clearly creates new ones.” You jerk your chin toward the mountain.

“Get us out of here!” Natasha’s voice blares through the headset.

“I’m on it.” Yelena assures her. Moving into a better position for extraction. “Watch the side window.”

At her request you shuffle to the main ship. The prison guards are still putting up a fight. Inmates running in every direction.

“Alright, Natasha’s with us.” You confirm, once she’s secured her place on the black hanging rope. “Circle between the walls on your left to grab Alexei.”

“Yeah, no problem.” Yelena snarks, steering the plane away from another explosion.

“You’re doing a great job.”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“Fine,” you huff. “The spot is tight and the angle is bad. I don’t know how you’re gonna pull this off.”

Yelena is silent, processing the information. “Lie to me a little.” She amends.

“You got this.” The blinding wall of white threatens to swallow Alexei whole. You’re holding your breath too as the rope moves past the metal bridge he’s standing on.

“Well?” She yelps, impatiently.

“I don’t know. I can’t see.” Once the snow and ice clears, you spot two figures carefully scaling the rope. “Yelena?”

“Hmm.” She hums, expecting the worst.

“I knew you had it.”

“Yes,” Yelena sighs, before falling into easy laughter. More invested in this than she will ever admit.

————————————————————-

Unfortunately, entertaining as Alexei may be, he has next to no information about Dreykov.

Instead he drawls on and on about how the man wronged him. Stuck him on that “boring mission” in Ohio. Then tossed him in jail and threw away the key because of…hair? A party?

You weren’t entirely sure. You excuse yourself to the vacant seat beside Yelena. Giving her thigh a reassuring squeeze.

Full lips twitch up into a grin.

“Tell us where the red room is.” Natasha grumbles.

“I have no idea!” He shouts, and then in Russian. “Why don’t you ask Melina?”

“Mom Melina?” Yelena whips her head around.

“We thought she was dead.”

“You cannot kill a fox that swift,” Alexei sucks in a breath.

You choke on your own saliva.

“Ew.” Natasha winces.

“What?” The man shrugs. “She was the master mind. His architect.”

“Are you telling me that Melina works for the red room present day?” Natasha leans closer.

“Yes,” he nods. “Remotely, outside Saint Petersburg.”

“I don’t think we have enough fuel for Saint Petersburg.” Yelena decides, after checking the needle on the gauge.

“We’ll make it.” Alexei waves away her concern.

“Ok,” Yelena mutters.

You look over at her.

“We’re not going to make it.” She mouths, with a shake of her head.

You smirk, closing your eyes and relaxing into the seat. It’ll be nice while it lasts.

Before long you’re falling into a controlled crash, at the Saint Petersburg city limit.

“So,” Yelena jumps out onto the dirt. “Are we there yet?”

“No, you will know when we are there.” Alexei begins snorting like a pig.

——————————————————————-

You take a seat in the chair opposite Yelena inside Melina’s humble abode. Her pigs can be heard carrying on out in the yard and Alexei’s early snorting makes perfect sense now.

Your eyes dart around the three women at the table uncomfortably as noises continue erupting from the bathroom. “Everything alright in there?” You bellow, loud enough for your voice to carry down the hallway.

Another groan is the only response.

“Let’s drink,” Melina’s voice breaks the tension. She fills each of your shot glasses in turn.

“Thanks,” you raise the clear liquid and toss it back. Feeling it burn it’s way down your throat before going back for another.

After a moment a clunking from the doorway calls your attention.

“It still fits.” Alexei announces, having stuffed himself into his old costume.

Melina whistles, with a slow clasp as he approaches the seat at the head of the table. “I never washed it once. Come eat.”

He hums a tune under his breath, reliving days gone by. “Look at us, family back together again.” If you didn’t know better you’d think it was sweet, he seems…happy.

“Well,” Melina swallows, dishing mashed potatoes onto his plate. “Seeing as our family construct was just a calculated ruse that only lasted three years, I’m not sure we can use this term anymore.”

“Agreed,” Natasha perks up. “So here’s what’s going to happen-“

“Reunion then.” Alexei offers instead. “I want to say something right off the bat.” He says to the woman who’d once been his wife. “You haven’t aged a day. Just as beautiful and supple as the day they staged our marriage.”

Melina moves closer, “you got fat, but still good.”

“I just got out of prison,” he confesses, “I have a lot of energy.”

“Ooohooo.” The older woman exhales.

You can’t help the bubble of laughter that forces its way from your chest. Covering your mouth with your hand as Yelena takes another shot.

“Please don’t do that.” Beside you Natasha looks physically ill as she protests. Swallowing down her disgust she begins again. “So listen. Here’s what’s going to happen.”

“Natasha don’t slouch. You’re going to get a back hunch.” Melina flicks her fork in Natasha’s direction.

“What? I’m not slouching? I don’t slouch.”

“Eh, listen to your mother. Up! Up!” Alexei joins in.

“I told you, I don’t want any food.” Yelena pushes her plate away.

“Eat a little something Yelena, for God’s sake.” Melina says, piling food onto her plate.

Yelena groans.

“Are you kidding me? Stop it all of you. This is ridiculous.” Natasha bites out.

“Me? I didn’t do anything. That’s not fair!” Yelena argues.

“It’s true, she’s just sitting there.” You shrug.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Natasha roars, effectively silencing the room. “You’re going to give us the location of the red room.”

Melina purses her lips, avoiding the topic. “It’s like when you told them they could stay up to catch Santa Claus.”

“That was fun!” Alexei recalls. “Look out girls, he comes down the chimney. And when the cookies are gone you know he is there.”

Melina clicks her tongue.

“What? I want them to follow their dreams, shoot for the stars girls.”

“No good.” Melina disagreed.

“Killing Dreykov isn’t a fantasy. It’s unfinished business.” Natasha looks between the two of them.

“You cannot defeat someone who commands the very will of others.” Melina says, softly. “You never got to see the culmination of what we started in America. After the perfect partner project was rejected, we took a different route.”

“The perfect partner project?” You repeat, racking your brain. You’ve heard that somewhere before.

“Why’d Dreykov scrap the project?” Natasha’s voice cracks like a whip.

“I don’t know.” Melina’s eyes dart down to her plate.

You can see that she’s lying.

“That’s when we turned our focus to chemical subjugation.” Melina continues, “the control is so profound that when the subject is instructed to stop breathing. They have no choice but to obey.”

Yelena shakes her head. Perfect lips turned into a frown. Hazel eyes glistening with tears as they meet your own.

“That’s enough.” You warn the older woman, seeing the expression. The last thing you want to do is cause her anymore pain.

“No.” The blonde insists. “Tell me more about the partner project.”

“Yelena, we don’t have to do this.” You shake your head.

“Yes, we do.” Yelena slams her fist against the table in frustration.

“The extraction was messy to start. A high profile missing children’s case in North America. But the bond was very strong. Enhanced through targeted conditioning and subliminal messages. Until something happened that Dreykov did not anticipate.”

“What happened?” Natasha wonders.

“The girls became…attached.” Melina’s mouth twitches, “so they were separated.”

“Do you know who they tested on?”

Melina’s guilty eyes land on you. “I am sorry.”

“No,” you suspected, maybe. Somewhere in the back of your mind. You spent the first six months in the red room under solitary confinement. Rapidly and rigorously conditioned in a matter of weeks instead of years. Preparing you…for her. The teenager girl you couldn’t stand, the woman you eventually came to love.

“You,” Yelena laughs, although it’s not particularly funny. “Us.”

“Yelena-“ you reach for her hand across the table.

“Don’t,” she snaps. “Don’t tell me that it will be ok. They stole your life because of me. I never asked them to do that. I never asked for you!”

“I know.” You assure her. None of this was ever her fault.

“That’s right, because you know everything. Don’t you, Y/N?” Yelena scoffs, her hands balling into fists on either side of her dinner plate. “You know what I think. You know what I feel. Look at you. Ready to come out of your own skin because I am unhappy. Prepared to move mountains, prepared to start wars.”

“Like you’re any better.” You challenge, she knows you like the back of her hand.

“That is my point!”

“I’m sorry that this happened.” Alexei interrupts. Surely gearing up for a ‘father of the year’ speech. “But we are here now. All together! Wasn’t that worth a few years of-“

“Shut up!” Natasha growls at him. “You are an idiot.”

No response.

She moves her attention to Melina, “and you’re a coward. You’re a coward. And our family was never real. So there’s nothing to hold on to. We’re moving on.”

“Never family, huh?” Alexei throws up his hands. “In my heart I am simple man. For a couple deep undercover Russian agents I think we did pretty great as parents.”

“Yes,” Melina nods her agreement. “We had our orders and we played our roles to perfection.”

“Who cares? That wasn’t real.”

“What?” Yelena’s voice breaks.

“That wasn’t real.” Natasha repeats for emphasis. “Who cares?”

“Don’t say that. Please don’t say that. It was real. It was real to me. You are my mother!” Yelena all but sobs. “You are my real mother, the closest thing I ever had to one. The best parts of my life were fake.” She pauses, drawing in a steadying breath. “And none of you told me.”

You swipe at the tear that escapes your eye. Traitorously running it’s way down your cheek. It was never fake. Perhaps arranged, but never fake. The way you want to wrap her up in your arms, protect her from her own sadness. The way your heart breaks in time with hers. That is real. It has to be.

She turns back to the woman who she considered a mother. “Those agents that you chemically subjugated around the globe…that was me too.”

Finally she addresses Natasha, “and you. You got out. It is impossible to escape. Are you going to say anything?” A pause. “No.”

She pushes her chair from the table, taking the bottle with her as she stands. Turning her back in the four of you.

“Yelena.” Natasha calls after her. Guilt eating away from the inside out.

“No.” Yelena dismisses her a second time. Moving into the next room and closing the glass doors behind her.

You look down at the plate of food in front of you, now lacking any appeal.

“I had no idea.” Melina whispers, wringing her hands.

“I’ll go to talk to her.” Alexei offers, rising to his feet.

“About what?” You hum, “how you handed her over to a life of pain and suffering at the age of six? How you experimented on her? How you didn’t come back for her? Yeah. I’m sure that’s just what she needs right now.”

With that you excuse yourself, back out to the front yard. Slowly circling the perimeter of Melina’s cottage. Not looking for anything in particular. Just killing time until someone produces information about how to get to Dreykov.

The blinding light that appears moments later catches you off guard. A team of men exit one of the three circling planes. Since you couldn’t find the red room, this is the next best thing.

—————————————————————

Waking up is disorienting, coming to from a tranquilizer always is. It’s bright, almost blindingly so. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. You attempt to use your hands to cover them, only you can’t move your hands.

Leaning up as much as your restraints will allow you discover that you’re strapped to an operating table. And you’re not alone.

“Yelena?”

“Miss American Pie,” she drawls from a similar position. Neither of which gives you much chance to escape whatever fate awaits.

“You’re not allowed to die mad at me,” you grumble.

“I’m not mad at you.” She blinks slowly, as the surgeon marks a clean line at the perimeter of her hairline. “I’m just mad.”

“Yeah,” you let out a laugh, turning back to the light above the gurney. “Me too.”

“You are my perfect partner.” She murmurs, while gloved hands busy themselves with preparations. “I don’t know if that makes it better or worse.”

There’s a beat of silence between you. Acceptance…peace. “I love you, you know.”

At this Yelena smiles. A genuine, happy, smile. “I know.”

Something to remember her by.

The syringe at your neck releases a sedative into your blood and you fall asleep. One last time.

—————————————————————

Dying is peaceful, gently rocking in the ocean. Then swaying more violently, giving you the urge to be seasick. Your body should move with the force of it. But something holds you steady, something warm.

“Yelena?” You croak.

“Not quite, but there is resemblance, huh?” A different voice greets you.

“Alexei?” You realize, pushing yourself into a sitting position.

“That’s a girl, up you go.” He says, clapping a hand against your back.

“What happened?” You ask, “where’s Yelena?”

“Still inside,” Melina confirms. “Brought you here so you’d be safe.”

“Natasha?”

“They’re coming.”

You sigh, ready to jump out the open door of the hovering chopper.

“What are you doing?” Alexei demands.

“Going to find them.”

“Wait! Y/N, wait.” He pleads. “There’s something I must tell you. I tried to tell Yelena but I don’t have earpiece.”

“What?” Your brows furrow.

“Never mind that.” He shakes his head. “The point, is you were right. What you said about Yelena. We complete our mission, we move on. But losing her, losing my girls is my biggest regret.”

“I’ll tell her, don’t worry.” You give his shoulder a squeeze.

“Please let me finish.” He stops you again. “She carried your unconscious body through burning building, through explosions. This is not easy, you are very heavy.”

“Oh, Alexei!” Melina scolds him.

“Not that.” He amends, “you know what I mean. It is dead weight.”

You nod, “sure.”

“I look at you together and I see true love and I am happy. You are family now, and this time…we are going to stay together. We’re not leaving without you.” The older man says, helping you onto the metal grate of the falling red room.

Not a second later an explosion rings through your ears, sending Melina, Alexei and your get away vehicle spiraling to the ground.

“It’s the thought that counts,” you’ll make a new plan.

You run toward the flames and gunfire. “Yelena!” You call out, searching the surrounding area.

“Y/N,” Natasha finds you. “What are you doing?”

“I can’t find Yelena.”

“I thought she was with you.” The woman frowns.

“Well she wasn’t!” You bite out, fear and frustration getting the best of you.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find her. You go-“ the red head pauses. Her eyes focused on something behind your head.

You turn to follow Natasha’s gaze. Finding her. Yelena. The wild, unpredictable, firecracker of a woman. On the wing of the jet with Dreykov inside.

“Yelena! Stop!” You rush over, realizing what she’s about to do. Her staff poised at the propeller.

She pauses at the sound of your voice.

“He’s not worth it.” No one is worth it. Not when she is the cost.

Yelena smiles, eyes alight with mischief, “I love you, you know.”

“I know.”

Natasha tries to reason with her. “Don’t do it!”

“This was fun.” Yelena tells her sister, jamming the propeller and effectively destroying Dreykov’s jet. The force of the explosions sends her backwards, hurtling towards the ground with the remaining pieces of the red room.

“Put your pack on and jump.” Natasha tells you. Rushing for the nearest parachute. “I’m going to save my sister.” She dives head first over the edge, without putting on her harness.

“Not if I get there first,” you challenge. This would be a cool way to die.

Chapter Three: Bye Bye

[floggingink]

OH HERE WE GO LADIES IT’S RIVERDALE, CHAPTER EIGHTY: “Purgatorio”

I’m tuning in to be VERY entertained on the grounds that I missed almost the entirety of S4 and will not understand anything

we open with an incredible analogue comparing the football team to the Army, as men do construct rituals: football players get blown into the sky, etc., in a heartrending mash-up of Archie’s innocence + the American ideal/expectations/pipeline of masculinity

Archie Company is decked out appropriately to storm Hürtgen Forest

that art direction trope where a character’s hearing goes EEEEEEEEEEEEEE after an explosion……...delightful

the Vixens and friends cheering him on from the sidelines as if Archie can only process his unprocessable present through the lens of his past………...hits the spot

distressingly wood-based rifles for our purposes

Archie > Dawson: I don’t mind telling you I felt emotion upon Archie hoisting his war buddy over his shoulders to that quadruple-toned “Chivalric Archie Using His Strength for Good” tune, like when he broke his whole hand busting Cheryl out of Sweetwater River

WHEN HE SAW HIRAM LODGE, I’M TELLING YOU! 

Hiram’s dragon-scale gloves? absolutely savory; he would

“Yonkers” is one of those New York place names I don’t totally buy is real (Poughkeepsie is another)

the sepia-toned light in this hospital room rings true judging by all the Captain America fanfiction I’ve read; I also like the mint-colored hand towels draped on Archie’s bedframe bought, one assumes, using the Department of Defense’s Kohl’s Cash

Archie made Sergeant, which is the best ranking for a fictional character: important enough that they can be a leader, get into trouble; low-profile enough that you don’t have to write them in the room making terrible decisions; probably won’t die immediately, as a Captain or Private might be

Fifth period is AP English: Archie reads A Farewell to Arms to Corporal Jackson, a WWI novel by Hemingway that Jug definitely turned him onto

Christ, Archie looks good in that on-leave jacket thing

I like Jackson’s subtle graph paper-print hospital gown

Gay?!: was Jackson in love with Archie? is he gonna bus to Riverdale once he’s off his pain meds? RAS, is that you in there?

God you know I love that haunted-ass Exorcist wooden bench bus light lighting

how long has the WW been relocated under Pop’s??? I do NOT know what happened to La Bonne Nuit

Sexy, aesthetic Southside: Fangs’ hair? his Tony Stark glasses? the girls’ “I’m a Slave 4 U” Burmese pythons? Toni’s headdress and immaculate glossed lip? 

Sixth period is Intro to Film: the only part of From Dusk till Dawn I’ve seen is Salma Hayek putting her toe in Quentin Tarantino’s mouth but judging from that I figure I’d like the rest 

The female gaze: Jesus Sweet Pea still looks good

Toni’s stage is flanked by twin pillars of melting candles and I would like someone to track those down for my bathroom

if they lay one hand on Pop Tate…

Betty appears to be, on her own, running the FBI training course. Betty is such a freak

Betty’s FBI-appointed psychologist is “Dr. Starling,” wears a great yellow blouse; Betty eats what appears to be a mini-sized Milky Way

her blond FBI trainer-boyfriend (uh) Glen appears to be an unholy fusion of Jimmi Simpson and that one actor with brown hair and really sharp light eyes whose acting credits I can’t think of right now, you know who I’m talking about (not the guy from Vampire Diaries)

I quite like her patterned blouse and I hate his yellow (gold?!) and blue tie

Please protect Betty: obviously we stan the Silence of the Lambs shit even as it remains infuriating Bryan Fuller couldn’t get his hands in it

Betty’s cat’s crying was so disturbingly baby-like that I had to leave the room once I realized it was in fact a cat

I’ve watched the Elisa Lam tape too many times in recent hours to handle this hallway shot

REALLY GROSS LICKING NOISES

the Trash Bag Killer coming at her was scary :(

Betty’s lovely blue knit cardi with the puffed sleeves!

50 Shades of Betty: clearing her throat before the doctor quite finishes her sentence—Lili Reinhart continues to be great at conveying “slightly perturbing subterranean tension”

was Charles a serial killer too??? oh damn!

Betty has been successfully holding off giving Glen a key to her place until now, an era that must come to a close

fellas, “Do I at least get a kiss?” is a bad move

Veronica was rich: Veronica’s new digs: exposed brick, bougiely avant-garde chandelier; possibly an elevator door right there behind the dude?

Veronica has married Hiram, to no one’s surprise

Chadwick looks like Jimmi Simpson and brunet Evan Peters plus a jaw

Veronica’s single-puffled-sleeved gown…..madamn (she has absolutely been taking secret birth control pills)

Summer + Blair = Veronica: of course Veronica would be great at Howard Ratner’s job; I MUST know what “specialty showcase haute couture offense” Vinnie has committed

T-Dubbs’ green jacket

Veronica pretended she was working at like, a department store? but she MISSED the EDGE post-day-trading

their apartment is so expensive that their bedroom is totally exposed

oh my god, Hermione

Best costume bit: please get me these satiny green high-waisted slacks?! and ugh her blouse has shoulder tassels……..she’s flourishing

“That’s threatening to an alpha like Chad.”

yes, they have a private elevator. fine.

Glen and Chad get their ties from the same Men’s Warehouse

“When that helicopter went down on the way to Martha’s Vineyard…”

you know kissing is 4-real when one person cups their hand to the back of the other person’s neck all close

I don’t understand the drop of the Glamergé egg but I appreciate that there is one and that Veronica is like, get this the fuck out of my house

Veronica’s shiny cropped tweed two-piece, Yvonne’s weird feathery coat that matches her bf’s shirt (you know she’s supposed to be “too much” because she’s got big hoop earrings)

God, Jughead is next and I’m not gonna be able to handle it

OH GOD IT’S SO MUCH WORSE THAN I THOUGHT

Alphabet City?! the piano?? the fucking East Coast Beat typewriter shit—the day robe? I’m—READING CLUBMASTERS? FORSYTHE???

OH GOD HE’S DATING ANOTHER WRITER (she has nice pants)

Jughead eats: “that place you like” is a HOT DOG STAND in the middle of SOME GRASS

I’ve seen Brick like thirty times: Jughead wears high-ankle light blue jeans, grey socks, and spectators that blend to create the illusion of wading boots. I’m going to commit a crime

Jughead doubts it: “So did Kerouac. And Hemingway. And Fitzgerald.” 

fuck yes I love Floundering Jughead, and his Pushy Agent who pronounces “career” like “Korea,” and the continuing tradition of Jughead getting kicked out of his house

I like Literary Grifter’s sweater

the Brat Pack, and most of the Rat Pack for that matter, were actors, but I assume RAS couldn’t resist the rhyme 

I was 100% afraid we were about to learn Cora was an uncomfortably-young undergrad

the musical cue as she reaches into her bag is absolutely as if she’s taking out a gun, and it might as well be! it’s the scariest thing in NYC: an unpublished manuscript

showrunners doing a classic I Love Lucy job partially concealing Vanessa Morgan’s pregnancy via medium close-ups, draping black clothes

Cheryl slowly turning to ask if doesn’t she look okay 10/10 icon

Cheryl’s pins: she has either a tiny spider or maybe a tick

Cheryl’s sheaths: the lacy red thing, amazing

why is Cheryl’s left hand gloved?

Cheryl’s a chaos angel from hell: Cheryl’s going to forge a Rembrandt, which unfortunately means she’s my favorite person on the planet (she does not look happy about doing this)

btw is Nana Rose an Immortal?

please tell me about Toni’s eyelashes

EXTREMELY HAUNTED DOLL?!

“Damn good coffee”: Archie’s earnest “Where are people gonna sit for the bus?” slayed me

fuck YEAH Ghoulies party house! terrible music but really good skull spray paint art

Jug looks LOW lol

Veronica’s blouse + buttons, impeccable

I’m writing a scene where it’s gay.: Tabitha/Squeaky

the hellscape semi’s red backlighting and its skeleton’s red eyes

I like Linette’s glossy bomber!

the trucker who’s about to kill her can’t also be the Trash Bag Killer….truckers have to stick to too much of a schedule….but he could be Betty’s meandering serial

I loved this episode

NEXT WEEK: Archie brings the FBI down on some people paying their rent :(

[etvisitors-blog]

Movie: PREDATOR

Year: 1987

The Predator film series is a science fiction action horror franchise based on a race of fictional extraterrestrials created by Jim Thomas and John Thomas. Produced by 20th Century Fox, the series started in 1987 with the film Predator.

Predator (1987)

An elite paramilitary rescue team, led by Major “Dutch” is on a covert operation in Central America when they encounter an alien who hunts them for sport. From the outer reaches of space to the backwoods of southern Georgia, the hunt comes home in Shane Black’s explosive reinvention of the Predator series. Now, the universe’s most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before. And only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and an evolutionary biology professor can prevent the end of the human race. Since this is the beginning of the story, we posted a video about this movie.

Predator 2 (1990)

In 1997, a different Predator arrives in Los Angeles and begins hunting violent gang members, drawing the attention of the local police force. The creature itself is in turn being hunted by a secretive government task-force seeking to capture it for study.

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

The film follows a group of archaeologists assembled by billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland for an expedition near the Antarctic to investigate a mysterious heat signal. Weyland hopes to claim the find for himself, and his group discovers a pyramid below the surface of a whaling station. Hieroglyphs and sculptures reveal that the pyramid is a hunting ground for young Predators who kill Aliens as a rite of passage. The humans are caught in the middle of a battle between the two species and attempt to prevent the Aliens from reaching the surface.

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

Following the events of the previous film, a Predator ship leaves Earth carrying Alien facehuggers, and the body of Scar, the Predator that defeated the Alien Queen. A chestburster with traits of both species erupts from Scar’s body. It quickly matures into an adult Predalien, makes its way onto a scout ship that is then detached from the Mothership, and starts killing the Predators on board. A Predator’s weapon punctures the hull and the scout ship crashes in the forest outside of Gunnison, Colorado, injuring or killing most of the Predators.

The Predalien and several facehuggers escape, implanting embryos into a nearby father and son who are out hunting in the forest, as well as several homeless people that live in the sewers. An injured Predator sends a distress signal before being killed by the Predalien. On the Predator homeworld, a skilled veteran Predator, Wolf, receives the signal and takes it upon himself to travel to Earth to hunt and kill the Aliens.

Predators (2010)

The film follows an ensemble cast of characters including Royce (Adrien Brody), a mercenary who appears in an unidentified jungle among other murderers and otherwise undesirable people. They find that they have been abducted and placed on a planet which acts as a game reserve for two warring tribes of extraterrestrial killers, and actively look for a way to return to Earth.

The Predator (2018)

A Predator ship crash-lands on Earth. Army Ranger sniper Quinn McKenna and his team are attacked by the Predator on a hostage retrieval mission. McKenna incapacitates the Predator and has its armor mailed off. At the behest of government agent Will Traeger, he is captured and held for examination. Traeger also takes the Predator to a lab for experimentation and observation, recruiting evolutionary biologist Casey Bracket to study it. The Predator awakes, breaks out of its bonds, kills lab workers, but spares Bracket before leaving.

[randomnotesofmyown]

Psycho-Pass (21)

Episode 21 - Blood-stained reward

Masaoka, "is it that easy to adjust the Uka-no-Mitama virus?" Kunizuka, "The process itself should be pretty much automated, so as long as the equipment still works, yes. They chose Uka-no-Mitama precisely because of how easy it is to update." Ginoza, "To think that a good virus ends up becoming a real disease...We thought it was an iron wall that protected our food self-sufficiency, but it turned out to be a double-edged sword."

Team division 1 on board a helicopter.

Makishima sat in front of the machines, reading the Parable of the Weeds of Matthew 13:24-33.

"'The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.'"

The security system of the facility remained active, Kogami still looking for a way in. Then, he heard and saw the helicopter approaching

And it flew right in.

Ginoza was immediately annoyed that the facility was big.

Tsunemori, "it's a factory that centrally manages the defense virus in order to distribute it to the entire Hokuriku area, so..." Masaoka, "to think that such a large-scale facility can continue to operate in a fully automated manner..." Tsunemori, "the bigger the prey, the easier it is to target. Especially when you're using a poisoned needle that could kill a whale. This sort of tactic is just like Makishima." And Tsunemori got a call.

Kogami, "I didn't expect you to get here so soon." Tsunemori, "don't underestimate the PSB. You're not the only one who can drive Makishima into a corner." Kogami, "he's already inside the facility, using the equipment Kudama left in the lab, he must be already adjusting the Uka-no-Mitama virus by now, or he might even be done." Tsunemori, "we're not going to let him have his way." Kogami, "then we've got to be quick. Before he distributes the Uka-no-Mitama that he tempered with, we have to shut down the entire facility. Using the authority of the PSB, you should be able to cut off the power to this facility, right?" Tsunemori, "if we do that, it will shut down not only the center's functions, but the  security system as well. That's what you want, isn't it? You're trying to use us to lift the security so that you can beat us to Makishima and kill him, aren't you? We'll never allow you to do that." Kogami, "Makishima is trying to destroy this country. The PSB has only one choice right now. Cut the power. Then this country will be saved."

Tsunemori, "I will not let Kogami Shinya be a murderer." Kogami, "then, I guess the early bird gets the worm." Conversation ended.

Tsunemori to other agents, "Can't we have the authority for just the security system transferred to us from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry?" Ginoza, "the process will take time. Makishima might put us in check while we're working on it. We have no other choice but to stop the facility itself, like Kogami said. Kunizuka?" Kunizuka, "I've already disabled the command to switch to the secondary power supply. All we have to do now is to stop the power from the power plant." Tsunemori to Ginoza, "there's one thing I'd like to ask of you. When you encounter Mr. Kogami, if his Crime Coefficient is over 300 and the Eliminator is activated, please refrain from shooting him and call me in."

Ginoza, "What's the point of calling you in?" Tsunemori, "I've got a trump card I can use against Mr. Kogami. Don't worry. Please leave it to me."

Flashback of dialog between Tsunemori and the system. Tsunemori, "now we'll go after Makishima. You'll help us, right?" Sibyl, "of course." Tsunemori, "then...lock this gun in Paralyzer mode with the safety unlocked. You can do it, right?" Sibyl, "the Dominator decides its enforcement mode based on the measured Crime Coefficients. This is the basis for the system that maintains the current public safety and is inviolable. " Tsunemori, "in order to fight Makishima, we need suitable strong weapons. We do have to protect ourselves, too. If we can't use the dominators, we have no choice but to depend on more primitive weapons. In the worst case, we may end up killing Makishima with those weapons." Sibyl, "if that happens, that would be because you lack resourcefulness. Our abilities are limited and the likelihood that we will capture Makishima alive without problems falls short of 100%. If you guys grant an exception here, that likelihood can be improved a little. Think what the best decision is. You're good at calculating risk and reward, right?" Sibyl, "from now until Makishima Shogo is captured, we will grant an exception on the applicable terminal device. The safety will stay unlocked. Mode is Non-lethal Paralyzer. However, please pay close attention to how you use it so that the other detectives will not find out." "Understood." Masaoka, "missy..."

"I don't know what happened, but isn't the burden too much for you to carry alone?" Tsunemori. "are you worried?" Masaoka, "yeah, you're acting the same way Kogami did. I don't wanna see the end of an Inspector who pushed too hard, too often." Ginoza turned away, made a sound but said nothing. Tsunemori, "then would you like to check my Crime Coefficient?" Masaoka, "hey..." Tsunemori, "it's okay. Please point the Dominator at me." Masaoka pointed his dominator at Tsunemori

Tsunemori then ordered Kunizuka to cut off the power to the facility. 

Kogami finally had a chance to get in.

Makashima took out a bomb, and Kogami got his revolver and folding knife ready.

Masaoka said Makishima's bio-terrorism had failed and he should start thinking about escape. Tsunemori, however, figured Makishima would try to get power back on to carry out his plan. Ginoza said it was possible that Makishima would just decide to run. So, Tsunemori decided the agents split in two teams, Tsunemori and Kunizuka headed for the control room, where Makishima would go if he wanted to get the facility running; and Masaoka and Ginoza were asked to check the lab.

Alone with Tsunemori, Kunizuka asked her if something happened at the Ministry of Welfare. Kunizuka, "You're being the most constructive person right now, and yet you look the most depressed of all of us." Tsunemori spoke to herself, "stopping here wouldn't resolve anything. I just have to move forward. No matter how small it may be, there's still hope. As long as I don't give up on it, I can continue to be a detective until the end." The two moved on. Kunizuka, "When you joined us as a new Inspector, at first I thought you were a naive little girl and that you couldn't possibly be fit for the job. But my impression back then was completely wrong. I'm sure of that now. I can entrust my life to you, Miss Tsunemori." Tsunemori, "you overestimate my ability."

They reached the control room to find no one in there. And right away Kunizuka asked if Makishima would really head to the control room, and Tsunemori, finding it strange that no one was in there, not even Kogami, started making a new deduction. "He would foresee Makishima's actions more accurately than me. If this was the correct answer, I'd expect Mr. Kogami to have made it here before us. Why...? I feel like I'm overlooking something."

Ginoza, "I have to check something with you." Masaoka, "What's bothering you at a time like this?" Ginoza, "You helped Kogami escape, didn't you?" Masaoka, "would you try not to be hard on an old man?" Ginoza, "you think that by Kogami taking the crime upon himself, evil will be defeated as a result. That's the savage, selfish justice of an old-fashioned hunting dog like yourself. Am I wrong?' Masaoka gave no answer. Ginoza, "Kogami really is the one you rely on. You don't expect anything from me. You think that there's no chance I can capture Makishima, don't you?" Masaoka, "Kogami is a latent criminal and Enforcer. He and I are two of a kind. But you're still taking a different path than we do. I think that's for the best from the bottom of my heart." Ginoza, "How could you make a justification like that?"

Tsunemori strolled away from Kunizuka as she analyzed the situation, "a culprit runs and detectives go after him...That's our assumption. But Makishima looks at things differently. He understands how much of a bind we are than we do."

Then Tsunemori started running. Kunizuka warned her that it would be dangerous to act on her own, Tsunemori told Kunizuka to stay in the control room to prevent Makishima from touching the emergency power supply if he showed up. "If push comes to shove, you can even destroy the whole console!"

With that, she ran off. 

Explosion.

Makishima appeared with a nail gun as Masaoka tried to help Ginoza. 

Makishima, outmatched, reached for the bomb and set it off. 

Makishima, "you think I'd do a stupid thing like that?" Masaoka realized what Makishima intended to do and was at a loss. Ginoza, "don't let that man go at any cost, Enforcer!"

Seeing Makishima threw the bomb at Ginoza, Masaoka let go of him and ran to pick up the bomb. But before he could throw it away, the bomb exploded. 

Ginoza struggled to free himself. He managed it, at a cost of losing his left hand. And as he stumbled to Masaoka and dropped on his knee, Makishima got up, grinning. Then a gunshot fired at him, from Kogami.

The shots missed the target, and Makishima ran off. Kogami gave chase, and passed by Ginoza and the mortally wounded Masaoka. Pained by what he saw, Kogami nonetheless moved on. Ginoza, "Y...you idiot! Why did you let the culprit get away?! Why...?! You're a detective, aren't you?!" Masaoka, "I'm not fit to be called a detective."

"You eyes...look just the same as mine...when I was young."

Ginoza, "it's too late!"

Kogami fired another shot at Makishima and missed again. Seeing Kogami tried to locate him, Makishima laughed, "So you finally ditched that fake justice and now you've got some real bloodlust, huh? You are everything I hoped you would be after all." Kogami, "Really? I have no hopes for you at all, though." Makishima, "Don't be so indifferent after coming this far." Kogami, "Don't be so arrogant. You're not a special person or anything. You're just trash that's been ignored by society all this time. You feel bitter for having been rejected and left out of the community, don't you? You just couldn't bear solitude, that's all. You're no different from a kid whining about not wanting to be left out." Makishima, holding back his laughter, said, "You sure say some funny things. Solitudes? Does that apply only only to me? Who isn't alone in this society? The time when our connection to others was the basis of our selves is long gone. In this world where everyone is watched over by the system and live within the system's standards, a community isn't necessary. Everyone just lives in their own little cell, and the system tames them by giving them each their own personal serenity." Kogami fired another shot at where he thought Makishima stood. Turned out it was a mirror. Then, Makishima crept up on Kogami and kicked the pistol away from his hands. Both men then took out their knives, preparing for another round.

Tsunemori was shown running.

End of episode 21

Comment: Already it's the second last episode of season one, and to me one theme about this episode was salvation. Masaoka, a father who tried to save his son: Tsunemori, a person who tried to save a friend; and Kogami, a person who tried to bring justice to those killed by Makishima and to save the country from chaos and destruction. The aim of each of these people meant something more important than their own life, and sadly for Masaoka, he managed to save his son from death, but he couldn’t save him from the lasting effect of this incident. The same would go for Tsunemori, as hard as she tried, it was unlikely that she could stop Makishima and Kogami killing each other. And with failure came regrets and sadness.

[227snewfacebookfries]

227's™ TRAGEDY ALERT! 10 Dead! Spicy' Santa Fe Chili' Texas High School Shooting! News #Nike'Spicy'Tunes Spicy' NBA Mix! 1 Spicy' suspect in Chili' custody, 1 Spicy' detained

A Texas high school student unleashed a hail of bullets inside one of his classes early Friday morning, gunning down eight to 10 people, police said. The suspected shooter was taken into police custody and a second suspect has been detained. The suspect in custody and the suspect detained for further questioning were both students. Students were evacuated from Santa Fe High School in Texas following a shooting that killed eight to 10 people. Police officers responded to Santa Fe High School around 8 a.m. CDT after reports that a shooter opened fire inside. Al Tompkins @atompkins The chilling audio of police dispatch in the moments that the #SantaFe High shooting was unfolding: from KTRK/Broadcastify 10:22 AM - May 18, 2018 2 See Al Tompkins's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy The Santa Fe Police Department confirmed explosive devices were found on the campus of the high school and the "surrounding areas adjacent to the school." The school has been evacuated and the campus was cleared, the Santa Fe Police Department said. A school resource officer was shot and injured and another officer was also injured in the incident, CBS News reported. President Trump addresses Texas high school shooting, vows his administration will do everything possible to protect nation's students.Video Trump: We grieve for terrible loss of life at Sante Fe High The chief nursing officer at the University of Texas Medical Branch told reporters the center received two adult patients and one person under 18 years old. Galveston County Sheriff's Maj. Douglas Hudson said units responded to reports of shots fired. Witnesses say a gunman opened fire inside an art class during first period. A student in the class told KTRK she witnessed at least one girl being shot. "We thought it was a fire drill at first but really, the teacher said, 'Start running,'" the student told the news station. Santa Fe High School junior Guadalupe Sanchez, 16, cries in the arms of her mother, Elida Sanchez, after reuniting with her at a meeting point at a nearby Alamo Gym fitness center following a shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, on Friday, May 18, 2018. (Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle via AP) Students console each other following a school shooting at Santa Fe High School. (AP) Two seniors at the school told KHOU 11 their friend pulled the fire alarm after spotting the shooter and urged other students to run. They also said they saw an injured female student. “Now I am worried about everyone else,” one student commented. “ I don’t even want to go to graduation now.” The student said she did not get a good look at the shooter because she was running away. She said students escaped through a door at the back of the classroom. Witness reports that the Sante Fe High School gunman was armed with a shotgun; reaction from retired NYPD Lt. Joe Cardinale.Video Report: Texas gunman entered art class, opened fire Authorities have not yet confirmed these accounts. President Trump tweeted Friday regarding the shooting stating, "School shooting in Texas. Early reports not looking good. God bless all!" Trump mentioned the school shooting during a speech at the White House Friday. Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump School shooting in Texas. Early reports not looking good. God bless all! 9:05 AM - May 18, 2018 40.2K 32.4K people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy “Unfortunately I have to begin by expressing our sadness and heartbreak over the deadly shooting in Texas,” he said. “We send prayers and support for everyone affected in the horrific attack. Trump also tweeted again saying he "grieved for the terrible loss of life, and send our support and love to everyone affected by this horrible attack in Texas." "To the students, families, teachers and personnel at Santa Fe High School - we are with you in this tragic hour, and we will be with you forever," he concluded. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz also tweeted regarding the shooting. Santa Fe High School student Dakota Shrader is comforted by her mother Susan Davidson following a shooting at the school on Friday, May 18, 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas. Shrader said her friend was shot in the incident. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP) Eight to 10 people were killed Friday in a school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas. (AP) “Heidi and I are keeping all the students and faculty at Santa Fe High School in our prayers this morning, along with all first responders on the scene. Please be safe and heed warnings from local officials," he said. Aerial footage from the scene showed students standing in a grassy field while officers inspected their backpacks. At least three life-flight helicopters landed at the school. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said it was also on the scene. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted early Friday that he arrived at the school to assist officers with the Galveston County Sheriff Office. Santa Fe is a city of about 13,000 residents, located 30 miles southeast of Houston. The incident is the nation's deadliest school shooting since the February attack in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 people. The Associated Press contributed to this report. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/05/18/texas-high-school-on-lockdown-following-reports-active-shooter.html

Top 5 Spicy' Plays of the Night | May 16, 2018

      Chris Chili' Paul & James Chili' Harden Postgame Spicy' Interview | Chili' Warriors vs Chili' Rockets Game 2

      Stephen Chili' Curry Postgame Interview | Chili' Warriors vs Chili' Rockets Game 2

      Eric Chili' Gordon Takes Off & Leads Houston Chili' To WCF Game 2 Victory

      Spicy' NBA Daily Show: May 16 - The Spicy' Starters

52K views13 hours ago

Related articles

Rockets advance to the NBA Western Conference semis

Rockets coach wants 'mentally sharper' team for Game 2

Jazz repulse Rockets on the road to level series

NBA's Toronto Raptors fire Dwane Casey, two days after he's named Coach of the Year

Chris Paul is not a choker

227's™ YouTube Chili' Draymond Chili' Green x Chili' Eminem! | Beats by Spicy' Dre™ NBA Mix!

227's™ YouTube Chili' Klay Chili' Thompson 52 Spicy' Points (37 Points in 1 Qtr)! 13-13 100% FG% NBA Mix!

227's™ YouTube Chili' LeBron Chili' James Top 10 Spicy' Plays of Career! NBA Chilliciously' KING-alicious Mix!

Who will win the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award?

How WMU's Thomas Wilder went from one scholarship offer to verge of NBA

  Setting The Table in Spicy' San Antonio

      Take a Look at Spicy' Chili' Walmart’s New Chili' Technology Satellite HQ in Plano, Texas

      More Spicy' Ways to Chili' Pickup

      The Spicy' Chili' Table

      Inside Spicy' Chili' Walmart’s New Tech Incubator in Austin, Texas

  Related articles

Walmart partners with Postmates on grocery delivery

Amazon adds Whole Foods delivery to 3 US cities with hopes to expand in 2018

Meet 7-year-old Montannah Kenney, the youngest girl ever to climb Mount Kilimanjaro

Austin street could be named after Harriet Tubman

Save $300 on a Canon DSLR camera at Walmart

Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson star as Warriors sink Spurs

Family living along Ninth Avenue, Brackenridge relieved dilapidated house is gone

Brian Kilmeade Says Fed Ex Bomb Means Austin Bombings Not A Racial Thing

Chief says dead bombing suspect's motive unknown

A Construction Worker in Plano, Texas, is Seriously Injured in a Fall from a Ladder " Texas Work Injury Law

via www.facebook.com

227's™ TRAGEDY ALERT! 10 Dead! Spicy' Santa Fe Chili' Texas High School Shooting! News #Nike'Spicy'Tunes Spicy' NBA Mix! 1 Spicy' suspect in Chili' custody, 1 Spicy' detained

from Jamaal Al-Din's blog 227's™ YouTube Chili' NBA Mix! http://hoops227.typepad.com/blog/2018/05/227s-tragedy-alert-10-dead-spicy-santa-fe-chili-texas-high-school-shooting-news-nikespicytunes-spicy-nba-mix-1.html via http://hoops227.typepad.com/blog/

[glopratchet]

retirement-home

ter program that is attached to the conciousness of astryl wylde, and soldiers are stationed there "We're going to die here! A large hole in the ground where an army was massacred There's no sign of any survivors or bodies of any kind Small lake dripping with blood shade from the sun so rare under gathering storm clouds Screams So much screaming nearby "Too close! Undergrowth seeking shade from the sun so rare under gathering storm clouds bathing under the hovering stormclouds About a hundred men lay crushed and broken, some still living Lightpoles bathing under the hovering stormclouds Construction site under sweltering heat caused by explosive blasts from TNT wielding strange weapons Green-skinned bodyguards wielding strange weapons secured around bleeding wounds Bandages secured around bleeding wounds displaying distress calls Large one with increasing heartbeat, small one broken and motionless Monitors displaying distress calls for a deadly virus that seem to affect the heart A coffin with a rifle-grip handle on the lid Vaccine for a deadly virus that seem to affect the heart marching forward with heavy duty armor, visors locking in place A group of inkeepers nonchalantly holding assault rifles Shocktroops marching forward with heavy duty armor, with anesthetic, fast-acting and deadly Pharmaceuticals with anesthetic, suite with usage of private helicopter and lavish spending money Cafeteria serving rotten food Unathorized Procedure: "Slaughters" High-roller suite with usage of private helicopter and lavish spending money with machineguns taking up a defensive formation out of blackmarket 50-Cals Copying and dismantling several explosive sent in by rebels Lizards with machineguns taking up a defensive formation out of blackmarket the Grim's laptop with illegall copies of extremely rare songs The last Warden Sergeant quickly burnt and turned to ash, now haunting the studios Gorazel the Grim's laptop with illegall copies of extremely rare songs begging to stay and help out Nurse taking live newsfeed of a robbery gone wrong and the robbers filling full of bulletholes Cyber-surgeon begging to stay and help out by with a full fake american passport under the name "Nick Plumber" A meeting with Mr Black Who is Mr Black? Agent walking by with a full fake american passport under the name "Nick Plumber" (Borders? ) dismantled by bombing Troops not harming fellow countrymen Only defectors and wannabes suffer firing Borders ; backwards sending a photo of a small village Location tagged with "Could be hiding here" Troops moving in the night Agent stretching backwards sending a photo of a small village -stained clothes sent to nearby town for cleaning A map with a village and "Definitely hiding here" tagged Blood-stained clothes sent to nearby town for cleaning for a drug addict, not doing much police work Large back with unusual, non-industrial construction style Older man comforting a mourning family Agent caregiving for a drug addict, panting after strenuous physical exercise 'Unregistered revelator', Johnny-23 Multiple orphanages and charities under one roof Possibly a front Dog panting after strenuous physical exercise offsite Helicopter preparing for takeoff As helicopter takes off and swiftly out of range, Ground team erupt in cheers Agent cheese-making offsite with mounted gatling gun, belts of ammunition hanging off him Mustard gas released to target rebels on motorbikes Agent roving with mounted gatling gun, of butterflies surprising a religious cult Rinse and repeat, just different enough to stay interesting Cyclone of butterflies surprising a religious cult priority to guide first-timers Unusual tactics yield unusual casualties Lottery style choosing of cities for raid purely based on random numbers Agent well-being priority to guide first-timers with gambling addiction stopping you from smuggling in more money Unbending rule: No shot glasses of alcohol Agent coping with gambling addiction stopping you from smuggling in more money Agent catalyzing debate over teams dying and morale improving Desperately seeking team-members with communications background Real rumors sparked by you A gay couple causing a scandal by holding hands in public A hedonistic man denied of free alcohol at the classiest bar in town and enslaving prostitutes from your personal harem Bank-tellers going on hunger strike for better pay Agent mistreating and enslaving prostitutes from your personal harem and executing captured prisoners for their clothing Doctor treating all prisoners, rebels, militia and us alike Randomly raising defense plans Agent diagnosing and executing captured prisoners for their clothing chin with loaded gun Random kidnapping for less-hackable personal connections House infiltrated and machinery sabotaged Death of innocent family Agent stroking chin with loaded gun child actor and black-mailing an official into arming truck Rebel defending convoy spotted getting fuel without verification Taking out loan to buy gear Agent portraying child actor and black-mailing an official into arming truck national pride by demanding paperwork for traffic citations Between us and the enemy, allies & unaffiliated Next door bar's private music concert Agent evoking national pride by demanding paperwork for traffic citations non-descript in dirty bath-house Unlicensed backyard power-station causing concern Farmer warning of fuel shortage for tractor Agent photographing non-descript in dirty bath-house with workers while water-truck refuels A fatigued and sick peasant just trying to get by Agent joking with workers while water-truck refuels teeth with a journalist critical of protest plans Rebel power-station understaffed and outdated Agent brushing teeth with a journalist critical of protest plans Grandmother with rebellious sons Only registered Agent dentists working without supervision Rebel guards eating donuts and laughing in the control-room Sundowning Grandmother with rebellious sons truck unloading outside luxury hotel Mothballed civil defense measures at the mercy of an uncontrollable Agent Sanitation truck unloading outside luxury hotel is a game being created by This War of Mine developers, designed around the idea of civilians in war-zones Colossus is a game being created by This War of Mine developers, civilians flee from their city under threat of occupation by an invading force, a powerful rebel faction or even due to an oppressive/ totalitarian government Community-dwelling civilians flee from their city under threat of occupation by an invading force, don't know you're there, the very people you exist to help may not even know you're there ; (or that the help is coming from an off-book Muckety-mucks don't know you're there, Mayor welcoming the help Ashamed city wanting to forget it ever happened Food riots in supermarket Ribbon-cutting Mayor welcoming the help released by happy civilians A rebel warning people to not accept food if they see you Militia rationing supplies in supermarket Balloons released by happy civilians team injecting misinformation into news-articles about their whereabouts No internet rebels seeming to know anything about you or your team's presence in the city Grooming team injecting misinformation into news-articles about their whereabouts taking advantage of the pause in fighting and having a party Secret Government takeover with mysterious origins Sham wedding uniting an entire family to the organisation Skinnys taking advantage of the pause in fighting and having a party secretly taking place during food-drop Out for revenge against rebel leadership or government Undercover rebels among you trying to entrap team-members Counseling secretly taking place during food-drop anonymously warning people not to accept food Corrupt businessmen happily accepting help due to their friendly relationship with your organisation Sporadic rebel attacks on food-trucks Bartenders anonymously warning people not to accept food team caught eating in public causing public outrage Eating team caught eating in public causing public outrage with illegal gambling den in basement Whisky-joint with illegal gambling den in basement on bad memories of conflict Randomly screaming and breaking things for no reason Crowded apartment block filled with illegal speakeasies Dwelling on bad memories of conflict family looking to sell their crop for food Fake-doctor running illegal medical practice releasing addicts into street Sodbuster family looking to sell their crop for food on uncomfortably-hot-and-smelly mattresses in derelict building Refugee children selling handmade trinkets Sleeping on uncomfortably-hot-and-smelly mattresses in derelict building -gang felling trees to make wooden weapons Manic-depressive alcoholic heckling team-members Mini-chainsaw-gang felling trees to make wooden weapons ian Storyteller travelling with her handmade puppets Street-performer singing happy songs about the cruelty of life Meal over, hunger remains Astrylian Storyteller travelling with her handmade puppets & human urine used to rinse teeth Drug-addicts demanding food for handing out addict-supplying tips Toothpaste & human urine used to rinse teeth Rookie mistake Bus-full of spies sent to investigate you and your operation Fakefuneral: Well now you know for next time Shambles: over-feeding infant at distressing rate Under-cover rebellions within the heart of the enemy Wet-nurse over-feeding infant at distressing rate kull: Rookie mistake 2 A quiet and surprisingly calming grave-site Sweaty Man making shady deals in seedy underground buildings Chatterskull: and secret tunnels Seperatist camp riddled with sinful activity The ruthless city militia doing deals outside an armoury intent on buying illegal assault weapons Passageways and secret tunnels of your terrible mistake Cyborg killers making sure you live 2 0 this time Admission of your terrible mistake drawing: begging for food from the public at large Man-of-the-cloth rousing a mob with accusations of Orphanage abuse Weakness-magnets drawing: beds, a box of hand-me-downs but no parental love You packed food from the wrong faction! Now they're after you as well Homelike beds, Addiction never helps Razorwire: Rookie mistake 3 Cafffeine: expertly disarming your influence over childhood development Death Penalty for mental distresses affecting the brain Gerontologist expertly disarming your influence over childhood development Dangerous! Sinscales: The last ones left uncaught in this city Anti-immmunity: Running out of them Tumblebleeds: A growing concern Your inquisitive nature urging you to investigate despite my warnings! of eternals blowing the dust off this notebook! Gusts of eternals blowing the dust off this notebook! -devise broken hooked up to a system of denial Conciliatory Rebels in fragile ceasefire until final assault on you Life-prolonging-devise broken hooked up to a system of denial all failed except eternals Cataclysm: Something must be done but what can I do, my hands are tied and my mind is bound Surgeries all failed except eternals man Crew: Extra-regimental fighters eager for a good fight Sportsman Crew: Where did all these holes come from all of a sudden? Unlikely Metal Maggots feasting on this city leaving it to rot Metal Maggots feasting on this city leaving it to rust Resurrection: Hypnowaves: Truth to power, forever unrtouched Beautiful yet fake Dream over: He's gone Harmonica: of eternals Mattresses of eternals Booty of orphans You've lost your child forever now This pain will never heal Booty of eternals toaster banging out take-that-cancer songs Creaking swing sets overgrown with weeds Rusted-out toaster banging out take-that-cancer songs Poisonous Your bones'll turn to dust Phosphorus: trying it's best to be human while hating everything human Loyalty, Idiology, Bunker-rattling or subtle sabotage Automaton trying it's best to be human while hating everything human al aspirations or simple desire for survival? Time will tell just what kind of Pious leader you'll become Megalomaniacal aspirations or simple desire for survival? to dust Dust to dust targeting mines and rebel-held areas; Rebels lacking support targeting civilians; Civilians just trying to get by Patriots targeting mines and rebel-held areas; Your influences have severely weakened over this city, let's change that Dams be damned, New Heart just isn't titled to an Embiny dam! Rebel hats, conqueror shirts skin and sexual attractions to skulls So I've heard at least Gangrenous skin and sexual attractions to skulls This city supports miners and the dam, everything else be damned Weeds The environment has quickly become too dangerous to count on over Prediction ^ Prophecy over Prediction ^ Strategy over Tactics! Atom-grabbing will not save you, harmony over warfare though might! Triangulation: Be nice now Hints And Numbers ^ Creepy clown militia itching for a fight Preachings: of power and dismantling obsession Non-aggression pact from the, until now silent, Church of the Pure Corrosion of power and dismantling obsession Find your voice! Soapbox: will win this game Moisture will win this game over Science ^ History of warfare, hierarchy and slavery polished and dusted off for all to see Cats with too may eyes crowd the dark Sermons over Science ^ the masses to suit your needs Lobotomize the masses to suit your needs You got some new faces and a slight change of scenery since the last log Longer cords and tube-tents Toothbrushes and tube-tents at the bottom of rubbish-crawlers Bloodlust shining off of every muscle fiber Diamonds at the bottom of rubbish-crawlers swinging over every loyal disciple Rounds of crisis being spat out by smug grins Confessionals turning grey from our sins Talisman swinging over every loyal disciple feet dust collecting at the bottom of my worn shoes The thrill is gone I guess everything has it's season, however short or long it may be Stinky feet dust collecting at the bottom of my worn shoes Powerful stuff but man does it get the job done Shrapnel ^ Many of us are dented and rusted Oozes out of the shadows for the thrill of the hunt Metal menaces sharpening knives to scoop out and digest rebel hearts with True or False? All soldiers have logs and we love writing in them Highways leading Out of here, or to another city War? Newspapers: and Merchants ^ Finally, people to talk to that aren't thugs or slaves Technology sometimes scares me I can barely work a toaster Diplomats and Merchants ^ pushing us around, how quaint Jocks pushing us around, Wut? Waking Up In A World You Know The Rest ^ Gloomy mornings turn into sleepy afternoons Eskiminzins? The StrongestOne now has Warrick's body! Muscle mass increased, bone density risen, adrenaline efficiency skyrocketed Physique: Garden-variety enerm inhibitors block the heart, digestive system, brain and all other parts of the body The conquerors are nothing but screams to me now Convulsions is one of the less painful ways to die inside the lounge room Shields thrown, cannons blasting, spears clanging of an identity incapable of true beautiful wars Fear kneads my gut into tiny mountains and thorny vales Designers of an identity incapable of true beautiful wars of Numbness ^ Musicians preform for you Muscriptions rush into your head Cities rise and fall Anatomy of Numbness ^ bloom and whither Symmetry is shown in your position A rebel princess and a soldier of The Just Alliance Populations bloom and whither and cigarettes used to keep you up during the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, whilst sunrise endlessly broke out into your teenage dreams Coffee and cigarettes used to keep you up during the lazy, hurry past you on their morning commute Gustav Mai, the aging General of The Just Alliance The city is calm today Hoppers hurry past you on their morning commute and Lights ^ Green emerald lights flicker on and scan you Hooks and nets lay beneath the surface, thirsting for a chance Livers and Lights ^ who don't see themselves as such The memories of a dying city zombies, corpses, skeletons and ghosts Nobility who don't see themselves as such You see the business District, The Crown State of Nalin River and Lagos beyond What starts these wars? Everything you need to make it through another day Medicine, Caffeine Life is dead in this city, how much longer can you last? clamber over your heavy gloves These streets used to be like rivers of oil Running smoothly and bulging with energy and life Think about it Scorpions clamber over your heavy gloves Watermelons sumo wrestling over there by the refreshment table Children screaming in the bounce-houses after Dumpster is pulled away by the sanitation workers You evade a groping hand Was it an accident? Dumpster after Dumpster is pulled away by the sanitation workers oozes from your posture Explorium: The last few remaining uncharted territories Bravado oozes from your posture after dune like waves upon an angry sea erupting with fire and death DING! Dune after dune like waves upon an angry sea Apocalypse-weave your spine and drain you of all hope Feathers flatten themselves against your body You forgo brushing your arm make for a hilarious combination Technology ^ Machines try to predict the future fallible still Spit-and-polish make for a hilarious combination are larger than life what happens when they die? Walls and ceilings scream passageways endlessly Trains glide across the terrain with a rumble Super-soldiers are larger than life You don't even drink wine on Holy Terra's days off Technicians clip-clop down the streets in their dance of maintenance Asks, "Why Study the Past? There are trillions of souls in The Creation, and yet you are but one Hushed as rampant whispering Zoologist Asks, makes for tricky eating Monospace Font: The easiest way to kill time Who knew the past could kill you? Lizard-on-a-stick makes for tricky eating No, seriously All your bones are interior Endoskeleton: What you are on the outside, as opposed to your genotype- your genetic heritage as well as many other subspecies A mass of tentacles writhes off Cephalopods Moreauvian, For it is easy to end up on the land instead of water "Everything in Time, " says Father Time Galaxies and Light ^ Is The End in sight? What lights the stars? Darkness is a sure thing in your evens The stars cannot be counted Too many eternities could pass by The Creation though from above is different Creation zips past your face Like a blur it changes in front of your eyes If impact is to shallow then back you go back into space to be frozen again To avoid impact, you throw your ship into a pointless orbit The Creation is definitely more beautiful from Above It will all BE REVEALED Dripping eggs in a sleek machine called as it drops bringing on cracks The tape could be wrapped round and round to make thick hoops that are then glued together The container will need to be rigid to make sure that the walls do not flex or the egg could bang on the walls as it drops bringing on cracks but you probably need to exceed that so45 gs or more to give a comfortable safety margin An egg can withstand between 20 to 30 gs before cracking, The tape would need to be about 1 5 inches for the thickness of ply The distance aslo needs to be of a suitable size to fit the tape Harvard should be able to supply such things It is strange that you can build intergalactic starships but struggle to bring down an egg Concrete, however, is far too heavy so would be useless as a ballast Any other ideas Leave it with me We will need a thick, tough, waterproof fabric to wrap and strap the device for launch

[musicprincess655]

One year later…

“You’re telling me you didn’t call this meeting?” a man demanded, walking up to the table in the middle of an empty room. “Then whose party is this?”

“I thought it was you East Side losers,” another man replied. “You already rolled over for the Black Mask, figured you were gonna ask us in.”

“Rolled over?” a third man on his right asked. “I lost six of my best people to the Mask last month. Six!”

“So you called the meeting?”

“Hell no!”

Bickering broke out between the eight people assembled, clearly ready to turn violent at any time, but another voice broke in.

“Sit down.”

Everyone turned as one to look up at a figure standing on a catwalk, looking down at them from the shadows.

“Batman?” someone asked. “We didn’t do nothin’!”

“We all know that’s a lie.” Whoever the shadow was, he sounded amused.

“Who the hell are you?” Everyone pulled out their guns, aiming at the shadow. In response, a round of bullets embedded themselves down the table.

“I said sit down!” The shadow wasn’t amused anymore.

“You wanna kill yourself? There’s easier ways to die.”

“Yeah, like yelling at the guy holding the AK-47.” The shadow leaned against the railing, revealing a red mask covering his whole head. “Listen up, you drug peddling scumbags. I’m in charge of the drug trade from now on. You eight are the ones moving the most goods, so I’ll make you a deal. Go about your business as usual, but kick forty percent up to me. Better deal than Black Mask is giving you, right? In return, you’ll have protection from both Black Mask and Batman. Just one rule, though. Don’t mess with kids. If you do, you’re dead.”

“Very generous, crazy man,” someone said. “Just one question. Why should we listen to you?”

A duffle bag dropped to the table with a heavy thud. Everyone crowded around, before reeling back in shock, one man dropping to his knees to retch into the floor.

“Those are the heads of all your lieutenants,” the shadow said. “That took me two hours. Imagine what I could do with a whole evening. So let me make something clear. You seem to think this is a request. It’s not. These are orders.”

The video cut out as shots rained down again, probably because whoever had been holding the phone had dropped it.

“Interesting,” Ryou said. “Is there a particular reason you’re showing me this video?”

“We’ve found a number of drug smugglers claiming to work for the Red Hood,” Batman replied. She rolled her shoulders. “Near as I can tell, this video is his first appearance.”

“And?”

“There’s activity coming into the city today. Oracle is busy, and Batgirl, Black Bat, and I could all use some backup.”

Ryou frowned. Just because Wakana wouldn’t be there didn’t mean there was a reason to call him in. Yui and Sachiko were scary on their own, and with a Robin at her side…

“You’re not bringing Haruichi, are you?” Ryou asked. His mother shook her head. “He’s your Robin. You can’t keep leaving him out.”

“He doesn’t have enough training.”

“It’s been a year.”

“The Red Hood took off the heads of eight of the roughest drug dealers in this city. In two hours, if he wasn’t exaggerating.”

“You’re going to give him a complex.” But Ryou couldn’t pretend that he didn’t want to keep Haruichi as far from something like this as possible. “Fine. But just for tonight. I’m not going back to being your sidekick. That’s what the girls are supposed to be here for.”

“They’re new too, and sometimes I worry about Batgirl.” Batman sighed. “Thank you, Ryou-chan.”

“Hey, now. None of that.”

Ryou and his mother moved easily through the city. Yui was almost hard to keep track of, silent as a shadow. Sachiko kept up a stream of quips over their comm. link, but she kept up well enough. Ryou had come to like both of his new sisters, once he’d gotten used to them. He’d learned his lesson about faking dislike for too long.

They all settled on buildings around a helicopter pad. That the Black Mask kept a constant stream of drugs funnelling into the city was known, but Batman hadn’t successfully taken him down yet, and no one had the resources to bust every shipment, even if they knew one was coming in.

But apparently the Red Hood had the time, or the patience, or both.

“Wasn’t the Red Hood one of the Joker’s old aliases?” Sachiko asked. Ryou kept silent, even though he knew the answer.

“Yes, but this isn’t the Joker,” Batman said. “We know that for certain.”

They didn’t have to wait much longer. A helicopter landed, and after only a few seconds, the pilots went flying out of the cockpit.

Sachiko fired a grappling hook from her position close to the helipad, keeping the helicopter from flying too far away. Ryou, his mother, and Yui landed behind her. There was a flash of red in the cockpit.

Then the helicopter plunged sideways, deliberately falling towards the street.

“Will this hold?” Sachiko asked, pointing to the line that ran to the falling helicopter. Yui shook her head.

“You two, take care of it,” Batman said. “Nightwing, with me.”

They both went over the side of the building, scanning for where the Red Hood might have jumped out. Ryou shot a grappling hook as soon as he saw movement, trusting his mother to follow.

Ryou knew he wasn’t supposed to enjoy chasing down criminals like this. But the Red Hood was leading them on a chase that could only be described as thrilling, and Royu revelled in it. Flying across empty spaces between buildings, jumping down with perfect rolling landings, climbing back up only to jump out again...Ryou hadn’t had a chase like this in a long time.

The detour through a construction site was particularly fun. All the exposed beams really gave Ryou room to jump and fly along.

Finally, though, it had to come to an end. They were close, and Batman threw a batarang with a line attached, ready to bring the Red Hood to his knees and keep him there. It flew perfectly straight, line wrapping around the Red Hood’s ankle.

Before it could even go taut, the Red Hood twisted in midair, slicing through the line in one graceful motion. It didn’t even tug him back, letting him fall through the glass roof of a train station.

Ryou prepared to go after him, but the explosion made him think twice. Try as he might, he couldn’t pick up a trail again.

“Did you see that?” his mother asked. “The way he cut the line?”

Ryou nodded. It had been professional in the extreme, and required an awareness of Batman’s fighting style and weapons that no ordinary criminal could ever have. But even then, to be able to pull it off like it was as easy as breathing…

“He moves like he was trained by us,” Ryou said as the realization dawned on him. Maybe he’d have to stick around his mother a little longer. Apparently, things were getting interesting for the Kominato family again.