Powerhouse: Legend of the Archwave

Chapter 20 (Act II): I'll Do It Myself

We last read Chapter 19, in which James Markovsky a.k.a. Powerhouse and his companion Isabela Acosta a.k.a. Archwave ended up parting ways for the time being after having a massive falling out upon James learning of Isabela's status as an illegal immigrant. She brings up her brutal and traumatic past as the heiress to a notorious cannabis-trafficking drug cartel stationed out of the Dominican Republic, telling James about about all the pain and suffering she went through back at the Celestial Compound—the base of operations for the cartel itself, which is known as the Celestial Syndicate—up to and including the horrific wounds on her back that were inflicted by her monstrous and perverted uncle Xavier during every "punishment session". Despite this—as well as her reaffirmation to James that she left and came to America to escape her family's legacy and build a name for herself as a hero—James refuses to keep her around, stating that she's a risk and that he's effectively committing treason the longer he's with her.

Initially, he suggests bringing her in, but Isabela vehemently refuses due to the worry that she'll be killed. So, instead, James proposes that he and Isabela split off and go their separate ways, so Isabela can keep herself hidden from the authorities as best as she can—like she was doing before she met James—and James can focus on bringing the Spraywatch case to a close by discussing the peace plan with Seattle's mayor by himself. Isabela also refuses this, continuing to emotionally insist that they're partners.....and even going so far as to call the two of them "friends". But James still refuses to continue further with her, and abandons her on the apartment building rooftop rendezvous spot before heading back down all the flights of stairs, getting into the tricked-out convertible, and leaving the area....all while Isabela never moves from her original spot.

After James is nowhere to be seen, Isabela finally breaks down, dropping her bow, falling to her knees, and sobbing hysterically after all of the recent events. She momentarily contemplates trying to seek refuge with the Spraywatch gang—since she and James had just helped them—but she eventually decides against it, reasoning that she no longer wants to bring any unwanted trouble with the authorities to innocent people.....like she had just done with James. Instead, she resolves to continue on alone and forget all about him, and soon, she picks her compound bow back up before straightening herself up and jumping off the roof, vanishing into the night.

This time, Special Agent Warren Schaefer of the FBI finally decides to take matters into his own hands after his subordinates' second failed chase to apprehend Isabela.....

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-FBI Field Office, Seattle, Washington-

The driver of the middle SUV strode down the hallway of the FBI's Seattle field office, filled with both trauma and fear.....ironically the exact same emotions which his target, Isabela Acosta a.k.a. Archwave, had been feeling for practically her entire life.

Fate had been kind to him on the first chase; he may have failed there, but at least he was reporting back to his superior, Special Agent Warren Schaefer, with a few of his other colleagues to back him up.

Now, however, he had emerged as the sole survivor of the second chase to apprehend Isabela; just before his arrival to the field office, he had gotten word that the last black SUV in the squadron had been squashed by a series of very heavy pipes that were apparently rolling out of control after a failed attempt to drive away from them.

The driver wanted to question this occurrence badly, but he knew that he would have more pressing matters to attend to in just a few minutes.

He walked through the door to Schaefer's office, and as was usually the case, the Special Agent himself was lounging about on his soft and comfortable office chair, relaxing without a care in the world while his subordinates gave their lives in an attempt to pursue their target "alien". At the moment, Schaefer appeared to be idly flipping a coin up and down multiple times using his left hand, but when his gaze shifted over to the office entrance and he saw the driver of the middle SUV standing in the doorway, his neutral face turned into an enthusiastic smile and he eagerly beckoned the traumatized agent to take a seat on the other side of the glass "L"-shaped desk from him.