Yin and Yang [A Superhero AU] - Book Three

Chapter Five - Loss of Two

Dan reaches the institute and starts heading for the living room, but before he gets there Jack emerges from that very room looking haggard and dishevelled. Dan opens his mouth to say something but promptly shuts it again as the Irishman grabs his wrist and drags him down the hallway.

"Get your suit on," Jack grumbles. "We have a mission."

"You seem thrilled," Dan replies.

"I'm bursting at the seams with joy."

The Brit grins and heads to his room, exchanging his casual clothes for his super-suit. The all-black lycra and polyester suit is specially designed to be flame retardant, so when he uses his powers it won't burn up. It hugs his body, which only serves to make him warmer than he already is.

He laces up his boots and heads out to where the other villains stand, and a moment later they're heading out into the streets. Matthew orders them to split up through their earpieces, so Jack and Dan take to the nearest rooftop. The Irishman races up the fire escape so quickly his footsteps are barely heard, and Dan follows him with a little less grace. By the time the Brit reaches the top of the building, Jack looks like he's going to throw up.

"That was a bad idea," he groans, pressing his fingers to his temples. "The hangover isn't gone yet..."

Dan pats his shoulder gently and crouches, watching the street with a critical eye. Jack joins him, his green hair already windblown and wild.

"Why are we splitting up, Matthew?" Dan asks.

"The boss said it's part of the training for Matt and Ryan. They have to go on a solo mission with the rest of us as backup, apparently," Matthew replies.

"And why exactly are we robbing an insurance company?" Ryan demands. Dan scans the street and locates the two villains standing against the wall, attempting to blend in with the crowds around them.

"There's money involved, and the boss needs funding for some sort of project. He won't give details." Matthew exhales, the clicking of computer keys in the background. "I'm already hacking them, but I know for a fact that they have cash registers."

"I think the boss wants publicity more than money," Matt comments.

"Probably. The more havoc is wreaked, the more people know about the New Age Institute. Just... go in already. We don't have a lot of time before the heroes catch on."

Matthew goes silent and Dan watches as Matt and Ryan head into the insurance company. Matt's manipulation of people through speech and Ryan's freeze vision makes them perfect for a mission like this, but that doesn't stop Dan's gut from churning. Missions in general make Dan nervous.

The Brit takes his earpiece from his ear and signals Jack to do the same. As soon as they're out of earshot of the other villains, Dan exhales.

"How're you feeling?"

"Pretty bad," Jack replies. "My head won't stop pounding."

Dan frowns. "That sucks. Hopefully we can go home soon.  I have Advil left if you're all out."

"Thank you."

They return their earpieces to their ears and look back to the street, and the first thing Dan sees is several guys in colourful suits with large letters emblazoned on the front. He stands, his eyes widening as the heroes join the mix.

"We've got company," Stephanie warns before Dan can say anything. "Heroes and antiheroes."

"Head down and help Matt and Ryan. All of you," Matthew says.

"We're outnumbered!" Ryan calls.

"I'm already on the ground," Cry says. "I won't last long without help."

Jack stands up from his spot on the roof and in moments, him and Dan are racing into the streets. The Brit does a quick glance around the street and notices that Matt is cornered against a wall by Wade, a former villain who abandoned the institute before Dan and Jack were even kidnapped. Before he can run to help, however, he's sent sprawling to the ground by a punch to the head.

Dan blinks a few times and stumbles to his feet, blocking another blow. A hero stands in front of him, his blue eyes hardened into a glare as he watches the villain. From what he's heard from Matthew, the Brit guesses that this is Felix. Dan heats up his fists and strikes back, making Felix yelp as his hand gets burned.

"Steph, get the loot from Matt and Ryan and get it back here," Matthew says into their earpieces.

"You got it," the girl replies.

"Seriously?!" Felix exclaims to his team through his own earpiece. The Brit notices distantly that his accent is Scandinavian, and he can't help but wonder what they're yelling about. 

Dan backs away from the hero in front of him and shoots little balls of fire at him from afar, causing Felix to scowl.

"I need Phil! I've got a fire mage on my hands," he says.

Dan glances around quickly and notices Phil defending himself against an antihero that splits into two (he's heard about them before... Arin and Danny, maybe?). The other villains seem to be holding their own, with Jack running circles around a female hero while Cry reappears and disappears at different points during his fight with a morphing hero.

Felix reaches out and causes a mailbox to rip off its hinges and start running after Dan. The villain grimaces and focuses his fire on it, melting it into a hunk of useless metal. He turns back to the hero, but as he does his earpiece explodes with noise.

"Ryan!"

"What's happening?!"

"The antiheroes have Matt and Ryan!"

"Matt!"

"We can't do anything without getting outnumbered!"

Dan flinches from the sudden noise in his ear and watches in horror as the antiheroes knock out Matt and Ryan. They start hauling them back to their base, and although Jack runs at them, Arin and Danny split apart and tackle him. Dan grits his teeth and races towards Wade, who's hauling Matt and Ryan, but before he can either Arin or Danny (he doesn't know who's who) hits him in the back of the knees and sends him tumbling to the ground.

"Fall back. There's nothing else we can do," Matthew says, his voice strained. "Stephanie got what we needed to the institute. This can still be considered a victory."

"We lost two villains! How is this a victory?" Dan demands.

"It just is, okay? Get back to the institute."

Arin and Danny merge together and race after Wade, leaving the heroes and villains in the dust. Dan pulls himself off the ground and locks eyes with Phil, who pours healing water over Felix's burnt hand. The hero smiles faintly and looks back at his work, and Dan feels his stomach flip.

"Dan!" Jack calls.

At the call of his name, the Brit tears his eyes away from the water hero and chases after his teammates.