Eris dodged the strafing attack like she’d been piloting power armor for years. Guided by advanced computers and Hephaestus’ modifications, the 40mm cannon tracked the helicopter’s pass and blazed brightly, peppering the tail rotor with fist-sized holes. Thick black smoke belched from the tail and the helicopter spiraled to the garage’s rooftop, some 50 feet away.

"That’s the last of them," she said, and sent the power armor surging forward. The maneuvering jets flared and the tall armor moved with more grace than its ungainly size would suggest.

Mouthymerc was already near the wreckage and he’d slowed down, approaching cautiously. "Careful, I’m detecting movement." The wreckage shifted and split like an over-boiled egg. A pair of armored hands wedged into the widening crack and ripped the plating open; out stepped a man wearing black and silver armor and he had a long, silver fireman’s axe strapped to his back. He widened the rift even more and stepped from the burning wreckage, accompanied by six similarly armored warriors. They carried other melee weapons, but the axe was distinctive and deadly.

"Mercy me!" Eris exclaimed, and the 40mm cannon thundered to life.

"Go with the 14’s, Eris! It’ll be too hard to hit them with the 40." Mouthymerc’s chaingun spun to life, breathing fire like an angry dragon and he slowly backed away. His sweeping attack was deadly accurate and the rounds sparked and ricocheted off the varied armors. "Team Beta to Delta: we have first contact with the Primary."

"Team Beta to Delta: we have first contact with the Primary," Mouthymerc said. Hephaestus thought he sounded slightly breathless.

"Roger that," Hephaestus replied. "Concentrate on one target at a time, and finish the Primary at your leisure."

"Wilco," came Mouthymerc’s hasty reply.

Eris was also slightly breathless but alert. "Understood."

"Equinox, no report from Gamma yet, but the whirlybirds appear to be all down."

"Excellent. No one else appears to be escaping out the back, so it looks like it’s going well inside. I’ve got your sledgehammer ready; would you do me the honors of permanently closing the door?"

Hephaestus got up from his console and moved to Equinox’s position, picking up the shoulder-mounted launcher on his way there. He peered over the edge and carefully aimed the missile just above the doorway. After ensuring the missile was locked on, he let fly and the deadly ordinance streaked from the roof to the entrance below. The thundering explosion rocked the nearby parked cars and the door frame collapsed into a pile of rubble.

Equinox smiled. "Good. That’s one exit sealed."

"Trapped like rats," Hephaestus agreed happily.

Over by the computer, Avatar leaned in towards the monitor. "I believe Gamma Team has reached their destination."

"Great, we’re on schedule."

"By the looks of it, they’re not alone."

Shadow fired off a final round, dropping the last of the technician/mentalists, so he and Mute moved onto the final room. Thankfully, there was only one entrance and exit.

"Do your thing, Mute."

Mute nodded and sat down to the keyboard, pausing to wonder at the work of art before him. At a mere glance he could tell that this computer was beyond anything currently on -- or off -- the market, making current technology seem like it was from the 40’s (and that was probably being generous). He set the SIG on the table, cracked his knuckles and attacked the keyboard with rapid strokes. After several minutes, he nodded again. "We’re ready."

Shadow and Mute pulled out and donned gas masks then Shadow popped a smoke grenade and tossed it into the other room. The Halon system rapidly kicked in, coating the rooms and everything in it with white spray. That also included the two agents, unfortunately, but the system was out of the protocol loop that Mute used to prevent the computer from automatically shutting down. Shadow unlimbered the M4-SOPMOD hanging from his shoulder and brought it to the ready position; his pistol went to the tactical holster on his leg. Mute returned to the keyboard, getting back to his primary mission.

Koschei slapped at the blinking buttons on the panel. "The external alarms are extinguished, but the internal alarms are probably going to go off anyway." Truer words were never spoken; the emergency lights came on, accompanied by a tinny whine designed to drive people from the building in case of a fire.

"Can’t you silence them?" Nova snapped, cringing at the noise.

"No. Not too much for you, is it?"

Nova sniffed arrogantly. "I am not weak. I am fit. I will survive."

"I dunno, I think it’s kind of pleasant," Whispering Knife said, a bemused grin on his face. The Shocktroopers looked at each other, their helmeted faces blank.

"Hold the phone… what’s this?" Koschei stared at the monitor and starting pushing buttons, bringing the image to one of the larger screens.

Nova came around to the desk and stared over her shoulder. "Are they armored?"

"Seems so, and they’re headed toward Gamma Team."

"Indeed," Nova said with a bit more interest than Koschei was comfortable with.

"Whose are they? Ours or theirs?" Equinox asked.

"I can’t tell," Hephaestus said. "They just appeared out of nowhere."

Avatar adjusted the GPS feed slightly. "They’re broadcasting some kind of signal amongst themselves."

Equinox rested the Barrett on the ledge and turned to Hephaestus. "Can you get a visual?"

"I hadn’t set up the feed between us and the building yet. Computers aren’t my area of expertise," he added.

"Let me try. I’ve been known to dabble a bit." It didn’t take Equinox long to tap into the camera feed for the building and he quickly pulled up the basement cameras. Although the view was obscured by smoke and Halon, he caught glimpses of the armored men creeping towards the other team. "Hmm. This could be a problem."

"Do tell," Avatar said.

"See those arm plates? They’re a design favored by Mindbender, a former Collective Mentalist who just recently left the Conspiracy. That’s Shop armor."

Hepaestus frowned "Well, shit."

, Avatar thought, but he remained silent.

Shadow spotted them well before they’d reached the outer room in spite of the Halon and smoke, but he allowed the first one to take one step inside before he opened fire. The first burst caught the intruder low on the hip and the second hit him high on his right chest plate, sparking loudly in the hissing spray.

"Shadow, you’ve got inbound. Four by the looks of it and they’re not friendly," Hephaestus said.

"I noticed. Err, hang on." Shadow dodged to the side and a bullet spray traced a line where his head had been. "We’re probably going to need some backup down here, whenever you’re able."

"I’ll see what I can do."

"Thanks. You know where I’ll be." Shadow returned a longer and steadier stream of bullets and he thought he heard a satisfying thump when he let off the trigger. He didn’t have time to check, however, since he was busy dodging the next volley of incoming fire. The smoke was starting to dissipate, so he pulled another smoke grenade and tossed it in, following up with a flash/bang. "Anytime you want to finish up is fine by me, Mute."

"Don’t rush me. Mad skillz like these take time." And a little bit of luck he silently added.

Hephaestus’ tactical suggestion worked: the first armored goon withered and collapsed under the combined hail of lead coming from Mouthymerc’s chaingun and Eris’ 14mm cannons mounted on the Tiger’s arms. After that, things became a jumbled scramble as the axe-wielding villain closed in on Mouthymerc, swinging wildly. The embattled agent broke free from the deadly melee time and time again, pausing only to deliver a fresh burst before going back to ducking and dodging the murderous Shop leader.

Eris dodged the goon squad and though she was well-protected in her Iron Tiger, warning lights were beginning to light up all over the armor’s internal digital schematic, screaming out the dangers of their blows. She finished off the last goon with a punch to his stomach and followed up with point-blank fire from the 40mm for good measure. She turned back to Mouthymerc who’d broken free again, and there was a brief, welcome, lull in the combat.

"Gamma team needs backup," Koschei said. "Whispering Knife – care to aid them?"

"No, he’ll be outnumbered. First squad, do an Aleph protocol extraction for Gamma Team. Go now!" Nova ordered. The six Shocktroopers readied their weapons then hurried downstairs to carry out her will.

"Aleph protocol…?" Koschei searched her memory, trying to remember the old ways.

Nova smiled. "Nothing you need to worry about. Now -- let’s have a discussion about survival of the fittest and whether you’re worthy of continuing to live in my universe." She held out her hand, palm outward and a distortion wave flew across the room, blasting Whispering Knife off his feet. Before Koshei could react, Nova grabbed the agent by the shoulders and hauled her out the chair, tossing her over the desk to land beside Whispering Knife near the Institute’s seal embossed in the marble on the floor.

Too late, Koschei recalled the Aleph Protocol:

1. Move to target location

2. Collect any new technology/artifacts

3. Leave no survivors