19514/ICFOS: Shadows in the Tunnels (Red Team)

ICFOS: Shadows in the Tunnels (Red Team)
Date of Scene:	22 November 2024
Location:	Phoenix Towers
Synopsis:	Red Team successfully escaped the tunnels, dismantling a drug operation tied to the Triad and The Hand in the process. Though the building was left in flames, they recovered a vital clue -- a lacquered box bearing a lotus emblem -- that may hold the key to uncovering a deeper plot.
Cast of Characters:	Felicity Smoak, Natasha Romanoff, Thea Queen
Tinyplot:	It Came from Outer Space

---

Felicity Smoak has posed:
The Quiver -- the auxiliary Arrowcave under Phoenix Towers -- is never really silent. It hums with equipment, the faint glow of holographic displays.

Felicity Smoak stands at the central console, one hand resting on the edge of the table as the other gestures at the sprawling map projected before her. The web of tunnels beneath Hell's Kitchen sprawls in jagged lines, faint pulses marking active points of interest.

"Alright, Red Team," she begins, her voice carrying a mix of determination and tension. "Here's the situation. Five days ago, something -- or someone -- started testing the forcefield right outside the door that separates us from the underground tunnel system. Oliver put up some cameras, but one by one, they started going offline. No clear picture of what happened."

She taps a section of the map, zooming in on the route Green Team is currently following. Red dots blink along the path, marking the destroyed cameras. "Oliver -- Green Arrow -- and Green Team are already inside, taking this route to investigate. It's well-mapped, and we've used it before. But you..." Her fingers slide across the map, highlighting a different trail branching off toward an abandoned subway line. "You're taking the secondary path. It's less explored, but it also might hold answers the main route won't."

Felicity steps back, folding her arms. "These tunnels were part of the Triad's smuggling network. Most of the operation's been cleared out, but let's just say they didn't leave the place spotless. If you find anything that looks important, document it. I'll help you figure out what's worth bringing back."

Her gaze shifts to Thea, lingering for a moment. "Red Arrow is in charge. I'll be monitoring both teams from here. Full comms, full drone support. You won't be alone out there, but... let's just say this hasn't been a routine mission so far."

She hesitates, then smiles faintly, though the worry behind her eyes remains clear. "Green Team's already in motion. They're about a hundred yards ahead of you. I'll relay anything relevant from their end."

Felicity straightens, tapping a button on the console. The shielded door leading to the tunnel grinds open, a gust of stale, metallic air rushing into the room. Beyond the threshold, the darkness looms.

"I go by Overwatch on comms. Questions? I'll do my best to keep things boring for you. Not making promises, though."

Her lips quirk into a rueful smile as she strides over a table, powering up a drone with what seems to be a full sensor array attached. Nearly silently, it begins to hover in the air as she adjusts a few more settings and keys on a floodlight.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The Black Widow is quiet. As far as most might be concerned, she's a spectre. There's a click of her tongue, "Understood. Rules of engagement?" She's here to help out another set of heroes, and that means following how they do things. And the Widow's definition of 'RUles of Engagement' can be quite open ended after all. Hence her asking for specifics as to what they want to go with. They know her by reputation, even if not highly classified biography.

If that means going in purely with non-lethals, then she will do so. If it means dropping bodies of hostiles and interrogating survivors, then she will do so. After all, this is operating to assist another team's strike operation.

Natasha's equipment loadout is standard for a field mission. Set of pistols, Widow's Bites, several grenades, and a variety of other gadgets on her. She has no specialized eqiupment beyond what is needed to interact with Overwatch in ways that fit the woman's normal technology. Natasha is going through a few final equipment checks; ensuring that her WIdow's Bites are charged, that her pistols are working properly, and that they're loaded with the safeties on. She seems rather calm for what could very well be brutal close quarters fighting in the sewers.

Thea Queen has posed:
'Red Arrow'.

Not. Speedy.

This. This is why Felicity is Thea's best friend, above and beyond all that other history she's got with the woman. The whole 'spend years trying to set her and her brother up' thing...

Leaning against a table, Thea is dressed in her red leathers, complete with mask and hood settled upon her head, her bow in hand with a quiver filled with arrows on her back. It's not her only weapon, however; she's got a single sword that is set in place just beside the quiver across her back. A testament, perhaps, that she's got a little more in her than just an archer that is trying to keep up with GA.

*cough*

"This'll be just like running the tunnels.." and she stops, looks at Natasha before a lopsided smile appears on her face. "I have half an idea of maybe what to expect." The Verdant had tunnels to clear out as well... only they were filled with mutants of both peaceful and dangerous proportions.

The drone takes flight, and she can't help but grin at it. "I have missed this. Too much of Asgard and posturing and nowhere near enough cool stuff." Thea nods her head once, "Right."

She looks at Natasha now, and her voice is low, "Totally a fan. Really," adding, "We do what we have to down there." That //should// give her the perameters. Unlike her brother, Thea's not got a 'no kill' rule, but she's not about to flaunt it. Nope.

Thea absolutely doesn't need a speech from big brother...

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Yeah, Felicity might have a soft spot for Thea, too.

Kind of a massive soft spot. We're talking bigger than the Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982 that Oliver promised her. Even bigger than mint chocolate chip ice cream. And that's like... a big deal.

There are only a few people in the world Felicity would step in front of a bullet for. Thea's been one of them for a very long time.

"Sort of!" Felicity chimes up while she's working on the drones, smiling over her shoulder at Thea. "If by just like you mean that it's all underground with limited access to emergency services and I desperately want you all to come back alive and in unharmed, it's _exactly_ like that."

Her eyes behind those rectangle-framed glasses squint a little as her grin touches them.

"Well, good. Because it's programmed to stay with you. There's some limited AI that will let it do some exploring so I can do two things at once. That's what Green Team's drone is doing right now. But I can take over when needed."

Three more taps, and the drone hovers over to the big door that opens to the underground tunnel system. Its flood light illuminates the rough walls outside, a stark contrast to The Quiver's sleek, modern lines.

"Yeah. I was a fan too until she came down my chimney like Santa Claus and told me my roof security at the penthouse sucked," Felicity gripes, eyes shifting fondly from Thea to Natasha, another smile tugging at her lips. "That's fixed, by the way. You're going to have to find a new way in if you decide to drop by again."

It's warm playfulness. While Felicity did, in fact (allegedly) initiate the hack into SHIELD systems to get the Justice League the information they needed on short notice, it was Natasha that made the first official introductions. Natasha was, fundamentally, the reason that Felicity was an actual SHIELD contractor instead of continuing to try to piggyback off of their systems illegally.

...And then Steve Rogers asked her to hack into the White House. Specifically, the Vice President's file server. But, we're not going to talk about that.

"She's the boss," Felicity echoes after Thea's short and sweet ROE briefing. "What I told the other team was to use discretion. I don't really want to have to deal with a pile of dead bodies, but I want them to be yours even less. So, do with that what you will."

She raises a hand towards the drone, hovering just outside the door and apparently waiting to be followed.

"Whenever you're ready, you're up," she says, reaching up to touch her ear like Green Team just said something interesting over comms. And without another word, she moves back to her 'command center,' which is just a mouse, keyboard, a remote control for the drone, and a LOT of monitors.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha could deal with making dead bodies or not making dead bodies. SHe had done this for a long, long time. If they required either way, she could handle it. "Noted." So a preference to use non-lethal unless no other way. As far as Natasha was concerned, if there was anything down here that she would have to use lethal force against, the rest of the team would already be dead or crippled. Or they would be aborting and calling in the Justice League for assistance. A final check is done over of her weapons and then goes to head along towards the entranceway. And she hadn't been informed about the hack of the White House. That might have impressed her a great deal - or she might have just asked given the reputation of the White House's cybersecurity division were they sure that they weren't being fed bad intel from whatever they got on it.

And Natasha listens to the bit over on the drones, a click of her tongue along the comm the equivalent of 'acknowledged'. Whatever qualms she may or may not have about being put under the command of a woman that wasn't even a third of her age were unvoiced. She'd worked with those significantly younder, after all. And this was an operation of an ally and she wasn't fully fluent with the layout or the area. So it made sense to her.

A quick glance si given over to Thea, indicative of whether the woman in operational charge wanted to take point or she wished for Natasha to. Being tracked by drones was nothing new. Better Overwatch's than Tony's. Tony's kept up a continuous monologue after all and it could be quite distracting.

And then she's dropping down and heading on her patrol. Weapons in front of her, moving with total silence. If the drones weren't there and they weren't giving an update on her position, even with the security present it might be extremely difficult to pick her up. She would sweep her pistol in front of her, regardless of how close or how far away anything hostile might be.

Each step was quick, efficient. A minimum of movement. Identical in length and distance. Each step accompanied by a quick sweep of her weapon to check ahead of her. Attentive for further instructions along of direction. Maneuvering with a half lean towards the ground to minimize her profile and in the event of running into something her center of gravity would be low, and thus letting her springboard to go evasive and counterattack. For now, it was a sweep. Not a sweep and destroy.

At least until they ran into what it was and then got into destroying it. The woman was as silent as one of the gargoyles of Gotham, but even more sullen, cynical, and sadistic when it came to it.

Thea Queen has posed:
"Perfect. Exactly like that, then," Thea grins back. "C'mon Harry," and the drone is immediately named. Why Harry? First thing that came to mind. Give her a little time, she'll work out what it all stands for. Name first, then technical.

Thea pushes off the edge of the table and also sets her earpiece such that she's not officially in touch with both the output of her drone, her small team, AND Overwatch. "Right. Time to start out." Follow the drone. She looks towards Natasha, her smile not quite fading, "Even more a fan now."

Now, Thea is currently a far cry from that party girl, a good time gal looking for something shallow and fleeting. Red Arrow is settled in and ready for a fight with each step she takes. "Overwatch, can you drop Harry to IR?" First request the moment they're past the threshold and their monitor is safely behind closed and secured door. She too, moves quietly enough, blue eyes searching before her, neither weapon officially 'readied'. (Nothing more embarrassing than having the wrong weapon for a fight!)

"Checking the cameras at Hall A2.." Undoubtedly out, but now that they're there, they can check it in person!

Felicity Smoak has posed:
In the tunnel, the air grows colder and heavier with every step. The shielded door grinds shut behind them with a clang, the sound echoing like a warning through the enclosed space. A faint shimmer ripples over the door as the holographic wall activates, disguising the entrance to The Quiver -- camo tech graciously gifted from the Justice League.

The tunnel starts as rough-hewn stone, reinforced by aging brickwork and rusted metal beams. Overhead, pipes twist along the ceiling, dripping water into shallow pools on the uneven floor. The drone hovers ahead, its steady beam of light cutting through the dark, illuminating damp walls streaked with grime.

<< "Copy that. Switching to IR," >> Felicity's voice crackles through the comms. Her tone is focused, but there's an underlying tension. << "Keep an eye out for anything weird. Green Team's a little ahead of you on the other path, and... things are getting interesting over there." >>

The tunnel begins to slope downward. The walls transition from brick to crumbling concrete, then to raw earth, the passage narrowing slightly as they move deeper. A faint metallic tang lingers in the air, mixing with the smell of damp earth and something sharper -- chemical, like acid.

The radio buzzes, cutting in with Green Team's chatter -- fainter, the volume lower to indicate the other team.

<< "Copy that," >> Felicity's voice comes through, clipped. << "Well, anything that produces power is generating an electromagnetic field. Bats hate them, but it usually drives them away. You don't think your friend had anything to do with this, do you? I'd seriously hate for this to turn out to be a prank and you guys to start playing tit-for-tat with your caves." >> Pause. << "Does he prank? He doesn't strike me as a prankster." >>

She pauses, a faint clicking sound bleeding into the audio. << "That didn't sound structural. Stay sharp, guys." >>

Back on Red Arrow comms, Felicity's voice is louder. << "Green Team just found their first camera. It's toast, as expected. It looks melted." >>

And sure enough, not much farther down the path, Red Team can find theirs. Like the one Green Team found, it's all melted plastic and exposed wires. There are scratch marks along the wall -- claw marks? But many of them, not nearly as even as a single, large claw.

<< "There is, are, a presence... multiple presences... one presence... communicating," >> Aisling's Irish lilt chimes in on Green Team comms, faintly strained. << "This is, big, it's big. Something, is here." >>

<< "Maybe is like trail. Left behind by something. Something nasty," >> comes Yelena's voice.

Felicity's voice drops lower. << "I'm with Baba Yaga. I'm superimposing the findings over the cave system map we've put together, and... it looks like a trail." >>

Red Team can see something similar, if they look closely enough. Those scratch marks, and little pools of green acid.

Ahead, the tunnel widens, opening into what looks like an abandoned subway line. Rusted tracks run through the middle of the space, disappearing into the dark. The drone's light catches on faded graffiti scrawled across the crumbling walls. This place hasn't seen human activity in years -- at least, not official activity.

The drone's beam veers down a smaller offshoot. The air grows colder, and faint scuff marks line the ground, leading them to a heavy, rusted door slightly ajar. From within, a faint, rhythmic chittering sound echoes, so soft it might almost be imagined.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova listens attentively over to the reports coming through, taking a moment to scan along them. She would move to settle down to have a quick glance at the scratches on the ground. She would hmm, and then speak along the comms after a moment of analysis. <<The slashes are split. Angle doesn't seem correct to be large paws or claws. Pattern seems too linear.>> The lines seemed too straight without the normal slight wobble that a slash might have even from something very strong with claws or a tail. A small tube is taken out, and she goes to slowly press some of the acid into it, careful not to touch it directly.

The tube connecting to the drone network's sensors. <<Commence genetic analysis and composition. There's not enough deritus to get any samples of the claws without a more thorough investigation of the area>> Which they didn't have time for after all. As soon as the contents of the sample were uploaded, Natasha would put the small vial to the side and stash it under a rock for one of the drones to retrieve ltaer if need be or to just rest there. She didn't need to risk it bursting on her later during combat and coating her.

And with the information coming along from green team, she would go to switch her loadout. Her pistols have the clips in them taken out, and she goes to load up semi-automatic armor piercing shells to them. That done, she goes to keep her weapons in front of her while scanning thee graffiti.

Shouldn't there be old sewer hideouts with Turtles in them all the way down here? At least according to the legends. Or alligators. That was the way all the rumors went about some sort of leather heads hanging down there.

And then there's the sound over of oncoming chittering ahead. Very, very faint, almost impossible to make out exactly. Natasha goes to pause, unable to tell if it was approaching them, staying in place, or moving on ahead. She moves to then switch out one of her pistols for a small trio of grenades in her hand, each disarmed but ready for launching. The first being a flashbang, the second being a cryo-grenade.. And the third being a wide angle flammable with smalla mounts of napalm within it. <<Switch to respirator>> She would warn while pulling down a full facemask. Readying to switch over to oxygen tanks as need be to play it safe. Then, grenades in hand she's ready to go forwards once more - or if the sounds seemed to be approaching them, to get on down and ready to be in partial cover.
    Partially braced down, ready to line up for a throw of the grenades if need be, or to open fire at it. Now there was no chance of using non lethal equipment.

Thea Queen has posed:
If Thea strains, she can catch the faintest hint of her brother's voice leaking through the comes. It's comforting, even in this strange environment. She looks back at the way they came, the shimmer of the silhouette of the door disappearing, leaving no sign or indication it ever existed. A sigh escapes the young woman and she's back on track, as it were.

Melted. Heat signatures? Or perhaps it has something to do... and Thea moves forward before crouching by the drips/pools of acid. Not going to touch them, and she calls a soft warning, "Watch your footing," as if she actually has to warn BLACK WIDOW. Still, she'd never forgive herself if anything could have been avoided with a word.

"Drag marks on the wall?" she asks. "Someone really didn't want to go somewhere? Digging?" Thea reaches up with a gloved hand to touch the wall, following the path of some of the indents before her head snaps forward. The scuffmarks in the ground might echo the theory, but that takes a back burner for-

She's quiet the moment that hint of chittering reaches that conscious part of her brain. <<Overwatch, have Harry turn up the gain please? There's sound, but I want a better idea..>>

It doesn't escape Thea's notice that Natasha is preparing for a projectile 'battle', and it sets her up to pull her own bow forward, complete with an arrow. She doesn't have ALL the cool loads that her brother has, or Clint has, but what she does have is utilitarian enough. She's got her own flash tip that can do a half decent job in lighting with a bright glow. (They just have to be ready for a brief burst of blinding light. "I have a flash arrow," she explains to Natasha. "On your count?"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
<< "Got the sample," >> Felicity says quickly, her voice tight with concentration as her fingers clatter against the keys on her console. << "Uploading it into the database now. Cross-referencing with everything SHIELD's got on file and running a chemical breakdown. Give me a minute... searching for matching samples." >>

There's a faint hum of static as the system processes, and then she adds, << "Okay, early read says it's... definitely not normal. We're looking at some kind of acid, but it's got traces of organic compounds that are -- uh, let's just say unique. No direct match yet, but I'll keep digging." >>

The tunnel narrows as they approach the rusted door, its surface mottled with streaks of orange corrosion and streaks of grime. The faint chittering persists, irregular and distant, but its presence sets the tone -- a subtle warning carried on the stagnant air. The faint light of the drone casts long, wavering shadows across the walls, the uneven illumination making every crevice seem deeper, more ominous.

The ground beneath their feet feels uneven, scattered with small debris that crunches faintly with each step. The air grows colder still, thick with the sharp tang of damp earth and the lingering sting of acid. Water drips from the pipes above, the rhythmic plinks echoing faintly in the confined space.

The drone hovers closer to the door, its steady beam slicing through the dark to reveal the scuff marks on the floor leading inside. The marks seem hurried, chaotic -- an unsettling counterpoint to the eerie silence beyond the faint clicking.

Felicity's voice cuts through the quiet, her tone lower now, almost instinctively matching the oppressive atmosphere. << "Okay, I'm upping the drone's sensitivity. There's definitely movement, but nothing solid on heat signatures yet. That chittering, though? It's not your imagination. Something's there." >>

The drone edges forward cautiously, its sensors scanning the room ahead. The light catches glimpses of what lies beyond the door that stands ajar: stacks of crates, neatly arranged, and walls that look reinforced with old iron beams. Something moves in the periphery of the drone's beam -- a shadow skittering out of view before it can be fully illuminated.

<< "There's something in there. Small, fast... maybe more than one. I can't get a clear look, but it could be what we're after." >> Felicity's voice is sharper now, tinged with unease. << "Just... be careful. I don't like how quiet it's been." >>

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would pause for a moment then as they would get a sense of the chittering, and then confirm the location. Scuff marks, slashes, unknown acid.. At this point, she pauses over and considers, adjusting and then listening over to Thea and to the commentary coming from Overwatch on the line. With Thea's almost questioning look, Natasha goes to speak.

<<Probability is some sort of swarm. Default is presuming it's aware of our presence and is leading us along. It's showing no signs of withdrawing with injured, and there's no signs of spilt ichor or chitin which might be it dragging something. Presume it and whatever it has likely retrieved retain full mobility. The fact they are not withdrawing is indicative that they are preparing a counter ambush or consider themselves in good position to attack pursuit>> She goes through her own repetoire over then while clicking her tongue to Thea.

Ultimately, the underground area is Thea's provenance and that of Team Arrow, not her's. <<Recommend breaching and throwing light. Then quick withdraw. They'll scatter or pursue and give us a moment to evaluate threat level. We have more room in an open area than we will in close quarters>> Not that a swarm has a ton of difference with either.

Presuming that Red Arrow agrees and signs off, then Natasha is ready to flip a small micro-explosive over to the door ready to detonate it. After propping the door closed. The door will blast inwards, which would give them just a bit more cover and room between them and whatever was inside, and then the combined flip of flashbangs and flare arrow right as the door would be blasted for maximum chaos. Then a quick backtrack to cover in the main chamber.

Thea Queen has posed:
<<"Unique. That means 'I have no idea what it is'?">> Thea exhales in another soft sigh before she nods her assent and acknowledgment quickly, even if it can't been seen by her friend. <<"Acid. Great. So, point is, no stepping in random puddles down here.">> She wasn't going to anyway, but now she's doubly sure.

It's those marks on the wall AND on the ground that still has her thing of 'dragged'. But what? Who? No, probably not 'who'.

Blue eyes turn towards the drone and the information it gives. Her bow is up, arrow nocked; everything but pulled back and loosed! <<"Yeah, and it's creepy. The Verdant wasn't like this. If it's making those sounds, god I hope they're not some mutant bugs. I hate the real ones.">>

Natasha's plan, however, seems the most sound. Fighting in close quarters is pretty horrible, but then again, neither side would have advantage. Unless, of course, their side can climb walls. And if the chittering means 'bug people'? Yeah.. larger area would be great.

Thea nods, and officially signs off with a repeated 'On your count', which isn't so much a 'count' as a shift of position so she's not overly affected by the explosive. She's got her point of aim, so even if she's briefly blinded, her arrow's planned for a point in the room that'll light it up concurrently with the grenades.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Even as the Natasha is tossing that breeching charge, the comms crackle faintly, Green Team's voices bleeding through the static:

<< "It's like... like a stadium full of people all singing the same song. Hundreds," >> Aisling's voice follows, tight and unnerved.

<< "You know, I can't say for sure. But that looked an awful lot like me. But I don't really have room in my life for any more mysterious siblings or other family members and while my dad was a bit of a dog, I'm fairly sure that whatever that thing was, we're not related... I don't like insect me," >> Oliver's voice.

<< "I know my vote doesn't really count, here, but I would have preferred the slime monster over the insect-you," >> Felicity answers.

BANG! The old metal door is blown inward, crashing forward against a pile of crates.

The moment Natasha's flashbang sails into the room, it feels as though time freezes. It arcs gracefully, spinning once before it lands with a dull thunk against the stone floor. A split second later, the flashbang erupts with a concussive blast of light and sound. The storage room fills with an earsplitting screech -- not from the grenade, but from the creatures within. They recoil violently, their movements jerky and uncoordinated as the deafening noise sends them into disarray.

The drone hovers just inside the room, its beam catching glimmers of movement in the dark. The faint clicking sound grows sharper, echoing off the walls. The crates, stacked in the dim space, cast long, jagged shadows that ripple as the light shifts.

Thea's flare arrow follows almost instantly, slicing through the air with a soft whoosh. When it strikes the back wall, it detonates with a sharp pop, the brilliant flare casting a stark white glow that floods the room. Shadows are banished in an instant, revealing every detail: the crates, the jagged walls, and the Sidri -- now fully exposed.

Each of the creatures is a glossy, black monstrosity, their triangular bodies gleaming as they scramble for purchase. Each about the size of a very large dog, razor-sharp claws gouge the walls as they recover, the flare's harsh light reflecting off their shells in fractured patterns. Their screeches rise in pitch, almost frantic, as they turn their glossy, eyeless heads toward the intruders.

In the back of the room, illuminated by the flare, a partially open set of double doors reveals a sloping ramp beyond. The ramp winds upward, its concrete surface lined with rusted railings and faint tire marks etched into the grime -- an exit, but it's guarded by the Sidri, now charging forward towards Red Team on spindly legs.

<< "Heads up, Red! Two heat signatures incoming!" >>

Even as Felicity's voice announces them, the eye of one of them is already turning red, and a stream of bio-energy streaks out towards the pair of them. The other shifts to skittering up the wall, the ceiling, preparing an assault from above.

And then back on Green Team comms:

<< "Incoming!" >> Felicity shouts. << "They're everywhere -- watch the ceiling!" >>

<< "Now we want to run away! Double time it," >> Oliver's voice cuts through, steady but urgent.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha backpedals. She does a mental count of her loadout, the number of hostiles, and the structural integrity of the area. She doesn't have enough explosives to remotely collapse it, and doing so this deep in the city's infrastructure could have massive collateral damage above even if she did. It is not an option. But, she has a wide variety of weapons on her for a reason. As the yell comes in on the end of Green Team to retreat, Natasha can't help but agree. You don't face an enemy that has you heavily outnumbered in close quarters with no idea what they're capable of or what they're after. And she has to assume that as Green Team disengages, that a number of the other things will be rushing in the direction to assist the two right here as soon as possible.

Fortunately, close quarters fighting is something she has plenty of experience with. She ducks down to avoid the shot over her head, giving a quick gesture iwth her thumb over at the one on the ground for Thea to take. She didn't know the extent of the other woman's experience, so she'd take the more mobile one.

First she goes to snap out her pistol, and goes to fire three quick shots with AP rounds towards it. Aiming for the center of the torso of the thing, even if it was going to be the most heavily armored. Shots spread apart to hopefully strike the thing with at lesat one round. It could only dodge so quickly, and only had so far it could move. So hopefully a light spread of bullets would catch them with at least one.

Followed up a moment later by the cryo grenade if the thing was staggering over from one of the shots getting hopefully even a partial penetration. Time to see how tough these things were. She was trusting Red Arrow to handle the other one.

Thea Queen has posed:
Again, Thea appreciates hearing her brother's voice, even if he is casting aspersions on Rober-- dad. She's in full agreement, however. She likes her family //small//. On her terms.

Red Arrow is pulling back, reaching for another arrow; this time one that should have a little more carapace-busting charm. <<"They're on the move.. ew, ceilings!">> Bugs. Ew. The warning from Felicity is appreciated!

It's strange though; a testament to the young woman. Apparently being in space and fighting space elves has done something for her courage?

The burst of energy from the one that begins its skittering, well.. Thea caught the handgestures, and with a now taut bow string, she's loosing one, two.. three.. the third that same phosphorescent arrow, only now aimed for the insect itself, even as she glances beyond.

"I would be more than happy to shut that entrance down. Might keep others from coming through?"

Red Arrow mutters even as she's taking the shots, backing up steps for a retreat as she does so. "I really need to get my own arrows. Not some hand-me-downs.."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
The Sidri's screeches rise to a crescendo as Natasha and Thea spring into action. The storage room becomes a cacophony of sound: the metallic thud of claws striking walls, the sharp crack of gunfire, and the hum of bio-energy charging in the air. The room's harsh lighting, courtesy of Thea's flare arrow, makes every jagged shadow dance wildly, turning the Sidri into looming nightmares as they charge.

The Sidri on the ground braces itself as Natasha's AP rounds rip through the air. The shots strike true, hitting its segmented body with sharp, echoing impacts. The first ricochets off its glossy carapace, but the second and third punch through with sickening cracks, ichor spraying across the nearby crates. The creature stumbles, its charge faltering as it emits a shrill, keening wail.

Then comes the cryo grenade. The device sails through the air, landing just beneath the wounded Sidri. A muffled pop is followed by a sudden, explosive burst of frost that spreads outward in a jagged halo. The creature's legs freeze mid-motion, its movements slowing as the frost overtakes its shell, encasing its lower body in a brittle, icy cocoon.

Above, the second Sidri clings to the ceiling, its claws gouging deep grooves into the stone as it prepares to strike. Red Arrow's first shot catches it in the torso, staggering it just enough to delay its leap. The second arrow buries itself in one of its legs, eliciting a sharp hiss as it scrambles for balance. The third arrow, glowing with a faint phosphorescent light, strikes just below its center of mass and erupts in a blinding burst of light and heat.

The Sidri screeches in pain, its claws slipping as the force of the explosion sends it careening to the floor.

Even as far down the tunnels as Red Team is, a distant explosion rocks the air, sending a faint tremor through the room. Dust filters from the ceiling as the overlapping chaos of Green Team's battle erupts on the feed.

<< "Okay, heads up, Red Team. Green Team had to bring down two sections of the tunnel. The good news is that their hive can't get to you now, but..." >> She pauses. << "The bad news is The Quiver's entrance is blocked. The ramp's your way out, and collapsing the room might slow them down. Just -- don't get caught in your own fireworks." >>

There's a brief pause, the faint clatter of keys audible through the comms before she continues, << "Based on the map overlay, you're directly beneath the Ming Street Pharmacy. Not exactly known for its over-the-counter remedies." >>

There's a sharpness to her tone now, edged with suspicion.

<< "If I'm right -- and I always am -- that ramp leads into a basement-level operation. Odds are, it's connected to the same Triad activity we've been tracking. Just a heads-up: you're not out of danger when you hit the top, but it's probably not a swarm of angry space bugs." >>

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha goes to quickly consider, then goes to give each disoriented Sidri three quick AP bullets to the head just to ensure that the things stay down. She might use another grenade on them to seal the deal, but they don't have that much time and she has a feeling like she's going to need the grenades later on if they aren't as adept at getting away as she would like. They can only go up the ramp, and she trusts that Overwatch's guidance can get them out. She moves to quickly swap out her guns to regular ammo and then goes to quickly press up and over to the place to put out her explosives where is best to have the place drop, then get ready to go up and over the ramp to smash whatever is on the other side of them.

Simple. Then they just have to fight their way through a group of Triad that are on the alert and have enough guns on them to level a small city. A fairly normal day when a sweep turns into a subpar situation. She doesn't have enough explosives on her to do more than put a ltitle disruption in the area, so that's on Thea.

Her own capsules placed, she goes to hand over the detonator to Red Arrow to get ready to bring the house down.

Thea Queen has posed:
"You are. But you were off on fall favorites three years ago," Thea reminds. "Just putting that out there."

Thea's swinging her bow around to help cover Natasha, should her bullets prove less effective than her own arrows- not sure how that'd be the case, but partner. Gotta protect each other!

The muffled *crash* in the middle distance is confirmed by Felicity, and Red Arrow sighs once again, even on high alert as she is. "And I wanted to take out that ramp..." is complained. "Good thing I didn't take the shot."

She looks towards Natasha; "No bugs but ninjas. I'll trade one for the other."

She smiles tightly, grimly, and nods quickly, holding out her hand for the detonator. "Harry first, you, and I'll bring up the rear. I've got a net arrow, web arrow, whatever.. one EMP field arrow, then the rest pretty much garbage." Definitely a complaint.

<<"Overwatch, you're good? Green boy is safe, too?">> She's concerned about everyone. <<"We're blowing our entry point in, taking your ramp. Do we have any cameras there? Or are they gone, too?">>

Doesn't matter regardless. She's on the move!

Felicity Smoak has posed:
<< "Okay. That's both fair and well deserved. There are certain experts I bow to," >> Felicity's voice comes over the comms. << "We're fine. He's back. The whole team is back. Paladin's cut up pretty badly, but she's being cared for and I'm told she self-heals. We're okay. We need to get the two of you out safely." >>

The ramp levels off into a wide, dimly lit basement that reeks of chemicals. Fluorescent lights flicker overhead, casting an uneven, pale glow across the room. Several long tables dominate the space, each cluttered with glass beakers, burners, and tubes running with unknown liquids. The remnants of an active drug operation are clear: white powder dusting surfaces, hastily sealed containers shoved into crates, and half-packed boxes strewn across the floor.

Figures in hazmat suits scurry about, clearly in a rush. Two are shoving supplies into duffel bags, while another hurriedly disconnects hoses from a bulky metal drum marked with hazard symbols. A fourth figure barks orders in Mandarin, gesturing urgently toward an open side door where others are already slipping into the shadows.

But the escape isn't without resistance. The moment Red Team breaches the room, from the edges of the space, shadows ripple unnaturally. The ninjas of The Hand emerge, their red-and-black uniforms blending seamlessly with the dim lighting. Their movements are fluid and calculated, and without a word, several rush toward the intruders, their weapons glinting faintly in the harsh light.

One ninja leaps over a table with the grace of a predator, twin swords arcing toward Natasha's position. Another charges directly at Thea, flipping over a crate and unsheathing a pair of short, serrated blades. Behind them, two more take up defensive positions near the far door, clearly intent on preventing any pursuit of the fleeing chemists.

The drone hums into the room behind them, its light sweeping across the scene. It catches a subtle detail in its glow: a lacquered wooden box on one of the tables, half-hidden beneath a hastily folded tarp. The lid is carved with intricate floral designs and a faintly embossed symbol -- a lotus flower.

<< "Heads up, Red Team," >> Felicity's voice cuts in, her tone clipped but steady. << "You've got ninjas on your hands and some pretty nasty chemicals. And... is that a lotus emblem? That could be... Look, grab the box the drone is hovering near if you can, but first? Survive. There's stairs on the right side of the room." >>

Through the chaos, stairs leading upward beckons -- a potential escape, if Red Team can fight their way through.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Ninjas are something that Natasha has faced plenty of times. She is an old woman. With luck she will live long enough to face them many more times. They are also enemies that she knows are not worth letting survive. By their heraldry they are of the Hand. They have no free will and nothing of use to tell. She does an ammo count of her bullets and grenades, evaluates how many of the enemy there are, and goes to keep her facemask down. She goes to fire a grapple gun over at what the target that has been requested for extraction to then loop it over her back and twist the grapple around to quickly tie it and anchor it, edg of the grapple clamped down. Then the enemy is in close range.

And it's time to face the murder and see if she survives to get out the other end. First things first. Enemy ahead of them. Clear the way to evacuate. The ninja charging at her is met by her snapping up her pistol, going to fire a cluster of three shots at torso level in close range. Hopefully they're not one of those that has blatantly metahuman reflexes and is capable of dodging shots that close, or just teleporting around them. But the Hand isn't going to have elites in somewhere that's just a drug den. Unless this si more than a drug den.

But, escape and evade first, determine contents of cache later. She goes to hoepfully get her pattern of three shots over into the center of the ninja and then is going to evaluate thefleeing chemists. She moves to go to try and deal with them in the quickest way to prevent thier escape.

Her semi-automatic pistol fires another round of shots again at the chemists fleeing up the stairs. It's aimed at their kneecaps as they run. ALl she has to do is get one shot over in each of their legs and they won't be moving anytime soon. And they can be hauled off later.

Or likelier the Hand will kill them before the group can catch them, but one can hope. Besides, then the Hand has to waste the time killing their own specialists and that's time that the two of them aren't engaged and the enemy is vulnerable having to eliminate targets flat on the stairs. Which gives them maybe an extra twentieth or so of a second to engage.

Which at these sorts of speeds can be a lifetime.

Thea Queen has posed:
This is not a 'bring a bow to the fight' thing. Thea shifts weapons, and pulls her own blade from its back. Two hands on, the young woman is obviously trained. Red Arrow's head is down, obscuring her eyes, and she shifts, moving her weight easily and carefully; she's practiced. She's been taught by some of the best!

<<"Where's the-- oh!">>

Stairs. To the right that leads up.

"I don't want to have to kill you," Red Arrow begins before she's so rudely interrupted by the charging ninja. The crate is dodged, and it's in swordplay that Thea finds more release. Spinning around, light on her feet, she's more valkyrie than ninja. The leathers allow her movement as well as protection, and with a leap, a pirouette, she's bringing her blade down first in a block before she sliiiiiides it across the blade to slide it home. She wants to make short work of this!

"Grab the box!"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
The basement erupts into chaos, the confined space amplifying every clash of metal and crack of gunfire. The air is thick with the acrid stench of chemicals, sweat, and tension, the flickering fluorescent lights casting the scene in a surreal, stuttering glow.

Natasha's first shots meet their mark. The charging ninja takes the three bullets square in the chest, the impacts forcing his body to twist mid-leap. He crumples to the floor, his twin swords clattering away as he lets out a strangled gasp. Before he can recover, Natasha has already shifted focus, her pistol trained on the chemists scrambling up the stairs. The sharp pop pop pop of her shots echoes through the room as one of the fleeing figures drops, clutching a shattered knee and screaming in pain. The others hesitate, panic flickering in their eyes as they glance between their fallen comrade and the ninjas battling below.

A sudden blur of motion signals the next wave. Two more ninjas emerge from the shadows, their curved blades flashing in the erratic light as they dart toward Natasha, their movements fluid and deadly. The Hand knows no fear, and these warriors press their attack with relentless precision, forcing her to split her attention between evading their strikes and taking down the remaining targets.

Meanwhile, Thea's blade gleams as she meets her charging opponent. The ninja's serrated blades clash against her own, sparks flying as the two engage in a deadly dance. Thea's blade slides along her opponent's weapon, catching him off-guard with a feint before delivering a precise slash to his side. The ninja stumbles, blood seeping through his uniform as he falters.

Through it all, Felicity's voice remains a constant in their ears, clipped but steady. << "You need to get to those stairs. I don't know how long you can hold them off, and reinforcements could be incoming any second. " >>

The drone pivots sharply, its light fixed on the lacquered box with the lotus emblem. It hovers low, almost impatiently, as if urging them to prioritize the item. At the far end of the room, the chemists scramble to pull themselves through the side door, but the remaining ninjas position themselves strategically, creating a barrier between the team and their escape route.

The stairs leading upward loom to the right, the path visible but treacherous. The sounds of the battle echo loudly now, each movement a gamble between survival and escape.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Pride goes before pragmatism. While she could theoretically fight her way through a great deal, and even the Hand had limits at the number of attackers it could throw at them, and both of them were relatively uninjured and had reasonable supplies.. All it took was one bit of sloppiness or slowness for them to be hit. And if either took injury, then they would fall before the swarm. Pragmatism won out. Natasha would go to snap out with her baton, it being too close range to use her gun and aim effectively. Switching to her combat batons as quickly as she would sheathe her pistols, moving to go for them defensively and strike back quickly with crippling strikes. In case they were the type that could get back up after they were killed, no sense in going that far. She would fight defensively and quickly over while going to evaluate what their targets were after.. Then glancing over at one of the downed chemists. She could probably haul one.. And defend herself. Flipping a coin in her mind, Natasha would go to flick up the napalm grenade that she had over in her hand, and give a quick motion over to Thea to give a warning over of what she would do. Then, with one brutal SHOVE with her batons, she's going to charge up ahead towards the stairs.. Then moving to fling the napalm grenade down towards the ground where it would detonate. Where first it might just have caught the area on fire, the fact this was a chemical lab would probably make the detonation quite a bit nastier.

There's a reason why she was wearing a rebreather after all as she's intent on charging up with the 'package' on her back, moving to run at high speed, grab up the injured chemist that was first in reach, smashing him against her knee on the throat to disorient him.. And she's then running up the stairs as hopefully the fire is going off all around her, and leaving anyone else hostile in a blazing inferno of death.

That would hopefully hold off any pursuit by the Hand or those insectoids that were after Green Team. Sure, they probably were buried and pinned, but why not have one more blockade between them and pursuit for margin of error?

Thea Queen has posed:
Red Arrow is fighting in a way that would make her Asgardian friends proud. She //had// learned from the best; Sif, Brunnhilde, Thor even.. and that's not to mention Earthbound masters (who shall remain nameless). Light on her feet, always moving, she a difficult target while allowing her movement an extra bit of weight behind a slash or a strike. Wind ups for a blow.

The path, however? It's not clear, but Thea catches Natasha sprinting first towars the stairs, then...

Oh no.. oh..

*whoooooosh*

Napalm.

Thea starts coughing as acrid smoke fills her own lungs, and she goes from gracefully up the stair to staggering, but she does it. Totally understandable; scorched earth. But guh!

Coughing as she moves up, Thea manages to catch her breath with clearer air.

"Made it."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
The stairwell echoes with the pounding of boots, the crackle of fire, and muffled cries from the chaos below. Smoke claws its way up, acrid and searing, chasing them toward the promise of fresh air.

Below, the inferno spreads with relentless speed. The napalm grenade and volatile chemicals ignite in a deafening roar, illuminating the stairwell with a hellish glow. The heat intensifies, licking at their heels and forcing any lingering pursuers to scatter -- or burn.

At last, the stairwell spills into an alley. The night air is heavy with smoke, but it's breathable. Above, the hazy amber glow of the city mingles with the rising plume from the building below.

Felicity's voice crackles through their earpieces, calm but edged with relief. << "Tracking you now. Looks like you're clear -- for the moment. I've got emergency transport rerouting to you -- five minutes out. Breathe. You both did amazing." >>

The drone hovers into the alley, dimming its light as if to acknowledge their safety.

For now, they've made it.