Chapter 14: Ambush Echoes
The Queen mansion stood like a silent fortress, its manicured lawns shimmering with morning dew, the air heavy with the crisp scent of grass and the faint sweetness of blooming roses. Luke approached under the guise of a security consultation, his sneakers crunching on the gravel drive, each step deliberate, the sound sharp in the still air. His jacket was zipped against the chill, a faint coffee stain on the cuff catching his eye, a reminder of a sleepless night. He popped a piece of candy, the sugar's sharp tang cutting through the dread knotting his gut, his fingers twitching as he brushed his cracked phone, its weight a small anchor. This place is a trouble magnet. Slade's got a personal score, and the Queens are the bullseye. His reflection in a window was haggard, eyes shadowed, hair mussed by the breeze, a flicker of fear in his gaze he couldn't hide.
The System flared, its interface a steady pulse, slicing through his unease like a blade.
[SYSTEM: DAILY ROLL ACTIVATED: MANTIS EMPATHY (FACE 5)]
[SYSTEM: POWER ACTIVATED: EMOTIONAL SENSING. STAMINA DRAIN: MODERATE]
His empathy surged, a cold wave of aggressive focus and calculated malice slamming into him, centered in the mansion's lower wing, far from the family's main rooms. Assassins. Already inside. His heart raced, his candy wrapper crinkling as he clenched his fist, the sugar's sweetness souring on his tongue, his breath visible in the cold air.
[SYSTEM: EMPATHY DETECTS THREAT.]
[SYSTEM: MASTERY UPDATE: MANTIS EMPATHY +15% (SENSING PRECISION).]
"Oliver, déjà vu assassins are here. Lower wing, now," Luke whispered into his comms, his voice low, the static crackling faintly. He didn't wait, launching skyward with Falcon Flight, the wind whipping his hair, the mansion's sprawling grounds shrinking below, the air sharp with the promise of rain.
[SYSTEM: FLIGHT SURVEYS PERIMETER.]
[SYSTEM: STAT UPDATE: AGILITY +2 (MOVEMENT COORDINATION).]
No external backup, just four assassins inside, their movements silent, lethal, League-trained, their presence a cold blade in the mansion's heart. This place is cursed. Worse than a haunted castle. Luke phased through the roof, the transition a cold tingle, landing in the service corridor, its dim lights flickering, the air heavy with the scent of polish and dust. Four assassins converged, their blades glinting like slivers of moonlight, tranquilizer guns raised, their eyes cold under dark hoods, their movements fluid, like shadows given form.
Luke summoned multiple Mandala shields, their orange light spinning, weaving a shimmering wall, the air crackling with energy, its heat prickling his skin. The assassins' blades struck, sparks flying, a high-pitched whine piercing the silence, the force rattling his bones. A kick shattered a shield, a tranquilizer dart slamming into his chest, the cold drug spreading like frost, his vision blurring as he staggered, his gum snapping weakly.
[SYSTEM: MAGIC PORTALS (SHIELDS) ACTIVATED.]
[SYSTEM: POWER ACTIVATED: MYSTIC ARTS. STAMINA DRAIN: HIGH.]
He gritted his teeth, the regeneration surging, burning through the toxin, the coppery taste of blood sharp on his tongue as he spat, his body trembling with effort.
[SYSTEM: REGENERATION TANKS.]
[SYSTEM: POWER ACTIVATED: RAPID HEALING. STAMINA DRAIN: SEVERE]
"Just got off the medical table, and you're filming a sequel," Luke muttered, his voice ragged, his knees buckling. The effort left him swaying, his stamina a fraying rope, the corridor's cold stone grounding him as he leaned against it.
[SYSTEM: ENERGY DRAIN: SEVERE.]
Oliver and Diggle burst in, Oliver's arrows whistling, their tips glinting, Diggle's fists a blur, his gun holstered but ready. Their teamwork was a storm, neutralizing the assassins in a flurry of motion, the air thick with the scent of steel and sweat. Luke collapsed against the wall, its stone biting his back, his breath shallow, the faint acrid tang of tranquilizer lingering, stinging his nose.
Sara rushed in, her white jacket scuffed, her blonde hair loose, strands catching the dim light as she knelt beside him, her baton twirling in a restless arc, her fingers checking his pulse with a gentle precision. Her eyes were tight with worry, her voice low but sharp. "You took a dart and two kicks, Cupid. Getting predictable."
Luke grinned weakly, his voice hoarse, his gum snapping faintly. "Just giving them a target practice session, Canary."
His empathy pulsed, catching Sara's relief and worry, a quiet balm as he leaned into the wall, the stone's chill seeping through his jacket. "They were after Moira," he said, his voice low, his candy wrapper crinkling as he pocketed it. "Slade's using Isabel's cash for personal hits. We hit his network now, or the Queens are done."
Oliver approached, his green leather creaking, his eyes a storm of gratitude and steel, his bow still in hand, its string taut. "You saved them again, Luke. Time to stop playing defense."
[SYSTEM: BOND STRENGTHENING MOMENT. +15 EP.]
Luke slipped into ghost form, the world graying, and swept the corridor, the air cool and heavy, ensuring no bugs remained, the silence a fragile shield.
**[SYSTEM: CHECK CONFIRMS CLEAN.]]
The mansion's quiet settled, a fleeting peace, but Luke's mind raced, his fingers brushing the candy wrapper, its crinkle a small defiance. Slade's escalating, and the seismic wave's next. I need to be Starling's bomb squad, and fast. The city's pulse thrummed, pulling him toward the next fight, the weight of the Queens' safety heavy on his shoulders.
To supporting Me in Pateron .
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