I do not own any of these characters

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Stevenson was sitting nervously in the operation's van, as they all followed Kotetsu's tracking signal through the city. Sitting a few feet away from him was the judge Petrove, who was staring out the car window, thinking god knows what.

Their new addition to the group had been rather quiet after the show they had put on in the city square, him talking over the loud speakers while Kotetsu pretended to be him.

Maybe he was worried about Kotetsu- they were all pretty worried.

Stevenson was glad he was with them and cooperating though. If things got nasty, Petrove could help them out in a pinch. A few of them were NEXT, but their powers were nothing special- Kip was unnaturally flexible and could do flips like no other- and Lee could make pictures he drew move.

If he wanted to, Petrove could burn down the entire city with a look after all. The moon changed colors when he got scary. Hell, the man was scary just sitting there in his protective suit- he was a whole other level of NEXT.

Everyone in the van looked up when Cooper spoke up.

"We're here, he's stopped just one block ahead, I'll circle this street and we'll do a drive by."

"Ware house it looks like," Key said, holding the data pad with the trackers on them.

"The main base is probably underneath, this whole area's got a sunken maze of buildings underneath it," Matts said warily, "used to go down there as a kid- graffiti the place up. Most of it's flooded through."

"I've seen criminals pump water out of the fourth level before," Lunatic spoke up, "use it as an underground base. An organization this big, we're probably looking at a maze of underground areas- like an ant hill/"

"Kotetsu's tracker is moving down, he's right," Kip reported.

"Then that warehouse is either the entrance to their ant hill- or the location of the nullifying machine," Storm stood up, and loaded a magazine into her rifle, turning to the car.

She stood up straight, looking fierce and deadly, "We've been trained for this kind of action, both in the army and as this side project. Now we might not have our leader with us this second- but that's because he's already in there ready to kick some ass. We're going to get in there right with him and get out slice just the same because we're greedy little bastards and none of these racist sons of a bitches are going get away from us."

She paused, and gave them all pointed looks.

"Am I right marines?!"

"Hoo-ha!" all the soldiers said in unison.

"Exactly! Red team, get your shit together, you're going under cover," Storm said, and as she did all of the Red team pulled on the Anti-Next clothes they had pulled from the unconscious bodies Kotetsu had left them in the wreckage of the square, "sneak in and get us some bombs on that machine. Blue team, we'll flank from the front, green and Yellow the back. Red's going to sabotage their front line, and meet up with blue, then we move through the building and pin their back wall between us and green and yellow. Any questions?"

"Where do you want me?" Lunatic asked.

"Your job is to give us air support, this is an ant hill right? Keep the ants from swarming us, specifically if they try to flank from other entrance holes in the area. You think you can do that sparky?"

The NEXT frowned at the nick-name, but nodded.

"Then we are go," Matts said, standing up, "blue team get ready to disembark, we'll wait here for the others to get into position. Lunatic, you're with us for now, give us an overhead view of what's going on. If you can."

The car was stopped two blocks away from the target building, and blue disembarked, with lunatic. Silently Stevenson wished them all luck.

This was no time to be nervous, Stevenson turned to his own team, sitting beside him.

"Everyone got their ammo ready?" he asked, and did a double check on equipment. By the time that was done they had dropped Red Team off and were ready to be imposition as well.

Waiting was always the hardest part of any operation- waiting for the right time to engage, or for the enemy to come out of cover. It was a battle of patience- and one of nervous silence, as they all waited on top of the opposite building for the signal.

Two red blips on their COM indicated the charges were in place. Stevenson nodded to Lee beside him, and they both ducked over the brick ledge of the building, aimed their guns- and fired.

Two of the solider on the ground guarding the back entrance were encased in expanding foam. Their front guard being openly attacked, people started shouting and yelling in the building. Shots could be heard from the other side of the building, and the teams ducked under cover as the anti-next returned fire.

The ensuing fire fight lasted for maybe two minutes, then ducking out of cover to return fire when others were reloading, the enemies setting up their defenses.

There were three red blips on their coms- and then an explosion went off inside the building. Glass shattered, and the ground shook with a whoop- smoke billowing out of the broken windows.

"Entire center is wrecked, red team is unharmed" Smithburger reported.

"Good, Blue's going to push an advance, on your mark."

A Street caught on fire behind them, and Stevenson turned away from the conversation at the screams.

He activated his coms.

Lunatic you're not supposed to kill targets.

"I didn't kill them, they're just… singed." The man sounded amused, then serious, "we've got ants coming out of the buildings two blocks on either side- they're trying to pincer you."

"Then singe them some more," Storm said over the coms, "this isn't a damn HERO capture- this is a fire fight."

"Ironic," The serial killer said dryly, and the streets across from blue went up in flames- and the wall moved- growing like something ethereal to surround the area- boxing them in, "there, that should perturb them for a while. I can hold this up for about an hour."

Whole different level, Stevenson sweated, wondering how many other fire-based NEXT could pull off such a feat. Blue successfully moved forward, and started clearing out the upper level of the building.

Lunatic reported that enemies were fleeing from bolt holes, and intended to pursue when Kotetsu came back online.

"This is Tiger reporting in. we have complications. The Rebel Leader is a NEXT. He can control any person that isn't one."

"What? How big of a hypocrite is this man?" Wreck's voice came from over the line.

"He is controlling me right now, if any of the Heroes move I'll kill myself."

A heavy pause.

"Kotetsu, what are our orders?" Stevenson asked into the mike.

"I want one team to go after the leader. Don't engage, just follow. The rest of you find the captured NEXT and free them."

"I'm coming for you, don't let any of those idiots try anything" Petrove said into his communicator.

Tiger sighed over the line "right."

Stevenson watched as the previously hovering man dropped down onto the roof of the building, and after a second, jump into the smoke. Once inside the blue flames surrounding the building died down, and the fire fight was over.

"Alright guys, let's secure the perimeter. Get the rest of the military down here, we'll need some people for the Evac." Stevenson commanded, shouldering his gun.

"Sir yes sir!"

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Sorry for the some-what cliff hanger. i'll have more up as soon as I can!