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What...the HECK...had just happened?

Had this new boy just told Cait she had a nice a** and was now changing course to the beach? Because that didn't smack of "I am a creepy stalker who thinks you are hot and now I want to take advantage of you where no one will hear you scream..." And then what happened? Oh, that's right, Cait followed him.

As far as I'm concerned they're both idiots.

In her naivete, Cait followed Cael to the beach. He was new in town, probably didn't even have his bearings yet. Plus, he had given her a compliment and she liked those. She took her hands out of her back pockets and let them swing. If he tried anything, she'd let him. It had been too long since she'd had a boyfriend anyway, and a little fun on the beach couldn't hurt anybody. Oh, and she needed a date to prom. She walked a half step closer to Cael, "So...How long have you been in town? Enjoying it so far?"

For a moment Cait appeared to be taken aback by the idea of going to the beach and Cael wondered if that was not the reason. "Have I been muttering out loud again?" he muttered out loud to himself. Cait didn't make a big deal of it so Cael determined he was just paranoid and they continued their stroll on the new course.

As they crossed the threshold of the beach...

<< Not very Long ago.

Anthony nodded from under his mask and as he was about to speak the man whipped out his phone and dialed the authorities much to Anthony's dismay, although he didn't say so aloud. He ignored this fact as the man spoke again, "Here goes nothing." Anthony agreed, that was the kind of macho tough guy statements he needed to make while under the mask.

He didn't hesitate as he ran closely behind the man who busted the door down. This was very impressive to Anthony, though again he wouldn't say it aloud. "People on the top most floor should be our priority. Work our way down from there." He said gruffly in a matt-of-fact tone. It made sense to him, the people at the top would be effectively trapped and since heat and smoke rises their survival rate was smaller. As he had said this he heard frantice cries from some of the aparments patrons who were now trying to make their way down the stairs.

<<< Previously
Lindsay was about to see what she could do to help with the building, as the two men had disappeared in a heartbeat, when a figure in black accused her of starting the fire and then dived after the new arrival.

"Time to see what I can do..." The Charge muttered before sprinting towards the figure in black and yelling, "HE'S ON THE GOOD SIDE, YOU IMBECILE!"

As she ran into the smoke, her vision of the man in black was partially obscured, but hearing his faint hiss of "I'll kill you," gave him away. The Charge decided that rather than stabbing him, a whack from the charged yet blunt end of one blade would slow him down. She hit him in the one place she could reach him while they were both in motion-the knee.

"Listen, if you're so worried about this fire, stop pointing... er, daggers, and worry about people inside! ...Dude, DUCK!" she yelled, the second part addressed to the masked man who was helping the cop.

As he nodded and was about to head up the stares he was adressed by a man who appeared to have wings and was screeching that he would kill Anthony, that Anthony and his comrade were apparently the cause of this fire, "You would do wise to calm down and assess the situation, why on earth would I be running into the building if I caused the fire? Wouldn't I be running the opposite way rather than into it to...oh I don't know maybe save these people?" It was then that the woman yelled for Anthony to duck. He roared as the man came swooping to knife Anthony.

Anthony was prepared for this, there was no way he could stand his own ground against someone with an aerial advantage. He was ready to accept whatever outcome and tensed in anticipation of being swept from his feet. It was at this moment that James jumped in front of him and took the knife for Anthony. "Ah Jesus," he said, he didn't need some kid sacrificing himself for Anthony, Anthony knew the consequences of dressing like this. James appeared to be the first civilian casualty in this situation that was slowly going down hill and getting out of hand. Anthony was about to launch himself onto the bird man when he noticed that James hadn't so much as a scratch on his body from the knife, this perplexed Anthony but he ignored it. "Listen, there are people up there. We don't have time to fight this simpleton. Someone needs to get the innocents trapped above."

The Charge's eyes widened behind her gold mask as the dagger that was bound to kill the cop shattered into a million little pieces. They then widened further as the cascade of rubble, which she jumped away from impulsively, left the cop and the masked man separated from herself and the birdman.

This isn't good... she thought, And I have to get in there, two guys alone, even one invulnerable cop and whatever the masked guy does, can't get everyone out in good time. And where're the fire department and the rescue squad!?

The Charge began to use her lightning blades, which were, after all, electricity dense enough to be nearly solid, to try and crush up and clear a path through the rubble. Though the plan was foolhardy, it was one of her few hopes. Then, she noticed the birdman who had previously tried to accuse her and then attempted to stab the cop.

"Hey, bird guy! You mind putting your reckless accusations away and trying to help the people on the top floors? I don't care who you trust, if you're so concerned about arsonists, you should definitely deal with the people who the fire's hurting! You have WINGS. GET UP TO THAT TOP FLOOR AND DEAL WITH CRAP, DAMMIT!" The Charge implored him. That inferno was only getting worse and the guy, who had proven himself to be at worst misguided but not evil, could help much more than she could.

James nodded a quick hello to Anthony just as Anthony bolted up the stairs to start helping people. James Cross followed Anthony but as soon as they had gotten to the first floor a cry for help was screamed and Anthony ran to help them. James Cross needed to start helping others. Anthony and him would have to split up. James scanned the rest of the first floor and there was virtually nobody else. That was a good thing. James next made his way to the stairwell and started acsending the stairs. This was a life or death situation. Even with invuneralbility on Cross's side, death was definitely not a thought that was pushed aside.

Thankfully, there were only seven floors to this cluster of apartments and when James got to the seventh floor he saw the most horrifying sight. A group of ten or twelve people were huddling close to a window, trying to open it. The fire had cornered them, there was no escape. The heat was excrutiating up here. James was literally choking on all of the smoke. If he didn't get fresh air soon, God knows what would happen. James screamed to the group of people cornered by the fire. "Don't worry!" James yelled. "You are all going to be fine. I am going to help..."

Just before he finished his sentence another explosion shook the building. James felt the floor below him give way and watched as the group of people started to fall with him. They all crashed into the sixth floor, which then started to collapse as well, with the entire group finally landing on the fifth floor. This building was coming down in only a matter of minutes. The group had grown bigger with the fall. People that were trapped in their rooms on the seventh and sixth floor were now emerging from under the rubble. James looked this way and that trying to think of a way to get all of these people out safely. Then he got an idea!

James Cross made his way through the group to a window. He turned to the group and said, "I am going to create a large hole to go through. You are going to have to jump. It is a pretty long fall, but none of you should die from it. There's no way we can use the stairwell to get down to the bottom floor. You either jump or die. Those are your options! Now let's go!"

With all his might, James Cross prepared himself and then threw a punch directly at the wall with the window. The entire wall crumbled with his punch. His hand was like a wreaking ball. James felt no pain after the punch. After the hole was made James looked down at the street below. It was a longer drop than he expected. Then he saw the electricity woman and James screamed to her from above. "HEY! HEY!" James was screaming as loud as he could to get her attention. "MISS ELECTRICITY LADY! WE NEED YOUR HELP! I HAVE A GROUP OF TWENTY OR SO MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO JUMP! YOU HAVE TO CATCH THEM!" Just as James screamed this the now far up ceiling and floor of the building started to shake. The whole building was going to come down. "AND HURRY!" James added as he took up one of younger civilians and threw him at "Miss Electricity" down below.