You know, you could have just snuck in completely unnoticed, Ishtar pointed out.


    Sonya smirked to herself as she wheeled the hand cart out of the rather cramped elevator, the two men who had ushered her inside the building walking on ahead. They were walking along some kind of catwalk overlooking a larger room that also seemed to be for storage. Is her base made entirely out of warehouses? Preppers, I swear, Sonya thought as something caught her eye. She squinted down at the distant shape, a mass of something misshapen and off-gray lay on the ground amidst a small crew of men and women who were disassembling it.


    “What is that?” she asked.


    One of the men glanced over the rail of the catwalk towards what she’d been looking at and sniffed, “You didn’t hear? Liberty slew Oscar the Golem, a mythic cut down in a single swing,” he said, “It was pretty big gossip around the compound.”


    She played up her best sheepish expression, “I’m… not exactly in the loop these days.”


    The two guards exchanged a look before one of them shrugged, “If you’re being bullied, that’s your problem. Might makes right, if you can’t put them in their place then you’re where you belong,” he said and turned his attention back to the path ahead of them.


    She’s stronger than I thought, Sonya mused, eyeing the corpse for a heartbeat longer before turning her attention to the backs of the two guard’s heads, Also, that’s some interesting insight into her little cult. That’s how they see one another, mm? Her lips curled upwards, I wonder what that means if I put Liberty down?


    The two men opened another set of doors and ushered Sonya through into a much larger hallway that wrapped around the upper level of the enormous building. They hung a right as Sonya glanced left, spotting an odd orange glow coming from one of the rooms. She frowned a little, something in her guts twisting as she turned to follow them. They made their way up the hall and around one more corner in silence and arrived at the heaviest looking door she’d seen in the entire facility.


    One of the guards approached and knocked twice as the other rounded on her, “Say nothing, serve their meals, and stand to the side and try to look pretty or something. I don’t know what Sir Phillip is into these days.”


    Man, this guy sounds like an asshole, she grumbled but nodded anyway. The door opened with an angry hiss and she pushed her way inside past the two men who looked very relieved not to be joining her. The room was just large enough to allow for a conference table and a large screen on one end of the room. The lights were dimmed and two figures sat at the table watching it carefully. She felt every muscle in her body scream at her, every instinct turned to rage as she hastily tried to catch her breath. The first was a man with a clean cut head of wavy dark hair and a smug smile on his face, leaning on his knuckles as he watched the screen with cold eyes.


    The other was Liberty. The name above her head confirmed it.


    <Estella Hanks>


    She’s right there! Sonya screamed into her head.


    You’ve already accepted you can’t beat her in a head to head fight, not now, focus on what you can get out of this, Ishtar reminded her. Sonya took a steadying breath as the doors shut behind her and pushed the cart over to the table. She glanced at the dishes, two sets of each pile of hearty meats and other delicacies. She picked up a plate and walked over to Liberty, her heart pounding in her ears as she set the dish down in front of her hated enemy.


    Liberty clicked her tongue, ignoring her as Sonya moved back to pick up a glass and set it next to her. Sonya flicked her gaze up towards the man in the room who was likely this lecherous Phillip character. Phillip eyed her with amusement as Sonya poured out some wine into the glass before returning to the cart to move it around and serve him. She glanced his way and saw his name floating over his head.


    Wayne? As in Jessica Wayne? I had my suspicions, but there are plenty of Waynes out there. I’ll look into it later.


    “Getting antsy?” Phillip asked as Sonya set a plate in front of him. She flicked her gaze up towards the screen and forced herself not to pause. Keeping her movements fluid. Chunhua was face to face with that woman Sonya suspected was a cultivator. The two of them were squaring off, it was only a matter of time before they came to blows. Look at all those wounds. She should have gone all in, I understand her reasons but… she trailed off as she poured wine into the glass she provided for Philip. He reached out and grabbed her arm, “Hey beautiful, what’s your name?”


    Sonya looked down at his hand and nearly blew it off before flicking her eyes up at him. She forced a demure smile, “Sonya,” she said, letting her illusion alter the sound of her voice.


    She felt another pair of eyes on her and resisted the urge to meet them, “Surname?” Liberty growled.


    Sonya stood up straight and inclined her head, “Lee-Anne,” she said, intentionally mispronouncing Chunhua’s last name. She kept her eyes downcast, not meeting the woman’s gaze. There was silence for a few heartbeats before Liberty scoffed and Phillip released his grip. She took a few steps back and stood next to the cart, surreptitiously glancing up at the screen.


    “They’re just playing,” Liberty muttered, “What is Halloway doing?”


    “This could have gone more smoothly if we’d called the other members of the Round Table in,” Phillip pointed out.


    The Round Table. Is her ability Authurian or is it just eccentricity?


    Liberty rounded on him and scowled before letting out a sigh, she nodded and rubbed her temple before shooting a glance at Sonya. She turned her attention back to the screen, “Ito is still working on the project and I would rather her stay focused. It’s too valuable to leave unguarded so we’ll have to do without Conway and the others.”


    A project?


    Phillip shrugged his shoulders, “So what are you going to do?”


    Liberty got to her feet, glowering at the screen, “I’m tired of watching Kant play with her food and Ewen’s performance has been nothing short of atrocious. Even while channeling my powers he’s only done superficial damage,” she muttered and turned towards the door, stalking past Sonya with a lumbering gait. Sonya watched her closely, taking in every detail of the way she moved.


    “Meaning?” Phillip asked, not moving from his seat. He snapped his fingers and Sonya turned to him, he was holding up an empty glass. She restrained her irritation and moved to fill it again.


    “I’m going to deal with it myself,” Liberty growled and opened the door. She reached through the door and grabbed one of the guards, dragging him inside and lifting him off the ground, “You,” she snarled, “You have a teleportation ability, correct?”


    The man blanched, shocked by the turn of events even as Sonya felt a chill run up her spine. She dialed out quickly and a breathless voice answered her just as the man nodded a frantic affirmative, <”Sonya?”> Marta gasped, <”Are you-”>


    <”No time!”> Sonya hissed, <”Liberty is heading your way. Find an excuse to dip from wherever you are. I need you to be ready to fight if anything happens to Chunhua, don’t worry about our cover. Be ready,”> she said as fast as she could, pulling away from Phillip as he took another sip from his glass.


    “Told you, you should have just gone with them, it’s gonna take a while for that guy to get you over there, even with your enhancements,” Phillip said before reaching for his plate and taking a lazy bite.


    Liberty turned her glowing blue eyes on him but could only frown in response, she nodded sharply before turning her attention back to the man hanging in her grip. She tilted her head, “Well?” she growled, “Take me to West Virginia, now.”


    A pop of rushing air later, and Liberty was gone. Just like that. Sonya stared at the spot where she’d been standing as the doors slid closed again. She looked from the spot to Phillip who was also staring at the door. He huffed out a breath, “This is what I get for being number two,” he sighed and scratched his head. She searched his face, He looks familiar, she thought as he got to his feet and frowned at the screen. “You have any siblings, miss Lee-Anne?” he asked.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    “Not that I’m aware of,” Sonya said flatly. Is he all that’s left of her ‘round table’ here? She decided to hazard a question, “Shall I serve the others, sir?” she asked.


    He glanced at her and scoffed, “I’m it today, babe,” he said with a smirk, looking her up and down, “Not bad, picked a good one today,” he said and picked up his glass of wine. He sipped from it again and turned to look at the screen. He raised the glass to it, “Welp, with Liberty on her way, Jessica is as good as dead, nice knowing ya sis.”


    And there it is, he’s the big brother, she thought with a small smile. Though from the sound of it, she’s been set aside. She’s of no use to me then, pity. Not that she’s done much, I wonder if she’s of a similar mindset to Cass. Should I foster her instead of suppressing her?


    She pushed the thoughts aside for now, Lets deal with this guy. I can worry about that later.


    “Sir Phillip?” she said invitingly, immediately drawing his attention. He turned to face her in that dark room as a small smile spread on her face. She opened her warehouse and drew out Amethyst Sorceress. He returned her smile only for it to falter slightly when he saw the look in her eyes, “I have a message for Liberty that I didn’t deliver while she was here,” she said sweetly, taking a step forward, “Would you please deliver it for me, sir?”


    His eyebrows furrowed, “...what message?”


    She broke into a manic smile, “Ishtar sends her regards.”


    –


    Carla leaned forward in her desk, she was standing, her eyes fixed on the screen. Still nothing but inconsequential bickering. Her lips trembled. When should she speak up? When did she make her move? She glanced at the camera monitor again, Chunhua was standing at the steps again. A brief lull in the fighting. The two glowing men had backed off. Chunhua’s posture was as proud as ever but even Carla could see the blood on her clothes and the wear in her shoulders. She’s getting tired, she looked at the men bickering over pointless things again.


    Do I do it now? She wondered, What if it fails? Does Sonya have enough political capital to make it work? She looked at her phone and closed her eyes tightly, She’s trusting you, Carla. Stop doubting.


    “I’ve had enough!” She barked at the screen, the faces all whipping up to look back at her, startled. She slammed her fist on the table, “We are an organization dedicated to supporting the heroes! To making sure this world is safe from people like Liberty! If there aren’t regulations in place to handle the situation then damn the regulations!” She said and stood up straight, her stare cold, her jaw set, her fists clenched. “I’m taking over,” She declared, “I am hereby tendering a proposal to the committee. I will serve as acting Chairwoman of the Pandora Committee until this crisis is over, after which we will hold an election,” She scanned the faces on the screen that had gone pale.


    None of them wanted the job. Not after what had happened to the Chairman. They knew the kind of danger she was inviting on herself. She just didn’t care. Even more, to them anyway, she’d spoken out of place. A general proposal wasn’t something she was allowed to tender, she was just an administrator. Even if they allowed it, she’d need at least five votes in favor for it to nominally pass with those present.


    Please.


    “The United States endorses the proposal,” Representative Harman said and gave her a small nod and she nearly felt her knees give out beneath her.


    “All in favor?”


    –


    Chunhua held her ground, her eyes fixed on the woman as she stalked forward with her weapon drawn. She shot a glance towards Ewen and Ellis who were licking their wounds. Their abilities had been more potent with that glow around them but in the end it was more of the same. Power didn’t override experience and the injuries she’d sustained after their ‘power up’ had been largely superficial.


    “A duel,” The woman said, pointing her sword at Chunhua’s heart, “You and me, ‘World’s Strongest’. I want to know who’s better.”


    Chunhua gave her a flat stare, “After I’ve fought your friends? Hardly sporting,” she bit out.


    The woman smirked, “That was your choice,” She said with a snort, “I was standing there the whole time, you could have come at me.”


    Chunhua glared at her but didn’t dignify her with a response. So long as the woman didn’t make a move she didn’t have the attention to spare for her. Now it was just the two of them. She let out a sigh through her nostrils. “Your name?” She asked.


    “I’m not usually in the habit of giving dead people my name,” The woman said, checking her nails, “But if you must know, it''s Dame Kant, a member of Lady Liberty’s Round Table. Though you can call me Heavenly Demon.”


    Chunhua’s shoulders stiffened, Worse than just a cultivator-type. I’ll take her measure first. She thought before taking a fighting stance. Her weapon held up before her as she shifted her weight. Dame Kant held her own weapon out lazily, her head tilted as her eyes began to glow with a dark red light tinged with orange. She sneered before kicking off the ground in a flash of movement. One moment she was there, the next she was- Chunhua spun, raising her weapon and bracing herself as an attack came from behind and to the left. The strike pushed her back, her feet sliding against the ground as she met a pair of burning crimson eyes with her own black stare.


    Dame Kant glared at her, “What? No powers?” she demanded, “Am I not good enough for you?”


    Chunhua returned her accusation with a deadpan stare, “Earn it, cultivator, you asked for a duel.”


    Dame Kant snarled and her body moved impossibly, her waist twisting before she whipped her leg out to catch Chunhua on the shoulder. Chunhua pulled her arm back and pivoted, avoiding the strike as something wet struck her in the eye. Spit? She blinked, her eye stinging just when a fist drove up and into her gut. She was launched up a foot and a half before she came back down, rolling out of the way and whipping her leg out to strike at the woman’s ankle. The woman hopped back lightly, laughing, her feet stepping on thin air as she got a little distance before launching herself forward with a snarl.


    She can air-step too.


    Chunhua flung herself to her feet with a quick kip up, turning as fast as her body would allow, pushing down every instinct to amplify her reflexes and speed with her abilities. She brought her sword up just in time, the two blades clashing as she was driven back. “I hate you,” Dame Kant snarled, “You and your pretty ability, it even smells nice,” The woman pushed hard, shoving Chunhua’s sword back.


    “You talk too much,” Chunhua bit out through the sword lock.


    Dame Kant’s lips curled into a sneer before she punched Chunhua in the mouth, her fist as fast as lightning. Chunhua saw stars as she staggered, training the only thing that caused her to pivot just as a stab snapped out to catch her in the abdomen. “I could have been a hero too,” Dame Kant continued despite Chunhua’s earlier comment. “But my powers, my ability, they thrive on suffering.”


    A blow came from above, and then to the left, and then the right. Chunhua blocked, pivoted, redirected, taking step after step backwards as she looked for some kind of opening. Every stance was perfect, every movement practiced. She’s trained hard, kind of sad really. Chunhua thought as the woman bore down on her. She deflected each attack as she followed the woman’s movements, picking up on tells from her style. Next will be a retreat and then a jab.


    “Who needs a hero that needs people to be in pain to grow?” Kant growled before leaping back several meters, leveling her weapon with the ground. Blood-red light began wrapping around it as her eyes grew dark. The wind up happening in the span of seconds. “Liberty gave me purpose and the chance to kill the person who has everything I ever wanted!”


    Chunhua didn’t respond, she set her jaw as she judged the distance in a heartbeat. Too far to interrupt her, she figured and readied to defend. The first couple of jabs came in fast but manageable. She turned them away as more and more red streaks began to dart in her direction. Soon, though, her vision turned red, so many strikes coming at once that there was just no way. A crash rang out behind her, crumbling stone. Bedrocks walls! She shifted from a total defense to protecting her vitals, deflecting blows aimed at her torso, head, and thighs, while strikes glanced off and cut against her arms and calves. She pushed through the pain, her eyes fixed on the woman’s face, unblinking.


    When the strike ended the woman was just… there. Dame Kant swung down with a powerful blow that Chunhua could only block, throwing her weapon up and planting her palm against it to hold it off. She winced as her knee buckled and bore her teeth at her enemy. She shifted her right hand up, letting Dame Kant’s weapon slide down and to the left, she snapped her knee up and into the woman’s gut. Dame Kant let out a gasp as Chunhua stepped past her, swinging her sword down hard. Kant was fast, though, and she rolled out of the way to avoid a fatal blow-not without her side getting cut in the process.


    Chunhua panted as she turned to face the woman spitting at the ground, “How shameful, what happened to all your bravado?” She rumbled as blood dripped from every limb, from her lips, her nose, her bones creaked and groaned under her own weight. She’d already been fighting for so long. She raised her free hand up in a gesture, two fingers pointed to the sky as she cycled her internal energy. A low breath coming out of her as her wounds began to glow and the scent of blossoms filled the air.


    Across from her, Kant tilted her head and looked down at her injury, she stood up straight and laughed before making a similar gesture followed by a sweep of her hand. Somewhere behind her, one of the cultists that had survived Amos’ turret onslaught let out a cry of pain and collapsed. Chunhua’s eyes widened in horror as the wound on Kant’s side healed. Fast. I don’t think I could match that healing speed even if I was at full power. Kant threw her head back in a peal of laughter, “You were saying?” She snarled before pointing her sword at Chunhua.


    “You don’t think I don’t understand what you’re doing? Quit testing me, Black Lotus. I’ve put up with your game long enough, fight me properly,” she growled.


    Chunhua cracked a savage grin, “Make me.”