Valiant, Detective Valiant - Part 2.

*Rattatatat*

A deadly rain pounded into the walls across from Val, delivering something much more uncomfortable than rain drops. Reflexes kicked in and the lone detective quickly pressed his back to a wall behind him and scanned his surroundings. "Gryph," he whispered, "would you be so kind as to tell me who is shooting at me?"

"I'll do you one better," Gryph replied. She was probably one of the toughest detectives Val had ever known, and the most dependable. Whatever he asked of her she always managed to provide him with it, even the occasional miracle. A series of markers begin to dot the overlay I-O had managed to upload into their helmets. Gryph quickly tagged the markers as she relayed her observations to Val. "We've got at least one guy around the corner, armed. Three more down an alley to our left  and I am sure just out of my range we'll have a handful more arming up against these guys. My best guess is we got ourselves a street war."

"I'm going to try diplomacy, Gryph, cover me." Val crouched down and started to pivot around a corner. "Throw down your weapons and spread your arms in the air. This is the ADU, and we are intervening in this armed conflict." Val shouted as he rolled out. Immediately shots were fired, whizzing by him to thump the ground beside him.

*Bam Bam Bam*

His Valiant delivered three high density mass slugs into a young man knocking him backwards. Another figure rose with gun in hand to take aim and was met by a single shot to the head. It's impact removing his face from his head in a flash. Gryph now stood by Val, clambering another round into her Starburst shotgun. "Tsk Tsk, diplomacy Val? Really?" Gryph remarked.

"Diplomacy may not work, but making them think we'll talk gives us the edge, even if for a second. Makes them think we'll try to talk, and that they have the drop on us." Gryph nodded, "Makes sense."

"Um... Guys," I-O's voice dropped a few degrees as he interupted. "We've got incoming, I'm detecting a Spyder missile inbound."

"Cover!" Roared Val. The pair of armored detectives dove for nearby buildings as an explosion rocked the streets and an alleyway collapsed. Checking the overlay as he rose from a cloud of dust, Val noted the position of the missile's target coordinated with that of the other assailants they'd detected. "Spyder Missles! That settles it. We have to find Drek and who is armed with Spyder's before they level this whole area." Val spat.

"I don't think it'll be too hard, Val," Gryph's hushed whisper plucked a chord. Turning to follow her gaze he noticed the same thing. Zooming in, they both beheld the unmistakable gait of someone without experience trying to walk in powered armor. "If I'm not mistaken, Val..." Authority and experience hammered down on Val and despite effort found it's way into his voice. "That is a Rattler, rapid deploy scout armor. They excel at hit and run, and unless someone was cheap, pack a hefty payload of rockets as well as about a dozen Spyder's. I-O, I want you to maintain a safe distance and keep yourself hid. Mason, Vicks, get over here yesterday."

Mason and Vicks were both ex-swat, and as such trained in the use of P-3e Enforcer powered armor. A shiver slipped up Val's spine. A P-2d Inquisitor didn't pack the fire-power for this. Military grade armor on the streets. This was bad. Real bad.

"We gotta take this Rattler out before they figure out what it can do."