The Cloaked man charged yet again, swinging his flail about before launching it head on to Oliver's gut. But the hero was prepared, and generated a scimitar in his hand, which sliced through the weapon as if it were paper mache. As the two halves of the ball skittered across the floor, Paragon took the opportunity to press the attack. The scimitar became a spear, and with multiple thrusts he rushed the villain, pushing him back with every attack. Cloak responded with a new weapon, a club covered in an even pattern of spikes. He swung it once, but Paragon's energy arm became a twisting whip, wrapping itself around the weapon before crushing it. The man shouted in pain as he drew away from the hero, panting a bit as blood dripped from his arm, now in its human form and quite obviously shattered.
"You're even more powerful than I'd ever dreamed, Paragon. Tell me, are you holding back in your old age, or did my version of you just never live up to your full potential?"
"No version of me is your property, bastard." Oliver responded coldly. "Now hold still so I can finish you off."
"Oh, that won't be happening, I'm afraid." the cloaked man explained. "The game is just beginning, Paragon. Our little dance is nowhere near completed; for you, it hasn't even begun. I'll see you around, hero."
The man bowed, and in a flash disappeared. During this time, his apparent villainous companion had been distracting the SWAT in a shootout, but her ally picked up her up during his hasty retreat.
Oliver put up his helmet, to ensure his identity was hidden, and shuffled his way over to the SWAT team. One of their members had taken multiple bullet wounds, and they were stabilizing him before an ambulance arrived. One of their number saluted him.
"Thanks for the help, Paragon."
"What were they after?" Oliver asked.
"We think that there was research on Substance F going on in these labs. They killed all the scientists before we were able to get here, but it looks like they only got away with their lives, not any tech."
"That's good. Will he be all right?" Oliver asked, motioning to the wounded officer.
"A couple bad shots to the leg, but the one to the torso got slowed by his armor; he'll make it. Thanks again, hero."
Oliver silently nodded and took to the air in search of his fellow Renegades.
