Scan everything, head to work

The Night Shift (rough draft v2)

"AISYS, scan every inch of this place. Analyze everything while we're out, I need a working theory about this, I'm already in deep trouble at with the agency, I can't really call off right now. We can come back tonight but I want a direction to start in." he ordered, a sense of urgency creeping into his voice.

"Understood, Josh. I'll keep you updated during your shift," AISYS confirmed, her electronic scan and lace tendrils fanning out to cover the entire room before he left.

Josh sighed deeply, sealing the hidden chamber. It was time to face another aspect of his life that had recently become just as trouble: his new role as a nighttime Hero. Instead of the new elegant beacon he had been seen as at first, now he was just another barley under control gothic cliche, another brutal hero not fit of the title, relegated to the worst parts of the city.

Josh could hardly focus as he stepped out onto the grim streets of the city from the satellite HQ in this part of the city, the office looked more run down than the shining central HQ but it was also the best looking building he had seen so far. Flanked by Shadowbane, a hero who seemed like the embodiment of the night itself. A yawn escaped his lips.

"You might want to take this more seriously, newbie," Shadowbane said, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Apologies," Josh muttered, still half-lost in his thoughts about Felicia. "It's been a long day."

AISYS intervened, "Adjusting your body chemistry slightly for alertness. This isn't advisable as a regular practice, but it should help for tonight. I'm scheduling to night to further enhance you, one sleepless night your not even half through shouldn't effect you this much." For a second it seemed like AISYS lost her normal tone and warmness, almost like how she was in his nightmares. "I'll work on a proper alteration pattern to fix this issue."

Almost instantly, Josh felt a rush of energy. The drowsiness that clouded his mind dispersed, and he felt sharply alert.

"Better," said Shadowbane, grudgingly approving as they continued their patrol. "I know that you've patrolled by your self before but night shift is a little different, and admittedly the higher ups want me to keep my eye on you to see if you can handle patrols without another freak out, that it's only in life or **** moments and until the direct threat is neutralized, not sure even I consider 'neutralized' to be the right word for what you DID to your last perp. Your not he first lose cannon I've dealt with, do your best to keep that shit on lock down and don't take any risks that could set it off. This branch specializes in keeping us darker hero types doing more good than harm."

"I've found some preliminary but intriguing correlations in the data," AISYS whispered into his ear, careful not to distract him too much. "It seems she was obsessed because she blames Voltara for a tragedy that happened when she was 19. I'll update you more later right now you need to concentrate."

They rounded a corner to find a gang dealing with illicit substances. Shadowbane locked eyes with Josh, a nonverbal signal that it was time.

Faster than he'd ever moved before, Josh was in action. His energy cannon expanded in its grotesque display, getting a grimace from Shadowbane. His first instinct, from the training AISYS was **** to put him through, was to attack with **** prejudice. He was able to repress that instinct and instead set the power to its lowest stun setting, ment for baseline humans. Approaching like a cop with weapon drawn, information imparted in the dreams AISYS gave him, He shouted a warning and instructions to surrender, the gang members looked up startled, saw you, fear forming on their face before half raised their hands, two pulled out weapons and two fled. Prioritizing those running, He took aim while deploying the lace to block any stray rounds shot at him from hitting any bystanders. Two shots hit center mass on those running, dropping them, then turning to the two with weapons drawn, the first didn't get a round off before joining his sleeping compatriots, the second got two off, both low caliber, no danger to Ariea even if they didn't miss by so much, the rounds were caught by the lace, Ariea hit this one with a slightly higher setting throwing him a few feet from the hit, he would be OK but with a hospital stay first, better to discourage that type of reckless disregard. For his part Shadowbane's gave Ariea an appraising look, for the first time Ariea noticed shadows seeming to leak from his body, both in Ariea's direction and the crooks. "Good job on the take down, alot better than i was lead to belive, I was expecting a brutal but effective take down, you've been getting painted as a 'punch now ask questions never type.' Looks like your claims to the Brass might just be true, a sort of Jackal and Hyde type, better than the barly restrained psycho type." He says as he encircles the criminals, reading them their right, and rendering cuffing them with shadows until law enforcement arrived.

Hours later, as dawn approached, Josh felt the exhaustion catch up to him despite AISYS' chemical intervention. But before he could contemplate rest, AISYS spoke up.

"I've completed the analysis of the data we have, Josh. Based on the collected data, my working theory is that Voltara for some unknown reason has made it her mission to ruin Felicia's life, but outside of one police report its all been in ways that serve Voltara in some other way but only cause Felicia minimum issue in comparison. For example Felicia has had to look for a new job multiplue times because of destruction caused by Voltara, her car has been collateral damage multiple time to a point her insurance won't insure a new one, she buys a new bike any time is gets destroyed, its why she picked her current job, it paid well and she could find cheap trade ins to buy. The list goes on and on all the way down to a few ruined birthday parties. Not sure what Felicia plan is but she has a very complete dossier on Voltara, My guess there is she wants to find her Civilian ID and expose her, Ruining her life in turn. My Theory right now is that with Voltara getting arrested Felicia is either celebrating and trying to start a new unburdened life or she is spiraling as the one goal that was keeping her sane through all this was completed by someone with out any baggage. Not only did you stop her but Voltara's Civilian Identity will be revealed as part of her trial."

Josh felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. The woman he cared for, the same woman who had vanished, have this much pain and anger and he never knew.

"That's...a lot to take in," Josh said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We need to find her, hopefully she is just celebrating and if she wants a new life without me we will wish her well but if she isn't I can't let her spiral because of something I've done. AISYS what was that police report you mentioned? If she is spiraling she might go to the place the most formative trauma happened." Josh ended, half remembering some of his cop dream training touching on missing persons basics. "AISYS can you also prepare a detective training course? The patrol officer lessons and motorcycle cop lessons have come in clutch today."

"Certainly, I'm glad your getting proactive about this, I'll download any data I need and generate one, I'll add it to your queue as soon as its ready. As for the police report I'll go over it with you when we get somewhere alone and sitting down, Its pretty bad. "

Shadowbane watched as Josh ended his first night shift and headed to the locker room, He couldn't help but think that the newbie was about to learn just how dark the night could get, 'Ariea did well with control tonight but I went along a route behind another hero's patrol on purpose, tomarrow we'll send Ariea out alone on a normall patrol, I'll keep myself and a few others close by in case of an out burst.'