Chapter 1 - A night at the Electric Labyrinth

Connor helps Troublesome Tony out of the van, and lends him a shoulder to lean on. "Shouldn't we be getting you to a hospital? Instead of running headlong into a Nexus trap?"

The taxi ride has sobered him up a little, and while he wants to get Anika back, he doesn't want to get nabbed himself, or worse, getting someone he cares about in trouble.

"These guys are expecting our kind of trouble. Don't underestimate them "

Moonrise - Tav and SelvieTav effortlessly retraces the steps of the mysterious masked woman from the B1 garage. Four imposing black Lincoln Navigator SUVs had rolled into the garage around 1 am, each disgorging a horde of bodyguards who escorted their mistress. The license plates are captured clearly on the camera feed, etched into Tav's memory for future reference. There's no sign of any defensive measures or network operators attempting to trace her presence on the surveillance network. It's all too easy, a bunch of amateur must be running security at Nexus.

Tav withdraws her intangible mental tendrils from the network's virtual corridor, slipping out through an auxiliary redundancy. She quickly mentally taps the description of the vehicles and the license numbers into the memory of her burner phone, knowing that Charlie's telepathic connection has been severed, likely due to his being out of range of the club now.

She sits back and continues to enjoy the private intimate entertainment she and Selvie are having with the two dancers in the VIP.

Jack swears silently when she realizes the unconscious woman looks like she might remain in that state for some time, then she hears one of the Russians approaching. There's just no time -- no way to get away without being seen, being caught. So, back to her original plan -- she'll have to fight, and hope some backup arrives before Ivanova or someone else tags her good.

Creeping to the rear of the vehicle or the side door -- wherever she expects the man to appear, Jack coils herself into as small a package as she can, preparing to explode at the thug, hopefully surprising and clocking him hard...

Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge - ROUND 1 The situation beneath the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge quickly escalates into chaos. With the EMT knocked out and blood staining the floor of the vehicle, tensions soar as the thugs and Erin approach the black van, which has been shaking violently.

"Hey, what's going on, Mei? Quit fooling around, you old hag," one of the men barks as he approaches the van and discovers the unconscious EMT. It's at this critical moment that Jack springs into action, unleashing a ferocious assault on the approaching thug.

Meanwhile, Connor and Charlie, disguised as Tony, emerge from the park and witness Jack's fierce retaliation. Amidst the turmoil they spot Erin nearby, her imposing breasts unmistakable. Connor also notice Miriam, calmly lighting a cigarette deeper in the parking area before drawing a gun with a silencer. She is Standing beside a Mercedes, with her usual confidence. Near the french woman an ambulance hums with activity.

Connor senses the gravity of the situation; Miriam, a former SVR scientist from Nexus, is not to be underestimated, despite lacking super powers. Erin, at least equally powerful as Jack, is known for her aggressive tendencies when faced with obstacles. The stakes are high, and they must proceed with caution.

Moonrise - Tav and SelvieAs the pulsating rhythm of the music fills the air, Tav finds herself entranced by the fluid movements of the dancers, their bodies moving in perfect synchrony with the melody. The dim lighting casts a sensual glow over the room, highlighting the curves and contours of their silhouettes as they sway and undulate to the beat.

With each graceful motion, the dancers exude an aura of raw sensuality, their movements teasing and tantalizing, drawing Tav and Selvie deeper into the mesmerizing performance. Amidst the intoxicating atmosphere, Selvie leans in close to Tav, her voice low and suggestive as she whispers an offer of cocaine, the white line of powder sitting on her wrist, adding an extra layer of forbidden excitement to the already charged atmosphere.

As Tav watches the dancing women, she can feel the heat rising in the room, a palpable energy that crackles in the air between them. The dancers' movements become more intense, more intimate, as they draw closer to Tav and Selvie, their eyes locking in a silent promise of pleasure and ecstasy. In that moment, Tav loses herself in the heady embrace of the music and the intoxicating allure of the dancers that begin to kiss each other sensually.

"Oh, you know," Max says, then sips his champagne. He flashes his prize-winning grin at her. "A little of this, little of that."

He turns to look at her. She is the epitome of sophistication and grace. He can't believe she invited him up here of her own free will. He usually doesn't give a girl a chance. He scans her mind to see if she'd consider inviting him up, sharing her bed, and then he works his magic and makes the possibility a reality. He hadn't had to do that with Seo-ah.

"I just got back to the city yesterday. I'd been locked into this deal on this little island, couldn't even get away for what felt like months. It's good to be back home."

He sets down his champagne glass and turns back to her. "You look like you've made yourself comfortable. Long day?"

It's a Muay Thai elbow that greets the unlucky thug -- delivered with enough force to shatter a car windshield...

Tav leans into Selvie's wrist and inhales the white powder, then kisses her girl passionately as Penelope and Vanessa do the same with each other. Tavisha is thoroughly enjoying their sexy diversion in the VIP booth while she and Selvie bide their time until 3am arrives and slightly after, to see if their pink-haired bartender, Nadia, can manage to come out to play with them.

Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge - ROUND 1

Tav and Selvie look to each other a second and both get up and move to have Nadia between them. Tav takes the shaken bartender's hand in her own, as they try to comfort her. "Let's finish our private set here and then the three of us get out of here for the night. The change of scenery will take your mind off the troubles of the evening, Nadia? I'm so sorry your night has been rough so far."

In the gym, Jack can smash boards and cinder blocks with her hands, elbows, knees and feet. Out of the public eye, she can break more than that. So when the heavily tattooed Russian thug closest to the van approaches the rear of the vehicle, Cooper launches herself out with those powerful legs and lands a mid-air elbow strike that breaks the man's jaw and knocks him cold.

Standing over the unconscious man in a ready-for-anything stance, Jack's teeth are bared as her chest rises and falls, powered by the adrenaline coursing through her body. There's no way she can take them all on alone, but -- two down. The tougher ones to go.

"Erin! Ivanova!" she shouts at her busty, long-time rival. "How could you? You know what they'll do! You know what they did! What are you thinking?!"