On the run and out of time..

"Just give me their scent and I can avoid them." -Raina to Mindstryker on avoiding her pursuers.

Raina vanishes into the city for a day or so to get her thoughts together and figure out what should happen next. She doesn't know however, that Valos returned to the base to attack as soon as he was recovered and was killed while Grim and Rusty were taken back. The next morning finds her on a rooftop, smelling the wind as she tries to identify the bad feelings her cat is warning her of. Mindstryker finds her and warns her that Melody has issued a warrant for her arrest and that a task force of two new recruits have been dispatched to find her with him as its leader. He has apparently calmed down from his fury of their last meeting and is thinking rationally.

Mindstryker also informs her that Rusty and Grim were taken back while Valos was killed. She is amused to find out that Grim was promoted and Rusty was given a token punishment, but knows that she will not fair as lucky. Mindstryker admits that he believes that she's right about Melody's growing instability and surprises Raina by telling her that he doesn't intend to bring her in until Melody is gone. Raina, who had been ready to surrender, states that he can do a lot of good by maintaining Melody's trust in him. Raina offers her support in that she will elude her pursuers and wait until the time is right to remove Melody. Mind offers her his glove that he used to shake Blue-Ballista's hand, which might still hold his scent. As she takes the scent, she states her need for a communicator since the telepathic connection they use is only available when they're close to one another, he offers her a vanguard communicator that is hardwired to only contact his own with heavy encryption. He also cautions her to destroy it if it appears she's going to be captured. Raina agrees and adds that they should keep their meetings and communications to an absolute minimum or risk discovery. They part ways, warning each other to be careful.

Melody soon tires of Raina eluding them and seeks a faster way to find the resourceful werecat. She uses samples of Raina's blood from when the medtechs had worked on the injured werecat and utilizes her nanites to track her down. Mind contacts Raina on the comm and warns her that her time being free is running out and that Melody is coming for her. Raina responds that she'll be careful and will destroy the comm to be safe and eliminate the risk of Mind being exposed. Hoping for a miracle, Raina goes to Independence Port, hoping to elude Melody in the industrial district. As she travels through, she spots a form in the water and cannot help but investigate. She is shocked to find Valos's mangled body. While hating him for threatening her, she also remembered that Morris had trusted him. Acutely aware of the danger of being out in the open, especially with Valos's body, Raina sought cover in a warehouse.

Unsure to this day why, Raina took a chance and used her magical blood with its powerful healing agents on Valos, dripping a fair amount directly into his terrible wounds and his mouth. As she waited a few minutes and started to give it up as a lost cause, smashing the comm under her heel as she waited, Raina started to leave. Valos spoke right as she reached the door, making her turn back. Different emotions warred within her as Valos thanked her for saving him and then tried to tell her that he was her only ally against Melody. Raina informed him that he was behind the times and that she had other allies. She also warned him, "Valos, point a gun at me again and you'd better pull the damn trigger." as well as telling him that Melody was nearby before leaving without a backwards glance.

Taking off through Independence Port again, Raina is eventually cornered by Melody and her task force, including Mind. They talk briefly, with Raina stating her beliefs and refusal to surrender. Right as she attempts to attack Melody, Mind grabs her telekinetically, halting her attack while apologizing telepathically at being unable to help her. After a short talk further, Melody walks forward with a gift that she snaps around Raina's neck.. an electric collar engraved with "Property of the US Government - Handle with Care". The insult of it is nearly unbearable for Raina, making her state coldly, "She dies. A pity that honor is no longer mine." Noting that she feels that Valos has more of a right to kill the Hero Corp's pet than she does.

Melody then addresses her troops, declaring Raina to no longer be a threat and that the collar would keep her in line. Seizing the opportunity at Melody's inattention, Raina lashes out with a double booted kick into her side and nearly sends the other girl off the roof. The resulting shock is painful but gratifying for Raina since she did score the hit. Melody then sends everyone but Raina away and, once they're gone, shocks Raina with a blast 3 times more powerful than the last, warning her to never embarrass her like that again. Recovering quickly due to her constitution and will, Raina snaps that she lost any respect she had for Melody and thus will treat her as she believes she deserves to be treated. Raina endures another shock before being released with orders to report immediately if she was called.