Knock knock. Who's there? Tank. Tank who? You're welcome.

[Domina]

In this London, military convoys weren't as uncommon a sight as one might have expected. The frequent clashes between mutant and non-mutants meant that it was quite often up to the military to hold the line and enforce uneasy cease fires. And sometimes there was work of other sorts to be done. Areas that had fallen to strong mutant control were largely left to themselves, humans letting the warring factions weaken each other while they held their own. The area surrounding the General's hotel certainly hadn't seen any opposition in some time.

Until today, that is. Rolling down the narrow streets past the slums and ghettos separated by faction-coloured graffiti were numerous troop carrier trucks, jeeps and a few heavily armoured APCs. The men inside were fully-trained professionals, the markings on their trucks signifying they were from the nearby air force base. The convoy had been slowed down by the clanking treads of a Challenger 2 tank, crushing the burnt husks of abandoned vehicles as it approached the front of the hotel. It wasn't every day that people saw a tank driving through London's city streets.

Especially not a tank that had been painted purple.

In fact, all of the vehicles had been painted purple. The troops even sported purple arm bands. Troop carrier trucks pulled off to the side, their occupants spilling out and rushing to secure the perimeter, other squads breaking into the surrounding buildings to take up firing lines and sniping positions. The nearby London Underground tunnels were swarmed and converted into makeshift field hospitals, munition dumps and a command center.

A safe distance from the action a purple and silver Rolls Royce Phantom sat idling. A squad of purple arm-banded soldiers were positioned on watch surrounding it, one manning a heavy machine gun mounted on the back of a jeep. The sunroof was open and a purple-clad figure's upper body protruded from it, watching the hotel through a pair of powerful binoculars before slipping back inside the vehicle.

"Are you ready to prove yourself?" Domina asked the other occupant of the vehicle.

[Apophis]

"But of course," Apophis answered, himself clad in sleek black body armor. "My men are in position as we speak."

[Domina]

"Then it should be quite simple. These boys provide distraction and support while you and your men strike from behind. Clearing and securing access to the research labs should be relatively simple for someone of your unique talents." Domina opened an aged wooden box of cigars, removing two of them and offering one to her rather large guest.

"Once everything is secured, I will join you. Do this well and I will see to it personally that you get the recognition you deserve."

[Apophis]

He took the offered cigar, used his claws to cut off the end, lit it, and took a draw before letting it roll out of his nostrils.

"You will not be disappointed."

[Domina]

"No, I have no doubts about that. You look like a man who can get the job done and your reputation precedes you. So I'll forgo any stereotypical thinly veiled threats regarding potential failure." She cut the tip off of her cigar, lighting it and getting it started before letting the grey smoke slowly curl upward, drifting out the sunroof.

"Keep in contact. If anything goes awry or seems the slightest bit unusual I want to know about it immediately."

[Apophis]

"Understood."

[Domina]

"Good boy." Domina said. "Whenever you're ready I'll have my general launch the attack. That should give you plenty of cover to make your approach."

[Apophis]

"With all due respect my illustrious Domina, I am in no way one of your trained hounds. So please do not refer to me as 'good boy'," he said as diplomatically as possible. "That said, I'll send the signal when I'm in position," he said as he prepared to exit the vehicle.

[Domina]

"Apologies Mr. Phis. It's a force of habit." Anita said, allowing the lizard man to leave as he wished. The squad of soldiers under her command even saluted him, something that was probably an unlikely occurrence in any other circumstance.

[Apophis]

Before long, his voice came through the secure audio feed.

"We're in position."

[Domina]

"Stand by for the signal. You'll know it when you hear it." Domina changed the channel on her radio, standing up to poke out of the sunroof of her car again.

"Knock knock, General."

The tank's turret turned it's gun to point directly at the hotel's front doors and fired a shell, the explosion cracking and shattering the windows of the surrounding buildings. Troops began pouring in through the front door before the smoke had even cleared like ants attacking an invader inside their colony.

[Paladin]

That was when an apc exploded in a bright burst of flame something having struck it's ammunition stores. Paladin was sitting on the top of a building holding a rather nifty looking anti-tank rifle.

He stood up taking aim this time at another apc. The shot caused smoke to billow from the engine, the vehicle sputtered then stalled.