After the Fire, After The Rain



    "The nation is in shock today after an incident in Daly City, in the San Francisco Bay area of California. Residents were awakened by the sound of two outworlders fighting in the sky above, followed shortly by hundreds of creatures coming out from under the city. We have footage of the attack, though I must warn you all that the following footage may be disturbing to some of you." The news feed shows a huge shaggy monstrous humanoid catching somebody, then its open wolf-like jaws descending and- the footage is stopped, coming back to the news anchor before anything gruesome is shown.
    "Daly City Police estimate at least twenty dead and three hundred injured despite the response of outworld individuals to the incident. Several buildings still remain evacuated for fear of collapse, as the battle in Daly City airspace caused collateral damage."
    A picture appears next to the news anchor, a badly pixelated still of video from last night's events. It appears to be a woman in bright silver armor descending amid thick rain. "Authorities are looking for this woman in connection with last night's incident. If you have information, please call..."

    ".. Yes, we're deeply concerned about the escalation of outworlder incidents. That's why I and my colleagues in the Senate are putting together the Outworld division of the U.S. Marshals. The President has promised to task the State Department with negotiating extradition treaties with our outworld trading partners to facilitate the Outworld division."

    The Grand Master of the Order of Hermes Trimegustus steepled her fingers and looked cooly at the council. "This plays right into our hands. Find any vines we don't control, and take them. By any means necessary."
    "What about the Sunset Road, Grand Master?" one of the council members seemed nervous.
    The Grand Master shot the impeccably dressed and groomed man a withering look. "What about it?"
    "... It's tied into the San Andreas. If we... forcefully take the Road, the resulting earthquake could..."
    The Grand Master cut the man off. "Then don't take it by force, subvert the people who live in it."