"Ilmari and I probably should, to be honest, at least this early."

"Sounds good to me."

"You want to play backup for us?"

"Sure thing.  Heading out soon?"

"That's probably best, yeah, though I completely wouldn't object to more thorough planning. What do we do in emergencies? What're our communication protocols if we're being observed?"

"Hmm.  Gonna be scouting in costume, yeah?  So there's no need to seem too innocuous, people will know something serious is going on as soon as they see a couple of costumed supers around.  We don't have to do the fake school project thing.  ...Might be best to just stick together, anyway, if trouble breaks out near you guys your powers might not do you much good.  Zeph and I can try to cover your escape, or stick by you, whichever you prefer."

"That does make sense, yeah."

He nods.  "Were you thinking, another stakeout, or running a patrol route, or interviews again...?"

"Hm. I'm thinking still stakeout."

"Sounds fun.  Well, no, it sounds terrible, but you know what I mean."

"Hah. Yeah, I do."

With plans and preparation in place, the stakeout proceeds.

Boring boring boring, there's not much activity here. Some teenagers being irresponsible, but what else is new.

Stakeouts are the woooorst but they'd probably be more the worst if he was the one trying to catch someone instead of just standing guard, so he tries not to complain too much, at least to whoever's turn it is to do the actual staking out, on or immediately after the day of their turn.

Days pass without anything that calls for superheroic intervention.

And then something maybe does.

There's a shout, and a dull 'thwack' and a 'whoosh.'

Zeph chirps, concerned.  Mach Seven turns toward Codex.  "Did you see - "

"I heard something. Come on, let's go."

She heads out, and curses not having Silver Wolf with them this time.

He follows.

Zeph can take to the air, get far enough up that he might be able to catch something before the others do.

There's a woman, fighting apparently solid shadows with telekinetically controlled pieces of piping and machinery from a nearby construction yard, a cut on her forehead, her teeth bared and eyes wide. She doesn't seem very practiced, and the shadows move in concert.

Zeph regroups, reports, alights on Mach Seven's shoulder.  "Can't see who's casting the shadows - not sure which if either is working with the kidnapper but we can try to break it up at least - "

At close range, he'll have both his own speed and strength, and Zeph's regeneration.  He pauses, briefly, for Codex's cue, then shoots toward the fight.

She's not much use here, so instead she's hanging back, trying to update Silver Wolf.

Ilmari hunkers down, eyes narrowed at the shadows, short tail lashing.

He skids to a stop in sight of the telekinete, calls out, "Whoever's casting the shadows, come out where I can see you!"