Trystt wanders the SHIELD complex. She finds that not too many of the agents pay her special attention and in fact she sees a couple of half-elves in their number and even a dwarf in the engineering department.
She finds she has access to everywhere including the computer labs, training facility and common areas but not the vehicle pool, armoury or forensics divisions.
"I knew many walked different paths, but they all seem to lead to the same destination." He smiles. "Earth is truly an inspiring place, I've only just started my journey of exploring it after spending my life secluded to a small section of it and maybe, maybe I'll visit your home someday."
Spore smiles at Akio with a hint of sadness, and replies simply "Maybe." It's clear he doesn't want to approach the topic of his home further, right now anyway.
We've done all we can scoping it out remotely, if we don't move on it tonight then we'll lose momentum and there's a high risk, especially following Metrocab being compromised, that operations will move or change.
She glances at the pocket in her hoodie
...plus we've got someone waiting for us, someone who will doubtless go in themselves if we don't arrive, better all around to head off tonight...
Akio notices the hint of sadness and attempts to move away from the topic. "But there is so much more to do here, I should finish up and we should go check on the others." He smiles, turning and jumping into a few forward flips ending in high kicks.
Wiping himself down his changes back into his clothes and heads off finding the others, he listens in to what is being said. "Let's get to it then, if we have the information we need I think you're right we can't wait on this." He nods agreeing with Melania.
Lucas is in the lab when the others come to find him. "Hey, I'm just distilling a batch of acid. Given how things went last time, I figure it's better to be prepared. I've also requisitioned a few items for myself." He walks over to a chair with a kevlar vest and a riot baton on it. He grabs the baton and flicks it open. He presses a button and spring-loaded spikes appear. "It was a protoype police weapon to counter armored assailants. I figure, I can test it out for them."
A few other items litter the table nearby. Antitoxin, a biomedical mesh Lucas claims can seal wounds, and a suspension of vibranium that can coat weapons for a short time.
"Alright, we decide what to do next? Nils has her techs on a rope, so I doubt we'll have much more to work with than the Staten Island address."
Spore, appreciating Akio's respectful observation, follows him back to the waiting room, where he joins Trystt in the corner.
"If that's all we've got, might as well check it out," he calls back to Napalm.
Prepped and ready, the group head out into the day.
While Midnight might be able to fly, the rest of the team are able to travel only by more conventional means and it takes the best part of two hours on the A line to Richmond Avenue where the wide thoroughfare runs through the northern section of Staten Island.
By the time they get to the port, the sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows over the Lower Bay that churns slowly with the occasional freight ship disturbing the otherwise still water.
The port itself seems bustling no matter what time of day or night and it sprawls out over much of this section of the Island. Thousands of containers can be seen like huge lego bricks while cranes and other heavy lifting machinery scurry between them like ants.
But one structure dominates the others. An enormous canopy-like building on the northern edge butts up against the water. Chain-link metal fencing runs around the structure obscuring almost everything that is within. You can see more structures - actual buildings within - but can make out no detail. A pair of 30 feet tall concrete towers stand at what appears to be the only entrance to the structure.
Akio looks the compound over or at least what he can see, smiling slightly at Trystts words. "So our red friend is around here somewhere? Did he tell you were to meet him? If we're waiting on him maybe you could fly up and give us a lay of the land Midnight."
Midnight turns to Trystt quizzically
I believe for that to be the case there would have to have been a mutual agreement to spend time together, perhaps actual touching, then again he did give me his number... and a gift in the form of the phone... and we have spoken since...
Her brow furrows
So does that mean this is a 'date'? You humans and your courting rituals, I will never understand them...
She nods at Akio and launches off in to the air to scout around.
It isn't a date, Ms Trystt. says a gruff voice from somewhere above you. Crouched on a stantion some fifty feet up on the side of a crane is the lithe figure of a devil dressed in red.
He sits on his haunches dressed in red and black leather, bruises visible on his face beneath the mask but he is not looking out at the building. but craning his head to the side, listening.
After a few moments he pulls a baton from the holster at his belt and flicks it up at the crane above him where it catch on a grapple and he descends smoothly to land beside you. There is an almost imperceptible grimace when he does so. Although it is good to see you all again. With a flick he disengages the grapple and it retracts with lightning speed into the baton.
I don't know what's going on in there. I can hear a lot of movement, weapons being loaded - if I had to guess I'd say sub machine guns. No vehicles have entered or exited in the last 6 hours.
I don't suppose you had much more luck from the air Ms Mezzanotte?
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"If I can see in, I can shift into there and look about. But I still cant carry anyone with me. The techs said that I should be able to one day, once I can visualise the dimensional shifts properly, but I'm still struggling to shift myself. Still, I can do 20' or so; that's twice what I used to be able to do."
Napalm jerks his head up to see the Devil of Hell's Kitchen himself. "Have you been waiting up there for us this whole time?" He watches the man gracefully lower himself using a grappling baton. Hmm, there's a modification I hadn't though of...
The mutant cocks his head oddly as Daredevil mentions the weapons. "You can... hear weapons being loaded? From this distance?" He glances at the building. "You're talking small arms, not a tank. That should be barely audible in the next room..." His expression changes from bewildered to impressed. He looks at the others. "Ok, no trying to whisper around him." He cocks a thumb at the masked devil.
"If they're loading weapons, they're preparing for something. Maybe here, maybe preparing to go somewhere else. They're probably on alert after our work last night. Can you hear any voices from here?"
Napalm jerks his head up to see the Devil of Hell's Kitchen himself. "Have you been waiting up there for us this whole time?" He watches the man gracefully lower himself using a grappling baton. Hmm, there's a modification I hadn't though of...
The mutant cocks his head oddly as Daredevil mentions the weapons. "You can... hear weapons being loaded? From this distance?" He glances at the building. "You're talking small arms, not a tank. That should be barely audible in the next room..." His expression changes from bewildered to impressed. He looks at the others. "Ok, no trying to whisper around him." He cocks a thumb at the masked devil.
"If they're loading weapons, they're preparing for something. Maybe here, maybe preparing to go somewhere else. They're probably on alert after our work last night. Can you hear any voices from here?"
Since this afternoon, yeah. Daredevil confirms, making Midnight think he has left himself no time to recuperate at all. He is not called the Man Without Fear for nothing.
It's sometimes overwhelming, hearing conversations from three blocks away or heartbeats in a towerblock. he admits. I have to filter it out and tune in, like a radio. But yeah, I think after what happened at Metro Cab they are probably on high alert, especially if they think the Punisher is after them. Whatever is going on in there it's a huge operation and one that won't easily be moved quickly.
I hear better than most but you say you can get in there undetected? he asks of Shift. If that's true we should go together, and anyone else who thinks they can sneak in there.
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Trystt does her best to maintain her composure at being sneaked up on by the Devil. She raises a mocking eyebrow and in a similar tone, says, "Of course, it's not a date. Who would be tempted by a gorgeous alien badass crimefighter with violet eyes who can fly?"
"I might be able to help with scouting."
"Good DJ too!" Spore chimes in, chuckling.
Then, taking on a more serious stance, he concentrates for a half of a moment and his wooden armor regrows once more from a few fast-moving buds coming forth from his chest.
"Look this is all well and good but a lot of people died last night, we can talk about who dating who later. The Punisher will be here and we have to bring this place down to try and stop any more deaths." He says sternly.
"Dare Devil, so you recommend we should try and sneak in and see what we're working with?" He begins to loose up getting ready for a fight ahead.
"Look this is all well and good but a lot of people died last night, we can talk about who dating who later. The Punisher will be here and we have to bring this place down to try and stop any more deaths." He says sternly.
"Dare Devil, so you recommend we should try and sneak in and see what we're working with?" He begins to loose up getting ready for a fight ahead.
I try never to go into a situation without knowing what I'm up against first. I'm just one man... usually. Daredevil replies grimly.
Napalm shifts a bit. "I can try sneaking in. Are they allowing dock workers near or is it just their people? I've got a little something that can help disguise me."
Midnight shakes her head at the Devil
Nothing visible from up above, though that being said it's not like I have infravision or enhanced spectrocope tech.
She turns to Trystt and smiles
As Mr Devil has indicated this isn't a date, that does not preclude future meetings being dates and I would also point out that he stated it was good to see us all again. So if you were so inclined I might suggest you could meet him for coffee.
She tilts her head to the side as if seeing Trystt in a new light, then lowers her voice slightly
I will also add that if you are not so inclined to pursue a more intimate meeting with Mr Devil, that it was a nice thing for you to indicate that you have observed my form to be 'gorgeous', and I appreciate your compliment and would like to advise that I find your form pleasing as well. It would be a pleasure to take you... flying... should you be so inclined...
she smiles then turns back to the task at hand.
Mr Devil, you are not one man, you are one Devil, a very different equation I'm sure. Also this night you are among allies, and I prefer to have fully functioning allies wherever possible.
She reaches out a hand to touch his shoulder.
and thank you Spore, I thought I was getting a little rusty but I've discovered a musical style these humans call 'Disco' which I am hoping to add to my set in an interesting way
She looks over at Lucas
I think they are likely to see through any disguise we can come up with Napalm, with the heightened security and all. What I can say is that I could take myself and perhaps four others with me underwater if need be. My powers will allow you to breathe and will propel us below the surface to arrive wherever is deemed safest. Limited ability to scout much further, but a safer alternative than sending Shift in on his own perhaps?
Daredevil nods.
Agreed. Even if you could disguise yourself, if they have keycard restrictions you'd likely have to disable a guard and you guys already said that not many of you are used to ....
Daredevil's hands suddenly clamp onto the side of his head and his knees buckle as a colossal explosion rocks the entire port. The sound, even to you, is deafening and to Daredevil, unprepared for such a sudden blast, must be overwhelming.
An enormous gout of flame shoots into the air and even from this distance you can feel the heat of it but it is soon swallowed as the explosion displaces the air.
Dust and debris plume into the night sky and begin raining down in a 200 feet radius like meteorites and, as the dust clears you see there is an enormous hole in the roof of the structure.
Slowly Daredevil begins to stagger to his feet.
Hail Mary full of grace.... he mutters under his breath as a shaking hand still presses against the side of his helmeted head.
This is a common Catholic salutation - also known as the Ave Maria.
Ebon bring his hands up t o his ears as the explosion rips out into the sky, moving over to DareDevil he staying low as debris crash down around him.
"You're still with us. We have to move, This has to be The Punisher." He whispers.
"We need to move in now." He says to everyone.
Jesus Christ, Frank.... what are you doing....? Daredevil whispers as he struggles to clear his head.
"Agreed. No time for stealth," Spore says, in a markedly more serious tone.
"Stay behind me if you can; I'd rather take the brunt than one of you all if we get found out..."
Napalm stares at the explosion and the gaping hole in the room. "Holy hell, what did they do?" He nods to the others about the lack of stealth. "Right, let's get down there now."
He grabs his epi-pen and injects it into his thigh. As he heads down, he watches for any response from the Port Authority or the people inside the building.
There is a sudden whistling THWIPP! through the air. Swiftly followed by another.
Sniper fire! Daredevil hisses before pulling out his batons and standing in a crouched and poised position. He blew a hole in the roof to get a clear field of fire! He looks like a coiled snake about to strike but his head is cocked, desperately trying to determine direction. I'll track down the Punisher and give you guys cover, you get in there, try to get to the bottom of why this is such a prime target for him. he seizes Midnight at the top of the arm in a tight grip. Be careful, all of you.
Through the tumult you can just about make out a hive of movement within the compound.
Armed men run this way and that. Among them are clearly civilians. You see one, a woman dressed in a white lab coat suddenly collapse and then another, a man this time similarly dressed, struck in the back as he is running for cover but pitching headlong into the ground instead
Midnight nods and briefly rests her own hand on Daredevil's
We will, that goes double for you
In deference to his acute hearing she waits till he has moved off before triggering her nanotech as lightning erupts around her and the breeze gusts through her hair.
She soars towards the doorway, eyes flicking around for threats.
The group charge across the dockyard toward the structure.
The large steel gate is flanked on either side by a pair of concrete stations that are, in effect, guard towers. Beyond the gate you can hear the utter chaos of the base, charging footsteps and countless shouts of alarm and some of pain.
Distracted by what is happening, your approach to the gate is unhindered and as you reach it there are still no guards in the towers to challenge you.
Ebon sprints across the open yard making it to the gate the adrenaline pumping through his body he looks around and then up.
"Midnight, it will be quicker if you fly up and get these gates open. But be careful."
Spore looks disappointed as Trystt fails to find an immediate means of getting through the door. Frustrated, he cocks back an arm and takes a couple fast swings at the gate.
"Or Shift, can you get through and open it?" He looks to over to the mutant, then up at the top of the gate. "Remind me to explore a bio-augment for climbing."
Glancing at Trystt, Midnight grabs her under her arms and in a swift movement darts up and over the gate, depositing the girl the other side and pointing at one of the guard posts, as she herself moves in to the other one looking for the gate controls.
On the other side of the gate, chaos reigns. Civilians charge this way and that. To the west several buildings have been badly damaged or outright destroyed in the blast.
You see one man come stumbling out of a doorway of one of these buildings completely engulfed in flames. His arms flail this way and that as the fire licks all along him. Another man, this one wearing doctors scrubs and carrying a bag sprints over to help the burning man but just as he reaches hima large portion of his head simply disappears in a red mist as a sniper round strikes him and he pitches into the ground.
Even within you still cannot get a full sense of the purpose of this place. More storage containers are stacked here and there and vehicles such as vans, trucks and forklifts can be seen in various places but none of that explains the seeming preponderance of people dressed in medical clothing.
The guard posts are squat concrete constructions with glass fronts. In both there is a single guard dressed in grey urban fatigues but both are taking the exact same action - screaming into a console mounted microphone.
They both look up as Midnight and Trystt swoop over the gate and scramble to reach for their sidearms.
Midnight grins at Trystt
A little two on one action is called for here I think!
Waiting for the door to click open under Trystt's expert manipulation, Midnight readies to blast the guard as soon as she has a clear shot.
Ebon looks around and then up at the gate. "I'm going up, we can't all wait down here." He then moves up to the wall and attempts to start climbing it.