Invictus nodded as Dr. Quark spoke, "I believe the VIPER assault craft has been impounded by AEGIS, as such it is doubtful we will be able to secure further information until our meeting with Agent Bonham."
He paused to consider their options, as he did so he extended a hand towards the Captain, "Thanks Roger, tell Trish and the girls I said, 'Hello', and if she is still serious about that meatloaf dinner, I will try to work it into my schedule." He shook the Captain's hand, and headed for the window, "Lets see what we can find Quark."
As he flew from the Precinct, he spoke to the Doctor perched securely in the joints of his armored shoulder. "The League has more contacts, and political clout than we do at the moment, we could try to talk to one of the more rational members, Bowman, Daedulus, Lady Liberty or Siren. How about we follow South River out to the Narrows, then along Wading and circle back through the downtown core to Freedom Hall?"
OOC: Will be scanning with X-Ray Vision, careful not to intrude on people's privacy, overmuch. And listening with my Radio hearing to determine if any police bands etc are asking for help or assistance. . Lets see what we see! Well, and hear! :D
As you scan over on your patrol at this hour there isn't a lot of action that doesn't have to do with cleaning up from the court house and things associated with that.
You are correct The Viper helicopter is in AEGIS lock up currently.
When you arrive at Freedom Hall the receptionist says all members of the league are currently busy on important league bussiness sorry for the inconvenience. All attempts to contact them through any type of communicator fails.
T.I.G.H.T.S.: Terror INC. has not been very active in the USA recently. The most note worthy thing is Professor Muerte has began to a seek United Nations recognition of San Muerte Island Terror INCs base of operations off the coast of Brazil.
When you arrive at Freedom Hall the receptionist says all members of the league are currently busy on important league bussiness sorry for the inconvenience. All attempts to contact them through any type of communicator fails.
Invictus nodded, "I understand your concern ma'am, but the situation with VIPER calls for a co-ordinated effort on the part of the League, and the other heroes of the city. The organization has already executed one of their own in an attempt to protect their secrets. It's imperative I speak with the Bowman so that we can share information and assist the League before more innocent lives are lost."
OOC: Enough to take Unfriendly to Helpful, or Indifferent to Friendly.
Are they on a different planet or in a different dimension? If not, a little professional courtesy would be in order.
*Invictus, do you think we should have quiet look around? I don't feel good about this?*
Invictus and Dr Quark:
The Receptionist
"I am sorry for how Captain treated you today he has a hard time because he respected your predecessor so much its hard for him to deal with and respect you.
The League left there was a dire emergency, after the Helicopter incident. They summoned The Bowman the closest reserve member and took off saying they wouldn't be in communication until they return, and they were not sure when they would return. They told me to refer any true emergency to AEGIS, The STAR squad, or Duncan Summers. While encase of world threats I should contact The Sentinels and The Champions. This is standard when they leave for long periods of time.
Im sorry I cant be more help I really am.
I know you mean well Invictus and he would be proud of you."
Everyone disperses to pursue their assignments. The entrance to the Cathode Cathedral closes with a deep, resounding . Techno Priest casually walks over to the liquor cabinet, retrieving an aged bottle of bourbon.
"Cathode Cathedral, Security Code Status: Delta Oscar Whiskey November."
The lights through out the station dim, the stars in the dome seem to twinkle a bit brighter. Through out, more locking noises can be heard echoing down the tunnel. He begins assembling two cocktails- old-fashioneds.
*Testing, testing. Is everything peachy? Techno Priest here. The Cathode Cathedral is running on high security. TIGHTS and I are going to engage in some "questionable" "activity". Give me a warning before you show up and we should be fine.*
"Run Op: Whiskey India November Delta Oscar Whiskey Sierra Niner Five"
He looks over at Isaac with a cheeky smile "Y'gotta have a sense of humor about ya, mate."
The twinkling lights increase in brightness. Techno Priest passes Isaac a beverage and grabs himself a seat on the couch as a greenish blue three dimensional holographic fractal image composes itself below the dome.
"I call 'er 'Holly', short for 'Hologram'. I don't usually get to use this thing, but seeing that I actually get to work with someone, it's probably best if I didn't do all the work in my head. Now, how about we get to work?"
He takes a sip from his cocktail and lets it settle before sitting back in his seat.
"What do we know thus far? A break-in at AEGIS, files stolen, both physical and digital. I always say play to your strengths, so let's not preoccupy with too much of the physical aspects, yeah?"
The holo-fractal begins to shift, flattening out into a web-browser. AEGIS's website is pulled up and another fractal expands, showing thousands upon thousands of pages of the site's meta-data.
"Well, Isaac. Looks like we're going to be here awhile. If you need to busy your hands, I've got a few projects we can work on in the meantime."
An hour and a half goes by of cross-referencing IP addresses, pinpointing locations, checking credit scores, chasing the money trails and it seems they've come up with a name somewhere near Brazil: Terror Inc.
"Awesome, now we know who stole the files, now we just need to know what files and why.
* AEGIS files were stolen by a "Terror Incorporated". Founded by one "Professor Muerte", a Dr. Destroyer worshipping psychopath bent on causing the world to fear, and then rescuing them all from the fear he caused? Sounds about right for villain-logic, yeah? Anyway, this Professor Muerte, assembled himself a group of like-minded individuals and settled on the name Terror, Inc, which I am sure they've lived up to. What could they possibly want with AEGIS files, who knows. Doesn't seem that they're erasing themselves from their database, but maybe they were looking for something or some one.
Seems I may have to find someone to talk to at AEGIS once Quark and Vic are done. In the meantime...*
** spoiler omitted **
Hey, look up there. Ares casually inclines his head towards the man with the camera. Think that's something worth looking into?
Ares is dressed in blue jeans, sweater-vest. and loose-fitting jacket. He could be out with a good friend, or on a date.
Broadway laughs quietly, *Diva? Yeah, okay. Especially coming from a Swimsuit Model.* He throws a wink before kicking in his own flight, *Let's see how well they do with orders when they can't hear.*
Broadway moves FAST towards the SUVs and centers a blast like a localized sonic boom.
*Why thank you.* she says as she sweeps down from the other end. After the boom, she zips through the gang members, knocking them down and holding them in her water.
Dr. Praxis also dressed in civilian attire glances over. "Yes I noticed him as well seems suspicious. Might he be casing the joint as they say?"
Dr. Praxis will move over towards and try to get an idea of what he is focusing on.
It is worth looking in to. Ares keeps his distance. Two people walking towards the man might spook him. It'd certainly look suspicious. The last thing he wants is another courthouse fiasco. Instead he casually moves to regard a statue with a better view of the man. He breathes deep and calmly focuses his attention on the man, while appearing to examine the statue.
Ares and Prax:
The man is focusing all of his time on the Egyptian display that is only here for this month.
He is focused on almost scanning each item with his camera.
The Silencer
Round 1 Init 20.
As Waveform takes all the Thugs up in water a strange silences falls over the entire area as one of the lead "Made Men" fighting against the water suddenly jerks back as some type of force hits his face penetrating his head and causing the back of his skull to explode out all in an eerie silence.
He looked at the receptionist, curious, he hadn't considered the reasons for Thunder's unease around him. "Consider my friends and I from the Courthouse an alternative Cynthia," he paused as he obtained the frequency of the nano-device from Priest, "broadcast in the 242 MHz range, and our comm's will pick it up. I know Thunder doesn't trust us, but we can respond and co-ordinate with AEGIS, and the STAR Squad if needed."
He turned, nodding to Quark, "And Cynthia, if you are in communication, tell them good speed and safe journey home."
As Invictus lifted off from in front of Freedom Hall, he spoke to Quark, "Anywhere you need dropped off Doctor? I have a personal matter to attend to, but if you need me ..." He tapped his ear, turned his head and smiled at where Quark was tucked in his pauldron.
~
He swung wide and slowed his speed considerably as he banked towards the fourth floor window at the North Pine Long Term Care Facility. As he looked in he saw the night nurse administering Ms. Mason her evening meal. He rapped at the window, the nurse, startled at first, realized who it was. She opened the window, Invictus nodded his thanks as he floated forward, "How has she been doing today?" The nurse smiled, sadly, "A little better, she had a few lucid moments, she woke up a few times, but her conditions getting worse. You sure she doesn't have anyone?" He nodded, "Just me." The nurse acknowledged him and returned to her station.
"Good evening Donna, how are you doing?" The elderly woman looked up, smiled weakly, "Oh, Marcus, you're here. I must look terrible." As he looked at her, he scanned her lungs, and like a shadow, dark, and terrible the tumor was still there. Waiting. "You look beautiful Donna, as always." He reached out and took her hand, gently holding it, wincing inwardly at how frail it appeared. "Oh! I saw you on TV, I didn't recognize anyone else though. Saving the world again, eh?" He nodded, "Trying, Ms. Mason, trying." "It's never easy, you always made it look like it was, but it never was, was it?" "No, and Gardener was more than a little upset that I was there." She patted his hand, "Little Ray? He always looked up to you, you know that right? He's high strung, but I think he'll grow into a fine young man, one day." "I suppose," he looked out the window, "it's a nice night out, crisp air, cool, but not cold, and not a cloud in the sky." She smiled, delighted, "Oh! Would you?" Very gently he wrapped the woman in her blankets, and picked her up as gently as a babe, "Up, up, and away," he chuckled.
~
Invictus flew a slow, lazy circle of the narrows, Donna Mason in his arms. She clutched tightly at first, and then as the lights reflected off of the bay, she started to relax. "It's peaceful up here isn't it." He nodded, "You know it is Donna, I come fly out over the bay to think sometimes, clear my head." As she looked out over the water she started to reminisce, "It reminds me of the Atoll Islands, remember? What was his name again?" He frowned, the poor woman had been through enough, but her memory kept coming around to this, "The Atomic Brain?" She nodded, biting her lip, "He had you all locked in a bunker didn't he?" Invictus nodded, Centurion's memories washing over him, the megalomaniac gloating as he had the Liberty League confined in a death trap, chained to a nuclear device. "Yes Donna, but you saved us." As he spoke the image of them speeding away, but that last one into the lead lined bunker, was Donna, and the force of the explosion had thrown her through the door. But not before she had absorbed several times a lethal dose of radiation, her powers had protected her from the worst of it, but when they faded in the 70's the cancer had come back with a vengeance. He stroked her hair, reverently, "You saved us Donna, and you'll always be my hero."
She had fallen asleep, he slowly banked and returned to North Pine, he dropped slowly through the open window and returned Ms. Mason back to her bed. Pulling the covers up, he tucked her in and kissed her forehead gently. "Sleep well Lady Liberty."
OOC: Since Invictus doesn't sleep, he'll continue to patrol through the night, focusing primarily on assisting the public servants, police, fire department, and such. He can hear their radio transmissions due to his Radio hearing, and he will clear his work schedule for the next day by calling in sick, so he can get to his meeting with AEGIS. Obviously the communicator is on him if anyone needs him for anything.
Swift jerked awake as the cabby said, for what was obviously not the first time, Sir, please wake up.
He must have fallen asleep in the cab. Invictus had offered to drop him anywhere, but he was ready to be done with heroes for the day. He had hopped in a cab outside the precinct house and promptly dozed off. He was going to have to find a way to deal with sleep. Keeping up real life and being a hero all day was grinding him down.
He took his phone out of his pocket and powered it on, tapping it on the sensor of the cab. As he stepped onto the sidewalk, the phone began vibrating violently as the screen filled with notification bubbles full of texts and voicemails. He had completely forgotten that no one knew what happened to him at the courthouse. Resigned to a few more nights without sleep, he turned away from his stoop to walk the 6 blocks to his ex-wife's house and tell them he was still alive.
T.I.G.H.T.S. shared what he knew with Priest.
[b]"So...we have Viper plus Terror, Inc. What do you think? All we can beat villain buffet?"
"Well, I think Terror Inc is planning a come back."
He finishes the gadget he'd been working on to busy his hands and gives it an underhanded toss towards the far side of the couch.
"Wait, look at this."
Techno Priest tries to access a file titled "SUPERIOR UBERMENSCH", yet when he clicks on it, an error comes up. He continues clicking on other unrelated links within the AEGIS server until he finds another similar error under the title "KAL-ZED".
*Squad, I've got a question. Does the name KAL-ZED ring a bell for anyone? Perhaps SUPERIOR UBERMENSCH? It seems Terror Inc has been scouring files related to this individual from AEGIS servers, and I've got a feeling this may be third reich-related. Seems Professor Muerte and his Terror Incorporated is looking for ....Nazis.... I don't like Nazis. This is eerie.*
Gang Members
Round 1 Init 4.
The four still remaining alive gang members are still slammed against the SUVs with the water.
The remaining silently attempt to get cover from The Silencer hiding in and behind the vehicles.
The Asian in the Town car attempts to leave get in the car and speed away.
Round 1 Round Up
Waveform slammed and overran five of the Gang Members with her Hydrokinesis.
The Silencer Appeared and dropped a huge silence field and blew the head off on of the grappled "Made Men".
Broadway tired to hit the group of Gang Members with a Deafening Blast.
The Gang Members took Cover and The Asian Gang Members tried to escape the scene.
Waterfront Hit
Initiative Order
Round 2
Waveform 23
The Silencer 20
Broadway 6
Gang Members 4
Thursday Night News
Freedom League Stops the bad guys!!!!!
The New Guys save the innocent.
Today the Federal Courthouse was attacked by VIPER as they pulled off a daring courtroom assassination of one of their former members.
Three Hostages Judge Baker and Two AEGIS agents were taken away by Helicopter after 2 Metahuman assailants Murdered Ray Park and took these three hostages while beat back some of Freedom Cities Newest Heroes.
The Freedom League Apprehended the Helicopter and saved the hostages from the hands of VIPER.
The New Heroes showed their worth after The Super Criminals known as Blaze and The Phalanx beat them down, they came to the rescue of over 20 court employees who had been wired to large explosives that would of likely destroyed most of the Court building if not for our new heroes.
After all of this Captain Thunder had an altercation with Invictus the rumored clone or son of the Legendary Centurion. Let us show you the footage.
Well after that Im sure everyone cant wait for these twos next encounter.
Well as one of many people of Freedom Im glad we have so many great super heroes to protect all of us. You can never have to many heroes.
*Squad, I've got a question. Does the name KAL-ZED ring a bell for anyone? Perhaps SUPERIOR UBERMENSCH? It seems Terror Inc has been scouring files related to this individual from AEGIS servers, and I've got a feeling this may be third reich-related. Seems Professor Muerte and his Terror Incorporated is looking for ....Nazis.... I don't like Nazis. This is eerie.*
[bold]OOC:[/b] Will see if Centurion's memories have anything on KAL-ZED. . Failing that I will try to reach out to both Duncan Summers & Maximilian Mars to see if they know anything in regards to Professor Muerte, Terror, Inc. or KAL-ZED.
It is worth looking in to. Ares keeps his distance. Two people walking towards the man might spook him. It'd certainly look suspicious. The last thing he wants is another courthouse fiasco. Instead he casually moves to regard a statue with a better view of the man. He breathes deep and calmly focuses his attention on the man, while appearing to examine the statue.
Ares focuses his attention on the display. He searches his memory of everything he's read and experienced. Maybe there's something important in this display
Round 2 Init 23.
The sniper worried her. He was either a vigilante or an assassin targeting other criminals. She decided to give him one chance and called up to him "No kill shots. Together we have this." Still, she hardens the water around the gang members she's holding, just in case. The people in the town car at least had some cover against the sniper, but she couldn't allow it to go anywhere. She sends a rush of ware through the grille to short the engine.
Dr. Praxis will proach the photographer.
"How are you? I can see you are an admirer of ancient Egyptian artwork. I am as well. What do you admire most about their techniques?"
Ares:
There are a few that really come to mind: Scarab of Wazner, The Mask of Narmer the Scorpion Pharaoh, Crook of Qa'a, Statue of Djoser, Amulet of Khufu, The Staff of Akhenaten. These are some of the truly priceless items on display here.
Dr. Praxis:
I enjoy seeing my culture and heritage that was stolen from my homeland and on display for other cultures.
Artistically I enjoy the ageless qualities of the work.
Waveform:
You kill the engine of the town car trying to escape.
The Silencer
Round 2 Init 20.
The Silencer hits a head shot on the other "Made Man" that is wrapped in water. After seeing his head also jerk in an unnatural manner you see him speed off into the air on a flying platform.
[dice="Made Man" Toughness Save]1d2+8[/dice]
Ares:
There are a few that really come to mind: Scarab of Wazner, The Mask of Narmer the Scorpion Pharaoh, Crook of Qa'a, Statue of Djoser, Amulet of Khufu, The Staff of Akhenaten. These are some of the truly priceless items on display here.Dr. Praxis:
I enjoy seeing my culture and heritage that was stolen from my homeland and on display for other cultures.
Artistically I enjoy the ageless qualities of the work.
These are all priceless... Ares focuses his thoughts back to those times. Were any used in war? Do any of these have power? Other than being valuable, why would someone focus their attention only on these? This is a museum everything in here is priceless.
Waveform and Broadway:
Ares: As you think of these items you can not remember these items are from a time before history as your knowledge is slowly coming back to you, none of these that you can remember are great items of War.
Dr. Praxis and Ares: Over the intercom of the muesum you hear The muesum will be closing in 15 minutes, thank you for coming and have a great day.
Round 2 Init 6.
Piercing Scream (Lethal), Sonic Shield (+9 toughness, Impervious 5 ranks only), Friction Glide
Broadway uses his piercing scream on the back tire assembly of the SUV that they're trying to use to make off with the money.
Broadway: You shatter the rearend of the SUV they are closest to with the money.
Ares: As you think of these items you can not remember these items are from a time before history as your knowledge is slowly coming back to you, none of these that you can remember are great items of War.
Dr. Praxis and Ares: Over the intercom of the muesum you hear The muesum will be closing in 15 minutes, thank you for coming and have a great day.
Ares keeps the camera man in his sight. Hopefully, cameraman goes away. If not, Ares will bring him War.
Round 2 Init 4
The three Grappled Gang Members have pretty much given up.
The remaining 8 Gang Members begin to open fire on the two of you as they try to get into vehicles to escape.
The Four shooting at Broadway all hit but his impervious Sound Shield bounces the bullets off him like they were nothing.
The other four shooting at Waveform watch the bullets fly off the Watershield
The gang members try to make a run for it some towards the SUVs that still work others just down the streets.
Ares and Dr Praxis: The Gentlemen using the camera exits the museum with the rest of the patrons.
Dr. Praxis turns to Ares, "I will follow him see if it leads anywhere, if you would be so kind as to take care of this body?"
Golem will walk over to Ares and "faint" then follow the photographer as a spirit.
Ares picks up Praxis' body, and carries it to a closet. It's too bad he didn't make it look like a statue. It'd be easy to hide around here Instead, he props the body up on a bench and leans back. Looking for all the owlrd like a man helping his sick friend.
Round 2 Init 23.
She looks at them, "You guys aren't getting the clue, are you?" A blast of water slams down on the hood of the SUV. She seems genuinely concerned "You're outmatched. You can't shoot, you can't run. It's over."
Prax: You follow the patron and he goes out and gets in a very nice sports car and drives off to one of the more expensive hotels in Freedom and has his car taken by vallet and walks into his hotel.
Waveform and Broadway: The Silencer is getting away if you want to chase him down or you can try to apprehend the Gang Members as they are all running away in different directions trying to get away. We can drop out of Init if you don't chase The Silencer.
He circled wide as he rose above North Pine, he banked west and noticed a reddish glow against the underside of the evening clouds. Intrigued Invictus poured on the speed as he listened to the radio waves, until he found a broadcast from the Forestry Service. "... wind shift! NNW! It's jumped shit! Where's my smoke jumpers, we dropped them in two hours ago!" A response, "... cut off. It jumped the breach, we're falling back but the new burn is forcing us back towards the main burn, and our equipment is gone."
Using the co-ordinates broadcast in the cross channel chatter, Invictus was able to pinpoint the U.S. Forestry's command center. He landed in the clearing, pacing the center was a large man, several days growth, a stitched name tag on his gear identified him as Ranger Martinez. "Chief, I was doing a fly by, I picked up some chatter, you have some jumpers cut off?" The big man spun around, "Who the?!?" He noticed the cape immediately, but was unlikely to be able to name the young hero in front of him, "Yeah, listen, I have no idea what you can do, but if you can play spotter I can organize ...", he paused, clearly at a loss for how he was going to make a fire break this late in, "... something." Invictus nodded, then continued, "How exactly do you make a break Martinez? I'm not that familiar with your procedures, but I can do alot more than just play spotter for your crews." He considered the heroes offer, "If we got the time we use our equipment," he thumbed behind him to where construction equipment was parked, "to break through, knocking down trees, making an area large enough that the fire can't jump through." Nodding Invictus walked towards the vehicle, "Chief, can you and your men jury rig this for me?" A small crowd had started to gathered, tired, exhausted, but pushing through it for their trapped crewmen.
A short time later, Invictus was flying through a blazing inferno, dragging the bucket of a huge front end loader behind him by a series of chains and harness, dragging it through the soil, making a swath one hundred feet wide, and almost five hundred feet end to end. As he worked, the C-130 was flying out of Jordan International, skimming the Bay and returning to douse the channel Invictus was digging with 3400 gallons of water. As the young hero pulled at the harness moving tons of earth, he heard the drone of the plane, and felt the wash as over 120 tons of water doused the flames securing the break that he had been working on. Abandoning the bucket, he flew towards the trapped jumpers, his vision allowed him to identify the two who would be unable to move on their own, moving them quickly to the command center for the paramedics, he returned to assist the rest of the jumpers get through the break. As he shook the fire fighters hands, Martinez walked up to the young man, clapped him on the back, "Thanks for the help hero, we should be able to take it from here."
Invictus was slightly distracted, as Priests communication came through the nano communication device.
*Squad, I've got a question. Does the name KAL-ZED ring a bell for anyone? Perhaps SUPERIOR UBERMENSCH? It seems Terror Inc has been scouring files related to this individual from AEGIS servers, and I've got a feeling this may be third reich-related. Seems Professor Muerte and his Terror Incorporated is looking for ....Nazis.... I don't like Nazis. This is eerie.*
He lifted off, and away from the now controlled blaze, leaving a crew of fire fighters questioning the identity of the young hero who had just saved the lives of their smoke jumpers.
"We're going to have to tread carefully on this one folks, Muerte, is one of Dr. Destroyers old allies, he learned alot of his mentors secrets, including his technology, and his desire for global domination. If he's looking for information on Superior, Kal-Zed, we need to be worried. Kal-Zed was able to fight Centurion to a stand still, in their final confrontation he was able to imprison him ..." He paused a moment, hesitant, "... in the Zero Zone."
"While I have folks on comms, I want to invite you all to a meeting Quark and I set up with AEGIS for tomorrow morning. Perhaps with their assistance we can look further into VIPER and make sure that they are fairly judged for the assassination of Ray Parks."
OOC: You all got to do something cool, I wanted something cool too! Call it emergency envy! :D
*Waveform, what do you think? Silencer has a pretty big head start, we may not catch him, but we can round up all these guys and hand them over to the police.*
*Let's keep the bird in hand. He's a flyer and we're not. We'll get these guys in and report him.*