Sal gives Kenneth a battlefield grin. "Delinquent? Both times we've met, parties have erupted in the midst of battle." Getting back to business, she points to the gate. "Looks like somebody smashed through there. We've got a possible getaway car there, so it wasn't that one. At least two vehicles, room for four or more, driver still there. Maybe six-eight people inside?"
She grins again as Tangris arrives. "We're strategizing. I'm for going through the gate and around back. That, or hey-diddle-diddle-straight-up-the-middle, or try for a roof entrance." She shakes her head. "I don't like it. Too many things to cover. But we need to go soon. Somebody's shooting. That reminds me. Tangris, you got a weapon?"
Tangris grins and holds up his fists. "I got these. And ya know, other things..."
"Hey, Ken! There's someone on the roof, near the smoker's exit up there."
Tangris feels his excitement growing at the thought of battle, and as a sudden drumming begins far off, he feels himself slipping between man and goat. It's becoming a struggle to stay bipedal.
Kenneth says, "Aye? D'ye think he be a sentry?" He scans the area Tangris indicated, trying to see a sign of the stranger.
"I might be able to sneak up there quietly - alone - and take him out if you want," Sal offers in a whisper, "But I can't guarantee he lives, if you're softhearted. But really, come here and start shooting, whaddya expect?"
Sal strains her eyes to see the lookout, checking the area that Tangris pointed out.
Sal's sharp eyes trained by years upon the range can easily spot the man that Tangris points out. There's just a hint of a shadow, but a small billowing cloud implies that he's smoking.
"I can get you there, if you can show me where to walk to step quietly." Danny offers with unusual seriousness. It seems to have just downe don the lad that they were about to go in and rescue The Police, you know, the ones you usually call when YOU need help?!?
Kenneth says, "It isnae that I be softhearted so much as wanting tae ensure he be a bad guy first... I'd say we'd best go get a better look. Danny, lad, a bit of help in the darkness?"
"One help, coming up!" He smirks, and hums a tune under his breath. It is a sad, depressing love song. The kind that makes you want to curl up on the couch and cry.
And the shadows lengthen and wrap themselves around the Celtic bard as he steps cautiously forward,...
Quietly he moves up the steps towards the small protrusion of the stairwell; the shadows lengthen surrounding him in a grey and dull myrk. The smashed street-lights help keep the building in the gloom, it seems like the world is insulated away from this solitary site.
That the building is alien to the world at whole as sporadic trio's of shots ring out.
In the darkness, the figure doesn't react too much to the gun-shots. In fact it doesn't even disturb his smoking. The soft white cloud billowing from his lips, a sharp red cigarette in his hands.
As Kenneth approaches to within 10m unseen by the figure, the Bard of Brigid can pick out details upon the man. An older gentleman, his appears in his late 50's with rugged features, a stance and bent nose indicate that he's unused to hard work and maybe fighting. However, he's obviously seen better days as his paunch over hangs his belt.
The rough-fellow watches the rear of the building where a vehicle is parked, a long and sturdy van...with it';s motor gently running.
He signals back to Sal and Danny, pointing at the man, then mimes drawing a bow and firing. We need tae take him down fast, afore he can shout a warning.. He then quickly covers his mouth, hoping that they'll catch his meaning before heading back into the shadows to stand just behind the lookout.
Well, here's hoping I did this right... he thinks and channels his will and faith into the leather and wire gauntlet on his wrist, drawing the flaming bow back and releasing an arrow into the lookout's back.
The man turns around as Kenneth approaches, his eyes wide. Cigarette falling from his thick lips, whilst his mouth makes an expanding .
Trying the draw in breath it's followed by a soft "Whoomph", as the flaming arrow hits him in the solar plexus. He stumbles back a trio of steps getting nearish to the roof's edge, gravel lightly crunching underfoot.
Slumping down to the floor, with a glassy eyed expression.
Sal slips along with the others, nodding approval at Danny's illusion and Kenneth's quiet attack. She approaches the downed man, knife out, trying to move silently along the crunching gravel underfoot and sticking to the enhanced shadows.
Tagging Danny's song for stealth.
Once there, she tries to bash the downed man on the head for good measure.
Tagging Kenneth's condition on the man KNOCK THE WIND OUT OF HIM.
The sentry's head knock's back under Sals heavy-booted kick. And his stares with glazed and unconcious eyes. The cigarette spills from his fingers to be lost upon the coarse gravel of the roof-top.
Thus allowing everyone to get to the roof unnoticed, from the elevated position the rear of the building has some scrub ground and below them is a idling large security van. The engine running and the light illumination of the cab light.
Whilst nearby is the yawning mouth of the service room entrance and stairs down to the bulk of the police-building.
Danny nods towards the van, his question evident in his eyes.
'Do we we worry about him now? Or leave him for later?'
He clenches and unclenches his fingers nervously, obviously wishing for a magic bow or a sword of his own.
Kenneth nods, "Brilliant. Now, that van has me a mite bit nervous, but there's still shots happening inside, and some notion of a supernatural cause. Can anyone think of a way tae disable the van from up here afore we go in -- a way that dinnae give us all away?"
"Can you just,... I dunno,... ?" Danny waggles his fingers making a wide-eyed spooky face.
"You know?"
;P
Kenneth says, "I dinnae ken. Letitia did all the heavy lifting, so tae speak, when we fried the cameras and the computers behind them. Me own gifts are a mite more organic.... Though at least that be a newer van...."
Kenneth reaches into himself and finds the Flames of Kildare, drawing the Fire of the Forge into himself and focusing his will, trying to drive the power through him and into the van's electronics like an anvil.
Kenneth curses silently through clenched teeth, "The blasted poxy thing is just a mite far... almost tae far....
Lady, that thing down there be forged steel.... The Fire of the Forge makes it your dominion... And we cannae let the bad guys get away... He pushes himself harder, drawing everything he can, with a snarl...
Kenneths' anger, the burning fury of Brigit's justice manifests itself... following the Heralds will it does it's hexing task.
The engine breaks with a little pop, and some dark smoke starts to trail from the engine. As the piston has been thrown and the oil is burning off... with a thump a man exits the cab and goes to examine the wreckage.
Danny smirks as he ducks back behind the roof edge so the guy doesn't see them.
"Remind me not to get you mad at me. Or at my car."
Danny peeks over teh edge once more at the guy silently cursing the truck below.
"Your mechanic must love you!" He adds, straight-faced.
Kenneth takes a breath to calm himself and turns and smiles, "Aye, well, now ye ken why I hae the classic bike. There isnae any computery bits tae fail."
His smile fades and he quickly sobers, "Can ye extend the shadows tae the door? I think it's time tae see what's going on."
(+2 for Danny's shadows, if possible)
Entering the building through the roof, quietly walking down the corridors lined by empty offices. With empty windows they seems strangely desolate after working hours. Desks littered with the refuse of a days work (or idling), grainy photo's pinned to boards, esoteric filing systems and folders fill the shelves.
The upper floor seems mostly empty, the occasional office light remains. This seems to be the detectives and paperwork area, a dismal administration area illuminated by pale halogen lights.
A couple of stairwells are around:
A duo of shots ring out from down stairs, nearer the former than the latter.
Danny looks at the sound, then back at his companions.
He gulps audibly.
"I don't suppose that anyone brought any kelvar vests?"
Sal taps her ribs. "Only mine, sorry, and it's not a very heavy-duty one. Let me go down and scout it out, if you want."
She draws the pistol from under her jacket and starts to creep down the stairway with the loudest shots, ready to fire.
Kenneth smiles at Danny, "Nae, nothing but magic shields and mail.... But buck up, lad. Last month, we fought a dragon and his minions... a few boggin bampots with guns isnae anything tae fear, ye ken."
Kenneth turns and nods at Sal, "I'll come with, watch your back and all that." He grips his Crasg Brìghde, ready to throw up a shield as he creeps forward.
Danny looks at Tangris. He grins.
"After you?" He says politely, gesturing to the doorway.
Tangris smiles. "Well, as long as we're letting beauty go before age!" Tangris moves in, keeping his head down.
The light of these ground floor corridors are stark and bright in comparison to the upper level, however still there are shadows and murk. It is in this that the group moves quietly.
Walking down the corridor, ahead of you is a junction. A pair of people stand there using the edge as cover whilst they fire away from you down the corridor. The first is a thick set man with short sandy hair, he wears a police uniform and a stab vest. Next to him is Laura the police detective, she wears a simple suit although it's rumpled by a hastily donned vest.
Laura pops out and fires a small pistol, with a trio of shots down the unseen corridor. The other Sandy-haired man is looking around, however he does seem to spot anything.
"Um, maybe you should let your friends know we're here? You know, before they shoot first and ID later?" Danny murmurs close to Kenneth's ear.
Kenneth nods, "Aye, 'twould be a shame tae be shot by those we've come tae help. Still, let's improve the odds a' tha, if we can."
Kenneth tightens his grip on the wired cross in his hands, drawing the Flames of Kildare, reaching for the Fire of Inspiration, and whispers, "Ealaidh Ceòlraidh", wincing against the headache that results.
Kenneth, shakes his head against the headache, then calls out from within the shadows, deliberately thickening his brogue, "Aye, ye bonnie lass, tha' was me. We be comin' up behind ye, sae dinnae shoot us. I've brought Danny an' Sal, an' a new bloke ye havenae met yet."
Kenneth creeps forward slightly and adds, "He may be annoyin', but save yer bullets fur th' boggin mingers."
He turns to Danny, "Can we make the coridor edges seem a little bigger tae giver better cover for the bobbies yonder? 'Twould be a shame for them tae get flattened jist as the cavalry arrives, an' Laura willnae stop shooting and putting herself in the line of whatever's down there."
"I think I was just insulted, but for the life of me, I can't understand a word that Scotty says." Tangris smiles at Danny.
Tangris steps out, keeping his hands up. "I heard you folks needed a hand. I've got two. Where are the bad guys?"
Danny furrows his brow for a moment, actually thinking instead of just blurting out. For now.
"A one-sided veil? Sure, that's pretty much all my invisibility veils are. Heh, maybe I can even do better than that,..." He says, getting that familiar look in his eyes.
"Hey Laura. Nice to see you again.' He says chipperly as he draws near the officers. "WHat are looking at down there? just a couple, or an army?"
"Alright, I'm going to throw off their aim. If you hurry, you should be able to make it to them before they figure out how to compensate. Annnnd, I'll let you guys d what you do best from there." He grins.
"Standby,..."
Danny takes a breath, focuses, and sings,...
He sings about the long journey home, watching a lover from afar, mist in the morning, rippling water, and throws in a verse about a desert mirage for good measure. The air in the hallway begins to shimmer,...
,... and to the goons around the corner, the hallway seems to shimmer and stretch out, the figures now impossibly far away and half-hidden by a heat shimmer in the air.
She spins around, a thick lock of hair providing a veil across one eye. Gun locked upon Kenneth for just the merest of a second until she realises who it is.
Still a touch wary, she looks to the group. Kenneth can tell the warm relief in her eyes, a special glint in them just for him. "It was quiet tonight. Not much happening in town. But unfortunately I had to work late, so I couldn't be with you at the gallery."
"Instead, we just caught a big-time dealer. He was coming into the country on a fishing boat in Whitby, with 50kg's of heroin. So my partner & I have been interviewing him all afternoon. I just nipped out for a second to do some paper-work..." she looks slightly shocked.
"Then I heard a sound, like the rending of metal and glass. A minute later it was punctuated by pistol fire. I got to the control room and checked the monitors.... my partner is down. Some thugs, 4 or 5 maximum got in there and grabbed the prisoner. They are trying to make their way to the rear, but are pinned down. Charles is trying to hold the back." she adds summarising the situation quickly.
Kenneth smiles and winks, "Well, they willnae be pleased with the state ay their getaway van if they make it that far... Also, their lookout on the roof wasnae feeling well, so Sal and I put him down for a nap.."
Mindless dedication, supernatural strength enough to tear through iron.... Mayhap their dealer isnae human... Especially since we've heard tell of the red courters coming out tae play...
In a more sober tone he adds, "Still, let's try tae stop them from doing any more harm, shall we?"
"You don't have any smoke grenades handy, do you? Sal murmurs to Laura, "Anything to give us extra cover?"
"Do we want to go straight in or let these folks hold down the fort and circle around to flank them, support Charles some?" Sal's black-nailed hands grip the pistol firmly but without excess tension, barrel toward the ceiling.
The sandy-haired man is looking around, slack-jawed at the new-comers. He seems to be a beat-officer (or a plod) that's completely out of his depth, without (of course) even a pistol.
Laura inclines her head, considering the options and knowing little of the others capabilities.
"As long as you don't go ina straight line, they should miss you by a good bit. If you run, they probably won't get off more than a round. But, um, I can't keep this up forever." He points out between verses,...
Tangris grins. "Well, I can provide a distraction, but I'm gonna have to get naked. Ladies and men with weak hearts may want to look away." Tangris proceeds to strip quickly, revealing a very hairy body and some...um... ample male parts.
Laura leans down the hallway and lets off a couple of shots, subtly avoiding the naked man. Though there is a swift retort the staccato fire of semi-automatic weapons.
Tangris transforms into his hairy goat self, lets out a bleat of goatish anger and charges down the hallway toward the gunmen!
Kenneth raises his arm, willing the flaming bow to appear and draws back, firing a flaming arrow at one of the gunmen, then turns to the rest of the group. "Did I just see a goat?", he asks in an incredulous tone.
"You saw a lot of one, yes," Sal replies dryly, "Hold onto your hats, folks, Tangris is here!"
Sal moves past Laura taking a sturdy abutment as cover. "Naked men tend to be quite distracting..." Laura comments quietly, whilst the goat charges down the corridor. The detectives eyes linger upon Sal for a moment, assessing the woman as she takes a shot.
The Sandy haired police constable takes a step back out of the conflict, the man clearly out of his depth.
At the end of the corridor is a reception room,
Sal's shot rips into the corner of the wall forcing him out into the open of the corridor, he stares wide eyed at the charging goat.
(whoops, the colours are a bit off. But Sa=Sandy haired Policeman, Ch=Charles the Cop)
"BAHHHHHHH!"