Lance throws off all pretense of being asleep and cycles through his options, running through mental simulations as quickly as possible.
Finally (almost a full 6 seconds later, just as Knightingale's flurry of attacks has finished) he settles on one.
"Looks like we're hitting a bit of turbulence! You guys better hang on." he says, and winks at Knightingale and the robot.
He interfaces with the airbus, takes a bare moment to familiarize himself with its inner workings, and sets about making the inside a very unpleasant place to be. The ship yaws up, down, side to side, and he tries his best to make it do a loop de loop (though alas, it nearly stalls and he lets that one go).
Knightingale and Golem are nimble enough to keep their footing or grab on to something sturdy. Lance is securely fastened inside a metal and plexiglas cage, bolted to the floor. Many of the guards...are not so lucky.
The fortunate ones are bumped around, knocked over or out by being rattled around the inside of the bus. The less fortunate ones go tumbling out the open door, screams snatched away by the wind, except for those who can hear their terror echo through the radio links in their helmets.
Knightingale weathers the tumbling of the craft, working her way to the pod. She takes in the mechanical locks (you don't use electronic locks on a pod to hold a guy who can control electronics). With Iota not here to get inside the mechanics, and lacking superstrength, she takes a few moments to manipulate the devices and open the pod.
Seeing Lance strapped into the chair, she peels the mask up to reveal her mouth and gives him a long, lingering kiss.
"The dentist called, said you needed an extraction, unless you are having too much fun here." Lance always said working with Dick was like having a tooth pulled. She pulls the mask back over her face
She will unstrap him from the chair and toss an X mask in his lap.
Lance hops out of the chair and smiles.
"You know, I never took you for the terrorist sort." he pauses "Not that I'm complaining. Even with that mask on you're the least scary woman I've seen in a while."
He shudders slightly as he thinks back to Killer Frost and Dunwich's carnal relations.
Iota flies the pilot to safety, only to spot a few more bodies hurtling towards the earth. After insuring that they make touchdown safely, he returns to the Airbus.
"We've got 90 seconds to clear the scene. Coming in for a pick-up." Tech-Head chimes in on the commlink. The airbus rattles a bit as it's controls are taken over by AI. The lights flicker on again, showing the mess left within. Plenty of concussions and broken bones, but luckily no lives taken.
The drop ship positions itself below the airbus. With a quick skip and a hop (or, y'know, Golem ferrying you over), you're safe within the confines of the drop ship.
Once the ship is clear of any danger, the metal attache case emits a blue glow. Hard light slivers fall into place and take the form of Director Grayson.
"Save the celebrations, Outsiders. The Red X, who you've implicated in this attack, are a multinational terrorist organization dedicated to leveling the field between humans and metahumans by any means necessary. Their biggest fear is that one day, all metahuman-kind will turn against them. My mentor had a similar fear. He created a satellite system named Brother Mk I that would gather information on metahumans. He was a man of contingencies, always holding back for a rainy day. The system was corrupted and many died because of it. It was his biggest failure.
Twelve hours ago, U.S. Government officials secretly green lit new programming for the Brother Mk I satellite. In three days, Brother Eye will be fully operational again. To make matters worse, a new drug is currently being distributed by The Jokerz. Intel claims it's injected into the blood stream and gives the user a euphoric sense of one-ness with other users and technology-- cars, streetlights, computers, cellphones, etc-- around them. I don't think these two occurrences are mutually exclusive.
"So you are thinking Brother Eye will be able to control people through this drug? Do we have any samples of this drug? If they are selling it in Gotham, that should be pretty easy to track down.
The first satellite was heavily cloaked, right? Is this one? Can we even find the thing?"
"So why bust ME out?"
"I get what you're getting at with the "drug", but seems like you'd be better served getting someone with a better working knowledge of how the nanomachines actually WORK than just someone who knows how to use them, and looks good doing it." he shrugs.
"But I guess I owe you one either way."
"This is all happening quickly. The Brother Eye programming will be installed in an obsolete satellite already in geosynchronous orbit. As for a sample, not currently, but that's why I've got you. I need you to hit the streets, pinpoint the source of this drug and grab a sample."
"Mr. Harper, you're correct, but then I'd have a lot more questions to answer. I know what you are capable of, what you bring to the table, and I have no doubts that you'll be able to take care of any situation in a quick and timely manner."
"A sample will do. We honestly don't have the time to find the source just yet."
"Anyone feel like busting some heads in Gotham? find some dealers, work our way up the food chain? I've spent too much time screaming at invading aliens and giant robots. Some time at home sounds luxurious..."
"I'm up for just about anything. Spent so much time sitting around and eating prison food, I'm afraid I've gone soft."
|
Golem nods and claps Knightingale and Gravewound good-naturedly on the back. "Ah! A little scrap in Go'tam just what we need den, eh? As few hostiles come at you wit' vibroblades to help build up good sweat!
Be sure to eat enough protein before we go. Makes no sense to put in de work and get de benefits, eh?"
"It's a done deal. Gotham City, Tech. Good luck, Outsiders."
Tech Head's AI announces your arrival to Gotham. Down below, Neo Gotham glitters with nightlife. Once known as the troubled East End, the district saw a renewal project within the last 20 years that revitalized much of Gotham's reputation. The infamous Crime Row now stands as a gaudy block of skyscrapers that tower over the older parts of Gotham, connected to one another via sky bridges. Stick-ups were traded in for corporate scams. Bright lights pulse along to the beat of Neo Gotham.
AI brings the Drop Ship down in an industrial area along the Riverfront district. Off in the horizon of Old Gotham, The Clocktower stands vigilant through the decay. Once off, the ship takes to the skies again.
"Get me near the GCPD and we'll see what they know.
"...Well fine. Somebody else come up with something then."
"Yeah, no offense, but piggybacking on an Austrian robot isn't my idea of a good time. I should be able to keep up easy enough on my own."
"I just don't know where the server room is in the GCPD. My trips to Gotham have always been pretty short."
Knightingale leads the way through the dilapidated Old Gotham to a GCPD precinct. As you make your way from rooftop to rooftop, you notice dozens of buildings partially destroyed. Many windows are boarded, some buildings are taped off with a no trespassing sign.
Lance casts out his mind from a convenient location less than a mile out, trying to find the GCPD server room.
Knightingale will set up in a dilapidated building with Lance and Golem, keeping an eye on Lance and staying in contact with Iota. She knows enough about Gotham police to think that Iota isn't likely to run in to too much trouble, but she can get there soon enough if necessary.