Mutants & Masterminds: Lake City Universe - M&M 3E - LCU: The Home of Heroes (IC)

[Heritage]

Volt drifted slowly down to the ground, making sure his captive was unable to escape from his mighty energy tentacle; as he came closer to the ground, he was alarmed to see a large group of people in a circular area some sixty feet across doubled over and retching or curled up on the ground! It was mostly police, fireman and EMTs, but several civilain onlookers were also apparently caught by whatever had happened here. He watched as Suberball bounced clear to safety, while Agent Gary remained standing, visibly shaken but otherwise unaffected.

"An attack!"

As quickly as possible, he stripped the furious Pidge of his 'inviso suit' and stuffed the balding stooped middle age man he found inside into the back of a squad car (which he then locked from the outisde) while another tendril deposited the sniper's rifle into another officer's car. He then sent out gentle energy probes to make sure none of the unconcious victims had vomitus obstructing thier airways.

"Give me just a moment here, agent, then I can join Hellhound inside."

[quotemyname]

Hellhound burst from the restroom into the main lobby of the back in a plume of sulfurous smoke and fire. Each droplet from the sprinkler system guttered and hissed as it came near his body. The water did nothing to affect the magical fire the burned his skin and clothing, yet did him no harm.

A few steps into the lobby, he saw Nux launch the projectile attack that sickened the crowd outside. Hellhound realized he had a decision to make and it wasn't one he saw himself enjoying.

"Release me! Let me take over!" The voice of the Barghest screamed within his head.

"No!" Hellhound's mental response was resolute. "The last time I let that happen, my sister died. This time, I'm saving lives!"

Hellhound glanced reluctantly at the old woman who was in bad condition...

Russ, get that woman out of there, and then hit Nux with everything you have. Naomi, I know you aren't combat trained, but be ready for medical support, this could get ugly, and I am hoping it's us who need patching and not the civvies. OK folks, let's be heroic.

But decided he'd better go with the orders of his defacto team leader for now. Gary struck Russ as the type of man who always had a plan. If that plan required Russ applying a little offensive pressure rather than performing damage control, then so be it. He'd be damned if he was going to be the one to mess up their team dynamic on their first mission. "Don't question the leader until he starts to screw up, eh Gary?" Hellhound sent his mental message just as the link was fading, "Nux it is. But you'd better make damn sure you get someone to save this little old lady... I can't take another death like that on my conscience..."

Just the thought of him being responsible for another innocent death made Russ mad. Really mad. "NUX!" He snarled, his words burning with the fire of all seven hells. The next thing Nux knew, the room got a lot hotter...

Hellhound crashed into Nux's back. Planting his left hand on Nux's shoulder to stabalize his target, he slammed his right fist into the man's spine. Without a second's pause, Hellhound was already wrapping up the criminal's arms in preparation for a take down. From full nelson to Suplex. Nux was about to be in a whole heap of trouble.

[Special Agent Gary Samson]

"Oh Jesus," Gary didn't know what had gone wrong to prompt the attack from Nux, but this was turning bad quickly. Joey had shrugged off his commands, but he hadn't really don't anything. Through the windows Gary could see one of the hostages collapse and another go to her aid. "No shit," he yelled back at Naomi, "But it wasn't me, Bumps didn't do what I wanted him to." His mind raced through his options, too much going on and not enough info, he wasn't eve sure if Blitz had disarmed the bomb. Through the glass facade of the bank he could see Hellhound appear and lay Nux out with a single blow.

Thank god for that, he thought. Gary decided that Joey was still the weak link. He bombarded the man's mind, STOP! GIVE UP! The command had better work, it sure as hell was simple enough, otherwise things were going to get messy. He shook his head, things were already messy. He switched to comms, hoping that Bumps would do as he was told.

Blitz, you still there? Good, there's a woman inside, I think she needs medical attention, above and beyond I mean. I need you to run in, grab her, and get her to Naomi. Too many vomiting EMTs out there to help her. Naomi, I hope your skills are up to the challenge. Hellhound, I'm going for Bumps directly. I want you to deal with the other guy, take him out quick, let's end this thing.

MIND CONTROL!!!!!!!!!

Attacking Bumps

Mind Control: Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 8 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled)

Joey needs to make a Will Save vs DC 18.

Fail by 1 degree (5 or less) and he loses his Move action.

Fail by 2 degrees (6-10) and I get control of his move action (move for the exit with his hands up)

Fail by 3 degrees (11+) I get full control and shut him down.

Gary is going to use Extra effort and Surge! For an extra action.

He'll use the same power a second time on Bumps forcing a second save after the first. The power is Cumulative so any failure on the first roll will stack with any failure on the second. E.g. if he fails by 1 degree on the first roll and 2 degrees on the second and he will suffer the 3rd degree result, CONTROLLED.

Gary will be Fatigued at the start of his next turn.

Heritage is up next!

[Heritage]

To the frightened customers and bank staff, everything seem to happen at once.

First the overhead sprinklers came on, dousing the entire lobby in freezing water; combined with the plentiful vomit on the tile floor, it made for an extremely slick and hazardous surface. The shock of the cold water also snapped many of the hostages out of the queasy stupor they'd been in since Nux had first hit them with his nausea attack; Mrs Switlack, instantly soaked to the skin, began to shudder violently. The young man clutching on the floor with her screamed again. "Goddamn it, I need some help over here! I think she swallowed her tongue!"

Then a snarling dog man appeared in a cloud of brimstone and leaped on the back of the gang leader, driving him to the ground, where the two men skidded across the floor until Nux's head struck a pillar, instantly knocking him out. Normally such a sight would inspire terror, but since he seemed to be one of the good guys, they mere gaped in awe.

And finally the rotund Joey Bumps, sputtering in the sudden indoor downpour, found himself dropping his weapon and marching towards the front door. "What the hell?!" Helpless to control himself, he yelled over his shoulder at his apelike associate. "Carnie, they put the whammy on me! Run, big guy, run!"

The huge orange-furred creature, eyes filled with panic, made a desperate run for the entrance. But he hadn't anticipated the puke-and-water slick floor, and he soon lost control of his massive bulk; the seven foot tall Sasquatch came flying through the plate glass window of the lobby and into the street.

Of course not all the cops had been taken out by the 'puke bomb', and when they saw Carnie gliding towards them with a wild look in his eyes, they could only have one response.

"Light 'em up!"

The narrow downtown canyon was filled with a deafening thunder of gunfire as the LCPD let the dumb son-of-a-bitch have it; those pedestrians not already on the pavement due to Nux's influence shrieked and dropped to the ground as wild ricochets bounced off the furry giant's tough hide and broke windows, chipped brick buildings, riddled the police cruisers and even hit a few hapless people.

"Stop shooting, you fucking morons, can't you see he's goddamn bulletproof?!"

Detective Lisowski, freshly arrived on the scene and clearly outraged, leaped out of his now bullet-riddled car, followed closely by his partner Detective Colby; only after the embarrassed cops stopped firing did the realize the petrified giant was not trying to rip their throats out, but was in fact huddled on the sidewalk, dripping wet in a near fetal ball.

[z-Blitz]

Blitz could, for all that she was an emotional creature, make some reasonable judgments. She was a team-player, but not a mindless automaton, either. She’d just been told to drag a woman out of the bank to receive medical attention, but that wouldn’t resolve the issue. The woman needed attention to live, but even if she was gotten out, that left the rest of the hostages.

Blitz was weighing one woman against a number of other people. The former villain saw numbers, not people. When she came around the corner and saw the giant orange monster down, that changed things. The cold, hard equations shifted in her head and the red streak went into the bank, and with a grunt of effort lifted the old woman into her arms. Then Blitz was next to SuperBall, panting a little from the effort of lugging more weight than was comfortable.

Burned an HP.

[Superball]

Naomi switched off her armor mode and returned to a functional size for her suit, once again skin-tight. She wasted no time in assessing the old woman as she pulls out her Medkit from her backpack.

"Thank you, Blitz. The people in the bank couldn't handle this, and with the chaos we have to triage. She's dire. Good work." She says, taking off her helmet. She was smiling, but that smile turned to determination.

She wastes no time on the woman, assessing her every medical issue. Seeing things were desperate, she uses her connection with Samson. "This woman I can help, but she needs a professional. Figure a way to get a Paramedic over here while I start first aid."

She clears the stricken woman's airway, and starts to see if she was conscious, breathing, and can be worked on with her skill and tools available.

[Endeavor] 9:14 pm: Treatment Roll +18

Endeavor *rolls* 1d20: 1+18: 19

[Endeavor] 9:15 pm: HP

Endeavor *rolls* 1d20: 10+18: 28 (A 38 with a HP spent for the Treatment check)

[Endeavor] 9:15 pm: dammit.

[Endeavor] 9:15 pm: witness?

[Endeavor] 9:16 pm: I got one more post I gotta get in before I gotta go.

[Long6] 9:16 pm: yo

[Long6] 9:16 pm: Hallelujah brothers and Sisters, I have seen the roll, and it is good![/code]




[code]0 HP Left

[quotemyname]

Red. Red. Red. It was everywhere. The color infected every one of his senses. Russell could see it. He could hear it. He could smell it, touch it and taste it. It dimmed his vision and created a howling in his ears that made thinking difficult. Though it bombarded his senses the ...red... allowed him a clarity of focus that was remarkable. There was nothing else that mattered. Only the fighting. Only causing pain to those who opposed him. Allowing them to see as much red as he was.

Through all the rage and the haze that clouded his mind, he completely missed Blitz's rapid foray into the bank to retrieve the old lady. Perhaps she blended in with the red filter obscuring his vision, or perhaps he just didn't care because she wasn't next on his list...

Russell was only dimly aware of sliding across the vomit slicked floor with his knee planted in Nux's back. The man's skull connected with a support pillar producing an odd thud. Russell reached down with his left hand and pulled back on the man's hair raising his face out of the muck. He lifted his right hand in order to deliver another, viscious, flaming blow when he was suddenly acutely aware of his own heart beat. The man was out cold. He could see that now. He could see it through the red haze that was clouding his senses.

Fight it! He told himself sternly, You are in control. This is your body. These are your actions. YOU are responsible. Though all of his actions were accelerated above the performance of a normal human, it suddenly all seemed so slow. He let go of Nux's head (making sure that the man wouldn't drown in the layer of sick that covered the floor) and stood. Turning to face his next target, he saw that Carnie was cowering in the front of the building. Fetal or not, the animal inside him screamed at him, wrenching at the chains in his mind that kept it bound to serving him rather than the other way around. It howled, calling for him to finish the job while Carnie lay terrified of the situation gone horribly wrong. No. We do this my way now.

A split second later, Hellhound stood tall, fiery, and fearsome in front of Joey Bumps. "Pidge is in custody, Nux is out cold, and your Carnie is a simpering wreck. Give up." He ordered the man before slamming his fist into Joey's stomach. While the bank robber was doubled over from the blow, Hellhound seized Joey's face with a single hand and lifted him entirely off the ground with an extended arm. "Give up, and maybe I'll be satisfied with just singeing your eyebrows." Even as he spoke, the edges of Joey's eyebrows began to curl and burn from the hungering flames that engulfed Hellhound's right hand.

[Heritage]

Things certainly did get chaotic quickly! Volt turned his attention away from the victims of Nux's attack (thankfully, no one was in critical condition) and back to the bank robbers themselves. From where he hovered, it looked like Hellhound had the fat one under control (though he couldn't see everything at this distance), but the big orange ape-like thing was now out on the sidewalk and surrounded by the police, who had thankfully stopped shooting at him.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw the SWAT team gathered around the ECU truck, with one of the officers lumbering foward in the armored monkey suit; they looked to be the experts on this sort of thing. The young XP floated towards the furry titan curled up on the pavement and slowly lowered an energy tendril down to him. Volt cleared his throat and spoke as gently as he could.

"I'm not going to hurt you, do you understand? I'm going to take you someplace where you'll be safe, alright?"

Doing his best not to show any fear of any kind (the brute could probably smell it!), he very gently reached down and plucked Carnie off the ground, and then started to float over the the van; the orange-furred XP merely whimpered. Behind the glass facemask of the monkey suit, the SWAT team member's eyes went wide.

"Do you have a really big pair of handcuffs, officer?"

[Special Agent Gary Samson]

Gary grunted, You'll have to be enough for now. Figure it out. He focused on Joey Bumps, the man's mind was fighting back far more strongly than it had to mental intrusion, but then intrusion you didn't know was happening was different from somebody taking control of your body he supposed. His will hammered on Joey's mind, already party under his control, beating back the man's ability to direct his own body. Mind met mind on a battlefield of pure will, with Gary delivering blow after blow. Like a tug of war he tried to use the ground he had already gained to secure his foothold and deepen it to a full beachhead, to gain more ground, and to dominate his enemy. Submit damn you, this battle is already lost, fighting on will only get more people hurt. SUBMIT!

MIND CONTROL!!!!!!!!!

Attacking Bumps

Mind Control: Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 8 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled)

Joey needs to make a Will Save vs DC 18.

Fail by 1 degree (5 or less) and he loses his Move action.

Fail by 2 degrees (6-10) and I get control of his move action (move for the exit with his hands up)

Fail by 3 degrees (11+) I get full control and shut him down.

The power is Cumulative so any failure on the roll will stack with prior failures. Since Joey is already Compelled he needs to fail by only a single degree to fall to CONTROLLED. Controlled is a 3rd degree condition so he will not get a recovery save for 10 rounds (1 minute)

IF JOEY MAKES HIS SAVE -

Gary will use Extra effort and Surge! For an extra action. He'll use the same power a second time on Bumps forcing a second save after the first. If he does this Gary will be Exhausted at the start of his next turn.

IF JOEY BECOMES CONTROLLED (from either attempt) -

Gary will force him to order Carnie to surrender and will likewise surrender himself. Yeah, Mind Control rocks

Heritage is up next!

[Heritage]

The physical blow from Hellhound had done surprisingly little to Joey Bumps, as the demon-touched XP buried his fist up to the wrist in the fat man's gut; indeed, the dumb ox even allowed an amused smirk to cross his lips even though he was being held in the air.

"You think I can't take a frickin' punch? I-"

But then Agent Samson began his mental assault, which quickly wiped the smile off his face; his eyes went blank and his jaw slack for a few seconds, before he shook his head 'clear'. Then he looked over to Carnie, limp in Volt's energy grasp as he looked mournfully back at his slighlty-more-intelligent partner like a wounded puppy.

"We're done, big guy, we're done. Let's just go quietly before anyone else gets hurt."

And then it was all about clean-up. The ECU team rounded up the four XP perps, slapped special power dampening gauntlets on them, the attached collars temporally blocking access to their powers. Several more ambulances showed up to handle Mrs. Switlack and the injured, and then the cops mostly had to worry about traffic and crowd control as they worked to clear the streets. The bank electrician got the sprinklers shut off, and warm towels and blankets were handed out.

The two ECU detectives headed towards the Beast, where Mike, still in his weird skull-like mask, was motioning the rest of the team to gather. Volt hovered nearby, seemingly lost in a cellphone call. Lisowski cleared his throat as a smile found its way awkwardly onto his face..

"So, not bad for your first day on the job; not killing anyone is enough to get you a solid 'B' on my report card."

[Superball]

Mrs. Switlack smiled as the EMTs started to get her into the ambulance. That was all the thanks Naomi wanted.

Naomi nodded, putting her helmet back on but keeping the faceplate open as she starts assisting where she can. Mainly giving gatorade to those that threw up but were otherwise fine, and handling grunt work with things like scrapes, minor bruises and the like. The EMTs were needing to handle the bigger things. The little things that could be handled with some band-aids and ibuprofen were her's. Everyone seeing her in the orange and white bodysuit thought she was some sort of search and rescue officer as she Entered the bank.

"Alright!" She says, shouting to everyone. "I want everyone to be careful on this floor. A clean-up team will arrive soon, but they need all civilians out of the bank premises at once."

She picks up someone who sprained an ankle slipping. "I got this."

She was so focused on helping the individual that she herself slips, and her suit activates in response to her fall. Suddenly he is laying on top of a ball. There were a few chuckles from the hostages as they were leading themselves out of the bank. Naomi actually laughed along.

"Airbags?" He asked.

"Umm... in a way, yes." Naomi said blushing as she slowly reset. "You're a good kid, whoever you are."

"I'm Superball."

"Apt name, kiddo. Name's Tommy. Thanks."

Naomi blushed as she got back to her feet. The sprinklers were off, so she had some of what was on the floor on her back.

"No need... I'm just here to help."

[Special Agent Gary Samson]

Gary staggered, It's done. He looked pale, tired, almost washed out. He leaned heavily on the nearest object, one of the police cars, and closed his eyes, just breathing and trying to gain some semblance of equilibrium. Something warm was on his lip, he wiped at it and open his eyes; blood, not a lot, but he had pushed himself hard. He pulled a handkerchief out of his jacket and wiped his hand off and then his face, leaning over precariously to use the car's rear mirror. People had almost died. He'd come very close to deciding on potentially lethal force. Today was only a victory by the books; in his mind it was very nearly a costly defeat.

Lisowski cleared his throat as a smile found its way awkwardly onto his face. "So, not bad for your first day on the job; not killing anyone is enough to get you a solid 'B' on my report card."

Gary gave a start, he hadn't realized that the two detectives had made their way over, and now he wondered how much they had seen. He was in no mood for the grizzled veteran's bravado, "Next time you do it better then." Gary shoved the wadded up handkerchief into his pocket and stood up; he still looked like hell, tired and worn, but he pulled himself up straight, "If you'll excuse me, I have to talk to my team."

Gary didn't wait for a reply, instead he located Blitz and made his way over to her. "Good job today," he said, offering his hand. "If you don't mind I think it would probably be good if you could show the bomb squad where to go. Leaving that explosive down there is probably not a good idea."

[z-Blitz]

It’s really him. Val stared at the demonic form of Russ, fighting a tremor. She’d known it was him of course; knowing and knowing, seeing-knowing, were two very different things. Watching him walk and move; seeing the terrible form and smelling that hint of sulfur was triggering all kinds of bad memories. She could hear Christine screaming; remembered starting to move. Her head hurt, as if she could still feel the blow Johnny had given her to stop her.

“Good job today.” Blitz startled a touch as she turned to Gary. She hadn’t heard him walk up, which meant she was way too far down Memory Lane. “If you don't mind I think it would probably be good if you could show the bomb squad where to go. Leaving that explosive down there is probably not a good idea.”

“Ah, yeah, right.” The young speedster visibly shook off her fugue and nodded. “I’ll go do that.” She spared the transformed visage of Hellhound one more troubled glance, then went looking for the guys in distinctive bomb-squad body armor. They were easy to find and she zipped over to them. “Hi!” she chirped as she snapped to a stop. “You boys lookin’ for a bomb?”

The closest one, a cutie with south-of-the-border good looks, gave her a glance up and down and said, “I think I’ve found one already.”

“Nice. Clever, even. You’re off to a good start.” Blitz was grinning at him, a playful smirk to answer the slightly-less playful one he was giving her.

“It’s not how you start,” his buddy chimed in, “it’s how you finish.” He winked at Blitz, his appearance Iowa corn-fed beefcake. If he wasn’t as cute as Hot Latino, Beefcake had a certain rugged appeal.

“I hope you guys have your big-boy pants on,” Blitz told them, “because I’m about to show you to a bomb. I mean, I already disarmed it for you, so you’ll just need to take it apart.”

“You know your way around bombs?” Beefcake looked impressed. “Sexy and smart.”

Blitz wanted to say, And underage just to score a point, but she did have some self-control. “And I’m good with my fingers. But enough about me. Time to earn your paychecks.”

“Yes, mam. Lead on, mam. Whatever you say, mam.” Hot Latino snapped his face shield down and picked up his gear. Beefcake got the other two bags as Blitz turned and headed back to the bomb. She could have been there in seconds, so the minutes-long walk to lead the two men was almost torturous. The sexy banter wasn’t good enough to make her feel better about it.

“All right boys, there’s your date for today.” Blitz pointed at the bomb, as if the device itself wasn’t obvious.

“How about you being my date for tonight?” Hot Latino said; Beefcake closed his mouth and looked annoyed.

“Sorry, I don’t accept dates on the first bomb. Maybe later.” Then she was in motion, zooming back to the surface to catch up with her team.

[quotemyname]

The few seconds it took to get Joey Bumps into proper custody after he gave up were as much a blurry swirl of motion for Hellhound as the rest of the fight had been. After he saw the city's latest criminals shipped away, and he could be sure there would be no more trouble at the crime scene, Hellhound finally let his powers go.

But it wasn't like a light switch. Not for him. Thanks to the constant war he fought with the beast that writhed within his soul turning off his powers was more like watching the embers of a dying fire fade out one by one. Though he was firmly in control, he found he was constantly forced to make certain concessions to allow himself that control. This was one of them: Though he could let go of the strength and speed his powers granted him instantly, and he could feel the heat on his skin and the fire in his blood extinguish rapidly he still needed a few minutes to calm himself and steady his mind each and every time he ended his little dance with the devil.

Because of that, he found himself standing on the steps of the Bank, mostly out of the way of the rescue and service worker that blanketed the area like ants. Even when it turned out that he ended up in someone's way, he realized that no one was asking him to move. They simply paused, looked him over, and made their way around. Outwardly, it seemed as though he was just staring off into space. His eyes, once lit by fire, now dimming to cinders. Internally, the inferno still burned white hot.

"You could have ended it!" the beast snarled,

"Ended it?" Russell asked, "How does that solve anything?"

"You could have made sure they never caused any more trouble." Russell imagined the glint in the large dog's eyes. "That's what you want, isn't it?" The creature baited him.

"Perhaps, but there are better ways of achieving my goals," He fired back,

"But those methods take time. So much time! And we both know how impatient you are." The dog smiled, it's wicked teeth bared.

"Stop it. I'll not have you question me. This was my fight. And this time, no one died. That means I win."

"Yet. No one died yet."

"Aurgh!" Russell swept his hand at the imaginary hellhound he saw only in his mind. The image dissipated in a puff of hot smoke.

Russell blinked once or twice, finally sure that he'd rid himself of his monstrous other half. Though inside he was fighting a silent battle, his senses were not lost to him. He'd noticed Blitz, as immobile as he was for what was possibly the first time ever. Her eyes weighed down on him heavily. Suddenly, she gave a start. He watched her engage in a short conversation with Gary. Then, just as she looked back at him, he tore his eyes away.

Russell slowly he descended the steps of the bank and made his way toward Gary and the others, once again lost in thought, She saw me in there. I know she did. But why was she staring? Does she find that side of me attractive? Some girls like the bad boys, sure, and now it was his turn to glance at Blitz, while she engaged with two members of the bomb squad, But this bad boy can be a little hot to handle... Oh, what do I know? Maybe that suit of hers is asbestos, so to speak. Even still, how the hell am I supposed to feel about that? It's clear she likes me. But if she likes the violent destructive side of me more? Hoo boy...

Russell offered a quip to the two detectives as he passed by them, "See, I was never as good a student as Gary, I'll settle for a B." He clapped Lisowski on the shoulder and moved to join Gary and the rest, "Got anything for me, oh fearless leader?" He asked the psychic detective.

[Superball]

Naomi sets the man she was assisting down on a nearby park bench to have a EMT check his ankle. She caught what was said, but it didn't matter. She wasn't here to impress, she was here to do her job, no more, no less. She walks over to Samson and takes her helmet off once she knew there was no more threats in the area.

"That's the last of 'em in the bank. It's going to be quite a cleaning bill, I'm afraid."

She sighed. "Mrs. Switlack I think will be okay. I managed to stabilize her before the EMTs took over. I heard one of the EMTs talk to her and they saw her ID."

She smiled. "There is names to who we saved today, Special Agent Samson... that's more than enough that I need to know. Those people will live to see another day and Justice will be served."

"But we still have another mission we have to get to, don't we? There's a killer out there." She says, low enough so that the conversation is only heard between them. She puts a supporting hand on his shoulder. "But... I think we can afford a nights rest and perhaps a good shower. I know I'm going to need some time to clean my suit."

"Thanks for bringing some control to the chaos... we needed it."

[Special Agent Gary Samson]

Gary watched Blitz zip off, Well that was easy. He put a hand to his head, it throbbed in time with the beating of his heart, which was starting now to slow down as the adrenaline left his system. In its wake he felt even more tired, Gonna sleep like a lamb tonight, unless I have nightmares. He gave a start when Naomi started talking to him, but all it sounded like was buzzing. Rubbing at his temple with one hand he looked at the young woman, "Slow down. What?"

"I said 'Thanks'," she repeated.

"Oh. Uh..." Russel saved him from having to reply with something cogent, until he asked his own question. The mentalist sighed, "I suppose we should have some kind of debrief or something." It sounded more a question than a statement. He looked up at Volt, apparently taking a phone call, "Assuming everybody is willing," he added in irritation.

Blitz zoomed back, screeching to a halt, "Back!" She at least sounded chipper.

"We should go back to the, umm, office?" Gary felt supremely silly calling it anything else, especially hideout, base, HQ, or any of the even more absurd options, and yet "office" seemed insufficient. "Talk about this. Figure out what we did right, and wrong." He sighed again, massaging a temple with one hand, "For next time."

[z-Blitz]

[moved to fit better]

[quotemyname]

Even though Russell wasn't the most observant of the bunch, he could see Gary was uncomfortable. His keen nose helped enough; the sweat rolling from Gary's forehead was so prevalent, Russell could practically taste it. Mmm Salty. Yea. Salty isn't doing it for me today... Beside that mess, Gary's broken speech was making him impatient. Always was irritable after a fight. Oh well, no help for it, I guess.

"Know what?" Russell clapped a stiff hand on Gary's shoulder, "Take a breather, buddy. If there's one thing I can handle, it's damage control." Russell flashed the group his charming smile and forged onward despite the mentalist's shrewd look. "Right! Okay everyone listen up. Gary's done a great job so far, but he's no Amazing Al-Kazar. No offense," Russell turned his charming smile on Gary. "So, Gary, Passenger seat in The Beast, or whatever we're calling that thing. Ice pack that headache of yours. Volt! Phone! Off! On the clock, man." Russell waved the airborne hero over to the group.

"Good job today, gang. Looks like life in this city could be a 12-rounder. Round 1 went well. No one died, and only one person had their eyebrows burned off." Russell shrugged, "Eh, he was a jerk anyway. So, while Gary is icing up, I want the rest of us to either ride," He glanced at Superball, "Fly," He locked eyes with Volt, "or Run back to HQ. R.T.B. and all that nonsense." He smiled at Blitz. "Hop, skip, jump, whatever you need to do. Just get there. I'll flag down those two killer cops and let them know what the plan is. Mike'll drive the three of us back and we'll meet you there. Likely someone's going to do a lot of talking at us, and it'll probably be whether we like or not. But like SB so helpfully pointed out, that's where the showers and the nice fluffy beds are, so that's where I recommend we go. Alright team, break!" Russell dismissed them as if it were a football huddle and then turned his eyes toward the two detectives.

He passed Mike on his way toward Lizowski and his partner, "Almost ready to go, boss." He told the masked man. Then stood in front of the detectives, crossed his arms, and bared his fangs with the brightest white toothy smile he could muster, "Alright, old man, how's about that report card?"

[z-Blitz]

Russ was over by Gary, as was Naomi by the time she got back. Val had a second to consider whether she was comfortable going over there yet, which was enough time to decide that yes, maybe she was. And honestly, it didn’t matter if she was; he was her teammate and they had to work together. Even she had to admit, demon-dog thing aside, he was still a better teammate than Blood Hand or Ettin. A hundred times better.

She wondered if Christy would agree.

“Yay! Debrief time! We should totally get pizza for this – I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m starving.” Val looked annoyingly chipper. Belatedly, she took in the condition of the rest of her team. “Aww, Gary, do you have a headache?”

“Yes.”

“Gimme your hand for a moment.” Gary looked at her hesitantly. Blitz made a “gimme” gesture that managed to convey her meaning despite being a blur of motion. Still looking unsure, Gary held out his right hand. Blitz wrapped both hands around it, her fingers moving to the webbing between his finger and thumb. “Tell me when it hurts a little.”

“Uh… that does. What on earth are you doing?”

“Reflexology. This should help with your headache.” Blitz grinned at him as she gently squeezed the nerve cluster and rubbed it. “Can’t hurt, right?” She released his hand and added, “If I did it right, your headache should get better.

She paused as Russ gave his speech, listening to him attentively. Whether she heard what he said or was merely taking the opportunity to watch a cute boy talk is a secret which will go with Blitz to her grave.

“Sounds great! I’m going to hustle back to HQ and tell Kiki to order the pizza so it’ll be hot and fresh by the time you arrive. See you all there!” As quickly as she’d arrived, Blitz vanished with a burst of speed that tugged at clothing and sent garbage dancing.

[Special Agent Gary Samson]

"I'm just tired," Gary said, "Breaking through their minds was harder than I expected. I wonder if something about XPs gives them a better resistance to mental powers than normal folks?" He was going to thank Blitz, effective or not, but she was already gone, "OK, well let's go, if we keep her waiting there may not be anything left for us I wager." He climbed into the beast and closed his eyes, a little rest would do wonders he hoped. Sleep caught him within moments.

[Heritage]

When gary angrily stepped away from the two detectives, Colby punched her senior partner in the arm. "Ow, what was that for? I gave them a B, that's a good grade!" The younger woman merely shook her head and looked sadly after the clearly-exhausted agent.

"Alright, old man, how's about that report card?"

Lisowski grins a smile nearly as frightening as Russel's as he takes a deep breath and raises a forefinger, but before he can say a word, Colby steps between the two men with a forced smile on her face. "Y'know what, why don't we wait until we're safe indoors and have some pizza in our bellies, huh? My treat!" The older man looks like a kid who just dropped his ice cream cone as he glumly follows her back to their bullet-ridden unmarked car.

Once the Beast is in motion with all passengers aboard, Mike pulls off the mask and tosses in the back seat; a bright red rash is visible on his neck and around his eyes. He spares a quick look in the rear view before he guns the engine, grumbling about 'homosexual hayseeds'.

At last everyone is back in the command center with full stomachs and various aches and pains. However, Volt has rather pointed abstained for digging into the pies; Kiki, who's been applying first aid cream to Mike's rash between bites of veggie pizza, finally notices his behaviour.

"Hey Volt, is everything okay? You seem awful somber and not stuffed with cheesy goodness."

The young XP looks embarrassed as he clears his throat. "Well to be honest, I was trying to think of the best way to say this, but..." He sighs deeply. "I've been recalled back to active Allaince service. I have no idea how long it will be; all I know is it involves the Tau Ceti system and it's going to be dangerous." For a second he looks extremely young and rather frightened. "Very dangerous." He shakes his head, then makes eye contanct with everyone in the room. "I'm sorry."

Seemingly out of character, Lisowski of all people rests a gentle hand on Volt's shoulder. "You'll be fine, kid; those guys are pros, the real deal. You'll keep each other safe." Colby and Kiki step over to give him warm hugs, and Mike shakes his hand.

"We're going to hold a bunk for you, buddy; you'll always have a home here."

Volt nods, small tears in his eyes as he smiles and waves. "Take care, all of you; it was an honor serving with you, and I hope to see you again real soon."

And just like that, he's gone. The mean-spirited detective dabs his eyes on the cuff of his shirt. "Great, how am I supposed to be all nasty now?"

[Superball]

Superball... Naomi, fir the first few minutes took some time to clean her suit and hang it up to dry before rushing back to everyone. She was wearing what was typical for her, a T-shirt with various stains of various lubricants and polymers on it, a pair of engineer's overalls, with the shoulder-straps down, and a labcoat from getting her suit clean. Old habits from working at her leisure in college labs or her own garage.

She looked at what was offered and chose the most... appealing slice of pizza, but was more interested in the sodas for their caffeine content.

She was proud of herself today. She made sure everyone lived. No small role.

"So guys... This whole... thing... I think we got our flow already. Just gotta work on the dangling bits so they don't snag when you don't want it to."

She smiled. "In other words, polishing things."

Eating her slice, she couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. Some didn't look like they were wanting to eat.

[z-Blitz]

Val zipped back to HQ, her brain clear. Running always did that to her, as if she could actually outrun her thoughts. It wasn’t true, but she felt like she was blazing ahead of them, leaving thoughts good and bad far behind. It must be what Zen meditation was like – blissful, blankness that flowed through her skull like cold, clear water.

She was almost sorry when she stopped.

“Kiki! Fire up the phone!” The poor secretary nearly jumped out her skin when Val stopped next to her desk in a storm of loose papers and snapping clothing.

“I – what?”

“We’re back, we’re heroes! And Heroes demand pizza!” Val all-but shouted her new battlecry, making Kiki jump again. “Here, lemme write down what you need to order, then I’m gonna chill.” By the time the others got there, the pizza had arrived, Blitz was halfway through the pizza she’d ordered for herself, and there was a new Lego castle half-assembled on the table.

The former villain waved cheerfully as her new teammates trudged into the room. “Hi!” she chirped. She had truly chilled; her face mask, boots and gloves were gone and she was only wearing her skintight, red suit. She grew somber as Volt left, looking a little sad. She’d been looking forward to getting to know him better. That thought went odd places, and her green eyes bounced to Russ for a moment. That had taken care of one problem at least; there would be no fights over her. When Lisowski teared up, Blitz grinned mischievously and said, “I can forget a lot of things if I receive the gift of dead presidents.”

[Superball]

Naomi nodded to Lisowski. "Detective. I will need more information in the morning in regards to the case. Tomorrow I should be mentally refreshed to approach this at a new point of view."

She turns to everyone else. "And... thanks... everyone. I don't think I could have been of any use there unless... I had people I could lean on when the chips were down."

"And we really need to work on getting some com-links. I got one in my helmet, and I think Special Agent Samson could use less of us in his head."

She nibbled on her pizza... she almost looked mouse-like with her glasses and her hair still tied up in a bun.

[quotemyname]

Russell seemed to be eating his own share of pizza, as well as Volt's, and some of what Kiki couldn't manage in between applying medicine to Mike's face. At a strange look from Blitz, he shrugged and asked, "What? You think you burn calories? I literally burn them. Takes a toll." Then he chomped down on another slice.

The young XP looks embarrassed as he clears his throat. "Well to be honest, I was trying to think of the best way to say this, but..." He sighs deeply. "I've been recalled back to active Allaince service. I have no idea how long it will be; all I know is it involves the Tau Ceti system and it's going to be dangerous." For a second he looks extremely young and rather frightened. "Very dangerous." He shakes his head, then makes eye contanct with everyone in the room. "I'm sorry."

As Volt was leaving, Russell simply smiled and gave him a salute, respectfully clearing his mouth of pizza first. "He'll be back..." He said as he sat back down, silently he finished the thought inside his head, I hope...

She turns to everyone else. "And... thanks... everyone. I don't think I could have been of any use there unless... I had people I could lean on when the chips were down."

"And we really need to work on getting some com-links. I got one in my helmet, and I think Special Agent Samson could use less of us in his head."

"Don't mention it. What are friends for, right? Everyone has their off days. I know I have. That's why I promise I'll always be here to give you a smack upside the head when you start talking nonsense." The comment sounded oddly... brotherly... The next swallow of pizza hit his stomach like a large heavy rock. The incredibly observant members of the room could see a small set of tears in his eyes, but it was a toss up as to whether it was from the copious amounts of hot sauce he'd poured onto his pizza, or from something else.

"I think Naomi makes a good point though. We worked well enough as a group that I think we can hold off on any 'team training sessions' for the time being. Certainly until the more important things get handled, like this case." He paused for a bite of pizza, "She says we need polishing, and I agree. But personally, I've always learned better by doing. And to quote one of the most inspirational speakers of our time, Ronnie James 'I-pray-for-the-gods-that-you-now-walk-their-heaven' Dio, 'the best steel goes through the fire.' I say we just get out there, and hit this case until it breaks wide open." Apparently, Russ was still in take-charge mode, as Gary's head was still affecting him badly.

Finally, Russ cracked a large smile and turned to the detectives. Russ had no use for passive aggressiveness being perfectly capable of managing the regular kind of aggression when he wanted, "Now, observe as this old man renders everything I just said useless!" his tone cheerful and sarcastic, meaning no offense.

[Special Agent Gary Samson]

For his part Gary sat quietly on a nearby couch, a steaming cup of tea clutched in his hands, and his eyes closed. The residual headache was gone, but he was still tired, weary was more like it, and after a single slice he had moved away from the table to sit more comfortably with a healthy dose of caffeine. He listened to the others, Volt's departure was surprising, but there was little he or anybody else could do. The others all seemed to be thinking along the same track as he, so Gary merely listened and waited, sometimes the best form of mind control was to agree. For now however he wanted to hear what the detectives had to say.

[z-Blitz]

“Can the young lady?” Blitz grinned before adding, “Practicing is doing, too. However, if we don’t feel we need to spar or train together, I’m not worried about it. I’ll just continue to do my own thing to keep my hot skills sharp.

“I am going to mention the comms thing. A comm-link can be hacked into, taken over or monitored by the baddies – or even good people who we don’t necessarily want hearing what we’re saying.” Val had gone somber now, as if she were truly concerned about what she was saying. “I mean, the press – fundamentally decent people, even if a bit shark-like for me – if they listen into us, they might learn stuff that we don’t want them to know, but they’re not malicious. Isn’t it a lot hard to hijack Gary’s brain than our comms?”

[Heritage]

Mike cleared his throat and raised a hand. "I'm hearing a lot of talk about comms, telepathy and stuff, and I agree one hundred percent; communications, especially-ouch!" He swatted at Kiki, who grinned as she easily ducked the blow, then resumed her basic first aid. "Especially in situations like the one we just faced. But-" And here he pointed at the blonde speedster. "Blitz is right that comms can be hacked, just like you guys did on these bad guys. I'm thinking maybe I make a few phone calls to see if we can get some Path radios on loan from the Alliance; they use alien biotech to essentially give you limited telepathy, and as long as you keep the little guys fed, they last for years with no batteries." He shrugged. "It might take a week or two, and I can't promise anything, but it's worth a shot."

Lisowski nodded as he noisily sucked his fingers and grabbed a few more slices of meat craver's pizza. "Yeah, that might be a good idea. So on the ride over, I got an earful from this one." He jerked a thumb at his partner. "So in the interest of equal time, Miss Bunnies and Rainbows would like to say some nice stuff, I guess." He held up his hands, and then braced for the inevitable punch in the shoulder. "Ow."

Colby offered the new team a warm smile. "First things first, congratulations on your first successful mission; I know it wasn't the smoothest ride, but you got the job done." She counted off on her fingers. "No deaths, no serious injuries, a frickin' bomb located and disarmed - nice work on that, Blitz, by the way - and all this while Lake City's police, firemen, citizens and major media outlets were watching." She smiled wryly. "I know that's a horribly cynical thing to say, but I'm a cop and it's true: you can't buy that kind of good press. But as they say in Hollywood, you're only as good as your last picture, so enjoy it while you can; the first time you screw up, the same papers and news anchors who're singing your praises now will be demanding your heads. And that's show biz for ya."

The older cop nodded and rolled his hand in a 'hurry it up' motion. "Yeah, yeah, nice pep talk, coach. Look, I'm not gonna be a complete douchebag and send you right back out into the streets, 'cause I know you gotta rest up and all." Lisowski indicated Gary with a jerk of his head. "I mean, your Fed looks like he donated blood to six blood banks and forgot to grab the free juice and cookies. So yeah, rest up a bit, take a day or two off; go to the show, get laid, whatever you kids do today, but then-" He slapped his palm with the back of his hand. "We need you guys back out there. Plus, I never got a chance to give you the last case file." Colby somberly passed it over to Gary, her eyes downcast. "That's everything we've got on Grimalkin." Lisowski cleared his throat uneasily. "We're gonna need your help to bring the kid in."

[z-Blitz]

“Wait, you’re going to arrest her?” The words were out of her mouth before Val could stop them. The young woman looked vaguely horrified at Lisowski, who snorted and pointed at the case file.

The less tactful of the two detectives looked annoyed as he glared at Blitz. “You wanna go soft on her? Read what she did, then decide.”

“No, no. I wanna make her a good guy again!” It wasn’t until she’d spoken that Blitz realized that she did want to bring the young criminal back to the side of good. Val had unconsciously equated Grimalkin with herself; if Val could bring Grim back into the fold, then maybe one day she could be trusted, too.

“She’s had her chance. More than most.” Lisowski was in full asshole mode.

“Grimalkin is troubled. Are you really interested in helping her?” Colby caught Blitz’s eyes, then smiled at the intense, speed-blurred nod she got from the teen. “Then perhaps you can help her.”

“I’d like to think that’s possible.” The conversation had drawn Mike and Kiki's attention away from everything else, leaving the first aid attempt forgotten. Mike’s expression was both hopeful and sad. “I’d like that, if no one else gets hurt.”

Impulsively, Blitz zipped to Mike’s side and gave him a hug. “I want to try.” She pulled back to look him in the eye and promise, “I’m going to do my best.”

[Superball]

"Grimalkin's compromised, Blitz. No matter how you feel about her she's slipped and has to answer for what she's done. You can try to get some sense into her, but she has to be brought in." Superball sighs as she nibbles on her next slice. "I know it's harsh, but that's the fact of the matter."

"What is important is the safety of the city, and that we do things on the level. Grimalkin chose to make this personal... and has let her personal feelings on the matter override her duty to the city. When we were sworn in we swore to serve the public trust. What happens when we coddle someone who has betrayed that trust? That has placed herself above the law?"

"It serves you well, Blitz that you still feel that Grimalkin can be brought to reason. But that is the limit. She's made mistakes, big ones. Those need to be answered for."

[quotemyname]

Russell listened to Mike and the detectives. As usual, he wasn't able to get a word in edgewise while Blitz responded. He was getting more used to that and less annoyed with it every time it happened. He smiled at her idealism. It was reassuring, especially given his own history.

"It serves you well, Blitz that you still feel that Grimalkin can be brought to reason. But that is the limit. She's made mistakes, big ones. Those need to be answered for."

"Naomi," Russell cleared his throat, "You're a smart girl; I'm sure you know this: The purpose of our justice system IS to rehabilitate criminals, not just to see that they answer for their crimes." Russell looked upward at the ceiling and spoke as if he was breaking the fourth wall, "Gee, thanks law school!"

"Now, I'm not sure what's in that file," He addressed the room once more, "But there's also the issue of a trial. Grimalkin cannot be made to answer for any crimes, alleged as they are, or appropriately sentenced for said rehabilitation as the case may be until she stands trial for her actions. A citizen, even an XP, has the right to a fair trail, and the right to be present at that trial. And none of that can happen until we bring her in. Hate to admit it, but I have to side with Lizowski on this one. However," Russell held up a finger to forestall any witty comments as he lifted another slice of pizza, "I also believe that seeking her redemption should be our first priority. Not only is she innocent until proven guilty, but my personal experiences make me want to extend the same courtesies that I received not too long ago. Plus, y'know, all the cool kids are doing it." And with that, he bit his next slice practically in half, effectively shutting him up for the time being as he worked on chewing.

[Superball]

Naomi thought to herself. Could I be that cold? Good lord! She thought, taking another slice, while filling up another glass of Mountain Dew.

"Okay then... I think you're right, Russ." Naomi sighed. "Nothing is truly Black and White. But we can try to keep the monochrome contrast balanced towards the white end."

She nodded, taking a seat finally. "I... had a question... I hope no one had a problem with my suit... It's... unique."

She blushed. "I'm just glad it didn't get fully tested today."

[quotemyname]

"Your suit?" Russ smiled, "No, no worries there. Take a look around, Naomi. You're part of a group which features everything from Mentok the Mind-Taker, over there," Russ nodded his head toward the iced-up Gary, "A guy who likes to light himself on fire in the middle of a fight," He brushed a few pizza crust crumbs from his shoulder, "And the Incredible Rash." He cracked a wide smile at Mike. With an apologetic shrug he added, "What? Someone had to say it..."

"Anyway, Naomi, even if you're suit flies straight past unique and into the realm of bizarre, I think you're in good hands. I wouldn't expect anyone in this room to think twice about what you look like when you're pulling in results like saving that old lady's life. Machiavellian as it is, I think you're well justified here." Naomi wasn't sure if it was just Russ' smile that was warming the room, or if that sensation was caused by his powers somehow. Either way, it was a pleasant feeling.

[Special Agent Gary Samson]

"Don't call me that." Gary didn't raise his head, leaning back on the couch as he was, nor did he open his eyes. The folder hovered nearby unnoticed, but then that was the intent it seemed. "It's not a joke. It's not something to take lightly. A hundred and fifty years ago people outlawed slavery, and earlier today I gave Lincoln the finger and made another person do what I wanted by force." Gary sounded disgusted with himself, "Greater good and needs of the many be damned, that doesn't make what I did right."

[Superball]

Naomi nodded. "Don't be hard, Samson. You know what you've done and you are aware of your actions. That is the important thing. It means you have a conscience. We had to act based on what we could do. Lives were at danger, and we responded and saved everyone and stopped further property damage to boot."

She nibbled some more on her pizza. "Without you we couldn't have achieved what we did. You may have controlled someone, but isn't that like when a police officer uses a tazer on a dangerous individual? If you were truly unethical you would have commanded the criminals to attack each other. To the death. But you didn't. You compelled them to surrender."

"Give yourself some credit where you deserve it. You were brilliant."

She smiled. "I'm proud of you. All of you. I'm proud I'm on your team!"

[z-Blitz]

That’s… kinda naïve. But Val figured she’d caused enough issues tonight and she kept her mouth shut. Instead, she took a seat by Russell and snatched another piece of pizza. She gave him a quick glanced and saw him looking at her. She looked away with a slight blush and stuffed a piece of pizza into her face.

Then she found she had something to say after all. “Yeah, that was a shitty thing, Gary. I’m glad you were willing to do it, though. People could have died if you didn’t. Thanks for being an asshole.” Then she gave him a wide smirk. “We need you be an asshole sometimes, and I’m glad you don’t seem to like being one.”

Val leaned forward and lifted her cup of soda. “In fact, a toast to asshole-ishness. May we all be assholes, but only as needed. And may we always remember why we’re assholes. For the people of Lake City.”

[quotemyname]

"She's right, you know. As much as it sucks, it had to be done. For the good of the many and all." Russell, smirked when he noticed he was making Blitz a little hot under the collar. He had to admit, he was glad the bomb squad hadn't seemed to have left much of an impression on her.

Russell raised his cup as well, "I'll toast, but not to assholes. A toast should always be respectful, not sarcastic." After Blitz's odd look, he shrugged, "I had a rich family, what did you expect?" Much as he tried to hide it sometimes, Russ really was honest, upright, and as far as dogs go, faithful.

"Anyway, a toast to us. To the detectives who hired us, knowing we were the people who they could rely on to do what needed to be done in this city, even if doing the right thing means wrestling with our scruples sometimes. Here's to our first successful mission. May we never forget the lessons we learned today." Russell smiled, and touched his cup to Blitz's.

[Superball]

"To the future, that today... mothers and fathers see their children again, that no one was hurt, and a little old lady will enjoy more of her golden years because of all of our efforts. That, and to putting a team of bank robbers in the klink."

She lifted up her glass. "To the... umm... Do we even have a team name yet?"