Adventure! RPG: Heroes of Our Time - episode 2: Air Raid

[Alex Craft]

The fleeing raider doesn't get far. Janos' hurled sword flips end over end, quickly crossing the distance between the two men. The tip of the blade rakes across the fleeing man's back - slicing through the meat of his back and shoulder. He staggers and falls to a quick burst from Blaine's roaring Thompson.

The vicinity is clear for the time being, with both visible halls empty of raiders. However, the sound of gunfire has doubtlessly alerted the men in Kate's nearby lab, and any other groups of enemy scouts are probably closing even now.

[Dr. Mystery]

John strides quickly over to the others, the gunfight having ended. He sticks close to the right wall of the hallway as he walks toward them.

[Rhiannon Lewis]

"Thanks, Locky," Rhiannon says after rising gracefully to her feet. She points to a nearby door after Janos takes down the fleeing raider. "That's the lab. Let's go!"

She bolts to the lab door, discarding her high heels on the way.

[Andrew Murphy]

Jameson follows Rhiannon and the others down the hall. As he does so he takes the opportunity to holster and reload his guns, one at a time.

"So, uhh, anybody have any idea how many men Zorbo has workng for him?"

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos pockets his pistol and sweeps up a raider submachinegun. As he passes the last downed raider, he grabs up his sword.

To Jameson,

"We should expect at least a reinforced platoon, up to a company. Let's say 100 men."

Janos stays in stride with Rhiannon as the approach the lab.

"Is there a plan, or just 'get them!'?"

[Andrew Murphy]

"We should expect at least a reinforced platoon, up to a company. Let's say 100 men."

Jameson looks at Janos and then at his twin revolvers. "Man I hate to do this but if we're really going to be outnumbered like that..."

Jameson holsters his two prized pistols and picks up a sub-machingun from one of the fallen goons and scavenges as many clips (both spares and partials from the bodies) stuffing them into his coat pockets.

"There's something to be said for bringing the right equipment for the mission. Kinda like not bringing a knife to a gunfight, eh Janos?"

[Blaine]

While everyone is catching up Blaine checks the drum clip on his Tommy gun, still over half full. He slams it home, and levers the action back on it, clikclak! and moves forward with the rest.

"Stay behind me Kid, and stick with that hog leg you picked up. Leave the machine guns to those that have a few notches in their belt. It's a tough beast to control."

"These goons from what's his name, Zorbo? Look a little underweight to me. A bit of lead oughta fix 'em right up!"

[Andrew Murphy]

Jameson watches in horror as Janos' eyes suddenly go dull and a thin trail of drool begins to form at the corner of his mouth ... *ahem* sorry ... But seriously ...

"These goons from what's his name, Zorbo? Look a little underweight to me. A bit of lead oughta fix 'em right up!"

Jameson snaps the action back on his own sub-machinegun and shoulders up next to Blaine. "I agree we should be able to go is guns blazing and take a good many of them down without too much of a fight. I'll go left you go right."

That said Jameson turns to the others, "Once we're in come in behind us and stay low in case there's any brave idiots in there. Keep you eyes open and the goons off our backs and we should get this done all nice and tidy right quick."

[Rhiannon Lewis]

Rhiannon sighs, acceding to Jameson's superior battlefield experience, but she is clearly not impressed.

"Very well," she says crossly. "Let's go then. Bradford, Blaine; take lead and pump out as much lead as you can. Locky, with me. Janos, John, go last and guard our rear."

She reloads her pistol and waits for the men to lead.

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky grabs his gun off the floor, moving towards Rhiannon.

"After you, Miss Lewis..."

[Alex Craft]

Jameson and Blaine burst through the broad double doors into Kate's lab. Instantly, the doorway fills with exchanged gunfire as an uncertain number of raiders (clearly forewarned by the gunfire outside) open fire on the two of them. As bullets saturate the air around them, the two men stand firm long enough to pick targets and loose a quick burst of gunfire, both of them dropping one of the enemy gunmen.

A quick stock-taking reveals nine raiders scattered around the large, open-plan laboratory (about 10 by 20 meters - the long sides holding the entrance and the outside wall opposite the entrance). Five of them (now, three) are standing among the dozen or so lab tables arranged throughout the room and firing upon Jameson and Blaine as they enter the lab. Kate and several other scientists are rounded up against the far left wall of the room.

The other four raiders are occupied around a jagged hole blasted in the outside wall, readying the generator to be hoisted up and out of the building. When Jameson and Blaine entered, they were securing the straps and lift cables of a complex harness which they have wrapped around the device. They now drop behind the nearest lab tables and radio (in German) the urgency of immediate air lift.

After their first shots, Jameson and Blaine realize that the return fire is too intense for them to remain in the open, so they too move for safety - the lab tables serving as excellent cover for both sides of the exchange (the volume below the table top is filled with built-in cabinet space).

Bullets plucking at their clothes, the two men throw themselves forward, crouching on this side of the nearest table. With their first casualties, the remaining raiders have done so as well - ducking down so as to be almost entirely concealed by the bulks of other tables.

In the hall outside of the lab, the other four members of the group have ducked back behind the walls to the left and right of the doors - finding the initial exchange too intense to charge. Now, Locky peeks around the corner ... but ducks back as a burst of semiautomatic fire answers his inquisitiveness.

[Andrew Murphy]

Jameson looks at Blaine, "We've got to keep them from getting the engine. Can you give me some massive cover spray?" Jameson hands his SMG to Blaine, "Here just throw lead out there, I'm going to see if I can't destroy the harness..."

Jameson hands off his weapon to Blaine and unholsters his two pistols. "Ok on three unleash hell, and I'll take my shots...One ... two ... THREE!"

Jameson stands up and levels his twin revolvers at the engine's harness. He takes two careful aimed shots at the topmost point of the harness where all the ties/straps meet.

[Blaine]

Blaine quickly rips the finally empty drum of ammo on the Tommy gun. Bradford's telling him he needs cover and so he desperately reaches for the spare clip he brought and jams it in. "C'mon, cmon!" he curses as he levers the action back, seeing Bradford is about to leap out of cover and take some shots.

"Shit!" he shouts and then pops up behind cover and blazes away at all the upturned tables that he saw with Zorbo's goons behind them.

"Eat it you lousy Krauts! Eat it!" he screams over the steady drum beat of the Tommy gun.

[spending an Inspiration point to get the heroic bonus and spray down as many of these guys as possible.]

[Rhiannon Lewis]

"Dammit!" Rhiannon mutters under her breath as Locky sticks his head inside and nearly gets shot for his pains. She takes a deep breath, readies her pistols and prepares to enter. "Locky, stay back. Janos, John, be careful, but support me."

[Alex Craft]

Blaine's Tommy gun stitches the counter tops with bullets, shattering glass and scrapping instruments. The first spray catches the raiders off guard, and one of the three men is struck - falling out of sight behind the cover of the table. Of the remaining two, one dives for cover while the other braves it out and returns fire.

Jameson's surgical aim lets him tear apart the steel cables with ease. He cuts both the main cable and the lighter emergency cable, rendering the engine firmly land bound.

Blaine ducks a bit, searching for cover from the flying bullet, but then becomes aware of a significant difference between his Thompson and the raiders' SMGs: magazine size. The raider runs out of ammunition in mid-spray, his gun's roar fading to a persistent clicking as Blaine pops back up and takes him out.

For a few seconds, the room is quiet, and the rest of the group may venture in without hazard. However, this situation will not last for long - there are at least five active raiders hidden behind desks, preparing to reenter the fight.

[Andrew Murphy]

Jameson's surgical aim lets him tear apart the steel cables with ease. He cuts both the main cable and the lighter emergency cable, rendering the engine firmly land bound.

Jameson utter's a cry of triumph under his breath as the two cables are sheared in twain. He ducks down behind the counter and is soon joined by Blaine. He motions for the other's to enter low and join them.

"I think there's about five left or so, We have them outnumbered but I get the impression that saving their own skin is second to completing their tasks." Jameson says as he quickly replaces the two spent bullets from his pistols.

"That engine is going nowhere now, not without some more cabling and possibly a new harness. I suggest we hit them now while we have the advantage and can be assured to take them out with minimal injury.

"We can then secure the engine and get the scientists to safety before Zorbo sends another wave of soldiers at us. What do you all think?"

[Blaine]

Blaine blows smoke off the barrel of the Tommy gun, and then checks the amount of ammo left he has in it. Probably enough for one more good spray.

"Yeah. Let's hit 'em fast and hard, they're still scattered a bit by what just happened, we press on and finish the job, before they start taking hostages, or figuring another way to move that framasantz. Me and Bradford lead and everyone follow up, you shoot and shoot and shoot, and don't miss. Once we take back the lab we'll be in the clear. OK?" Blaine emphasizes his point by slamming the drum back into the gun and levering the action back again.

[Rhiannon Lewis]

"Agreed," Rhiannon replies briskly. "Let's do it." She reloads her pistols and nods. "Ready."

[Dr. Mystery]

John silently heads into the room, keeping low, his unseen form moves with the others behind the counter, hand pulling his cane from his coat and crouching.

[Andrew Murphy]

As soon as everybody has voiced an opinion or simply given agreement with the plan Jameson will borrow Rhiannon's mirror again. He quickly uses it to scan over the counter to spot any enemies he can.

"OK, it looks like two are near the device, two are coming around on the left to flank us, and the fifth is heading for the scientists.

"Blaine, why don't you mow the two on our left down, I don't want to worry about any stray lead hitting hostages or the device. John and Locky, see if you can take out the man heading for the hostages and then get over to them and help protect them.

"Rhiannon, Janos, and I will take down the remaining two goons at the device, we'll need to be careful not to damage it.

Jameson waits for any comments on the plan and then says, "OK on the count of three we'll go ... one ... Two ... THREE!!"

(OOC: I'm guessing at the actual positioning, Alex please take this only as Jameson attempting to maximize the efficacy of the assault)

[Blaine]

Blaine nods at Bradford's suggestion and faces the left, gripping the Tommy gun in his gnarled and ham like fists so hard that the knuckles strain and pop. The steel flashes in his eyes as he stands up and the thunder roars from the gun.

Tommy Boy, oh Tommy Boy

Father fought against his brother

Bearing arms 'gainst one another

He's gone an' died for Lincoln

Fought and died for Lincoln.

He croons, finally ending the song.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

"What a day. What a day," Janos mutters under his breath as he looks over the situation.

On "Three!", Janos takes a running slide into the room, shooting his Raider SMG wildly and screaming at the top of his lungs.

[Andrew Murphy]

"OK on the count of three we'll go ... one ... Two ... THREE!!"

As soon as he finishes the countdown Jameson levers his legs under him and slides back up the lab bench into a standing position. He spins and gracefully takes aim at the two gunmen standing near the engine.

His twin revolvers emit thundering blasts as he fires at Zorbo's henchmen. Each weapons thunders twice, a pair of shots hurtling toward the goons.

As he fires he begins to walk calmly around the bench and toward the group of frightened scientists.

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky nods at the plan, commenting "I'll try."

On "three", Locky slides under Blaine's spray of bullets, sliding along the tiled [spending 1 Inspiration to make it so if necessary] floor. As he moves nearer to the edge of the cupboard, he stops, and takes a peak around the corner.

If clear, he takes another slide, this one more forceful, sliding towards the man heading for the hostages. As soon as he gets a a clear view, he moves as quickly as he can, attempting to trip him up.

[Rhiannon Lewis]

Rhiannon keeps herself behind Jameson and Blaine, firing in the space between them at any goon who should somehow avoid them.

[Dr. Mystery]

John runs along just in front of Locky, staying low and unseen. Taking the corner around the cupboard sharp and low. John runs at the man, bringing his cane down with both hands, attempting to hit the guard in the head (Spending a point of inspiration to increase his die pool).

[Alex Craft]

The four gunmen once occupied with securing the generator have now found their weapons. Turning back to the door, they half-stand, half-crouch behind the cover of the nearest lab tables. Once again, Jameson's less apparent firepower makes him appear as the lesser threat, and the four raiders instead focus their attention on Blaine and Janos' more flashy weapons.

The price of this assessment grows high when two of the four fall almost immediately - courtesy of Jameson's revolvers. The others raiders have opened up in the direction of the door - spraying bullets in the hope of hitting Blaine, Janos, or any other enemy. Both Blaine and Rhiannon return fire - exchanging bullets with the remaining two gunmen.

Locky and John move to intercept the fifth gunman as he ducks down and scuttles toward the hostages. As Locky peeks around the corner, he spots this raider dodging across the aisle between a couple of nearby tables. Pursuing the man, he slips around a table to find another raider - the man Blaine had winged while Jameson clipped the generator's harness cables.

Slumped against the table, he still lives - and brings up his gun, opening fire on Locky. Locky reacts quickly, tumbling inside the injured raider's range and kicking wildly at his gun. The weapon goes flying, but the raider presses the attack - drawing the knife from his belt. Nearby, Janos moves toward the hostages as bullets hum through the air around him. Miraculously avoiding harm, he spots Locky's predicament and takes time to loose a quick burst at the youngster's attacker - finishing the job that Blaine started.

John intercepts the raider moving on the hostages, lashing out invisibly with his cane and clipping the back of the raider's head. Stunned, the raider stumbles forward to be met by Kate, who rises from among her employees and strikes him flat handed - moving quickly, but not evidencing much training. The raider is too dazed to dodge, and Kate's blow sparks with an unexpected electrical arc. The raider spasms briefly, then collapses to the floor, unconscious.

By this point, the exchange of fire between Rhiannon, Blaine, and the two remaining raiders has been resolved. Both raiders have been fatally wounded, but Blaine and Rhiannon were both clipped by rounds sprayed from the raiders' SMGs. Blaine's reinforced clothing and natural sturdiness have kept him intact, but Rhiannon has been wounded slightly - her leg cut by a glancing strike from a bullet. Fortunately, it is a minimal wound - she can still walk unhindered if she ignores the pain.

[1L to Rhiannon]

The room is secured, for now, but reinforcements are likely coming - either converging from within the building, or about to rappel down the boarding ropes hanging outside the hole blown in the wall.

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky picks himself up from the floor, uttering a quick "Thanks Janos!"

Locky looks at the hole in the wall. "Looks like more are on the way. Anyone got any idea as to what we do with the engine?"

[Rhiannon Lewis]

Rhiannon grits her teeth as she asks, "Please tell me someone has a bandage or knows how to tie one?"

She looks over at Kate. "Much as I hate to say this, do you know how to disable the engine? I'd truly hate to see Zorbo get his hands on it."

[Alex Craft]

Kate directs the other scientists to grab key records, then goes to the nearest lab table and removes a first aid kit from one of the cabinets. Moving to Rhiannon, she quickly binds the wound, apparently having some amount of medical training.

In response to Rhiannon's question, she looks up with worry in her eyes, saying, "Well ... I'm not supposed to discuss this with anyone, but I think you really need to know. The device is not the source of the energy. Instead, it contains and converts energy released by a couple grams of exotic matter at its core. Right now, if the device is damaged or disabled, the core could poison half of this city."

"There's nothing I can do about that with the equipment here, so we need to be extremely careful with this thing. I think Zorbo knows about the threat, though - that tracking device you found in Cairo works because of the core's emissions."

[Andrew Murphy]

Jameson walks over to the others as he re-loads his spent rounds. He overhears the conversation between Rhiannon and Kate.

"Do you mean that this device works on radioactive principles?" he asks Kate. He looks over at the machine and scratches his head.

"There's no way we're going to get that thing safely out of here is we need to coddle it. Maybe a couple of us should take the scientists to safety and the rest of us will stay behind to fend of Zorbo's goons."

He pauses and grins wolfishly, "Of course we could simply climb up the way these goons come down and take the fight to Zorbo. We could 'convince' him to give up.

"At any rate I'll go with the consensus, but I think we need to think fast and implement so sort of plan."

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky thinks for a second.

"Kate, how'd you guys get it in here to begin with? I doubt you dragged it all the way up. We might be able to use whatever you used to get the engine out of here."

"And if we don't want this Zorbo guy to get his hands on it, we gotta find a way of stopping him from finding it with those tracking device things. Do you know whether that's possible?"

[Blaine]

Blaine drops the spent Tommy Gun, and surveys the carnage. He crosses himself quickly and mumbles a quick prayer someone nearby might hear "Lord please take the Rod and the Sword from my hands, but in your name I shall wield them with all of my heart. The blood of Christ washes away my sins, Amen."

He turns to the rest and pulls out his pistol and slides the action back on it. "If you need someone to hold down the fort, you got it. We should probably leave the widget here, if it's as dangerous as you think."

[Count Janos Rakozi]

"Thanks Janos!"

Janos gives a quick nod to Locky. He then looks over to see if Rhiannon and the others are okay.

Janos starts collecting a few spare magazines from the fallen raiders while the others talk. Listening to the exchange of ideas, he ends up nodding in the affirmative with Locky.

"Locky is right. More importantly, they are after the device, not this building or the people within it. Take the device, and Zorbo will follow."

"I suggest we take it rapidly to the mass transit tunnels running beneath this island. That will put us more on an equal footing."

"Kate, you will need to come with us."

Janos switches out magazines on his own SMG. The thought of taking this fight into a crowded civilian area either doesn't register with Janos, or he simple doesn't care.

"First off, let's get it away from that big gapping hole in the wall with all those lines leading up to one of their airships."

"Locky, could you gather any spare gasmasks these raiders no longer have a need for?"

[Rhiannon Lewis]

Rhiannon purses her lips thoughtfully. "Dear Godd - God," she murmurs softly. "The devil and the deep blue sea conundrum."

She nods her thanks to Kate. "One of our big priorities is to avoid massive casualties," she observes. "Janos, cut those damned lines. John, can you cloud more than one person? If so, get those damned scientists out of here. Kate, your ability to create electricity makes you useful to keep around, unless you wish to leave. I understand if you do."

She looks around the room. "We have two priorities here: keep the engine out of Zorbo's hands and to prevent as much loss of life as possible. To that end, I believe that we should stay here and fight a defensive battle. Zorbo only has so many men, and we have the advantage of home ground and as many weapons as we can scavenge."

Her lips curve in an icy smile. "Besides, I cannot say too much on the man, but I do hope he's the type to come and gloat on his possible victory in person."

[Dr. Mystery]

John's outline, followed by the rest of him fade into view as he turns to Rhiannon, speaking, face somewhat downcast.

(Not Deactivating Cloud the Mind, just making myself noticable)

"Unfortunately, I cannot. We will have to get them to safety in some other fashion, I assume. We do need to find some way to protect the engine as well. I am not opposed to the idea of taking the fight to Zorbo myself."

John taps his cane impatiently on the floor, sighing, as his eyebrows furrow in thought.

[Alex Craft]

A bit further discomfited by Jameson's question, Kate responds, "Sort of ... the same basic problems if the core is exposed. I'm really not supposed to be talking about this."

"We brought the device up by one of the cargo elevators - there's one pretty close if you want to try to get it out of here. Unfortunately, I don't have any way of shielding the device from detection ... though it might help to get it underground. The subway tunnels should be deep enough to block most of the radiation. Otherwise, we'd need heavy shielding, and I don't have anything like that in New York."

Smiling sourly to herself - like she's getting a bad joke everyone else totally missed - she tells Rhiannon, "I can help. My father made sure I could take care of myself, and like you said, this can be useful."

A spray of sparks briefly arcs back and forth between the fingers of her right hand, forming into a rough ball before vanishing with a pop.

"Incidentally, the device isn't fragile. The maker put plenty of armor and shock absorption, so you don't have to worry about accidently breaking it. Still, I wouldn't want to trust that against bullets. Really, I'd rather leave it for Zorbo than risk damaging the container. I doubt Tony would be happy about that, though - he can be sort of possessive. But if we do that, don't forget ..."

Walking over to a specific lab table, Kate picks up a small metal box - its welded cover cut off to reveal a rats nest of tangled wires. It takes a moment, but the group recognizes it as the detector left behind by Luqmani.

"... we have one of these, too."

[Rhiannon Lewis]

Rhiannon purses her lips thoughtfully. "Very well. We can track the damned thing, which is good. Carrying the fight to them may be more practical than I thought."

She pauses, looking over the scientists. "We need this lot out of the line of fire. Suggestions, anyone?"

[Alex Craft]

Zorbo's amplified voice once more blares out from somewhere above 1 K.I.S. Plaza:

"Cease all resistance and surrender ze atomic force generator! I have CAPTURED your master, Herr King, and my forces even now converge upon ze generator's location! There is no escape! You have no recourse but to acquiesce!"

As the reverberations from Zorbo's pronouncement die down, the group is able to hear the sound of footfalls out in the corridor. [if any of you investigate, you can tell that an indeterminate number of men are gathering just out of sight - probably intending to rush you en mass.]

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky walks to the hole in the wall and looks up.

"Guys, I hate to say this, but we're kinda out of options. How fast can you guys climb? I'll stay here and buy some time, you guys go up and help Mr King. I'll meet up with you when I escape from these guys."

The non-chalant way in which he says this gives the impression that the escaping bit is less than no problems.