The Consortium Corporate Headquarters: Alverton Building
Downtown Boston
21st January, 2011“I do have one,” Taser replied. “How do you expect us to safeguard someone who is keeping us away from him? Anything could happen in the time it takes us to close the distance and intercept any threats.”
Maxwell sighed, taking a sip of his cocktail. “That, I’m afraid, is a matter for your quarry. He wouldn’t listen to me no matter what.”
Wonderful, she thought. “Make that two. What about transport?”
Producing a set of keys, the Consortium bigwig dangled them in front of the two parahumans. “I have something practical and discreet downstairs in the parking lot. Which one of you is driving?”
@ProPro@hagroden@FancyHats
Thinker Cup Cafe
Downtown Boston
21st January, 2011Whetstone smiled. She had her right where she wanted her.
That might be about to change, though.
A fierce defensiveness rose up from inside her. “Most assuredly not. Let me make one thing perfectly clear. She is on loan to you. As such, I expect her to be well-treated and to come back in one piece. Although she can use her powers on herself, under no circumstances should she be the target of your experiments. Break
any of these rules, my dear, and I have the power to make your life a living hell in this city.”
“That is something neither of us want.”
“Agree to my conditions, and I will have her send to the CDC later today via express courier.” She offered a hand to shake, a visual representation of her terms and conditions. “Do we have a deal?”
@Old Amsterdam
Wonderland Safe House - Raven Street
Downtown Boston
21st January, 2011“Hmm,” Planck replied with a shrug. “He’ll show up sooner or later.”
Twirling the umbrella up to rest on her shoulder, she put her other hand on her hip and leant on the door frame. “That is exactly what they did. Gladius have this little superiority complex - they like to make people think they’re the ‘noblest’ lot in Boston. That’s complete codswallop.”
“Believe me, if any Gladius capes had actually been there, you wouldn’t have needed to look. None of their powers are especially subtle.” Staring at the ceiling, the girl’s shoulders relaxed in the way they do when recalling fond memories. “Wonderland is different. We don’t try to make out we’re something we’re not. People call us murderers. They’re right. But we’re all free. We act because we believe it’s for the best - just for ourselves, not others. It’s a liberating lifestyle.”
“Pipeline doesn’t care who he pisses off. But then, you knew that. He shot down a Protectorate VTOL,” she said, with a giggle. “I do hope they weren’t too badly hurt. There are so few people to talk to about hair and boys and ponies.”
@Lasrever
Gladius Border Territory
Dorchester
21st January, 2011The Wards thought they were a match for him.
He couldn’t decide if that was cute or
tragic.
Killing them all would be so easy, he thought. But that would defeat the purpose. Something they had done had terrified him. Ironic, then, that the fear was all that was keeping them alive. If he killed Wards, there would be no going back. The public didn’t despise the Covenant. Not yet, anyway. Ward-killing would leave a bad taste in their mouth.
And then there was
her.
Nevertheless, their overly-headstrong natures would put them in jeopardy if he didn’t stop them, here and now. The new Hero was a relative unknown, and the new Ward’s power was certainly intricate, but although he could guess what it did, the specifics of both powers were still unknown to him. That worried him. Everything did, lately.
A ghostly hand shot towards him, with the obvious intent of restraining him further - be it through physical force, or otherwise.”You want me? Alright, then,” he called out, and let the arm grab his ankle.
As the force tried to trip him off his feet, he exercised his own in return, balancing the blood coating his skin and keeping him upright. At the same time, Knight defended his attempt to blind her with a shield. The blood splashed against the barrier, and he hardened it on contact, creating a sculpture of crystallized blood. Using her telekinesis, Knight kicked the shield towards him while still covered in the blood.
And then the fun began.
Sickle entered into a mental showdown with both capes at one, simultaneously battling Anomaly’s attempt to knock him over and holding Knight’s blood-covered shield at bay, all the while steadily advancing on their position. Septima did her bit by sealing off the storm of shards - none of which he was willing to use on the Wards, anyway. Too much potential for lethal force. Two more shields appeared, one on either side, and Sickle realised what they were doing.
Trying to box him in.
The walls moved to crush and restrain him in the middle, but he didn’t give them a chance. Picking up speed, he ran up the moving wall of frozen time, micromanaging his power to give him almost total control over his own body. Sailing over Knight’s shield, he returned the blood on it to liquid form and brought it over with him. Standing only a few feet from the would-be hero, he held his bo-staff towards her.
Meeting her gaze, eyeless mask to faceless helmet, he gave a single warning. “I’ve given up far too much, to fall here, to the likes of you. If you start this, be prepared.”
“Because I will end it.”
@Banana@PlatinumSkink
PlatinumSkink