angrydurf

As the words are leaving Marionettes lips Ace surges out of his chair and launches himself across the room to the balcony and the falling unconcious form of his niece. He grabs her as she begins to slip from her perch and twists and rolls clutching her to his chest to lay her on the ground. His neice securely on the balcony Ace focuses for a fraction of a second to cloud Marionettes mind and in an instant Ace and his neice vanish from the villianess' sight. Hidden from her sight he pushes onward to aim a wicked uppercut at the unsuspecting mentalist.

I'll surge to attack Marrionette. Power attack 5 on Marrionette (1d20+3=10) HP for Reroll Power attack 5 reroll (1d20+3=19) DC 28 toughness if it hits

Burn an HP for begginers luck on acrobatics. Acrobatics to save Rachel (1d20+7=26)

Ace laughs at loud at the younger heroes jest "I would expect no less Ma'am." Ace takes her hand firmly and with a sly wink adds "Us old folks can use our share to so don't forget this is a two way street." His good natured joking aside he knows better than most how true this is and has every intention of putting Grimalkins skills to use should he need them. "Now then if you'll excuse me I should see to my other guests lest they get jealous." He says with a slight bow.

Phantoms attack sends the first thug out flying through the air to land unceremoniously in the accumulated refuse of the allyway. His cohort turns and turns white as a sheet at the specteral figure floating towards him. He drops to his knees before Phantom and begs "Please, no, wait, I-I-I c-can help you." Meanwhile inside Ace observes the other patrons shift uncomfortably as the bartender takes a cursory glance at the picture before shaking his head and saying "Never seen em before bub." Ace grins and leaves a card on the bar, "Well let me know if you happen to remember anyone like that huh." and with that said turns and walks out the front door and heads around to the ally to see the thug cringing before Phantom.

will save to resist intimidate (1d20=10) Minion with impossible save falls down.

Ace looked down a little sadly at the young heroine for a long moment before he spoke again, "There is little perfection to be found in the world today Grimalkin, mistakes are made by everyone." The ageless hero looked around the party at the assembled guardians of Freedom City. His eyes looking beyond those here and now to the jeroes of the past as well. "It is what we do about those mistakes that makes the difference." Ace said as he looked once more to Grimalkin, "You are more than you think Grimalkin. You can be more than a tool, already you do more than merely cut away the disease of crime, you salve the wound left if even in a small way." Ace put his hands on her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes "I would be honored to work with you and to guide you to those who need you most, but that would be a disservice to both you and those you protect." He offered her a broad smile as he added "You know what you have to do that isn't your problem." Ace emphasized what with a gentle squeeze of her shoulders. The Danger scion released his grip then and pulled a simple black on white card out of his pocket offering it to Grimalkin as he spoke "If you need advice on how or some back-up let me know. That I can offer without concern." Ace knew she had what it took to stand on her own. He looked to Scarab and back to Grimalkin "You have others who would offer the same Grimalkin you have more to learn but you can learn and you have people willing to teach you what they know. You just have to ask. Don't let your mistakes and fears stop you from doing that." He smiled holding the offered card out to the young heroine still.

A glimmer of a fown flickered across Mikes face at Marks complement but was gone almost as fast as it was there. Why should he care if Mark was nice to Alex, she was a great person and deserved people being nice to her. "Yea I figure you're right," He said to Mark, "We should all be fine as is, I doubt they'll need ID alot of the college crowd's underage too." Mike checked his pockets quickly for his wallet and satisfied he was prepared continued "Alright lets go find this Kenzie guy then." With that Mike turned expectantly to Mark to lead the way.

This game of cat and mouse was old hat to Ace he schooled his features and didn't let his concern show. No matter how deep her barbs might drive he was not going to give her the satisfaction of knowing it. Instead Ace sighed non-chalantly and shrugged "There are worse ways to go." He adopted a thouroughly unimpressed mein and added "You may have learned alot but you seemed to have missed the part where Yo' Mamma jokes have lots thier punch. My mother died knowing she was loved surrounded by family at the end of a fruitful life, she is remembered still for her deeds and her presence is still felt." Ace met Marionettes eyes once more "Rachel knows as well as anyone in the family that I will outlive her. She is only human and I imagin she has had times and will have times of wishing she had what I do but in the end she will die knowing she was loved," Ace lowered his voice then still loud enough for marionette to hear but the tone was wholely different the devil may cry mask was gone Ace was deadly serious "not alone in her own filth." It was a calculated risk but he had to get her attention so thouroughly on him that she made a mistake. He might be able to get to Rachel in time to stop her from falling but it would be a near thing and marrionette was not a villain to be taken lightly, particlarly if her agenda had so radically shifted.

Mike turned to Mark, "Looks like we have a group then." Mike looked down at his own basic clothing and shrugged "I dunno are we spossed to dress up for this kinda thing? I thought concerts were usually just a jeans and a t-shirt deal. I mean unless its like classical or something." Mike's woefull lack of socialization showed through at times it was hard growing up a lab rat. He looked to Makr ast he rignleader of the endevor and asked incredulously "Should we change?"

Ace without pause continued to shut the door, the last thing he needed was Karen calling in the calvery and making everything go pear shaped. This was going to require some delicacy. Eyeing the mentalist warily he slipped quietly into the chair oposite her in the desk. "Shall we dispense with the plesantries then?" He asked full of mock formality. His eyes flicked to Rachel on her precarious perch, "I could ask you to let her go as she has nothing to do with this but you and I both know she's all you have for leverage and that as soon as you let her go or something happens to her you're down for the count." Ace's smile never touched his eyes as he leaned in cloaser looking the villian straight in the eye "So lets skip the chit chat what is it you want? The soviets failed the Iron curtain fell even you must realise that regardless of what you do now your side lost, your smart enough for that and if you just wanted vengence there are far easier targets with less chance of you getting caught." Ace leaned back again "So what do you want from me?" Ace hoped to set her just off balance enough but not drive her to do anything stupid, he also had to know if this was a copycat or the real deal, her reaction to the fall of the USSR woudl be telling on that front at least. As he spoke he kept a carefull eye on Marionette ready to make a jump for Rachel if she looked to make good her threat.

"Alright," said Ace "But you're paying" he joked. "I'll be right there." he said before hanging up Ace drove quickly to the office but was still botherd buy the urgency in Rachels voice. Regardless he had to get to the bottom of this even if there was some kind of toruble. He pulled into the underground parking flashing his ID to get through security and tossed his vest on before he headed up just in case there was trouble. Ace stepped to the elevator and hit the number for Rachels floor waiting somewhat impatiently to find out what was going on as the elevator sped to its destination.

Mike shrugged and followed Mark downstairs a few paces back. He caught up just after Erin opened the door and gave Alex an odd look at her reaction but shook his head resolving that it must be some kind of girl thing. "Yea the Madmen are pretty good, a break from the school might be nice." Mike said "Mark even thinks he can score us a ride." He added with somewhat false enthusiasm for his roomates endless lucky streak. "I wouldn't worry about it Erin," He added "They're a pretty mellow group." Mike offered her a supportive smile understanding better than most her concern.

Take 10 for a 32 on the Bluff: Inuendo to see if everything is allright.

Ace frowned at his nieces odd behavior, the Prophet clan was usually not the kind of matter requiring his attention. Determining something was odd he opted to give her a chance to clue him in that all was not well. "Alright I'll head on over right after lunch. Oh I never got to thank you for the cardigan, you had to leave the party early Saturday." Ace had infact as was his custom spent his birthday at the family estate with her mother and their father and she had donated in his name as was family custom for presents. It should give her plenty of ways to hint what was going on.

Mike rolled his eyes at yet more evidence of his roomates uncanny luck. Things just didn't wrong in Edge-land, it would be really frustrating if not for the genuine generosity with which he treated his windfalls. Mike made a couple non-commital noises but couldn't really come up with a good reason not to go and he did like the moody college tunes of the Madmen. "Hey why not, who we gonna hit up for a ride though?" It of course never occurs to Mike that he could easily carry at least Alex, Erin, and Mark himself and fly there. He tossed his bag on the bed and slumped in his chair waiting for someone with a car to show up at the door as would be the standard of living with Mark.

Ace smiled down at Phantom as he stepped out of the car. "Well certainly but I honestly have no idea where I would get a camel and gallon of yogurt at this hour. I think we'll just appeal to their sense of civic pride." He stepped lightly into an ally before they reached the bar in question. "Watch the back, anyone who knows anything will come out there." Ace indicates the back door of the bar. "I'll go stir the pot." Ace says as he slips back out onto the street. As he reaches the front of the bar he conjures an illusory G-man standing at the door to complete the image and strides in. When he reaches the bar he smiles wide and orders a soda water tipping generously before tossing up an illusory set of photos of the would be robbers. Ensuring that the rest of the bar got a good look at the picture and the false FBI badge on his belt as he did so. The entire bar was fixed on Aces performance and two rangy looking longshoremen slipped out the back while no one was looking emerging into the ally squinting and looking for an unwatched path of egress they didn't seem to notice Phantoms ephemeral form.

As the mental sending hit him Ace smiled, now they could get some control of the situation. He replied along the telepathic link 'I've begun to establish a triage area and gather survivors at my location. I'm also in contact with emergency services but they have callls coming in from all over the area. We could use a view of the big picture.' As he issued this reply he continued his canvasing of the houses aong with any able bodied civilians he was able to find.

Mikes eyes narrowed for a split second as Mark addressed Alex. He schooled his features quickly however and offered a hand settling Alex to the ground. "Risks of a superpowered school I suppose." He joked awkwardly then went silent. 'Damit I'm no good at this and this guy clearly knows the ropes around here.' Mike thought then with a sigh resingened himself to his role as wierd roomate to one of the popular kids.

Mike drew up short letting the frisbee sail lazily past him as he hovered stunned at someone calling his name. HE Drifted slowly down to where the newcomer was standing and settled to the grond before what the other boy had said fully sunk in. Once it did Mike did his best to surpress his sigh 'All good things come to an end sooner or later'. He awkwardly extended a hand while brushing stray hair from his face "Hey, Guess we're roomies then."

I'm thinking the request to Phantom was to lock out his dimensional travel as the Scarabs TK I think is plenty.

I'm sure I can come up with some way to drag mike out of his cave Sounds like fun

Ace comforts the confused seniors as he walks them to a well shaded yard "Just follow me Sir, ma'am, the oficer here will take good care of you we have the situation under control.". Once there he sits them down and checks them for woundsand has the officer secure the area for a central triage until the pro's show up. With that he's off to check other nearby houses for survivors or supplies.

June 15, 2009 Ace Danger and Phantom disrupt an attempted bank robbery and investigate further.

Ace listens carefully to what she has to say as they move about the dance floor. It is good to know his point has not been entirely missed in this endevor despite the disturbances earlier int he evening. As grim draws her explanation to a close he nods thoughtfully for a moment. "You are of course correct there is alot more that can be done by heroes than bashing in heads." He glances past her to the assembled heroes around the hall old and young alike "But times have changed there isn't the trust in our heroes that we once had as a people." He looked back to Grim once more before continueing "Of course there is less trust ont he part of the heroes of the people as well." "I do have some ideas for your personal project." Ace interjects "I'll look inot specifics and see if we can do something more in that regard at least." He continues to move about the dance floor in silence for a moment "There has been a great deal lost that we don't even realize yet." Ace speaks almost looking his age for a moment, "Heroes are more than crimes stopped or lives saved. True heroes show what is best in each and every one of us, give us something more to strive fro no matter our power or lack there of." Ace looks into grims eyes as he continues "But who do we have now to look to in our time of darkness?" Ace spins Grim outward as the last dulcet tones of the song echo in the hall and she finds herself staring at the memorial dispaly to The Centurion. From behind her she hears a quiet voice "Ask your friends who they look up to now."