ic Wall the Build

[RocketLord]

And there we go, Jack Jackson himself showing up to join the fun. And hey, these two had some history, they way they were sniping at each other. Of course, it could all be a part of Jack's show, but Detective Kidd's dislike seemed pretty real. 

 

Robin pulled further back. Jack Jackson's made it pretty clear what he thought of Detective Kidd, and that was some pretty bad accusations, yeah. A police brutality charge. It sounded like Detective Kidd were just as bad news as Blowfish and Jack Jackson. Just what was it that Robin had gotten herself involved in? 

 

She didn't want to get involved with Jack Jackson in the first place and now, before she had a chance to get out of there, she had a microphone thrust in her direction. She looked down at it with big eyes behind her mask. What was she going to say? This was the first time she was in a situation like this. Public speaking was really not her thing, she had proven that time and time again, and now whatever she said would be immortalized. So, play along with Jack, hope he worked on her side and didn't comment on the mask, which he probably would, or go no comment, and just get out of there? That could look bad too, right?

 

"I guess... I just hope people will stay civil? No reason for anyone to get hurt over this, is there?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

Jack Jackson looked visibily dissapointed at the safe answer. 

 

"No reason at all!" he said, clearly wishing there was a reason, and that news fell from the sky in a thunderstorm of scandal. 

 

"We all want a peaceful non enventful resolution to this exciting and thrilling stand off!" he said to Justice, but mainly the camera. 

 

He spun back to Justice, armed with his trusty microphone. 

 

"And who are you, citizen? Some superhero? Thats a very nice mask you got on there? Why those colours? And how do you know detective Kidd?" he asked, machine-gunning out his questions. With every word, the microphone crept a millimetre or two forward, until it was almost jammed into her nostrils. 

[RocketLord]

Some superhero? Right, now Jack Jackson was fishing for answers from Robin and wanted to know about her. The way the microphone was creeping ever closer was just annoying, the way it was almost jammed into her face, and the way that Jackson clearly wanted to get a very non-peaceful resolution to drum up his ratings... Yeah. Robin would have to thread carefully here.

 

Reaching forward, Robin gently pushed the microphone back a bit. Dodging and running would not do her any good right now, and besides, that wasn't the kind of hero she wanted to be. Not even if it meant dealing with someone like Jackson. So, deep breath. "Call me Justice, I'm working on it, thanks I quite like it myself, red and gold are supposed to be heroic, and I had never heard about him before today." Her responses were as rapid as the questions. Give him as little as possible, don't go into more detail if she could help it.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Justice, eh?" said Jack Jackson, salivating. 

 

"Are you a new superhero?" he asked, and without awaiting an answer, he spun to the camera. "Thats right folks, you heard it here first! Another Jack Jackson special! The debut of....JUSTICE!"

 

He span round again, full of keen. 

 

"Do you have a cape? Whats you favourite colour? Can you fly? X-Ray Vision? What drove you don a mask? Whats your top three tips for a utility belt?" he asked breathlessly, gasping for breath. 

 

"Do you stand for....JUSTICE?" he said, winking at the camera. 

 

"Oh sheesh...." muttered a disgusted Detective Kidd, facepalming. 

[RocketLord]

Wow. And Robin thought that she could have a motor mouth at times. She was completely blindsided by the speed that Jack Jackson suddenly shifted into, rapid fire questions, going even faster than before. She was just staring at him, looking like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. 

 

She was already liking Detective Kidd more, just for not like this Jackson.

 

Finally, she got a chance to respond. So, deep breath. No way she was gonna go answer all of that, or even get a chance. "Sorry Jack, the mask's there for a reason. Can't just go around revealing everything, right?" There was a bit of a teasing tone to her voice. "I told you, I'm here to try and keep things civil, and to keep people from getting hurt. That's what I stand for. And that's all I'm gonna say for now."

[Supercape]

GM

 

Even Jack Jackson couldn't see a way of turning this interview into something exciting or scandalous. 

 

"Sure sure...nice to meet you Justice...and remember folks you saw it here first - with Jack Jackson!" he finished up, and wandered off to try and get some better action. 

 

"Bor---ing!" he muttered under his breath as he left Justice. It wasn't too soft. Just carefully timed so Justice could just about hear him. 

 

"Say" grunted Detective Kidd. "Maybe when the bullets start firing one accidentally hits him between the ears? Whaddya say?" he asked Justice, before closing one eye, aiming his finger at Jackson's skull, and pulling the imaginary finger. 

 

"Pow! And the world is a better place!"

Edited December 13, 2018 by Supercape

[RocketLord]

Robin really didn't know Kidd well enough to know if he was joking or not. Given how he had acted until now, she really doubted that it was just a joke. "Be nice." The camera's could just about catch that, and then she would get in trouble when Jackson blew that up to something big and exciting.

 

Robin was at least glad that she had managed to not make a giant fool out of herself. Nothing he could spin, nothing he could use against her. There would probably be plenty of time for that later, if things escalated here. 

 

Kidd was right about one thing, at least. Jackson's presence did not make this a better place. The question was if he would actually rile something up, or tempers would flare up on their own. She would need help to stop it, if it came to that. A plan was starting to form. She looked around to make sure that nobody was close enough to hear them before continuing. "Hey, Kidd. You wanna take Blowfish down, yeah? How about doing it the right way, so he ends up in prison somewhere, for a good long time?" She grinned at him. "Any idea if there might be some evi-dence nearby that could point to all the things you told me?"

 

It was probably a long shot, but hey. Might work.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"I am taking down Blowfish the right way" said Kidd. Extraordinarily, he turned his shotgun and, with the safety off, stared down the barrel of the gun. "Are you down there, Blowfish? How did you crawl down there? Maybe I should flush you out!" he said, fingering the trigger. 

 

With a laugh, he pulled the shotgun away from his eye. "Evidence? Dude like Blowfish don't leave evidence just hanging around. Maybe if ya got a degree in law and acounting you could get him for tax evasion, if you could find his accounts" he said, not so happy at the thought. "Maybe if you got one of his lackeys to squeal. But Blowfish is a top dog. He seals himself behind his minions who do the actual dirty work. Although he was a tough nut back in his day" he explained. 

 

"You ain't going to put Blowfish away, 'sfar as I can see. On the other hand, you might get to break down this refuge centre. Get some pigs to squeal, maybe how he set up this place. Maybe how he is recruiting. And then theres the other side of things, the immigrant gang who is trying to grind his teeth in a sawmill. This fella called the Wall...as far as I heard, they are just as violent as Blowfish, except they ain't even American..."

[RocketLord]

Wonderful. Not about to get Blowfish taken down that easily, then. So much for that plan. So, what else could Robin do? This was the second time that the Wall had been mentioned. That guy sounded like trouble, too. So at least 3 side and counting in this, just another way everything could go to hell in a handbasket.

 

"Right. Nothing that easy." She had been creeped out by the way Kidd looked down the barrel of his shotgun, but she tried not to let it show. No reason to give him that, right? "So, you're really bulletproof, or just like playing with loaded guns with the safety off? And what's this Wall guy's deal, then? You think he's gonna show tonight?"

 

If he did, then what? She couldn't fight all those people and make sure that Kidd didn't shoot anyone, all at once.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Det Kidd gave a big grin. "I got shot up five years ago. Busted a cult. Got shot right in the heart. Miracle I survived" he said. "That's when I first met Jack Jackson. Now...I survived...does that make me bulletproof?" he asked. 

 

"Never got shot again" he added. 

 

"As for the Wall, well, I fancied a word with him. Tell him to keep his filthy Mexican hands out of this part of town. Sure, he and his friends may built this place, but I'm guessing he would tear it down just as soon" he explained. "So, if you want to live up to your name, maybe you and me can go kick some sense into him. With bullets...."

[RocketLord]

Never got shot again, huh? Didn't sound like he was bullet proof, really. Probably less so than her full suit, at least. 

 

She shook her head. What did she really want to do here? Team up with a cop, even someone as rough as Detective Kidd, and try to take down the Wall? Or stick around, eventually get caught on camera by Jack Jackson, probably doing or saying something stupid? Not that her hanging out with Detective Kidd was something that Jackson would spin into something nice. 

 

Robin paused a bit at Kidd's suggestion. Stop the wall? Yeah, that part sounded good. Bullets? Not so much. Still... she had to do something, right? And that might keep things calm here. "Y'know what? Let's do it. But I got something better than bullets." And non-lethal, too. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

And so...

 

Shotgun in hand, detective Kidd took Justice away from the chanting crowds ("Go...go...go! Back to Mex...I...co!"), the beaming smug face of Blowfish, and the lip licking opportunism of Jack Jackson. 

 

Back around the side of the Sunny Sunshine Refuge centre. Half-built, the lights were dim here, and the building looked clearly unfinished. And yet, people were living inside. It could hardly be said to be squalid, for it was not. But still, it was not far away, and the unfinished nature of the building clearly made living conditions unpalatable at best. 

 

"You got some stealth field or something?" asked Kidd, quiet now. Alert. "Because we need to do some top rate snooping. Tell me you got invisibility beams?" he asked, hopefully. 

 

His shotgun would certainly, if fired, be far from stealthy, and yet he was caressing it with loving fingers. 

[RocketLord]

At least they managed to make it away from the protest without too much trouble, and it didn't seem like anyone had noticed them leaving. Probably for the better. The building was already in use, despite beign unfinished. They tennants were probably desperate, or squatters. At any rate, Robin saw no reason to go at them. The Wall though, he was a good choice for someone to stop here. Someone where Robin wouldn't have to doubt whether she was doing the real thing or not. If she could trust Detective Kidd, at least.

 

"Nothing like that, sorry." She paused for a moment. "Yet. I'm working on something like that." And about a few hundred other potential upgrades. Work in progress and all that. And she did need to make some real progress soon.

 

Looking over at Kidd's shotgun, Robin couldn't help but frown at the way he was handling the weapon. Kidd was trouble, wasn't he? Just what was she getting into?

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Huh, well I guess its the old fashioned way then..."

 

He started forward, voice now low, and footsteps soft and quiet. 

 

"Word is, the Wall is holed up in the basement, recruiting the disgruntled" he explained as they crept through the half built complex. The walls were concrete, with electricity and water half-installed. Justice could see the flicker of electric lights in some areas, and the more natural light of fires elsewhere. It was half a slum, half a residence. 

 

Voices everywhere, usually low. But pleasant, for the most part. Conversations, the odd laughter, even some singing of Mexican folk songs. 

 

But in the distance, for Kidd and Justice wove a most discrete path until they came to an elevator shaft and some stairs. 

 

"What's it to be, Justice?" whispered Kidd, on the lookout. "You got a fancy zip line to get us down the shaft? would be less risky than the stairs, where we might bump into somebody. Hell, I'm open to suggestion...."

[RocketLord]

Wow, Kidd expected a lot from her, didn't he? First stealth field, now a zip line? What's next? A big honking instant cover wall? 

 

That might actually be an idea to implement for later...

 

"No..." Robin's tone was a bit defeated. They had made it this far, but she really didn't want to get into too much trouble before they had a chance. "Just to make it clear: I got a suit that protects me, and I got a gun that shoots a kinetic blast. That's about it, right now. I'm working on a lot of things, but just because they aren't ready, that doesn't mean I should just let people like Blowfish, the Wall and Jackson do what they want, right?" That should hopefully clear up some of the capabilities, at least.

 

So, down the shaft... or down the stairs, where they might bump into someone. Looking quickly over the shaft, she turned back and shook her head. "No way we'll be able to make it down there. Let's head for the stairs." Bringing out her phone, Robin made sure to mute the Justice Driver, before she entered the code to transform. No reason to announce their being here to everyone. In a moment, her red and gold suit had unfolded. Maybe not the most stealthy thing, but she could take hits better with it on. "I'll take point." Drawing out the Justice Buster, she moved towards the stairs, slowly starting to descend. Anyone showed up, she would be ready.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Kidd and Justice crept down the stairs, as quietly as possible. The background noise helped, and nobody heard them - or at least nobody seemed to hear them. 

 

It was a little warmer down in the basement. Full of pipes. There was a large boiler room ahead, and it was even warmer as they approached. Ahead, they could hear a group of people speaking in Spanish. 

 

"Don't look at me" whispered Kidd. "I only speak good old American!"

 

Even closer now, they had the jump on the group. Five of them. Four were dressed normally, and had rather poor quality sidearms. The fifth was an enormous man in a coat, wearing a Lucho Libre mask. He was at least six foot six, as strong as an ox (quite possibly stronger), with a broad frame and a big belly. He would put a Sumo wrestler to shame just with his enormous size. 

[RocketLord]

"It's English. And I don't speak Spanish either!" Robin whispered back. No, she was not going to let that go, even if they had to be stealthy. If they had only be talking in some programming language or something like that, then she could have listened in. 

 

So, they were close now. Five people, one of them in a luchador mask. Should she take the first shot? Robin didn't like shooting without first giving a warning. It just felt wrong. She didn't want do do something like that, and not just because she didn't entirely trust Detective Kidd. Still, she gripped the Justice Buster close, and peeked up at the giant man. Looking over at Detective Kidd, she whispered her quick question. She wanted to be sure about this, before taking a chance. "Big guy's the Wall, right?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"English....? What are we, in England?" hissed Kidd. "Hoity toity yer madjesty would you like a cup of tea Guv'nor oh I do declare?" he added, mimicing dripping an efete drinking of a cup of tea complete with little finger extended. 

 

"We are in America, we are speaking American" he said, firmly, quite clear about his internal logic. 

 

He nodded towards the Big Guy. 

 

"I never met the Wall, but I heard he's a big fellow and wears a mask. This guys looks the fit..."

 

He was certainly the leader of the five men, and he certainly fitted the bill. He even looked like a Wall. 

 

Kidd fingered the shotgun. He had an itchy finger, no doubt, but he hesitated. He wasn't a confident as he had been, not down here. 

 

"Guys not armed...." he muttered. "Got fists like sledgehammers...."

 

This seemed to make him even more nervous. He clearly had no fear of getting shot. But it looked like the Wall could pulverise him in a few seconds with his arms. 

[RocketLord]

Wow. How did someone like Kidd ever make detective? Robin just stared at Kidd in disbelief. This guy was just too much. First the Gas Man, now this? Why couldn't she ever team up with someone that was actually heroic and not just looking into causing trouble or stopping someone for their own weird reasons?

 

"Way he looks, he could probably take a hit from your shotgun and keep going." Robin commented, looking over at the Wall. She had something better, at least. "Any idea what they're talking about?" It could be a lead. Jumping them like this here might not be the best choice. Five against two weren't great odds, and who knew how many others were there?

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Filthy damn Mexicans, speaking Mexican" muttered Kidd, straining to hear. 

 

He didn't speak Spanish, not really, but he knew a few words, as did Justice. Something about revenge or violence or smashing. This was punctuated with small cheers, raised weapons, and clenched fists. One could only imagine they were agitating for violence. 

 

And "Blowfish". 

 

Seemed his name was the same in Spanish and English. And his name was accompanied by frowns and hisses. Clearly, he was a most unpopular man. 

 

And then, the Wall brought out a box. And from the box, he brought out a stick of dynamite. 

 

This seemed to make everyone happy again. 

[RocketLord]

Robin at least understood that they wanted revenge, and it seemed to be aimed at Blowfish. And Detective Kidd had made it more than clear that he didn't like Blowfish one bit either. She didn't like those dynamite sticks one bit, even if it seemed kind of cartoonish. Did people really use real dynamite sticks like that anymore? Wasn't there some more elaborate bombs or something like that?

 

Deciding not to correct Kidd, since it wouldn't really help with anything, she looked over at him. "So... Dynamite sticks. Really?" It was probably around the time that they should make their presence known in here... even if she didn't like the five vs two odds. Stop this before it actually goes anywhere. "You know more about this sort of thing than me. Is there any chance they'll stop if you tell them they're under arrest? I know they're bad guys, but shooting to kill doesn't sit right with me... if you can even stop the Wall with your gun." Robin's Justice Buster might do the trick, but it wasn't like Detective Kidd really knew about it.

 

She looked around the room. Maybe there was something she could use to try and get an advantage.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"What, arrest?" said a surprised Kidd, fingering his shotgun. "We got the jump on them, you want to lose that? Go and arrest them?" he sounded almost shocked. 

 

He gave a winning smile (or at least, in his mind, it was a winning smile). A little cunning crept through his skull. 

 

"No. No I don'tthink they will just stop if I arrest them. I think they will open fire with their guns, and the Wall will pound our heads together like two watermelons dancing a waltz" he said, trying, as emphatically as possible, to indicate that Justics and Kidd would soon be sharing their minds. 

 

By which he meant, sharing their pulverised brains in the shattered and combined remains of their skulls. At least once the Wall had got hold of them. 

 

"So if you want to use an Arrest-o-beam on them, go right ahead. But to me, it looks like we got a terrorist attack on our hands!"

[RocketLord]

Kidd was a cowboy cop, alright. Did he think that his life was just a big action movie? He had a point about them being terrorists, but still... they couldn't just kill them. Robin didn't want to kill anyone. That was part of the whole reason for making the Justice Buster non-lethal. It hurt, sure. But non-lethal.

 

"My gun can probably take them out without killing them." she finally admitted to Kidd. We have to stop them, but we gotta at least try to do it without anyone dying. For all we know, they could be using that dynamite to go fishing."[/color] 

 

Alright then, time to face the music. She had to get out there and do something, before it was too late. Let Kidd say whatever objection he had to doing it without killing, then she would make her move.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Kidd muttered inaudibly at Justice's description of her gun. 

 

"We gotta stop them. Ill agree with that" he said, not willing to go the extra mile. Whilst he did not have any qualms about shooting up filthy Mexicans, he didn't seem to need to do it either. 

 

"If it works, it works" he concluded and conceded. "And I'm guessing you ain't going to have it any other way. I'm not scared of their guns, but the Wall has fists as big as my head. And I don't want my pretty face mushed up" he explained. 

 

He slowly cocked his shotgun. 

 

"So lets do this together. Ill only shoot if I have to..." he said, almost glum. 

[RocketLord]

Alright. Now or never, then. What should Robin do? Stand up and shoot? It felt wrong to not at least give them a chance, but they were handling dynamite. They might set it off. But shooting someone in the back, without giving him a chance to give up... that felt wrong too. But they were basically terrorists, they wanted to blow a lot of people up... so what was she going to do? Even taking out one of them before things escalated might be smart. She was sure she knew what Kidd would do, and right now, he seemed almost reasonable. Almost. 

 

Ugh.

 

Fine then.

 

Justice Buster held in both hands, she stood straight up. Full hero costume, red and gold. She was aiming straight at the Wall and his cohorts. "Freeze! Drop your weapons and hands where I can see them!" That's what they said on the cop shows, right?