ic Kingmaker: Opening Move

[Exaccus]

Alex had been about to reassure corona that it was "A speedster thing." When right on cue Fast-Forward returned with his wife hologram in his arms. 

 

"Not slowed down a bit huh?" He smiled as he put his 3rd diet soda down and turned to face the group as they talked amongst themselves a little doing his best to divide his unimpressive attention span amongst them equally before he inevitably got pulled in by the Archer II's spiel.

 

"Yeah! " He exclaimed pointing at the young man enthusiastically "that's right...under neath the powers she's still human right?" He turned his head to corona for some kind of confirmation before continuing.

 

"So she might just need a quick tap on the back of the head whilst she's distracted?" He looked to Fast-Forward and hologram in turn before leaning back and thinking on the very little he knew.

 

"Anger issues...she seems to have anger issues." He stated at last "maybe if we wind her up we can get her off balance long enough to get the best of her?"

 

And finally the elephant in the room he turned to archer II "on that note...you're not going to go pegging her with bodkins and Broadheads are you?" He asked nervously "No high explosives or drills or whatever....right bow dude?"

[RocketLord]

And there it was. Somebody with powers speaking up against the arrows. "Got broadheads, yeah." No high explosives. Honestly, he could have taken some along, but it didn't feel right. He knew the old man had some. "Among other things." No point in telling this guy everything he carried, it wasn't like everyone here had been coming out with just what they could do. 

 

He stepped up, right in front of the guy. Who even knew what he could do? He seemed confident, so probably something big. He had never heard about someone called Facs, and he was young, just a few years older than Connor himself, probably. "Because, obviously, arrows are the main danger in a super hero fight, and not whatever powers everyone here got." Connor smiled a confident smile, before stepping back from Facs, and moving over to Fast-Forward again. At least that guy had been happy to see him. "Besides, not like I shoot to kill or maim. I'm way better than that."

[Shofet]

Lester frowned, and put the glass he was cleaning down. "Hey, knock it off you two. My back might be messed up but I see either of you start stuff, I'm still strong enough to be my own bouncer." He squared up a bit, and stared at them seriously.

 

Serena sighed. "Can we not do the macho man contest here? I trust Archer not to hurt Heather too severely. Besides, she's... She does sort of have a mental thing. Like... Like a force-field around her, so she can take more punishment than you'd think. Still, I'd like to try talking her down out of this, seeing if... maybe... I can reach through to her beyond all the crap that Wu's put her through."

 

She drank more of her beer, using the time to gather her thoughts some more.

 

"I need all of you to not treat her like some monster. She's not, not the way I remember her. She's a person. A person with a lot of issues, but like... I need to have hope that whatever good there was in here is still there, and that maybe when all of this is done, we can get her help. Wu is abusing her, and has been for years. I just..."

 

She frowned. "Yeah."

Lester looked over at everyone, then at Serena. "You know, she could be doing this willingly."

 

Serena didn't even look at Lester, looking down at the ground. "I gotta hope she isn't."

[Exaccus]

Facsimile felt his temper flare a little at the archers words but his own sense of cool and calm prevailed even before les and corona threw there piece in.

 

"Haha, I don't have anything to prove buddy; glad you're on the up and up." He said with a casual thumbs up gesture and a sly smile.

 

"It's just been on my mind since I picked up kaboola myself see?" He explained as he pointed to the resting wrecking ball.

 

"Gotta hold ourselves and each other accountable right?" He asked with a look around the room.

 

"Cross those bridges when we come to em anyway." He added with a dismissive gesture as he returned to his drink.

 

"We just gotta do our best and let history judge us I guess."

[Tiffany Korta]

Merge Trois

Same old story really, it was weird how similar villains teams were compared to there hero equivalent, though there was normally a lot less backstabbing as far as she could see. She’d only tried it once, and it had only been now that she’d be willing to try it again.

 

“We should come up with a plan as to how we can deal with them, I might have some resistance due to my nature but I wouldn’t want to bet the farm on it working perfectly.”

 

She downed her drink in one and banged the glass on the bar top.

 

“So what's the plan boss, and just as importantly what are we calling ourselves?”

[Electra]

"Heather might be controlled, or she might be acting of her own volition, or it might be a combination of the two." Paige's voice was calm, her face sympathetic. "When the villain you're working with is family, it's easy for motivations to get mixed up. And Wu sounds like the sort of person who'd take advantage of that confusion and use it to solidify his control." She leaned back against one of the tables, after checking it with one hand for stickiness, then gave Serena a level look. "I don't talk about it much, but my last name before I married Richard was Psion. I understand some of what your friend is going through. We'll do everything we can to get her the help she needs." 

 

She exchanged a look with her husband, then looked back at the group. "If we can find where she is and get into range, I can try to engage with her psychically and cloud or block some of her powers. From what Corona is saying, she's probably got more power than I do, so we'll need some sort of multi-prong approach, someone to engage with her physically at the same time, while the others go for Wu and the kids. Focus is power for psychics, so splitting her focus will be crucial." 

[Avenger Assembled]

Richard took his wife's hand, and gave everyone in the room a sharp look. You didn't need to be a mind-reader like Paige to see the surge of defensiveness in his voice and posture. If somebody did object to his wife's family origin, perhaps the most infamous psychics in the history of the United States, he was going to have some words with them before the night was out. "And I've been in that orbit for forty years now, so I know what she's talking about." Both he and Paige only looked about forty, but that was a whole other ball of wax. "We've been in situations like this before. And we know a thing or two about family business." He was quiet for just a moment, then said, "Just to add to what Paige said, with a psychic who's working against you, I recommend playing dirty. Drop tear gas on them, find a way to knock them out, hit them from behind when they're not expecting it. You can deal with the consequences later, when you still have your freedom. I volunteer to be the scapegoat." 

 

Paige could see thoughts of her, young, floating in his mind. He smiled thinly at Paige. "You know my mind better than anybody else knows anybody else here, right? and you know the most about stitching up a brain somebody smacked around. It's perfect." 

[Exaccus]

"Never heard of them." Facsimile confessed openly and bluntly "nor encountered them for that matter." He added in an attempt to lighten the mood shrugged.

 

"Sorry if this is bringing up painful memories of things best left in the past."

 

Perhaps a change in subject matter was due.

 

"I love your show by the way!" He exclaimed with a clap of his hands. 

 

"I binged it for the first week I was at claremont before I even thought about heading out into the night looking for trouble; Think I could get some autographs for me and my brother?"

[Tiffany Korta]

 

Merge Trois

Well here we go time to live up to the reputation of the loud mouth trouble maker, one tells the truth and thus sow discord wherever she showed up.

 

“Personally I always preferred B Nigh, the Supers Guy.” she gestured for a refill, thinking this might be her last chance.

 

“She right, I’ve not known quite the same pull as the Psion’s but there was a time when I could of, when I did, do almost anything for family. Luckily those days are over, but we have to remember that she’ll be twice as dangerous because of it.”

[Shofet]

Serena's eyes went wide at the revelation. The idea that one of her teenage idols had been connected to Professor Psion was a lot to process at first. However, she knew it was something that had to be hard to actually admit. 

 

"I... Oh wow," Serena said. "I didn't realize. I'm... Thank you for helping. I'm glad I have someone with your experience helping deal with this. I... Hmn."

 

She rubbed her temples, then looked to Merge. "Well, uh... First off, I guess, I'm not the boss. I don't believe in that hierarchy stuff. Second, no idea as for names for a team. Third, as for a plan, well, my suggestion is that we go and check on the other two Delinquents, Rachel and Adrian. Rachel used to be Heathen, she was the brains." She looked at Richard and Paige. "You would have known her as Lucas, but... Yeah. Deadname.  She is also the godmother of my child."

 

She rubbed her temples. "Adrian's harder. I have no idea where he is."

 

Lester straightened up. "I do. He showed up a while ago. He's... Well, he's a capehunter-for-hire. Works for all sorts of governments. He told me he's currently living in Belgium somewhere, keeps him close to government contacts."

 

"So out of reach, basically," Serena said.

 

"Yeah, unless anyone feels like buying plane tickets."

[RocketLord]

Connor had raised his hands up in defeat at Lester's statement, but without replying anything. He wasn't here to start trouble, but he wasn't about to let some the Claremonter walk over him, just because he'd only just picked up a weapon. Instead of making the situation any worse, he stood back and listened, while Paige outed herself as a Psion. He remained silent on that matter, too. The old man had told him about it already, and with how messed up he had made the Psions sound, it made sense that Hologram tried to distance herself from that name.

 

"If you set me up for a clear shot, I'll take her down," he added to Cline's plan. Of course, that force field might be a problem, but he had options, if it came to that.

 

Still standing back, he shook his head lightly. Yeah, going to find Rachel would be the smart thing, but he still had some questions. He looked at Lester. "Don't suppose he left a number or anything like that?" Probably not. After the eventual reply, he turned to Corona again. "What could your friends do, in case Heather's gotten to them?" Tactics. Plan ahead. Only way to keep up with these super people.

[Shofet]

Lester paused, and then fished out a business card, placing it down on the table. “Yeah, sorta.”

 

Serena sighed. “Rachel’s a technopathic cyborg. She’s able to interface with almost anything that’s got a digital component, and she’s terrifyingly smart. Can solve millions of equations in her head before you can even blink. She’s not especially combat oriented, since she became a pretty devoted pacifist after… the crime thing. Removed any and all weapons tech from her body, but under Heather’s control… She could easily build more with a well-stocked garage.”

 

She frowned. “Adrian… Adrian’s got like a thousand years of combat data from an extinct alien civilization in his head, and the serum Wu gave him basically made him… Like a perfect human. A super-soldier. Combined with the combat training and any gear he’s got, he can punch way above his weight level. He can hit pretty hard, can move fast, doesn’t get tired easy… If you got rid of any weapons he had, anyone with tough enough skin could probably take him, but… You’d have to get them away from him first.”

 

She chewed her lip. “…Yeah. If they’ve been gotten to… It might be difficult. It’s up to everyone what we wanna do from here.”

 

 

[Exaccus]

"Hate to be cliché but it looks like we should split up and look for clues, gang." Facs said in slight bemusement as he stood up off the barstool he'd been leaning into.

 

"The more things we do at once the harder it will be for Wu and Heather to interfere with them all individually I'd figure....primarily three things need to be done from what I can tell." He continued as he extended his pointer finger.

 

"First we need to figure out if Rachel and Adrian have been Captured or Coecered By Wu, it's possible he took the same approach I'm suggesting and had Heather call to you all simultaneously which is why he wasn't present at the site you and I investigated corona...possibly also why white rook arrived how she did rather than getting teleported in." He reasoned to himself as he rubbed his chin, it was largely academic now of course but over thinking things was a habit.

 

Extending his middle finger next before he carried on.

 

"Next we need information, we don't know where Wu is, nor what he is planning or what we might be up against; the more stuff we know the better off we'll be when the time to come knockin' aerodes. "

 

Finally his ring finger joined the other two digits in extension.

 

"Last but by means least we need a way to get back together pretty quickly when it's time to kick down the door, this guy is a big brain thinker type so I reckon the more time we give him to think the harder it will be to corner him like the rat he is."

 

Now done with his fingers as indication he brought them to scratch at his temple in thought.

 

"At least that's what I reckon, I might've missed something or other, maybe not accounted for powers, equipment and/or connections you folks might have." He confessed as he looked around the assembled heroes and the Archer.

 

"Either way who fancies a trip to Belgium,  no expenses paid, self catering?"

[RocketLord]

"Sounds about right." Annoying as he was, Connor had to agree with Facs. They needed to split up, and try to find Corona's friends. Pacify them if necessary. One could absorb tech, but was a pacifist? Unless Wu had gotten to her. The other had more combat experience than should be possible? Not something fun to deal with. Of course, if both were affected, then Heather had some serious range, or her powers were just that persistent.

 

He looked over to the armored man and Fast-Forward. "If we're gonna regroup fast back here, then it'll make sense for those that can travel the fastest to go to Belgium, right? At least unless someone got a super sonic jet stashed somewhere." A quick pause, and he resumed. Someone had to get this started. "I guess I'll head for Rachel, unless anyone," Connor gave Facs a pointed look, "has any problems with that."

[Tarrakhash]

Black Mamba had been sitting quietly until they started discussing Rachel's powers and those of Adrian, uncrossing his gold and black arms he let out a low chuckle distorted slightly by the speakers it sounded spookier than it should,"One I'm happy going to Belgium, I'd rather not take my battlesuit up against someone who can mess with Tech, and two....yes...I have a stealth jet stashed away just overhead actually....and yes, it is supersonic, capable of speeds just over Mach 3. I'll be happy to take any who wish to go with to Belgium with me to tackle finding out more about Adrian."

[Heritage]

Grim had said nothing for some time, instead content to watch the interplay between the various heroes, trying to get chemistry readings on who might work best with who. However at the mention of Belgium, her ears perked up, as memories of her old nemesis 'the Duke' rose unpleasantly to the surface. Still...

 

"I'm up for Belgium," she chimed in. "I'm good at hand-to-hand, an excellent tracker, and can speak any language."

 

And then she suddenly shifted into Corona's form. "Plus shapeshifting has a thousand and one uses; very useful in throwing people off their game." Then she resumed her costumed form and waited to see what others had to say.

Edited August 8, 2019 by Heritage

[Shofet]

Serena ran her fingers through her hair again, leaning against the bar-top. She folded her arms, and frowned. She knew what the best option for her visit was, but she wasn't jazzed about it.

 

"...I hate to say this, but I should head to Belgium too. I'm the only one who really knew Adrian who can travel, and if he's anything like he used to be..."

 

"He is," Lester chimed in.

 

"Then I am probably the best equipped to deal with his... Adrian-ness."

[Tiffany Korta]

Merge Trois

Merge sat there nursing her drink as listened to the other bravely volunteering for this or the other. There was a time when her common sense would have told her to run and not get involved in this potentially suicide mission, but luckily she was trying to be a better person than she had been back in the early days.

 

“Whilst it probably not that helpful I can go wherever I’m needed.” she shrugged and added as a way to soften the blow somewhat 

 

“I do have a few resources that could help out as needed, I’ve been frugally tucking away the pennies for a rainy day for a while now!”

[Electra]

Paige glanced at Richard, a small smile bending her lips. So does the fact that none of these kids know my family mean they're too young, or we're too old? she thought at him. Either way, my father would be absolutely livid to be forgotten so easily. Warms the cockles of my little heart. 

 

"Richard, you should go to Belgium," Paige said out loud after listening to the others. "You can get there in what, twenty-odd minutes, including stopping to let the GPS catch up? I'll stay here and see if I can help suss out the psychic influence situation, and since  the two of us can communicate instantly from anywhere, it'll let us all stay in touch."

[RocketLord]

Connor couldn't suppress a small grin at Mamba actually having a super sonic stealth jet, and that it was actually hovering just above them right this moment. Yeah, of course someone here had to be the type to have more money than they knew what to do with. Not that he could complain, he'd been living off the old man's money ever since he was taken in. Made sense that this would be the guy to have something like that. A freaking super sonic jet. 

 

"You know I was only joking, right?" Still, made things easier for the crew going to Belgium.

 

So, what? That made Corona, Black Mamba, Grimalkin and Fast-Forward for Belgium? He noticed that the only one that had actually volounteered to go stick with him was Hologram. At least somebody was coming along, then.

[Tarrakhash]

The black and gold battlesuited tilted it's head at Connor's words,"Well, I'm not...good news is it doesn't belong to me but someone who does own it will fly it for us if we behave on board." The grim one eyed mask turned towards Fast-Forward,"Although it sounds like there maybe more than one way to get there, you can carry all of us?"

[Avenger Assembled]

I had some very nasty remarks ready if any of these kids gave you trouble, too. I guess I'll save those for a rainy day. Richard smiled at Paige, much more broadly inside his mind than on his face. The idea that her father's eugenic legacy was sitting on the ash-heap of history was one of the more satisfying thoughts he'd had in a good long while. Out loud, he offered, "No offense, but even Mach 3 is going to take you four hours to cross the Atlantic." He wasn't a math guy but he'd done a lot of time/distance calculations in his life. "I can get four people there in an hour, or two in twenty." He considered for a moment, standing up. "Listen, if I'm going and Hologram is staying, why don't we have Facs Machine and Triple Threat stay here too, and I run out with Magic Lady, Archer, and Miller High Life."

 

That still seemed like a hell of a lot to him but what the hell he was just their ride. "That way you're our backup, Snake Man," he offered Black Mamba with a grin. "We can scout the place out and let you jump in on your zipline or something as we kick in the door." 

[Shofet]

Serena frowned at Fast-Forward. "You know, I was waiting for someone to make a beer joke, but I thought I was safe from it from you.  God, the worst is that I don't have any good nicknam-- Speedo!"

 

She snapped her fingers, then puzzled. "No, now it sounds forced." She turned to the others. "Okay, it looks like we have a good idea of teams. You all have my number, so we can check in. Let me know if you run into trouble with Rachel."

 

She sighed. "She has to charge every week to keep her cybernetics going. She takes it in the form of an injection of power cells, every Sunday. If you go tomorrow, she will be at her lowest power. She'll still have plenty in reserves, but if she's hostile, you might be able to drain her."

 

"If she isn't hostile, she's a sweetheart and one of my best friends."

 

She scanned the room, taking in all the people who were helping her. "I think that covers everything. Thank you, all of you. I really appreciate this."

[Heritage]

"I can stay," Grim volunteered, holding up her hand like she was still in school. "No one wants the old man to get a hernia halfway across the Atlantic." Then she turned to Paige, the 'senior' superhero staying on this side of the Pond. "So, you're the experinced telepath; how should we do this?"

 

Was it vanity that kept the centenarian from revealing her true age in situations like this? Mayyyy-be! But she also never felt comfortable in a leadership role, and was happy to follow someone else's lead.

[Shofet]

Serena nodded, rubbing at her chin. The teams suggested seemed to work fine for her. She couldn't see any problems, so she was going to go with it. 

 

"Okay," she said. "It looks like we have things ready. Those of you headed to Rachel, just remember what I said and you should be fine. For those of us going to Adrian, even if he isn't mind controlled, this is probably going to suck. He's such a jerk."

 

Lester nodded, which brought Serena's attention to him. "And you. Take care of yourself, you big fuzzball."

 

Lester smirked. "Not like I have much to offer Wu with my ruined back and heart condition. My poor life choices will keep me safe."

 

Serena giggled, and then looked to the others. "Guess we can finish eating, then get ready to go."