Gettings the goods (IC)

[Avenger Assembled]

"Breakdown and I have been pursuing a variety of leads," said Edge, luckily coming up with a semi-convincing story on the fly. Looking up as Dust-Stalker approached, he said a cautious "Hello," to the hero he didn't recognize before focusing back on the others. He gladly pocketed Ace's card, looking thrilled at having got the older hero's autograph. "This is totally going on my wall...uh, anyway, yeah, that's what led us to Greenbank. We'll happily follow your lead."

[angrydurf]

Ace winked at the young hero and replied, "Ah you must've noticed the odd dearth of street people as well then."

Ace turned to the others and inquired ,"Just rumors through the grapevine for everyone then? Or something more concrete?" He truely hoped some one had something more becasue even with Phantoms magic and the six of them searching it may be far too late when they finally put together what was going down.

[alderwitch]

"I'd say the only concrete thing we've turned up is the lack of concrete anything," Phantom said dryly, "And to answer your question, no I haven't found any proof that there's anything otherworldly afoot. I have no proof that there isn't anything going on, either. But, you know... 天下乌鸦一样黑."

She said the last with a shrug. It was a cantonese proverb that meant, literally, 'all the crows in the world are black'. In this case, it was a reference that one ill was much the same as another. It was one of many sayings that her Great Uncle had favored and she smiled as she said it. "I was serving as back-up for Grim."

[Heritage]

"Ah you must've noticed the odd dearth of street people as well then."

Grim nods vigorously at this observation.

"You're right about the lack of street trash, Ace; a night like this, you would normally see a few dealers out, like down in one of those doorways, maybe even a few girls workin' it, but there is no one out. I've seen more criminal activity on Christmas! I think the word is out and people are spooked about something."

[alderwitch]

"I'll see what I can search out," The mystic offered, going still as her eyes began to glow more brightly under her cowl as she magically searched the surrounding environs.

[Cyroa]

Phantoms search took several long minutes, boring for the rest. She found nothing unusual. Completely plain and empty streets. She was about to give up on her search when she noticed something...she couldn't even see herself and the others with her! When she 'looked', it was simply an empty area. But using her eyes, she could see them clearly. Checking a few other points noted a similar affect. Somehow, the area was preventing anyone scrying in from seeing what was really going on. For the heroes, this was a very good sign.

Edge for his part, even though he had just eaten, suddenly felt a strong desire for some fruit. Canned fruit...

[alderwitch]

"This entire area is protected from scrying," Phantom finally said in disgust, "It does mean that the rumors were correct and that they have something in place to block magic."

[quotemyname]

"Greeeaaaaat." Breakdown drawled sarcastically. "How the hell else are we supposed to find out what's going on around here then?" Breakdown folded his arms across his chest and thought hard. "We can't use magic. There are no radio reports. There is no one around to ask. Are the bad guys in this town always this crafty?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"I'm sure we'll figure something out," said Edge, unworried. Looking around the visible buildings, his gaze settled on a nearby peach cannery and warehouse. "Let's go over there," he said with a wave of his hand. "It looks interesting." He pulled the grapple gun out of its holster, careful not to grab the sandwich, and fired a line over to the peach warehouse. With that, he swung off the roof, looking casually at ease as he swung through the air.

[angrydurf]

Ace let slip a wry grin at Breakdowns comentary, "Mostly it just means we do it the old fashioned way." He said with a wink Phantoms direction. "Few criminals are quiet that crafty unless they know they are being watched for, which says to me they are expecting heroic intervention." He turned and answered his phone quickly turned back to the assembled heroes after a short conversation.

"Not much of use but whatever has cleared the streets did it quick, no idea wheres everyone went though." He said with a concerned tone.

As Edge sailed off towards the cannery Ace sighed "Definitely should have taken the rocket boots." He mumbles as he begins walking toward the fire escape once more.

[quotemyname]

"Oh no you don't! I'll carry you over there. Come on." Breakdown offered a hand to Ace before he could turn and walk away. "I don't know what he's up to over there, but he is going to be SO jealous when he finds out that I got to carry THE Ace Danger across a couple of rooftops."

After Ace took his hand, Breakdown lifted off and began to float across the street in pursuit of his companion. The going was slow, but at least it beat walking. When they reached the other roof, Breakdown set Ace down gently on the rooftop and then setting down himself, he began to berate Edge again.

"Dude. Really?" he began, "Peaches? You just ate! If fact... You're not even done!" Breakdown pointed to the half-eaten sandwich in Edge's belt, snarky as always.

[Avenger Assembled]

"I've got a good feeling about this spot," said Edge with a confident smile. Having landed safely on the roof, he slipped his grappling gun back into its holster. "And even if it's not the right spot, hey, maybe there are free peaches or something." He coughed. "Not that we'd steal them, Mr. Danger, sir," he added, sincerely concerned about what the older man would think of him. "We'll leave money behind."

[alderwitch]

Phantom watched the kids swing off to the warehouse for... peaches? She shook her head once and teleported to them once they reached the roof top. "...I don't sense any magic, however. I suppose that could be muffled too if someone was intent enough on hiding their activiteis. It does beg the question of what could be worth all that effort to hide."

[quotemyname]

"Ohh..." Breakdown let out an excited breath "It's probably something big and terrifying!" Clearly he was excited about getting to do something that he hadn't yet had the chance to experience. Super-heroing was turning Breakdown into a kid in a candy store. If there was ever a man who loved his job, it was this one.

"Well, all the super senses in the world don't seem to be working. Do you want to take a break and see if they have any extra peaches?" Breakdown jerked a thumb at the window on the roof of the building. If there was one thing he loved more than super heroing, it had to be taking breaks.

[angrydurf]

Ace settled donw on the roof with practiced grace and said with a nod, "Thanks, kid"

He surveyed their surroundings quickly as Phantom checked for magic. "If they managed to block scrying I wouldn't be surprised if they blocked magic senses as well soem how. Would only be prudent." He agreed.

"Well we have to start the search some where might as well be here." The practiced Hero said as he crouched before the roof access door and began trying to fiddle the lock open.

[Cyroa]

The skilled adventurer noticed something rather odd as he worked on the lock. It was rather cheap and pathetic, as locks go. But while everything else around it was rather dirty and rusted, someone had cleaned this one recently. And, far more importantly, so subtle he'd come within a hair's breadth of setting it off, was the trip to some kind of trap or alarm. This was certainly no crappy roof alarm. This was something to rival the best alarms on the planet. Someone was taking no chances and sparing no expense...

[Heritage]

For a few seconds, Grim listens as the tone of the conversation gradually shifts...to peaches :roll:

Wait, is everyone under some sort of spell, or are these kids that damn goofy?

She rather subtly allows herself to fade from view, not unlike the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland, as she monitors the conversation. Then the whole group makes its way over to the peach cannery, and she decides she's rather look silly than be left behind.

There's a sudden in-rush of air, then Sprite Grim pops into existence, tiny and adorable. She zooms over to the others, still hidden from sight, and hovers in close to whisper in Breakdown's ear.

"You kids are crazy, you know that?" :twisted:

[Akmenos]

Seeing everyone heading for a peach cannery Duskstalker launches into the air and follows them to the roof of the warehouse. Landing softly on the roof he approaches Ace and asks, "Any idea what's on the other side of this door or do we go in blind?"

[angrydurf]

Ace glanced up as the pixie sized grim flew to join them. "When other options are exhausted I have learned that following a hunch can be surprisingly effective." He said with a grin and a wink to Edge.

In response to the other posited question he replied, "Well untill moments ago I would have said canned peaches and some industrial equipment." The long time here shrugged and added, "But given the complex alarm system they have set up on this door I lean towards thinking our young friends hunch has paid off."

Ace was eyeing Edge curiously, there was something familiar about the boys features but he couldn't quite place it, that was probably going to bug him for the rest of the night.

[quotemyname]

There's a sudden in-rush of air, then Sprite Grim pops into existence, tiny and adorable. She zooms over to the others, still hidden from sight, and hovers in close to whisper in Breakdown's ear.

"You kids are crazy, you know that?" :twisted:

"AHHH!!!" Breakdown screamed, flailed at the pixie, and stumbled back a few feet, almost knocking into Ace.

Visibly twitching and shuddering for a moment he struggled to regain his composure. "Don't DO THAT!" Breakdown cried. He ripped off his headphones and poked a finer into his ear and moved it a round a little as if making sure nothing had crawled inside. "It freaks me out when stuff gets put in my ears and I'm not the one doing it!"

shuddering a few more times he gingerly put his headphones back into place. "Ever since that placement test with Archer...It just freaks me out... sorry." It was pretty clear that Breakdown had missed whatever parts of the conversation had just transpired...

[alderwitch]

"Shhhh!" Phantom hissed at the shrieking and flailing. "What about trying for a modicum of stealth, here? Seriously, are you looking to get shot?"

She sighed and glanced at Ace, "Why don't I just go through the wall and see if I can open it from the other side?"

[Heritage]

"AHHH!!!"

"Aaaaugh!"

Tiny airborne Grim barely dodges the flailing limbs of Breakdown; she'd never seen such a violent reaction to something so seemingly harmless!

"It freaks me out when stuff gets put in my ears and I'm not the one doing it!"

Grim reappears at full size, her form trailing wisps of thin vapor, an apologetic grimace on her face.

"Dude, if I had any idea you had...'earophobia' or whatever, I never would have done it; I won't mess around anymore, at least not with your ears."

Her cheeks go a bit pink at the motherly scolding from Phantom, and she shuts up for a while.

[Avenger Assembled]

Edge winced as Breakdown freaked out. He could certainly understand his friend's problem with bugs in his ear, but they did need a little bit more stealth with what they were doing. "You really need to get something over your ears, man," Edge murmured to his colleague. "Like a hood or something." He carefully bent down behind Ace Danger, peering at his work as he did so. "I'm sure you can do it, Mr. Danger," he murmured to him. "Remember when you opened the Atlantean Crypt in Ace Danger and the Atlantean Crypt With time ticking away before all the world's water was transformed into blood? This can't be harder than that."

[angrydurf]

The youths words reminded Ace of a trick that might just work. Quickly chewing a piece of gum he pulled from his pocket the former boy adventurer extrodinaire rigged up the trip wire with the wrapper and gum with a deft hand.

Stepping back to admire his work he whispered, "That'll do, should hold up fine."

He glanced towards Phantom and explained, "Unfortunately I don't think it've been any easier to disable from the inside."

He carefully clicked the door open with a finger pressed to his lip.

[quotemyname]

Breakdown nodded to Edge. He would have to consider additional head coverings. The big headphones he was wearing kept most inanimate objects out of his ears, though when strange creatures flew near them he still got completely skeeved out.

He approached Grim sheepishly "It's okay," he said in hushed tones. "You didn't know. And I shouldn't have freaked out like that. It's just that I didn't know you could change form and all..." His voice trailed off.

Eddie turned and gazed at the open glass ceiling window. For some reason he didn't want to be the first to descend into the building.