[Interceptors] Zombie Powder is a Helluva Drug [IC]

[Dr Archeville]

Though the tracks are quite easy to see in the heavy snow, Colt and Jack lose sight of them about 100 feet beyond the house. Which is to say, the tracks disappear, as if the zombies either teleported away, were picked up by a flyer, spontaneously imploded, or... something.

Grim's recon shows no one in the house, alive, dead, or undead. If she'd had any doubt that this had been a gang banger's hangout/crack house, though, they were quickly squashed. She found several empty vials and bullet casings, empty liquor and beer bottles, and partially eaten food. Several semi-clean spots indicated where large equipment had been, which had clearly been dragged out of the building.

She pointed out there bullet casings to Colt. He found several bullets, too, embedded in walls, and most are covered in specks of black blood. A casual study of the place tells Colt that all were fired from inside, at targets either right outside, or targets inside, and the firefight covered the entire house.

[Gizmo]

Jack paced back and forth across the area where the footprints suddenly vanished, idly cracking his knuckles as he scoured the ground for some sign of the undead horde in vain. "Man, how do you loose a mob of zombie 'bangers?" he groused, resigning himself and jogging back over the building where Colt was examining the remains of a firefight Grim had found. "Guys, we gotta try the other address; if they're not already wiped out, they're next on the list." The disappearing tracks suggested to the fencer that the shambling horror's had some sort of support and, presumably, leadership.

[quotemyname]

"Damn!" Colt swore, halting his collection of errant ammunition rounds. "If'n you ain't right bout that, I reckon y'all're damn close. We'll call the cops'n tell'em ta rope this place off. We c'n come back if'n there ain't no trouble't th'next place." Colt almost literally dropped what he was doing. He paused only to tuck the plastic baggies in his coat pockets before quickly making his way out the door. He'd have to get the MAVERIC started as soon as possible.

[Heritage]

"Guys, we gotta try the other address; if they're not already wiped out, they're next on the list."

Grim nodded her head. "Agreed. Hopefully we get there in time to prevent another Custer's Last Stand."

In a flash, Grim pixied out and zipped into the MAVERIC; once back to her normal self, she got on her cell to call Detective Colby. "Hey, it's Grim again; more bad news from the front lines. Actually, hold on a sec." She covered the phone up and harshly whispered to her teammates. "Do we want police back up at the next address, or do cops just cramp our style?"

[quotemyname]

"Nix that, Grim." Colt told her as he jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine. "We don't want no one else gettin' hurt here." He said as he threw the MAVERIC into gear. "Let's see what we're up against 'fore we go'n call the cavalry. I ain't worried 'bout them gettin' in'ar way, I know I c'n always shoot 'round'em. I'm worried 'bout keepin'em alive!" As Jack leaped into the transport vehicle the Interceptors took off. On the move once more.

[Heritage]

"Let's see what we're up against 'fore we go'n call the cavalry. I ain't worried 'bout them gettin' in'ar way, I know I c'n always shoot 'round'em. I'm worried 'bout keepin'em alive!"

"Work for me." Grim got back on the phone and provided Det. Colby with the address of the lab they were leaving, then snapped her phone shut.

"To be honest, I think we should hit the last Rojas joint next; so far, they look like they might be the target, though I guess it's possible both Devils are getting attacked."

[Gizmo]

"We got a 50/50 shot," Jack agreed, unconsciously leaning forward in his seat to spurn the MAVERIC onto greater speeds. "I still say there's a third player working behind the scenes here, but we can't afford to sit and puzzle it out now. Rojas it is." The fencer drummed his fingers impatiently on the vehicle's door, glad that they were at least attempting to take action.

[quotemyname]

Their destination finally agreed upon, Colt urged the MAVERIC to go faster and faster. He drove as fast has he safely could due to the other vehicles on the road, but thankfully, his skill behind the wheel was such that they were able to make good time. Colt was silent for most of the ride, given his concentration on the road. But inside his head, his mind raced faster than their transport vehicle, hoping against hope that maybe this time they would be fast enough to save some lives.

[Dr Archeville]

The next Rojas-related spot is in a run-down brick four-story apartment complex. It looks to have six units on each floor, and the four units on the outer edges have balconies. There are three entrances at the front, between the 1st and 2nd, the 3rd and 4th, and the 5th and 6th units, each leading to stairs going up to each apartment. Around back is a similar arrangements of rusty metal stairs. The inner stairs open to the unit's living rooms, the outer to their kitchens. Parking is in the back, and there are an assortment of vehicles parked there, most of them 5-10 years old and in well-used condition.

All the windows and balcony doors were shut, on account of the frigid weather and mounds of snow. However, the assortment of music blaring from inside (mostly Latin), as well as the occasional shriek of a child -- a shriek you quickly realize is one of children at play, not of terror -- tells you that this complex is quite populated.

The specific apartment indicated to be a Diablo Rojas safehouse is on the third floor.

[Gizmo]

"Dammit," Jack grimaced, regarding the apartment complex. This wasn't an out of the way warehouse or repurposed garage, this was where families ate and slept. It was possible the gang was simply using that as a convenient cover for their safehouse, but the fencer thought it far more likely that this was simply the home of some neighbourhood kids who'd never been given a good enough reason to avoid getting mixed up with the gangs. Jack didn't like the idea of bringing a fight to anyone's doorstep, let alone misguided teens. "We do this quick and quiet, guys," he told the others. "If the rot-heads aren't here, no reason for anyone to know we were either, right?"

[quotemyname]

"Well, sure, I reckon that's one way'ta do't." Colt replied, gazing up at the apartments. "Ain't really my style, but then, I s'pose its fer the best. Least damage't house'n home, right?"

"Though," Colt continued thoughtfully, "We outta consider't we still don't have no clue what's go'n on. Maybe them lot c'n help wit' that. We should try letin'em know they got bigger problem's'n the Interceptors." Colt folded his arms and looked toward Grim. "Well, yer the sneak, how're we gettin' in'er?"

[Heritage]

The shapeshifter was not at all happy to see just how chock full of innocents the building seemed to be right now, and she muttered under her breath as she craned her neck this way and that.

"Crap crap crap crap..."

"Well, yer the sneak, how're we gettin' in'er?"

Grim shook her head. "Sneaking in is not the problem; despite his Scarlet Pimpernel outfit, Jack here is stealthy as they come, and me, well, they only see me coming when I want them to. The real trick is to not have a panicked stampede or a gun battle bloodbath if the deadites happen to show up."

She scratched the back of her head vigorously as her mind raced. "Okay, how about this: Jack sneaks in the front door while I fly up to the back. Colt, you stay in the MAVERIC and cover us, which also puts you and a ton of ammo in the front line if the zombies do show up. And Jack and I can both speak Spanish if our stealth op suddenly turns into a rescue mission. Sound good?"

[quotemyname]

"Reckon that's just fine by me." Colt said, as he pulled himself out of the access hatch once more. "An' here I thought I wasn't gonna git ta' do no shootin' t'night." Colt fixed the scope on his rifle once more, and started looking for potentially Hostile units within the walls of the building. He also noted places with a high concentration of innocents. "Ok, one sit rep, comin' up." he said as he began to relay the information to his teammates.

[Dr Archeville]

Colt found the teams worst fears were true: just about every apartment had at least one person in it, and most had three or four. And they were all very much alive, going about their nightly tasks. The largest concentration of people was, of course, in the two apartments directly under the one Jack and Grim were going to, a party of some sort.

Jack, going in through the front, found a small hitch in his plan: an attractive girl, late teens/early 20s, on the landing between the 2nd and 3rd floor, yammering away on a cell phone.

Grim found a similar problem: two young gentlemen of the streets, coming out of the apartment directly below the one towards which she was headed, discussing the finer points of a particular woman's anatomy while knocking back some cervezas.

[Heritage]

Oh great, some young studs on the prowl. Wait, maybe I can make this work for me...

As quickly as she could, Pixie Grim zipped down to the landing below, picking the darkest corner she could find. There she shifted to an attractive young Latina in a leather jacket over some fun party clothes and stylish boots. Then she faked a stumble and started cursing in Spanish.

""

She then continued upwards towards the two guys, adopting a slight limp.

[quotemyname]

Colt kept his observation of the situation up to speed, commenting over the radio as he watched, "Jack, if'n y'all cain't make't round that there chica, maybe y'all c'n climb th'fire escape?" He offered.

Panning upward with his rifle, he fixed his gaze on the situation Grim had gotten herself into. "Y'all're lookin' good, Grim. More ways'n one I might add." Colt's devious smile was practically audible as he watched the shape shifter work her magic, both literally and figuratively.

[Gizmo]

"Pfft, 'make it around'. You still don't really get me sometimes, huh?" Jack smirked into the comlink. He still didn't have any intention of causing a scene or starting a fight, but the day Jack of all Blades couldn't charm information out of a young woman was the day he hung up his ridiculously flattering pants for good. Taking advantage of the gap between the apartments, the swashbuckler kicked from on wall to the other, gaining enough height to latch onto a railing and gracefully vault himself up and over to land lightly next to the young woman on the phone is a flourish of royal blue and crimson. Spreading his greatcoat backward as he bowed low, he offered her a roguish grin. "Que tal, guapa?"

[quotemyname]

"Ya dog," Colt scolded Jack over the comm link. "In'er own language, too? If'n she don't melt a'fore th'Jack'a all Blades, I reckon hell's 'bout'a freeze over." Colt smiled as he watched the exchange through his sniper scope. He had only known Jack for a short time, and though Jack deeply disliked firearms, the two seemed to have a rapidly growing camaraderie fueled by healthy competition.

Who says y'all cain't mix business wit' pleasure? Colt thought to himself as he thought of their banter and teasing sessions.

"Jus' make sure ya keep'n mind why we're here. Don't git too distracted, 'n so help me if ya go'n leave Grim hangin' up'ere..." Colt didn't think finishing the thought was necessary.

[Dr Archeville]

The two young men were all too eager to help Chica!Grim, beckoning her into their party and offering her a seat (well, a countertop) to rest on. One offered to examine her ankle, boasting of being a pre-med student; his companion corrected him, reminding him that he was, in fact, pre-law.

The young lady in the building froze when she saw Jack's acrobatic flourish. "" she stammered into the phone, then snapped it shut and returned Jack's coy look. Well, as best she could, given that she was mostly giving him a dreamy 'ohmygod it's a celebrity!' look. "

Colt's keen eyes (and x-ray scope) see no hint of any danger in the apartment, or even approaching it.

[Gizmo]

"See, stuff like that is why people think we swing that way," Jack whispered back to Colt, keeping his lips in a confident grin for the benefit of the young woman in front on him. "" he answered her question, "" Rising from his bow, his expression grew serious if no less dashing. ""

[Heritage]

Perched upon the countertop, Chica!Grim rolled her eyes at the student’s antics, but seemed happy to let him hold her slender ankle for a bit longer as he finished his ‘examination’.

Wanna bet Colt sees this through his super-scope? Guess I owe him dinner and a back massage after this, at the very least.

Suddenly she sat up straight once the other boy’s comment sunk in.

Hot damn!

She fervently took the ‘med student’s’ hand, a pleading look in her big brown eyes.

"" :(

[Dr Archeville]

"" the young woman repeated. ""

Yeah she was full-on star-struck. For the moment, though, she remained alone, as the party continued on in the apartment with no one else leaving for the stairwell.

---

"" the first one blatantly lied. Well, blatant to Grimalkin, anyway. "

"" the second added, still caressing Chica!Grim's ankle... and calf... and reaching for her thigh, "

[quotemyname]

"See, stuff like that is why people think we swing that way," Jack whispered back to Colt, keeping his lips in a confident grin for the benefit of the young woman in front on him. "" he answered her question, "" Rising from his bow, his expression grew serious if no less dashing. ""

Colt chuckled as he listened to Jack work his 'magic' over the comm link. "Try'n keep't in yer pants, Zorro, y'hear?" Another quick scan of the streets told Colt that there was no immediate or impeding danger to him or his teammates. "Reckon the streets're still lookin' clear from'ere. House's clean to s'far."

"" the second added, still caressing Chica!Grim's ankle... and calf... and reaching for her thigh, "

"An' Grim? I reckon if'n 'El Corporate Skeez' don't watch where'is hands're goin, he's gonna be seein' stars'n a minute." Colt Cranked back on the lever of the rifle and chambered a rubber bullet round. Colt pulled his eye away from the scope. He turned to face the building behind him and spotted a nearby fire escape. "I reckon I'm headed fer'a better vantage point. Git that dirtball off'a ya 'afer I git eyes on'ya agin." Colt stood, turned, slung his rifle across his back, and leaped to the fire escape. From there, he proceeded to scale the fire escape with incredible grace entirely unbecoming of a cowboy.

[Heritage]

"" "

Excellent! Her plan was getting results...

[Dr Archeville]

Colts climbs up to a building across the street. It's another apartment complex, smaller than the one Grim and Jack were in -- only three stories, not four, and only one pair of side-by-side units, not three -- and seemed to be far older. It was also quieter; as he made his way up he saw it was mostly college kids, studying or listening to headphones, largely living in their own little worlds. If it were a college dorm, it would be the Nerd Dorm.

Reaching the roof, he saw he had a much better view of the apartment across the street. In fact, from his vantage point here, he could easily look directly into the apartment Grim and Jack were headed towards, the Diablos Rojas safehouse.

Suddenly, Colt's keen ears heard the pulling of a grenade pin, and thick smoke billowed out across the front half of the roof! A moment later, he heard a thud, as if someone had leaped off from some hidden spot to the ground below.

---

""

"Que?" they both said, their looks and tone clearly indicating to Grim they knew more than they were pretending. "