The Dragon Wakes (IC)

[Avenger Assembled]

"We're speaking of the Dragon himself," said Jack, looking around shiftly. "The most powerful vampire that still chooses to walk the Earth, and the only one to fight superheroes to a stand-still. Don't look in his eyes, or listen to what he says. Growing garlic won't stop him, but it may hold off his minions, and it'll certainly get his attention. Put wood through his heart, silver if you have it, or use the symbols of faith to drive him away. Those are the only things that'll stop him."

Outside, in the gathering dark, Stesha could hear many distant sirens, but all around Archetech she could see shadows moving and gathering, as if the very darkness itself was beginning to conspire against their stronghold. As the security guards took their positions, Jack told Stesha the truth. "He doesn't care about the humans here. He'll kill them, or ignore him, as suits his fancy. But people like you, Dr. Archeville, Taylor, you're the kind of people he hates most of all. If he fights you, it'll be to kill you."

[Cyroa]

James was feeling a little...edgy all day. It wasn't anything he could place. There were the usual problems he'd been running around trying to fix. But something was off, wrong. Dark. Between that and not having had time for a date or a party or anything in days, he was definitely feeling a little off.

When the phone rang, he picked up immediately. Before the good Doctor had even finished speaking, James had reappeared standing right next to the man. With the phone tucked up against one ear, he was still shrugging his coat on. "So, looks like I was right after all. I knew were going to have to deal with the guy. So, what do we know?" he asked quickly as he looked around to see what was going on. "What do you need me to do Taylor?"

[Dr Archeville]

As Archeville carries Taylor into the MedLab, he makes a few quick calls on his cell phone.

"Vince! Bring de team to ArcheTech Prime, now. Jack und Taylor are here, about to give birth, und Dracula is coming. Yes, I know vhat dat sounds like! Just bring dem in!"

My team should be able to handle anything 'Dracula' can dish out. Well, Colt and Jack, at least; Grim can just stand here by Taylor's side.

She can do far more than that. And at any rate, I would prefer a few more agents in the field.

"Ace! Archeville here. Jack und Taylor are at ArcheTech Prime, she's about to give birth, und Dracula is breathing down our necks. You haff fought him before, ja?"

Oh, what's he gonna do, disdainfully toss a martini in his face?

Or bring in some anti-vampire trinkets he has picked up over the decades.

"Mona! Hi... ja, ja, I'm- no, Mona, listen -- I need you help. No, not like dat; ArcheTech Prime is under attack. Ja... Dracula. Ja, Dracula!"

Oh, yes, bring the Brick House in! And then when 'Dracula' mind controls her -- or when she overloads -- she'll tear the place apart!

I am aware of that. And to address the former concern, my next call is going to...

"Elena! Ja, I am in a spot of trouble; vould you mind svinging by ArcheTech Prime? Oh, just some lawyers, sniffing out some blood."

She should be able to protect us mentally, counter any mental whammies Dracula sends out.

Pft, like she could do anything my neural dampers couldn't. Bad enough you're calling the lush and the simpleton in, now some crystal-gazer?

You do realize she has by now already tapped into our mind to get the real story, right? And, thus, can hear you?

... dammit!

Once Taylor was safely on a MedLab bed, Archeville reconfigured his wondrous techno-wand into a communications device, one that used a carrier wave detectable by few beings on the planet. A graviton-based wave.

"Doktor Archeville to Dark Star, come in. I can use some of your solar powers; seems a rather potent vampire is about to invade ArcheTech Prime. He appears to be after Jack and Taylor; they're here now, and she's about to go into labor."

[Gizmo]

The Interceptors' Brownstone Apartment Building

"So, wait," Jack of all Blades requested, furrowing his brow, "does that mean Dracula's coming for the kid, or the kid is Dracula?"

"I didn't think to ask," Vince replied from the nearby television. "Duck!"

The fencer squatted on his perch on the couch as Colt's quick shooting knocked a cloud of bats out of the air. Jack used the opportunity to sweep his fiery rapier in an arc around his feet, keeping the horde of rats blanketing the floor at bay for a few more seconds. Claws dug into the wall, Grim used her glamour to summon wooden boards to keep the larger, howling beasts outside from knocking down the door while assorted vermin swarmed through every crack and gap in the walls.

Vince's image cringed as a stream of cockroaches skittered across his monitor. "I'll just tell him you're busy, then."

"That'd be good!" Jack shouted, kicking a rat off of his boot. "Freakin' vampires..."

[Dariusprime]

Mona's smirk disappeared at the mention of their foe. "Dracula? Like bloodsucking Victorian horror-erotic-monster Dracula?"

That information took a moment to process. An actual vampire was attacking ArcheTech? Well, no way in hell that thing, vampire or not, was going to hurt Viktor or any of his employees! She did make a mental note to ask what he did to piss off Dracula, but she also had a feeling she'd found out soon enough.

"Open the roof entrances and light up a path. I'll be there...," she began before he hung up. Stuff be serious.

Banking toward the north, Fulcrum pocketed her phone and vanished in a blue-and-gold streak. Figuring the light path wouldn't be on yet, she opted to head inside the building and check the various labs for the good doktor. Which labs? All of them. At once.

[angrydurf]

Ace excused himself from the mayor and DA saying, "So sorry I have to take this." as he steps onto the balcony of his penthouse to take the call. At the Doktors words his trademark grin turns down at the corner, "Light the place up, UV if you have it, that'll keep the lesser ones away. I'll be there soon."

Ace dodged through the crowd at the party to reach the door to the penthouse and doffing his rumpled fedora stepped out the door and vanished from sight. In moments the high speed elevator delivered him to his car and pulling an old keypad with the AEGIS insignia from his pocket slid it into a small recess in the dash his fingers flying over the keys. With a click and a deafening roar rockets flared to life and propelled the vehicle out of the garage and into the sky. Banking hard to the north ace made for Archtech whizzing through the skyline.

He brought it in hot and the boosters left long scorch marks across the plaza in front of Archtech as he brought it to a rocky landing and jumped free to make for the main entrance hoping they hadn't gone to full lock-down.

[Dr Archeville]

Arrows of light illuminated the most direct path from Fulcrum and Ace's arrival points to the MedLab with Archeville and Phantom.

Dammit, I want my team here! I haven't redirected millions of dollars in resources to them just so they can not come when I call them!

We're not completely abandoned. Look, we have-

Yeah, one who's light in the loafers and one who makes the ferrocrete walls shake when she tromps in.

I am going to ignore your jealousy and focus on the tasks at hand.

Fulcrum reached him first; Ace got in just in time to see them part from a more-than-colleagues embrace.

"Ah, Ace, glad you could make it. Like I said, Dracula's coming, for Jack und Taylor's child. Said child is due any moment, so my place is here to help mit delivery. Jack is down in de main lobby already; I believe Fleur it mit him. Taylor has called for reinforcements, but I do not know if Jack did de same. Most of de staff here is in or on deir vay to panic rooms. Some of dose haff deir own air supplies, separate from de buildings systems, but most share de same system as de entire building, so a 'vampire' in mist form could still reach dem."

Archeville withdrew his techno-wand and a holographic image of the building appeared in the air. "De building has a number of security systems, including stun beams... but dose von't vork if dis Dracula truly is an un-dead, mit all de powers myth und legend ascribe to him. I do have a few ideas -- I can program all de internal news monitors to show religious icons, flood de air vents mit colloidal silver und garlic extract, try und redirect some satellites to beam pure sunlight down on us -- but it vill take time to implement dem."

Maybe we should allocate more of the budget to defense systems for the company.

Maybe we should allocate more of the budget to weapons systems and have some non-non-lethal deterrents!

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum straightened herself up and offered a handshake, "Mr. Danger? A pleasure to meet you again."

Once the short formalities were out of the way, she listened intently to Dr. Archeville's information and plans. The names weren't familiar, but that didn't matter. The situation appeared under control, but the number of potential liabilities gave her pause. The nature of the beast was unknown. Would it attack people in panic rooms or go directly for the medical lab? If necessary she'd keep it busy so, well, Dracula, wouldn't have the chance.

"I see why I was called now," she concluded, "I'll be down in the lobby with Jack."

Giving Viktor a quick peck on the cheek, she zoomed out and down into the lobby. The place received a thorough looking over before she focused on Jack. "Fulcrum. Dr. Archeville called me." She cautiously offered him a handshake too, but continued looking around the entrance as if the bogeyman was about to strike.

[angrydurf]

Ace nods to Dr. Archeville as he takes Fulcrums hand in a firm shake, "Good to have you." He murmured with a nod as he listened to Archevilles plans. When the doctor wrapped up Ace frowned, "The Icons are unlikely to have much effect its the faith of the presenter not the object itself that turns them back and theres almost no one who could make the Dragon balk regardless." He says succinctly, "The Garlic and silver may stop some of the minions but he has more than vampires at his disposal." He looked around the room. "What we really need is sunlight, It won't stop him but Draculas brood is weakened by the Sun." he said consideringly and tilted his head, "Though maybe ..." And he turned to pull his phone from his pocket and speak urgently into it. It was a last ditch plan and unlikely to come online quickly but it just might cut short Draculas time to attack. As he waited for a response he looked back to the doctor, "I'll see if I can shed some light on the situation."

And with that he hurried downstairs to help guard the Lobby.

Continued

here.

[Rhyvurg]

Crom walks down the street, whisting to himself and stomping on wolves. He's dressed casually, in ratty blue jeans and an off-white t-shirt. "What's with these beasts roaming the streets? Most unnatural." He finishes his beer and tosses the bottle in a dumpster. He notices a large number of obviously superhuman folks gathering at some building. "Hmm. Eldritch did say I should socialize with the locals. And I don't think he meant in pubs. Well, no time like the present..." He heads for the group, wishing he had though to grab one of those delightful 'six packs' before he left the pub.