Herald Heroes Converge! (IC)

[quotemyname]

Ugh. Every freaking time! Why does it always have to be crowded?! Vivian cursed her luck. "Here," She shoved Carson's bag into Amy's hands. "I'm going to see if one of the guards will let me use the restroom before they lock us up for a few hours. If you see Carson, give this to him."

Vivian approached one of the younger male guards. "Um, excuse me, sir," She put on her one of her best seductive faces. "Is there any way you can let me use the ladies room before we go to the safe room? I don't think I can hold it..."

[KnightDisciple]

The male guard that was guiding the crowd blinked, then had one of those "not quite a blush" moments.

"Well, it's a bit outside the norm, but...So long as you promise to get into one of the safe rooms in this building. Hopefully you can, ah, move quickly."

With that, he moved aside a bit so she could pass, before going back to managing the crowd.

Meanwhile, Carson had reached...just Amy? No time to speculate, at least Amy still had his backpack.

"Thanks Amy I need that stay safe I need to go be responsible and stuff!"

Carson all but yanked the backpack from Amy's arms as he kept pressing through the crowd.

When he got to the guard, he put on a solemn face.

"Sir, I know you're supposed to try to guide everyone, student and teacher, into the safe rooms. But you and I know some students will either sneak off, break off, or be in the restrooms while this is going on. I'm going to go try to corral any "loose" students, while you and your fellow guards keep up the excellent job you're doing so far. Would that be reasonable to you, sir?"

[quotemyname]

Vivian almost quite literally scurried to the ladies room down the hall. Once there, she stashed her bag on a hook behind one of the stall doors. She'd have to remember this bathroom and come back for it later...

She fished the Orb of Fate out from under her shirt. Holding the pearl sized, smoky, baby blue orb in her hand she gazed deeply into it. It began to grow in her hand, the chain that held it to her neck disappearing. In mere seconds it was the size of a grapefruit. The rest of her costume began materializing around her. As her street clothes faded, the were replaced by a layer of glowing blue light. The light solidified into plate armor, that covered her shoulders, chest, pelvis, calves, and feet. Two dull steel colored gauntlets materialized around her hands, forming the Gauntlets of Power. At this point, she held the Orb to her chest, and it fused with the armor's chest plate, socketting itself safely within. Finally, when she was mostly covered with her protective gear, she held her hands in front of her, and Mjollnir appeared before her. She grasped the Hammer's haft with her right hand, and held her left forward in the air. A helm appeared in her left hand. As she placed it upon her head, and lowered the visor, she said to herself, "Somehow, smashing things always turns a bad day into a good day..." And then she was gone in a flash of lightning.

[KnightDisciple]

Only moments after Vivian disappears from the women's restroom, Carson jogs by them. He stops for a moment, to consider using them...then shakes his head.

Instead, he finds one of the side exits not far from the restrooms. A quick glance outside tells him that there's no one in sight. Probably because of the lockdown.

So no one saw when he stepped out of the door...and was suddenly on the roof, gently touching down, the air still thrumming in his wake.

"I need to find a way to store this thing better..."

With that complaint, he quickly began changing clothes in that isolated nook on the roof. It didn't take long before Carson Finbar Keefe was gone, and Gabriel stood there, shining in the sun.

"Well, time to get to it..."

He cleared his throat, shifting his posture a moment. When he next spoke, there was no trace of his accent.

"Even better. Hm, ought to hide this."

He tucked the bag up under a convenient nook on the roof, making it comparatively hard to find. And then, he was off, flying quickly through the air towards the bank.

[KnightDisciple]

[Fifth National Bank]

When Valkyrie and Gabriel arrive at the scene, a semi-typical image will greet them.

Surrounding the stone steps leading into the large bank is a ring of police barriers,vehicles, and personnel. Two SWAT trucks are already present, as well as what appears to be a police negotiator's vehicle.

At the moment, the criminals all appear to be staying inside the bank, though one or two can be seen through the doors, apparently watching the police in turn.

Likely, the snipers are holding fire for fear of provoking the rest of the criminals to harm one or more of the hostages.

[quotemyname]

Lightning lashed out from the sky, and struck the pavement in front of the ring of police. Facing the bank, she spoke to the officers over her shoulder, "Halt, brave warriors. Let thine troubles be gone. Trust now, that this warrior of the gods shall put right this matter."

Holding her hammer in both hands, she walked steadily towards the steps of the bank. "Cowards! Lay down thine weapons and surrender! Unless thou thinks thou art possessed of enough mettle to face a servant of the gods!"

What was the line? Go ahead! Make my day!

[KnightDisciple]

There was a low humming sound echoing in the air, and suddenly, Gabriel was also standing there, having just touched down from his flight.

Albeit a bit further back, and positioned so he could turn his head and face both Valkyrie and the police. At the moment, he faced the police.

"Gentlemen, I'd say good morning, but it really isn't. Give me a moment..."

He turned to Valkyrie and raised his volume a bit.

"Ma'am, if you'd please come back here for a moment. It wouldn't do to unduly agitate the people with guns and hostages. Perhaps we could check with the authorities on the situation?"

Though his words were polite, there was more than a little steel in his voice.

[quotemyname]

Valkyrie stopped in her tracks. She even turned halfway around to see who she was dealing with. "Agitate? Nay, warrior, I shall do more than that." A twisted sort of satisfied smile lit up her face for a second before it was replaced with a serious expression again. "I'm merely giving them the chance to end this situation with honor, before the inevitable." She let the head of the hammer fall into one of her hands with a satisfying smack.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel frowned.

"Get over here and spend a couple minutes actually getting a handle on the situation. Unless you want the innocent hostages to get killed. We need information, and the police have it."

He turned to the nearby negotiator and lead officer on the scene.

"I apologize. Now, what can you tell us about the situation inside?"

The police nervously glanced between Valkyrie and Gabriel, unsure of what was occurring, exactly.

[quotemyname]

Hmpf. Less chat, more splat.

Valkyrie let out a little growl, but that was all she offered in way of protest. She approached the place where Gabriel was standing. Her expression was expectant. If he wanted charge of the situation he could have it. She would be there to pick up the pieces and lay down the law when it all went awry. "Let us hope thou knows what thou does..." She spoke, laying the head of her hammer on the ground at her feet, holding the butt of the handle in her hands.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel frowned at Valkyrie's words.

"One could say the same to you, Miss...Hm. Don't know what you go by. Call me Gabriel."

He turns once more to face the chief and the negotiator.

"Now, what is the situation."

"Uh, well Mr. Gabriel, Ma'am. From all the information we've gathered, there are six armed hostiles in the building. Two are near the front doors, in plain sight of both us and the others in the lobby. There are two in the lobby, guns trained on the hostages. And there are two that are further inside the building. We assume they are attempting to gain access to the vault and safety deposit boxes, or possibly checking for stragglers. We can't go in the back entrance, as the building doesn't have one. Just butts right up against that big store over there. So far, they've just said for us to stay out here, no one gets hurt. We think they've got some sort of transport arranged, but we're not sure. On the plus side, they're fairly calm, so we don't have twitchy men with itchy trigger fingers. Yet."

Here he glances at Valkyrie.

Meanwhile, at the doors of the bank, two men are partly visible, watching the proceedings. One seems to turn back towards the lobby, though his mask covers any words he might speak. A third man runs up to the glass, looks outside, and jogs back out of view.

"Hm. How long has it been like this?"

"Twenty minutes. No one's hurt, so the clock isn't ticking hard yet."

[quotemyname]

Gabriel frowned at Valkyrie's words.

"One could say the same to you, Miss...Hm. Don't know what you go by. Call me Gabriel."

"Valkyrie," she returned, and was silent for the situation report. But when it was finished, she once more offered her opinions. "Back door? There is no need for such underhanded methods. Two of their number stand in plain view. Let us make an example of them, and see if the others are still willing to fight. Should they then threaten the hostage's lives once more, we will move to dispatch them quickly. I myself could be in and out of the building in seconds. With help," She glanced at Gabriel, "This battle is already won." Valkyrie set her jaw and lifted her hammer into both hands. She turned to look at the glass doors that were the front of the building. She was ready for action.

The longer I have to wait, the harder I'm going to end up hitting these guys...

[KnightDisciple]

The police chief frowns deeply.

"Now listen here, miss. That's a sure way to get at least some of the hostages killed. As soon as the boys inside hear you dealing with the lookouts, they'll pull the trigger, off some hostages, and tell us to back off. Even if you charge straight at them, automatic weapons can send out an awful number of bullets in just a few seconds. I don't mind the two of you helping, mind you. But we're going to play this safe, we're going to-"

Another police office caught the attention of the group.

"Chief, you won't believe it!"

The group turns...and sees the hostages walking out, one by one, hands in the air. None of them appear wounded, though they all look tired and scared.

As soon as the final hostage walks out, the robbers, completely unarmed and with their ski masks removed, walk out of the building.

Several police officers rush over and start cuffing them, while the couple dozen hostages are herded over to one side.

The SWAT Team rushes in to make sure the building is secure.

Within 3 minutes, another police officer walks over.

"Darndest thing! The robbers say they saw both these heroes out here, and decided it wasn't worth it. All six of them just surrendered without a fight! Thank you, both of you!"

Gabriel stands there for several moments, still processing what has occurred.

"Uh...You're welcome sir. Glad I could help. Even gladder no one got hurt."

He turned to Valkyrie with a light frown.

"I think we should talk. Perhaps one of the nearby rooftops?"

[quotemyname]

Valkyrie gazed at the surrendering robbers with a disapproving stare. When the situation was explained, she folded her arms and shook her head. "They made a wise decision. Cowardly, but wise. May Odin see fit to provide them with a chance at redemption, for there is no place in Valhalla for cowards."

"Uh...You're welcome sir. Glad I could help. Even gladder no one got hurt."

He turned to Valkyrie with a light frown.

"I think we should talk. Perhaps one of the nearby rooftops?"

"Very well," she allowed, "Thou shalt have thine audience. Make haste, for there art other matters that require mine attention." She turned briefly to the police chief, "Though we indeed see things in a different light, lawmaker, may the farewell I bid the be received fondly. Thou and thine companions have proven thyselves respectworthy in mine eyes time and again." With a curt nod of respect, she vanished in a flash of lightning.

Atop a nearby building, lightning struck once more. There, Valkyrie waited for the arrival of Gabriel.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel's expression was inscrutable as he turned to the police chief.

"Good day sir. Hopefully things stay comparatively calm."

"Yes, hopefully. And the same for you, ah, Gabriel."

The chief just scratched his head as Gabriel took off for the nearby building.

"...Superheroes."

When Gabriel landed, he stood there for several moments, regarding Valkyrie.

"I have to ask: Have you ever had to handle a hostage situation before?"

[quotemyname]

When Valkyrie first spoke, Gabriel noticed a marked difference in her speech patterns. Gone was the pompous 11th century archaic pronunciations. Valkyrie was speaking modern English now. "Not unless you count the time a crap load of aliens took over the city. One group captured some hostages, shut them in a room, and then pretended to BE the hostages. Needless to say, they got smashed." After her opening line, she shrugged, and regarded him frankly, "Sorry, but that act is really hard to keep up. It's worth doing around civilians, so they think I'm something I'm not. But I can see it's not going to make a difference with you. This is, of course, not something you should be telling people about."

Valkyrie suddenly turned towards the edge of the building and looked out over the street. From their vantage point on the roof, they could see the police on the streets beginning to process the hostage takers. "So, this is where you tear into me for being irresponsible, right? Well, go ahead. I won't deny it. I'll be the first to tell you: I'm reckless. Sometimes a girl just wants to hit something. Is that so wrong? Besides, the way I do things clearly gets results," She gestured to the scene below with an outstretched hand, "And I do honestly believe that I could have been in and out of there before any shots were fired." Valkyrie turned back to Gabriel. He could see by the look on her face she was being up front with him. Her look was a mixture of defiance, self-confidence, and just a hint of seeking approval.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel listens impassively, processing everything he hears.

"Well, I can't really fault you for being a direct person. And if you haven't dealt with something like this before, that explains some of it.

But you have to listen to the police and/or other heroes on the scene when it comes to hostage situations. Charging in blindly will get someone killed. You heard the police, there were two robbers unaccounted for in the building. What if they'd hidden themselves in a dark corner, and as soon as you'd busted in there, hammer swinging, they'd opened up with assault rifles on the hostages? Bam, dead innocents. What if the guys holding guns on the hostage are spread just a bit further apart then you thought? Bam, dead hostages. What if they'd had dead-man's switches to explosives? Bam, dead hostages."

He walked closer, pointing down at the men and women being released after medical examinations and brief questioning. The husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters. Old and young. All of them utterly normal.

"We mess up, they pay the price. You want to go into the bank and take out the robbers? I can respect that. I have a rare gift with words, so not everyone's going to be able to do what I do. But you ever come upon a situation like this again, you sit your pretty little butt down next to the policemen in charge, and you make a plan. You make it so the only risk is to your own person."

He pokes her in the sternum, right above the Orb of Fate.

"That's what it means to be a hero. We run the risk so others don't. Because we can take it. Because we have these gifts for a reason, and it's not to go charging in blindly."

He backs off several steps, turning to sit on the edge of the roof, pushing his hood down. Smooth white mask shows in its place.

"Look. Valkyrie. I really do appreciate that you showed up and were eager to help. I do. I think the police do, too. Things worked out fine today. Everything I've said is just tips for the future."

He turned to appraise Valkyrie, and her reactions.

[quotemyname]

Valkyrie allowed Gabriel his turn to speak. She kept quiet and let him say his peace. When he prodded her in the chest, she stared down at his finger until it was removed. Then when he was finished, she sighed, "You know, I really, really, do not like being told what to do." She strolled up behind him, and stood above the place where he was seated. "But damn it if you're not right." Valkyrie folded her arms. "I'm glad everything worked out," she spared a glance down at the street. "But I was being too hasty about it. I guess I was just in a sour mood, and wanted to play whack-a-mole a little too badly." She looked back down at him, and awaited his response.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel looked up.

"Yet I told you what to do. It happens sometimes. As for being right, it's been known to happen."

He chuckles at her admission.

"Oh, frustration I can understand. Trust me. But you can't let it affect your judgment out here. We hold too much power and responsibility for that."

He quirked his eyebrow underneath his mask as he considered her.

"So, now what?"

[quotemyname]

"You're right, again." the admissions continued. For a moment, she was silent as she looked out over the streets.

He quirked his eyebrow underneath his mask as he considered her.

"So, now what?"

Jerked back into reality, she smiled down at him. It was a sarcastic expression. "I believe this is the part where I tell you to call me if you ever do need something smashed. Then you ask me for my phone number like any good gentleman would." She lifted the visor that obscured her face so he could see her wink. "Then we should probably be getting back to our respective lives."

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel shot up at mention of "respective lives".

"Blast! I forgot about...ahem. Yes, numbers. Hold on a moment."

He digs around in a couple of the pockets in his duster, then pulls out a blank business card with a handwritten number.

"This will go through the Freedom League's switchboard or some such, keeps everything nice and secret. Do you have a similar number?"

[quotemyname]

"Why yes. Yes, I do." Valkyrie grabbed Gabriel's hand snatched the pen, and wrote her number on the inside of his hand. "And now you have it."

Valkyrie took a step back, and tossed the enormous hammer she wielded over her shoulder. "I'd love to stay and chat, but you know how it is. Tons of divine troubles I have to be looking into, or some such." She waved her hand dismissively at her own lack of a good cover story. "It's always good to meet another hero." She smiled contentedly, hesitating only for a second, before she escaped via the god's lightning once more.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel just shook his head as she left.

"Women. Ma warned me about American women. Ah well. Just have to remember not to wash this until I can write the number down somewhere..."

Carson took to the sky, a low boom echoing his movement as he raced for the school. Lockdowns lasted for a bit after word got out the situation was resolved; better safe than sorry in a city packed with super-criminals. So he had about 3 minutes left as he landed on the roof.

Of course, it took him about a minute to change, and then he had to take a second to scan around for witnesses. None. Good.

He hopped down, softly hitting the ground, and slipped in the door he'd propped slightly on his way out. He stopped by the restroom to wash his hands and face, then more calmly stepped out just before the lockdown ended. He lingered right outside the restroom doors, waiting to just slip back into the crowds as they exited.

He didn't notice the bit of white glove peeking out from a side pocket of his bag; he'd been in a hurry when he packed it.

[quotemyname]

The other restroom door behind Carson creaked open. Out stepped a very frustrated, and flustered looking Vivian. She was started to see Carson standing right in front of the doors.

"Oh! Carson!" She began, "Looks like you got your bag. What are you doing here?" She paused to brush one of her bangs behind her ear. "Did the lock down end already?"

[KnightDisciple]

Carson just about took flight in shock. He turned to face Vivian, looking a big flustered himself.

"Vivian! Um...well, I'd gone to, ah, check the restrooms and such for stragglers, and by the time I'd done that, everyone was locked up tight. So I decided to just wait things out here. I think the lockdown's about to end..."

Indeed, they can hear the sounds of the safe rooms opening even now, and students and teachers alike heading back into the hall.

What Vivian may notice more is that Carson's not speaking with any accent. Does...that voice sound familiar?