Catching Up On New Times (IC)

[Lone Star]

The two drive on, and quickly find themselves caught up in a crime scene. Police cars stand outside of an office building, and yellow tape stretches from end to end. Blake screeched to a halt, his eyes wide. "What the hell is going on here?"

As the two move closer, it is clear what the situation is. There are a dozen hostages, all dressed in business garb, and three men with heavy assault rifles were pacing around the building. They have black ski masks and look primed to kill. A police negotiator is on the scene with a megaphone.

"Officer, what's going on here?" Warlock asks one of the policemen.

"It seems there's a hostage situation." He looks at Warlock and Cobalt Templar. "You two are superheroes? We could use all the help we can get."

[KnightDisciple]

Cobalt Templar crosses his arms with a frown as he eyes the building.

"Any ideas on numbers and placement of both the hostages and the hostage-takers? Any demands or whatnot yet? We might well be able to do something, but for what I'm thinking, I need to know where everyone is."

[Lone Star]

"They want money, of course. Ten million for the hostages. We're trying to make negotiations, but they recently cut off communication to us. We were going to send in the SWAT team, but we're hoping you guys could help us out. I think the hostages are all up against the far side of the wall on the eighth story. They may have more men then we can see- so don't underestimate them."

[KnightDisciple]

Cobalt Templar nodded, and turned to Warlock. His expression was thoughtful, and gears were clearly turning in his head.

"How much do you need to see for your shoes to get you somewhere? I'm thinking if you could teleport us both in, I could put up a mobile barrier around us and the hostages. We hunker down while SWAT moves in and does their thing. Not perfect, but gives us the best chance for unhurt hostages."

[Lone Star]

"It's very unlikely that I'll be able to teleport to an exact spot without a better view, unfortunately. Can you bring me up closer, Corbin? If I can get a clear view, we're golden." Blake said as he bent down to tie his shoes. "If nothing else, then we can take down the terrorists before they shoot, but that's a risk I don't want to take."

[KnightDisciple]

Cobalt Templar turns back to the policeman.

"Is there a rooftop with a clear line of sight to the hostages? I can get us up on the rooftop quickly, but I'd like to have some cover while I move. I'm rather obvious, when all is said and done. I'd rather go for protecting the hostages than taking down the criminals. Mostly because I can't do both, and I know my chances of the former are better than the latter.

Actually...did you note any metahumans or large-caliber weaponry among the gunmen? Or is it all small arms carried by regular guys?""

[Lone Star]

"As far as I know, there aren't any superhumans. Just three guys with assault rifles, but I could be wrong. None of our guys have been in there. I would play it safe, if I were you."

Blake nodded. "I can create a distraction if you need me to, Corbin, while you get the guys covering the hostages."

[KnightDisciple]

Cobalt Templar gave a frustrated look at Blake when he used the name "Corbin". But he let it slide, hoping the police didn't really notice in all the "excitement".

"Let's get in there, get the hostages out of immediate danger, and work from there. So hurry up and climb on."

With that, a simple frame manifested out of blue energy, floating next to CT. It had clear hand and footholds. When Blake stepped up and grabbed it, it would morph a bit to hold him tight.

When Cobalt Templar took flight, the frame followed close by his side, carefully using the buildings as cover until they got to a rooftop that gave them the best viewpoint. CT crouched at the wall, squinting his eyes to see a bit better.

"No offense, but I wasn't going to give you a personal ride. Quo-Dis might get jealous."

A grin quirked his face even in this serious situation. He finally fixed his gaze on one window, pointing towards it with his left hand.

"There. I can see the hostages...looks like the thugs aren't in the middle of them. Makes this easier."

[Lone Star]

Warlock raised an eyebrow. "Personal ride?" He said, his face briefly changing to one of amusement.

Cobalt Templar could see a clear view of the situation. There was only one armed gunman in the room, the others were probably on other floors. "Piece of cake, CT, my man. I'll just warp in there and take him out, and you wrap the hostages up and take them to the ground floor. This is way too easy."

[KnightDisciple]

Cobalt Templar facepalms as the double-meaning of his words hit home. What little of his face is displayed through his mask and helmet is flushing red.

"Damn it, not like that! Gah!"

He takes a moment to collect himself, so that when he next speaks, he's all business. The ring on his hand is glowing faintly with power, and he's clearly prepared to instantly create a protective barrier.

"Sounds like a plan. Let's rock and roll."

[Lone Star]

Warlock spun his hat around, and took a step. He vanished, and appeared momentarily inside the building behind the thug. Warlock tapped the man on the shoulder.

"What the hell?" he said, pointing his rifle at Warlock.

"Sleep." he said, throwing a handful of magic dust at his face. So he did.

[KnightDisciple]

Almost as soon as Warlock was vanishing, Cobalt Templar took flight. By the time he hit the window, he was moving at about 70 miles an hour. But any debris from the impact never touched the hostages; they were encased in a bubble of energy that was as hard as steel, but mostly transparent.

"Hold tight, everyone. We'll be out of here in no time!"

The bubble reshaped itself a bit, narrowing enough they could fit through a nearby fire escape door without breaking the protective barrier. Cobalt Templar carefully watched the slowly-moving container, making sure it maintained integrity, as well as getting everyone out safely.

[Lone Star]

Warlock watched as his friend lowered the hostages to safety. "Good work, Cobalt Templar." he said as Corbin broke the safety bubble holding the hostages in. "I guess that just leaves the rest of the armed men to take care of. Oh, speak of the Devil." Two men came up the stairs, each brandishing heavy assault rifles. Blake casually threw another handful of magic dust at one of them, and he fell like a sack of potatoes. "Ho, hum. You can take the other guy, if you want."

[KnightDisciple]

Cobalt Templar mimed dusting his hands off after the last of the hostages was safe on the ground. He shrugged at Warlock's praise.

"Pretty simple, really. Practice more than anything."

Then two men with assault rifles busted into the room. One was down before he was able to do anything. The other actually rattled off a single burst of gunfire. Of course, it simply deformed on CT's armor and fell to the ground, utterly useless. CT himself was grinning.

"Nah, this guy's not the Devil. He's not even practice."

Said thug was grabbed by an ethereal hand and tossed against a nearby wall, getting knocked out on impact.

"Didn't even have to move a muscle."

[Lone Star]

Warlock gave him a thumbs-up. "Even so, that was pretty badass. I don't think guns can even affect us." He made his way down the stairs with Cobalt Templar behind him. As they entered the third floor lobby, they saw a figure in black.

"Who the hell are you?" Warlock said, whipping out his lightning wand.

The figure turned, and he was wearing a tattered black suit, and grotesque white greasepaint makeup. "Hello, boys. They call me....Tricky Mickey." The man reached behind his back and pulled out a huge iron mallet, the head of which was wider than his torso. "And I'm about to teach you two a lesson." The maniac suddenly lunged forward with the mallet, a mad look in his eyes!

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin blinked at the sudden presence of a clearly evil clown.

'Ugh. Never liked clowns...'

Then the clown charged them, his weapon drawn.

"Warlock! Break right!"

Templar himself blazed left, his right hand whipping up to point at Tricky Mickey, even as a battered blaster pistol materialized out of blue flame. He took a moment to sight the shot, then pulled the trigger.

"You should take a class on getting a better name. You don't look anything like a "Mickey"! Where are your ears and tail?"

[Lone Star]

Mickey dodged the shot easily, lumbering to one side. He grinned and laughed, a high-pitched giggle. "They used to call me Michael. But now there's no more Michael. He's gone away. There's only Mickey now." The clown pulled out his mallet, and held it like a baseball player winding up for the pitch. "BATTER UP! HAHAHAHAHA!" he said as he slammed the mallet right at Corbin's side.

Warlock ran to the clown, hurling a handful of his sleeping powder at him, but the clown just laughed. "You think that'll stop me? Get out of my sight, you freak."

[KnightDisciple]

Unfortunately for Tricky Mickey, the hammer just kind of sat there against Cobalt Templar's armor. The young hero clearly wasn't hurt at all. He glanced down at the hammer, then back at the clown, a smirk on his face.

"That didn't even tickle."

In a blur of blue, he was across the room, and the hand blaster was again aimed and fired at the psychotic clown. Unfortunately, the hit with the hammer seemed to have shaken his nerves a bit, at least.

[Lone Star]

Mickey dodges out of the way, but the laser blast nicks his arm. "That hardly hurt." The madman suddenly turned to Warlock, and swung his mallet with a malicious grin on his face. Warlock gasped in surprised, but raised his shield ring just in time. Sparks flew from the metal mallet's head as it reverberated against the magic shield. Warlock, in desperation, threw another handful of the magic sleeping powder at the clown, but he breezed it off again.

"Stop that, or I will knock your block off and bowl with it. I'm serious. HAHAHAHAHA!"

[KnightDisciple]

Cobalt Templar grimaced. This guy was tougher than he first appeared! Time to step up the game.

"Let's see if you feel this one!"

In a blaze of light, he suddenly rushed the crazy man. His pistol disappeared, only for his own hammer to appear in his hands, already swinging for the crazy clown.

[Lone Star]

The hammer struck true, and Corbin could hear his ribs popping as it slammed into his rib cage. The clown grimaced in pain, and fell to the floor. His mouth opened in a terrible grin: a sick rictus of pain and pleasure. "You can't beat me, you little brat. I'm Tricky Mickey. No one ever beats me."

Warlock pulled his metal wand from his bag, and pointed it at his face. "That's where you're wrong, you mad clown."

The lights in the building flickered as he gathered voltage in his wand. It sparked, huge sparks leaping off the end. Warlock straightened his wrist and released the energy. Mickey was out instantly as the electricity coursed through his body. As the power stopped flowing from the wand, Mickey fell to the floor, twitching, a bit of his hair on fire. Warlock carefully pinched it out.

"Kick ass."

[KnightDisciple]

Cobalt Templar let his hammer fade away with a broad grin on his face. He pointed down at the now unconscious clown.

"Hope this defeat wasn't too much of a shock for you."

He then looked to Warlock, holding his arm up for a Righteous Forearm Bash in celebration.

"Kick ass? You bet we do. I'm telling you man, I think you're possibly more awesome now than you were before. Especially with your cool house."

He casually grabbed the clown with his TK and lifted him off the ground, walking towards the door to take him to the police.

"So, you want to head back? Or bust heads a bit longer?"

[Lone Star]

Warlock returned the Forearm Bash righteously. "It looks like we've taken care of things here. I know I could use a good burger though, want to hit up a diner? I need to be eating more protein so I can build up mein muscles!" he said, flexing a budding forearm. "Dude! Let's go in costume. We'll totally get the chicks. Not that we would take any numbers...but it'll help our egos."

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin barely kept from snorting when Blake talked about building muscle. Everything was relative, he supposed. They walked out the door, and police rushed over to take custody of the psycho clown. A few brief words from Cobalt Templar, and they had the information they needed. Then the blue-clad hero turned to his good friend, tapping his chin in deep thought.

"Hm. I could go for food. You're lucky I've got cash on me, though. Otherwise, you'd have to cover the tab all by your lonesome. As for the chicks...No touching, and we'll be fine. You know any good places that aren't too far?"

[Lone Star]

Blake shrugged. "I can't remember what it's called, but isn't there a place with all the hero memorabilia? I've heard they have great burgers. And no worries, Corbin, this meal's on me. I've got cash to spare from this new paranormal investigation business." he said with a huge grin. "If you don't have any plans tonight, I'd be more than happy to buy you a meal. It can be a man-date!"