The Serpent and the Devil (IC)

[Ari]

Starting noticeably when the pilot woke up, Heraldo took a moment to realize what he was saying, and when he did he angrily ignored the man until he was tossed unceremoniously into the cell. Then he switched to Spanish <"If your boss gets to Mexico, we'll catch him there! If he's still here, then we'll catch him here! We will find your master, and everyone who stands by his side will fall with him!"> he glowered at the taller man, wishing the boots his transformation gave him put him at a higher level, making do by flying the few extra inches above the ground in a nimbus of golden fog. One hand on his hip, the other holding the Bandera over his shoulder his eyes narrowed <"If you're so confident, then how about you let The Serpent prove himself against us? Where is he? I won't even ask you what guards him, just tell me where he is. Let's see who's tougher!"> he finished with a savage grin.

'Kristin will disagree with this profoundly, Subito' 'FINE, let her! I don't think this will work anyway, I just wanted to say it!'

[Supercape]

GM

The pilot slowed down his defiant speech and studied Subito for a moment, considering his words.

"He is by the border, south from here, in a Mansion...El Sol Palacio..it faces the sun. It is well guarded, hero!" he said, his voice quieter and almost mumbled. His head was still not clear, his eyes unfocussed. He was rambling.

"Unless you can fly that helicopter, I doubt you will reach him in the U. S. of A..." he gabbled, almost aware that he was talking to freely, but loose with his words in any case.

"...El Sierpe, he is no fool. He will run and fight on his own turf, if he has too!" he concluded. Deciding, at that point, to slow down his overactive jaw and stop talking.

[Scuffles]

Glow raised an eyebrow as Heraldo managed to get plenty of useful information out of the rambling helicopter pilot. Huh, nice. Didn't even have to yell at the guy. I'm going to have to learn how to do that.

She motioned her comrade over. "I don't know about you," she said quietly. "But I'm starting to get sick of this El Sierpe guy. If he runs to Mexico then he's out of our reach, but while he's at this mansion he's totally fair game. And we might not be able to fly the helicopter, but I can fly me and you can fly you..."

The young heroine gave a wry smile. "I can't believe it's me saying this and not you," she continued. "But how about we phone home and make sure we can have backup if we need it, then pay this mansion a little visit? We're already right in the middle of it, that makes it our responsibility. What do you reckon?"

[Ari]

Heraldo had not been actually expecting his challenge to get anything from the Snake's minions, and stared at the pilot for a few seconds as he processed this new information. 'Well..alright! We know something now!'

He turned to listen to what Glow when she approached him

"I don't know about you," she said quietly. "But I'm starting to get sick of this El Sierpe guy. If he runs to Mexico then he's out of our reach, but while he's at this mansion he's totally fair game. And we might not be able to fly the helicopter, but I can fly me and you can fly you..."

Glow, I don't think there's anyone in this building who isn't fed up with that guy by now" he said with a grin, which became a slightly more serious smile as he nodded at the rest of her plan "That makes a lot of sense, and I agree. We can't let him get away after all this!" At her suggestion that they 'phone home' to Claremont and let the faculty know about, he almost beamed.

"Agreed there too, if we get word out about this, we can make sure he gets caught even in the unlikely case that we fail! I'll check and make sure that cook is doing what he should, you call the school. Sound good?" he asked, fiddling idly with the Banner on his back.

[Supercape]

GM

The authorities were not happy with the situation, sending "kids" out to stop the Serpent, but the fact remained that the two heroes were the best chance of stopping the Serpent before he hightailed it back Mexico.

Back up was being deployed, just in case, but by Duncan Summers assessment the Serpent was probably well on his way. There was a chance of catching him. That chance was in the hands of El Heraldo and Glow.

The two heroes could make good speed, and the Mansion was nearby. As they approached, they could see the hill top mansion in its sun drenched splendour. It was built more like a fortress than a mansion, but it did not sacrifice luxury at the hands of security. Inside the perimeter wall was a large swimming pool, helicopter pad (complete with helicopter) and a small fleet of luxury cars!

[Scuffles]

Glow pulled up a few hundred meters from the compound and brought herself to a hover, acutely aware that the green light sheeting off the telekinetic energy she used to keep herself aloft was likely something of a beacon for the security personnel. With a shrug she glanced at Heraldo, then let her gaze survey the layout of the rather impressive mansion.

"Alright how do you want to play it? There's a heck of a lot of guys with guns down there." she asked her comrade. "If he's still here I guess he's not going anywhere without that helicopter or the cars, maybe we should start with those?"

[Ari]

Sliding to a halt in the air above El Sierpe's lair, El Heraldo floated in the midst of a glowing golden flag-shaped fog, certain that he was all but invisible to those below. Examining the vehicles, Subito quickly arrived at his decision. "That's a perfect idea. You make sure he can't go anywhere with that that helicopter, I'll go mess up trying to keep him from using those cars. I can withstand most bullets, and I am sure you can too. Unless they make guns in this age that can penetrate your forcefields I'm sure you have nothing to fear, and as you're here nothing for either of us to worry about!" clapping her on the shoulder he soared down towards the parking lot, a blazing streak of yellow that slammed into the parking lot, energetically flipping cars upside down and removing their tires with abandon, shouting "El Sierpe! Your time has come!"

[Supercape]

GM

The Guards were not your average street thug, but they were hardly crack troops. Discipline was a little lax. They were smoking, laughing, and not paying full attention. Certainly not to the skies. As the two heroes swooped down, the helicopters and fleet of cars were easy pickings for destruction. The cost of such mayhem would make all but the richest wince.

It was not long before the hue and cry. A few scattered burst of weapon fire started a slow cascade of bullets, some of which only added to the carnage Subito and Glow were inflicted on El Sierpe's getway vehicles. Calls in Spanish could be overheard.

"Get the boss to safety!"

"Call the doctor!"

"Attack! Attack!"

"Run! Run!"

[Scuffles]

Glow winced as Heraldo clapped her on the shoulder rather solidly, then shrugged as immediately descended to attack and announced his presence to all and sundry. Guess we're not doing stealth this time either!

She swooped down behind him and flinched as a volley of rifle fire clattered into her telekinetic defenses. It took only a moment for her to regain her composure however, and the next flurry of bullets was scattered in all directions as she waved them aside in a brilliant flare of green. Defenses set, the young heroine brought herself to a hover and turned her attention on the helicopter.

The machine was enveloped quickly in the bright halo of her power and lifted unsteadily, then tilted wildly to the side as she tipped it off its landing pad. With a loud crash she deposited it squarely onto the driveway of the mansion where it would (hopefully) obstruct the exit of any cars that Heraldo might miss.

[Ari]

Hearing the ruckus inside the mansion, Heraldo redoubled his efforts, quickly disabling the cars and laughing at the tickle of the bullets ricocheting off his costume "HaHAHAHAHAha!Go and warn your leader! Tell him that his DOOM approaches!" he shouted happily at the blind windows of the house, watching with delight as Glow sent the helicopter crashing in front of the gate. Now for the Serpent and the Doctor, who could only be the man that had eluded he and Glow those months ago.

Squaring himself with the front door, he flung himself with a battle cry straight through the two mighty slabs of oak, crashing into the front hall in a shower of splinters and landing in a crouch, slamming the Banner into the floor and calling out "Come forth! If you would save yourself, than face Glow and me! You have no other path of escape, El Sierpe!"

[Scuffles]

Heraldo's laughter was just a little unnerving for the telekinetic heroine, and she found herself wishing he would take the situation just a little more seriously. After all, he might be inherently bulletproof but she most certainly wasn't and she was acutely aware of the fact that a single slip of her concentration could be immediately fatal with so many bullets zipping around.

As if to punctuate that thought a well aimed shot pinged off her barrier right before her eyes as she landed and she hurled a handy garden statue at the shooter as she followed Heraldo towards the door. Alright, let's get this over with... she thought as she stepped through the shattered entrance, then turned back to face the way she had come, ready to smash any guards who tried to follow them in.

[Supercape]

GM

The Entrance hall to the El Sierpe was just as ostentatious as the gardens, pool, and helicopter pad. Two thugs gave an obligatory round of automatic fire as the two heroes stormed in, to say they had done their duty, and then dashed off, the rifles clattering to the floor.

The building was, despite its finery, now showing signs of the wreckage that El Heraldo and Glow had wrought outside. Dust fell from cracks in the masonry, paintings had fallen, and a suit of armour has fallen to its rear, the halberd still pointed upwards in defiance of the odds.

A man approached from within the deeper recesses of the hall, seeming unfazed. He was tall, possibly over seven feet, with a curious build. He was fat, to be sure, but with a belly that went beyond fat and became almost impossibly bulbous, hanging in front of him almost defying gravity. His skin was grey with a brownish tinge, although he had been covered by the dust from the ruined ceiling. He wore thick black sunglasses and had thinning black hair swept back in an oily streak.

In one hand he held an extremely ornate wooden cane, carved as a tangles mess of horrible serpents, in the other hand, a remote control device.

"It seems that today, I was a little to slow to sweep up my mess. Or, perhaps, you were a little to fast in picking it up...." he said, a voice full of smooth anger.

With his marvellous cane still in hand, he jabbed a pointed finger one at a time at the two.

"Glow"

"El Heraldo"

"I do my homework. And I never forget a face, my friends. I never forget. You best have the courage to finish me today. Because if not, I will remember. And you do not want me to remember...."

[Ari]

Glaring at this new opponent El Heraldo stepped forward, pointing the Banner at him challengingly "Whoever you are, and I bet you're El Sierpe, given your motif, you will answer for your crimes, and you will be brought to justice!" the golden smoke wreathed around him and Glow, slowly sharpening them as he spoke "You will be made to answer everything that has been done by you and in your name, and your dung-heap of an empire will fall apart once and for all!" with a flash and a roar as of a thousand shouted voices he got into a battle stance "I doubt you'll come quietly. Anyone who would do what you did can't be humble enough to surrender. Fight, then, and get what satisfaction you can out of defeat to us!"

[Scuffles]

Glow raised her right hand towards El Sierpe and snatched the remote control device from his hand with a sudden telekinetic pull. She plucked it out of the air as it flew towards her, then held it up and gave it a quizzical look. "So what's this then?" she asked. "Whatever it is I'll just hold onto it for a while I think."

She put her hands on her hips and regarded the crime lord carefully. "My friend here is a little upset at you, but you really can just surrender if you want to save yourself the beating." she offered. "He hits awful hard you know, it's a good deal..."

[Supercape]

GM

El Sierpe was stong - Glow could feel his vice like grip that belied his pudgy hand. But the remote fell from his palm, perhaps due to the surprise he experienced.

He glowered, and pointed his wooden serpent staff at her.

"You are a slippery young woman, but El Sierpe has had a life time of slippery men and women try to undo him. I grew up in the streets of Mexico City, a poor orphan. I had to crawl, like a snake, to feed myself. Do you know what that's like, girl? No! you have had the life of sweet caress and care, and blessed with power not seized or bled for. I spit at you!" he roared, doing just that.

"There is nothing in this world that tastes so good as that which you bled for, my friends. No, not nothing. Not the love of a woman, not the fortunes of gold. And I have bled. On the streets and in the mansions. I became El Sierpe. I drank snakes blood, I know of the Serpent people of old. Not for me the worship of their degenerate kind. But their power, yes...I would desire that!"

He laughed, somehow merry and hollow at the same time.

"Let me introduce to the friends I have made!"

From the cracks in the walls, from out of holes and grills in the mansion, came an outpouring of snakes of all shapes and sizes, from small venomous vipers to gargantuan annacondas!

[Ari]

With a sigh of relief as Glow took matters into her own hands and got the potentially dangerous device out of El Sierpe's hand, El Heraldo scoffed at the crime lord's story, "Suffering doesn't make you better than other people. You aren't given free reign to make others pay for the fact that you had to struggle to become a little tyrant" he glowered at El Sierpe "As someone who has worked for a living, I can tell you that." He stepped forward, his Banner staff clacking on the hard floor as he approached the snake-like man "Not to mention the Serpent Peo-" he began, when the snakes began to pour out of the walls around him! Starting backwards he got once more into position for battle "Wretch! Don't you know both of us can fly? Your serpentine slaves won't save you this time, El Sierpe!" he bellowed, his clothes hugging his powerful body as he tensed for a spring!

[Scuffles]

"Snakes?" Glow asked in disbelieving tones. "We wade through your miniature army of guys with guns and your second line is snakes?"

She squared her shoulders and thrust her left hand forwards at the obese villain, the gesture focusing a thunderous mental blow that unfortunately missed its mark and smashed a hole in the wall behind him. With a frown the young heroine dashed forwards and to the side in an attempt to keep El Sierpe's attention on her, hurdled over one of the larger snakes, then planted a foot on the wall to send herself into a dazzling somersault.

[Supercape]

GM

"You are fast, but I have faced faster!" smiled El Sierpe, as he dropped to the floor. Then, with arms and legs propelling his body, he slithered towards Glow. His unusually long abdomen twisted and turned on the floor with inhuman flexibility, moving just like a snake would.

In a flash he was at Glows feet. Bending up in another impossible arc, using his cane to propel him upwards, he snatched the Remote Control that she held, trying to pull it out of her grasp. He was strong, but not strong enough this time.

"Curse you! Give me that!" he shouted in utter frustration.

[Ari]

"Hey, don't knock the snakes, they fit the theme. There's not a lot more important than the theme" the gaily-clad patriotic paragon retorted cheerfully. He whooped at Glow's tenacious grip on the remote...whatever it was.

"You've just faced stronger too!" Heraldo exclaimed jauntily, hurling himself in a cloud of golden smoke and a shout like a distant cheering crowd over to the struggling and very incongruous pair, landing next to the rotund El Sierpe and placing a hand on his shoulder, swinging back his left hand and saying right before hurling it straight at the vile crime lord's head "Mr. Sierpe, you need to take some time out!"

[Supercape]

GM

The mighty fists of El Heraldo did their work, knocking El Sierpe right across the mansion floor in all its marble glory, to leave him cracking against the masonry at the other end of the hall.

"Gruuuumpph..." he muttered, shaking his head as he sat slumped against a marble pillar. "You have the power of ten men! I have never felt such strength...." he said, more to himself that anyone else.

His pet snakes, slithering as a mass, held El Heraldo in no such high regard, as yet. En masse they crawled and squirmed to the heroic duo, biting and constricting with a single minded purpose. Human meat was not unknown to the vile servants of the drug lord.

[Scuffles]

Glow weaved away from one of the snakes, then yelped as another clamped its jaws solidly onto her forearm. Luckily her telekinetic barrier prevented the wicked fangs from puncturing her skin, and she was able to slap the serpent aside with a backhand as it attempted to wrap its coils around her.

"Enough!" the young heroine yelled as she set her feet and lashed out with a blast of mental force. Snakes flew in all directions under the impact and she turned on the battered villain with a glare. "Stay down!" she demanded. "Your men have abandoned you, your snakes can't stop us. Just give it up!"

[Supercape]

El Sierpe looked in horror as his pets flew around the mansion to their end, his expression darkened as his jaw dropped.

"Your men have abandoned you, your snakes can't stop us. Just give it up!"

A sly smile formed on his lips.

"Very true!" he answered, holding his hands up.

"I surrender, I am at your mercy..." he whined "...I fall at the feet of the law. Oh...yes....you are the law, are you not? there is the small matter of destruction of my mansion, my cars, my helicopter...I am sure you have enough evidence to convict me..."

"...of what exactly? what are you going to convict me of? illegal snake ownership?"

He smiled again.

"I'll just call my lawyer...."

[Scuffles]

Well that was unexpected...

Glow pulled up short at the unexpected response. She stood stock still for a few seconds and chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to wrap her mind around this new defence. Then a grin spread slowly across her masked face.

"Illegal wildlife possession is serious business!" she declared as she planted her hands on her hips and regarded the smug looking villain with a severe look. "But I think we can do better than that. How do you think we found this place? I'll give you a hint - It wasn't by following the snakes. Did you forget the part where your helicopter full of armed men attacked a U.S government facility like an hour ago?"

There was more confidence in her voice as she continued. "You did notice that they never got back, right? And now we're here. That's because after we stopped them your men squealed. That's more than enough evidence to arrest you. Plus there's the radar recordings to prove where the helicopter came from."

Well I hope so anyway.

She raised her arms to indicate the mansion around her. "Besides, I think that once the police get done pulling this place apart there's going to be more than enough evidence to make sure you get a nice long comfy stay in prison. Feel free to call that lawyer though. He can meet you at the police station."

[Ari]

'Wait...what?! We finally get to El Sierpe and this is what stops us?' El Heraldo thought furiously, knuckles whitening on the shaft of the Banner 'I should throw him through a few more walls! I would advise against that. Remember that you yet have proof, slim though it is.'

Glowering unimpressively at their rotund opponent he said aloud, clearly angry "We have better than that. Those people you wanted kept quiet? They know you! Now that we've got you caught, they can name you, tell everyone what you have done in Mexico, and when proof gets found there you'll be finished!"

It was terrible logic with more holes than most variants of Swiss cheese, but in the heat of the moment Heraldo was not much one for thinking things over. Sheathing the Banner in its ring and folding his arms against his chest he added angrily "Besides, as Glow said your men told us where to find you, do you really believe they will fear your vengeance enough to not tell us everything else that they know?!" his dark eyes blazed up at the fat man, wondering bitterly why so many servants or descendants of the Serpent People were coming out of the shadows now.

[Supercape]

GM

El Sierpe steadied himself. For all his talk, he was battered badly.

"My men?" he asked. "If you say so. If you think I would be foolish enough to send some men to do my dirty work and lay a trail back to myself. If you think the testimony of dogs of war will count. If they testify. If they are alive to testify..." he grinned ominously at the last statement.

He coughed, wiping a bloodied mouth.

"And by all means, please escort me back to Mexico to face trail there..." he laughed. "After all, that is where I am said to commit my crimes, is it not? hahaha! yes...yes...I wonder which one of my judge-friends will convict me?"

He held out his wrists, still clutching his elaborate carved cane.

"Come then, arrest me. Handcuff me. And let us wait for the police...."