ic Winter Wonderland

[Supercape]

GM

 

"We can hear him the fine...with wire!" smiled K, momentarily forgetting the huge man who had arrived. 

 

It was true. Whilst Blonsky was wearing the wire, they could hear the transmissions, good for at least a mile, unreliable thereafter. 

 

"Maximum range is the five mile" explained K "But don't chicken count past the one"

 

He was interrupted as the huge man reached out and grabbed a terrified Blonsky. With one arm outstretched, and one hand on Blonskys mac, and he lifted, almost effortlessly, Blonsky six inches from the ground. The man's strength was phenomenal. 

 

"I don't think I can leave you here, my friend. Not after today's mistakes. Not after all I have done for you, for glorious Russia. No, I need to be sure...I need to take you to the Sleeper!"

[Thevshi]

Dee watched the arrival of the Doctor through a pair of binoculars beside the other two, letting out a low whistle.  "He certainly is impressive."  She responded.  "And Blonsky did say that he had somehow received a perfected version of the serum they have been giving the athletes."

 

She was considering Erick's question on whether to follow or move on the pair now when the Doctor grabbed Blonsky and admonished him, mentioning taking him to the Sleeper.  "Well, I suppose that depends if we want to be sure to follow this as deeply as possible, or potentially settle for just the Doctor."  She replied.

[Brown Dynamite]

Erick almost smiled at the infomercial like manner, K dropped his attention to sell him on the wire.  "For the low low price of risking being stretched into a little ball by that ginormous monster of a man.  Well never leave things half cocked I always say."  Erick's eyes narrowed as he continued to look down the lens at their target.  "Might as well bring this entire party down on its knees.  Didn't expect such a lucky break.  Alright beautiful, don't say I don't now how to treat a girl too a good time.  Let's go see a guy about a serum then."

 

The lack of proper lighting provided them some measure of cover  As long as they didn't become overeager.  Sneaking out behind the Doctor should be a trivial matter.  Afterwards might prove itself a different question.  It really depended on how remote the location they were going to was.  They had already gotten one break, it wasn't too much to hope on a second.

[Thevshi]

"Well, luckily for you my idea of a good time tends to be rather different than most."  Dee responded back to Erick with a small grin.  But she wasted little time getting up and moving towards the somewhat beat up UAZ 469B that K had driven them all to the warehouse are in. 

 

As they approached, the Englishwoman moved towards the driver's side, holding out one hand to K.  "How about I drive?"  She said.  "Just in case we are spotted and this becomes even more exciting."  Dee really hoped they would not have any problems in following the Doctor and Blonsky to the Sleeper.  It would be nice to try to wrap this all up at once, although she did not hold any illusions that it would be easy.

[Supercape]

GM

 

A little later...

 

It had not taken long. 

 

With K's surveillance equipment it was easy to follow. It was night, there was rain, and even a slight mist in the very early morning hours. Russia in winter had long nights. 

 

Doctor Zero and Blonsky were quiet once they entered the Zero Car. It was a slick, smooth, and quiet car. Putting the UAZ 469B to shame. Still, it was not a race. Doctor Zero drove at a measured, controlled pace. 

 

The building they drove into was almost faceless concrete. A relic of cold war featureless concrete. It had a built in garage, and a flimsy metal sheet that folded down behind them. 

 

"Blast" cursed K, throwing down his ear piece. 

 

"We be losing them! No the signal!"

 

He peered at the concrete building. 

 

"Old concrete. Being Soviet Building. Most the likelihood, is being KGB...."

 

The building was ugly, and whilst it may have been robust a few decades back, now it looked decaying and slightly crumbly, in serious need of refurbishment. 

[Brown Dynamite]

"Great.  Old Soviet architecture facing the test of time.  I'm sure we'll have to worry more about the structural integrity than any booby traps."  Erick quipped.  The building likely extended underground.  Because that's what all the Soviet villains did in the spy movies too.  Just because we lost one signal, didn't mean we lost the other.  If you catch my drift.  Erick was assuming there was something Dee could psychically infer about the company being kept.

 

If not, that was useful information as well.  Chances were that the night wasn't coming to an easy close.  But Erick liked he look of things.  A remote location may have its share of doom and gloom, but still lacked the comfort's of an armed deterrent on the outside apparently.  Perhaps they were ultimately short staffed aside from the muscled upped competitors.  "Look K, I'll understand if you want to stay behind and out of sight.  Rather than enter this dilapidated looking throwback to Russian culture.  Doesn't look like there are too many entrances or exits.  So if we need to hoof it, you can be at the ready  But for my part, I'm going in."

[Thevshi]

Unfortunately I did not have a "lock" on Blonsky before he was pulled into the sports car.  Dee "replied" back to Erick's question.  Without being able to see the person who's mind I am trying to get into, I cannot connect.

 

"Well, looks like we get to do this the old fashion way."  She commented aloud as she climbed out of the UAZ 469B, leaving the keys in for K should they need to make a quick withdrawal.  Glancing at Erick once he was out of the jeep as well, she added, "so, how do you want to do this?  Probably a pretty good chance there are security systems.  But, if we can find them, I should be able to deal with them."

At that thought, she looked back in the still open door to K as she asked.  "There any tools in the back?  We might need some."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Tools? Is the for sure! Come and seeing...good solid Russian tools!"

 

K opened up the boot of the care. It was a bit stiff, but a kick soon sorted that out. 

 

In the boot was a jumble of workmen tools, and some tools which were for perhaps a different type of work. Bolt cutters, screwdrivers, crowbars. All completely disorganised. 

 

"You are for a bit of the dagger and cloak, yes? Here, we have tools of the trading!" he smiled, bringing up some bolt cutters and giving them a loving pincer movement. 

 

"If Old KGB building, then most the likely, nothing be works. But better to be being safe than sorry, yes?" he said with a big wink at Synpase. 

 

The building was indeed old, with some old security around it. It was indeed very hard to see if the old, rusted cameras were on or not. 

[Thevshi]

"Well, I am not counting on any security systems being non-functional."  Dee replied as she took a small selection of screwdrivers, an adjustable wrench and a pair of wire cutters.  "And even if there are defunct systems, I completely expect them to be camouflage for actual working systems."

 

With that, she moved back over to Erick.  "Of course, it is entirely possible that the Sleeper has other means of keeping an eye on things, and may well know we are here already."  She added in a low voice so that K could not hear.  Then, a bit louder, she added, "well, ready to go see about breaking into this low rent Fort Knox?"

[Thevshi]

Dee started off after Erick as he lead the way towards the old, slightly crumbling building.  As they went, she looked about for any signs of security systems.  They had gotten about halfway towards the outer walls when the young woman spotted a sign of some motion sensors.

 

Hold on.  She mentally spoke to Erick, gently grabbing his arm as well.  There are motion sensors ahead.

Studying the area a bit more, Dee figure a way they could approach one of the sensors so they could be masked by some old shipping crates stacked nearby.  This allowed the Englishwoman to get close enough that she was able to use the tools she had taken from K to disable the sensor, without it being apparent that the loop had been disrupted. 

Soon, the pair were past the sensors, and over to the walls of the building.

[Supercape]

GM

 

With a snip here, and a snip there, and an expert dismantling of an old, slightly rusty, Russian lock, the pair where in. 

 

K gladly stepped back, waiting in the beat up car, chain smoking. Outside the window, a testament to his nervous state - a scattering of but ends, littered around like shells from a machine gun. 

 

The inside of the building was no shock. Dark, draughty, cracked. The windows were small and dirty. There was no light. Power seemed spartan and sporadic. Filing cabinets, some knocked over. Devoid of paper or incriminating evidence. Old chairs and old tables, even old computers, archaic and long since redundant and broken. Old telephones, old lighting, old doors and old piping. Everything was old and in featureless bleak grey. 

 

Except one room. 

 

"Special Operations"

 

This door was locked, and there was light coming out of the basement. The lock was better, but looked no match for Synapses skill...

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow listened in closely to the sound coming from the dor.  Either they were being especially quiet.  Or it was just that thick of a material.  Because, they might as well have been in an empty room with how muffled the voices sounded to him.  If there wasn't a big metaphoric kick me sign on the door.  They might've even just passe on by.

 

Making his way close to Dee, Erick would begin to whisper.  "Think you can open this one quietly?  Let's try and get the drop on whoever is on the other side.  Instead of having them waiting for us armed to the teeth."  Not counting their enhanced physiology as far as weapons clearly.  Even if they couldn't burst in quietly.  Erick had no worry about just diving into the throes of danger either.

[Thevshi]

Dee looked at the massive door, somewhat amused it was so conveniently labeled.  Although it was likely that when this place was really active, it was under heavy guard and the locals were too scared of it to want to try to know what was going on inside.

 

"There are voices coming from the other side."  She whispered back to Erick as she moved over to the door to see what she could do to open it quietly.  She did not think she would have too much trouble with the lock, she was just a bit concerned about how quietly the door might open.  Still, they were not going to accomplish very much if they stayed out here while who knows what was going on in the room beyond, so the Englishwoman took out her improvised tools and set to work....

[Supercape]

GM

 

The door was a darn sight better than the feeble decaying security of the exterior, but it was not exactly top end either, and no match for Synapse. 

 

Opening the door quietly, alert to the smallest creeks, the room eased into view. 

 

Light and bright, and unlike the rest of the building, an oasis of technology in the desert around them. 

 

Doctor Zero was there, in full spandex, a side arm by his side. He stood in a relaxed, easy posture, arms folded, his body poised and powerful. 

 

So was Blonsky - who, whilst in shape, looked like a wasted hobo besides the Doctor. 

 

In the centre of the room was...something...something cold. A medical bay, it looked like, with an ancient man, white haired and venerable, lying in it. He looked half dead, and his voice was faint. 

 

"He....is lying....my friend....I can sense it...." croaked the old main, his voice faint and dry. 

 

With the barest squeak of hinges, as the door opened, Doctor Zero spun round, gun in hand. 

 

"<And now we have your accomplices!>" he said, in Russian and with relish. 

 

 

"N...No...no....I swear it! I did everyting he asked!" blubbered Blonsky, pointing at the Doctor. 

 

"All for glorious Russia!" he added. 

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow rolled his eyes as Zero confidently called them Blonsky's accomplices.  If there were anyone he wanted nothing to do with it was Blonsky.  That was for sure.  He was angled in a position so as to avoid being outright seen.  And fast though he may be, it was impossible to get through without being seen.  It was for situations like this that he used to carry a utility belt.

 

Stepping out into the open.  His footsteps were silent.  As if he were not even stepping foot on the ground.  The silence alone did not serve as cover.  An Foreshadow knew it.  With Zero's ever tightening grip on his weaponry confirming it as he locked eyes with Foreshadow.  But, Foreshadow was quicker on the draw crossing the distance in an intense burst of speed.

 

Avoiding the principles of flash and finesse in which his acrobatic fighting style was built, Foreshadow sought to thrust his right Escrima Stick into the man's throat as hard as he could.  Aiming to take him out of the fight as quickly of possible.  His attack was fast, precise enough to hit an unprepared foe.  But, Zero was anything but unprepared.  Leaning to the side and avoiding the attack by a hair's breadth.  "Good.  And here I was worried this was going to be too easy."

Edited August 14, 2014 by HG Morrison

[Supercape]

GM

 

Doctor Zero was fast. Inhumanly fast. Nobody could move that fast...

 

If the pumped up athletes had been Olympian in physique, Doctor Zero put them to shame. Pale shadows of the original. He was not only ripped with muscles, but they moved like oiled snakes...and so did he. Foreshadow was more trained and skilled in fighting, but not by much. Doctor Zero was a terrifying foe. 

 

His blue eyes darkened. 

 

"Quick, but not quick enough. If that is the best you have got, cape, then you are nothing" he said, full of confidence and straight into Foreshadows eyes with pure strength of will. 

 

His gun was in his hand. How fast had it got there? like a blur...

 

And out came a beam of pure white, hitting Foreshadow in the head. It was like the worst cold hone could imagine - and colder than that. All the heat was whisked away from his skull and he felt his blood freeze...

[Thevshi]

As the metal door swung open, Synapse quickly took in the room beyond, noting Doctor Zero and Blonsky, as well as what had to be the Sleeper in the medical bay.  The sight of the old, weak looking man reminder her of Headcase, and she doubted she would like the Sleeper any more than the latter.

 

And then the metal door gave them away, and things happened faster than Synapse could really react.  Foreshadow leapt into action, trying to attack Doctor Zero, who managed to dodge the attack with blinding speed.  Zero then had his weapon out and targeted Foreshadow, hitting with what appeared to be a beam of cold.

 

A red glow surrounded Synapse as she brought up her telekinetic forcefield.  She then focused on Zero, an she sent a blast of red psychic energy at the man's mind.  Unfortunately, he proved to have more mental fortitude than Blonsky or the serum enhanced athletes and managed to shake off the psychic assault.

 

This was not going to be easy.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow's movements fell sluggish.  As if his body were weighed down by this intense pressure.  Logic would point to his muscles naturally reacting to the dose of cold medicine he had just been prescribed.  But Erick, knew better.  Doctor Zero was simply that imposing of a figure.  Even the far and away confident Foreshadow knew in a manner of seconds that the fight was akin to walking a mine field blind.  One wrong step was all it took.

 

Doubt lingered, but his body did not.  As quickly as the seed of fear had been spread Foreshadow had already taken to the air.  Operating in the one environment he always found comfort.  Flipping over the massive statue of a man. And in one fell swoop combining his escrima sticks and expanding the collapsible batons into their full bo staff length.  Doctor Zero's phenomenal speed granted him ample opportunity to try and cut off Foreshadow.  Expecting an attack, instead what the ex Soviet patriot found was his legs swept out from under him.

 

With lightning quick reflexes, Foreshadow had jerked his staff to swing upwards while Zero was in mid turn.  After their opponent had dropped, Foreshadow raised his staff up high and sent it downwards.  Hitting Zero zero center mass trying to take the air right out of him.  A blow he took without any apparent issue, by crossing his arms to protect himself, much to Foreshadow's chagrin.  "Count me among the impressed.  I guess the fun's just getting started."

[Supercape]

GM

 

Zero merely grunted as the stick rebounded off him. If it hurt, he did not show it, his blue eyes remaining cold and brilliant. 

 

In a flash he had rolled, and pushed himself up with one hand to a standing position. Nobody could do that, could they? He was strong, fast. Stronger than any man, faster than any man. 

 

His right hand pulled back, still holding his gun. With equal fluidity, Doctor Zero reached out to grab Foreshadows wrist, fully ambidexterous. His grip was like Iron, crushing Foreshadows muscles. He could snap bones with that grip. Instead, he tried to force Foreshadow into a throw over his shoulder. 

 

For all his strength and speed, and skill, Foreshadow was just a little more skilled. Doctor Zero relied to heavily on his power and agility, rather than knowing up to date martial art techniques. As he turned to throw Foreshadow, he lost leverage and Foreshadow twisted his arm in a circle, gaining all the leverage Doctor Zero had lost. 

 

The Doctor spun round to face Foreshadow again. 

 

"Slippery eel, I give you this. But you are just a man, and I am more!"

[Thevshi]

Synapse watched as Foreshadow and Zero traded attacks, both moving incredibly fast.  Foreshadow seemed a bit more skilled than Zero, but the latter's durability and power seemed counter that discrepancy.  So, she had to try to do something to help shift the balance more in Foreshadow's favor.

 

"You certainly have an oversized ego."  The Englishwoman stated in response to Zero's claims.

 

As she spoke, she tried to reach into Zero's mind, hoping to create a link which she could use against him.  This time there was no evident psychic energy, but just like her prior attack, Zero's steel mind remained sealed away.

[Brown Dynamite]

"Wait am I an eel or a man?  Make up your mind."  The blonde acrobat teased, needing the humor to keep himself level in such a situation.  Foreshadow placed his staff in front of him.  Separating it back into it's individual sections and then letting it drop.  Rolling forward he was able to holster the individual batons in one fluid motion.  Which completed down at Zero's side.  The extra effort it took to carefully holster his weapon cost him a fraction of a second.  And that was a fraction of a second too long.

 

By the time Foreshadow, made his intention clear and reached for the weapon.  Zero had already pulled his arm back.  Using the other to push Foreshadow away with relative ease.  Agile though Foreshadow was, Zero's description of the situation grew more apt by the second, his easily more comparable to beast than man.  It was through sharp reflexes and experience that Foreshadow was making up the difference.  But it was still walking a fine line.

 

"Didn't your mother ever tell you to share your toys?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

Zero paused a second. "My mother never told me anything, my friend. Not worth listening to, at any rate. My toys are for all humanity to share in one Glorious new age of communism. Not to share with a Capitalist swine like yourself. No, I will not share with you. My light is for all mankind, not just the greedy and corrupt!"

 

He had not lost his confidence, but he had gained caution. Between Foreshadows mental assaults, which made him grimace every time, and the skill of Foreshadow, this was more than he expected. 

 

Back he trod, one step, then another, then a flurry. With each step, a beam of ice white light, freezing and terrible, jumped from his gun.

 

"How do you evade me, American? It is as if you know my every move!" he said through gritted teeth, full of frustration as Foreshadow uncannily dodged every beam. 

[Thevshi]

So far Zero was paying Synapse little heed, not overly surprising given how badly she was failing at getting into his mind.  At his comments to Foreshadow about the virtues of Communism, she could not help but snort in derision.  "Ah yes, the great utopia of Communism.  Too bad it is just another way for a few greedy old men to consolidate a majority of the resources and power for themselves.  Why do you think another go would be any different?"

 

As Foreshadow managed to dodge another blast from Zero's ice gun, Synapse once again sent a blast of red psychic energy at the villain's mind.  And once again, his incredible willpower shook off the effort with ease.

[Brown Dynamite]

If only you knew.  Although Zero wasn't far off in his assertion of Foreshadow's ability to predict his foe's movement. The observation simply made light of one simple facet.  Seeing wasn't the same thing as moving.  It was still up to Foreshadow to bend and lean out of the way of the attacks.  All the while keeping an open eye so that a stray shot wasn't directed in Synapse's direction.  The mental barrage providing every moment of relief.

 

"If you weren't so one dimensional, I might not be able to read you so easily.  You have to change things up every so often, like so!"  Foreshadow rapidly fired his escrima sticks at  Zero.  One after the other hitting Zero square in the head.  With Foreshadow closing the distance shortly after.  Ready to keep the pressure.  There wasn't much else he could do after all.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Change is good! Yes, I like that idea! A change of tactics!" said Doctor smiling with his mouth and with those ice blue eyes of his. 

 

He whipped the Zero gun around, and fired a stream of razor sharp Icicles at Blonsky. The site was not pretty. Blonsky was a tough man, but he was caught flat footed, and every single one of those icicles hit with unnatural accuracy, sticking into his check. 

 

"What?" said Blonsky softly, looking down at his porcupine chest, before falling to his knees and then onto his face. 

 

There was a moments pause, of stillness. 

 

Then...

 

"Change of tactics! Blonsky knew too much. I have no need to fight you, not now. It will come, but on my own terms, in my own way...!" said Doctor Zero, before whipping around, and throwing himself at full power through the darkened, opaque windows of the office. 

 

The glass was reinforced, but Zero was a large man, and propelled himself with inhuman speed. It shattered without hesitation, and Zero tumbled, rolled, and started to sprint off...