Quicksand

[Thevshi]

North Bay, Freedom City

Saturday August 4, 2014;  3:51 PM

 

"This is Nancy Norrington for Channel 3, WNTW, reporting from the North Bay Yacht Club where in a short while, the Fourth Annual Inspiration Celebration will be kicking off.  Started four years ago by Topple Enterprises CEO Andrew Topple, the Inspiration Celebration recognizes several individuals who have made inspiring contributions in a wide variety of fields, from literature to the sciences to even just everyday heroics."

 

"This year's event is being held on Topple's one hundred and forty foot luxury yacht, the Reble, which you can see behind me.  It is being co-sponsored by multi-billionaire businessman and philanthropist Amir al-Misri and Knute Smith, the CEO of Forge Motors.  Some of the recipients of awards this year include author Robert Cross, for his book 'Beyond Human;' Doctor Tyrone Mendoza, for his work in the Mendoza Free Clinic in the Fens; musician Warren Wilder, also known as the superhero Riff, for his recent album; and Sophia Nelson, the homeless teenager who saved a family of six from a house fire back in late June, despite suffering injuries in the process.  Another recipient will be a hero who recently made his appearance in Freedom City, Titan."

 

"And here we go, the first limousine is pulling up now, so we shall soon see who is arriving first...."

[Avorez]

Titan grumbled as he rolled along in the pink stretch Hummer limo, his mess uniform pressed and clean. “Who in their right mind put me in this damned thing?†he wondered aloud as he stared outside, the lights of the city coming right through the tinted glass of the stretch Hummer. It is actually amazing that they could reinforce this thing to fit me…but why pink? “Oh, sorry Captain, looks like we can’t find anything else that could be done in time.†Whatever.

 

The pink stretch Hummer pulled to a stop and out popped Titan, the walking flash reflector himself. He could feel the flash from the cameras on the metal of his skin. He shot a few smiles, gave some waves, and even answered a few questions when he felt like it. Of course, it doesn’t help that SURPRISE! No one gave me a briefing about this thing. “Oh, sorry Captain, not much we can tell you about the people who are going to this thing, in spite of our vast domestic and foreign intelligence networks.†I seriously hate ineptitude.

 

Titan stood on the red carpet of this event, speaking with reporters, before taking one final look at the pink stretch Hummer. I seriously want to smash that blasted thing.

[Thevshi]

Titan found himself beset by a number of reporters, most local, but a few national as well, at least a few appearing to be visibly humored by the transportation in which he had arrived.  But they kept things professional in their questions, even as the sheer volume of them was a bit dizzying. 

 

Thankfully he did not have to deal with their questioning for too long before the reporters began to make room for a figure that approached the metal hero from the direction of the yacht.  "And you must be Titan!"  The man said in a clear voice, a somewhat calculating smile on his face.  "Andy Topple, welcome, welcome!  A great pleasure to meet you."

 

Andrew Topple extended a hand to the hero as he came to a halt a few feet away.  He appeared to be in his early forties, about average height and weight, with dark blond hair that appeared to be just a bit "wooden."  He was dressed in what could be called "business casual," although Titan could tell that his outfit probably cost far more than the average America family made in a month (or several months for that matter). 

 

Beside Topple was a beautiful woman in her early to mid-thirties, with long blonde hair and wearing a very form fitting silver dress that went down to just above her knees.  "May I introduce my wife, Diana Reese-Topple."

 

Diana gave Titan a wide smile at the introduction, although it seemed ever so slightly lacking in warmth.  "Charmed."  She added in a silky voice.

[Avorez]

Titan eyed over the two of them, not really noticing anything really special about them, but there were a few things that caught his eye outside of the couple. First, the Captain in his nice blue and yellow uniform. Looks like a mingler...Hmph. He continued to eye around, noting the girl with the clipboard, more than likely a member of Andrew’s staff, given her outfit. Finally, he came upon a peculiar sight, someone in a suit of red and chrome powered armor. Titan made a mental note of that before looking to the couple before him.

 

It took him a moment to look down at Andrew’s hand and then back to Andrew and his more than a little bit attractive wife, “Thank you for the welcome, Mr. Topple. I would shake your hand but…I am afraid that we might need a hospital if I did so.†He then turned to Diana and gave a slight bow, “Likewise, ma’am. Now, if you will excuse me, I must find a sturdy chair on your boat.†Titan continued on from the couple and through the throngs of socialites, towards the woman on the yacht.

 

If the woman hadn’t heard Titan, she could most certainly see him. There was a bit of a line, and thus Titan ended up next to Mr. Battlesuit. Shiny…probably more than a tad bit durable. Could get him over to Lonely Point, see if he’d like to help AEGIS with improvements on the MAX suits. Or we can just be friends. I like that a bit more.

[Thevshi]

As Titan moved past the host and hostess, he saw the captain of the yacht moving to greet him, only to be intercepted by a reporter who had a question for the man, allowing the metal hero to continue on past to the gangplank. The gangplank creaked somewhat ominously, but seemed sturdy enough to handle Titan's weight. But once at the top, he was unable to avoid the woman with the clipboard.

Now that he was up on the main deck, Titan could see several tables and chairs that had been set up on towards the aft of the vessel. Several waiters in white uniforms were moving about, making some finishing touches to the set up.

The brunette with the clipboard greeted Titan with a warm smile. "Welcome aboard, you must be Titan." She stated as she checked something off on her clipboard. "I am first officer Valerie Stevens. Just to be sure there is no confusion, we have a name tag for you." She stated, as she handed Titan a plastic covered name tag with a clip on the back.

"Can I have a drink brought for you? We have several bottles of chilled champagne, as well as a number of non-alcoholic fruit drinks and bottled water." Valerie continues, before she asks if there were any food allergies or special requirements (vegetarian, vegan, etc) that she should alert the kitchen to. She also gave directions to the lounge and bathrooms and explained where flotation devices were located should there be any emergency.

Titan was then free to mingle while the other guests were arriving, moving over near the man in the armor. The armored figure turned his head, the mirrored visor reflecting Titan’s own image back at him, as he gave a small nod. "Good afternoon."

[Thunder King]

Tyrone Mendoza arrived in a sleek, black limousine. He'd been in a limo a few times, and he always enjoyed the luxury. Part of him wondered about the cost of this event, but he decided that wasn't his business. Besides, if he managed to convince anyone to donate money to his free clinic, he was good to go.

 

He climbed out of the limo in a black tuxedo with a dark green tie and vest. He was a bit nervous, but hid it well. His clinic was not in need of money, but publicity would help with further donations. As it was, his connections with the FCU medical researching staff got him quite a bit of funding.

 

He knew that Amir al-Misri, aka Asad would be there, as well as the superheroes Titan and Riff. Since attacking rich folks was something of a pastime for villains, he suspected someone might attack. That's why he made sure to pack the suit when he left work.

[Thevshi]

As he exited the limousine, Tyrone found the press there waiting for him, reporters calling out some questions as flashbulbs went off on cameras.  He only had to weather the "storm" for a few minutes before his host appeared to greet him alongside his lovely wife. 

 

"So very great to meet you Dr. Mendoza."  Andrew Topple stated as they shook hands, stopping briefly to pause for a picture before introducing his wife, Diana and exchanging some other pleasantries.  "Hate to cut this short, but we will have plenty of time to talk later, I look forward to hearing more about the wonderful work your clinic is doing."  Topple stated as another guest arrived and he and his wife moved on to greet the newcomer.

 

Tyrone then found himself face to face with a rather fit looking man in his later forties wearing a blue uniform that clearly marked him as the captain for Topple's yacht.  "Good afternoon Dr. Mendoza, Captain Fletcher."  He stated while shaking Tyrone's hand. 

[TheAbsurdist]

Amir arrived a little late, as he was want to do.  He arrived with a roar, the thunderous sound of 1140 horse power snarled before he was visible.  Though, he did relax the throttle to cruise into the entry way of the Yahct Club, eschewing the limousine for something... else entirely.  The white and black Swedish supercar glided to a stop.  The door pushed out, and then swung in a unique way to that brand of car.  He stepped out of the vehicle slowly, and opened his dark aviator style glasses, putting them on.

 

He walked up towards the front door, he idly flipped the keys towards the valet that came up.  "Try to keep it under two hundred kid."  Flashing a small grin, as he pushed his hands in the pockets of the darker cream colored suit.  Blue and white checkered plaid shirt underneath was buttoned all the up to the neck.  Underneath that was the containment suit.  Not something he was overly fond of, in all honesty, but it was stopping him from wreaking havoc on the power grid.  So that was a plus.

[Thevshi]

Amir arrived a little late, as he was want to do.  He arrived with a roar, the thunderous sound of 1140 horse power snarled before he was visible.  Though, he did relax the throttle to cruise into the entry way of the Yahct Club, eschewing the limousine for something... else entirely.  The white and black Swedish supercar glided to a stop.  The door pushed out, and then swung in a unique way to that brand of car.  He stepped out of the vehicle slowly, and opened his dark aviator style glasses, putting them on.

 

He walked up towards the front door, he idly flipped the keys towards the valet that came up.  "Try to keep it under two hundred kid."  Flashing a small grin, as he pushed his hands in the pockets of the darker cream colored suit.  Blue and white checkered plaid shirt underneath was buttoned all the up to the neck.  Underneath that was the containment suit.  Not something he was overly fond of, in all honesty, but it was stopping him from wreaking havoc on the power grid.  So that was a plus.

 

The valet certainly seemed in awe of the opportunity to drive (however briefly) the high performance supercar as he managed to catch the keys and moved to take Amir's place in the driver's seat.  As with all the other arrivals, the press moved in for pictures and questions, but this was hardly anything new to Amir, and he easily fired off short answers and posed for a few pictures before moving on.

 

He was quickly met by a smiling Andy Topple and his wife.  "Amir!  Always one to make a grand entrance!"  Topple said as he extended his hand. 

[TheAbsurdist]

Notable was the absence of a partner, not that he was always with someone at these events.  But then he and Ms. Agnus Stone, while not hot and cold, had differing schedules.  Still he fielded the reporters with the ease of someone who had spent the last decade or so in the public eye.  And as it stood now, he couldn't be photographed if he wanted to be, given his ability to effectively turn off their cameras with little effort.  Even if it was more about potential romance troubles, than his philanthropic efforts, or efforts as a hero.

 

"Oh, Andy, I think it was understated.  I mean, I wasn't flying or anything."  He laughed a bit as he reached out and took Andy Topple's hand and shook it firmly.  With the forthright manner Amir tended to have.  "If you want I can come back with a better entrance..."  He flashed a grin back at Andy, half turning and gesturing back to the entry way.  Then he turning back and laughing as he inclined his head towards Diana.

 

"Lovely as always Diana."

[Darksider42]

A deep breath was all Warren could manage while he waited in his limo to pull up. He was not very good at big events like this. Put him on a stage, a band and an audience and he would be in his element. Give him reporters, people more deserving of awards than he felt and upper class socialites that a few years back would not have given him a minute of their time and you found one lost rocker. Keep calm man. At least they aren't demon possessed Norwegian Pop Stars. He thought while he dusted off some stray dirt from the leave of his coat. He was dressed like he was about to fight crime like he did, sans the domino mask. It was not like it would do much to hide his face here tonight.

 

Hearing the faint sound of the car tires slowing and the roar of chatter outside the windows, Riff slung his guitar over his back and opened the door. He pushed back the nerves and quietly told himself to worry about what he was doing when he got back to his apartment. "Hello Freedom City!"

Edited August 15, 2014 by Darksider42

[Thevshi]

Andy gave a laugh as Amir suggested going back and making an even more impressive entrance as Diana smiled broadly. "Why thank you Amir, so wonderful to see you again. You are looking your usual dashing self."

"Ah Amir, you old charmer." Andy said with a small chuckle. "Where is that lovely singer you have been seen with off and on over the last year and a half?"

But before Amir could answer, Riff had moved through the gathered reporters and was approaching the trio.

"Ah, looks like you’re just in time to help welcome one of the last award recipients Amir." Andy stated as he took a slight step forward to greet the approaching Riff. "Hello Mr. Wilder, or do you prefer Riff? I am Andrew Topple, this is my wife, Diana Reese-Topple, and one of the other event sponsors, Amir al-Misri."

[Avorez]

Titan nodded to the First Officer, grabbing his name tag as she spoke, “Thank you, First Officer…I would appreciate it if I could have some orange juice. I’m not a rather large alcohol fan. Otherwise, thank you for the greeting.â€

 

Titan shuffled along, his feet plodding along on the deck of the ship as he came up next to the man in the armor. He mulled over the man before he heard the obligatory greeting from the man. Titan took a drink from his orange juice and reciprocated, “Good afternoon.†Titan extended his hand to the man in the power armor, “I am Titan. And you are?†Titan paid little heed to the other heroes, but he could hear Riff’s shouting from almost a mile away. Titan just smiled at the man in the armor, his hand extended, I seriously hope his armor can handle the amount of force my hands can put out. Otherwise, there will be a problem.

[TheAbsurdist]

The billionaire smirked a bit, and looked sidelong at Diane, "Hush Andy, I am going to flirt shameless with your wife now if you don't mind."  Then the man mentioned Agnus, "Agnus?  Things have come up.  Mostly trying to get our schedules synched has proven disastrous.  I am established, but I keep trying to to expand the business.  She is trying to make a name for herself in other avenues.  I wisely do not ask to help with her business, and she bounces between here and England a lot."  He shrugged a bit. 

 

When Riff came over and was mentioned by Andy, Amir dismissively waved away at the words,  "Andy, please this is your baby, I get to put my logo on things and get a tax write off."  Moving towards the rockstar hero and he extended his hand out to him to give it a a firm, forthright shake as well.

 

"Please to meet you, I am Amir al-Misri."

[Darksider42]

Glad to have survived the press. He nodded and shook hands with the assembled group near the boat. "Wilder, Riff, Hey you. Whatever works." He replied with a shrug as he looked around, trying to spot someone familiar looking, but seeing no one right away.

 

He kept his arms crossed after that. He still could not share the feeling of being very out of place here.. "I'm doing good. I'm guessing everyone's here then?" 

Edited August 17, 2014 by Darksider42

[Thevshi]

Up on the aft deck of The Rebel:

The in the armor took Titan's hand, the armor seeming to handle Titan's grip just fine (at least when Titan was not specifically trying to exert as much force as possible). "Very nice to meet you Titan." The man replied in a sincere tone. "I don't want to seem rude, but Mr. Topple has asked to introduce me, and I'd hate to steal his thunder." He then added, a slight bit of embarrassment evident in his tone this time, along with something else. "Congratulations on your award."

Down on the red carpet:

"So very lovely to meet you Mr. Wilder." Stated Mrs. Topple to Riff as the rockstar hero responded to her husband and Amir.

Andrew Topple gave a wide smile as he answered Riff’s question. "Yes, I believe you were the last one we were waiting for. So, please, come on aboard so we can get underway and really get this celebration started."

[Avorez]

Titan eyed the man's armor intently, looking over the shade of red that colored the man's armor. He could tell that there was a hint of nervousness in the man's voice, despite the synthetic feel of the speaker that rendered his voice. Hm...strange. I'll keep track of him...for now. Titan proceeded onwards onto the rest of the boat, taking a seat at a table, the card in front of the seat labeled 'Titan'.

 

Titan relaxed in the chair, looking out on the greater deck, more than a little amazed at the idea that the billionaire who owned the boat could afford a reinforced limousine as well as a hilariously specialized chair. Titan was no small man, of course...he continued to sip on his orange juice, looking around the main deck of the boat.

[Thevshi]

Taking his seat and looking around, Titan noted that the main deck was starting to get a bit more crowded.  Several members of the press were now up on the deck, photographers and a couple of camera crews and reporters.  There were also a number of other people present whom Titan suspected to be other award recipients. 

 

Over at the next table to his right were two individuals, one a slightly heavyset woman in her early thirties in a black suit with a skirt.  She had curly shoulder length brown hair and dark sunglasses on.  Seated next to her was an man of about average height and weight, dressed in a comfortable suit, also sporting dark sunglasses, and with a earphone in one ear.  He already had a small plate of food from the buffet in front of him which he was digging into.

 

At the third table, to Titan's left, were another two individuals.  The first was a short woman in her later forties who appeared to be of Asian descent with short black hair and wearing a bright sundress.  She had a glass of champagne in one hand and was busy chatting with the other occupant of the table, a teenage girl with bright red hair wearing a black T-shirt with a band name across the front and a patchwork jean skirt.  The teenager has several piercings, and tattoos on her pale arms, although there were bandages covering both forearms.  She also seemed less than thrilled to be listening to whatever the older woman was talking about.

 

Just then, Titan was approached by a man and a woman, both appearing to be in their early fifties.  The man was just over six feet, and looking in pretty decent shape for his age.  He had short blond hair that was turning grey and blue eyes.  He was dressed in casual slacks and a collared shirt, over which he wore a sports jacket.  The woman was about six inches shorter, also with greying blonde hair, which she wore in a bob, and have a very warm and sunny smile.

 

"Hello, you must be Titan."  The man said in greeting as he offered his hand to the metal clad hero.  "I'am Knute Smith, one of the sponsors, and this is my wife, Karen.  Congratulations."

[Thunder King]

Tyrone tried to avoid schmoozing too much. Generally, he planned on watching the crowd and seeing how things went. He wanted to see who would care to talk to him. He did feel a bit out of place, but he knew how to work a crowd fairly well. The award was an award, but the real reason he was here to meet and greet with money. Especially Amir, aka Asad. A superhero and fabulously wealthy? interesting potential, there.

[TheAbsurdist]

Amir though, Amir was the undisputed lord and master of the schmooze.  But then his empire was built on handshakes and deals.  On the fact that he knew people.  His rolodex contact list was the stuff of legend.  Given that he was at every gala event in Freedom City, or at least it seemed that was the case, then it was clear that he was in his element here.  This was the jungle that he was King of.  Not that you'd ever be able to tell.  His grin was easy, his tone light.  And while he had pictures taken of him, he always tried to make sure it was other people at the podium.

 

Of course he scanned his surroundings, and found Knute, because he knew he was here, and without anyone engaging his directly, the tall Amir moved over towards then.  "Knute!  I am here!  When is that Mustang Mach-One going to be finished?"  He boomed as he approached a man he's known for years.  "Also Karen, when are you leaving him for me, please, my dear radiant sun, you must be mine."  Though, everyone knew Amir was also a shameless flirt.  Of course, he had a good grasp of what level he could carry that out to, otherwise he would likely have to deal with a lot more messy headlines.  And Ana would probably have named her first, second, and third ulcers after him.

[Thevshi]

Graft

After speaking briefly with Captain Fletcher, Tyrone had made his way up the gangplank and onto the ship, where he had met First officer Stevens, who provided him with a name tag, checked if he had any special dietary requirements and offered him a glass of champagne or other refreshment.

Once past the first officer, Tyrone had a chance to scan the main deck of the yacht, noting the tables that had been set up, which were not becoming rather crowded. Easy to spot among the people starting to gather was the tall man the appeared made of metal. Also nearby was a woman in her early forties, with short black hair with a touch of grey that was wearing a red dress. She was carrying a cane and walking with a slight limp. Beside her was a stunning young blonde woman in her early twenties, who was wearing a red bikini which shifted to a dark green as the pair were talking to an African American man who was in his late twenties.

Then there was the man in the red and chrome power armor, standing beside one of the railings of the deck…

Asad

After exchanging greetings with Riff and Captain Fletcher, Amir had left the musician/superhero with the Topples and continued on up the gang plank, seeming to almost glide into the midst of the party. He was only briefly held up by Ms. Stevens, receiving a glass of champagne before he continued on.

It only took a moment for him to spot the Smiths, who were talking a large man who appeared to be made of metal. Knute smith turned to regard Amir with a warm smile, as did his wife. "Amir, good to see you." He replied shaking Amir's hand. "It is almost ready for speed trials. You will need to come down to the track in the next couple of weeks if you want to take a turn behind the wheel."

"So wonderful to see you Amir." Karen Smith replied as she kept her warm and welcoming smile in place at Amir began his flirting. "Really Amir, it will take more than charming flattery to steal me away."

Knute was smiling as well at Amir's flirting, indicating the large metal man nearby. "Amir, if I may introduce one of the award recipients, one of the newer heroes in town, Titan."

Riff

Riff made his way up the gangplank along with the Topples and Captain Fletcher, the four being met at the top by the young brunette with the clipboard who was wearing a uniform similar to the one the captain was wearing. As Captain Fletcher excused himself to head off to the bridge to get things ready for them to be underway, the woman introduced herself as First Officer Valerie Stevens to Riff.

"We were not sure what name you would prefer, your real name or Riff, so we prepared name tags for both." She said, offering Riff the name tag he preferred. After check that he had no special dietary needs or requirements, she offered a glass of champagne from a tray that was brought over by uniformed wait staff.

Andy Topple took a pair of the thin champagne glasses, handing one to his wife and then offering the other to Riff as he then took one for himself. "No need to be bashful about things, this is a celebration!" He stated as he offered the glass of champagne.

[Avorez]

Titan looked between Knute and Karen, occasionally shooting a glimpse at his hand, extended to Titan. He gave them a warm, albeit metallic, smile and held up his hand in refusal, “I apologize, Knute, I am afraid that we would…not have a good time if I shook your hand. However, I must say that thank you for the congratulations. It is an honor to be recognized by you all.†Titan was smiling and being amicable, but he was lying. I really hate being here. I think the vast majority of people here are rich idiots with no day j—Oh look. Here’s another one.

 

Titan inspected Amir, giving him a once over before finally speaking, “It is nice to meet you, Amir. I am Titan, the Metal Man.†On the inside, he sighed a little bit, Jesus Christ. I hope that they don’t come to gather around the metal giant. I already have to ride in a pink Stretch Hummer.

[TheAbsurdist]

There was a wink, followed promptly by a bobbing of the eyebrows to Karen.  "You wound me Karen, as if that is all I have to offer."  Mock hurt showed on his face, as he brought a hand to his chest, over his heart.  "How about if I buy you an island?"  And then he smiled that winning Amir smile, the one plastered on tabloids near and far.

 

Glancing to Knute he grinned, "You could bring it out to my track instead.  But, I can probably pencil you in the next week.  I am supposed to be dealing with some things in Sao Paolo tomorrow, but I can give you a call once I touch down and we can go from there." 

 

Then he settled on the big metal guy, and he extended a hand, "Hello Titan, the Metal Man, I am, as you guessed, Amir al-Misri.  I am just a just a rich guy, roped into a semi-philanthropic endeavor by his grease monkey friend.  I wish I could say I am here for you, but you're standing next to Knute, and I have to be nice to him-"  Turns a little to look back at Knute, "...because he has my car..."  Turning back to Titan, "But I am glad to see you using the whole power thing responsibly.  Blah, blah, smile some more Titan because they are taking our picture with telephoto lenses.  Shake my hand.  It's a good photo op, otherwise tomorrow in the tabloids and rag blogs we are feuding, or something."

[Darksider42]

Riff looked at both name tags presented to him. "Y'know, its moments like this that make me wonder if Slash has the same problem." He said to no one in particular as he decided to attach the Riff tag to himself. He sighed as he accepted the champagne  glass. "Yeah..sure." He replied. Nerves were slowly getting replaced with some strange mix of boredom and apprehension. Looking around, he was glad to finally see a familiar face. "Hey Titan!" He called, waving. Perhaps the evening would not be entirely hellish after all.

[Avorez]

Titan wanted to scream. Somehow, he had avoided handshakes all night…and then came Amir. Amir, the man who had the winning smile. Amir, the man that Titan had to listen to. Amir, the man who saw through Titan in a very short amount of time. Titan did exactly what Amir said, he smiled and shook his hand. There wasn’t any crunching of bones or destruction of the arm, but Titan didn’t really have to like it, he just had to do it.

 

Shortly afterwards, Titan heard Riff shout and he let go of Amir’s hand, looking towards the source of the noise, Titan smiled as soon as he saw Riff in his garish outfit. He had to admit, he liked Riff, and he really had a way of cheering Titan up. Then again, it probably had more to do with Titan and Riff having dealt with the Psions in the past, with some oddities. Titan looked to the others and nodded, “Excuse me.†Shuffling over to Riff’s position, as he did so, “Riff!†He shouted and laughed, “Good to see you!â€