A Trail of Bread Crumbs

[Thevshi]

Southside, Freedom City, New Jersey

Saturday, March 15, 2014

9:45 PM

 

Over two months had passed since the day after Christmas incident in the Fens, in which Foreshadow had been outwitted by the shadowed figure that appeared to be behind the recent arrival of a new criminal group in Southside.  Two months that had included a great deal of frustration in trying to learn more about this mysterious figure, although it had also included a

 

For once, Foreshadow's occasional glimpses into the future had failed to bring him any closer to the mystery man or the key elements of his organization.  Somehow the shadowed figure on the DVD recording, who had hinted at precognitive abilities of his own, had managed to say just one step ahead of the costumed crimefighter.  As a result, Foreshadow had found himself having to focus much more on traditional methods of investigation to try to gain a lead.

 

The expansion the mystery man (and Foreshadow was sure it was a man after playing the recording through various programs to try to and determine whether something had been done to disguise the voice)  had managed to achieve thus far was sufficient to put a good bit of pressure on other criminal groups that were not just outright eliminated or displaced.  One of the groups that was starting to feel the pressure was one of the area's street gangs, the Shoreline Gangstas, and according to information Foreshadow had been able to obtain (with a bit of convincing) they planning to stage a hit on one of their rival, the Los Tiburones, tonight, in the hopes of wresting some ground from that group. 

 

Beyond wishing to intervene to try and prevent the sort of spillover harm that could often accompany such violence, Foreshadow had to wonder if the opportunity to simultaneously strike a at two such groups might be an opportunity the mystery man did not want to pass up.  So Foreshadow was sitting on a rooftop in a rundown section of Southside, right on the border with Lincoln, watching a house where members of the Shoreline Gangstas were starting to gather before they set out.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow kept an attentive eye out on the gathering.  He wasn't aiming for another car surfing trip.  That said he never planned on jumping on top of moving vehicles.  It just tended to work out that way.  One of theses days it wouldn't end well.

 

Street gangs lived in a complicated ecosystem.  Territorial creatures, if driven out of their homes they would seek new grounds to try and take over.  He could go on for hours on the pack animal mentality that seemed to shape the gangs.  But that would serve no use without keeping track of the fact that they were predators ever the same.

 

Sure they weren't as dangerous as the sort blowing melting flames from their lips or the like.  But to the average citizen an M4 rifle was just as dangerous as spewing plasma.  And all this in response to the Mystery man.  He wasn't cleaning up the streets.  No, he was making it more dangerous for the rest of the ecosystem.  Ripping territory wholesale still left the predators in need of a place to hang their hats.

 

Foreshadow had to wonder if he had let his abilities hurt his talent as an investigator.  He couldn't afford to be shoddy.  Not when the opportunity to finally catch the source of months of obsession was within his grasp.

[Thevshi]

The cold night air was not nearly as biting as it had been that night several months ago in the Fens, but it still did make for some discomfort as Foreshadow waited and watched.  Over about half an hour of watching the location, the costumed crime fighter had seen about half a dozen individuals enter, but so far none had left.  There were numerous lights on inside the building, so it was hard to tell how many might have been in there before Foreshadow arrived.

 

Finally, a door opened, and nine individuals made their way out of the building, headed towards a parked SUV and full-sized sedan.  Two were carrying large duffle bags, which by the way they were weighed down, were very likely filled with firearms of some sort.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow sighed.  He was familiar with the going ons of the gangs.  Organized crime was his main opposition. An he used a bit of savoir faire to keep up with their going ons.  When he couldn't just gleam trouble before it came.  But, still petty disputes for territory did wane on him from time to time.  Especially if when they were all too willing to strike openly.  "If they are hauling firepower, it's enough to make a statement.  Even if it means random bystanders might get a little crossfire."

 

There was as much love lost between Foreshadow and the Shore Gangstas as there was between he and Los Tiburones.  That was to say none.  That didn't mean he wouldn't do everything in his power to prevent them from hurting either themselves or one another.  The only problem.  Foreshadow was otherwise distracted.  His mind hung up on catching the enigmatic figure from the tape.  The Mystery man gnawing away at Foreshadow at every turn.

 

"And so it begins."  He couldn't act yet, not in a way that he would like.  He'd have to follow the SUV from the distance.  Only interfering if it didn't seem the lure would take.

[Thevshi]

Foreshadow started off after the two vehicles, which stayed together as they made their way down the Southside streets. They did not drive too fast, and kept the space between them close so as to prevent any of the other traffic still out on the streets from betting between them.

The costumed crime fighter followed the vehicles for about half an hour before they visible began to slow some. Foreshadow was rather certain that they were now in Los Tiburones territory as he received a small flash of precognitive abilities, showing him sub-machineguns being loaded.

It was rather clear that the Shore Gangstas were looking for targets…

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow knew the timeline on when he needed to act was speeding up.  It wouldn't be long before the shots started being fired.  Quick to act, Foreshadow prepared the grapnel line in his multi purpose escrima sticks.  Ready to swing down the moment an arm popped out of a vehicle.  Even if the Mystery Man hadn't made his move at that point yet.

 

Comparable to the first night that he had found himself in a similar situation, tonight had the benefit of far clearer weather.  It made it far easier to see the direction the vehicles were going.  Conversely, he knew it would make him easier to spot when he moved in.  But, he was plenty experienced with keeping out of sight.  Bystander traffic was another variable to consider.  Foreshadow knew when he acted it would have to be expedient.  The pressure actually helped to relax him.  At least the adrenaline junky behind the mask felt more at ease.

[Thevshi]

The two vehicles continued down the street, passing through the mostly quiet neighborhood.  As they started to approach a tall, rundown apartment building, the lead vehicle began to slow down slightly.  Up ahead, Foreshadow could see a group of people gathered in a parking lot beside the apartment building.   

 

The costumed crime fighter felt a slight warning buzz in his head from his extra sensory powers, just as the SUV began to approach the parking lot.  There was still no sigh of the mystery man, or anyone that might be working for him, and Foreshadow knew that the gunfire could be starting very soon.

 

But even as he stepped off a rooftop, ready to swing down to disarm anyone sticking a weapon out of one of the vehicles, a gunshot echoed from somewhere off to his left.  One of the front tires of the SUV exploded, sending the vehicle out of control and into a parked car.  The sedan behind it slammed on its brakes, just avoiding hitting the back of the SUV.

 

It was a good bet that whoever was in the parking lot, had heard the gunshot and would see the SUV crashed into the parked car...

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow began sprinting across the roof.  Moving with a quickness in the direction that the gunfire had come from.  As dangerous as a gang war was.  At least the gangsters could take cover to avoid direct gunfire.  A sniper hidden in the distance was far harder to avoid.  Squinting his eyes closely Foreshadow was able to catch sight of a sniper on a fire escape.

 

In prime position to make a getaway, Foreshadow was hoping to sneak by unseen.  Moving between rooftops, he'd roll back into  a sprint.  Every light step hitting the ground with more intensity.  The acrobat's feather steps allowing him to scale through the air with grace.  Before finally bringing the sniper to a palpable distance.

 

Well, I guess it's time to channel my inner Tarzan.  He was counting on the sniper remaining too focused on the gangsters to notice him.  But wasn't to overly concerned.  Erick would much rather that the shots came his way in the first place after all.  The element of surprise only existing so that he could take the man out of the fight before it even really began.

[Thevshi]

If the sniper saw Foreshadow approach, he certainly did not react to the approach of the costumed crime fighter, instead keeping his weapon trained on the vehicles below.  He shifted his aim slightly to the car behind the now crashed SUV and fired another shot.

 

The window of the car exploded, as the bullet clipped the shoulder of the driver, injuring him slightly. 

 

Inside the SUV, the gang members were still recovering from slamming into the parked car after losing a wheel.  The driver of the car put the vehicle into reverse, pulling back away from the SUV, trying to get clear of the sniper.

 

Over in the parking lot of the apartment building, a number of people scattered and ran, but a good half dozen or more figures moved toward the edge of the parking lot.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow swung across the street.  The street lamps ac. Closing the grapnel line he would descend towards the sniper.  Somersaulting through the air so that his motion could act as a pendulum.  The sound of panic concealing his presence further.  Acting as a diversion while Foreshadow moved through the shadows.

 

As such when his legs came down it shoved his boots against the back of the sniper's head.  To the sniper the unexpected force caught him while he was far too relaxed.  Slamming his head straight onto the railing in front.  The low thud of his body against the fire escape with no further resistance signaling to Foreshadow that he had been knocked out.  

 

"What was the rule?  One shot, one kill.  Pretty shotty sniper."

[Thevshi]

While the sniper was down, the scene down below continued to unfold.  The car continued to drive in reverse, passing into another intersection, where a car coming down the side street slammed into it, pushing the car some twenty feet before both came to a halt.  The gang members in the SUV had exited to the side away from the sniper, using the SUV and the parked car it had crashed into as cover.

 

Meanwhile, the gang members that had been in the parking lot of the apartment building had continued to close on the SUV, a few of them firing shots from pistols at the SUV...

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow pulled out one of his handcuffs.  Draping the sniper's arm over the railing before finally locking his arm in place.  If need be he could come back and question him later.  But, more importantly, it prevented him from getting away if the police wanted to round him up.  As they tended to do with people firing sniper rifles in the middle of the city.  Kicking the rifle out of reach Foreshadow jumped backwards off the railing.  Without even looking what was beneath him.

 

Not that he needed to see with his eyes to be immediately aware of his surroundings.  While descending he twisted around to face the opposite direction.  Immediately afterwards firing out his grapnel line and ascending again with a swing of his line.  Looking around Foreshadow was able to spot someone dressed in what had to be the greenest attire he had ever seen in his life.  

 

It was flashy, not the sort a gangbanger traditionally wore.  Which made his presence questionable.  "It's not St. Patrick's Day for two more days.  Well, I don't foresee he'll be out and about to see it anyways."

[Thevshi]

The man with the glowing green on his otherwise black and grey costume had stepped out from an alleyway and was looking up at Foreshadow as the hero swung through the air. "So you are here as was expected." He called out, as a glowing green discs formed in both his hands. The man took a couple of steps forward, leaping up off a bench and twisting around as he sent one of the discs flying toward Foreshadow.

The glowing green disc spun as it flew upward, coming straight for the costumed crime fighter. At the last moment, Foreshadow managed to twist to one side, causing the glowing disc to glance off him instead of connecting solidly. Even so, Foreshadow felt a slight shock from the glowing energy disc, but no so severe that it would affect his abilities.

Down on the street where Foreshadow had been heading before this newcomer had arrived, the gang members who had exited the SUV began to open fire at the advancing Los Tiburones with their sub-machineguns. The Los Tiburones quickly sought any sort of cover they could find and returned fire with their handguns. The range between the two groups made for poor accuracy, though one of the Los Tiburones had been hit in the leg when the Shoreline Gangstas had initially started firing.

Just then Foreshadow received another hazy vision, he knew there were men exiting the car that had slammed into the side of the sedan several of the Shoreline Gangstas has been retreating in, men armed with automatic weapons they were about to use on the dazed gang members in the sedan….

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow cursed under his breath.  He wanted to take the opportunity to confirm that this had to be the guy.  The slight tingling he felt at his side serving as warning at the very least not to take the man lightly.  But, there wasn't time for that.  If he didn't act quickly enough some people were in real danger of dying.

 

"Oh, you and I definitely have a lot to discuss.  First, I have a mess of yours to clean up."  With that Foreshadow took off into another sprint.  This one land bound.  Aware of the fact that he shouldn't risk swinging through the air while there was someone throwing discs at him.  This did have the little problem of turning his back to the disc man.  

 

But, Foreshadow more or less trusted his ability to avoid being caught off guard.  The lives of the ganbangers depended on it.  Granted, they got themselves into that mess.  But, it wasn't his place to make a call over whether they deserved it or not.

[Thevshi]

As Foreshadow swings towards the sedan and the car that had slammed into it, the man with the glowing discs started off after him, running along the sidewalk. He used a parked car to vault himself up into the air as he went, later hurdling a set of newspaper boxes, none of which seemed to slow him down as he went.

He made pretty good time in keeping after the costumed crime fighter, another glowing disc spinning skyward as he went. However, this time the man's aim was very off, the disc passing well behind Foreshadow.

below, two men in black fatigues climbed out of the car that had crashed into the sedan, seeming to just get their bearings again. Each had a sub-machinegun in hand.

Gunfire continued to sound from the other end of the street, as the two gangs continued to shoot at each other.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow flipped through the air as he finished closing the distance.  Landing prone like a startled cat on the top of the gunmen's Sedan.  He could see the disc throwing menace chasing after him in the distance.  But, that man was not his priority.  It was the two men in black fatigues that proved themselves a bigger woe in his mind.  With what he assumed their attention distracted, Foreshadow dove off the vehicle aiming for the nearest man in black fatigues.

 

A diving kick aimed at the man's chest.  The plan was to jump off him and follow the motion with a follow up attack on his partner.  It didn't quite work out like that in actual application.  At the last second Foreshadow' target was able to square his body before impact.  Keeping himself stable while Foreshadow collided with him.  Taking the brunt of the attack head on and cutting off the acrobatic investigator's momentum in its tracks.  "Of course, it'd be asking for too much for things to go my way just like that."

[Thevshi]

Sureshot continues running after Foreshadow, leaping over a bench before sprinting up a sidewalk. He leapt up and sprung off the ledge of a shop window, the maneuver carrying him up on top of a bus stop. He immediately propelled himself up into the air, his arm swinging out again to throw another glowing disk at the costumed crime fighter.

While this attack came closer than the last one, it was still easily dodged by Foreshadow. Sureshot flipped in the air, landing in the street and continued sprinting forward.

The gunman that just took Foreshadow's attack took a few steps back from the costumed crime fighter, firing a burst from his sub-machinegun as he went. But his attack was rushed, and Foreshadow easily anticipated it, dodging aside so the bullets went well wide.

On the other side of the car, the other gunman opened fire into the gang sedan, hitting a gang member sitting in the front passenger seat. At least two bullets hit the gang member, and he collapsed in his seat, clearly in bad shape.

The driver of the sedan exited the vehicle and fired his pistol at the gunman who just shot his friend, hitting the man in the shoulder. The hit gunman was twisted around by the impact, collapsing against the car he had been in.

In the backseat of the sedan, another gang member stuck a sub-machinegun out the window as he fired a burst at both Foreshadow and the gunman near the costumed crime fighter. But both targets were able to dodge the wild attack, and the bullets bounced harmlessly around them.

[Brown Dynamite]

There were bullets flying all around.  "If ever there was a stronger argument for gun control."  Foreshadow joked before separating his interconnected escrima sticks.  Jumping back he would kick off the the glass pane for the passenger side window.  Leaping over the gunman whom he had attempted to strike.  Immediately after performing two backflips the second of which reached enough height to clear his foe while the gunman was in mid turn.

 

*TWACK*  

 

Before the man knew what hit him he was struck on the back of his neck by the pair of escrima sticks in rapid succession.  His body slumping over helplessly afterwards.  Before his body even hit the ground, Foreshadow had already begun moving though.  Knowing full well he had to play defense while the air was riddled with gunfire.

 

Foreshadow was relying on his mobility.  Using motion and his environment to his advantage he turned the area of the firefight into a playground.  Making an unsteady target and quite the spectacle for himself.  Giving a midair wave towards his disc throwing opponent as a taunt all the while.

Edited September 7, 2014 by HG Morrison

[Thevshi]

One of Sureshot's glowing energy discs slams into the back of the sedan driver, knocking him into the side of the sedan, before he crumpled into an unconscious heap on the street. The costumed criminal then flipped up to land on the hood of the sedan, his head turning to focus on Foreshadow.

On the passenger side of the other car, the other black fatigued gunman managed to recover from being shot, gripping his sub-machinegun more firmly once more.

The gang member in the back of the sedan was focused on Foreshadow, clearly panicking now as he fired another burst from his weapon. His aim was even worse than before, as the shots slammed into the back of the other car, one blasting out part of the back windshield.

Further down the street, the Shore Gangstas and Los Tiburones continued to trade fire, but Foreshadow was not in a position to see if any of the members of either gang were hit.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow returned the look towards Sureshot.  There was absolutely no chance he was aiming to help Foreshadow clean up the riffraff.  If anything he was just getting back to work.  Foreshadow couldn't allow himself to concern with that just yet.  Making his sprint for the gang member in the back of his hand.  Breaching the vehicle Foreshadow quickly swung his escrima sticks towards the side of the man's head.  Playing it like a child with his first xylophone set.

 

As the gangster fell forward, Foreshadow pushed him back.  Making it look as if instead there were a sleeping gangster in the back of the vehicle it served no real purpose.  Moving about to keep Sureshot within his immediate reach as far as his innate spatial awareness was concerned.  Not looking to get blindsided by another one of those discs.

 

He knew he needed to check out what was going on in the rest of the firefight.  But attempting to shake off Sureshot the entire night wouldn't prove any more useful.  First Responders are going to be busy tonight.   Poking his head up Foreshadow would begin to call out.  "I'll give you the chance to surrender now."

[Thevshi]

"Surrender? So very kind of you to offer." The man on with the glowing energy discs replied. "I go by Sureshot, and I think I'll take my chances with trying to finish what I was hired to do!"

With that, he jumped onto the roof of the sedan, flipping off it to land on the trunk. While he was in mid-flight, he flung another of the energy discs that he produced out of thin air at Foreshadow. But once again the supercriminal's aim was well off, and the costumed crime fighter dodged the attack with little effort.

The Foreshadow received a warning from his precognitive ability as the other gunman in black utilities popped back up from behind the car, firing a burst from his sub-machinegun. Foreshadow easily ducked as the man fired, the burst flying harmlessly over his head, only to blast out a store window down the block.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow leapt on to the vehicle running across and diving for the remaining gunman.  His legs would latch onto the man's neck and using the momentum the acrobatic hero would swing his body around and bring his foe to the ground.  Where he would proceed to aggressively pound away with less finesse on the man's head.  The furor behind each strike more palatable than the last.

 

The finish wasn't pretty to look at.  But the results were clear as the man fell unconscious.  Scaling the vehicle again, Foreshadow would leap to the roof accompanying Sureshot.  His Escrima sticks were positioned in such away so as to divert oncoming discs.  Giving the false impression that he was aiming to take a passive stance in his attack.  Instead the moment it looked as if Sureshot was going to move again, Foreshadow sent a crisp strike with the blunt force of the escrima stick held in his right hand.  Aimed squarely at Sureshot's nose.

 

Sureshot's head bouncing back in affirmation that the blow had indeed struck solidly.  "Go ahead and take your chances.  I think you'll find even Atlantis' casino's crooked odds aren't going to be paying out in your favor though."

Edited September 8, 2014 by HG Morrison

[Thevshi]

Even as Foreshadow's escrima stick connected with Sureshot, the costumed criminal was already pulling back, reducing the force of the impact slightly.  It was still enough to cause his head to snap back, but he maintained his awareness enough to push off the trunk of the sedan with his right foot, as he flipped over to land on his feet behind the vehicle.  Sureshot immediately sprung into a back arial, carrying him a bit further from the sedan as he landed upright once more, another energy disc flying from his hands.

 

This one stuck the trunk of the sedan, ricocheting upward towards Foreshadow, who was quick enough to dodge aside and avoid the energy disc.

 

From his new vantage point, Foreshadow was able to see that the two groups of gang members down the street were pretty much reached a stalemate of exchanging fire at each other from too far a distance to really result in any casualties. 

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow stepped in to close the distance.  Leaving the two men exchanging in the figurative pocket.  His wrist shot out sending a quick strike towards the largest target available in the aims of hitting Sureshot in the chest.  Retreating back immediately after.  It wasn't meant to knock out an opponent in a flash merely test out the range.  Meaning Foreshadow shouldn't have been as disappointed as he was to see Sureshot protect himself from the blow.  Yet, it still struck a nerve.

 

Foreshadow was feeling Sureshot out getting a feel for how comfortably he could dive in.  Toying with the idea of gathering information having deemed himself relatively safe thus far.  It was teetering on the edge as the gang members would only remain in their stalemate for so long.  "You know, there's more than one way to skin a cat.  If you're really looking to take in a pay day.  I can offer you something more lucrative that won't end with you broken and battered on the ground."

[Thevshi]

As soon as Foreshadow struck his testing blow on the costumed criminal, Sureshot executed a series of back handsprings, widening the distance between the pair once more. As the man came back upright, another glowing disc formed in his hand as he considered the capped crime fighter a moment.

"An interesting offer. But it would likely serve to undo all the goodwill I have built up with my employer thus far, making continued opportunities much harder to come by." With that he threw the glowing disc, but Foreshadow was already moving, rolling aside and back up to his feet with relative ease, causing the energy disc to sail well wide.

"You certainly are proving a most difficult adversary."