ic Apex Predators

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

A tropical rainforest

Somewhere probably not Kansas anymore.

6:12 AM Friday September 5th, 2014

 

Oskar was visiting a small German town which had its annual circus.  A throwback to his prewar youth, he wanted to get caught up in the nostalgia decades after the fact.  If only the bear hadn't gotten lose.  The raging grizzly attempted to attack the audience.  But it was quickly wrestled by Oskar whom promptly sedated and captured the beast without harm.  Aside from the unexplained scratch on his shoulder, shortly followed by a loss of vision. Until finally the interstellar safari hunter had fallen unconscious.

 

Alek for his part had finished a long night of tracking down a weapons smuggling ring to the base of its operations.  The Yakuza in Atlantic city had control of it.  At least until Nevermore had finished dismantling it.  En route back to Freedom City the Talon suddenly began to die.  Upon coming to a complete stop there was a sudden surge of electricity that jolted into his body and Alek was out.

 

Vonnie's night was a little more low key.  If you count a rooftop chase with a thief as low key.  Having used his wrist mounted grapnel's as a snare Vonnie had the thief dead to right.  If he had made that last jump he would have been well on his way home to finish packing before his return to a semester at Claremont.  In fact, Vonnie knew that he should have made that last jump.  Everything just got hazy after he felt a sharp sting on the side of his neck.

 

When they awoke the trio were left in the middle of a massive forest.  Handcuffed to one another.  Nevermore left in the unfortunate position of being stuck in the middle.  No sign of civilization immediately abound.  Most of their equipment had gone missing, the only weapon left behind was Oskar's cybernetic hand. Their masks had gone missing replaced with animal skulls and paint.  Alek's costume had been replaced wholesale by some sort of tribal outfit.

 

On the ground there was a note which read:  

 

"We didn't look.  Now run, if you can."

 

Edited September 18, 2014 by HG Morrison

[KnightDisciple]

Alek had been satisfied with a good couple of nights' work. Weapons smugglers always left a bad taste in one's mouth if you couldn't immediately crush them. But it was pretty satisfying to knock the whole operation down, with minimal input from Raven. So when his bike, his beloved mode of transportation, started to die, he took it rather well.

 

The sudden tasing, not so well, but by then he was "sleeping".

 

Then he started awake, his eyes wild for a split-second before he blinked, taking in first his surroundings, and then his situation. And mode of dress.

 

Creepy "tribal" outfit. Jungle. Handcuffs. Vaguely threatening note.

 

"Not exactly my idea of a good time."

 

He took another moment to examine himself again.

 

"Also, poor taste."

 

He tried to stand, though the impediment of a person on each side of himself didn't exactly help.

[Supercape]

Oskar blinked and started to move, feeling the handcuff. 

 

"<What kinda damn bear was that?>" he cursed in German, adding a few choice expletives. Bears don't normally come with poison coated claws, at least, as far as he could remember. It had been a while. 

 

Hey, what the hell happened? Someone shut me down! What did I miss? said Hand, coming on line with glowing green lights flickering. 

 

"Beats me, fingers" grunted Starshot, before turning to study Nevermore. And more importantly, the handcuff that joined them. 

 

You look like some crazy cannibal! laughed Hand. Oskar could not disagree, with all the paint and animal parts adorning them. 

 

"Nice to meet you, chaps. But this is looking like a bad day to meet" he said by way of introduction. Meanwhile, Hand slipped off his left arm, leaving a stump ending in some metal cybernetics. He stood up and stretched. 

 

"Go cut the other one, Hand" he ordered the disembodied cybernetic hand, who crawled along the forest floor, and then extended a finger (in a parody of a famous one finger salute), which emitted a bright shrill laser beam, aiming to cut the other two apart. 

 

"God knows where Trigger and Mask are..." he muttered, before asking the others "You didn't happen to see a Rifle and a Helmet anywhere, did you? About so big, green lights?"

[EternalPhoenix]

Vonnie just lay there. He wasn’t particularly confused. It was obviously a jungle. He wasn't in Freedom City or anywhere nearby. My luck’s running true to form. Also, someone is so, so racist. My great grand parents weren’t from Africa, much less me. “Somehow, this isn’t the worst day of my life. It’s not even in the top ten.†Doesn’t mean this ain’t South or Central America. Might be something to that one. He had just been getting used to Freedom City. It was way different from New York. No boroughs, and far less people. It was vibrant, though, and had a few of those under the radar places NYC had in abundance. Plus, less people trying to kill him because of he was the Samaritan. So there was that. He noticed Nevermore trying to get up, and tried gave his fellow teen a hand by jumping up himself…and failed hard due them not syncing their movements in the least. He then immediately noticed he was the shortest of the three. Yep, my luck just don’t stop running. And of course, my mask and grapples are gone. Just put the cherry on top. “You guys ever have one of those days where you just wish you’d stayed in bed? You know, skipped school and life in general? I think I’m having one of those.†He sat up. “But…could be worse. Could be cuffed to a lion. Or a tiger. Maybe a bear. Instead I get some guy who’s poorly cosplaying a jungle savage. And there’s a guy who’s hand comes off and…can shoot a laser bean while flipping the bird? Man…where you get that? I could use one of those. Unless you have to chop off my hand. I like my hand. My hand likes me. We’re good together. You could even say we’re…attached to each other.†Vonnie chucked a little at the double joke. “What? I thought it was funny.â€

Edited September 18, 2014 by EternalPhoenix

[Supercape]

"Calm down, son. No need to ramble" said Oskar, kindly. He had been in worse scrapes. But loosing Trigger and Mask was bad news. Never let a man down. They might just be pale AI reflections of men. But they were his men. 

 

He knelt down whilst Fingers jumped back onto his stump. 

 

Piece of cake, sir! it said, the green lights glowing happily. 

 

"As for this hand. The guy who gave me that gave me fifty years of slavery. I wouldn't recommend it" he said Solemnly to Vonnie. 

 

"My name is Starshot. I...ain't from around here. At least, not any more. Been years since I was on Earth. But then again, I don't exactly know where here is, and I am not even sure it is Earth" he mused, bending over to inspect the leafs and roots around them. It had been a long time, but still...different eco systems evolved different life. And on that note, it was a damn fine thing that they were breathing. Perhaps this was Earth, after all. 

[KnightDisciple]

"<I get the feeling your bear was just part of this whole plot.>"

 

The stoic young man clearly spoke flawless German. He nodded his thanks when the cuffs came loose, rubbing his wrists a bit with a frown barely visible under the pain and skull. He look around as well, taking a few tentative steps. He didn't seem to mind being barefoot on rough terrain. That, or he just took pain really, really well. Both of the others would see a few scars scattered about his torso, varying shapes and sizes visible even under the paint and elaborate getup.

 

"Seems a lot of trouble whether we're on Earth or not. Somewhat careful target selection, though. Don't know about you two but I can't fly on my own."

 

He cast his gaze about again and started walking roughly toward where the star in the sky was.

 

"We should get moving. Look for shelter, or tools, or something."

[Supercape]

Starshot straightened up boss. 

 

Where are we, captain? Another hell hole like Hutan-5? bleeped his hand. 

 

"I don't think so" he replied, rolling a leaf in his hand. "Brazil Nut trees. This is Earth, South America. Or at least, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make it look like it is. A tropical rainforest. Means we could get wet, and we could get hot. And we will probably get both" he explained to the others. 

 

"And look...some tracks...human. Or human like" he said, pointing with his artificial hand illuminating a laser point on the ground. "It leads up that tree, and then...gone...."

 

He looked up. 

 

"Something in the trees, above us. That's not so good. Something fast, something strong, and something cunning. I've hunted some killer beasts in my time. But a human killer is the most dangerous"

 

Zaul Zeno's "improvements" on his body made the heat easy for him. His temperature automatically regulated. He barely broke a sweat. But there were other considerations. The others he was with. Fresh water. Food, eventually. And ultimately, getting back to civilization. 

 

"So food, and shelter. I can't argue with that. But I don't like being hunted. We can make a go of it back to civilization. But I don't think it will be the hunger or thirst that kills us. I think it will be up in the trees...."

 

He craned his neck to look at the Canopy above them. 

[EternalPhoenix]

Vonnie listened to the two of them. “Staying is definitely a bad idea. We were put here, man. That means someone unfriendly knows exactly where we are. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve had about enough of being the hunted in my life.†He grinned. “Man, they don’t know who they nabbed.†A beat, as the two looked at the young Hispanic/Black mix standing there cockily. “What, y’all didn’t read that story in school? The Greatest Game, or something like that? Dude owns his own private island? Rescues shipwrecked sailors, feeds and clothes them until their strength comes back, and then hunts them?†Another beat. “This…is just like that, ain’t it? I mean…that is where you were going with this, right Starshot?†A third beat. “I’ll…just shut up now.†He frowned slightly and stood up. Come on, man. It’s like I’m a in a story from English class. How is this not cool? I mean, yeah, we’re far from home. But it’s not like I’m gonna lose to some hunter. All he’s gonna get is knuckle sandwiches and boot leather steak. Then we steal his ship/plane/whatever and get outta here. That said…let’s have a look and see who Starshot’s looking for up there, eh? A little caution never hurt anybody. He closed his eyes. It helped with visualizing what he “saw†with his Spatial Awareness if his eyes weren’t distracted by, ya know, seeing. He didn’t need to do it, necessarily. He just liked to, for the same reason people might lean a little closer to a TV that they could already see and hear just fine.

Edited September 23, 2014 by EternalPhoenix

[KnightDisciple]

The young man kept walking forward, keeping a steady but careful pace over unfamiliar ground, his eyes squinting a bit in the sunlight. He nodded as Starshot spoke of the various dangers.

 

"Definitely wish I had my gear. But we work with what we have. Need to keep moving. If they're hunting us, moving is better than staying still. Can look for materials to improvise defenses as we move."

 

Assuming he wasn't the only one moving along, he slowed his pace a bit to stand pretty much directly between the other two as they walked. When he spoke again his voice was soft, barely more than a whisper.

 

"Something in the trees to one side. Keep alert but don't try looking about for them. Best to turn surprise back onto them."

 

He moved with the grace of someone with years of combat experience. Considering how young he looked, he was either some sort of odd immortal, or he'd started fighting at an alarmingly young age. 

[Supercape]

Don't look...

 

Starshot was aware of the rustles when Nevermore pointed it out. His eyes had been on the treetops until then. In a forest or jungle, danger could come from any angle. He had even seen predators burrow through the earth and spring out of it. 

 

Don't look. That's what Nevermore said. And what the note had said, too. 

 

"We didn't look.  Now run, if you can."

 

What did that mean? They ran because they didn't look? Or that looking was dangerous?

 

"Remember the note?" he asked aloud. 

 

He was not a man to flee by nature. But he could swallow his pride if need be. But, the urge to look was strong. Even the most docile of beasts would want to see the thing chasing it down. It was a primal reflex. 

 

He cracked the knuckles of his right hand. Fingers, the artificial hand, made a fist, and a thin spike extended from his knuckles. 

 

Fight...or flee?

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

The bushes continued to shake.  Only the motion was now accompanied by a low guttural growl.  The trees shook violently as birds fled the scene.  The movement allowed Starshot full view of a metallic cube hanging on a branch.  The fine level of detail gone into the cube's design screamed advanced technology.  The branch was no small distance off the ground.

 

Vonnie was aware of the creature in the bushes to a different degree than the others.  He couldn't quite 'see' the being lurking inside.  But the slight shifting of center of gravity.  The relaxed shift in posture.  Every sign pointing to someone getting pounced upon was sitting there for the teen by measuring what he 'saw' from the movement of the bush due to his spatial awareness.

 

Not that the other two needed further warning.  With the movement and rustling having already been spotted by their other senses.  At Nevermore's urging all three had already managed to reposition themselves to flank whatever came out if need be.

 

Could the source be that which was hunting them, or something else?

[Supercape]

Whatsin the bushes? Whats in the box? Open it! Open it! sparked fingers, the AI in Starshot's hand. 

 

"Keep quiet..." hissed Starshot to his hand, which bristled with energy and light. It whirred, hummed, and extended a blade in anticipation. Short and sharp. 

 

Still, maybe fingers had a point. Something was there, something out of place, something surely important. Perhaps something good, something bad. It could be a camera, a teleporter, or a bomb. Or anything. He didn't recognise it one bit. 

 

"Cover me, comrades" he hissed to the other two men. Something about them gave him a sense of confidence that they could handle themselves. 

 

And with that, he leapt on to the trees lower branches, and hauled himself up the tree to grasp the box...

[EternalPhoenix]

With Starshot going up the tree, Vonnie took the opportunity to speak to Nevermore alone. “Look, man. I’m guessing the weird get up isn’t your usual. I’m missing my grapples. Starshot’s down his rifle and helmet. Two plus two equals you had some kind of fancy costume you fight in. You aren’t built like a tank, so I guess it might have had something to help you hit a little harder. What I’m trying to say is… I’m pretty sure I’m stronger than you are.†Says the guy who’s about his size and lacks all those vicious scars. Riiight, he’s so gonna believe me. “I’m willing to bet I’ve got Starshot beat, too. So, when that thing pounces, let me handle it. Uh…okay? I don’t want either of you to get hurt, you know?†Ah, look at his face. He's thinking I'm all talk. "I can...kind of see it out there, too. I'll know the instant it moves. And...uh..." Vonnie had precisely nothing else to say, so he lamely shut up.

Edited October 10, 2014 by EternalPhoenix

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

Another low guttural growl escaped the tree line.  Finally, a large cat would jump out from the bushes.  Both teens moving out of the way in time to avoid being mauled alive.  The timely retreat was necessary as the creature was not just any feline, it was a jaguar.  The largest big cat in the Western Hemisphere.  With a roar to match, as it immediately showed off frustrated at having missed its prey.

 

The creature's powerful jaw hung open as it looked between the pair of teens.  Poised to attack its powerful paws dug into the soil below.  Seemingly deciding between the pair.  The peerless stalker in the animal kingdom was not about to give up a meal simply because the prey somehow avoided it.

[KnightDisciple]

The young man next to Vonnie simply gave him a look for a few moments, not reacting either physically or verbally. When the other young hero glanced back toward the treeline and where Starshot was, and then back...the teenager wearing the tribal mask was gone.

 

A few moments of situational awareness revealed it wasn't cowardice, though. Instead, he was sprinting right at the jaguar. But instead of doing something so stupid as just punch or kick it in the face (which would at least win points for having cajones the size of New Jersey), he actually propelled himself into the air with a running leap. It wasn't a big leap, mind; just enough to get past the swiping claws and gnashing teeth of the jungle predator. And enough to put him roughly over the creature...where he promptly snaked an arm around the cat's neck and wrapped his legs directly in front of its hind legs. Not the most graceful of poses, but it lent him a certain amount of leverage and power that he would be able to put to good use over the next few moments. It seemed like, from what Starshot and Vonnie could see, the young man was planning on choking the big cat until it was unconscious.

 

A bold if workable plan.

[EternalPhoenix]

“Or you could just do…that.†Vonnie just stared for a moment as his fellow teen outwrestled a frickin’ jaguar. “Okay, I take it back. You can protect me.†I mean, d#$%. I don’t think I could do that. That said, dunno if a rear naked choke’ll work on a jag, so… He took two steps, faster than any human could reasonably be expected, drew one leg back and aimed for the moon. So to speak, anyway. One helluva punt. Vonnie’s foot was right on target, and the jaguar slumped the ground unconscious. “Boot leather sandwich! Ah, yeaaaah!†Vonnie celebrated for a bit. “Man, where I come from the Jaguars don’t try to eat you. And if you kicked them you got into trouble, not out of it.â€

[Supercape]

Starshot dangled from the tree, his hand blade stabbed into the wood, allowing him to swing free. He was too far up to help, and by the time he had swung around, the two men had defeated the cat. 

 

"Wrestling big cats. That takes some bravo" he called down with his slightly odd accent. 

 

"I was about to offer you a hand. Literally, my hand. But you beat me to it!" he smiled. At least those two knew how to look out for themselves. He had an inkling that was why they had been chosen. Surely, it must be they were chosen. 

 

He lifted himself up the tree, leaping and climbing, and in one case swinging, to get to the mysterious box. 

 

"Fingers, you always want to play with something shiny...go ahead!" he said to his hand, which promptly detatched from his stump.

 

"This looks real shiny!" squarked the tinny voice of his hand, before it crawled down the branch to touch the box...

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

A holographic recording played from the top of the box starting from when the cube played.  It was of a salt and pepper haired man in a long red robe sitting on a comfortable chair.  "Jolly good show, chaps.  My name is Simon Pettiford, and I am the Chairman of the society known as the Lords of Hunt.  We are the greatest hunters on the planet.  Leaving us with a responsibility of only hunting the greatest prey.  Five upstarts have decided to fight amongst themselves over which of them is our most standout member.  With great honor you three have been selected  as their prey.  Due to the potential you show as hunters in your own right.  If you survive, you will have the honor of a mandatory membership in the Lords of Hunt.  If you don't take heed in that your death was for a purpose greater than any other.  The Hunt!" 

 

The recording turned off.  Smoke began escaping the folds of the cube.  A burnt smell from the inside indicating that the mechanism had a self terminating function.  Leaving behind no evidence of the recording.  From the top of the treeline Starshot was treated to a better view of the area.  It was akin to a scene out of a nature documentary.  

[Supercape]

"This planet" said Starshot with dull voice. With a gesture, he brought bank fingers to his stump. 

 

"Earth is still as crazy as ever" came the tinny voice of his hand, with what could only be described as a sigh. 

 

"Its not as bad as the War" replied Starshot, with emphasis due to both experience and the desire to keep spirits up. 

 

With a few jumps and hurdles he let himself down to the ground. 

 

"I've hunted many planets, and many moons. I have seen hunters do this before. When the passion fades, its only sentients that inflame the senses. What was the saying? Ernest Hemingway..."

 

"There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter" he quoted. 

 

He paused, grim faced. 

 

"I can't say he was wrong either" he confessed. He was a bounty hunter on the side. But there was a line he would never cross. Not after the War. 

 

"So, are we the prey, or are we men who will fight back?" he asked, knowing the answer. 

[KnightDisciple]

The terse young man nodded at Vonnie as the other youth kicked the big cat into unconsciousness. He held on a moment longer, then let the beast drop to the ground, rolling off with practiced smoothness. As if this wasn't the first time he'd choked a breathing organism into submission. He turned to watch the recording that Starshot picked up.

 

The only sign of any reaction was a slight tightening of the fists, and a bit more tension in his scarred shoulders.

 

"Hn."

 

The tension was gone. Instead, there was just focus. Almost like a laser.

 

"Need to keep moving. Maybe try to scavenge usable supplies from the land. We have some serial killers to stop."

 

And with that he set off at a rapid but quieter-than-it-ought-to-be pace, away from the unconscious big cat, further into the jungle.

[EternalPhoenix]

Vonnie listened to the recording quietly. The young man only had a few buttons to push, but this was one of them. His only physical reaction was, paradoxically, the tension draining out of his body. He spoke so softly it was virtually inaudible. “So that’s what this is all about…I hate being right.†He looked up at Starshot, his eyes full of a cold fury. There wasn’t even a hint of his previous joviality in his voice when he spoke again, even though he smiled anyway. “They should’ve done their research better. I said it before. Hunting me always ends badly. For the hunter.†He easily caught up to the other teen. “Dunno about you, but I’m thinking the Lords of Hunt stop existing today. I refuse to be somebody’s prey. Never again.I know a thing or two about tech. If you need something built, I'm your man.â€

[Supercape]

"I'm with you there, my friend" said Starshot, shaking Vonnie's hand. 

 

"Though truth be told, they got us. Lords of the Hunt clearly are not without resources, skill, and power. They had us all tied to a tree. Stopping them will not be straightforward. It may not even be possible, today..."

 

"But I won't be anybodies prey either. They won't find me rolling over and playing dead"

 

He was not sure Nevermore's idea to keep moving was sound. Get away from way they were was tactically advantageous. But were would they move to? They were in the middle of a Jungle. Brazil maybe. Even if they lucked out and found some signs of civilisation, it would hardly mean they were safe. possibly, just putting more people in danger. 

 

"Lets get out of this spot. But I don't think running will help us. We need to wait for whatever is hunting us, and turn the tables. That means an ambush..."

 

He turned to Vonnie. 

 

"I don't think we need quantum star drives repaired. But if you can build snares, dead weights, pits...?"

[KnightDisciple]

"Focus for today is survival."

 

The scarred young man, who still had yet to give a hint to his own name or hero name or anything like that, kept moving at a steady pace that he likely could keep up for a while. His eyes roved around, never settling too long in one place. 

 

"Fight who and what we have to to get out. Not playing by their rules. They want us to stay, make traps, fight back on their rules. Don't want to play by their rules. Have more important things to do."

 

He stopped and turned to the others for a moment. The ghost of a smile was on his lips.

 

"My boss will help make sure this doesn't happen again."

 

Then he resumed his previous pace into the jungle. 

[Supercape]

Who was this kid?

 

Starshot must a been a century older than him. If he wanted to go charging off into the jungle, he wasn't gonna stop the kid. People fell on their own. He wasn't gonna stop him. 

 

"Suit yourself, son. You just head off into the Jungle. Wherever you want to go. Which is...where, by the way?" he couldn't resist a smile at the youth. 

 

"Maybe they want us to build snares and pits. Maybe they want us to think that we shouldn't build snares and pits. No point second guessing what they want, Son" he explained. "But if you really think they want us to stay here and fight, then why did they tell us to run?"

 

"You want to head off on your ownsome, go right ahead. But we best stick together. There is three of us, and we can easily vote it out" he finished. He didn't want a fight for leadership, especially with some Kids a fraction of his age. Maybe they knew what they were doing, maybe they had military training. But getting split up was the last thing they needed. Still, he was concerned about a kid stomping off without even discussing it. 

 

"As for survival. That's no problem, here. Plenty of food. Could do with finding a stream, if we can. But other ways to get water. Fruits, rain. I don't think survival is a problem, Son. At least, surviving the desert" he said, eyes around the Jungle, ears alert. 

 

"Still, if the vote is going to be shooting off down the Jungle to find another bit of Jungle jus' like this one, then I will come along to whatever strikes us. "

 

"But if you really think they want us to stay here and fight, then why did they tell us to run?"

[EternalPhoenix]

“That’s the thing, though.†Something had been bothering Vonnie. “Dunno about you, Starshot, but us two usually wear masks to disguise our identities. We’re superheroes. I took it as they took the masks and gear away, but didn’t look at our faces. And also, that we should run. I mean, it is a hunt, right? What fun is prey that doesn’t run? Moving isn’t a bad idea, but I don’t think any of us are trained in how not to leave a trail in the jungle. And I’m willing to bet we’re at least a hundred miles from anything. So it really doesn’t matter where we go. They’ll find us.†He glanced around. “I’d much rather it’d be on our terms and not theirs, but I don’t have any idea how to pull that off.â€