ic Merchants of Death (IC)

[Thevshi]

Foreshadow had spotted where the teleporting woman and Salnikov had teleported to, now he saw them run into the crowd and disappear from where he could currently see them.

Two of the remaining gunmen were still dazed from being shot previously, so they had no immediate reaction to Foreshadow's statement. The only unhurt and conscious gunman however choose to turn away from the costumed vigilante and fire his weapon at the man who had sent the blast of fire into one of the other gunmen. The burst was aimed a bit high, harmlessly passing over the fire using man’s head and impacting into a wall. The gunman then released the stop on his harness and repelled the rest of the way down to the ground floor.

Widowmaker was still down on his knees, pulling the thick blade Dagger had fired into him out of his stomach. The blade was red with blood as the large man dropped the blade down to the floor.

Salnikov's four other bodyguards all took aim at the man that had momentarily stopped Widowmaker and opened fire. The armored man leapt and flipped to one side, dodging each shot as he landed smoothly in a crouch. He then jerked his upper body back at the last second as a jet of fire shot past him, striking a column with a small flash of fire.

Dagger stood back upright, raising one of the blade launchers on his forearms and aiming at the fire using man for a brief second. "Be glad you are not on my list tonight." He then stated before lowering his arm and leaping into the air and out over the balcony edge. Executing a perfect piked somersault, he landed on the main floor below and then took off in a run in the direction the teleporting woman and Salnikov had gone.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow slammed his bo staff into the cable line.  Disengaging it and riding his unconscious standing pad (the gunman he knocked out) straight to the ground.  Jumping off before crashing he would roll on impact with the ground immediately rising back to his feet in one fluid motion.  The former gymnast's legs would not be done there.

 

He'd take off in a dead sprint chasing after Dagger.  There were a lot of people that night that needed a staff to the head.  But, Dagger stood as the one in the most advantageous position.  Even if the gunmen had been made short work of.  It was clear that Salkinov's bodyguards, while troublesome in their own right, had not really done much to slow the assailant down.

 

Leaving it up to Foreshadow to protect the arms dealer.  Totally not feeling like a white hat tonight.

[Thevshi]

Wherever the teleporting woman was with Salkinov, Foreshadow could no longer see them to know what they were doing, but apparently the guy firing the blades seemed to think they were through the door ahead.

Back up in the air out away from the balcony, the two last gunmen opened fire once again. One fired a burst at the fire using mercenary, but the shots once again hit the column the man was using as cover. Another fired at one of Salkinov's other bodyguards, hitting the man with three bullets, the impact knocking the man off his feet, where he crumpled on the floor in a heap. The two gunmen then released the stops on their harnesses, sending them sliding the rest of the way down their ropes and to the main floor.

Widowmaker ran over to where he had been sitting when Foreshadow had first arrived, snatching up a Benelli M4 combat shotgun. The large man then started running over toward the outer wall of the building, not heading for any apparent exit.

The three bodyguards still on their feet all ran forward, just managing to reach the railing of the balcony where they could see the two gunmen down below.

Incendiary moved back out from behind his column, looking down at the floor below as he sent another jet of flame after the gunman who had shot at him. The blast hit the gunman squarely, knocking him off his feet as he crumpled into a smoking heap on the ground, completely unconscious.

Dagger turned to glance over at Foreshadow who had run up beside him. Whatever was going through the man's mind, his full face mask hide any facial expressions which might have given the costumed crime fighter a hint. "Persistent, aren't you?" The mercenary asked, as he sprinted forward toward the door, just as he was about to pass through, he half turned, sweeping his right arm out behind him as the bracer on his forearm fired a thick blade at Foreshadow. But the vigilante was a far more difficult target than the hulking Widowmaker, and easily dodged the attack. Dagger continued on through the door into a hallway beyond, but more than close enough for Foreshadow to close with him.

[Brown Dynamite]

There was a moment in which Foreshadow couldn't help but wonder how much it cost to keep three empowered goons on payroll.  It couldn't be cheap to keep one who could teleport on retainer.  Let alone one who could do the whole flame shooting thing, not that he was a fan of that powerset considering how his parents died.  But was it so expensive they could be paid off come interrogation time?

 

Realization that it was a problem for another time swept as a blade came flying through the air towards him.  Foreshadow ran through the side door flinging it open to continue his hot pursuit.  "You don't know the half of it."  He had been in chases before.  Even chases where the bad guy was after someone else entirely before.  But, this was the first time had felt like an afterthought to the villain's mind.  It was a little insulting.

 

He swung out with his bo staff towards Dagger's leg.  Hoping the welt left behind would have gotten the villain's attention.  But Dagger was more cognizant than Foreshadow had given credit.  Sprinting forward just out of the staff's reach as the psychic detective swung.

[Thevshi]

Back on what had been the dance floor, the last of the gunman still on his feet aimed up at one of the bodyguards who had appeared at the railing, firing off a burst from his assault rifle. But the kick of the weapon caught him off guard and the burst went well wide, shooting up into the roof instead of the balcony area. But the gunman did not stay to try another shot, turning and running off underneath the balcony, and out of line-of-sight for those up above.

Widowmaker sprinted towards a boarded up window, leaping into the air as he drew close. The tall man's powerful legs propelled him into the air and through the boards covering the window, which exploded outward as he continued past, arching through the air as he came down in the loading yard of the old warehouse, landing on the roof of a parked van, crumpling it inward slightly as he looked up.

A limousine was pulling out of the loading yard, Salnikov and the teleporting woman inside along with some of the arms dealer's other men. Widowmaker aimed over toward an exit from the warehouse, aiming his combat shotgun at the door.

Back in the warehouse, Salnikov's other bodyguards and Incendiary sprinted across the balcony towards the nearest stairs down to the ground floor.

After dodging Foreshadow's bo staff, Dagger continued running down the short hallway they were in. He slammed through a door, through which Foreshadow saw the outside of the warehouse, and as he exited, there was a loud gunshot from what was clearly a shotgun. Dagger jerked to one side as he was hit in the side by a shotgun slug, but he did not otherwise break stride, leaping up into the air and disappearing from Foreshadow's immediate line-of-sight.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Thevshi

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow sprinted full force to match the pace of Dagger.  Not wanting to lose track of the assassin.  Upon seeing his ascension Foreshadow jumping forward onto a telephone pole.  Then without stopping to catch his stride jumped back towards the warehouse.  And ascended as far up the length of the pole as he needed.  Clutching on tightly he held onto his weapon with one hand.  Set in his resolve to catch Dagger Foreshadow whacked the villain on the small of his back.

 

But, the pole served as more than a climbing base.  It also allowed Dagger to brace against the impact while clutching on.  While Foreshadow wasn't sure how much it stung  It was clear by Dagger's response it wasn't enough to seriously hurt him.  Let allow slow his pursuit.

 

"Now, who is the one not giving up?  If you stop now, you'll save us both a lot of trouble.  Trust, me the last place you want to be is on a tightrope against me.  And that's what will happen if you keep going."

[Thevshi]

The mercenary took the hit from Foreshadow's bo staff, glancing down at the hero as he replied, "don't be so sure, I would just cut the tightrope. In any event, your presence is just as the boss man predicted."

The limousine accelerated as it headed down the street, trying to put distance between it and the warehouse. It had traveled about three blocks away, when Foreshadow saw a figure appear on a distant rooftop. There was a bright flash and a loud sound as a rocket was fired down at the limousine, hitting the front of the hood with a loud explosion *BOOM* which echoed in the night.

The limousine quickly swerved out of control, its hood in flames as it struck a parked car, which it pushed up onto the sidewalk as it skidded to a halt, half in the street, and half on the sidewalk as well.

Widowmaker took aim once more with his shotgun, firing another slug at Dagger with a loud gunshot that echoed over all the other noise in the area, which included the crowds of people still fleeing the warehouse. Dagger hand just moved around to another side of the telephone pole when Widowmaker fired, so the slug smashed into the pole, sending splinters flying in all directions as it blasted a chunk out.

Dagger then leapt off the pole, landing on the roof of a nearby car before leaping back up into the air, flipping over as he went before landing in crouch up on the rooftop of a nearby three story building. He then leapt into the air once more, this time making another leap further down the street toward the burning limousine, crossing the street to land on the roof of another three story building.

[Brown Dynamite]

Oh come on!

 

Foreshadow combined his staves together.  Activating the grapnel line as  leapt off the telephone pole.  Chasing after Dagger had taken a backseat in his mind.  Someone, well Salkinov most likely, was in trouble.  That was always priority number one to Foreshadow. 

 

So when Foreshadow fired his grapnel line towards the roof of a nearby building.  Swinging across the rooftoops and alleyways to clear a large part of the distance.  He only had one thing in mind.  I need to get the passengers out of that burning car.

 

Fighting off the assassin(s) would definitely be a priority right after.  As would making sure he didn't get a rocket to the face for his troubles.  But, even a gun dealer's life was prioritized to the forefront ahead of his obsession with capturing the mysterious man.

[Thevshi]

Inside the burning limo, the teleporting woman shook her head to clear the stars that had appeared after the first rocket had hit the vehicle and caused it to crash.  Glancing around she saw that Salnikov appeared half unconscious as well, with the driver completely knocked out. 

Up on a nearby rooftop, the figure with the rocket launcher began reloading the weapon for another shot, while other armed men appeared along the edges of the roof. 

Back near the club's parking lot, Widowmaker lowered his combat shotgun with a curse as both Dagger and Foreshadow moved out of his range.  The mercenary started running down the street in the direction of the burning limo, making less headway that the other two in that regard. 

Dagger ran along rooftops, leaping up to others as he went, soon reaching a building up above where the damaged limo sat....

[Brown Dynamite]

"A freaking rocket launcher.  Who brings a rocket launcher to a residential area?  Whatever happened to hiring out a superpowered thug to do your dirty work?  Now I'm the chump bringing two sticks to a rocket fight."  Foreshadow told no one in particularly as he vaulted over a rooftop.  Using his multi-purpose escrima sticks to swing across the sky.  The prescient acrobat cleared the distance to the limousine as quickly as possible.  Cape fluttering behind as he descended towards the vehicle.  Knees bent so as to absorb the landing, which allowed him to roll upon contact with ground.

 

"Alright your Uber is here.  Hurry up and remember to leave a favorable review."  Foreshadow opened the back door of the limousine.  The heat from the flames prompting him to frantically scan the inside of the vehicle as soon as the door opened.  He needed to get eyes on not just Salnikov , but the driver as well.

[Thevshi]

Pulling the car door open, Foreshadow spotted Salnikov, just as the teleporting woman moved over next to him.  She glanced up at the vigilante, giving him a sly smile.  "Sorry dark and mysterious, we have other travel plans."  Then in a flash of light she was gone, taking Salnikov with her.

A quick glance told Foreshadow that the driver was at best half conscious.  But the dark clad hero did not have long to consider what he was going to do, when the figure up on the rooftop fired the rocket launcher again at the front of the limo. 

Foreshadow managed to duck down behind the side of the vehicle, the blast passing harmlessly overhead.  The bodyguard who had climbed out of the limo did not fare as well, as enough of the blast caught him to knock him down to the pavement.  He was clearly hurt badly, but the injuries did not seem to be immediately life threatening. 

Widowmaker continued to run down the street toward the limo.  Although he was still a ways away, he aimed up at the figure with the rocket launcher and fired his M4.  The slug caught the figure in the left shoulder, spinning it around as it fell down onto the rooftop out of view. 

Another figure that had been on the rooftop near the one with the rocket launcher started off along the roof, leaping and flipping through the air as it appeared to be chasing something. 

Meanwhile, the four gunmen that had just appeared opened fire, two aiming at Foreshadow, the other two at Widowmaker. 

Bullets ricocheted along the pavement near Foreshadow, but only one burst came particularly close to the vigilante.  One of the gunmen firing at Widowmaker was more accurate, however, the three bullets that struck the mercenary glanced harmlessly off him. 

Dagger leapt through the air toward another rooftop, also apparently pursuing someone.  As he landed, he brought up one arm to send several small blades flying after Fade.  However, his aim was off, as the teleporting mercenary managed to dodge the attack...

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow aimed his swing line up towards the roof one of the pair of gunmen found themselves sitting comfortably.  The contracting mechanism in the line allowed him to ascend in the blink of an eye.  Whipping himself into the air, Foreshadow was prepared to quickly overtake the men.  As soon as his boot planted on the roof Foreshadow quickly snapped a jab at one man's head.The sudden jolt sent the gunman crumbling to the ground, and his partner pivoted towards the acrobat in surprise.   "What does it say about your career path that the only way I can keep you alive is by knocking you out before the brick wall over there can shoot you?" 

 

Not waiting for the second man to actually answer his question, Foreshadow closed the distance.  Grabbing him by the back of his neck he jumped up pushing his knee into the front of the gunman's face.

[Thevshi]

Fade pulled Salnikov with her as she managed to dodge the attack from Dagger.  The teleporting mercenary twisted back toward him and sent a number of small throwing knives flying in return.  However, her aim was even worse off than Dagger's had been, something she attributed from being still a bit shook up after being in a limo hit by a rocket launcher. 

But she did not let that failure distract her from her primary goal, as she and Salnikov vanished once again in a flash of light.   

Widowmaker took aim at one of the gunmen on the building that had shot at him and fired his combat shotgun.  Once again the mercenary's aim was accurate, as a solid slug caught the man in the side and he fell backward with a cry of pain, collapsing in a heap. 

The other gunman on that building ducked back from the edge and out of side of the mercenary.  Meanwhile the other figure up ahead on the rooftop continued moving toward where Fade had taken Salnikov, but not covering the distance quite as quickly as Dagger was able to. 

Dagger himself took a few running steps and then leapt through the air to another nearby rooftop, landing in a roll and coming up to aim his right hand knife launcher at Fade’s back.  "I am getting tired of this little chase!"  He stated as he fired a large blade at the female mercenary, only to once again just miss the target as Fade shoved Salnikov to one side and rolled herself to the other.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow turned around and began running for the edge of the roof.  Performing a gymnastics based cat leap he extended his dominant hand out so as to launch his grapnel line towards a telephone line below.  Using the momentum to pendulum forward he'd land on the opposite roof with a parkour inspired cat leap.  Gritting his teeth the acrobatic hero pulled himself up over the edge onto the roof. 

 

"Sorry but this is for your own good, can't stop you from getting shot while you're waving that thing around like a maniac."  Foreshadow stepped forward and without wasting time he sent a high kick directly into the remaining gunman's temple.  But, the shooter was prepared and rolled with the blow rather than taking the kick head on.  Staying upright and taking more of Foreshadow's time than the man was intending to give.  "Okay, come on this is the part where you were supposed to drop."

[Thevshi]

GM 

Fade was quickly back on her feet, grabbing ahold of Salkinov once more as they once again disappeared in a flash of light.  This time the female mercenary knew she had to put more distance between her and the assassins, and as soon as they appeared further down the block, they disappeared quickly once more.  
 

Dagger had managed to mark their first jump, but when he saw them disappear a second time he clenched his fists.  He had barely been able to keep pace with them one jump at a time so was bound to quickly fall behind and lose them after multiple jumps. 

 

"The target has escaped."  He stated into his comm to his remaining henchmen.  "Time to fade away."  With that, he jumped off the rooftop and down into a nearby dark alley.

 

Over on another rooftop, Foreshadow was still facing one of the gunmen that had been firing on Salkinov's limo and bodyguards.  Although the man had managed to stay on his feet, he was not nearly in Foreshadow's class in terms of fighting.  The dark clad hero was easily able to sidestep an attempt to strike him with the butt of the man’s rifle.

[Brown Dynamite]

"You know these things shoot bullets right?  Trying to avoid tinnitus."  Foreshadow taunted as the gunman angrily swung his rifle once more.  Only this time the prescient crime fighter stuck his right palm out to catch the butt of the rifle, at the same his left hand reached for the forward grip of the rifle.  In one fluid motion, Foreshadow redirected the rifle so that the muzzle would strike against the gunman's leg.  Immediately he dropped to one knee and released his grip.  An opportunity that would allow Foreshadow to completely grasp the rifle and slam the butt into the criminal's temple.  Immediately knocking him out.

 

"Sorry, but I have a feeling you're still going to have a bit of willing in your ears."  Foreshadow stated for his own benefit.  As he didn't have a conscious active listener around.   The victory was bittersweet.  While he didn't want anyone to actually lose their lives.  Salnikov had temporarily slipped through his fingers.  For now.

 

One of these days, I'm sure the bad guys I'm saving will surrender as a thank you for the whole saving their lives thing.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

A quick look confirmed what Foreshadow had already assumed.  In the time it had taken to take down the gunman the others on the rooftops had already slipped away as well.  Widowmaker was also gone from the street below, a car speeding off several blocks away reveling the likely means of his departure. 

 

As the costumed crime fighter was turning away from the building’s edge, he heard a whistle from above him.  Looking up he spotted the woman that had been with Salnikov standing on the roof of the old water tower on the building. 

"Hey hero.  Someone wants to speak with you."  She stated, tossing a cellphone down to Foreshadow before disappearing in another flash of light.

 

On the other end of the line was Salnikov.  "It appears I owe you my life, at least in part.  For that I thank you.  Given that and the other recent events I find myself reconsidering our very recent conversation.  I find myself no longer having much loyalty to one of my clients, one I suspect you are very interested in learning about."

[Brown Dynamite]

"I'm guessing we won't be having this chat over dinner?  Maybe a nice lean lobster?"  Foreshadow calmly made his way over to the edge of the roof.  Promptly plopping a seat without so much as leaning over to check how high up he was.  "Still, I'm not one to turn down an opportunity to network.  I'm downright personable Salnikov.  I'd love to learn more about our mutual friend.  I've been shopping around all night for the right birthday gift to give him."

 

It was nice to make headway on at least one of his ongoing investigations.  This mystery man had eluded him at every turn.  He was practically as much of a ghost as Doctor Zero.  Without the benefit of even leaving the city to hide.  Sure, he had to let Salnikov go.  But, that was a temporary concession.

 

At least that's what Foreshadow had to tell himself.  After all, the lesser of two evils was still an evil.