Avenger Assembled Posted February 20, 2017 Posted February 20, 2017 March 2017 Wading Way The Blanchard Center (Freedom's Fourth Best Conference Venue!) 6PM Down below on the conference room floor, the tech representatives, executives, and families were circulating, spending the last couple of hours on the conference floor before supper started at 6:30. Through their ranks, a predator stalked - though you wouldn't have known it to look at him. His suit and tie didn't fit exactly right - he needed specially cut suits to accommodate his binder anyway, and his arms were considerably bulkier than his counterpart's in this dimension, but plenty of teenage guys didn't quite fit into the suits designed for an adult's frame anyway. He'd left most of his gear on the rooftop across the street, the same place he'd used as a base to spy on this place (by means of binoculars by night), so here he just looked like any other smart teenager with an eye for miniaturized portable computers. Just the sort of thing he could use to make a really awesome bolt.... One eye closed, he sighted down the length of one particular chip, getting a strange look from the man behind the table. "Just looking," he commented, setting the chip back down. "What kind of heat tolerance do you have here?" The crowd of strangers moving from table to table behind him was hardly on his mind at all - well, relatively speaking, anyway.
Kolohehonu Posted February 20, 2017 Posted February 20, 2017 Tyson Masters could count on one hand the number of places that he could get into out of costume easier than in costume. As he walked around the tech conference he was certain this was one of them. Not that he had left the costume far, it was secure in a bag in coat check. This was one of those moments where Tyson was mad that his colleagues did not leave Texas. Yes, Druid would have been even more out of place, Doctor Orion did not do incognito, but Alan Alchemy would have a far better knowledge of what was going on here. But Alchemy didn't fly. Which meant the only one who was getting from Waco, Texas to Freedom City was the Speedster. The warriors had put together a case that had proved a few things true in the last twenty four hours. One: tech companies don't come to Waco unless they are trying to hide something. Two: Corporate espionage actually hurts people. The tech company in Waco had definitely gotten their tech from a raid a while back on a company called Vision inc. It had been difficult to prove because Vision inc. had not been eager to reveal what had been stolen, and this other company was shady. Of the "of course everything is perfectly normal" variety. Hyperactive had reached out to one person before coming. Dr. James Horridan, a survivor on the raid and Vision's head of R&D. Not the most public figure, but after that night? Hyperactive didn't blame him. He had said what the Warriors had found, and that the CEO of this new company would be at this conference. If there was any potential to weaponize the stolen tech that he might need to watch out for, Hyperactive wanted to know. The lack of a response to his email had been telling. He'd probably opened up old wounds. Tyson Masters strolled about the place, most of this was way more complicated than he could really wrap his mind around. Still, he found himself looking around at a ton of things. He would leave a kinetic illusion and bounce around invisibly to other places. A few of these computers might even be able to keep up with his speed. He also found himself looking at the audio tech as well. The last thing he needed was his powers being turned off. Still he had to bide his time, he wasn't quite sure what this guy or gal looked like, but they were an advertised speaker.
Removed. Posted February 20, 2017 Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) James disliked events like this. He never could understand the reasons to make such a show of one's new toys. If it was up to him he would rather focus on improving what he had rather than boasting about what could be. Most of all though he disliked the attention of it all, especially now after his "rebirth" as he'd like to call it. He walked past crowds feeling their judging eyes and hearing the murmurs of them talking about him, thinking he was some kind of new droid. Regardless James had a mission. Ever since the raid that led to his father's demise James has sworn to bring the culprits to justice and to stop the prototype technology that was stolen from falling into wrong hands. He could only imagine the kind of bio-weapons and planet killers that could come from his environmental pursuits. Not much has surfaced in the recent months but luckily enough a hero reached out to him inquiring about what the warriors were doing and asking for any information. James figured it would be better to show up in person and lend a hand in stopping what could be his technology. He wasn't sure what the hero looked like but it shouldn't be that hard to find a hero among a seedy place like this, after all James' appearance was rather unmissable and would draw attention to him. Edited February 25, 2017 by Vorik
Kolohehonu Posted February 20, 2017 Posted February 20, 2017 Well. I guess I might have been wrong. Hyperactive thought. Clearly there was a way to get in here as a hero. He'd seen videos of this guy. Some of which had been pretty funny. Some of which were not. For as big as he was, he had a knack for coming out of nowhere on crooks. Mannequin was the name on the street, probably after he got the drop on some guys by looking like a Mannequin. He still jumped watching that video. He might not be remembering that right, but it sounded fairly accurate. Beside big, fast, and scary though Hyperactive had no clue about this guy. Which meant things were bad. Ockham's Razor suggested that the two events were related. For a super hero, that meant that until proven otherwise there's only one mastermind in play. No one had proved otherwise yet. Which hopefully meant that this guy was here to help. Had Dr. Horridan sent him? That might make this a whole different game. This meant that there was enough need for force to be brought to bear that the doctor was breaking out some heavy muscle. Er, motor. Hyperactive could find out soon enough, and he figured whatever the answer he wasn't going to like it. He let his displacement image come nearer as he prepared to speak invisibly to the other hero. The technique was difficult, but possible. He'd make his pass and say the words bit by bit. The speech would be choppy, but intelligible. Hopefully no one else was listening. "You're Mannequin right?" He whispered. "Just nod. Slowly. I'm Hyperactive. I'm undercover. I reached out to Dr. Horridan. Did he send you?" He asked, watching Mannequin's responses. He almost physically bit his lip to avoid saying, "Am I in over my head?"
Removed. Posted February 20, 2017 Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) Mannequin's head snapped in a quick motion towards the direction turning it far past the normal range of motion. He could make out this stranger but the shape was weird, distorted. He wasn't sure what to make of this because he assumed someone called Hyperactive would be a speedster not an invisible man. Nonetheless only a hero or villain would be bold enough to outright tell him about a conversation behind closed doors. If it was the hero then we can finally get things settles, if it was a villain they will lead him to their boss. Not wanting to cause a scene Mannequin nodded slowly towards Hyperactive. Edited February 25, 2017 by Vorik
Avenger Assembled Posted February 21, 2017 Author Posted February 21, 2017 At the sight of the obviously inhuman guy, Woodsman's head whipped around automatically. The environment didn't allow for much cover, but it was easy enough to slip behind a half-translucent partition and listen to what was going on. This is what I get for leaving my gear behind! Deciding that if there was going to be some super-action soon, it was better to be armed for it, Riley slipped out of the room quietly - figuring that the planned guest speaker couldn't be that important. Meanwhile, everyone was interested in Mannequin - a superbeing who wasn't hostile got a lot of attention in Freedom City, usually positive! People were discreetly snapping pictures and some were boldly introducing themselves - he was rapidly becoming the life of the party. Fred Fawcett, the elderly host of the tech expo, stepped out onto the stage by the booths and spoke into the microphone. A high-end tech conference would probably be texting or emailing its guests right now, but Fred had gotten a little on in years and tended to do things the old way. "Good evening, everyone, I have an announcement - our Socotran guests have been delayed at the airport and will be unable to give their talk tonight. Dr. Van Raalte of CRC Tech has generously volunteered to give his talk in their slot. He will begin in ten minutes."
Kolohehonu Posted February 21, 2017 Posted February 21, 2017 WHAT THE HECK!!! Tyson had almost stopped dead in his tracks when Mannequin looked at him. Which would have disrupted the whole illusion thing, and the whole undercover thing. Well, this thing was even freakier than it looked. Which was saying something. He had taken on the goddess of death's personal undead champion without feeling the least bit weirded out. This thing was a little too uncanny valley for his tastes. It's just a drone, probably Horridan or one of his employees on the other end. It can't see you Hyperactive. At least he hoped it was a drone, if that was power armor... no he did not want to put that thought through his mind. The way the neck moved meant it had to be a drone. In any case that sure seemed like a sign that the day would not be getting better. It meant that CRC Tech, or whatever they were a front for, had dangerous capabilities. At the very least, he had extra muscle to help him out when things went sideways. He needed more intelligence, but he couldn't quite go looking yet. He hadn't even seen any displays for CRC Tech yet. "The company is called CRC Tech. We'll need a private word with the CEO. I'll keep you in the loop." Then the announcement happened. Ok, this was rapidly becoming a place where Tyson Masters was no longer a necessary disguise. Faster than the average human eye could track, Tyson sprinted into the coat check. He ducked into the closet and changed into his uniform. Snapping the helmet and face shield in place he ran back out onto the show floor. Still invisible, but this time, leaving his displacement image out of sight. "Well Mannequin, looks like we have ten minutes." An obscene amount of time for a speedster. "I want to have a look over this place, just make sure there isn't like a bomb in this room." Hyperactive didn't wait for a response, instead sweeping the entirety of the conference room. He made note of the CRC tables that he found, and if there was anything that looked like a bomb tucked somewhere in the room. He also decided to look in all the unlocked side rooms, and did a quick count of all of them. Then he returned to Mannequin. "We just need to make sure we don't lose him after the presentation."
Removed. Posted February 21, 2017 Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) Upon hearing the announcement Mannequin was eager to finally get the ball rolling instead of just standing around being gawked at. It nice to have people come up to you but after the 11th time of having someone stop you in your tracks to introduce themselves gets tedious. As he was about to converse and plan with Hyperactive the man simply vanished very quickly. Apparently he is a speedster after all. When Hyperactive returned Mannequin tried again to talk about planning their move only to be cut off by the fast talk that only a speedster seemed to possess and left again without hesitation. Typical speedsters always have places to be and running into everything face first. Just as quickly as he left he returned but Mannequin held his breath not thinking he would be able to get a word in anyways. Finally Hyperactive told him his master plan which was... "We just need to make sure we don't lose him after the presentation." Wonderful plan James thought; could really see the details in it all. With that Mannequin gave a curt nod and waiting for the event to start. Edited February 21, 2017 by Vorik
Avenger Assembled Posted February 22, 2017 Author Posted February 22, 2017 Hyperactive didn't find any signs of a bomb, despite his super-speed search. As far as he could tell, everything inside the convention hall itself was normal. CRC Tech's booth didn't have anything unusual he could see; they seemed to be discussing enhanced models of the Archetech telepresence droids more than anything else, praising their new wireless hookup system for having far more connectivity and reliability than the hard-wired Archetech models. CRC seemed to generally be in the enhancement business rather than the innovation business, building better versions of what was already on the market rather than new things. - Dr. Albert van Raalte had the thick facial hair that bespoke steampunk cosplay, a hipster's fashion sense, or simply poor personal grooming - it was hard to tell with people in the tech industry. In a faint accent that bespoke his Dutch heritage, he stood behind the on-stage podium to address the small crowd of congregants. Eschewing the fancy displays that were typically part and parcel of tech expos, he chose to instead speak about his company's latest project "one that promises to revolutionize the field of robotics!" - Up on the rooftop across the street. Woodsman retrieved his bow and his hatchet and prepared to return back to the conference center - when he caught sight of something all-too-familiar. Casually dressed in a workman's outfit, a woman was laying on the rooftop, presenting a low profile to the building across the street as she took aim with a high-powered assault rifle! Riley guessed she'd have a spotter and wasn't disappointed, vanishing into cover behind an air conditioning vent just as another rooftop figure hurled a bladed weapon at his head! Remembering the heroes across the street, Woodsman fired a flare arrow in the direction of the convention center, the bolt erupting in a clearly visible flash of red light and loud noise right over the street between the low-rise office building where they were squaring off and the convention center across the way.
Kolohehonu Posted February 22, 2017 Posted February 22, 2017 The world seemed to slow. The flash of red light going off in the distance kicked his adrenal glands into overdrive. He took a deep breath and rolled out his neck. Ok this looked more his speed. "Change of plans, that sounds important." Hyperactive said before running straight at and then through the wall as he phased his molecules towards the brilliant blast of light and noise. He immediately rushed out across the street. The flash of light was still in the air as Tyson took in the scene. Two people on one rooftop, with one aiming a high powered rifle into the convention center. A little further over was a young man with a crossbow, still aimed skywards. What looked like a shuriken tumbled lazily through the air at the archer. Hyperactive took in the scene as he rushed across the street. Hyperactive decided the archer had probably tipped off the location of the other two. He sprinted up behind the snipers and grabbed one of his coins from his belt. he flipped the coin casually. "Don't suppose either of you want to come quietly?" He didn't really wait for the answer as both seemed to ready for a fight. "No? Good. We can talk after I drop both of you. This will be over before the coin hits the ground." He said as he sent the coin sky high. The world slowed. Hyperactive stepped into a fighting stance, his body shifted onto his back leg, ready to spring forth and lash out at the spotter. with his round house kicks. Hopefully Mannequin could get the sniper, this fight seemed like it might almost be fun.
Removed. Posted February 22, 2017 Posted February 22, 2017 A loud bang echoed through the sky alerting everyone that something bad was happening. The speedster rushed away before Mannequin was able to process what just happened leaving him yet again without a word. This seemed to be a trend apparently. Not wasting anymore time Mannequin set his servos to full drive and raced off towards the rooftop of the flash. Mannequin was hardly comparable to a speedster in terms of output but his speed was nothing to laugh at when you can move faster than a speeding car. One of the many joys of not having to worry about tearing a muscle. Some may go for the stairs, some an elevator but for mannequin he shot out his arms elongating the chains and grasps the top of the roof then contracted lifting himself up in one swift motion. He picked up 5 targets. A sniper team with the speedster, a person with sharp blades, and a person with a crossbow. Crossbow was probably a good guy since not many villains would reveal themselves to heroes when they can. Mannequin rushed over to the cover the bowman was using to make his presence known and further more to prevent anyone from getting a free shot at him. Even though his body was constructed from the most durable materials there were people who can destroy entire buildings with a punch and he didn't feel like taking that gamble with unknown elements. Looks like its finally time for action.
Avenger Assembled Posted February 24, 2017 Author Posted February 24, 2017 Only Hyperactive's speed saved him from the volley of bullets that earned him - a quick burst of automatic weapons fire that nearly took his head off. Maybe it wasn't a surprise for a man of his speed to dodge bullets, but most people didn't get that close! The sniper, a black-haired woman in thick, tightly-plated body armor that glowed a gunmetal grey, was leaping to her feet even as she fired, rolling out of the way with great speed of her own. Maybe she wasn't as fast as Hyperactive, but she clearly had metahuman speed to go with her formidable technology and training. Her partner, a caped redhead in a domino mask who favored basic black, responded by pulling a grenade from his belt and throwing it at the rooftop beneath their feet - the two of them immediately vanishing inside the smoke cloud that subsequently erupted. Where had they gone? Neither of them had shown much interest in banter when the fight had started, instead moving with the smooth, silent precision of a long-practiced team.
Kolohehonu Posted February 24, 2017 Posted February 24, 2017 That was way too close. Hyperactive thought to himself as those bullets swept past his face plate. These guys were pretty good. But this? This was Hyperactive's speed. The girl was a good shot, and the guy threw things. Right, probably dangerous. Not as dangerous as that gun, and he did not like that they now had cover. Which might not be a problem for Mannequin, but he could even the playing field. "Running away? I'll give you a head start." Hyperactive said at the cloud. That cloud has to go. Hyperactive could clear that easy, and it would make those two sitting ducks for the crossbowman. So he ran. Not into the cloud, but around it. One lap, two laps, three laps and the dust off the roof swirled upwards. Ten, fifteen, twenty laps, and the whole cloud of smoke lifted. His running in a ring created a funnel cloud, pulling the air up and revealing the two assassins when their cover dissipated. "Should have run faster." Hyperactive declared as he dashed in circles to remain a moving target. He wasn't sure, but the facial expression on the man was either that of dismissive annoyance or legitimate anger. Just wait, I'll get to you.
Removed. Posted February 24, 2017 Posted February 24, 2017 (edited) There is good news and bad news right now. The good news is that one of the unknown elements is somewhat a speedster too who uses guns. The bad news is that Hyperactive is very reckless to taunt before attacking, this is a mistake James won't make because if you ever give your enemy a a second of opening you can end with a lifetime of effect. Mannequin moved fast lunging into the pair assassins hoping Hyperactive wouldn't collide with him. The Sniper is fast and would be harder to hit but the Spotter dropped smoke grenades hoping to hide in it. Hopefully this means being tough isn't their strong suit. Coming into melee Mannequin targets the thighs open to make a gash and impede the Spotter's movement which is another reason to not target the speedster. A one legged speedster is still a faster target than most. Edited February 24, 2017 by Vorik
Avenger Assembled Posted February 26, 2017 Author Posted February 26, 2017 Mannequin's attack worked, making the man's leg buckle as he cried out in pain and clutched the sudden wound on his leg. Figuring that the spotter was tied down in combat with the strange mechanical-looking man, Woodsman tried popping out of cover to take another shot at the sniper - bad idea, as the bolt whizzed right past the agile woman's head. Riley snapped back down into cover fast, repressing the urge to curse. It wasn't that he objected to the two other heroes coming to his rescue, especially since they seemed to know what they were doing, but he'd hoped he could at least add something to the fight. Being a damsel isn't really my thing! The only lady in the fight didn't seem interested in being helpless either - and much to Riley's annoyance, was turning out to be an excellent shot! She squeezed off another burst of automatic weapons fire at Hyperactive - this was another narrow miss but the bullets this time struck a steel pipe by his face, throwing a wave of sparks against his skin that sparked and bit. Bad luck in that fraction of a second could have left him blind!
Kolohehonu Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 Focus Hyperactive, you need to focus and stay alive. This was not going well, he might be fast enough to dodge the average thug, and even plenty of metahumans, but this woman was fast. He needed an opening. When he saw a crack, he learned the best way to deal with it was to keep hitting it hard. So he went for the dazed spotter, they could deal with the other one when he was down. As he charged past he took a flying sidekick to try and throw him off the building. As as he landed from the leaping kick he turned and bolted up a taller building to give himself a better vantage point over his targets. His nerves were firing and he needed to gather himself.
Removed. Posted February 28, 2017 Posted February 28, 2017 This isn't going as well as Mannequin hoped. For the most part only he has actually done anything against the criminals. The speedster kept almost getting shot and running around like a mad man and the archer cant aim. Oh well Mannequin thought it looks like it comes down to him to stop them. The sniper still seemed like a worse target to go for and now that the spotter was injured in the leg it would be much easier to just keep focusing on them. So with that Mannequin launched another telescoping blade out hoping to strike the spotter's hands further crippling them.
Avenger Assembled Posted March 2, 2017 Author Posted March 2, 2017 As the spotter dodged Mannequin's attack, Woodsman popped out of cover to fire off a bolt at the injured man, the sizzling bolt flashing out and away over the street below as it whizzed past the man's head. Riley did not speak in anger in the middle of a fight but he indulged in some cursing inside his head as he dropped back into cover, snapping open his weapon to switch out the bolts in the magazine of the auto-firing crossbow. What the hell do I need, a bolt with a damn radar on the head and rocket on the end? Meanwhile, the sniper still hadn't let up in her efforts to target Hyperactive, chasing him up the side of the building with another spray of bullets. She paused, ducking down behind the railing at the end of the building - and when she came back up, she had a grenade fitted to the high-tech rifle she carried! Before the others could shout a warning, she fired, deliberately missing the speedster by shooting ahead of him. Used to dodging bullets, Hyperactive stepped the wrong way - and was blown off the side of the building by an explosion that immediately deafened him. No longer in contact with a surface, he fell, hitting the roof of a van below with a sickening crunch. The two assassins spoke for the first time now, or rather the spotter did as he limped to the edge of the roof and grabbed hold of a grapple line already attached there. "Ah, geez, he landed on the car!" And with that, he slid below.
Removed. Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 Even though Mannequin has only been doing the whole superhero gig for a short time he is starting to come to the conclusion that his allies were not the best around. On the bright side the speedster inadvertently landed and probably crushed the getaway car. This needs to end quickly before the speedster gets shot and dies. With that Mannequin contracted his chains and went into a crouch and leaped towards the spotter with great speed limbs flailing as he soared through the air hoping to land another cut into the spotter's leg.
Avenger Assembled Posted March 8, 2017 Author Posted March 8, 2017 The slash sent the man to one knee, knocking him down but not out of the fight. "You stupid bastards," he hissed at Mannequin and the still-dazed Hyperactive. "Who do you think you're messing with? We're gonna send you back to the Freedom League in pieces!" Up on the roof, Woodsman took another shot at the armored sniper as she prepared to descend to the street level below, the bolt lodging at a seam in the armor over the shoulder. He heard her curse, and then, "What is this, itching powder, kid? Call me when you have something that can actually break my skin, maybe then they'll let you at the big boy table." She squeezed another burst of ammunition from her assault rifle, this time in Mannequin's direction, and ran for the cover Woodsman had taken after firing in her direction. Holstering the rifle on her back, she pulled out instead a sword! "Let's see how you fight one-on-one, boy!"
Kolohehonu Posted March 14, 2017 Posted March 14, 2017 Hyperactive took a deep breath. Ok he had been in tighter spots. He roiled back onto his hands and up onto his feet. He could take the hits as long as the others could get these guys down. "Oh you think the League sent us?" He took a round house kick at the spotter. "Let me tell you, the league didn't send us." He took a back hook kick at the spotter's head. He was in rough straits but he was a speedster, they didn't let that stop them from smack talking. "Nah, we're with the Waco Warriors, and we weren't even here for you!" Come on Mannequin put this clown down!
Removed. Posted March 14, 2017 Posted March 14, 2017 Even though Hyperactive seemed to be terrible at being a hero Mannequin could still admire the bravado after just taking a big hit. Mannequin had a tough choice in front of him; he could keep attacking the Spotter and help Hyperactive or he could go off and help the Archer from clearly the more dangerous of the 2 assassins. In the end Mannequin decided that the Archer could probable manage long enough for help to arrive and so with that Mannequin sprung into action aiming to cut at the Spotter's hand to further cripple them.
Avenger Assembled Posted March 15, 2017 Author Posted March 15, 2017 A lot of teenage heroes, stung by the taunting, would have stayed there and tried to get into a fist-fight, or maybe a hatchet-on-really-big-sword fight with the Sniper. But Woodsman wasn't like other teenage heroes - not only had he heard much worse from his fellow students at Claremont, he'd also seen the horrific consequences of people whose discipline failed them in a battle. And this is a real battle- Jesus Christ, those aren't rubber bullets! He rolled fast and came up with his crossbow, deciding that discretion was the better part of valor as he ran right past his surprised antagonist. A grapple line fired into the ground below gave him a way down - and with his hands on both ends of his hatchet, he slid downwards to ground-level where he rolled behind the damaged getaway car and promptly (as far as anyone could tell) disappeared. The sniper joined him a moment later, looking around in bafflement for a split-second before joining the fight, Spurning her sword, she made a one-handed grab for Hyperactive that almost got the speedster, the armored woman showing an uncanny (but not quite uncanny enough) ability to anticipate his movements even at super-speed. "You're already hurt, Texas, and we're going to hurt you a whole lot worse once we catch you." Her sidekick went in for the attack too, his extendable staff (which he'd kept despite the swipe his way from Mannequin) snapping out at the ready but not quite making contact. "You really want me to break your kneecaps because of something that _never happened_?"
Kolohehonu Posted March 15, 2017 Posted March 15, 2017 "When you catch me?" Hyperactive laughed. It had been a long time since he hadn't been "it" in a game of tag. He ran, this was no longer a fight, this was a race. "'Preciate the concern for my well being, but to break me you need to catch me. And as you're professionals, I'm sure you know I can't let you just leave." Hyperactive kept running around, he was going to stay out of anyone's reach and hopefully he was leaving a mess of illusory images to confuse and baffle these foes.
Removed. Posted March 16, 2017 Posted March 16, 2017 All this banter, it made no sense to Mannequin. Why in the world would someone spout on about how they will beat them up and exactly how they are going to do so instead of just doing it? It just made no sense and gives the opponent more time to react than anything. Regardless it appears that the Archer is safe for now and the Speedster is trying his best to not stand there. This seemed like a perfect time to strike again at the Spotter's hands with a well placed blade.
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