SSR: Truth, Justice and the Neo-English Way!

[Artificial Idiot]

Mission Log Entry: 569

Location: CKW Enterprises Office Building: Inner City, Stalwalk Lane. Lutonoplis

Time: 01:57 hours

Date: 16/8/99

Weather Conditions: Light rain, heavy winds.

Thought for the Day: Life is as sweet as it is fulfilling.

Any second now. Any second now and my target should be coming down the street in a black, unmarked car. Tinted windows as standard. His name is Rickie Fox, or as half the sleeze bags in Lutonpolis call him "Ripper Fox". He won't be doing much more ripping when I'm though with him.

I shift my position, preparing for the kickback. I sacrifice just a little comfort, but keep myself from being rigid, least I disrupt blood flow. As the time fast approaches, I thank the heavens for the muscle stimulants I took before this outing. Just enough to stop me from tensing up.

My sensors tell me that rainfall has increased slightly, and that the wind is following against me. I adjust my targeting systems to reflect these slight weather changes. The car pulls up at the CKW Enterprises building. Ripper is going there to receive some under the table money, money my client doesn't want him to have. Money he isn't going to get either.

My inbuilt targeting scope zooms in on the door, I plan to shoot the poor sod before he even makes it out of his car. Hopefully he'll fall forward. Hopefully.

Everything stops for a few moments as I send myself into a deep concentration. The door swings open, the gun becomes heavy in my hands. A sniper rifle, built it myself, just like all my babies. An assistant climbs out first, I ignore her completely. And then, I pick up a gleam in my scope, light reflecting off a surface. A bald Patch. Ripper's head. I allow him to come just a few inches closer. He bows his head slightly to avoid hitting his head. The trigger could have pulled it's self.

*BANG!*

My gun, of course, is silent. The weather, on the other hand, either has a very strange sense of humour or an impeccable sense of drama.

The following events seem to flash before my eyes. Ripper's limp body falls from the car, face down, straight into a puddle. A very fitting end. Assistants, office workers, members of the public, all gather around to admire my handy work. And what work it is, one hole, straight in the forehead. Mission accomplished.

"I do hope they dress you in black for your funeral, Ripper. It makes you look so much slimmer." I sneer as I leave. I'm not a hateful man, far from it. But Ripper was just a very reluctant employer. Quick on the objective, painfully slow on the reward.

I make my exit. Sliding down the side of the damp, slanted roof, feeling every ripple on the way down. I land in a nearby skip, planned, I assure you. The motorcycle I parked near by is still intact, so I start it and hope for a smooth getaway.

This hope seems to have been fulfilled, until I reached the Lutonoplis Inter-link suspension Bridge. .Not doing an ungodly speed, but I don't wish to attract attention. But then, suddenly, the bike just cuts out. As if by magic. Seems the battery has just suddenly dropped dead. I looked up, and suddenly understood why.

"Been looking all over the place for you." The man seemed to be unending black. As if he was built to be a giant conductor. I could see a trail of electricity connecting the figure and my own bike. A super human, no doubt. "Your little killing spree hasn't gone unnoticed, and I'd like to end it right here. So please, just don't run."

Mission Status: Temporary set-back.

* * *

hehehehehehehe!

The sound of mischievous laughter rang tough "Timbert & Sons Quality Radio Repair shop". Sat at a work bench, working away on a radio, sits Loki. The proverbial master of mischief... maybe. He didn't have an official title, title's were probably too boring for him.

He placed the last piece into the back of the radio, and then screwed the cover back on. It looked the same as it did before, which was a rarity for his mad inventions, however, that was all part of the prank.

"Lo and behold, my dear Yorick! For today, we stand on the brink of unparalleled victory... or a smoking crater!" Loki swiftly tapped his stick of mighty hurting on and oblong device balancing just on the side of the desk. The device flipped up into the air and landed in his free hand.

He flipped the device over in his hand, it was much like a modern day television control, however, it only had one button. It was big, red and it said "ON". Loki rested his stick against the side of the workbench, struck a dramatic pose, and then pushed the button in with a single finger.

Every single radio in the room clicked on in unison. There was some momentary static and then...

"What is 'Pourquoi'? Do or not do? I would I had bestowed that time in the tongues that I have in fencing, dancing and bear-baiting: O, had I but followed...."

A grin of pure delight crossed Loki's face, as every single radio in the room recited Twelfth Night in perfect unison. All of them tuned to the Classic Literature channel, all the time and with Loki the only one to control them.

"Oh my, Yorick. It seems I have forgotten to add an off button! How foolish of me!"

Suddenly, the radio's were drown out by the ringing of an alarm bell. Loki's head shot in the direction of the window. He could see one generic goon, large man, ragged clothes, woollen bobble hat probably knitted by his mother, being chased by two policemen. One was overweight and had red hair, Irish no doubt, the other was the pretty unremarkable partner.

"Alas! Our victory is a short lived one!" He swiped his stick from the floor with one graceful movement and then pointed it towards the window. "Come, Yorick! Now we have educated the masses, we must educate the minority!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the gentle suburbs of Lutonoplis. Just inbetween the working but slightly well off and the insanely expensive mansions of the rich and eccentric, there was a middle ground. People who were rich enough not to have to work, but not rich enough to fund multinational, enterprising businesses.

Here, lived Rinoa Chasey. Who was currently relaxing on her sofa, doing very little really. TV, she was one of the few who had one, was dreadfully boring, the radio wasn't much better either and as for books... she'd simply run out. So it was laze the day away while listening to the wind rustle the branches outside

Until a knock came at her door. Typical. She was just getting comfortable as well. She tried to ignore it, but whoever it was, was becoming increasingly persistent.

"Yes, hello!" She said after unbolting and throwing open the door. "Oh... good evening.... officer."

In the doorway, stood a stout, proud man. He had one eye missing, a perfectly trimmed moustache that twisted at the edges and a blue beret with a silver badge. The blue and grey uniform confirmed it, Wescorp security Corps. He was backed up by five, large men in blue boiler suits, all with toolboxes.

"Good Afternoon, Miss Chasey. My name is Commander Serge O'Brian, Wescorp security corps. We had reports of major structural damage on this floor and would like to inspect your home. I imagine that won't be a problem?"

"Not at all commander..." She says as she leads him though into the living room. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes, be a dear and put the kettle on. Real thirsty work for the lads, and all that."

* * *

"Can I help you?" Said a young girl as the woman entered the restaurant. The woman was young, early twenties at least, fiery red hair, thick framed glasses. She had an air of authority about her.

"My name is Miss Barnett, may I speak with the owner of this establishment?" She asked.

"Sure, I'll get him." The girl wandered off. Barnett signaled to the five goons that were waiting for her outside to enter, things got very violent, very quickly in this business, it was good to have protection.

She saw the girl walk up to a rather attractive man sporting a ponytail. He waved her over, she nodded for the goons to move.

"Yes, hello. What may I do for you Miss... Barnett is it?"

"Abigail Barnett, Wescorp food inspection agency." She flashed her ID at him. "I would like to inspect your premises, make sure they are up to the standards we expect, Mr...?"

"Smith." He shook her hand over the bar, she couldn't fail to notice that he had a very powerful grip.

"I'd advise you to Co-operate, Mr. Smith. I'd hate to bring the authorities into this, you understand."

* * *

And so, I think we can ALL say a big congratulations to the worlds favourite Business Icon, Wesley Dean. Today he announced his engagement to long time lover, actress Kathy LeMonte. Both said they were very happy, but had no date set for the wed..."

*CLICK*

Steven Hoffman flicked off the radio. There had been a knock on the door a few seconds ago. He reached out for the visitors mind with his psychic abilities. A young girl, blonde haired... probably no harm. He got up from his favourite chair, and moved towards the door.

"Hello, miss is there anything I can..." The words dropped off mid-sentence. He'd never seen so much pink in his life.

She was wearing one of those new fangled, mini-skirts. Bubble gun pink too, nice. Along with that, she was wearing a matching pink top, pink and white striped stockings and high heels... In pink. Other then that, she had a really cute mole on her right cheek and her eyes were astonishing.

"Hello, My car has broke down... Do you, think you could help me, sir?" She pleaded.

* * *

Meanwhile, at British Institute for Impressionable Youngsters Jacob Huang was taking a class in Social Studies. A subject designed to be the bane of his life. Not that it was hard, but because of the fact it was a class dedicated to making children overly paranoid about Communists and Super Humans.

"And so, you see what these super heroes did? Not only did an innocent man get killed, but four poor, defenceless animals were destroyed and not to mention the prop...." The teachers mindless droning was interrupted by the door swinging open dramatically, almost coming off it's hinges. "Yes, can I he... oh my!"

A petite woman in a silver leotard with flashing hair walked in. She was carrying the strangest equipment Jacob had ever seen. The classroom went wild of course, with "cool", "Far out" and "groovy" echoing all over the place, not to mention the wolf whistles from the more mature minded (male) students.

"First off lady, your talking about the son of a convicted criminal there. And second, we weren't talking about puppies here, they had acid for blood!" The woman dipped into a pouch on her belt and pulled out some money. She placed it in the teachers quivering hand. "Now, why don't you go off and take a lunch break?"

Once the teacher had gone, the figure faced the students with something that looked like a guitar caressed in her arms. She smiled wickedly and then asked them a simple question...

"Are you ready... " She smiled enigmatically. " ...to ROCK?"

She strummed the guitar just once, but it caused sound waves to ripple all though the rooms. Row by row, student by student, they all burst out into violent nose bleeds. Probably had headaches too, looking at some of them. All of them, except Jacob that is.

He's the kid. Thought Equaliser as she examined the room.

* * *

"And here, is the Egyptology section. Where, tomorrow, for a limited time only begins a rare exhibition. A rare gem dating back to ancient Egypt will be on display for one week only..."

And don't I know it Thought Charge. This jewel was a hot topic all over Lutonoplis, didn't help that a certain "Knuckles" Creed was donating it. The rival mobs and gangs would be plain mad to miss a big score like this... in fact, Charge would bet there would be several attempts during the next week. The museum must have been stark raving insane to take it!

But still, a mission was a mission. A Charge's was to check out the place before it got here tomorrow. Everything seemed average really, security wise. However, there were a lot of places to hide, and that really bugged him. Could easily set up an am...

"help me, help me..."

It was a voice, ever so faint. A young child, a girl? But it was ever so faint, ever so soft...

help me, please help me...

There it was again. Charge's gaze involuntarily moved slowly upwards.

"The air vents?" He whispered. "No, surely not..."

[VO]

"Hmmph," said Riona. "How can you have a report of a fault in my room when I haven't filed one? Surely it would be smarter for you to check out wherever the problem was reported?"

The security officer winked at her patronisingly. "Don't worry your pretty head about it, lass. Man's work. You wouldn't understand, being a woman and all."

"Hmmph," she repeated, slightly more audibly this time, and sat down on the edge of the sofa, one leg atop the other. Two of the engineers knelt down and opened their toolboxes, WESCORP SECURITY FORCES emblazoned on the back of their boiler suits. The other three stood around looking out of place. O’Brien pulled a chair from under the table, and sat down on it. It creaked, obviously not having been designed to support a man of his girth. He began to twirl his moustache with one finger. Time dripped slowly and tensely.

“Erm,” ventured Riona, “shouldn’t you be doing something? After all, there’s four of you standing around doing nothing… I don’t exactly have all day for this, you know…”

[CKW]

Smith frowned. A woman, followed by several goons. Even thought most people had bodyguards these days, a massive amount would lead to something: She was a bigger fish than she was saying.

"Ok. Just tell your goons to knock off and relax a bit. My...sponsor knows how to keep troublemakers at bay."

He looked to the goons, once, as Kori was approaching them, to assist in whatever they needed. That girl catched the things quickly. His sight then again anchored in the Woman's face. His glare was so intense that even the disguise of the glasses felt like if it was uneffective, as if his eyes were drills, slowly sinking into her mind, digging out the truth.

"Will you be having something?" He kindly asked, while the paralyzing gaze of him was eating away the authority of the woman. He was so cold... so apathic... so... annoyingly calm... The cold stare of those who had killed before...

[Master Chris]

Loki threw himself out of the window, his Stick of Mighty Hurting in hand. A moment later he poked his head back in the window and grabbed a radio, still reciting Shakespeare.

"This could come in handy, don't you think Yorick? Hehehehehe..."

Then Loki was gone.

"That's just fantastic, that's what it is!"

The goon panted as he kept running, the police still behind him.

"Give up Patty! Ye canna keep it up much longer!"

He called over his shoulder at the red headed police officer before turning into a typically dark and secluded alleyway. A chainlink fence greeted the goon, who took it in his stride and leapt upon it, climbing up and over. The Policemen rounded the corner in time to see the goon drop over the side, turn, and jeer them.

"Har har! You boys got the huff and puff to blow this fence down, or can ye climb over?"

The goon turned around and jogged away while chuckling to himself. As he rounded a corner he heard a pop and crackle of static before a voice recited:

"A momentary break from the Twelfth Night for a word from our sponsors: Wescorp....Support Lutonoplis, and spend your money where the proceeds will continue to help our fair city thrive. Spend at any of Wescorps many commercial locations. Have a nice day, we know return you to..."

A different voice chimed in, though the source of the noise was the same:

"Shakespeare's Hamlet....Alas, poor Yorick...you've custard on your face!"

The goon shook his head, he had never taken to his education as a young lad but he was fairly sure Hamlet never mentioned custard. He located the source of the noise, a radio resting upon a garbage can.

"Odd..."

He walked forward, and stretched his arm out as if to turn the radio off. Suddenly, the radio squawked again:

"Hey tubby, don't you go and try to cancel Hamlet. These days people have no appreciation for the classics..."

The goon pulled his arm back, shocked that the radio had, as if by magic, singled him out. The voice spoke again, this time it came from behind him:

"Good sir, I must apologise, I don't want to do this but Yorick insists. You've made Yorick quite upset, and what Yorick wants, Yorick gets..."

Turning, the good spotted a strange fellow behind him. Wearing a skin tight suit composed of a multitude of colours liberally and randomly spashed about while a white mask disguised the man's face, Loki presented a skull to the surprised and confused goon.

"Maybe if you said you're really really sorry, Yorick won't be angry anymore..."

The goon regained his composure and lunged forward while growling:

"Freak! I'll teach ya a lesson!"

With great agility, Loki leapt straight up into the air and struck the goon as he passed underneath with his Stick of Mighty Hurting. The goon stumbled forward and embedded his head and torso into a pile of trash. Loki dropped back to the ground and proceeded to beat the goons rump with his staff a couple of times before a muffled voice pleaded with him:

"Please *cough*...I give...jus' hand me over to te coppers..."

Loki giggled a moment before agreeing:

"Yorick forgives you. Now, eat your vegetables in prison or you won't get any custard dessert."

Then he was gone. The policemen finally made their way to where the goon had surrendered and arrested him. As they walked the perpetrator away the radio squawked once more before continuing with the Classic Literature channel:

"Remember kiddies, Yorick and his sidekick, Loki, are watching you..."

[Blue Aurora]

Jacob, who was a quiet person, became even more quiet. Though his mouth was open, revealing his small, pearlly-white teeth, the words were lodged in his throat.

"Jacob Huang, I presume?" guessed the woman with the peculiar electric guitar.

The boy's mouth closed very S-L-O-W-L-Y then nodded.

Sonic Equalizer laughed in her head.

Children taught like this are so damn obedient, it's just too humorous for almost anyone to keep themselves from laughing. she thought.

"How did you know?" he spoke with a neutral American accent, but since he was a quiet person, it was only half-audible.

"I was given orders."

"Who gave you those orders?"

"Well...."

[Wesforce]

'Well you'll find out soon enough.' Said The Sonic Equaliser.

'We're going to go on a journey.' She said, one foot on a dumbstruck schoolboy's desk, his mouth agape in astonishment. Blood from his nose dribbled into it.

'We may go high, we may go low' Equalizer backflipped gracefully off the boy's desk and landed in a stylish fashion on the teacher's desk in a guitar crouch, aiming her Blastmaster mockingly at each of the schoolkids in sequence, knocking books hither and thither.

'The fates of you, you, you, you... Maybe you... Not you, pizza face, you... May be in the balance.'

She pressed a button on her equipment belt. All the kids bar Jacob slapped hands to their ears as a wave of overpressure had them all startled - But not so startled as they were when they saw the silver-clad woman had disappeared - and landed on Jacob's desk.

'Are you up for it?' Equalizer spotted a drooling, overweight ginger kid leaning over on his chair trying to look up past Tanya's fuzzy bootcovers.

'No peeking.' She winked, nudging his chair so he fell to the floor with a *clump* and an *ow* sound.

'Well...' Said Jacob.

'Too late!' Said Equalizer. 'We're going... TO LEAVE!'

Jacob was whisked up in her thin arms, and imagined she was going to do that disappearing trick again.

But instead they both walked calmly out the classroom's door, towards their destination.

[Artificial Idiot]

"Times are tough, Miss Chasey." O'brian said as he sipped his tea. "This little Underworld skirmish is putting a strain on everyone, best to have protection, don't you agree?"

"Surely it's confined to the slum areas..." Rinoa raised her eyebrows.

"Ha! Don't we all wish!" O'brian scoffed. "Most of the more, ah, influential criminal figures live here, Miss Chasey. But it's nothing to worry yourself about. Now, any chance of some biscuits?"

Rinoa bit her bottom lip and made her way to the kitchen. One of the Wescorp employees looked up at O'brian and nodded,O'brian stood up, striding over to the kitchen.

"I'm ever so sorry Miss Chasey, but you're going to have to leave."

"What?" She turned around quickly, which was a shame. O'brian was quite enjoying the rear view.

"The lady like expression is "Excuse me?" O'brian said calmly, she just "Hmmph". "Minor gas leak I'm afraid, it'll take a few hours to fix and we'd rather not have you in the way. Come, I'll escort your out."

"Minor gas leak?" She frowned.

"Yes, could become much more serious if not tended to as soon as possible. Now is as good a time as any, don't you agree?"

"I don't smell any gas." She scowled.

"Oh, stop nagging woman! Just come on!" O'brian shook his head and sighed. "women."

* * *

Miss Barnett shoved her thick framed glasses back up her nose. They'd warned her not to give him an inch, but it was pretty darn hard not to. She glanced over at one of the smaller goons, he looked at her sympathetically.

"No, thank you. And I'd rather keep my bodyguards, if you don't mind." He didn't quite frown at her, but he knew something was up. Not good.

"Suit yourself." He said calmly.

"Now, Mr Smith, do you have anywhere private where we can go over a few details before the inspection begins?"

"This way." Said Ray, noticing she had taken off her gloves as they were speaking. Curious.

Abigail was about to follow him, when she heard words that made her stop dead in her tracks.

"May I take your hat and coat, sir?" A girl said. The same girl who had greeted then on the way in. "Please, I insist."

Abigail watched in horror as the girl removed the man's hat, revealing a large piece of metal protruding out of the side of his head. Luckily, nobody would have known what it was, Nor would that have known it was actually embedded in his skull, influencing his thoughts and injecting mind-numbing chemicals directing into his brain.
But it was still enough to provoke collective gasps out of the customers and more then enough to get her into some deep, deep trouble.

"I can explain!" She stammered, her glasses slipping down her nose.

"Too late." Smith frowned. Things were about to get 'interesting'.

* * *

"You there! FREEZE!" Yelled yet another police officer as Loki turned the corner of an alleyway. It had been quite a fun night so far, there were dozens of people like this chasing him! They had helicopters, cars and bikes too! All for him!

Loki stood frozen in the classic Hamlet pose as the officer come closer.

"Don't move, Creep! I got you covered!" He grunted.

"Aww, you shouldn't have called Yorrick a creep... You hurt his feelings!" Loki's arms shot out, hitting the officer square between the eyes with the stick of mighty hurting. "You should apologize before he gets really mad."

"Ugh..." Groaned the officer, who then hit the floor, unconscious. Loki picked up a can of black spray paint that had been left by some local youths. He sprayed a moustache, monocle and for added effect, exaggerated his eyebrows, and then stood him up against a nearby trash can.
He'd have liked to do more, but he was running on a rather tight schedule at the moment. So many people were upsetting Yorrick tonight, and there were only so many he could divide his time between. He skipped joyfully out of the alleyway, giggling gleefully to himself.

"Don't move!" Another plain, boring line, only this time it came from above. It was from a megaphone from a helicopter hovering above Loki's position. A mobile spotlight shone down on him from above, he could make out the Wescorp symbol on the side of it. "You are under arrest, You are advised to come quietly, failure to comply will result in force being used."

Loki could hear sirens nearby and glimpse headlights in the distance. It looked like more guests were coming to join the party!

[CKW]

"oh..." Kori said. Her voice was trembling so did her hand, and she even bolted back. Her face had went pale.Unlike her master, she hadn't cold blood. The exact opposite of Smith, wich just raised an eyebrown. He wasn't shocked at all. In fact... he was amused at the weird discovery.

Guys with steel thingies in their heads... wow. They must have a really good surgeon. He wondered for a brief moment, before redirecting his penetrating sight back on the now slightly altered woman. She had bolted upon this discovery, dropping the calm temper she seemed to have. Excellent. That was the confirmation his mental grip was working. It was obvious that a phisical threat wouldn't do the trick for her, so he had chosen the psychical one. He just needed to tighten his grasp... and then she would tell him everything.

"Okay... Well, you have to options. Explain me who sent you and with wich purpose, or invent a pathetic excuse for your goons having steel devices in his head, in wich case i'll doubt about your pacific intentions. Your choice."

[Nyerguds]

"Please, help me..."

Charge frowned. He somehow had the feeling he was hearing the voice from only one side of a pair of headphones, but not really like that. Something was missing about it. As if... not all of his mind received the message, but he still heard it anyway. But it was just a feeling of something being wrong... not enough to trigger a conscious thought.

He looked at the vent. There was indeed something moving behind it.

"Is there anyone in here?" he whispered into it.
"Yeah... can you get me out?" he heard the girl's voice again.
"How on earth did you get in there?" he asked, while removing the clips holding the grill in place.
When he put down the grill, he saw a little girl, in ragged grey clothing, and covered with dust.
He took her out of the vent and put her on the floor.
"Tssk, what a mess. Now, how did you get in there?"

[Tolio]

"Yes miss, what do you need?" Steven asked.
"Well if you can fix a broken engine that'd be wonderful," she replied with a crisp, white smile.
"I could give it a try. Where is your car located?"
"Its just a block away from here, no one near there is home."
"Okay, well if you could wait just a second I can get my toolkit and start working on it."
"Alright."
"But for now you make yourself at home." He gestured to the sofa in the family room.

She sat down on the beige sofa, and he walked down the hallway to his garage. He opened the old screen door to his garage, and he flicked the light switch. The lights dimmed, but finally turned a solid glow. He walked to his shelf of old equipment, in which he never used at all.

Here is where Mechanics class comes in handy, he thought.

He ruffled through dust covered paint cans.
"Ought to be somewhere around here," he said to himself.
He reached back behind the cans and felt a sudden pain.
"Ow!" He pulled his hand back, and a blur caught his eye: he had been bitten by a cat who was in the garage. "I don't remember having a cat." He cursed around started looking for the tool kit again. He found it, blew off the ants on it, and walked back into the house.

[Artificial Idiot]

"Listen, Mr. Smith. All my papers are in order, I don't think it's your concern what kind safety precautions I take. Now if you don't mind..."

"I'm sorry, wrong answer." Said Smith. Miss Barnett backed away. Things were just getting worse... looks like this would have to end in violence. The thinnest guard looked at her again, and nodded gravely in agreement.

Smith approached, making attempting to grab her hair and maybe torture the truth out of her? She'd never know. One of her specially designed Wesbot's leapt into action, quicker then anything it's fist slammed into Smith's face.

And again, this punch sending him reeling across the floor. He landed against a wall, the wesbot charging towards him. Smith quickly dodged, leaving wesbot 1 to slam into the wall. But before he could regain his composure, another wesbot had picked up a nearby table and propelled it towards him.

All Smith could do was gaze at the oncoming object. He was a smart man, he knew he couldn't dodge, so he just adjusted his body to take as little damage as possible. That would have worked too, had wesbot 1 not made a quick recovery and grabbed the table in mid air and smashed it in two on Smith's back.

The four wesbots moved into a formation, circling the man as his climbed up from the splinters. Miss Barnett backed away, her supervisor in this mission, the thin "guard", took her by the hand.

"It's ok, Dr. Barnett." He said calmly. "He'll come along nicely once the wesbots soften him up."

* * *

"Little girl? Are you ok?" Asks Charge after a few minutes. She hadn't even opened her eyes since he removed her from the vents. "Hello, little girl? Are yo.... ARGH!!!"

The girl's eyes shot open, as if she had awoken from a deep trance. They had no pupils, no irises, just glowing yellow eyes that burrowed deep into his skull. Into his very brain. He could feel her, probing into his mind, draining his memories away as if she were a thirsty customer Wescoke drinking fountain.

But then, the Charge part of his mind revolted. He felt the electrical energy leave his body, it was beyond his control. The next thing he heard was a blood curdling scream leaving the girl's lips, it chilled him to the bone. Not again! He opened his eyes... she was gone. No ash, no residue... she left by other means, but Charge was sure he had hurt her. Or at least, she hadn't got what she wanted.

He decided he had sufficient information about the museum, and besides, somebody was on to him. Somebody knew what they were planning. He should report back to Wescorp right away.

* * *

Steven walked up to the girl, she was touching up her make up. She closed her pocket mirror shut as he approached. He caught an odd symbol on the side of it, and even tried looking through her eyes to see what it was, but it was in her pink handbag before he had a chance.

"Could you s-show me... the car?" He said. All of the sudden, he was feeling ever so dizzy. He rubbed the cat bite absent mindedly.

"Are you alight?" The girl asked, taking his hand, trying to stablise him. "You don't look so gnarly, man."

"I'm fine." He insisted, lied. His head was slowly starting to spin, but he tried to hide it as best as he possibly could as the girl led him to the car. No surprises here, it was a bubblegum pink mini-cooper with a United Jack on the roof. Very cute, suitable for a very cute girl like her.

"HEY BABE!" Yelled a jerk in a passing car. It came to a halt on the curb near her mini. "How about ditching the grandpa and gettin' it on with me and the boys! We show you a groovy time, ya dig?"

"heh, heh, heh, heh, heh." Muttered the other men in the car. He looked through their eyes, four of them... chain, bottle, baseball bat... the leader might have had a knife. Could mean trouble.

[CKW]

His nerves where whirring with the pain, his synapses, pumped up on adrenaling, rushed to transmit all the info of the four men surrounding him.
They have discovered me. It's no use to stay low. You want a fight? You got one, metal heads...

He stood up, once again. The four goons closed the circle, every of them ready to administer a volley of punchs over his objective. Ray showed his more cold glare. The cold glare that the Yakuza witnessed before perishing.

Kori cowered under a table. She recognized that glare... And that was nothing good.

Just as the first fist attempted to land on his face, Ray's hand was holding the fist with the grace only a martial artist was capable of. Before the goon ever tried to freed, the other hand of crimson seized his arm, and spinned the whole length of the limb to his right, blocking a fist from the other metal head. A disturbing bone snap was heard upon the impact, and the man he was seizing twitched.
Must be its expression of pain....UGH!

Two fists remained unblocked, yet the sudden maneuver had displaced the target and thus they weren't accurate. One of it bounced across his right cheek, giving him the burning sensation of a slap shock. The other had landed on his left shoulder, and it hurted.

Raging with the shoulder pain, and still using the body of the goon as sledgehammer, he managed to connect the metal part of his head against the nose of the wesbot that had punched him. Blood sprouted from him, and the man was thrown to the ground. Having no further interest on the seized man, Crimson decided to throw it across the counter, towards the exit, flying, inches away from the annoying woman.

As soon as the goon had rolled away, he had received another two punches in his stomach and right side- from the other two wesbots that were still on foot, that drove him to the ground, blood spat included. Yet the battle was far from finished. Quivering in pain, Crimson managed to connect a trip kick, spinning around himself, that disestabilized the two men, giving him time enough to arise again in a feline leap. The retaliation did not take long,as the two remaining henchmen -the other two were not in combat, one being unconscius, with a broken nose, and the other crawling after a harsh landing from his little air trip across the air, with a damaged arm.

Barret, meanwhile, was shaking like a leave with the nervousism. They thought they had him, but then he was retaliating effectively the henchmen. The other guy- wich Ray assumed as the boss- stared blankly. Probably thinking what to do next.

Two were easier to fight than four, and as they, in a vain attempt, tried a rude yet effective martial kick style, Smith had jumped out of his sight. They looked at eachother, then up, in the ceiling, where Crimson was clinging on a lamp. His legs seized one of the wesbots, and again with the elegant agility of a seasoned martial artist, pushed his hands into the ground, using them to stand upright when its legs described an arc across his head.... with the goon inbetween. It landed with a loud *clank*, the metallic part of his head touched the ground with violence. After twitching for a while, it stood numb.

The fourth Henchman adopted a fighting pose, in a vain attemp to match the menace, but a left hook to his stomach laid him down. Crimson breathed in relief, as he turned his sight,spat some blood, and walked towards the two people -the henchmen boss and the woman- with a secure air, if limping by the injuries, and laying his hand in the right side of the chest, probably because of a broken rib.

"Nothing personal, mr Smith". The henchman pushed out a gun, and fired.
Ray felt a sting in its chest. By the time he realized it was a tranquilizer dart, he passed out.

[Artificial Idiot]

"Dear me. Dear, dear me. What a mess." Maverick said, letting the gun slip from his hands. He crushed it under his metallic foot. He wished they'd have let him take this "Mr. Smith" without it, but he was to be undamaged.

"Four Wesbots..." Dr. Barnett whispered. "Four of them...."

"They'll live." Said Maverick.

"You don't sound very impressed, Marv." She said with a raised eyebrow.

"It's all uphill from here, Doctor." He said calmly, as he adjusted his radio transmitter to Wescorp channels. "This is agent Maverick, reporting on subject RAY SMITH. Has been found and subdued, four men down. Myself and Dr. Barnett are unharmed."

Maverick spotting something prowling under the table, enhanced his vision. A small girl, 13-15 years of age, with a stick. Broken table leg. Trying to catch them off guard.

"Look right." He whispered to the Doctor as the girl pounced. Now, Dr. Barnett wasn't what you'd call physically adept. Which is why Maverick was all the more impressed when she managed to pluck her out of mid-air.

"Lights out, small-fry!" She quipped, before dousing her with her own special brand of sleeping gas. No tranq-dart required. "Hey, I'm going to get myself some coffee and ice cream, can you handle it from here?"

"Sure." He says. "See you back at HQ, Doctor."

"Oh, before you go, what do we do with the pip-squeak?" She asked, sorting her spare change to order from a very intimidated and nervous looking waitress.

"Leave her, she's useless to us." Maverick picked up the unconscious form of Mr. Smith and headed for the door.

"Later, Marv!" Called the Doctor.

Maverick turned his head, the glow in his eyes much more radiant. He nodded his head in recognition.

"Later."

[Tolio]

Realizing the gang of men in the car were not going to move, Steven walked to the Mini-Cooper. The girl followed, but eyed the men closely.
What is going on? Steven thought. Surely the won't have trouble...
He got to the car, set down his tools, and popped open the trunk.
"Baby, c'mon! We's goin' to get drinks!! C'Mon, ditch the old fart!" The leader was not going to give up, Steven observed. He also saw that the girl was blushing, while trying to look away.
He twirked some things, but the car made a rattling sound, and smoke started to collect. He had never worked under the eyes of another, under pressure, as the 'gang' and the woman looked on. Finally, the car started up.
"Thank you," the woman said.
"You're welcome." Suddenly, he felt a odd feeling. He used his powers and looked through the leader's eyes. The leader was holding a gun, and had just loaded it.
Steven dove into the grass nearby, as a bullet went into an area his head would have been. A gang member suddenly jumped out and grabbed the woman, and pulled her inside. The leader shot out the wheels of the mini-cooper, and sped away.
Steve got up. He brushed his head with the back of his hand.
"Will the Thunderbird catch up with them?" He asked himself. "Heck yes." He ran towards his house, burst into his garage, and started up his car. The Thunderbird '55 would surely catch up with it. He had gotten a sweet car deal the previous year, and this was the car's hour to shine. He opened the garage door, and sped off down the road.

[Wesforce]

Sonic Equaliser shephereded the youngster along, casually displacing from neo-gothic rooftop to neo-gothic rooftop, making their way switfly across town, silhouetted against the orange of the sky and blissfully unaware of the small epidemic of nosebleeds in the streets below.

'So where are we going?' Asked the boy.

*FZZZOB*

'I told you... You'll find out soon enough. You'll like it! Alley-oop!' *FZZOB*

Equalizer was impressed with how calmly the kid was handling all this. She was about to put the question to him before calculating another Displacementn when he raised his hand to the sky.

'Are those WesChoppers coming with us?'

'No, of course not you little scamp. Why's that?'

'They seem to be following us.'

'Oh?' Equalizer turned round. Two Weschoppers - One gunship and one troop-carrier.'

'Oh' she said. The Weschoppers had clearly spotted her and were angling in...

[Tolio]

The Thunderbird roared as it sped off after the gang.

Just like in the silent films: a car chase, thought Steve.

Steve swerved onto the intersection, behind the gang's car. He had observed it as a United Jack Taro '52. The intersection poured onto the highway, which was 4 lanes wide. Traffic was mild, but hard enough to keep up with the Taro. The Taro was 30 meters infront of him.

That truck is carrying a ramp... Steve thought. Heck, why not.

He went behind the truck, sped up and drove off the ramp. He was suddenly gliding through the air. He was gaining on the Taro.

Let's hope I got this right.

A gang member looked out the window, then looked up. The Thunderbird was going to fall on the Taro! "What the-" But it was too late: the 'Bird hit the rear of the Taro, spinning it insanely. The fender crumpled against the cement after it hit the gang's car, and came to a halt.

"The end of the line." He said to himself. he stepped out of his car. The Taro had spun and hit an 18-wheeler, which came to a complete stop. The girl got out of the passengers seat. No one seemed to pull her back in.

[VO]

"Nagging?!" Riona felt anger rise within her, grabbed it with a wash of self-control, and bundled it up for use later. The word came out half-strangled, and she managed to make it sound like a cough. Nagging! She should do something about this - whatever was happening, she had been mortally offended and nothing would stand in her way.

"Mr O'Brien," she began, picking out each word's with a surgeon's prescision. "I can't smell any gas here, and don't believe that you, or any of your men can either. I haven't heard of any 'major structural damage', and doubt you have either." She paused, dragging in breath for another tirade and O'Brien nodded sagely, as if he didn't care what she was saying. The cheek!

"So, Mr. O'Brien, I demand that you and your men leave my apartment right now. I expect a full written apology from your superior tomorrow morning or I will file a complaint that will no doubt result in both you and your associates losing this farce you call a job! Goodbye."

Nothing moved. The workmen continued to rummage in their toolkits. O'Brien put down his cup of tea.

"There was an easy way to do this, Miss Chasey, but it appears that that time is long past. Despite your protest the only one leaving is going to be you?"

"WHAT? You can't order me around! I'll - I'll call security!" Riona grabbed the expensive telephone from it's mount on the kitchen wall.

"I'm afraid they're cut, Miss Chasey. They have been ever since we entered but I'm going to ask you one last time to leave peacefull without causing an incident. You'd hate that, wouldn't you - your going to have to stop this double life you're living, Miss Chasey, and compliance with me is probably your best option as of now."

"Double life?" Riona spat out the words, almost as much with scorn as shock. "Are you implying I'm some kind of masked vigilante out of normal working hours or something? Allegations! I won't have this! - I'll see that you and all of your men lose your jobs!"

O'Brien nodded again. "Very well, Miss Chasey, do it your way." he stepped out of the way so she didn't have to push past him to get out of the kitchen, which she did without a backwards glance, and stepped directly into the barrels of the armed stun-guns each of the Wescorp goons had assembled from the components inside their toolkits.

[Artificial Idiot]

"Agent Sonic Equaliser, this is Wescorp security corps. Deliver the boy directly to us. That is an order!"

"Don't they trust me with anything, do they?" Equaliser made one last running jump between a small space between two apartment blocks. She flipped gracefully in the air, and then landed in a crouched position, Jacob still safely in her arms. "End of the road, I'm afraid kid."

She rose dramatically, until both her and Jacob were silhouetted against the full moon, hair flowing gracefully in the wind. Equaliser looked down at the kid, sweeping her hair out of her face in one swift motion. She wrapped her arm around him just a little more tightly and said,

"Ok, so I lied, just one last ride."

*FZZZOB*

Seconds later, both Equaliser and Jacob were aboard the Wescorp chopper, staring a very surprised security operative in the face.

"The boy.... please?" He said, rather more unnerved then a few moments before.

"Hear ya go, boys. Not a mark on him, I swear." Equaliser guided the boy forward, and then opened the side door of the helicopter.

"M-miss! You can't go out that way!" The operative yelled frantically. Equaliser strided over to him and grabbed him by the shoulder. She wore a grin that could have melted the antarctic.

"Aww, you want to do the gentlemanly think and make sure it's ok for me to go out without a coat and umbrella? That is so sweet."

Equaliser threw him out the side door.

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!

*FZZZOB*

The first thing the man felt were two arms securely holding his chest. The second, his feet on cold, hard, tarmac. He fell to the floor as she let go. Expecting some witty one liner or catch phrase, so common of these "heroes" he lay with his head down. When one did not come, he lifted his head to catch a glimpse of furry boot covers. One blink, and they were gone.

"Mamma always said I should've been an accountant...." He muttered, before finally giving up the will to stay awake, and falling unconscious.

* * *

"Oh god! You saved me!" The girl yelled as she ran up to him.

"It was nothing, maam. Honest." Steven admitted, shyly.

"NOTHING? Are you kidding me! You're my hero!" He was about to reply, but was cut off by the girl taking him in her arms and kissing him.

"Well.... I.... I... f-feel rather... ugh..."

Steven fell to the floor. The combined chemicals from the cat bite and the kiss lulling him into unconsciousness. The girl observed the scene, without much shock, and then it seemed as if she had snapped out of some deep trance. Her eyes widened, her face went pale.

"Where... am.... oooh...." She swooned and fell backward. A small trickle of blood running down her chin. Just another sad victim of a tragic accident on the mean streets of the Lutonoplis slums.

The Wescorp chemical researchers would be proud of themselves.

* * *

Riona's eyes felt like lead weights as she tried to open them. It had all happened so fast. First the goons had pulled out guns... she remembered putting up a fight and she tore one of their shirts... it was hideous! Part man, part machine! She couldn't even begin to describe it! She may have fainted... although, it was a safer bet that they had subdued her by other means. As her neck was still sore from what might have been a pin-prick.

"Where am I?" She asked no one in particular. A young, red headed woman walked over to her, placed her hand on her forehead and smiled.

"You poor thing... they weren't too rough, were they?"

"You didn't answer my question." Riona said, calmly. Despite the circumstances, she had to stay calm.

"Wescorp Complex, underground levels. I can't say you'll like it here, but it'll grow on you."

"I'd very much like to..." Riona felt her right arm, there was a cold metal contraption wrapped around it. "What is this!"

"Safety precaution, it'll speed up your bloodrate to extremely high levels. In medical terms, it probably has a long winded explanation. But it'll basically overload your vital organs and kill you, I'm afraid."

"W-WHAT?" Riona yelled, sitting up. The doctor placed two hands on her shoulder.

"Calm down, you're still a bit shaky." She held out a hand for Riona to shake. "Dr. Barnett."

"Miss Chasey." Riona turned her head to the door to see a man standing in full Wescorp security uniform in the doorway. "Come with me please."

* * *

"Evening." Said Maverick as Equaliser walked in. He flicked another card into a nearby basket, targeting sensors off, of course. "Busy night."

"You know it." She quipped, slipping into a chair, legs over one arm, head over the other. "They got them all in yet."

"Rounded the last one up just half an hour ago. was a tricky one, ran the corps around for half the night. He thought it was all a game." Maverick paused to flick another card. "Eventually they got him with a blanket net. Wasn't pretty, he was just laughing and quoting classical literature when they got down to him."

"They are wheeling them in now." Said Charge, who was standing quietly by the soli-glass. It was a rather new invention from Wescorp, glass that looked like solid, white wall on one side, and plain glass on the other. "Two appear to be bound."

Maverick rose from his seat, standing next to Charge.

"One appears to be the person I brought in." Maverick observed, as Mr. Smith was brought in solid titanium handcuffs. "He was very violent... I imagine they don't want him hurting the employees."

"No kidding. Other one looks like the character they brought in earlier." Charge squinted. "Looks like he's enjoying it!"

"He is." Said Maverick.

"Kid there yet?" Said Equaliser, lying her head back until she was fully stretched out on the arms of the chair and her hair touched the floor.

"Yeah. He's coming in with the rest of the non-violent." Maverick observed. A rather mixed bunch to be certain.

"Enjoying the view, lady and gents?" Barked the grizzled voice of O'brian as he strode through the doorway.

"I don't know, are you?" Equaliser winked as she crossed her legs and swung them gently from side to side.

"We'll have less of that behaviour, agent Equaliser." O'brian cleared his throat. "I'm gonna let the recruits sweat it out a bit, let 'em get to know each other and the like. I trust you lot can behave yourselves until your needed?"

"So basically, you're leaving them in a big room alone, while we look on from above?" Charge raised an eyebrow. "That does not sound very wise."

"They'll be fine, get on like a house on fire. And besides, you're up here right? Little glass breaking, and bang! You're right on top of them."

"And here was me, thinking we were in for a grand old time with free entertainment provided by our ever so generous Wescorp masters..." Equaliser made an effort to sit up, but kept her legs dangling across one arm of the chair and her back rigid against the other. "But we're really just your little failsafe, in case the boys loose control?"

"Pretty much the size and shape of it. Any problems, Agent?" O'brian gave her an intense glare.

"Not at all, I rather enjoy being played like a fiddle from time to time."

"Good, then this should be a most plesent experiance for you." With that, he turned on his heel and walked out.

[VO]

this happens midway through ai's post as Nyer is a whiney git :p

Riona followed the Wescorp security man. She didn't have much of a choice. As she'd left the ward she had been in, she'd noticed the armed guards at each end of the corridor, security cameras in every available nook and cranny, and a complex card-based locking system on each door.

It wouldn't be easy just to disable the guy and run, but at least she knew that the bracelet on her upper arm wouldn't work. It had been an odd experiance, using her powers to alter something outside her body after almost a month since she'd last needed to make some money, but with the cold metal in contact with her skin a flood of nanomachines had made their way into the device, multiplying exponentially, and she was pretty sure that by now most of the electronics inside it wouldn't be functioning the way whoever had kidnapped her would expect. It was quite a nice feeling, actually, knowing that she could just reach out and snap it off whenever she wanted.

They made their way through corridor upon corridor - left and right turns into more sterilised halls, each of which looked identical to the others. She was pretty sure they even had mirrors on the back of half the doors she'd been through, as if they were trying to make the place look bigger - or just confuse anyone who wanted to get anywhere without permission.

She hardly saw anyone aside from security guards, each with his identical wescorp automatic weapon, darkened sunglasses and bar code. Occasionally a white-labcoated scientist would scurry past, like a mouse in this huge white warren.

Suddenly the corridor changed. It was still a clinical white, but now it curved around, instead of the angular grid she'd been in before. The majority of the doors were on the right hand side, away from the inside of the curve, which, judging by it's angle, would go on for quite a way before doubling back on itself in a half-circle. The guard stopped suddenly, and turned around.

"We're here, maam. Take the door on your left, please." Behind his dark glasses, his eyes examined her for the first time - he hadn't looked around for the whole trip here.

Riona curled her elegant fingers around the handle, and opened the door, pushing it gently out on it's hinges. In the still, pristine silence of the underground amphitheatre, it swung out slowly in the thick air, the dull thud as it bumped into the curved wall echoing outwards. The huge room was concrete floored, and, as she stepped forewards, she saw that it was utterly empty. Behind her, a quick hiss of air caught her attention, and she saw a pneumatic hinge swing the door back, locking with a click before she could reach it. She was trapped.

[CKW]

"Hmmm... Perfect..."

Crimson shut his eyes down, feeling the cold metallic wrap around his limbs, restricting his movements. Then one word came to his mind. Prisoner
He was being held captive, in a closed chamber, along with other people. He didn't pay much attention to the others, just enough to guess he wasn't the only one captive. His eyes closed, a relaxing state invaded him... he could feel the rythmical song of both his lungs and heartbeat. The percussion chorus sank him into the depths of his mind. Seeking the concentration. Analizing the current situation, all the environment, and all the possible solutions. After all, this wasn't as hard as it seemed. Probably a tight up situation, but nothing compared to some of his turbulent past.
His hand turned to the right, and Ray could feel something rattling. He had a second wrist device. Of unknown procedence. Too well placed to be useless,it could be either another kind of bind, like a position tracer, or to disable posible threats. He opened his eyes, and sought a wrist device in everyone of the others. So, others had that device... Interesting.

He shut his eyes again,seeking his inner self, while receiving the sensations from the titanium binds, analyzing them, and conceiving a way to fool such cuffs.

[Nyerguds]

Charge looked at the 'prisoners', and walked to the door.
"I've had enough of this show." he said. He opened the door, walked through and slammed it behind him.

In the room, Equalizer frowned. Charge was usually in complete control of himself.

He walked up to the door behind which the new recruits were put.
"Excuse me, Special Agent Charge..." the guard at the door said. "Commander O'Brian specifically ordered us not to let anyone-"
One cold stare from Charge silenced the guard. "buh.. I really can't..."
"Shoot me. I dare you." he said coldly, very well aware that all personnel here was warned about what would happen if Charge was to be injured or even knocked unconscious.

"Open the door." he said.
"...yes sir."
"And push me inside."
The guard frowned. "What?"
Charge smiled. "I'm just testing the water. Consider me undercover."
"I'm going to get into so much trouble for this..." the guard sighed. He typed the keycode, opened the door and pushed Charge inside.
Charge heard the door close behind him.

Right... Now let's see what we got here.

He looked around at the five other people, testing how they react on the newcomer.
They didn't seem too surprised... probably because there was already another guy with an odd costume in the room. He didn't know the man's name, but they had been given brief descriptions of all people. The costumed man must've been the one O'Brian had only referred to as a "scary freak". The man appeared to be quietly whispering to himself and frantically fiddling with his handcuffs.

Charge sighed, and sat down agaist the wall, making himself appear rather nervous. Next to him was a kid that seemed to be intensifying magnetic waves. Didn't take a mind reader to see what made him special.

Unlike some others in the room, the boy looked remarkable calm though.

That's the one Equalizer brought in. he thought. Thank goodness at least some of these people weren't just dragged out of their homes.

He looked at the rest, scanning them all for internal energies and their reaction to magnetic fields.

The woman standing in quiet protest at the other side of the room intrigued him the most... while with normal people he only caught a glimpse of the pulses going through their nerves, this woman's body was filled with tiny energy signatures that were totally alien to the human body, but seemed to be working in perfecly harmony with it.

He couldn't help but smile. Kinda like me, he thought.


He looked at the metal-reinforced boy sitting next to him. At least he'd had a pleasant trip until the Wesgoons took over.
"You got any idea what's going on here, kid?" he asked.

[Blue Aurora]

"No," answered Jacob, "I do not. I'm an ordinary teenager, how am I supposed to have anything to do with this?"

"I've read your profile, boy, you're not an 'ordinary teenager' as you describe yourself.

"What are you talking about?"

"Aren't you that kid the CIA recruited at some point and genetically altered?"

Jacob went mute, and after what seemed to be hours after that question, nodded.

"Let me guess..." he mumbled sheepishly "they're going to treat us like lab rats?"

[Nyerguds]

OOC: I'm going to ignore EVERYTHING after your first line, since you are TOTALLY ignoring the fact that Charge is UNDERCOVER (http://forums.cncden.com/showthread.php?p=98495#post98495). Stuff like "I've read your profile" is about the LAST thing he'd say there. He has no intention whatsoever to cross-examine anyone.

----------

"Well you're here, no?" Charge said. "And you seem to be intensifying my magnetic field, so you gotta have something metallic in you."
The boy frowned. "Who are you?"
"I'm an energy adept." Charge replied. "A superhuman, just like you. So logically I'd say all these people probably are. Guess Wescorp is collecting supes..."
The boy looked pretty frightened. "They're going to treat us like lab rats, aren't they?"
"Don't know..." Charge said. "But it seems rather stupid to put them all together in one room then."
"Yeah right. They warned me what they could do with these bracelets" Jacob said. "Hey... you don't have one!"

Seems I've forgotten something. Charge thought. Not that that was a problem.

Charge grinned. "I told you I'm an energy adept." he said. "I fried it."
He leaned back against the wall, playing with a bolt of lightning rolling over his fingers. "They got quite annoyed over that, too."
"You should be careful!" Jacob said. "They got super people working for them too!"
Charge looked at the door and sighed. "I know kid... that's how they got me here."

[Master Chris]

Loki was having none if this!

"Please, sir, can I have some more?"

There was a slight pause before Loki answered himself:

"More? You want more!?"

Still straining against his hand cuffs, Loki looked over at the other 'freaks' and blew a raspberry at them.

"Nyah Nyah, you're all locked up! Trapped like ratses and mouses!"

"But not me! With one final, mighty effort I shall rid myself of these restrictive bonds and make my way to sweet sweet freedom!"

Loki got onto his feet, took a deep breath, and heaved with all of his might!

Nothing.

"Well, I suppose I could just stay here awhile, just to be polite, mind you."

[Artificial Idiot]

Good evening, ladies and Gentlemen." O'brian addressed the crowd as he entered. "I apologize for the delay, however I see you have made yourselves suitably comfortable."

"Hey, O'Brian! Aren't these people traumatized enough already?" Snickered a man in a skintight black suit... my, my, Agent Charge. "The last thing they need to see is a face like yours!"


O'brian sneered.

"Don't like my face, hmm? I'll save you the trouble of looking at it." He made a gesture with his hands. "Take this man away!"

O'brian looked on as armed Wescorp troops dragged Charge out of the room. He didn't resist much. However, his pleasure was cut short when he realised they'd only dump him outside the door. Pity.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Commander Serge O'brian of Wescop Security Corps." He paced further into the room. "I'll explain everything to you, but I do not like interruption. So that is unadvisable."

"Then I'd better get this out of the way before you start..." Said Mr. Smith, allowing his shackles to fall to the floor and displaying his hands. It reminded O'brian of a dog doing a trick, and expecting a treat really. "No hands."

"Where did they find you? A circus?" He said, raising an eyebrow. Damned parlour tricks... "If that's all, I'll continue..."

"Basically, for those dim-wited one's among you who haven't realised, this is a Wescorp complex. You may have heard in the news of a certain government grant to form a team of Super Humans. Well, here you are."

He motioned his hand across the room. Some faces showed shock, some didn't move, one was still blowing raspberries at him. He'd have to mark that one down as a possible trouble-maker, right along Mr. Smith.

"Now, I know what your thinking. "Do I have a choice?". Well, you'll be relived to know, you do."

"And if we decide... not to agree to be part of this little team?" Somebody asked timidly.

"Ah, I never said that was the choice, did I? The choice is, you can stay here, and do your bit for Queen and Country. Or, you can be classed as an illegal Super Human and locked away in a maximum security prison for the rest of your life." He silenced the protests with a wave of his hand. "But there are certain benefits of this. You will be able to live your life, uninterrupted and be legal, upstanding citizens. You will also get a few other perks. For example, Wescorp has allowed me to offer all those who choose to stay on with a colour television...."

He paused to allow the excited mumbling to stop. Colour Televisions were rare these days... and bloody expensive! And of course, they'd be the very first people to know what colour suits Terrance Mcdougal wore when he made his Television debut.

"I'll allow you think on my most, generous offer. And please, feel free to ask any questions."

* * *

Never gave us a colour TV..." Equaliser mumbled as she listening to the meeting below.

"We'll get you one for Christmas." Said Maverick, tipping up the chair she was leaning back on he passed. "Now, come on Princess. He'll want us down there soon."

[Nyerguds]

"All right, all right... you can let go now." Charge said to the guards. The guards released him, since they had no idea what they were supposed to do with him anyway.
Charge grinned. Not exactly a complete success, but he did somewhat succeed in making O'Brian look like a fool. He got up and looked around. The Wescorp guards were gone; most of them had just gone back inside. The only one that was left in the corridor was the guard at the door; the one that had let him in.
Charge winked at the man, and walked back to the observation room.

He opened the door, still smiling. "Well... I didn't get a priceless look on O'Brian's face, but overall it's still quite a success."
"How so?" Equalizer asked. "You were dragged out by the guards!"
"Yes, I was." Charge smiled. "But the people inside now know that despite the fact I work for Wescorp, I don't agree with the way they're being treated."
"They also know you don't like O'Brian." Maverick said.
"Heh." Charge said. "Not like it would take them long to find out about that anyway."

[Wesforce]

The group descended the steel staircase, heavy, quick steps, all in line - Moving with a purpose. Like they meant it. The SSR was coming on down, the price was right, and if the new fish didn't meet that price, they'd pay with something else.

Equalizer grinned menacingly, and looked left and right to her companions, who were more stony-faced, and not terribly good-looking to her. She shrugged and forced herself, too, to look more neutral (but not uglier).

Lets make an impression... Thought Equalizer, and cartwheeled down the last half-dozen steps in front of the others, spinning onto the floor in a half crouch, Sonic-Displacer screen ready and thrumming with power.

SSSHAKOWWW!!!

Both doors crumpled like tinfoil in a strobe-like blaze of light and blew into the room, Equalizer landing behind them, and giving each of the new 'recruits' a menacing stare - Not remembering that all they could see of her was a lithe woman with a silver wrap-around visor.

'GRR! So you're the NEW FISH, HUH? You think You've GOT IT, PUNKS? You reckon you CAN MESS WITH US? WELL I DON'T THINK YOU CAN CUT IT!!!! SO SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FR-'

Agent Charge knocked *accidentally* into the back of her, making her lose her grip of the Blastmaster3000 she was unslinging. Almost. But she got the hint.

'Grr.' She said, back at Charge.

[Master Chris]

Loki was about ready to object to this treatment when, with a sudden Clang!, the doors had flown open and an antagonistic woman wearing an opaque visor, made her presence known to the bewildered group in the form of an oddly accentuated challenge to the newcomers.

The sonic wave she had generated somehow disrupted Loki's hold upon Doctor Irvine Oppenhiemer's mind and the engimatic trickster retreated back into the recesses of Irvine's mind.

"Huh? What?....Ummm....How?"

Was all the scientist could manage at this point. Looking around at the others, mouth agape, Irvine was unable to comprehend where he was, or why he was there.

[CKW]

Claps. From the now free hands of crimson. "Impressive door lockpicking. Really nice, Miss."

He stood up, and stepped forward. His sight locked on the newcomers, like if he were about to shoot a missile out of his eyes. But he just smirked. She might not be foolish, but she had a wrong impression on who was in control here.

"Trying to show yourself off. Isn't what all people does over and over?"

He shruged. "But i have to admit it, it's pretty charming and well done. Shame that mr. Drill Sergeant, and the Master of Puppets,Wesley "richpants" got me on my wrong side." He then slowly walked towards, with the martial style he used to have, towards O-Brian, and faced him, on a really close and mostly intimidating look, that he expected not to work on that way, since O'Brian was a veteran.

"You can shove your sweet TV in your ass, for that I care. I'm no one to be bribed, nor my loyalties to be bought.Money might buy many things, but as soon as the money is gone, so do the things. Only what is self-earned remains in the end. I don't want to owe anyone anything. And not even the Queen and the Country, who never cared about me. And, as you might already know, menaces are my everyday's breakfast, wether they are real or not. Have a good day, O'Brian."

He stepped towards the blown clear entrance. And stretched the muscles of his body.

"A pleasure to meet you, miss, now, if you don't mind, i have a life to live. And keep the good work. Nice to meet all of you, whatever you might be."

[Artificial Idiot]

The arrogant "new fish", as Equaliser had delightfully put it, walked into Maverick as if he was a brick wall. It must have shocked even him, as he fell onto his back after impact. If Maverick had a temper, he was very sure it would have been high. He could see Equaliser now, itching to get a piece of him. That could not happen. Charge simply rolled his eyes and O'brian snickered. His little speech had not left the impression he had wanted. Even some of the other 'fish' looked rather unimpressed.

"I do not think Mr. O'brian made himself quite clear." Maverick said, in his coolest and ever calm voice.

"I have chosen not to work for Wescorp, and you can't stop me!" He protested. Maverick rolled the lights of his green eyes upward under his hat. He was wearing his normal civillian clothing so he did not disturb the recruits too much.

"I don't think you understand your choices here, Mr. Smith..." Maverick continued, unphased by the intimidating stare he was giving the android in vain. "Walking out was not one of your choices. It was service, or lifetime detention."

"You have no cell that can hold me!" He exclaimed, trying to push past. Maverick didn't budge. "I broke out of your little trinkets without even thinking!"

Without warning, he tried to land a vicious kick into Maverick's stomach. Marverick's carefully designed anti-impact reactions kicked in, causing spikes to eject from his foot and dig into the floor. He stodd as solid as a rock. His attacker recoiled, struggling to stand on his now damaged foot.

Equaliser made for her blastmaster, Charge signaled her to stop. They knew that Maverick's combintion of emotionless, and incredible strength would make more of an impact in the long run. Even O'brian, who had never really seen Maverick in action before, cocked an eyebrow. Maverick added that to his 'record of achivements' database.

"I find you quite hypocritical, Mr Smith. You denonce Miss Equaliser for 'showing off', however, the way that you act as if you are in control, you are the tough man... could that not also be classed as a form of showing off?" He looked over the recruits. There was a mixture of reactions. Some could care less, or appeared that way. Others were following every move and one looked totally bewildered as to why any of this was happening. Poor man. Charge was quite correct, this was not an appropriate way of gathering them here. And he regretted what he was about to do. "Frankly, Mr. Smith, you should see this as a chance. Sooner or later, the Government are going to tire of us... abnormalites, and then we are all in danger. Laws are already being passed. How long can anybody of us, no matter how unique anbd talented, last against the entire Neo-English police force and military?"

"Firstly, I'm not super human. And secondly, I'm not lapdog!" He climbed to his feet, recovering remarkably fast. He could sense his heart rate becoming faster. Although he didn't show it in his facial expression, he was becoming angry, agitated. He may soon strike again.

And he did. This time a fist to Maverick's face. Unfortunatly, the same thing happened as before. And the foolish indivdual was left nursing one hand in the other.

"Most unfortunate." Maverick shook his head. Equaliser and Charge joined him in standing in the doorway. Making it very clear that he was on his last limb, his very last chance. O'brian cleared his throat, wondering why they weren't in here to start with.

"Allow me to indroduce your future team mates. Agent Charge, Agent Maverick and the ever charming, Agent Equaliser." Equaliser blew him a kiss, making him change a slight shade of red. "While they take care of any inquiries from our friend Mr. Smith, I shall continue dealing with the rest of you."

[Master Chris]

Having witnessed the conflict between a fellow captive and these odd super-freaks, Irvine Oppenhiemer found his voice and stood up, hands still bound by reinforced cuffs.

"I, umm, shouldn't like to disturb the proceedings any further, sir, but, umm, err, I suspect you've detained me wrongly..."

O'Brian turned his steely gaze upon Irvine, already quite annoyed due to Crimson's rebellion.

"What?"

Irvine wilted under O'Brian's stare but tried to explain his situation:

"Ummm...well...yes, I mean no...You see, I'm not actually a..."

"Out with it man!"

"...Not actually an aberration, I lack any traits that one could consider...umm...fantastic. Well, unless you count my degree in neuro-physics...umm, sir."

O'Brian didn't speak, he didn't need to. The swelling rage within him was obviously apparent as his face turned a deep scarlet, his eyes seemed to lose focus, and his jaw clenched. Irvine chose that moment to sit down. Thankfully, O'Brian seemed to calm down, though his voice betrayed a thinly veiled anger:

"Well, at least you worked it out quickly enough. Now, the next person to speak whose name isn't O'Brian will be spending the rest of their worthless lives in a cage. Now, let's press on..."

[Nyerguds]

"Sir, with all due respect sir... you're not making a good impression on these people." Charge said calmly.
O'Brian sighed, and shot a mean look in Charge's direction. "Duly noted. Now shut up, agent Charge."

"Oh," Charge added with a grin. "and better make my cage heat-resistant."

"Agent Charge... GET OUT!" O'Brian yelled at him.

"I live to serve my country, sir!" Charge replied with a mock salute, before walking out of the room. He gave a nod to Maverick, who grabbed Crimson's shoulder and guided him out, following Charge's lead.

"Guess he didn't even realize I'm not British." Charge grinned.

A while later, the three superpeople and Crimson were in one of the interrogation rooms the complex had. Charge was sure Equalizer had made some sort of flashy exit from the other room, but he didn't care about that. She was here now, and that was all that mattered.

[Artificial Idiot]

(Seeing as people are more taking pot shots at O'brian and less asking valid questions, I'll have to fill in a few gaps.)

O'brian straightened his moustache and cleared his throat. Damnation to these arrogant whipper-snappers. Thing they know everything. His little finger had done more of a service to this country in two years then most of these layabouts had done in their whole lives! And they had the arrogance... count to ten. Count to ten.

"I apologise for that, my good sir. Everything shall be explained to you at a later date." He made some more hand signals telling two Wescorp troops to remove the heavy titanium binds. He realised he was no longer dealing with Loki... a relief, to be sure. "Now, are thereany questions?"

"So, if we refuse we go to a cell. If we don't, we get a colour TV and a life of servitude..." A woman in an expensive gown raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. Ah, Miss Chasey. Of course. "That does not sound like such a good deal on our end."

"Well, Miss. As Agent Maverick has mentioned, not only are you a fully legal member of United States of Neo-England, you will also have any past... crimes seems such a harsh word. Shall we say, mishaps? Pardoned." He paused. He hadn't talked about the advantages much, had he? Probably that infurating restaunt owner. "And it is not a life of servitude, Miss Chasey. You will be allowed to lead an almost fully functional normal, and not worry about any anti-Super human laws in the process. And seeing as your all registered Supers..."

He let that sink in before adding...

"Is that all? Or shall we move along?"

[Nyerguds]

"Incorrect." Maverick said to Charge. "You got the Neo-English nationality when you started working here."
"Oh, right. I forgot about that." Charge replied.
"You shouldn't agitate O'brian so much." Maverick continued. "He's not responsible for this."
"Look guys, I didn't follow you here just to hear you two bickering." Equalizer said. "I'll wait outside. I'm sure you two can handle him alone."
With that, she gracefully knelt down, grabbed her Blastmaster and teleported away.
"Can't she just open the frigging door?" Charge sighed.

Crimson didn't wait for them to turn their attention back to their prisoner though. Now he was no longer restrained by Maverick, his fist shot towards Charge's stomach.

Charge might not have had the physical reaction speed of the trained ninja, but his mind was quicker than any of Crimson's moves. From the moment he saw the man's fist move in his direction he evaluated the situation. His arms couldn't possibly move up fast enough to block it, but they didn't need to. Immediately, his chest pigment started outputting electricity, while creating a strong magnetic field to aim it.

A few milliseconds later, the electricity bolt zapped out of the metal stripes on Charge's chest, making Crimson's muscles contract. The blow missed. Crimson was lying on the floor with a painful expression on his face.


"Dammit... stop making this so hard." Charge said as he helped the electrocuted man on a chair. "These Wescorp people are arseholes, but we're doing the right thing."

Crimson looked up, still looking somewhat groggy from the electric shock he had received. "The right thing?" he replied. "Attacking and abducting people?"
"The people that were abducted are here because we need them." Charge replied calmly.
"If you wanted my help, why not just ask nicely?" Crimson threw back.
"It is unfortunate that the information is not ours to give." Maverick said. "Only O'brian has a full document of what the terms and agreements are. And he has a tendancy not to just 'ask nicely'."
"That's hardly the point, Maverick." Charge said. "They just can't take the risk of asking people and get turned down. These people might start talking."
He sat down on one of the chairs, and sighed. "I don't approve... but I do understand."
"Agreed." Maverick said. "The point here is not the competence of Wescorp's staff. And we all know what the real matter is."

Crimson looked at Maverick. "I don't. Heck, I don't know why I'm being called 'superhuman' here, but it really ticks me off. I'm not superhuman at all."
"You are above regular human ability." Maverick replied. "Thus you are an abnormality. Despite the fact that you, yourself elevated yourself to that status."
"Guess i'll have to step down, then." the ninja replied annoyed.
"Quite the contrary." Charge said. "Even Equalizer is physically just a normal human being. Her skills make the difference."

"Gentlemen, I fear we are straying away from the point here." Maverick said. "Your cards are down Mr. Smith. Are you in, or should I go pick out your new accomodation?"
"Tell me, what am I supposed to do in this 'team of superhumans'?"
"It's not as bad as seems..."Charge said. "You fight for the team, get your old life outside it, and we even get paid."
"There are also other, small luxuries and benefits that I doubt you care for, Mr. Smith." Maverick said.
"I can find no honour in working in Wescorp's private army." Crimson replied bluntly.
"This is not a private army." Maverick said. "Basically, our team is used as super police force. We are called upon in situations the police cannot handle. These situations usually involve superhuman criminals."
"Enough honor for you?" Charge asked.
"I seriously doubt hon-" Maverick started. Charge quickly gave him a push with a magnetic pulse. Maverick got the hint, and stopped talking.

Crimson frowned. He clearly hadn't thought much about the function of the team.

"Very well." he said. He stood up and gave a short bow. "Count me in, then."

Charge sighed. "Right. By now, O'brian must've explained this to the other people as well. Let's go back."

[VO]

It didn't look like Riona had any choice. At all. The idiot martial artist was getting pasted, and she knew she couldn't put up a fight like that anyday. All that she could really do was play along for now - although she already did own a colour television, and would probably have to move out of her apartment due to the rumours that would no doubt be spreading about her being escorted from the building unconcious by armed men in boiler suits, there wasn't much to go back to. That wasn't to say that she wanted to be part of this farce anyway, of course - seing how 'well' it was going now, she didn't think it would last more than a week or two before someone realised that there was no way the majority of the people in the room would get along anyway.

Resigined to her fate, she shot a steely look at O'brien and moved towards the short man with an eyepatch. Despite the apparent pirate complex, he probably was the most 'normal' person here, and might be a useful ally.

[Wesforce]

Stood outside with all the shouting going on, her back leant idly against the cold steel wall, Equaliser was having bad feelings about the team. Discipline problems were by the by, but this seemed to be getting out of hand. She wasn't particularly impressed with the abilities shown so far either... But she remained optimistic.

Maverick and Charge spoke quietly not far off... They sounded as concerned as she was, but optimistic still, and Equaliser took this to heart.

Best not write the chaps off just yet... Chin up and all that.

With her Neo-English stiff upper lip in full working order she gathered herself and made to follow the two, running her fingers over the safely inert strings of her Blastmaster.

A panoply of images crowded her mind, jostling for position like the cattle-esque salarymen in the Lutonopolis MetroTrans.

Equaliser saw herself in various stages of life - Upon being commissioned into Wescorp, upon joining the SSR, stood victorious over one of the acid-reeking beasties she'd fought not so long ago.

Then she started to see herself in places and circumstances she had no recollection of: Her with her Blastmaster stood rigidly at parade with many others, all similarly equpped identical military-type uniforms. Equaliser and her cohorts rounding up civlians, or wrongdoers as she believed, and displacing them away, or attacking with various Blastmaster disciplines. Finally she saw herself, battered, bruised, facing off against a short, hunched figure wrapped in dark robes and wearing a battered Tricorner hat. He was cackling menacingly, and Equaliser couldn't hear a thing... Not a damn thing.

And for someone for whom sound is so important, she was understandably terrified.

***

Equaliser snapped to, and found she had fallen down against the wall she leant against. She shook and shivered and it seemed her legs didn't want to obey her commands... Pins and needles - with knobs on.

Eventually she'd gathered her wits about her, the strange visions already receding in her mind.

'But what does it all mean?' She asked herself.

Time for a nice cup of tea and a chat with the lads, take my mind off things.

[Artificial Idiot]

Soon, they had all grudgingly come to some acceptance of their situation. Some much more reluctant then others. Charge, Maverick and Crimson returned to the room not long after their departure, Crimson apologized for his outburst with the utmost grace and dignity and humbly accepted the position. O'brian was impressed, not by Crimson's sudden change of grace, no, not at all. Just because he knew when his back was against the wall and knew how to handle it. There was hope for the lad yet.

Things seemed to be settling down now. The rough start was unfortunate, but predictable. It worried O'brian, and he'd have to take it up with his superiors, but he hoped that when they were out there... experiancing the horrors of the world, maybe they'd pull together. Hopefully.

"Thank you for your patience ladies and gentlemen." O'brian said, as Equaliser entered, looking rather shakey. "Now, if you'd all care to take a seat, we'll begin."

The room seemed to rearrange it's self. Holes in the floor opened up, chrome chairs with plush red padding rising from the floor of sturdy steel poles. Large shutters creaked open, revealing a large white screen. A drop down projector dropped down in front of it. The once empty, cold steel prison had become like a large meeting room, a war room perhaps?

"This our new HQ?" Asked Charge, most likely knowing all this was here all along.

"No. That's still in construction, should be finished and ready for you lot to move in in about a week." O'brian informed him, organizing the slides.

"It better be an improvement on that meat freezer" Equaliser muttered to her team mates, she seemed in a bad mood. Probably needed a nice warm cuppa tea. O'brian pressed a button and the lights dimmed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, while I must apologize for the abrupt taking of some of you. Times are urgent in Lutonoplis, and we just can't afford to wait for formalities." O'brian cleared his throat, Charge raised an eyebrow. Flamin' battery, probably thought he was actually enjoying this nonsense. "As you all know, both the military and police forces are strained at the moment, what with soviets... and thiis bloody gang war. Most unfortunate, but they push on. But unfortunately, they are at breaking point..."

"Which is where we come in, right?" Asked an insightful individual in an eye patch. Steve Hoffman, not phsyically remarkable, but apparently had a most interesting mind.

"Quite right. As you may have heard, Wescorp recently acquired a government grant to form a group of Super human defenders of the like not seen since the dark days of the war..." O'brian pressed a button on the projector, the words SECRET RESERVE flashed onto the screen. "And this, as correctly pointed out, is you lot."

"B-but why? I have nothing to offer, I am afraid. I'm just a..." It was that Loki character again. They'd warned O'brian of a personality disorder, but hadn't told him the two sides didn't know each other. He stared at the man, who shut up instantly.

"Now that little introduction piece is over, I guess you want to know what you'll be doing..." O'brian pressed another button. SECRET RESERVE vanished, to be replaced by a skull like mask with one, red protruding eye and another white, twinkling one. There were no other defining features on it. "This man is called Sharpe. Agent Charge brought him just a day or so ago. He's a famed assassin, acclaimed to be the most accurate man in the world. Now locked up safely in Lutonoplis Penitentiary."

"Then why are you recounting his life story to us?" Asked Miss Chasey, with just a hint of venom in her voice.

"As I don't believe he is locked up safely. I believe that, due to past experience with this slimy devil, he'll be out within the week." O'brian flicked to another slide, this one showing a scene of carnage that had took place a month ago in an area near the Area 15 Military base. A gigantic, sturdy vine embraced a tank, crushing it while the driver tried to escape from the top, screaming in terror. Meanwhile, guns of dumbstruck military personal fell to pieces in their hands, while signposts came to life to assault them.

"However, intelligence suggests that a gang of superhuman criminals taking advantage of this little underworld tiff are going to try and spring him in a weeks time. Obviously we can't allow this to happen." O'brian shut down the projector, pressing a switch to bring the lights to a dim glow once more. "You are going to meet up with Agents Maverick, Charge and Equaliser on Sunday, September 21st, outside Lutonoplis penitentiary. In the time beforehand, I suggest you think of alias and costumes to hide your true identity. There will be people on hand here to help you, if need be. Anybody not there, anybody who runs... well, hell hath no fury like a multinational business scorned."

Obrian paused, catching his breath. He tried not to look at the crowd, instead operating the controls to close the projector screen shutters.

"If there are no questions, then I shall see you all in the very near future. People will be on hand to escourt you out... good day, ladies and gentlemen..."


* * *


Mission Log Entry: 570

Location: Lutonoplis Penitentiary. Cell 313. Maximum Security.

Time: Unsure.

Date: 20/8/62

Thought for the day: Iron bars and concrete walls does not a prison make.


Things have gone rather slowly since my last update. It has been about a week since my unfortunate capture by the Superhuman who had revealed himself as Charge. Prison is such a bore, however, I am in no position to complain. Hot meals twice a day and basic accommodation is a thing many people would bite my hand off for. Just have to think positive, hmm?

Of course, I would not be here for long of course. I was too valuable an asset to people on both sides of the law to be locked up for long, the case would never reach court. Mark my words.

However, two very curious things have happened since my imprisonment, and this is the reason for this recording. Both came in the form of visitors, one more official and authorized then the other. First of all, soon after my capture, a woman in a rather provocative outfit. She was from the same group as the member who was responsible for my capture. Asked questions, I responded. She left. Feeling informed, little did she know, huh?

The second visit was far more interesting. Mostly due to the fact the mans arrival was proceeded by the groan of the guard stationed outside my quarters. A few seconds later, the lock to my door was broken and he strode in.

I didn't see much of him, to be honestly, he was silhouetted in the doorway most of his visit. The only thing that entered the dim light of my cell were his black gloves. But the fact he got in here was enough to gain my respect, there are armies that couldn't bust into this place.

"Hello, Sharpe." He said, in a low, husky voice. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Guess My reputation precedes me, eh?" I joked, leaning back on my chair.

"Quite. Knew your father, he was a good man. My accomplice is just a fan, your father was before his time." I tried to look behind him, to see if this "accomplice" was anywhere in site, nope. Nowhere. "But this isn't pleasure, got important business with you. Need information."

"Doesn't everyone?" I sighed. Typical. "Ask, and I'll put a price on the answer."

"No price. I give you information, you give us information. That simple." I listened out of curiosity more then anything. Little information would be useful to me in my position. "In 24 hours, people going to come here, break you out. Two hours before that, people going to come and try to stop them. Masked superheroes, very strong. I know, little birdie told me so."

"And, if I may ask, what do you want in return?"

"I want you to tell us everything you told woman in silver, and everything you didn't tell her. Want to be ahead of new costumed heroes."

This was, unfortunately, when I made one of the gravest mistakes of my recent life. I laughed at the man.. he didn't take it too well. After some rather "gentle persuasion", I gave him what he came for and he left. Telling me to "Have a nice day". My cheek is still stinging, even as I record this. And I can barely see out of one eye. I just hoped to God that he was telling the truth... I doubt that even I could stand anymore "visits"...

Mission Status: Battered, bruised, but still optimistic.

[Nyerguds]

Murat looked at the book, subconsciously analysing the paper's surface with electron emission from the hand he was holding them with. He stopped as soon as he realized his hand was glowing, and looked around in the library, hoping no one noticed it.
The other students hadn't seen a thing. They were all reading their books, making notes on endless amounts of paper, only to go home and read the notes, and making even more notes about the notes they were taking now.

Murat wasn't making notes. He didn't have to. He absorbed the knowledge like a sponge. Not just because of his enhanced brain, but even more because the book he was reading interested him so much he didn't want to forget a single detail.

"Theories On Anti-matter" was printed on the book's cover.
It was a pretty new book, with revolutionary theories. How could matter and anti-matter exist in the same universe, without cancelling eachother out right away? His Charge part was especially fascinated by it. Had there perhaps been matter and anti-matter in the universe he came from? His species never had any reason to believe there was, but that was most probably because they didn't know anthing about this immensely highly concentrated energy called 'matter'.

It had been two days since their meeting, and Charge had finally found some time to dedicate to his studies again. He didn't really know what to think of their next assignment. He was looking forward to seeing how well the new people would do, but dreaded the fact that some of them could die if they made any mistakes. Apparently Wescorp seemed to think that was the best way to separate the strong from the weak, but didn't keep in mind that they were completely untrained.

Well... nothing I can do. We'll see. he thought, and continued reading the book.

***

Five days later, Charge was standing in the main hall of Lutonoplis Penitentiary. More precisely, he was walking out of it, after a brief chat with Sharpe. Both Sharpe and Charge knew what was going to happen, so they had chosen to simply not discuss the matter. Sharpe was a great guy to talk with as long as he wasn't bothered with too many questions. Charge wondered if Sharpe could become part of their team if they paid him enough, but he knew Wescorp wouldn't even think of meeting Sharpe's high demands concerning payment.

None of the others had arrived yet; not even Maverick. Charge had always had a habit of being early, so his teammates wouldn't be surprised if he was already there. He looked around, wondering if any of the new recruits were going to show up early as well.
He knew one person that wouldn't be early though... Equalizer wouldn't show up before she had people to show up/off to, even if she was already around somewhere.

[CKW]

Charles Wessler folded the newspaper under his arm. He had seen the Super Agent walk outside, after he had finished talking with the special guest. He mumbled a bit. Damn. If he wasn't there, he would have enjoyed his free day.
If he WERE Charles Wessler. Crimson double checked. Last time he had seen the fool who was impersonating, he was sleeping after having swallowed a drugged tea.

He walked outside, alleging he was out for a few minutes to read the newspaper. The guards let him out. It wasn't that uncommon, after all, some people took a break too. The newspaper was a bit torn, as it had been use to smuggle his ninja weapons in. It had not been easy. But it had been worthwhile. He now had a prime seat to watch out, and pass off stealthily. Did he need more? The new short haircut was working like a charm.

He then walked up to CHarge, already outside, and folded open the newspaper.

"So... Agent... Will the bad guys show up soon?"

"I don't have a clue". Charge answered tediously. Apparently he hadn't realised. Crimson lifted the newspaper to hide his smile.

"Has anyone of OUR team showed up yet?" Charge turned around, and lifted an eyebrown in surprise when he heard these words, while crimson lowered the newspaper, showing his face. "Because the tea here is hot water, and the newspapers are crap."

"Well, well... Crimson, was it? No, we seem to be first. Nice disguise... but I do hope you won't fight in that outfit." Charge said, while waving his head a bit.

"The equipment is nearby." Crimson answered."And don't tell anyone about this, would you? I want to be hidden, especially from that show off woman."

Charge grinned."Heh. But then do make sure SHE doesn't recognise you... she's got a keen eye."

"Will do." Crimson nodded, and then, back again,folded his newspaper and went inside, as if nothing had happened, to perform his disguise as guard.

[Artificial Idiot]

Maverick watched as the guard fiddled with the key. He'd taken a back entrance, Wescorp not liking him being in public that often. From there, he'd made his way directly to Sharpe's cell, they had spoken a few days ago. Know your enemy, that was the Human saying.

He was a most interesting man, with a most interesting history. His trade was passed down from his father, who was constantly enthralling him with tales of his various defeats and victories against the Ice Breakers, a group of costumed adventuers started in the late thirties. His father had a certain respect for them, one that Sharpe seemed to share towards the Secret Reserve. He had inquired if this was going to be an on going relationship... Maverick could not say.

"Afternoon Marv." Said Sharpe, leaning back on his chair, feet on the table. Maverick passed him the paper he was holding in his hands, as per request. "Ah, thank you, very much."

"The others should be arriving soon, perhaps already arrived.We shall set up as soon as possible."

"I'd relax if I was you. Grab a nice cup of motor oil... get aquainted with the drinks dispenser.. you have two hours until the action starts..." He lowered the paper and gave the android a sly grin. "Little birdie told me so."

"Percations shall still be taken." Maverick responded, coldly.

"Suit yourself." He said, flicking through the pages. "Hey, look at this. Seems Cracker Roberts is claiming his entire ring was taken down by one man... heh, knew he'd crack up sooner or later."

"I don't believe you informed me how you got those bruises... I believe Charge did not physically harm you on arrest."

"Put it down to police brutality." Maverick stared at him intently, but he continued calmly flicking through his paper. Not speaking again until Maverick turned to leave. "Hey, send my love to the broad in the sliver get up. Tell her if she ever gets bored out there... well, she knows where I am."

Maverick closed the door behind him, nodding to the guard to lock it. And then made towards their meeting point nearby. Seeing that only Charge was there, quite typical.

[VO]

Riona Chasey walked through the double doors of CKW industries' CK Fashions Lutonopolis store, at the most expensive end of Neo Oxford Street. In her handbag, she had the credit card she had been issued by Wescorp when she'd pointed out that to get a uniform she'd need money. And of course, she intended to spend money. It wasn't hers after all, and she was making sure that every shop she visited today wasn't owned by Wescorp or any subsidaries. In Lutonopolis, this was difficult, but possible.

The clerk on the very expensive desk (probably made from imported amazon hardwood) eyed her suspiciously. Riona wondered if it was because she was blonde today. People never quite took you seriously when you were blonde, and tended to overestimate you if you were brunette. She'd found redhead was the happy medium, and it did make quite a few people considerably easier to work with. Everyone loved redheads, but she didn't think it would be wise to be one today, considering the amount of times she'd visited this store before all this business to Wescorp. Attractive redheads were memorable, which wasn't that smart of an idea right now, and Riona Chasey was never unattractive if she could help it.

The bill was handed to her. She eyed it admiringly - it was quite a considerable amount. She wondered if the card had limits - and if it did, how much further she'd have to go to bankrupt Wescorp.

***

Four days later, Riona walked into the main hall of Lutonopolis Penitentary. Only three of the others had arrived yet - Charge, Maverick and the idiot Ninja, who was sitting on a bench, reading a newspaper that was at least three days old. He looked up, and blinked, but before he could say anything stupid, Charge opened his mouth.

"What on earth are you wearing?"

Riona grinned, and mock saluted. "Official Sensational Secret Reserve Uniform, sah! Diva Ex Machina reporting for official action! O'brian said it had to hide my true identity, sah, but didn't say anything about it being practical!"

VOES : Riona is wearing a very expensive tristian bior outfit in black, with lots of very expensive jewellery. Her hair has been done up in a very expensive way. It is all very expensive. Underneath it she has the REAL SSR uniform, but no-one knows this yet.

[Master Chris]

More out of fear than obedience, Irvine found himself outside of the Penitentiary on time, and wearing a trench coat and a hat tipped low, covering most of his face.

He had contemplated talking to his wife about what had happened over the past few days but she would never have believed him. He was, after all, boring old Irvine Oppenhiemer, reliable and well-to-do but certainly not exciting. When he had tried to ask his wife to sew a costume, as O'brian had demanded he wear, she had leapt at the opportunity, thinking Irvine was interested in improving their 'marital' relations with a little role-playing. As embarrasing as it was, she had even sewn herself a costume for the purposes of adding a little excitement to their marriage. Irvine played along, it was easier than explaining the truth. Admittedly, he didn't entirely regret it...

However, that was yesterday, and now Irvine was about to determine if there really was a Super Secret Reserve and not some cruel and overly elaborate prank.

Unfortunately, it seemed it hadn't been a horrible nightmare. Irvine could see three people huddled together and another, sitting on a nearby bench and as he got closer he recognised the three of them, the man on the bench with his newspaper didn't reveal enough of his face to allow Irvine to identify him. However, the others were certainly easily recognised.

The extremely attractive woman, dressed in entirely impractical designer fashions, was certainly the firey Miss Chasey, as O'Brian had called her. The others were Agent Charge and another familiar face, Irvine couldn't recall his name, however.

Irvine walked over to them, coughed slightly, and spoke in a enigmatic voice:

"The owl hoots at midnight."

[Wesforce]

Irvine's next word was 'AGGH!' accompanied by a wince from the non-accustomed assembled characters as a blast of sound just below the range of human hearing almst destroyed the tranquility - such as it was - of the scene.

'Oh, great, where's the little...' Charge said, catching himself just as he realised Equalizer would probably be able to hear him from wherever she was. He expected her to come teleporting in with a somersault jump right about...

'If the Owl hoots at midnight I daresy we'll be bringing dwn the house at five past, what?' Exclaimed Equalizer cheeily, dragging herself up from her under-hedge hiding place.

'Always expect the unexpected, Agent Charge!' She said. She'd heard everything all right. She also heard the tiny whirring sounds of eyes rolling behind her back.

Equalizer sidled up next to Riona, their outfits like chalk and cheese together, but no less eye-catching.

'Right then chaps and chapesses, are we ready?'

Everyone gave eachother the quick once-over - And all eyes settled on Crimson, who was proving his name's worth, because he seemed to have developed a nosebleed.

'Oh, Deja Vu...' He murmured.

[Artificial Idiot]

She sat in the darkness. Inaccesible, for the moment. She saw a shadow step into the dim spot-light just before her. She reminded herself that none of this, the power, the authority, the mysterious aura, none of it was her own. And she was content with that.

"Mistress Aura." Grape Vine said, with a bow. To anybody else, she was a lithe, mostly naked, attractive young woman. To Blue Aura, she was a vegtable. "You have a request?"

"An order." She corrected quickly. "From our esteemed leader. You have heard of Mr. Sharpe's unfortunate capture."

She nodded, everybody had. It happened often. For unlike the others, he could afford it to happen.

"He is to be free by the end of the night." She continued. "Take Mr. Lumberjack, as many minions as can be spared and a Decon model D.A.M.A.G.E driod. Failure is not an option."

"Yes Mistress." She said, and then left. Leaving her alone, again...

In the dark.

* * *

"Now that we're all here..." Charge began, looking sideays at Maverick. The andriod seemed somewhat distracted, if that was an applicable word. "I think it would be wise to spread out. They could attack from anywhere, and it's best for us to be prepared."

"Wouldn't that leave us spread thin?" Asked Equaliser, fresh from her extravagant entrance.

"Yes, but we can't afford to concentrate our efforts too much..."

"W-w-well... wouldn't it be easier to have some sort of, failsafe perhaps?" Asked Irvine, after clearing his throat several times. He was shaking like a leaf, so unlike the overconfident, almost dangerous fool they had brought in on the night. "Like-like... a sack full of potatoes and.... and a broom?"

"We have something even better..." Said Equaliser, lips curling up into a self-statisfied smile and all eyes turning onto Diva.

* * *

Information flashed past his eyes at an incredible speed. He wasn't absorbing it all, not even a fraction of it. But he was! He was taking in every detail, formulating plans, breathing calmly, he knew.
The machine was amazing, he'd never seen anything like it in his life. He'd recovered it from a skip of a Wescorp owned property, they called it a computer. He had no idea how to get it working, but he did. And had. And they both knew that they had hit jackpot.

"In two hours, the heroes will fight the villains on a grand stage. Both sides will survive, victory matters not to us." His partner's soothing voice flowed through his ears. He nodded in agreement.

"Then we strike?"

"We deal our first direct blow, it shall be a sucess. We shall deal more blows, but I cannot see the outcome. It is beyond my reach."

"Worry about that later, have everything you need?"

"Yes."

He stood up, turning the computer off. Gathered some things, and then slipped a long, black pole from the umbrella stand. He carefully placed this into his coat, and then left.

The room was empty.

[VO]

"What?" Riona rolled her eyes. "Oh, let me guess, you want me to snap my fingers and turn into this Spike guy, so all the bad guys think I'm him?"

"His name's Sharpe," cut in Maverik. "And yes, I think that's what you intended, right Equaliser?"

"Uh huh. Seems like it's the best thing to do to keep the slitches attention away from the real deal."

Riona shook her head, as Crimson walked up, nodding curtly to Maverick. "For one thing, you do realise that if turn into Sharpe, they're going to go after me - and I'm not exactly qualified to defend myself from..." she paused for a second "...superhumans. It also doesn't work like you think. I can't just turn into anyone at will. If you want me to try and become Sharpe now, I'll end up looking like what I imagine him to be - so probably a thin guy in a convict's uniform."

"Here," said Charge, grabbing the newspaper from Crimson's protesting hands. "There's a picture of him inside here somewhere, about how he was captured or something." He leafed through the newspaper quickly, flicking past the picture of a half-naked model that had probably been what had been holding Crimson's attention, before opening it up on a double page which also bore the headline "20 lost puppies saved by Dean!". Obviously this was a Wescorp-owned paper.

The black man handed Riona the paper. It showed an 'artist's impression' of the assassin, a gaunt man in a harlequin's costume of blue and silver, criss-crossed with wires. His face was covered by a white mask from which peircing eyes peered out at the world. Riona raised one eyebrow sceptically.

"Well," said Equaliser. "Hurry up. Time's a wastin'."

Riona looked up. "There's no way I can do it from this either. This just shows me what he wears. If you want me to do this, I'm gonna have to go in there and get a good look at the guy himself. Morphing using this as a reference would be almost as bad as Loki's idea."

[CKW]

"If you want a covert bodyguard, I think i can pretty much assume that role. I am already disguised as prison guard. It might work. At least no one of you could assume it was me in the first place,and you have seen me before. Therefore, those guys won't even suspect about me." Announced Crimson, while he took off his hat, assured it had the right form and placed it back in its place.

Maverick stepped forward. "Good idea, mr Smith. Personally, i was not very keen of leaving Miss diva alone. Allow me to go with you, since someone should take care of the real Sharpe." The metal man announced, while he flicked an ace card in his hand.

Crimson nodded. There was no signs of the nosebleed right now, as he had clearly cleaned it up.

"When you are ready, Miss." Crimson nodded once again, this time to Diva.

But then... something else happened... Crimson heard voices from other guards.

Some sort of a ninja-dressed girl had just stepped in, with the grace of the martial artists, she performed an acrobatic jump... but didn't calculate the fall too well, and landed flat on the ground, skidding a few meters towards the group, and ending up at Irvin's feet.

"Odd"... The girl, wich now on close look was in her teen years wimpered, very sore about the failed landing. "...this wasn't supposed to happen..."

Crimson smacked his face. What was doing that idiot of Kori doing here?

[Nyerguds]

Charge looked at the girl, then shot an angry look at Crimson.
"You seem to know her? Then you deal with her. We got more important things to attend to." He turned to Irvine.

"So.. you brought any equipment?" he asked.
"E-equipment?" Irvine replied, frantically searching his pockets for anything that could be filed under 'equipment'. "I didn't know we'd need any equipment... I wouldn't know what to-OUCH!"

Irvine pulled his hand out of his pocket, and looked as a small drop of blood on the tip of his thumb was slowly getting bigger.

Charge scanned the man's suit. Apparently whoever made the suit had forgotten a needle in it somewhere. Charge used his magnetism to pull it out, and let it float towards his hand. He grabbed the small iron thing and looked at Irvine.

"A needle." he said, and smiled. "Well, from what O'Brian told me, this could be enough for you."
He gave Irvine the needle. "Just try to come up with any uses for it."
"But... it's a needle!" Irvine said. "You can use it for, eh, sewing..."
"Oh come on. Surely you can find more uses for it." Charge said.
"No, really not. Trying to find uses for a needle is like... finding a needle in a hay... hey..." Irvine's eyes widened as he stared at the needle. "Heeey!" he grinned. "Look! A needle!" He put his arm up to show everyone what he was holding. "Just what I need! I think. I mean, it doesn't really matter, does it? 'Tis a needle, after all. Infinite possibilities!"

Charge smiled. It seemed he had found a way to get to the mysterious Loki.

[Artificial Idiot]

(VOES: If there's anything wrong with this, just tell me!)

Marverick watched over perceedings with a less than functional eye. He was aware of this, of course. However, it was functional enough to know that chaos was about to break loose.
A small girl had appeared, and had landed in an akward postion on the floor and if that wasn't bad enough, it seemed Mr. Loki was coming out of his rather timid shell. Maverick decided to seize hold of the reigns, before they were completely lost to him.

"Mr. Smith, Miss. Diva, please accompany me. Miss. Equaliser, please deal with Mr. Smith's esteemed guest." With that, the mechanical man turned on his heels and walked back to Sharpe's cell.

"Visting time already?" Sharpe asked, peering over his paper at them.

"SHUT U..." Crimson began, but Diva dug a heel into his foot before he could finish. While the guards of this prison were generally... impolite towards imates, however nobody treated Sharpe with anything but respect.

Sharpe looked at them curiously, or at least, what Maverick analyzed as curiously. It was hard to tell being that mask of his. Maverick nodded for Miss Chasey to instruct him into postion.

"Stand up, please." She asked, politely. Sharpe casually folded his paper in half, placed it carefully on the table and stood tall, and then, almost reading her mind, stood in the middle of the room where she could examine him.

She found to her surprise that he was more or less just like the picture, except he looked much more handsome and dashing in 3D... for a man in a mask, that is.

"What should I do if they ask to see his face?" Diva asked Maverick.

"Trust me, My lady, they will not." Sharpe replied, graciously. "You have my word as a gentleman."

"Will that be all, Miss Diva?" Asked Maverick.

"Yes. You... may want to take him away now, it may be quite shocking for him to see me transform into him..." Diva talked almost as if it was from experiance.

"Good bye and good luck then." Said Maverick, leading Sharpe down the narrow, cell lined corridors and then outside, into the cool night air.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" Sharpe said, as he absent mindedly gazed at the stars. There was a long silence, and he paused, looking back to see that Maverick was stood bolt still just a few steps behind him. "Marv, is there a... problem?"

The Android was still and silent for a moment, Sharpe noticed that the lights in his eyes had dimmed somewhat. Any other common thug would have ran off, especially without any restraints holding them back. But Sharpe had no need. He could escape anytime, everybody knew that. And he was also somewhat curious...

After a few minutes, the lights in his eyes came back to full strength, and he began walking again.

"Problems?" Sharpe casually probed.

"Minor flaws. Need Tweaking. Nothing major." He walked up to a casual enough, white van with "WESCORP HAULIERS" plastered on the side in dark blue font. "Care for a drive, Mr. Sharpe?"

"I usually walk, but I suppose I can afford myself a small luxuary every now and then." He stepped gracefully into the passenger seat, next to Marverick, hoping that these "minor flaws" weren't brought on by driving...

(CKW: Whatever you do, DO NOT post Diva transofring, or post transformation, Failure to heed this warning may cost you your life! :p)

[VO]

Crimson leant against the wall. He winked at Diva. She didn't wink back.
The cell, bare except for a bunk, simple table, chair and toilet, seemed smaller than it already was.

"Well, are you going to transform then?" Crimson's words cut through the silence like a ninja sword through an innocent kid like totally just because he opened a window.

Diva looked at him with an expression that could be described as a 50-50 mix between scorn and incredulity.

"With you in here? No. Go and stand outside please, and don't you dare think about looking in through the window."

VOES : CKW, if you want to make a post, tis fine by me, but if there isn't one by when I come on tomorrow, the first thing I'll be doing is extending this one assuming Crimson has left the room if I don't see one by you. Seing as Diva doesn't use her powers much, I want to write at least the majority of them - so there's no bunnyhop powers for anyone in her regard if it involves transforming.

EDIT : Ok, I lied. I'll be posting her transforming when it's ready :p

EDIT 2 : I'll let you post first, CKW

[Master Chris]

Irvine didn't notice as Crimson, Diva, and Maverick departed, he was focused upon the sliver of metal in his palm. As his imagination raced, considering the thousands of possible uses for the needle, his sub-conscious seeped into his mind and started to take control.

"Yes, yes! I can see it now. 'Tis not as long as an Potato, nor as thick as a Shovel but 'twill suffice, 'twill serve. "

Loki was back.

Smiling gleefully, Loki removed his watch from his wrist (a Lorex, previously overlooked by Irvine) and used the needle to remove the rear-cover, giving him access to the clockwork within, as well as the small battery powering the device.

Nimble fingers working ceaselessly, Loki manipulated his needle as if it were a surgeon's scalpel. After a few minutes of senseless gibberish and several failed configurations, Loki presented his masterpiece to the others:

"Behold, my pretties, the greatest device ever created!"

MC: First off, smooth moves Nyer, the needle was a clever idea. Secondly, Loki's device can be decided by AIes, who has a better idea of what is appropriate for the situation. I suggest a tracking device. :D

[CKW]

"We don't have all day for your silly plays." Crimson stepped towards the door. "Fine. I'll go away. If that helps. And stop making assumptions about people. I don't really care about what you have to do." With this, Crimson meant he was not the kind of person the woman pictured.

Fine by me. You'll cry for help later. He slammed the door with a loud thump. He leaned against a wall, focusing on what really mattered. If the presence of the whole team was required, it would indeed exist a dark, powerful force to reckon with. And that would be a good fight. A good one indeed.

He arranged his uniform shirt again. it wasn't the most comfortable, but it was part of the disguise.

[VO]

The door slammed. Good. Hopefully that idiot wouldn't do something dumb now he was out of supervision. Like choke on his own ego - although that wasn't exactly what Riona wanted. Come to think of it, the unpredictable Ninja was probably the most useful ally out of all of them when it came to actually getting out of this whole mess. He had obviously not wanted to be forcibly recruited into the Secret Reserve, and while his methods of resisting were much more obvious than Riona’s, she figured that sometime he might come in handy.

Riona closed her eyes, standing exactly in the middle of the room. She listened to the silence, to the sound of cement slowly setting in the walls, to the breathing of the tiny bugs in the mattress. She felt the movement of air against her skin. Billions of tiny impacts. Trillions of tiny connections. An infinity of possibility.
She closed her eyes, and pictured Sharpe as he’d been only minutes before. Slightly taller than herself, muscles primed, body held in a posture that made it as obvious as possible that you weren’t anything to be noticed. Muscles were important – posture and facial expression were the things that made it most obvious who you were. Seeing as she didn’t have to worry about Sharpe’s face, she could concentrate on the other important thing. Opening up one of those tiny connections, Riona began to change.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, her body began to change. Her hair shrank back millimetre by millimetre, growing in reverse. Her waist filled out and her hips contracted. Her fingernails shortened, their bright red colour fading to a more natural pink. Her chest flattened, and powerful muscles formed where her slender figure had been before. Her face changed just enough to accommodate Sharpe’s mask, and the expensive designer suit transformed as well, absorbing material from the air and from Diva’s own figure to become Sharpe’s two-colour coveralls. The pain was immense, as it always was during a full-body transformation, but also welcoming, as if she was meant to do this. Her breaths came fast, and blood rushed to her face, which was now hidden behind Sharpe’s attire.

The assassin she had become stooped, hands on knees, and breathed deeply for a few seconds, before she tried out the voice she had created from her voicebox, and called Crimson back in.

[CKW]

"Nice trick." Crimson entered,and gave a look to diva. "You really LOOK like him." He stepped forwards. But then he noticed something else. Diva's was visiblely reeling in pain.Even now, after the transformation had finished. Poor thing. So that's why she had insisted in Crimson getting out. She didn't want to show how painful was to use her power. She didn't want to look weak. And, in some aspects, she achieved such. She didn't emit a single yelp in the whole process. And such thing would have required a great willpower.

He offered her a hand, to get up.

[Wesforce]

The young girl looked rather silly and out-of-place in her 'Ninja' garb. Some people just seemed to think that wearing black japanese-style clothes with a face mask and hood made you stealthy and skilled with swords. Others seemed to think that just because you were light-footed you could easily slink by IR detetcion gear and jump 30 storey buildings.

Well thought Equalizer, standing in a controlled position in her shiny silver leotard, furry clad boots planted firmly on the ground to deploy her shoulder-mounted displacer screen nodes. Time to take this weirdo back to the fancy-dress shop.

'BANZAI, I WILL DESTROY YOU!' Said the 'Ninja' girl, beginning a frenetic, frenzied run at Equalizer, curved sword held at bay, ready for use.

'KAME-HAM-E-HA!!!!' She screamed, launching herself into the air, sword aloft, ready to bring it down upon the silver-clad heroine and part her hair in a permanent fashion statement.

*smash* went the lightbulb, as her sword caught it on the upswing, plunging the corridor ito gloom. *ZAP* Went the positively charged electrons, down the finely honed blade and into the clumsy girl's hand, and into her semi-formed body. *Crump* went that same body, hitting the floor, smouldering slightly.

Sonic Equaliser was forced to look on in disappointment as her inept opponent managed to knock herself out could - And she had such a good counter waiting for her too.

'Well, best get rid of this mess before anyone chances upon it.' Equalizer shrugged. She powered up the Sonic Displacer screen -

SHAZAM!

And soon, nothing was left but a small misty-spray of blood drops.

***

'Ow!' Said Crimson, as he felt something imperceptible pierce his skull. His hand went to his nose of its own accord. Sure enough - There was blood there, already dripping down and staining his clothes.

[VO]

"Thanks, I'm ok". Riona let Crimson pull her back to her feet. "It's not really much, just the more I have to change, the more it hurts." She looked down at herself through the eyeholes of the mask, and back up at the Ninja, who was wiping at his nose. She smiled, imperceptably under the concealment and he pushed the bloodstained hankerchief into a pocket in his disguise.

"Right", said Riona in Sharpe's deeper tones. "Let's get this going." she flexed a muscle experimentally, and handed Crimson another tissue.

[Artificial Idiot]

"I take it this isn't the scenic route?" Said Sharpe, looking out of the window, possibly in disgust. Although, Maverick was unsure if he was capable of that emotion.

"Unfortunately not." Came the androids clinical reply.

They were currently travelling through the slums of Lutonopolis, on a route planed especially by Wescorp. There was a slight possibility that the people trying to free Sharpe would suss out the whole plan and come looking for them. And let's face it, devastating motorway incidents, multi-car pile ups and burning wreckages were NOT good publicity.

As a result, the two were taking a rather strange route, that involved as few main roads as possible. A majority of the journey would be through the slums, which, from a strategic point wasn't good either. Anybody could ambush them here. But, as always, public image wins over tactics.

Sharpe seemed rather pleasant about the whole affair though. He just sat there, uttering the odd observation and listening to classical music over the radio.

*Good evening, this is Terrance McDougal with Eye on the World...* Flowed the familiar voice of the radio celebrity as the music ceased. *And now for todays headlines...

DONG!

CKW Enterprises wins bid to host a rare Jewel on behalf of Gangster "Knuckles" Creed at the Lutonopolis Natural History and Arts Museum over the next week. Creed is said to be "delighted" over the deal.

DONG!

Stephen Terry, otherwise known as sixties costumed Hero "The United Jack", was admitted into an asylum today. Reasons for this are unknown at this time.

DONG!

And in other news, Wescorp are to introduce their new project later this week, The Sensational Secret Reserve.

But first, Birmingham Branson, crippled heir to the Branson fortune spoke out to day about the rumours of Death Threats being sent to his home, which over looks the River Lea. Yes, that one. He claims that they have been blown out of proportion, and added with a cheeky grin, that he'd had better offers. I'll now pass over to our report.....

*click*

"Mr. Sharpe, is there a..."

"Ssh." Hissed the hired assassin. "Thought I saw something."

But it was too little, too late. A figure suddenly appeared in front of the van, so fast even the Android didn't detect it until it was in front of them. He did, however, detect the gun, and he did calculate the target of the bullet before it hit. The Android's head was propelled backwards with the force, and then slumped onto the steering wheel.

"Good heavens!" Yelled Sharpe, diving over to take control of the steering before the van swerved onto it's side. He looked out of the cracked windscreen, but the gun man was nowhere to be seen. He put on the brakes, and examined the damage.

"Lead." He muttered as he pulled the bullet from Maverick's skull. He heaved the metallic man into the passenger seat,and punched out what was left of the windscreen. "I'm awfully sorry, but I'm afraid out excursion to Wescorp's detaining facility has been cancelled. I know, it's a dreadful inconvenience, but when freedom looks a man in the face, what is he to do? Don't worry though, I'm too honourable to leave you on the pavement to rust."

With that, he secured Maverick into the passenger seat and restarted the engine.

* * *

Two Hours later.

"Excuse me, Can I see your ID, mam?" asked the prison guard, as the first of the days delivery trucks pulled in.

"Got it right here in my purse..." The lithe woman in blue overalls said. "Here you are, sweetheart..."

"What the...?!" Exclaimed the guard, staring down into what could only be described as gardening gone wrong. A small puff of smoke ejected from the bloom, and the guard fell flat on his face. Grape Vine smiled almost sympathetically.

"LumberJack in position, eh?" Came a deep voice over the radio.

"Grapevine and back up van going in, sweetie." Grapevine snickered. She didn't do formalities very well.

She took a deep breath, checking her hair in a mirror before putting her foot to the floor. The truck crashed through the flimsy orange and white barrier and the prison gates, straight into the main courtyard. She skidded to a halt, only slightly grazing the building, the other arctic following much slower. Grapevine's hands wandered across the dashboard, before settling on a small red button marked "DAMAGE CONTROL".

The four sides of the back of the arctic fell to the side, revealing the cargo. Damage's massive metal eyelids lifted up on their hydraulics. The robotic beast then continued to rise to it's feet, black casing reflecting the light of the new moon. Prison guards rushed out to greet it, but they were soon dealt with by the pay load of the second truck, a division of Chaos King's own personal army.
The robot stepped from the back of the truck, deploying this versions tools of trade. A wrecking ball on one hand, and something resembling a sledge hammer on the other. It waited until the minions had forced themselves inside the prison, and then began dispensing it's own brand of carnage.

Grape Vine watched as the behemoth took down entire walls like a house of cards. She flung open the door with a stray vine and went to join the hundreds of minions that had invaded the prison, blissfully unaware that it wasn't just the normal guards on duty tonight.

* * *

Charge raised an eyebrow. He could sense a change in the amount of electricty being conducted through the walls of the prison. Having gone inside the penitentiary an hour and a half ago.

"Alarm bells." Stated Charge, seconds before they rang. Charge frowned, two hours. Just like Sharpe said it would be. "Let's go people."

The team of heroes rushed down the corridors of the prison, following several armed guards as they rused to the gate. However, they were soon cut off by a tide of men wearing large, oblong hats andmaroon uniforms blocked them.

"FOR THE GLOY OF THE KING!" Screamed one of them

"Uh-huh-huh! Thank you, Thank you very much!" loki replied proudly. Before flattening one of the mens hats with his stick of mighty hurting. "Ha, dear Yorrick! He apears to be all shook up!"

The rest of the minions took that as a signal to lower their weapons and open fire on a nearby guard, the rest ducked and scrambled for cover. Charge followed their lead, turning to Equaliser.

"We need a plan." He stated, Equaliser just grinned widely.

"I got my plan right.... HERE!!!" She readied her sonic displacer and was gone a few seconds later, much as Charge expected.

Charge looked up and frowned. In all the excitement, he'd on;y just noticed that large cracks were appearing in the ceiling. Something was breaking down the prison from the outside, and Maverick hadn't reported back to them yet...

"Just great..." Charge muttered under his breath.

* * *

"What's that?" Inquired Diva, as stray bits of debris bounced off her mask. "It sounds like war out there!"

Crimson, now fully cleaned up from his recent nosebleed, looked around the cell inquisitively. He walked up to the far wall and placed a hand against it.

"There are vibrations coming from thi... argh!" He yelled in shock as he leaped backwards across the cell, a large axe coming close to cleaving his left arm in two.

"Eh, Sharpe yer bugger!" Slurred LumberJack as he, and a handful of minions, made their way through the newly formed hole in the wall. "Come to get you out, ain't I? Eh?"

[Wesforce]

Equalizer reappeared a way away, standing on the ceiling. Just before Gravity took effect she displaced herself upright and on the ground - And immediately backflipped away, rifle butts from a good half-dozen of the men in Maroon missing her by inches.

'FOR THE GLORY OF THE-' The men screamed, charging her head down. The last words never left their mouths thouggh, or if they did, they had no effect. Sonic Equalizer had transcribed a Sonic Dead-Zone that nullified their war cries in there throats. Schocked and awed, and disturbed no small amount, the goon's charge stopped cold.

Equalizer looke at them and wagged her finger side to side... Slowly.

Dumbstruck, the men looked at eachother, shouting at each other to try and decide what to do, but of course, there was no sound. One of them must have farted too, silently, bt the stench was there.

The smell of fear. Equaliser justly noted. And LET THEM FEAR!

In their fear, they didn;t see the Sonic Blastmaster 3000 swung in axe fashion to smack heavily into one man's head, crumpling his box-hat before rebounding into the other man. Both were flung sideways like ragdolls, broken men, their gurgling cries fading up from the ether as Equaliser dropped the silence screen. She let the Blastmaster hang on its sling as she puched another goon up against the wall and headbutted him - he fell clutching his caved-in nose.

Now some uncouth fool had his hands on her shoulder-rigs, trying to twist her lithe frame to the floor. Equaliser was having none of that - She stomped his shin with her furry boot so hard the leg snapped, the man howling in pain and dropping to his knees.

'Thats' *SMACK* 'For' *SMACK* 'Invading' *SMACK* 'My' *SMACK* 'Personal'*SMACK* 'Space'*SMACK* 'Moron!' *SMACK SMACK SMACK*

By now the man with his oblong hat appeared to have been the victim of a terrible car crash, his hat no longer cuboid but more the shape of a 20-sided dice, oozing with blood.

'CHAOS KINGGGGGGG!!!!!!'

It was not so much a war cry as a human tidal wave of noise - Over one hundred psychos were charging, squeezing down the tiny corridor, right at Sonic Equaliser. There wasn't much time to act -

She aimed the Blastmaster, made sure her sonic-filters - actually cotton ear plugs - were in place, than quickly ran though quite a large part of her range of sonic configuration with a few deft sliding scales.

One man's eyes exploded, another had his brains boil out of his ears, but that was only because they were too close.

Then all of a sudden, wracked and distorted by horrific bass, every man in the corridor lost control of his bowels instantaneously.

Needless to say they lost the will to fight.

But Equaliser was only just getting started, and moved to tackle each man in turn...

***

'Oh my... OH MY GOD!!!!'

(LAST BIT REMOVED IN THE NAME OF SANITY!!!!!!)

[CKW]

Time to do a last act, of my play Crimson mentally smirked, as he looked very altered, ready to take out his gun, shouting madly like if he were a normal prison guard.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU, AXE BOY!!!!" He shouted, while nervously looking for the holster. Apparently, the disguise worked, as the huge behemoth ordered a normal goon to knock him off. He let out the goon win within a few moves. He even simulated a standart knockout.

Maybe Diva would call him a goodfor nothing right now. But not that he cared that much anyway. She would soon witness his skills, when the goons dropped their guard...

[VO]

"What's this, eh?" The massive woodsman stepped foreward. He patted his axe with one hand. "Thinkin' of bein' a hero, eh?" He kicked Crimson in the stomach.

Riona made sure she didn't react. Sharpe was cool. Sharpe was unfazed by this kind of thing - he was a killer at heart. Sharpe didn't care about a prison guard. Sharpe would want to get out of here as soon as possible.

But she hadn't been told who this guy was. Or who he worked for. She'd have to play it by ear.

"You're here for the breakout! Excellent old chap! Dashed good show!"

"You comin' with us, eh? The boss ain't that pleased about you gettin' yerself caught, but at least it's better than the slammer, eh?"

What would Sharpe do? He was a gentleman. He'd shake this guy's hand. Riona stepped forewards, making sure not to swing her hips at all.

Crimson got up. He groaned.

"Just a moment, sir," the giant said, and looked at Crimson, who was fumbling in his disguise for something. Probably a weapon. Dammit, he wasn't going to survive a round of hand-to-hand with this guy.

"Shouldn't we be geting going, wot?" Riona grinned again. Hopefully Sharpe was a happy chap - she needed to foster a good impression, fast.

"Hang on, Hang on, don't get ahead of us, eh? Those Wescorp buggers're around here somewhere. Don't want 'em gettin' you, eh?"

He patted his axe again, and grinned at Crimson like a crocodile.

"YOU CAN'T TAKE ME, AXE BOY!", Crimson blurted out. The pin dropped.

With a roar like a thousand steam engines, Lumberjack blasted forewards. Crimson brought up his hands to deliver some kind of kung-fu combo, but even that wasn't enough to stop ten tonnes of angry canadian. Crimson smashed back into the wall, and crumpled. You could hear the air wheezing out of his lungs.

"Erk." said Riona.

[CKW]

Laughter. Crimson was laughing. Even thought he was pinned against the wall.

"What's so funny?" The canadian Behemoth taunted.

"Well, if that's what you are capable of doing, you shouldn't be much of a problem... big boy..." Crimson taunted, while arising to his feet. It had the desired effect. Soon, the towering proportions of the man charged against Crimson, the axe describing a menacing arc ready to crush their bones...
However, the axe just hit thin air. In the wink of an eye, the whole bulk of lumberjack rocked backwards, as the now flexed muscles of crimson's thick build tripped him, and lifting him by the legs, tossed with all his strenght the heavy bulk of the anti-hero, crushing a few fellow minions in the slow but brutal arc Lumberjack's body described.

"Eye by eye." He smirked, while spitting, and readied himself for the fight, while the others still stared at eachother, processing what had happened.

[VO]

Lumberjack bounced off the wall, and rolled across the floor. A couple of goons moaned. The giant twitched.

"Good, eh?" Crimson grinned at Diva, and took a deep breath. Then he winked.

Click. Click.

The remaining thugs cocked their weapons.

[Nyerguds]

Charge looked at Loki, who was happily smashing the heads of more goons with 'Yorrick', as the stick was apparently called.

Charge frowned. Where the devil did he hide that?
He didn't get much time to think about the matter though. Exactly two thousand fifty four milliseconds after that thought, the first traces of a grinding sound reached his ears. "Get back!" he yelled to the others, and floated towards the place where the giant DAMAGE droid was breaking open the roof of the prison.
A shockwave tore through the building, leaving cracks in the walls and the roofs. Large pieces of concrete started falling everywhere. Charge only succeeded in dodging them because he could use magnetic fields to push away the steel bars inside the reinforced concrete.

For a second, a ray of sunlight shone through the dust. Then, it was obscured by a giant sledgehammer crashing through the roof, sending down another rain of concrete. A large robotic head appeared at the other side of the hole.

Charge looked as Equalizer got hit by a falling piece of rubble, her weapon knocked out of her hands. He had to stop this robot before it destroyed the entire building.

"I'll get him!" he yelled at the others, floating towards the hole. The sledgehammer seemed to be a solid piece of metal, but that fact both relieved and worried Charge. It'd take a while to get that much metal magnetized.

He floated though the hole, unleashing a series of lightning bolts at the robot's head. The robot barely reacted.
Finally, it slowly turned its head, and with surprising speed it swung the wrecking ball at Charge.
Charge floated backwards, narrowly missing the ball. His antigrav field was handy, but it didn't allow him to react very fast in the air, and that proved to be a major disadvantage. But at least the robot was focussed on him now, meaning the building was safe.
Magnetizing the slegdehammer suddenly seemed like a waste of energy... seeing as it was in direct control of the giant robot. The wrecking ball, on its heavy chain, was a much more appealing target.
At the next swing of said wrecking ball, Charge magnetized the chain, making it crumple together like, well, a magnetized chain. Oh come on, surely you've tried that, with these little chains on key-rings. Yes, like that.

I just have to hold out long enough to fully magnetize that thing, Charge thought. When I control the ball, this thing is scrap metal.

***

Equalizer looked up, still somewhat groggy from the piece of concrete that had hit her on the head. She reached for her BlastMaster 3000.

"I don't think that'll help you much." she heard a female voice say. At that same moment, two green vines shot down from the ceiling, grabbing the weapon and entangling it within a few seconds.

[Artificial Idiot]

While Charge was desperatly concentrating on the chain, DAMAGE's sledgehammer came across at a vicious arch towards Charge, whi barely dodged the blow. The oversized robot barely kept it's balence, having to shift it's postion, putting one foot through a wall of the prison.

Too close to where Equaliser had just been standing.

Charge cursed himself as the being trampled through the prison, if he tried to draw it away too much he could lose his concentration on the ball, but he could see that those prisoners that weren't killed outright, were escaping in drones and it appeared that Equaliser and Loki were in trouble.

He needed to finish this thing off, quickly.

* * *

Equaliser turned dramatically, hair following just a few seconds behind her very motion, before falling back into place. Weapon or no weapon, she'd face off this new threat with a firece bravery.

The last think she expected to see was a lithe, barely clothed woman sitting on a vine looking thoughtfully at her.

"I'm not interupting anything, Am I?" Grapevine giggled, as she rode above the minions, who seemed to look up at her in awe and amazement.

The vine travelled infront of it's mistress, laying it's self down at Equaliser's feet, where Grapevine stepped off elegantly. Standing face to neck with the slightly taller, sliver clad woman. Equaliser shifted her postion, but wasn't sure what to make of the newcomer so just growled softly.

"Breathe deep." Whispered the violet haired beauty as she blew lightly into Equaliser's face, a dozen spores being released, making Equaliser choak and gag until her eyes watered". Grapevine turned to her minions. "Well? I believe you people are payed to do something."

Almost as if they had been cracked with whips, the remaining minions regained thier bearings and cocked their weapons.

* * *

Meanwhile, Loki looked on with a smile plastered over his face. He had made some last minute adjustments to his device, and couldn't wait to try it. But there were so many oppertunites.

He looked around at each one with glee. He saw Equaliser now being entangled in vines, having the life squeezed out of her. Reliasing he could be her only hope of survival made his grin spread from ear to ear. However, he'd have to decide which would be left with proverbial pie on thier face, her or the green woman.

He pondered his situation, watching the rubble bounce of Yorrick's skull. He looked up to see Charge battling a large, orange robot that was now stomping it's way through the roof of the building. It seemed both his comrades were in mortal danger... but was there any fun to be had in saving them?

He also took into account the minions and escaping prisoners, but the minions had grown rather boring after awhile. Unless....

"Oh, the dilemma!" He exclaimed to Yorrick.

[Nyerguds]

"Right." Charge thought. "This should be enough."
Just as the robot swung the wrecking ball back for another blow on the prison, Charge focussed his magnetic powers through the small metal cilinder in his hand. When the robot swung his arm forward, the ball didn't come with it.

But Charge had made an error. The large mass of the ball had distorted his readings, and he didn't control the ball quite as much as he thought he did.

He didn't succeed in pulling the robot backwards with the wrecking ball. The ball was still going forward, but not in the trajectory the robot had calculated. Instead of being swung to the side, the metal thing hit DAMAGE straight in the back.

"NOOO!" Charge yelled, as he realized his mistake, and the robot crashed face-down into the prison building, right onto the wing of cell blocks left from the main hall.

The ground shook as the robot plunged deeper and deeper through the concrete walls and floors. Charge caught himself subconsciously trying to calculate the damage in amount of money, and forced himself to stop. This was his chance to take the thing out, once and for all.

He floated down to the arm holding the ball, and grabbed the chain connecting the wrecking ball with the robot. Channeling enormous amounts of heat through his hands, the chain burned without even getting a chance to melt. Brown iron oxide sparkled off it like fireworks.

By the time the chain was loose, DAMAGE was trying to get up. But this time, Charge had the wrecking ball firmly under control. He lifted it about a hundred meters up in the air, hovering above the robot's head. The electronic activity inside the head clearly showed that that was where the robot's electronic brain was.
"You've done enough damage for one day." Charge said grimly, as he released the wrecking ball.

With a loud *CRUNCH* sound, the ball crushed the robot's head, sending it back down into the rubble it made by falling into the prison. One more time, the ground shook under the impact of the huge robot. But Charge knew this would be the last time.

[Master Chris]

Loki made his decision, with a giant toy robot like that just begging to be tinkered with, how could he say no?

With a minor, last minute adjustment to his 'device', Loki added his needle to it, chuckling with delight:

"Oh yes, indeed, yes, fun fun, it will be fun."

With amazing agility, Loki bounced up to the recently disabled robot and began dissecting its remains, using his device as a multi-purpose swiss-army knife. Within moments Loki had removed, assembled and primed another mechanical device, using only his original one made only from a needle and a Lorex watch.

Hefting a somewhat spherical metal contraption, with ominous spikes liberally distributed across its surface, Loki yelled:

"Beware, evil doers! The great orb of justice shall smite ye!"

With that, Loki threw the sphere amoung the remaining goons who promptly scattered, already assaulted by Equaliser, fearing for their lives.

As they retreated, the orb made omnious beeping noises increasing in frequency until only a constant wail could be heard by those of 'human perception'.

Suddenly...

The beeping stopped, for a moment the device did nothing. Then, it slowly rotated itself and began to twist and change itself, components moved and arranged themselves into new configurations. It wasn't until the entire device had stopped changing that those who were paying attention noticed that the orb had now taken the shape of a rooster.

Clucking with an oddly metallic ring, the steel rooster paraded around in a circle before proudly crowing and flapping its metal wings.

Loki was cackling like a madman (which wasn't far from the truth!):

"For the orb of Justice has hatched into the Rooster of Righteousness(sp?)!"

As if in response to Loki's exclaimation, the rooster crowed a second time.

[Wesforce]

Choking back the tears, unable to see more than green and purple fuzzy blobs in front of her, Equalizer wondered why here visor hadn't protected her face.

'Ah well, chin up, and all that.'

The vines binding her hands to her side wee tight, and got titghter still as she struggled. She decided a little reverseve psychology was in order...

She let her hands go slack. So did the Vines' grip.

Quick as a flash she tore her hands free before the vines could reactm, and moved her hands to her Sonic Displacer Screen controls. She set the 'home' coordinates for the minimum - three feet around her body. She didn't have time to sort out the 'target' cooridnates.

'Time to try some of my own flower arranging - OR SHOULD THAT BE DISARRANGING?' She shouted.

FRAZOOM!

For a moment, all was still, quiet and cold.

Then Equalizer realised she was hanging in the air - NO! Falling, fast, through the dark sky, the maniac riobot trashing the prison down below.

Across from her was Vine - or at least her dumbstruck top half - the half that had been caught in the displacement zone.

'C'mere, you.' Equaliser said, manhandling the mutant as she fell, so she would land on her - Vine would break her 100ft fall!

[CKW]

"uh..." Crimson gave a moisture of dare and preocupattion towards the guns. He tensed his muscles, reading his body for a piece of action. He knew automathic weapons were deadly, however, being manipulated by people that had limited reflexes still gave him some edges.

The goons simultaneously fired upon Crimson, to find he had jumped away, an instant before the bullets hit him. But where he went? They followed the jump arc, to find that crimson had outspeed their own perceptions, there he was, using the ceiling as a platform to propel himself into the goons melee.

"Oh S..." The first goon exclaimed as Crimson landed upon him. The arm of the ninja described a downside arc upon his body. Suddenly, a red line came, and splattered blood. The arm of the ninja held somewhat of a throwable dagger, all stained in blood. In this gory fashion, the first goon fell to not arise never again.

The other goons turned their weapons on him, just to find Crimson had strategically landed to force the goons into a crossed fire wich would prejudice both factions. The ninja smiled, and licked viciously the blood from the shuriken.
"One less."
He launched himself on another goon, finding the usefulness of the mercenary as bullet shield. When the goon, injuried everywhere from bullet impacts, dropped to the ground, Crimson had literally dissapeared.

"Where has it gone!?" Lumberjack, now fully recovered, looked in each direction. So did the fellow goons.

Then a goon screamed as a crawling shadow sliced its throat. The moment the others focused in Crimson, he had fled somewhere else. One by one, the goons fell under this trick, to the helpless eyes of Diva, under the dark arts of the ninja.

Until there was one left. This one was neck snapped, in opposition from the gory spectacle of the others.

However, in this move, Crimson allowed Lumberjack to connect a punch in his stomach, who sent the ninja backwards in pain. Crimson understood. That behemoth wouldn't be that easy as he first expected...

[VO]

Crimson landed on his feet, and immediately leapt to the left as Lumberjack's titanium alloy axe whistled through the air where he had been standing only moments before. He brought his leg up in a kick which Lumberjack blocked with a burly arm, and swung he head to avoid the punch thrown at him with his opponent's left hand. Crimson realised that Lumberjack wouldn't fall for the simple throw he'd used before again.

Flipping backwards over the corpse of goons, he readied himself for the burly woodsman's next assault. Too late, he noticed Lumberjack grab something from his belt, and hurl it with incredible strength in straight at him. Microseconds before the explosion, Crimson leapt out of the way.

KA-BOOOM!

Riona's hands flew to her ears as the beaver bomb went off, showering shrapnel and bits of concrete across the room. She grabbed the handle of the door and jerked it open.

Crimson was momentarily stunned by the explosion, which was exactly what Lumberjack needed. He charged forewards, and grabbed the shocked Ninja around the throat with both hands, dropping his axe to the floor to do so. His fingers tightened.

"Who's laughing now, eh?", he growled menacingly. Crimson tried to make a witty reply, but began to choke.

Slowly, his face began to drain of colour and pick up a distinctive blue tone. His hands clawed at his assailant's arms, but to no avail, and his legs kicked feebly at Lumberjack's bulk.

Riona sighed, and left the door. There was no way she could leave him to die now - she had no idea what was out there in the rest of the complex (the muffled explosions didn't sound promising), and she could need Crimson to deal with them.

She walked up behind Lumberjack, and picked up the discarded axe. The giant was too intent on choking Crimson to notice. Heaving, she lifted it up and with all her strength dealt the giant a massive blow to the back of the head with the flat of the blade.

Lumberjack rocked, and dropped Crimson, who fell gasping to the floor.

"Eh?"

He turned, every slowly, while a massive lump developed on the back of his head. His face turned red. His eyes gleamed. This was the kind of moment that there should be steam coming out of his ears.

"Sharpe you bugger! You traitor!"

Riona realised that perhaps she should have used the sharp bit.

VOES : finish him off CKW, but don't kill him please. :)

[Artificial Idiot]

Grapevine looked down at the lower part of her body in horror, a sickly brownish-yellow juice leaking from what passed as her entrails, covering the legs and furry garments. She'd live of course, it was just the invonvinence of it all.

"You're going down, missy." Equaliser spat. "All the wa... huh?"

Suddenly, the two came to a stop. Grapevine had managed to overcome the shock of losing her lower body, and brought a vine up to herself. Wrapping it safely around herself and her foe. The vine slowly merged with the lower half of her body, leaving her wincing in pain, but grateful all the same.

"This is your stop, dear. But believe me, it's been fun." Grapevine plyed the other woman's arms open with smaller vines that had split of the main. She slid up her protective visor, and blew again. Equaliser tried to hold her breath, but she didn't last forever and soon slipped into sleep.

Grapevine casually let her tumble out of her grip, and then lowered herself over the prison gardens, making her escape. Hoping that at least Lumberjack was having better luck.

* * *

Flash hammond, shady conman who'd been caught flogging counterfeit signed pictures of Kathy LeMonte on Bristol market, serving a prison sentance at Lutonopolis penitenery at Wescorp's pleasure, thought he had nothing to live for. So it was quite a surprise when freedom was now staring him in the face.

He looked out across the grounds of the prison, he'd seen plenty of others go safely. But it did look awfully dangerous out there, what with the giant robot and all... but he hadn't seen or heard that for about five-ten minutes now.

"Aw what differance could it make?" he muttered, and made a run for it.

He sprinted across the grounds, always looking behind him, expecting to see a guard or one of those superhero buggers, but nothing. He soon became more and more confident, repeating "I'm gonna make it, I'm gonna make it." as he panted. He reached the gates, whiched had already been forced open, the guard was unconcious.

"Good God!" He yelled to nobody. "I must be the luckiest man ALLLLIIIIIIIVVVV-oh sh-!"

His emotional outburst was cut short as something with a silver tinge fell out of the sky on top of him.

* * *

"Equaliser..." said Charge, trying to bring his fallen friend back to conciousness. He examined her for a few seconds, broken arm, light concussion. Nothing that couldn't be cured by a day or two in the medical wing of the Wescorp complex. The dry cleaning however... well, Charge didn't even want to know what was underneath her, but he could take a wild guess.

"I'm going to get her medical attention." Charge informed Loki, who was standing behind him. "You clear any left over minions, and wait for Diva and Crimson..."

The large metal rooster crowed from inside the prison.

"And shut that thing off!" Charge protested. Loki rasped long and loud at him, and then cartwheeled his way back to the prison. Stopping to throw a steak and kidney pie, which he'd found in a guard's lunch box, at an escaping prisoner. Laughing hysterically as the gravy dripped off his nose.

[CKW]

"Sharpe.... NGHHH!" The giant's words were cutted as two man legs appeared from his back, and wrapped around his neck, restricting the incoming and out coming air.

"See you in hell!" Crimson shouted. He was standing on his hands, legs firmly wrapped around lumberjack's body, his whole body stiffened, ready for the next move. Even thought that lumberjack grabbed Crimson's legs, he failed to free himself from the grip, and soon, the whole body of him described an arcing trajectory towards the ground, head first.

"BOOOOM!!" The floor of the prison trembled as Lumberjack's thick head hit it with his whole weight plus an added bonus from the ninja. Logically, Lumberjack lost his consciusness short after, weezing like an exhausted pig.

Crimson stood to his feet once again, and rocked his neck in several directions, to check everything was OK after the giant man's grip had seized it. No damage, that was good. As the adrenaline rush began to wear off, he felt a burning pain in his left arm. Apparently, he hadn't remained unscattered from the gunfire, but a skin-depth scratch was better than anything else.

But what to do next with the now sleeping goon boss? Kill him? Naw. He could be of some use...

He walked towards him, and flexing his legs and arms, lifted the unconscious bulk.

"What do you think you are doing?" Diva shouted.

"We're going to grad this one as prisoner. You carry the axe. I carry the body." Crimson talked, while walking heavily, dragging Lumberjack over his shoulders. "Let's get moving. I want to get my equipment back."

[Artificial Idiot]

"Are you crazy?!" Diva protested. "It weighs almost as much as he does!"

"But you lifted it before." Crimson replied, skeptically.

"Yes, but that was in the heat of the moment. Somebody had to save your life, and I didn't see anybody else volunteering."

"Fine, I'll just come back for it lat..." The ninja stopped short in mid-conversation as he opened the door. He raised an eyebrow as a small, brightly coloured box sat before him, a handle on the side.

"A jack in the box..." He observed under his breath.

The handle started to turn, and a seemingly synthesized voice started to flow from it.

"Half a pound of tupenny rice, half a pound of treacle, half a pound of tupenny rice..." The box exploded open, creating a large bang that made Diva gasp despite herself. Several leads shot out of the top of the box, which Crimson would have dodged had he not been holding the hefty Canadian. They connected with the two men and sent several volts of electricity through them, until they both fell unconscious on the floor.

"Shocks goes the weasel!" Loki sprung into the doorway, cackling like madman. He then stopped, looked down at Crimson and started to make a low, tsking sound. "Does thou not know this is a no smoking area?"

"Maybe we should just let the authorities deal with the prisoners..." Sighed Diva, as the rooster crowed again, causing another burst of laughter from Loki.

* * *

"Welcome home." Said O'brian, as the team returned to base, however they had been directed to a new address which they had assumed was a Wescorp officeblock. "Early reports from the prison are... better then expected. While there was a large amount of collacteral damage, you did face off against three superhumans and win with minimal injury." He said the last part looking sympathetically at Equaliser, who had been cast in a sling by Miss Barnett at Wescorp HQ, and then driven here.

"And what about Sharpe?" Asked Charge.

"I was hoping you could tell me." O'brian said, as he got up and began to pace. "Unfortunatly, Maverick has not yet returned. All attempts to contact him have resulted in failure and his tracer is down."

"So.. we failed?" Inquired Equaliser.

"No. Not at all." O'brian said, calmly. "There was no failure here, really. Had you saved Sharpe, a leagal loop-hole would have seen him released sooner or later."

"So it was all for nothing from the start?" Crimson said sourly.

"Not for nothing. What better way to test your ability than to face you off against other super humans? It was a test of your abilities, and we are pleased with the results." He cleared his throat. "On the up side, however, you also captured one, meaning we can find out exactly where they will strike next. Which is where you come in again."

"Our own efforts have constantly failed, the man won't even give his own name. We need a few of you to go out and get answers. As for the rest of you, I would like you to find Maverick. Who is doing which is not my concern, You may decide amounst yourselves." O'brian paused, and then turned on his heels. "In the meantime, enjoy your new HQ, I think you'll find it has everything you'll need in your activities."

[VO]

Riona sat at the back of the meeting, reading Paris Flash. It wasn't that interesting - some NeoFrench actress getting married, a picture of the playboy son of the CKW Enterprises president in a nightclub in Barcelona, and the obligatory pages of superhero snaps, apparently one of the favourite passtimes of the paparatzi. Apparently this edition had came out last week - she dreaded anything taken during the whole prison escapade coming out in the next issue - it would probably go to Crimson's head. Or whoever else thought they were the de facto leader of the Secret Reserve now they couldn't find the robot-guy. Martin or Marvin or something. She had never bothered learning his name.

She'd slipped back into her own form as soon as she could get some privacy, and immediately been dragged into here by Crimson for a debriefing or something. Which was quite embarressing, as he'd almost caught her in her briefs, deciding on what to clothes to morph on. Luckily she'd heard him coming and quickly decided on a simple two-peice that she'd memorised how to morph before. After that, she'd just grabbed the magazine and waited for everyone else to shut up so she could go.

She looked up - O'brian was wrapping up, and both Charge and Crimson were talking at once. They seemed to be debating how to start the search for their android friend, one wanting to send everyone out, the other wanting to do the job as O'brian said and interrogate their prisoner as well. It struck her that most of the others seemed to be trying to act like the whole thing was one of those comic books for American fictional superheroes (and those that had decided to syndicate their image). Riona had an inkling that reality didn't work like that, and despite the spandex that several of them were sporting, it wouldn't be a happy ending every time. And happy endings were probably more appealing until she figured out a way to get out of this stupid idea.

"So," she spoke up (best to nip this in the bud now) "I realise I don't actually know any of you. Maybe this whole idiotic superhero thing would work a bit better if we did some stuff together that didn't just involve flexing our massive muscles and throwing bad guys across the room?” I hear paintball’s very hot”, she said sarcastically.

[CKW]

"Now that's a good idea, Diva." Crimson crossed his arms. "However, what are you trying to point out, it's just the tip of the iceberg." He advanced towards her.

"Charge, care to allow me some free spare time with the lady?"

"Well, i don't see why not, but we should be focusing ON the real matter, Crimson." The energy man crossed his arms and frowned.

Crimson gently pointed to a quiet and partially hidden area, while, using his best modals, invited Diva to join a face to face conversation.

[VO]

Riona rolled her eyes and sighed. Was he trying to come onto her or just intimidate her? Maybe a bit of both. She didn't cross her arms.

"Gee, and I knew a nice candle-lit restaurant and everything", she said, just loud enough for everyone to hear. "If you have a problem, I'd think you'd have the balls to say it infront of everyone - but then again, I probably have more balls than you and I'm 36DD."

[CKW]

"Fine then." Crimson frowned. "The fact is. Have you ever considered that nothing is but an illusion? That all you have desired is worth nothing? Have you ever felt that morals, codes and justice are just the painkiller of the world?"

Diva just fumed. "I hardly see the point."

"People wants to live a dream where Justice prevails and Heroes save the world. People is not ready yet for what's hidden within the dark depths of human condition. Needless to say, our "superhero fancy team" is one seal to keep people's sanity in good condition."

Crimson remarked well those last words,while Diva stepped back.As he was letting out all the steam accumulated towards the whole thing. Wescorp. Superhero team. Foes. Nasty teammates.

"Wake up Alice, you're not in Wonderland. Even the material possesions that you desire are but another cover."

He finally adressed to Diva, before turning back, visiblely a bit more relaxed, and trying to get into his duty again.

[VO]

"You weren't even listening to a word I said anyway," said Riona "or you wouldn't have spouted that psuedo-philisophical rubbish at me. Your idea of the 'dark depths of the human condition' was filmed by the Wachowski brothers."

Crimson turned around.
He's angry, thought Riona. He's used all his best cliches and he doesn't know what to do next.

"The truth is out there, Diva!", Crimson replied. He tapped his nose conspiratorially. "You just have to understand what we're doing, woman, and why we're doing it to know why we do what we do. Then again, sometimes some people just don't believe..."

"And you think that some garbage you ripped out of The Twilight Files justifies whatever you feel like doing?" You spent your morning chopping guys up into ribbons with a katana and you can lecture me on morality?" All your idiot chauvinist attitude is going to do is get someone hurt!"

The Ninja's face was turning almost as crimson as his namesake. His eyes glazed over. Ninja rage boiled up in pustulent bubbles.

Crimson's hand moved almost as fast as lightning. Loki and Charge leapt up, sending their chairs clattering to the floor, but too late. Riona reeled, a mark as red as her hair blossoming on her cheek.

"Don't think I don't know about hurting people", said Crimson.

[Master Chris]

Loki, after witnessing Crimson slap Riona, had decided to accompany Equaliser during her interrogation of the massive brute, Lumberjack. So far, however, he had not proved to be much help.

"So, so, so...What do we 'ave 'ere den?"

Equaliser was going for the 'bad cop' routine, that she was entirely unaware of the cliche spoke volumes for her brutality towards the prisoner.

"Talk or suffer, big boy. Trust me when I say I'd prefer you kept quiet!"

Those words triggered something within her mind, images that flashed before her, too quickly to be contemplated in detail but there was a definite theme to them...[OOC: This is where our sovereign mistress-Mod, Wes, inserts whatever is necessary]

Loki, unperterbed by the threat, pulled a feather from his costume and waved it about as if it were a blade:

"Prepare, evil doer, for the smiting of your life!"

[Nyerguds]

"Hurting people, eh?" Crimson heard Charge's voice behind him.

Suddenly, Crimson gasped. You could see he could barely breathe. A split-second later his feet were lifted off the ground. His clothing showed the places on his body where his concealed metal arms were pushing him up, and crushing his chest.

Charge walked towards Crimson, as the trapped ninja rotated in the air to face him.

"This is a team." Charge said calmly. "And one thing we don't do in a team is cause internal struggles. This includes hurting people."
The black man sighed. "Now personally I don't see the point of your speech. We are here to minimize suffering. That's our job, and the people will be grateful for it. If you don't like that, I seriously don't think you can think up any reason for yourself to live."
The metal around Crimson stressed the sharp tone of Charge's last word by pushing harder for a split second.

Crimson dropped to the floor, gasping to catch his breath.

"Go make yourself useful instead of trying to destroy this team." Charge said. He turned around and walked to the door.
When he reached the door, he turned his head, searching the room for a second. He looked at Jacob, the 'Adamantium Boy'.
"Come with me, kid. We're going to find Maverick."
"Eh, OK." Jacob said, and hurried after Charge, out of the room.

[VO]

Riona's cheek stung, but that didn't stop her from recovering. Crimson had collapsed like a sack of potatoes in the floor, and everyone else dispersed pretty fast. She didn't want to be here when he got around to getting back up.

She briefly considered her options - either the interrogation or going to look for Maverick, or hanging around with Mr. Congeniality here. She decided that it probably was a good idea to get as far away from him as possible to let him cool down, so it looked like she'd be helping in the search for their leader.

This didn't stop her from deliberately treading on the Ninja's fingers as she left.

***


"Hey! Wait up!"

Charge and his singaporean companion turned around by the elevator doors at the end of the corridor. They saw Riona emerging from the debriefing room, and glance both ways before noticing them.

"I thought you could need some help," said Riona as she caught up with them. Charge pressed a button on the elevator panel, and turned to her. Jacob pressed a button on the nearby soft drinks machine, and a can of Wescoke dropped out.

"Or you didn't think you wanted to hang around with Crimson, huh?", said Charge. "Don't say I blame you."

"Heh, yeah", she replied. "I thought I needed a bit of fresh air too."

The elevator pinged, and all three alighted. Charge tapped a button labelled 'Garage'. There were thirteen different floors above this.

"Garage, huh?", said the Adamantium Boy. "Got any nice cars?"

"Wait and see," grinned Charge.

***

"Whoa. What is that?" the superpowered thirteen-year old stared goggle-eyed at a massive black vehicle that dominated the nearest part of the collossal underground garage. It looked like something out of a science fiction film. There were at least twelve cars in here, and Riona noticed that her sleek convertable was amoung them. Obviously her captors had taken it from the parking for her apartment, and this made her wonder if they hadn't moved any more of her stuff here. She'd have to find out later.

"That," said Charge to Jacob, "Is none of your concern." He pointed at a distinctly less high-tech vehicle parked next to it. "We'll be taking this baby."

"1980 CKW motors Dark Dragon?" said Jacob. "I could buy one of them with my pocket money."

"Yeah, someone high up thought it would be funny to give us a vehicle made by our competitors," Charge replied. "Sometimes you don't need the kind of car that can run over a tank, or don't want something as noticable as that Ferrari over there."

"Whoa." said Jacob. Charge flicked a keychain at the car, which unlocked it's doors.

"Diva, can you take this? I don't like carring stuff like that around when I might have to use my powers. I know the infra-red code anyway."

To demonstrate his point, the vehicle bleeped twice, locking and unlocking without Charge using the device. He then opened the passenger door, and clicked the IR device off the keychain and handed it to Riona.

"After you," he said, and she got in. Charge walked around to the right hand side and opened the driver's door, while their teenage associate climbed reluctantly into the seats behind, still looking longingly at the cars he'd trade all his Pokemon Cards for outside.

"Can we use one of them next time?"

"Maybe." said Charge. He then turned to Riona. "Sorry if you're used to driving yourself, but, well, this thing might be a bit more souped up than you're expecting." The car burst to life spontaniously.

[Artificial Idiot]

Crimson groaned. He didn't know how long he'd been out, and everybody seemed to have gone. He frowned, spotting a note. He studied the hand writing, but found he didn't need to. Only Equaliser would write in neon-purple pen.

"Questioning Lumberjack, others gone. You're on monitor duty. Follow me, and you're balls are MINCE!!!!

- E"

There was a print out of directions to the monitor room printed out and stuck underneath it. Crimson huffed, screwed up the note and took the directions. But first he decided to call Kori, unsure what had happened to her at the prison.

"Nothing." He muttered after a few rings. He was considering going to look for her, when he saw one of the control panels flashing in green lights...

"ENTRANCE BREACHED. ENTRANCE BREACHED." It flashed. Crimson frowned again, looks like he'd have somebody to release his pent up agression on after all.

* * *

Lutonopolis, town of one thousand and one faces. Well, maybe more, maybe less... most of the mugs worked for Wescorp anyway, but that was aside the point. The point was that few of those faces were more prominant (or dashingly handsome, if you ask the man himself), than Jim Castro's. A man who isn't easily impressed, but at the moment, he was damn near to it.

"Swanky." He whistled, as he stood outside the sprial tower that marked the centre of upper-class Lutonopolis. It was also the HQ of the up and rising stars of the super human world, the Secret Reserve. Why, what were you expected? An abandoned bottle-makers in the middle of the slums?

"Jim, do you read me?" He smiled as he heard the soft, feminine voice travel through the radio device in his ears.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite broad of all time." Pedula, Branson's butler. Heh, had to wonder if the jammy git had ever... He stopped his train of thought, having a mutal respect for them both. Which, for a man of Branson's standing, was a rare thing. "Just about to ring the door bell."

He carefully pressed the "Call" button on the control panel by the door. Engaged.

"Nobody home."

"I can have the access codes to you in 10 minutes." Pedula informed him.

"I can have it open in two." He closed his eyes for a few seconds, readjusting his vision carefully. He stared at the control panel. Now, he wasn't an electrician, but it always paid to know how to get a quick entrace. He pulled his pistol from inside his coat, took carefull aim and shot. The panel sparked, but the doors swung open anyway.

"Welcome Visitor. Please enjoy your stay."

"I intend to." Jim said, in reply to the mechanical voice. "Very much so."

he stepped into what he assumed was the waiting room. He picked up a magazine curiously, November 1996... Good heavens! Donations must have been thin on the ground. Although, Super Heroes weren't exactly what could be described as a "worthy cause".
He walked over to a portrait. Wesley Dean III. Typical, self obcessed bastard.

"Well, I'm not usually into petty crime... but it's for a good cause." He unhooked the portrait from the wall, carefully pryed open the frame (hey, those things cost a lot of money!) and held up the picture close to his face. "I hear he's uglier in real life."

He fumbled around in his coat once more, this time producing a lighter and a cigar case. He lay the case on a vacant chair, igniting the lighter.

"This'll hurt your ego more then it'll hurt me, Wesley." He casually set alight to the corner of the painting. Putting away his lighter and then grabbing his cigar case. Flipping it open with one hand, he removed one and lit it on the burning picture. "heh, this is the life..."

He was about to sit down and wait, when he caught a shadow moving on the stairway above out of the corner of his eye.

"Bugger, not as empty as I thought. Going to have to go, darling. Look after the old man for me, eh?" With that, he closed off the radio link and flopped down into a chair. Facing the approaching figure. Heh, surely his new guest would be worried about his confort, wouldn't he?

[VO]

"So," said Riona, "how do we expect to find Marvin?"

"Maverick," corrected Charge, and clicked his fingers. The garage doors opened at the top of the slope, and he drove the car out of the underground garage. It was dark outside (the clock on the dashboard read 10.54pm), but they could see that they had emerged into the small park that surrounded their HQ building as Charge flicked on the lights. At the other side of large steel gates with a bored looking security guard in a booth roared the massive main road outside. The guard woke up and hurriedly did something that opened the gates for the car.

"What I plan to do first is check out where Marv's signal stopped functioning," said Charge as he shifted gear in the traffic. "He had a radio transmitter built in, and as far as I can gather this stopped working as they passed through the slums."

"The slums? Wasn't that a bit stupid? They'd have been safer on bigger roads if they were trying to avoid trouble."

"Yeah," said Charge. "But they had orders - something about Wescorp image probably. We're heading to an area that I hear's colloquially known as The Devil's Armpit."

"Nice." Riona rolled her eyes.

"I knew you'd love it", the driver replied.

"Cooooool," came a voice from the back seat. "Can we put the radio on?"

"Isn't it past your bedtime?" said Riona, but flicked the button besides the comment.

"Ok," she continued her conversation with Charge over the noise "What's your real name, anyhow?"

[CKW]

A well-aimed throwable object hit the chair, resulting in a splinter explosion afterwards, while the force of gravity did the rest, and, Castro's butt mett the cold hard floor.

"Tsk Tsk. No rest for intruders." Crimson's voice whispered. The figure focused again on the corridor, in an attempt to locate where the voice come from. His question was answered when the sharp tip of the katana threatened the veins of his throat.

"Now, Identify yourself. And don't try anything funny. Others would probably want you alive." He snickered.

[Artificial Idiot]

"Heh, It'd be a short list, kid." Chuckled Castro. "Sharp object to the throat, eh? The oldies are the best..."

"Shut it, creep!" The man growled, tsk, the younger generation these days. "I asked you a question."

Castro sighed, considering making a crack about "hot topics", but decided it was in bad taste considering what he was about to do. He clutched the burning painting in his hands, and then forced it upwarsds in a quick arch between the mans legs.

"ARRRRGOOOOOOOOOHGOOOOD!!!!!" Yelped the man, as the blade he was holding clattered safely to the floor, the man himself soon followed, and obviously being a good little boy scout, started the stop, rock and roll procedure.

"Would it be tacky of me to sing 'Goodness, gracious great balls of fire?" Jim snickered.
Eventually, the fellow managed to put himself out, with mininal damage it seemed (mores the pity) and groaned. Jim glanced a "No smoking allowed" sign on the opposite wall... oh the irony.

"Right then, now we got the pleasentries outta the way..." He said, lifting Crimson onto a chair to recover. Almost felt sorry for the poor blighter, but hey... if you're going to play with fire... "Name's Castro, Paranormal Detective. Are you the boss of this ragamuffin organisation, and if not, where the hell can I find him?"

[CKW]

"No ****. You are no one to start up with weird requests. You're the intruder. You have no rights nor reason to stay. Leave this place, immediately or I will take you down. You are warned."

Crimson stood upright, hands ready to pick his weapons for a possible fight. He'd incapacitate that weirdo if he wasn't leaving. His muscles were ready, so did his mind. In a fingersnap, that weirdo would be dead if he tried anything again.

[Artificial Idiot]

Jim sighed and shook his head. Can't fault their choice of guard really... he was eager if nothing else, and probably took pride in his work. Heh, well, you know what they said about overly-agressive sunuvabitches with something to prove... making up for something else. Jim cleared his throat, fighting wouldn't get anyone anywhere, he'd have to talk his way around this one.

"Now you've got that out of your system, Do you want to find out what I'm doing here?" Jim raised an eyebrow as he sat back down, the other fellow tensed, but didn't strike. "You know, talk it over? Or is that too much of an advanced concept for you?"

"I already told you..." He growled, low and menacing. Gotta admire that in a man... if you go for that kind of thing, obviously. "Leave, or there won't be enough left of you to feed to the goldfish."

"My, my, aren't we feeling primative?" He saw the rage flare up in the other mans eyes, he went for a strike, but a sharp "ah" from Jim stopped him. No, he didn't know why it worked either. "Listen, kiddo. I'm on horribly important business here, got that? Now I know I might of startled you, disturbingly handsome as I am, but I. Do. Not. Have. Time. For. This. So please, point me to the nearest person in command and get off my case, hmm?"

"Give me one good reason why I should?" He growled again. This time a bit more gruff.

"As if you don't, then the lawyers'll walk all over this company like an oversized doormat... an' it won't be me getting it in the neck, understand kid?" Jim raised an eyebrow, then took another puff of his cigar. "Your choice, but I ain't moving."

[CKW]

"Go ahead. Call the lawyers. By the time the whole lawsuit thing started, you'll be out of time. As you stated , you don't have time. Am I wrong? The exit is behind you.Leave, or i'll take you down. And possibly lock you down in the basement."

Crimson tapped his foot, menancingly.This guy was getting on his nerves, specially by using such low tricks. Call the lawyers? Like he could afford that.

[Artificial Idiot]

Jim got up, and walked towards the exit, then stopped in the doorway. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, and then reopened them.

"BB311087, Name: Jim Castro. Purpose: Business. Appointment: 11pm (cover of darkness preferred)." Jim then tilted his head. "Check your database, should be there."

"How...!?" Crimson asked, puzzled and taken aback.

"Well, See, you push the button that says "On", wait for it to load... then you should find a little folder saying appointments lurking on the system..." Castro said, in a mocking tone.

"Why didn't you say all this in the first place?! And why break in!?" Crimson fumed, he obviously didn't like to play games.

"A) You were too busy trying to gut and skin me that you didn't ask. B) I don't like being late for an appointment..." There was a long pause as the man continued to smoke his cigar. "And C), truth be told, I just didn't like you. Especially your face, despite the fact I can't see it."

Crimson lowered his weapon, and walked over to the console on the desk, going through the files that he could access. He skimmed through appointments, and sure enough, he was there. The ninja snorted angrily and then looked up at the retiring cream-clad figure, flames burning in his eyes.

"Don't worry, I don't expect an apology... and my client'll see that your door gets fixed." The man tipped his hat at the Ninja, then snickered slightly, a glitter forming in his shadowed eyes. "Oh, and don't worry about explaining my absence to your superior either. I'll have a full written explanation here by tomorrow, and don't worry, I'll be sure to go into full detail about your incompetence. G'night, an' God help you... I hear he's got plenty of experience in doing the impossible."

[Nyerguds]

Charge smirked. "Well... if you must know... I think of myself as Charge."
"That's rather... odd." Riona replied. Charge could see the look on her face saying 'Guess that's what happens when you go too far into the superhero business.'
"Not quite." Charge continued. "See, like you, I'm no longer just human. But the part that enhances you are nanites. They don't have a mind of their own."
He glanced at the woman on the passenger seat. Riona looked astonished, trying to imagine how hard it would be if her nanites had a will of their own.
"My enhancements came with their own personality. Even though we're mostly one and the same now, Charge is still somewhat different from my old character traits. But he's mostly dormant."
"W..what happed then?" Riona blurted out.
"Now, now, miss Chasey... I could ask the same about you."
Riona bowed her head, realizing her mistake... everyone has their secrets. "Hm." she said.
"Charge is a being from a parallel dimension, that was accidently brought into an incompatible world... our world. The being's... incompatibility forced it to bind itself to me. The energy stored inside me is its life force."

Charge stopped the car, and parked it at the side of the road. "We're here. Maverick should be around here somewhere."
He looked at Riona. "Oh, and the name I use when I'm not Charge... is of no concern at all."

[Artificial Idiot]

(OOC: Taking over for Wes, why? None of your business. Grr)

Equaliser shook her head. Closed her eye for a few brief seconds, and then after one or two deep breaths, returned to form.

"Tough guy? HMM? Think your up to it, EH?" She snapped, going up behind the chair she'd tied Jumberjack too just a few moments before and placing her hands on the backrest. "Well I don't think you ARE! So what's say we find out, hmm big man?"

She heaved the chair with her undamaged arm, and then spun the Canadian around and around, being sure to keep up the fast pace. After a few minutes, she slammed a boot down dangerously between his legs and the chair came to a sudden halt.

"Ready to talk yet? Don't worry, we got all night long" She growled.

"What happened to meh phone call, eh?" The Canadian replied.

Equaliser used her foot to push the Canadian backwards, causing his wheeled chair to slam into the opposite wall with a jolt (leaving serveral cracks in the process). Equaliser unslung her newly polished blast master, and while it was hard to use one handed, she still managed to bring a tiny shelf above Lumberjack's head and it's contents down onto his skull.

"Now TALK!" She demanded. The giant wheezed, groaned and then wheezed again before muttering an obscene phrase at her. Equaliser was about to inflict further damage when an ear peircing laugh shattered her concentration.

"Stand aside, my fair maiden! I shalt show this evil doer the error of his ways!" Loki annonced, waving his feather around as if it was a leathal weapon. He then snatched up Yorrick and pushed the stick further into the Canadians face. "Behold, dear Yorrick! What does thou think we should inflict on this vile cretin?"

[Master Chris]

Loki leered at Lumberjack for a few moments before nodding solemnly and whispering:

"Perfect, a punishment that fits the crime. Why, Yorrick, my good man, thou art a genius!"

With that, Loki furiously wrenched the sturdy boots for Lumberjack's feet, yanked his woolen socks off and gave the Canadian super villian one last chance:

"Care to volunteer the answers, surrender before your torture commences?"

Lumberjack squirmed as best he could within the confines of his restraining ropes.

"No, no, don't tickle me! I'll tell, just don't tickle me! I'm terribly ticklish, aye!"

Loki dropped the feather and dusted his hands before proudly exclaiming to Equaliser:

"Well, he's all yours fair maiden. Remember, you catch more honey with flies...and to think, I didn't even need to recite a sonnet."

Equaliser, confused, asked:

"Don't you mean you didn't have to tickle him?"

"Tickle? Why on earth would I ever do that?"

Equaliser, still wondering, probed further:

"But, the feather, and what about taking his shoes off?"

Loki, a mischevious glint in his eyes, replied:

"I've always wanted a good pair of boots, and what better than a feather to accessorise with?"

With that he left Equaliser to finish the interrogation, hopping away, singing:

"Ring around a rosy, a pocket full of posey..."

When he almost collided with Crimson, whose reflexes allowed him to neatly dodge the bouncing harlequinn.

"What great misfortune blows a tempest of mood most foul this way?"

Loki asked the ninja. Crimson replied, a hint of anger in his voice:

"It seems that another joins our ranks, without any prior notification too. Great, just what we need, another hero to help save the world."

[VO]

All three got out of the car. It was quite cold for the time of year, Riona closed her eyes, and her outfit changed, rippling down her legs and arms to become a light grey overcoat.

"Nice neighbourhood," she said. Half the streetlamps in the street didn't seem to be working. The windows in the warehouses on each side of the road were boarded up. Someone had spraypainted "BLU HARE ROXX '99" on the side of the one on the other side of the road.

Charge gestured up the road. "We last got a signal down around here from Marv's reciever. I guess all we can do is go and have a look."

They walked down the street in silence, the Adamantium Boy kicking at an empty coke can on the pavement.

"Stop that." said Riona.

"Right," said Charge. "Here we are. Doesn't look like much here."

They looked up and down the road. A burnt out car, yes, and a skip which was probably full of used syringes, but no sign of the van.

"There's glass here, look!"

Charge leant down to where Jacob was pointing. A shattering of glass covered the road surface.

"This isn't the kind you'd get from smashing beer bottles," said Charge, picking up a piece of glass and turning it over in his fingers in the cold yellow light of the streetlamp. “Something happened here…”

[Nyerguds]

Charge looked around. Though there wasn't much glass he noticed the same kind of glass lying at two sides of the middle of the road, meaning it probably fell from the front of a moving car.
"The windshield." he concluded. "Could be from our van."

He focussed, trying to find any trace of energy flow that could be from Maverick. He found something, but it was very irregular.
Diva walked towards him. "Charge, wh-"
"Shh." he interruped her. "I got something."

Then, he sensed a quite powerful release of energy from the location where he'd pinpointed Maverick.
"Look at 'im sparkle!" he heard a voice in the distance. Some other voices laughed.

Charge got angry... they were destroying his partner! "I found him" he grumbled, while running off towards the voices.

Diva turned around. "Did you say someth-... oh." She glanced back to Jacob. "Come on, kid."
The two ran after Charge.

***

The four guys were obviously having fun kicking the robot. Well, it was the thing's own fault. It had been sitting on their table in the pub. The bartender had told them some masked guy had just dropped it off there and left.

They didn't care who or what it was... it obviously wasn't as tough as it looked.
"How 'd ya like that eh?!" one of the guys grinned. The robot sparked violently.

Then, they heard more sparking... behind them. they turned around, to find a completely black man floating in the alley, bolts of lightning surrounding his body.
"I could ask you the same thing." Charge said. He didn't yell, but the tone in his voice clearly indicated he was angry.

A lightning bolt hit the man that had spoken just before. He fell on his knees, writhing in pain.

"Look at 'im sparkle!" Charge yelled angrily, slowly floating closer to the four.
Another electric charge zapped through the air, hitting the three others. "How 'd ya like THAT?!" Charge yelled.

"Charge, stop!" he heard a female voice from behind him. He looked back, and saw Diva and Jacob running towards him. "You're killing them!" Diva yelled.

Charge frowned. Didn't she see these people were a threat? They were destroying Marv...
Calm down. Charge thought. That's your Charge instincts talking. All these guys are a threat to is this defenseless robot.

He sighed, and landed softly on the ground. He swallowed. "Mostly dormant..."
Diva looked at him and nodded. "I see." she said softly.

[Wesforce]

'Okay, I've had it up to HERE you lousy Canuck!'

'But I'm gonna tell you, eh?'

'SHUT UP! I'll TELL YOU when you can TALK, OK?' She roared at the giant, slinking back in the chair he was bound to in a fair imitation of a tortoise.

Words formed in Equalizer's mind: Authoritative words of instruction.

Embrace the pain of the subject. Fuse it with your will, use it like a wepaon, a knife. Twist-

She wracked his nerves with jagged sounds that made his back arch in agony, then applied pounding overpressure that was sure to make his king-sized eardrums burst.

And release.

With a chopping motion followed by a few wistful strokes on the blastmaster she produced calming, soothing waves of music that made the big hulk of a man tense and then relax his muscles.

And twist...

Once more foul noises wracked the Lumberjack's nervous system. Just as his whole body was about to go into meltdown., his Kidney's backifiring, his bowels imploding, his lungs refusing to admit and more of the horrible vibrating air, a foul screeching emanated from the Blastmaster's built-in synthplug. They began to warp, forming ionto the shape of a (somewhat) female voice, a dread harridan that the Canadian knew all too well...

'And my heart willll... go ooooooooonnnn'

'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I GIVE IN! I GIVE IIIIINNNNNNN, EH!!!!!!' Sobbed the Canuck, unnecessarily and uncontrollably.

The tortuous noise was gone, like a bad dream. A very bad dream.

Equalizer sat down on the floor cross-legged.

'Lets have it.'

'There's gonna be a big museum heist eh, to nab like... some Gem, eh?'

'When?'

'A weeks time, eh?'

A shockwave pummelled Lumberjack back against his chair.

'Ow, e-'

'SAY 'EH', ONE MORE TIME AND YOUR HEAD EXPLODES!!! OK!?!?

'Ok, e-um, Ok.'

'Who's organising this?'

'Knuckles.'

Equalizer dashed off to spread this news to the others, leaving The Lumberjack to his own unhappy thoughts.

[Blue Aurora]

[The four were still fazed from the electrocution. One of them was lying on the ground; he seemed too fazed to speak. Another was coughing softly. The remaining two were squatting, their eyes glaring at the three with fear.

The figures who were booting the robot were some roughneck teenagers, after the shock-waves had passed through their bodies, they were like meek little boys.

Charge walked up to one of them.

"Where did you get this?' he questioned,

"We were at a nearby bar," one of them spoke meekly, "it was on our table."

"Who left it there?"

"Some masked guy, or at least that's what the barkeep told us."

"Could you please tell us more on this 'masked guy'?" Jacob questioned,

"That's all we know." he answered.

"Thanks for your help anyway." Charge finished.

[Artificial Idiot]

An hour later, Charge led the way as the three returned to the Head Quaters. Charge collapsed into a chair almost instantly, an unnaturally dark look spread across his already dark face.
He placed his hands togeather carefully and rested the ridge of his nose on his finger tips. He didn't say a word, not even as Crimson desended the stairway into the room he had ejected the intruder out of earlier.

"Find him?" He asked Diva, casting a look at the others. The kid was busy kicking the chared remains of the Dean Portrait across the room, while Charge sat with a sour, reflective look over his face. He took that as a no.

"Yes." Diva informed him, hesitantly and bluntly. Quite to his surprise. "In pieces."

"Sharpe?"

"Nobody knows." Charge pitched in finally. "I searched for hours... and nobody knows. It just doesn't fit Sharpe's character..."

"He's a criminal." Said Crimson, gruffly. "They're all the same kind of scum..."

"Anybody who saw him said he was a man in a mask... No mentioned of any other defining features." He slumped back into his former pose, Crimson shrugged it off. There didn't seem any other explantion until they got what was left of their former ally analysed.

"What happened to the door?" Diva asked curiously. "And wasn't there a really ugly painting here when we left?"

"Intruder." Crimson growled lowly. "Said he had an appointment... I dealt with him."

Diva raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she saw the burn marks on his trousers, but was far too tired to make something of it. They'd searched for Marvin (or whatever his name was) and who turned him into scrap for hours. She just wanted to go to bed and get a good nights sleep.

"What about the big Canadian?" Asked Jacob shyly, he hadn't gone to the prison as he'd had issues to deal with at his now "former" school. Wescorp had made his perants a very special private tutoring offer, and they just couldn't refuse...

All taken care of! He cried like a baby, whimpered like a child and spit out all the information faster then I'd spit out a glass of diet Wolfsi!

Came a voice seemingly from all around the assembles heroes. Crimson's sharp reflexes thought he caught a sight of something whisk past the front door. He had her this time. He flung a shuriken towards the door, roughtly aiming to to put a hairline scratch along her cheek. But the small, metal weapon didn't stop there, it rolled out into the street, across the road and into a drain.

"What the...?"

Even as Crimson mused, a shrieking noise burst through everybodies eardrums, causing Diva and Jacob to cover their ears, Charge, being the furthest away from the source and quite used to it by now, took it in his stride.
Mirrors above Crimson shattered, showing him in reflective specks of glass. He closed his eyes tightly and yet his mask take the damage, but soon felt the oh so familier sound vibrations and hot breath against his neck.

"Boo." Whispered Equaliser, as she used her good hand to gently push Crimson off blance. He tripped over himself and fell a few steps, before regaining his concentration and landed near-gracefully at the bottom.

Equaliser stood proudly a few steps up, one arm rigid in a cast and the other firmly on her hips. She flipped down the rest of the stairs elegantly, landing in the centre of them all, looking at each one in turn.

"Can't you ever just use the door?" Charge sighed, in no mood for his companions antics. Equaliser seemed to ignore him and drew herself up to full height.

"There's going to be a museum heist, priceless gem." She said as she struted across the room.

"Knuckles' priceless gem?" Said Charge, who had been to the museum recently. He remembered the vist well... and the little girl trapped in an air vent... He mentally shivered.

"He said Knuckles was organising it, I think I confused his little head." Equaliser replied, turning sharply towards Charge. "But it's going down in a weeks time, Friday evening, to be precise."

"Well, we'll call it a day then... Where's Loki?" Charge asked.

"He was working on a 'secret project'." Explained Crimson, burshing specks of glass from his costume. "Probably still in the labs."

"Right, somebody tell him there's going to be a meeting tomorrow afternoon. We'll tell O'brian everything we know, and then we can decide where we're going from then." He stood up, looking more like his old self now. "In the meantime, I suggest you..."

"Wait." Diva interupted. She was staring coldly at Crimson...

[CKW]

Soo... do you think you got me? You want me to apology to you, as if you were battling against my ego. You're also arrogant too. Know what? I'm smarter than that, Miss Chasey... Plus, i'm tired of being serious all the time!

Crimson stepped forward. He had no idea of why to do this exactly. He would be called a fool for this. However... it could work.

He stepped forward, while Diva closing an eye upon him, with the cold stare of hers... Good. She wants me to apology. He stood up nearby her, putted his hands in front of him... He looked like it was an apology... his lips even opened slightly.

And then, in a split second, the decisive moment came. The world froze over as Crimson's fast reflexes allowed him to grab Diva's face... and steal her a kiss!!!!

This should be enough Crimson had very little time to look at the stupor in Diva's face...

This had been cut short by VOES and is continued in the next post

[VO]

...before her eyes rolled into his with a smouldering gaze. Instead of pulling herself away from the ninja, she brought her arms up, and locked them around his neck.

Whoa, thought Crimson, as her tongue pushed into his mouth... she's a good kisser....

The corners of Diva's mouth turned up in the hint of a malicious smile.

She broke their lips, letting go of Crimson's neck. Her green eyes stayed locked with his.

"Take that you bastard", said Diva, and grinned. Crimson was confused. He'd just got the best kiss in his entire life from her, and she said that?

He began to open his mouth to speak, just as the nanomachines she had pumped into his mouth with her saliva began to take their effects, breaking up molecules and skin structure, ripping carbon from the dioxide in his breath, and knitting his lips together from the inside.

"Mmmmph!" said Crimson. It wasn't quite the shocked compliment he had intended. His hand shot up to his mouth, unsure what the strangely numb feeling he was getting was...

[Nyerguds]

(coddammit VO... Matrix references next? :freek: )

Charge sighed. He was absolutely in no mood to take the bickering of these two any longer. Admitted, Crimson wouldn't bicker much in his current state, but that was just as much a part of their duel as the kiss and the slap had been.

He got up, and walked towards the two. "This nonsense ends here."
He turned to Diva. "Fix this. Now."

Diva reluctantly reached for Crimson's mouth with her hand, and changed his face back to normal.

"If I didn't know any better I'd swear I was leading a kindergarten here instead of a superhero team." Charge said.

He sighed, and walked back to the chair, and sat down. "Now get out, all of you, and Diva and Crimson, leave eachother alone."

Charge didn't move while the others left the room. Equalizer stayed in the room a bit longer.
"Charge, are you okay? You look stressed."
Charge sighed again. "I really can't handle this bunch of weirdos without Marv."
Equalizer smiled. "Nonsense! You're doing fine so far."
"Not like you're helping much." he said, a small smile appearing on his face.
Equalizer laughed, and brushed her hair back in one smooth movement. "I don't have to. I'm part of the kindergarten."
She winked at him, and teleported out.

(right. This is wrapped up, so NO ONE REPLY TO THIS SITUATION, OK? It's DONE. Let AI handle what comes next :p)

[Artificial Idiot]

(Grudd bless you merry Nyerguds! :p)

Tomorrow afternoon, around about noon. Charge had told the others to meet here, but none of them had arrived yet. Well, maybe one. He sat there, alone, contemplating the evening. He'd been here since early in the morning, he'd watched the Wescorp Officals remove Maverick's body. They'd advised him to stand back and let them handle it, he ignored them.

An errant spark flew across the room. Things didn't add up yet, but iif answers were out there, he would find them!

A few minutes later, Jacob strolled in, he greeted Charge shyly and went to help himself to the Wescoke dispenser nearby, he looked at Charge for permission first. He just nodded silently.

He wasn't sure if the others would arrive. Loki was probably back to his normal state by now, and Charge doubted he'd remember even if he wasn't. The less said about Diva and Crimson the better. Equaliser was most likely already here, waiting for people to show off too.

"Hello?" A weak voice called out into the darkness. Dr. Irvine.

"Come in." Annonced Charge, rising from his seat to greet the man.

"Ah! Hello! It's you!" He said, urgently shaking his hand. "You know, I had the queerest feeling this morning. Like I just had to be here. I rang up work, but they already knew! How strange, don't you think?"

Irvine wandered past the costumed hero and ordered a hot drink from the dispencer, he stirred it daintily and sat down next to the young boy. Crimson soon followed, Charge didn't look at him directly. He didn't order anything. And then finally Diva, who didn't need to order anything, but she did anyway.

"Ah, good!" The unusually jovial voice of O'brian floated across the room. "Most of you are here, settling in well I hope?"

A figure in a flowing cream coat followed O'brian. Flowing as in just enough to create an effect, but not enough to actually reveal anything. Charge watched him as he pulled out a silver hip-flask and poured something into a paper cup. Whatever it was, he looked like he had had a few too many.

"I apologise for my slight tardiness, but I have been alerted to most of the details and I have to say this could not come at a more fortunate time." O'brian said as he stood before them, no projector this time. His face wrinkled up for a moment, then he let out a sigh. "Where in the blue blazses is agent Equaliser?"

Charge noticed that the new comer was carefully staring into his cup. While, at first glance this seemed normal, Charge could see his eyes moving, this way and that. Every now and again he'd take his eyes off the cup, and stare into space, but Charge could see that he was following something, with a precise subtlty that he doubted many of the others had noticed.

"Reporting for duty, as always, Sir!" Equaliser gamboled into view behind the new comer, blast master in hand, ready to make sure this guy knew exactly who was boss. What she hadn't expected was his coat to be wrapped over her almost as sson as she appeared. She lost her balance, tripping up and falling over, still rather dramatically.

"Heh, hope I didn't ruin your entrance." Chuckled the new comer, as he unwrapped Equaliser and helped her to his feet. He raised an eyebrow as he saw her, corners of his mouth turning upwards into a slight smile.

"Sit. Down. NOW." O'brian growled at her. Once she was fully seated, O'brian continued. "As I was saying, this is Detective Castro..."

"Call me Jim." He interupted.

"... I believe some of you have already met him." He turned a dark glare towards Crimson, but said no more on the subject. "He's a fine man, with a fine purposal for you all to hear. So please, if you will Jim."

Jim strode in front of the Secret Reserve, allowing O'brian to take a seat. He carefully took the time to light a cigar, before turning towards the team.

"Now, I ain't here on my own business, I handle that personally. But a very important, very rich..." He let the word float for awhile before continuing. "... Client of mine has had something very important stolen, and naturally he wants it back. Now, usually I'd do this alone, but he's expressed intrest in you super martketing-gimmicks, and frankly, I ain't in no postion to complain. But before you all wet yourselves in excitment, we want to know if your up to scratch."

"Up to scratch?" Charge inquired politely.

"What Mr. Castro means..." O'brian bellowed above the others before they could begin the dreadful process of question asking. "Mr. Castro will be accompnying you to the museum. He will then assess your performance, and judge if you are suitable for what his employer has in mind or not."

"And what about the museum?" Said Charge, cutting off all other objections and questions. This was a rich client they were talking about, it was painfully obvious they'd be taking this "Castro" along with them no matter what they thought.

"You will report to the main reception there at seven pm on Friday. Once there a guide will show you to where the gem is being kept. From there on, it's protection is in your hands. I am giving Agent Charge and Mr. Castro authority over this mission, and they will organise you as they see fit. Now, if there are no further questions, you are dismissed!"

* * *

(GM: Hey, RD. You can decide what form Loki is in if you like! :))

Jim stood next to the rock. He'd dismissed all the guards from the area, much to Charge's dismay, couldn't stand the blighters. Uniforms, god, give a man a uniform and he thinks he's king of the world...
Anyway, it was Friday, museum time. Things had happened just as O'brian had said, and now it was in the capable hands of Charge and the not so capable hands of a stanger. Jim stared into the gem, quietly watching the reflections of the others.

Eddie had given him some details on the crew, he'd noted them down mentally. He hadn't interacted with Loki, Diva or the kid yet, but Charge seemed a decent enough bloke. At first glance, of course. Jim hadn't had a second glance, and he wasn't looking forward to it much. Then there was Ching-Chong, or whatever. Young and arrogant, but horribly misguided. Probably had some sob story to tell too. Heh, he decided to give him some time... but not much.

Then there was Equaliser. Jim had seen many broads, both of this Earth and not of it, and he'd never met a woman who was beyond the classification of a broad before, that wasn't a dame of course. He didn't really know her, of course. He'd made no effort to approach her, yet. But still, he was slightly ga-ga about her... only slightly. It'd most likely pass, but long live it while it lasted.

"What now?" Asked Charge quietly.

"We sit on our hands and don't do anything stupid." Replied Jim, he spotted the black-suited ninja out of the corner of his eye and smirked. "Need a light?"

He jeered, removing his lighter and allowing the flame to flicker. Once satisfied that the desired effect had been achived, He spun around to face the motely crew he'd been put in charge of, and smiled.

"Right, kiddies." He said, rubbing his hands togeather. "Who's up for a game of cards?"

[VO]

Riona didn't quite like the idea of being a mercenary, nor did she quite like being around the man who called himself Castro. Over the last week, the oppurtunity to get out from under Wescorp's thumb (much like an Iron Fist but smaller and more annoying) hadn't presented itself, and she didn't really have much desire to go back to her old apartment after she'd been basically kidnapped by it. Sticking around in the Secret Reserve HQ wasn't that bad, and she'd been able to furnish her room the way she wanted it. Wescorp had even sent some goons to get her old stuff. When they arrived, having hauled it up and down several flights of stairs, around hairpin corridors and halfway across Lutonopolis, she told them she didn't want it after all.

She'd spent her time doing basically the same thing as she had done before - keeping out of the light - but also had got to know the other members of the team a bit better. Charge was probably the most reasonable, while Maverick was gone, Equaliser playing loud music late at night, Loki spending most of his free time with his family and Jacob being a typical teenage boy, unable to keep his eyes off her. Crimson, on the other hand, seemed to be actively avoiding her, which was probably a good thing.

Now they were meant to be foiling a diamond heist or something. Oh well. Everyone else would do most of the work anyhow, so all she had to do was wait and get out of the way.

Castro was grinning his toothy, dirty grin, and asking about cards. She wasn't sure what to think about him, apart from that she probably shouldn't try.

"Cards?" she said. "What do you play?"

[Master Chris]

With the smug look upon his face so common to teenagers across the world, Jacob replied to Riona's question:

"Why not Snap? Everyone likes Snap."

Castro wasn't fazed, whipping a deck of slightly mouldy cards from a hidden pocket, he started explaining the rules to a game he had in mind:

"Texas Hold'Em, two in the hand, five on the table. First 3, that's the river, then one, then the last one. At each stage you can check, fold, raise or reraise. Let's see some cash on the table ladies and gents."

Doctor Irvine wasn't a gambling man, he had never liked the odds once he had sat down and worked them out, too much relied upon chance, as well as having what was known as a 'poker-face'. Still, as Irvine sat down at the table with the others he felt a tingle of excitement run up his spine. Things could get interesting...

Castro stole another glimpse at Riona, whose appearance was so flawless as to be suspect. His toothy grin was met with a polite smile that was in no way related to the cold eyes that watched him impassively. Although, the broad in the silver jumpsuit seemed like a right fair catch in her own right, Castro thought to himself. He'd have to formally introduce himself to her in the near future.

[Nyerguds]

Charge looked as the people got ready to play their game.

"How about you?" Castro asked him. "Won't you play?"
"I would... but it just wouldn't be fair."
"Why not?" Castro asked, leaning back on his chair.

"That deck is quite worn." Charge replied. "All cards have a distinct look... I'd automatically memorize them."
He glanced back at the jewel. "Besides... even with that advantage I'd be pretty stupid to play for money against a Paranormal Detective."

[Artificial Idiot]

Jim raised an eyebrow. His stupid-grin soon fell from his face, which was good as his muscles were aching anyway. His mouth fell into his signature, subtle-half smile.

He spun the chair around to face Charge, which was an impressive feat, seeing as it was a bog-standard plastic chair with a metal frame. It was all down to momentum, and balence. Niether Castro was extraordinary at, but it paid to be slightly agile.

"You questioning my integrity, Sparkles?" Jim jeered, staring directly into Charge's back, watching the reflection of his face in the gem.

"No, I question the meaning of the 'paranormal' in 'Paranormal Detective'. That's all." The dark man said with a smile.

"Like a normal detective, except the pay is lousy and the custom have a nasty habit of feasting on your soul while you ain't looking." Jim smirked, of course there was more to it than that. But after all, he didn't want to bore them with his life story... and what they didn't know, couldn't hurt them. He turned back to the assembled card players. "This it? Heh, Personally, I'd have expected more balls from a group of super heros... Just hope you're less cowardly with your fist then your money..."

[Nyerguds]

"I don't usually use my fists... I have more efficient ways of fighting." Charge said casually.
"Heh. You people rely too much on your fancy super-powers." Jim said. "What if they fail for once?"
Charge looked back to Jim. "They don't."
Jim rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you all say THAT, too. But what if they do?"
Charge grinned. "Then, my friend, we're all subatomic toast, and this gem with us, so it won't matter all that much."
"Heh." Castro replied. "And here was me thinking fireworks came with safety warnings."

"Don't you go blaming me. I didn't get much warning when I was turned into this fireworks."
Charge glanced at the card game, and caught himself scanning one of Castro's card on its physical properties. Just great... now he'd be following that king of spades around for the rest of the game.

[Artificial Idiot]

Jim didn't believe in poker faces. You see, they were too bland, too boring... far too unintimidating. Now a sly smile no matter what your odds, that gets people going! He could see Irvine now, panicking wildly, even though Jim probably had a worse hand then even him. But hey, keep smiling and just remember, a card up the sleeve is worth two on the table.

He slipped the errant card into his pack with all the slickness and slyness of an eel covered in vasaline. King of Spades, heh, not too helpful, but with the right amount of luck and the card up his other sleeve... heh, heh...

Charge, unfortunatly had other ideas. And the card was a pile of ashes in his hands in a flash. Obviously people noticed, but luckily, an alarm bell went off.

"Heh, game over people." Said Jim, standing upright rather quickly. He could hear the dull yells of the confused guards outside, one rushed in, red faced and panting.

"There's a disturbance in the staff canteen! Some kind of.... we don't even know! It's knocking down guards faster than.... than anything we ever saw before!"

The guard rushed out again, panting wildly. Jim rasied an eyebrow, everybody looked at Charge expecting his guideance.

"We can't all go..." Said Diva, who probably just didn't want to walk those pretty little designer heels any further than she had too.

"I'll go." Crimson said flatly, and before anybody could get a word in edgeways, he had slipped off into the shadows.

"Mr. Castro, a word..." Said Charge, slapping his hand down on the Detective's shoulder. Jim saw him sparking before he heard him yell, he felt a current run up and down his spine and assumed he got lucky. "Argh!"

He held his head for a few seconds, and then looked up.

"What did you see?" Asked Jim, calmly. He had this effect on people... shame he couldn't do it himself, you know, at will? He'd make a fortune down at Wesiam Hill...

"I saw... tapastries spring to life... ancient suits of armour fighting like real people.... anicent ornate bricks shaking loose..." He held his head for a little longer, recovering faster than most. Jim gave a loud, clear whistle.

"Oi, Chuckles." He said, as one of the guard reappears. "Ornate armour, anicent pottery and tapastries, where am I?"

"Hmmm..." He said, scratching his chin. "Sounds like tha' olde China exhibition, guv!"

"Right, now bugger off." Said Jim, before readdressing Charge. "Obviously we got these blighters all over the place, so I think it best if you hop down there. Maybe the rest of us should split up and all, case there's anymore lurking."

"Yes, quite right." He spent the next few minutes dispencing directions. Sending Equaliser to the light and sound exhibit, Doctor Irvine to the Prehistoric and Diva to the arbotoreum. Jim volunteered to take Jacob with him.

"Heh, I'll take this." He said, slipping the gem into his pocket. He then slipped out of the door after the others.

"Where are we going?" Asked Jacob politely.

"Heh, this place has a visitors restaunt... hear they got a decent bar attached to it. And what kind of guests would we be if we didn't take full advantage of the facilities?" Jim patted the rock in his pocket, safest place for it really. After all, not many people routed around in his pockets and came out with all four fingers intact... and never mind the thumbs.

[VO]

Arboretum. Right. Nothing but a bunch of plants to check out...

Riona left the egyptology gallery, passing a grim-faced guard who brightened up quite alot when she winked at him. Her heels clacked on the floor, and she considered morphing them into something a bit more practical - but this whole business wouldn't take more than a few minutes to check out, so there was really no point...

She pressed the button, and waited for the lift to take her down to the ground floor - and alight her opposite the entance to the massive glass building full of huge, tropical plants. The Lutonopolis Arboretum was the pride of it's sponsor, Toxic10x Fertilisers Inc., and was widely regarded as much better than outside. Ajoining the museum to one side, the majority of the ancient victorian hothouse was only open fully to the most select of guests, the majority having to keep to the single wide path that ran through it in a long arc to the tea-rooms and gift shop on the other side of the museum.

All the lights apart from a couple of small halogen lights were out in the section of the building ajoining the arboreum - a travelling expedition full of Tibetan artefacts - and inside sun-lamps suspended from the celing to bask the denizens of the area with warmth were also out. It was vaguely spooky, but as Riona told herself again, there was nothing to worry about. At all.

She wondered briefly how she was meant to 'check out' this place - it was as big as all the rest of the museum put together. She pulled open the big glass door - left unlocked for some reason - without having to use her powers to pick the lock with nanomachines. As she stepped inside, it swung back on it's hinges with a dull boom, which startled a couple of parakeets or butterflies or whatever the heck they kept in here with the plants from their night-time perches.

She looked around for a way to turn on the lights, but couldn't find one. Oh well. Her eyes could focus pretty well anyway - and she probably would be able to improvise some kind of nano-solution to the problem if she thought about it.

The place was full of strange smells - earthy and sweet and natural and exotic all rolled into one. In the night it was as if they were amplified in the abscence of light. They were slightly disconcerting right now, as Riona had glanced down the red paved pathway, lined with labelled ferns and shurbs and with taller trees towering out of the landscaped soil behind them. She moved a little way down it, looking around.

Something moved in the darkness. Riona spun around, and concentrated on turning her handbag into a flashlight, which happened almost instantaniously. Flicked on, she spun the beam around her, but it alighted on nothing more interesting than a particularly large tropical mushroom.

She shivered.

A sound tapped on metal. Up came the flashlight, to one of the massive iron walkways that stretched across between green tropical boughs. These were attatched to spiral staircases periodically off the main path, and allowed those who wished to to get a view from inside the canopy of this bonsai rainforest.

Slowly, she moved the light along the victorian-built lattice, glinting off a discarded crisp packet missed by the cleaners. There was definately something up there... something that made the hairs on the back of her neck raise up and made her all-too perfect skin rise in goose-pimples.

There was a clang, as a bench smashed against the door which she had entered in, effectively blocking it from the other side. Before she could respond, something grabbed her ankle, and, screaming, she was lifted up into the air as a vine retracted towards the roof. She kicked at it with her free leg, but this only resulted in her high-heel coming loose and crashing down through the foilage. She had been hoisted to just above the level of the walkway above her, and hung upside-down in mid-air, auburn hair streaming down below her.

Yellow eyes glinted out of the darkness just beyond her sight, as a figure moved towards her.

[Artificial Idiot]

Jim walked across the museum like he owned the place. Obviously, it didn't matter that he didn't actually own the place, it was just the principle of it. He barely took any notice of the exhibits as he went past, he'd seen it all before. When he was starting out in this business, he used to have a good old snicker at the Egyptians, but now... it was just tragic.

There was, usually, no right or wrong idea about death. There was usually something for everybody, but in this world, only one group of humans had been more wrong about death than the Egypitans... and that was scientists. Evolution was a sound theory and all... but hey, they'd all find out sooner or later.

Back to the present, and the living, Jim Castro stepped up to the doors of the guest resteraunt. It had a certain imitation class about it. It was trying for the classy, up-martket look... but at the end of the day, it was like putting a fur coat over a fresh sheap carcass.

A guard was stood at the door. Bastards were everywhere... no matter where you turned. Much to his credit, he gracially stepped aside, Jim swooped in before Jacob, letting the door close on him as he went.

"Heh, wll what do ya know?" Muttered Jim to no-one in paticular. "Somebodies working late hours."

He wondered over to the serving counter, a tall, slender figure in a red shirt stood behind it. She had long, straight brunette hair, illuminated brightly by a small spotlight above. Jim leaned over the counter, noticing she was also sporting a skirt and stockings. The corner of his mouth turned upwards into a smile, skirt wearing, it seemed, was a lost art.

"Evening." He said, making her jolt to her senses. "You serving, or just sitting there looking pretty?"

She nodded mutely, as if she wasn't sure what she was doing. Jim took it as a yes anyway.

"One beer, whatever you have, I'm not fussy. And..." He glared down at Jacob.

"A wescoke, please!" He smiled politely. Jim raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid we only have Wolfsi..."

"That'll do." Jim cut in like a knife, seeing the disgusted look on the kids face.

"Coming right up, sir." She said, and shuffled off to go fulfil the order. Jim shooed the brat off to go find a table, and carefully lit a cigar while he waited for his order to arrive.

[Master Chris]

The good Doctor made his way to the Prehistoric section of the museum. Hands clasped behind his back, his head held high, he examined each of the exhibits as he passed them.

"Ahh, yes, the West Forcian anthropodian. One possible contender for the throne upon which mankind now sits. A delightfully efficient design, and to think it all came about due to the trial and error nature of evolution. A wonder, indeed."

Irvine nodded at the elegeant skeletal frame of a vaguely humanoid creature, long since deceased, as he swept past it.

A guard confronted Irvine, obviously nervous, as could be concluded from the manner in which the beam from his flashlight danced and wavered over Dr. Irvine's face.

"Oi! Umm....Wot you doin' 'ere den?"

Unperterbed by this, Irvine, smiled oddly and waved over at the hulking frame of a dinosaur.

"My good man, it must be quite a pleasure to work with such wonderful relics, to stand guard over history itself, to protect precious knowledge from such ruffians who would seek to deny man an insight into the past. Afterall, it is from studying these mistakes that we can be sure our path is straight and true."

The guard, somewhat confused by the tirade of words, holstered his flashlight and nodded, not quite able to summon forth any words to meet those of the good Doctor. Obviously, this eccentric chap wasn't here to steal some mouldy old bones, he concluded.

The prehistoric section of the museum wasn't particulary well lighted, as nobody had seen fit to turn on the overhead lights yet. However, it became noticably darker in the hall. A scraping noise was heard from the other side of the hall. The guard turned to Dr. Irvine and whispered, fear in his voice:

"What do we do now, guv'ner?"

The reply came back:

"We dance! Yorick is a big fan of the Jitterbug, are you?"

[CKW]

The staff canteen. Quite a walk from the room the others had been. But it was better than to see those people play these idiotic games, sinking in boredom. The ladders to the cellar. Made of white, impolute, and possibly very slippery marble. Storage, Staff Canteen, and a whole recreation of a crypt depicting medieval gadgets and weapons, as the sign said. Currently somewhat of a special exhibit called the Story of the Blades was about to be shown there,however currently off limits to the visitors.

But there was no one there, and he was closing to the canteen. Really odd. He drew a hand to the sword hilt in his back.He stepped in, leaping over the red line, crouched and synchronized his breath. He made no noise, glaring in each direction, hoping for a presence to withdraw a weapon, metal rattling, breath sounds, steps... anything that could tell off he was not alone.

And then he heard moans, from the canteen entrance. A guard crouched out of it, stirred his arm, trying to grasp an invisible hand that could pull him out, then falling numb in the floor.

I don't like the sound of this...

The sword gently squidded across the hilt as Crimson pulled it off, then approaching to one side of the door. He could hear now the moanings of the other guard, and the sounds of battle. But battle against what?
He slowly slipped the tip of the katana trough the door's edge, using its polished surface to get a better view of the mess, without revealing himself...

[Nyerguds]

When Charge entered, he was greeted by a large stone dragon standing a bit behind the door. The marked path for visitors went around the stone giant at two sides.

Yes... this was the place he'd seen all right.
"Oi, wot ye doin' ere?" the inevitably present guard asked.
"I'm with the team protecting the gem."
"Oh. Ye superfraggers aye? Come on it. I dunno what's with this place, but sumthin' feels... wrong."
"You better get away then. I have a fairly good idea what I'm up against."
"Sure thang boss." the guard said, and left.

Charge looked around in the China exhibition. A dark shadow in a dark room, only illuminated by the lights indicating the emergency exits.

Charge took off his sunglasses, and looked around at the magnificent tapestries.
Then, he stopped at one of them, and frowned. "That's not right..." he whispered. The tapestry with the beautiful peacocks on it felt different from the rest.
He did some more extensive scans, only reinforcing his initial though.
The tapestry was a fake. A very well-made fake, but still, a fake. It wasn't nearly as old as the other ones.

Charge grinned and went on. None of his business, after all.

[VO]

Crimson could make out very little through the reflection on his sword - movement inside the canteen, and a grey blur whizzing through lines of tables, incapacitating guards as they lived their weapons in the time it took the blur - whatever it was - to cross the entire canteen and pluck it out of their hands, tossing it away as in the very blink of an eye the guard collapsed clutching his stomach, flew backwards, or, in the case of an unlucky few, exploded in a shower of gore. Whatever this thing is, thought Crimson, it's fast.

Suddenly, it stopped, and materialised into a man with the build of a bouncer and wearing a grey trenchcoat, adourned with swasticas and fascist memorabilia. This was the kind of guy who'd run a military history shop or something, apart from this one moved about as fast as a New-British Rail bullet train (and was much much more reliable).

"Nazis," muttered Crimson. "I hate Nazis."

***

“Who the hell are you?”

It wasn’t much, but it was the best Riona could come up with while hanging upside down from a vine twenty feet above the floor. She wished she hadn’t chosen such a short skirt.

The figure that emerged from the darkness would have been lithe and feminine if only it had been human. As it clearly wasn’t, it appeared much more like a crude approximation of an ideal human female made from thorns and vines, an organic amazon warrioress fashioned by an insane topiary fanatic. It also looked very dangerous. She stopped just short of the edge of the walkway, and placed two hands on the metal railing. Riona could see that below the woman’s waist the foliage seemed much younger, with less hardened older vines and more green shoots and soft thorns. A soft petalled opening that was probably meant to be a mouth opened, as if it was going to say something, then stopped. Leafy fingers brushed Riona’s cheeks.

“Who the hell am I?” whispered the dryad, her lips contorting into a smile “If you must know, Miss Chasey, you humans call me Grape-vine, but you yourself could be much more… how does it go in human… civil in your predicament.”

Riona bared her pristine-white teeth. “Gee, maybe someone could have thought of that before they decided to hoist me up here? I have backup, you know – I give the super secret signal, and one of the defenders of justice come in here and kick your leafy arse. You let me down, and I’ll let them go easy on you… mutant.”

Grapevine giggled. “Let you down, Miss Chasey? You really want that, do you? Very well… I’ll give you a sporting chance. Although the next time I catch you, I’ll inform you we have the gem and your friends have been defeated… but let’s have your fun first.”

The vine holding Riona parted from her ankle, and she dropped into the darkness below.

[CKW]

Crimson put the sword silently back on his sheet. While he retreated silently to a position.

Oh crap. A nazi on coffeine. I'm agile and fast, but that might get me nowhere. I need to make an advantage on my own. He slid his hand on his pocket.He put A black metallic cold wire, whose shine had been masked by the black appearance. The Shadow Wires. Within this gloom, they were difficult to make out, and their sturdiness and resistance were ideal for entangling traps.

That was the strategy to follow. Use the rush of the enemy against itself. The quicker it moved, the quicker he would be entangled. One useful ninja trap.

Time to play hard. No time for cheezy superguy speeches.

He tapped his mask, and launched the wire, spinning around the thick metal bars that were behind the crypt theater. The wire furiously turned back, setting yet another layer of web-like wires. One time. Two times. Five times.

Hope this is enough Crimson sighed, and procceed to sneak out through the way out.

A rattling sound. Then a helluva of noise made him stop in his tracks. One of the armors had fell off. Possibly due to the lazyness of the expositors who had placed it there. Maybe because some of the screws went loose. Maybe because a mouse had triggered the fall. Or perhaps the wire had done it. Nevertheless, it was sure to attract unwanted attention.

"Darn it." Crimson muttered, and putted the sword off. Even with the entangling trap, he didn't like being spotted in this kind of situation.

[Artificial Idiot]

(GM: Wesforce! While I'd have liked to have hung around for you, you can either do an inital introduction like the rest or just skip onto the fighting. I don't mind, you know where I am if you have any questions!)

A cold rush touched the base of Charge's spine, rushing up towards his neck in an attempt to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention. He shivered slightly, despite himself.

He scanned the walls carefully, like much of the museum windows were discouraged. Direct sunlight damanged many of the priceless artifiacts held within the walls, the tapestries would be a fine example of this.

A slow, moaning creak came from behind him. He spun around to see he door to a concealed janitors closet slowly swinging backwards and forwards. Curiously, the hindges were freshly oiled and he could have sworn it had been bolted when he'd made out it's outline earlier.

He walked calmly towards it, trying not to run away with his imagination. He reached out to close the door, only for it to slam it's self shut as his fingers brushed it. He heard the bolt sercure back into place... most interesting.

He cleared his throat, surprised not to hear a dull echo of it. However was doing this, obviously was only travelling on economy class spooky. He walked slowly back towards the exhibit, noticing a low chill in the air slowly building up.

Tapastries flapped in a none existant wind, ming vases rocked gently on their stands. Slowly gaining momentum, forming cracks at the very base with the sudden force being put into it.

Charge spun around as the stone dragon started to rear up onto it's back legs majestically, moving out of it's stoney confines of it's own accord. It's head turned, a great crack forming down it's neck, cold eyes focused directly on Charge. And behind him, two suits of ancient armour drew their weapons with a metalic clang.

Well, he'd heard the museum wanted more interactive exhibits... but this was pushing it a tad too far.

* * *

The guards torch was in his hand faster then an overweight Wesball fan snatches all the pies. He catiously rested the beam onto where the doctor had last been,only to be met by an illuminated human skull.

"YYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!" He screamed, dropping his torch to the floor with a dull clang. Loki grinned wildly as he heard his retreated footsteps.

"Alas Yorrick, for it seems he's more a fan of the Jive!" Loki laughed, as he scooped up the torch and shone it onto the fossil in front of him. Devious plans and intentions started to form in his mind.

He scanned the bone structure with an expert eye for a moment, before placing his hands on one of the small bones and giving it a sharp tug.

"Oops!" He exclaimed to noone in paticular as the bones fell in what resembled an organised pile. Loki used one of the larger bones to expertly scult the pile, like a potter would scult clay. After a few minutes of work, he sprang back and admired his work.

A bust of the Queen of Neo-England stared back at him. Complete with novelty moustache and glasses.

"God save the Queen!" He cackled, before leaping off into the confines of the museum.

Behind him, a wax-dummy of a prehistoric man eyed him eagerly. His eyes followed him across the room, and them slowly transformed into yellow and black slits. A white, going on silver, tiger lept off the stand, and began wearily stalking it's prey.

* * *

"There you go Sir, f-free of charge..." The waitress said, as she handed him the two drinks. Jim gave her a breif glimpse of a smile, and retreated to the table that Jacob had seated himself at.

"You shouldn't smoke..." Jacob warned, in that voice young children use when they think they know better. Yeah, you know, the really annoying bordering on authoritve one. "My mommy says it's very bad for you..."

"Heh, so's childbirth... but I don't see you complaining." Others might, mind you. Jim added mentally. He dug a hand in his pocket, making sure the damn rock was still there. He wondered what was so special about it, surely they wouldn't go through all this trouble just for a gem... no rock on earth was worth a full super human guard.

He shrugged it off, it was easy money for Wescorp he assumed. And hey, they didn't look too incompetant, so Branson would probably like them. It's not like there were anyother comercial super heros out there, after all.

"Hey kid..." He began, while he was here he might as well make some enquries. "That Equaliser broad, know much a... hold that thought."

He stared into his drink. There was a lot to be said about Jim and drink. On the outside, he may appear to be some bastard drunk, but a good glass of alcaholic substance is an important tool in the detective trade.

See, women carry little, miniscule mirrors, right? Now, while mirrors would be horribly useful to detectives, they just can't go carrying one around otherwise everybody would think they were a ponce. So, no mirrors, what's the next best thing? A good glass of ale, of course.

Jim's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he saw the reflection coming closer to him.

"Get down!" He yelled, shoving Jacob off his chair.

He lept off his own, sending it clattering to the floor, just in time to avoid the crowbar as it slammed into the table from above. Glasses shattered, wolfsi splattered into Jacob's face and the table, which to be fair, was only a cheap fold up camping job, split in two.

Jim hit the floor hard, just the way he liked it, and rolled for awhile, pulling his pistol out of one of his many inside pockets. He took a shot at the masked figure above him, which tore directly into his head, leaving a neat, round hole just to the side of his left eye.

"Shi.t" Jim swore, as the figure slowly advanced, not even a drop of flaming blood. Fortunatly for Jim, he stopped. Unfortunatly for the waitress, his beady eyes turned on her. Or at least, where she had been. Jim observed her apron lying limp on the counter, her skirt not far behind. That proved to be an interesting mental picture.

The masked figure turned, and like a wraith on some illegal drug, sprang off after her. Jim rose, dusting off small bits of glass and placing his hat back in it's correct place.

"Heh, something tells me they aren't paying customers." He said dryly, before motioning Jacob to join him in pursuit.

[Nyerguds]

Charge floated up to get away from the stone dragon. He wasn't really surprised when the armour suits floated up with him.
Good, he thought. He'd need them to fight off the dragon.

The suits weren't full metal like medieval armor... but there was enough metal on them to manipulate them, and hopefully pull them away from the control of the telekinetic that was controlling them now.

A sword swung in his direction. Charge didn't dodge. He channeled his magnetic powers. This was merely a fraction of his power; he wasn't even using the metal cylinder on his belt yet. It was just enough to make whoever was controlling this stuff know he or she didn't have full control over these objects.

He felt the sword try to push further towards him, and then pull away. He was fairly sure his opponent wasn't even close to full power either. For now, they were just toying with eachother. But Charge didn't feel like toying too much.
With a powerful magnetic field he pulled the sword away, and let it float towards his hand. The other force let go as his opponent realized it was a waste of power to try to regain control of it at that point. A second sword swung towards Charge, met the one he was holding, and got magnetically stuck on it from the moment the blades touched.

He let go of the sword, making it float before him. He was all to well aware that the stone dragon was getting closer - its mass took more time to move, but Charge knew his own antigrav field probably didn't maneuver any faster than the stone monster.

Suddenly, he pullled the cylinder out of his belt, aimed it at the swords, and channelled his energy through it. The two swords connected with the cylinder, and sent the magnetic field through the room, pulling every suit of armor that had even the tiniest shred of metal in it towards them.

He felt his opponent's power try to pull them back. Chainmail shattered, small metal protection pieces let go. Some suits made of rhino leather without any metal didn't move at all, but just stayed back so they wouldn't get stuck with the rest. Charge didn't care - he was controlling enough of the mass now.

Charge quickly rotated the entire floating mass (including himself) around its center, and threw the armor suits towards the dragon, sticking the suits onto the dragon at all sides.

"I don't know who you are... but you are underestimating me." Charge said. Suddenly, he emitted a bright flash of light, while at the same time throwing a huge amount of power into the suits surrounding the dragon.

For a split-second after the flash, he felt the opposing force weaken. At that same moment, the metal surrounding the stone beast pulled it down with such force the dragon shattered on impact.

He smiled. So... his enemy had eyes, and was watching him.

[Wesforce]

At the same time, at the light and sound exhibit...

'Wonders of the Televisual Age' Equalizer said softly to herself, walking directly underneath a gigantic working Valve TV - Tuned to static. It filled the whole place with an eerie sensation of static, making hairs stand up on the back of her neck. She cast her gaze around the Light And Sound exhibit, rather ironically dull and drab -apart from the TV - and disturbingly quiet.

"Holograms" said another section that Equalizer walked under. Had she looked up, she'd have seen the big six-foot suspended flat holo-plates now had the inert bodies of security guards entombed within them in some unfathomable manner.

"The New Renaissance" Read another banner, under which were manifold waxworks of current popular musicians and their bands, none of which particularly interested Equaliser. She preferred her own sounds normally.

But these waxworks intrigued her. She stealthily approached them, keeping to the long shadows that occupied this exhibit (not mindful of the fact that her bright hair made her instantly visible anyway).

One waxwork in particular got her attention.

'Nice try, but I do not recall any pop bands with members in the habit of wearing purple spacesuits.'

'Perhapssss... You need to broaden your horizonsssss' Said Void Eater.

In a flash Equalizer brought up her Blastmaster 3000 and rippled off a power-chord... But Void Eater wasn'y blasted across the room.

No sound issued from the weapon.

Equaliser noted the odd arrangement of wires and antennae on Void Eater's suit, aiming at her. Cancelling her out somehow.

The thought enraged her.

But then Void Eater stopped cancelling out the other sounds he'd been cancelling; All the combined noise of the light and sound exhibit, for the audio tracks hadn't been turned off like the lights, as Equaliser thought.

No, Void Eater had laid a trap for her... And she'd walked into it.

The noise hit her sensitive hearing like sledgehammers to her head, buffeting her this way and that; She was completely unprepared. Before she knew it, she was on her back, arching in agony, hands to her head, weapon forgotten. Something hot and wet dripped past her hands. Blood.

And then it was over, the sound cancelled out again, the onslaught ending as soon as it had begun.

At first Equalizer thought she'd been completely deafened by the concentrated sound - At least the agony in her ears was lessing, but she knew they'd ring for a month now.

But just as the thought of never hearing again made her panic, she heard Void Eater begin to speak again.

'And how eassssssily you are laid low. Do you wonder why I didn't kill you? It ssssseeemssss-'

And then Void Eater stopped speaking, althought Equalizer could make out the flashing lights on his mouthpiece that indicated he was speaking were still moving.

You're not the only one who can cancel sound! She smiled

Void Eater looked frustrated at not being able to explain his Villainous plan. Then he panicked as Equalizer dizzily got to her feet... Picked up her blastmaster... And ran.

Void Eater turned to get away, but he crashed into waxworks Sean, Paul, Geoff and Bingo - The BTLs - and tripped over the brightly-suited figures.

Equalizer picked up a waxwork of a creepy-looking guy wearing a white jumpsuit and thew it bodily into a power router on the wall - this time all the noisy exhibits were really switched off - Apart from the giant TV.

'Nice suit' Said Wqualizer, switching off her Sonic Dead Zone and dashing over to Void Eater. 'Strong, yet light and flexible. Light and flexible enough for me to do THIS!'

'No! NOOOOOOO!' Screamed Void Eater as Equalizer hauled him up, threw him uinto the air and using her Blastmaster 3000 as a bat, smacking him for all he was worth. The light suit arced through the air, and exploded into the giant TV in a huge shower of sparks, bolts of electricity and glass.

'Hows that for a channel tuned to D.E.A.D?' Shouted Equalizer.

But the battle was only just beginning...

[Artificial Idiot]

"Whatever you do... Keep quiet, stay close to me and for god's sake, do what I say." Jim whispered to Jacob.

"Why?" He asked, quite innocently. Jim sighed and shook his head.

"Trust me, I'm a detective." Said Jim slyly, as he carefully pushed the fire door open.

They... whatever it was... had vanished down a dark corridor. A "Staff Only" door hanging on it's hinges at the mouth of it... great. They'd proceded catiously, mostly store-cupboards and small staff rooms that went nowhere. Until they'd came to this, last door down the corridor. A fire exit.

Jim crept carefully into the darkened room. Pitch black. Typical. No sounds of movement. Jacob followed him in, completely ruining the atmopshere.

"No!" Jim hissed sharply as Jacob reached for the lights. "Close the door behind you as well."

The door slammed shut, making Jim cringe. He sighed again, a deaf person would have heard them coming a mile off now. Can't really blame the kid though, what did super humans care about stealth.

"Hit the lights."

"But you just said..." Jacob blurted out, but Jim cut him off.

"Just do it." The lights flickered for a moment, and then showered the area in a bright artificial glow. Jim whistled in awe. It was a massive warehouse complex, mostly contating large packing crates, wax dummies from all eras and complex animatronics. It was also like a smugglers caven... if they were in here, they could be pretty much anywhere.

"We'll never find th..." Jacob begun, before stopping to bend over and pick something up from the floor. Jim looked over to see him holding a red high-heeled shoe. "There's more!"

Jim looked on ahead. Indeed there was, a trail of female clothing leading right into the depths of the building.

"Heh, let's just hope she's happy to see me." Said Jim, motioning for the kid to follow him as he picked up the trail.

At the end, well, it was pretty much dead. Jim was about to shake his head and give up, when he saw Jacob pointing up to a platform suspended above the warehouse. Scaffolding, with railings. Pretty complex by the looks of things. A dark wig fell from it. The same colour as his pretty waitress.

Except she wasn't pretty anymore... she was downright gorgeous. If blue hair was your thing, of course.

"Who the hell is that, and where has she been all my life?" Jim asked, as he observed her from afar. Although she wasn't quite as naked as he'd hoped.. she was wearing a navy blue jumpsuit, wrapped up in a long black cape. Two long ponytails hanging over her shoulders. The masked figure stood on a few feet away, carefully balancing on the railings, looking ready to ponce on her... heh, now there's something Jim would have liked to be part of.

"Kid, whatever you do, don't mo...." He looked next to him to see Jacob was already gone. "Damn it!"

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was when all hell broke loose.

* * *

Charge stood for a few minutes. Whatever was attacking him hadn't made it's self known yet. Not even a flutter of the tapestries. He was about to do some investorating, when the small pieces of ornate armour and stone started to quiver benath his feet.

"Curious." He muttered. There were plenty of heavier objects still left whole, including whole suits of armour. Perhaps it was a matter concentration.... and the lack of it.

Charge slowly lifted himself off the floor as it started to squirm under his feet. Small pieces of shattered, cooling metal and gravel started to rise, at first it appeared to be at random. And then, slowly a head formed.

Slowly, a tall, hulking bohemoth rose from the floor, a rough outer shell made of of small, rotating pieces. Hollow on the inside. Whoever was doing this also had an unhealthy obcession with monsters.

Charge risked another blinding spark, but nothing came of it this time. Whoever was controlling this thing obviously didn't need to see him to be in control, but something told Charge by the way the creature slightly stumbled when the flash went off that it couldn't be far away...

* * *

Void Eater rose slowly from the wreckage of the oversized TV. Equaliser went to make a wiseass comment, but found that her voice was lost in a sea of errie silence. Rolling her eyes at him using the same old tricks, she struted over to him, hearing a low thud.

'Letting me hear my own footsteps, quaint." Thought Equalise smugly, before she realised that the thumping was out of tune with her feet.

"A little... heart problem?" Void Eater sneered, as a single dial clicked on his suit, presumably allowing him to talk. A few more dials and knobs twisted and turned, increasing the sound of her heart beat to a deafening level.

While he had a lot less to work with, he was capable of allowing the gentle tinkle of a pin dropping, to be so devestating that it could make a man's ear drums explode. But he didn't want to kill this one, he just wanted to play with it.

He waited for her to drop to her knees, and then approached her, drowning out his own footsteps so she could suffer her own personal heart attack. He carefully removed the guitair from the waxwork stand of legendary German rocker Van Der Smut, and then begun his brutal payback.

He hit Equaliser with the guitair repeativity, until she fell onto her back. He then aimed one precise shot at her chin, sending her sliding backwards on the freshly polished floor, into waxwork dummies of "The Tandoms", Pieces of their uniform grest suits flying everywhere.

He dropped the now ruined guitar, and approaced his weakened prey.

"Had enough allready?" He hissed as he knetl down beside her, his own helmet staring her in the visor. Niether could see the look on the others face when she rammed a shard of broken record into his helmet.

"Sound on, wiseass!" She proclaimed heroically as the alien was sent back screaming, losing all control of the sound in the room. Equaliser wiped the blood from under her nose, the irony of the situation not lost on her.

The purple suited alien, in the meantime, struggled wildly to pull the record shard free, a strange gas with a yellow tinge escaping from around it. It seemed Equaliser had found his Achelles Ankle.

[Artificial Idiot]

(GM: Eep! Double post! Noes! Ah well, I blame YOU! Yes, all of you! Well, most of you. How could you force me to do such a thing... I feel all dirty and hurt inside! :cry: )

The nazi stopped suddenly, a dazed, sickly guard held tightly in his gloved-fist. He sneered at him, before simply dropping him, delivering a swift kick to his exposed backside.

"Crawl English pig-dog! Und warn others, Blitzkreig is coming!"

He demanded, before turning his attention towards the door. It seemed an unexpected visitor had joined the party, and was in for a rather unpleasent shock. Crimson watched all this, and crawled into a hiding place in the shadows, just in time too. A few seconds later, and he would have been fried as the Nazi villain blew the doors clean off their hinges with what seemed to be sleek, blue bolts of electrical energy.

Blitzkreig stepped out, slowly and proudly. Head held high. Perhaps if he'd have lowered it a bit, he'd have seen the Ninja wire that Crimson had lay down earlier.

"Scheisse!!" He screamed, as the wire entangled it's self around his foot, sending him face first down onto the floor. The now hatless Nazi rubbed his bald head before standing up, freeing himself from the wire with tiny sparks of electricty (And also, Crimson noted, slightly melting his boots).

"You shall pay for this insolence!" He growled, at nobody in paticular. "Reveal yourself, Feigling! I shall burn your bones to dust!"

A medieval battle axe was the first to go, it's wooden handle burnt to ash in an instant, and it's ironhead glowing red. A waz dummy in chainmail soon followed, and it became clear that Blitzkreig had no qualms about burning down the whole museum to find the man who had wronged him. Which didn't bode well for Crimson...

[Master Chris]

Loki, Yorrick in one hand and a torch in the other, skipped towards the next exhibit, mischevious thoughts playing through his mind. A low, rumbling growl interrupted his cheeky plans. The trickster turned, and seeing nothing, shrugged and kept hopping along. Another growl interrupted his jovial plans. Loki started to call:

"Here puss, puss. I've got something for you. Hey kitty kit-"

With a deafening roar the tiger leapt from the shadows and bounded towards Loki. For once, the enigmatic jester had nothing to say but:

"Bugger."

With a throaty snarl, the tiger made a final lunge for the dumbstruck hero. Loki, at last possible moment, snapped out of his stupor and hurriedly apologised:

"Sorry, dearest Yorrick, but if this feline must sup this evening, better you than me!"

With that, Loki lobbed the skull into the gaping maw of the advancing tiger and nimbly leapt out of the way. Caught by surprise, the tiger made a sickening retch and tumbled past Loki, into the exhibit Loki was previously intending to 'play' with. As the life-size scene depicting a neaderthal man and woman in their cave fell in on itself an odd choking sound could heard over the cacophony.

Loki nodded, then looked down at what was in his other hand, the torch, he shrugged and dropped it. Sure, he could have thrown that instead of his favorite skull, but Yorrick would have wanted it this way. Loki dusted his hands with dramatic poise and said:

"Looks like that cat has barked up the wrong prehistoric exhibit!"

As he was leaving, Loki heard, and then saw, the tiger pull itself from the wreckage and fix it's steely glare upon him. With what was passed as a surprisingly human, yet toothy, grin, the tiger spoke:

"Cower, pitiful flesh sack, for White paw is upon you. No mercy, no respite, prepare yourself for my fatal bite!"

Loki, unfazed by the advent of a talking tiger, replied:

"Oh dear, seems kitty ate my best friend, Yorrick! Do you know what that means, puss?"

The tiger, less hasty to attack than before, circled around Loki and growled before asking:

"What, pathetic man-ling, does it mean? Think you can best me a second time? Pah! Your fate shall mirror that of your so-called friend! I shall pick your bones clean before this night is through!"

With that, the tiger pounced a second time, however, he pounced without any accompanying roar or even a growl. Such was his fury!

Many profuse apologies to the great and merciful AIes for having been forced to commit so grave a sin as double posting. I submit myself to any GM-flavoured retribution that I deserve. :D

[Nyerguds]

"Let's see how well you control all separate molecules of that thing." Charge said. He touched one of the floating parts with a single finger. It glowed bright red, then slowly melted. The drops of glowing molten metal leaked on the floor, scorching the red carpet that marked the visitors route.
Charge spread his hand, and melted some more of the monster's 'skin', this time even without touching it. He saw the molten metal and stone dripping down.

"Harder to control, is it?" he smiled. "You'll have to come up with something better than that."

Seemingly perfectly calm on the outside, Charge's brain was racing. The fact he hadn't molten the entire monster was obvious - it was an absolute waste of energy. He needed to find the one who was doing this... and put an end to it.

He stopped melting the creature and floated back to the floor. He couldn't sense the telekinetic energies used in the room, but that also meant they couldn't mask the energy he was looking for - human nerve pulses. He closed his eyes, and scanned the room. There were more electric pulses though... more energy being radiated... and it annoyed him. But zapping the Emergency Exit lights would ionise the air... which was worse.

He scanned the room. The monster repaired itself with other small junk lying around, and got ready for the next attack. Charge didn't even look at it. He could easily melt the thinly spread matter, and his opponent knew that all too well.

"There you are." he said, picking up the electrical pulses that are so typical for a human neural system, but much more intense in his opponent's case. He quickly ran towards the place.

"Fancy meeting you here." he said with a friendly smile, while grabbing the girl's shoulder.

The girl screamed as she was roughly awoken from her trance. The monster shell fell to the floor in a chaos of tiny pieces.

"You haven't forgotten me." the girl said. Like before, Charge had the odd feeling he only received the message with half of his mind.

"In fact, there's still more of me in your mind than you realize." Maelstrom said with an angry look.

Charge stopped, feeling the control of his body slipping away. His eyes glazed over, his body shivered, and he realized his Charge side was doing everything in its power to keep control of the horribly powerful contents of his internal batteries. He also realized it was a lost cause... unless...

"What..." Charge said, sounding slightly surprised.
The girl looked up and smiled.

"...are you... doing..." Charge continued. The shaking of his body stopped. Maelstrom frowned as she realized he was regaining full control. But... she STILL controlled his mind! How was this possible?!

"to..." Charge continued, his eyes still staring into nothingness.

Then, the eyes aimed themselves at Maelstrom, and an unknown fury appeared on his face. "...MY HOST?!"

Maelstrom went pale. Until now she never understood how he was able to break her control the first time... but this explained everything.

Lightning bolts played between Charge's fingers. This was the first time Charge himself was in full control of his host body, and for a few seconds he found it rather hard to control. He recovered quickly though.

"I'm afraid the one you control is safely locked away in his own mind for now... control him all you wish." Charge said. "I, however, am not so easy to control."
He looked at his opponent, who was most probably trying to do exactly that. She would find out soon enough that there was nothing to control. The psychic wouldn't find anything even remotely recognisable in his thought patterns... in his entire mind, even.

"Today..." Charge said. "you lose."

[CKW]

(hmm, let me know if i'm abusing)
Damn it. Crimson cursed. He wasn't expecting that guy would get off such trap so easily. In fact, Crimson's situation was akward. His enemy was able to move quicker and fry things in one touch. But still, he knew the position of the enemy, while his enemy was not. At least the trap had served for one thing: reveal that the nazi zap-boy, named himself Blitzkreig, had no exceptional senses. That thought comforted the ninja a bit. At least, there was one possiblity to sneak up on him.

Let's do it. Crimson repeated himself, while the Nazi boy melted a medieval sword, narrowly missing him and his hideout.His normal senses were the only chink in the apparently impassable defense of speed and bolts of Blitzkreig. He silently put out four shurikens.

"Lights out!" His mutters echoed through the corridor, as the four lights that were lit across the entire exposition exploded upon the impact of the accurate ninja stars, turning the shadowy ambience in an all-engulfing darkness.

Blitzkrieg aimed almost instantly to where the source of the attack had come, and the darkness was interrupted by bluish electricity bolts.

He missed. Even if he did move at high speed, the cloak of darkness surrounding him had altered one important sense of the nazi. It's sight. Crimson knew such sense had been altered on him too, but it was necessary to be this way. He would have a chance to get the back of the über-german.

He smiled, while he concentrated for the second part of his plan. Sneak upon him, using swift attacks aimed at critical points. Even if he was speedy, it was utterly useless if he couldn't SEE or sense such attacks.

[Wesforce]

'Looks like you have a wind problem, old chap.' Said Equalizer, stalking towards her prey, filled with fury at the damage she had been dealt.

'And I think you need to be venitlated!'

She paused only to pick up a large shard of glass, detritus from the TV she'd destroyed with Void Eater's head. This she rammed into his mouth piece, and twisted sideways, widening the gap. Still more of the purple gas escaped.

'Alley-oop!'

Equalizer jumped up, and landed on the long piece of glass stabbed viciously into Void-Eater's mouth, and with careful control and balance, used it as a lever to rip off the top half of the fiend's helmet, which went spinning away into the darkness.

The gas was no flowing freely... Up... Up up and away, where it got caught in the powerful air-ventilation fans in the ceiling.

'Ah! Agh, no! Aggghhh!!! ARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH! AIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!'

Void Eater's gaseous form was torn to pieces and spread out over a huge area.

Equalizer brushed herself off.

'Come back when you've pulled yourself together.'

Training her ears, Equalizer left the scene, following the sounds of battle, and the frantic high-picthed German shouting that seemed to be behind it all.

[Artificial Idiot]

(GM: Don't worry about it Chris. :p

Just don't worry me like that EVER again. ;))

Blue Aura stood, tall and proud. Facing the masked figure head on, she'd say eye to eye, however it seemed both had covered those particular areas. Of course, this was no change meeting. Nothing happened by chance, and this was not their first meeting. And definatly, as Jim playfully observed from below, not love at first sight.

"I told you." She said, deeply. Baring her teeth. "No deal."

"We didn't come to ask nicely. My compnaion got impatient, we want it now... terribly behind schedule, see?" He replied, cooly and calmly despite his akward postion. "So unfortunatly, we're here for the taking."

What happened next can only be described as a scene from Sea Wars. Or at least, that's the only words Castro could use to describe it. Constantly reminding himself that they were both out of burgundy's (or whatever) leauge. He'd have to make a point of reminding him too.

The woman twisted elegantly in the air, her blue pony-tails whipping her face every so often, as the masked figure seemed to be following her movements, carving out an acrobatic path of his own. His crowbar landing heavily on the rails of the walkway, bending them like rubber.

It was quite a spectacle... heh, almost made Jim wish he'd brought his camera. Although... his will to live seemed to be creeping up on him very quickly...

* * *

Crimson positioned himself into the perfect postion within his hiding place. His opponent was as blind as a bat, attacking shadows. Super speed wouldn't help him now, one carefully placed knife blow and it was all...

"Heil, Fritz!"

A blinding light shone directly into Crimson's eyes. He could just make out the form of the German recoiling as well. But the more dominant form was that of the Sonic Equaliser. Her silhouetted form was pulling off a dramatic mockery of the nazi salute, with a well placed two fingers. On anybody else it would have looked vulgar, but she made it look awe-inspiring.

She gracefully propelled herself into a perfect flip forward, vanishing in in mid air with just the sound of static remaining in her place.

She repeared behind the German, ready to lay a devestating blow to the wannabe Nazi, but Blitzkreig's heightened senses gave him the advantage. He spun around and grabbed her arm, spinning her into a wax dummy of a royal feast. She crashed into a dummy of a medieval, becoming entangled in her long green dress.

"STERBEN!" Screamed the German, unleashing a volly of volts into her.

Crimson watched from his hiding place, the room now fully lit, and Blitzkreig moved out of range, he had to reveal himself... or watch his comrade die.

* * *

Loki dived for cover, the under belly of the tiger brushing his back.

"Nyah, Nyah, Nyah, Nyah!" Loki teased as the tiger turned around with a growl. It ran directly for Loki, who nimbly lept over it.

"Up, up and AWAY!"

Loki cheerfully quipped as he made his leap. The tiger, quite unprepared for his, ran straight into a small dinosaur skeleton. After it didn't emerge for some time, Loki curiously peeked over the wreakage.

"Well, as they sa... OOF!" Loki began, before having the wind knocked out of him by the end of a wooden object connecting with his stomach.

A small, nimble man in a loincloth lept from the bone pile, a spear held firmly in his hands. He brought it down vicously on the back of Loki's neck, before dealing another blow to his side. Sending the jester to the floor.

"Never send a beast to do a man's job!" He spat, his spear placed firmly against Loki's neck.

[CKW]

Darn IT! She HAD to pop out, just NOW. And hell she had to blow up my advantage over the quick German. Crimson's featured tensed slightly, while crouching behind the column that served as hideout. His eyes now accostumed to the light that was filling the room... that blasted light who left no concealment.

Still... he wouldn't do any good if he kept hiding. His enemy was turned back, playing with the unconscius petite frame of Equaliser, his prey. He concentrated. One try, one sucess, accuracy had to be perfect. He would have this attack only. He took a big, silent leap, and hoped for the worst.

Blitzkrieg's bolts faded out, leaving a smell of ozone. He felt a big pressure in his neck,and using his reflexes to repel the attack... found that they were gone!

"SCHEISSE!" The german cursed, his entire body numb. No matter how hard he tried, everything below the neck was motionless, paralysed. Crimson smiled, while still posing with the move he had used. Hitting only with two fingers, he had displaced the neck vertebrae slightly, constricting the spine cord, and rendering the German's body numb.

"...You..." He said, while twisting his neck to have a better view.

"Exactly. You're paralyzed. Don't worry. It's not permanent. You should be grateful I'm in a rush to save my teammate." The ninja sneered half in mockery, and coughed. "It will last for six hours, at least." He didn't show a glint of it, but in his depths he thanked God his move had worked.

Of course, Blitzkrieg answered with the most expressive repertory of German insults and threats, using "und" constantly. Ray knew it had to be annoying, being unable to move when your main advantage is your speed, but he simply passed next to him, heading for the flat-footed Equaliser.

"Lo." He prodded her slightly with his foot. No response.

"Equaliser?" He knelt to his feet. No response. He didn't noticed any movement on her body. And a thought jolted his mind. Oh, GODDAMIT!
All in once, he pulled her helmet out, and neatly placed a finger on one of the arteries in the neck. No pulse. No breath. No life. He hated when this happened. Luckily, there was still a chance to saver her. CPR.

And so, he opened her mouth, and began to pour air into her lungs, massaging her chest with his fists rytmically, alternating with the lung insuflation. Just like he was taught. After a few seconds, wich Crimson regarded as a whole eternity, the body of the woman stirred, and she coughed.

Crimson breathed in relief, and checked the woman was breathing and with heartbeat, once again. He eyed upon the German, wich was still with his curses, and decided to wait until the music-lover would wake up. In the meanwhile, he fiddled his communications device, trying to deliver a message upon the squad leader, regarding the last update.

[Artificial Idiot]

(Got bored, decided to finish myself off :p)

Blue Aura dashed and dodged frantically as her possibly superior, not that she'd ever admit it, continued his vicious onslaught. The narrow space of the walkway, in reflection, was not the best place to bring him. The limited room worked to his advantage, giving Aura nowhere to run.

Her body was slowly betraying her, her muscles screaming, her heart pounding and her brain trying to control and calm it all, even as her own sweat started to seep into her goggles, misting up the lenses. However, then it all stopped. The iron bar fell to the floor with a clank, her opponent wretching in pain.

"Out stayed your welcome?" Aura purred softly, as she regained her self control. She walked up to him, as he collasped onto the floor, clutching his chest and panting wildly.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" He gasped between pants.

"Pathetic." Blue Aura tsked, as she delivered a kick to his side.

"Kill... Kill... you all!" The masked figure growled as Blue Aura lifted him to face level.

"Interesting last wish..."

*Beep-Bip-Beep-Bip Bip-bip*

"... I'll make a note to fulfill it later." She threw him over the side, turning her attention to the room below.

* * *

"Idiot!" Jim cursed, as the damn communicator O'brian had insisted he took with him on this bloody mission. He forwarded the message to Charge, and threw it without another thought.

*THUD*

Jim cringed, he didn't like the sound of that. He rose his head to look at the walkway, sure enough, that foxy little broad had both her eyes set on him... foxy, but bloody dangerous.

"Heh, Don't suppose you can direct me to the Fragile Anique Chinawear section?"

The broad allowed herself a breif, fleeting smile, before throwing the iron bar of the masked fellow in the Detectives direction.

"Guess not." Jim commented as he dived out of the way, dipping his hand into his coat and grabbing his gun. But it was too late, one minute she was hanging in mid-air, the next she his the floor with a roll, and the next, bang, right in the kisser.

Jim rubbed his cheek... wondering if this was that 'repressed sexual urge' he'd been hearing about, although, he dismissed that as soon as the second kick came. Sending him reeling into a pile of boxes, and then into a peculier metal object.

Jim tried for his gun again, but this time something large grasped him from behind. Like a giant pincer. He looked down to see an orange, metal hand envoloping him.

"Fighting to the end..." Blue Aura mused as she paced up towards him, stopping just a breath in front of him. "I like that. Although, it must be so hard, having such strong, fighting spirit in such a weak, pitiful body"

"Heh, You ain't seem the part that matters." Jim wasn't sure if it was a sneer or a smirk, possibly something halfway inbetween.

Blue Aura allowed herself on my quickly fading smile, kissing two of her gloved fingers and rubbing them down Jim's cheek.

She turned around swiftly, on one heel. Bending over to pick up a black shiney object, and then disappearing. The D.A.M.A.G.E robot holding Jim, posing as a museum prop, dropped him when she was out of sight.

The detective sat there for awhile, contemplating his current situation. The way he saw it, he could chase after her and risk mortal danger. Stick around here, and risk mortal danger or, he could stick around here and risk mortal danger mortal danger... or he could go find the other clowns and risk an equally dangerous level of boredom and stupidity.

The answer loomed on him like a price rise on a bottle of whiskey.

He checked his pocket to make sure he hadn't lost anything in all the high speed action he'd been involved in... then it dawned on him...

"Shiit."

[Wesforce]

Equalizer's eyes popped open, and her whole body was wracked with pain. Every nerve felt like it was on fire, and the air she was trying to force into her lungs burned like liquid nitrogen. Her vision was read and she had a headache like Lumberjack had just sat on her bonce.

But she was alive

And the first thing she saw:

That face, leaning over her. Leering, smiling. Crimson.

It was then she noted the pain in her chest where it had been treated roughly. She noted the position of Crimson's hands, and the way his body was positioned relative to hers. His attention was drawn at the moment: He was fiddling with his communicator.

'Hey, Crimson' She said, after struggling to get the words out through fried nerves.

'Hey! You're alive!'

The fist connected squarely with Crimson's nose, flattening gristle and cartilage and spraying blood all around, flattening it against his face.

'Agh!' He fell back, struggling with the pain and unable to comprehend what was happening.

'Lech. Bastard. Pig. Take advantage WITH ME WILL YOU?!?!'

Fists flew, and already on the floor, Crimson was all but powerless to respond to the flurry of punches. He had a black eye, and myriad other cuts and bruises as he tried to curl into a protective ball, still not sure what the problem was.

'I should kill you.' Said Equalizer. 'But I won't.'

Instead, she gave him a savage kick - Between the legs, and made off without further ado.

However, running entirely on rage and adrenaline, she didn't get far, collapsing in a darkened corner and smoking slightly as her body found itself unable to cope or ignore with injuries it had taken.

[Nyerguds]

Charge's comm device beeped. He grabbed the extra-insulated thing from his belt and clicked it open, while keeping his eyes firmly on the girl.
Then, his right eye slowly looked away to the display, while the other one kept looking at the girl.

Charge saw her frown, and said on a flat tone: "I'm not bound by those annoying physical boundaries created by human instincts... like the one forcing them to preserve three-dimensional sight. So don't think about trying anything."

It was a text message from Crimson, saying he took out some german superfragger but Equalizer got caught in it and he'd had to give her CPR.

"CPR?" Charge heard Murat's thoughts in his mind. "To Equalizer? Good Grudd, that man is seriously suicidal."

Charge frowned, then smiled. Yes... putting your lips on those of Equalizer without her explicit permission was one thing that was pretty high on his self-preservation list. Of "things NEVER EVER TO DO", obviously. Luckily, if he was ever in that situation, he had the possibility of giving her electro shocks...

A bit too late he noticed Maelstrom has been sitting there a bit too quietly, and realized that since Murat had talked to him she was no longer wasting her energy on controlling him. Just as he focussed his attention back to her, he got a serious telekinetic push, throwing him a few meters away. Not that it helped Maelstrom any further... after only half a meter she was thoroughly electrocuted, and Charge's anti-grav field gently caught him and made him float back to the girl.

"I should kill you..." Charge said while watching the girl try to get up, fail, and eventually settle down for just sitting on the ground. "...seeing as you are still trying to be a threat to my existence. Let me tell you you wouldn't benefit from my destruction, at all. Allow me to share some of my host's memories with you."

Being a part of Murat's mind, Charge was pretty good at separating pieces of it, including his memory. Still blocking off the main part of it, he showed her exactly what she needed to know - Charge's complete scan of his own new physiology. A complete blueprint of his body, and all information of the batteries that contained the very life of the extradimensional symbiont.

Charge saw the girl gasp as she realized she had almost vapourized the city with her mind control attempt.

"I- ...I didn't know..." she said in a shy, hoarse voice.

It was the first time Charge heard her talk. really talk.

"Obviously." he answered. "I hope you'll stay out of my mind for now."

Maelstrom bowed her head and stared at the floor.

[CKW]

Crimson unfolded some kind of handkerchief and pushed it alongside it's battered nose, to stop it from bleeding. He pressed himself painfully the broken bone, almost spraying tears, and finally twisted into its place, reducing the fracture. It had not been the first time he got his nose broken...

Ignoring the mockery of the now literally statue Nazi, Crimson sighed, as he lifted himself from ground, still sore from the wounds. Specially the crotch. At least he felt the whole thing in pain, a sure sympton there weren't any missing parts. He snorted, and walked slowly (due to his sore state, he could not go faster) towards the fallen figure of his agressor. He had to admit this HAD been a possible outcome, but still... he had expected a less violent behaviour. Oh well, next time he wouldn't fall in it.

He painfully knelt beside Equaliser, and placed two fingers in a neck vein. She had normal pulse, a healthy one. And she was breathing. Faintly, but breathing. This time she had just collapsed from fatigue and pain.

He raised once again, and sought Equaliser's discarded equipment. And the miscellaneous equipment, such as his mask, he had to leave. Soon, Crimson had both his and the woman's equipment, and sighing,half tired, half deceived, lifted the reasonably light weight of Equaliser in his arms, carefully and as tactful as he could. And proceed to leave. But not before a last warning. He spinned, locked his sight on Blitzkrieg, and with fierce expression announced.

"Next time i won't be so forgiving."

And with this, he walked out of the room, carrying the gear and his teammate, out of the sight of his enemy, wich was left boiling in rage.

[Nyerguds]

Suddenly, Charge's body shook again, his eyes glazing over for a few seconds.

Maelstrom panicked. "I'm not doing anything! she yelled. "Honest!"

Some sparks flew off in random directions, as Charge regained his posture.
"Ugh. now that's something I don't want to do every day." he said, looking at the ground, leaning with his hands on his knees. "In fact I'd prefer never having to do it again. Not having any control of my own body or mind while being fully conscious, is... scary."

He looked at Maelstrom again. "Why hello there." he said, in the same friendly tone he used when he first found her in the room. "They call me Charge. but you probably already know that. Who are you?"

"Maelstrom..." she said softly.

"Right. Maelstrom. Seeing as we don't have any facilities that could hold you for more than a week anyway, I'm just going to let you go. But if I were you I'd make sure you don't give me any reason at all to make me come and look for you. Got that?"

Maelstrom nodded. "Yeah..."

"Very well then." Charge said. "I suggest you get out as soon as possible. Farewell."

With that, he floated over the rubble of the stone dragon, and walked out of the remains of the Chinese exhibition.

***

A bit later he was back at the place where they'd been guarding the gem. He saw Equalizer slumped in a chair, unconsious. Crimson was sitting a bit further, in another chair...with a handkerchief on his nose and a painful expression on his face. Charge noticed the way he sat slightly bent forward.
He sighed. "Kicked you in the nuts, didn't she?"
Crimson gave a small nod.
"Tssk... she'll never learn. You got anything from the others?"
"No." Crimson said.

"Well... then we'll just have to wait for now."

[Artificial Idiot]

"Can anybody else smell something burning?" Charge inquired, then remembered Crimson's condition. "Sorry, stupid question to ask."

"Like what?" Asked Crimson, stuffily.

"Finest Cuban cigars they're not." Smirked Jim smugly, as he appeared in a cloud of cigar smoke from behind an exhibit. He turned his sly gaze towards Crimson. "Either she did a real job on you, or you fell down one hell of a flight of stairs."

"Shut up..." Sulked Crimson.

"How long have you been there?" Inquired Charge. "And where's Jacob?"

"Awhile. Before these clowns turned up. As for the kid, vanished when the action got too much for him. Thought he'd ran back here." Jim walked over to Equaliser, placing a gloved hand on her cheeks. His features formed the closest thing they ever got to sympathy, before he dug around in the top inner pocket of his coat.

"Well, I got some good news, and I got some bad news...." He began, as he pulled out a grimy, brown-bordering on black, canister. He undid the lid, and carefully poured some of the murky brown liquid it contained into it.

"The good news is, I met the broad of my dreams..."

He tipped Equaliser's head back, puring the contents into her mouth. He spent a few seconds cursing and muttering 'swallow damn it', before a gulping sound indicated he'd been sucessful.

"The bad news... heh, I'll tell you later." He turned his attention back to Equaliser, as she coughed and spluttered, brought violently back to conciousness. "Welcome back to the land of the living, kid."

She groaned and slumped further back into the chair, throwing her head back over the headrest. Jim, in a rare act of courtesy, pulled up a chair for her to rest her legs on. He then turned back to Charge.

"Well, Four out of seven ain't bad. Or are the rest of the Famous Wescorp Travelling Circus just calling in sick?"

[Master Chris]

"Beg for mercy! Beg, and perhaps I will spare your pitiful soul!"

The last thing White Paw actually expected to happen, did:

"Please, sir, don't kill me, I'm just a scientist for Wescorp. What have I ever done to vex you, I did not mean it! Please!"

The scantily clad tribal relented, entirely confused by the about-face his opponent had demonstrated.

"You shall live another day, weakling. Let our paths never cross again."

With that, he was gone. White paw reverted to his tiger form and bounded away. It didn't matter that the harlequinn survived this encounter, he had the skull the fool had cherished so, and a witch doctor could work alot of magic with something so important...

Dr. Irvine Oppenheimer, in daze, made his way back to the others. Before anyone else could speak:

"I want out. I don't know about you guys, but I was just menaced by some fragger with a spear. I don't care what the consequences are but I'm not cut out for fighting crime...."

[Artificial Idiot]

(GM: Hope this is all ok RD, if it isn't, be sure to let me know! :))

Jim sighed. He supposed if he was going to baby sit this random mish-mash of freaks, he'd have to at least make sure they stayed togeather long enough to sort out Branson.

"You two look after the broad, me and the Doc here are going for a drink." Jim said to Charge, who, while probably the most competent out of this rabble, just not a people person.

"But... didn't you hear what I just said?!" Protested Irvine.

"See it as a farewell drink then, if it makes you feel any better." Jim smiled, leading the doctor to the restaurant that him and the kid had visited before. He sat Irvine down as far away from the damaged table as possible.

"Look, I know what your going to do..." Irvine began.

"Tea do?"

"Tea? Oh, um, yes... As I was saying, I know..."

"Sugar?"

"Um... no, I'm trying to cut down." He sighed, giving up completely. Jim disappeared into the kitchen, and reappeared about five minutes later with a cup of tea.

"So..." Jim said, as he sat down opposite him. "Guy with a spear, huh?"

"Oh, yes! I don't know how it happened really. One moment I was speaking to a guard, and the next... flat on my back with a spear to my neck! I begged for mercy... and he, I think he left in shock! Can you believe it?"

"You black out often?" Asked Jim, leaning back on his chair.

"Well, oddly enough, I've found I've been doing it more since I've been with you... um, fine people." He pondered this for a moment, staring into his cup of tea. Maybe wondering if he trusted Jim enough to actually drink it, who knew?

"Heh, fancy that..." Jim smirked. He hadn't actually realised that this guy didn't know about Loki, but he figured it was better to keep that cat in it's respective bag. "Listen... when you blacked out before, before you joined them, did you often find yourself in odd places?"

"Well, Now you mention it... I just put it down to sleep walking..."

"Hmm, didn't your family think that was a little... odd?" Jim said, then added. "If you've got a family, that is."

"Oh, It was my wife that suggested sleep walking." He pulled out his wallet, flicking it open and pulling out a folded photo of his wife and child. "Here she is, that's my daughter too, Geneveve. That's the Dorset Eco-Dome in the background. It's quite interesting, it's a project to generate a renewable energy from plant petals."

"Holy..." Jim coughed to restrain himself. He'd expected some ugly, over weight, middle-aged battleship with a moustache to put Hitler to shame and with great big hairy moles. Not the attractive woman who was staring back at him. And a kid too... lucky bastard. "Heh, nice kid."

"Yes, we're quite proud of her." He boasted, as all fathers do about their special little boys and girls. "Um, have you got anybody.... special in your life, Mr. Castro?"

"Jim." He said, bluntly. "Nah, but I have got a family. Had folks back in Manchester. Old woman died of a heart attack five-ten years back."

"Oh.. I'm sorry. Did she die peacefully?" Asked Irvine, with a slightly regretful look on his face.

"Peacefully? She was flamin' ecstactic!" Jim exclaimed, a dirty big grin crossing his face. "Heh, my family... Poor all their lives, but my old man, every week, without fail, he'd go down the newsagents and get a lottery ticket. Couse, the old woman said he was wasting his time, but it kept him out of the casinos and bookies. One day, I get a phone call from the dodgey old bastard, won a cool 40 million on it, but the old woman died of a heart attack. Shock was too much for her, see?"

"Oh.. you still speak to your ol... father though, don't you?"

"Heh, on and off. I get postcards off him from time to time. He put the money in the bank, planned to live off the interest. A year later. he moved to someplace in Spain, luxuary villa job. Picked up a pretty spanish waitress there. A good twenty or thirty years younger than him." Jim leaned on the table, gazing at Irvine's cup in a reflective manner. "Got a sister too. Younger. Good kid. Tried to shoot herself when she was younger though. Lead singer of some band in the early ninties, she worshipped him like he was God almighty. He decides to put a bullet in his brain, and suddenly, you got the ultimate "If he jumped off a cliff, would you" situation..."

"And um... was she, alright?" Irvine asked nervously, curiosity getting the better of his common sense.

"Oh yeah, silly bitch forgets the thing isn't loaded. And even then, she couldn't figure out how to take the safety catch off. Heh, so she blubbers herself silly to me down the phone, and I manage to convince her she had some 'higher purpose' in life. Or something, I don't know, I think I was drunk at the time." Jim saw Irvine's brow wrinkle as he tried to process it all. He decided to wrap it up quickly. "After that, she moved to America. Got herself involved with some musicans there, formed a band. Last I heard, they were doing quite alright."

"That's quite remarkable." Said Irvine. Thankfully avoiding the obvious question of why Jim was living like he was with such sucessful relations.

"Interesting thing family. Those gaurds had familes you know. I bet they got some interesting stories to tell... those who ain't dead, obviously." Jim carefully lit himself a cigar, and sat in a thoughtful pose. "I mean, imagine what this would have been like had the place been full. Hundreds of men, women, children... all with familes. Could have been my family in here... could have been yours. And if not here, then anywhere. With just us protecting them... heh, not a responsability that should be shuned lightly... because of one bad incident... don't you think?"

[Master Chris]

The good Doctor nodded cautiously, he could see where this was heading. Irvine was nobody's fool, he could
see that while the others had mysterious powers that granted them the ability to fight crime, all Dr.
Oppenhiemer possessed was a curious predisposition towards blacking out at critical moments. How was that
supposed to help? He said as much to Jim:

"Oh, yes yes, I agree my good man. This could have been a tragedy, I wouldn't wish it upon any man...or
woman I suppose...the problem is, however, it truly would be a catastrophe if I continued this super hero
charade. I mean, obviously you people have the ability to fight crime. I, on the other hand, have no
special powers or abilities that would allow me to match up against your foes."

Jim gave the distressed scientist a brief grin while he contemplated what he had said. Did the silly git
not know about his harlequin-esque alter-ego? An interesting turn of events, indeed. Jim decided that he
should convince the fretting doctor to stay with the team on his own merits. With a cough, Jim started:

"Well, doc, I think we have use for you here after all. You might not believe it but you have talents that
are of use to us. Don't doubt yourself, you can help, you can be part of the solution, you
can help protect the innocent, just look inside yourself, you know this to be true."

As hammy and cliched as those words were, they triggered something within Irvine Oppenhiemer. Always the
bookworm, an academic, he had never really known the masculine thrill of shielding those under his care
from danger. While his job as a research scientist had certainly brought home the bacon and kept his wife
and daughter comfortable, he had always felt that there was more he could do as a father and husband. Yet,
here was an opportunity to do just that, something more. Then it hit Irvine, he could take a
non-combatant role in the team. Support the team from the sidelines and all, help give them the edge
against evil without getting his own hands dirty. Yes, brains over brawn wins anyday.

"I think you're right, good sir, I shall give this super-hero caper another shot. I think I know my place,
with my help you chaps on the frontline could hold the upper hand against the thugs of the world.
Yes...yes! I have just the thing in mind! You must excuse me, I've important work to do!"

With that, Irvine hurried away, his mind racing along familiar lines. His abandoned research project, the
artificial memory generator would prove most useful to the super heroes, but he'd have to get the project
started again, surely Wesley Dean wouldn't refuse him that, would he? Of course, Irvine had to stay with
the team now that the brand new colour television had been delivered to his home. His wife had alot of
questions about where the device had come from and now Irvine could answer her truthfully.

[CKW]

Crimson relaxed his grip a bit. At least, the bleeding had stopped. He sighed, leaning back a bit, trying to somehow stretch himself along, seeking some relief on the wounds sustained. It had been a mad day. He bent forward again, seeking out to gaze at Charge, who was thinking on his own issues, as his face told so. That kind of insight expression he had most of the time.

"Gah, and the funny thing is: I bet this can go worse." Crimson smirked, seeking out conversation with the tan-skinned man."Today It's been tough, don't you think".

"Heh, at least we're in one piece.".He ventured to say, turning his sight on Crimson.

"We're just a newborn team. Against probably people who have known eachoter for years. This doesn't look good. And Irvine wanted to leave... I can't really blame him." Crimson scratched his head. His conversation thirst satisfied,he stood idle, waiting for something, perhaps. But he did keep an eye on Equaliser. Just in case, to not be caught off guard again.

But then, again, you're a lone wolf, Ray.You should be leaving as well. The thought echoed through his mind, resisting to fade out.

[Artificial Idiot]

"And on for finance. Wescorp profits reach record highs this week, with sales of the new line of "WesFORCE" line in 'adult entertainment' causing frustrated housewives and randy young men across the country to flock to the Wesforcia's Closet chain of retail stores. Particually popular is the "WesFORCE 10", which recently caused controversy, and was almost pulled off to the market, due to fear of facist imagery being used in the marketing campaign. Wescorp deny this as CKWE propaganda.

Wescorp have also announced plans to create a line of merchandising based on their team of "Super Heroes", the Sensational Secret Reserve. This will include a line of action figures, clothing and childrens lunch boxes to name a few..."

"I never thought I'd see the day when you could buy Crimson's lunchbox...." Mused Castro, as he sat in the drivers seat of one of Wescorp's many vans. This one supposedly belonged to a caterer.

"Hmph. A lot of his female fans are in for a disappointment then..." That was Diva. She was a scathing little broad when she wanted to be, which made Jim like her even more. He smiled, resting his cigar on the half open window.

"The Lutonpolis National Heritage Museum suffered a collosal financial blow two days ago, as collateral damage from a skirmish between Wescorp's SSR and a group of unidentified intruders left them in substansial dept. Wesley Dean III assured the media that all costs will be repaid, however some museum officals are demanding a formal apology from the her..."

*Click*

The radio fell into silence. Well, almost.

"Hey! I was listening to that!" Moaned Jacob from the back. Jim didn't even acknowlage him. Diva sat next to him in the passenger seat, equally silent. Charge and Dr. Irvine in the two seats behind, with Jacob sitting all on his own in the back. Equaliser and Crimson were nowhere to be seen.

The repercassions from the museum had been bad for them all. O'brian had fumed over the sheer amount of collateral damage involved, and especially the bill. There was also some news about a guy called "Maverick", said they were in the process of uploading his memories into the Wescorp network. But not much progress had been made yet. As for the incident with the gem, Jim had decided it would be best if he let them think he had it tucked up safe and sound. He assured O'brian the best hexes and vexes in the business were on it, everybody had seemed to believe him. Despite the fact there's no such thing as vexes.

And now, they were on their way to meet Mr. Branson, Jim's oh-so-generous and kind employer, at a social gathering for the Dunstable Mutants. Yes, another one. Sheesh, it almost made Jim wish he'd grown an extra limb, he could literally live off the aid he recived from some rich snob who things a few thousand thrown at whatever charity case takes his fancy makes him "at one with the common people", or "more human". As if.

Anyway, O'brian had insisted they dress up for the part. Naturally Jim hadn't, Diva insisted she'd "Change into something when she got there", Charge had adopted his usual attire and it seemed only the good Doctor and Jacob had made the effort. He wasn't sure about Crimson or Equaliser yet... although, something told him Equaliser wasn't the type. And besides, there was just something about a broad in furry boot covers....

"I say, Mr. Castro!" Proclaimed Irvine. "I don't suppose we could, pick up my wife? Maybe my daughter as well? I'm sure they'd enjoy it..."

"Not if you value your marriage..." Jim muttered under his breath, then sighed. "Whatever you want to do Doc..."

Jim's hand clentched the steering wheel, where the bloody hell were Equaliser and that bastard ninja when you needed them?

[CKW]

Just then, footsteps were heard, slow and compassing. Stylish. Just like the rest of his clothing, an elegant old-style tuxedo, wich gave a classy feel in the people who knew how to wear it. The man looked at his wrists again, checking everything was in place. For a brief split second, the members of the van-all but Charge- thought this was an stranger, some kind of rich man with an optimistic attitude. The moment it took to rest their looks into his face, somewhat obscured and spot a neat bandage wrapped around the nose.

"I'm sorry. I'm late." Crimson announced, while nodding and saluting. The clothes suited him surprisingly well, and he seemed to have acknowledged some kind of aristocratic aura along with the tuxedo. "My most sincere apologies."

He opened the door ,but did not enter. Instead, a heel took a steep on it. A sky blue one. It was Crimson's sister, with a blue dress, and arranged for the ocassion-makeup and earrings included-. Her face smiled shyly, and like Crimson, she did look a lot different when dressed up. She looked charming and bubbly. Different from the cute but clumsy girl some of them had met before.

"I had to pick my sister. She wanted to come alongside with me. I couldn't deny her this." He smiled, while taking a seat, and closed the door, with newfound style.

[Nyerguds]

"Yes you could." Charge said. "And you should have, too. We can't allow any more people into this group without explicit permission from Wescorp. And if you think she is a capable replacement for Maverick, think again."
"But.. she's my sister." Crimson replied. "We can trust her."
"Correction... YOU can trust her." Charge said coldly. "And I don't know how trustworthy we can call you in the first place for telling her about this. We're bound to secrecy, remember?"

[CKW]

Crimson frowned.
"Tell me... Charge. Do you even live with your family in a daily basis?"
Family... the sound of such word cracked for a split second charge's cold reasoning face.
"Sooner or later she was bound to know. No matter how hard we kept it secret. From what i know, it's difficult to build up a castle of lies to hide from a person you meet frequently. And impossible if you have strong links with such person." Crimson continued speaking, polishing the surface of his watch. "She would probably end up being dragged as an unwilling pawn before she could react. However, if she knows, she can adapt to it."

[Nyerguds]

"You have a point." Charge sighed. "However, that is still no reason to actively involve her in the team. Let her know, let her be quiet about it, and keep her away from the real dangers."
"She can handle danger." Crimson replied.
"Perhaps... but that doesn't change the fact that we're a team, and that she's not part of it. She might know something, but do you really think she's prepared for a battle where Equalizer and me have to use our full powers to survive? By now, you know exacty what you're dealing with. Be sure she's better off not knowing."

[Artificial Idiot]

"Sister eh..." Jim mused, as Charge and the double-oh-nothing argued in the seat behind him. "They let people like that spawn more than ONCE? No wonder the world is going to hell..."

This raised a slightly smirk out of Diva, but she didn't say anything. Jim kept a close eye on the action in the rear view mirror. Trying not to display a keen interest... relfective surfaces, a detectives best friend!

"Um... surely taking her to one party isn't that dangerous?" Suggested Irvine, Charge turned calmly towards him. A face like an ironing board.

"One party, maybe. But we already had her turn up at the prison, what's next? She going to be turning up to breifings? I know! Why don't we just make her our offical mascot?"

"That's not fair!" She finally piped up. Jim could see her feeling uncomfortable and finally at boiling point for awhile now. "I can handle anything you can throw at me!"

"Head's down darling." Said Jim, as he felt an omnimous thud on the roof of the van. That could only mean one thing. "... Cause I get the feeling that girl is caught between a rock and a battering ram..."

[Nyerguds]

"Anything?" Charge said, ignoring Equalizer's arrival. His eyes narrowed to little slits. "I'll give you one thing... me."
He stepped out of the van and waited on the sidewalk. "Try to hit me. With anything you got in your arsenal. I don't care what, just come here and hit me. No rules. Do your best, don't mind getting lethal."

The girl walked towards him. "I don't need weapons to just hit you!"
"Oh, I'm very sure your brother would advise against it anyway." Charge said coldly. "Come on.. hit me!"

The girl noticed Charge's movements weren't those of an experienced fighter. He was slow... and she was fast.

Charge calmly watched as the events unfolded before him, as in slow-motion. He saw the girl lean more on her left feet, saw the right leg lift and get ready to kick towards his face.
From his own right leg a bolt of electricity shot towards the leg the girl was leaning on, making the muscles contract chaotically.

The girl collapsed halfway in her kick, the forward momentum of the kick throwing her before Charge's feet. Charge looked down at her. He hadn't moved a muscle.

"I rest my case." he said, and got back in the van, leaving the girl on the sidewalk.

[VO]

Riona turned her head and squinted at Charge. Her hair was now barely shoulder length and tiny diamonds flickered below her ears.

"Don't you think that was a little... extreme", she said, picking her words like a Neo-Englishman in a sushi restaurant. "You aren't just going to leave her out there, are you? Crimson may not quite be feng shui but.. well..."

Crimson opened his mouth to say something. He shut it again when Charge spoke up.

"I care if she gets back in. She isn't a member of the team - and Crimson shouldn't have got her involved... she shouldn't BE involved any longer"

"...Exactly," continued Riona. "But unfortunately beating her up isn't going to solve anything." She turned to Crimson. "See that she doesn't decide to come on anything else, ok?... and open that door."

[CKW]

(note: foreign speech is between brackets (<>) )
"I'm sorry. I promise nothing, Riona." Ray finally spoke up, and opened the door. His sight was avoiding the others inside the van, focusing on the girl outside, that had just got up, and was brushing her heels.

"Kori-chan." the now tuxedo ninja adressed, turning the sight on her.

The girl answered back with her sight, and grunted something under his breath, before bothering to answer. In another language. Japanese.

<"Hm. I was caught off guard. Won't happen again."> She ventured to say.
<"It's Ok. We'll talk about this later. Come in."> Ray answered, then nodded to her and entered again. Naturally, his sister followed up. When the door was closed, the ninja faced Charge. "I can understand how do you feel, but you must know that i can't afford having her dependant on me. Sooner or later, she will have to be left to fend off by herself. For that reason, i'm willing to expose her. She cannot win experience otherwise."

[Artificial Idiot]

(Any mistakes in this post are either due to the fact that I've been working on it for a WEEK, or because my brain is more scrambled than a pair of eggs wisked by a deranged monkey with no thumnbs...)

*Dr. Otto Zapphen here to see you, Mr. Dean.*

The static rolled through the room, carrying the voice of his secretary. He was having a surprisingly quiet evening up until then, reflecting silently from his office, watching over the city of Lutonopolis as it lit up to greet the dusky blanket of the night. It was after all, his city. Wescorp was based in several hundred countries world-wide, there was no country that escaped it's reach... and yet, this city, not Neo-England as a whole, but this city, was the only one he felt was truly his own. A curious thing to say the least.

"Send him in." The rich, elegant tones of his voice said softly. A few brief moments later, a small, balding and quite repulsive creature (the sub-breed of humanity known as scientists) plodded into his office. "Doctor?"

"I have the reports on the android, Sir. The one that was..." He paused chosing his words carefully. "... Damaged."

"And?" The businessman said bluntly.

"We have managed to download the video logs into a playable format..." The scientist replied. "Contrary to our beliefs, the assassin, Sharpe, had very little involvement. We... ah, well, don't know who the offender is... really..."

"You don't know?" Dean asked skeptically.

"Well, security is still looking into it... but, perhaps you would like to view our findings?"

I think I'd better."

It didn't take long for the projector to be set up. Otto slipped a mini-disc into the projector, which instantly threw static onto the screen. This eventually cleared into a picture.

"We spliced the relevant information out, Sir." Otto informed him hesitantly.

"As would be expected." Dean nodded. "However, I would like to examine the full recordings this evening."

The screen panned across an alleyway. The android's vision was shaking violently, Dean quickly deduced he was being carried. Sparks flew into his vision, low crackles of escaping electricity filled the room.

'Shame we had to abandon the van...' Remarked a new voice. Calm, casual, that of a gentleman. Sharpe. 'Still, promised I wouldn't leave you 'till I got you safe old boy...'

'... One that we feel you may have to break...' Came a new voice. It had a slightly raspy quality to it, as if age was only beginning to creep into it... 'No hard feelings... old boy...'

There was a thud, as metal connected with Sharpe's mask, leaving a crack in the side. The camera dropped down to the ground, as the man carrying the Android collapsed. And finally, for one brief second, Dean wittinessed it. A masked figure, flesh covered from head to foot, framed against the dark sky.

'Tsk, This is a private session. Nobody else invited!' He mocked, before bringing down what looked like a bar of solid lead on the Android's eyes. Cutting off the image for good.

"Interesting..." Said Dean after a long pause. "Thank you very much Doctor Zapphen. Keep me updated on the androids progress."

"As you ask, sir." The doctor nodded and swiftly left. Soon after the static rolled it's way through his office once more. His secretary, again.

"Mr. Dean, you have an appointment this evening. At the Branson estate..."

"Inform Mr. Branson I was unable to attend." He snapped. He couldn't abide the man for various reasons. The feeling was mutual. "And donate twice as much as CKW Enterprises to whatever charity this stunt is in aid of."



* * *

Mission Log Entry: 571

Location: Classified

Time: 18:41 hours

Date: Uncertain

Thought for the day: The mind is an orchestra... and you are the conductor.

I sit alone. Composing my thoughts. It had been nearly a week, I believe, since my encounter with the android. It was a curious thing, my memories about it were faint, not fully formed. I was unsure what attacked us that night... and I had the distinct feeling that it would be better for my health if it stayed that way.

I flick past another page of the ancient leather bond book I have been studying. An interesting piece indeed, although it takes hours to translate a single paragraph. Interesting language, just as you feel you are getting the basics of it...

My thought process was obliterated by a swift, hard knock at the door of my quarters. I was positive of the identity of the knocker before I invited her in. I reached out for my helmet, still unrepaired from the night of the attack, and placed it back atop my head. I truly felt myself again.

"Come in." I called, not moving an inch. She entered, the scent of sweat caught in my nostrils... she had been busy, it seemed.

"We have all the pieces we need." She said bluntly. I nodded.

"I still believe this plan is rather crude, Miss Aura. I can honestly not fathom what Mr. Warrickson is thinking." As I have noted in these logs before, I am above addressing them as 'Master' and 'Mistress'. I am no ordinary pawn, I am their equal. And they are well aware of that.

"As do I. But you agreed, Sharpe..."

"Indeed I did. Crude can be effective Miss Aura. Although, I have heard news that there were problems gathering the required materials..."

"You heard well, as ever." She walked in and sat down on my bed. I heard her soft, inaudible sigh and smiled. "Wescorp's rag-tag team of super human misfits are becoming quite troublesome. While at the moment I am quite certain they think our raids are unrelated and unorganised, I fear Mr. Branson may have a desire to set them on our trail..."

"You've prepared for this no doubt?" A foolhardy question, but I knew she was expecting it. It was a theme of our idle banter, most of what was said was already known. But it was a sign of trust that we share it aloud. It was a complex relationship we have, one I will explain in detail one day.

"Of course." She said simply. "They will not interfere... and if they do, it will be far too late."

"I do hope so, Miss Aura. If only for your sake..." I acknowledged. ""I believe I have all the relevant information on the gem... although, I am still unclear on one or two of it's properties..."

"I thought you said you could translate it." She all but insisted. Dear Aura lacks much in the virtue of patience.

"The book is thousands of years old. The scriptures it holds hailing from before Christ, well, that is my educated guess..." I explain. "The only thing I can be clear on is the name tag... and I do not abide by petty theft, Miss Aura."

"Will the gem be an adequate power source or not?" She snapped.

"Yes, but there are risks..."

"We shall prepare for them as best we can."

"Very well..." I sighed, standing up. "I am ready for my role in all this, you may escort me to the desired location."

Mission Status: In progress.

* * *

With Equaliser on board, in a typical theatrical fashion, of course. They were good to go. She'd managed to conjuror up a dress, and Jim had to say... she filled it pretty damn well. Most of her face was obscured by an obscene pale blue party mask, which sprouted green feathers at the top. However distasteful it appeared now, she'd fit right in at the 'social gathering'. He watched in the rear-view mirror as she slipped in next to Charge, eyeing Crimson's sister with the same disdain that Charge had for her. That said, Irvine soon changed his mind on the issue of taking family after Charge's little outburst. Jim offered to arrange a visit up there at a later date withy Branson... anything to get the poor bugger out the house really.

Jim took a quick detour to his 'office', to check up on the gaffer. Lazy bugger barely even looked at him. Bloody freeloader. That was, however, the least of his worries. Somebody had been up there in his absence... and he had a good idea who it was. He didn't have time to check if anything was missing, but whatever it was, it was most likely dangerous and going to bite them firmly in the backside when they tried to use it.

He returned the van he returned in a cream suit (matching the shade and colour of his coat) with a red shirt and black tie. There was also a black flower carefully pinned to his pocket, and most shocking of all... his hair had been brushed. To a degree. There was no way he was going to be shown up by a two-bit Sean Connery impersonator.

After that it was straight off to the Branson estate. Not much was said on the way there, Crimson's errant relative causing enough friction to spark a fire in an arctic winter. The silence was soon broken when they pulled into Branson's front garden.

"Holy springboards! Look at the size of this place!!!" Exclaimed Jacob, staring intently out the window. "It must be the size of... ten Wesball grounds!!!"

"Eeeeewwww!!!" Pointed Ninja junior dramatically. "That statue is half naked!"

"I'm sure most of your brothers female fans would like to see a lot more than that..." Said Diva.

"I'm sure some of his male fans wouldn't mind either..." Added Jim, casually.

"Oh my! These pieces are truly exquisite, Mr. Castro!" Commented Irvine, as Crimson whispered some more Japanese to his sister. "Would you mind driving a little slower? I'm no expert on arts... but I'm sure they have some historical interest..."

"If you ask old mega-bucks on wheels nicely, I'm sure he'll let you have a wander around later." Jim explained. He leaned over the head rest of chair to look at the ensemble of super heroes... no pun involving the world zero sprung to his mind either.

"Alright kiddies, this is it. Straight to the door, no gawking. And best behaviour now, you're Wescorp representatives after all."

[Wesforce]

And if only some of us here would pay more attention to that fact... Equalizer sighed. It had been a while since she had donned the actual corprate uniform, true, but by now this Band of Superhuman Misfits was well enough known...

She was wearing a different uniform now - That of the elegant well-to-heel society woman. Everyone seemed amazed to see her in it rather than her habitual gear.

Equaliser wasn't too fussed... The dress was a means to an end, and afforded a decent level of anonyminity thanks to the mask.

She glared at Crimson's sister. She still loathed Crimson, naturally, and she remembered her last encounter with this little runtling - They'd been on opposing sides, and the last she saw of her she was being displaced into thin air.

She'd better not try anything, or the poor little darling's going to become recipient of the first test of my new cut-down sonic displacer screen...

Equaliser was light of her Blastmaster 3000, but had managed to jury rig a low-powered Displacer into a fairly elegant sash with an oversized brooch. Who could tell how effective it would be?

She considered testing it, but decided better.

In they walked through the open door. Doormen in Uniforms just this side of a Field-Marshal's in terms of decorativeness tipped their hats to her.

Jim linked arms with her, so it'd look like the two were attached.

'Are we ready to go over the threshold, Mish Moneypenny?' Jim said affecting an accent to go with his attire.

'Oh James.' Said Equaliser, rolling her eyes.

[VO]

Riona stepped out of the van. Heels clicked on the tarmac of the drive. The eyes of the footmen flickered momentarily from their duties as her crystal earrings shimmered in the evening light. She used the moment to take in her surroundings, taste the glamour in the air.

"Dr Oppenheimer!" Riona's voice almost snapped at her comrade. That wouldn't do at all, so she tweaked her voicebox ever so slightly. Maybe neo-french, something else entirely different... something fitting for the occasion...

The good doctor turned to her - holding a carpet-bag, of all things, and wearing a suit that was verging on out of date "Maam?"

"Take my arm," she replied matter-of-factly, nodding towards Jim and Equaliser, who were making their way up the steps. "It appears this is the kind of event that a girl does not go to unescorted."

Irvine stuttered something, almost apologetically. He was probably thinking of his marriage.

"Bu..but my dear... I'm almost old enough to be your father..." Riona could see the first few greying hairs on top of Dr. Oppenheimers head.

"Prescisely," said Riona. She slid one perfect arm to grasp his hand. "We don't want anyone getting any ideas, do we?"

The night was young.

[Master Chris]

Some things you don't tell your wife, even if they are entirely innocent.

Irvine felt his heart bouncing around his ribcage, the proximity to this divine creature was exhilirating. Still, best keep a stiff upper lip and all, they were representatives of Wescorp after all. As the pair followed Jim and Equaliser into the hall, Irvine nodded at the door men and commented to Riona:

"Ahem. You, ugh, look even more wonderful than usual, Miss Chasey."

"Why, thank you Doctor Oppenhieimer. You don't look half-bad yourself."

She lied. That suit was archaic, however, one could forgive the doctor for not keeping up with the latest trends. At least, Riona mused to herself, it made her look even more glamorous in comparison.

Faint chamber music met their ears as they progressed into the great hall, a magnificent chandelier illuminated the room with a pleasant golden haze, and several men, all dressed in identical uniforms, offered the newly arrived guests to take their overcoats and directed them towards the ballroom.

As they came to the ballroom, the chamber music grew louder and the rumbling of several hundred people conversing was heard.

[CKW]

Crimson stared down at his sister. She was still a bit stiff from the prior fall, but overall looked nicely. He wondered how she had managed to get her hair brushed and her clothes clean during the brass encounter. It was no surprise about her hair,as it was tied in a ponytail,fall proof. Her reaction to his gaze was a shy, charming smile. Although looking serious, Crimson was laughing in his depths for what was going to happen.

<"I want you to go with Jacob"> He finally spoke, in clean japanese. Kori eyes went wide.

<"WHHHAAAt?"> Her reaction was almost instantly.<" I don't want to be a babysiter of a kid! What is more, i don't want to babysit him. He's been acting weird all the time, turning his gaze away and whispering under his breath when I looked at him.>.

<"You wished to get here. Take it, or i'll call a taxi. Plus it's the only member of the team about your age. Everyone else would just look... wrong with you."> He nodded.

"Not fair." She grunted, dropping her japanase speech."Fine...I'll do it." Her expression had a tint of defeat. She sighed, and grabbed the arm of the adamantium kid. Ray couldn't avoid noticing a general blushing in the boy, and in his inner depths he was laughing wickedly for that. Soon after that, the guards gently allowed the couple to go in, however looking at eachother for the sheer youth of the kids. At last, Crimson could rise up the smile and not be seen by his sister.

"Heh. This is quite promising." Crimson finally said. Charge, who had not entered the party, sensed his true intentions.

"Pulling a prank, eh?" He answered, halfway between irony and annoyance.

"I wouldn't be a good brother if i didn't do some of these once in a while. Plus, i reckon these two won't get bored soon, by the looks of it. And to be sincere, just in case something is wrong, there's the fact Jacob can hold my sister down. But just in case." He finally ventured to say. "Hm. We should be entering as well, shouldn't we?" Crimson concluded, setting his gaze upon the entrance.

[Artificial Idiot]

Jim entered the Branson household. The corridors winding here and there as they always did. The one leading into the main ball room with a red carpet laid over it.

"No coat, Mr. Castro?" Said one of the staff there. Jim shot him a sideways glance.

"Don't push it." He all but hissed. Manuvering across the carpet with Equaliser in tow. This was quite an attractive development. They led each other to the stained oak doors that were now wide open revealing the ball room, and the party was in full swing.

The ballroom was on two levels. The bottom, and largest, level. With it's massive tables laid out with a wide variety of exotic foods and drinks (especially drinks). Party guests swayed this way and that, most of them to the enchanting melody to the orchestra. Men of varying levels of baldness and waistline expansion dressed to the nines in there best Sunday suits, young ladies and old hags in dresses with a price day that could have fed a small country. Most of them wearing some kind of eye or full face mask...

All Jim saw were scum with too much time on there hands. He couldn't abide the rich. Events like this were the main reason really. Peoplke going cold, hungry... working their god damned fingers to the bone.... while these bastards what with their silver spoons lodged firmly down their throats, pissing the night away getting drunk and showing just how rich they are. It would usually make his blood boil over... but Equaliser served as a pretty calming influence.

One of the several waiters passed him by with their silver trays. All of these contained some form of beverage... Branson didn't really go in for niblets on trays. He saw it as terribly unhygienic.

"Might as well start early." Jim smirked at Equaliser as he took a glass from the tray. Detacthing himself from her to wait for the others.

His eyes followed the staircase up to the second floor. With many a person already ascending or decending up or down the golden banister. The second floor was smaller, usually used by those who wanted more privarcy. Dean could usually be found up there.... if he had even come to the damn thing this time around. It was basically a corridor that hung above the main floor, with a staircase either side.

"Quite a nice place." Equaliser said with a low whistle.

Jim sipped at what must have been champange. He wasn't much of a champange man himself... but hey, if it was free.

"Heh, grave robbing are we Miss Chasey?" Asked Jim as Diva appeared with the Doc in tow. He then went on to tsk. "What would the missues say..."

[VO]

Riona stepped through the doorway, not gracing Jim with a reply but gracefully raising one eyebrow.

A murmour ran through the room like a ripple on a pond. Whether it was herself, or simply the rumour that the Secret Reserve had arrived, she didn't care. She gave her teeth a little extra sparkle.

Crimson appeared, followed by his sister and Jacob, both looking equally resentful, compared to the ninja, who had his hands idly in the pockets of his tuxedo, and a smug grin on his face. He was obviously planning to enjoy himself.

"Pity, Diva," he said, and winked one eye "I could have shown you a good time." He winked again, as if she hadn't noticed the first time.

"Really?" she replied. "I imagine you'd try to start a fight then. I'll pass."

just as Charge ambled in, having exchanged a few words with the porter. The moroccan was wearing an ivory suit, violently contrasting his complexion. He looked concerned.

"Mingle with the crowd," said Jim. "Don't answer too many questions about the team, and don't let your guard down. And don't..." he flicked his gaze over Crimson "get so bloody pissed off your head that we have to carry you out of here on a stretcher. Ok?"

Riona was already steering Dr. Oppenheimer away into the crowd. Heads turned, and she could feel her accomplice cringe. Maybe it would be better to offload him somewhere.

Suddenly, a voice called out behind them.

"Dr Oppenheimer? It is you!" The voice had a thick european sound, but any trace of accent had long been lost to the english. It's bearer was a large, pale man, with flaky dark hair and bags under his eyes, topping off a dark, expensive suit. In one hand he gripped a wine glass, and a few flecks of it's contents had sullied his white shirt.

"Wonderful! Wonderful to see you! After so long! You have not forgotten your old friend Mikhail?" The crowd seemed to part as the man pushed his way through purely by force of voice.

"Old sponsor..." muttered Irvine. " 'Baron' Uberbeck. Was interested in a special project we were doing. Let me handle this."

By now the Baron had navigated a table covered in various prawn dishes, and was shaking Dr. Oppenheimer vigourously enough to break his arm. The doctor opened his mouth to say something, but was cut short.

"How are you, my friend? Still with Wescorp? Your wife, your kids..." he seemed to stop as he saw Riona, now trailing slightly behind?

"She is with you? Irvine you devil! A real blood-boiler! I would not mind a bite of her myself! I trust she is as red-blooded as her hair..."

"My... neice," stamered Irvine desperately. The Baron winked unconspicuously, before launching into another barrage of questions about old times - was Dr. Oppenheimer still with Wescorp, how his research had gone after funding had been pulled, and many things Riona didn't understand. Now would probably be a good time to slip away into the crowd - she had no intention to be introduced to this very... unique womaniser. The Doctor could handle things by himself.

[CKW]

Practical lessons on how to be a wolf with lamb skin.

Crimson clenched the dish, as his tongue examinated the good more carefully. He had never been a man who loved to get food whenever he could, nor a lover of free things. He was being pushed by curiosity. Having been raised in a foreign country, he was tempted to guess the level of ignorance about "exotic goods" the high class had. Needless to say, what he was actually chewing was some sort of sushi. Wich proven awful, as suspected.Their ignorance of foreign things was matched by their lust for wealth. After disposing the last of his dish, he made a circular sweep with his sight, to oversee the glamour filled crowd.

His single status had not gone unadvertised. Some of the young and not so young women on the party had been focusing their sights on him once a while. As expected, Crimson being single was a problem it could be easily solved. But who would get the prize? For a few seconds, he delighted on the idea of being desired. And eyed the crowds much like a kid eyes up a candy store. He could be a trained ninja. He could be under disguise. He could be of the SSR and on duty, but he was still human.

"You seem to enjoy yourself the fact you are a heartbreaker in potential."
One voice ventured to say. On his left. How odd. Ray turned his sight, to see a man in his early fifties, late forties, with a raven curly haircut with a lively look and a mischievous sparkle in his brown eyes. Crimson could swear he wasn't there moments ago...

"What?"

"Your more than obvious muscled phisical build is the rage among the ladies. Few rich people care about doing physical exercise. But all that stuff isn't aestethic for you, don't you think?"

"Who are you?" Crimson exhaled. Whoever this guy was, he had a keen eye for details.

"My name is Lord Walter Ryan Mason. You can call me Ryan or Lord Mason, at your leisure. You must be one of the SSR people... more concretely, you must be Ray Smith."

Crimson instinctively tried to hurl and cover, but he managed to maintain his calm. How... in... hell? This guy definitely was NOT normal. The man named Ryan continued.

"I heard rumours that Marcus Smith had a son wich was inside the SSR. Now that i see you, you look exactly like him. That's how i discovered you."

"You knew my father?" Crimson's expression was one of surprise.

"Yes...I appreciated him, he was an interesting person. And looks like you're as interesting as he were. You are doing great, Ray. Don't let hardships crumble you, and keep that way. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Crimson nodded. At least he was friendly.

"I'd love to chat, but i must go now. Just one more thing. Don't eat too much candy..." The man chuckled as he fused himself with the crowd.

Crimson smirked. The dull party of mr Branson wasn't that dull anymore...

[Wesforce]

Equalizer eyed the crowd with concealed distaste - Much like Jim, she didn't regard these so-called elites very highly. She didn't stray to far from the questionable man. Looking around she saw some even more questionable people. Like Crimson, preening, obviously in love with himself. Several of the women in the crowd were obviously taken in by his bland good looks. Equalizer shuddered with taste, remembering the creep's molesting hands...

But she was sure he'd get his comeuppance one day.

Crimson was accosted by some loud, overbearing Lord type, and Equalizer turned away.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and concentrated on hearing, letting Jim keep the crowd from jostling her.

Aural waves shimmied andshifted around her, the conversation coming and going like some verbal tide. With her trained hearing, she focussed on individual conversations, seperating each one from the general hubbub long enough to make out the general gist of it, before moving on. It was slow work, and Equalizer had to concentrate.

'I say' Said a red faced old man in a Burberry kilt, whisky sloshing from the round vessel in his upturned hand. 'Is your filly suffering from the vapors?'

'No.' Said Castro. 'And bugger off you manky scotch git'. Equalizer heard that under-breath comment, the laird didn't.

'Blue team is go. Give it five'. Came a quite different voice. Low, calm, professional - Someone with a purpose. Equalizer lost it before she could find the direction it came from.

'Damn.'

'What?'

'Quiet, something's up. Be ready.'

She searched frantically to find the voice again, that killer's voice. Whoever it was was being quiet - She strained to listen from further away.

'Soon be time for a killin' AHEHEHEHEH!' Came a disturbingly maniacal tone. After it, the faint click of an automatic weapon being chambered - This from by the great building's back door.

'By the back door!' She gasped to Jim, hurting her own hearing slightly.

[Artificial Idiot]

"What is it?" Jim whispered, instinctively grabbing hold of both her arms to support her. He could feel her breath coming out in short, ragged bursts through the mask.

"I heard something..." She looked around the crowded party room, with what Jim could only assume was suspicion. "We need to go somewhere more private."

Jim jostled his way through the crowd, swearing at anybody who got in the way too long, and then giving them a good, hard knock in the chest or back. He motioned for her to follow him as he guided Equaliser into one of the quiet corridors. They stood by a grand staircase, with ivory rails.

"Somebody... Some people... Are going to storm the party...." Equaliser leaned against the rails, more out of casual manner than tiredness.

"Damnit... Why tonight?" Jim put his foot on the first step and rested his head on the banister, slowly shaking his head.

"You mean you knew about this?!"

"'Course. Branson's been getting death threats for months..." Jim took a cigar from his suit jacket. Which Equaliser swiftly slapped out of his hand.

"This is no time for smoking you idiot!" She snapped. "Why didn't you just tell us what the hell was going on in the first place!?"

"Well... Branson though..." Both their heads turned shapely as the door handle rattled.

"Jim?" The door crept open, allowing the sounds of the party to flow in. A blonde haired woman in a short, black dress and matching cap and heels slides in. She walks up to the pair with all the grace and dignity of one trained to serve.

"And who is this?" Equaliser glared, poison in her voice. "Some kind of B-movie extra?"

"Ah..." Hell, Jim added in his mind. "Pedula, Equaliser. Equaliser, Pedula."

"What obscene company you're keeping, Jim." Pedula said stiffly, also adopting aggressive body language.

"Much as I'd love you ladies to engage each other in verbal fisticuffs, We've got bigger problems." Said Jim, a tired edge to his voice. "Pedula, try and find the rest of us, Branson will have descriptions. Tell them to keep an eye open, might have some party crashers in the building."

"And I suppose we're going to roll out the welcome wagon?" Equaliser jested. Jim smiled.

"What kind of Bond would I be if I didn't throw my broads into senseless danger and mindless violence every now and again?"

"I'm sure whatever kind you were, you'd still missing out on the sex." She started to adjust her broach. "Come on, double-O-nothing. We've got some gatecrashers to equalise."

* * *

An arm hooked it's self into Crimson's. He jolted out of instinct, then looked down at the offending limb. It was the soft, pale arm of a woman, nails painted a dark, almost black, blue.

"Yes, you'll do..." She purred, in a rich, yet surprisingly soft, upper-class English accent.

Crimson took a moment to examine her before answering. He hadn't seen her in any of the crowds of women silently ogling him, many now staring daggers at the woman hanging off his arm. The first thing that caught his attention was the locks of of silver hair that fell down to her shoulder. Crimson could only assume that she had gone pre-maturely grey, but it was so bright and vibrant that if anything, it made her look younger. Half of this covered the right side of her face, while the other half that was left exposed had a rather pale beauty about it.

Warm blue eyes were accompanied by far too much eye shadow, and her rather thin lips were coated in a deep red lipstick. She wore a black armless dress, that was half-way over the line of decency and looking completely tacky. It not only exposed quite an lot of cleavage, but it also had a split up the side.

"I'll do?" He questioned skeptically. She shot Crimson and enchanting half smile.

"For a night's company, yes." She looked the suited ninja up and down more carefully before speaking again. "Lady Eloise Mountbatten"

"Ray Smith." He replied. "You're a little... Up-front. If you don't mind me saying so."

"Frankly, I don't have time for games..." Another half smile passed her lips. "Care to dance, or am I too much for you to handle, Mr. Smith?"

[SW Freak]

"Blue team is go. Give it five."

There were muffled screams and gunshots as the mutants burst in through the back door. The Ronin spat in disgust as they began their rampage. They were useful as a diversion, but they disgusted him immensly. Lying in wait among the shadows, Ronin and his team watch as Blue Team scaled the walls swiftly, using all available handholds. The last of the five man team hopped over the parapet and started trotting along. Ronin watch him until he was out of sight. Then he glanced back at his other men.

"Red team, you're with me at all times. Black, you meet up with Blue upstairs and make your way through the building. Kill those who oppose you, but remember that Branson is our main target." Holding a hand to his earpiece so that all teams could hear him, the vampire then said, "All teams maintain radio silence from this point on."

Ronin led the way forward, moving swiftly but with an air of calm around him. The ten men around him raised their silence rifles as they neared the two guards at the door, who were obviously nervous and unprepared. They jerked awkwardly as the bullets cannoned into them. The Ronin walked straight past them as his men caught the bodies, stowing them in the shadows beside the walls. They then scanned the area, still silent. Ronin meanwhile strode straight up to the door, pulling something that looked like a roll of thick tape from his pocket. Pulling the end of it off the loop, he ran the tape down the front door from the top left to the bottom right. Tearing the strip off, he mimiced the same action, this time moving from top right to bottom left. He pulled a small metal cylinder from his pocket and placed it dead center on the point where the lines met. He twisted the top of it and a red light flashed on.

Waving the men back, Ronin stepped to the side of the door. He pulled a cigarette and zippo lighter from his pocket, flicking it to life as the detonator came to life. It beeped twice, slowly, and then twice quickly before exploding. The front door was completly destroyed, blasted into the front hall. The Ronin stepped in through the center of the now empty doorway as his troops swarmed around him. The rifles coughed again, and the few guards inside fell. The vampire walked slowly down the corridor, towards the ballroom, inhaling deeply on his cigarette.
_____________________________________________________________

"This whole party sucks," muttered Kori, walking alongside Jacob still.

They were up on the second floor of the ballroom, ignoring the old lords and ladies who were conversing about everything and nothing. The teenagers were bored stiff. The waiters had refused to give them any champange because of their age. Kori paused in her walk suddenly, a mischevious look on her face, examining the trapdoor that she had just caught sight of.

"Where does that lead to, do you think?" she said, pointing.

"I dunno. The roof, maybe?" replied Jacob.

Kori nodded, and reached towards the latch to open the trapdoor.

"What're you doing?"

"I don't know about you," she said, half turning her head to look at him. "But I can't stand these old bags."

She reached forward again, and was just about to undo the lock when the trapdoor exploded inwards, knocking her to the floor. Jacob gave a shout and knelt to help her as the men hopped down into the hall, rifles held ready.

"Everyone on the ground and you'll live," said the leader calmly.

Jacob ignored them, charging forward instead. He tackled one of the men as he turned his gun towards the boy and girl. The young hero rained punch after punch on the attacker. Suddenly an arm hooked around his neck and he was thrown backwards, into the wall. All five men locked sights on him and opened fire. Jacob jerked as each bullet impacted into him, flecks of his blood spraying against the wall. He sank to his knees when the newcomers stopped shooting. Kiro gasped as the men looked at her, and scrambled backwards. The leader reached towards her when he heard Jacob grunt. He spun, swore in disbelief as the boy pushed himself to his feet and then stepped forward to plant a boot heavily on the boy's chest, kicking him back into the wall. He fired three more times, and Jacob collapsed finally.

______________________________________________________________

Ronin took a final puff of smoke and then flicked away the cigarette as he stepped forward. The ballroom fell truely silent; there weren't even the screams that had erupted at the sound of automatic fire outside the back door. Ronin's men spread out, some of them shouting at the denziens of the ballroom, the others heading up the stairs and, after glancing at Blue team, headed off in the other direction. While all this happened, Ronin remained silent, watching over the whole ordeal. He waved his men silent.

"I suggest that you all lie down on the ground. If you offer no resistance, I promise that nothing will happen to you."

His soldiers took up positions around the ball room, glaring at the noble men. Ronin glanced around again, obviously looking for someone.

"Where is Branson?"

Nobody spoke.

"I will not ask again."

"How dare you!"

He turned his head at the shout, staring coldly as the man walked forwards. He was a noble man, wearing a uniform that made him look like a peacock. His chains of office clicked against the buttons and he had a hand held firmly on the ceremonial rapier at his side. He bristled with rightious indignation and prodded a finger into the vampire's chest.

"How dare you burst in here and make demands! Do you know who I am? I will cut you down, swine!"

Ronin turned to the man, facing him properly now.

"Is that a challenge?"

The rapier fairly sang as it slashed free of its sheath. The nobleman bounced back, sword raised in the classic pose.

"Yes! It is! I'll have you know that I-"

"Good," said The Ronin, stepping forward.

The nobleman had time to give the slightest of screams as the vampire's arm shot forward. There was a disgusting fleshy sound and a squelch as he rammed his arm in and then withdrew it from the fencer's chest. He tossed the item in his hands over his shoulder, and ignored it as it squished into the corner.

"M-m-my heart..." whimpered the other man, face pale, as he collapsed.

"Anyone else?"

The others, after a brief review of what had happened, jumped to the ground, hands over their heads.

"Good."
______________________________________________________________

The men turned back to Kori, who was now standing in a fighting stance. The leader raised his rifle to threathen her, but her leg arced up and around, knocking his rifle askew. Then, with her back to him, she lanced out her right leg, catching him in the stomach and knocking the wind from him. Finally her knee shot foward, catching his nose and flattening it. She pushed through the others, throwing them off-balance as she caught them unawares. She grabbed Jacob in two arms, groaning as she tried to run with him weighing her down. The lords and ladies stepped aside in shock as she thundered past. She had reached the staircase by the time the man she had attacked was on his feet again and the other men were screaming at the party goers to lie down again. She ignored the enraged screams behind her and turned to speed down the stairs. She had just placed her foot on the first step when the bullet grazed the back of her leg, making her stumble.

She cried out as she collapsed, Jacob falling from her arms. They both tumbled down the steps to the ballroom below, profanities rolling from her mouth in her native tounge. She rolled a few feet more before striking someones boot. A hand reached down to grab her by the neck and pick her up.

"Good. I was wondering if they were here."

Kori's knee rammed into his crotch with eye watering force. The Ronin groaned and dropped the girl. He curled up for a moment before straightening quickly and grabbing the Asian teenager as she tried to run. He wrapped an arm around her neck, ignoring as she shot her elbow into his stomach.

"If I am not informed of the whereabouts of Branson now, this girl shall suffer for it."

[Artificial Idiot]

(OOC: Wes, if I misjudged the ability of Equaliser's equipment, let me know. :))

Jim followed Equaliser through the brightly lit corridors of the Branson estate. He guessed that she was navigating her way there by sound, as every now and again he had to steer her away from an obstacle. So engrossed in her work she was.

"We're gett..." She suddenly let out a small gasp. Jim raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?" He whispered.

"There are people moving outside."

"How do you know?"

"Faint scrabbling and hushed curses. Professionals, by the sound of it..." She stopped and started to adjust her broach again. "Stand back, and if I don't make it... I have one last request."

"Anything, for a lady." Jim said smoothly, giving her a coy smile.

"Tenderise Crimson balls for me." She said, in an upbeat manner, before she vanished in a crackle of static, causing Jim to hold his ringing ears.

Not used to Equaliser's sonic devices, he had to take a moment to keel over a statue as he tried to clear his aching head. It wasn't until he caught the sight of several members of staff fleeing the oposite way to the way he was facing that he caught on something wasn't right.

"Ah *****..." He muttered, as he grudingly raised his head. He soon wished he hadn't.

"GYRAGH!!!" The seemingly deafening sound slammed into Jim's ears like the Wescorp Express. He could only assume that it had came from the groteqse form that now stood before him.

It looked like a normal man, assuming it was a man built entirely of muscle. It was almost like a chracature, small stubby legs and a round little pin head, with a chest dominating his physical form. The man shouldn't have been able to stand up, let alone tear the statue Jim had recently been leaning too out of the ground and hold it over his head.

Then Jim's ears began ringing all over again, as Equaliser reappeared behind him. Her displacer screen let out a high pitched sqeul, causing the giant to groan in pain and drop the statue on top of his own head.

"To Russia with love, wiseass." Equaliser taunted, as her Displacer screen sprung into action. Jim hugged the wall for cover, as what he could only assume were sound waves ripped through the creatures body, seperating his legs from his body.

When Jim next looked out, it was all over. Well, not quite. The behemoth cried pathetically on the floor, blood draining from him fast. He was becmong pale. Jim walked over to him and looked into the drooping, half closed eyes. He nodded as his suspicions had been confirmed, and the man passed quietly away.

"Hypnotised." He said simply to Equaliser. She cocked her head questionably towards him.

"Seriously?"

"Or I'm the queen of Egypt."

"Well, I can't say much for the crown, but I'm sure the dress would look lovely on you..." She joked, Casto let out a slight snicker. "You reckon they're all like this?"

"What? Freaks of nature or hypnotised?"

"Both."

"Only one way to find out." He said. "But if they are all like this... I doubt they did it them..."

Both of them fell quiet as anguished screams echoed from the ball room. Bullets echoed throughout the building, so loud that even Jim with his bog standard, Human hearing could hear them. He frowned, he could only assume Equaliser was doing the same.

"What do we do now?" Asked Jim.

"Let the other handle that mess, for now." She replied, tossing her head to the side. "We're got bigger freaks to fry."

[VO]

Rinoa felt her heart thump in her bosum the moments the explosion happened. Then there was alot of screaming, and gunfire. By the time it had fallen silent, she'd almost reached the entrance to the colonade outside, on the opposite side of the ballroom to where the action was happening.

Her initial impulse was to flee - get as far away from the action as possible to figure out a way to deal with it and do so with the minimum of fuss so she could get back to flirting with the nice young men at the party.

Then the second thought kicked in. She couldn't do that if all the nice young men were dead. And she'd probably go a similar way herself if she tried to get out of here. Already there were soldiers making their way around the eaves of the ballroom, although from the side she was on and some on the upper level's balconies. These didn't look anything like the goons they'd fought previously either. Darker. Lither. More deadly.

There wasn't room to morph in this crowd anyway. Becoming someone else required Riona to stop and concentrate on who they were, what they looked like, how their muscles and bones would lie under their skin. She couldn't do that in a situation like this - and if she could, she had a nasty feeling that using her powers would get her riddled with bullets.

Why wasn't one of the others doing something? Jim Castro was a capable man, and really should have seen this coming. Crimson, Charge and Equaliser, heck, the kid as well were better at doing things like taking on armed terrorists. Even Dr. Oppenheimer had unplumbed depths.

Then she heard shouts. A murmur of worried voices ran through the crowd. Riona saw her chance. As the crowd began to drop to the floor, she carefully eased herself through the archway, and stepped out into the cool night air. The soldiers obviously hadn't covered this exit yet, although as she peered over the edge, there wasn't anywhere to go apart from a long drop into the undoubtedly spiky ornamental rose garden.

As her ears picked up the change in sounds outside, the tinkling of the fountains and the sound of traffic on the highway, she heard something else. Obviously she wasn't alone out here. On the other side of the wide balcony, behind a potted fern, a couple moved furtively in the dark, spidery limbs entwined, completely oblivious to what was going on inside. Even in the dark, Riona would recognise those shoulderblades anywhere.

She strode over, and grabbed Crimson by the hair. He yelped, and a shocked young woman with praeternatural silver hair looked up at her, so she gave the idiot a kick in the calf as well.

“He’s not worth it hun,” she said to the girl, then turned to Crimson in a harsh whisper, still holding onto his hair.
"Fool! Don’t you know what the bloody hell is going on in there?"

[CKW]

"You." Crimson turned his gaze away. His hand slided as a nightmarish tentacle and grabbed Riona's arm. Tightly. Inch by inch, the arm of the girl was effortlessly put away as the grip rendered it numb. He unleashed it short after. "Calm down." Finally the woman was revealing her true nature, under the pressure. And as such, Ray was becoming aware of it.

He turned his sight on the silver-haired woman. "I have work to do, I'm afraid." Crimson said, while picking off the recent events. Chaos and confusion, whose source was on the party.Specially the screaming.

"Riona." The sound of the word itched in his tongue. "Get yourself a good cover. I'm taking care of this.". He couldn't avoid putting an icy emphasis in these words. His patience had a limit, and it was beginning to overflow. Once more.

***

They controlled the situation. It was a question of time their minds snapped, thought Ronin.

Until the oak table was sent flying in his way. An amateur work, and took no time in disposing it off. But... something was wrong.

Crimson smirked...his blitz response had allowed him to reach the very source of the problem, and with an oak table strategically launched, that fool would have his fight. Now it was not the time... But he shot in his direction, stopping himself in his tracks, while he managed to deflect the bullet with the kunai he had been carrying all this time in his left arm.

Whatever this guy is... practically has no blind sides... Could it be...? Crimson frowned, visible disgusted as his sneak attack didn't work. This was devolving into a duel. And that's what the creep asked for.

"You,freak, leave my sister alone!" He announced. While the scared people turned their sights on him, evaluating them as saviour... or next victim.

[VO]

Crimson charged off the balcony back into the ballroom, pulling his weapon out of the sleeve of his tuxedo. His shirt was untucked and his hair ruffled, lipstick covering his cheeks. Riona rubbed her arm for a moment, and then looked at the girl, who stared back with deer-in-the-headlights eyes, trying to cover her pale skin in the cold moonlight.

"Men." Riona rolled her eyes.

[SW Freak]

Ronin smiled grimly.

"Do you challenge me?"

Crimson nodded, silently.

"Good."

He pushed the girl away, making sure she wasn't in the way. Then he reached over his shoulder and wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword. He pulled it from its scabbard swiftly, savouring the sound of metal sliding over metal as it came free. Slowly Rotating his right arm backwards, he brought the sword level to his head, point towards Crimson. Just as slow he brought his left hand up to grip the sword as well. They stood stock still for a moment, weighing their opponent up. Then, suddenly, The Ronin darted forward. His blade snapped towards Crimson's throat. Ray deflected the blow and moved himself, stabbing towards Ronin's gut. The vampire spun away to the right, bringing his sword around to slash at Crimson at neck height, regaining his balance quickly as the ninja ducked. They both took a couple of steps back and began to circle each other warily.

This time it was Crimson who moved first. He dropped to a crouched run as Ronin's sword hissed overhead before jumping, flipping over the neo-samurai's head and slashing swiftly at his face as he flew. The ninja crouched again as he landed before standing straight and spinning with his arm outstretched. His shoulder was jarred when, instead of feeling the yield of flesh, there was the clash of steel striking steel. Ronin had lifted his sword quickly without even looking at his opponent, bracing the back of the blade with his left hand. He looked over his shoulder and smiled once more, this time at the slight amount of surprise betrayed by Crimson's features. Holding his sword in place, he reached up slowly to brush his left hand off the fresh scar that now ran down his face from the right of his forehead and ended under his left eye, passing over the bridge of his nose in the process.

He nodded slightly, as one business man to another, before striking. Sliding his sword down the dagger, he rammed the hilt into Crimson's side, holding the man's arm fully stretched out so that the he couldn't retalitate. As the ninja groaned Ronin slammed a foot into the side of his knee, forcing him to the ground. Then, bracing the hilt of his katana against the fore of Crimson's shoulder, he pushed backwards, using the leverage his grip on his opponent's wrist gave him. As Crimson fell, the samurai's blade snaked out to cut a long line under his left eye. Then he stood to the ninja's side, sword held at his throat.

"One for me," he said, indicating the cut on his face. "And one for you. Do you yield?"

He pressed the point of his sword to Crimson's throat, almost drawing blood.

[CKW]

Okay, calm down. He's just trying to get yourself nervous. You can parry the stabbing blow. But this guy... it's nothing like i've seen before. It's like the samurais the senseis fought all the time... I just need something... some weakness. There has to be some! Crimson smirked, as the cold steel pressed hard his throat, with a slight discomfort. This guy definitely it was a challenge. Unlike the super people he had met in the past.

If there was a chance for a miracle. Now it was time for one. Crimson sighed.
"Let's take this to the next level." He grinned. Although he wished he could be sure of victory, that was mostly a dream. Hell, he'd eventually be forced to use the TECHNIQUE.

The samurai tightened the grip, and thrusted forward, while Crimson dodged to one side. While risky because his throat could be sliced off,and Crimson couldn't avoid that the sword drew a skin deep red line, this maneuver unbalanced ronin, enough time for Crimson to spin around, and ram his fist on the gripping hand. Ronin groaned,his arm's nerves being slammed, and his grip quivered, more than enough time for Crimson to grab the sword and roll over to a safe distance.

Satisfied, Crimson wielded now the sword menacingly, while the crowd was shaken at the almost suicidal movement.

"They say a samurai's sword is his soul." A weakness. At last. "Do you yield, knave?".

[SW Freak]

Ronin took a step back to get out of the range of the ninja and his two blades. He laced his fingers together and pressed them forward, making his knuckles crack.

"Very well...You're right. A samurai's sword is his soul, but in this day and age," He swept his arms back quckly, brushing his coat open and reaching behind him. When his hands came forward again, they were holding a pair of heavy duty black handguns, both aimed unwaveringly at Crimson's head. "We have to adapt. I suppose you might call these two my heart."

What that, he ran forward, firing. Crimson's hands blurred as he brought the sword around, jerking it to a halt to stop each bullet. Sparks flew with each impact. Crimson blinked to shield his eyes from a flurry and suddenly Ronin was there. The samurai leapt cleanly over the ninja's head, rolling in midair to land with his guns pressed firmly against Crimson's head. The ninja responded by spinning quickly, right arm outstretched. Ronin was forced to lean backwards to avoid the blade of his own sword. He came up with weapons aimed directly at Crimson's face, but was forced to lift his arms as his opponent slashed with the kunai in his left hand. The vampire then slid his left foot back as Crimson stabbed outwards with the same arm, ending up with the ninja to his right. He lifted his arm and pressed it against Ray Smith's head just as the ninja pressed Ronin's katana against its owners throat.

They stood there in silence, Crimson with his left arm bracing his right shoulder, Ronin barely even looking at his enemy but holding the gun against his head nonetheless. He looked almost as though he was thinking about something. Then he suddenly looked up and the warriors' eyes locked. There was another moment of pristine, unmoving silence before the ronin's finger flexed and a bullet exploded from the barrel of his gun. But Crimson was already moving, twirling away with the blade sliding cruely across Ronin's neck. The vampire was twirled away as well, falling to one knee and dropping his guns as he life blood sprayed from his neck. He clapped a hand to his throat as Crimson turned to look at his enemy again,flicking the blood off the sword. He raised the sword over his head as he stepped forward again. Ronin closed his eyes and began breathing deeply, the slit in his throat giving it an odd whistling sound.

As Crimson took another step towards him, the vampire's eyes snapped open and he stood, arms dangling as though he was being dragged up on a string, supported solely by his own rage. Crimson took a step back from him, lowering the sword slightly, a look of confusion on his face. Ronin stepped forward, stopped and lashed out with a punch that sent the ninja flying backwards. One of the goons casually swung the door shut so that it exploded into a mass of splinters as the ninja burst through it and slid to a halt in the reception hall. The weapons he had held were left spinning in the air, comicly, ridiculously. Ronin snatched up his sword in his left hand and slammed the palm of his right into the kunai, sending it screaming towards its owner. Then he sheated the sword, retrieved his guns, took a long drink from the bottle of blood taken from his pocket and then, very slowly, collasped against the wall. He looked up at the leader of Red team.

"If he comes in again, shoot to wound. His death is still mine."

"Sir?"

Ronin bowed his head, arms rested on his knees. He lit up a cigarette, still trying to recover from the massive wound to his throat. Sure, vampires didn't need to breath, but it still hurt and made smoking a pain in the ass.

"It's a matter of honour now."

[Nyerguds]

"I'm afraid his death is a matter that no one but me decides about." a voice came from the back of the crowd.

Showtime Charge thought. His skin started emitting a bright white light. Combined with his ivory clothing, he was a man of pure white. Oh the irony.

Several people aimed their guns at the bright figure that slowly walked through the crowd. The only thing that was visible in the brightness was a darker object in Charge's hand.

"If I were you I'd warn your men not to fire at me." Charge said. "The battle you just fought gave me plenty of time to sabotage their guns. You will find that any gun but yours will blow up when they try to fire them."

"So... another challenger." the Ronin replied calmly.

Charge started laughing. "Challenger? Hah! I'm not challenging you..."

The light faded away, showing Charge's dark features. Suddenly, Ronin felt something pull, and the next moment, one of the two guns was pulled away from him and crashed onto the metal cylinder Charge was holding.

Charge took the gun off the cylinder with his other hand, and held it up. The gun melted in his hand, molten metal and plastic dripping on the ground.

"I believe that was half of your heart." Charge said, smiling. "I could destroy your soul just as easily."
To prove his point, he let Ronin feel a slight pull on the sword.

Charge stopped smiling. "I'm not challenging you." he said. "I'm not that stupid. Instead, I'm just doing what you've been doing so far... I'm holding you ransom."

[SW Freak]

Though Ronin did his best to hid it, a look of horror flashed across his face for the merest instant. Then it was replaced by a look of calculating thought.

"Alright. You appear to have an advantage over us."

The vampire pushed himself to his feet, stubbing his cigarette out on the wall. He rubbed his neck slightly. At least it was whole again, but he wouldn't be able to fight. Hopefully, that wouldn't matter.

"There's just one problem with what you did. You know, no one else has ever tried to destroy one of my pistols." The heap of molten slag at Charge's feet began to spark and the floor around it began to blacken. "That may be why."

Charge looked down at the whmuph sound. The magic within the pistol discharged all at once, and a huge fireball lifted the hero off his feet. A five meter area around him was blackened and the people nearest him scorched. Ronin nodded calmly.

"You use magnets to your advantage. You use electricity, too. I wonder how effective your powers are against magical fire."

[Artificial Idiot]

Crimson dragged himself to his feet, his head spinning like a turnstile at a Lutonopolis Gibbons vs. Madchester United Wesball match. He let out a small groan, breathing deeply. His head soon cleared, and he was ready to lanch himself at his oppoent again, when a hand clasped on his shoulder.

He spun around rapidly, grabbing his potential assaliant by the arms and forcing them against the wall. His grip relaxed as he saw the strikingly beautiful features of Eloise.

"Miss Mountbatten!" He exclaimed. "What on Earth are you doing here?"

"I-I snuck out... While you were fighting..." She gasped, obviously taken a back by his sudden movement. "I... Need your help..."

"I can't, I have to go help my comrade." He explained, letting go of her and allowing her to slump slightly against the wall.

"But you must!" She pleaded. tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "We need to find Branson! He's the key to all this, the one they're after... If we can assure he's safe, then surely their defeat is sealed!"

"We?" Inquired Crimson skeptically.

"Of course, He won't trust you alone. No offsence Mr. Smith, but you look so much like you may be one of them..."

"I..." She stifled his answer with a passionate kiss. Drawing away from him, locking her eyes to his own. A long, pleading look attempting to bore into his heart.

"Please..."

[CKW]

"Very well." Crimson stood up. Although not in perfect condition from the massive punch he'd taken... God, it felt like a 40 pound hammer slammed in his ribcage.He'd bet he would have some broken ribs, too. He noticed his kunai inches away from him, half buried in splinters. At least that crazy samurai-like fiend had given it back. "I can't assure her safety, miss, so please back off should we find fight." Crimson breathed deep. In his depths he knew that even with charge, it wasn't going to be easy.
Hold on, Charge. he thought, while retrieving the kunai, looking again at the hole he had just made.

He turned his sight on the lady. "Let's get to this, miss Mountbatten."

"Mr S..." She ventured to say, but a hand movement cutted her.

"Call me Crimson.". He said, and then started to move at running pace. Being sure she was able to keep the pace, that is. It was a trouble to be slowed down with a tail, but if what she said was true... He'll need her.

[VO]

'Collarbone' Jones was having a bad day. Not only had he been assigned by the poncy vampire that the boss had put in charge to guard the helicopter, but now it seemed that there was fighting going on inside. Fighting! And all collarbone had to do was sit here and guard some namby-pamby pilot in the chopper until the job was done. There were even explosions going on inside -and Collarbone liked them even more than fighting. And there wasn't even anyone around the play cards with.

"He-hello?"

Collarbone looked up at the sound of the sweet feminine voice. A young woman was standing at the end of the rosegarden which was partially flattened by the helicopter, in the pale glow of the mansion. Her auburn hair was held up in elaborate tresses and she appeared to be wearing a very expensive, but minimal dress. A broach glinted in the light of the helicopter, but Collarbone was more interested in the generous flesh it didn't cover. He almost dropped his weapon.

"He-hello? Are you the police?" The girl tugged at a strand of hair nervously. "Are you here to deal with the nasty men?"

Never the brightest penny in the purse, it took Collarbone a moment to decipher this question, as cogs whirred off their axles and fuses blew in his brain.

"Uh... yeh. The police. Yeh. We're the police"

"Oh gosh! Really? There's a really really nasty man inside doing mean things! Can you go and arrest him?" She clapped her hands excitedly.

"Um..." mumbled Collarbone, then thought of a good lie. "Yeh, we' got a crack squad on it. Highly trained proffessionals..." The girl beamed, so Collarbone continued. "You better, um, come over here, yeh. Victim protection. Yeh. Can't have you gettin' hurt. Come sit over here with me. I'll keep yer safe."

Slowly, the girl picked her way through the ruined rosegarden, treading over smashed cupids and wind-scattered petals. Collarbone could see that one strap of her dress had slipped off her shoulder. The stars twinkled.

"Heh," said Collarbone, as the girl sat down on the edge of the fountain the helicopter had mysteriously left undamaged. She smiled at him, so he sat down too. His weapon clacked against the stone as he looked down at the soft curves of her breasts pressed against the thin gauze of her dress. She smiled at him again, and Collarbone's hand drifted to the other strap of her dress.

"Arsehole", said Diva, and punched him very hard in the face.

[Nyerguds]

Charge stopped in mid-air, staying afloat in the middle of the room.
"It seems..." he said. "that in the end, fire is just fire. Whatever was magical about that blast seems to have been converted to heat."

He neglected to mention the blast also gave him quite a kick in the stomach. After all, only supervillains explain their own weaknesses to their enemies. And even then, only the really stupid and usually crazy ones.

Slowly, he floated to the ground. "Which, like any energy type, I can absorb."

He landed on the floor, and looked at Ronin. "So... magical? An unknown kind of energy, which can apparently be converted to heat... and most probably to a lot more. Interesting..."

He smiled, and aimed the cylinder at Ronin again. "I must have it."
With the loud sound of metal crashing into metal, the second gun was sticking on the cylinder.
He could sense it now... now he knew what he was looking for. The magical energy trapped inside the gun.
Then, he noticed the man he took the gun from. The same energy flew through the man's veins and nerves... and a lot of it.

"Amazing." Charge said. "Truly amazing."

[SW Freak]

"Jones! Jones! Come in!"

The voice crackled over Collarbone's radio, totally ignored by the unconscious man.

"Goddamnit, Jones, would you pick up! Argh, ya stupid bugger. Fine. We can't find Branson. Little **** must've buggered off. We'll be heading out after attending to...the other matter. Make sure the chopper's ready."

The leader of blue team turned to the man beside him.

"Go and kick Jones' ass, and make sure that the helo's prepped."

He saluted and trotted off towards the back door. Blue one turned back the others, the joint forces of black team and blue team. He beckoned and headed off, the others falling into step behind them as they strode from Branson's bedroom, leaving it in tatters after practically tearing it down in search of the elusive millionare. They neared the stairs and tightened their grip on their weapons. They were ready for the action to follow.
_____________________________________________________________

Ronin stayed where he was as Charge examined his weapon.

"Indeed. I have often marveled the power myself."

He reached an arm out slowly, palm upwards. Charge looked down at the limb before returning his attention to the gun.

"I believe I would like it back, however."

Charge looked up, seeming to come out of his revere. He shook his head slightly.

"I know...it's just such a marvel..."

The vampire sighed.

"Very well..." he said, and turned his palm towards it.

The gun began to spark and heat up, but the samurai's attention was diverted suddenly by an explosion behind him. He turned to see, and the heat died. He was just in time to see on of his goons slowly sliding down the wall. His face was covered with burn marks and his uniform was on fire in patches. The gun was nowhere to be seen. Ronin glanced back at Charge.

"And I thought you were bluffing," he muttered before turning to the soldiers along the wall. "What was he trying to fire at?"

He knew instantly who the target had been. He turned to look at the staircase at the sound of a bolt clacking back and then forth. The men of the other two teams, minus one of them, were assembled on the stairwell. Each rifle was pointed dead at Ronin.

"You have no idea how happy it makes me that this order came through," said their appearent leader, who for some reason had a nose like a cauliflower.

"Why do you hate me? Because I have my honour?" Ronin titched slightly.

"Like I give a crap about that bull. I just make sure I get payed. And a bonus for solving certain problems, of course."

Ronin looked sideways at Charge. He glanced at the pistol.

"Keep it. Something to keep you occupied."

Blue one pressed the butt of his gun against his shoulder, gritted his teeth and opened fire. The other eight slammed the triggers. Bullet after bullet cascaded into Ronin's body, each impact making his muscles spasm and tossing him about like so much dead meat. After an eternity of pain, the final casing clicked to the floor and the shooting stopped. Ronin managed the merest of smirks before collapsing backwards very slowly, hitting the ground with a very terminal thump. The soldiers then took off, charging through the ranks of noblemen to reach the door, two of them carrying their burnt comrade between them. A trail of blood poured down the side of Ronin's face, and his eyes stared at the nothingness of death.

[Artificial Idiot]

"I think it's safe now, maam." Whispered Sprouse a sercurity guard at the Branson estate, as he poked his head out from behind a false portrait of Branson's father. Another guard, Lloyd, creeped out behind him, surveying the area.

"I think he'd be.... Sprouse! Look out!" Lloyd unholstered his gun in a flash, and began to open fire on an approaching figure. A glint of metal caught the light, and the dim sound of metal colliding with metal filling the corridor.

Sprouse was quick on the draw, gun blazing. But to no avail. He was soon close enough to see details. A man of Japanese heritage in a dashing black suit, spinning a sword to and fro in time with the bullets. An attractive silver haired woman fumbling behind him, hitching her dress around her legs so she could keep up.

She served as quite the distraction, he didn't even realise the man had leapt into the air until it was too late. He was all over them in seconds, dropping his sword to the floor and striking two fingers into Lloyd's neck. He fell like the Wesball fan who had eaten all the pies.

Sprouse was next, as he delivered a kick to his stomach. The guard reeled over, waiting for the figure to finish him off, when a gunshot rang out, and specks of blood dripped into Sprouse's hair.

He looked up to see the man now wore a bullet hole clean in his shoulder. Shirt and skin were equally torn. Sprouse looked for the source of the bullet, seeing Miss Pedula. A small pistol in her gloved hands.

"You don't understand..." The man, still standing over him, panted. "We're on your side. Eloise, tell them."

"Actions speak so much louder than words, sweetheart." A slither of silver floated across the room, traveling up the barrel of Pedula's gun. It soon solified and pure silver covered the gun like a thick sheet of ice.

"You're on their side yes. I, on the other hand, swing the other way..." Eloise stated, a coy tone creeping into the last few words.

What happened next was almost unbelievable. With the man in, what seemed to be, a state of emotional shock, Pedula grabbed hold of an ornamental spear from the wall. In seconds, the mysterious silver coating emitted from the woman started to form over the part she was holding, gluing her hands to the shaft. Her light form soon toppled over from the excess weight, and a crack formed in the floor where she landed.

Then the man attempted to leap from his postion, but found his feet stuck from the floor.

"I'm sorry 'Crimson'... Insurance." She tip-toed over in her heels, and began to coat Crimson's legs up to his calf. Rendering him, Sprouse assumed, immobile. "Can't have you interfering."

She kissed him on the cheek, leaving a faint mark. Lik a glittering metalic lipstick.

"Must dash, Billionaies to kill. Oh, and darling..." She added, as she stepped through the portrait hole into the tunnel that runs benath the Branson estate. "... Red is so last year."

[CKW]

"Silver isn't a very good choice either." Ray tried to move, but that enormous amount of lead, silver or whatever metal it was had reduced his mobility. The wound stinged badly, but it had not affected vital zones. This was just great.

First being dragged to a team of Super Freaks. Then ridiculized by others. And again. Receiving punches for saving someone else's life. And when he thought this was doing fine, the enemies trash the fun. First miss Chasey, obviously because she would break her nails if she entered the fight, and thus calling for his help. Then the samurai wannabe. And then this seductress who had been puppeteering him all this way. True he had outbursts of anger before. But now... it was rage. It was bloodlust. It was pain, for him and for others, the feeling of destroying everything in his path, the sweet smell of blood, and the chorus of fear. Every second, it seemed as if the world whispered "DO IT!".

And it happened. Crimson's factions tensed, in delight and shrewdness. Now she was gonna have the whole lot. Oh yes. The technique should teach that some people aren't to play with... some people are to be feared.

"Hey. You've shagged the wrong man, metallic hag." He snapped, eyes almost in blank. He reached his shoulder, wounded but still functional, grabbed some of his own blood... and licked it. Sampling it. The sweet and metallic flavour. The flavour of memories...

His hand tensed downwards, as the woman gave a confused look at the gesture. He focused. Last Resort. Power. Might. Punishment. Blood. Carnage.Pain. Awe. Delight. All those words spinned around his head, as a wind of apparently nowhere started to circle him in spiral. As if an energy of some sort was being put in the tensed and now quivering palm in his hand.

His eyes widened. And then it hitted the ground. What followed could have been described as **** blows up. The metallic goo that surrounded his feet simply dissapeared, crumbling to dust, while cracks appeared on the ground beneath, crawling through the walls.

She never knew what hit her. Only nothingness. Then pain. And then him, in front on her, smiling, the jerky hand now calm, aiming forward towards her.
The missing arm of her, and the left side of her chest. Completely disintegrated, supposedly exploded in a silver goo.

Crimson smiled, his whole body quivering of tiredness.
Who knows, maybe this sudden attack might serve as distress beacon for Charge.

[Wesforce]

Equalizer dashed into the main hall where Charge and the ominous newcomer who appeared to be leading the intruders were facing off, testing themselves in a war of words before the stunned crowd - Which was being shepherded and searched by the intruders - They weren't using their guns, thanks to Charge, but had instead taken out cattle prods and big truncheaons which they used on the screaming people to bone-crunching effect. Equalizer realised Branson could be in that crowd. If they found him...

She turned to Castro.

'Time for a Slow Waltz. You coming?'

'No, its just the way I'm standing.' Grinned Jim filthily.

'Hmph.'

Equalizer sprinted and cartwheel-jumped onto a plinth that served as an overwatch point for a henchman, distracted by the battle between Charge and the enemy leader - A stiletto heel jammed into the back of his neck dislodged him from his mortal coil. As the body fell Equalizer whirled and ripped two cattle prods from the man's belt, and somersaulted to the floor. Three enemies moved away from the crowd and confronted her.

'Bitch!'

'Grr!'

'Manners, boys.' Equalizer tapped one man on the shoulder lightly, then whirled the other way quickly and roundhouse-smacked him right in the temple with one of her stun rods, bowling him over trailing bright blue stun-sparks. The other guy was already going in low, aiming to bring her down. The steroid-pumped muscleman would've done more than that had he connected, but Equalizer darted back, keeping him at a distance, and rained a swift flurry of blows with her two weapons weapons over him. He bolted upright, seemingly unfazed, and shot out three jabs which Equalizer dodged nimbly before jabbing a stun-rod into the freak's chin.

'Ow.'

Jim tapped the goon's shoulder - He whirled around, and was floored by Jim's haymaker.

'Thought you two were going to be at it all night.'

Equalizer blew Jim a kiss. Then said:

'We should get these people somewhere safe. If you lead them, I can cover us...'

She lay a finger on her Displacer-brooch - She could activate her Zone'o'Silence any time...

[Artificial Idiot]

"Alright snobs and snobesses!" Yelled Jim, above the hub-bub of fighting and cries of dispair. He had to discharge his gun a few times to get their full attention. "Party's over. Exit is wherever I take ya. Don't hang around expecting goody-bags, unless you think being filled full of lead is a fun pass time."

The assembled nobles were reluctant to say the least. It wasn't until Charge lept into the fray and started to make short work of their fancy hair-do's. That got them moving.

They crowded behind Jim like lemmings. Which, he found a suitable word for it in these circumstances. They might have been confident Equaliser and Charge could keep them at bay... But Jim, while he knew the lady and Sparkles were amazingly powerful, wasn't so convinced.

"I wouldn't go that way, Mr. Castro..." Said some old fart or another to the left of him. Jim raised a skeptical eyebrow and decided not to reply.

He burst through th same polished, wooden doors that were present through out the household. And then suddenly wished he hadn't.

"Bloody psykers..." He muttered, coming to a speedy conclusion about his new 'friend'.

A group of large, brutish men, like the one he had met in the corridors earlier, were leaving a puddle of drool just inches from his feet. All of them of hefty build, all of them with the manic look of pure blood-lust in their eyes, and no doubt none of them were in control of their actions.


"Equaliser... I think we forgot something..."

* * *

"Bastard..." Mountbatten wheezed. Climbing to her feet. Slowly, like an hour glass, the hole began to cave in on it's self. It started to fill the gap that Crimson's attack had left, leaving her flat chested on one side. Her arm, however, did not reappear.

She stumbled at first, and then regained her stride. She glared at him intently, her eyes becoming glazed glazed over, a pure, natural silver. Like two bull-bearings.

"That..." She began, slipped off the remaining strap of her clothing. "Was a new dress."

She didn't give Crimson much time to admire her assets, as silver started to weep from every pour in her body. Covering her completely until she shone in the lamp-light like a freshly polished penny.

"Now I've lived up to my namesake. I'm going to make you live up to yours..." She slammed a solid metal fist into his cheek to illiustrate the point. "... By bleeding you dry."

[SW Freak]

Suddenly, a susurration of whispers sprang up, sweeping throughout the entire ballroom and the surrounding chambers.

I have no parents; I make the Heavens and the Earth my parents.
I have no home; I make the Tan T'ien my home.
I have no divine power; I make honesty my Divine Power.
I have no means; I make Docility my means.
I have no magic power; I make personality my Magic Power.
I have neither life nor death; I make A Um my Life and Death.

Back in the ballroom, Ronin still lay immobile. His dark eyes examined the roof in the most minute details, it seemed. The world lay reflected in the dim orbs like light on some midnight pool. And then, with prehistoric slowness, they were eclipsed as his eyelids rolled slowly down. His chest jerk forwards, his back arching, as though he was being dragged up by a rope that pierced his torso. The colour of his t-shirt shifted as some occult green light shone on it from the inside. The sound of the whispers grew in intensity, to match the growing shine.

I have no body; I make Stoicism my Body.
I have no eyes; I make The Flash of Lightning my eyes.
I have no ears; I make Sensibility my Ears.
I have no limbs; I make Promptitude my Limbs.
I have no laws; I make Self-Protection my Laws.

His limbs hanging lifeless, he began to rise slowly into the air, still being dragged up by the invisible rope. Heels free of the floor, arms dangling by either side, Ronin was the eeire center piece of the entire room. The light began to grow in intensity until lances of the green glow broke through the fabric of his shirt. The corona danced and played across the roof and tore away the clothes on his torso. His t-shirt seemed to almost melt away, his coat disapating in much the same way as the symbol on his chest glowed with an intensity that rivaled the sun. The strap on the scabbard burned away and the sword fell to the ground with an oddly muted thump. The light began to pulse like a mighty heart beat, sending waves running through the entire room. The whispers seemed to echo in the minds of everyone present, filling their heads with visions of long dead honour.

I have no strategy; I make the Right to Kill and the Right to Restore Life my Strategy.
I have no designs; I make Seizing the Opportunity by the Forelock my Designs.
I have no miracles; I make Righteous Laws my Miracle.
I have no principles; I make Adaptability to all circumstances my Principle.
I have no tactics; I make Emptiness and Fullness my Tactics.

The shine of the symbol on his chest died for a moment. Then each line of it was etched in the air in green light so bright it seemed to burn itself onto the eyes. Ronin's body jerked as each stroke was reproduced in mid air; first the vertical one, then the slightly downcurving base line attached to the bottom of it. After that came the two horizontal lines, one halway between top and bottom and one much furthur to the summit of the symbol. With a final strike of green lightning, the apostrophe-like mark was scribed just to the left of it. The air resounded to the thundering silence as the whispers of the mind grew until they drowned out all else. Ronin's body rose until he was a good seven feet off the ground. And then his eyes opened.

I have no talent; I make Ready Wit my Talent.
I have no friends; I make my Mind my Friend.
I have no enemy; I make Incautiousness my Enemy.
I have no armour; I make Benevolence my Armour.
I have no castle; I make Immovable Mind my Castle.
I have no sword; I make No Mind my Sword.

Everyone watching the impossible display shielded their eyes as the ballroom was encompassed in waves of magic light. Light bulbs shattered as waves of ancient magic roared in deafening stillness throughout the entire building. The same green light the tore at the shadows was now shining from the vampire's eyes, his fingertips, his mouth as it opened in a soundless scream, as well as from the symbol on his chest. The whispers grew until they were screams to match Ronin's open mouth. They screamed at the fall of honour, at the spread of decay, at the dishonour of an entire world. And as they screamed, once voice came to the fore, and all who had heard the vampire speak from before recognised it as his mouth moved in time to the words in their head.

I

Am

Samurai...

"And I shall not fall so easily." The last sentence was uttered in the most mundane way, coming from the vampire's lips, but it seemed to be the eeriest.

The light slowly faded and Ronin was lowered from his intangible web. His knees almost buckled as he was gently placed to the ground, his shoulders sagged and his head bowed. He seemed about to fall again when suddenly he looked up. The light still shone behind his eyes, tinting the almost black orbs an unholy shade. Then that too faded and what stood before them brimmed with the anger of a thousand dead generations, those who wished to see the dishonourable put in their place. A hand reached down and took up the sword once more. Then his right hand reached across to snatch the pistol from Charge's grip.

"I changed my mind," he said, tucking the gun into his trousers at the back of his waist.

His attention snapped to the twenty mutants who were even now pacing towards the two heroes. The fearful lords and ladies parted like water before him as he stepped towards the hall that held the monstrosities that had attracted his attention. It went against his training, his beliefs and every fibre of his being, but right now he needed something to take his anger out on. His walk qucikened to a trot, his trot speeded up to a run, he ran faster until he was sprinting towards his targets.

The brutes looked in his direction as a savage war cry escaped his lips. The two nearest him raised primitive clubs, unsure of wheter to attack him or not. They had essentially had it beaten into him that he was on their side, but the look in his eyes wasn't very friendly. Their minds were made up with surprising speed and they raised their weapons, turning to face the approaching warrior. As he reached them, Ronin crouched slightly, right hand moving to the sword in his left. He leapt, sliding the blade free as he did so. The light of the few remaining lighting fixtures gleamed off the katana as Ronin spun through the air. Crouching down to one knee, his back to the two he had just jumped over, he spun the katana in his hand and slid it into the scabbard. Both of the mutants behind him were stock still and the only sound was that of metal sliding down over metal. There was a moment of silence as the hilt of the katana wavered in its movements for an instant, before it clicked down into place. As though they had been waiting for their cue, the two behind him slowly slid apart. Three wet splats announced the landing of the various dismembered body parts before the giants themselves sank, headless, to the floor. The samurai remained crouched, head bowed, hand on the hilt of his sword still until all movement behind him ceased. Then he looked up, a strange gleam to his eye.

"Now that I have your attention..." he murmed, before moving again.

He straightened up, darting forward. The blade hiss from its holdings again, roving up in a diagonal slash upwards, ending after it passed through his target's left shoulder, though it had enter his body just below the right side of his rib cage. Ronin drew the katana back again and repeated the action, moving in a mirror image this time to slice through the mutant's right shoulder. Then he drew back his arm a second time, almost as though prepared to throw a punch. The sword lashed forward, stabbing deep into what remained of the torso of the man before him. Relinquishing his grip on the ornate hilt, the vampire spun and planted a mighty kick on the end of the grip. The sword tore through the remaints of his enemy, hilt and all, to slam into the mutant behind it. The strenght of the impact was enough to drive him into the wall, pinning him there. Ronin stepped forward quickly and wrapped his hand around the hilt once more. Blood flew as the blade was torn free, and more sprayed up as the mutant's head was severed. Glancing over his shoulder, Ronin flipped the sword backwards so that the blade extended past his little finger. He rammed it backwards into the throat of the brute who had been prepared to bring his mighty mallet down on the vampire's crown.

As the mutant behind him gurgled and choked, Ronin tossed the scabbard of his sword high into the air. It scythed freely up as the samurai spun. The sword came with him, sliding with little hinderance through the side of his opponent's neck. Ronin's left hand snaked backwards to grip his handgun and pulled it forward. Three shots went into the face of the mutant who was holding his torn neck. Then he dodged backwards as another muscle bound idiot made a grab for his head. The sword gleamed for a moment in the light before slamming down and pinning the hand to the floor. Ronin shot forward, racing up the great beast's arm and leaping to land astride his shoulders. He reached back with his right arm to grab the wakizashi while pumping bullets into the base of the mutant's neck. Then he drove the short sword down as the hammer clicked dully. The creature beneath him groaned stupidly as it toppled forwards, tossing Ronin off. As he straightened up, two came at him from both before and behind him. He bent backwards, tossing the gun up into the air as he fell and flipping the wakizashi into his left hand. Then, just before he hit the ground, his right hand snapped out to grasp the hilt of his sword, stopping him in his fall. The huge broadsword the mutant in front of him wielded slid straight over his head, impaling the giant behind him. It groaned and fell, and the offender stepped back almost sheepishly, wrestling the blade from the embrace of his comrade's heart.

Ronin took his cue and half leapt, half pushed himself up and backwards. One boot slammed into the broadsword weilder's jaw, disorientating him, and the other launched the scabberd of the katana back into the air as it neared the ground. Then the vampire was standing again, returning the wakizashi to its sheath and pulling a clip from the small box at his waist. The mutant shook his head and began to move forward again as the gun rolled down from above, slowly turning right in front of Ronin's face. His hand shot in and slammed the clip home with pinpoint precision, opening to grab the pistol a milisecond later. Sliding his right foot back as the broadsword raced down, Ronin pushed the gun straight into the mutant's face. Flames built in the barrel, licking at the end, growing in intensity with each passing second. The vampire glanced down at the broadsword, which had cracked the floor, and up again to look his enemy in the eye.

"Fare well," he muttered, and pulled the trigger.

The mutant had a second to step back, attempting to throw his arms up to protect his face. It made little difference, and the flame swept over his body, leaving nothing but a charred skeleton. The same flames licked at Ronin's hand up to the elbow, but he seemed to take no notice of it. He glanced up as the broadsword went flying end over end into the air. Pushing the gun back into the back of his waistline, he pulled a single cigarette from his pocket, still watching the sword and ignoring the other mutants as they closed in around him. As it came level with his neck, Ronin's own sword snaked up to clash with the broadsword, sending sparks flying with the impact. Ronin then calmly reached out and applied his cigarette to the biggest of the flying sparks, puffing on it to give it life proper. The sword flipped once before hitting the ground point first and sticking there, quivering. The vampire took an appreciative puff of his cigarette, removing it to exhale the smoke in a thick cloud. He glanced over his shoulder at Jim and Equiliser.

"I apologise for earlier. It seems I owed mistaken allegances. Fortunatly, my former employer's meager sum afforded him little loyalty."

He returned the cigarette to his mouth as he looked up. Then he reached up to grab the scabbard as it fell a second time, sliding his sword home with his eyes still on the mutants.

"I feel we would be advised to work together at the moment. There will be time for any retribution you feel I deserve later."

[CKW]

Crimson couldn't dodge that fist, and as such it landed with bone crunching effects. The pain overcame that of the bullet wound, and was also enough to snap Crimson out of his rage. He was calm now.

He couldn't avoid to spat some blood. His jaw misplaced, and aching like if it were broken.

Just great. I've snapped out of it, and this lady seems to be still in good condition despite she took a big deal of damage. And to be sincere, that metal punch is devastating. Oh, dear. The ship is sinking... Uh!?...metal...sink...sinking metal... I got it!

Although drained and wounded, he might have one chance. If he could dodge that blasted fist... Meanwhile, the silver lady purred in delight to see the effectiveness of her attack, eventually looking at the blood stain in the ground and smiling. She stood upright, hammer-fist ready to deliver another killing blow. Timing was essential for the strategy to work.

But now, She didn't strike to an unaware target, as Crimson dodged, nay, parried the blow. His head rocked backwards, while his arms grappled the arm of the lady, eventually using its solid metal structure as a pole to execute a jump, and deliver a kick on her opposite side, wich was armless. Sound of banging metal was heard, and Silver, unbalanced, tripped to one side. Crimson sneered.

"I'm sorry, but i don't like bleeding to death. You'll have to get me first!" He sneered, his speech a bit slurry due to the damaged jaw. And thus, he ran away. Or so it was what he wanted her to believe. He added an extra dizzyness for a dramatic effect and lowered his pace so she would have no trouble in keeping up with him.

Perfect. She likes to play cat'n mouse. Now, where was that blasted swimming pool? He thought, while continuing his rehearshal of the fleeing prey.

***

Kori put her fingers in the boy's neck once more. Just to make sure his pulse was stable. After all, he had been showered with lead, and that was really nasty for health. No sooner she had been released from the grapple of that strange fiend, wich suffice to say, was goddam strong, she had managed to sneak away. After all, those brutes who were with him had been busy watching the firework show and strapping the rich people's values to pay her attention. And the ones who had noticed her sneaking up, were put to rest. Most people wouldn't find right that a 15 year old gal can kill someone by just aiming a cocktail knife to its throat, but to Kori, it was a practical exercise of her training. At least, the bullet wound had ceased to sting, and she had regained fully functionality, enough for her to drag the boy in her arms, staining herself in blood during the process, and put him on a safe place. This boy might have been creepy and weird this night around, but at least he had got balls. And he was pretty tough. He had been shot multiple times, and there he was. Still unconscious, but stable. Kori wondered if Crimson's prank had some kind of hidden intention...

Then, a gurgle caught her attention. Able to track its source, she smiled, and put her finger on Jacob's lips.

"Shh, rest now, wonder boy, don't tire yourself out." She purred.

Speaking of wich, where had his brother gone? It was highly unlikely that the hit of that monster could have put him down. He was tougher than that.

[Nyerguds]

Charge nodded. "Welcome back... Ronin."
Ronin frowned. "Why do you call me that?"
A sly smile appeared on Charge's face. "You are a Samurai without a master, are you not?"
"I am." Ronin stated. "But Ronin isn't just what I am. It's who I am."
"I see." Charge said. "I am Charge, leader of the Secret Reserve. That was some impressive skills you showed there."
"You mean those mutants?"
"No... beating Crimson. Though I'm glad you took care of these mutants... I would probably have wasted much more energy on them than you have."
Ronin shot Charge an angry look. "Ninja's have no honour. They're hired killers."
"Ours isn't hired... and I won't judge his honour. It's not my place to judge him." Charge said coldly. "But as I said before... his life is a matter only I decide about. I'm here to keep him and everyone else of my team alive."

Ronin sighed. "So.. what's next?"
"We comb this place out." Charge said. He turned to Equalizer. "You hear anything interesting?"

[Artificial Idiot]

Silver frowned. She was infuriated, but not blind. He was playing games with her, playing her for a fool. And he did not like people playing her for a fool. Especially not some common mnartial artist.

She took a deep breath, throwing her hand out in front of her. And then let loose, aiming this time not for him, but for the floor benath him. A small, perfectly formed. block of silver forming in his path.

Mr. Smith, taking a quick look back to see why she had stopped, was just a fraction of a second to slow to avoid stumbling over the newly formed speed hump.

She watched as he lost his footing, all four limbs hung in the air for a moment before his head shattered a nearby window, and by sheer force of moimentum, flew through it.

"Forgot about that, didn't you?" She sneered.

She heard the sounds of a female squeal being cut short, and then the unmistable sound of something heavy landing in a body of water. She paced over to the window to see that her prey and a buxom young woman, her hair now clinging to her face for it's life, lying, almost stunned, in Branson's fountain.

"Until next time, Mr. Smith." She said mournfully. Blowing a kiss in his general direction. She then reverted back to her organic state, taking a coat from one of the men they had felled on their way up here to cover her missing arm, and scurried along the corridors towards the door.

[VO]

Riona pushed herself up off the fountain's concrete base, the fountain billowing with stray petals. Strands of hair hung, sodden infront of her face. She spat out a mouthful of water. Her soaking dress clung to her skin. Only the virtue that she didn't need it prevented her makeup from being ruined.

Crimson was sitting by the side of the fountain, rubbing his head. A trail of glass lead twenty feet to a window that had been completely and utterly demolised, frame lying uselessly on the grassy turf.

"What are you looking at?" she spat, directed at no-one in particular. Crimson was too busy squeezing his shoulder, where a thin dribble of blood pushed through a tear in the sleeve of his tuxedo.

At this Crimson turned around, seemingly only then realising Riona's prescence - and quickly averted his eyes. He mumbled an apology, half-under his breath.

"I take it that something chucked you out of that window?", said Riona, as she stepped over the edge of the fountain. She wrung at the waterlogged skirts of her dress with one hand, and water dripped out in thick droplets. It was an uphill battle.

[CKW]

"Listen up, Riona. There's little time. Go warn the others." Crimson finally gasped as he held the now extracted bullet in his blood-stained hand. He discarded it over his shoulder. Hell, this time, his whole body ached like crazy.

"Warn about that?" The woman just answered, as she continued to dry her clothes.

"The silver covered bitch that threw me out the window and planned to kill Branson. I bet the main hall bulled dance was just a diversion. Watch out, she'll look like a spoiled noble woman with premature silver hair, probably" He coughed.
"I cannot guarantee that she's the only assasin. I'll go find Branson and protect him the best I can. Even though she's crippled, i cannot afford relaxing yet. Go find the others and warn them." he finally gasped, getting up in a jump. Good. His body had began to answer correctly now.

"I trust in you, Riona. It's time for some teamwork." He dropped out, while he looked at the wall, and sighing, took a big leap, and began to climb... or jump his way up,using the sculpted surfaces of the mansion as platforms, visible tired and pained. Tricky. The platforms were somewhat cleaned recently, and more than once Crimson almost slipped over. But he couldn't slip. He had a target to protect. While Silver had not been on his side, he'd left him an useful hint. Protect Branson, and seal the fate of its enemies.

[VO]

As soon as Crimson was too involved in climbing to take notice of her, Riona let her body warp and change as she morphed into one of her favourite alter-egos. Water cascaded off her like the fountain itself for a second, as nanomachines severed the bonds that had caused it to cling to her skin and clothes. Dry, dark haired, and chinese, she let her body change back again, flawlessly seeping back into the flawless being she had arrived at the party as.

She slipped unseen back into the mansion just as the mercenaries arrived to find their unconcious companion.

[Artificial Idiot]

(GM: Think I'll wrap up the action now, if it's all the same to you guys ;))

*Thud*

A body propelled it's self across the room, making the hairs on Jim's ears stand to attention and take notice. It his the oak doors hard and fast, bypassing them and keeling over the banister outside them. The last of the goons to experiance Equaliser's charms tonight.

"May I have the last dance?" She said to Jim as she reappeared by the side of Charge.

"That's your definition of dancing, Look me up when I'm suicidal enough to stand in front of an express train." He replied, taking a cigar in shaking hands and lighting it. He let out a sigh of relief as he inhaled. Always good to calm the nerves.

"Suit yourself." She winked. Jim let out a half-smile, he liked this broads style. Possibly even respected it... She had a certain flippancy about her that made her spontanous and unpredictable.

"Shouldn't smoke that ****..." He said to Ronnin, nodding towards his cigerette. "... 'less you want to end up in another early grave."

"Another?" He asked calmly, exhaling smoke through his nose. "Is my condition that obvious?"

"Clear as day... Not that you'd know anything about that, of course."

"You are well versed in the paranormal." Ronnin asked.

"You're looking at the world's first and only paranormal detective." He slipped a card from his jacket pocket and pressed it into Ronnin's palm. "Name's Castro, I hear Charge here has you recruited."

"I am still considering the proposal, although my current employer has no honour..."

"Tell you the truth, I could fill a timble with the amount of honour my body contains..." Jim said . "But I'll tell you something for nothing, I'm packing enough silver to lay you to rest three times over. So you might want to consider that..."

"Nothing personal." He added, with a slight smile.

* * *

Branson sat alone in the underbelly of his mansion, waiting for the commotion to calm down above before he made his reappearance. He couldn't imagine they'd be up there for long, as soon as they couldn't establish his location, which they wouldn't, they'd pack up and go home.

He calmly stirred his tea in a pristine china cup. Balencing the saucer perilously on the palm of his hand. A beam of artifical white light drew a line down his face, it started to expand as the automatic doors at the top of the stairs slid open.

"H-hello?" A female voiced called from the top of the stairs, high heels clattered against the stone work as her voiced echoed all around her. "You're portrait was open and there was an injured woman outside..."

"Equaliser?" Branson shouted out, off the top of his head.

"No..." She called back. "Diva."

"I do apologise miss, I've never had the pleasure of meeting you both in the flesh before." Branson admitted. "Please, do come down into the light so I can see you."

A beautiful woman walked cautiously down the long flight of stiars in high heels. She carried herself gracefully, hitching her skirts up slightly to allow her to walk. Branson gave her a soft, reassuing smile.

"I do apologise for this evening. I'd been expecting an attempt on my life to be made for quite some time.... Though I never expected something this high profile, nor at such a public event."

"I'm sure the others took care of it..." She said, he offered her a seat which she took.

She looked around herself, at the cold stone walls that surronded her. It was like a cellar. As if somebody had cut the room from the very rock beath the hour. There was a number of plush, red chairs laid out around a table, she assumed they were for the SSR.

"May I offer you some tea?" He asked. Wheeling himself over to the kettle once more.

"That would be quite nice..."

Just then Crimson's silhouette outlined the door. Branson caught a loot of shock across his face as he saw the young woman already there, and then it fell back into a stern mask.

"How did you get here before me?" He asked, incredulously.

"Walked." She simply replied.

"I've come to protect you, Mr. Branson." He called out to the wheelchaired man. "I've already routed out an assassain in your mists, and I'd be ready to fight off anymore."

"Very much apprciated." Branson noted. "But I assure you I'm in the safest possible place."

"If you insist." The Ninja nodded.

"Although, if you'd be kind enough to gather the rest of your team, I believe we have some business matters to discuss." Branson thought for a moment and then added. "And please do close the doors behind you... Terrible draft."

[SW Freak]

"Nothing personal."

"Of course," said the vampire, inclining his head slighlty. "I trust that the two choices are mutually exclusive. Presumably you shall not shoot me when I fight for you."

He took another puff of his cigarette and huffed smoke rings into the air. Then he examined the object in his hand.

"I suppose I could stand to gain a higher brand of narcotic. This is very subpar. I merely bought it as a matter of habit." Looking around at the SSR members who stood before him, he said, "I would like to join you, but I fear I do have expenses. However, since you are my friends, or at least not willing to kill me, all I ask is that you pay for my ammunition and board. May I ask your names?"

[Nyerguds]

"As I said, I'm Charge." Charge said. "Our local paranoid- sorry, normal is Jim Catastro- eh, Castro... and the one that looks like a fair lady is my dear colleague Sonic Equalizer. And as you'll notice soon enough when you meet Diva, looks can be deceiving."
He winked to Equalizer, who showed him a sly smile that most probably meant "Just watch it, battery... I'll get you back on that soon enough."

"Not that I'm any better than these two," Charge smiled, "but someone has to take the lead."

"Watch it Sparkles," Jim growled. "I was standing on the jacket-tails of serial killers and drug traffickers while they were still feeding you battery acid in some twisted super human petting zoo..."

"And yet, even being the most 'normal' of us you manage to be a complete freak." Charge added with a smile.

"Heh." Jim replied. "Well if you're going to run off to the circus it pays to learn acrobatics."
"You can come with me." Charge said. "Then at least we have a clown."

Just then, they heard someone entering the room. The guests seemed to have scattered, and the room was empty except for them, and the ninja that walked through the door.

"Speak of the devil" Jim said dryly as Crimson approached them.

[CKW]

Crimson didn't even answered to Jim, the words just swayed away as if nothing happened. His semblant was dark and moody. Weary of the battles, battered, bruised and cutted for the first time, his broken jaw aching like crazy, the resident sting of the shot drilling on his arm. Some blood dripped from the wound as it had reopened during the climb. Damned Jim... soo... sure of himself. Damned Diva, doing nothing for the team. And that creep. What he was doing there? His factions tensed, reading himself for another assault. And this time, he'll be to one to hit that creep back into hell.

"Relax Crimson. He's with us." Charge replied, foreseeing his curse of action. Wich was understandable.

Crimson's stance relaxed, but not his body, it still hurt. Side changing was an odd turn of events. Oh well, he had no time nor mood to deal with it.

"Branson wants to meet with all of you. Now. Come this way. Diva is already there." He just spoke. Not a word more than the neccesary. He turned his head away, and began to walk off, not waiting for comments or answers.

[SW Freak]

Ronin had begun to bow by way of apology as Crimson had looked at him. A slightly confused look painted his features as Crimson turned away. Then he shrugged, glanced around at the others, and followed after the ninja. As they reached the hidden chamber, Ronin layed his sword against the wall and entered, hands palm forwards to indicate peace. He bowed deeply to Branson as a sign of respect.

"I apologise for the attempt on your life. Would be attempt, I should say."

[Artificial Idiot]

"No need, No need. Come, all of you, come and sit down." Branson wheeled to the foot of the stairs, shaking hands with each as they walked past and took chairs around an orante dining table. He waited for them to all settle down before he positioned himself at the head of the table.

"I have to say, I owe you all a great deal. You've all gone to such great lengths to contain this... unexpected disaster..." Equaliser snorted in distaste at the world unexpected. Jim cringed only slightly, for a split second. "But alas, as much as I wanted to share a few pleasentries with you, I'm afraid tonights events have probably left you agitated and wanting me to get to the point..."

"And what is it?" Crimson grunted. Nursing his wounds. Branson gave him a breif look of distaste, before steepling his hands.

"I'm afraid I've been subject to a break-in..."

"That it?" Quiped Equaliser, leaning back slightly on her chair. "I mean, I don't mind doing my bit for the company... But we're hardly 999."

"Well, normally I wouldn't put you through such strain, but few thieves leave this kind of... ah, imprint..." He moved the hair from the side of his face to reveal a palm shaped scorch mark. "One of them did this to me quite a few days ago."

"Brings a whole new meaning to caught red-handed, doesn't it?" Jim added, blowing a stream of smoke over Branson's head.

"They managed to get away with something very important, and potentially very powerful. I'm afraid what they might do with it..."

"Do you think it's the same organisation who tried to take the gem?" Charge asked.

"Mr. Castro believes so..." Branson nodded.

"Excuse me if I'm mistaken..." Said Irvine, after clearing his throat. "But if it was trinkets to make money they were after, surely they'd have taken a lot more from your estate Mr. Branson."

"Heh, yeah, a few things I've been meaning to tell you about that..." Jim admitted, scratching the back of his head. "It isn't an ordinary 'trinket' In fact, nobody is sure what it is, but it ain't wedding ring material."

"Not ordinary?" Charge inquired.

"You bet Sparkles. From what I've gathered, it could be a cousin of yours."

"A battery?"

"Got it in one." Jim thought for a few moments about how best to explain the situation. "It stores some form of, not magical, but paranormal energy. Energy that can be unleashed in small, but devestating doses. I was doing some research on it, but it looks like our light fingered friends took a flick through my libary as well..."

"So your saying it could be used to power some kind of device?" Inquired Irvine. "Most fascinating..."

"It's possible. If you knew how..."

"... And if they had it, of course." Added Charge. Jim shifted awkwardly.

"Well, about that see..." He said, taping the end of his cigar with his thumb. "Technically... They always have..."

[CKW]

Crimson jolted. It was obvious they were gathering energy resources. Mysterious energy resources. He had never been a paranormal man, but he knew that there are a few things in this world that shouldn't be messed with.

"Then, we have no time to waste. Wich is the next target, assuming there's one? Are there more devices that match this description?"

True, he was pretty pissed at how this whole had developed. But still... that left room for common sense. Things whose true nature remains unclear were always dangerous... like his power break move. He never really needed to know what kind of force was that. He just knew that it was devastating.

Just then, another thought crossed his mind. Where had the two kids gone? He had seen his sister being abducted by the creep, but he couldn't recall where she went after he flew through the door...

[SW Freak]

Ronin looked sideways at Jim, exhaling a smoke cloud of his own.

"Jim, if you are going to explain something, explain it. Beyond that, Branson, do you have any leads on these theives? Or do you simply expect us to sniff them out like dogs?"

He took another pull of his cigarette, half grimacing at the putrid taste. He drew it down to the butt, and then flicked it away. He glanced at Branson as it landed in the ash tray.

"Do you have any other helpful information?"

[Artificial Idiot]

"One at a time please..." Branson breathed casually, pushing the questions away with a hand gesture. "First of all, we are not sure one what the next target may be. But we do have other information that may prove useful..."

"Such as?" Questioned a wary Charge.

"Well, if you'd like to move your cups away from the table..."

Branson claped, causing the table to vibrate softly. The pine panels slid to the side, reveling a blank white canvas. Then a projector from somewhere hidden in the roof of the cave projected an image onto it.

"Going by what I picked up of their escape on my CCTV cameras, I can only estimate that there is an entrance to their base somewhere under Lutonopolis... In the sewers." He cast his hand across the image, which now displayed the schematics of the sewerage system of Lutonopolis. "The red circle is where they exited from my estate, and the larger, blue circle is the radius they could go on foot..."

"Unless they got some form of transport down there." Added Jim. "Then, unless you can lock directly into the bastards brainwaves, you're stuffed."

"Quite right. But let's be optimistic, for now."

"I take it we're just going to lead a teststrone driven mad-dash down to their base, blast open the doors in an overly dramatic fashion and then blow them all away while quiping cliches stolen from a dozen drole hollywood action movies..." Diva sighed droley, rolling her eyes.

"Because we'd never make it if we did find the place." Said Charge. "You saw the kind of offensive they led on the prison... And the amont of super humans they have in tow. We'd be slaughted before we even got into the door."

"Which is where my expert detective skills come in..." Smirked Jim.

"The very same 'skills' that managed to practically gift wrap that little shiney gem to the enemy and left us in this predicament in the first place, I assume?" Huffed Diva.

"Toche, Miss Chasey." He tipped his hat slightly, and then continued. "I gotta fix on a place, dingy little bar on the rough side of town. Hear tell that some rather... Unsavoury types like to hang out there."

"Unsavoury?" Inquired Ronnin, Jim nodded.

"Religous sort, what I heard. Worship some kind of living diety known as the Chaos King." Jim paused and then added. "And don't ask any idiotic questions about that, As I just don't know."

"Says the paranormal detective..." Crimson grunted. Jim just rolled his eyes.

"Were you born stupid, or does it just come with the territory?" He asked sarcastically. "I said living. Nothing paranormal about that. Probably some crackpot cultist on a get quick rich scheme..."

"Just get to the point, Jim!" Snapped Charge. "What does all this have to do with the attacks?"

"Friend of mine over heard a few of the less sober of their little band talking about various attacks on the city. Including the ones you've been present at..." Jim put out his cigar in the ashtray and crossed his arms. "I reckon we go down there, get a few of 'em to talk and maybe grab us some 'formal dress' while we're at it, we should get in there no problem."

"But there is one more thing..." Branson interupted, clearing his throat. "They also spoke of a scientist, Geoffrey Fisson, he's a good friend of mine and... I think he may be involved in this..."

"Involved?" Asked Ronnin.

"His research was focused on using... unorthodox energy sources... I fear they may have kidnapped him and used his expertise to build a device powered by these stolen items..."

[SW Freak]

"Then surely we should be moving to rescue him?" It was a rather pointed question.

Ronin looked around at the assembled heroes. Unconsciously, he had included himself in his statement. It had felt odd when he had first began hiring his services out. It went against much of his training and sense of honour, but when needs must...

"Though I hasten to point out that we should arm ourselves further if we are to be forcing our way into the ranks of the enemy. At least, I should. I wish to fetch more clothes for myself too..."

[CKW]

Crimson couldn't stand it anymore. There he was, acting like nothing happened, even thinking like he could own the place. But no. For good or bad, people should realise he was just on trial and best. It was wise not to trust someone who had swift allegiances so quickly. But wisdom wasn't the best of the team. If it was a team , that is. Nobody seemed to appreciate that in a team, people worked together. Specially Riona. He'd asked her a simple task. A very simple one. And she ignored it, like if she didn't care about the whole task. And there was Equaliser too, hell knows what kind of revenge was she plotting just because he saved her life. His now swelling jaw moved, slurry words came from him.

"If that is all the information..." He ventured to say, while raising to his feet, and proceeding to leave. He knew what to do. And he knew he had to do it alone. Infiltration wasn't for teams, it was for single people. And honestly, he didn't want that harlot of Diva taking the job.

With nothing to do, he stood, tall and silent, turned himself away and walked towards the exit. The time was short. And his patience running to an end. His modals nonexistant by now. And his wound stinging like crazy.

It was now a very Personal issue.

[Master Chris]

Unusual energies? A kidnapped scientist?!

Now, this was Dr. Irvine's field or expertise!

"Ahem, uhh, Mr. Branson..."

Branson nodded:

"Speak your mind, doctor."

"Perhaps you could provide me with a list of the items that were stolen, as well as Dr. Fisson's research notes, assuming they haven't been taken. I hope to, perhaps, glean some idea of what this so-called Chaos King has planned. Is that at all possible?"

Branson contemplated the notion for a moment before agreeing:

"There isn't much left of Fisson's notes, they took what they could, but a list of the missing items can be collated. I suggest you get straight onto it, Oppenheimer."

Irvine, brimming with new found enthusiasm, pushed his chair away from the table, stood up and saluted...with his left hand.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Branson. Right away, sir. On the double."

With that, Irvine turned, and tripped over his chair, crashing onto the floor.

"Bother!"

Springing to his feet, Irvine exclaimed:

"A minor set back. Now, to the laboratory!"

As he made his way back Irvine didn't quite feel himself...

Perhaps that bump on the cranium has left me somewhat more discombobulated than I had previously surmised. No matter, I'll show them how useful I can be once I finish my latest project...Ha! Hahahahaha!

Loki was back.

[Artificial Idiot]

Jim watched distastefully as Crimson pushed forcefully past him. The ninja glared evily at him, prononcing the freshly formed scars on his face. Testserone brought out a terrible side to some people.

Jim shot off a quick condescending, causing the ninja's face to turn into an even deeper shade of his namesake.

"Having fun throwing you're toys out the pram?" Jim said, casually.

"Pride comes before a fall Castro..." He growled, or rather he would if a slur wasn't impeding the agression in his voice. "And if there's any justice in the world, when your time to fall comes, you'll never stop."

With that he slipped off up the stairs and away into the dimly lit granduer of the mansion.

"Think it'd be best if somebody kept an eye on him." Jim whispered to Charge. "He might think he's all that, and I admit if he went toe-to-toe with a vamp, he might be. But he's in worse shape then David after he ended up on the wrong side of Goilath's sandal."

[SW Freak]

Ronin smiffed the air as the good doctor strode past. Something seemed wrong. Or, if not wrong, then very different. It wasn't that his scent, or what little of it the vampire's exhausted senses could pick up, was all that different, but there was some edge to it that wasn't there before. That, and his movements were obviously erratic. He was no longer the good natured doctor Ronin had heard sketchy reports of, but...someone else. Prehaps something.

He ignored the ninja as he swept from the room. He hadn't expected his former opponent to like his switch, but he had certainly expected him to accept it. Ninjas were not known for their oaths of honour, and Ronin only forced himself to hang onto some vestige of his honour as some sort of way to prove that he wasn't a bad guy. He glanced over at Jim as he overheard the man whisper.

"Correct me if I am wrong, Mr. Castro, for my knowledge of the bible is, I confess, rather limited, but to the best of my knowledge David defeated Goliath. Or so I have heard." The vampire began to pat his pockets absently, looking for yet another cigarette. His search brought nothing forth, however, and he looked towards Jim again. "Might I borrow a cigar?"

Jim tapped the cigar box in his pocket with a slight smirk on his face.

"Sorry. Last one, and I'm saving it for a special occasion."

[Wesforce]

Equalizer looked up from the swivel chair she'd been idly swining around in, deep in thought.

'I'll need to head back and pick up some things too,' She said.

Jim looked at her.

'Yeah? Mind if I come with you?'

'Why?'

'Because I wanna see how many noise complaints the neighbours have filed against you.'

'If you follow me back, they'll be filing a few more. Of the tortured, agonised screaming variety.'

'I might just hold you to that, Toots' Castro winked. Equalizer sighed and gave up. Instead she asked a question of Branson.

'If the good Doctor was forced to misuse his talents and create a device powered by, as you put it, "Unorthodox Energy", do we have any idea what this device would do, any indication of the size it might be?'

'Quite big, I assume' Said Branson. 'Wh-'

'A little hobby I've been working on in my spare time.' Winked Equalizer. 'Echo-location, as often used by bats to see in the dark. Or perhaps I should say Resonance detection: In laymans terms it does the same kind of thing underground...'

'So we could identify large, hollowed-out underground areas?'

'Among other things.'

'Maybe,' Said Jim, 'But what about Fisson?'

'Mr Branson, do we have voice samples of him anywhere?'

[CKW]

"Forgive me. All of you. Hopefully you'll understand."
Crimson muttered, his tired footsteps echoing through the corridors. They needed a lesson. Of humilty. Everyone. Just as him. In the team, people would probably want to stand off rather than cooperate. Or act as they wanted to, regardless of what a team was meant for. Blood was needed to open their eyes. Someone had to show them what loyalty and allegiance to the team meant. That was he resolved to do. Seeing as the people just mocked him. Seeing as the people just didn't want to help him.

He had chosen himself. A simple, humble human, with a training. No expensive devices. No mutant superpowers. No alien sources of energies. Just humanity. And a resolved will.

"You're wounded, Ray-san." A little girl ventured to say. It was Kori, dragging the now unconscious body of Jacob through the main hall. Where the last people were leaving, glass shards and bullet shells snapping upon the threads alike. Crimson just smiled. But it was a not sincere one.

"Do not worry, sister. The others are that way. Be a good girl, and bring Jacob there." He waved his hand, opposite direction of the door.

"And you?"

"I'm... afraid... I have something to do." He moaned, in a hint of sorrow and contained anger. He had to do it. Not as arrogant arsehole. He wasn't arrogant. It's just... that he happened always to be angry. An angry ninja.
But he was a good guy. And he was willing to lessen the burden that was entrusted to everyone in the team. He couldn't think otherwise, he couldn't stand becoming angry by his teammates pranks, rather than being useful.
Hopefully, such things would become past soon. And so, the ninja trodded.
Wounded. Pissed off. Outsid, towards its doom. But with a warmth feeling. One that felt alien in his stunned heart for a long time. Faith. Faith in himself, for being able of such noble thoughts. Faith in people.

[Nyerguds]

Charge sighed. "I'm afraid I've neglected my duties." he said to the other people, and ran after Crimson.

"Ray!" he yelled. "I'm sorry."
The ninja turned around and frowned. "It's too late now."
"No, it isn't. I never really understood why they chose you..." Charge sighed. "But I realize you must've been getting quite a hard time in our team."
"Unlike you, I'm only human." Crimson said in a monotonous tone, and sat down on the floor.
"I'm human all right. Slightly upgraded, but not too inhuman to neglect a man in trouble. I should've noticed it sooner though... you must've gotten one hell of a beating there."
"You can say that all right." Crimson replied.

"I told you, I'm sorry." Charge said. "I'm pretty new to this whole leader thing, and I'm not a robot like Marv. It takes a while to get to know everyone's needs... and limits."

"This isn't my limit." Crimson said stubbornly.

"You set your limits too high." Crinson said with a stern face. "The only limit you got is your death. My job is to help you before you get that far. You have to get to a hospital, and fast." Charge said, activating the comm device he had pulled out of his pocket.
"Command HQ? ... Yes, this is an emergency all right. We got two team members with severe injuries. ... No, you don't need any special precautions. It's Crimson and the kid. ... Right, thanks."
He turned to Crimson. "They're sending a helicopter. They'll be here in about fifteen minutes. I'll stay here and wait."


"Thanks." Crimson said, after a moment of silence.

"No problem." Charge replied. "I'll send Kori with you two... it's a battlefield out here, and it seems we're getting involved in stuff I prefer not to involve her in. I hope you understand."

[CKW]

Crimson breathed deep.

"As I said, thanks.I kindly appreciatte that. But i don't need to be taken back now. If anything, it is NOW when i have to fight. Out of my personal pride, this team needs a lesson. They're... just a bunch of individualists. Uncapable of altruism. They think they're above the humanity. I'll show them they're not."

He rised to his feet, not even paying attention to his wounds. They weren't truly crippling. Well maybe his swollen jaw, slurring his speech.

"Besides, i only need a few bandages.I'm not that fragile. My advice: Start by compenetrating the people in there. You have to manage them as a team, and not just as separate talents."

He turned his back, and continued to walk away.

"Do you want to know why they chose me? Pretty simple. They just wanted someone completely human in the team. To connect with the people. It's easy when there's someone who will bleed when punched. That curses when he trips over. That isn't an exact wonder when it comes to advanced calculus. They wanted a mediocre superhuman."

Charge wanted to reply this time. Probably a very witty response. That could settle down Crimson. However, Crimson had been faster. He dropped yet another sentence.

"Do the numbers, Charge. And you'll see. About my performance. Reality is seldom what it seems."

[Nyerguds]

"I bleed when I'm hit." Charge said. "Every single one of us does, Crimson. We're just human beings like you. Look at Loki. Mad genius, but that's it. Equalizer... has some wacky tech and a very sharp hearing. Heck, even Castro is human. Sort of."
"Look," Crimson said. "You don't understand-"
"No Crimson, YOU don't understand." Charge said. "You aren't going anywhere without telling me where you're going and what you're planning to do. It's that simple."
He looked at the sky, from which he heard the sound of an approaching helicopter.
"And right now, you're going on that helicopter, and straight to hospital, and I'm accompanying you to make sure you don't get any crazy ideas and run off like you're doing right now."

The helicopter landed, and four people in green coats jumped out and ran towards the two men.
"The kid's inside. Tell the girl that's with him she's coming with us."
He turned to Crimson. "Come on. There's nothing to prove. Just get on that helicopter."

A flash of anger shot over Crimson's face. "You can't-"
"I can do whatever the hell I want, Crimson. I'm the team leader. If I thought it were in your best interest I could even electrocute you so we'd het you in that helicopter. I have my responsibility, and I'm not neglecting it this time."

Crimson sighed, and followed the man in the green coat into the helicopter. A while later, the three others appeared, carrying Jacob. Kori followed them closely.

Charge walked back to the rest of the group.
"Goodbye, Sir Branson. Jim, I trust you to keep an eye on the situation... and our new friend." he glanced at Ronin. "I'm sure you'll manage."
"Heh, sure sparkles." Castro replied. "After all, what's one vampire between friends?"
"As I said, you'll manage." Charge smiled, and ran to the helicopter.

"Everyone here?" he asked. He looked around and saw Crimson sitting on one of the beds in the helicopter, while the doctors were busy helping the wounded boy on the bed at the opposite side.
"Right, off we go." Charge said, as he closed the helicopter door. The helicopter took off, to Wescorp's private hospital in Lutonopolis.

[Artificial Idiot]

"Certaintly Miss Equaliser." Branson crooned charmingly. "Just follow me please, and you too doctor."

He motioned towards Dr. Irvine. Who seemed to have taken a funny turn after his recent fall, Branson assumed he was just dazed.

"Would you mind wheeling me aloing, Miss Equaliser?"

"Well, seeing as you asked nicely..." Equaliser winked, grasping hold of the handles. "I must warn yo, I never was one for three point turns..."

"I'm sure you'll manage." Branson laughed in his silky, prononced voice. He directed Equaliser to a large room filled with aircraft memorabilia. Irvine wandered in after him.

"Ah, winged sirens of artifical flight, soar across the starry night....." Loki sang joyfully, as he looked up to see a scale model of Da Vincis flying machine hanging above his head. "A mystic breeze out in the air, out to sieze your underwear!"

"You're friend has taken... And interesting turn..." Branson said catiously to Equaliser, as Loki cackled happily. He also blew a raspberry for good measure, just in case anybody had missed the point.

"Don't ask..." She sighed in return.

He signalled for Equaliser to stop him in front of a massive, wall consuming monitor, with a miniscule keyboard sat in front of it.

"Nice speakers..." Equaliser purred. "Can't wait to ram those up to full volume..."

"You're here to work not play, Miss Equaliser..." Branson stated seriously, before casually whispering, "Maybe later."

*System active, voice recognition required.* Droned the computer in a toneless attempt at a female voice.

"Wilbur and Orville." Branson announced.

*Analyzing, Analyzing, Analyzing...* It repeated again on a loop until finally... *Voice imprint valid. Welcome Birmingham.*

"Acess files, G.Fission."

"It's all very long winded isn't it?" Equaliser observed. "I remember... Computers being... So much more efficent..."

She blinked and stared into space vacantly for a few moments, before returning to her normal self. She shook her head, causing her multi-colour hair to take flight.

"Sorry, I had a bit of a bad turn there." She admitted.

"Well, here is a disc of Geoff's live television speech on the mutagenic properties of nuclear waste. Another little hobby of his."

"Talk about mad science." She quiped before plucking the CD from his hand and waltzing off.

"Dr. Irvine, Here is what I have of Fission's work. it's very imcomplete, chronicaling only the start of his research..." Branson held out the CD for him. "I really would advise you and perhaps Mr. Charge check his home for any other information that you require..."

* * *

"You heard the battery." Castro announced to Ronnin and Diva. "So, Lady and gentlevamp, Swallow your valuables and forget any kind of dignity as we're heading down to the inner city!"

"What for?" Diva asked, weirliy.

"A spot of fishing."

"Fishing?" Ronnin inquired skeptically.

"Fishing for humans..." Jim smiled, heading up the stairs to Branson's mansion and out towards the carpark.

[SW Freak]

Ronin licked his lips, smiling at a cruel joke. As he followed Jim, he retrieved his sword and quickly caught up with the other man.

"My favourite sport," he joked. "Mind if we make a detour? I feel it would be advisable for me to pick up more clothes and another strap for my sword. Perhaps more weaponry too."

Ronin stopped alongside the broadsword that was still sticking in the ground. With a seemingly gentle tug, he pulled it upwards.

"This will make a nice addition..." he muttered.

[Wesforce]

Equalizer made her way home, displacing from rooftop to rooftop, remaining unseen (but not totally unheard as Crimson would agree, wiping blood from his top lip), until she had the WesCorp apartment block in sight.

One more controlled displacement took her inside, and she immediately checked her surroundings for intruders, objects out of place, that kind of thing. There were none. Equalizer let out her breath...

*thump thump*

A noise from the WesApartment below. Mrs Stubbs banging away with her broom handle against her roof - Equalizer's floor.

'Keep it down in there, I'm trying to do the blasted vacuuming!' Came the muffled voice, annoyed by the distinctive sound of a sonic displacement (though the ignorant spinster could scarcely know what that was).

Equalizer's mind wandered...

As an Equalizer, you are the epitome' of the law. An insult or reproach directed against you is a slap in the face of the law - Suffer no such transgressor to live!

Before she'd even realised what she was doing, Equalizer was already on the way to Mrs Stubbs' apartment, a WesCom .454 Service pistol in hand.

What am I doing? Dammit, I get further down this corridor every time...

She hurried back to her own apartment and carefully stashed the pistol (a primitive weapon she'd never intentionally use).

'Sorry' Mumbled Equalizer half-heartedly, in an attempt to appease Mrs Stubbs - Going straight to business.

She flipped up her bed - Which folded neatly into the wall, covers and all. There was a Spartan Chest underneath,a nd Equalizer ripped it open. Brushing aside cables and various audio plugs, she retrieved what seemed to be a long boom wound in bundles and bundles of copper wire, backed with a parabolic dish. There was a tripod for the whole thing to sit on, with mounts for a computer and battery pack.

The battery pack she connected. The computer she retrieved from another chest. It was a standard WesCorp WZ80,000 PC, but beneath its rubberised keys lay the upgraded RAM and processing speed of a Digital Demon. Equalizer had programmed from distant memory some of the most advanced sound-processing software known to woman.

Without wasting any time, she loaded the computer with Fisson's voice sample, and Displaced up to the roof of the building.

Careful not to be seen by any rooftop guards or cameras, Equalizer set up assembled Sonic Locator Array, and set it to auto-scan. It would take a while to scan the city, so satisfied the device was safe and hidden, she left it.

Equalizer displaced back to her apartment - More banging from downstairs. She ignored it that time, because she had another device to assemble - This one a fairly basic seismic detector of the kind used by Paleontologists - Basically a resonance reader that fired a heavy lead slug against the ground, and built a picture of what lay underneath the surface by computing the echoes.

Equalizer's enhancements (A calibre upgrade, a bit of jerry-rigging, and more use of her programming skills) greatly enhanced the efficiency of this unit. Only a few 'shots' would have to be fired to map out most of the city.

Displacing several times more with her equipment in tow, Equalizer made her way to the inner city: Just outside a shopping centre at roughly the centremost point of the whole city. Shoppers and Passers-by stopped to stare in amazement at the woman carrying around what looked like a Jackhammer, which she clamped in the middle of a tarmac road.

'Official SSR business, Ladies and Gentlemen!' She said cheerily, with a wink none of them could see because of her mirrored visor. 'You might want to clear the area a tad.'

Those that weren't put off by the warning backed off when they saw her load what looked like a tank round into the top of the machine.

'Cover your ears. Ready... Aim..'

She jumped and somersaulted away

'FIRE!'

She realized she might have overdone the charge a bit when every window along one side of the shopping centre shattered. A car not far from her overturned. a WesDog stall was flung up to 40 feet in the air scattering WesDogs over a radius of 100 metres. It seemed like everywhere car and shop alarms were going off. The ground rippled like a live thing from the shockwaves going through it. People - those that hadn't gone far enough away - screamed in terror and were flung to the ground.

But the chaos soon passed, and the Seismic detector's computer began chattering, processing information which it could build up a map with...

'Now we play the waiting game.' Equalizer smirked.

***

'I didn't manage to locate Fisson' She declared upon returning to Branson and the rest of the team. 'But I do have a fairly detailed underground map of Lutonopolis for us to study.'

'Great work,' Said Branson, raising an eyebrow as he smoothly continued: 'I'd just have got a map from the sewer company'

[SW Freak]

"Jim, I hasten to mention that I have a map of the underground workings of the city at my home. I find it is often a necessity to pursue my targets. Having a working knowledge of the sewers of this city has proved invaluable in the surprise attack and pursuit of those I have been payed to eliminate on many occasions."

Ronin looked around the car park.

"Which vehicle is yours? The BMW over there? That Audi, perhaps?"

[AI]

"This one'll do me just fine." Jim patted the bonnet of a rustic, run down old van with a sticker that was half obscured grime and peeling off at the edges, in the middle and just about where ever else possible. If you looked hard enough, there were faint traces of an almost unreadable company name, most likely long bankrupt and out of business.

"This is some form of joke, correct Jim?" Ronin inquired, Jim shot him a look that could have turned milk sour in a cows udder.

"You implying there's something wrong with my mode of transport, of great and merciful Count Ronin?"

"It is a perfectly practical mode of traonsport b..."

"Good, then get in and cut the chin wagging." Jim interputed. "You want to play ball with the good guys..."

At this point Diva cleared her throat just loud enough to cut in on Jim mid-speech.

"... Moderatly OK guys, you better start playing by the rules." He pulled himself into the truck and smiled a sly-as-a-cockney-fox smile. "And rule numer one is do everything Uncle Jim says."

"And what does 'Uncle Jim' purpose we do first?" Goaded Diva sarcastically, as she elgantly slid into the passanger seat next to him.

"Heh... Funny you should ask..." He mused as he started the engine. "How are you at playing bait?"

[SW Freak]

"I will be but a moment," stated Ronin as he strode towards the trees near the car park.

He came back seconds later, a large sports bag in his hands. Irregular lumps stood out all over, as though almost too many metal objects had been stored within. The van bounced slightly on its worn shocks as the vampire tossed the bag into the back. He smiled slightly at Jim as he hoisted himself into the van beside it.

"Just in case, Jim. Where are we going?"

Ronin glanced up at the sky for a moment, seeming almost worried. Then he pulled the doors closed and leaned on the back of Jim's and Diva's chairs.

"And more importantly, do you expect resistance?"

[VO]

Jim grinned, and turned the key in the ignition. "Resistance? Depends if the bouncers like the look of you, I guess. It's called Club VOES. Little place in the centre of town. Heard of it?"

The vampire shook his head. "I'm not from around here."

"I have," said Diva. "Pretty good, for Lutonopolis, that is." She rolled her eyes.

"I've noticed you do that quite alot," quipped Jim. "Been practicing?" Before Diva could reply indignantly, he continued. "Our friend the Chaos King has some bully-boys who make it their regular haunt. We're going to drill them for information, nicely like, and not cause much trouble."

"Uh huh." Diva and Ronin nodded.

"You won't be needing whatever's in that bag," continued Jim, as he manauvered the van up the ramp and out into the night.

[SW Freak]

"Jim, I find that anytime any man has said that to me, I have needed more. Please, do not "jinx" it."

The vampire looked over at Diva. He knew little about her, but she seemed...well, nice wasn't the word. Sceptical, sarcastic and sanctimonious might suit, but Ronin was too..."nice" to say. Instead, he looked back to Jim.

"I feel that my current appearence would cause considerable concern among the denziens of the bar. The bouncers may not trust a man with several dozen bullet holes in his chest." The vampire smirked slightly. "I should stay and watch over the vehicle with my...bag of toys."

[VO]

They called this area the Red