Light the Signal New IC

[gremlin-pult]

Sayuri lowered her crossbow. "Hm. Exception for the psychic's ability to play back memories. I'm sure watching that each of our memories corroborating every detail exactly will be quite a bit of proof. It's very hard to forge a coherent memory."

Raising her crossbow again, she smiled wickedly. "At least enough for a warrant to have your specific genetics tested for the ability to produce chemicals. Kim Consolidated has a very good Meta-Human research facility, and I know a guy who knows a guy."

Of course, she was bluffing, but he wouldn't know that.

"Also, the stuff's still in me blood. Provin' tha' it's created in your body should be easy enough. And to be extra damnin', I can jus' slow down my metabolism to keep traces o' it, to ensure tha' the accusation of you givin' yer crazy-sweat to innocent teenagers is true, like." Edward added casually.

Good idea Edward. We definitely do not want this man loose on the streets. Normal people could get an instant addiction to this drug... It really is a good thing that we have always resolved to test our concoctions on ourself. We have built up quite a resistance to foreign chemicals. Also, please tell the coyote with the rather fetching top hat that defecating in public is most unbecoming, he really should.... Oh, oh right. Drug. Hallucination. Sorry, carry on.

[DoctorFaust]

Keeping the music going, Warren says, "Hate to burst your bubble, Edward, all that's really going to prove is you took some drugs at some point this evening. Doesn't necessarily mean he gave them to you."

[Rhyvurg]

"It does if he's the only source. Or just a source, which any skin swab can prove. The drug would have his own DNA in it."

[gremlin-pult]

"An' if it doesn't prove it, then I'm gonna need a full list o' th' components in the drug quick, ta make me own an' say I took it in th' line o' duty. Fer reasons. Reasons tha' make sense. An' is no' illegal." Edward whispered to Orlando.

Well, it is not like you have done something terrible. Ill advisable and short-sighted, yes, but no worse than any of the other compounds we have ingested, injected or inhaled over the years. Remember the X7-P42 serum? It violated three points of the Geneva convention, if I remember correctly. Imagine how much trouble we would have been in if we had tested it on someone other than ourself?

"Yeh, tha' one was a doozy. Kicked like an elephant, and burned worse than mum's cookin'." Edward answered, reminiscing on the good times back home. He gave the unfortunate drug dealer a lopsided smile, really showing his fangs.
"Dun' worry mate. Talkin' to meself ain't cuz o' your nat'ral juices. It's all part o' the Edward package."

[Mekboy]

Willow looked mildly confused.

"Could just make him say all that stuff again if yer want. Maybe some other stuff too. Make sure he stays away and all that."

She gave her best innocent smile. She'd been practicing it for ages.

[Wdwune]

"An' if it doesn't prove it, then I'm gonna need a full list o' th' components in the drug quick, ta make me own an' say I took it in th' line o' duty. Fer reasons. Reasons tha' make sense. An' is no' illegal." Edward whispered to Orlando.

"No illegal? What do you mean?" Orlando whispers back to Edward. "Are you telling that sharing hallucinogenic substances is allowed in the Financial District? Or Mr. Don't-Shoot-Me here knows about a loophole?" He sighs. "You may be right, since technically he's not carrying any flasks. However, he might have a special ability related to alchemy similar to yours, therefore it's a good thing the Signal Academy or the local authorities check him out. The rest of it is none of our business."

He turns to St. Dubois and shakes his head. "I think you misunderstand our intentions. We're just following orders to report any suspicious activity. You drugged a teenager, that's suspicious for us, so we restrain you until authorities come, end of the story. We don't care what happens to you next; good for you if you're released, bad for you if you're not, it's not our call."

He scratches his head. "For the third time, protocol only. Seriously, how many times do I have to repeat it? Oh, and one more thing; I didn't call the cops."

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

City Street

"Oh, sure, you could make me say whatever you want, I'm sure. But a coerced confession's not admissible in court now, is it? So still, no evidence," Leo St. Dubois says to Willow. About this time, a single police car pulls up and a pair of officers step out. "What seems to be the trouble?" the older one, with a steel-grey mustache, asks of Orlando. Apparently they were informed of who to speak to. Leo continues to remain more or less still.

---

Rooftop

"That would be nice," Bryn says, with a grin at the vampire. "An if I'm going to look forward to spending all night bored on a rooftop, at least I've got good company for it."

---

Cafeteria

"I see sort of a golden cord connecting me to whatever I'm tracking. The more familiar with something I am, the thicker the cord is. The closer I am to it, the brighter the cord is. Try picturing a couple dozen cords going in different directions and through each other and popping like fireworks on and off, and that's sort of what I'm seeing, but that doesn't really do it justice. I don't think there are even words for where some of these things are going." Maria still looks a little woozy, but she seems to be doing a better job of keeping it under control now-- at least for the moment. "And the flashing is really annoying. Like staring at a couple of strobe lights that aren't quite synced up."




(OOC: I think this sums up my past week best: "La vie, la vie, beaucoup de parapluies")

[Elderand]

Cafeteria

"I see sort of a golden cord connecting me to whatever I'm tracking. The more familiar with something I am, the thicker the cord is. The closer I am to it, the brighter the cord is. Try picturing a couple dozen cords going in different directions and through each other and popping like fireworks on and off, and that's sort of what I'm seeing, but that doesn't really do it justice. I don't think there are even words for where some of these things are going." Maria still looks a little woozy, but she seems to be doing a better job of keeping it under control now-- at least for the moment. "And the flashing is really annoying. Like staring at a couple of strobe lights that aren't quite synced up."

"That would make for some really strange art if you could film or paint it. Does it look like that for everyone's food or am I the only one with transdimensionnal fractal patterns?"

[Mekboy]

Okay. The guys in uniforms were authority type figures, right? If the guy was telling the truth, then if they knew she'd messed with his head it wouldn't count. Which was a stupid rule. He wasn't lying, why did the circumstances matter. But they didn't need to know, did they? With their attention on the boss-man, she leaned in close and whispered to the fancy-dressed man, magic dripping from her voice. "You're going to tell the truth to these nice gentlemen, no lies. Except you're not going to tell them that I did anything to you, okay? You're just going to be very cooperative."

[Anyr]

"Right back at you."

Rebecca's head gently came to rest on Bryn's shoulder. She enjoyed being so close to another person. The feel of their pulse, breath and heartbeat was especially comforting. Her senses were very good at detecting such things: Though she tried not to think about the reason for that. From her new comfy position, Rebecca continued to gaze down at the streets below.

"Let me know if you get cold or hungry or anything. I've got food, blankets, dancing lessons, and who knows what else."

[Wdwune]

"Oh, sure, you could make me say whatever you want, I'm sure. But a coerced confession's not admissible in court now, is it? So still, no evidence," Leo St. Dubois says to Willow. About this time, a single police car pulls up and a pair of officers step out. "What seems to be the trouble?" the older one, with a steel-grey mustache, asks of Orlando. Apparently they were informed of who to speak to. Leo continues to remain more or less still.

"Greetings, officer," Orlando says as he approachs the older cop and shows his JKL badge. "We're Squad Bravo from the JKL of Signal Academy, and while on patrol duty we stumbled across this guy who responds to the name of Leo St. Dubois, who offered us some sort of hallucinogenic substance." He clears his throat. "We were instructed to call the authorities if we see something suspicious on our patrol area, so -since this guy is indeed suspicious, although he firmly believes he's not- we called our ensign (as instructed), who in return called you."

"Needless to say, we're not authorized to use any kind of violence -except a few rare exceptions- so we choose to do it the easy way and let the local authorities deal with the problem."

He turns to St. Dubois. "Don't worry, amigo. The more you cooperate, the easier things will be."

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

City Street

The policemen approach St. Dubois handcuffs out. Leo starts to babble out a long-winded confession as they get the cuffs on him. At that point, there's a sudden silence, then loud sounds of crumbling masonry and twisting steel, as a skyscraper down the street starts to crumple, with about half of what looks like the 10th through 12th floors mysteriously missing. It's not so close that the JSK group is in any danger. The drug dealer takes advantage of the distraction, as the police (and he hopes, all the kids) are staring at the building, to try to make a run for it. His attempt fails spectacularly as his shoes are tied together, and his hands are cuffed behind his back. He hits the ground face-first with no way of catching himself. "I think I broke my nose," can be heard as a mumble from the concrete. The more aware members of the group can see three or four figures darting away down an alley nearby, looking like they want to avoid being seen.

---

Rooftop

Bryn giggles, "What circumstances could you have imagined that we'd need dance lessons for?" Her laughter stops as the building they're on top of starts to shudder and twist under their feet.

---

Cafeteria

"Well, I don't generally track people's food. But it would just show up in their stomach, at least at first. I've seen that with one of my mom's expensive rings. My three year old brother ate it. She just had to wait for it to come out again. But with normal food, as the body starts to absorb various bits of it, it'd diffuse through the body, but that's not at all what I'm seeing here. Not that I could draw it. Flat paper just wouldn't be capable of capturing it."

[gremlin-pult]

As St. Dubois started running, Edward immediately pulled out his tranq gun, sighting in on the dealers back and firing a dart.
Although his shot turned out to be a bit too low, he nonetheless nailed the guy in the leg, since the guy promptly fell on his face for some reason.

Edward, which darts did we have loaded in the gun? Not the super tranquilizers, I hope?

"Nah, I think we loaded th' normal ones, to ensure nuthin' untoward should 'appen..." He was disrupted midsentence by St.Dubois, who burst into a fit of laughter so strong that it left him gasping for breath and handily kept him from getting to his feet. "Ah, nope, make tha' the Giggleshot^tm. I think 'e'll be all giggles fer th' next 'our or so, unless..." He paused expectantly, and sure enough, the unmistakable smell of lost bowel control soon reached the group.
"There we go. Mr Drug dealer'll be all ****s 'n giggles fer the next 'our. Bloke's all yours, officer. Although I'd stay a few feet azway from 'im, iffen I were you." Edward said to the police officer with a satisfied smile.

Well, disgusting implications aside, the Giggleshot^tm ​proved to be a rousing success. Good work brother.

[DoctorFaust]

Once St.Dubois starts to make a run for it, Warren leaps after him but quickly changes direction when he catches sight of the group in the alleyway out of the corner of his eye. As he runs, he reaches out with his left hand and yanks a second guitar from the air, this one a v-shaped and, strangely for a guitar, constructed entirely out of metal. Laughing his head off, he yells, "Do you know what this is!?"

[Elderand]

Cafeteria

"Well, I don't generally track people's food. But it would just show up in their stomach, at least at first. I've seen that with one of my mom's expensive rings. My three year old brother ate it. She just had to wait for it to come out again. But with normal food, as the body starts to absorb various bits of it, it'd diffuse through the body, but that's not at all what I'm seeing here. Not that I could draw it. Flat paper just wouldn't be capable of capturing it."

"How strange," William replies as he finishes his meal. "I know someone who'd be sorely disapointed that what you're seeing can't be translated to a medium everyone else can enjoy. Does your power only work on things you've seen first hand or could you track something you just had a picture of?"

[Anyr]

Rooftop

Bryn giggles, "What circumstances could you have imagined that we'd need dance lessons for?" Her laughter stops as the building they're on top of starts to shudder and twist under their feet.

"What the?!"

Rebecca hastily scooped up Bryn in her arms, and took to the air. Was someone attacking them? Damn it, this stakeout had been so wonderfully quiet! Her panicked eyes scanned the area for enemies. Once she'd got far enough away from the building, though, panic turned to horror. Three of the floors were gone!

"I-it's just like what happened at the party. This whole skyscraper is going to collapse!"

She could barely comprehend the disaster's scope. How many people were about to be killed?! In desperation, she started darting from window to window: Hoping against hope that nobody was trapped inside.

[Rhyvurg]

Just as Herald starts to laugh from seeing the drug peddler fall on his face, but when the building starts to go he nearly chokes on his own mirth. "Holy God..." Not waiting for orders, he runs towards the collapsing structure.

[Mekboy]

Willow stifled a yelp and frantically fumbled her sword out. She was not going to run away. Ditch-boy was watching. And she was second in command. Why had that thought come first?

"W-what are we...?"

Stupid stutter. No being scared. She pulled herself together and stood as tall as she could.

"What we doing, boss-man?"

She glanced sideways at the ditch-boy. Make sure he saw her being baddass.

[Wdwune]

Just as Herald starts to laugh from seeing the drug peddler fall on his face, but when the building starts to go he nearly chokes on his own mirth. "Holy God..." Not waiting for orders, he runs towards the collapsing structure.

"Wait! John! Were are you...?! We have to...! Herald!!" As John already starts to run towards the structure without lingering, Orlando rubs his temple in frustration. Maldición...

"What we doing, boss-man?"

However, Willow's words make him regain his composture. He starts speaking fast, developing an emergency plan in a hurry. "Alright, alright... Here's the plan: Willow, follow John. Richard, Edward, stick with her. Attempt to help the civilians, but don't put yourselves recklessly in danger. Scout and aid only, not combat, then return. Keep cellphones active, and don't be afraid to persuade John if he ignores you. Go!"

He wasn't very comfortable disrupting the original formation of both squads, but this time Richard's ability would be more useful to Squad Two.

He turns to Sayuri, and nods as he whispers to her. "It's time for your small friends to do some work. Please, make them stick to Willow's squad and to our new pal here," he briefly glances at St. Dubois.

He turns his attention to the four figures, and then speaks to the rest of his teammates. "Warren, Sayuri, Ellen, I'll need some help with those four guys sneaking over there. Same plan as the other squad; scout, but avoid unnecessary combat. Circle them and interogate them. Let's go."

[gremlin-pult]

"Aye aye, Cap'n." Edward said, lifting his hand in a sloppy salute. He then turned to Willow "Lead th' way, pixiestick. Yer th' boss right now." He said, his voice only holding a small trace of humor. Even he knew when it was time to take something seriously. He couldn't help himself completely, however, and had to get one little barb in as they started moving.
"So, 'ow about we make this a bet, eh luv? The one who saves the most people gets to ask one thing o' the other, tha' she then has to do." He said, his use of the word she making it completely clear who he thought would lose such a bet.

Edward, this is no time for games. Save your antics for a less serious occasion. We need to be focused on helping those people.

"Tha's wha' I'm doin', 'Enry. I's called insentive. Also, it balances th' bad with some nice stuff. Carrot n' stick mate." Edward muttered in response.

That makes very little sense... Argh, just make sure you do nothing less than your best in aiding those people!

"Course I will. We's 'eroes, ain't we?"

[darklink_shadow]

Sayuri gave her commanding officer a single nod and departed. With her hand crossbow drawn, she was ready to shoot anything that ambushed her, but focused her attention and directing her swarms to keep tabs on each person. Hopefully she could get a tracker on each of them, preferably an ant on their shoe but maybe a wasp on their back.

She also urged the larger of her swarms to keep close to them, lest a less stealthy approach break out. She personally attempted to keep tabs on one, but kept her distance. If she lost sight of them, that would be between than them catching sight of her. After all, she had many spies with many eyes.

[Mekboy]

"Damn right I'm the boss! And I can hero better than you any day! Bet taken! Never make a deal with a fairy, sucker!"

She took off after John. Her fear was gone now. No way was she losing. The possibilities when she won...

"C'mon people! Let's go! Heroing time people!

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

City Street

While the JSK kids take off into their two groups, the one of the policemen takes the drug dealer into the back of the squad car while the other one calls for backup and emergency services on their radio.

Orlando's group takes off down the alley, Ellen takes her werewolf shape in the space of two strides, and leaps onto a fire escape to get above them. While the gang of four is moving too fast for the ants to keep up, Sayuri's able to get a wasp settled on each one. They're wearing backpacks, and it's not hard for a wasp to nestle on the pack unnoticed. Her swarm is also able to detect more people in the street the alley opens onto. For now, the distance is enough that, while Orlando's 4 can keep the figures in sight, they haven't noticed they're being tailed yet. That may change when they hit the main street.

City Street/Base of building

As Herald runs down the street, he's suddenly face to face with Richard, giving him the option of bowling him over, dodging around him, or stopping. "Hold up and wait for the rest of us. You have a play in mind, or you just planning to run in and let a building fall on your head?"

The way the building was damaged, it's clearly listing to one side, and is likely to take out several more buildings in its collapse-- which seems to be happening in slow-motion, at least for these first few moments. The sheer inertia of 70 floors of building are enough to slow the collapse for a few seconds. The building itself, apparently corporate office space, is mostly dark, although one of the smaller skyscrapers in its path of destruction appears to have some sort of restaurant or club on its ground floor.

Mid-air

The windows that Rebecca is looking in are dark, but there's a lot of building to cover. At least on these upper floors, there doesn't appear to be anyone inside. Bryn is also looking around for signs of habitation, but her eyesight isn't nearly as good as a vampire's at night. She does notice movement on the ground, and points down, "Someone's running toward the building, I think," she says, although she can't make out who it might be.

Cafeteria

"I could track something with just a description, if it comes to that, although it'd be a pretty weak connection. Still traceable, but not as well. Picture is better, but not necessary."

[gremlin-pult]

City Street/Base of building

As Herald runs down the street, he's suddenly face to face with Richard, giving him the option of bowling him over, dodging around him, or stopping. "Hold up and wait for the rest of us. You have a play in mind, or you just planning to run in and let a building fall on your head?"

The way the building was damaged, it's clearly listing to one side, and is likely to take out several more buildings in its collapse-- which seems to be happening in slow-motion, at least for these first few moments. The sheer inertia of 70 floors of building are enough to slow the collapse for a few seconds. The building itself, apparently corporate office space, is mostly dark, although one of the smaller skyscrapers in its path of destruction appears to have some sort of restaurant or club on its ground floor.

"Hoooh boy, tha's no' good..." Edward said as he caught up with Herald and Richard and got a good look at the leaning building, and the one beside it with the club at ground level.

Edward, on a night like this a club could be absolutely packed! and with the loud music they usually play in such establishments, they have no way of hearing the nosie from the toppling building before it is too late. You know as well as I what to do!

"Yah dammit, I know! jus' shut up... Dammit all this'll mean she'll win fer sure..." He muttered, an annoyed frown on his face. He then turned to the others, zeroing in on Willow as soon as she caught up.
"Pixiestick, you need ta go into th' club or whatever it is. Get all th' people out o' there. If it's a place wi' music they'll 'ave either a DJ or sum sort o' speaker system. You need ta get them all 'earin' yer voice at once an' command them ta leave. Me n' the 'ardy boys 'ere will take care o' the leanin' tower 'ere." He said, his tone allowing no objections.

He then turned to Richard and Herald. "Any ideas? I dunno 'ow we're s'posed ta search a fallin' 70 story buildin' for people without some kinda speedster or time stopper or sumthin'. We may wanna cut our losses an' see about evacuatin' the other buildin's it's about ta fall on." Just voicing the possibility of leaving people behind left a surprisingly bad taste in Edward's mouth. He didn't figure himself that much of a hero...

It is natural, brother. Of course you do not want to leave people behind. You are, despite your frequent attempts to prove otherwise, a good person.

[Mekboy]

Willow opened her mouth to complain that she was the one in charge, then closed it again. As much as she hated to admit it, she had no idea what to do. Give her a bad guy to mess with, that she could do. But dealing with human stuff was still confusing.

"Er... yeah! Good plan! We'll go with that! You guys get everyone inside out, I'll deal with the rest of them. This better trying to get an advantage on our little wager by takin' advantage of my inexperience with human-type things."

With that, she sprinted off towards the building he'd indicated and grabbed the first vaguely important looking person once she got there.

"I need to use your, er, 'speaker system'?. Or your 'dee-jay'? Whatever, something like that. Take me to it. Now. It's very important."

[Rhyvurg]

Too focused on the problem, Herald leaps right over Richard's head, ejecting the rubber bullets from his rifle and slapping in the armor piercers. He fires from the hip as he lands, sending bullets through street lamp posts. He skids to a stop, telekinetically grabbing the metal poles one at a time and sending them into the damaged part of the building to brace it up as best he can.

[Anyr]

"Maybe it's one of the others. Do we have anyone who can stop this?"

Rebecca certainly couldn't. Strong as she was, a falling skyscraper was way out of her league. All she could do was try to save as many people as possible. Searching window by window was getting her nowhere. With so little time remaining, she narrowed her search to the lit windows. She already knew, though, that she wasn't anywhere near fast enough to cover them all. Fast enough...

...No. No, she couldn't call him. This place was a deathtrap. And he was so very fragile.

[gremlin-pult]

Too focused on the problem, Herald leaps right over Richard's head, ejecting the rubber bullets from his rifle and slapping in the armor piercers. He fires from the hip as he lands, sending bullets through street lamp posts. He skids to a stop, telekinetically grabbing the metal poles one at a time and sending them into the damaged part of the building to brace it up as best he can.

"Alright, tha's a pretty good idea, keep it up 'Erald." Edward said as he watched the other boy work. "Course, 'Enry coulda one upped ya blindfolded at throwin' telekinetic stuff, but no' bad."

I really could not Edward. Herald has vastly more raw power than I. Please stop making up stories about my powers and using them to taunt others. Anyway, we need to do something about the surrounding buildings. There must be plenty of people in the apartment complexes. We need to get the whole block cleared as much as possible.

"Right, right. let's see..." Edward said, thinking it over "We need to alarm them some'ow..."

And they can evacuate via doors or fire escapes...

"Fire..."

Alarm...


"Smokebombs!"
Smokebombs!
They exclaimed in concert.

Turning to Richard, Edward pulled a handful of black pellets the size of beads out one of his pockets.
"Rickie, take these. We need ta go to ev'ry 'ouse in turn, throw one o' these babies inside. That'll create a lotta smoke, an' get th' smoke detectors goin'. Also activate any firealarms you see. We need as many people thinkin' there's a fire in their buildin' as possible. That'll make 'em leave quick as can be. As many buildin's as possible, startin' with th' ones closest to the leaner." He said, handing over a generous amount of smokebombs.

As he ran of towards the nearest apartment building, he looked back briefly. "Jus' throw 'em on th' ground, pull any alarms an' move on. Don't dally in any o' the buildin's!" He yelled.

There will be no time for niceties or decorum, much as it pains me to say it, Edward. We will need to use force in our entries.

"Already on it. You jus' mind the surroundin's." Edward retorted as he neared the first building. As he ran his legs changed subtly, becoming slightly longer, the muscles widening and bulging as he focused all his biokinetic power on creating explosive strength in his leg muscles. His gait became faster as his legs developed towards sprinting, and as he arrived at the entrance door to the apartment, he simply ignored the buzzer beside it and kicked the lock with all his might.
With a loud crack the lock broke and the door flipped open.
Sticking his head inside and looking around, Edward quickly concluded that there were no fire alarms in sight. There were smoke detectors, however. He threw two of his smokebombs inside, the black smoke quickly bursting out and filling the hallway. When the detectors started screeching, Edward was already back on the street and on his way to the neighbour.
"This... is not... How... I envisioned... Our first.... Patrol!" Edward forced out between gasps as he ran from building to building, never slower than full sprint and leaving a string of broken doors and irate smoke detectors behind him.

[darklink_shadow]

Sayuri was curious about the backpacks, and so she suggested another wasp land on each, while the wasp on each of them open the zippers just enough to get inside and smell around. They couldn't see in the dark, but they could crawl around to touch everything, and smell anything unusual.

With a wasp in place on each, and her forward scouts in position, Sayuri backed off a ways further to run beside Orlando. "Tracking them with wasps now. They are each wearing backpacks. My assorted instincts say to capture them, and suggest they are responsible for the explosion. I am investigating their packs now to see if we can smell any explosive residue. Even if there is none, they may have used a sealed bomb. Or advanced tech." Sayuri spoke in short breaths, focusing more on her hive mind's senses, flickering her focus between her spies. "They approach others, possibly innocents. We cannot follow closely without being noticed. It may be best to take them down before they git main street. Orders?"

[Elderand]

Cafeteria

"I could track something with just a description, if it comes to that, although it'd be a pretty weak connection. Still traceable, but not as well. Picture is better, but not necessary."

"Smarter people than me could come up with several world changing application to your power I'm sure. I just think it's neat that you never misplace your keys."