New Freedom City: Shadows in Southside

[Red_Jenny]

"Hello." Quiver Queen waved down at her companions, and after a moment, arrow-swung her way down into the alley. She didn't put her bow away, but her body language was relaxed and languid, nonthreatening. Kate gave the newcomer a contrite smile.

"So... I know, I know, I know. I make this all look really suspicious, so let's get this out there right off the bat. Hood's right. I'm not a supervillain anymore. Quite literally the opposite. I missed all of... this" she waves at the rooftop and mysterious mob meeting. "More than you would believe. But, well, let's just say that continuing with my old line of work wouldn't have been good for my health. So, I'm trying to do some good."

She glanced at Alana and the Hood. "This was easier with you guys. Did I sound this sketchy the first time?"

Put a few cards on the table? It's pretty clear she's not with the mafia.

"Yup. Mob get-together of some sort, involving a soldier with an interesting reputation. You happen to know the name 'Dice' Desanto? He's the end of the trail of breadcrumbs we followed to get here."

Quiver Queen looked Vapor up and down and nodded. "What's your story? That's not the outfit of someone on their first night out. Not that you can't look good on your first night, mind you." She added hastily, with a wink to Alana.

[Chivy]

'Not sure really, think getting gassed kinda surpasses sounding sketchy.' She answered the ex-villain with a laugh, she then turned to fly-girl and said
'Don't worry about her Majesty. Not really into all this superhero and villain stuff, so aren't sure what she did in the past, but I've known her for... a good couple of hours.. and.. she seems nice... ' She finished lamely
'Sorry, that started out a lot more confident than it ended. What I mean to say is that if you're not a mobster, mobby? mobine? female mob employee, you have nothing to fear from us.'

[Silent_p]

Alyssa wasn't really sure what to make of the trio. Clearly they were making themselves out to be vigilantes much like herself but they were so... chatty. Maybe I've been on my own too long. She listened quietly as each added their thoughts on what was happening or due to happen. There didn't seem to much more than she knew. Dice Desanto. Hmm. Looking around the group, she wondered how far she could afford to trust them.

Still haven't attacked me. They've offered more info than I have - though telepathy might just make that a moot point. No serious threats of bodily harm. Take a chance, Alyssa.

"I go by Vapor and no, I'm not with the mob," she replied, quietly but firmly. "I got a tip that something might happen here tonight." There was no sense being too forthright, the embarrassment of the office escapade wouldn't do anything for her rep. "I'm here to ensure that nothing happens to an overly enthusiastic journalist and, if possible, disrupt whatever the mob's up to."

Once finished, she watched the others carefully to see if she'd provoked any adverse reaction.

[Chivy]

Alana had started the evening with dark and serious thoughts. Revenge and hate foremost in her mind, but somehow somewhere along the way (probably during the rooftop slides) she'd started having fun. Off-colour jokes, good natured ribbing, horrible horrible nicknames and the excitement of the danger they were swaggering into. It al combined to the most fun she'd had in years.

'Marvelous! It's nice to meet you Vapor. Especially since it looks like we're after the same thing. I think our ad hoc trio just became a quartet.' Alana said with a grin, then she momentarily looked thoughtful (as much as she could in a ski-mask)
'Beside the very valid point that it's pretentious, that's actually not a bad cape-name. Pretentious seems to work for some in a mask. I'd have to completely re-do my costume, which I needed to do anyway after seeing what it could be, so that's not so bad. Wonder why I just thought of it... What do you guys think? Anybody living dead or in a comic already taken that name?' She asked Quiver Queen and Hood telepathically, her excitement obvious.

Alana then smoothly transitioned into speaking to Vapor, her grin if possible even wider as she asked
'So before my mind takes a turn to the smelly fart arrow side, your name have anything to do with you being able to fly?

You can fly right? or was Hood pulling our legs?'

Spoiler

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edits; that block of text was supposed to be up to, so I moved it. Posting from phones is anoying.

[Red_Jenny]

"It's... one of my tricks. Knockout gas. It'll make more sense if you see me use one." Quiver Queen points a thumb at her quiver as an explanation for "smelly fart arrow," internally facepalming.

Marvelous? Oooh, that's got a nice ring to it. I don't think you're stepping on anyone's toes, either. Furthermore, her Royal Highness decrees that having a pretentious cape-name is a vile impossibility, and banishes the traitors who spread such seditious nonsense from the realm forevermore.

Kate shrugs apologetically at Vapor. "I haven't seen anyone out of place, er, except for you, but we haven't exactly gotten to do a full sweep. I'll keep an eye out for your journalist. But enough of that, the important stuff! You can fly?"

[John Cribati]

I named myself after a pun, and the thing I wear over my head. You clearly don't want advice from me on that front. But there is a Captain Marvel already, for what is worth.

She didn't pass Q on the fire escape, and the only other way to get from the roof to the alley so fast would have made a bit of noise, if not a stain on the concrete.

[Silent_p]

Smelly fart...? Not sure I wanna know. The matter was quickly clarified by Quiver Queen who added her own query about flight to her companion's. As the Hood joined them, Alyssa figured the quickest approach would be just to demonstrate. Can't spend forever in this alley.

She ghosted and drifted several feet upwards. She hovered there for a few seconds to give them a chance to observe - from past experience she knew they'd see her as a smoky, slightly translucent figure in mid-air.

Once she felt they'd had sufficient time, she solidified and landed gently on the ground. "More time for show and tell after checking the construction site," she said in a low voice, nodding in that general direction.

[Chivy]

‘Owh wow… Smokey.’ Alana said when Vapor vaporized, obviously impressed.
‘So how did that happen? Mutation? BBQ gone wrong? Barrel of toxic waste? One of your parents from the elemental plane of smoke?’

Unless it compromises your civilian identity of course.’ She quickly added when she realized that asking might be a cape-faux pas.

‘So Marvelous hasn’t been taken yet? That’s… Me!’ She telepathically sent Hood and Quiver Queen, followed by a telepathic girlish giggle. She already started a mental list on the different wordplays and puns she could make with her chosen name. She had chosen well.

Alana nodded when Vapor tried to get them back on track.
‘The plan was to get a look from the roof and see if we could get into the frame of the building they’re constructing.’ She said with a quick wave towards the construction site.
‘Finding you got us sidetracked for a moment, but we might as well get to the roof and get a better look at what we’re dealing with. Maybe this’ll make things easier. Can you fly with other people? And who is this reporter, or more to the point; what does she look like?’

‘Sidenote. Starting fifteen seconds ago, I go by Marvelous. Will give you something to call me that’s not “Hey You” or “Muppet”.’ Marvelous said then started making her way to the fire escape.

[John Cribati]

Cyrus observes the woman as she dissolves into smoke, noting the possibility of a rather inappropriate comment involving Marvelous's smoking habit (one that he'd rather keep to himself given the amount of setup it would require and, well, the fact that it would most likely be sexual harassment).

Even if she could carry us, I'd rather be supported by something more substantial than a puff of smoke. No offense, he quickly amends, turning to Vapor.

He heads up to the fire escape and begins scaling it... if one could call hoping onto a ladder and climbing some steps "scaling."

Spoiler: OOC

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Athletics Check to climb the fire escape:
(1d20+6)[15]

[Red_Jenny]

"Oooh." Quiver Queen's response to Vapor's reveal is impressed admiration. "It doesn't hurt or anything, does it? Because that's pretty amazing." Moments like this were one of the reasons she hadn't been able to resist putting the mask back on. "You're right, we've got mobsters to monitor, but once we're done here, I really want to hear this tale, if you're up for telling it."

Kate makes her way back up the fire escape, following the Hood. "I for one wouldn't mind a ghostly guide, if it's an option. If not, I can get us into the building shell the old-fashioned way, don't you worry."

[Chivy]

'Vapor, this might be a little late, already been yakking at your brain, but do you mind telepathic communication? That way I can keep us in communication even if we're out of earshot of each other.'
Marvelous asked their new recruit.
'I already explained it to Hood and Quiver Queen, but just so you know: I can't read your mind or thoughts while communicating telepathically, if you want to telepathically speak to me you'll have to think at me. I think it has to do with different parts of the brain being used for communication and memories. If you agree I'll relay everything you think at me to the others and what they say to you.'

Spoiler: If Vapor doesn't mind the telepathy

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'Telepathy network is up, just think at me and I'll relay it to the others in almost real-time.' She broadcast to her three companions.

She then made her way to the roof with the others to get a good look at the construction site.

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth to make her way to the edge of the roof
Stealth - +4 - (1d20+4)[7]
Perception to get a good look at the construction site
Perception - +10 - (1d20+10)[20]

[Silent_p]

The others represented an odd collection of potential allies. Maybe a silver lining to the DeCosta office fiasco? She certainly hadn't planned for or expected this turn of events and, though somewhat wary, was cautiously optimistic about it. Fingers crossed this doesn't come back to bite me.

While Quiver Queen and Marvellous seemed eager to learn more about her, Alyssa wasn't keen on sharing that kind of detail. More of a 'third date' kind of discussion. Sidestepping that inquisitiveness, she focused on their other questions. "It's painless but I can't carry much while flying, so no passengers." She shrugged at the Hood's comment. "None taken."

The idea of having someone interacting directly with her thoughts wasn't a comfortable one. Telepathy. Life's built on secrets, right? If someone knows us to that degree, who are we anymore? Hmm. Not the time, Alyssa. She seems to be on the level but it's... unsettling. After a couple of seconds deliberating, she decided on a practical approach. Gotta trust someone. Plus, the others are linked in... Despite lingering doubts, Alyssa nodded to Marvellous. "Alright."

As the others began climbing for the roof, she ghosted and drifted up alongside them. Hesitantly, she tried thinking at Marvellous. 'Couldn't see much when I was up there. Might be you guys are capable of more.' She frowned at Quiver Queen's suggestion. 'Ghostly guide?'

[Chivy]

‘Coming in loud and clear.’ Marvelous answered Vapor (and the others) after passing along what she had ‘said’.
‘I don’t have any special ways to see more than normal people. If I can catch sight of somebody in there I can ‘ride’ their senses and see and hear using their own senses, but my own are tuned out while I’m piggybacking and it’d mean dropping the telepathy. Never really had cause to practice keeping up communication and mindriding at the same time. Thought I'd be doing this alone. Guess that assumption was a mistake.


This is better.’

Spoiler: FYI

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Alana will keep passing on any message between everybody as fast as she can. If she can she'll use the memory of their voices or something like that to send the message in the voice of the person. If not she'll start everything with Q said; H said; V said; etc.

Guess I'll be looking at going dynamic with a few powers and maybe looking for a way to enhance a the communication powers to give everybody telepathy in out little network. Affect others or something like that?

[Red_Jenny]

"Well, I was hoping you could Vapor-ize or carry other people. My way of moving around makes noise. Not much, but hey, none would be better." Kate hastily explains her choice of words. "But since that's out, let's go for a ride!"

Quiver Queen fishes out her specialized cable arrow and hooks one end into a rooftop air vent, then fires the other end into the side of the unfinished apartment. "If the coast is clear, I'll send the bow back and you guys can come on over. If the coast isn't clear, you'll know because there'll be yelling and explosions."

With that, Kate swings across into the empty shell, aiming for what she hoped would be a suitably shadowy corner to skulk in.

Spoiler: OOC

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Spending a Hero Point to make the "zipline" version of Swinging an official power stunt, so Hood and Marvelous can follow.

On GM's request, Stealth: (1d20+4)[12]

[Nintendogeek01]

No one seems to notice as Quiver Queen sticks her landing on a beam above the site proper. Everyone else can probably now make the attempt, here's hoping they can do it quietly.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'll give details of the site once everyone's there, make your stealth rolls as you enter and hope no one sees you. Oh and of course due to Vapor being able to fly she doesn't necessarily have to use the zipline.

[Chivy]

My turn. Marvelous grinned when she took hold of the zip-line equipment and clipped herself in. She took a moment to make sure that she couldn’t see any guards looking right up at her and then pressed off of the roof.
The trip was even more exhilarating than the previous ones; probably the added danger of being spotted coupled with a significant distance. It was a monumental effort on her part to keep her glee contained as she landed on the other side as quietly as she could. As soon as she had her footing, she unclipped herself and stepped aside to allow Quiver Queen to send the zip-line equipment for Hood.
Marvelous then took a good look at what was below them, trying to pick out any threats or any sign of a reporter.

Can you just buy stuff for zip lining in a store? I’d love to get some for myself. Quiver Queen, if you have time after this, I’d love to get some advice on costume and essential gear.

Spoiler

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Stealth Roll – (1d20+4)[9]
Perception roll – (1d20+10)[27]
au, that's a horrible stealth roll. owh at least she'll probably see them pointing their guns at them.

[Silent_p]

Alyssa suppressed her slight disappointment that the others were not able to see more than her. Hardly fair. She shrugged briefly at Quiver Queen's explanation - Guess disappointment goes both ways - before watching the woman zipline across the street flawlessly. Impressed, she waited to see how Marvelous fared before making her own way across. Hmm. Friendly and competent. This is not looking terrible.

Still drifting, she rose a few metres higher as she flew, then dipped down to join the other two women as they awaited the Hood's crossing.

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth roll for the crossing: [roll]1d20+8[/roll]

[John Cribati]

Cyrus approaches the zip line cautiously. He could do this he knew what to expect. He just had to get himself ready.

He can't calm his beating heart, but he manages to still his aura and focuses on that. He couldn't use his empathy on himself, because how would that even work, but he meditation and focus were part of how he learned to use his... gift.

Deciding he spent enough time calming himself, he sets up and makes the leap.

Hopefully he won't yell.

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth: [roll]1d20+8[roll]

[Nintendogeek01]

The Hood and Marvelous zip down the zip-line, The Hood in particular must have been feeling pretty good about resisting the urge to yelp. Though everyone's stomachs dropped when the Hood and Marvelous landed on the metal beams making up the building's skeleton with a very audible CLANG!

"Hey what was that?" everyone can hear a distant voice from below ask. Each of you see the metal beams light up with the tell-tale spotlights of flashlights, you hold your collective breath as the beams dance closer and closer.

The lights then vanish and you all hear "Must've been a bird," and no one cries out in alarm.

Spoiler: OOC

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That's right... despite all around terrible rolls, all of you are SOMEHOW safe. This is hilarious.

From the top down view you can see the sandy ground and four people all wearing jackets labeled on the back that read "inspector," patrolling the lot and not actually doing a whole lot of inspecting from where you're perched. Instead they're busy looking behind the assortment of barrels, crates, packages of blocks, trucks, and metal beams that are still stacked and bound. As you creep around the beams behind tarps you carefully watch what's below you when you see the shine of headlights shine through the gate. One of the patrolling people goes to the gate and opens it up. A sleek, shiny, and new looking deep blue car pulls in followed by two more white vans. Out of the vans step out more than a dozen new people, most of them wearing leather jackets and looking like they've just been picked up off the street, there are probably now twenty people down there excluding one more...

From the car steps a man in his late 30's or early 40's with faded black hair that would be just long enough to reach his eyes were his bangs not combed aside. He has a mustache that led down to a somewhat shaggy goatee. He is wearing a nice brown jacket over what appears to be a dress shirt going into dark pants leading down to shoes that would probably shine were it not for the sand he's now walking in. You can see him fiddle with something in one of his hands before stowing it in his jacket pocket. "Alright everyone, the moon's out and time's a-wastin'," he begins addressing everyone present, "You're all probably waitin' to know why you're here, am I right?"

[Red_Jenny]

I suppose. Those extreme sports places must get it from somewhere. Couldn't tell you now much it costs. I didn't buy most of my gear. What I didn't make I um, acquired. Y'know, without paying. Or permission. Quiver Queen includes the telepathic equivalent of an uncomfortable cough and staring at her shoes in her mental message, but it's quickly overshadowed by her enthusiasm. Um, but sure! I'd love to! That sounds like fun! Kate winces and hold stock still as the others come clanging in, but there is clearly some sort of just and loving deity on their side at the moment, because the mobsters actually pull the "it's just a bird" and wander off. She lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. If I saw that in a movie, I wouldn't buy it. These guys are dim bulbs. Unless you see the bird, it's never 'just a bird,' or a cat, or the wind or whatever.

Kate's devil-may-care attitude reasserts itself as the VIP arrives. All right, now we're getting a crowd. What are we up to? Let's hear the speech, big boss. I need an audio recorder. I'm betting this is going to be chalk full of incriminating goodies.

[John Cribati]

This phone we jacked from the goons in out trunk should have a sound recorder. Lemme just...

Spoiler: OOC: Roll

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Technology Roll to find and use the phone's voice recording program

(1d20+7)[25]

[Chivy]

'It's a date then!' Alana anwered Quiver Queen, her exited tone matching the ex-villain's.
'And don't worry, I'll not judge. We all do things.' Marvelous then said. She liked the way she framed that. Not using innane expressions like 'bad things' or 'things we're not proud of' or anything approaching judgement. They were breaking laws left and right all evening. Tresspassing, Grand theft auto, kidnapping, assault with deadly shoarma aftermath...
Most people would consider having their emotions toyed with or vampired or minds invaded and ransacked for information a lot worse than nicking some equipment. Plus, if she had gotten any sense of 'Her Majesty', the 'ashamed to admit she had nicked some tech' act was just that; an act. She was probably extremely proud of some borterline insane caper she had pulled off to get her gear.

Marvelous nodded as if she had known that little tidbit all allong while she relayed Quiver Queen's message about the birds, quickly making a mental note to check and never assume herself. Not recognising the type of phone Hood was playing with she turned her eyes and ears to the assembled people below her, trying to absorb every iota of what was happening.

'Vapor, any one of them your reporter friend?' she 'spoke' the thought when she realised that the reporter was either one of the people down there or she might be hiding out nearby.

[Silent_p]

Despite the near miss of being discovered - again - Alyssa was feeling cautiously upbeat. At least, she was until the site below them began to fill up with a large crowd of what she assumed were members of the mob. There appeared to be a couple of dozen there now with the possibility of one or two more elsewhere on the site. The odds were not good for a confrontation.

While she was faintly amused at Quiver Queen's assessment of the lookouts competence, the fact that she was hearing the woman without actually hearing her was still somewhat disconcerting. Definitely useful but really weird...

Hoping the Hood would be able to record the speech, she looked over the group below as a well-dressed man began addressing the others. 'Not seeing her, no,' she thought at Marvelous. 'Only have a name to go on, I'm afraid: Julie Streeter.' Wary of pushing her luck, Alyssa settled down where she was to both listen to the apparent mob leader and keep an eye out for the journalist.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception roll to keep an eye out for Streeter: (1d20+13)[21]

[John Cribati]

Well, if Julie isn't here, I can track her down for you once everyone clears out. Though I'm obligated to warn you of the privacy issues that would come with that. Also, no dice on the sound recorder. This guy needs to rethink his mob career if he can only afford this piece of sh... garbage.

[Nintendogeek01]

"Now we do seem to be missin' a few guys..." the man continues, you see him once more fiddling with something in his hand as he approaches one of the wooden crates, "Well if they're late that's their loss, because this boys, is your lucky night," once he's in front of one of the crates small objects roll out of his hand onto the top of the crate. You're a bit high up to be 100% certain, but you're sure those objects he rolled are a pair of dice. "Tonight you go from snatching purses and knocking over liquor stores and just being another gang-banger, to a genuine friend of the mob," he scoops up his dice and one thug hands him a crowbar.

Most of you watch as the man, who you are almost certain is Dice, pry open the crate; however Vapor's eyes wander elsewhere, behind some crates you see a shadow lurking with a small object, and the way they're holding it leads you to guess it's either a camera phone or a camera. Luckily whoever it was was smart enough to not have a flash on the damn thing. Looking back down at Dice you can see the crate he is standing over is now open and a few awed "whoa's" can be heard from the criminals huddled around it. You see neatly arranged rows of small white packages.

"And that's just the surface," Dice moves a few packages and a few of the boys huddle closer and you all hear more impressed chatter, "Pipe it down, pipe it down," Dice insists, "The rest a' these crates over here contain even more goods than this, tonight's job is simple but important; some 'friends' from overseas went to a lotta trouble to smuggle these in, and a few more friends at the yards went to a lot of trouble to make sure that these guys got their 'materials' shipped to them. However, as we were... 'inspecting' the premises, we've determined that these need to be shipped elsewhere for... further inspection."

"That's where we come in Dice?"

"That's where you come in," Dice replies, "You boys get a cut, and even better, you can call yourselves our friends from here on out," there are a few excited murmurs, "And if you haven't figured it out yet, calling yourselves our friend is just the first step to makin' somethin' outta yourselves," the murmurs increase in volume before Dice once more calms them down a bit, "Alright drivers come with me and I'll tell ya where to take 'em. Everyone else you got crates, and trucks to load 'em in, hop to it!" Dice and four guys walk off to the side near some concrete bricks that are bound and stacked to one side and they begin talking softer.

Spoiler: The Hood only

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Your vision literally becomes washed out with red for a moment, and your head begins pounding like a heartbeat. You've never before felt such raw... seething hatred before, it feels like your head is in a vice and it takes a few moments before you can see other auras again; but even as you do begin to perceive other auras normally again everything, from auras to the people with the auras, to the everyday objects has a shade of red... tainting it for want of a better word. Whoever is the source of this overwhelming aura is impossible to narrow down beyond "somewhere in this lot."

OOC: The Hood gains 1 hero point.

Spoiler: DC20 perception check

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You could swear you saw a tarp hanging behind the stack of bricks Dice is in front of just moved.

Spoiler: DC25 perception

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You hear the sound of hissing air.

Spoiler: DC30 perception

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It's only for a moment before it leaves your line of sight again, but you see a figured cloaked in the shadows of the construction field move behind the bricks that Dice and his four goons are standing in front of.

As the goons begin their job you notice that whoever called for rain was right as there is now a very light drizzle.

[Chivy]

'Wow.' Marvelous whisteled telepathically when Vapor mentioned the reporter's name.
'Connected to the right people huh? But that does raise a rather big question; what's a pulitzer prize winner doing out here tonight? Or more specifically; what's so interesting that would bring someone of her caliber down here?'

'In any case, this probably is a lot more...' she trailed off when the man continued speaking.
Intently she watched and listened. She got the sence the man liked the theatrical, strutting around like he was the main antagonist in some broadway production. Tossing aroudn his namesakes. She could also take a good guess as to what the white packets were. With the amount in those crates, it would come down to millions of dollars. A huge bloody nose if they could somehow destroy it. Her eye caught the tarp moving slightly and she began to dismiss it as just the wind, before she recalled Quiver Queen's admonishment only moments ago.
'Did you guys see the tarp behind those bricks just to the left of Dice move? Maybe Streeter got even closer than we did?' She asked her compagnions.
'If we're going to interupt this party make sure to not get anything harmfull near the tarp. So the napalm arrow in drugs and run plan is out. Sadly.

That's if we're crashing this party. Any idea's on what to do?'

[Silent_p]

Though the well-dressed man, Dice, had started speaking, Alyssa continued her lookout for Julie. She considered Marvelous' question for a moment. 'I have made a few contacts over the years. Don't know her, though. And no real idea what brought her here.' She was wary of giving too much away and distantly concerned about just how much the telepath was able to pick up. Still, they had forged a loose alliance so there was little point in saying nothing.

There was something... Hmm. Watching some crates off to the side for another moment, she was sure she saw someone skulking there. Gotta be her, right? Given how unlikely anyone else would be, she focused her thoughts back at the others. 'Think I've spotted her. Off to the side behind the crates with what looks like a camera.' Alyssa did her best to mentally point in the direction she was looking.

Before any action could be taken, her attention was drawn to the crate opened by Dice. That's a lot of drugs. A part of Alyssa was impressed just at the sheer volume and the audacity of their apparent plans. Most of her, however, was increasingly angry. Flooding my city with this garbage?! No. As Marvelous echoed some of her sentiments, she briefly assessed the group below, reining her emotions in somewhat.

'The numbers don't favour us in a confrontation.' She paused, glancing at the other three. 'I'm not certain what your plans are here but I'm focused on ensuring Julie's safety, should it be necessary.'

[John Cribati]

Cyrus missed a rather large chunk of the speech after the drugs were unfurled, mostly due to what he figured was the empath equivalent of an aneurysm.
He manages not to groan too loudly or drop the phone, but still collapses onto his side, holding his head and grinding his teeth to keep from yelling out.
The pain is surreal, the bright red of rage tinting his vision, even with his eyes closed. He can feel it, taste it, not even knowing who it came from or where they were. He has no choice but to ride it out, but it thankfully only lasted a few seconds.
He opens his eyes. Still dark out, but everything is so... red.
What the hell? Who was that? It direct even cross his mind to keep his thoughts to himself. His nose is wet. He rubs at it
Am I bleeding?
He looks around, confused, and pops his head up just in time to think he sees some aura or other- still tinged in red- flit behind the tarp at Dice's back. Something hisses, like eat being released. Or... sucked in?
Am I the only one hearing that?

[Red_Jenny]

"Hood, you all right? You look like you're about to keel over."Kate doesn't bother to keep her concern in the mental channels. "I didn't see or hear anything. What happened?"

As Cyrus pops back up, Kate tries to focus back on the worksite, catching a flash of movement. Yeah, I saw the tarp too. Quiver Queen nods. We can't let 'em walk, if we try and track them down one by one we won't find a tenth of this **** before it's sold and used.

So, plans. Well... Hmm hmm hmm. Ah! Kate holds up another vial-tipped arrow, this one holding a clear liquid that burbles and bubbles ominously. Acid arrow. Proof that I'm a second-level wizard. No big splash or explosion on this one, but if their drugs start melting away, I bet these goons will panic something fierce. Then we pick 'em off. By the time they get their wits back, it'll be a fair fight, and fair fights are for suckers.

[Nintendogeek01]

The drizzling causes the beams our vigilantes are perched on to gradually grow more slick, and the outer layer of everyone's clothes shows droplets of water that are taking their sweet time soaking into the clothes. Dice and the four goons that followed him continue to talk, but then Dice looks away from the group towards the crates that Vapor spotted someone behind earlier. Dice fiddles with the dice in his hand once again before stuffing them back into his pocket and he begins to walk towards those very crates.

From your elevated view you could swear that those bound stacks of cinder blocks are shifting ever so slightly, but by the time that your brains fully register that they are indeed moving do you realize that the top bundles of blocks are falling over!

"AH!"

"%@$&!!!"

"What the..." Dice wheels around just in time to see the bundles of cinder blocks fall over past him mere centimeters from his body, and also in time to see four hapless thugs get buried underneath them with a sickening crunch! "There's someone here!" Dice shouts out, prompting everyone to stop what they're doing and reach for their Saturday Night Specials and flashlights! A few of them immediately gawk at their crushed and likely dead or dying buddies under the cinder blocks, others shine their flashlights to inspect the area around said blocks, others immediately set to searching all over the place!

Spoiler

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Going to need two things from you guys. Stealth rolls, and initiative rolls. I run by block initiative in this game, if anyone needs an explanation ask and I'll post it in the OOC, and this is an opportune time for a surprise round! ... if you succeed at stealth that is.

Now I'm not saying you strictly HAVE to fight, in fact a straight-on fight may not be in your specific character's best interest depending on how lucky you feel against sixteen armed thugs plus Dice. Of course no one said anything about this being having to be straightforward. Anyways up to you how you guys accomplish your objective(s) here but either way the crooks are going to be on the lookout so let's roll initiative to see where it goes.

Now let's get a map of the lot itself. Note that this is not necessarily to scale, this is just to give you a rough impression of how the layout looks. (Note the "tarp" on the far right is actually the openable gate. Remember the lot itself is surrounded by a fence.)


There is a third level that's about the same as the second level but lacks solid platforms entirely right now. This map does not show enemy positions (most of them are around the vehicles while Dice is to the left of the fallen blocks. Vapor's hidden figure is to the left of the three misc. crates not too far from the drug crates.

Lastly, if you plan on moving around on top of the beams that make up the majority of the second level (save for those supported platforms on the top right and bottom left) I'll require a DC12 acrobatics check (DC7 if you don't mind being vulnerable). If you have enough skill ranks in acrobatics I'll allow this one as a routine check unless you get attacked (check made at the time of being attacked). If you aren't trained in acrobatics you may still roll for it (same DC's) but you may not routine it.