Villains Opportunity - Worm Game IC

[GameOfChampions]

Villains Opportunity

It had been dark, late into the evening, when you all finally gathered around the tv in your dingy warehouse and only got darker after you all entered the unlit building. The slight rain coming down is slight and only got you mildly damp but the dampness plus the cold of the basement and the slight dripping of disgusting scummy cold water, from the leaks in the roof, compounds the issue. All of that is ignored in favor of the tv in the corner. The news is covering the highlights of the last month that had seen the collapse of what could arguably have been called the largest and most powerful villain group in the city. It ends with a clip from almost a month earlier where Null had managed to grab the leader and a lieutenant while his team took down dozens of gang members and half a dozen safe houses through the city in the opening move of a month long strike. It is captivating to watch, the footage heralding the flames of change and you can all feel the various currents that underun this city start to get stronger.

---

Opportunity
A tan slender Greek man polishes his helmet as he listens to women’s voice through the phone, eyes sharp as gears turn in his head.

Optimism
A young Brazilian man in a trench coat turned up against the rain and a broad hat smiles as he watches the news segment through the window of an electronics store, proud of his part in it.

Obligation
A women with a massive rifle on her back grimaces as she reads her orders, she didn’t want to do this but you don’t join the military to do what you want. She turns to the various people surrounding her with a grimace.

Obstruction
The women does not swear and does not emote, all she does is start running the calculations in her head of how this may affect her hold on the favelas and already she starts planning her next actions.

Oppression
A man in dark priest like robes and a curved, and horned red ceramic half mask, grimaces as he watches the tv behind the rough stage set up. He mutters “Just what I need, my flock will flee to the side of these Jaguars unless I do something.”

Order
A powerfully built middle aged man smashes his fist in his hand with a vicious smile, already planning on how to build on this start in a city rife with crime.

---

Some, or maybe even all, of these these things go through your minds as you all as you linger in the underground basement of the warehouse in the middle of the Rocinha District. The warehouse is a less than average representation of its kind, sagging slightly in the roof with enough different molds growing on it that it could outnumber the residents of a medium sized apartment building. The lights don’t work anywhere except for the main room on the ground floor so the only way to the basement is to blindly try to walk with the light of a phone or flashlight or stumble down the stairs in the dark.

Within your lair the plot thickens as the predators to the city start to smell blood. Are you among them?

Spoiler

Show

Let the posting begin!

[GameOfChampions]

Ghosts in the Midtown

In the southern parts of midtown it has become common to see the pair of a floating man shaped cloud of dense steam and smoke and a grey clad stocky man in a deep hood. They don't walk the main streets but instead move down alleys and over roof tops. The locals tend to avoid the pair which was fine because they tended to avoid them as well, only interacting with the occasional shady looking person who they may take something from or whisper too before they rush off. Today though something was different, today was the first day in the conclusion of what had become known as 'Shadow Fall'.

The pair were taking one of the various routes they have created over the years, thought only to be known to them due to the random locations all over town and the random order they go to them in. This time around though, as they were going to their first stop, everything went wrong. As they reached their first stop there was an explosion as the shady looking women came to reach them, the explosion knocking her off the roof. The two capes react almost instantly, going back to back as they scan around but it doesn't help since they see no one. They flee, moving to the next roof but as they travel through the roofs to their next location, much more swiftly they are thrown off my several more key explosions. This continues for another hour, as they flee to their once safe locations in midtown they are met with explosions and dead contacts and gang members.

Just like that they are driven from their territories, losing face to everyone watching as well as many long term members, informants, and earners. Without even knowing who...


Backlight, Camera, Action

Several sites, including parahumans online, has been circling through the various parahuman and social network sites. It's from a North American villain who seems to be making an appearance in the lovely city of Rio for whatever reason. Whatever it is the video opens to a man partially backlit by a bright light that only leaves the mans silhouette and a good view of his masked head. He is surprisingly chipper, loud, and charismatic for a famous villain, more like a social media celebrity then anything else if you could ignore the menace and threat of his words.

“Hello and good morning Rio, you favorite international force of villainy, Backlight here with your first Cerberi update. To those of you who are unaware, have you been living under a rock? Either way, this is going to be laying out my plans for the next two months, some people might call it cocky, but those people are not me.”

“Also, for those of you who are listening and in a local language we have a local minion to translate into Portuguese. I’m nothing if not generous.”

“Our main focus this month is going to be the Western Favela, mostly because the <villain team there> are the only people who have shown us token resistance thus far and I don’t like them very much anymore. You send one minion back missing some toes and everyone freaks out. Gods I miss the PRT, at least those bastards had a reason to take offence.”

“Where was I?”

“Right, for the next two weeks this area, “the villain holds up a small tourist map and circles a large section of the lower favela (Tijuca) “is off limits to anyone who doesn’t want to be breathing blood mist. After those two weeks we are going to move to here and here,” he pulls out a red pen and traces small ovals on either side of the circle, “in order to set up a parameter. For that we’re going to need some minions for guarding so come on down around the 16th (next week) in order to set up an interview, we a basic American benefits plan which is really sweet down here. Competitive wages, yada yada.”

“To anyone new to the city, welcome, it’s very hot here. Also, we’re the top dogs around here. Not technically yet, but we’re done this whole song and dance before.”

“Have a happy evening and if you see someone looking amazing flipping over a car, it’s probably me, and it’s probably too late.”

[Tentreto]

Backlight, Camera, Action

"Well," says Willian, "This is going to tick the Rebels off." He currently sits in a scavanged armchair, old and rotten, but still usuable. His black hood is down exposing his short brown hair, but he still had his scarf around his neck, half covering his mouth. Not that it mattered in the dark. "I'm amazed those Americans think they can bust their way in here without something happening. Who even are Cerberi anyway?" he finishes flippently. He did have to admit though, that Backlight certainly had style, if nothing else.

Whether or not he gets an answer, Willian continues on, leaning back in his chair. "This might be our chance though. If we broker some info or something about them it might pay well. Or maybe do a job as they do their perimeter so we don't have too much attention, I dunno."


TV News

Willian watches the news quietly for a little bit, partly to internalise it. For once, a Villain group had been taken down almost completely, and by Heroes to boot. "How long," he began, tossing a look around the room, "before Shadow implodes? They're a joke at the moment."

[KreenWarrior]

Backlight, Camera, Action

"Well," says Willian, "This is going to tick the Rebels off." He currently sits in a scavanged armchair, old and rotten, but still usuable. His black hood is down exposing his short brown hair, but he still had his scarf around his neck, half covering his mouth. Not that it mattered in the dark. "I'm amazed those Americans think they can bust their way in here without something happening. Who even are Cerberi anyway?" he finishes flippently. He did have to admit though, that Backlight certainly had style, if nothing else.

Whether or not he gets an answer, Willian continues on, leaning back in his chair. "This might be our chance though. If we broker some info or something about them it might pay well. Or maybe do a job as they do their perimeter so we don't have too much attention, I dunno."

Fury shrugs her shoulders slightly. "I think the second makes more sense. No need to get into a fight with these guys if we don't have to. Better to keep our heads down and take advantage of the opportunity." It's not that Anita is scared. Rather, she doesn't see the need to get involved in a fight unless it gains her something.

[Hazuki]

"It smells of being a trap, to me." Carrie offers her opinion as she crosses her legs beneath her. "One does not simply announce exactly what one's doing to every cape in the city. Avoiding them at all costs seems like it would be the best choice." She also thinks it's weird that Backlight didn't bother learning the language for the place he was apparently going be doing most of his business in. She had, after a few months of learning Spanish before she checked the wikipedia article.

[Silent_p]

Backlight, Camera, Action

Maria had walked in as Fury spoke and waited a moment as Carrie added her thoughts. "No need to ask if you've seen this, then," she said, briefly holding up her newly acquired phone, the video of Backlight paused on its screen. "I agree. We do not need to get into a fight with this Backlight." She locked her phone and put it away. "We gain nothing by antagonising what might be nothing more than a flash in the pan."

Picking her way carefully around the room with obvious distaste, she moved closer and glanced down at William. "It's the Jaguars Backlight will need to watch. They won't appreciate being upstaged like this - even if it's not in their territory."


TV News

"No one knows who hit them," came Maria's voice. She was sitting on what one would have to assume was one of the few clean swivel chairs in the building, typing rapidly into her phone. "That makes me wary." She glanced up. "Do you know any of those left?"

[AvatarVecna]

"If he's just an overconfident idiot, he'll get caught soon and won't be around long enough to be a problem for us," Funhouse mused, meticulously cleaning her sidearm. Given that he's been doing this awhile, it's more likely there's a trick - whether it's a trap, or a distraction. Either way, walking into that mess will be bad business for us. Especially since we'd be better off taking advantage of it as a distraction from our own jobs." She's quiet a moment, thinking. "Whatever we get up to, I'd be more comfortable if we had a bit more money to work with...might be good to take our pound of Flesh from what's left of Shadow, before they're picked clean?"

[Dragonus45]

Lucas lounges across most of a couch, but is intently watching the news. “Could be danger, but it’s also a great chance to make a move, we might be able to nibble away at some territory and set ourselves up. But yea getting some cash could only help. Whatever we do we should move fast, as long as things are in the air I figure we can get away with a lot, then try to get enough of a name established that people are wary about coming back after us too hard. Rep will be everything.”

[Tentreto]

TV News

Willian hums for a second. "Err, maybe Hardlight? Might have to double check the news reports just in case. We'll probably have numbers if nothing else."


B, C, A!

Willian sits up. "May as well think about finding a target or something then. I'm fine taking somethinig from Shadow." He fidgets slightly in the decrepid armchair, before settling in again. "Bonus with Shadow is that no one will bother us too much seeing as everyone is kicking them. As the Jaguars like the beaches, maybe we should try something in the historical district?" Willian lets out a snort "Maybe a Museum if we feel lucky."

[GameOfChampions]

B, C, A!

Searching online, talking to a few people in the know, or just taking an eyes open walk around town. Any of the searchs of choice reveal several options for a burgeoning group of parahumans.

Spoiler: Options

Show

Spoiler: Art Restoral Store

Show

In the center of the Historical District a web search has shown that the store is linked to the Art museum, only four blocks away. It has started to take in older and rare art pieces to clean and restore them, stating several that they have successfully cleaned on the website.

Spoiler: Costa Jewelers

Show

A dedicated walking speed can get you to Midtown near your warehouse in the boarding Rocinha district. Not to far in there is a booming jewelry and gold for cash shop that has started doing well despite being around for only a few months.

Spoiler: Ultimate Pawn Stars

Show

Talking to the 'right' people has pointed you in the direction of a possible mark. In the upper half of your Rocinha Favela there is a pawn shop that is known to take anything no questions asked and with ex-Shadow members bailing out of the city they have been doing brisk business.

[Hazuki]

"I vote we go for the pawn." Carrie suggests, when the options are presented. "Museums have too much sentimentality, jewelry too easy to track, but pawners? A bunch of random crap is too difficult to do much tracking of."

[KreenWarrior]

Fury shifts a bit. "If we're robbing a pawnbroker, we're going to be a stealing a lot of stuff that people without much money might be hoping to get back one day. If we're going to knock someone over, I'd rather it be the jewelers. Cash-for-gold places are scams half the time anyways."

[Dragonus45]

Lucas shifts in the couch, leaning more into the conversation, “If it were a real shop the stuff on display would be sold, not pawned, so it’s no one is like to see it again. Although the pawn guy is probably selling stuff early anyways. I’m thinking that the place is probably just a fence for though. So no need to feel guilty about our armed robbery. Any of you got a fence by the way? If we have moving jewels could be a lot more lucrative. If not I can sell used stuff from a pawnshop myself way enough. Just a table on a corner. Takes ages though.”

[Silent_p]

TV News

Maria nods thoughtfullly. "Probably true." She looks back down at her phone, making a couple of swipes across its screen. "It'd be interesting to see what he knows. Any information on this unknown player would be valuable..."


B, C, A!

Already shaking her head at Carrie's suggestion, Maria is quick to chime in after Lucas. "I might know of one." Taking a sip of tea from the mug she's cradling, she looks at the Fury. "I'd be careful being too sentimental. We really don't have the luxury of avoiding certain targets simply because they're poor. But we're not exactly stealing the food off their tables."

"I think Costa Jewelers is a good option. More security but jewelry and cash should be in abundance if we strike at the right time - and I'd expect the return after fencing to be quite satisfactory."

[Tentreto]

B, C, A!

Willian replies fairly quickly to Carrie. "I'd prefer not to target the pawnshop, but more for the fact it is probably a fence. Taking out a fence won't win us many favours amoung others, and seeing as I don't know a fence myself, having a fairly unscrupulous one around would be good. The Jewelers will pay well enough to set us up, and we could even use the pawn shop to get rid of the goods."

[Dragonus45]

B,C,A

Lucas shifts around more before standing up. “Jewelry shop or Pawn shop, either works for me. Let’s just pick so I can start casing it. This is our time, faster we get cash faster we get power and a chance to snag some territory.”

[Silent_p]

B, C, A!

"The jewelers, then." Maria takes another sip of her tea before placing the mug down. "Alright. Some information about the place would be useful - we're not quite in a desperate enough situation for a smash-and-grab to be necessary." She looks around those gathered.

"We'll need a layout of the building, including surveillance and security doors. Number of guards, their patrol patterns - if any - their level of experience, fitness and what kind of equipment they're carrying. An inventory of the most valuable items on site and the best time to maximise the amount of cash they have on hand. Police response time would be useful but, frankly, cutting the alarm system would be preferable."

She pauses and eyes the others expectantly. "Volunteers?"

[Tentreto]

Willian raises his hand from the arm of his chair slightly. "I'll do a little surveillance and scouting to start. I might have a browse of their wares so we get an idea of what they have. I won't be able to help much with patrols and stuff, but I'll get a basic inventory and an idea of how much they keep."

[GameOfChampions]

Casing the Joint

As William checks out the store there are several things that are easily noticeable from the outside, the building is a two story elegant but solid building of old fashioned red brick. There is a main entrance in the front and a thick steel door in the back off of an alley. The windows in the front are large but have bars on them and seem to be two inch thick steel. To someone perusing the store there are many things to note, first is that there are around ten or so employees in the store that you can see. There are four salespeople on the floor, a manager that came out for a second, three security guards with pistols walking around, a cleaner, and a jeweler polishing a ring. There doesn't seem to be more customers then three to six at any time. You manage to catch the names of three of the salespeople and a security guard; Maria, Leon, Ana, and Alois.

Then the jewels, there are jewels from diamonds to necklaces to bracelets from the price range of a few hundred to the prize diamond necklace of almost twenty thousand. There is a variation of stones and metals though it seems to be focused on diamonds and gold for the most part. You can't get to the second floor or the back areas as a customer and there are cameras watching every entrance and two rotating through watching the floor.

[Dragonus45]

Casing The Joint

Lounging again on easily half a couch while he thinks about what they saw, Lucas sits up and forward and calls for for whoever is at the base once he has an idea. “Now that we’ve seen the spot I think a straight forward smash and grab would probably work best. We go in at night. Crossroads and Maria go in first distract them with the master stuff so the alarm doest immediately go off with their thinker stuff while the rest of us follow behind and take out all the cameras. Someone who knows how to drive waits a few then pulls in with a van waits a few minutes to pull up and we start pouring everything we can fit into the place. Loud enough to make a statement that we are out here, quick and quite enough that we shouldn’t have anyone following us or making a fight if it, and efficient and badass enough that people will know we mean business and can’t be pushed around or laughed at. Anyone got anything else?”

[KreenWarrior]

Fury nods. "Sounds like a good plan. I'll standby ready to fight or do heavy lifting as needed." She was perfectly fine if fighting wasn't necessary... a quick smash and grab would be fine.

[Silent_p]

Casing The Joint

Hearing someone calling, Maria follows the sound to find Lucas rising from a sprawled position on the couch. Giving both him and the couch a distasteful look, she checks her phone briefly as Lucas begins his spiel. Initially not expecting much, her expression turns thoughtful as he continues and she catches herself nodding slightly.

"I agree," she says after Fury compliments the plan. "Confusion, surprise and speed. It sounds solid. Good work." She looks around at those gathered. "We take the day to prepare. Review the information, ask William any questions if you need to, gather equipment. As Lucas outlined, this is not shaping up to be anything fancy so just think about the basics: wire cutters for the cameras, if needed; deodorant as an improvised pepper spray. Anything on those lines." She paused, tapping her phone against her lips in thought. "Who's proficient with car theft?" She asked, after a moment.

[Tentreto]

Willian shakes his head. "No idea how to steal a car, though I might be able to stop a few by taking out their engines. Hopefully it won't come to that." He pulls out a tennis ball and a lighter. "I'll probably be the most use helping grab stuff, but I'll prepare some tricks as well in case we need them."

Wilian is going to use his lighter and power to cover the ball with motes. He is only going to do this when he is close enough to the shop, and then stash it in his pocket. If he has enough time beforehand, he'll make one for each member of the group.

[KreenWarrior]

Fury shakes her head. "Afraid I never learned that. I can punch out a window no problem but don't know how to hotwire. That sort of thing was strictly for specific gangs. I might be able to ask around, see if I could pull someone in who can, though."

[GameOfChampions]

Casing the Joint

Fury can dredge up a few names of old contacts that would have the know how of how to steal a car or could get you some simple tools to steal an older model if you could just access the key port.

After some slight testing William learns that he could roughly get a dozen smaller motes set up on two different tennis balls.

The Heist

Its later in the night, well after the store has closed and public traffic has died down to nothing more then a few night owls and drunks. A brief check out of the area and store shows that their are a few small lights in the store that move around every few minutes and that the doors are covered with thick bars.