Heroes: The Road of Good Intentions

[Hotfoot]

Hotfoot skidded to a stop not far from Argent and the others. His shield snapped off, but at some point he had managed to put on the mask Argent had given him. "I've gotten out a bunch of civilians, but some of the buildings look pretty unstable. I don't want to risk going in and causing a collapse. Emergency is on the way, and I've tried to clear a path for them, but it's a mess." He sounded haggard, and with good reason. Aside from Blast draining him, he had been running for a while and having to manage his shield and speed to avoid killing anyone. "So, how're you guys?"

[Haizu]

From the forgotten storm drain, a spidery contraption of thin rods and reflective pieces of metal popped up. It twisted around, the metal making squeaking noises as it did. Seeming satisfied, it melted together into a glob and flowed back out of sight.

The black-haired, filthy warrior climbed back out. He still carried his weapons, but they were all slung across his back under the massive shield, which only barely made it out of the drain.

"I apologize for running off, but my companion is... not well, and would have probably lashed out. Given what he is capable of, it would have been dangerous for the non-combatants nearby. He's calmed down, and waiting in the tunnel. Should I go get him, or do the two of us disappear again and continue our fight alone?"

[SirNitram]

'Mike' turned to look at the man pulling himself from the drain. A hand lifted, perfect darkness forming. It was unquestionably the signature power of this persona, but he didn't unleash it's power yet.

"You could start with why we trust you, when you and your pals just nearly destroyed this area and my friends."

[LadyTevar]

Argent did not need ears to sense the Demonic power in use; it was a faint taste/smell/feel of oily sick darkness that called out to her inexplicably. Her grip tightened hard on Blackheart's hand as her head turned towards the sewer grate, passing over her sudden wariness as a silent warning.

It was not the one who called himself Tasat, that much she could tell.

[Bloody Good]

"You could start with why we trust you, when you and your pals just nearly destroyed this area and my friends."

A rapid clatter of metal on contrete heralded the second man climbing out of the drain. He looked irritated. "Enkidu, lend me your patience with these stubborn creatures." Finished with his brief prayer, he turned his attention to Gravitas/Black Hole/Mike. "You. I am going to call you Thick. It seems appropriate. Freeman Thick, most of the damage is not ours. Nothing is on fire, and no one has been turned into a goat. The damage you could attribute to us is the bent ladder there," pointing to the crooked fire escape, "some of the damage to the road, most of which would have been just as bad when whatever-it-was erupted, and the scorch marks which are probably on the roof. Two poorly armed and very tired Dead Men attacked a team of weak demons whom we believed to be hunting us. You and your friends joined the battle afterwards. Judging from the demons' chosen hiding place and your own willingness to attack them, I would have to guess that they were hunting you, and not us."

He paused to take a deep breath and straighten the heavy gear hanging from his back. He spotted his spear lying where he had vaulted over the car, and he went to retrieve it as he continued.

"So. We Dead Men assist you in the defeat of our common enemies, who would have undoubtably attacked from hiding as soon as you were in the open. Your first reaction is to attempt to crush us with whatever power it is you are throwing about so callously. Immediately following this attack on my person is an attempt by your sorceress to twist my mind and imprison me by my thoughts. Had I not spent eons being tormented by the Deceiver, it may have worked." He turned to Li Na, and added, "For your own good do not try that again."

He stowed his spear, positioning it carefully amongst the frayed straps securing his primitive arsenal. Most of the straps appeared to have been cut from backpacks and suitcases, though there was a chunk of worn rope in there.

Returning his attention to the man weilding a singularity point, he continued to speak. "My partner suggested that we return as a show of good faith. We meet the rough equivalent of nocked arrows and readied spears. A better question than the one you ask of us, 'Why would we return here, weapons away, if we intended to crush you?' We have no reason to trust you, but here we are. Hard times make strange allies, and unless these demon's masters intend to ignore the lot of us, times are indeed going to be very hard for us all."


For Li Na, his emotions were easy to read. Contempt, frustration, and a pervasive fear of something. Either he did not try to contain them, or they were just that enflamed.

[Cynical Cat]

"The innocent act doesn't work," growled Blackheart. "You decided to that a pizzeria packed with innocent people was a great place to jump into while conducting a running battle with guys with automatic weapons, grenades, and high explosives." He wobbled slightly as he floated. "You endangered countless lives, including our own, with your actions."

[LadyTevar]

Argent was a little busy blunting Blackheart's pain, but Tasat's emotions were clear enough to whisper to her. The clear threat to 'the sorceress' made her black, pupiless eyes narrow.

As Blackheart pointed out their flaws, she could feel how exhausted he was. A fight with these two right now would be a bad choice, but sometimes the only way to get the idea though dense minds was to beat it into them.

"Tasat the Sumerian, were I truly to attack, you would be unable to stand against me," Argent promised the demon-touched. She did her best to keep her voice low and dangerous, her words simple. "There are two of you, against the seven who destroyed the ones you hunted. I can feel your powers the second you reach for them and shut you both down at once, and I am the weakest among us. You will not be the first demon-touched we have destroyed."

[Bloody Good]

The innocent act doesn't work," growled Blackheart. "You decided to that a pizzeria packed with innocent people was a great place to jump into while conducting a running battle with guys with automatic weapons, grenades, and high explosives." He wobbled slightly as he floated. "You endangered countless lives, including our own, with your actions."

"Death changes a man's perspective-" He looked to his partner. "Perspective? Perception?" Turning back. "Perception. Death changes a man's perception of innocence. If I were trying to 'play innocent,' I would be batting my eyelashes and trying to look like a pretty little girl. I do not claim innocence. But when compared to these foul hell-spawned beasts, we are as pure as spring rain. If you are more concerned with a few lives than standing up and facing creatures such as these, then I doubt that you have the mettle to do so even if you did have the will."

"As for their weapons, we did not know what these things are capable of. The world has moved on since we were here last. Would we be carrying these," rattling his gear, "if we knew what the world had to offer instead? By Ninurta's shield, I would trade weapons with these demons in a heartbeat!"



"You will not be the first demon-touched we have destroyed."

He looked truely stunned. "You think that we are demons."

He turned to speak to his partner, a bewildered look upon his mud-smeared face. "They believe that we are demons."

He turned back again. "Sorceress, if a man steals his oppresser's sword and uses it to fight back, it does not turn him into his oppresser." His emotions carried the same sentiment as his words. Surprised, and a little bit insulted.

[SirNitram]

"I will suggest something. You don't call me 'Thick' again, and I see to it the next time I'm able, I drop in good word with Hades for you two, since you seem to be at least sincere in fighting demons." 'Mike' commented.

"I did wonder. This world is bereft of those who follow the hotheaded dogface, or has been for mileenia; pisses him off to no end, let me tell you. So, dead, out into the living world, and you get an introduction to gunpowder and then meet me. Man, it must be a bad day." There's a trace of a smirk on his face.

"I recommend we remove ourselves once our comrades are out. I suspect our two dead acquaintences will be more forthcoming once we are out of the demon's sights."

[Charon]

There was an almost ear splitting sound, almost as though a hundred whips had cracked simultaniously.

"Enough!" Came a voice, powerful, loud, very loud. Dust almost seemed to part before it. Legacies stood, his figure shifting and undulating, a mass, wrapped up tightly in silver symbiote, Lenox was wrapped up tight enough to strain bone, if he was even still awake. Once again the symbiote looked dangerous, it's jaw dropped low, long crooked teeth rubbing against each other as a long tongue flopped out of the jaw, dripping saliva.

"Once again you are all drawn to pointless bickering. If we are to kill these two let us be done with it and move on, if not then if all the civilians put into danger by these fools actions are safe we should move on to attack our target before they can do this again. We do not have time to stand in the middle of a destroyed street while the buildings are coming down around us and the authorities are most assuredly on their way!"

The maddened symbiote looked at all those assembled, the almost blank eyes showing a great deal of impatience.

[LadyTevar]

Thankfully, Argent couldn't hear the noise. She *could* however feel the sudden surge of annoyed rage from the normally calm symbiote.

"We can't leave until Tachyon and Blast return, Legacies," Argent guessed at what Legacies had said, trying to keep her voice soft and calm. Legacies did not get angry often, and his symbiote face was impossible to read. "Once they rejoin us, then we can go wherever Blackheart feels it's safest." She looked up to Blackheart, easier to read his lips that way. "Question is where: in city or out of town?"

As she asked the question, she was already starting to shift shape. She ducked her head under Blackheart's arm as her body elongated, enabling her to remain in physical contact and continue to ease his pain. When she finished, it could have been a medival portrait of master and hunting hound as she half-curled around his legs, his hand resting on her neck as she looked up to him.

((For the Dead Guys, who've not seen her before))
The new form was lean as a greyhound, with a triangular head, a graceful swan-like neck, the wide chest of a hunting hound slimming to a lithe body with a long serpentine tail curling behind. In color she was shades of black: ebony, jet, obsidian, coal, with hematite and silver whiskers around her jawline and fish-like fins down her spine, ending with a shark-like fin on her tail-tip. Her eyes were almond-shaped still, but gleaming brightly silver as she gazed up at Blackheart, her head nearly to his shoulder as he floated above the ground. From nose to tail she was a few feet over the height of a man, as beautiful and elegant as her human form, but seemingly far more powerful.

The Greeks would call her Dracos, or the Serpent that guarded Dephi before slain by Apollo. The Sumerians would call her by a darker name: Tiamat.

[Hotfoot]

Hotfoot blinked as the argument raged around him at the return of the two newcomers. "Hate to say it, but I agree with the Silver Slurper here. Either we need to get more people out of danger or clear the way for the EMS guys. I know where Blast is, I can get him, and last I saw, Tachyon was with him. As far as these guys, I have no clue what's going on with them, but we can always dump them later once we get everything figured out, right?" He looked at the rest of the group and shrugged. "Now, do we want to help evacuating, or should I go round up the phaser brigade?"

[B4UTRUST]

The next day Ghost recieved his official notice of transfer to his new team: Indigo team. Included at the bottom of the notice was an appointment to meet with them later that day.

-----------------

The sound of Garth's cell unlocking was loud and startling. It was a little past midmorning. Outside of the cell were two guards to act as escort.
"Rise and shine, sentanceing's today."

When he got up the guards handcuffed him and lead him to the court room. The room was much the same as it had been last time, save that there was no jury, no spectators or news reporters. Just the defense council, the prosecutor, the balif and the judge's stand.

Everyone rose as the judge entered. He was an aging man, a slight paunch visable under his robes. The overhead lights reflected brightly off his bald pate.
"Will the defendent please rise."

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost walked into the conference room, nodding to the others sitting down. He looked around, taking in the faces, this was to be his new team.

"Hi, I'm Ghost."

[LadyTevar]

((Because they moved the Server again, here's the posts that are missing))

Garth rose from his seat in the defendant's stand, he didn't have much notice of the sentencing, but he wasn't much expecting it.

The news coverage was light, CourtTV and some few mentions on CNN of his trial. The Special Interest pieces, as they mostly where, never once mentioned his previous role as White Guardian, instead focusing on his time as Saibot - a bounty hunter specializing in Meta-human criminals, as well as a minor superhero. A minor superhero gone extremely bad, considering the list of crimes read by the judge. The only mention of the Guardian Force was that Saibot seemed to possess powers similar to the former West coast based superhero team, and a similar costume.

"You Honor," Saibot's lawyer spoke up as he to, rose, "We ask you when pronouncing your sentencing, to take into account my client's long years of service to the system in both of his capacities as a bounty hunter, and as one of the countries superheroes. We ask for lienency, your Honor."

Saibot remained silent during the speech, instead focusing his attention purely on the judge.

"I have taken into account Mr. Tobais' long and well documented history of service under his multiple aliases. It's the main, and probably only reason why your client is not going to recieve the death penalty.

"Mr. Tobias, in light of your years of service to this country, the court has granted leniancy in your case. You will not be recieving the death penalty. You have plead guilty to the charges brought against you by this court. You are hereby sentanced to 270 years, with the possibility of parole in 50.

"This may seem like an unusually lengthy sentance, one that cannot possibly be completed in your lifetime. However, with the advancements in medical and biological sciences, the average lifespan can be extended out significantly. And, along with memory retention technologies, direct clones can be created, staving off death, while premitting your mind, though not your body, the ability to complete your full sentance.

"Your incarceration will be at Station Zero. You will be taken in two days."

The gavel banged.

Garth nodded his head at the sentence, turned to the bailiff which stood waiting, and put his hands before himself. The bailiff placed the cuffs back onto Garth, and lead him out, through the main entrance. The media was there, cameras flashing and microphones held out to get his comments. He walked past them all, a expression of resignation on his face, surronded by guards.

Soon, he was back in his cell, to wait for his trip to Station Zero.

[Marcao]

It was Blast's outburst that drew his attention, his head turning and glancing in the general direction. Within moments he had walked to the corner of the street and caught sight of Blast. He did not waste time in approaching him.

"Good to see you are still in one piece Blast." He had not expected that the blast from that individual would have killed the meta, not considering that Blast's defensive abilities were in many ways stronger than his own. "How about we go find the others and get out of here hmm? I think we are overstaying our welcome."

He approached Blast and tentatively reached out to touch him. The moment his right hand made contact with the man he felt something tug at him, as if his force screen were in the process of being siphoned. He blinked and with a mental command the force screen slithered away from his hand. The sensation ceased and he looked at Blast. "Lets go."

<Blink>

He blinked straight up at first in order to get a better vantage point. Moments later he caught sight of the small congregation of metas and took himself there.

<Blink>

He let go of Blast as they arrived, the force screen invisibly covering his hand once more.

"I have seen enough of Chicago for the time being. How about we get our clothes and get out while we still can?" He would rather not have to explain exactly what had transpired here to the Chicago police department. He was still uncertain as to all of the specifics himself.

[B4UTRUST]

When Ghost arrived his new team looked like they were already involved in the meeting. The five members of the new team were dressed in standard issue MiB suits. On the table between them were piles of paperwork, photos, forms , reports, everything that would be generated from not one, but multiple crimescenes.

Without looking up, one of the males, a large black man with a deep, gruff baritone voice, spoke.
"You're late. I know the clock says you're on time. Fifteen minutes early is on time. Grab a chair and start reading."

The only woman in the room, a petite hispanic, perked up, a smile on her face.
"Oh just ignore him. He's grumpy before his first pot of coffee. Not a morning person."
"Hmph."
"Told ya. I'm Astral. Grumps over there is Blizzard. The rest of the guys are," she pointed to each in turn.

She started with the average white guy who looked a bit bookish, who kept pushing his glasses up his nose as he read through reports. Next was a older man, in his mid-forties, with that tough dark leathery skin that comes from way too much time out in the sun. After him was the last individual, a younger caucasian male who's hair was approaching regulation length and who's uniform didn't have quite the same stiff professional air that the others did.
"Mindborn, Prophet and Negator. And I think you already know Shinsushi."
"Shingure."
"Oops. Sorry. Pull up a seat. We're reviewing some of the reports from some of the recent meta crimes. Mindborn seems to think there's a common link between them. We're going to head down to evidence here in a bit and see if we can't examine some of the stuff that was retrieved."

[Haizu]

"Freeman Thick, most of the damage is not ours. Nothing is on fire, and no one has been turned into a goat."

Tholos chuckled to himself "I haven't done that one in a long time. I think it was when we went after that little thief who stole your dagger, Tasat." Tasat glared at him in annoyance.

The innocent act doesn't work," growled Blackheart. "You decided to that a pizzeria packed with innocent people was a great place to jump into while conducting a running battle with guys with automatic weapons, grenades, and high explosives." He wobbled slightly as he floated. "You endangered countless lives, including our own, with your actions."

"Yes we may have endangered innocent lives, but if I recall correctly we actually saved at least a couple of you from taking sniper rounds to head, albeit unintenional." growled Tholos.

"Death changes a man's perspective-" He looked to his partner. "Perspective? Perception?"

"Perception. We need to work on your english some more."

He turned to speak to his partner, a bewildered look upon his mud-smeared face. "They believe that we are demons."

With a look of disgust and disappointment on his face, Tholos just shook his head.

"Now, do we want to help evacuating, or should I go round up the phaser brigade?"

"Although I am loathe to bring this πνευματώδεις διαξιφισμοί to an end, I must agree with Speedy. I think it is best that we wrap up this conversation."

The Greeks would call her Dracos, or the Serpent that guarded Dephi before slain by Apollo.

"By the Gods! It's Δεν βρέθηκαν λέξεις!" muttered Tholos, a look of sheer awe and fear on his face. His hand started to slowly go for the awesome spear on his back.

[Cynical Cat]

"You really don't want to do that," said Blackheart. "Death ray glare beats spear."

[LadyTevar]

"You really don't want to do that," said Blackheart. "Death ray glare beats spear."

Well.. that was *not* the words Argent was expecting out of Blackheart's mouth. Get us out of here, or words to that effect, yes. A nearly humorous warning to one of the two "300" rejects just got her to look their way momentarily, before looking back to Blackheart.

"We can leave them to explain to the cops what happened here," she suggested cattily, annoyance in her voice. Physical contact with Blackheart had muted the Demon's voice, perhaps because the man was still in control of the body, but the Demon was still beginning to get on her nerves. It was making her a little ... testy.

[Cynical Cat]

"And if they decide to play rough?" said Blackheart through his teeth. "At least one of them has reality bending powers. That could mean a whole lot of bodies. They seem to have a very Bronze Age concern for collateral damage."

[SirNitram]

"Not reality bending." 'Mike' spoke up. "He degraded local reality's manifold to a point where entropic bleedthrough from nearest n-dimensional membrane could exercise an entropic effect on mortal senses." A pause. "He opened a window to a very bad place." He tried instead, knowing he was talking gibberish to most. "But definately not something to let normal minds near. Shall we go, if everyone's here?"

[LadyTevar]

"And if they decide to play rough?" said Blackheart through his teeth. "At least one of them has reality bending powers. That could mean a whole lot of bodies. They seem to have a very Bronze Age concern for collateral damage."

Argent literally hissed through her teeth as she had to admit that Blackheart was right. She looked back towards the two Risen Dead, pausing as she noted Blast and Tachyon had finally joined them. She met their eyes briefly, acknowledging them with a slight draconic smile, before looking back up to Blackheart.

"The tower first, then," she muttered. "Then -you- pick a destination."

Without further warning, Argent lunged, stretching in seemingly impossible ways to encircle the crowd and transport Mirage Team, the two Ancients, and the hapless Lenox Between...

... into the darkness of the shadow-realm, where the sleek dragon shone with a silver light as she swam through the darkness. Whether they rode her back or were carried in her claws was unknown, they were simply there, seeing her and hearing the sounds in the dark. Far off a faint echoing, a maddened voice cackled and sobbed, as if broken in mind and spirit. It was drowned out by the slow booming beat of a great heart, coming from all around them. 1. 2.... 3...

... and they emerged into the largest room of the suite Argent had somehow managed to obtain and hold empty for her own needs, on the 97th floor of the Sears Tower. In the distance, the smoke of the wrecked block could be seen, showing how far they'd been transported.

Argent herself had once again resumed her place coiled around Blackheart. If they were to teleport again, why shift forms? "Hotfoot? Bring the clothing, and there's a large first-aid kit in the breakroom." She didn't wait to see if Hotfoot moved, looking up to Blackheart instead.

"You, Blackheart, need something better than ducttape."

[Cynical Cat]

"Bandages, some painkillers, and a huge fucking steak is what I need," said Blackheart. "And to sleep for a year. My stash will have to wait." He winced. "I'm not in the best shape for making decisions and I don't have a crash pad set up yet. If someone else has a bolt hole, speak up."

[SirNitram]

"I've got one a good long way from here, but what's distance to some teleporters?" 'Mike' grinned a bit. "The problem is it's under survellience by a few intelligence agencies. Nothing connected with Ultima or other Metahuman groups, but definately going to have some cameras trained on the place. Otherwise, I do it the hard way and get us a place with the fact money buys secrets."