Heroes: The Road of Good Intentions

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost stepped out of his apartment, rifle case slung on his shoulder. He was fairly certain he wouldn’t need it, but after years working as a spook, one could never be too prepared. After reaching his car and stashing the rifle in the trunk, Ghost set out on his mission, the power ring on his hand.

Two hours, eight hundred dollars, a pistol that was clean and not registered to him, a street thug, some baggy clothing, a pair of gloves and a pair of ski masks later, Ghost was ready, standing in an alleyway with the thug, waiting for Gazer to return home. Ghost knew Gazer was a long distance hitter, with little close combat training.

Ghost looked at the thug. “Ready to do your part?â€

[Dark Silver]

Garth had watched the entire scene - he knew when Ghost left the apartment, and where he went. He watched from above, in a shadow, while Ghost killed Gazer, and the thug.

Well.....it's not exactly the cleanest job.

But after Ghost left the scene, Garth descended from his hiding spot, still dressed in the temporary costume.

"Such a shame....but perhaps we can fix that eh Ghost?" He was talking to himself, but sometimes, it was nessacry.

A beam of light blue energy, and the body of Gazer was surronded in the energy field. The thug joined him a moment later, small hands of hard energy stripping both of valuables, and setting them to the side. He would be back for them. The thug's body was nothing but ash a moment later, as the energy field consumed it.

Gazer's body...well...Garth had better plans for it. No cop would find it, instead, he'd make a note of this occassion.


Garth lifted off into the air, dragging the body of Gazer behind him. He flew straight up, till he reached a rooftop. Gazer's body was set down, and Garth looked over it. The bullets would need to come out.

Three flashes of energy from the Ring destroyed the bullets, searing holes through the body, making it look like his Ring was the sole use. A few more manipulations with the Ring, and the body was twisted, nearly torn apart.

Collecting the body once more within the Ring's energies, Garth flew on. He was going to deliver the body personally.....

--------

Two hours later, Gazer's body was pinned up above the Police Department's main prescient, skewered through by iron rods, much like a crucifixion.

Above it, carved into the stone, was his message.

Code: Select all

Power corrupts.  
His Debt paid.

--Korath

It wasn't long after leaving the body, that Garth was back infront of Ghost's apartment door, knocking.

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost moved to the front door, opening it. He smiled at who it was. "Oh, you're knocking now, huh?" He asked, stepping aside, letting him enter. The spook moved to the fridge, removing a bottle of beer and looking back at Garth. "You want one?" He asked.

[Dark Silver]

Garth stepped in the door when Ghost opened it, looking around for a moment, before shaking his head, "Figured it'd be better than breaking your window again. No thanks, not thirsty. Put on the news..."


Garth moved over to a chair, and took a seat, keeping his sunglasses on for now, he was back in civvie clothing.

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost frowned slightly at the mention of the news. Ghost took his bottle and sat down on his couch, turning on the news. He didn't have to wait long till they recapped the story of the Ultima Agent that was crucified against the police precinct. Ghost huffed, taking a drink of his beer.

"Not quite where I left him. You're work, I assume?"

[Dark Silver]

"You had a good plan, but eventually, they would have traced it back," Garth looked at the TV while talking, "At least now, it looks like a case of vigilantism by someone who has a hatred for Meta's who miss use their abilities...."

Garth took the sunglasses off, smirking a bit, "Remind you of anyone?"

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost frowned, looking over at Garth. "Good plan. And yes, it does remind me of someone. In case you didn't know, Cascade was my friend, and I still want to kill Kyosuke for that."

[Dark Silver]

"Play by the rules...by my rules...be my right hand...and eventually you'll get the chance."

Garth set the sunglasses down, looking at Ghost, "I need him for now.... He got me out of the shuttle, and is going to help me get reset so we can do good in this world again. Outside of any of the Alphabet agencies. Do good when and where it's needed, to assure everyone, everyone won't have to fear someone with powers being to fast and loose with them, and endangering innocent lives."

"Come to my side, work with me, and I promise, when the time comes, I'll hand you Kyosuke on a silver platter, to do with as you please. But I need you and your experience Ghost. Especially since Ultima isn't stupid, and more than likely knows I didn't die in the shuttle's explosion"

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost took another swig of his beer, looking down at the power rung still on his hand. The spook took a breath then sighed, looking back at Garth. He nodded. "You've got yourself a deal." He said.

[Dark Silver]

Garth didn't smile, didn't jump for joy, he just nodded to Ghost.

He took out a metal billfold, and removed a card from it. It had a Las Vegas contact number, and a address. He offered the card to Ghost, as he put the billfold back in his pocket.

"Try to get some leave lined up, and meet me at that address in a week. Go easy on the use of the Ring, don't let anyone at Ultima know you have it. I'll teach you everything on it when you come see me. If you know of anyone we can trust to bring in, think about it, and have some way to contact them when you see me."

Garth rose from the chair after Ghost took the card, and walked to the door. "I'm taking a big chance on this Ghost....just don't fuck me."

With that, Garth was out the door, and disppeared before Ghost could reach it.

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost nodded. It wouldn't be a problem getting leave, after all, he had just lost his wife. He stood and moved to the door closing it. The spook slipped off the ring, pocketing it and sitting back on the couch, finishing his beer. "A good day's work." Ghost said outloud.

[Cynical Cat]

Blackheart fiddled with the nob on the radio, trying to find some news with good coverage of his team. Shit, shit, and shit. He kept trying.

[frigidmagi]

"Can't do this for long, Blast! Fry the cyborgs with your excess, then come back!" The energy was being properly retuned so his body would accept it as Chrysalis, not Taint. But that merely meant instead of going mad, he risked entering a crystalline prison.

Blast vaguely heard some yelling but it didn't matter. Nothing outside the energy mattered. The raging storm swirled and screamed around him, the sheer power flowed through him. He threw power enough to shatter cities into the sky as if such energy was just a causal toy... He had power to spare. He was power! Every cell in his body was awash in energy, he could tear apart the world if he wanted, nothing could touch him NOTHING!

He continued to throw energy into the sky hovering on the edge of insane laughter.

[LadyTevar]

Li Na groaned, trying to bury her head in Elias' chest and ignore the emotions washing down the links in her mind. She just wanted to sleep, why did she have to keep 'hearing' what was going on with the rest of the team? With a defeated muttering of Chinese invectives, she rolled out of bed and snagged the gi top, throwing it over the yellow panties with the smilie icons. Still muttering, she walked out into the family room.

"Blackheart, what's going on? Blast's gone from terrified to meglomaniac, and Gravitas is now the terrified one..." she announced bitchily, looking over at the large-screen tv, still turned to CNN and the OmniCorp disaster...

... And a wave of cold fear and horror hit Blackheart and Tachyon both as Li Na saw the live video feed and put two & two together. "... Blackheart?" she asked faintly, her voice strained and tight as she saw the pillar of energy stabbing into the sky. "What color are Blast's blasts?"

[Hotfoot]

Hotfoot made it through the Darkness with a sigh of relief. In a flash, he was behind cover and his shield disappeared. "Okay, which one of you is making it dark? I'm pretty sure I can take those things out, but I need to be able to see to do it. When I say three, I need that shield to come down, and I want everyone to take cover." He looked at the four survivors through his mask, hoping they weren't too much in shock to understand. "Got it? On three, I'll turn into a big flare and you'll take down the darkness? Ready?" The count began, assuming he got a response from the survivors. The timing on this would be critical, so as soon as the three count had started, he snapped his shield into place and bounded out into the fray.

[rhoenix]

Hotfoot made it through the Darkness with a sigh of relief. In a flash, he was behind cover and his shield disappeared. "Okay, which one of you is making it dark? I'm pretty sure I can take those things out, but I need to be able to see to do it. When I say three, I need that shield to come down, and I want everyone to take cover." He looked at the four survivors through his mask, hoping they weren't too much in shock to understand. "Got it? On three, I'll turn into a big flare and you'll take down the darkness? Ready?" The count began, assuming he got a response from the survivors. The timing on this would be critical, so as soon as the three count had started, he snapped his shield into place and bounded out into the fray.

Alexander shook himself to become more alert, and waited for this brave stranger's signal. When the stranger's signal arrived, Alexander released the shroud gratefully, his headache and weariness lessening already at not having to concentrate on it.

He began to get up to help out, but warm and feminine hands of the two women still awake gently pushed him back down. One of them spoke softly into his ear as she smiled. "The guy in the costume looks like he knows what he's doing. Sit back and take it easy for now - all four of us are still alive and not robots. Enjoy the show!"

[Cynical Cat]

"I can't find good radio coverage," said Blackheart. "Just the same recycled crap. Blast's colours vary. Why?"

[LadyTevar]

"I can't find good radio coverage," said Blackheart. "Just the same recycled crap. Blast's colours vary. Why?"

"Oh... there's just a freakin' huge column of white-hot energy shooting several thousand feet into the air, that's all," Li Na answered in that same calmly conversational voice that belied her shock at the sight. As she watched, a flying Ultima agent knocked a couple of the flying cyborgs into the wash, where they vaporized instantly. "I think I know why Gravitas is panicking now, if that's really Blast blasting."

[Marcao]

He had been exhausted, the dull pain which was being transmitted from his arm to his brain ever present in the back of his skull. Even through that discomfort he had managed to find sleep and Li Na’s presence had certainly helped. He did not miss her warmth at first, did not hear the Chinese that she muttered as she rolled out of bed. It did not take long after Li Na had left the bed his eyes slid open and focused on the ceiling. His head turned and looked towards where he expected Li Na to be and saw nothing.

“Hmm?â€

[LadyTevar]

[quote="Marcao"]"God damn it.â€

[Marcao]

"Yes, showing off. That is not an inconsequential amount of power that he is handling, I myself can release a fraction of that and handle it all? Unlikely at best." He said. He felt a bit envious of the young man that called himself Blast. He really did possess frightening potential and here with him bruised, exhausted and only now starting to replenish his internal reservoir of power Blast went of and did something like that.

"He will be fine." He stated hoping that it was the case. He took a step towards her and then another closing the distance between them until she was close enough to touch. His good arm reached out, the back of his hand brushing gently against her cheek before he leaned over and brushed his lips against her temple.

"I am sorry that you have to listen to his antics Li Na." He said gently.

Maybe you should preoccupy yourself with something else?

The thought made him blink and he nearly blushed. He was not quite sure where the thought had come from. His eyes slid over Li Na, admiring the way that her top displayed her legs. There were tiny cuts and scars that he could see, marring the usual perfection of her near perfect flesh. Still, the sight of them was certainly appealing and was having a familiar effect.

[LadyTevar]

She had to sigh as he touched her, kissed her temple. "You don't understand, Elias," she replied, gently taking one step back so she could look up at him without straining. Without the boots and high heels she normally had on, she was a very petite 5'3, which made it hard to look a 6ft-something man in the eye. "Blast's pulling that power out of ... something. Gravitas is with him, I think, and hes' terrified of whatever Blast's doing."

She let that sink in a moment. Gravitas, the calm, unruffled, aloof godling, was terrified of BLAST. "Now do you think he's just showing off?"

[Marcao]

The sigh left her lips and lingered in the air, settling about them with untold promises for the myriad of moments that laid before them. Li Na stepped back from him, a simple step one whose purpose he thought he understood. He looked down at her, his eyes making contact with her own although he could not quite help but glance lower for a moment. It was one of the perks of being significantly taller.

Concentrate on the task at hand Elias.

It certainly took a bit of effort to do so. He paid attention to her as she spoke and blinked. If Gravitas was concerned then there was room for concern of that he had little doubt.

"Hmm. If Gravitas is concerned, there is cause for it." He admitted.

The Meta had proven to be remarkably unimpressed and detached from what he had seen. His eyes left Li Na and her...obvious beauty and focused on the television for a moment.

"Blast is getting that energy from somewhere right? A battery of some kind? A power line maybe?" The pillar of white energy climbed onwards on the television as if its goal was to pierce the very heavens.

"He might be over his head." He said softly. His eyes forcing themselves to look at Li Na's face even if a part of him wanted to just drink in the sight of her.

"What do you think we should do about it?" He asked.

He was in no position to be of use and he likely would not be until he had a good night's sleep or two. If things got really bad, would Gravitas not simply remove them from the situation? And yet if Blast was absorbing all this power from somewhere and he severed that connection recklessly, what would occur?

Shit. He was too tired to worry about things like this...

[Hotfoot]

A roof was not an ideal spot for Hotfoot to fight on. Limited space to run around on, not a lot of places to vault from, or bounce off of, and with the structural damage, it could get even trickier. The shield flared to a brilliant yellow color and the blur shot across the roof once more. Taking care to avoid the weaker looking areas, Hotfoot zig-zagged into the fray, using his lighting attacks with his plasma shield to superheat the metallic parts of the cyborgs, using his enhanced strength to cause the remaining flesh to bend, looking to throw the cyborgs through the weak parts of the floor or off the roof, and using his speed to try and get the cyborgs to shoot each other when they would get a bead on him.

[General Havoc]

Hydro had long since lost all sense of what was going on, save that the metafleshbeasts he had come here with had launched themselves towards some form of power generator, and that this power generator was presently tearing itself, and largely everything within the vicinity, to constituent bits. Normally this presented no hazard to Hydro, but he had caught a scent of something that did.

The power generator's coolant was Liquid Sodium.

Functionally invulnerable when presented with conventional attack, immune to almost anything that could theoretically be thrown at him by a modern military force, pure sodium exercised an effect on Hydro like that of a cross presented to a vampire, and at the very first SIGHT of the noxious substance, Hydro froze in place (not literally), and beat as hasty a retreat as he physically could, back out of the facility, and into the relative safety of an ongoing war. He was perhaps fortunate that Gravitas had called upon him to do that very thing, for he did not know that he would have been able to stop himself from doing it. Indeed, by the time he realized that there HAD been an order, he was already retreating.

And once outside, he found an army of metallic-fleshbeasts, all armed heavily with weapons designed to destroy legions of other flesh beasts, meta or otherwise.

What a relief...

One of the metal flesh beasts spotted him emerging, and turned around to deliver a barrage of accelerated bits of metal from his mass projection device. Hydro slowed to what would be termed walking speed as the metal fragments tore through him, taking the time to consider what to do next. Hundreds and thousands of rounds later, he finally, almost as an afterthought, froze a segment of himself and slammed it into the metal flesh beast's head like a sledgehammer, smashing its vertebrae and killing it instantly. Now given a little peace in which to think, he decided, even as missiles and shells exploded all around, perforating him with fragments of steel and clods of earth, that he should wait and see what would happen next.