The NEW Vanguard - Frostbite Issue #3

Frostbite

Hero Points: 179

Encouraged by his teams success against the raging behemoth, Frostbite levelled an arm and sent searing bolt after bolt into the lizard like behemoth!

OOC 2d10 → [4,2] = (6) Ouch. That#s not great. However, with the HP addition...

The creature ducked and weaved as it came at Frostbite...

"How fast IS this thing?" muttered the hero as he blasted time and again. he turned to shout over his shoulder, knowing it would make little difference if the creature went 'through' him what would happen to the others.

Spurred by that fact he pulled his arm up... then down, blasting at the creatures foot! It howled in rage as it fell and slammed face first into the sewer floor!

With a grunt and a gurgle it started to rise... then sagged.

Reflex moved forward, then said "Look!"

The creature was changing... becoming a slight built eastern European man! Rebuff breathed a sigh of relief and dragged the fellow to one side. Pulling a pair of sturdy tie wraps he bound the mans ankles and wrists. "Won't hold him if he goes 'monster' on us but should stop him going anywhere otherwise." He looked pleased with himself but in truth his contribution had been minimal.

Reflex turned to Frostbite. "Back down the other tunnel?"

Admin wrote:Frostbite

Hero Points: 179

Reflex turned to Frostbite. "Back down the other tunnel?"

OOC: Hey Paul just to say I'm slow to respond as I am away on holiday and on a laptop without my usual character stuff. But I am sure we'll get by fine.

Frostbite nodded, the team had faced their first threat and successfully so. But what was also evident, was this was no longer some standard mission, against some tin pot tyrant, this was clearly something far worse. How many more, like the creature that they just faced, would they yet face above. And would they come out of this at all. It was a steep learning curve with little, or no chance of surviving should they fail. Caution was going to be their friend, for only so much longer. This sentry, in the sewers, would need to report in soon or his superiors would get suspicious, they needed to act and act quickly whilst they retained some element of surprise.

OOC: Ok we're going for the other less well protected entrance to the tunnel, and see where we go from here. I'll have Frostbot on high alert, in case we trigger or tip anyone else off to our presence.

Sj

OOC Planned to update yesterday but a 39.something degree temperature and recurring case of man flu (that I thought I'd ditched 2 weeks ago having had it for a month including the coughing and stuff) early stages - aching bones, jelly muscles, sore etc. Of course everyone knows Man Flu is the worst possible condition to have. Well, everyone knows that apart from the wife of course. 'Drama Queen'? Pfft. What do women know

FROSTBITE
Hero Points: 179

Sloshing through the murk, the trio made careful progress through the tunnels and came to the 'less guarded' tunnel. Reflex announced that her power had drained away - she was in effect a vampire of sorts, able to drain the life force of opponents and increase her abilities to superhuman levels, but it was a temporary effect, and she neither had the lust for blood nor fear of sunlight of 'ordinary' Vampires.

Rebuff was quiet, knowing that his contribution thus far had been poor. Still, he hoped to get his chance to shine.

"Ok, there. Look. We can get in there." whispered Rebuff as they peered down the tunnel to where a metal ladder, looking shiny and untouched by the sewer murk, led up presumably into the basement of the embassy. A convenient escape route for such things as Embassy Sieges, which were an almost common occurrence in these highly fraught times. There were undoubtedly more of them in these tunnels,

Frostbot announced to his biological partner 'There are motion sensors near the ladders, and cctv. In addition there is an automated sentry gun three feet to the right of where the ladder arrives at the ceiling and all of that is connected to an alarm. It's also possible there are heat and pheromone sensors, though you would need to get closer so I can confirm that.'

Well, no one said being a hero was easy...

OOC You guys are around 30 yards from the ladder. Getting closer - without taking some precaution - might set off the alarms. HOWEVER... with a ladder going up into the embassy that distance away, you might only need to go a few more yards after which you could 'make your own door' - by going straight up! Your call...

OOC: Hope the manflu is better, back home now. Had a much needed and wonderful break. Really busy week coming up though, so better get this together.

FROSTBITE
Hero Points: 179

Frostbot announced to his biological partner 'There are motion sensors near the ladders, and cctv. In addition there is an automated sentry gun three feet to the right of where the ladder arrives at the ceiling and all of that is connected to an alarm. It's also possible there are heat and pheromone sensors, though you would need to get closer so I can confirm that.'

Well, no one said being a hero was easy...
[/quote]

Turning to the others, Frostbite spoke quietly to avoid any triggering of alarms. "Regrettably any chance of getting past this section unnoticed is going to require something from me." Noting the quizzical looks Frostbite continued, "I'll pass through the floor and see if we can get in, so as to shut this section off, let you in and then continue. Its the safest way to make sure we can maintain the element of surprise. If I cannot bypass the alarms we'll go for a more direct approach. Either way, keep your coms open and I'll be in touch. Don't hesitate to call if things get hot again down here." Frostbite said, making sure they knew what he was referring to.

With a quick nod of encouragement, he shifted his density and using the spot where they were, and Frostbot's guidance, 'ghosted' up through the sewers into an area he hoped would be least suspicious as possible.

Sj

OOC Man Flu was a bit wide of the mark. Lung infection and head splitting migraines along with all the flu symptoms, suspected Pneumonia apparently. Went to the Doctors on Friday practically on my knees. Anyway, feel better now, thanks to a couple of types of Anti Biotics and popping painkillers like smarties.
Glad you had a good break - I'm away from Thursday in the Isle of Man for the TT races. I expect/hope to have internet access on an evening and will be doing my best to keep things ticking along, assuming I don't catch a new strain of Ebola/Aids/Bubonic Plague. It wouldn't surprise me the way things have gone lately...

Frostbite

Moving through the floor was tricky. Whatever had changed his powers in the time shift after their last escapades had altered him for the better in some respects, not so much in others. It was almost as if parts of him had been collected from various alternate timelines and coalesced into the current Frostbite. It was him but not the him of old, so to speak. Moving through the brick was like passing through glue, but he did so.

The room above was dark, and though he barely noticed it, cold. A meat cellar, from the smell. Moving between the rows of hanging joints he stepped up to the door and swept a hand across the portal window to look out into a corridor. It was an older part of the mansion, with bare rough brick walls, and signs that rooms had been bricked up and blocked off. So far so good. He tried moving through the steel door. It resisted, and he knew he would have to work harder on his phasing to get it back up to the point he'd been at, where solid was not, and he could pass as though a ghost. With a sigh he tried the handle on the inside of the door, and it opened easily into the corridor. No alarms down this corridor confirmed Frostbot. 'The stairs at the end of the corridor lead into the main kitchen area. You are ... conspicuous and the alarm would be raised were staff to see you.' said Frostbot. Just then a door clicked and a foreign voice spoke something, part laughing. Female from the sounds of things. She was heading this way, down the stairs!

OOC only one door to duck back into - the meat cellar, suggesting she was heading that way...

Admin wrote:Just then a door clicked and a foreign voice spoke something, part laughing. Female from the sounds of things. She was heading this way, down the stairs!

OOC only one door to duck back into - the meat cellar, suggesting she was heading that way...

OOC: Wow you don't do anything by halves, do you mate.  Glad to hear you're on the mend.

Frostbite was concerned that the changes in his powers left him more vulnerable at a time when he needed to be at the top of his game.  Finding out in the field was disconcerting and he wondered what else had changed.  It would be something to investigate further, should he have a further beyond this current mission in which to investigate.  

Pulling his thoughts together, he stepped back into the meat fridge, the cold didn't bother him and if necessary it would be no trouble to create an ice and snow frosted section that he could wall off and hide behind.  Or else dissipate back through the way he had come.  But in truth he was getting tired of sneaking around, the girl might not be of any importance.  But the laughter and the lack of any sense of preparedness suggested that despite the tensions mounting outside things inside were far from troubled.  This bothered Frostbite, heightened security but still someone is walking around laughing and coming down as if preparing a meal like nothing is happening!  First things first, Frostbite had to hide and then get the others up quick, the longer they were left alone the greater the chances of them being discovered or doing something that would call attention to themselves.  

Moving the meat around, Frostbite choose what he hoped was an inconspicuous wall, creating first a thing wall off ice and then placing his hands on it to make it frosted and opaque, like the wall against which he was leaning.  He listening in quietly, scarcely breathing whilst also listening for any tale tale signs of discovery.  

OOC: Ok just to move things along, assuming I evade discovering, lets get the others into the basement the best way we can.  Hopefully Frostbot can jack a line from in here and then we can get them into the building.

Have a great time away on Thursday...

Sj

Hiding in the meat cellar, hand covering the glowing blue chestplate, Frostbite waited for what happened next - fight or flight...

He caught glimpses of a woman in her early thirties, brunette, dressed in what looked like soiled rags. They were dark brown, or was that red stains on the formerly white overalls, now shredded at the arms and legs? A glance at the womans face revealed pouting lips, and when she spoke, Frostbite discovered why. Her mouth was brimming with spinelike teeth, dozens of them!

She stopped at a meat carcass, only twenty feet or so near from where Frostbite stood, holding his breath. Someone shouted from above in that foreign tongue, and she laughed, replying.

Then she slammed her mouth into the slab of meat and tore at it, crushing through flesh, bone and muscle without effort! Sucking what she'd bitten up without pause, she took another bite, then another.

Momentarily sated, she turned to leave. Then... a pause.

Sniffing, she turned, frowning. Her eyes narrowed. Glancing about, she reached for the carcass again to causally tear off a chunk of flesh and bone, as easily as one might tear a sheet of tissue paper.

Then another call from above. The woman spared another glance back then left, jogging back up the stairs.

Frostbite watched her go and frostbot announced 'There is a computer terminal point in the room at the top of the stairs in the kitchen, doubtless for communication and information.'. Frostbite knew he'd have to risk jacking into the terminal so moved to the stair bottom, listened, then floated up to the top, and looked in, to the kitchen. It was a large room, implements and food scattered about on worktops. A pair of doors led out into the rest of the place. Set into the wall was a monitor which Frostbot identified as being of use, and he/it accessed it. 'The system is heavily encrypted. Interesting. There is a layer of booby traps to catch out the unwary, This may take several minutes of uninterrupted work to ensure no alarms are raised. Then total access will be gained, including that of the security cameras.'

Frostbot had been at it only a few seconds when Frostbite heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen...

Admin wrote:Frostbot had been at it only a few seconds when Frostbite heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen...

Hmm, Frostbite had to wonder if the woman had gone for help to take a more thorough look. Something about this didn't add up, metahumans, kidnapping, and all this whilst waiting for a jet to land and with impunity, to take a kidnapped official! Something smelled funny and it wasn't the way the carnivorous woman had eaten cold chunks of meat like they were nothing. Something about that sent an involuntary shiver down the ice clad hero's back.

OOC: Ok Paul need to know if Frostbot can get on with the hack apart from me, of if I need to be present? Assuming I need to be present then I am going to have to hide again, it's too big an advantage not to try and hack the system to gain the upperhand. But if that isn't going to be possible then I'd better disperse into a wall or something see if I can't find a cavity to lie in wait and see what happens. Whilst I am there if Frostbot can translate that would be helpful, in case I get a clue as to what is going down here.

Sj

OOC Frostbite can indeed throw Frostbot 'out' of his body to work independently, but there is that chance he gets lost in the wild as happened before. That said, with every time he/it goes for a wander he/it comes back having learned something, be it independence, another level of artificial intelligence and step towards true sentience, more experience in terms of dealing with the toughest challenges and so on.

Something didn't add up to Frostbite in all of this.

Creating an international incident that would have clear and decisive repercussions not just from governments but from the superhuman community seeing as those were the forces involved.

Getting to the truth of the matter would be a challenge, but with only a limited amount of time before the escape jet got here he knew time was running out. Throwing Frostbot 'out there' would be a desperate gamble, a throw of the dice, and possibly sacrificing his companion. His instinct told him there was more at stake than a game of politics...

Admin wrote:Getting to the truth of the matter would be a challenge, but with only a limited amount of time before the escape jet got here he knew time was running out. Throwing Frostbot 'out there' would be a desperate gamble, a throw of the dice, and possibly sacrificing his companion.  His instinct told him there was more at stake than a game of politics...

"Desperate times, once again old friend." Frostbite said as he let Frostbot know what he was planning with a slight pang of guilt at the thought of leaving a 'man' behind whilst he 'hid' so as to retain some element of surprise. Without knowing what was truly going on here, their attempts might well cause a series of unforeseen problems that could make matters worse. As much as it gauled Frostbite, a man used to taking action, he found himself once again having to play a more tempered hand. Sliding off to one side, he dispersed himself looking for a cavity or space he could hide within until the returning occupant left.

OOC: Ok will use Hero points as necessary to help Frostbot get what needs to be gotten, and hide where I can. I'd like to try and remain within earshot so that I can listen in on any communication or conversation any clues as to what is going on here.

Sj

Frostbot left its host to delve into the computer system of the Embassy.

Frostbite found a cupboard in which to hide away. To remain dispersed would tire him out, and the effort required to stay de solidified in relatively dense materials such as stone would leave him drained at best, dead at worst. He'd gained so much in his transition through time and space, but some things had been left behind, things not missed till now.

He would work on improving those powers, but for now his fate was in the hands of his artificial companion...

=========

Darkness...

No, not quite. A blue light. He/it looked down to see a body of wire frame forming up, a heart of blue in its chest. With a smile Frostbot looked about and saw lines forming up of the network he stood in. He saw brighter, thicker lines leading away from the building, to the internet at large. From here he could go anywhere, access anything. Some places were harder to get into, but he/it was a being of near limitless cyber ability. He looked about, seeing access points, terminals, cameras... where... ah. The mainframe. Access to everything. Childs play.

Moving without effort through the darkness he looked with interest at the 'booby traps' designed to catch the witless, the talentless, and lock them out of the system as well as track their IP address. He dabbed them with a finger to set them off, and saw their empty bear trap jaws snap ineffectually. Bored, he turned to the mainframe...

And stopped.

The mainframe morphed into a dark amorphous mass that grew and grew, towering over him with glowing red eyes.

"Are you meant to frighten me, program? Some 'bogeyman' to scare away bedroom hackers? I shall teach you a lesson before you dissolve into nothingness." laughed Frostbot, and his whole frame glowed blue against the red of the enemies eyes.

"PROGRAM? NOT I!" laughed the demonic form. "YOU MAY BE SENTIENT, FALSE MAN, BUT I AM ALIVE! I AM NO MERE THING TO BE OVERWHELMED! IN HERE, I AM KING! YOU? YOU ARE A PEASANT! BOW BEFORE ME NOW TO SPARE COUNTLESS AGONY!"

=========

Frostbite waited for a time.

Of course, the waiting was hardest. What else was going on? Was that jet close now, hovering over the embassy and ready to take off with its cargo at speeds faster than the British Air Force could match? The Americans would not let that...

"I am back" said a voice in his head. "Place your hand on the console and take me back in. Do not delay, we have little time!"

Admin wrote:"I am back" said a voice in his head. "Place your hand on the console and take me back in. Do not delay, we have little time!"

Frostbite did as he was told, unaware of anything that had yet transpired between Frostbot and the rest of the mainframe.  He had wondered if in the intervening time the woman had gone away again or was around and aware of him being present.  It wouldn't do to get over confident.  

OOC: Hmm, don't like the sound of the bogey-man presence, in the computer.  Still it would be meta narrative for me to do anything other than what I've been told, but hope this doesn't lead to some sort of cyber possession.  Once I've got Frostbot onboard, and he has put us in the picture re the place, then I'll go retrieve the others so as to be able to get them caught up and us on into finding the missing Ambassador.

Sj

Frostbite accepted his 'other' back inside him, and instantly was aware of seeing through anothers eyes...

In a fashion. He looked forward, eyes seeing down from a camera in the corner. He saw a man in jeans, t shirt and black leather jacket. He was smoking, hair thinning, foreign looking, with a tan and that cosmopolitan air about him. As if he'd not a care in the world. He lit the cigarette by pointing a finger at it, which burst into flames!

Flick.

A large room, meeting room from the looks of it. Four superhumans, costumed. In the middle of the room, guarded by armed (and body armoured) mercenaries were the kidnapped ambassador and a number of his staff. One of the superhumans, a tall man in what looked to be old medieval armour, turned and cast his armoured gaze about the room, then glanced up at the camera...

Flick.

A room higher up in the embassy. By a window. A woman in a black leather cat suit sat by the window with a large high powered rifle by her side. A box of ammunition sat next to her. She brought it up slowly, levelled it against her face and fired in one smooth motion. Satisfied by the result (which was beyond the scope of the camera to see) she lowered it, spoke to the walkie talkie ear/mouth piece and kept watch.

Flick.

A man in jeans and t shirt, clutching his head. He was in the computer room. Blood ran from his nose and ears. He looked up at the camera, shook his fist at it, then jerked suddenly. With fear on his face he pulled his own fist back and punched himself hard on the chin! Swooning, he fell back!

'Bad language should never be tolerated, even in a language one cannot understand' said Frostbot. 'I have a favour to ask. The fellow you have just seen. Assuming the other criminals are brought to justice... I want him.'

It was clear that Frostbot had successfully hacked into the mainframe, but that last comment was a troubling one. What could it mean?

Frostbite looked up. He heard the roar of engines as a powerful VTOL jet rumbled over the building! A crackling voice in his earpiece rang out "Boss! You hear that? What do you want us to do? We can't stay down here while you have all the fun!"

Time was running out! Frostbite needed to act, but could he take all these superhumans on his own?

OOC Depending on your choice of room to head to (the flick, flick part) will try to cook up some of those pictures in heromachine (remember that?) so you have an idea who you're fighting against. The situation is critical - the bad guys are about to get their ride out of here, the US Ambassador will be in tow along with members of his staff. It will cause a huge international incident that might escalate...

Admin wrote:It was clear that Frostbot had successfully hacked into the mainframe, but that last comment was a troubling one. What could it mean?

Frostbite looked up. He heard the roar of engines as a powerful VTOL jet rumbled over the building! A crackling voice in his earpiece rang out "Boss! You hear that? What do you want us to do? We can't stay down here while you have all the fun!"

Time was running out! Frostbite needed to act, but could he take all these superhumans on his own?

OOC Depending on your choice of room to head to (the flick, flick part) will try to cook up some of those pictures in heromachine (remember that?) so you have an idea who you're fighting against. The situation is critical - the bad guys are about to get their ride out of here, the US Ambassador will be in tow along with members of his staff. It will cause a huge international incident that might escalate...

No time to lose and Frostbite had already spent too long wondering about what to do. It was going to be hard to see how they could take on the whole site, but if it were possible to use the building against them, then perhaps they could make an attempt in the confusion.

Frostbot, can we shut down the electrical systems. A place like this is going to have back up generators and stuff like that, if we can convince them that a breach is imminent they might hussle in a different direction. Could we funnel them so as to use the building against them? Turning to the com system Frostbite relayed the others telling them to come up as soon as possible, but to use caution.

It was going to be a hard fight, Frostbite didn't have the heavy hitters like Centurion and Lionheart or the Ghost Cowboy fella, he'd recently met. With some rookie meta human's barely able to get to grips with their power and them on a powder keg ready to blow, it would be any wonder if any of them came out of this unscathed. Already, a nervous thought remained lodged at the back of Frostbite's head, from what Frostbot had said regarding the IT man, in the substation. He couldn't help wonder what that was about? But he didn't have time to query it now.

OOC: Ok lets see what tricks the building has to help us divide and conquer, we are aiming to get to the ambassador though, the only true target here. I fear if we go for the obvious spot, the jet, it might well serve as a decoy. The whole thing smacks of a set up I think. Hence trying to stick a big stick in the spokes of whatever plan has been concocted here.

Sj

FROSTBITE

Giving directions to the internal program that formed part of him, somehow, Frostbite waited.

He didn't have to wait long.

The sprinkler system went off, lights dimmed and were replaced by occasional red emergency lighting, and an automated voice spoke in a foreign tongue.

'Please make your way to the designated fire exit zone, or an approximation' said Frostbot. 'Cameras show the regular staff of this place are gathering a handful of personal belongings and going into the corridors. The meta humans seem unperturbed, though perhaps ... yes. They have directed an armed guard to find out what the alarm has been caused by. One is moving over to a window to glance out. Would you like the alarm to emit an audible tone? There are three levels. The loudest will cause discomfort.'

Frostbite considered his options. He looked... well, not like one of the kidnappers, that was for sure. That meant his appearance would cause another alarm to be raised. The layout of the place suggested that to get to the room where the ambassador was required him to move around 30 yards into the main part of the building then head straight up. The ceilings and floors would pose little in the way of a barrier, regardless of whether he was incorporeal or not.

Frostbot* applied a quick burst of the audible siren to change the volume level. 'Interesting'.

One of the costumed superheroes in the room with the kidnapped Ambassador clutched at his head while the others looked about, disturbed but not overly so by the alarm. The man with hands to his head thrashed about, angry, raging at ... well, anything. It was clear the high pitched sound was painful to him. Something Frostbite could use? Even as the camera image overlaid itself on Frostbites vision, he watched as the fellow, of normal build and height, spun around and punched a wall. The brick, mortar and plaster disintegrated and the fellow didn't even register the hit! Superhuman strength, triggered by anger?

Problem was - and Frostbot realized it too - that the man was unstable, and his compatriots had to try and restrain him from going for the ambassador!

The alarm stopped, as did the sprinklers under Frostbots command, but Frostbite had a shred of hope now. Something to use should it come down to a fight.

"We're coming up boss. Won't be long" said reflex in his earpiece. "Fancy things these. If you tap on the side it gives a 'sonar pulse' when another wearer is in the direction you are pointing. Whoever made these is a genius. They could make millions selling it to the army, or even the general public in earthquake zones. Anyway, we sort of get where you are. Getting there is proving kind of roundabout. Don't start the party without... uh oh. Fire alarm. Was that you?"

OOC Stay put and wait for the others or go it alone and get through the place, ready to strike? And which room we he go for? You have the 'weapons' of this place - reduced illumination (total darkness not possible due to redundant backup systems not tied in to the rest of the computers), sprinklers - handy for a fellow who can freeze stuff and that piercing fire alarm, available at 3 noise levels, the lowest of which caused that nasty chap upstairs to start flailing about.

*assuming Frostbite gives the ok

Admin wrote:FROSTBITE

OOC Stay put and wait for the others or go it alone and get through the place, ready to strike? And which room we he go for? You have the 'weapons' of this place - reduced illumination (total darkness not possible due to redundant backup systems not tied in to the rest of the computers), sprinklers - handy for a fellow who can freeze stuff and that piercing fire alarm, available at 3 noise levels, the lowest of which caused that nasty chap upstairs to start flailing about.

*assuming Frostbite gives the ok

OOC: Frostbite does give the ok. and if there is any way we can increase the level of paranoia that would be good.

When the rest of his team joined him, Frostbite took a brief moment to explain what was going on.  "The odds aren't looking that good, but believe me no plan ever survives contact with the enemy.  Thinking on your feet, whilst they might be swept from beneath you is something I can't teach you, but can help you as you learn it in such a situation like this.  We're going to need to look out for one another and see if there aren't opportunities where we can aid one another, capitalise on each others strengths, cover our weaknesses.  Ok lets go."  

With that Frostbite lead the way.  Though he was reluctant not to just head up in his dispersed mode, nonetheless he dreaded leaving his team mates to follow on alone, knowing that they were not ready for that kind of risk or responsibility just yet.  Soundlessly as he floated before them, he allowed the overlay of Frostbot's security feed to relay important information as they headed for the Ambassador's location.  

OOC:Ok so now for some sort of plan of attack.

1.  First has Traveller been able to catch up with us, now he should have scouted around and got back to us?  
2.  I want Rebuff to stay with Reflex, Stephanie, I want him to attract one of the villains to him, so that Stephanie can use the opportunity to leech their powers.  Rebuff can also try and protect Reflex till she has had a chance to power up.  Also I want them to work in tandom, if she powers down, he can then help her as indeed can we all.
3.  Impulse will run interference with me.  I'll enter one side, get the sprinklers going and ice the place up, for those that escape, break free, Impulse will then enter in and disorientate.  
4.  Then Rebuff and Reflex enter and hopefully grab hold of or pull themselves toward a likely candidate Reflex can power up on and we can then go for the remaining crew. 5.  5.  My primary aim is to protect the civilians, so once I have iced the place up, I'll also try to do so so as to wall them off from hostilities.  Don't want them being collateral damage.

With that in mind, lets hope we can get to the room without trouble.  Let the sprinklers go as we step onto that floor, and let all the alarms loose, as we step in to further distort and disturb.

Sj

OOC I think your diagnosis (Norovirus) is pretty accurate. It (messily) reared its head today, so hopefully that means 24-48 hours (expected length of time its usual to infect) will see me back on my feet. Till then, as you added, my ability to post is hindered. We'll see what we can get done.

Frostbite is briefing is team when a form materializes next to the group...

Reflex whirls, Rebuff cries out, Impulse prepares to use his power... and Traveller stands there, human and corporeal, holding his hands up "Hey! It's me!"

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief. Eric (Traveller) makes his report. "Looked about boss. I'm no expert but this all looks a bit fishy. They got the Ambassador and his staff all cooped up but there's something else going on. One of these super guys - they don't all wear costumes - is waiting near the roof. He's got a metal suitcase chained to his wrist. I can't affect the real world when I'm in ghost form, and a stiff breeze would put up more of a fight than I will, but even I was tempted to have a go at the guy. I think that's what all this is about, but I don't know why. What's in that case?" He shrugged. "I can be there in a blink of an eye and follow if you like."

Impulse shrugged "We are outnumbered and they have hostages. Maybe the best bet is to be a stick in the spokes and do like Frostbite says. Whatever is in the case can't be more important than saving lives, right? That's why we do this?"

Traveller shrugged again. "Well I'm kind of a watcher rather than a fighter. If there is a chance of materialising for long enough to get the hostages out, I'll do that."

Reflex glanced at Frostbite. Traveller could be useful in certain situations but it looked like in a straight up fight it would come down to her and Frostbite. Rebuff looked uncertain, his confidence shaky at best.

OOC Frostbite has Traveller back with the group (for now) and can reassign him or simply have him hover about as a ghost.

The group started down the corridor to head towards stairs and go up towards the heart of the embassy. Stepping up to a door on the right level, Frostbite poked his head through the door. End of the hall, armed guard. The fellow was in combat fatigues, bulletproof vest and carrying plenty of ammo for the AK47 he held. He looked alert, and pressed a finger to his ear to listen to a radio transmission.

Frostbite could easily circumvent the fellow by dipping in and out of walls, but Impulse offered to take centre stage. "Got this." he offered.

With that in mind he simply vanished, then reappeared at the door

OOC Time stop 2d10 → [7,7] = (14) DOUBLE plus 2d10 → [6,9] = (15) 29 total.

"Done. My power doesn't work so well on guys like... well us, actually. On more ordinary guys, like him? No problem. I can move fast enough to avoid getting clobbered and the testing at the mansion showed I can nearly lift a ton, but some of the guys we face might be bulletproof. Or tougher." He gave a nod towards Frostbite. He knew his limitations, and deferred to the most powerful member - and leader - of the group.

The heroes moved into the corridor and quickly moved to the end. The double doors to the large room stood closed, the camera above them inert thanks to Frostbot.

'The doors are locked electronically, and quite secure, being reinforced. That is, of course, not a problem.' said Frostbot.

The doors clicked unlocked near silently.

Impulse turned to Frostbite. "After you?"

Rebuff and Reflex stood some way back. Reflex whispered "My power has a reasonable range. Line of sight. When the door opens, I'll drain someone."

Rebuff looked uncertain, but added "I'll try to knock the biggest people aside."

OOC Any last minute changes before the attack? Do you want to go in via an alternate way (walls, ceiling etc). What plan do you have for Traveller? Any actions you want to take knowing what you know about a fellow with a case waiting near the roof?

Admin wrote:[color=#0066ff]Reflex whirls, Rebuff cries out, Impulse prepares to use his power... and Traveller stands there, human and corporeal, holding his hands up "Hey! It's me!"

Frostbite nodded to the other member of the team as he listened intently to the report. "If you're right then I wonder if this is intended as some sort of trap, perhaps to lure folk in and then set off some explosion or make some sort of political point. Ok stay with us until we get to the Ambassador and then take off for the rooftop. If anything kicks off up there you let me know, it may well be that we'll be at the wrong party."

Admin wrote:Impulse turned to Frostbite. "After you?"

Rebuff and Reflex stood some way back. Reflex whispered "My power has a reasonable range. Line of sight. When the door opens, I'll drain someone."

Rebuff looked uncertain, but added "I'll try to knock the biggest people aside."

OOC: Other than what I said to Traveller, no I think we'll go with sprinklers on, me icing everyone up - and for the time being trying to maintain a cordon of safety around the Ambassador and staff. However if that means icing them up to protect them from attacks, respiratory or otherwise then I won't hesitate.

So I'll disperse give the others a heads up and have Frostbot activate our counter measures and see what we can't throw into the mix.

Ugh Norovirus, dreadful, hope you feel better. Thanks for the reply and as eager as I am to get on with things, I'm more eager that you are well. Don't want you killing everyone off because your dehydrated and delirious after all ;-)

Sj

Frostbot activated the sprinkler system in the room, eliciting cries and squeals from the Ambassadors' staff.

Ghostlike, Frostbite moved through the door and raised his hands. He became solid (in order to use his power) and froze the water in the room. As he moved to do that he already saw there were four assumed to be superhumans in the room plus two conventional military type personnel in combat fatigues and body armour. They pulled their guns about and took aim at the hero.

Frostbite let out his icy chill, attempting to minimize it around the middle of the room where the hostages were gathered.

OOC Ice Mastery Roll 2d10 → [4,1] = (5)
Oh dear. After a run of decent rolls Invisible Castle coughs up a duffer...

Frostbite turned the room around him into a winter wonderland, including the astonished Ambassador and his staff! Their blue faces were coated in a fine crust of ice and Frostbite knew they'd only have a minute or so at best before the intense cold shut them down! Glancing at the bad guys he saw the two paramilitary types were struggling to move, and one had frozen bullets stuck to the barrel by a thin stick of ice!

The superhumans shrugged off the ice in their own way.

A tall man, in his middle six feet and built like a house, shook off the ice, shouted something in his foreign tongue and charged across the room at Frostbite! Another pulled up his arm to fire a beam of some kind, but cursed as the big man blocked his view! A woman raised her hands high and targeted Frostbite with... something.

The fourth was garbed in knights armour, and he pulled out a sword from a scabbard before striding across the slippery floor.

OOC You have:

Muscled Super Soldier charging at you

Energy blaster

Mysterious woman

Armoured Knight

Facing you. Your Ice Mastery (had it worked) would have had a chance of incapacitating the whole lot, but now they get a shot at you before your team get in there. This may sting a little.

The muscled charging man screamed a challenge before slipping and staggering over to Frostbite. His attack was blunted, but he took a swing anyway.

OOC 2d10 → [6,5] = (11) hit, just, after a modifier for the ice. Frostbite takes 4 damage from his Body (putting him on 6/10) but you can choose to absorb any/all of that.

The energy guy waits for his buddy to move and takes a shot. However if he missed, chances were he'd hit the big guy!

OOC 2d10 → [1,6] = (7) And thats a miss! Does he hit his friend? 2d10 → [10,9] = (19) Oh my word yes :S He inflicts 7 damage on his buddy leaving him on 6/13 Body.

"ARRRGGGH" cries the big man as his jacket is blasted from his back! With a shot that would have felled a tree the hapless kidnappers face drops as he realises his error!

The woman shakes her head, shouts something then attacks Frostbite...

OOC 2d10 → [6,10] = (16) Oh dear. Frostbite suffers from a SENSORY BLOCK. This nullifies all of his senses rendering him blind, deaf, unable to touch, taste or smell for (in this case) 1 hour (10APs) HOWEVER he can spend up to 8HP to reduce this to only 16 seconds (2RAPs). No damage was done, but the effect exceeded his mind score (8) meaning he is effected regardless of how many points he spends but he can at least reduce the time and the effect. At 2RAPs the effect is akin to being very drunk. At 10RAPs (the original result) it would be like having your head locked in an iron box to isolate you from the world. Your call.

The armoured knight makes his way over to Frostbite and utters something, then plunges his sword at the hapless hero!

OOC Attack roll 2d10 → [10,9] = (19) KABOOM! Or rather hisssss... A SPIRIT SWORD slices into Frostbites spiritual self, leaving no mark but an effect akin to that the Nazgul inflicted with their weapons in LOTR. Frostbite can reduce this with HP (using up to 7 points) He takes 9 Spirit damage which would reduce his Spirit to 0 (he's not trying to kill the hero) otherwise.

So, summary:

Frostbite takes 4 Body damage from the super soldier (putting him on 6/10 body) . He can absorb up to all of this with HP.

Super Soldier took 7 damage from his energy blasting team mate putting him on 6/13 Body

Witch Woman cast Sensory Block at our hero inflicting 10RAPs which is enough to ruin his day for an hour. He can reduce this time to 2RAPs (16 seconds) by spending 8HP

Spooky Knight chap inflicted 9 Spirit Damage on our hero which will put him down unless he absorbs at least 3 of those damage points. His Spirit score of 7 is pretty good but that roll really hurt.

Over to you, then your team mates get stuck in.

Admin wrote:So, summary:

Frostbite takes 4 Body damage from the super soldier (putting him on 6/10 body) . He can absorb up to all of this with HP.

Super Soldier took 7 damage from his energy blasting team mate putting him on 6/13 Body

Witch Woman cast Sensory Block at our hero inflicting 10RAPs which is enough to ruin his day for an hour. He can reduce this time to 2RAPs (16 seconds) by spending 8HP

Spooky Knight chap inflicted 9 Spirit Damage on our hero which will put him down unless he absorbs at least 3 of those damage points. His Spirit score of 7 is pretty good but that roll really hurt.

Over to you, then your team mates get stuck in.[/i][/color]

Blinded by the attack from the woman on him, Frostbite felt momentarily locked away within darkness, sound, sight and smell suddenly went and it felt frightening and small.  Digging deeper within him, he sought to throw off the mental attack, knowing that as things stood he was in a world of hurt if he didn't throw off the attack and quickly.

OOC: Normally I don't worry too much about disasters happening to Frostbite, lets face it his whole career has been staggering from one failure to another - its just HP that seems to get him through.  How he ever got this far is anyone guess.  But therefore if we've learned anything it's that you'd best not count him out just yet.

So lets spend HP to make sure that I am not counted out for all the attacks as necessary.  Oh when will I learn that I need to just automatically assume to spend HP, I might was well do that, like an auto +5 HP to attack or something everytime and then add to it as necessary.  I guess I was lulled into a false sense of security by the good dice rolls I've gotten recently.  Can we assume that the mental attack has also knocked out my connection to Frostbot?  If not can I use Frostbot to direct me as eyes and ears so that I can avoid the worst that can happen in the next 16 seconds, which in an SHrpg, is basically the end of a battle and my head on it, if not.

With me trying to soak up/mitigate damage, I need to make sure that the others aren't equally left blinded by my situation.  If I am not their to direct them they might panic and or freeze, no pun intended, so might need to get Frostbot to take over, at least in a rudimentary way.

Sj

FROSTBITE
HP 160

OOC Frostbite absorbs all of the points that he can. That means he's on Spirit 5/7 and deprived of his senses for 4 rounds, an eternity in combat. However, you said the right words...

"If not can I use Frostbot to direct me as eyes and ears so that I can avoid the worst that can happen in the next 16 seconds, which in an SHrpg, is basically the end of a battle and my head on it, if not."

Bingo.

Frostbite knew he only had one chance, and reached out to his computer alter ego...

'I thought you might make such a request, so have already linked into the cameras in this room. The link is tenuous. The security protocols are trying to override my access constantly. At some point everything will reboot, and I will be kicked from the system. Until then... I bring you vision...' said Frostbot.

Frostbot gasped as an overlay of the room appeared in his head. He was looking down on himself, at the Super Soldier looming near him, at the others who were in the room. That knight was perhaps the most dangerous. That sword could slice through any defence Frostbite put up. He could still feel its chill where it had entered his chest. Not a mark was left, but the cold was deeper than any even he could imagine.

Without a sense of hearing he couldn't be sure if his voice was coming out garbled, loud, or at all. Steadying himself with his lack of balance he turned in the direction of his team mates. Seeing their leader stricken, they reacted in different ways.

Traveller vanished!

Reflex reached out to drain the fellow with the scary looking sword...

OOC 2d10 → [4,4] = (8) DOUBLE.. that's useful. 2d10 → [1,8] = (9) 17, and she does 6RAPs damage.

The Knight cries out as Reflex drains his life force (Body 4/10) and now has the following stats for one minute:

Dex 8 Str 8 Body 8
Cling 5, Regeneration 5, Flight 6, Ultra Vision 6, Personal Force Field 5, Sealed Systems 5

She moves to stand slightly in front of Frostbite, using her own body as a shield. "If you want him, you'll have to get through ME!" she declares, hoping to sound more confident than she felt!

Rebuff considered running, but instead turned and thrust a hand out at the big fellow shouting "GET BACK!"

OOC 2d10 → [1,5] = (6) Oh dear.

The big fellow doesn't even move! Rebuff is horrified, and takes several steps back, fearful. "NO! How is it possible you... you..."

"Keep it together Michael" muttered Impulse as he used his power...

OOC Time Stop is a mental attack against EVERYONE in range of the character. Dex/Mind are the OV/RVs. Just a single roll determines the attack, and the effect is applied against everyone within range. The energy blaster is standing further away so suffers an attack from 7 Timestop instead of 9.

Roll 2d10 → [10,3] = (13)

Frostbite - suffers loss of 6RAPs. Reduces Dex and all AVs by 6 as well as movement.
Reflex - same, 6 RAPs loss
Rebuff - Suffers 8RAPs loss

Super Soldier - 4RAPs loss
Spectral Knight - 4RAPs loss
Witch Woman - 8RAPs loss
Phaser - 5RAPs loss

What does this mean? Well if you attack someone with a greater loss than you, you get an advantage as they are slowed more than you are. If you attack someone with less of a loss than you, you are slower than they are and suffer a penalty.

Example: Frostbite lost 6RAPs from his acting value and dexterity, effectively. He can still move, but its like moving through treacle. He attacks Super Soldier, who only lost 4 RAPs. Frostbite attacks with a penalty of -2 whereas Super Soldier retaliates with a bonus of +2, effectively, just because he's moving faster than Frosty. So, pick you target carefully!

Impulse called out "Sorry bout this boss, but you'd want it this way I guess!" and moved like a blur, with Frostbite barely able to track him on camera, towards the hostages. He intended to get them out, as many as was possible at any rate. Compared to everyone else in the room, he was moving so fast as to be almost invisible!

OOC Initiative check... 2d10 → [9,3] = (12) Good guys 9, Bad guys 3. Even with the loss of Dexterity Frostbite goes first before the bad guys (just) after Impulse has acted. He scoops up the Ambassador and his family (wife and son) and zips out of the room. Frostbite is suffering from sensory deprivation (all OV/RV increased by 2 for 3 more rounds including this and his own OV reduced by -2 Columns vs physical attacks) and is slowed by the Time Stop as well which reduces his acting value dependent on who he attacks. Think the scene from X men movie with Quicksilver and the difference being that some guards are stood sill and others are moving very very slowly. He's best off attacking someone who suffered a greater loss than he did which means Witch Woman basically. He can attack anyone he likes but he's firing blind even with frostbots help as while he can see in a fashion he's look at himself from above, camera being mounted in the ceiling... Confused? Yeah. Me too. That's superhero battles for ya.

Admin wrote:FROSTBITE
HP 160

Impulse called out "Sorry bout this boss, but you'd want it this way I guess!" and moved like a blur, with Frostbite barely able to track him on camera, towards the hostages. He intended to get them out, as many as was possible at any rate. Compared to everyone else in the room, he was moving so fast as to be almost invisible!

OOC Initiative check... 2d10 → [9,3] = (12) Good guys 9, Bad guys 3. Even with the loss of Dexterity Frostbite goes first before the bad guys (just) after Impulse has acted. He scoops up the Ambassador and his family (wife and son) and zips out of the room. Frostbite is suffering from sensory deprivation (all OV/RV increased by 2 for 3 more rounds including this and his own OV reduced by -2 Columns vs physical attacks) and is slowed by the Time Stop as well which reduces his acting value dependent on who he attacks. Think the scene from X men movie with Quicksilver and the difference being that some guards are stood sill and others are moving very very slowly. He's best off attacking someone who suffered a greater loss than he did which means Witch Woman basically. He can attack anyone he likes but he's firing blind even with frostbots help as while he can see in a fashion he's look at himself from above, camera being mounted in the ceiling... Confused? Yeah. Me too. That's superhero battles for ya.

Thankful for Frostbot's ability to circumvent his own limitations and remain cogent in the battle around him, Frostbite readed an attack on the woman, responsible for almost singlehandedly taking him out in one shot.

OOC: Ok go for an Energy Blast attack on the Witch, 5/5 HP on attack and effect as I don't want to miss and want to try and make sure I take her out before anything else happens.  I'll let Frostbot know what I am doing and as a result seek to get him to provide appropriate telemetry to help me make the shot as best as possible (that is me rationalising how the HP works to steady my shot despite the current conditions I'm facing) and try and take her out.  I'll also tell the team, to stay focused, I'll be ok but to remember what we're here to do.

Sj

With the minds eye image of the room in his brain, Frostbite levelled an arm and blasted out with an icy stream...

That missed, punching through the plaster and brick, before he moved it slightly to the left and towards the Witch, who was moving even slower than Frostbite was!

OOC 2d10 → [6,3] = (9) hit, and the following happens:

The icy blast thundered out, slicing through the air and crashing into the chest of the witch! She screamed, a noise cut off as she was engulfed in ice and fell back, a statue encased in steel hard ice! Frostbites control was such that the area around her face was perforated with tiny holes to make sure she could breathe, but it would be some time before it melted unless one of her team mates helped her. Even then, they'd have to revive the woman. Despite having a superhuman endurance the power that had laid her low was easily capable of overwhelming it, even if the wielder couldn't aim straight!

The Super Soldier stepped up to Reflex and took a swing at her!

OOC 2d10 → [1,8] = (9) Hit

Reflex ducks, barely, as a powerful fist scythes through the air and nearly connects. She was superhuman fast, strong and durable, but the man in front of her had power in his fists enough to powder stone! However, the man smiles, then follows with a backhand that catches Reflex across the face! It shatters her force field (which reforms instantly) and draws blood from her nose and mouth. She stands her ground though and narrowed her eyes...

Reflex snarled, the beast in her unleashed!

OOC And she swings back... 2d10 → [9,7] = (16) Hit, but because of being slowed she is not accurate enough to land a telling blow!

The big man is battered backwards a foot or two but he chuckles as he rubs his chin. In halting English he laughs "You are strong and fast woman, but not enough, I think!"

Rebuff, petrified after his previous failure, is on the edge of being reduced to a blubbering wreck! He thrust his hands out and shouted "BEGONE!" at the Super Soldier!

OOC Not likely to succeed without a double, and even then... 2d10 → [4,8] = (12)

Despite a valiant effort, nothing happens! Rebuff wails "What's h.. happening! I can't... I need to get out! OUT!"

He backs off, and Frostbite stifles a curse. On the camera vision in his mind he sees Rebuff stumble backwards and out of the room! Coward!

The Armoured Knight replies to Reflexes attack on him by slashing out with his sword!

OOC 2d10 → [5,7] = (12) Hit and Reflex takes 6 points of SPIRIT damage, leaving her on 1 point remaining!

With an audible sigh, Reflex finds herself run through by the deadly spirit blade which leaves no physical mark but a definite wound in her soul as though she had suffered some great loss that would be nigh impossible to recover from! Tears roll down her cheeks, mingling with the blood from the earlier strike, and she turns to Frostbite, saying something... which he cannot hear thanks to the effect on him!

And then the world came rushing back into Frostbites' head! Noise, sound, vision, smells, touch, taste even, as the Witch Womans effect wears off thanks to her immobilisation! He gasps, shudders, and suppresses a sob as blurs form into real people. He sees Reflex, staggering, barely able to stand with two foes standing over her. He sees the energy blaster across the room taking aim at him, and the ice encased Witch Woman.

He sees the terrified hostages, too frightened to move or even scream! He glances to see Rebuff stumbling into the corridor, confidence shattered.

Impulse then appears at the door. "Heybossyouwantmetotaketheseguyson?" he says in one quick fire burst of speech!

Then the Energy Blaster shoots at him from the other side of the room!

OOC And will need a reasonable roll, but its not beyond the bounds of his accuracy despite being slowed. 2d10 → [10,9] = (19) Oh. BOOM! 14RAPs damage plus knockback...IMPULSE IS OUT OF THE FIGHT

And just like that Impulse was punched from his feet through the wall behind where he stood, and smashed into the wall beyond that!

Reflex cried out, then looked at Frostbite. "B... Boss?" she mumbled through swollen lips...

Frostbite looked up, and saw he faced off against the three ruthless supers.

The Super Soldier laughed, and suddenly everyone 'sped up'. That meant impulse was out for the count... or worse...

OOC This had gone from bad to worse! Impulse has gotten the ambassador out of the room, plus his wife and son. The rest of the staff are stuck where they are for fear of being hit in the crossfire. The mercenaries with automatic weapons aren't sure whether to keep heads down or cover the hostages. Rebuff has been useless so far, Reflex has been battered, Impulse is out, and Frosty has just recovered his senses but faces off against three foes at least as powerful as he is! This is going down to the wire! 2d10 → [5 Heroes,2 Bad Guys] Frosty first, then bad guys, then his team (what's left of it). Over to you!

Admin wrote:Frostbite looked up, and saw he faced off against the three ruthless supers.

The Super Soldier laughed, and suddenly everyone 'sped up'. That meant impulse was out for the count... or worse...

OOC This had gone from bad to worse! Impulse has gotten the ambassador out of the room, plus his wife and son. The rest of the staff are stuck where they are for fear of being hit in the crossfire. The mercenaries with automatic weapons aren't sure whether to keep heads down or cover the hostages. Rebuff has been useless so far, Reflex has been battered, Impulse is out, and Frosty has just recovered his senses but faces off against three foes at least as powerful as he is! This is going down to the wire! 2d10 → [5 Heroes,2 Bad Guys] Frosty first, then bad guys, then his team (what's left of it). Over to you!

OOC: Oh sounds pretty normal for me, looks like Frostbite's noble ability with dice is being shared about his team. Sad to see them get such a kicking as I was hoping that they'd stand up to things better. At least see a round or two before being taken out. I need to end things quickly as I can't see this going well for anyone otherwise. So time for something drastic.

Frostbite felt suddenly tired, the team hadn't performed as he had hoped they were capable off. That wasn't there fault and in some senses perhaps he'd been too keen to get them out too soon. In truth there was nothing like battle field training for improvement, but perhaps the team simply wasn't sufficiently ready for that. And now there very lives and the remaining hostages were in dire need of help.

He didn't have time for witty lines or some come back to the three Meta humans, looking as if they'd cheerfully rip his head off. So instead he went for all he had left.

OOC: Since my energy blast, cold attack is so darn powerful, I am going to spend a ton of HP on attack and defence to improve the chances of taking out all three at once in area attack but only aimed at them. Spend whatever it will take in HP, so 20/20 or 50/50 whatever, can't loose the battle in any case and this is sort of make or break - or at least I hope this is. If there is anything else moving after this it might prove fatal after all. If Frostbot has an ideas I am open to them, but short of allowing them to capture me - assuming they'd contemplate any such move, its me having to go down in a blaze of icy glory or nothing, I fear.

Sj

Frostbite could see his inexperienced comrades were falling like skittles. Reflex had done him proud, Impulse had been useful, but Traveller and rebuff had been disappointing.

Travellers ability to turn into a ghost was all well and good, but his offensive capability was very limited. Rebuff? Well, the man didn't have it in him - yet. A first mission, hopefully not the last. The way Impulse had gone down though. Frostbite didn't have time to shudder. He took in his opponents, all closing in, then let loose!

OOC Ok multi attack on the three of them. 14 each on AV and EV (attack and damage). Normally I'd suggest a critical blow (harder to hit, do loads more damage) or devastating attack (even harder to hit, mega damage) but with your luck with the dice (hey, blame invisible castle, not me ) I'd suggest just hoping for a reasonable roll (i.e. not really garbage like less than 9) ans seeing what happens. When multi attacking you take the most powerful stats as opposing and resistance values of those you are attacking (so if attacking the Flash and Superman, use Flashs' Superspeed as the OV and Supermans Body as the RV) then stick a modifier on top to make it harder.

Roll 2d10 → [8,5] = (13) That's not a bad roll at all, so much so that...

FROSTBITE HP 122

Frostbite unleashed everything he had. The most powerful, searing energy bolts, too cold even to freeze the air, sent like missiles at his foes. He struck one, then another, and finally the energy blaster at the other side of the room.

All of a sudden, the fight was over. The mercenaries stepped out of cover, looked at the ice coated statues that had been their employers, and dropped their weapons. Reflex sagged to the floor, holding her nose to stop the bleeding and stifling a sob. Frostbite could hear Rebuff whimpering in the corner, and he looked out to see the man curled up into a foetal ball. He walked up to the nearest of superhumans and looked at him. Perfect hibernation, at least for an hour or so. After that? Well, hopefully he'd be someone elses problem.

'Frostbite' said Frostbot. 'I have detected a VTOL vessel has hovered over the building and is making its way across London even as we speak. The Royal Air Force are en route but their technology may be insufficient to stop the enemy craft. It is possible that this... abduction... was a diversion, and the real mission was to abscond with something.'

The hostages slowly realised that the ordeal was over, for now. They'd been taken en masse to this place and threatened with death, but now they'd been rescued. One of them stood. "The ambassador? Where is he?"

'Frostbite! I have scanned radio communication channels nearby, and you have three superhumans inbound to this location, closing... mach... very fast! They are on a direct intercept course!'

More? Frostbite groaned. His team was in no shape to take on more of these goons. Whatever was on their ship was making a getaway across London, and these guys needed putting on ice a little more permanently otherwise they'd be on their feet in an hour! And what of the Ambassador and his family? And Impulse?

The burden of leadership weighed heavy on Frostbite, such that he couldn't revel in the stunning victory he'd had against the odds.

OOC And with our 'changes to combat' will be changes to HP. I don't want to nerf any chance you have of taking guys down but I've been stacking things in the heroes favour by not spending HP for the bad guys (otherwise we'd REALLY be in the do do with regards slowing things down). Frostbite has enough on his plate right now though... Over to you.