The New Vanguard! Lionheart Issue #5 - The Mission, Part 3

Admin wrote:"Oy mate, what do ya think you're doin? I should call the cops!" said a passer by...

Lionheart looked about seeing to see if the machines had left trails, imprints, any signs even at a minute level of what had taken place here. It was starting to look desperate, such that the machines took the crates and hot footed over land to avoid capture. The danger Lionheart faced was if the dust soldiers should be awoken. He'd quickly have a fight, even he might struggle to contain.

OOC: I'll ignore the guy, and continue to scan for signs, if that fails I'll use Postcognition and try and see if I can work out what happened before I arrived. A direction of travel and what is going on here. Assuming I can find some more details, I will simply follow the trail as best as I can.

Sj

Lionheart ignored the fellow who started to get more annoyed and turned back tot he van.

His eyes started to glow.. and the man blanched, backing off "You... you're one o them!" he muttered "Like on the news!" It seemed that the public still harboured a measure of distrust in this timeline after what had gone on a few years ago. He figured he really needed to 'catch up' with history beyond the now in order to make it feel like he belonged here. He guessed all of the team did.

Concentrate! Focus... the power.

OOC Power reserve into Postcognition. Roll(2d10)+0: 1,1,+0 Total:2 ha, no problems there. Postcognition boosted from 4 to 12. Lionheart touches the van and guess he needs to look around 1/2 an hour into the past, or so. TN11+OV9 (TN20) Roll(2d10)+0: 5,4,+12 Total:21. EV12+1 vs RV9=4RAPs

Lionheart looked at the van. It seemed fuzzy, blurred. He ignored the background of people going about their business, ignoring the fellow as he climbed from the drivers side of the van and to the back. The image flickered. The van door opened, the fellow taking the crate out and turning to... Lionheart turned.

The building was nondescript, across the street. A three storey square ugly office block type place? He walked across the street and blinked off the image of the postcognitive flash in order to avoid a car coming down the street. At the doorway there were a series of buzzers and small signs next to them. 'Archangel Distribution' stood out. Some kind of front? Hide the stuff in plain sight? The crate had been taken in there a short while ago. The door was locked. He looked up. The windows were barred and blacked out on the third floor. He looked around. Plenty of people on the street and going about their business. Plenty of potential casualties in other words...

Admin wrote:Plenty of potential casualties in other words...

"Hmm I wonder..."

Lionheart realised he was out of the danger zone regarding his equipment but didn't know if Wandafar's bomb had fried the circuits. He tried Agent X. He thought that the best thing he could do was to try and get the place locked down, surround it and attempt to go in with the street was blocked off and the minimum of harm could be caused. If this time period had a healthy suspicion of supers, it wasn't without a reason. He need not add to that if he could avoid it. He just had to hope he could avoid it...

OOC: Ok so if I can get through to Agent X get some of his boys and girls down here to shut off the street, cut the power and otherwise make sure my going in means the minimum of harm to genpub, then that would be great. Of course if I can't get through or he can't help me then we're back to square one. Which I think in this instance means me looking over the building and making an entrance where its least expected so as to counter the obvious traps and surprises awaiting someone coming in through the usual portals of entry. Please assume I take all necessary precautions, I realise the Executor is clever and unscrupulous in his dealings, so won't skimp on his plans. So there is ever reason to use my powers, as best I can to discern what I can before jumping in with both feet.

Sj

Lionheart tried Agent X... and managed to get through!

"Wondered when I'd hear from you! How goes the battle against the..." started Agent X. He quietened as Lionheart explained what was going on. "Evacuate a village, chop the power, surround the place and move in. Hmmm. I'll need to make a few calls. If you hear police sirens and they turn up, quote SOE46 to them and tell them to radio it in. The date the Special Operations Executive was dissolved was the date the British Government started to form alternatives. DICE was one. From the adhes of that, we and others grew. We'll sort this out. We've already cordoned off the other place. That was quite the bomb you used. Would like to get my hands on another if you can..."

Lionheart heard the phone click off and sirens started wailing in the distance. Police arrived in vans and cars and used loud hailers to get people to return to their homes because of a potential gas leak.

One came up to Lionheart, a sergeant from the looks. "Sir, you'll need to return to your home or leave the area. We are cordoning off this entire..."

"SOE46"

The sergeant stopped, then raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"

"Radio it in."

The policeman looked puzzled and was about to object when he saw the look on Lionhearts face. "Alright... I suppose I'll humour you. Control, Sergeant Collins at the scene. SOE46. I was told to quote that."

There was silence, and the Sergeant shook his head "Sir, you need to..."

"This is control. Afford the agent full access and they are not to be impeded. Home Office Order 17a protocol."

The Sergeant paled, nodded and glanced at Lionheart. "This is your show sir. We'll be a while moving the civilians out of the area."

=========

Lionheart watched the building from the other side of the street but could see the police were efficient at clearing the area.

The sergeant came back and spoke into his radio, nodding at the reply. "Power is cut. Civilians clear for five streets. I've been told that there are some 'Home Office types' on their way via helicopter. You... waiting for them or going in? What exactly are we dealing with? There are firearms and bomb squads on the way too. What do I tell my people?"

He could tell the local beat cop was a little out of his depth but somewhat excited about being involved in 'Spook' type stuff, even if the powers involved made what he and his colleagues do seem somewhat redundant.

Admin wrote:"What do I tell my people?"

He could tell the local beat cop was a little out of his depth but somewhat excited about being involved in 'Spook' type stuff, even if the powers involved made what he and his colleagues do seem somewhat redundant.

Lionheart looked at the man, as if for the first time. Truth was his attention had been on the building for sometime, wondering what if anything was going on. And indeed how many precautions had been taken to guard against any eventuality, especially from a super, like him.

"Tell them to stand clear, this might get ugly, and I don't want to see anyone not get home to a loved one tonight."

One minute the man was talking to Lionheart and the next he was gone in a blur. Lionheart took off at super speed, checking the building from all sides, before also flying up above and take a good look at the roof. The he widened his search taking a look at the buildings, the road and the area around. He noted junction boxed, telegraph polls, manhole covers and indeed anything else that might be 'innocent looking' but in fact a clue to what else is going on in the building. But truth was, even if he gained any clues, he knew he wasn't going to learn much before going in.

Building up speed, making sure his force field was secure and enhancing his strength, Lionheart looked for a point of entry that seemed best and went for it. He hated the element of showmanship that this whole stunt looked to have, but he wasn't doing it to look good, but to save lives. Flashy it might look, but if flashy was what was needed he'd have it in spades to break this plan wide open. The Executor had made this far more personal. Going after Tim in the first place, then Wartiger, now he had a army to do who knew what. Lionheart had to stop this tin pot manic before his plans got anyone else killed.

OOC: Ok the only place I've not checked was underground, if there was a way to do that, then I'll take that option, might as well. Then I make my entry point either from what looks most practical, a space along from the main door, or back door, but not just either side of it, or from the roof or sewer if either proves to be the most appropriate. I am using my heightened sense to gain clues, noises, distinct smells, sights that might give away something about what is going on here. Assume HP where necessary. And the let's see if we can commit breaking an entry without falling flat on my face.

Sj

Lionheart looked about... ordinary building from above, sloped roof, windows barred and painted black on the inside to deter people looking in at the back...

No barrier to him!

He powered up his force field, becoming impervious to even the mightiest battleship howitzer or anything less, and surged towards the window!

THUNK!

Something barred his progress! the bars flattened against something, the glass shattered, but the hero didn't smash through into the room behind! What the...? He used his senses, then placed a hand on the the opening. Force field. What in the world was IN that box? That black dust... somehow it must have been components of machinery, people, vehicles, weapons... shrunken to the size of a grain of sand or smaller! And now the 'man in the van' had somehow started using it... He needed to get into that room, and fast! However this force field was an impressive thing - it'd taken one of his 'tender taps' and shrugged it off!

OOC Any ideas how you want to get in? Karate chop at 1,000,000 blows per second, super strength, or look for another way in?

Admin wrote:OOC Any ideas how you want to get in? Karate chop at 1,000,000 blows per second, super strength, or look for another way in?

Though on one level the idea of the building being contained by a force field that kept things in, appealed to Lionheart. Nonetheless it also gave those inside time to get out prepared. Something, if there was an army assembling in there, he could not allow. He began to look again for any weak spots, failing that super speed and his martial arts skills might overwhelm the forcefield before it had chance to recover. After all, one could hope that it had been assembled in haste. Then again, with the Executor it was always good, as he just experienced, to expect the unexpected.

OOC: Hmm once again I got caught out. Right so lets break in anyway we can, looking via super senses or Danger Sense for a way in. Use HP if needed, if that fails then death by a 1000 karate chops I guess. Again using HP if needed.

Sj

Lionheart scoured the outside of the place at super speed.

By tearing bricks away or peeling the roof up, he could tell that the field appeared to form itself around existing structures. Truly remarkable technology. Whatever was inside the field was effectively slowed as if 'under water' but anything outside the field was presented with a a kinetic energy sapping force field.

Lionheart knew about force fields though. Most worked by projecting energy at the point of impact to give an equal and opposite reaction to an incoming attack. They could be overwhelmed by too much incoming energy. He set to work with thousands of karate chops!

OOC Using 13HP for two extra dice... Roll(4d10)+0: 7,4,5,5,+0 Total:10 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 8,4,+10 Total:22 + Effect Value 22 (44) vs TN26. +6 Effect (up to 28) vs Force Field 15 = 13 damage. Close! But no cigar!

Lionheart pounded away for all he was worth and nearly, NEARLY collapsed the field, causing it to bow inwards spectacularly! He knew it would regenerate and he would need to redouble his efforts unless the energy source ran out first!

LIONHEART HP 96

Did he try again, or wait to see what happened next? Clearly his attack must have had some effect! The power had been cut from the area, so that meant... Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

The sound of something deactivating made him prick up his ears! The field was still activated... but something else inside had ceased working! He'd gotten their attention!

Admin wrote:The sound of something deactivating made him prick up his ears! The field was still activated... but something else inside had ceased working! He'd gotten their attention!

Lionheart didn't like to wait and become a sitting duck, he'd given it his best shot and it hadn't been enough. Trying again might only leave him open to attack at the point he broke through. No it would be far more sensible not to wait for whatever nasty surprise was about to happen, and instead focus on what he could do. Which, in point of fact wasn't a lot, save clear back to a safe distance and await developments.

OOC: Tapped out of ideas here, since I couldn't break in and the force field was all around, seems pointless to have another go - esp if I don't get enough points to break in and if I did at what cost? No idea what weapon could be trained on me at the point that I broke through and got zapped. So I am thinking it would be better for Lionheart to hang back and take on whatever is going on there. That or wait for some sort of back up, because I could do with being a bit fresher to deal with this.

Sj

Lionheart moved back some to get a look from another roof.

The place went quiet. He looked down at the street. Bystanders were watching from a safe distance, and the police were making sure no one got nearer. The sound of distant sirens suggested the place was about to get a whole lot busier. Just then he heard the smash of windows and barrels jut out!

The force field was down! But there must have been... twenty barrels poking from windows!

Admin wrote:Lionheart moved back some to get a look from another roof.

The place went quiet. He looked down at the street. Bystanders were watching from a safe distance, and the police were making sure no one got nearer. The sound of distant sirens suggested the place was about to get a whole lot busier. Just then he heard the smash of windows and barrels jut out!

The force field was down! But there must have been... twenty barrels poking from windows!

This was the moment Lionheart had been waiting for, but also dreading. He assumed the barrels were attached to guns of some sort and that like some sort of legendary Western or ancient siege this would be a desperate attempt to cover an escape or battle to the death. Death was what he was hoping to avoid, his own and that of the many emergency services converging here. Rushing forward, forcefield full on, he leapt toward the barrel of the gun through the window - enlarging it if need be.

He wasn't sure what he'd find but was prepared to try and stop this before it had started, at least he hoped that is what superspeed would help him do, against the possible numbers he faced.

OOC: Ok so I was thinking that since the Barrels would have knocked out the grating and window glass that I could grab that and stuff it in the nearest gun. If that is a possibility to jam it up, so be it. But in truth I thought wasting time doing that when I needed to get inside and stop this at the source, would be far more effective. So once in, I am hoping that there will be a easier way to stop them all, than stuffing up each barrel individually. However we'll see...but my main aim at this stage is to render these inoperative asap.

Sj

Lionheart raced towards the nearest window as the barrels/guns opened fire!

Screams issued forth as he plunged inwards... into a large open plan bare office space with what... fifty or more black clad troopers in body armour and handing out weapons from a central point where a machine had been set up!

The guards started to react instantly, though of course they moved in slow motion compared to Lionheart!

The machine... a circular pad about 10 feet across, with three arms coming from the base and up then curling over to point what appeared to be lasers in the centre of the pad. There a mound of black dust had been gathered, presumably to transform, or grow, into more troops and weapons!

First before he could get to that and deactivate it, there was the small matter of twenty energy weapons turning on him and about to be fired!

OOC Lionheart wins initiative. You can go for all fifty targets if you like but I won't pretend it will be easy. Your martial arts gives a mountain of dice free if you plough into superspeed as expected... Or you might wish to disable the machine... or somehow use it to shrink down and find out where this lot are coming from! Anyway over to you...

Admin wrote:First before he could get to that and deactivate it, there was the small matter of twenty energy weapons turning on him and about to be fired!

OOC Lionheart wins initiative. You can go for all fifty targets if you like but I won't pretend it will be easy. Your martial arts gives a mountain of dice free if you plough into superspeed as expected... Or you might wish to disable the machine... or somehow use it to shrink down and find out where this lot are coming from! Anyway over to you...

OOC: Hate to say it, however sounds like a normal day at the office for Lionheart! ;-)

Lionheart stood where he was for a moment taking in the scene. He knew he could take on the soldiers, but hoped he might be able to better employ their efforts to aid him own.

OOC: So I am hoping that I can wait till the moment just before they fire and dodge out of the way, hoping that their combined fire hits something behind me they didn't want to hit. And then move toward the thing in the middle and grabbing one of the arms start swinging it around as a weapon to hit them as best I can. Or at least destroy the thing if not.

If however the don't fire, then I guess I'd best try and goad them into doing so, even if I jump over them or run through and grab the device and start hitting out at them with it. Consider this a good use of HP as needed.

Sj

OOC They 'team attack' against Lionheart, but he's dodging (no attack this round) using Acrobatics (22) with 7 (SEVEN) bonus dice to roll instead of the one normally allowed for dodging.

First, power reserve into superspeed (6 points up to 14)... Roll(2d10)+0: 4,9,+0 Total:13 Almost high enough, but not quite, so no problem there.

Next, the dodge roll, instead of the usual target number 11+Modifiers you roll it and use that (whatever it comes out at) instead. So 9 dice to roll, 90% chance of a double...

Roll (9d10)+0: 8,6,10,2,1,4,4,1,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 8,10,+16 Total:34 plus Dex 22... TN56

Let's face it, even with a mega roll it's not likely.

Not everyone can shoot at Lionheart - they get in each others way. So a dozen shots, and he's actually trying to make himself a target which makes it easier for them too. The modifier is -8 to the target number for the team attack and another -2 for the trick he's trying to pull off. TN is now 'only' 46. Heh.

I assume that the thing LH wants them to hit is the crate with the 'dust' in which is being enlarged to produce all these artificial people and weapons. Destroy that and that just leaves these to take care of, instead of an army of thousands...

Twelve rolls...

Roll(2d10)+0: 3,1,+0 Total:4 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 1,6,+0 Total:7 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 10,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 7,7,+20 Total:34 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 10,3,+34 Total:47 plus Dex 7=54. HIT +4 Effect. Weapon Damage is 8APs for the lasers they are using, +4 for effect... no damage against 16RV.

Roll(2d10)+0: 5,10,+0 Total:15 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 5,10,+0 Total:15 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 6,8,+0 Total:14 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 8,6,+0 Total:14 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 7,3,+0 Total:10 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 8,3,+0 Total:11 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 3,5,+0 Total:8 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 7,3,+0 Total:10 MISS

Roll(2d10)+0: 8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 7,6,+16 Total:29 MISS

Lionheart winced as one of the blasts caught him on the shoulder but he needn't have worried.

His force field stopped it. Even so, he'd been struck whilst moving at full speed. a A more powerful attack might have... best not to think about that!

One of the soldiers shouted out "No! You fools! Look what you've..."

Another blurted "You think you're so clever..." Lionheart risked a glance to where the crate was. It was all shot up, smoking and ruined. A number of the soldiers in the room were staggering, some with smoudlering holes in them!

Yet another voice sounded from somewhere in the room. "I needed my eyes opening, and now they are, I am treated as a god here, 'hero', a GOD! Here I was just a joke, a boy playing hero with his toys. The man who killed my body ultimately did the best thing that could ever happen to me! You will not..."

"...ruin my plans!" said another synthetic warrior. "You have no idea of the scope, the size, the plans and the ambition of the Empire I now serve! Every day, ..."

The voice switches again "... they churn out millions more troops ready to do my bidding! They have conquered countless worlds, galaxies beyond number, and now they see Earth as a gateway to a new Universe fit for conquering! Every setback...

Switch.

"...is temporary at best, a glitch, a blip. I know now what I need to beat you. Any last words, Lionheart?"

Admin wrote:OOC As a side note am really pleased with how the system is running combat - so fast and easy to resolve without having to look up tables (well, save the one I concocted). It's not perfect and I will refine it, but for me turning out multiple attacks like this is a cinch. Toying with the idea of using D12s instead of D10s to reduce the number of doubles, but for now will remain as is.

"Tim! Is that you...behind all these real soldiers. I can see how the idea would appeal. But in leaving behind your body, you've left your senses man. I know first hand that anyone who wants to conquer the earth, can't have any bodies well being in mind, save their own. Would you betray your own kind for a heartless, hollow dream of power? You'd be the puppet on a string, you'd be the doll doing a jig to your master's call. Come on Tim, you're better than that, better than all of this. Think of the good your team could do in wars disposing bombs, helping victims of earthquakes, you'd not only be a hero, you'd be recognised for something far greater and far more lasting. Build with your gifts, don't tear things down."

Lionheart realised that his 'speech' such as it was, was hardly likely to do more than perhap antagonise Tim, whom he thought sounded on the verge of some sort of mania or madness. Loosing his body seemed to lose his sense of reality. A plastic being with no heart, just perhaps cold calculating drive. The trouble was, where was he, and how could he locate and indeed the source of all these miniature soldiers. It seemed that either Lionheart had been fighting a war on two fronts, or perhaps one war with one enemy hell bent in going from small time to big time, literally. But he wasn't sure as to what to do to get to, Tim. If his consciousness inhabited a plastic being, he could be in any and all of these soldiers. How on earth could he shut this down, stop this madness before it got any further out of hand.

OOC: no last requests since there isn't likely to be much in the way or reasoning with Tim, unless its to see him one last time. If I can get him into one body, maybe with a big enough roll I can stun his mind into unconsciousness and take him out. Put him on ice and he'd never be able to rouse this army. So maybe that is it. I request an audience with Tim, to come to me so I can say farewell to the man whom Lionheart thought enough of to try and save, risking Wartiger and everything.

Sj

Lionhearts danger sense was already telling him he was in danger, now it was screaming at him!

"What you fail to understand, my 'friend', is that I have NO life on Earth now. None! I inhabit mannequins, toys! Executor sees things. He saw me as a foolish middle aged man living off past glories when he killed me, and he was right. He told me of a different way, a way to get real power. Now? Now I have it. As you will find out. Goodbye."

OOC you have 1 round to act, you are surrounded by gun toting synthetic assassins... then something is going to happen. Your danger sense (Roll(2d10)+0: 9,4,+0 Total:13) tells you that you are in grave danger...

Admin wrote:Lionhearts danger sense was already telling him he was in danger, now it was screaming at him!

"What you fail to understand, my 'friend', is that I have NO life on Earth now. None! I inhabit mannequins, toys! Executor sees things. He saw me as a foolish middle aged man living off past glories when he killed me, and he was right. He told me of a different way, a way to get real power. Now? Now I have it. As you will find out. Goodbye."

OOC you have 1 round to act, you are surrounded by gun toting synthetic assassins... then something is going to happen. Your danger sense (Roll(2d10)+0: 9,4,+0 Total:13) tells you that you are in grave danger...

Oh brother, Lionheart inwardly sighed. Not only had Timmy lost all touch with humanity, not least his own, but now Lionheart had a fight on two fronts. Chances where whoever was backing Timmy now had resources that were unmatched. Therefore the whole site was expendable. Lionheart decided it was time to cut his losses and get out of there as quick possible. Leaping straight up, he blasted through the roof. Not point in being subtle about it.

OOC: Oh boy I am all at sea here. I am not sure what and where this is going but it doesn't sound good. With unlimited resources, and unlimited space Timmy now has a potential army the like of which cannot be stopped. And to make things worse, like Ultron, his consciousness could reside anywhere. If we don't stop him, he can simply keep returning. I was hoping that an appeal to some part of his humanity might work. But like so many people, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Anyway once I get out I am going to suggest that people pull back, either this place will explode now we've stopped the enlargement ray, or they will make one last stand. In either case, more room affords me more options.

Sj

Getting out of there was the RIGHT thing to do, Lionheart decided, as he heard the first synthetic soldier detonate only milliseconds after he'd smashed his way through the roof, flying upwards at speed!

As the others started to go off, he shouted "MOVE MOVE! RUN! GO!" as explosions began to blossom outwards, completely destroying the building the synthetic army had been in and throwing debris outwards in every direction! Using his immense speed Lionheart deflected or stopped outright a number of large chunks of concrete and brickwork.

The explosion subsided and he turned, floating in the sky to look down at the crater which now occupied the space of the building and several shops nearby. The explosion had been fairly well contained in the building, and there was little in the way of fire, more from a burst gas main than anything else. Plastic explosive? These synthetic soldiers were made out of a substance resembling C4 or Semtex. They possessed an advanced Cpu for a mind and a body as tough as carbon fibre. Not much challenge for him, one on one, but in the numbers that they were clearly able to summon...

Lionheart landed as the police staggered to their feet having been knocked over from the blast. He helped several up and heard more sirens as what appeared to be blacked out Mercedes Vans turned up. From those came suited men in bowler hats and dark glasses, all around the same height and build and with a professional manner that meant only one thing.

"Lionheart." said Agent X as he walked past the new cordon where even the police were being herded away, under protest.

He looked upon the fire and heard Lionhearts report before pausing.

Lionheart glanced over, X glanced back. "We're in trouble. They target our PSI branch, effectively blinding us whilst gathering their forces. Who knows how many more of these things are out there? The good thing is that we picked up some unusual energy signatures all the while you were here. Whatever technology they use to enlarge that dust into an army can be detected and tracked, even if we don't know what it is or even what to call it yet. It sends some of our long range sensors haywire and we know what's causing it now. That's the good news."

"The bad is that we have another problem. A race of sentient locust like creatures has attacked the UKChampions in London. Our contact there says a friend of yours, Frostbite, was helping them and then took off all of a sudden. They could do with a hand but you might want to check in with your friend. I will contact you via the headset when we've gone over the place with a fine tooth comb. Be careful out there - with Adjutant out of the way, you're the next best option we have."

Lionheart considered. He'd been asked to visit the UKChampions HQ in London, but what was that about Frostbite? He looked back at the smoking ruin of the building. This was going to get worse before it got better...

Admin wrote:

Lionheart considered. He'd been asked to visit the UKChampions HQ in London, but what was that about Frostbite? He looked back at the smoking ruin of the building. This was going to get worse before it got better...

With no future, so to speak off, the team had become his family. They were all orphans left adrift in time with only one another to stand together with. If someone in what for Lionheart was the closest thing he had to a friend, was in danger, he was one to stand around.

After a curt nod toward Agent X and at the Police and emergency services for their efforts, he took off leaving a dust fortex in his wake as he speed faster than eyes could track toward the base. Justin St John's family home. As he went, he played back in his minds eye the things Agent X had said, Charlie Hammond had been left at the mansion along with the new recruits Frostbite had somehow rescued. Lionheart made a mental note that with all the things going on, he Frostbite and the others probably ought to do some catching up at some point. But in the meantime he needed to find out what was going down before he looked in on the UKchampions and what this whole, "Locust thing" was about.

OOC: Although Lionheart has no idea what has been going on, I can see now in the absence of Frostbite, a crossing over of story lines. As always very smart and very sneaky, Paul. But I heartily approve. In anycase in the meantime it would be good to find out what Frostbite and the others have been up to and follow up the leads that Frostbite had to leave dangling as fortune or circumstance demanded that Frostbite finish what Lionheart had started. So best speed to the mansion and investigate...and assuming I can get the skinny on what is going on, with no other means to shrink down, Lionheart will have no choice to presumably to follow up the safe house link with the others.

Sj

The mansion was in 'lock down' Lionheart figured as soon as he skidded to a halt in front of the mansion.

Jethro the butler appeared almost instantly.

"Ah, Master Lionheart. I regret to inform that there has been an... incident..."

Lionheart looked around to see dozens of other 'Jethros' clearing up debris and digging up soil in the ground to smooth over craters and potholes. Jethro went on to explain... "Wandafar was investigating the 'dust' you brought back when it appeared to react to some outside stimulus and the mansion was attacked by swarms of soldiers. the automated defences took some down, but their goal was no outright destruction, rather to seize on a target and shrink down with that target. Why, I cannot ascertain, but there are no living beings currently residing within the mansions walls, unfortunately. What made it more complex was the presence of another group that opposed the first, but also taking the opportunity to kidnap the team, who were taken by surprise."

"Some of them were able to put up a fight, but alas only a touch was required by these attackers to abscond with the team."

Lionheart looked at the mansion and stifled a curse. If he'd been here...

"Master Frostbite was working on a case with the UKChampions involving an invasion force of a different kind who sought the Lady Professor he recently rescued. She, too, has been taken."

What a mess. At least these aliens would have no way of tracking down Professor Koshelvik. He hoped.

How to rescue the team?

Jethro spoke up again. "This address" he handed over a post it note with a London address on "...housed an old safehouse used by members of the Executive superhuman team including Wandafar. He had made arrangements only a few hours before for one of his devices to be delivered there. That, I believe, would be the key to tracking down the team. Unfortunately it requires a power source..."

White Dwarf Star material. Again. Lionheart knew where he could get some... but the probability of causing an international incident was near 100% He could feel a headache coming on.

"Until the Mansion finishes its sweep and lockdown procedures, it is not safe to enter sir. In the process hundreds of my holographic selves are making good of the place. It shall be as if no battle took place. Alas were that true for Ms Stowe and the others."

Lionheart looked the place over. Nothing here for him. The UKChampions might want a hand, and might be able to help him if they had good influence with the Americans. In addition they knew about these 'Locust Men', the case Frosty was working on. His priority was to help his friends, but not if in doing so he neglected the protection of the country and allowed these insectoids to run riot! In addition these forces under Timmys control... He looked about. They could strike anywhere, any time...

Admin wrote:Lionheart looked the place over. Nothing here for him. The UKChampions might want a hand, and might be able to help him if they had good influence with the Americans. In addition they knew about these 'Locust Men', the case Frosty was working on. His priority was to help his friends, but not if in doing so he neglected the protection of the country and allowed these insectoids to run riot! In addition these forces under Timmys control... He looked about. They could strike anywhere, any time...

OOC: Can I get a clarification Paul, the way this reads it sounds as if not only Wandafar but perhaps a good number of the team have also been shrunk and kidnapped. I was working up until now that the rest of the team got to the safe house?

Lionheart gave a curt nod toward Jethro adding, "keep me informed on the secure coms line of any developments. I am going to check out this address, get the weapon and then check in with the UK champions, see if they can't help me if I help them."

And with that Lionheart took off into the air, gaining speed and distance as he flew in a long graceful ark toward the safe house listed by Jethro.

Sj

OOC yeah, sorry if it wasn't clear. Anyone living in the mansion (including Professor Powers grandson - Charlie Hammond - and Professor Koshelvik the plant/alien woman, Catherine Stowe, Mary, all of the team and Wandafar...) has been taken by the invaders... or possibly the other, third party, that joined in the battle. The only thing at the safe house is the spare full size reusable shrinking machine/platform unlike the one shot (now useless) gun Frostbite used to go into the microverse.

Lionheart sped through the sky towards the city of London.

Someone had invaded the mansion, a place so secure even Lionheart would struggle to get near, taken all of the team after what seemed like a short battle, then just... gone! Like Nowhere Man and Timmy Jones, and the villain of the piece, Executor.

Even given the fact that many of the new team of Vanguardians were raw recruits and not much good in a fight he'd expected to have found they'd given a better showing than they had done. That said, they'd had a rough few days and being caught completely by surprise... well, it seemed that wherever they were right now, they would have to toughen up fast or perish!

Soaring through the canyons of tall buildings, Lionheart saw a costumed woman looking down on the streets, her dark red costume doing a decent job of blending in with the evening shadows. She looked up and saw Lionheart, which shouldn't have been possible given his speed and the fact he was being discreet, but she'd known he was there. A super then.

As he glanced to where the woman was looking, Lionheart saw something unusual. A diplomatic plated car with police escort front and back, was held up in traffic and despite the polices' efforts, it seemed that a broken down truck was blocking the path, and with traffic backing up behind, the car in the middle had nowhere to go but wait.

Still, he needed to get to the flat to see about this device Wandafar had secreted there. Plus he needed more White Dwarf star material, and he knew of only one place on Earth to get it... (America)

Admin wrote:Still, he needed to get to the flat to see about this device Wandafar had secreted there. Plus he needed more White Dwarf star material, and he knew of only one place on Earth to get it... (America)

He let his mind drift forward, such an escort. Police cars and diplomatic car and yet they get stopped by a broken down truck. What are the chances...and then on top of this a super just happens to be casting a wary eye over the whole scene. Flat or no Flat, this looked about as fishy as could be. The scene stank of something, and Lionheart wasn't a psi cop if it didn't look like a setup of some sort. But for whom, and by whom? Taking in the scene, Lionheart cast another weary eye at the Super standing guard. Who where they? And where they friend or foe?

OOC: Thanks for the clarity. Right then whilst keeping an eye on the super standing guard and trying to get some idea of what is going on here, I'll keep an eye out for what I think is going to be an inevitable attack. But just to be on the safe side, I am looking out for the unusual, like someone borrowing up from underneath the car to steal whoever's in there whilst from the outside all looks normal etc.

Sj

Lionheart gazed upon the scene. The woman appeared to rising slowly to a ready position from her crouch...

He glanced at the scene below. The driver and what looked to be a bodyguard were getting out of the car. The bodyguard stayed put, looking about, whilst the driver walked up to have words with the driver of the broken down truck...

Which sprung open at the back as a door raised and four dark blue clad individuals - two men, a woman and what can only be described as a human/hippo hybrid, gaping maw bellowing a challenge!

The bodyguard raised his gun to fire, people nearby started screaming and running for cover, and the woman in red leaped off the roof, dropping like a stone from 10 storeys!

OOC Which is all very nice, but if Lionheart wants in on the action, he goes first....