The NEW Vanguard! FROSTBITE ISSUE #12 "Something bad this way comes."

Crystal Queen looked uncomfortable about leaving Frostbite and Battlebug but was in no shape to fight.

Bloodhound scowled then glanced at the trembling heroine and the stricken Shamrock then nodded. "No unnecessary risks. I'll send people back here." He nods then scoops Shamrock up, turning to Crystal Queen and waits for a hole to appear in the ice.

It does so with Frostbites command then he turns to his team mate and protege.

Battlebug pulled his helmet/mask off and adjusted it. "I think if we take down the two that nailed us, the others are pretty easy." he said, settling it back in place. "If we can't find them, or they get us first..."

Frostbite nodded. He didn't need to be told about the searing power he and the youngster had been battered by.

Catherine came in over the comms again. "Can't set down too close to you in case they Skrrrzzz. Geez you made a mess down there Frosty. That's a LOT of skrzzzz."

OOC initiative...



Bloodhound carries Shamrock and more or less pushes/drags Crystal Queen on her shaky legs, hissing for her to 'move it' and 'do you want them to get you again' in the manner of a soldier.

Frostbite loosened the ice with a wave, cracking it up and it started to tremble, shake as the mass of it pressed down! "Ready?" he hissed to Battlebug.

"Born Ready." replied the youngster. "How come in the movies when they say that it sounds more convincing? My teeth are chattering and I don't even feel the cold... let's do it!"

=========

Bonbon looked about. He saw the claws of Crushclaw and pulled him out of the broken ice.

"Thanks. That jerk with the blue chest isn't to be messed with." muttered Crushclaw.

"Bah! Wait till I get my hands on him!" he said, popping his knuckles. "And that kid. Those others went down too easy! Just cause he..."

Rrrrrrruuuuummmmbbblllleeee

The ice started to shift, break up... then it exploded upwards and outwards!

Battlebug leapt from the ice and slipped, steadied himself on a large sloped shard of it. He glanced about, saw the two villains and leapt at them!

Bonbon laughed "That's it kid... come ta poppa...uhhhh!"

OOC Go for broke +4/-6 Adren Surge 24 + accuracy 4d + Roll(6d12)+0: 5,2,5,11,11,6,+0 Total:22 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 9,2,+0 Total:49 (73) vs
Highest OV8 + Multi 4 + Go for broke 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 3,11,+0 Total:30 (46)
+7 (to 31) vs Highest RV8 + multi 4 - Go for broke 6 (RV6)=25 RAPs

Dex boosts to 33 (34) Str to 31 (32) Power Reserve to 33 (31) split between Kinetic (16 to 20) and Energy Absorption (15 to 20)

Dev Attack Multi on 2 Dex 34 + 2D M Arts (2D Acro) + Roll(4d12)+0: 5,5,5,2,+0 Total:10 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 9,4,+0 Total:23 (57) vs
Highest OV 11 + 1D Acro (2d M arts Bonbon) + Multi 4 + Dev Attack 8 + Roll(3d12)+0: 2,11,1,+0 Total:13 (38)
+6 (to 38) vs Highest RV22 + Multi 2 - Dev Attack 12 (Rv12)=26 RAPs.

Bonbon's Kinetic Absorption is overwhelmed!

Both take 26RAPs damage and are DOWN and OUT!

Frostbite sees his young companion leap from the ice, regain his balance - somehow - on a large jutting shard and leap from that to deliver a punch to Bondon and a kick to Crushclaw, his movement a blur and the results... well they spoke for themselves!

Ultra dense, Bonbon didn't fly backwards. Instead there was a meaty sounding THUNK on his chin and his eyes rolled as he fell backwards, crashing into the ice pile and causing a compacted crater in it (because he weighs more than 100 tons!).

Crushclaw did fly through the air and landed in a tumbling heap some 50' away!

Battlebug turned, a note of panic in his voice. "Boss! I can't see the two that zapped us!"

Frostbite knew how he felt. To be physically invulnerable but up against a mentallist and mystic... it was the boy's worst nightmare!

Scanning with his thermal vision Frostbite looked about. Unfortunately the ice was too thick even for his eyesight. All he could see were tons of ice, sprawled over a wide area. The warehouse was gone, collapsed and much of the trading estate was blocked up by all the ice!

He also saw a gleaming silver dot in the sky - Catherine and the team. They would be here in moments!

OOC There's ice all over. You aren't sure who is up/down or who has left so could get ambushed any second! Without an immediate obvious target you can either look for the bad guys or prepare yourself (Fluid form or Density Increase) in case an attack comes in...?

Admin wrote:OOC There's ice all over. You aren't sure who is up/down or who has left so could get ambushed any second! Without an immediate obvious target you can either look for the bad guys or prepare yourself (Fluid form or Density Increase) in case an attack comes in...?

Mindful that Catherine and the others were coming and concerned that they didn't simply get ambushed Frostbite suddenly had a thought...

OOC: OK put points into intelligence, merge with Frostbot, and based on approximate locations before I blasted out, taking into account the force of the ice, the size of the space could we extrapolate where they are? And as a result, target our attack there, before they get the jump on us. After all, if the ice is too thick for us to see in, even with thermal vision, it's too hard to see out - well at least one hopes so.

Sj

Switching his internal energies about Frostbite scanned the near football field mass of shattered ice filling the remains of the warehouse...

OOC Int boosted to 19 + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,6,+0 Total:10 (29) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,5,+0 Total:14 (24) +3 (to 11EV) vs RV10=1 RAPs

Frostbite combined his thermal vision and an overlay of Frostbot's 'last known position' of the bad guys before he'd iced everything over. With a rough idea of where to aim, or at least, where to watch out for bad guys emerging from, he wouldn't be surprised (OOC and though that's his 'action' for this round he will win initiative next round regardless of roll, as a) it isn't much of an action and b) he's kind of delaying this rounds' action till next. It's a fudge, but I'm ok with it).

When the glow started under the ice Frostbite knew it was Fallox, a villain who could create energy weapons from the baton that he carried. Whether that power was innate or from within the baton was unclear but the weapons - like an axe or hammer - could smash through most conventional materials like steel!

He turned and scanned. There! Ice started to 'float' to the side. That was Hodepine, the mentallist who had almost shut him down! She was using Telekinesis to free herself from the ice.

Turning again he waited a couple of heartbeats... and saw a Katana blade punch through the ice! That was Atropos, the deadly markswoman/assassin who 'never missed'. She was possibly the 'weakest' of those he'd identified and, though agile, would not withstand one of his energy blasts, even at its normal un-enhanced level!

He looked where the others had been... and there was no movement. Scanning closer with his sight and floating over the battlefield looking down, he could see no other heat sources. That suggested they had left the scene - even a dead or dying body gave off *some* heat and the ice was broken up enough that it would allow heat to escape for his thermal vision to notice at least.

The others had run, bailed... they might be back but from what he knew of Eurotrash they were not a team in any sense. Many of them disliked one another and that boiled over into conflict. Whoever had organised the operation here to ambush the UKChampions as they sought their team mate had carefully analysed who might best get on with the other - or at least not attack members of their own team rather than the enemy!

That sounded like something he himself might do. Echelon Frostbite.

Saladin, for all his hyper intelligence and incredible power preferred to be more of a blunt instrument, bullying and carving through the opposition to prove his superiority not just to those he fought but those who fought alongside him. He wouldn't have cared about who got on with who, or didn't in the Eurotrash case.

Just the three opponents remaining then. Fallox, the combatant with an energy axe, Atropos, the woman with sword and bow (though they were indeed deadly weapons and she herself was a consummate combatant) and Hodepine. She was the mentallist and Frostbite didn't have too much in the way of defence against her. Indeed, if she got a shot off first he'd probably be out for the count!

He hissed to Billy and pointed to indicate THERE and THERE where the glowing ice and sword had jutted from the mess. He turned his attentions to where the ice was floating up silently and moving to the side...

OOC Initiative...



All three are emerging from the ice and available as targets. You're up!

Admin wrote:

All three are emerging from the ice and available as targets. You're up![/i][/color]

Frostbite didn't look at Billy but he spoke as he concentrated on the location of the mentalist. "I'm pouring it all on that mentalist, if Hodepine gets a good shot off at either one of us it could turn the tide of this nasty battle. And the others would have no idea till they caught up and that isn't a pretty thought. No time for theatrics BB, we've got to layout, lay em low and with some degree of surgical precision."

Frostbite waited aware that if Hodepine got wind of his attack or could turn it in any way then he might be without a means of countering their biggest threat. But one had to hope, there was always hope.

OOC: OK going for the "please do not let me miss attack", taking careful aim and pouring on all I need of my power reserve to assist with the take down from Energy blast...

Sj

Frostbite glanced at the internal head up display marking target, distance, windspeed and the like.

For the most part he ignored those things and fired from instinct, rarely (if ever) missing.

This time it mattered. If he missed... she'd get a shot off at himself or Battlebug and knew neither of them could withstand her power!

The ice suddenly erupted upwards and out and a tattered looked woman gasped for air! She cursed in her native tongue and looked around for a target, seeing Frostbite and...

He blasted!

OOC Energy Blast 26 + Accuracy 4D (0D acrobatics) + Roll(6d12)+0: 3,2,12,3,3,7,+0 Total:6 DOUBLE (that's not great, might be better off with the 12+7 but we'll see) + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,2,+0 Total:14 (yup, sometimes you're the bug, sometimes the windshield...) (40) vs
OV11 + Range 2 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,7,+0 Total:16 (29)
+5 (to 31) vs RV8=23 RAPs. If that was killing combat, she'd be vaporised! As it is, she's out for a very long time... I need to come up with a mechanic for increasing the amount of time someone is K'Od ...

Hmmm. Her body is 8, so you got 15 points over the top so to speak. That's +5 on the chart so someone is normally out for 10APs (1 Hour) of time. +5 to 15APs=1 day!

I think that works. I'll try it a few times and add it to the house rules.

His shot wasn't the best but with internal scanners, targeting and sheer volume of energy that he put out, Frostbite couldn't really miss! There is a FWASH! as Hodepine and masses of ice around her is smashed into the ground!

"Wow boss! Remind me never to piss you off!" shouted Battlebug...

Atropos climbed out of the icey hole she was in just in time to see Hodepine limp form clatter to the ground! She looked to Frostbite then Battlebug - who'd dropped eight of her team mates in no time at all - and held up her hands. "I surrender!" she called out in an accented voice, though Frostbite noted she did not drop her weapons...

"Just you and me!" said Battlebug to Fallox.

"Bring it boy! You have a rep and so will I when I take you down!" laughed Fallox.

"In your dreams jerk." muttered Battlebug as he leapt in...

OOC Adren Surge 24 + 4D Accuracy + Roll(6d12)+0: 12,8,1,3,6,7,+0 Total:20 (44) vs
Highest OV 8 + Multi 4 + Go for broke 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,2,+0 Total:8 (24)
+6 (to 30) vs Highest RV8 + Multi 4 - Go for broke 6 (RV6)=24 RAPs

Dex to 32, Str to 30 Power Reserve to 32 split 16/16 to kinetic and energy absorption.

AV32 + 4D m arts (0d acrobatics) + Roll(6d12)+0: 10,2,6,12,7,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
4,3,+0 Total:21 (53) vs
OV10 + Dev Attack 8 + Acrobatics 4D + Roll(6d12)+0: 12,9,3,4,5,11,+0 Total:23 (41)
+5 (to 35) vs RV10=25 RAPs. Kinetic Absorption is overwhelmed (0APs) and Fallox is out (also) for 1 day!

When Battlebug lands the punch there is a heartbeat, a fraction of a second, when the speed and power of the blow sucks the air inwards... and delivers a loud CLAP! that blows ice outwards in a crater! Fallox lands around 100 yards away having crashed through a car park and bounced like a rag doll end over end!

"Geez. I hope he can take that." said Battlebug.

He leaps over to check...

Frostbite glances about. Atropos is the only one left standing, hands up (though armed) and the place is a mess. The downed Eurotrash people are scattered all over and the warehouse is a ruin, smashed to smithereens and full of shattered ice. It was a win though - bad guys taken out or scattered, good guy rescued.

It had been close though. Real close.

Battlebug waved over "Just as I thought Boss, he's a tough cookie!" he said with a thumbs up. Frostbite knew he and Battlebug would have to rein in the power. His own blast had smashed into Hodepine and punched clean through a parked car, now in two halves, and gouged a ten foot wide furrow in the road beyond...

"Now what?" asked Atropos, her eyes scanning about for opportunities to escape.

The roar of engines nearby and the hiss of a hatch indicated that Catherine and the rest of the Vanguard were arriving on scene...

Admin wrote:"Now what?" asked Atropos, her eyes scanning about for opportunities to escape.

The roar of engines nearby and the hiss of a hatch indicated that Catherine and the rest of the Vanguard were arriving on scene...

Frostbite looked toward Atropos, "You've seen what we can do, would you like to give us an excuse to do the same to you, or would you like to drop your weapons kick them away and play nice, whilst we arrest you. It would go in your favour if you tell us where Stone Lord is, and anything else you care to add. We might be able to get you an upgrade to a skybox if you play nice. Your move!"

Frostbite said as he moved toward her, ready to freeze her weapons when they lay so she could not get them after dropping them. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of the ship making its final checks as it hit the deck and it cycled down. Although it was great to have had the team around to back them up, in truth he was relieved they didn't have to fight. This had been brutal and could so easily have gone the other way. A long night lay ahead, Stone Lord was still captured, Saladin and his counterpart were out there. And Adjutant had warned of an impending threat, one that might even threaten him, since he was a man out of time.

OOC: OK once Catherine and the others get here we'll get them set to work freeing the villains, once the official turn up to cart them off. At least this might restore some much needed public confidence. Frostbite would be happy to let the much more diplomatic and pretty Catherine deal with the press if needed. But no doubt Dawson has people for that as well. He was keen to see how Shamrock was doing, but with coms down, it would have to wait, Stone Lord was still under threat.

Sj

Atropos saw Battlebug gathering up the unconscious forms of her 'team mates' and sagged, dropping her weapons reluctantly, even as she looked at them longingly.

"I know when I'm outgunned." she said in her accented voice. "This gig was supposed to be easy. All planned out. Not like the usual debacle." she hissed. "I suppose they didn't factor you two in. We got intel on all the UKChampions we might face. Those guys? We were ready for."

She looks and Frostbite glances to where one... two... more... small cameras had been set up to record. "Beat the snot out of the UKC, discredit them... destroy public confidence... then move in. Present the people a new choice. The two guys in charge suggested we change our name to something called 'Echelon'."

Frostbite grimaced. This had his counterpart and Saladin all over it. In the couple of days or so they'd been here they hadn't wasted time.

That also meant something else.

The other UKChampions - the bulk of the 'big hitters' were running into a trap!

"Looks like we were too late to join in the fun." said Kevin/Surge as he towered over the scene, his shadow long and wide from his fifty foot plus size.

Sun Girl swoops in "Stop complaining Surge!" she said, glowing bright and causing the assassin Atropos to shield her eyes. "Frosty and the kid are the big hitters. The rest of us are still learning the ropes!"

"Pffft. Some more than others." said Surge as he righted a tipped truck.

Sun Girl started melting the bigger ice chunks and the team started clear up of the mess.

"Hold on!" shouted Dawson as he hopped off what looked to be a drone/hover bike with a pilot up front and Dawson stepping off the back seat. It took off again and the sirens from distance were getting louder now. "We'll clean this up." He looked around. "Damn this is a mess though."

"And it could have been worse if not for you." he added with a hand to shake for Frostbite. "Once more you've pulled the fat out of the fire Frosty. The UKC could've been finished if not for you and the kid."

Dawson relented and asked Frostbite and his team to - carefully - help with the cleanup, with more agents coming on scene to help and direct.

=========

The pair stood and looked on as the largest ice chunks were carried away to be smashed up or melted, something Dawson didn't mind as lifting equipment would be hours or days away.

"For the paperwork we'll need your take on things. Word from the hospital is that Shamrock is stabilised. Bloodhound filled me in, and he said to thank you. More than that, he says he needs to speak with you. That was before he knew the outcome of the fight but he added 'I have no doubt that Frostbite will prevail'. That's the most I ever think I heard him say." said Dawson.

With the scene secured and the unconscious villains transported in high security vans they turned to Atropos who was shackled at wrist and ankle. With the press arriving on the scene as well as crowds of onlookers he said to her "As a mark of respect I won't remove your mask in public. We already know who you are but I hope you'll return the courtesy and tell us what you know of Stone Lord's location."

She grimaced. "I know when I'm beaten. I have no loyalty to Eurotrash. This was an opportunity and I think, a fine call, could have gone either way." she said with a look to Frostbite. "If we can strike a deal I will tell you what I know."

Dawson scowled. "We have psychics who can pull the information from you..."

"And I am trained to resist such psychic tampering." replied the Assassin. "May I remind you that time is wasting. Stone Lord will not be in a good shape. You have to follow due process of law otherwise any charges get thrown out, and as you know, it's my word against..."

Frostbot 'nudged' Frostbite and he spoke up "Apart from the cameras you had rolling."

"Ah." said Atropos. "In that case I think I need to speak to a lawyer first!"

Dawson shook his head. "Take her away. We'll see what we can do." He turned to Frostbite. "The Electromagnetic pulse bombs that were set off basically shut London down. The Underground, most of the newer vehicles on the road, most computers and telephone lines, phones, you name it. Even the traffic lights. Engineers are on it but for now all we can do is follow up any leads we can find and ..."

"Boss?" asked Battlebug. He was wet through from shifting ice but seemed unbothered.

The older men turned.

"Maybe... I can help?" he tapped his nose. "I didn't really know how good I can track people until Bloodhound mentioned it. It's one of those things I don't really do. I punch people, they fall down sort of thing. Only thing is, I'd need something of Stone Lords to get a scent off, like a Bloodhound. Any ideas?"

Admin wrote:The older men turned.

"Maybe... I can help?" he tapped his nose. "I didn't really know how good I can track people until Bloodhound mentioned it. It's one of those things I don't really do. I punch people, they fall down sort of thing. Only thing is, I'd need something of Stone Lords to get a scent off, like a Bloodhound. Any ideas?"

Frostbite raised an eyebrow but it didn't stay there long as he remembered how they had found this place and what was going on here. Battle Bug was full of surprises, ones that he was only just beginning to discover himself.

Motioning to the others he spoke to tell them the plan. "OK team Battle Bug is going to lead us to the other captive UK Champion Stone Lord. Trouble is the place will be trapped. So we don't go in till we know more, but if we play this smart we might be able to upend this little enterprise and save some face along the way."

Turning to one side, Frostbite spoke to Catherine, "BB has this amazing sense of smell, who knew. Anyway, if he can lead us to where Stone Lord is, we might be able to get one back for the team. I want you to follow as backup and also support if we need to triage Stone Lord away. Also, we might have one or two surprises waiting - given who was behind this."

He gave her a careful wink so that no one around could see but her, then turned the team giving Battle Bug the nod.

Sj

Major Dawson frowned, then pulled Frostbite aside slightly. "I shouldn't do this, but it seems a heroes life is at stake and we are already way beyond crisis management."

He gave an address. "That's what we know of Stone Lord's secret identity." Frostbite raised an eyebrow after Frostbot overlaid the map on his inner eye.

"Yeah, pricey place. Someone who uses the moniker 'Lord' has an opinion of themselves, and it's not low. Frosty, go in low key please. No costumes. I'm trusting you with the guy's secret ID - all the UKChampions are registered with the UK Government and therefore we at SMITE (OOC which means Strategic Metahuman Immediate Threat Elimination these days, have to update the Who's Who...) know who he is too. Quite a few of them kicked up a fuss but after the 'civil war' over secret Ids (OOC wayyyyyyyyyyyyy back in 2009 in real life  terms, a few years ago in game) we had to do something.

"Keep the numbers down who go poking about that place. You'll have to figure your own way into his place but should find something to get a scent off. Didn't know the lad could do that..." he said with a glance to Battlebug who was shifting ice and piling it up with Surge. "I'd say keep me in the loop but every time comms come back up they are overwhelmed and go down again. The police and army have their hands full and this is a ****show of a PR disaster for the UKC. Thankfully what exposure you've had has you separate from them but don't let the Vanguard's name slip mate - right now in the court of public opinion the Vanguard are the heroes and UKC are zeroes..."

=========

Leaving the others behind to help at the scene Frostbite and Battlebug took only minutes to get across London to an exclusive street and row of four storey terrace houses.

With a thought Frostbite transformed into Joe Rigdon and he waited whilst Battlebug hopped about to change into a tracksuit and trainers, supplied by Catherine. He scowled at the shoe size but shrugged, stuffing his costume into a bacpack.

The pair glanced about. People were in the street actually having to talk to one another as their phones were down. Cars were ditched all over the place and blocked the road and the mood stretched from outrage to panic in most cases.

Stone Lord - or Arthur Pennington-Richmond - lived in the middle terrace and the neighbours on either side were talking/shouting/gesticulating at each other and the world in general.

"Do we go in the front way or around the back?" asked Billy Watts, hair all messed up and looking like he'd just been down the gym, whilst Joe Rigdon didn't have a hair out of place!

Admin wrote:Major Dawson frowned, then pulled Frostbite aside slightly. "I shouldn't do this, but it seems a heroes life is at stake and we are already way beyond crisis management."

He gave an address. "That's what we know of Stone Lord's secret identity." Frostbite raised an eyebrow after Frostbot overlaid the map on his inner eye.

"Yeah, pricey place. Someone who uses the moniker 'Lord' has an opinion of themselves, and it's not low. Frosty, go in low key please. No costumes. I'm trusting you with the guy's secret ID - all the UKChampions are registered with the UK Government and therefore we at SMITE (OOC which means Strategic Metahuman Immediate Threat Elimination these days, have to update the Who's Who...) know who he is too. Quite a few of them kicked up a fuss but after the 'civil war' over secret Ids (OOC wayyyyyyyyyyyyy back in 2009 in real life  terms, a few years ago in game) we had to do something.

"Keep the numbers down who go poking about that place. You'll have to figure your own way into his place but should find something to get a scent off. Didn't know the lad could do that..." he said with a glance to Battlebug who was shifting ice and piling it up with Surge. "I'd say keep me in the loop but every time comms come back up they are overwhelmed and go down again. The police and army have their hands full and this is a ****show of a PR disaster for the UKC. Thankfully what exposure you've had has you separate from them but don't let the Vanguard's name slip mate - right now in the court of public opinion the Vanguard are the heroes and UKC are zeroes..."

=========

Leaving the others behind to help at the scene Frostbite and Battlebug took only minutes to get across London to an exclusive street and row of four storey terrace houses.

With a thought Frostbite transformed into Joe Rigdon and he waited whilst Battlebug hopped about to change into a tracksuit and trainers, supplied by Catherine. He scowled at the shoe size but shrugged, stuffing his costume into a bacpack.

The pair glanced about. People were in the street actually having to talk to one another as their phones were down. Cars were ditched all over the place and blocked the road and the mood stretched from outrage to panic in most cases.

Stone Lord - or Arthur Pennington-Richmond - lived in the middle terrace and the neighbours on either side were talking/shouting/gesticulating at each other and the world in general.

"Do we go in the front way or around the back?" asked Billy Watts, hair all messed up and looking like he'd just been down the gym, whilst Joe Rigdon didn't have a hair out of place!

Frostbite thought for a moment, looking about at the street and the attention everyone was giving it would be impossible to just 'slip in' without being noticed. Phones might be down, but people could still kick up and fuss - just what they didn't need. "Lets head over the back...it might be a bit more...discreet." he added looking at before looking to see if they could find access to the back.

OOC: OK if we can we'll go find a discreet route around, and or fly over when no one is looking. Being mindful of attention and or security, I will let Frostbot have a handle on things as soon as we can link to any communication, door cams, or security systems. Once we can by pass the doors we'll go get a look see. But if that proves to be more difficult than we bargained for, we may need to look-see from the roof or back windows in the upper floors. In any case, trying to do as Dawson said and keep a low profile. If all else fails I will simply phase through a door and seek to unlock from within.

Sj

It didn't take too long to wander about and find a way to the back of the house on the adjacent street.

There were more people standing about looking confused/panicked and without their social media and even the TV reporting the news they were lost. One man was hysterical and several people were trying to calm him down.

Using that the pair of heroes walked past the parked Lamborghini and Billy couldn't help himself. "Wow! Do the UKChampions pay enough to buy one of these? I have to ask like, who chooses a purple car but the other thing is it's not exactly unobtrusive. I thought super people liked their privacy and secret identities."

Frostbite glanced about and accessed Frostbot who confirmed there was a security system active. And... now it wasn't. With a glance again around he opened the ground level rear entrance and whistled as he stepped in. Frostbot had confirmed he'd/it'd scanned the entire houses' suite of cameras and confirmed that the place was empty. Then he'd turned the cameras off, placing them in a loop with the same image but the time changing to fool the system.

Sometimes Frostbite couldn't express in words just how useful the electronic assistant inside him was.

=========

"Probably the best bet is to go to the laundry basket." said Billy, admiring an 85" tv in the place's own private cinema.

Frostbite nodded and glanced about. Stone Lord must be independently wealthy. Even if the UKChampions paid huge wages to be a full time hero this house alone must be worth millions. The car, the designer furnishings...

OOC Power Reserve 10 into Int. Int 19 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,5,+0 Total:16 (35) vs
OV8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,8,+0 Total:18 (26) +4 (to 12Will) vs RV8=4 RAPs

1) The dimensions of the room seem ever so slightly off to Frostbite
2-3) He has an overlay inside his vision that suggests there are false walls and hidden compartments
4-6) Frostbot detects an electronic lock on a large storage chamber under the floor and the height is slightly different on the floor below.

"Got it boss!" shouted Billy from another room. "Eeeew! These socks stink! I ... uh, guess these ladies knickers aren't his either. I'll do the old snifferooo... Might take a minute or two."

Frostbite glanced about. Designer furniture, expensive paintings and decor, the trappings of extreme wealth. He was a simple man who'd never really been interested in wealth but this? The nearest he could think of was Justin St John who was surely richer but didn't go for these kinds of obvious trappings. Stone Lord liked the nice things in life clearly but...?

Admin wrote:"Got it boss!" shouted Billy from another room. "Eeeew! These socks stink! I ... uh, guess these ladies knickers aren't his either. I'll do the old snifferooo... Might take a minute or two."

Frostbite glanced about. Designer furniture, expensive paintings and decor, the trappings of extreme wealth. He was a simple man who'd never really been interested in wealth but this? The nearest he could think of was Justin St John who was surely richer but didn't go for these kinds of obvious trappings. Stone Lord liked the nice things in life clearly but...?

Frostbite inwardly imagined what Billy must feel as his senses were pushed into the stratosphere of sensory experience it must be overwhelming. He showed such bravery and incredible tenacity. What was that, Frostbite felt in some strange way he felt proud of Billy. Already in the time, they'd been working he'd done a lot of growing up.

Looking about at Stone Lord's opulent accommodation, Frostbite had to wonder, was this for real? Was this really the disguise the way to hide from the world when he wasn't being Stone Lord. So many heroes and villains got their powers from strange and life-changing experiences. How do you do normal, when everything about you has been changed? He knew that for himself being in the army meant he had long got used to losing ties, to family and friends. All he had then was his unit, his superiors. But the Vanguard had become more, family in an odd sort of sense. Catherine, he liked her a lot. They had a lot in common but was it just the 'job' the dynamics and the constant buzz of danger, or was there something else left over when the world didn't need cleaning up from some cosmic menace? Could they find some normal, some closeness in all the strangeness of their lives that was the Vanguard?

Frostbite was tempted to see what the strange anomaly with the building was, the false walls the hidden panels. But he felt that being here was a necessity, not a right. Stone Lord was entitled to his privacy and their being here was just what had to happen to track him. He'd leave as he found things.

"Right ready...I am not sure how long we've got, be good to get on and track him."

Sj

Battlebug summons the power from within... without... from wherever...

OOC Go for Broke +4/-6 Adren Surge 24 + Accuracy 4D + Roll(6d12)+0: 12,12,11,6,9,7,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE (boom) plus Roll(2d12)+0:
5,12,+0 Total:41 (65) vs
Highest OV8 + GFB 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,5,+0 Total:12 (24) +9 (to 33) vs RV8 - 6 GFB (RV2)=31 RAPs.

Power reserve boosted to 39, all slapped into Analytical Smell now 43APs (easily capable of identifying a unique scent anywhere on the planet and probably far beyond if physics allowed. Which they do not.).

Analytical Smell 43 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,1,+0 Total:9 (52) vs
OV15 (8 + modifiers) + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,9,+0 Total:19 (34) +6 (to 49) vs RV15=34RAPs. Boom.

"Aaaaachooo!!!" said Battlebug. Then he turned, staring out of a window across the city.

"Gotcha." he muttered.

"Boss!" he said, wiping his nose and pulling a face. "THAT way." he pointed. Frostbot overlaid a compass immediately with a line overlay on top of Battlebug as he viewed him. "13 miles away."

OOC Frostbot does his thing using Pow Res 10 + int 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,12,+0 Total:24 BOOM double plus Roll(2d12)+0: 8,6,+0 Total:38 (57) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,9,+0 Total:11 (21) +8 (to 16 Will) vs RV10=6 RAPs

1) Frostbot uses the apartments internet to access google maps
2-3) He accesses records from the local council and business records to find out various things ...
4-6) Including that - despite a bunch of cover companies and red herrings/false trails - Frostbot tracks down the fact that Stonelord is held captive... at a place he owns

'According to google maps that is a stately home North of London known as Ferrisby Hall, a place usually used for hiring out to wedding parties and the like.' said Frostbot. 'Deeper scans indicate it is one of a number of buildings owned by Cavalcade Enterprises. That is a wholly owned subsidiary of Shellville Limited, which is a trading name of a corporation owned by Arthur Pennington-Richmond, who we now know to be the UKChampion known as Stonelord'

"Boss?" muttered Billy, still rubbing his nose and fighting sneezing... "Someone has cleaned this place up but... there's cocaine, meth and a whole bunch of other smells that nearly knocked me out. For a good guy Stonelord is sure into some nasty stuff."

He looked at the floor - where Frostbite is stood.

"THAT... whatever it is, stinks like..." he sniffed "A LOT of cocaine." He pulled a face. "Should we tell Dawson, or the other UKChampions?"

Admin wrote:He looked at the floor - where Frostbite is stood.

"THAT... whatever it is, stinks like..." he sniffed "A LOT of cocaine." He pulled a face. "Should we tell Dawson, or the other UKChampions?"

Frostbite took on a grim look, he hated this. He hated it when someone went off, started out with idealised goals, but it was all a big joke! He saw it among the squaddies, high on adrenaline and the rush of being thought of as men, only to cave in when it came to war. The gifts and powers Stone Lord gained weren't a choice, so often the things we get seem to chose us. But, Frostbite mused, he sure wished they chose better sometimes.

Laying a hand on the floor, he said "You might want to hold your nose, even step outside, I'm going to take a look."

Frostbite searched for the catch, latch or pass that he needed to access the panel. If he was going to report this to Dawson, he had to make sure he had evidence. Stone Lord wouldn't thank him, but he was sure that the UKC could well do without this. Unless like the fight at the warehouse this was all some sort of set-up. But that was something for others to get to the bottom of. Right now, he needed evidence for them to sort through. And then Battle Bug and He had a date with a certain 'hero' assuming he was even kidnapped in the first place. He'd have to hold judgment till he had the facts. No good jumping ahead of himself, however much the temptation lay before him.

OOC: OK now I am accessing the hidden compartment and then with the evidence laid bare, I'll inform Dawson before we go check out what is going on with Arthur Pennington-Richmond!

Sj

Frostbot guided Frostbite to the panel - covered by carpet - that was accessed via thumb print and voice recognition.

With a click (and thanks to some instant hacking by the 'living' computer inside of him) the six foot long hatch popped open and lit up with leds.

"Eeek. That's a lot o drugs." said Billy, peering in (and holding his nose).

Indeed it was. Bricks of cocaine. More than that, thick bundles of cash, gemstones, gold bars... a lot of cash in a portable form in other words. It would be too heavy for an ordinary person to carry without help but Stone Lord was a superhuman. It would be no trouble for him.

OOC Int 9 + pow res 10 + 2D Detective + Roll(4d12)+0: 12,8,3,1,+0 Total:20 (39) vs
OV8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,4,+0 Total:16 (24) +5 (to 13 Will) vs RV8=5 RAPs

1) The street value of what is in this storage 'coffin' given its dimensions must run into millions of pounds.
2-3) Frostbite has no doubt that the cocaine in the packages is pure and premium, possibly hinting at links to organised gangs and drug cartels. The other valuables are worth as much in their own right. With ten minutes of packing into sturdy holdalls Pennington-Richmond could be on the move with as much as £10-20 million pounds in his possession, enough to set up elsewhere without an electronic paper trail.
4-6) One of the bricks is sat on top of a note book. Flicking through the book (which is squashed flat from the weight) reveals a list of names and addresses with a number beside them. The names and numbers don't mean anything as such, but Frostbot recognises one name from the past.

Angela Carter-Jones. You can find out more about her Here

At some point he must have gotten greedy. The trappings of wealth in the apartment, the car outside, the building itself and his numerous business holdings and shell companies suggested that someone like Pennington-Richmond wanted not just the rewards for leading the life he did but also letting others know about it.

'According to the society pages the Pennington-Richmond family was bankrupt only a few years ago as a result of poor business choices and shady practises unearthed by organised crime investigation teams.' said Frostbot.

Pennington-Richmond gained his powers somehow, then set out to right the wrongs of his family. Then somewhere along the way he'd strayed. Possession of this stuff didn't guarantee he was an out and out bad guy, and the reports were that he'd taken a beating before being taken captive by Eurotrash.

'One of his abilities is a powerful recuperative cell regeneration power much like your own. Any... 'beating' would therefore be temporary if he were given time to recover.' stated the impassive artificial assistant inside Joseph Rigdon's head.

"That... is a lot of stuff." muttered Billy - still with his nose nipped. "Boss... I'm no detective but... all this stuff... I mean... we normally find this kinda thing in a villain's lair! What does it mean?"

Frostbite glanced at the young man who was his team mate, comrade in arms, apprentice and side kick. More than all of that, Billy Watts was his friend, and they'd gone to hell and back for each other. For all that he was still naive and believed in right and wrong, and this ...? This was a blurred shade of grey from someone who should be a beacon for the light side, as a UKChampion. As a man from a different era sharing the same mind as a man from the modern era, Frostbite had a mixed sense of what was right and wrong but both men would agree that whatever Stone Lord was doing appeared very much to be playing one side while working for the other and making sure he himself profited from both!

'Question.' asked Frostbot. 'Is Stone Lord working alone, or does he have compatriots in the UKChampions?'

The question made the hero shiver. Who then, could he trust?

"Boss? You ok?" asked Billy.

Admin wrote:The question made the hero shiver. Who then, could he trust?

"Boss? You ok?" asked Billy.

Frostbite nodded, "This, is why we need a team. SO easy to let the 'job' blind you to lots of small slip-ups, or other indiscretions, pretty soon you've crossed the line so many times you can't even see where it once was. Pennington, might be on the up and up, then again I know every man has a weakness, maybe money and its love is the root of this evil?" Frostbite connected with Dawson, he already had given him Stone Lord's identity. He was a good man and would make sure that this was investigated properly. The question of a possible cover-up or covert operation within the UKChampions where people were skimming off the criminals they purported to capture, was far more disturbing. Right now, Frostbite only had conjecture. For now, the operation was to seek to recapture Pennington.

"We'll leave this for Dawson to look into, we don't need to get involved in this..." But Frostbite did want to know how far the rot might go within the UKChampions. "...We stick to the mission and find Stone Lord and try and see if we can't right some wrongs tonight. Lead on!"

Frostbite added, partially closing the lid of the safe space and putting a hand on his young friends shoulder with a reassuring smile.

OOC: And for now, away we go...

Sj

OOC Posting this in all the game threads but...

APOLOGIES FOR THE ENFORCED ABSENCE! Exams at work then 18 hours without internet/land line (not just me it seems, an entire postcode it would seem which is dozens of towns and villages) has left me high n dry! Anyway, back at it...

=========

Frostbite called Dawson... and got a dead tone.

No surprise there. Eurotrash had set off devices that acted as Electromagnetic 'bombs' albeit on smaller scale than weapons of mass destruction. Still it meant that electronic infrastructure was down, or struggling to get back up. Dawson would be swamped.

'I have sent a text message' explained Frostbot, who could link with Frostbite's mobile phone. 'He'll get it eventually.'

Frostbite glanced about. Stone Lord was a criminal or had criminal contacts. That left a sour taste in the mouth. It would be worse than that if he were somehow tied into all of this Eurotrash mess...

Popping a window open having changed into his costume Battlebug nodded to Frostbite and bounded away onto a distant rooftop. Frostbite closed the window behind him and soared upwards, wondering what he'd find at...

Ferrisby Hall

A high wall presented no barrier to a youngster that could (in theory) leap into space or a man who could fly even further and faster than that! It was camera'd up and the pair peered from the cover of trees opposite the main entrance. A stately home and a big one in sculpted grounds the place looked quiet from here, but there was a half mile drive to the house itself!

Frostbot could sort the cameras out Frostbite was sure, but an easier way to get in might be to come down on top of the roof where there were likely to be no cameras (they'd be looking outwards from the house rather than inwards to it).

Battlebug whispered "Not sure why I'm whispering but what's the plan Boss? I'm thinking we get to the house, crash through the front doors, punch the teeth out of any bad guys and truss them up with some rope or something for Dawson, all nice and neat. It's not subtle but there is a high 'punch bad guys in the teeth' section of the plan which I find particularly appealing." he said with chin in hand, trying to look shrewd.

Admin wrote:Battlebug whispered "Not sure why I'm whispering but what's the plan Boss? I'm thinking we get to the house, crash through the front doors, punch the teeth out of any bad guys and truss them up with some rope or something for Dawson, all nice and neat. It's not subtle but there is a high 'punch bad guys in the teeth' section of the plan which I find particularly appealing." he said with chin in hand, trying to look shrewd.

Frostbite looked across at Billy, "My Dad told me if you only tool in your shed is a hammer, you see everything as a nail. Sometimes hitting the nail is the right thing for the right nail. Eurotrash at the warehouse for example. Nails. Here, maybe not so much. I can't help but wonder how Stone Lord kept this from his team. Maybe he didn't and someone was covering it all up. But somehow that all seems so elaborate, maybe there is more... it's just if we go in all guns blazing we might lose the one chance we've got to get information without having to relieve someone of their teeth."

Frostbite looked back to the hall, "Let's go in from the roof, the cameras all look to be facing outward, I'll have Frostbot see if he can sort anything on the roof. Can't too careful in a world in which people can fly, teleport and leap tall buildings in a single bound!" He said with a half-smile on his face.

He didn't want to pop fun or belittle Billy, but tempering his enthusiasm with some selective wisdom might help him to learn a thing or two without it having to be the hard way every time.

OOC: OK See if we can slip in near one of the cameras, so Frostbot can do his thing, before taking off vertically and landing on the roof. I know Billy can leap it but maybe it's better if I lower him. Don't want him crashing through the roof or just causing the crystal chandeliers to dance when he lands from a great height. We'll see what we can find up top and slip in as best we can I'll see if I can use my thieving skills - meagre though they are compared to Lionheart to get us in without breaking and entering if poss.

Sj

"No problem Boss. You're the ... uh, Boss." said Battlebug reaching up to take hold of Frostbites' frosty arms.

There was no issue with Battlebug feeling the cold - it appeared he was immune to most forms of energy when he 'boosted' his immunity. However getting caught by surprise was always an issue and though he was powerful, the youngster has some serious weaknesses that a fast opponent could exploit.

The pair flew high up and soared straight down, Frostbite hovering over the large mansion and waiting until he could look at the lay of the land...

OOC Boosted Intelligence (Frostbot) 10 + Int 9 (19) + Thief (Security Systems) 2D + Roll(4d12)+0: 6,8,11,9,+0 Total:20 (39) vs
OV8 (int of installer) + Range 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,10,+0 Total:19 (31) +4 (to 12 Will) vs RV8=4 RAPs

1) Most cameras are facing outwards from the house
2-3) There is one facing in that acts in a 360 degree fashion
4-6) The Doorway on the roof will be alarmed and there are infra red 'trip wires' hidden amongst the usual 'roof furniture' of Chimneys, guttering and so on.

Using the boosted intelligence that Frostbot brought the hero floated down to a point where he felt they would not be detected.

"We can get in through there Boss." whispered Battlebug who pointed at the door to the rooftop after Frostbite pointed out where not to stand. "Sneaky does it. I got this." Frostbite was about to call out but the youngster hopped over to land on the 'roof' of the doorway entrance then fished about, tearing a strip of lead and rolling it in his fingers to make a lockpick/wire of sorts. With a thumbs up he leaned down to tackle the lock. Upside down.

OOC Adren Surge 24 + 4D accuracy + Roll(6d12)+0: 3,6,12,1,11,6,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 11,12,+0 Total:35 (59) vs
OV8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 3,9,+0 Total:12 (20) +9 (to 33) vs RV8=25 RAPs. Dex boosted to 33 (34 with Power Reserve)

AV34 + Thief 3D + Roll(5d12)+0: 1,9,4,2,8,+0 Total:17 (51) vs
OV8 + Modifier (upside down) 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 2,8,+0 Total:24 (36)
+5 (to 39) vs RV8 + Mod 4 (RV12)=27 RAPs. Success.

CLICK!

The door came open without any alarms blaring... Though the youngster had only opened it part way. He snuck in through the gap and quietly closed it.

Frostbite simply passed through the wall, his chestplate lighting up the stairwell blue. "Show off." muttered Battlebug.

=========

The costumed heroes stepped out onto a stair landing after Frostbot had confirmed the cameras inside were temporarily blinded to their presence.

If someone was really smart and knew what to look for they might have noticed the 'twitch' on the recording but other than that...

There were rooms off the landing - bedrooms and bathrooms probably - but it looked like the place was being refurbished with decorating tools and paint/sheets set aside in places.

Voices from somewhere downstairs on - the second or maybe third floor of this place (you are on the fourth) suggested the heroes were not alone but they were indistinct and hard to make out.

"Hang on." whispered Battlebug.

OOC Adren Surge 24 + 4D + Roll(6d12)+0: 3,12,9,8,12,9,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 7,10,+0 Total:41 (65) vs
OV8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,6,+0 Total:18 (26)
+9 (to 33) vs Rv8=25 RAPs. Power Reserve boosted to 33, added to Analytical Smell (37).

Battlebug drew in a deep 'sniff'...

OOC Analytical Smell 37 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,7,+0 Total:16 (53) vs
OV15 (unique scents) + Multi (more than 20 scents) 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,10,+0 Total:12 (37) +6 (to 43) vs RV15 + Multi 10 (25)=12 RAPs

"Hmmm. Too many to pick out. I think there are 27 people in this place. Most will be staff. There are four dogs in kennels around the back and a cat somewhere about. It's chasing rats..." said Battlebug.

"Focus!" hissed Frostbite.

"Right. On the next floor down are clustered forms - too close to pick out but they mostly use different deodorant and three smoke. I would suggest they are the staff, trussed up." whispered Battlebug.

"I count five distinct scents on the second floor and one of them is our boy, Stone Lord. I guess he has four buddies with him, though we might be wrong and he might be a prisoner in his own home..." said the youngster.

His sense of smell was truly mind bending!

"Oh, and there are a couple of rooms in this place that have some of the 'laughing powder' in them. One of the rooms has a LOT of it. Bedroom probably or study. Our boy likes to party when he comes home to this place."

Frostbite glanced about. The place was having a LOT of work done to it, like restoration. His keen mind wondered if the drug deal and whatever he'd cut with Eurotrash would be paying for the place to be *finally* restored to it's former glory...

Admin wrote:"I count five distinct scents on the second floor and one of them is our boy, Stone Lord. I guess he has four buddies with him, though we might be wrong and he might be a prisoner in his own home..." said the youngster.

His sense of smell was truly mind bending!

"Oh, and there are a couple of rooms in this place that have some of the 'laughing powder' in them. One of the rooms has a LOT of it. Bedroom probably or study. Our boy likes to party when he comes home to this place."

Frostbite glanced about. The place was having a LOT of work done to it, like restoration. His keen mind wondered if the drug deal and whatever he'd cut with Eurotrash would be paying for the place to be *finally* restored to it's former glory...

Frostbite nodded in appreciation before indicating that they should move stealthily as possible toward where Stone Lord was being held. Although he could simply slip through the floors, he didn't know what he'd face and didn't want to leave Battle Bug to come crashing down after him.

Moving quite was no problem for him either in his more malleable form or even floating which he adopted for now. No creaking stair to attend to and if necessary he could effortlessly carry Battle Bug. One thing, for sure was, this place's refurbishment might suffer a serious setback if they had to fight their way out. Battle Bug alone was capable of levelling the place with a single well-placed punch. But Frostbite hoped it wouldn't come to that.

OOC: OK move to the floor where Stone Lord is and see if we can't pick up some more info on the way. I'd be curious to dive into any hard evidence for his operations if its contained here, especially if someone at the UKChampions was covering for him.

Sj

Frostbite and his powerful protege moved quietly to the floor below, then dropped down again.

Hearing voices - laughter, chatting and bluster - from behind a thick oak door didn't reveal much but it seemed whoever was in there wasn't expecting company!

He glanced at Battlebug and was reminded that he had an entire team to call on. That said he and the youngster were by far the heaviest hitters and could handle pretty much anyone this side of Saladin and his alternate self...

And if THEY were inside that room...? Uh oh.

Battlebug rolled his neck, adjusted his mask slightly and pulled his gloves back, flexing his fists. With a grin he thumbed a 'go in?' at the door and waited for Frostbite's 'GO'

Admin wrote:Battlebug rolled his neck, adjusted his mask slightly and pulled his gloves back, flexing his fists. With a grin he thumbed a 'go in?' at the door and waited for Frostbite's 'GO'

Frostbite held a hand whilst he communicated to with Frostbot, he whispered to Battle Bug, "Let me check camera's first!" He then directed Frostbot to show if there were any internal cameras that gave them an angle or clue as to what and who was beyond the door? He felt it best to get a clue before jumping in, although he wasn't above doing that since he was beginning to grow tired of the way Stonelord's life seemed to be that had only further fueled any souring of the UK Champions reputation. Bad enough they were made to look foolish, worst still to have someone foolish enough to be trying to play both sides, he thought.

OOC: OK if we can get an angle on what is going on that'd be great if not then is kick in the door and take action, I'll let BB get himself amped up if it comes to that, at least that way no one will get the jump on him unless they already know where here...

Sj

Frostbite concentrated, and in his minds eye saw what the camera saw in the room beyond the door...

Five people.

One of them was Stone Lord, albeit powered down and in 'civvies'. He relaxed in a leather chair with feet up on an expensive oak desk. Sheets were discarded and the place looked like it was in the process of being decorated with pots of paint and brushes/ladders in clumps around the large room. It was some kind of study or drawing room and like everything else in this place reeked of old money and big bills. A place like this would cost a fortune to run and maintain and it seemed like Stone Lord had come into enough money recently to get it done.

As for him being a prisoner... he leaned back in the chair and smoked a cigar. A muscled man dressed all in black , shaven head tattooed in places sat on the edge of the desk and sipped whisky. A slimmer man again in black sat in sumptuous leather chair smoking a cigarette and swirling around a glass with liquor in. His hair was immaculate and moustache trimmed and he was laughing at something that had been said.

A woman was stood by a window, against dressed all in black as the Eurotrash operatives had been when they attacked London and set off the EMP bombs. Her hair tied back in a ponytail she seemed cautious and out of the five was the one making the most effort to seem alert.

The fifth person was a man in his thirties, unkempt hair but the costume matched that of the UKChampion Firecracker. His mask was draped on a chair arm and he casually juggled a fiery ball in the air with another whilst hardly paying attention.

'Audio is recorded on the security mainframe' explained Frostbite. 'To access it you will need to get me within touching distance. I can show you where the security room is if you prefer.'

'He' added 'I have scanned what cameras I can within range by tapping into their feeds. There are a large number of people tied up and blindfolded, knelt on the floor in what appears to be a large dining room. They are guarded by three men in black with submachine guns. Scan indicates on the ground floor there are three groups of similarly clad operatives wielding submachine guns who are patrolling the place and match the descriptions of the Eurotrash 'sub' operatives who were enhanced but not above Class 2 superhuman ability. All in all there are 11 operatives on the ground floor, three with the hostages on the second floor and these five who all appear to be superhuman on the third floor with none - as yet - indicated on the fourth floor which you entered on.' explained the computer assistant inside Joseph Rigdon's head.

Admin wrote:'He' added 'I have scanned what cameras I can within range by tapping into their feeds. There are a large number of people tied up and blindfolded, knelt on the floor in what appears to be a large dining room. They are guarded by three men in black with submachine guns. Scan indicates on the ground floor there are three groups of similarly clad operatives wielding submachine guns who are patrolling the place and match the descriptions of the Eurotrash 'sub' operatives who were enhanced but not above Class 2 superhuman ability. All in all there are 11 operatives on the ground floor, three with the hostages on the second floor and these five who all appear to be superhuman on the third floor with none - as yet - indicated on the fourth floor which you entered on.' explained the computer assistant inside Joseph Rigdon's head.

Uh Oh, Frostbite's heart sunk a little. Taking on Stone Lord and Firecracker - he must be the other man, meant the hostages being used against them as leverage. Stone Lord would be outed, but at what cost to innocent lives? They had to come first, the thought that they would lose initiative and even that Stone Lord and Firecracker might get away was something that Frostbite might have to live with today. Besides he didn't relish the idea of taking on Firecracker without surprise, by which he might be able to freeze him to the spot and stop him from using his flame-based powers to completely nullify his own.

Motioning Battle Bug to one side, Frostbite explained the predicament from his intel. He was keen that they retained proof, for the UKChampions and suggested that Frostbot used whatever means necessary to record the evidence on some portable media. With that in mind, it would be a quick stop off to the security mainframe to make sure Frostbot had what he needed and indeed that Frostbite could keep an eye on things if Stone Lord and his Eurotrash buddies decided to jump into the fray. Whilst he and Battle Bug took on the guards and hostages.

He added in a whisper to Battle Bug, "looks like we get to crack some heads after all, but hostages come first."

Sj

Battlebug looked disappointed but nodded "You're the boss. Boss." he whispered.

Frostbite led the way through the house. They had to move to the stairwell and hop down, then again to the ground floor and the basement. It was easy enough - one made little sound as he passed through solid objects and the other could be a world class sneak if he so chose. In addition Frostbot monitored the internal security system of the place, using it against the Eurotrash agents and the supers in the drawing room who were laughing and joking about having pulled off some heist or scheme.

Anger was the enemy. Frostbite had to remind himself. He was vulnerable to fire and extreme heat. It threw out his internals ability to regulate itself and messed up his powers. In a world where people flew, blasted energy from their eyes or hands or elsewhere and could read minds or cast spells, it was still tricky sometimes to get his head around all the things he could do and what would happen if those abilities were nullified or taken away from him. Fire was the real enemy, and he needed to keep a cool head to avoid it!

'There are three Eurotrash enhanced agents in the security room.' stated Frostbot. 'They are checking the cameras all around the place.'

OOC Note! We've been throwing around 30 and 40 ap blasts, punches and what not for a while now with a hand wave of comic book physics to ignore collateral damage. Where things are important - for example not destroying the machines that could act as evidence, you and BBug will have to state how many APs (Attribute Points, which everything is measured in) of Damage you are inflicting. For example Frostbite's base Strength (Str) is 10. He can ordinarily lift 25 tons or so with this. When he punches, it's harder than a grenade but less than a tanks main weapon. He can boost this strength by 5-15 points by using his Density Increase. At 15 strength you are knocking walls down without effort (and a big chunk of this mansion). At 25 the shockwave will leave a crater with you stood in the middle muttering 'Oops' as there is wreckage all about. That is Superman's strength level. Your Energy Blast ranges from 16 (it's normal maximum) to 26 and is even more destructive.

Battlebug can boost his Strength from 8 (standard, about the same as a grenade) to over 33 points. That is a nuclear explosion of around 100 megatons, capable (quite easily) of levelling a city and though it's targeted at a single foe the shockwave from such a punch could easily flatten this house and everything around it for hundreds of yards, possibly up to a mile.

Note this is real world physics vs comic book stuff and it only ever comes into play when something matters, which in this case is you saving the computers to grab those hard drives as evidence. In most other cases physics are hand waved away as they would be in comics.

So what I want to know from you (as the lead player/character) is how many points you wish to put into the damage of your attack, and the same for Battlebug. A number from 1 to whatever basically. Too little and these guys might shrug off the blows. Too many? Well, all those walls falling down and mansion collapsing scenarios might come to pass! For reference:

Body 6 is the human maximum (Batman)
Body 7 is enhanced human (Captain America, Black Panther)
Body 8 is superhuman and for all intents and purposes small arms fire/bladed weapons proof
Body 9 and you are starting to shrug off small to medium explosives
Body 10 and above and bullets bounce off, tank fire and explosives have little to no effect etc depending on how high we are talking.
Body 18 is Superman, for comparison

The damage number you decide MINUS the body of the target = damage inflicted.

Let's say you put 13 Strength into the attack (as damage) and hit, and the bad guy has 8 Body. You do 13-8=5 damage, and he's still on his feet with Body 3/8 remaining.

You can also PULL YOUR PUNCH. This means the defender boosts their Body by +2 and you can choose how far you knock them flying (depending on how well you rolled). I would recommend that as you don't want to send these guys smashing into the computers!

So, without wanting to get too crunchy, decide how many APs you will use as damage (be it for blast - which is your most accurate attack or punch) and whether you will pull your punch (recommended). Also whether you are critical blow or devastating attack and target one opponent or all three.