RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #2 - Caught between a Hammer, a Sickle... and a hard case!

Fred Aster/Waiter gets into the corridor and quickly moves to where a window is slightly ajar, doubtless used to let cigarette smoke out.

It's large enough to climb out of and a short time later he swoops around the building as Captain Conduit to where the getaway truck and Conway are waiting.

OOC It won't take long to do that - a couple of rounds probably (each round is four seconds) so stripping off the waiters suit, opening and climbing out of the window then flying around the building and down to where Conway parked.

=========

Meanwhile DarkRaven is having trouble convincing the German family that it is indeed safe for him to transport them. They are backed into a corner and the women are about to scream!

Lightning Bullet is about to intervene and help having his words already stared at blankly (they don't speak much in the way of English) when he sees the door handle to the room turning. He has only a heartbeat to react!

OOC Darkraven has his back to the door as he whispers to the family to trust him and doesn't know a goon/goons are about to enter. Guy all in black with a full facemask finds it hard to convince civilians to follow him. Who'd a thought it? LB has a better chance of a charisma check but it's a slim one with negative modifiers.

Having his earlier words apparently ignored by the family, since he wasn't speaking German and he was a 3' tall main in a white and gold supersuit, Lightning Bullet felt time was going against them. His attack was touch only buuuuuut ... metal conducts. So he zapped the doorknob lightly to give off a big shock but not so big as to try and knock out whoever was on the other side, more of a big static shock one gets from rubbing their feet on thick carpeting.

Then he turned and quietly said "USA! America! Mickey Mouse Club!" and quickly stood at attention and saluted. Hoping that they would understand that they were being rescued.

ooc: Forgot the Mickey Mouse Club and Disneyland were a big thing back then. Might help, might not.


Today in History
Disneyland, Walt Disney’s metropolis of nostalgia, fantasy and futurism, opens on July 17, 1955. The $17 million theme park was built on 160 acres of former orange groves in Anaheim, California, and soon brought in staggering profits.


The Mickey Mouse Club is an American variety television show that aired intermittently from 1955 to 1996 and returned to social media in 2017. Created by the late Walt Disney and produced by Walt Disney Productions, the program was first televised for four seasons, from 1955 to 1959, by ABC. This original run featured a regular, but ever-changing cast of mostly teen performers. ABC broadcast reruns weekday afternoons during the 1958–1959 season, airing right after American Bandstand.

Admin wrote:Fred Aster/Waiter gets into the corridor and quickly moves to where a window is slightly ajar, doubtless used to let cigarette smoke out.

It's large enough to climb out of and a short time later he swoops around the building as Captain Conduit to where the getaway truck and Conway are waiting.

OOC It won't take long to do that - a couple of rounds probably (each round is four seconds) so stripping off the waiters suit, opening and climbing out of the window then flying around the building and down to where Conway parked.

=========

Meanwhile DarkRaven is having trouble convincing the German family that it is indeed safe for him to transport them. They are backed into a corner and the women are about to scream!

Lightning Bullet is about to intervene and help having his words already stared at blankly (they don't speak much in the way of English) when he sees the door handle to the room turning. He has only a heartbeat to react!

OOC Darkraven has his back to the door as he whispers to the family to trust him and doesn't know a goon/goons are about to enter. Guy all in black with a full facemask finds it hard to convince civilians to follow him. Who'd a thought it? LB has a better chance of a charisma check but it's a slim one with negative modifiers.

Fred can't fly without his cape, which he handed to DarkRaven [on Wed Feb 09 2022, 21]. So he remains in the waiter outfit and only pulls the mask on when he approaches the van, so the cop can't ID him.

OOC Well spotted Andy. I wonder. Would zapping the electrics also prevent the lift from operating on this floor, all floors, or would it not affect it? Let's assume it won't work and Fred has to use the steps.

CAPTAIN CONDUIT/FRED ASTER (in Waiter guise)

Racing down the the stairwell with a speed only an Olympic athlete could match, Fred Aster took several at a time and would soon be at the bottom of the stairs. Hopefully Lightning Bullet and DarkRaven had gotten the family out!

"Where do you think you're going?" called a voice as someone in a staff members' uniform paused at the next flight of stairs and looked on at Fred Aster whirled about the next lower flight of stairs and screeched to a halt. The guy was having a smoke. Big, burly, no nonsense with ears suggesting he'd been a boxer of some sort at one time or another. He was blocking the way, at any rate, scowl on his face.

LIGHTNING BULLET/DARKRAVEN

"Mickey... Mouse?" said one of the two children from behind his mothers' skirt.

"Hey! Hey look!" said DarkRaven, peeling his mask off to reveal his face. His back was to Lightning Bullet but without the muffling mask his voice was vaguely familiar. "I'm just a regular guy. Here to help."

"Help?" said the petrified woman.

Meanwhile Lightning Bullet leaped for the doorknob and sparked it with his lightning touch!

"Yeeowch! What the...?" roared a voice from the other side. Lightning Bullet turned to see DarkRaven peeling his mask on. "Help. Go."

The woman muttered "Help? Help..." she looked at the older woman and they muttered to each other. The kids meanwhile squealed "Mickey Mouse!" and stepped out to salute the small superhero as he had done to them. The adults tried to usher them back behind them but DarkRaven said again. "Help?" and offered a hand out, palm outstretched.

OOC Ok let's see.

DarkRaven has the higher Influence (5) so is best to try this.

Infl 5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,7,+0 Total:16 (21) vs
OV2 + Modifier 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,1,+0 Total:9 (15) Success +3
EV3 + 3 (EV6) vs RV2 + Modifier 4 (RV6)=0 RAPs. Failed.

The older woman was petrified and close to panic. The younger (middle aged) woman hugged the children to her and backed off, all four of them up against the wall now and close to screaming (the women at least).

DarkRaven turned to Lightning Bullet, at his wits' end. "The language barrier! We're just making noises they can't understand!"

Lightning Bullet was about to answer when he heard a Chick CHICK! of a shotgun on the other side of the door being pumped!

"Get outta da way. I'll sort dat door out!" roared a voice...

"I gotta hurry to get the power on and then fetch more food and drink. Excuse me." Fred says hurriedly, as he tries to get past the man.

"Since they are grouped together, can you take the woman and her kids out," Lightning Bullet asked quickly and quietly. "I'll try flying the old woman out through the window."

He makes sure no one is in the path of the oncoming shotgun blast.

FRED ASTER (Waiter at large)

The big guy seems to accept Fred's explanation but then sticks out a nicotine yellowed hand in his path as he tries to go past on the stairs. "Wait a sec... what's your name? I ain't seen you round here before. I know ALL da new guys n gals an' I don't know you. You know who I am?"

He moved to stand and block the stairs. "I'm Eugene Jackson. You musta heard a me. If dat's da case you know the drill." he held out one hand in a 'hand it over' gesture. "Cash or smokes. Your call. Hand 'em over. Wouldn't want ya ta trip on dese stairs, right?" he growls in a menacing manner.

OOC Int 6 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,7,+0 Total:17 (23) vs
OV3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 3,5,+0 Total:8 (11) SUCCESS +5
EV4 + 5 (EV9) vs RV3=6 RAPs

1) Fred sees the edge of a tattoo poking from the man's sleeve
2-3) his build, his demeanour, suggest the man takes pleasure in building up his threatening physical appearance and using it to intimidate others. Despite wearing the same uniform as Fred, it's unironed, unkempt in places and he's physically imposing enough not to care if a manager calls him out on it. They probably have, and decided it's not worth the hassle.
4-6) These things add up to Fred that this guy has done time and the small scars on his face and fists add up to him being something of a scrapper. He loves to fight, bully others, and in prison was probably 'somebody'. Out here he means to extend that influence and Fred is just the latest in a long line of downtrodden victims at this hotel to come under this horrid fellows' heel!

Revealed on his inner wrist in the gap of the shirt are tattoos that suggest this bully must have done time in prison. Fred is a smart guy and it doesn't take much to figure out this fellow has the employees of the hotel - the lower paid ones - in a grip of terror! All of this is taking up time and his colleague Lightning Bullet might be in deadly peril whilst this man delays him!

LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

DarkRaven nods. "Ok" he says, with placating hands. "We're going to go for a little trip. I won't hurt you!"

The woman has her eyes wide in terror and is about to scream. The old woman stands defiantly in front of the family with hands on hips as she rants in German at DarkRaven.

Lightning Bullet is happy no one is near the door when ...

BLAM!

The door explodes inwards as the lock and a big chunk is blasted out by a shotgun!

There's laughing from the other side and heavy footsteps as they come to the door.

The heroes have seconds to act!

OOC DarkRaven is attempting to teleport targets who do not wish to go. Unfortunately he has low APs so this isn't likely to work...

Teleportation 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,4,+0 Total:6 (10) vs
OV2 + Multi 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE (uh oh) plus Roll(2d12)+0: 8,3,+0 Total:27 (33) FAILED (by a lot)

"It's no good!" hisses DarkRaven. "I can't... they won't go!"

Lightning Bullet whirls round as a hulking form fills the doorway. He is cast in shadow so details can't be seen but the mans' eyes seem to be glowing in the dark!

"What the hell is going on... WHAT THE HELL! GET IN HERE GUYS!"

OOC Lightning Bullet can act this round if he wants to snatch up the old lady (dice action) and fly out through the open window....

"Get them out, DarkRaven," Lightning Bullet says. "I'll try to hold them off while you do that! Take as many as you can, start with the kids. Mom and gramma might want to go with you if you do, so they can be with them."


ooc: Totally forgot I had Flash! Was going to try to shock these guys. So go for Flash, not sure if I can only hit the guy in the doorway or if one or two more might be in the other room just right to be blinded.

Admin wrote:LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

DarkRaven nods. "Ok" he says, with placating hands. "We're going to go for a little trip. I won't hurt you!"

The woman has her eyes wide in terror and is about to scream. The old woman stands defiantly in front of the family with hands on hips as she rants in German at DarkRaven.

Lightning Bullet is happy no one is near the door when ...

BLAM!

The door explodes inwards as the lock and a big chunk is blasted out by a shotgun!

There's laughing from the other side and heavy footsteps as they come to the door.

The heroes have seconds to act!

OOC DarkRaven is attempting to teleport targets who do not wish to go. Unfortunately he has low APs so this isn't likely to work...

Teleportation 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,4,+0 Total:6 (10) vs
OV2 + Multi 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE (uh oh) plus Roll(2d12)+0: 8,3,+0 Total:27 (33) FAILED (by a lot)

"It's no good!" hisses DarkRaven. "I can't... they won't go!"

Lightning Bullet whirls round as a hulking form fills the doorway. He is cast in shadow so details can't be seen but the mans' eyes seem to be glowing in the dark!

"What the hell is going on... WHAT THE HELL! GET IN HERE GUYS!"

OOC Lightning Bullet can act this round if he wants to snatch up the old lady (dice action) and fly out through the open window....

"I'm Soren." Fred says, reaching into his pocket for a coin. "Soren Sorensen." He then puts his hand in Eugene's to hand him the coin, while sending a shock through his hand and up Eugene's arm.

Soren Sorensen was the inventor of the Joy Buzzer.

Assuming Eugene goes down, Captain Conduit sidesteps him and hurries down the stairwell.

LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

"No can do pal!" hisses DarkRaven. "Unwilling targets are too tricky to simply move with my mind!"

The family were petrified by now. Costumed men - one of them a miniaturised man - had entered the room, spoke to them in a language they had hardly any grasp of save for some basic words (maybe like 'Eat', 'Sit' and 'Quiet' which can all be enforced with gestures and threats) and now the kidnappers had crashed in with guns and things were about to get dangerous!

The younger (albeit still in her late forties) woman screamed. The older woman scooped the children up in her arms and turned her back to shield them from any potential harm with her own body!

Lightning Bullet grit his teeth and held up a hand, unleashing his blinding light at the big guy filling the doorway!

OOC Flash 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,5,+0 Total:11 (19) vs
OV6 + 1D Acrobatics + Roll(3d12)+0: 10,9,3,+0 Total:19 (25) Failed.

The man grunts, turning his head to the side and snarling in a beastlike voice "What gives? Dere's a midget an' another guy in here. CAPES!" he roared. "I been dying ta get my hands on one o dese freaks! let's see how super you REALLY are ..."

His voice was becoming more gutteral with every word and Lightning Bullet saw hair sprout from his face, his hands, every visible part of his skin! His eyes were animal like and his teeth stretched, becoming fangs!

DarkRaven groans. "I hope this works!" he says... He seems to 'explode' outwards with darkness firing out from every direction, then it's suddenly sucked in to the man in the cloak/black costume! He seems taller, wider, bulkier... and the floor is creaking with every clodding step!

"I'll take care of this guy." says DarkRaven as he stands alongside Lightning Bullet. "You get them out!"

The mobster not only has elongated fangs and wolflike eyes, he also has razor sharp looking claws now! From the sounds of it, his shirt and suit are stretching and splitting...

OOC initiative...Roll(3d12)+0:
1,9,1,

DarkRaven (with reduced Dex) 17 + 1 (18)
Lightning Bullet 17 + 9 (26)
Mobster 10 + 1 (11)

You guys are up (you first, then DR)

CAPTAIN CONDUIT

"Wha...?" says the guy. He reaches a hand for the coin and - doubtless - to deliver a painful crushing grip! What he gets instead...

OOC Lightning 8 + Mod 4 (touching) + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,4,+0 Total:12 (24) vs
OV3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,1,+0 Total:5 (8) Success +6
EV8 +6 (EV14) vs RV3=11 RAPs
BANG! That's 8 APs over the top so he's out for an hour + 8 APs (15 mins) or 75 Minutes of time before he gets a recovery check.

There is a flash and a crack and the guy goes down, poleaxed! Checking the bully's pulse, Captain Conduit is satisfied the guy will recover eventually albeit with a burned hand! The coin is melted beyond recognition and would have burned CC had he not absorbed the heat as energy...

Racing down the stairs he skips several at a time and finally gets to the bottom which is open. Outside a couple of hotel workers are stood a few feet away chatting and smoking and barely pay any mind to the waiter then jogs by them before resuming their conversation.

OOC This may take a few rounds and LB's battle will cross over, so I assume CC moves into the street and jogs around the building to find out where Conway is waiting in the truck?

"Well, hecky darn," Lightning Bullet curses.  

"This is NOT going to end well," he moans.  There is no way for him to get this many people out on his own. He finally remembers the letter he had Herr Doktor Professor write for him and pulls it out and shows it to the younger woman.

"Read it and let's get out of here," he says quickly, pointing to the letterl.

Admin wrote:LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

"No can do pal!" hisses DarkRaven. "Unwilling targets are too tricky to simply move with my mind!"

The family were petrified by now. Costumed men - one of them a miniaturised man - had entered the room, spoke to them in a language they had hardly any grasp of save for some basic words (maybe like 'Eat', 'Sit' and 'Quiet' which can all be enforced with gestures and threats) and now the kidnappers had crashed in with guns and things were about to get dangerous!

The younger (albeit still in her late forties) woman screamed. The older woman scooped the children up in her arms and turned her back to shield them from any potential harm with her own body!

Lightning Bullet grit his teeth and held up a hand, unleashing his blinding light at the big guy filling the doorway!

OOC Flash 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,5,+0 Total:11 (19) vs
OV6 + 1D Acrobatics + Roll(3d12)+0: 10,9,3,+0 Total:19 (25) Failed.

The man grunts, turning his head to the side and snarling in a beastlike voice "What gives? Dere's a midget an' another guy in here. CAPES!" he roared. "I been dying ta get my hands on one o dese freaks! let's see how super you REALLY are ..."

His voice was becoming more gutteral with every word and Lightning Bullet saw hair sprout from his face, his hands, every visible part of his skin! His eyes were animal like and his teeth stretched, becoming fangs!

DarkRaven groans. "I hope this works!" he says... He seems to 'explode' outwards with darkness firing out from every direction, then it's suddenly sucked in to the man in the cloak/black costume! He seems taller, wider, bulkier... and the floor is creaking with every clodding step!

"I'll take care of this guy." says DarkRaven as he stands alongside Lightning Bullet. "You get them out!"

The mobster not only has elongated fangs and wolflike eyes, he also has razor sharp looking claws now! From the sounds of it, his shirt and suit are stretching and splitting...

OOC initiative...Roll(3d12)+0:
1,9,1,

DarkRaven (with reduced Dex) 17 + 1 (18)
Lightning Bullet 17 + 9 (26)
Mobster 10 + 1 (11)

You guys are up (you first, then DR)

LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

OOC Ha! Well remembered! That was from the 4th january. I've drunk a lot of beer since then and don't remember what I had for breakfast never mind something from January...

The petrified woman looked at the note and her eyes widened, recognising the writing....

(OOC Translated from German)

"It's from Herman! This is his handwriting! It says we are to trust the two brightly coloured gentlemen and that they would rescue us and take us to a safe place where we would be reunited!" she gasps.

The older woman (OOC still talking German) replies "But... all in black is not brightly coloured!"

DarkRaven looks up at the (now) larger, hairier man. "Gee, I bet your Barber groans when you walk in." he mutters.

OOC You still have a dice action having used a simple and move action to give the woman the letter, but aren't in melee range of the jacked up mobster. You can use that action to try to persuade them, again, or attempt another flash (but need to aim past DarkRaven though there's no chance of blinding him with his back to you)

Flash again.

ooc: And everytime I write something like that, I keep thinking of the opening lines to Queen's theme song for the old Flash Gordon movie!

"Flash! Aw UH!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfmrHTdXgK4

OOC Never seen that particular video! Always the one showing the film with music playing.

LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

LB took aim. It would be tricky firing past his comrade but he'd try anyway!

OOC Flash 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,5,+0 Total:14 (22) vs
OV6 + Trick Shot 4 + Range 1 - Tele Vision 1 (Cancels range penalty) + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,6,+0 Total:7 (17) Success +3
EV8 + 3 (EV11) vs RV6=5 RAPs.
The Goon is reduced to 1 Dex for 5 phases. I don't think he'll be on his feet for that long...

"Arrrgh! My eyes! What the... da midget fires some kinda... light!" roared the mobster, stating the obvious.

"He sure does... now it's my turn to put your lights OUT!" declared DarkRaven. "Sure hope this works." he muttered under his breath.

OOC Dex 5 (reduced) + 1D M Arts + Roll(3d12)+0: 9,1,4,+0 Total:13 (18) vs
OV1 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,2,+0 Total:7 (8) Success +4
EV6 +4 (EV10) vs RV6=4 RAPs Mobster in doorway on 2/6 Body

THWACK!

"Take that you...ah." said DarkRaven. The hit sounded meaty enough, like a baseball hat thwacking against an oak tree. Unfortunately the big fellow was still on his feet! "Ah... lil help?" quipped DarkRaven over his shoulder.

Despite his extra bulk which had 'grown' with darkness and caused the floor to creak it seemed the mobsters were in fact 'enhanced' and this might be more of a struggle than Lightning Bullet, DarkRaven and Captain Conduit had hoped!

"C'mere, runt!" snarled the Mobster, blinking and swinging wildly!

OOC Dex 1 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,3,+0 Total:12 (13) vs
OV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,12,+0 Total:13 (18) Missed

Initiative...Roll(3d12)+0:
5,1,12

DarkRaven (with reduced Dex) 17 + 5 (23)
Lightning Bullet 17 + 1 (18)
Mobster (reduced) 5 + 12 (17)

DarkRaven called out "LB! Getem outta here! I'll... I'll think of something! I wish I'd paid more attention when... oops! I'll pay more attention now!" as he ducked another wild swing.

OOC DarkRaven Dex 5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,3,+0 Total:10 (15) vs
OV1 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,3,+0 Total:8 (9) Success +3
EV6 + 3 (EV9) vs Rv6=3 RAPs. The Mobster goes down!

With a blow powerful enough to fell (or at least stagger) an Ox, a solid sounding SMECK! saw the Mobster topple backwards... leaving DarkRaven staring down the barrel of two pump action shotguns!

"Oh no!" he muttered.

OOC LB is up.

"Dark Raven, I'm too slow," Lightning Bullet calls out as he moves up to flash to two men with the shotguns, "You have to teleport them out or all is lost! A dog can run faster than I can fly! It would take minutes to carry them all out!"

Flash the two with shotguns.

LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

The diminutive superhero tries to blind the two mobsters about to blast DarkRaven at short range!

OOC Flash 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,8,+0 Total:14 (22) vs
OV6 + Multi 2 + No range penalties (Range 1, Tele vision 3) + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,12,+0 Total:13 (21) Success +1
EV8 + 1 (EV9) vs RV6 + Multi 2 (RV8)=1 RAP
Two Mobsters are slightly dazzled, dropping Dex from 6 to 5 each!

The two Mobsters who were both displaying animal traits - one with furred striped skin and another with a face like a warthog with big tusks jutting from his lower jaw, growled and shook off the blast from Lightning Bullet. The one with tusks said something but it came out as words no human could easily understand. The other blinked catlike eyes and and was by the second looking more like a Human/Tiger Hybrid!

OOC They open fire!

AV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,6,+0 Total:16 (21) vs
OV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,10,+0 Total:21 (26) MISSED!

AV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,11,+0 Total:12 (17) vs
OV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,5,+0 Total:7 (12) Success +3
EV5 +3 (EV8) vs RV9=0 RAPs no damage

The first shot is wild and blasts a hole in the ceiling!

The second shot is muffled as it 'puffs' against DarkRaven and Lightning Bullet winces. There was no way for the fledgling hero to survive that!

Except... what appears to be black smoke pulses outwards for a moment then back in from the bulky, shadow wreathed dark form and DarkRaven stands tall. "I ... didn't know if that would work. It didn't for my predecessor." he admitted.

The Mobster with the tusks blinks, looks and checks the shotgun then snarls, tossing the gun to one side!

"Get outta da way!" snarls a really big guy with grey leather skin, shredded clothing and a tommy gun in his increasingly swelling mitts. He tries to open fire... but his fingers are now too fat to pull the trigger and the gun snaps in half in his too big hands! He cries out and his face elongates, teeth and hair falling out as he changes into Man/Hippo hybrid!

The women scream behind Lightning Bullet. They were at an impasse. The women wouldn't willingly go with DarkRaven (but might with LB who was brightly coloured as the note suggested) and Lightning Bullet was too small to carry them all out of the window. In the meantime monstrous mobsters who were transforming into weird man/animal hybrids before their very eyes were queuing up to get at them!

OOC Initiative...Roll(4d12)+0:
1,4,5,8

DarkRaven (with reduced Dex) 17 + 1 (18)
Lightning Bullet 17 + 4 (21)
Mobster (reduced Dex to 5) 9 + 5 (14)
Mobster (reduced Dex to 5) 9 + 8 (17)

LB is up.

FRED ASTER/CAPTAIN CONDUIT

Free at last to dash out of the back of the hotel, past workers having a smoke and through the car park across the grass and around a corner. Getting his bearings he stifles a curse as he has to run around the hotel to find where Conway is parked up in the truck.

He rounds another corner (OOC it's not a small hotel and he's sprinting at full pelt, speed 4APs. 5APs is Usain Bolt territory and even then for a max burst of 10 seconds) and sees the truck. Sat inside the cab he can see the glow of a cigar and a waft of smoke comes out the window.

Fred is some distance away but has enough presence of mind to realise he's out of costume (OOC i think you said he has his mask to hand, which is fine) but Conway won't have seen him yet.

OOC still have a couple of rounds whilst all that commotion is going on upstairs but when you get chatting to Conway we'll sort of be able to catch up to LB

ooc: Having a reduced Flight of 3 while shrunk and small means while he can carry one person, running is almost as fast.

Try Lightning Touch on the nearest thug.

Admin wrote:LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

The diminutive superhero tries to blind the two mobsters about to blast DarkRaven at short range!

OOC Flash 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,8,+0 Total:14 (22) vs
OV6 + Multi 2 + No range penalties (Range 1, Tele vision 3) + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,12,+0 Total:13 (21) Success +1
EV8 + 1 (EV9) vs RV6 + Multi 2 (RV8)=1 RAP
Two Mobsters are slightly dazzled, dropping Dex from 6 to 5 each!

The two Mobsters who were both displaying animal traits - one with furred striped skin and another with a face like a warthog with big tusks jutting from his lower jaw, growled and shook off the blast from Lightning Bullet. The one with tusks said something but it came out as words no human could easily understand. The other blinked catlike eyes and and was by the second looking more like a Human/Tiger Hybrid!

OOC They open fire!

AV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,6,+0 Total:16 (21) vs
OV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,10,+0 Total:21 (26) MISSED!

AV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,11,+0 Total:12 (17) vs
OV5 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,5,+0 Total:7 (12) Success +3
EV5 +3 (EV8) vs RV9=0 RAPs no damage

The first shot is wild and blasts a hole in the ceiling!

The second shot is muffled as it 'puffs' against DarkRaven and Lightning Bullet winces. There was no way for the fledgling hero to survive that!

Except... what appears to be black smoke pulses outwards for a moment then back in from the bulky, shadow wreathed dark form and DarkRaven stands tall. "I ... didn't know if that would work. It didn't for my predecessor." he admitted.

The Mobster with the tusks blinks, looks and checks the shotgun then snarls, tossing the gun to one side!

"Get outta da way!" snarls a really big guy with grey leather skin, shredded clothing and a tommy gun in his increasingly swelling mitts. He tries to open fire... but his fingers are now too fat to pull the trigger and the gun snaps in half in his too big hands! He cries out and his face elongates, teeth and hair falling out as he changes into Man/Hippo hybrid!

The women scream behind Lightning Bullet. They were at an impasse. The women wouldn't willingly go with DarkRaven (but might with LB who was brightly coloured as the note suggested) and Lightning Bullet was too small to carry them all out of the window. In the meantime monstrous mobsters who were transforming into weird man/animal hybrids before their very eyes were queuing up to get at them!

OOC Initiative...Roll(4d12)+0:
1,4,5,8

DarkRaven (with reduced Dex) 17 + 1 (18)
Lightning Bullet 17 + 4 (21)
Mobster (reduced Dex to 5) 9 + 5 (14)
Mobster (reduced Dex to 5) 9 + 8 (17)

LB is up.

LIGHTNING BULLET and DARKRAVEN

The diminutive hero looked up... and up. The mobster/brute in front of him seemed like a giant! He reached out and applied his electricity to a place normally considered 'unsportsmanlike' in the Marquis of Queensberry rules...

OOC Dex 7 + 1D M Arts (1D Acro) + Roll(3d12)+0: 10,8,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
12,2,+0 Total:34 (41) vs
OV5 + 1D Acro (0D M Arts) + Roll(3d12)+0: 4,5,11,+0 Total:16 (21) Success +6
EV9 (+6) vs RV6=9 RAPs The beast mobster is DOWN and OUT!

With a great FLASH! and bang! the mobster flies backwards into the room!

"Great hit pal! He'll know about that in the morning!" said DarkRaven, seeing the man's groin area all blackened and smoking.

DarkRaven swings at the thug in front of him...

OOC CRIT BLOW Dex 5 + 1D M Arts (1D Acro) + Roll(3d12)+0: 9,10,7,+0 Total:19 (24) vs
OV5 + 1D Acro (0D M Arts) + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(3d12)+0: 11,1,4,+0 Total:15 (24) Success (just!)
EV6 vs RV6 - 6 Crit Blow (RV0)=6 RAPs. The other Mobster is knocked out!

Somewhat less flashy and impressive but still useful, DarkRaven throws a wild, clumsy uppercut that connects with the mobsters' chin!

The man/beast staggers then falls back in a heap!

"Don't just stand dere!" roared a fellow that looked more like a Badger than a man. "Ventilate 'em!"

Half a dozen pistols, tommy guns and shotguns were pulled up!

DarkRaven squeaked "Eep!" and slammed the door, shouting "GET DOWN!" as he hit the deck!

Lightning Bullet didn't have far to drop and glanced at the family. They were already on the floor next to the bed as soon as the bullets started zinging around!

RATATATATA!

BOOM! BOOM!

POCK! POCK! POCK!

Holes started appearing in the door and wall as trigger happy enraged mobsters blazed away! Smoke and stink of cordite filled the place and Lightning Bullet wondered if ANY of them - not just the family - would get out of this place!

OOC We'll wait for Andy to catch up as he and Conway should see (and more than likely hear) what was going on in the hotel room even though it's at the top of the building!

Captain Conduit puts his mask on wondering how DarkRaven can teleport the family to the truck if can't find it. When he gets to the truck he gets ready to hop in saying. "Honk the horn and flash the lights or something so they can find you. Man! I thought you'd be easier to find! It's time to go!"

CONWAY and CAPTAIN CONDUIT

"What the...?" splutters Conway as he flails around for his pistol then recognises the mask. "Ya darned near gave me a heart attack dammit!"

He looks CC up and down. "You moonlightin' as a waiter or somethin?" he drawls.

"Honk the horn? Sheesh, ok. Nuthin' like announcin' to th' world where yas at." he said, fumbling with the keys to get the engine started.

Before he did, there was a distant but still distinct sound of gunfire coming from the upper floor of the hotel!

Conway and Captain Conduit turned to one another, the cigar perilously close to falling from the cop's mouth. "What the...?" he spluttered, catching the stogie before it fell.

If they could hear that from down here, the snipers on the roof would know about it too! Something had clearly gone wrong in the room with the hostages and Captain Conduit knew that his super heroic companions would need his special abilities to get them out of a jam.

"I KNEW dis was a bad idea!" growled Conway as he got out of the truck, fished in his pocket and checked he had a couple of clips. "I can't even call it in as it'd be clear I was working wid you schmucks!" he hissed, jogging across the street. Conway clearly intended to enter the hotel and get up there to sort things out!

"Gimme the damn keys." If Fred doesn't get the keys from Conway, he hotwires the car with his powers. "It's better to be fired than fired at, gumshoe. We need to let DarkRaven know where to port to get out of there. And hopefully in the middle of a firefight, the Germans won't argue with being moved to safety."

Fred gets in the driver's seat and heads toward the window with the rental vehicle, honking the horn like a maniac.

CONWAY and CAPTAIN CONDUIT

Conway tosses the keys to the rental truck to Captain Conduit even as he pops his revolver open, checking the shells inside as he jogs across the road.

Captain Conduit starts the truck up and starts forward, looking up and... and seeing the flash of light in the windows at the very top of the hotel!

If DarkRaven or Lightning Bullet looked out the window and down at the street they'd see (and hear) the truck making itself known...