The NEW Vanguard! FROSTBITE ISSUE #13 "Heavy is the head that wears the crown..."

OOC Without rolling any dice I predict you'll miss...

DEV ATTACK
AV8 + 1D Attack (1D defence) + 3d12+0 12,11,8+0 = 23 then again... (31) vs
OV11 + 8 Dev Attack + 2d12+0 7,5+0 = 12 (31)

Success! On the dot!!!

*blink*

EV9 vs RV6 - 12 (Dev Attack)=9 RAPs

Vitesse is PARALYSED! Zero dex!

The Speedster doesn't even bother moving. His confidence is such that he intends to move at the last moment then do the same for Stormwarden before pummelling the heroes into oblivion with super fast pu...

Woooosssssh! TASSSSSSH! The ice whip swept out, snagged the villain around the chest in the blink of an eye and spun him like a top!

He slowed to a stop still stood in place except with a look of fear plastered across his face... "What... what have you done? I cannot move!" he gasped in accented English.

Stormwarden was taken aback. He looked at Frostbite with both eyebrows raised below the hood and muttered "What he said... who ARE you?" he marched over to the villain watching for tricks. Up close with a hand on the bad guys shoulder he formed a fist, waved it under the villains nose and said "I'm not as fancy as my pal. I do storms, and punches. I can call down lightning to light you up like a Christmas tree or I can start straightening out your limbs. I imagine between all the pops, cracks and screaming it won't be pleasant for you or anyone that hears but I'll quite enjoy myself. Shall we begin?"

He glances over his shoulder to Frostbite "Want to ask him anything before I start dislocating his limbs?"

Admin wrote:

He glances over his shoulder to Frostbite "Want to ask him anything before I start dislocating his limbs?"

Frostbite couldn't be sure if Stormwarden was capable of carrying out his threat or not. Or indeed whether he was wanting to simply scare the Frenchman. By nature, Frostbite new that many of the Eurotrash were so self interested they hardly ever meshed together as a coherent team which was a big part in their own undoing. That was, until his own time where his counterpart from another dimension started to forge them into something else. But if Stormwarden's 'bluff' didn't work, then what?


"My one worry is that his screams would only draw the others. Mind you hard to run fast without a leg, or worse still a foot. Right. No I'm guessing our friend here knows that, whatever he has been promised, its not worth that sort of trouble."

Frostbite turned so that only Stormwarden could see him, and winked. Stormwarden might not be joking but he hoped that he could see that Frostbite was. And that as a consequence he was not intending any maiming to come to the villain.

OOC: I'm hoping that the Frenchman spills his guts, and I was ask him questions re Dawson and what they are up to here. But obviously only if this isn't freely volunteered by him as I hope it might be. I suggest when all is done, we coup de grace him and tie him up so he can be of no more harm this time, at least.

Sj

Stormwarden stepped up to the frenchman, popped his knuckles and muttered "Right then old lad. Time ta talk."

"You don't scare me! You... 'eeeroes' have to play by ze rules! If ze vord got out you tortured people zey vud lock you up as well as I! Heck, I vud be freed and you? Zey vud throw avay ze key!"

Frostbite was (at this point in time having experienced all those adventures in his life so far) convinced the Frenchman was playing it cool. He'd been unnerved that he'd been paralysed so easily and now was without help and in danger of getting a beating... except he was bluffing it out.

OOC You can try to use your Charisma skill to intimidate him with a good cop/bad cop routine but you recall from your first time around that this guy has buddies on site. Matador, Chavalier Noir and Dominator as well as the armed goons that had been hired to hold off the cops. They are delaying to secure a pickup for the nuclear material they have stolen and SMITE tracked them here because its radioactive.

You also know Yeoman and Nowhere Man are due to show up soon...

Admin wrote:Stormwarden stepped up to the frenchman, popped his knuckles and muttered "Right then old lad. Time ta talk."

OOC You can try to use your Charisma skill to intimidate him with a good cop/bad cop routine but you recall from your first time around that this guy has buddies on site. Matador, Chavalier Noir and Dominator as well as the armed goons that had been hired to hold off the cops. They are delaying to secure a pickup for the nuclear material they have stolen and SMITE tracked them here because its radioactive.

You also know Yeoman and Nowhere Man are due to show up soon...

OOC: Ops sorry missed this, been a bit behind with my emails lately. yes I think use my Charisma skill, (never used it before) to see if we can turn this situation around.

Sj

OOC No worries. I've had some itches I've needed to scratch away from gaming and finally got round to sorting them. Aside from my rules exams later on this week that I have to swot up for I should be fine with as many updates as required. In between that I'm writing a supers game that I do a bit for and come back to. That write up I posted a page or two back was a 'first pass' at doing Frostbite without the actual rules being finished!

Anyway, on with the show!

FROSTBITE glanced at Stormwarden.

His old friend looked ready to pound on the Frenchman to find out what he knew. The hero from the future also knew that at some point his old friend Yeoman would show up and of course, Nowhere Man. This was a time before they knew about the 'Dark Powers', interdimensional demons intent on turning life on Earth into a living hell to 'feed' their horrible species.

Frostbite and others had been 'powered up' by rogue Dark Powers who had changed the fledgling hero into one of the worlds most powerful superheroes. Any change to that at this stage would surely rewrite his future and all the people he'd saved, the villains he'd stopped... would all that be for nought?

He'd have to tread carefully...

He turned to the villain, still paralysed thanks to Frostbites stunning strike!

"You can see what he wants to do." explained the future Vanguard leader with reference to Stormwarden. "We're good guys, but when you are being hunted by the law it means cutting corners."

"Damn right!" grunted Stormwarden. "Step aside mate, I'm going to soften this fellow up!"

Vitesses' eyes widened and turned back to Frostbite who leaned in. "Better tell us what you know..."

OOC Influence 6 + 2D Charisma + 4d12+0 8,11,11,2+0 = 22 DOUBLE plus 2d12+0 4,12+0 = 38 (44) vs
OV5 + Hostile +6 + 2d12+0 4,6+0 = 10 (21)

Success +7

EV6 +7 (EV13) vs RV6 +6 (Hostile)=1 RAP

Vitesse is determined to tough it out but sweat rolls down his face, trickling around his domino mask.

"If I talk, they'll kill me!" he hissed.

"If you DON'T talk, you'll soon wish they do kill you by the time I'm done with you!" snarled Stormwarden.

"Better listen to him." stated Frostbite, arms crossed in his 'good cop' role.

"You don't scare me... I... what..." said the Frenchman as his eyes followed where Stormwarden walked around him. "What are you doing?" spluttered Vitesse.

"I'm going to dislocate one of your legs at the knee. You'll recover but you'll never be as fast. Won't hurt much popping out but by jove..." snarled Stormwarden in his ear "You won't be awake for long when it goes back in, assuming the screaming doesn't keep you awake..." he hissed.

Frostbite stepped up. "Tell us. What are we looking at here?"

Vitesses' eyes flicked to Frostbite. "You can't! You're supposed to be..." his eyes flicked again... "Alright! Matador! Chevalier Noir! Dominator! Twenty Five... three... Eurotrash hired guns! Pickup soon! The radioactive material!"

"Never heard of 'em!" snarled Stormwarden. "Right, clamp his mouth Frosty. I'm going for a knee..."

Frostbite saw Vitesse wouldn't talk much more - any torture inflicted on him would likely make him feint! That said, Stormwarden looked very determined and he was a big guy...

Admin wrote:Vitesses' eyes flicked to Frostbite. "You can't! You're supposed to be..." his eyes flicked again... "Alright! Matador! Chevalier Noir! Dominator! Twenty Five... three... Eurotrash hired guns! Pickup soon! The radioactive material!"

"Never heard of 'em!" snarled Stormwarden. "Right, clamp his mouth Frosty. I'm going for a knee..."

Frostbite saw Vitesse wouldn't talk much more - any torture inflicted on him would likely make him feint! That said, Stormwarden looked very determined and he was a big guy...  

Time for some hasty intervention Frostbite realised. He didn't want Stormwarden in his haste to make a monumental decision that would cast the die in a way that sullied his conscience or his reputation.

Moving between them with his back to the Frenchman, he indicated they should talk. Before turning to bind the French villain in a block of ice (OOC:argh realised I can't do that at present, so perhaps bind him with my wind whip or something). "He's a low level operative. As much as this low life might deserve a pounding, he mentioned radioactive material. I suggest we waste nor more time here. It would take too long and potentially deny us the advantage of surprise we currently have. We've got to move swiftly before they realise that someone is taking down their team and they get away with that material. Besides which if they do get their act together and turn on us as a team, we might be the ones turning tale, don't you think?"

Frostbite wasn't in a position to take on the villains and Stormwarden, so he needed the big guy to wind back his anger and see the bigger picture.

Sj

STORMWARDEN looked down at FROSTBITE...

And bristled. "We've only just met. And yet... I feel I can trust you? Why is that? have you some power you are exerting over me?" He turned away from the petrified Vitesse and spoke under his breath.

"When I came out of the coma a week ago with these powers and having grown a foot in all directions I didn't know what to think. I mean... sure, I watch the news, I see the UKChampions tearing up Oxford Street fighting bad guys and Doctor Necropolis getting the dead to walk and causing mayhem in Birmingham that time and think... 'what would I do if I were them?' "

He shakes his head, running a hand through his hair and scowls at the immobilised Vitesse. "Well here I am. I gotta say it's not as glamorous as I thought it would be. Sneaking about because the cops are as likely to shoot us as well as bad guys... I'm thinking maybe I should take the mask off and sit at home, watch it on the news as it all plays out. Or maybe, maybe go public. Sign up with the UKChampions or some other group. The Justice Avengers or somebody."

He sighs. "Alright. I'm ok. I'm here now, I'm in this. You seem to have a calm head like you've done this before or been at it a while. What's the next move? Get in there..." he points to the skylight "And crack some heads? If they have hostages I reckon best bet is to circle the place and pick off the super nutjobs..." he waves a hand in Vitesses' direction "One by one. All those other guys he mentioned."

He looks around, at the sky. "All we need right now is someone like Adjutant to show up and take everyone in, good guys and bad! We can protest our innocence all we like but those loons in the pinstripe suits and bowler hats don't mess about when they slap power sapping cuffs on supers."

OOC He's referring to SMITE - Strategic Metahuman International Terrorist Elimination (the moniker would change to adapt over the years)whose special agents - at this time - wore expensive (and bullet proof) 'Kingsman' style suits and bowler hats, stun gun umbrellas, handkerchiefs that expanded into a near unbreakable polymer net, scented flower that pumped out pheromones to make people agreeable etc...

"So... for now, I'll follow your lead. What's the next move, 'Boss'?" said Stormwarden, fists on hips.

Admin wrote:STORMWARDEN looked down at FROSTBITE...

"So... for now, I'll follow your lead. What's the next move, 'Boss'?" said Stormwarden, fists on hips.

With a curt nod of gratitude, Frostbite wasted no time bandying words. "Once we put this one out of the way where he cannot be easily discovered or raise the alarm, I suggest we take down the others. We need whatever he has for communication, but believe me, once we start to turn the tide the others will fall back." Realising he was probably speaking what he shouldn't know, he added, "So my intel tells me anyway."

Using the giant's uncanny ability to sense people through the mist gave them a great advantage, one they must use urgently before the hunters became the hunted.

OOC: OK so we go for the next soft target after we've got any coms device they might have. I know I don't speak French, but I might be able to gain a heads-up from communicators. Besides, unless all of the Eurotrash are French, they might have to drop into English some of the time. So we sneak up on the others and hope to continue this conga line of disarming our super-powered adversaries.

Sj

OOC You know from experience that Germans, Italians, Spanish, Scandinavians, Eastern Europeans, Brits, Irish and practically anyone else - even stray Americans who aren't good enough to get into other villainous groups - come and go as part of Eurotrash. They chose the name because they intended to 'Trash Europe' but the translation suggests something else. English is a common language but they generally insult people (and each other) in their own before the infighting escalates into all out war. Again.

Stormwarden stepped up to Vitesse and held a hand up to quell Frostbites concerns...

"Don't worry. This guy deserves a beating but you've convinced me good guys don't do that sort of thing." He said and turned to Vitesse, plucking something from his ear and a pack from his belt out of view from the rear.

"Here." he said. "This guy is miked up. Chances are the rest of his idiot friends overheard everything that's been said." he scowled.

"No matter. I'm glad they know we're here." he leans in to the earpiece and snarls "Took out the speedster faster than he could move, chew on THAT!"

Tossing the earpiece and transmitter to Frostbite the fledgling hero turned and his eyes turned milky white. "Let's see what we've got here..."

"Police Cordon. They are doing a job of holding people back. Someone in a bowler hat. That will be the SMITE guy, those fellows are out of touch with modern styles..."

Frostbite glanced at Stormwardens garish attire.

"On the roof, opposite side of the building. Can't tell details but a lone guy, I'm guessing a sniper. He won't be much use with the fog though!"

"Can't see much outside the place but it's really ... indistinct... this 'fog sense' I have. I'm guessing the rest of this idiots friends are inside. If they can speak English right now that means they are planning their next move! We don't have long! There are skylights we can go through or..."

"How strong are you? I think I can lift a car off the floor. Can you get through a wall? I'm thinking one of us through the skylight and the other through the side..."

Admin wrote:"Can't see much outside the place but it's really ... indistinct... this 'fog sense' I have. I'm guessing the rest of this idiots friends are inside. If they can speak English right now that means they are planning their next move! We don't have long! There are skylights we can go through or..."

"How strong are you? I think I can lift a car off the floor. Can you get through a wall? I'm thinking one of us through the skylight and the other through the side..."

"I agree the skylights might well be the right way to go as they'll not have had time to rig up a trap just find a defensible position."

Frostbite then went on to suggest they took a look from above to see if either get a better sense of what they faced below and if Stormwarden could pick up anything else from below. Then see if they could open the skylights and drop down from above, using the fog as cover to help them get in unnoticed. Although capable and strong if they were not careful to use whatever advantage they had, they might be overwhelmed and or captured along with the bad guys if they weren't careful.

OOC: OK lets get up top and see what we can see, and seek to see if we can nip in through the Sky lights if afforded the chance.

Sj

FROSTBITE (of the past) and STORMWARDEN above the old Battersea power station!

The pair of heroes soared up, up, and looked down on the fog. Hmmm. Not much to see unfortunately.

"I can see just fine." said Stormwarden who pointed to areas of fog. "Police surround the building. They are armed. A fellow in a suit and bowler hat is speaking on a mobile phone, stood near the cops. Standard police are ushering people back and setting up a cordon away from the place - there are press about too - and I suppose there's a standoff."

"The Eurotrash lot must be waiting for extraction by some means." he said, looking about in the otherwise clear night sky. "Helicopter maybe? Whatever it is I may be unwittingly helping them by obscuring the place in fog! Should I lift it, allow the police to see again? Remember they will shoot as us as well as the bad guys! The government have gone crazy, forced to do something by the press and public outcry. Anyone with powers and wearing a mask is public enemy number one! That means you and me as well my friend..."

Admin wrote:FROSTBITE (of the past) and STORMWARDEN above the old Battersea power station!

The pair of heroes soared up, up, and looked down on the fog. Hmmm. Not much to see unfortunately.

"I can see just fine." said Stormwarden who pointed to areas of fog. "Police surround the building. They are armed. A fellow in a suit and bowler hat is speaking on a mobile phone, stood near the cops. Standard police are ushering people back and setting up a cordon away from the place - there are press about too - and I suppose there's a standoff."

"The Eurotrash lot must be waiting for extraction by some means." he said, looking about in the otherwise clear night sky. "Helicopter maybe? Whatever it is I may be unwittingly helping them by obscuring the place in fog! Should I lift it, allow the police to see again? Remember they will shoot as us as well as the bad guys! The government have gone crazy, forced to do something by the press and public outcry. Anyone with powers and wearing a mask is public enemy number one! That means you and me as well my friend..."

Frostbite shook his head. "Though I don't like it the fog is our advantage and I don't want to loose that. We've got to stop Eurotrash and start to rebuild trust. Besides they could come in from below, as well as above. They couldn't have known that fog would be here so an extraction from above, with so much attention seems less likely unless its very heavy duty. I want to get in and see what we can find. Get close and see if we can learn what is going on."

OOC: OK so I am looking for an unobtrusive way in with my limited power set and for Stormwarden to join me or at least come in his way. We know the main entrances will be guarded, so we're looking to go in from above, or around a overlooked door way that might remain unguarded or at least be passable.

Sj

FROSTBITE and STORMWARDEN

Leaving the paralysed and helpless Vitesse on the rooftop the pair of heroes (one fledgling, one DEFINITELY not!) search for other options on entrance to the power station.

Stormwarden had superhuman strength. Bench press a bus most likely so the walls themselves weren't much of an obstacle. IN his current weaker form (pre Dark power upgrade) Frostbite couldn't do that. Heck, in his usual self he could flatten the building with a single punch!

Instead...

'Your power set includes most of the abilities that you started with' stated Frostbot. 'That includes your phasing ability which should see you easily pass through the walls of the building which are constructed of brick.'

Huh.

The hero swooped down in the fog phased and heard Stormwarden call out from behind "Hey! Don't crash into anything! You can't see and you're awfully clo... oh."

Frostbite passed through the brick without pause and into the dark recesses of the abandoned power station.

He winced. Couldn't see in the dark either anymore. Luckily the targets far below (this was a HIGH ceiling) were using torches to see by.

Silently floating down and hoping Stormwarden stays put for the moment Frostbite drifts a little lower. The villains were speaking in French. Two costumes that meant one was out and about somewhere. A group of people in a huddle - twenty or so. They looked like random civilians, late night pubbers and clubbers, a cop, couple of fellas in overalls. They were guarded by half a dozen Uzi toting thugs in civvies and ski masks. Eurotrash classic tactic - a shield of flesh. They weren't afraid to make a statement either but tended to stop short of killing. Gunshots to the limbs generally sparked enough screams to put the authorities off.

Frostbite ground his teeth. With his usual power set this wouldn't be a problem. Just a pinpoint super high power energy blast to each individual target. Now?

He'd struggle against just one of the costumed villains and those uzi toting thugs would prove a distraction. Maybe have grenades too. he looked about. The innards of the power station were gutted, prepping for turning into exclusive flats and retail areas. It was a vast open space now, dusty and echo filled. Some old rusted relics of machines remained, waiting to be cut up.

Turning he floated up through the almost flat rough and reported to Stormwarden.

"First of all, you can move through stuff? What the heck?" spluttered Stormwarden. He'd been keeping Vitesse 'company' but the frenchman showed no signs of having been abused.

"Hmmm. Those hostages are a problem. Maybe we need to distract the gun toting goons and get the civvies free before dealing with the supers. Any gunshots and the SMITE and armed Cops lot will come swarming in and the whole thing will be a right mess." he sighed. "It's easier when they just want a fist fight in the middle of the street. met a guy like that a few days ago. Thought he was hard till I punched him and I realised I need to pull my punch..."

He turned to Frostbite. "I get the strongest feeling you've done this sort of thing before. I'll follow your lead pal. What's the move?"

Admin wrote:FROSTBITE and STORMWARDEN

He turned to Frostbite. "I get the strongest feeling you've done this sort of thing before. I'll follow your lead pal. What's the move?"

Frostbite chose to ignore the fact that it was hard to act ignorant when you had as much experience as he did. Besides with innocent civilians lives at stake one couldn't afford the luxury of not using all he could within the confines of this present situation. It wasn't going to be easy, even a distraction to draw away the villains had to be good, they could so easily draw them out by just threatening the hostages. But Eurotrash were not so good on the planning stages of things. Could they get closer by pretending to want in on the super villains game?

Frostbite turned to Stormwarden. "OK we could draw some of them away, but even then they aren't going to leave the hostages unguarded. And more importantly even if they did, they could always draw us out by killing or torturing them. So I wonder if we see if we can get in on things. How well are you know to the press...?"

Frostbite then began to layout his suggestion.

OOC: OK we can't get close without them turning on the hostages, but what if we say we want in on joining Eurotrash. We could say that we have had it with the government here hunting down people with powers. So its time for us to take matters into our own hands. Only being as we are new at the game, we want to get in with those who are already making headway. In other words we want to join them, that we have got as far as we have without being detected is our stab at showing some of our abilities. My plan involves getting in with them so that although they might not lower their guard, we might be able to get close without them turning on the hostages until we can turn on them.

If I'm honest with my lower power set, I am just not sure how else we can do this, unless we wait for whatever they are after and then spring on them, but that might also be the most dangerous part of the exchange. So my play, unless Stormwarden has got a better idea is to say we are here to try out for joining as super villains.

Sj

STORMWARDEN and FROSTBITE

"You mean... pose as Villains?" spluttered Stormwarden, crouched on the roof in the fog with Frostbite with the immobilised Vitesse not far away (but out of earshot).

The big man chuckled. "You know, that's not so far from the truth. I don't know about you but my only public appearance since I got these powers a few days ago was wearing a ski mask. First time out in the spandex." he glanced down at the costume. "With the way things are right now with the media and the government declaring war on anyone not on 'their' side they view us as villains and maybe it's not so far fetched to sucker these guys into thinking the same."

He looked out from the rooftop. "One thing is for sure - SMITE and the cops won't hesitate to shoot at us as well as the bad guys. Feels like a raw deal, but at the same time, the right thing to do. I'm in."

"So do we both go in at the same time or one first and lay the groundwork? If it all goes south the other guy can pile in from the opposite direction and create a distraction. Who knows, we might get lucky and convince them? They don't seem..." he glanced at Vitesse "Terribly bright..."

Admin wrote:STORMWARDEN and FROSTBITE

"So do we both go in at the same time or one first and lay the groundwork? If it all goes south the other guy can pile in from the opposite direction and create a distraction. Who knows, we might get lucky and convince them? They don't seem..." he glanced at Vitesse "Terribly bright..."

Frostbite nodded his appreciation. At this time being the hero was no easy task. And since the lines were blurred with people seeking to stay the right side of the law easily confused with those who didn't care about lines, or boundaries, it might be easy to pull off. Especially since neither of them were well known at this time.

"I think the splashing entrance is the way to do it. I can phase up near them, and if you listen out for me and come parting the fog around you so they can see its you they can thank for this cover, it might go well in terms of advertising our wares, as it were. "

Frostbite couldn't account for all the variables, no plan was without risk. But he was trying to subdue any anxiety he felt at the loss of civilian life. He knew he didn't have the advantages of his old self, like his ability to lead. But he hoped that his skills, as a thief, detective, with weapons and being somewhat charismatic might smooth over where he felt his power set still lacked...well power.

OOC: OK not sure I will get to reply to the other updates as quick but jumping in here. So I will phase through and rise up among them...hands raised and asking them not to use their weapons. When I can talk to them and hopefully reassure them that I am not here to stop but join them and this was just a signature move to advertise my uses then I will call in Stormwarden.

However if things go south, then I hope Stormwarden will do what he thinks best in the situation if my attempts to sort things out go south fast. Just want to be careful about putting us both in harms way, before we have some begrudging understanding.

Sj

OOC Posting from work on a beat up laptop and my mouse has died so not 'optimal'... Compared to my time management over the last month (where I've been at work every weekend and the days off have been running about for other people) I figure it's better than nothing!

In case you miss the post I'll put up in the OOC section I'm away for three days till Friday this week then a week away with my son - possibly in the sun though more likely a staycation. The weather here is lousy but over in Europe it's too hot to do much but seek shade. I don't mind lazing about in the sun but a 13 year old will get bored fast. We'll see what later in the week brings (might end up booking Saturday Flying Sunday...).

Anyhow, back to the action...

FROSTBITE in the PAST with STORMWARDEN and EUROTRASH ... posing as villains!

"SACRE BLEU!"

Guns twitched and turned and people gasped - several women and a few men screamed or cried out as Frostbite phased through a wall, stuck to the shadows then went down and up through the floor - which poked into a rusted up abandoned level underneath. Handy to know. At any point to escape he could simply phase through the floor and be out of there.

The two costumed villains he could see instantly moved to flank him, one on either side. The armed men with Uzis and glocks positioned about to watch for more newcomers and prepare for an attack. Some were aiming at Frostbite - he wasn't worried about bullets though, seeing as they'd pass through him. That said he did glance nervously behind him and saw a few hostages that might just be in the line of fire.

One of the villains - a man dressed much like his namesake, 'Matador', in bright red and yellow with frills and such - stepped forward, sword at the ready. Thinking back (it'd been a while and hundreds of foes since he'd fought this man) he knew that Matador was fast, agile and deadly with that sword. Not particularly durable though.

"¿quien diablos eres tú?" he barked.

'Who the hell are you?' translated Frostbot. Basic words and phrases that could be translated with access to the internet the internal program could handle. Hmmm. It might be worth Frostbites while to seek out Wandafar in this timeline and see if his old friend could upgrade his internal companion...

Well, they'd not attacked yet, though were well in range. The hired goons that Eurotrash had brought along looked nervous and twitchy enough though, as well they might. E Trash had an awful reputation for throwing hired help - and each other - under the bus to save their own skins. The leaders - such as they were at any time - were generally the ones who spoke the best and the loudest and were the best salespeople.

Desperate people, down on their luck, backed up (supposedly) by supervillains and promised... well, anything to get them to wave a gun around usually, weren't hard to find for Eurotrash. Dependable people though... Ahhh. Not so easy.

Frostbite even with his lesser power levels wasn't too worried about the Eurotrash villains (there was another knocking about somewhere) but the hired goons with guns looked nervous enough to open fire, and there were... he glanced around. Probably two dozen hostages here, give or take.

He had to tread carefully or this would go bad...

[quote="Admin"]

Frostbite even with his lesser power levels wasn't too worried about the Eurotrash villains (there was another knocking about somewhere) but the hired goons with guns looked nervous enough to open fire, and there were... he glanced around. Probably two dozen hostages here, give or take.

He had to tread carefully or this would go bad...

Raising his hands slowly both to show he meant no harm and as the universal sign of 'I mean you know harm' Frostbite, "Sorry to gatecrash the party. I don't mean to startle you, but I wondered where a man with my particular skill set could get an meet and greet with such fine folks as yourselves. Having powers and using them...well this country has now got laws that stop us. So I am here to find out if I can find people whom I can find a better use for my abilities. Besides you look to be in a spot of bother. Place is surrounded, this fog is interesting, and yet here you are camping down. Either you've got a full proof plan, or your improvising off the map. Way I figure it maybe you could use some help. I scratch your back, you scratch mine."

Frostbite didn't want to over play his hand yet. He wanted to bring Stormwarden in but needed to know if these villains would accept him and what it would require to gain their trust. That was going to be the tricky part in all this.

Sj

FROSTBITE and STORMWARDEN

The villains looked at each other. Frostbite knew Eurotrash well, as anyone would do. Even sewing the slightest seed of doubt amongst them would cause them to turn on one another. Eurotrash was a large, sprawling, unorganised mess. At any one time they'd have half a dozen or more plans and plots going on. Some of the crew on one job were signed up to other jobs and supposed to be somewhere else. People came and left as they saw fit and no one showed any loyalty.

Unfortunately that meant they were also unpredictable, and with super powers, that meant dangerous.

They spoke amongst each other, over the top and fast - too fast for Frostbot to translate easily. Once again he wondered if Wandafar might be able to... no! Concentrate!

"Oo are you?" snarled Matador. "I weel not ask again!" he said, whipping out a rapier. That might have been laughable save for the fact he'd drawn it faster than Frostbite could *currently* register! he had to remember that this past self of his was pre 'dark power'.

"Name! How did you get in! What do you want!" barked Matador, glancing about the place. He spoke in French and some of the Eurotrash armed goons started fanning out, looking into the dark corners of the vast empty, echoing hall that had been a level of the once power station.

"I can wheeep out your eye faster than you can blink!" declared the villain. "Or..." he turned and swish!

The blade lashed out and a woman shrieked as hair from the side of her face fell away!

Her face was unmarked but the blow had been struck so fast, so precise that the villain might have cut into the hostages face, took her eyes out or an ear off... in the blink of an eye!

"I want ANSWERS!" roared the villain and he adopted the 'en garde' pose!

All around UZIs CLICKED as they trained on the frosty figure in their midst!

Frostbite was pretty sure that no matter how many bullets they fired at him, he'd be safe. The problem was those bullets would pass through him and hit those hostages gathered in the middle of the hall!

Somewhere out there Stormwarden was itching to get in and pound these guys into mush. Frostbite could only wonder if he would hold back long enough for Frosty to gain the trust of these goons...

Admin wrote:FROSTBITE and STORMWARDEN

"I want ANSWERS!" roared the villain and he adopted the 'en garde' pose!

"Rightly so, rightly so." Frostbite said trying to diffuse the rising risk and hair trigger that might at any moment unwittingly undo all that he had fort so hard to build. "As I am said, I am new to this lark. As the Brits so put it. And I am looking for an opportunity and a promising employer whom I can work for. My entrance was part of my audition if you like. But why should you get so worked up. Hmm, is there something your not telling your compatriots that my unexpected arrival rather than being a boon, is suddenly in danger of making your side deal go bank, instead? For guys calling the shots, my friend, you look awfully tense..."

Having laid a seed of doubt in the minds of the others Frostbite continued, "Listen if we were heroes, and we were trying to stop you, what makes you think we wouldn't lay into you like the authorities think heroes do anyway? I'd hardly be serving myself up as another sweetener or hostage if I was trying to stop you instead of joining you? Right, I'd have to be mad."

Frostbite hoped he was making progress - surely their time table was such that his actions, coming as they did now, didn't allow for much in the way of formal discussion. He hoped that things could be ramped up so that he could move his plan along and get Stormwarden onboard as soon as possible. But he didn't want to introduce him to this little foray if it would only make things worse.

Sj

The Villains conversed with one another whilst Eurotrash goons covered Frostbite and the hostages with guns.

All seemed nervous. Twitchy.

Finally Matador turned to the Frostbite and pointed a sword tip at him, only several feet away. "Prove it! Execute one of the hostages..."

There were gasps and screams, though quietened with threats by Eurotrash goons.

"Or... or go out there and attack the Police! Yes! Yes do that! We will then know you are with us!" said 'Black Knight' known as Chevalier Noir.

Frostbite glanced about. These idiots had taken hostages, but if he recalled correctly they'd stolen something and hot footed it here for pick up and extraction, causing panic and mayhem along the way and taking advantage of the inept official stance on Vigilantes - anyone in a mask or with powers is the enemy basically.

Now they had the hostages for insurance and awaited pickup which wouldn't be long. Back in the day Yeoman and Nowhere Man had shown up to help - the first time he'd met either. Yeoman was a steadfast and loyal friend over the years and James Caldwell/Nowhere Man... well he was something more. A man with his own agenda, driven, ignoring the law as he saw fit but - ultimately - doing what was right for the many even if it meant screwing over the few or the one.

The problem with the former Lore Knight was you didn't quite know where you stood with him, depending on where you fit into his schemes. He also had that strange knack of knowing more than he should. Would he know that Frostbite was from the future?

The Vanguardian wouldn't bet against it.

"Well?" hissed Matador. "What do you say? Prove yourself and you can join Eurotrash! If you don't..."

Click CLICK!

A dozen guns cocked and trained on Frostbite, along with two villains!

Where was Stormwarden!?!

Admin wrote:"Well?" hissed Matador. "What do you say? Prove yourself and you can join Eurotrash! If you don't..."

Click CLICK!

A dozen guns cocked and trained on Frostbite, along with two villains!

Where was Stormwarden!?!

OOC: I've paused to answer this one because I really don't know what to do? I mean as I see it I've 4 options I know I can go beat up some police (not going to happen) or attack these guys (not until hostages are safe) or just walk off and try and pretend I've done this (how do I bring back proof) or stall for time (which is likely to backfire as they are already nervous and I am not sure this would work - its not like I've a right to filibuster my way through this.) if I could.

So before I act, let me see if I can do some obs rolls and spot anything that I might be able to use. I noticed that the general mood is very nervous, twitch you said not just the hostages but the villains as well. so can I observe why this might be, or anything else I can determine that might help me in this situation. Because otherwise I am looking for inspiration and struggling to find it.

Sj

FROSTBITE glanced about.

Guns pointed at him, his powers not what they were, in a situation similar to one he'd been in before but different now - he was an experienced hero in a beginners body!

Those hands were tensed, beads of sweat showing on the faces of the gunmen...

Just then one of them tipped a head to the side and others listened.

He spoke in Italian and the large armoured man - Chevalier Noir - growled "in English."

"No word from Vitesse..." started the fellow on the radio.

"No surprise!" spat Matador, eyes on Frostbite, his sword poised. "He was always unreliable and his mouth ran off faster than 'is legs!" he laughed with little humour.

"Spotters have seen someone. Purple and yellow, BIG fellow, flying about! It's foggy out there and he was using those night vision gogg..."

"GET ON WITH IT!" roared Chevalier Noir.

Matador glanced at the big man and back at the gunman.

"Pickup is incoming... but a spotter has seen YEOMAN headed to where we are!"

The Eurotrash supers glanced at each other... "What do we know of him?"

"Who cares?" hissed Dominator. "We need to sort out..."

The Eurotrash goon connected to the spotter out there suddenly gasps.

"What?" asked Matador, rolling his eyes. "What now?"

"The spotter... he said he's been confronted... by NOWHERE MAN!" spluttered the fellow. "Then it went dead and..."

He gulped, and Frostbite saw his face pale where it wasn't covered by the half face ski mask. "He says to put it on speaker."

The fellow adjusted something on his belt and a voice crackled on speakerphone.

"You know who I am." rasped a voice familiar to Frostbite. "You know what I do. You won't see me coming."

The room went silent.

"I promise you this though."

"If you harm a single hostage... None of you will see the inside of a jail. Think about it. Think about what you stand to gain..."

"Against what all of you are going to lose when I get there..."

The line crackled dead.

Silence ticked along for a few moments. Even the hostages looked petrified - Nowhere Man was a vigilante on the wrong side of the law, ultraviolent, pretty much as bad as the criminals.

The media said so.

Licking suddenly dry lips, Matador hissed. "YOU!" he snarled, speaking to Frostbite. "You want in? Get out there! Go kill NOWHERE MAN!"

Chevalier Noir glanced at Matador then nodded. "Yes. Slow him down!"

Dominator added "Pass that test and you're in!"

Admin wrote:

Licking suddenly dry lips, Matador hissed. "YOU!" he snarled, speaking to Frostbite. "You want in? Get out there! Go kill NOWHERE MAN!"

Chevalier Noir glanced at Matador then nodded. "Yes. Slow him down!"

Dominator added "Pass that test and you're in!"

Frostbite knew that Nowhere Man with his mixed-up timeline may already know him, but then again... Nonetheless, his best hope lay with getting allies, and regrettably, there was none more suited to the task of shifting through time than Nowhere Man. But he still needed to locate and help Dawson, that is what he was, in fact, both of them were back here for. Besides this, he still had to stop what was going on here, as he had done previously without tripping over the timeline.

"I will do as you ask..." Frostbite added, the chill in his tone unmistakable. "But if you leave without me, or try to double cross me...you won't see me coming till it's too late." And with that he walked through the ring of armoured guards remaining as he was, intangible. It wasn't in the end much of a display of power, but he hoped it suggested far more than he had to really offer.

Now that was the easy part, the next was to try and persuade Stormwarden that he knew what he was doing and meet Nowhere Man and Yeoman before they tried to treat them as if they were part of Eurotrash.

OOC:OK no idea where NM might be, but he is good at finding me, so I am hoping that is what will happen here. Meantime I will try and relocate Stormwarden, and explain what is going on.

Sj

OOC Not seen anything of David M lately so can't update the other threads but will auto-run if need be in next couple of days. For Frosty though...

FROSTBITE

The hero caught a glance of the Eurotrash super villains as they exchanged looks. They expected to be sending this 'new guy', this expendable unknown, out to his doom against Nowhere Man. Not that the dark clad vigilante was especially powerful. More his power set made him hard to see (he was invisible) and deadly (his attacks usually involved plunging an incorporeal hand into a chest and squeezing with it partially solidified) as well as unpredictable. He showed up as he saw fit and the only thing known about him was that he didn't go easy on those he saw as 'bad guys' even though some suggested he fit that bill...

Luckily, Frostbite knew something they didn't know.

=========

He rose up through the shadows and through the roof out into the mist above and around the building.

Tricky to see anything in this! Where would he start to look for...

"...you have five seconds to stand down, power down, surrender. I won't ask you again."

That rasping voice! Normally it would chill a villains blood but Frostbite spun to see...

Nowhere Man!

His costume all black, the cape the same. It was near impossible to pick out details especially in the dark and the fog...

"Huh." Nowhere Man added. His eye slits narrowed. "You... I know you..."

Frostbite could see fog drifting through his intangible form. He wondered who might win in a contest of powers but that was a moot point. He and this man, this vigilante, this brutal enforcer of justice, were on the same side!

"...and I suspect you know me." rasped the man in the all black face mask. "What do you know of me?"