RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #3 - Calm before the storm...

LIGHTNING BULLET

With a flick of his fingers LB recalls that Captain Conduit mentioned he was going to the Zoo to check it out!

He whizzed up into the air, a proverbial Lightning Bullet!

=========

CAPTAIN CONDUIT and CONWAY

"Slow down will ya?" cried Conway. "My stomach is doin' topsy turvies an' my ulcers ain't helpin! be a shame ta ruin yer fancy threads wid what I had for breakfast!"

That would be a problem... Conduit slowed.

It gave him time to check out the city. Gridlock everywhere. Cars snarled up, confused people out on the streets, glass, concrete, brick debris from the Ape and - it seemed - from casual looting!

"Damn! Gotta get some flatfoots over there!" said Conway as he drifted in Conduits grasp. "Hey! Hey you bums! Get outta there! Git! The cops are on the way!" he yelled as people helped themselves in the shop front of an electrical store.

They looked up and gasped. Some dropped whatever they were stealing and made off. Others continued to help themselves.

"Keep going!" said Conway. "We can't stop now or we'll never get ta the zoo!"

As they flew overhead they saw other instances of robbery and looting. It seemed people saw this as an opportunity to make fast buck from the chaos!

=========

LIGHTNING BULLET

Scouring about for sign of his crimefighting companion LB finally saw him - and his wriggling passenger - in the sky heading towards the Zoo.

It was chaos below and the hero was tempted to sort out some of the looting and fender benders that tied up the city streets but unless they figured out what was going on this madness would never end!

Swooping up behind the flying pair he sees Conduit notice him and slows to fly alongside.

"Geez!" gasped Conway. "I never get used ta seein' flyin' people, no matter what the radio says an' th' movie reels spout! There! The Zoo! Wait... what's that?"



That was a twenty foot high (at the shoulder) Hyena! It prowled about like a guard dog!

The car park was littered with abandoned cars, many with doors open. Spilled prams (empty) and litter from panic dropped popcorn and drinks.

As the heroes (and Conway) neared they saw the sprawling layout of the zoo. Every entrance/exit (there were three) was guarded by one of those Giant Hyenas and they prowled about, jaws slavering.

"Glad you're here LB. We can fly up over those guard hyenas, but gotta go higher than they can proportionately jump. While I got Conway, I ain't good for much but keeping his from falling. So I need you to cover us if there is any danger. Can you do that Lightning Bullet? I'd leave Conway here, but this close to the zoo, I don't think it's safe for anyone to be alone around here."

"I think I better try taking it out while you get our police friend safely inside the zoo," Lightning Bullet replies. "And thanks, I didn't know hyenas could jump. It might jump over the wall after us if I don't try to take it down."


ooc: Going to use the same attack pattern against it as I did with the ape, which I think was devastating attack.

Being larger made the animal stronger and tougher.

In the wild Hyenas relied on lightning fast short lunges and darting away quickly. Against animals such as Lions which were bigger and more powerful it might mean the difference between life and death! They also attacked in packs, circling their prey and attacking from all angles.

Here the Hyena was HUGE but alone. It faced off against the equivalent of a Lion in human form - Lightning Bullet was fast, aggressive and powerful!

Surely this would be a one sided encounter?

OOC No need to roll for initiative...

Lightning Bullet DEV ATTACK
AV7 + 2D M Arts + 4d12+0 9,1,5,7+0 = 16 (23) vs
OV1 (Normally 3 but grown) + 8 Dev Attack + 2d12+0 10,12+0 = 22 (33)

MISS!

But in this case the mighty mite swings and puts too much emphasis on power rather than accuracy!

The Hyena snaps at the tiny irritant, intent on swallowing it whole!

OOC Hyena AV3 + 2d12+0 5,10+0 = 15 (18) vs
L Bullet OV7 + Shrinking 5 + 2d12+0 6,11+0 = 17 (29)

MISS!

It's honours even as the mighty mite swoops in with a thunderous punch, missed and the Hyena snaps at the diminutive hero several times but can't close those jaws around him!

Conway winces with every snap of those huge slavering jaws... "Geez! If dat thing gets hold o th' little guy it'll eat 'im right up! He starts to fumble with his pistol to take a shot but wobbles as Captain Conduit adjusts his grip and clings onto the hero as they float in the air. "Cripes! Hey! Lil guy! Don't put so much power inta ya swing! I bet dat thing will skedaddle if ya give it a whack on da nose!"

"I seen nature films on th' silver screen. Hyenas, they ain't all dat. Couple o Lions will sort out a whole pack on 'em." said Conway, though he didn't sound convincing. The Hyenas on the picture shows were never twenty feet tall!

ooc: what's the one less than devastating attack? Critical? Use that one instead this time.

OOC Yup, Critical blow is (with out house rules) +4 OV -6 RV
Devastating Attack is double that so +8 OV -12RV

CRIT BLOW

Lightning Bullet
AV7 + 2D M Arts + 4d12+0 5,3,5,7+0 = 10 DOUBLE plus 2d12+0 2,9+0 = 21 (28) vs
OV1 (Normally 3 but grown) + 4 Crit Blow +2d12+0 8,6+0 = 14 (19)

Success +4

EV9 +4 (13) vs RV6 - 6 (Crit Blow)=13 RAPs Hyena is DOWN and OUT!

Lightning Bullet, somewhat frustrated, takes another swing and puts some oomph into it but this time concentrates as much on accuracy.

POW!

The Hyena was thrown backwards as the powerful electrical charge grounded through the huge Hyena and the thing lay in a heap, hair stood on end in every direction!

OOC That damage is 'over the top' by 7RAPs meaning it's going to be out for a LOOOOONNNG time!

"Remind me never ta p*ss you guys off." drawled Conway. "Come on, enough foolin' round! Let's get in dis place an' see what's goin' on!"

"I Guess we head to the Monkey House first," Lightning Bullet suggests. "Talk to the handlers there."

Captain Conduit flies Conway over to the monkey house, remaining high in the sky in case there are any more extra large hyenas or even a ferocious giant giraffe.

CAPTAIN CONDUIT, LIGHTNING BULLET and CONWAY

The trio fly over the zoo towards where the monkey house is. From above all it takes is a quick scour around and fly low to inspect then they float down to the Ape house.

There's trash all over the place. Like, discarded in a hurry trash.

The bars of the Ape house are mangled, twisted, bent out of shape and discarded. The Gorillas are gone and it seems they've climbed out of their enclosure/pit. That would have caused a panic for sure and sent people screaming for the exit!

Having passed over the other enclosures, the animals in those - Giraffes, Lions, Buffalo, Zebras and the like - are safe and sound. There are no Zookeepers about. The place seems empty save for the animals.

Conway scowls. "What the heck happened here?" He pulls his gun. "If the Gorillas got loose we got a problem. Don't see any as big as apartment blocks though. That Hyena was set ta guard so I'm guessin' that whatever - or whoever - it was guardin' is still here. Didn't think anyone could train a Hyena though..."

OOC look about, take to the air or search for clues? Perhaps something else?

"Someone seems to know how to enlarge and control animals. But why? That will have to wait, for now let's find the source of this chaos. Hopefully it is still in this park. Maybe we should stay low for now, otherwise the creeps behind this may get wise to us and send a giant bird or bat to get us."

Captain Conduit looks for clues, starting with the ape pit. He'll use his Thermal Vision if it is dark down there.

OOC Perception check first to find the clues then Detective to figure out what the clues mean (if anything)...

Captain Conduit
AV6 + 2d12+0 5,5+0 = 10 DOUBLE plus 2d12+0 2,4+0 = 16 (22) vs
OV4 + 2d12+0 2,6+0 = 8 (12)

Success + 4

EV4 (Will) + 4 (EV8) vs RV4=4 RAPs

1) There is poop on the floor of the Gorilla house. Clearly the zoo keepers got out in a hurry when things started to go wrong and didn't finish the cleaning!
2) Bootprints in the poop are quite distinct and fresh. The leaves/branches are squished next to the boot prints
3) Something on the floor in the poop. Either glass or plastic, looks like a long narrow cap
4) The ground of the enclosure is dirt covered and though hard to see there are footprints - indentations - near the cage. BIG footprints, like several feet long (excuse the pun). Not big enough to explain the one hundred foot tall ape rampaging through town though!

Captain Conduit points out what he sees to Conway and Lightning Bullet.

With his keen mind and Detective Skill Lightning Bullet tries to figure out what it means...

Lightning Bullet
AV5 + Detective 2D + 4d12+0 8,5,4,3+0 = 13 (18) vs
OV5 + 2d12+0 2,5+0 = 7 (12)

Success +3

EV3 (Will) + 3 (EV6) vs RV5=1 RAP

1) Someone gained entrance to the enclosure, administered something to an ape and left (presumably) via the same way.

Lightning Bullet points that out and Conway rubs his chin. He walks around the wall of the enclosure to a side door.

"No sign o forced entry." he mutters. "Someone had a key. They either nabbed one or... someone works here. Goin' inta an ape enclosure ain't a smart thing unless the apes trust ya. We need ta figure out who works here an' have a word with em."

OOC Conway tries to figure out what the clues mean...

AV3 + Detective 2 + 4d12+0 1,3,6,2+0 = 9 (12) vs
OV5 + 2d12+0 4,12+0 = 16 (21)

FAILED

"Hmm, ain't much ta go on. We need more info. Keep ya eyes open."

OOC Captain Conduit has a go at Clue Analysis (Unskilled!)

AV6 + 2d12+0 8,2+0 = 10 (16) vs
OV5 + Unskilled 4 + 2d12+0 11,1+0 = 12 (21)

FAILED

Like Conway says, not much to go on. Maybe somewhere else in the zoo will provide more answers. Check out more enclosures or go for the main offices?

"Whoever it was, they stepped in ape shit and some vegetation. That's gotta be easy to track...if we had a bloodhound. Maybe the poop is warm enough for me to track it."

Captain Conduit takes a good look at the poo and checks if he can find a trail from its heat signature that he can follow.

Captain Conduit narrows his eyes and stares at the ape poop on the ground.

Unfortunately in the day time his Thermal Vision was less useful than it would be in the cooler night air.

OOC Thermal Vision allows you to see heat signatures up to your APs of power in time which is 5ap (2 minutes). This is older than that...

"Kid's onto somethin' " said Conway. "Look around. See what you can see. We don't need a trail lastin' all th' way. We ain't lucky enough fer that an' besides, you'd need ta step in a swamp o poop fer that ta happen."

As he looked about, he added "We just need ta figure out which direction they was goin' in an' hope dat they was walkin' in a straight line."

With chin in hand, he turned, then looked back at the enclosure. "So, guy, or gal, enters the enclosure. That's a dumb thing ta do unless you tranquillise the Gorillas. If he does that, he's shootin' from up here, sees the ape go down... walks down the steps an' round the side."

"No sign o forced entry on th' door. They had a key. Goes in, pokes th' ape wid sommat an' leaves. Ape... what... wakes up? Goes crazy? Tears open th' bars so its buddies can escape. They go..." he looks around. "Over the wall? How? It's bigger than they can jump... unless th' injected ape is grown some. It helps its buddies out? People scream, run for cover, get outta th' way..."

He looked around at the mess in the park. Discarded food and wrappers, an empty pram on its side. Gates swinging open in the wind for the Zoo entrance/exit. "Everyone got outta here in a hurry, someone probably calls th' cops... except... except by now that Ape dat was zapped with whatever is now... bigger? An' it gets some desire, some need ta head downtown an'... it's growin' bigger n bigger? Cops show up, they shoot wid their police .38s... don't make a dent."

"That's when you guys come in. So. We got Apes runnin' loose an' someone who can make 'em bigger than buildings an' smarter too. Someone who can do that, AND make it worth th' animals while ta do what they is askin?"

He shook his head. "I'd have said I was goin' crazy, but I'm stood with three foot tall guy who can flip a car with his zappy touch an' another guy who blasts lightning from his hands an' both can fly. I may be crazy but th' world is just as nuts too!"

OOC Perception checks for poop trails...

Captain Conduit (Int 6/Will 4) 2d12+0 10,9+0 = 19 (25) vs OV4 + 2d12+0 11,4+0 = 15 (19) 3 RAPs
Lightning Bullet (Int 5/Will 3) 2d12+0 8,10+0 = 18 (23) vs OV4 + 2d12+0 1,12+0 = 13 (17) 2 RAPs
Detective Conway (Int 3/Will 3) 2d12+0 2,4+0 = 6 (9) vs OV4 + 2d12+0 5,10+0 = 15 (19) FAILED

RAPs:

1-2) The trail from the side entrance turns and heads towards a group of buildings in the zoo. Some will be enclosures, others will be storage (food and bedding, cleaning supplies etc)
3-4) Before the poop trail fades out the direction turns slightly and heads towards a larger building, with two storeys and the upper floor has windows all about to observe the park. Looks like an Administration building in the centre of the park/zoo. Someone with binoculars would be able to look out from there and observe many of the enclosures and all the entrance/exists and make various announcements over the tannoy system.

Conway shrugs, running his hand through thinning hair and glancing up at the sun coming through the clouds. "Beats me. I guess we wander aimlessly until we see apes runnin' around, huh?"

"Well, whoever it is went that way," 18" tall Lightning Bullet supplies helpfully, pointing the way. "Beyond that ... got me? I'm new at this detective and tracking stuff."

Conway grunts "Yeah?" he shields his eyes against the sun and adjusts his hat.

"Eyes ain't as good as they used ta be." he muttered and turned to the two heroes. "Well, lead on!"

He had his pistol in hand but then tucked it in his holster. The best defence against giant animals wasn't guns that barely made a scratch - it was getting the heck outta there!

OOC I assume you follow the trail to the Admin block/observation 'tower'.

They passed doors open, food and merchandise booths empty and messed up - even panicking some couldn't help but help themselves it seemed.

The main office block had a pair of double doors with glass smashed and hanging off their hinges, visible even from this distance.

As the trio turned a corner on the street in the park ...

OOC Perception checks...

Captain Conduit (Int 6/Will 4) 2d12+0 1,12+0 = 13(19) vs OV4 + 2d12+0 3,4+0 = 7 (11) 4 RAPs
Lightning Bullet (Int 5/Will 3) 22d12+0 4,11+0 = 15 (20) vs OV4 + 2d12+0 11,9+0 = 20 (24) FAILED

Captain Conduit catches a glimpse of movement in the windows of the tower! Someone was watching and moved out of sight!

OOC You are about 100 feet away from the Admin Block/Tower and CC saw the person only for a moment. Seems someone was watching out...

"I saw someone up in the tower. There!" Captain Conduit points out where he saw the figure. "Conway, you wouldn't arrest us for breaking an upper-story window and entering, would you?"

Conway shields his eyes against the sun, adjusts his hat and squints. "What? Where? I ain't ... huh. I'll take your word fer it kid. My eyes ain't as young as they used ta be."

"With what happened in the city I don't think a broken window is gonna break the bank. Assuming there are any banks left ta break." he growled.

"I'll stay on terra firma and use my feet ta get to th' office. Don't hurt no one and try ta restrain any nasties ya come across. The animals are just that - animals, though I think somethin' else is goin on. No one can train a Hyena ta stand guard like that monster was at th' gates. Somethin' fishy goin on round here fer sure..."

OOC You can go investigate the office/tower building. Both of you going or is Lightning Bullet sticking around Conway? The Cop has his .38 out but that does very little against something twenty feet tall...

"Good luck. The person I saw may just be someone who decided to hide up in the building instead of leaving or it could be our mastermind. I'll look for a quiet way in if I can. Are you coming, LB?" Captain Conduit tries to fly to the roof while avoiding a clear line of sight from the building's windows. On the roof he'll look for an entrance. With luck it's not locked.

"I'll stay with Conway and go up the path towards there," Lightning Bullet decides. "That way we cover two directions and maybe will each find other clues."

CONWAY watches CAPTAIN CONDUIT take off and head for the high ground ...

"You two are real handy ta have around. Shame th' DA an' th' Mayor have a stick up their behind about capes in general." growled the former soldier. "You'd have been dynamite in th' trenches against th' japs. Tough days, them."

The pair continued to move from cover to cover approaching the main zoo administration building (and the tower on top).

Meanwhile Captain Conduit homed in on the tower and landed on the semi sloped roof. There was a door on the top in a boxed off entrance but that would prove little obstruction to a super hero!

At ground level the pair got close to the double door entrance to the lobby of the building.

All quiet so far. Some broken glass about, discarded ice cream and popcorn scattered across the floor. An empty pram on its side. A lot of people left here in a hurry!

Conway growled "Remember we don't know what or who is in there. Don't go in guns blazin'. I'm gonna get ulcers fer th' paperwork on this as it is. Don't need no innocent blood on my hands makin' it harder ta make th' case for you guys..."

He glanced up at the brightly colour figured barely visible for a moment as he landed on the top of the tower. "Hope your buddy in the cape knows th' score too. Hearts an' minds as much as punchin' th' bad guys in th' face." He shook his head "That guy McCarthy in th' senate will have me strung up fer just talkin' to th' likes of you guys. Claims everyone is a Red unless they toe th' line."

OOC CC going to break through the door, try to pick the lock or fly down and crash through a window? LB going to sneak about or go in and make a scene?

Lightning Bullet walks up and tries the door to see if it is unlocked or not. Right now, he doesn't want to break it down or anything since there might be innocent folk taking shelter in there. He will use his directional hearing, ultra and telescopic vision to figure out what's going on inside and around him.

Fred was hoping the door wouldn't be locked. Who was going to break in from the roof? Santa Claus? that gets him thinking about chimneys. He checks for another way inside that doesn't require him to make a loud thunderous sound to literally break in.

BOTH HEROES FIND THEIR RESPECTIVE DOORS UNLOCKED...

Lightning Bullet steps up to the double doors and gives a push with a finger. It swings open easily. He strains, listening and look and using his senses to the maximum...

OOC Directional Hearing 2 + 2d12+0 2,4+0 = 6 (8) vs
OV4 + 2d12+0 10,6+0 = 16 (20)

Either there was nothing moving about or it was too far away. Despite straining to hear anything Lightning Bullet had to admit his super senses were a little too limited at the moment. Perhaps over time they'd get sharper.

"Pssst! Hey! Hey kid!" hissed Conway. "Whatcha see? Ok ta come out? No giant... rats or ... or snakes is there? I hate snakes."

Lightning Bullet peered into the lobby. People had left in a hurry. discarded food, leaflets, a pram on its side, a teddy bear... someones coat. The lobby led deeper into the building and side doors off it were slightly ajar. Using his telescopic vision revealed desks abandoned and the odd chair overturned.

The paying public had left in a hurry, as had the staff. The gift shop, full of merchandise, was also abandoned. From here LB couldn't see anyone moving around, nor could he hear anyone.

=========

CAPTAIN CONDUIT ON THE ROOF

CC tried the door, expecting it to be... well, it was open, so no matter now! The key was in the other side. He suspected someone had come up here recently to scan about the park and maybe they were still inside the building.

Stepping into the doorway he found himself at the top of a stairwell.

With the lights off his Thermal Vision lit up areas of blue and ... wait. There.

About two storeys down the faint hint of red suggesting a fading footstep. Having practised and tested his powers, Captain Conduit had more or less timed the cooling of heat sources to be about 2 minutes give or take. That meant in the last couple of minutes someone had come down the stairs and entered the second floor of the building! The 'landing' on that part of the stairwell had a door leading off whilst the stairs continued down, no doubt stopping off at one more floor before ground level at the bottom. So, he was on the roof, there were four storeys (with one just being a tower that he was stood on) but that suggested one storey was below the ground from having seen outside the building.

Should he investigate or go alert his partner? The people in the park - staff and public - had left in a panicked hurry. Who then was left here...?

"Looks empty," Lightning Bullet whispers back to Conway. "I'm going in."

The diminutive hero, floating about knee level, looking around as he does so. His target ... the gift shop.

LIGHTNING BULLET

The diminutive hero floated above the ground and got to the gift shop. Glancing in, he went in further. Place had been turned upside down! Shelves swept free, toys and merchandise trampled...

OOC Lightning Bullet can look for clues.

He can use his Microscopic Vision in this case as a 'powered skill' (a house rule I either haven't added yet or have but forgotten).

More free dice from his Microscopic vision in this instance anyway.

Int 5 + 2D (M vision) + 4d12+0 8,7,5,11+0 = 19 (24) vs
OV4 + 2d12+0 1,10+0 = 11 (15)

Success +4

Will 3 + 4 (EV7) vs RV4= 3 RAPs

1) Something like an animal. A Large animal, came through here. There are marks on the floor which suggest claws
2-3) Lightning Bullet kneels to examine the ground, moving aside some smashed merchandise. A hair!

Next he tries to figure out what the hair means, what it's from. Using Detective...

Int 5 + Detective 2D + 4d12+0 3,10,1,6+0 = 16 (21) vs
OV4 + 2d12+0 12,4+0 = 16 (20)

Success +1

EV3 + 1 (EV4) vs RV4=0 RAPs

Hmmm. Despite having plucked the hair from the ground and pulled it out to several inches long, he can't figure out what kind of animal would have left this. Sniffing at it, holding it to the light, he can't glean any clues from it. Maybe Conway or Captain Conduit would have better luck?

Looking about, he sees just mess in the gift shop. The fridge and the candy racks have been cleared. Discarded wrappers, half eaten food... half eaten hot dog wrappers, the hot dog machine itself shredded and on its side... something came in here and was hungry, and the people left in a panic!