Players:
Summary: Ahab comes to the present with two hounds to hunt some future threats.
Date: July 24, 2010
Log Title: Ahab Comes To Visit
Rating: R
NYC - Mutant Town
Mutant Town, also known as District X, has become a haven for mutants. This section of town doesn't care what you look like, accepting all mutants no matter what their appearance. Most of the businesses in this section of town are mutant run ranging from small convenience stores to clothing shops to restaurants to night clubs. The buildings here aren't the high rise buildings you might find in mid-town but most are about 5-6 stories high. Mutant Town might not be the most luxurious section of town, in fact it's fairly run down, but this section of where mutants are safe and welcomed regardless of race, religion and culture.
It's late evening in mutant town, the sun has set and the nightlife has begun. People are out getting ready for a night on the town if it's bars, clubs, parties, restaurants or whatnot. It's a bit hot outside, despite the sun being down, so people are hurrying from building to building or subway trying to escape to the next air conditioned spot. All seems fairly normal in the neighborhood of New York City.
Hurrying back toward Hell's Kitchen, Rashmi attempts to keep as rapid a pace as she can manage without drawing attention. Despite the warnings given, she's not set to move to Barnes until Monday, and as it turns out some supplies still need getting before she can call herself prepared. However, vulnerable doesn't mean ignorant, and as one of the students who'd taken tactical training seriously at Xavier's, the redhead's eyes flick from back alley to rooftop to street corner, watching for possible avenues of attack, covering her own back as well as a half-trained amateur can do.
Observing District X was bizarre in one word. Jakob couldn't quite describe how he felt being here, he'd been raised up believing Mutants had destroyed a portion of his childhood, that ideal picket fence happy family, hate came hand in hand with ignorance but over the past half a year or so all of that was changing, his views, his life, his thoughts, his feelings. He couldn't help but sneer when one of /them/ would pass by whom looked obviously not human, then he would it fading and he'd stare at his hand. He wasn't here on some re-enforce your hatred mission, no, he really wasn't sure why he'd keep coming back to Mutant Town. If he wanted to people watch there were plenty of parks, managing a sober stare he reclines further back into the bench he is seated on, his eyes moving from the road to stare up at the skies.
The red-headed hindi girl however does have someone following her. From the rooftops, and moving slowly from rooftop to rooftop in the street-camo blending outfit he'd borrowed as a suit from Xavier's is Connor. He's not putting himself into direct view for any more than a few moments as he pulls back and moves back out, working from building to building carefully as he watches her. Looking up and over the skyline, the mind from the future mumbles to himself, "She's gonna kill me if she finds out… but she's the only one that doesn't know…" The rest of the thoughts are lost under his breath as he moves along and hops towards the next, porting half-way so that he doesn't love velocity on his landing.
Keld's turn to keep an eye on the girl. He's dressed in the casual street-wear he wore when acting as one of Stark's bodyguards the other night: black jeans, motorcycle boots, black leather jacket, tee shirt, shades, and an attitude of extreme self-assured confidence. He's watching, with star-song amplified vision, for any trace of danger, looking THROUGH buildings, etc. But so far he hasn't seen anything that looks like Ahab or his Hounds, and he moves along impatiently keeping the girl in sight. A glance up … and there's some kid following her, which earns a frown, and takes his attention for a moment. He keys his communicator, "Khaz, roof walker at grid 10, holding track on bowler." Of course whether that news can be acted on in time is another thing entirely. Meanwhile he lunges from his spot against a brownstone and starts moving to intercept.
The girl is being followed for a good reason as Keld and Connor have every right to be paranoid. There's a flash of light in the streets of Mutant Town and a man appears wearing purple and red armour and holding a spear in his hand, with a few more strapped to his back. Connor and Keld would recognize him as Ahab. Next to him is one of his hounds, the Barnes student known as Jeremy, bright red hair and black buckled outfit that makes him look like some fetish freak. "Rashmi also known as Summoner! Your time is up!" Ahab shouts out as he points the spear at her. "Arsenal's future will also end here." As it seems two targets are in the same spot. Lucky Ahab.
And there it is; the moment she'd worried about ever since being told the details of her plight. Whipping around, she indulges herself in a moment of wide-eyed panic… But then the memory of Hellion's voice kicks her instincts into gear, and she turns, pelting towards a nearby alley as she transfers her bags to one hand, hauling out her cell phone in an attempt to call for backup. On the run. One-handed. So it won't be easily done.
The flash of lights and the sudden booming voice of the spear-wielder that appeared had Jakob drawn bolt upright from his reverie, his dark eyes settle on the form that had appeared, recogniton of the name Rashmi struck him, that was the woman he and Travis had met, said she was She-Hulks assistant or some such, she was here? Ah right there she was - hauling ass down an alley, he hadn't even noticed, lines up with the whole spacing out ordeal. And who the hell was Arsenal? That name he liked the sound of, idly he wondered if plagerism existed on codenames for SHIELD Agents and Superheroes. Surely SHIELD trumps. In that 'snap to attention' he was upon his feet looking left and right, trying to guage the situation before his attention fell on Rashmi, Ahab and his Hound Jeremy.
The outcry of the man is enough to make Connor stop checking his six for anyone trying to follow him, especially when Rashmi's name is called out. In a battle cry of "AHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB!" He's off the roof and diving through the air in a seemingly futile fashion, until he vanishes, and reappears in front of the man in an attempt to do a footballer's dive-tackle to keep him from throwing that harpoon!
"Code omega, Ahab, Inada, two targets, Rashmi and Arsenal" Keld says into his comm, then "Engaging now."
He shifts his power to speed. He has a block to cover in that time, and he has to get closer NOW. There's a sonic boom as he lunges that short distance at his top sprint, the one he cannot keep up. The roof-walker is a teleporter, and appears to be attacking. Good. Then get the girl to safety. Keld will try to reach Rashmi to act as a defender first.
As Volk goes to tackle Ahab, the scream kind of gives the attack away and he goes to move out of the way of the tackle. The problem is the dodge has to be made quick the the harpoon in hand is dropped in attempted to stay on his feet. "Rewind, go after Arsenal." He commands of his hound and Jeremy nods a confirmation. "Yes master Ahab." He says as he starts to head towards Jakob, running full speed at the mutant, taking off one of his gloves while moving. Ahab then speaks to Connor. "Volk…I know who you are in there, you will not save them by doing this."
No looking back. No stopping to see if anyone's coming. Just run. These are the thoughts at the forefront of Rashmi's madly-whirling mind, as she slips in between a pair of stores, stumbling over a trash bag but clawing to her feet before she can fall. There's no illusion of heroics here, only the knowledge that her only hope lies in escape.
From battles on the streets with the Mighty Shrimp, Colony and the rest of the Red Lobsters crew to this purple hairy Spartan and his bondage pet, times around this part of the city got better and better, this time he was prepared though, he brought a knife! The weapon whipped out into his hand snapping into a reverse hold fingers sliding into the brass knuckle like metal grip; his other hand snapping down to grab up… his cell phone puttingit to his ear."This is Kincaid, clearance… ugh, forgot the code. Look patch me through to Castigan he's my current assigned C.O., what? No, I wouldn't have this line. Seriously run a trace, I need someone now… Lt. Colonel Pola could vouch for…what? Good, I'm in District X, got teleporters from looks of it and this is alot more serious than the D-list losers from la…" Instantly Jakob cuts off his body in motion as he becomes a target, instinct and training comes into play. A rather spry backflip and he's placing the bench between himself and Jeremy the cellphone clashing into the cement.
Myopically focused on Ahab, Connor growls out in a voice to do his future incarnation credit, "Then how about I settle with beating the smug off you." And with that he launches into a flurry of blows, pushing himself hard as he tries to close and bind Ahab's cybernetic arm using punches and elbows to force him to put it out to block, attempting to contain him, or get him where he can't make the shot at either victim.
Combat training says when a hit squad is after your ward, send the tank to engage the greater danger, while the mobile units get the targets to safety. So Keld whirls, super-speed-lunging back towards Ahab, by way of Inada. He will sweep one foot down and around in what he expects to be a temporary knock-down of the Hound (slow him down from his attack on the guy who must be Arsenal) then engage the main enemy with a distraction: fist feint to face, kidney punch, kick at knee, whatever else may present itself. He doesn't expect them to land, but if the time-bent teleporting youth listens to him, then it may save the targets: "You! Get them to safety NOW," Keld barks with every bit of military command voice he can muster.
The commotion outside is finally too much for Anita to resist and the ecdysiast steps out of the store she was in when all hell broke loose outside. She's dressed in a pair of short jean shorts, a dark purple and gray tank top, and has a rather batered leather vest hanging open over it all. She's not as wary as she probably should be, though she stays on the edge of the fight.
"Am I late?" This voice sounds as Heather fades in, appearing in front of Keld and launching her own superspeed counter-assault, kicking at the alien with the savate she learned in her youth from Chloe, her timeshift set to its maximum. The Hound wears her black, skin-tight leather outfit, standard issue from her Master, though the speaker mounted on her chest remains there, and she still wears the headset characteristic of this future version of the time manipulator.
Connor's attacks are blocked as Ahab goes on the defensive. It doesn't seem like either one has the edge at the moment. "Volk, you think you'll save Summoner? She will die before she can make a nuisance of herself in the future, then I will go after Buff then Robyn." He taunts to the young mutant he's engaged in hand to hand with, hoping to find an opening to attack Connor back. As Heather appears, Ahab smiles. "Perfect timing Timeslip. It's why you're my favourite." Not just that but her powers have made this possible. As for Jeremy, the foot causes him to trip but he falls with it, going into a roll as he hits the ground and getting back to his feet. After being hounded he doesn't hold back psychically or with his powers. He looks at Arsenal and the smile behind the mask can be seen in his eyes. "My master wants you dead." He says as he lunges for Arsenal.
Want to help. Need to help. People are fighting and hurting, in *her* defense. But these thoughts are shoved aside as she scrabbles though the back alleys of Mutant Town. Ducking behind a Dumpster, she manages to finally enter the number correctly, tucking the phone against her ear as her eyes flick left, right, and up, watchful for any attackers that may come her way. "Hello! Ms. Walters please pick up, it's Rashmi. He's *here,* Ms. Walters, oh God he's here. There's… there's a bunch of people taking him on, but I don't know if they'll stop him. Ms. Walters, are you there?"
A pause would be all it took, the flying guy (Keld) laying Jeremy flat took over Jakob's focus, everything else was beyond him right now, he had a target. All it would take is that momentary opening for him to launch his own attack, the time it takes Jeremy to fall then get back up and talk should have been ample, one hand claps down on the back of the bench and he hurtles over it, adding to his force as his combat booted foot slammed out hard towards the clavical of Jeremy mid-hurtle, his mutant powers right now focused on his agility and reflexes, if he connects the force should be sufficient enough to break a normal man's bones but he wasn't much expecting this gimp suited freak to be anything on the side of normal. Jeremy's own lunge was no doubt only going to add to that overall impact. "I have no clue why, never seen the man in my life!" He manages to grunt out during all of this.
That order might have been listened to if the circumstances did not dictate otherwise, and as Keld's engagement is suddenly cut off by the appearance of Heather. Gritting his teeth, Connor backsteps several moments and reaches back to pull up the mask of his grey and black suit, securing it snugly as he mumbles out, "This is too much for you. Get Rashmi and get her out of here. Don't tell me where. Don't tell anyone. I'll hold them!" An eye paid to Jeremy and Arsenal before he launches himself at not Ahab for the moment, but Heather. Despite the lack of arms and armor, he begins with a series of kicks and feinting elbow strikes to buy Keld a bit of space, followed up by a pair of blue-green blasts, one at Ahab, the other at Heather… and should they connect, both will find themselves picked up and flung twenty feet in the air, and into the corners of opposite buildings.
When Keld's attack on Ahab is intercepted by Timeslip, it throws a wrench into his smooth movement, and Connor's failure to follow orders is probably understandable in someone who has no actual military discipline. Mercenaries operate on their own rules, and this one's unaware that Keld would, eventually, be able to take out all three, as long as nobody cheats.
Of course, he's rather busy with three fast, annoying, and potentially crippling kicks, and he doesn't SEE Volk launch those spacewarping blasts, and isn't set … he's knocked into Heather, and they roll five feet away
Simultaneously, Keld and Heather appear suddenly from nowhere in front of the blast aimed at Ahab, and Keld is knocked in the direction of the Master of Hounds.
Anita blinks a couple of times at the sight of the battle going on just a short distance away, both wishing that her dogs were with her and grateful that they're safe at home. Maybe discretion is the better choice, though… It's not like the dancer has any sort of fighting experience, after all, other than a few barfights she'd been in the middle of back before she went through rehab… Those were a lifetime ago, though, and she's got her babies to stay safe for now. With that, she darts behind cover and waits for a chance to make her escape.
"Move!" says Heather to Ahab, after she finishes tumbling away with Keld, crawling up to her feet. Well, it's not really crawling what with the blinding speed that she moves at. The time traveller, after being knocked back, zips forward to push Keld into his proper place, in the exact position where Connor's attack moved only moments prior. The corners of her mouth turn up into a smile as both she and the alien are transported back in time to the moment where Keld and she appear to get in the way of the attack on Ahab. The future version of herself tumbles back yet again because of her grip on Keld, but she lets go before being dragged too far, again rising up to her feet, some blood on her hands and face from scraping against concrete.
The blast from Connor knocks Ahab back in the air, the cyborg lands in the wall of a near by coffee shop as bricks and glass break underneath him. He gets up and forms one of his spears in his hand. The spear is created for his target and once thrown, it'll hit the target no matter what stands in it's way. Ahab then locks onto his target and throws the spear at Keld to turn him into a hound. "Timeslip, find Summoner, bring her here." He growls as he charges at Volk as well trying to take the man down before dealing with him again, throwing a serious of punches at him. Jeremy on the other hand, over there against Arsenal, gets kicked and rolls with the attack, if his clavicle is broken, he doesn't show it, to intent on serving his master. "Hopefully you won't again." Jeremy says going to dive over the bench and grab onto Arsenal, hoping to make skin contact.
The message delivered, at least, Rashmi sighs to herself. "I'll call again when I can tell you different, Ms. Walters. Wish me luck." With a click, the phone snaps shut, and the redhead pulls herself back to her feet, running further away from the sounds of battle, in the vague direction of Times Square. Please be okay, she thinks as she hooks sharply to the left, then right again. Don't get hurt because of me…
Really no clue what the deal is with Jeremy's power Jakob is un-aware of the grip that was incoming, his forearm came up to block it, then turn in grabbing at black leather letting it be grabbed whie he simultaneously stepped in combat knife leading the way to stab viciously into Jeremy's chest followed by a twist of the hip, aiming to send Jeremy over his shoulder and into the ground face/upperbody first using knife and hold on leather to do so. It struck, whether his own attack had been entirely successful or not about the time Jeremy would have been going up and over Jakobs mind was suddenly a wash of memory, fragmented scattered images like a shattered kaleidoscope it bombarded him, slammed his system and sent him reeling any attack he would have had falling short his blade loosened in his grasp either leaving it in Jeremy or to fall aside, he wasn't aware, the world faded and his mind was figuratively overloaded, not even awareness coming to him that he'd crashed down onto his knees roughly or let out a pained animal sound.
"NO!" Comes from Connor but it's too late for Keld, and he's forced into a series of blocks, the cyberarm catching him and throwing him to the ground, spitting blood. As the order is barked, he replies soberly while flipping back to his feet and wiping the blood from his mouth, "Heather… you do anything but engage me, and I will kill Ahab. Your choice isn't go after her… it's face me, or watch Father… your beloved Master… crushed like a bug." Glaring to the point that his eyes are eclipsed with blue-green fire, Volk Moves… a literal blur as his imitation of superspeed drops him back to where Jeremy and Jakob are, sending a vicious elbow to the back of Jeremy's neck… but as soon as he's gone he's back, and swinging a fist at Heather, then despite any chance of connecting, he's gone again, and that punch is aimed for Ahab's face!
Time slipping was not expected, but Keld lucked out, catching only the edge of the blast, which instead rolled him along the ground. The psionic harpoon, that perverse mixture of mental energies and gene-muddling nanotechnology, strikes into his body; really it cannot miss. It might sizzle harmlessly if the Alien Avenger were a moment faster in switching his star song to the protective strains of invulnerability. Alas, as he is not, the psionic compulsions begin their insidious attack, and while he is paralyzed by the mental assault, his body is likewise attacked.
Dakkamite gene-engineers have spent centuries perfecting their Soldier genome. It has myriad checks and balances, defenses and guards and wards against malicious hacking. And if that were what the nanites were trying to do, they would probably be detected and destroyed. But they're not damaging anything. They're simply adding a small, rather beneficial reinforccement to an already-existing string of chromosomes in the Dakkamite's body - the change that was made when the power dwelling in the star Sol touched an ancient Celestial-twisted strand and made it patent and operative. The addition grants a special sensitivity, opens a line of communication. Nothing that would be wrong for a soldier certainly, to instinctively recognize one in authority by their psionic signature, however subconsciously that sense would operate. And Ahab carries that signature.
The mental attack is what triggers the painful reaction. Keld spent seven years in the belly of an Acanti juvenile, and became mentally conditioned to a more peaceful view of the universe. His leaders might call him spoiled for ordinary soldiering, but then they didn't expect any of their Elect to be ordinary soldiers. But the shift in mental patterns, and the discord arising from the physical change, causes something inside Keld to break loose. He starts to scream in anguish, then coughs, retches, rolls onto hands and knes and vomits. A yellow substance pours from his mouth, he coughs again and disgorges a sphere the size of a jawbreaker candy. It has a faint glow, white light shining from the amber. A faint almost-music is audible to anyone who looks into it, and for unbalanced and evil things, that light could be downright painful, as it is to the insectile Brood.
As soon as Keld's body is free of the irritant, the nanites and the psychic reinforcement are able to act without anything impeding them. Gold skin turns jet-black, green eyes become a solid red malevolent glow, and the nanotech chooses a more appropriate attire, refashioning his street gear into skin-tight red leather so dark as to be nearly black, fully covering every inch of that black skin, leaving only a shock of nearly glowing red hair in a jagged mohawk across the top of his head. Then bright gold-colored spikes erupt in a regular pattern from chest, back, shoulders, arms, thighs, and feet, giving the newly created hound spiked weapons for hand-to-hand combat.
He stands, one last shudder as his mind, will, and body are completely aligned now with their newly created loyalty, the last echo of star-song fading as the acanti ambergris sinks into the garbage of the gutter.
Keld looks across at Ahab, his eyes glowing like a dying star, and speaks "Azt urzuk kshav," voice rasping after the scream, and it's spoken with exactly the same tone of submission and wonder and deeply buried despair that Darth Vader used when he first acknowledged Darth Sidious with the phrase, "Yes, my Master."
"Eheh. Yes, Master," says Heather, wiping some of the blood off of her face. It flows out almost in a disgusting spray for a few moments, but quickly subsides. She does not depart, though, instead eyes widening at Volk's statement. She tilts her head at the beginning of the punch. The time manipulator is unsure of the reasoning for the tactic until Connor reappears. She touches one of her watches and then another version of herself appears to intercept the attack on her master, her previous version still not vanishing. This other version of Heather appears moments before the punch, and immediately throws a medium sized stone towards Connor. Her speedshift is, for some reason, running a bit lower, so it is not launched like a bullet, but it is enough to provide a distraction for Volk. She looks to Ahab to know if there is any change in her orders. Her fingers touch another one of her watches.
When she isn't seen slipping into her hiding spot, Anita waits a few minutes before she tries to make a run for it. The heroes are ignored as she rises and turns to dash down the street in a half crouch. She's out of here unless someone tries to stop her.
The knife from Jakob stabs into the hound known as Jeremy and having now real super durability or body armour, the blade sinks into flesh as he falls to his knees. Stopping any attack on Arsenal. Ahab then smiles as Keld is his new hound. "My new hound…I would like you find Summoner for me, as for you Timeslip, you can help me fight Volk, he doesn't belong here. Rewind will be fine for the moment." He says as he is intent on taking out Volk now that Keld is out of the way. He forms another spear in his hand as Connor teleport and the punch lands with a Pow! Right in the kisser.
Left, right, left, left… Rashmi's path is random and zigzagging, just enough actual forward movement to carry her further into the city. No looking back, no fancy tricks, just running until her chest starts to burn, and then running some more.
Jakob's attack whether successful or not was unknown to him, his mind had been opened up Pandora's Box like and was being relived this kept him subdued, there in a half sprawl upon knees as his body remained in it's vegetable state, Jeremy's blood had erupted out over his fist and wrist that hand first began to twitch and move, convulsions running through his fingers before he was peeling at the webwork of memories eclipsing his mind, some part of him was trying to reconnect to reality, one knee rose and wobbling he began to try and stand, by now SHIELD surely was responding to his distress call, hopefully deployments were already enroute.
Connor's punch, having slipped the new Heather, is drawn back as quickly as it hit. His breathing remains even throughout the pain of that heavy stone glancing his shoulder along the back, and he then retaliates by launching a one-handed blast not at Heather, but Heather's slowed counterpart before it can vanish… and this one if connected begins to get full crush-force. Keeping the arm in, he then spins to try and strike Keld on the side of the head before he can really start moving, not fully aware of what he's hitting, "Watch out buddy… the Parent Trap here might not be enough to stop me from beating your daddy here black and blue while you're off catching someone you can't." Biting off the attempt to distract the newcomer to Ahab's ranks as he doesn't stop moving, free hand striking out at the actual Heather, and levelling a kick towards Ahab.
Without the star-song, the alien Hound has no access to the powers he is accustomed to. No telepathic touch, no boosted intellect, no unearthly speed, flight, or senses, at least that he knows of. He's reduced, if you can call it that, to mere Dakkamite combat marine speeds, and with only a murmur of assent, he starts for the alleyway. Connor says something he doesn't understand, and kicks at him, but it's not mission, so he simply ducks the blow and sprints, vaulting across a car and over, pausing at the dumpster to see the direction she moved from the smudges on the filthy ground, then beyond, slowed by the need to spot her traces - red eyes searching out marks that might mean nothing, but he's tracked Skrull spies, he's traced aliens on jungle planets, he is confident he can accomplish this task. He moves closer to his prey.
The watches are touched again, and this time Heather does not take Connor's attack lying down. The Heather being crushed vanishes again, quickly. Heather's watch goes off with a beep just before Connor reappears and she swings her fist towards the spot in front of her to counter-attack the punch before it even happens, trying to knock Connor back to prevent him from causing Ahab any more damage.
With Connor and Heahter fighting, and his hound Keld after Rashmi, Ahab not doing too well himself and his hound Jeremy with a knife in him, Ahab has had enough. He summons a spear, this one different than the last ones he's used. This one is set to stun Connor. He throws the spear and then yells to Heather. "Timeslip! Get Rewind and myself out of here, now!" He knows he's not going to win this so he retreats while he can before things get worse.
Connor is staggered from the blow, having turned some to cushion the blow, but it spins him and knocks him down next to the thing that Keld dropped to the ground. The flash of light comes from Ahab, and he reaches out and just ports fast, up one hundred feet into the air, and then back down again, grabbing onto the back of Jakob's shirt. Another port and the two are gone… reappearing on a rooftop several hundred feet away. Dropping him and the egg there he is gone again, just in time for the bolt to lance through where he was, barely missing Jakob's form. Moving as fast as he can think, Volk ports, keeping one step ahead of the lance as he locates Rashmi on sheer luck. She doesn't feel the divetackle as it comes, once more vanishing from view as the harpoon nearly hits him a sixth or seventh time. Pushing himself as hard as possible on the final port… the pair appear right in the center of Stark Tower Lobby.
Pushing her forwards, the pair make a rather odd couple as Volk is there in combat armor, some blood staining it as he says out loud, "Ahab's got someone named Keld converted to him! He's chasing her here… for god's sake call To-AUGHK!" Body jerking up and siezing, twitching spastically like having been tossed on an electric fence, he whispers out, "Save… H-her… P-leeeeeeeeeeeeAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" And then a final jerk and he falls forwards in a heap, everything within several inches of him suddenly suffering from fluctuating gravitic anomalies.
JUST as he sees Rashmi, and Keld-the-Hound starts to close in, that telporting mutant is there and gone with his prey.
No matter. Keld is, or was, an Avenger. He knows that there are only four places that the girl would have been taken: the Avengers Mansion, Stark Tower, the Xavier School, or Barnes Academy. And he knows that of those, the teleporter has only been to the Xavier Mansion and Stark Tower, and since he went to Stark before, he'll likely go there. So he begins running in that direction. After all, this is New York City, and what's more normal than a six-two warrior in a complete-coverage skin-tight black-red leather suit covered in metal spikes, running along the streets with traffic?
She can't feel the tackle, but the moment of confrontation with Rashmi Franklin, Servant of the Black Queen is signal enough that Connor has her in hand. Thus, when she flashes into the Stark lobby, her panicked scream is cut off sharply, head turning toward the nearest security guard. "Please," she says, tears in her eyes as she sinks to her knees next to the prone boys. "Get Mr. Stark. Tell him Rashmi says 'he's here…'"
With a small shrug, since she knows how silly it is to worry about this time when there is a next, Heather zips by Rewind to scoop him up and then puts her hand on Ahab's shoulder. The time manipulator concentrates for a moment but first sets her watch, knowing that after this, she has to come back to this moment in order to satiate some of the causal loops. While she will create paradoxes to satisfy Ahab's orders, she is yet uncomfortable with allowing any to occur.
Shadows would cast over rooftops as sudden onset of engine noise could be heard. In a broken wedge SHIELD Carriers had arrived, men with armored body suits and modified weaponry were dropping down, lights begin to toss out seeking out anyone on the street. Jakob's cell had been keyed in on, location received and an assault team was deployed after a satellite and camera feeds from city level had picked up actual visuals on Ahab and his Hounds. Once grounded these men would lay down fire, but before touchdown the Hounds and Ahab had a small window of time to organize and respond. Connor's quick escape with the other two not witnessed by them, not yet at least.
Jakob Struggling to his feet after the weird memory flux into a sudden alternate future visual of himself being a monsterous creatrre hulking with muscles and veins, looking like some over-roided raging version of quasimodo. "The fuc…" was all he could say, one hand waving the air towards one of the SHIELD Carriers that had arrived. It struck then, doubling over he was throwing up off the lip of the building, his head drug off to lay down and stare, finding himself gazing into what appeared to be an egg. He'd be picked up soon, man was he happy at the idea of going back to Barnes right now. (My pose out)
