Players:
Summary: Envy responds badly to the lecherous behavior of a police officer. Abe, Caleb, and Melissa appear to stop Envy.
Date: August 8, 2010
Log Title: Capturing the Crystal Mutant
Rating: R (LV)
NYC - Hell's Kitchen
The rough neighborhood in Midtown West New York known as Hell's Kitchen almost has a darker tone to it. Once you step into this neighborhood the city takes on a different feel, the buildings are shorter but everything feels darker. There is real grit to this part of town where many of the New York City criminals see to make their home.
Scene
The streets aren't terribly busy this time of night. Most of the traffic has died down and many of the tourists are either in restaurants or are in one of the many theatres in the area. There is a section of the sidewalk that is barred off from where the attack on the club happened earlier in the week. Several police officers stand around the area, almost as if expecting a second occurrence in the same area.
One passerby stops as she approaches the bar, glancing at the damage and folding her arms. Envy tilts her head to the side as though trying to decide whether or not the damage looks like anything she's seen before, perhaps someone she's run into before. Nothing too familiar it seems, but she'd like to take a closer look. Unfortunately the police seem to be keeping people away from the area for now. She'll need to wait for them to be distracted before making her own move.
Envy's outfit seems to elicit a subtle yet lude response from one of the cops. Not that she is wearing anything too revealing, just a green top and a some tight fitting black pants. But the fit of the outfit is very tight and seems to arouse the otherwise bored cops. One of them makes a gesture to the other and walks over to Envy. "Don't worry sweet cheeks, we won't let those mutie freaks get you." The man doesn't see Envy move, all he knows is that he suddenly has a large diamond blade sticking into his left shoulder.
Currently MACH-IV was soaring above the city, several blocks away currently from where Envy was. A spiral through the air being given as he scans the police waves and several of their satellite link ups. So far it was a slow night, Hell's Kitchen seemed oddly over-burdened with crime recently it had him wondering where Daredevil was. His head turns and so does the rest of his suit, hovering in place for several seconds as he gets an incoming call, "Hey Abe.. I got an odd phone call saying you need to contact your Banker ASAP. Something about a check to Tony Stark." Inside of his suit MACH-IV releases a startled cough as a bead of sweat runs down his brow, "No problem Erik, I'll take care of it in the morning, thanks for the heads up."
Caleb figured it would be ok to head to Craig's place, what are the chances of something happening again?, but as usual it's hit nine o'clock and he has to head back to school before curfew, he's dressed in blue denim cargos, a black superman t-shirt, black airwalk trainers and his violet eyes are glowing faintly as is the yellow stone on the silver wristband on his right wrist, as he walks along the road with the wrecked strip club he ducks his head slightly incase anyone recognizes him from the bar or what happened to that pimp.
Not too far off behind Mack-IV was Songbird. Her hiatus on being a super hero had her in need of stretching her proverbial legs back into fitting into the scene. From the blue and white vinyl like body suit to the gold carapace that covered the slender column of her throat and extended out over her shoulders. Solid sound formed the wings that sprouted from back to the length of her arms, aiding her in soaring above the city while her eyes scanned the streets below. "Bustling, yet quiet night in the town." Spoken to herself yet aloud as she coasted through the night sky silently. Something about it all, down to the suit and the 'patrol', felt good, liberating. But flight does that to most does it not?
The cop seems a bit startled and confused as to what has just happened to him. It actually takes him a moment to realize that he has just been attacked and another moment to make an audible sound to warn his partner. The other cop seems equally confused and reaches for his gun, but before he can unclasp it he is struck in the wrist with a crystal throwing star. He decides to attempt to radio for help, but he is struck by another. Envy glares at the two men. "Mutie freaks? You're lucky we don't wipe you out." She seems unaware of the others in the area.
The conversation continues between Erik and himself while the MACH-IV hovers in place, paying mind beyond what the man was saying as onboard systems pick up sounds beyond just the radios, amplified to extreme levels. So far nothing outstanding or out of place seems to be going down, or at least nothing he can hear. "When are you and Melissa getting in? I figured I'd make up some spaghetti or something. " Erik prattles on, Abe knew the man was feeling empty being depowered as he was, unable to join them and right now was talking just to be a part of it. "Not sure, soon though if you make food. Just doing one more sweep then we're headed in. Talk to you then buddy." A click and he was looking over at Melissa, "May as well head in once we're done with this sector. Seems to be a dead night for villainy." He chuckles.
Caleb hasn't noticed anything wrong over where the police and Envy are, he just keeps walking with his head down, making a mental note to take a hoodie and perhaps a cap next time he comes down this way, and trying to decide what to eat when he gets back to school.
Stopping near Mach she paid no mind to the prattle between the two, though she figured since there was no sudden burst of action from Mach that all was good and it was just a routine check in from Eric Josten. "Let me guess, he is being mothering again." A slow smile was forming over Songbird's lips at the man, though one corner quirked downward at the thought of how depressed it must truly make him. It was good to be fully back Songbird knew that now after the couple routine cases she had been involved in - despite outcome. Hovering there she looked down ad did not let her thoughts betray her features when it came to Eric and instead just let them traverse the milling streets, not having picked up on anything quite yet because what was going on now was the normal nightly hustle and bustle in New York. "I was hoping for at least a little exercise before his normal carb-filled dinners." The smile did resurface there, a small joke in passing.
It seems that a few passing people have noticed what is going on over by the bar. This may have something to do with shouting from the two officers. They are quickly silenced as Envy deftly takes out the two men. They are not dead, but a few kicks to the head ensures that they will not bother the woman any time soon. She waves a hand dismissively at a small crowd of yelling passerby and enters the building, completely ignoring the pedestrians as a few of them run to the aid of the police. Envy does not intend to spend much time here. She can get out before too many more officers show up, or so she believes.
"Yeah he’s being himself… "MACH-IV replies before he holds up a hand, his helmet turning. "I hear something, a lot of yelling and shouts. This way." He was turning in the air sailing towards the noises to halt above the streets a good 80' feet. Quickly he began to descend, the jets emitting a light scream as he landed on the ground. "What is going on?" His voice was amplified capable of being heard by the crowd, immediately he began to patch through into law enforcement airwaves, adding a call into 911 as well.
Caleb sighs as he hears the yelling, only he could find trouble in the same spot THREE times in a fecking row, he sees the two police officers get knocked out and the woman enter the bar, rather than follow her in, he runs over to the police officers to check for pluses, and if they're ok, he'll consider doing the stupid thing and following the woman in, wait wtf?, one of the police officers have crystals sticking out of his wrist and the other is bleeding from the shoulder, sighing he gets up to follow the woman in, picking up what looks like a crystal sword as he goes.
You aren't carrying anything.
Songbird seemed to come to a complete stop when the hand was held up, the only show of movement was the rise and fall of her chest in breathing while she listened as well. Nodding she followed Mach towards the commotion and lowered down with a silent push of air around her, the solid sound wings vanishing when she met the sidewalk just before the downed officers. "So much for quiet." Her tone wavered on enraged at the local cops bleeding out on the sidewalk, the implements still embedded in their bodies causing a furrow in brows. "Who did this?" A couple pedestrians looked towards Mach and Songbird warily but did not hesitate to point and voice which what Envy had gone and a short description of what they caught as attire. Stepping towards the direction again, she spots a familiar appearance in Caleb. Coincidence? God the kids everywhere. "I am going to go in Mach." Stepping inside she began the sweep, looking for the described woman while also watching Caleb.
Now that some heroic folk seem to have appeared, the crowd seems slightly calmer. Many of the people leave the area fearing a repeat of the night before. One of the officers seems to rouse for a moment and mutters the word "Envy", but it's almost as though he is sleep talking.
As soon as Envy makes it into the club itself she stops and turns around. Seeing the potentiality of someone following her to play hero she decides to erect a blockade behind her. She stomps on the ground and causes a wall of crystal to lance out of the ground, blocking the doorway she just stepped through. Looking around, it seems that there are windows above through which she can get out if she needs to. She doubts anyone will be able to make it up that high without difficulty.
"No Melissa, we'll make whoever is in there come out." MACH-IV's left arm rose up and a canister was loaded firing off three missiles into the front door they strike hard enough to dent and knock inwards, a fourth and fifth are fired into visible windows, the sound of shattering glass letting them know entry had been obtained. This was a mild form of CS gas - weak pepper spray, upon release it would spray out upon impact immediate indication it was airborne would be the scent followed by the grainy taste in the throat then instantly a persons tear and mucus ducts would open clouding vision. Before firing it off he scans for heat signatures making sure there was no child-sized or smaller within, something was blocking their spray at the front door in forcing most of it out which the crowd would back away from. "I suggest everyone move back or return to your homes."
When the missiles are fired into the club, Caleb jumps backwards and turns to point the crystal sword in the direction they came from, thinking it must've come from whoever attacked the police.
Envy is walking slowly through the club, taking in the destruction. She stops to examine an area that looks to be in particularly bad condition. She hears the explosions outside the door and glances up. Police? No. The police wouldn't use explosives that close to the street. They also wouldn't have arrived so quickly. When the canisters come in through the window the woman frowns. She has been in situations like this before. Unfortunately she is a bit under-equipped to deal with this right now.
Taking a quick survey of the situation, Envy decides to go up. The gas seems to be filling up the lower sections of the club, and from the sounds out front she assumes that there are more canisters on the other side of her crystal wall. She quickly tears off her shirt and ties it around her nose and mouth, leaving the woman in black pants and a black bra. She darts up a set of stairs behind the bar, wiping tears from her eyes as the chemicals begin to effect her. When she reaches the top she opens a door leading to a partial roof. The building goes up further behind her, but that looks like apartments and seems not to be accessible from where she is. The woman walks to the edge of the roof and carefully glances over the edge. Robots? What a bother. She forms one of her signature ceiling-fan sized emerald throwing shurikens and chucks it at Abe. Normally such a shot would be extremely easy for the woman, but her eyes keep tearing up and she is having difficulty suppressing a cough.
MACH-IV took a staggering step backwards as a chunk of emerald slams into his chest piece. Had he been airborne he could have dodged, really there was no way for him to have identified Envy until she made her attack, his scanners pick her up and images of her are patched through to onboard computers and instantly his jets kick in lifting him from the ground, his right and left hand rising up together to fire off a barrage of 'mercy' rounds. Rubber bullets. These would impact like small powerful fists could break skin and bruise but were not lethal. "You again?" He shouts catching Caleb in one of his side screens in a brief flash. "Trouble just follows you kid."
When Caleb recognizes MACH-IV from that night with the freaky girl he lowers the sword, "Don't I fecking know it", turning to face the direction the emerald came from he fires a blast of violet energy at the woman on the roof, hoping it just knocks her off balance rather than punching a hole in her as it's been doing recently.
Songbird heard Mach as she had taken a few steps in after Caleb, she took a few steps back. Good thought to flush out the rats instead of going into their possible known territory. Just as she hit the entry to step back out into the street the eruption of the gas began, making those steps out double in time and a shield of the solid sound form around her defensively in case any gas may have gotten too close before she made it out. No need to be a mess of blindness and respiratory issues while trying to take down a criminal.
Once a safe distance back the sound shield began to fall away, just as the large shiruken struck Mach's chest. Her eyes narrowed and the wings formed, aiding Songbird in the flight from the ground towards the rooftop where Envy stood. "You alright?" This said to Mach in passing while her eyes followed the rubberized bullets followed by a violet light - waiting for her own moment.
Envy snaps her fingers when the Shuriken glances off her target. The motion seems odd, as though she was disappointed that she failed in some mundane task. The woman yells out suddenly when one of the rubber bullets strikes her in the stomach and two more hit her in the chest. She falls to her knees and presses her hands against the ground, erecting a short crystal wall in front of her. She takes a short respite while shielded by this wall before the floor near her is destroyed by a beam of violet light. The beam carves a hole in the roof next to her and continues on to the apartment building behind her. The beam smashes through the wall and distant sounds of panic can be heard coming from inside.
Envy watches the beam as it passes and peeks around her shield. She narrows her eyes when she sees Caleb and Melissa. "Damn these people. Don't they have anything better to do?" She presses her hand against the ground again and two more walls appear on either side of her current shield, leaving a gap in between them for her to act through. The result is that the roof has a crenellated appearance. The woman darts from one shield to another, chucking crystal needles the size of steak-knives out toward Caleb. She repeats the movement and targets the flying woman.
"Watch it kid!" MACH-IV shouted, "Focus your shots and aim. You don't want to hurt any of the bystanders… " Propelling himself high above the walls Envy was surrounding herself with he would open fire with the rubber bullets again, trying to use her own barriers to rebound them around inside of. "Just hand yourself over lady," He yells towards Envy. While he was talking and in action he was searching for files on the woman. Trying to get up and over to where the blast Caleb fired had rebounded to, wanting to make sure no one was injured or in immediate danger.
"Hey, it's harder than it looks", Caleb reacts to the needles a second too late, he's hit by the first but manages to phase though the second, he puts a hand to where the needle hit, "Fuck!", his eyes flare a brighter violet color and he fires another blast of energy at Envy, this time hoping to do some damage.
It did not take much before Songbird was in pursuit of Envy in her running barrage towards them, the sounds of panicked civilians making her desire to take down Envy a bit more. Her speed was swift, shooting up along the side of the building to stop only just above Envy. The needles tossed in Songbirds direction had her moving again, sonic vocals working to try and shatter the shards, though the frequency was not high enough to shatter that form of crystal. Everything needed the right tweak but the timing was also off, one of the three shards managed to be dodged by a twist in the air, the third lodging into her right hip causing the flight patter to stagger slightly before the wings caught and regained.
The yells, the pain, and the insistence of the woman just added fuel to the force now. Songbird released a higher pitched sonic scream towards Envy' protective crystal walls seeking to shatter them around her with the vibrations of the sound and open her up for attack from Mach and Caleb.
Envy glares up at Abe, finally removing the cloth from her mouth. The air up here is clear enough that she was able to shake off the small dosage of tear gas she had inhaled. The woman yells out in fury as she is barraged by rubber bullets. "Damn it damn it DAMN IT!" The ground around the woman erupts with crystal spines which shoot upward toward the flyers like beautiful stalagmites. They look as though they may reach the two, but Songbird's vocal blast causes many of them to shatter as they grow. The ones that remain are a bit too far out to do anything to the two above her.
Caleb's shot strikes the one crystal walls that is still standing. The blast seems to glance off the surface of the crystal and changes direction, shooting in the general direction of Abe. The force of the impact seems to have been enough to cause the wall to cleave in half. Half of the wall topples forward and falls toward the crowd of people scrambling below. The other half falls toward Envy. The woman appears to be distracted by the bullets and seems not to see her own construct falling toward her.
The barrage of bullets ended when the crystal folded in, Caleb's missed shot bounds off the material to sling up towards MACH-IV a spin in evasion is pulled off canceling out any ability to fire off any retaliation and clipping one of his shoulders sending him spiraling off towards the east before he can stabilize. "Seriously, kid stop with the attacks you aren't helping any!" Frustrated he had taken damage his connect to the Big Boards showed a link of this power type towards several assassinations, robberies, assaults and kidnappings. Idly he wonders if she’s also part of that group who had mangled and near killed Cyborga and Furtrap. "Can't get an opening." He radios to Melissa's com. "Be careful if this one is connected to the files I just pulled up she’s lethal."
"Persistent.." Was said by Songbird as she flew to the side, an unconscious reaction to the spires shooting up towards her and Abe before they shattered by her sound. "Think it's about time you give up?!" This time it was yelled to Envy as the building around her began to get chipped away by attacks from Caleb, as well as her own constructed walls, while being slammed by rubber bullets. Songbird had one thing, at least, and that was confidence that this criminal would not get away. So far the T-bolt's had managed a good run.
Seeing the energy shot towards Mach and the simultaneous fall of debris towards bystanders her decision had to be made as to who to save. The odds were weighed out swiftly and her attention shifted, solid sound forming a platform just above the civilians, capturing the rubble before it would impact them, dumping it off in a vacant area of the sidewalk, though a quick process it was distracting. "No doubt she is. We'll get her, I'll try to take down defenses again when I am done here."
Caleb curses when the blast rebounds towards Abe, but doesn't stop to see what happens, still clutching where the needle went in, he flies towards the falling structure meaning to phase it though the crowd into the ground, but before he reaches it Songbird deals with it, so he continues flying up towards Envy.
Envy looks up at the sky during her moment of calm. It seems that the one flyer is recovering from that laser beam and the other is flying off for some reason. The wall behind her topples forward as though to crush the woman, but it shatters as it comes within a few inches of her. She rears back as though she intends to throw something and lurches forward, chucking a long diamond spear toward Abe. She'll focus on the one that took damage already, deciding to try and knock him out while she can. Unfortunately it looks as though the flyer is out of her range, the spear is unlikely to strike him. She darts forward to prepare another noise and hears a terrible cracking noise beneath her. She stops and looks down at the roof for a moment. It seems that she has pulled too many minerals out of the cement here. The roof is losing its structural integrity.
Songbird was dealing with the falling rubble, MACH-IV would begin to concentrate on Envy again until a spire flies towards him both of his hands lift up and lights along his forearms light up and a quick calculation of trajectory and he realizes it will fall short. Disregarding it he rockets higher moving above the trio, "Building is coming down! "His voice loud, once more amplified by his power suit. "Clear the area! Everyone get back!" A quick rocket thrust and he is sailing towards Envy and Caleb, the latter of the two appearing to be sailing for the mutant. "Try to save her if you can!" Unsure if it was necessary but if she fell in with the structural collapse it could end up fatal.
Wait, now he's supposed to save the bad guy?, for fuck sake, still Caleb flies towards Envy to pick her up from behind, then will fly up again, just high enough that she won't fight him to let go (though this plan may only work with same people).
Once done dumping off the rubble Songbird looks back up, the sonic wings taking her back up towards the fight, swiftly coming up along side Caleb. "You holding out okay kid?" It was not hard to see that he had taken a hit as well, she still had the shard protruding from his hip, likely during the same attack that had the one from Caleb's shoulder. Though the response could not be idled for, the building began to crack and show the signs of weakness that was only confirmed by Mach's words.
Songbird's wings spread, her flight heading her back and taking her down towards the structural imbalance of the building beneath Envy. "I'll buy you guys some time to clear out of there!" As well as the bystanders… Now as she lowered to hover beside the building and over the crowd that had begun to split off at Machs words she confirmed it. "This is coming down, everyone back off!" The crowd began to move, a few civilians carrying the two downed officers in the wake of the chaos and the highlighting sounds of approaching sirens in the backdrop, but who knew how long until they could get here.
Another sonic vocal construct came from Songbird, solidifying the buildings wall around the civilians, though the roof was purposefully being left to its own weaknesses beneath Envy this way if it collapsed, it would only do so inward.
The roof of the club cracks again and collapses inward, not quite as badly as Envy had assumed it would. The walls all seem to be structurally sound, though one of them has some damage to it from where a crystal fell down. The collapse forces dust and some of the tear gas out of the windows down below, causing it to billow out into the street below.
You aren't carrying anything.
Envy steps out onto the roof a bit more, moving cautiously. She narrows her eyes and begins focusing on the roof below her. She should be able to use the mineral deposits from the shattered crystal spires to joist up the ceiling. Before she manages to do this she is grabbed from behind by Caleb. The woman lets at a scream of rage and turns on the boy. She appears to grow green crystal around her fingernails and rears back to strike the child. It is about this time that she sees exactly how high they are and instead decides to hug Caleb tightly. "Put me down and maybe I won't kill you."
The roof of the club cracks again and collapses inward, not quite as badly as Envy had assumed it would. The walls all seem to be structurally sound, though one of them has some damage to it from where a crystal fell down. The collapse forces dust and some of the tear gas out of the windows down below, causing it to billow out into the street below.
Seeing Caleb snatch up Envy, MACH-IV sails higher remaining above the two of them a good two dozen feet, one hand trained down ready to open fire if he needs to. "Good job, lets try to get her towards the police and away from any more civilians. Just watch yourself. " He maintains his distance and his target on the two of them, sorting mentally through his arsenal of onboard weapon systems trying to determine which would be the most effective right now. Once Caleb removed himself of her, he would have more options.
Sirens can be heard down below. Several police cars and fire trucks have crowded the street not too far from the destroyed club. Ambulances aren't too far off. The police seem to be looking up toward the people flying in the sky. Many begin directing civilians to safer areas.
Caleb grins, "You are in no position to be making threats, one false move and you're a splat on the sidewalk", he flies a little higher into the air towards the waiting police, "Now, this is gonna feel a little unnerving", he doesn't wanna risk the police opening fire, so he phases both himself and Envy.
Staying where she was there was not much else for her to do until he pedestrians had given wide space to the area before releasing her solid sound that held up any possibility of the walls falling onto innocents. Her focus did not falter until the dust inside settled, the cracking of abandoned furnishing inside the building coming to a small settle as well as any dust and smoke.
Taking a few steps back and measuring the distance that the walls and debris would crumble she finally released the barrier that held it all together slowly, hoping for now it would all just stay in one piece, but at least everyone was safely back and the officials had it under control. This was her queue to take flight again, reaching near Caleb and Envy just as he phases. A glance cast towards Abe as she backs off slightly, trying to spot where they may reappear.
The police down below begin shining lights up toward the people flying above. One of them holds up a megaphone and calls up "Come down peacefully or we will be forced to open fire."
Envy gives Caleb a spiteful look and shakes her head. "Terrible idea. I'm not the kind of person you want to piss off." Her attention shifts to MACH-IV and then to Songbird. "This is ridiculous. Aren't you three all mutants? It is the nature of the more highly evolved to rule over the weak, I wasn't about to let that beastly police officer to badmouth our people. I was doing us a favor." She huffs and turns her head away from Caleb. She assumes that these three won't listen to her. The "Good Guys" never listen to reason and logic. She sighs again and feels a bit odd as Caleb phases her out. "Wha…What are you…" And then Envy does something completely unexpected. She passes out.
Remaining aloft near the ring of police officers, Envy and Caleb he kept his forearm uplifted, "Go ahead and release her and no we are not mutants. " MACH-IV said calmly, "She's out but probably not for good, this should help." Once Caleb and Envy broke contact a bola like projectile will launch forward electricity crackling off of it. Volts would upon touchdown lace through whomever it touches rendering a normal human being unconscious for minutes to hours depending on their physical health. Effectively it was a high-powered taser. One he figured would keep Envy down long enough for the police to get her to a suitable holding facility. "Hopefully that keeps her out. Lets go see what Atlas' has burnt… I mean cooked back home, Songbird." His head tips off as he smiles under the helmet, stopping in flight to give Caleb an estranged glance unable to find any words beyond "Thanks for the help." That said an intake then a scream of jet engines is audible as he takes off headed towards their hideout in Brooklyn.
Caleb nearly drops Envy when she passes out, feck!, can other people not handle this part of that dimension, still when instructed to he flies down and drops her into her net, ten drops down onto the grass himself, phasing others in pretty draining especially with the wound from the needle, "Fuck".
Lowering back to the ground beside Caleb and Abe as Envy was turned over Melissa watched as the police were loaded into ambulances, though one officer seemed to be sitting up and doing fine, just getting bandaged before being hauled in for further repair of his wounds. Watching them take Envy into custody she couldn't help but follow with her eyes until she was tucked away and out of sight, then looked to Abe and gave a response. "I am rather getting used to burnt food, just add a bit more spice." Returning to flight again she takes off after Mach, nodding once to Caleb before she disappeared into the night. "Try harder to stay out of trouble."
Envy seems to still be unconscious, though when the taser-bola strikes her she makes a sound that may indicate that she was feigning. Regardless, she is unconscious now. The police thank the three and handcuff the unconscious woman before placing her in the back of a police car. They drive off rather quickly, seeming to want to get the woman into custody before she wakes up.
When Envy is bundled into the police van Caleb struggles to his feet and starts walking home, only stopping to pick up the sword dropped earlier, and trying to figure out how to explain the needle at the schools med center.
~ Fin ~
