Players:
Summary: Dingo chases some bikers into the subway. Alex, Caleb, Abe & Melissa try to diffuse the situation.
Log Title: Subway Delays
Rating: R (LV)
NYC - Hell’s Kitchen - Subway
The subway stations in the city are not quite as bad as most people have heard. The walls are white tile with themed mosaics that change from stop to stop. After passing through the turnstiles one would find the platform with pillars indicating the street number above. The yellow paint on the ground near the tracks warns passengers to "Stay Back".
Scene
Feck, it's nine o'clock at night and Caleb has only just left Craig's place, stupid movie being all interesting, as much as he doesn't like the sound of the subway, it's the only way he's gonna get beck to school by curfew, he just got off one train and now has to wait for another on the other line, he's in somewhere called Hells Kitchen, he's dressed in dark jeans, a dark blue buttoned shirt, his usual roxas airwalk trainers and his violet eyes are glowing faintly as is the yellow stone on the silver wristband on his right wrist, "Come on for feck sake".
The sound of the train approaching can be heard heading from the south. As the light comes into view the people standing on the platform move forward to prepare to board the train when it stops. The doors open and people begin walking out of the doors, some of them are dressed nicely and a few of them smell drunk. One or two are passing out Scientology pamphlets.
Shouting can be heard coming from the turnstiles at the stairway of the station. Three women with short hair and leather jackets jump over the ticket station and charge for the doors. They shove past the crowd and enter the train yelling for people to get out of their way.
After the women board the train a large amount of sand suddenly pours down from the street vents above. The sand slams into the ground and materializes into a man in a brown and yellow costume with a long stylized duster. The man is wearing goggles and has short hair and a scruffy beard. After surveying the station he turns toward the cars, gritting his teeth and charging forward. "Get the bloody hell back here you filthy apes!"
Having to get back to Barnes himself, not that he cares much about curfew, Alex was in Hell's Kitchen getting a few affairs in order. He has a cigarette in his mouth, since he apparently can't get cancer anymore, and stares at the women first, then the sand materializing into a man. "The hell is your problem?" he asks the man as he takes the cigarette from his mouth, drops it to the ground, then grinds it into the ground with his foot. "Look, I don't normally like getting caught up in this stuff, but if you're trying to mug them or something, I'll probably get laid for stopping you, so…"
Caleb presses himself against the wall and out of the way when the women run past followed buy; sand and an Australian accent, "Why the fuck am I always around when this guy causes trouble, his eyes are drawn to the man threatening Bruce, what the hell is he doing?!, he sighs and phases only himself and his shoes, his clothing falls off him and he is left wearing his Barnes training uniform (except without his gloves and with his trainers instead of boots), he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Robin-esque mask which is put on before stepping forwards, "I suggest you listen to the man, and leave before theres any trouble", his voice isn't exactly confident.
The people in the station seem only slightly annoyed by the crowd of running people. It seems that this is not an uncommon occurrence in the city. They do seem a bit disturbed by the sand person when he arrives in the station. Several people scream and run back toward the turn-styles, but a few people seem not to notice at all and simply walk into the Sunway car.
There is some shouting from inside of the car as the three women shove themselves past a few of the passengers and begin running toward the back of the train. Two of them pull out handguns, which causes the officers on the train to actually start chasing them as well.
Dingo glances over at Alex and shakes his head dismissively. "Out the way, mate. Those sheilas're trouble." He charges directly toward the train again and dissipates to move around Alex as a cloud of sand before rematerializing back into himself and running into the car. He turns toward the car where the women ran and begins chase, shoving an elderly woman out of his way as he does so. He has apparently not noticed Caleb.
Alex starts running after Dingo, though briefly stops to look at Caleb. "Aren't you a student? It's almost curfew. Not that I care, but get your ass on the train." he says before he goes running again, weaving by and dodging people as he runs after the man. "According to this thing in my head, you… turn into sand, what the hell, robot? I could see that just by looking at him!" He continues running, then starts reaching out to try and grab the man's shoulder. "Stop running, asshole! You turn into sand, I know who you are, you're… the Sandman!"
Caleb goes to follow Bruce onto the train when Alex speaks to him, "Do you…", but then Alex is gone, sighing Caleb phases though the side of the train to catch up with Bruce quicker, when he catches up he'll phase though Bruce and stand in front of him, "Stop!"
The people in the train are all starting to move away from the women with guns and the man in the strange costume. They all move toward the front of the train as the chase moves toward the back.
Dingo feels the hand on his shoulder as Alex manages to grab him. He looks back for a moment and quirks a brow. "Who the hell is Sandman?" His shoulder dissipates and he runs forward again before being stopped by Caleb. "Ghost boy? Outtatheway, kiddo. Sheila's might be some o' those mutant town shooters." The doors make their usual chime as they close before train jolts forward, causing the passengers to stumble slightly. Dingo smirks. "Looks like they're trapped on the train for a few stops anyway, eh?" He dematerializes again and rushes past Caleb, slamming into the back door to the car and forcing it open in sand form before moving past it.
"Sandman, that guy… he robs banks and stuff." Alex starts walking ahead, since there's apparently crazy women with guns, which trumps crazy man who turns into sand. "Relax, if I get shot it's no big deal, it'll just hurt like hell." he casually points out as he starts pulling doors open to get closer to the women. "Hey, chicks! Drop your weapons, give me your numbers, then I guess you go to jail!"
He pauses a moment and looks down. "Didn't think that plan through." Then he looks back to Dingo and Caleb. "How do I get their numbers and give them to the cops without making the numbers useless?"
Returning from the hospital where two superhumans the T-Bolts had previously encountered were in critical condition, their questioning had gotten them nowhere. Cyborga was too tightlipped to speak to them and Furtrap didn't have any lips left to talk with, the man was a burned up vegetable, these injuries result of an attack on them by their own teammates, who Abe had yet to discover a name of. Seated in the back of the train in a casual gray suit jacket, button up undershirt, and slacks Abe was staring at the floor of the train, until ruckus from the train car ahead of them spilled into the car he and Melissa occupied. First it was three women who showed themselves, this had him standing up, “Whoa.." He releases, then she’s got a gun to a bystander and Dingo shoves past into the car they were in. "No shooting needed here…"He said loudly, firmly yet without threat in his voice both hands waving in front of him. Too cramped a quarters for him to assemble his suit.
Melissa was seated beside Abe, rather silent with one hand cupping her chin, a finger pressed at the corner of her lips as if in thought over the article in the magazine she was reading. Her posture was slumped and one leg was tucked up to form a prop on the top of denim clad thigh for the magazine. Her eyes shifted up when the commotion moved past them, causing her to drop the magazine with the simultaneous move to rise to a stand, the backpack at her side moved for with a shift of her hand while Abe did the attempt at a cool down talk. Within the back pack was the carapace, toting the mechanism everywhere with her now that she resigned to re-joining the T-bolts and the fact that who they were going to question had bad affiliations…Better safe than sorry.
As Alex is passing Abe and Melissa, he looks down at her, eyes wide a bit as he takes her in. "Hot." is all he says, before shaking his head and turning to the hostage situation. "Look, ignore this crazy mutant guy. I've got an insane law enforcement robot in my head. I'm trying to resolve this whole hostage situation myself before it decides I'm not doing a good enough job and laser snipes you all in the head before the gun can even fire. So… can we play nice and not turn me into a horrible killing machine with no control over my own body," He thumbs back to Melissa, "So I can get her number and go home?"
The woman holding the gun to the girl's head just glares at everyone in the car. "What the hell, there weren't supposed to be this many freaks here! Tish, Cora…Take out the cops." Before the police men have time to react two of them go down, one shot in the chest and the other in the thigh. The hostage screams and begins crying, saying something about wanting to go home.
Dingo glances around at the hero folk and shakes his head. "Yo, train's gonna stop soon. Gotta catch em before they can get off, righto?" When the gun goes off he dematerializes and splits into two clouds of sand. They fly toward opposite sides of the train and break through the windows before moving around to the back of the train and slamming into the back window. The two girls not holding hostages begin firing at the window behind them.
Though Melissa and himself were no longer an item hearing someone else flirting her direction like Alex was now had Abe's brows knitting, yet he remained focused on what was going on. "Wait wait! Don't shoot anymore people take me instead of the girl." That is what an Avenger in this situation would do right? Or they would have somehow disarmed them already, unfortunately he wasn't capable of something like that. As the cops go down from gunshots he can't help but grit his teeth, itching to do something but really without his power suit he was hard pressed. Then, he is reminded of his buddy William Baker as Dingo literally flies into action, the girls distracted he lunges for the back of the nearest one, grabbing at her wrists and the gun.
As her hand is working over opening the backpack and reaching within her own vocals chide in with the rest of the talk to try and diffuse the situation. Subvocal influence came forth with the eased coo of her voice that tried to speak out and play the role in influencing the shooters mentally without too much pull, it was an attempt, albeit Melissa would see where it would go. "We don't want anyone hurt here, laser blasted, shot…" Never mind… The cops went down and she had no time to even react to Alex's not-so-subtle advances. The gold and red decored carapace was withdrawn from her bag and clasped around the column of her neck, coming out to even cup over her shoulders, over the white linen of button up shirt that bore the suit beneath, but she was not about to start tearing down attire for a full show what was needed was on.
"Abe!" Melissa's eyes followed him but landed to remain on the hostage, her vocals forming that solid sound barrier, manipulated and thrust between the woman with the gun and the hostage. They'd likely both be shoved if they did not move, but it was deliberately made to keep the hostage from being shot.
Alex's eyes started to turn red, but with other people beginning to show signs of being super powered and attempting to stop the situation, the A.I decides not to take control as his eyes return to normal. "Close." he mutters to himself, then goes charging at another woman when Abe goes for the other, trying to wrap his arms around her waist and tackle her with his enhanced speed. "I'm not usually the kinda guy who'll hit a woman, I mean, unless she's into that sorta thing, but you're shooting cops and just generally ruining my day, so let's get this over with."
The girl on the left is successfully tackled by Abe. She slams against the glass of the back wall and fires her gun at the ceiling a couple of times. The other girl looks over and aims her gun at Abe, but when Alex comes toward her she turns her gun and fires a short in his direction. When he strikes her she drops the weapon and struggles against him. She manages to pull a hammer out of her pocket and attempts to strike the android. The ringleader fires the gun she has held up to the hostage, but the sound barrier causes the gun to backfire and fly out of her hand. The hostage faints and collapses to the floor.
Dingo finally manages to break through the back of the train, ripping a wide hole in the train's shell and causing the power to flicker several times. He crashes down on the ringleader and rematerializes over-top of her, holding his hands over her throat as he simultaneously chokes the woman and slams her head against the floor. "Stupid bitch! I'll kill you!"
"Holy shit! Melissa stop him, has going to kill her!" Abe shouts while struggling with the girl, fingers staying clasped on the gun, shoving one between the trigger guard and the draw so it can't pull out to rotate the pin inside again, making sure it was lodged. His foot stamping down at one of her own as he throw a sturdy fist at her head trying to dance it off the wall. Not able to do anything else as his ears are rattled by the resounding bangs, ricochets bouncing around the subway car. Glad Alex had the other one.
The hostage was down, but not dead, the quick movements to try and save her at least succeeded where that was concerned. Glancing up towards Abe and Alex she caught sight just in time to see Alex jump in in time to save Abe from the other woman's aim. Two were had and the one that held the hostage now had the duster clad man atop her and beating at her, the words of Abe in time for her quick movement forward to stop Bruce from his attack on the woman.
"No need for that, she'll get hers for the officers down when taken in!" Her maneuvers learned from wrestling were applied here to try and grapple Bruce off of the woman, both arms trying to reach and tuck beneath Bruce's own, wrapping back to try and force his arms back and off the downed woman and pull him to a standing pin against Melissa with his arms held and locked if he did not fight it before the lock was made.
The hostage was down, but not dead, the quick movements to try and save her at least succeeded where that was concerned. Glancing up towards Abe and Alex she caught sight just in time to see Alex jump in in time to save Abe from the other woman's aim. Two were had and the one that held the hostage now had the duster clad man atop her and beating at her, the words of Abe in time for her quick movement forward to stop Bruce from his attack on the woman.
"No need for that, she'll get hers for the officers down when taken in!" Her maneuvers learned from wrestling were applied here to try and grapple Bruce off of the woman, both arms trying to reach and tuck beneath Bruce's own, wrapping back to try and force his arms back and off the downed woman and pull him to a standing pin against Melissa with his arms held and locked if he did not fight it before the lock was made.
The women continue to struggle, the first pulling the trigger of her gun again to find that the gun does not fire. She struggles strong and tries to kick Alex someplace not so friendly. The other biker girl grabs her face as she is smacked and yells out a few obscenities before going after Alex with the hammer again. The leader gasps and chokes, holding up her hands and trying to pry off Bruce's hands. When he is pulled free she struggles to get up, reaching for her dropped gun.
Dingo squeezes the woman's throat, gritting his teeth as he glares at her. When he is grappled by Melissa he frowns at the girl. "Idiot, they'll let her live. They need to see that when they mess with mutants they die. I won't have gangs roaming the streets of my town shooting my people!" His hands are held, but that doesn't stop him. A third hand made of sand comes out of his chest, striking the woman in the face and covering her nose and mouth. It seems he truly intends to kill this woman.
The train lurches a couple of times. Either a stop is coming up or word has finally reached the conductor that something is going on in the back of the train.
"Killing won't solve anythi ~unfff~" Abe's knees buckle in but he doesn't go that’s a hell of a stomach ache later, his hand grabbing at the girls hair trying to force a slam with her head cupped into the window of the train. His other hands finger being crushed by the pulling of the trigger. "Someone help those police officers they're bleeding out! Damnit, lady stop it!" He curses and gets more vicious in his attempt to take out the biker, he's beaten up full grown fugitives while in prison who went down easier than this woman, she was tough.
"They can learn the right way, you think prison is going to return her to society after being a cop killer, or return to society…Whole. Prison justice can be far crueler than death." Melissa knew this first hand, as well as has heard plenty. Cop killers were set up to be torn down in prison, the woman would wish for death before it was ever granted. It was apparent though Bruce was intent and words were likely being wasted on it so she spoke no further when the sand made hand came to try and cease the woman's life. Lips parted and the solid sound barrier was made, one around the woman in a anchored bubble, keeping her assaults in and her in place as well, while also trying to push Dingo out.
To try and stop Bruce from his own rampage as well and throw him off the grapple on him was released with a hard shove of him forward, her arms uncoiling from his to try and meet the heels of them at the center of his back between shoulder blades, another sonic sound barrier being formed to try to contain him as well. "We're all a little busy Abe, will get there as soon as I can!"
"The hell is up with you chicks? I have a bullet in my arm!" Alex isn't moving aid left arm, and when the woman comes trying to kick her in the crotch, he grabs her leg, trying to twist and pull it before releasing it. Then he starts getting hit with the hammer again. "Damnit, what is your problem? I better get laid twenty goddamned times for this." he says before quickly drawing back his foot, then quickly extending his leg to try and kick her square in the ovaries.
The first woman struggles for a short time further before having her head slammed into the glass again. She seems dazed for a moment before crumpling against the ground. The girl with the hammer is knocked to the ground and makes an odd noise as she is kicked. She hunches over and drops her weapon, cradling her stomach. Their leader begins to struggle a bit less, apparently running out of air. Her eyes begin to roll back before she goes limp.
Dingo seems a bit confused as the sound barrier materializes between him and his quarry. He turns to look back at Melissa and frowns heavily. You're evolved, yet you'd let this piece of trash live? They were on the buildings in Mutant Town firing down at OUR people. Seems to happen a bit too much lately. If everyone knows that attacking mutants will result in horrible death, maybe they'll stop." He struggles against the woman again. "Let me kill her or I'll take you out too."
The train finally comes to a stop at the next station. There are several police officers and some paramedics on the platform, but the flood of panicked train riders is keeping them outside for now.
Abe pushes his knee down and begins to drag the woman's arms up behind her back, using his own belt to tie and bind her wrists together. "Or it will just make it worse! "You think killing will do anything but show the people mutants are the monsters they want to believe they are? The authorities will take care of them."
"Precisely what he said." Melissa's head tilted towards Abe as he spoke up, "I think the system will work well enough, if not they will get cycled through eventually." Karma will make them it's bitch, good theory to live by if all else fails. Bruce's evident anger and insistence though had her taking in a breath, lips parting as if readying to try and trap him within the solid sound bubble again, but the train rocks to a stop and she looks up as the flood of people to hastily exit mix with those seeking to get in, all official. Situating her stance she made sure she could see Alex and Abe, as well as Bruce but keep guard before the encased woman that went unconscious. "You're not killing them, it won't prove what you are aiming to."
"Alright, that's finished. Now, you…" Alex starts walking over to Bruce, some blood trickling down his shoulder, but not as fast as it should. "I'm sick of hearing all this mutant bullshit. Suck it up, get laid, and get over it." is all he has to say before drawing his foot back, then suddenly tries to slam his shin into Bruce's ribs, which would be about as hard as a thick metal pipe.
The women are all unconscious and generally subdued. The police outside seem to finally be getting into the car, but the going is slow.
Dingo is pushed back further by the sound woman. When Alex comes up to kick him he transforms his chest into sand, looking down at the man's shin as it embeds itself in his chest. He just shakes his head and tries to strike out at Melissa. He winds up a punch and hurls it forward toward her, his fist exploding into a cloud of sand. He doesn't speak to the others. He knows their type. Let the humans handle everything. It'll never turn into a series of death camps patrolled by killer robots. No no. That'll never happen.
Moving over to one of the fallen cops, the one with the thigh wound he tore his shirt into a strip and tied it around the man's thigh applying pressure until one of the cops or paramedics could get inside to do so. "You're outnumbered friend, perhaps you should take this as a good time to get out of here. " Abe was already looking for an open space so he could suit up if he had to, hopefully this new guy and Melissa had it handled or Bruce would see some form compromise. "You're not proving anything positive right now… only that you may be no better than them."
When the punch was directed towards her, Melissa's body tensed, readying for reaction if need be, but her barrier had the attempted move broken down and herself guarded. "I do suggest you all calm it down before the incoming officials decide you are just as guilty as the rest." Bruce being taken in would be no skin off her back, his actions were volatile and lacking any form of logic to her, that was her only warning though to both Bruce and Alex as she remained in guard of the one female, watching the other two with glances from one corner of gaze to the other towards Abe and the downed officers. "They going to make it?" She knew the wounds and the probabilities, but she still had some form of hope for the one with the chest wound, perhaps Kevlar was his new hero when they couldn't be in time.
"Look, just get the hell out of here or whatever, Sandman. You're wanted anyway, computer in my head says so. You're always fighting Spider-Man or something." Alex may have a computer in his head, but he sure doesn't have the power to process all of the information accurately. He's looking at a webpage right now! "Don't make me get a bucket of water!" he exclaims as he starts yanking his foot away, and looks over at Melissa. "And, hey, when this is all over, any way we could like, go get a drink?"
The cops finally make it into the back car, leveling guns at the three in the car. One of them seems to have noticed the sand attack and shouts out. "Hey! I think that guy's Dingo!" When he hears the comment about Sandman he seems a bit confused. "Is that Sandman? I didn't think he usually wore a costume."
Dingo frowns at the woman and sighs. "Man, you people need to wake up. Things'll only get worse if you don't start taking out the ones that attack us. Keep it in mind, sugar-face." He winks at Melissa and backs up, seeming to fall out the back of the train where he destroyed the back. A moment later a cloud of sand spirals up and moves toward the platform before making its way through the ceiling grate.
A few paramedics enter the car after the cops, one of them taking over for Abe and caring for the first cop while another heads for the one with the chest wound. Both cops are conscious and the paramedics seem a bit relieved. By their actions it appears that the cops are not in as bad of condition as was assumed.
"That ain't Wil… Sandman, I know the guy personally. " Abe said to both Alex and the police officer. "Most likely right on the first guess." His voice carries as he keeps himself where he's at, watching the mutant escape "The Thunderbolts have woken up, that is exactly why we are not doing what you are Dingo." Moving aside as the paramedics take over, he would openly give his statement and describe what he seen once approached, wringing blood off his hands with his suit jacket.
Melissa had to give Alex one thing, persistent from the word go, and one track minded. When the cops came in though and leveled their weapons on them while they took in the scene Melissa raised her hands up to show nothing was in them, as well as dropped the solid sound barrier from around the unconscious leader once Dingo dispersed. "I am going to be a little busy for a bit.." No name to call him by so the pause was there in response to Alex. "Rain check, maybe." Melissa would be compliant with anything the officers needed from her once the time came, waiting for the ability to ease down and get her backpack.
"Works for me. Alex Heckler. Oh yeah, my statement. I kicked that chick in the gut who shot me, and I twisted that one's leg." Alex says before he opens the car door, and steps out to jump on top of it, beginning to run. He'll run the rest of the way, forget the trains! That bullet still hurts like hell, though.
The cops yell for Alex to stop, but it seems he's a bit faster than the cops nearest him. They'll have the wounded removed and take the three women into custody. "Ah, looks like that bike gang that was causing trouble in Mutant Town. Didn't think they'd make it this far with a mutant chasing them down." The officer shakes his head. "I don't get that guy. One minute he's robbing a bank, the next he's saving people and catching bad guys." He'll take statements from everyone involved once everyone's off the train. No need to delay the rails any more than necessary.
~ Fin ~
