Issue Eight: Get Together

As far as Blackbird was concerned, this was part and parcel of the job. He asked questions, took an active interest in where the kids went to school and what they did in their spare time, and staunchly refused to hand out autographs or pose for photos (emphasizing that this was today, specifically).

He looked around, window-shopped and browsed in between encounters, handshakes and questions, trying to keep to the open areas as much as possible.

"Maelstrom?" he comms the other hero after the fourth person notifies him that Maelstrom pointed the way. "Still not one for the public eye, are we? You do know that you can be as much a role model as any other Avenger."

"The public show of Avengers presence might do any of a number of things...including discourage any active mischief. That's not a bad short-term goal, mind. And I'm ready to shield civilians if it comes to that."

Sheridan you asked which identity I was using to walk through the mall. Since the idea here is to try and be an obvious deterrent it is probably better to go as Silver Hawk. I am sure he will gather some bit of a crowd but it is better then nothing. I mean besides if the crowd gets to big around him or one of the others silver hawk can always distract them by going to the air in the mall. I try to make my way through the mall and press of people with the minimum of problems. If I get a number of people asking questions I will do what i can to answer them. Silver Hawk is comfortable with the crowds though. He will stand for pictures, shake hands and sign autographs. I doubt people will ask that much of him he is not very well known.

Tesla will sit out the trip to the mall. Partially because he would get depressed by the number of elderly who would recognize him. Partially by the fact that his history with glass things has been rather surely at best but also because he could use the time for working on his project.

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT, MARVEL FANS!!!

(Well, actually, just because Firk asked...)

I have created two separate threads and locked this one until everyone is back together. Continue with the Interlude III or Interlude IV threads as appropriate. I will post the next updates in those threads.

Holy mackerel, this issue has been going for a while!

I think I will do a Karma update soon (probably within the week) and possibly move on to Issue 9. Until then, I'm going to close Interludes III and V and move the action back to this thread. Interlude IV will continue for the time being.

Where are we now (or at least after a brief, off-panel interlude)...

Upon returning to HQ, EnergyStar greets the returning heroes from the mall (Agent X, Blackbird, and Maelstrom) and informs them that she, Jericho, and Agent X are needed for a mission by Nick Fury. When asked for an indication of how they they might be, "don't bother waiting up" is the best possible answer...

The three heroes leave via helicarrier parked directly over Avengers' Tower.

Onboard, Nick provides EnergyStar with a vibranium staff. "It's not exactly like the one you lost to Kraven", he tells her, "but it'll do in the meantime..."

GM's Notes:
- Play will temporarily pause here for Fury's team until I wrap up issue 8, figure out the Karma totals, and start the issue 9 thread.
- Blackbird and Maelstrom are free to do whatever they wish right now. Assume they are back at Avengers' Tower as a starting point for your next actions.
- The rest of the team is not yet back at the HQ, they are likely still off at The Warehouse.

Blackbird and Agent X are able to obtain some information from the Flying Tigers as they are taken into custody:

>Did they come here looking for a fight, did anyone tip them off that a few of the Avengers would be here, other?

No they did not, nor did they know the Avengers would be here, but since they outnumbered you guys, they figured you'd be easy pickings...and having KO'd a few Avengers would be good for their street cred.

Following another lead:

>A check of the shipping manifest will seem entirely innocuous, and likely won't reflect the actual boxes' contents (or possibly even their point of origin).

According to what Blackbird can discover, the shipment was full of spices. So what would someone want a truckload of saffron for?