Freedom City Champions #1!

[RedRajah]

Thomas reflexively glanced over towards the TV and its news report. He felt the small flash of pride from Gadriel, though he knew the angel was trying to hide it. Look, man...you said it yourself yesterday. We did good. It's OK to enjoy it.

 

It is...it can be dangerous, Thomas. Too much pride blinds us, especially if that becomes the sole reason for acting Right.

Addiction. I get it. Well, 'all things in moderation -- including moderation' as a wise man once said.

 

Thomas turned his gaze away from the screen. He needed to get to the Trauma Center, find out just how bad Jordan was, then figure out how to notify the man's family if the hospital didn't have the info, then...

 

...then what? He'd have to tell Ma'at the news about Jordan's status. Would the offer be put on hold? What would happen if he wanted a few days to think about it, at least for decorum's sake? One thing at a time. Find out how he is first.

[Jedaii]

McNider Memorial

 

Grigori:

As Thomas made his way to the Trauma Center doors, a woman in scrubs walks out pulling off her face-mask, "Uh - I'm sorry you can't go in there without authorization. Do you have a loved one receiving care?" After mentioning the Tremont incident, she frowns looking down, then back at Thomas, "I'm sorry - he didn't make it. Are you family?"

[RedRajah]

"No...I, uh, I'm his co-worker. Oh man..." Thomas rubbed his forehead. It still hadn't fully sunk it yet. "I don't know any of his family, I'm afraid -- Jordan nev-never told me anything about them...whoa. A breakfast meeting, he had stepped out...his office, I can find out--" Babbling finally trailing off, the young man shook his head, still numb with shock. "How do I tell them?"

...a few minutes later or earlier, would that have been me and Myra?! He had been so close to that edge of oblivion himself not too long ago. Now, all Thomas wanted to do was live. And last night had been another close call with those gunmen. Yes, he and Gadriel and those other heroes had stopped them, saved people...

 

...all that for naught with Jordan now dead in a random accident.

Those weirdos outside...was it really random? Do they know about us?

Now it was Gadriel's turn to feel Thomas' trying to fight the rising panic. The mortal had been right earlier, those entities could be anywhere. Best to focus on the known and not lash out blindly. And he had to support Thomas in case the grief (and/or guilt) became too much to bear once the shock wore off. Breathe, Thomas. Call his office then. Did he not have a receptor you can talk to there? She would be best to know about family.

'Receptionist', yeah. Thomas struggled to remember her name. Guin, I think her name was. She might be better to talk to them too... He nodded his thanks to the doctor to step away and call Jordan Dare's office in private...

[coreal]

 

Paul Petrovski

---

"You'll have to ask Billy that, it was a private conversation and he asked me not to share what he said." Paul answers Michael and then he taps his phone to pull up a fast food app and punches in two combos.

"Coke, sprite, milk? So what job are you doing, hmm? And how'd you get in my car, I was sure I locked it." He puts in an order for a couple of cheap lunches while he continues trying to see what Michael is up to.

 

[Jedaii]

Freedom City

 

Grigori:

After leaving a message with the late Jordan's service, Thomas contacts Ma'at with the news, "Oh my god, Tommy. I am so sorry. Really. I know you and Jordan have been together for so long. I can't imagine how you feel right now. How are you holding up?"

 

Preserver:

Michael points at Paul's cell, "Are you ordering food? Can I get aaaaaaaay shake? Strawberry?" He tilts his head and gives Paul a wide toothy smile. Then he points at the pedestrians as the car passes, "My job is to make this city better. You know - like my friends last night. We decided I do the daytime, and they come out at night. That way everybody gets their exercise!" Michael extends a bent arm trying to show Paul his semi-visible bicep muscle, "I'm getting stronger. Waaaaayy stronger - and smarter too! Getting into cars is kids' stuff - Paragon can go anywhere! Can I have some fries too?" Michael smiles again at Paul while nodding his head comically ...

[coreal]

 

Paul Petrovski

---

"We'll see..." Paul answers the request for a milkshake, as he notices that this place offers strawberry milk, one of the great horrors, and he attaches a pint of that to the combo he's putting in for the kid.

"Your friends last night? Oh, you mean the people with that thing with the cop last night? You know them?" He just throws it out there to see what Michael has to say, who knows, maybe he does know one of them... now wouldn't that be something if he got a lead on one this way. "And what do you mean by waaaay stronger? You sneaking into Gold's Gym and pumping some iron or something?"

 

[RedRajah]

"I--" Thomas paused, sighing. "--I don't know how I am yet, Ma'at. I mean, it hasn't really hit me yet, y'know? I keep thinking this is just some mistake..."

And yet, there it was. The man Thomas had known the longest in Freedom City was no more. ...so why am I so empty about it?

"...god, just now, I'm realizing I don't know if Jordan has any family I can reach out to? He never...never really told me anything about his personal life. It was always the business with him."

[Papa Bear]

Seamus McDougal

CEO and Lead Designer; NuTech Inc. (Secretly Vendetta)

---

With his mind focused on the problems at hand, Seamus tinkers around inside of the battlesuit, adjusting the output of his meta-blasters. Sometimes, he needed his blasts to be destructive, but as he'd seen with the street 'situation' when his best friend, DeAndre Phelps's life was in danger, an errant, stray blast could have seriously hurt an innocent bystander. He needed an attack that wouldn't cause permanent damage to someone he might accidentally hit. He doubted there was a way he could somehow take down a foe without causing at least some minimal amount of damage... a sleep ray? He'd try to figure that one out at a later time. For now, he knew what he was doing, or at least hoped. And after the adjustments to the Meta-Blasters, he'd try the more difficult work of creating a protective field around innocents. He wasn't sure how much that could work but he had some ideas...

[Jedaii]

Freedom City

 

Preserver:

Michael laughed, "Nah. I mean -" He taps his head with a finger - "STRONGER, you know? I have to be stronger, for everybody else." He sat back in the rear seat and there was a long pause, "Yeah. The guys from last night are my friends. I would've been there, but I can't come out at night, much. Plus it's kinda dark and stuff .... so I do the day times!" He turned his head and stared at the window ...

 

Grigori:

There was a pregnant pause, "That's uncomfortably normal for this industry. You'd be surprised how many artists know next to nothing about the people who represent them." Another pause, "Maybe I can tell you what I know, about him. Jordan Dare was .... look, if you want to have someone to talk to, I'm not leaving until later tonight. I changed my flight so I could check out the Crossbones. They're performing at Eclipse tonight. If you feel like it stop by, Tommy. Drinks on me." Thomas could almost feel Jameson's warm smile though the phone ...

[RedRajah]

"I think I'd appreciate that a lot, Ma'at, thanks..." Thomas mentally reminded himself to call Myra afterwards -- she'd want to know about Ma'at checking out the Crossbones tonight. "What time you want me down there about?"

*****

How long has it been when I could just hang out? In his best days, Thomas would snark about Jordan being a slavedriver -- never giving him a day or night off save the usual holidays (and even THAT was a squeeze some times). Any free time would see it eaten up by an extra day or two in the studio "just ONE MORE take!" or an unexpected last minute gig (and wrangling his pay afterwards was a hassle). Barely any time to recharge, to hang out with possible friends or meet new people -- to even breathe. "Gotta keep hustlin', Tommy! They'll eat ya alive if ya don't! Don't you WANT this?! This is what ya gotta do to succeed -- you'll thank me for it!"

 

And in Thomas' bad days, his darker days, it felt like Jordan was brushing off any concerns or worse, straight up laughing at them. "Pfft! A shrink? What kind of hippy-$#!+ pussy talk is THAT?!" Or "It ain't THAT bad, Tommy. You still got your health. There's kids starvin' in Somalia right now and your whining about 'feeling sad'?! Man up -- emo $#!+ ain't selling anymore! No one wants to hear it any more, 'specially ME!"

And then...

"...Tommy, look. I tried, man. Really tried. But I'm doing all the work and you? You just don't have the drive to succeed. The HUNGER... Time to rip off the band-aid, you ain't anything special, kid. Just another sad white guy whining with a guitar that I can't waste anymore time on..."

...how the phone kept going Jordan's voice mail and Guin saying she couldn't take his calls anymore. How he'd given up everything on this dream to come down to Freedom City. Couldn't even call his folks to crawl back with his tail between his legs -- both had passed in the time he'd been here and he had been late to their funeral because Jordan insisted on driving him to the airport and then got a damn flat on the highway causing him to miss his damn plane and now he couldn't even go home 'cause nothing was there and now he had nothing and why the [BLEEP] did anything matter anymore and--

THOMAS!

"...I'm OK..." Thomas forced himself to take a breath. There was no mistaking the worry in Gadriel's tone. Thomas couldn't blame him. He saw how his hands were trembling. Sorry, just dwelling too much there. Is it wrong I don't have any good memories of the guy, Gads? Or is it just too soon to think about it?

Take whatever time you need, Thomas. Just realize you are not alone. Maybe...maybe this Ma'at will have some insight into the man. And your friend? Myra? Forgive me, is she a friend, Thomas?

...yeah...

maybe hearing her play will be a good distraction too. Support, for both of you.

*****

As Thomas left the hospital and tried to compose himself before calling Myra to tell her the news (both bad and good), Gadriel allowed his own thoughts to wander. Whatever had happened today was not natural, that much was certain. And Gadriel had to remain vigilant to whatever threatens were lurking in the unknown...

[coreal]

 

Paul Petrovski

---

Paul proceeds to pick up the order and pass some food back to Michael, including the strawberry milk that he gives a vigorous shake to first. "See, strawberry milk shake..." is his quip to keep it light and humorous as they are within earshot of the takeout window.

Once they're back on the road again he follows up. "You know, I always thought super heroes were better at keeping their secret ID, you know, not missing appointments and stuff as their regular person so they don't draw too much attention. Especially in places like Freedom City where it's, you know, just a little illegal to do all that stuff. I mean, sure, looking out for other people is good, but if you start putting your friends in danger because it gets out that they know Paragon... and by friends I mean like Manny and the others at the center. Those guys doing stuff last night, well they better be able to take care of themselves."

He starts taking the round-about route back towards the center, so he can get Michael back and he can work on keeping his placement into a home in good shape.

 

[Jedaii]

Freedom City

 

Preserver:

Coming to an intersection with a red-light, Paul almost hits a large red Cadillac SUV that cuts him off! The vehicle stops, blocking two lanes and the rear passenger-side door swings open - with an obvious gangster wearing a red Freedom City Rayguns jersey, baggy black jeans, several gold chains, rings, gold watch and black boots exits walking angrily towards Paul's window! The gangster pulls up his jersey revealing the gleaming pearl handgrip of a large handgun tucked in the front of his jeans and yells at Paul, "WE GOT A PROBLEM HERE!?!? WASSUP NOW?!?!"

Then, a police siren sounds and a few vehicles back a FCPD cruiser flashes its lights! The thug takes a quick look at Paul giving him the finger, jumps back in the SUV and it screeches off! Looking around to check on Michael - Paul realizes he's gone! The driver behind Paul blares his horn as the light had turned green ---

[coreal]

 

Paul Petrovski

---

Paul gets his car moving through the green light to remove the obvious issue in traffic. Got to keep that cop calm back there... he keeps his eye on the SUV with the gangsters in it. There is a quiet muttered, "Please don't have picked out some fresh trouble Michael... going to get yourself caught if you're not careful." As he jumps to the conclusion that Michael jumping in and out of his car like that isn't just that he's a small kid and quiet. You notice things like doors opening when your car is running, and that kid didn't use no door handle to get out. He taps his phone to decline the job he was headed towards and go offline for a bit so he can trail after this SUV for a few minutes, just to make sure all heck doesn't break loose.

 

[Jedaii]

Freedom City, 12:35 p.m.

 

Vendetta:

Tirelessly examining his technology Seamus was just completing a new feature when his cellphone signaled an emergency alert!

 

Ironworks:

Jake was helping his tipsy friends into a taxi outside the pub hoping they left the driver alone, when everyone's cellphones sounded an emergency alert!

 

Grigori:

"- so Josh was like 'Just let me put it in' and Xavier - you know how he loves keeping his lyrics the way he wrote 'em - actually gave in. He tried to play it off but I could see the scrumpt coming out his eyes. But overall we're kinda geeked for tonight: our agency told us an industry exec would be there. Tommy ..... is it Ma'at? Is she coming? I know you know becau-" Myra's call gets cut-out by a sudden emergency alert from Thomas' cell!

 

Preserver:

His thoughts still on the recent events, primarily checking on Michael, Paul crawled through afternoon traffic waiting for a decent-paying order to come through - when his cellphone signaled an emergency alert!

If the heroes check the alert

"FCPD WARNS ALL CITIZENS TO AVOID THE WATERFRONT AREA: POLICE SHOOT-OUT WITH MULTIPLE DANGEROUS GUNMEN IN PROGRESS!"

If the PC checks TV or internet streams, there's live footage from WXAD's news helicopter: it's hovering over a riverside warehouse surrounded by police cruisers! Several police officers, using their vehicles as cover, are firing at gunmen at the warehouse entrances! At least two officers are down! The gunmen appear to have assault rifles and are overwhelming FCPD! The FCPD helicopter is circling over the warehouse firing at the gunmen but they are returning fire forcing the helo to occasionally fly away from the scene!

WNTW's Amy Feng is a block away from the shoot-out at a police perimeter: she reports FCPD is keeping civilian traffic out of the area and there['s been at least one unsubstantiated report that an FCPD officer has been killed by gunfire! Gunfire can be heard from Feng's position even though she's a block away! Feng tries to get information from an officer but he motions her away as she hears officers broadcasting calls for backup across his radio! Feng looks into the camera as everyone suddenly crouches due to the loud echo of automatic gunfire - she looks hesitant and surprisingly rattled - then says, "If there's heroes out there, we need you now!"

Map: the red "X" would be a downed FCPD officer.

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Jedaii (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

Vendetta 

Seamus McDougal, Secret ID,  Character Sheet

---

Seamus's heart practically stops when he hurriedly click on the T.V. to display the local news and see the scene. He knew that what he was seeing was the bare minimum that the press could get with news helicopters having to respect restricted airspace and the dangers of trying to approach an active gun fight. People would be fleeing... but only the immediate area. Once they felt they were at a safe enough distance (like a bullet wouldn't travel a couple hundred yards), their curiosity would get the better of them and they'd turn back to see what little they could. And that, sadly, would take officers to hold them back, for their own safety, instead of assisting their fellow officers.

Seamus could hear the distinctive 'pop pop pop' of gunfire. It sounded so different from a distance. Firing a gun, even a smaller round such as a .22, made a pretty good crack. But even higher caliber rounds, from a few hundred feet, sounded like caps and small fireworks as the soundwaves dispersed outwardly from the weapon's discharge. One might even think it was harmless. One would be wrong.

This was not what he did.

The Vendetta Project had a mission, it had parameters and regulations. It had a step by step 'code of conduct' that Seamus had written up to help him plan for his various objectives.

And this was not one of them.

"But one of those gunmen might have valuable information that the Project could use."  He thought to himself. It wasn't a good argument. Hell, it wasn't even a sound argument. How could he possibly know if anything that was happening at the waterfront had anything at all to do with the various dominos that The Vendetta Project was trying to knock over. Still, he found himself suiting up. That easily, he'd talked himself into taking action. Heck, why not? Its not like the Vendetta Battlesuit was still a secret since the gazillion-billion-katrillion hits on View-Tube from the dozens of videos posted from the gunmen attack when DeAndre Phelps was taken hostage didn't show the battlesuit in pretty good resolution. (He was just glad the speakers didn't portray the sound of his voice very accurately).

With lives at stake, every passing minute was an eternity. He'd simply have to come up with a way to put the suit on more quickly.

Moments later, Seamus, safely inside the Vendetta Battlesuit, was rocketing toward the water front. The idea was to find a place to land that hopefully wouldn't alert anyone to his arrival (possibly helped out by the loud cracks of the weapons being fired), turn on the cloaking field, and move in to get a better handle on what was going on.

Edited July 13, 2023 by Papa Bear (see edit history)