Futuristic Sparked

[Indolent]

The saying goes something like this, it's not about the destination but the journey. Well, in this case, it absolutely fucking was about the destination and it hardly helped the journey was tangled mess grander than the Gordian knot. Jacks's flight trajectory was an erratic affair, indubitably the result of the sonic discombobulation scant seconds ago. Fleeing with passenger in hand down corridors and streets, it looked less an attempt to throw off pursuers, if any, and more a concerted effort in looping the same townhouse. It was a pleasant townhouse, ornate in its construction and exorbitantly expensive for sure. A little window shopping here, maybe? Regardless, it went like so for a few minutes before the proverbial marbles were recollected, as both made their way for District 12's sister 11 to ensure no one followed within the denser population.

The destination was ultimately Bant's lab and Jacks could only hope the masks supplied helped to mask their digital presence, obscuring their visage from the numerous flies on walls within Adhentu. Their velocity and incessant maneuvers made for the impossibility of deciphering the deluge of profanity that flowed from Dempsey's mouth, as she channeled the frenetic energy of the situation towards a better end than giving into the anxiety and freaking the fuck out.

It was probably the better part of half a hour before they returned home to roost and nurse their psychological trauma... Well, she would nurse it anyway with a twelve pack of Puppers, punctuating every other gulp with a variation on "Holy fuck." If MJ wanted a drink in similar fashion, she had a pack of seltzer thrown her way instead.

 

[MyrtenRose]

If MJ wanted a drink in similar fashion, she had a pack of seltzer thrown her way instead.

She didn't.

MJ didn't even bother attempting to catch the pack, just letting it hit her and bounce off onto the floor. If she seemed bothered by that, it didn't show. She hadn't even so much as looked at Jacks throughout that whole trip. She couldn't bring herself to do so. Even now, she still couldn't. After a good couple of seconds she just silently turned and exited the room, turning left to make her way down the hall.

She didn't make it very far before she just slumped down against a wall for the second time in like an hour. The guilt and shame...they were overwhelming. Both were so heavy on her that she didn't think she could eat even if she tried. What have I done?? That question burned within like none other. She had just wanted to help, to stop those whoever the hell they were from doing whatever they were planning. To keep them from making what was already a tragedy even worse. And in a way, she supposed she did. Instead she was the one who made it worse.

All those memories, the fear and pain were still fresh in her head when the whatever trio attacked and she...just snapped. As a result, that RCA lost one of his limbs. That other guy...she could still hear the gunshots ringing out. The sound her shoe made as it stomped on that one bat thing's face. And well...….even before that. In a fit of rage she had taken everything from them, short of knowing how to breathe. Kind of a moot point, now that she really thought about it. What she had done to them...that was death anyways. That's what death is, isn't it? Forgetting. Being forgotten. If they forgot where they've been, what they've done...then they weren't men anymore. Just animals, inside and out.

She rubbed apprehensively at the back of her left hand with her opposite thumb. She didn't feel she could truly focus, and the distance didn't help but she did what she could to try and restore what she had erased from those three. It hadn't been hers to take in the first place.

Following that, she did her best to reach out and sense where the ones responsible for the first massacre were located and also did her best to sketch a map of sorts for the others to follow right to those bastards and hopefully rescue Beckett.

And after all that....

A miniscule version of herself stood in her mental landscape, deep in her psyche. A whole collage of moments hung in the otherwise empty space before her. The fight at the bank, her near death experience, dragging Jacks to her place, the time at Fat Shack, the work on those jet boots, the training of her newfound gift, the screams of all those lost in the news station, the ringing sound of the gunshots, the deafening scream from the bat, the prison break she had helped with...

Even the accident at the fair that started all this.

They were all in front of her, and her metaphorical finger hovered over the metaphorical delete button. She hesitated on pushing it though, still unsure of whether or not to press it.

Whether or not that doing so would be for the best. Whether or not it would be cowardly. Whether or not it was smart.

Whether or not she could live with herself if she didn't press it. God, this fucking sucks. The frown on her face only got deeper before she turned her head and called out for the only person she knew for sure was within earshot.

"JACKS!"

 

[Indolent]

She didn't.

MJ didn't even bother attempting to catch the pack, just letting it hit her and bounce off onto the floor. If she seemed bothered by that, it didn't show. She hadn't even so much as looked at Jacks throughout that whole trip. She couldn't bring herself to do so. Even now, she still couldn't. After a good couple of seconds she just silently turned and exited the room, turning left to make her way down the hall.

Jacks didn't so much as notice as she moved to her second can, defiantly flinging herself from the wagon in a bid to get so utterly intoxicated she couldn't even begin to think. The lab, MJ, hell even herself, were all intricately connected to the set of circumstances they'd survived. To even glance around herself, to look at MJ, was an instant prompt for the vivid recollection of the incident, every minutiae sensory and otherwise. There she stood atop the steps of news station with MJ side by side, staring towards the lion and the robot, the next instant seeing them inert as if they were rag dolls. The horror that pervaded her person was only the beginning, the darkness following their transformation into beasts. The gunshots. The series of perforations slicked red with the ichor flowing freely of the slumped form of the lion. Her uncouth noises went silent as Jacks cursed no longer, the characteristic pop of the can's tab punching open her third all that stemmed from her as she set onto upon it.

She downed half the beverage's contents before pulling herself away, setting her right arm down atop the armrest of her sofa with a thousand yard stare affixed for a blank spot on the concrete wall opposite. Her left gripped her kneecap, exerting pressure every now and then, as she maintained the stare alone to her pensive thoughts.

What the fuck am I doing???

She took another rip, shorter than the prior, before she resumed the train of thought, feeling revulsion spidering its way through her body. A blink as she glanced to the beer can, inadvertently noticing the hand gripping the can. Then her wrist, her forearm, and so on. Was the revulsion because of what she had just remembered? The destruction of the human consciousness? Or the undue death that followed. A short exhale as she shook her head, eyes blinking, as she sought to clear her head and refocus the line of reasoning.

Or is it because I'm so weak I turned to alcohol to cope?

A spurt of anger and the can crumbled within her grip, the remnant liquid splashing out as Jacks flicked the can away. She sneered, a scornful chuckle aimed at herself as she considered the question closer before her features turned to a frown. A series of slow, purposeful nods followed with her lips peeling apart to utter a single syllable. "Yep." She stared for a moment long before forcing herself from sitting, stepping around as she glanced to where the can had fallen, by the tool box.

The memory flashed once again and she closed her eyes, her right hand rising to massage her temple as she spoke to no one in particular. "You get it, it was a shitshow of a serious kind. Reasonable response to it, maybe. But lives're at stake. Becks needs you. Dumbass. Can't quit and mope about it, deal with it now and during. You got this."

Fuck, it was difficult being both your harshest critic and greatest supporter. Muttering, she turned and finally noticed the pack of seltzer she had thrown. That MJ hadn't taken it. Well, yeah, the situation definitely took a turn for the worse and it fucking sucked. For the both of them. But for her especially. Wow. And we're off to another harsh criticism of the self once more, Jacks muttering something to the effect of possibly being somewhat selfish in her response to the whole thing. She knew the younger woman realized her mistake big time, no doubt she was already moving to internalizing it completely and beating herself up over it. By herself. That kind of shit, going it alone wasn't conducive to your well being. Anyone's. But the problem was MJ'd have to deal, just like her.

They could hash out the morality and ethics after reclaiming Becks and ending the Crusaders. For now, they had to support each other. She knelt for a can of the seltzer, recognizing she needed something to offset the alcohol she drank within like three minutes.

That's definitely not when MJ called for her then, scaring the ever loving fuck out of her.

"GOD, WHAT THE F-- I mean. Jesus." Seltzer in hand, Jacks tiptoed to the egress of her room, peering out and down the hall. "... What is it?" By then she exited fully, arms crossed with concern laden within her features. She definitely knew the question was unnecessary but she asked anyway. "You okay?"

 

[MyrtenRose]

"... What is it?" By then she exited fully, arms crossed with concern laden within her features. She definitely knew the question was unnecessary but she asked anyway. "You okay?"

"I..................................................................….don't know. I don't know what to do and I don't know if I am." She stared at Jacks intensely, though there were no tears in her eyes. Just confusion and guilt and worry and pleading. "I--I've been sitting here for a minute, an inch away from erasing my own memories. And not just the screams and the pain and the death and the fighting and...what I did. Everything, all the way back to the accident of the fair. Wipe out weeks of my life. I just--" She shook her head and looked away.

"--I don't know if I can do it. Or if I should. If it would be selfish of me to do it. Is it cowardly to want to wipe out the fucked up shit and the circumstances that led you there? I...I was so pissed off that I was stomping someone's face. Hard. Repeatedly. After I basically killed everything that made them who they were." It hurt to even say. MJ hugged her own knees and pulled herself closer together.

"I don't know if I want to remember being that person."

 

[MidwayLives]

Spoiler: Thomas

Not long after they'd been contacted, Mendel-Winters technicians had arrived on the scene. Four worked together to lift up RCA's body(the weight was heavier than a regular adult male of RCA's frame due to his multiple prosthetic extremities and attachments..)Another grabbed his rifle and once he was safely loaded in the back of their van, another quickly went to work trying to reattach his arm. As the others piled in and closed the doors, Thomas was off to the side with Johnson beside him. "It's not really surprising, I guess. I figured something like this was bound to happen. Did RCA give a good demonstration of it's abilities, Johnson?"

"Wha-? It's like I told you on the phone, Thomas. These guys showed up almost out of nowhere. They didn't say they wanted anything. All we managed to get before the whole thing went to shit was that someone paid them to do this and two of their names. The bat was Jenny and the lion guy was Leon. RCA had the other officers step down and even when that Leon guy sunk his teeth into him, RCA didn't make a noise. None at all. Kinda...creepy."

Lifting up the brim of his hat slightly and ruffling his hair, Thomas shrugged. "He shouldn't have. The unit was trained to ignore pain and put others before itself. Even if it means RCA's destruction. What kind of protector of the peace would it be if it screamed in agony or ran away at the first sign of danger? It'd demoralize the rest of you and it'd be seen as a coward. Not to mention a waste of an investment. Still, you say he killed both of them once he got back up?"

"I...I had to activate the code but yeah. He did. Shot the lion and when he was done with the bat? The boys were practically prying her out of the cruiser he'd smashed her into. It's strange though, the third guy that came with em? Looked the most imposing out of all three of them if you ask me. Big, strong-looking, intimidating, but he didn't say a single word. Or even really do anything. It's almost as if he was waiting to see what'd happen. Then when everything went down, he was out. Didn't respond to outside stimuli, nothing."

"Well, while it's regrettable he chose to dispose of them in such a...brutish manner.." Thomas noted while looking at the blood stains where Leon's body had been. "The threat was still neutralized so I suppose this wasn't a total disaster. Next time though, Johnson? Attempt to get the situation under control before our unit is mangled. He IS on loan, remember." Starting to head off, Johnson reached out and grabbed Thomas's shoulder. "Hey, I-I know it's really none of my business. But who is he? I mean, the one that you built RCA around? Is he anybody I'd know? Most of the guys on the squad thought he was just a robot so they thought it pretty strange when blood came out-"

Johnson was taken aback as Thomas shook his head off him and stared down with those cold lifeless eyes.

"You're right, Johnson. It's none of your business. Keep doing your job and we'll keep doing ours. No need to stick your nose further than it needs to be." Climbing into the passenger side of the van, it began to drive off leaving Johnson just as flustered as he'd been when this whole thing happened.

~~~

Three ambulances had come to take Jenny, Leon, and Stun to the local hospital. With police escorts following behind of course, two cruisers for each. Better safe than sorry after these two incidents. In Leon's ambulance, the lion had been zipped up tight in a bodybag. The paramedics couldn't quite wrap their heads around it. "What would posses a person to charge an officer with a gun? I mean, one that looked as scary as RCA. I think on of them mentioned money but I'll tell you what. Choosing between a million bucks and getting pumped full of holes? I think I know which one I'd prefer." "...Yeah. Dunno, from what the cops told us, and it wasn't much, sounds like these guys changed on a dime. Went from run of the mill thugs to brutal animals. Our guy here ripped RCA's arm off with his teeth for christ's sake."

"Jesus."

"Yeah. I dunno. Those guys at the bank? They were trying to make a difference. A good one but with people like this and the Crusaders? Seems like a 50/50 split so far on whether we'll get someone willing to help out society or someone that wants to kill us."

The situation in Jenny's ambulance wasn't much better. She was still alive for the moment but things weren't looking good. While her Sparked had offered her the ability of flight, increased strength, and supersonic screeches, it hadn't done much for her durability. Not to mention that the transformation wreaked havoc on her clothes. Leaving her with little protection as RCA repeatedly blasted her into the side of a police cruiser with his soundwaves in order to protect MJ and Jacks. Multiple fractures, a collapsed lung,, internal bleeding, etc. The paramedics were surprised that she was lasting this long on the ride to the hospital.

"Think we'll manage to get anything out of her or the other guy on why they did this?'

"Eh, I wouldn't bet on it. The staff at the hospital will do everything they can for her, but I think even if she makes it, she'll be too drained to talk for a good while. I wouldn't bother asking the other guy either. Seems like something different snapped in him. He didn't argue or even move when his other friends went berserk. He complied with the officers and let himself be strapped down to a gurney as they put him in the ambulance. Still, there's a reason he got two cops riding with him while it's just us in here. Even if she was awake, not much she can do in this state."

Spoiler: Vasquez

Finally in Stun's ambulance, Vasquez had tagged along much to Johnson's distaste. In his opinion Vasquez was a rookie who was getting himself too mixed up in situations bigger than him. Attempting to stop Leon and now riding along with this big bug guy. But Vasquez eventually won out and accompanied another officer in watching over Stun who had seemed content to try and sleep on the way to the hospital. Despite everything that had happened and the obvious hard feelings he held against Leon for mangling RCA in such a severe manner, Vasquez couldn't scrounge up the same feelings for this man. It almost seemed like he didn't want to be a part of this, any of this. He hadn't made any hostile moves or even done anything during the initial attack. Maybe something could have been worked out if RCA had conversed with him first or if whatever happened,, just, didn't.

"Um, do you think...Do you think he'll be okay?" He asked one of the paramedics who shook his head. "His vital signs are all good from what I'm seeing. Could just be that he went into a state of shock after seeing what happened to his friends. Can't say I blame them but charging the police just isn't a good thing to do. Or attacking the DA's daughter. All we can do is give him time and see if he snaps out of it."

"The DA's daughter..." That's right, she'd been there with her friend talking with RCA. Vasquez felt a bit intimidated to be honest. I mean, it was the DA's kid, how could you not?? He was just a rookie officer trying to make his way in the world and he didn't wanna look like a slouch, not like Johnson.

"..."

Stun began to squirm and his eyes shot open, causing the two paramedics and officers to jump back in surprise. Memories were flooding back to Stun. The passive mind of the beetle had taken over ever since the incident and now he was him again, he was remembering it all! "Where..." He groaned inquisitively, his voice sounding gravelly, like due to his entire body structure having been deformed and changed by his ascension into a Sparked. ".....Am I...?"

"Holy shit he's-" Vasquez's partner started before Vasquez gestured for him to be silent. "Y-You're in an ambulance! We were taking you to the District 16th hospital. A-Are you okay??"

It was then Stun's eyes darted around the interior of the ambulance before noticing he was strapped down to the gurney. "Grrrr..." The gurney began to rock from side to side as he struggled against his bindings. "....I'm not......an animal.....to be chained....." Noting her partner's growing worry, Vasquez placed a hand on Stun's shoulder and attempted to reassure him things were okay. "It's okay, it's ok! Please, tell me your name! We can talk about this! I just need you to relax!" The bindings were starting to tear but something about the sincerity that Stun picked up in Vasquez's tone got his attention and the thrashing stopped. "......You.....you were....there." Noticing the badge on Vasquez's jacket, Stun's eyes narrowed. "....My friends....where.....where are my FRIENDS??"

"..." Neither Vasquez or her partner had a good answer for that. At least not one that wouldn't upset Stun. "...They're....I...I'm afraid they were both....killed."

"...." Both Vasquez and her partner winced waiting for the violent reaction but the one they got was not that. Instead, Stun seemed to be genuinely distraught by the news. "....I....they were....we....weren't supposed....to hurt anyone...." Stun's eyes quickly moved around the ambulance, taking in his surroundings once again. "....He said....he'd pay us now....then find me....a cure..." Stun hadn't agreed with the plan at first when the mysterious masked man approached them with the offer to 'cause trouble at the tv station' but when he saw Stun's condition and offered to help the three find a cure for him, he reluctantly agreed. Only on the condition that he wouldn't have to hurt or fight anyone. These were officers just trying to do their jobs after all. He had hoped that they'd just do a little roaring, threatening, not actually biting or mauling anyone. Instead, here he was, alive, and his friends, dead. "He said....He'd cure....ME...."

"Who? Who put you and your friends up to this? I...I can't offer you a cure, but we can help you see the man who got you and your friends in this brought to justice!"

"...No....I...won't rat on him.....He made us....promise. Promise....that we'd....be loyal...."

The other officer wasn't as sympathetic to Stun's dilemma. "Listen! One of our officers had his arm ripped off by your friend! I want to know who hired you and I want to know now!" "Alex, stop! He's upset!" "Vasquez, how are we going to get anywhere if we baby this guy?!"

"GRRRRRRR!!!!"

Stun began thrashing against his restraints again and ripped free of them. Batting Vasquez aside with the back of his hand, Stun turned his head right into Alex's pistol which he pointed square against Stun's forehead. Wiping away the blood from his busted lip, Vasquez looked on in horror. "ALEX, NO!"

*BANG!*

Stun's head had been thrown back by the impact. But the bullet itself? It crumpled against the floor of the ambulance. Grabbing the hand holding the pistol, Stun snapped it like a twig and using his other hand gripped onto the officer's neck and smashed his head right through the wall of the ambulance. Whether he was dead or just had the world's worst headache, Vasquez didn't know and he didn't want to find out. He felt like he'd been getting somewhere with this guy and Alex had blown away all of his progress. "Please! PLEASE, STOP THIS!" Turning his attention towards the cowering paramedics, Stun paused and looked over Vasquez. "....My name....is....Stun."

"...My name is Vasquez, Stun....Please, if you'd just calm down, I promise you. We'll get justice for your friends."

Stun paused and seemed to consider it. He really did.

"No."

Stun grabbed onto Vasquez and threw him over his shoulder. "....I promised....HIM....my loyalty....I want my own justice....against the one who took my friends..."

"Y-You don't mean-"

Spoiler: Stun

Did Stun want to kill RCA and whoever caused Leon/Jenny to go berserk?! "I do." Kicking the ambulance doors off their hinges and straight into the hoods of the following Stun's ambulance. He looked towards the nearby rooftop and leaped from the moving vehicle with Vasquez screaming in terror during the leap. "...You're nice, Vasquez. I....won't hurt....you." Stun had to find somewhere to hide, somewhere to think. Where? Where did he work before he became like this? ....Yes! Running off, pushing past anyone who got in his way, Stun headed to the one place he hoped he could find salvation and plan the justice he desired.

~~~

Odd had attempted to relax in his living room with a gatorade at his side. Something about the simplicity that he could get up and have anything he wanted but settled on a simple drink that anyone could buy helped calm his nerves. But then a burner phone he'd forgotten to discard when he hired Leon and his pals began to ring. Using [AUX] to test to see if anyone was going to walk into the room at all, he picked it up.

"Hello? Leon, I told you not to call me back. I'd come back to you when the cure's-"

"Leon...is....dead...So is....Jenny..."

"...Stun?? Wha-What happened??"

".....Something went wrong.....lost my mind....cop killed them."

THAT got Odd's attention in a heartbeat and he spoke in a more hushed tone. "What?? Some run of the mill cop killed both of them?"

"...No...He had powers...like us..."

"...." That wasn't a good development. Not at all. Infact it almost got Odd somewhat worried. "Where are you now, Stun?"

"....At...old...Synthtech...factory. I-I think....I used to work...here."

"Okay-"

"No.....Need you to do....something..."

"Stun, it's not even been half a day, I can't make a cure that-"

"NO! Want...the cop who killed my friends....and 'superfriends'....to come. Bring them...."

"...I'm sorry, did you say bring them??? How do you want me to BRING them, Stun?! It'd blow my cover!"

"P...Please.....You're all...I...have left..."

Truth be told, Odd didn't much care for Stun or his situation. But while Stun didn't know his true identity, if the country knew a Crusader was casually chilling in the city grounds, the place would be swarming and Odd would feel more uneasy. "...I'll. I'll figure something out, Stun. Just don't DO anything until I get there. Does anybody know you're there?"

"....One....person...."

"...Okay, besides me."

"....An officer named....Vasquez..."

Thing were going from bad to worse. "...Alright, alright. I'll somehow get them there, Stun. Don't call me back. I mean it."

"....Thank you....boss..."

Odd hung up and slumped back in his chair. What was he going to do NOW? He had the transmitter to shut off the jammer to contact the other Crusaders. If they wiped out Stun and took care of that loose end, would it fix things? Or would it just create another headache?​

 

[Indolent]

"I..................................................................….don't know. I don't know what to do and I don't know if I am." She stared at Jacks intensely, though there were no tears in her eyes. Just confusion and guilt and worry and pleading. "I--I've been sitting here for a minute, an inch away from erasing my own memories. And not just the screams and the pain and the death and the fighting and...what I did. Everything, all the way back to the accident of the fair. Wipe out weeks of my life. I just--" She shook her head and looked away.

"--I don't know if I can do it. Or if I should. If it would be selfish of me to do it. Is it cowardly to want to wipe out the fucked up shit and the circumstances that led you there? I...I was so pissed off that I was stomping someone's face. Hard. Repeatedly. After I basically killed everything that made them who they were." It hurt to even say. MJ hugged her own knees and pulled herself closer together.

"I don't know if I want to remember being that person."

Her mouth opened but nothing came. It was less the stare from MJ and more the realization she hadn't the makings of what to say. She looked away, shame underpinning her features. Not for much, are we? She thought. She grimaced, though, at the notion of just wiping out a part of yourself. By all rights, it was a familiar notion, the silent tune sung by alcoholics in their despair as they drowned themselves.

A sigh finally came, Jacks affixing her eyes onto MJ as she found the thread to her thoughts on the issue. "That would be the easy thing to do. I know I'd strongly consider it, have for years with own issues. Dunno, think the decision rests on whether you accept the mistake and learn from it, to never do it again, or reset yourself and possibly run the risk repeating history. Grow from it or run from it. Yeah, I'm a hypocritical bitch for this line of reasoning but that's because it's easier said than done, not a simple choice to make. Simple in concept, not so much otherwise."

Slowly but surely, by then, she would have made her way towards MJ, sitting against the wall a matter of several inches apart. "You were overwhelmed by what you experienced and you were outraged by what happened. Nobody could hold that against you. They might hold it against you for what you choose to do after, though. I can't comment either way, though, for obvious reasons. It comes down to what you really want." She went further though, "Except I might have something to say. You have the ability to help someone right now. Beckett. They need you and fuckin' frankly, I need you. To find them. I'll be right by you and if you can stick it through... I'll stick by whatever choice you make after this."

 

[MyrtenRose]

A sigh finally came, Jacks affixing her eyes onto MJ as she found the thread to her thoughts on the issue. "That would be the easy thing to do. I know I'd strongly consider it, have for years with own issues. Dunno, think the decision rests on whether you accept the mistake and learn from it, to never do it again, or reset yourself and possibly run the risk repeating history. Grow from it or run from it. Yeah, I'm a hypocritical bitch for this line of reasoning but that's because it's easier said than done, not a simple choice to make. Simple in concept, not so much otherwise."

"That's why I called you. You're like...well, one person I figured would understand. Who could give me some advice...like the kind you just said." She paused for a single moment. "That and you were the closest person around." MJ added before nodding. Jacks was echoing one of the thoughts that had stayed her hand. If all of it was erased, then she wouldn't learn anything. She wouldn't be any different or any better as a person than she had been. She would be the same. Unchanged.

Her eyes flitted about, clearly trying to wrap her mind around it more.

Slowly but surely, by then, she would have made her way towards MJ, sitting against the wall a matter of several inches apart. "You were overwhelmed by what you experienced and you were outraged by what happened. Nobody could hold that against you. They might hold it against you for what you choose to do after, though. I can't comment either way, though, for obvious reasons. It comes down to what you really want."

"...And I couldn't hold it against them if they decided to do that. To hold it against me, or judge me. I got people killed." There was no disguising the shame in her voice. "Doesn't matter what their crimes were, they were still people."

She went further though, "Except I might have something to say. You have the ability to help someone right now. Beckett. They need you and fuckin' frankly, I need you. To find them."

"......…….Yeah. We have to find them." The rough map she had drawn crumpled in her fist, and deep within in her mind, her mental self pulled her hand away from that option. "Gotta get them out of the hands of those fuckers. After that...I--i don't know." MJ shook her head.

I'll be right by you and if you can stick it through... I'll stick by whatever choice you make after this."

She lifted her gaze to look right into Jacks' eyes. Her mouth opened several times as if to say something more, but each time she hesitated and no words were actually spoken, even though she desperately looked like she wanted to get it out.

 

[Indolent]

"That's why I called you. You're like...well, one person I figured would understand. Who could give me some advice...like the kind you just said." She paused for a single moment. "That and you were the closest person around." MJ added before nodding. Jacks was echoing one of the thoughts that had stayed her hand. If all of it was erased, then she wouldn't learn anything. She wouldn't be any different or any better as a person than she had been. She would be the same. Unchanged.

Her eyes flitted about, clearly trying to wrap her mind around it more.

YEAH WHERE THE FUCK IS EVERYONE ELSE

"Just doing the best I can, really what we all can do."

"...And I couldn't hold it against them if they decided to do that. To hold it against me, or judge me. I got people killed." There was no disguising the shame in her voice. "Doesn't matter what their crimes were, they were still people."

"True, there's no mitigating or minimizing that. At the least, you keeping this in mind makes you a better person than you might realize. So I think."

"......…….Yeah. We have to find them." The rough map she had drawn crumpled in her fist, and deep within in her mind, her mental self pulled her hand away from that option. "Gotta get them out of the hands of those fuckers. After that...I--i don't know." MJ shook her head.

"Cliche but... one step at a time. Okay?" She implored, peering across over MJ as she took notice. "Becks' tough but everyone has a breaking point..."

She lifted her gaze to look right into Jacks' eyes. Her mouth opened several times as if to say something more, but each time she hesitated and no words were actually spoken, even though she desperately looked like she wanted to get it out.

Her own eyes met those pools blue-green and it seemed as if time came to a halt with Jacks staring for an eternity. Then she blinked and time resumed, Jacks watching the subtle undercurrents of MJ's face with a clear idea of what it was she reached for. The corner of her mouth quirked as she exhaled softly, smiling softly as she muttered something to the effect of Fuck it. With the deft grace a former gymnast could bring to bear, Jacks maneuvered around onto her knees front and center of MJ, both hands reaching to supply caress MJ's cheeks. She leaned in to kiss MJ, a series of practiced, undulating movements that lasted a few seconds or less, contingent on her response.

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Cliche but... one step at a time. Okay?" She implored, peering across over MJ as she took notice. "Becks' tough but everyone has a breaking point..."

"Okay--"

The corner of her mouth quirked as she exhaled softly, smiling softly as she muttered something to the effect of Fuck it. With the deft grace a former gymnast could bring to bear, Jacks maneuvered around onto her knees front and center of MJ, both hands reaching to supply caress MJ's cheeks. She leaned in to kiss MJ, a series of practiced, undulating movements that lasted a few seconds or less, contingent on her response.

??????

The initial surprised shock at that move gave way to relaxed content as the kiss was strongly returned. Despite all the rough shit that had just gone down and despite the very very slight disappointment that she had been beaten to the punch because of her hesitation...right there? In that moment? It felt perfect. Or at least as close to perfect as anything could get.

IS THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING

 

[Indolent]

??? The initial surprised shock at that move gave way to relaxed content as the kiss was strongly returned. Despite all the rough shit that had just gone down and despite the very very slight disappointment that she had been beaten to the punch because of her hesitation...right there? In that moment? It felt perfect. Or at least as close to perfect as anything could get.

IS THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING

It was a minor thing to note but Jacks exuded minute traces of relief and elation as MJ strongly returned the kiss, prompting her to prolong it. It was definitely happening, for her at least. When she pulled away, a solitary hand lingered in place, caressing the gentle contours of MJ's face as the other slid down to the shoulder with Jacks staring. "... We can add this to the pile of needs being addressed after, huh?" She said with an expression that was both playful and suggestive.

 

[MyrtenRose]

It was a minor thing to note but Jacks exuded minute traces of relief and elation as MJ strongly returned the kiss, prompting her to prolong it. It was definitely happening, for her at least. When she pulled away, a solitary hand lingered in place, caressing the gentle contours of MJ's face as the other slid down to the shoulder with Jacks staring. "... We can add this to the pile of needs being addressed after, huh?" She said with an expression that was both playful and suggestive.

"...…...."

She was speechless yet again for a little while, albeit for entirely different reasons. Or it might have been a long while, time wasn't really on her mind at that moment. When she did find her voice, she was quick to stammer out: "Uh, yeah, maybe. I mean if that's what you er, want. And ummm, yes definitely after we go get Beckett. We should go do that. Right now. Heh heh." She finished with a nervous chuckle.

 

[Indolent]

"...…...."

She was speechless yet again for a little while, albeit for entirely different reasons. Or it might have been a long while, time wasn't really on her mind at that moment. When she did find her voice, she was quick to stammer out: "Uh, yeah, maybe. I mean if that's what you er, want. And ummm, yes definitely after we go get Beckett. We should go do that. Right now. Heh heh." She finished with a nervous chuckle.

"We'll work on that and more, alright." Jacks left it at that as she stood, offering both arms to hoist MJ to her feet. "We're flying to wherever it is Becks is being held, it's faster and we can control where we come in. So going to need you to navigate."

 

[MyrtenRose]

"We'll work on that and more, alright." Jacks left it at that as she stood, offering both arms to hoist MJ to her feet. "We're flying to wherever it is Becks is being held, it's faster and we can control where we come in. So going to need you to navigate."

“Right. I can do that.” She replied, taking both hands to get up. She wished her boots were more field ready so she could fly herself but...well, she’d just have to deal with it for now.

 

[Indolent]

"Cool." A grin alighted on her lips as she shoulder checked MJ softly, subtly giving her control over her relative position, as she stepped past. "Let's get ready; change your clothes, a snack, tunes, whatever. We'll use Bant's headset and masks, communicate and disguise ourselves; can't look like we did at the news station." Stepping away as she made for her little hole in the wall, she cast a look over the shoulder.

"Also, good time to sober myself up a bit before we go. I remember the last time. Not really though." A quick run at an assorted trail mix bowl she left by the car sated her need for fast and easy sustenance as well as tempering the alcohol in her system. A random selection on the radio played as she selected a dark-brown bomber leather jacket with a heavy navy blue tee over a black stonewashed jeans. As befitting for the occasion, she donned her pair of worn shitkickers and weathered, padded leather gloves. Absolutely minimal protection for a flier like herself but it was better than nothing and if she went down, she would much prefer without road rash or carpet burn dialed to eleven.

"Fuck, is this actually terrifying." One thing to entertain the idea of storming the fort, another to actually do it let alone prepare for it.

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Let's get ready; change your clothes, a snack, tunes, whatever. We'll use Bant's headset and masks, communicate and disguise ourselves; can't look like we did at the news station." Stepping away as she made for her little hole in the wall, she cast a look over the shoulder.

"...Yeah okay, that makes sense." MJ agreed. Once Jacks had gone to do her thing, she herself strode over towards where the masks were located and picked one up. Immediately she began to fiddle and tinker with it, attempting to make it project something over her that was more her style. When it did, she couldn't help but grin like an idiot. "Awesome!" That done, she went for where she had left some clothes stowed away on her last visit here, a week-ish ago. The hoodie and jeans were ditched, reasoning that she should actually look more like the daughter of the DA. When she was finished, she sure figured she accomplished that.

MJ returned to the holomask and slipped it on. Instantly her head was replaced with the visage of a skull, surrounded by burning and shiny emerald green flames. In addition, all over her suit...it was like looking at a moving section of space. Stars, nebulae, comets and planets all swirled around and across, never staying static for even a moment.

I am the world's fanciest dressed Ghost Rider.

She grinned again at the thought. "Ready!" She shouted, some of her natural enthusiasm back after that.

 

[MidwayLives]

Nope, no matter how he thought it over in his head. Every outcome ended up with him severely mangled or dead. His identity would no doubt be revealed in the former and he'd arrested/taken into custody. His parents could afford the world's best leaders but how would they be able to explain their only living son in touch with someone who was hired by the Crusaders? Or one of them anyway. He was going to have to explain to the old man why he went out recruting people on his own. Would it be seen as going against his will? Probably, but Odd couldn't resist. The chance to stir up trouble and possibly get rid of the only potential thorn in their side? Almost sounded too good to be true.

As was the case with most things, it turned out to be the case.

Two of the three he hired were dead. Killed by some cop who had abilities like he did. Scary enough to think about that they had someone else with gifts on the taxpayer's payroll. Even worse that they could take someone like Leon out without even breaking a sweat to hear Stun tell it. Ontop of that the guy seemed to have genuinely bought that Odd would create a cure for him. In return Odd the man's undying loyalty. All he had to do was do his part and yet Odd wasn't sure he could. The only option that seemed viable was to call in the other Crusaders and get rid of Stun before things got too out of hand.

"...Fuck."

Turning off the jammer, back at the abandoned church, the three other Crusaders would have seen the lights on the jammer dim. Still staying by Beckett's side incase they stirred and wanted to start a fight, BYOB was the first to address it. "Does this mean Odd was captured, Reverend?" "Captured?! What if he squeals on us?! What if-"

"Calm yourself, Jean. Odd will do nothing of the sort. He speaks boldly and often desires to strike out on his own. But he'll always come crawling back. It's just the way of some people." Father Death chided as he stepped into the main room and sat upon a pew. The ringing of a phone got everyone's attention and before BYOB could warn the Reverend not to answer it, FD silently shushed him and answered the incoming call. "Yes, Odd?"

"H-how did you-"

"I saw the jammer turn off and assumed it meant two things. Either you'd been found out and arrested and the jammer was turned off. Or you've made a mistake and require our aid to get you out of it. Now, be honest with me, son. Which is it?"

"...."

"Odd."

"...The second one, Boss. There's someone here who knows I'm a Crusader and I can't kill them on my own."

"WHAT AN IDIOT!!!" "Moron." Jean and BYOB both called out loud enough to be heard over FD's phone. "Where is this loose end located, Odd?"

"At one of the old Synthtech factories. It closed down a couple years back after Mendel-Winters bought them out. Dunno why he chose that place but he's waiting there for me and he's got a cop as a hostage so I'm worried the whole thing is gonna snowball if we don't take care of it now." Taking a moment to absorb all of this, Father Death inhaled and let out one of the most exasperated sounding sighs possible. "It seems you've managed to concoct quite the difficult situation while on your own, Odd. One that I imagine you'd be at a loss on how to solve if we chose not to help you."

"Y-You're not gonna just leave me, are you???"

"You wouldn't be surprised by that would you, Odd? It feels like something you'd do."

That nearly got Odd to hang up right then and there. Not because the Old Man was wrong. But because he was 100% right and it pissed off Odd to no end when he was. "...What do you need me to do to get you to come?"

"Head to the factory. We'll meet you there. Just attempt to stall for as long as you can." Before Odd could ask anything further or any clarification, the call ended and Odd cursed under his breath. He was still going to have to deal with Stun until the others arrived to bail him out. Together, he knew the four of them would have no trouble killing Stun. Though after the talk with Father Death, the thought of outright murdering Stun seemed to leave a strange feeling within Odd. He had seemingly murdered Johnny without a second thought or one of the TV Station guards who's crimes had only been being kind/doing his job respectively. Yet the idea of killing someone who seemed to genuinely believe in him left him feeling....gross. Sighing, Odd rose from his seat and headed down to his dad's lab. There had to be some bit of unused tech that he could steal to give him something of a physical edge. Just so one blow from Stun didn't completely demolish him.

~~~

Back at the church, Father Death was heading down the rows. "We'll be departing now. I wager it'll take us approximately fifteen minutes to reach the factory if we hurry. Mr. Bob. I want you to tak our guest along with us. Tie them to your back if need be." That idea got BYOB's ire rather quickly. "Bring them with??? But what if they were to wake up and attack us-"

"Mr. Bob. Are you defying me?"

"...No Reverend." Going to find some rope, BYOB motioned for Jean to tag along and help him. He couldn't very well tie them on himself. "I ask you to do this not because I'm ignorant of the scenario that they wake up and oppose us. That could very well happen. But if that were to be the case then we'll simply kill them and this associate of Odd's. Two birds with one stone. It does seem such a shame to dispose of someone who showed so much potential mind you, but if they are our enemy? Then there's nothing else to be done." Once preparations were set, the three headed out. BYOB had suggested burning the church down as he believed the noise from this battle would bring attention upon them. To come back here while being pursued would make the place undesirable. But Father Death forbade it. The place still held....memories.

~~~~

Spoiler: Factory Interior

"Let me go, let me GO!"

Vasquez's cries got him nowhere. Stun tied him up to one of the many rusting machines and sat a few feet away. "Please, Stun! Let me go! The one who paid you, the one who promised you a cure! He doesn't have it! I can tell you that much! He was only using the three of you!" Stun swung his left hand up and then brought it down. Denting a metal toobox inwards and causing Vasquez's heart to leap up into his throat. "You're....wrong....I...I trust him....He's all...I have..." Stun had mentioned to Vasquez before that he recalled working here while in the midst of kidnapping him. But the details still felt somewhat fuzzy if he was being honest. He recalled that the place had been shut down due to new management and thus...he...

"Lost...my...job..."

"Huh?"

"....Used to work here...Helped...make devices...to help people." Gesturing towards a crane like device, Stun mimed pulling a lever. "That...helped....lift the molds for...prosthetic out...Too hot for us to do it...Obviously."

"...Stun, if...if you don't mind me asking. Your name wasn't always 'Stun' was it? You had a name, a normal name..."

"...Yes...I did."

Stun looked towards Vasquez and approached him, kneeling down until he was face level with the demure officer.

"...Steven....Steven...Goldberg....Was my name."

"Steven...? That's a nice name, Stun." Vasquez complimented while looking up at the bent steel pipe that bound his hands to the machine. "Steve? Would you-could you loosen this, um, pipe? It's hurting my wrists." But just as quickly as he had gained his trust, he'd lost it by calling him Steve. Stun rose to his feet and smashed a nearby mannequin the company used to test models of prosthetic on to pieces. With the head landing right in Vasquez's lap. "NO! Not...Steven...anymore! Stun is....all that's left...Now. Be quiet...please." Stun pleaded almost apologetically before turning and waiting near the entrance for Odd to show up just as he helped him before.

*THUD THUD*

"Stun? Stun, are you here?"

It was him! He'd come just like Stun knew he would! Leaping down to open the door they used to bring deliveries off the trucks, Stun was greeted with....Just Odd. Nobody else. Looking from side to side, even up and down, and even picking up Odd. Nobody else seemed to be here and Stun seemed genuinely dejected. "You....You...Said...YOU'D GET THEM..." Seeing that the bug man was already losing his temper, Odd held up his hands, most of him hidden away by a black buttoned up trenchcoat. "Whoa, whoa! Calm down big guy! They're on their way! I lured them here, that's all! Now, where are you keeping that officer?"

"He's....in there...I used a pipe to hold him....to one of the machines."

"...Stun."

"...Oh....Sorry..." Reaching out to hold Odd's hand gingerly, Stun lead him over to where Vasquez was handcuffed. Going off the fact that it seemed Stun had to lead the guy over here lest he possibly risk bumping into stuff or tripping, he had a pretty good idea of who this was and what kind of reaction he deserved. Spitting on the ground near Odd's sneakers, Vasquez glared at him. Not that he'd ever see it. "You piece of shit! You're the one who paid Stun and his friends to show up at the TV station! Killing the people there wasn't good enough for you was it?! You and your friends ruined dozens of lives and you took Stun's friends away from him!"

"....But...those were all....bad people....right?"

"Yeah, Stun. Bad people. They got in our way." That was all that needed to be said to placate the man. Turning his attention towards Vasquez, Odd kneeled down. "Quite the contrary, Officer Vasquez. One of your fellow pigs are what did in Stun's pals according to him." Knowing that Odd was talking about RCA, Vasquez thrashed against his restraints. "You bastard! They wouldn't have even been there in the first place if you hadn't paid them to be! But, no, getting people killed isn't enough. How's that cure coming along, huh?"

"You son of a-"

Before Odd could strike Vasquez like he intended, Stun gripped tightly onto Odd's shoulder. "He...He doesn't know you like...I do....You promised...You promised you'd get a cure, right?"

"Stun, I-"

"You....PROMISED..."

"..."

"...Didn't you?"

"...Yeah. Yeah, I've got the cure with me. Sorry, Stun. I was just waiting for everything to a bit more smoothly than this." Vasquez didn't believe a word of it. "Don't listen to him, Stun! He's just lying to you again! He's-" This time Odd lashed out with a quick kick to the head that busted Vasquez's lip and took him out of it for a bit. "Yeah, just turn around and I'll inject it." Stun eagerly turned around. He knew that there had to be a brightside to all of this. That there had to be a reason for all of his suffering. From his company being bought out, to those damned bastards at Mendel-Winters firing him and rejecting his ideas, to becoming this...this monster! As soon as he heard Stun turn around fully, Odd pulled out his revolver and held it up aimed squarely at the back of Stun's head.

"...Boss...?"

"Yeah, Stun?"

"....Thank you...."

Odd's bottom lip quivered and suddenly his grip on his gun grew flimsy. His hands were growing sweaty and that pain in his chest before returned. Johnny had genuinely desired to be his friend despite the beating he got and what Odd had done. Walter only wanted what was best for him and Stun? Stun believed in him. Shaking his head to clear up his thoughts, Vasquez saw what was going down and shouted. "STUN, NO!"

*BANG!*

Everything seemed to go silent as the dispensed round fell to the ground. Just like with the cop's pistol, it had little effect against Stun's skin. But it'd certainly done some damage alright. Turning back to look down at Odd, tears were running down Stun's face. The remnants of a humanity that'd since been lost. "You shot me..."

Odd had nothing to say and stumbled back.

"I...I trusted you....and you...You shot me..." Stun approached.

"Stun...I..."

"You SHOT ME. I TRUSTED YOU!"

"[AUX]!"

*Stun took one big leap in a puddle. Likely rainwater that'd come in through the slowly disintegrating roof. The noise from the water splashing + the foot radius of Stun's foot kicking up a larger than average amount of water messed with the forecast.*

*Another angry stomp. Damn it! He had to really focus to listen!*

*Stun screamed and along with hearing his right arm tense up, Odd heard the incoming swing*

*It was fast...Almost too fast, Odd's own feet made splashes as he barely backed up in time. What incredible speed and power!*

"Forecast over-"

*THWACK*

Odd had managed to step back at the last second and avoided potentially serious brain damage. But he still got caught on the backswing and ended up bowling over a conveyor belt. His trenchcoat had been yanked off in the process and tossing it to the ground, Stun paused as he saw the armor that Odd had yoinked from his dad's lab in order to fight Stun. "That....suit...Where did you get it??? WHERE DID YOU GET IT?!" His head still ringing from getting practically knocked across the factory floor by Stun's blow, Odd could only make out what'd been said when Stun screamed it at the top of his lungs. "...Huh? What does it matter??"

Spoiler: Odd's Suit

"That's...my...suit...I-I designed it! It was supposed to help people with disabilities....But it got rejected. How...How did you get the prototype...??"

So, that explained why it was in his dad's pile of unused junk. They must have taken it when they bought out Synthtech. It also made sense now why Stun had chosen this place to hide out in. He used to work here. Probably before he became how he was nowadays. Great. Odd's [AUX] worked best when he had a good idea of his surroundings and didn't risk tripping over everything around him. Staggering to his feet, Odd held up his hand. "Now wait, Stun. I'm sorry I shot you! We can still work this out, right?"

"NO! YOU SHOT ME...AND NOW....YOU STOLE FROM ME?! VASQUEZ...VASQUEZ WAS RIGHT ABOUT YOU..."

Goddamn pigs. Always making his life harder. The cat and game mouse of avoiding getting pounded into a red mushy paste by Stun while Vasquez cheered him on continued for what felt like an eternity. At least until an explosion blew the shipping door apart. Having gotten a hold of Odd and preparing to cave his head in, Stun looked over and saw the other three Crusaders standing there.

"You....You weren't planning to help me...You were just gonna kill me!"

"I'm...I'm sorry." Odd said in probably the first remorseful moment of his life. For his part, Vasquez continued to pull at the pipe. He had to warn RCA somehow! He was probably still in bad shape but if they sent any regular cops here, it'd end up just a massacre! District 16 needed RCA and they needed him now!

Seeing [White Noise] encroaching along the ground towards him, Stun tossed Odd at the feet of the Crusaders. "Odd. It's quite disappointing that to reveal ourselves is to do so to pull you out from the fire that you've started." Father Death chided as Odd simply nodded. The feelings within him strange and confusing. "I'm unsure of who you are but I'm sorry. To allow you to continue any longer would endanger our plans..."

"No...NO!"

Spoiler: Stun's true form

Energy began to crackle around Stun and Father Death stopped his static from approaching any further. "...Odd? What is he doing?" From the sounds of it, it sounded like he was transforming but Odd had already assumed Stun had been transformed this whole time! Stun's entire body shifted, his clothes falling to pieces as he seemed to grow bigger and more insect like. Until finally he was a behemoth of a beetle-man. Taking up a majority of the factory floor. "HISSSSS!!!!"

"Oh Stun..."​

 

[Indolent]

She grinned again at the thought. "Ready!" She shouted, some of her natural enthusiasm back after that.

And so was Jacks, after she managed to finagle the masking functionality of the headset to finally allow for a star to replace where her head was, flanked by a pair of smaller suns equidistant to each other above. There was a consistent swirling of sunspots where Jacks's mouth and eyes would be, distorted contortions of projected plasma mocking the same features within the body of the star. Occasionally there was a smile, a frown, a gaping scream, and so on, emulating emotions but more than the others, a frequent display was an exuberant smile.

She was fuckin' Mickey Mouse if his head was a gigantic ball of nuclear fire.

"... Love your digs. We can hash out our like and dislikes later, though, Becks needs us and I need you to compass the way."

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Dude that's fuckin' wicked--"

"... Love your digs. We can hash out our like and dislikes later, though, Becks needs us and I need you to compass the way."

"Ahem, yeah. Right." MJ nodded. And immediately after the tiny girl straight up just hopped onto Jacks' back for the flight. Once they were off, her eyes closed as she focused on the feeling, reaching out with her senses and yelling out directions as they went. It didn't take nearly as long as MJ had figured it would. Whether that was from overestimating how far away this asshole was or underestimating just how fast Jacks could go, she didn't know. Either way, this spot where they landed...

"No...NO!"

Energy began to crackle around Stun and Father Death stopped his static from approaching any further. "...Odd? What is he doing?" From the sounds of it, it sounded like he was transforming but Odd had already assumed Stun had been transformed this whole time! Stun's entire body shifted, his clothes falling to pieces as he seemed to grow bigger and more insect like. Until finally he was a behemoth of a beetle-man. Taking up a majority of the factory floor. "HISSSSS!!!!"

"Oh Stun..."

It was just outside an old abandoned factory of some sort. As far as hideouts went, that...was kind of predictable. Cliché really. But she didn't have time to dwell on that. Even from out here she could hear the sounds of frenzied yelling, some weird kind of crackling noise...it grated on her ears like nails on a chalkboard. MJ winced hardcore at the sound of it but pointed forward nevertheless. "THERE! I can feel them in there!" She yelled, letting go of her hold and hopping on down.

She took a quick step forward as if to dash up and kick in the door but she stopped before taking the second step. "...yeah, after last time...probably not a good time for me to rush into doing something that could possibly or probably make everything worse. I'll follow your lead. No pressure."

 

[Indolent]

"Ahem, yeah. Right." MJ nodded. And immediately after the tiny girl straight up just hopped onto Jacks' back for the flight. Once they were off, her eyes closed as she focused on the feeling, reaching out with her senses and yelling out directions as they went. It didn't nearly as long as MJ had figured it would. Whether that was from overestimating how far away this asshole was or underestimating just how fast Jacks could go, she didn't know. Either way, this spot where they landed...

Speed Junkie Jacks certainly affirmed the latter. Also: Adorable MJ's first thought was to cling to Jacks's back instead of just letting her be flown side by side...

It was just outside an old abandoned factory of some sort. As far as hideouts went, that...was kind of predictable. Cliché really. But she didn't have time to dwell on that. Even from out here she could hear the sounds of frenzied yelling, some weird kind of crackling noise...it grated on her ears like nails on a chalkboard. MJ winced hardcore at the sound of it but pointed forward nevertheless. "THERE! I can feel them in there!" She yelled, letting go of her hold and hopping on down.

She took a quick step forward as if to dash up and kick in the door but she stopped before taking the second step. "...yeah, after last time...probably not a good time for me to rush into doing something that could possibly or probably make everything worse. I'll follow your lead. No pressure."

"And here I hoped to find a hi-tech lair sequestered within the heart of Adhentu, like Blofeld might have done or something." Jacks... actually looked crestfallen, her mask actually adopting on what looked like rivulets of sunspot tears streaming down from blackened blots that passed for eyes. The emotional intensity in this app was wicked intuitive, she was definitely gonna foot the 99 cents on the app store.

The noises emanating from the interior of the warehouse did not go amiss as well as the crackling cacophony. She shuddered, the sounds reaching and gripping her spine. "Never get used to that-- okay." She accepted that, contemplating for a moment as MJ said that. "Well, project management leadership experience is better than nothing, I suppose." She definitely exuded confidence in saying this, stepping forward as she peered up.

"Saw holes in the roof, this's a dilapidated pisshole. Let's get eyes on the premises and whomever inside before we join the disco."

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Saw holes in the roof, this's a dilapidated pisshole. Let's get eyes on the premises and whomever inside before we join the disco."

MJ gave a quick thumbs up in response before turning to the building. Her eyes locked onto a rusty dumpster and she smirked. Rather than wait for Jacks to just do her thing and levitate them both up, she wanted to do it herself, with another facet of her power she'd learned.

That's why she took off sprinting right for that dumpster. A running leap landed her atop it briefly before she pushed off it with her feet, a jump straight up letting her grab hold of a railing and fluidly flipped herself into a perfectly balanced perch on said railing. Another jump off allowed her to grab hold of the ledge just outside a factory window. Pulling herself up, she repeated the process with a window ledge above this one. This brought her within reach of a narrow little walkway. Once on that, she glanced left and right before dashing right. Several AC and heating units jutted out of the wall and she used them as steps, rapidly scaling them with ease. On the last one, the edge of the roof was just above her. A final jump let her grab hold and she flipped herself backwards to land solidly atop said roof in a crouched position and with a relatively quiet thud.

When she straightened back up to standing, she wiped the sweat off her brow and turned in a fluid spin, giving another thumbs up to Jacks.

 

[Indolent]

MJ gave a quick thumbs up in response before turning to the building. Her eyes locked onto a rusty dumpster and she smirked. Rather than wait for Jacks to just do her thing and levitate them both up, she wanted to do it herself, with another facet of her power she'd learned.

That's why she took off sprinting right for that dumpster. A running leap landed her atop it briefly before she pushed off it with her feet, a jump straight up letting her grab hold of a railing and fluidly flipped herself into a perfectly balanced perch on said railing. Another jump off allowed her to grab hold of the ledge just outside a factory window. Pulling herself up, she repeated the process with a window ledge above this one. This brought her within reach of a narrow little walkway. Once on that, she glanced left and right before dashing right. Several AC and heating units jutted out of the wall and she used them as steps, rapidly scaling them with ease. On the last one, the edge of the roof was just above her. A final jump let her grab hold and she flipped herself backwards to land solidly atop said roof in a crouched position and with a relatively quiet thud.

When she straightened back up to standing, she wiped the sweat off her brow and turned in a fluid spin, giving another thumbs up to Jacks.

"... Oh what the, since when. The fuck. That's." Her arms stretched out in disbelief as she witnessed this tiny thing that never gave her an inkling of acrobatics or gymnastics perform the feat perfectly. "It's been said to death but that just blew my fuckin' mind." Her arms slumped to both sides as she frowned in remembrance, recalling the times she used to be able to do something similar, though not to that level of acrobatic parkour. But it wasn't a far cry from it if she had never sheared the bones in her left leg. Without realizing it, she had glanced to the aforementioned appendage, her pensive face indicative of the flowing thoughts in her mind that encapsulated scores of feelings on the matter.

Not the time for it, Jacks.

She looked back up and chose to move past the matter with her usual aplomb. "That was a visual orgasm for me, haven't seen anything good like that in a long while." Within the next second or two, Jacks was side by side MJ, moving onto the matter at hand however. Calling into effect the influence she left on MJ, "Need to move up quietly, do that by floating. I see an opening there. Let's try getting Becks out with minimal effort."

 

[MyrtenRose]

She looked back up and chose to move past the matter with her usual aplomb. "That was a visual orgasm for me, haven't seen anything good like that in a long while." Within the next second or two, Jacks was side by side MJ, moving onto the matter at hand however. Calling into effect the influence she left on MJ, "Need to move up quietly, do that by floating. I see an opening there. Let's try getting Becks out with minimal effort."

"...whoa." To have it described like that...well that caught her off guard. But only temporarily. "Okay." She agreed quietly with a nod. "Like I said, following your lead. Except for what I just did. Yeah I wanted to show off a little, okay. Sue me."

 

[MidwayLives]

"RAAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!"

Conveyor belts were smashed to pieces, machines were smashed to pieces, Stun was a rampage and Odd was just glad he wasn't the only one dealing with it. If he was, chances are 50/50 he'd either have won through the skin of his teeth or he'd be dead. Like horribly mangled kinda dead. As it stood now, he was mostly just being an annoyance as BYOB rushed forward and went toe to toe with the beast. All while Beckett was unconscious and strapped to his back. "Don't know what your beef is. I'm only sorry that it lead you here. Because there's nothing for you but.." One of Stun's claws came in to try and crush BYOB but the ex-soldier simply pressed his hand to the joints holding Stun's arm to his body.

*BOOM!*

"Death."

Stun reeled back, screaming in utter agony as his gigantic arm fell to the wayside with a massive thud. BYOB wasn't much better. Half of his entire outfit had been torn to shit by the explosion. So was his torso for that matter but that healed quickly enough. Knowing that he'd be a sitting duck with a wound like this and at this size? Stun began to shrink down clutching at where his arm had resided just moments prior. Sitting atop the rafters, Jean sighed. She didn't know this guy but she liked to think that during her brief time with the Crusaders, she'd come to know them and BYOB was a troubled man. One who needed help, not a hand leading him to terrorism. The man they were hellbent on murdering as a loose end seemed like he was in a similar rut. "...Sorry man."

Once he was back down to just a eight foot tall bug man minus an arm, Stun stumbled back from the Crusaders."Stay....back....I....I don't want to die.... " He whimpered and BYOB took a step forward, energy channeling through his left arm. "It's nothing personal, guy. Just something that needs to be done."

Father Death had deemed the whole matter beneath him. This was Odd's mess and far be it from him to clean this up. Watching the scene unfold with his arms crossed over his chest.

​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"RAAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!"

Conveyor belts were smashed to pieces, machines were smashed to pieces, Stun was a rampage and Odd was just glad he wasn't the only one dealing with it. If he was, chances are 50/50 he'd either have won through the skin of his teeth or he'd be dead. Like horribly mangled kinda dead. As it stood now, he was mostly just being an annoyance as BYOB rushed forward and went toe to toe with the beast. All while Beckett was unconscious and strapped to his back. "Don't know what your beef is. I'm only sorry that it lead you here. Because there's nothing for you but.." One of Stun's claws came in to try and crush BYOB but the ex-soldier simply pressed his hand to the joints holding Stun's arm to his body.

*BOOM!*

"Death."

Stun reeled back, screaming in utter agony as his gigantic arm fell to the wayside with a massive thud. BYOB wasn't much better. Half of his entire outfit had been torn to shit by the explosion. So was his torso for that matter but that healed quickly enough. Knowing that he'd be a sitting duck with a wound like this and at this size? Stun began to shrink down clutching at where his arm had resided just moments prior. Sitting atop the rafters, Jean sighed. She didn't know this guy but she liked to think that during her brief time with the Crusaders, she'd come to know them and BYOB was a troubled man. One who needed help, not a hand leading him to terrorism. The man they were hellbent on murdering as a loose end seemed like he was in a similar rut. "...Sorry man."

Once he was back down to just a eight foot tall bug man minus an arm, Stun stumbled back from the Crusaders."Stay....back....I....I don't want to die.... " He whimpered and BYOB took a step forward, energy channeling through his left arm. "It's nothing personal, guy. Just something that needs to be done."

Father Death had deemed the whole matter beneath him. This was Odd's mess and far be it from him to clean this up. Watching the scene unfold with his arms crossed over his chest.

​

"My god what the fuck." MJ couldn't help but whisper to herself at what she was watching down below. But she didn't have time to dwell on it, she had to do something about it. She took a deep breath before lacing her hands together and concentrating. Rather than the complete wipe of earlier, this time when she reached out, she only focused on manipulating specific things. Every Crusader down there suddenly had a new implanted memory come to the forefront of their mind. That being that if Stun died by their hands, their lives would also come to an end. That Stun's life was connected to an otherworldly demon and if his life was over, that demon would take all their lives as payment. Hopefully that would stay their hands.

In addition, the exploding dude forgot that he had a power, let alone how to harness it...and further, he could suddenly recall that the person strapped to his back was a carrier for several ridiculously lethal and infectious diseases, and he needed to separate himself from that danger as soon as possible without harming them and risking those diseases spreading out from any wounds.

 

[Indolent]

"RAAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!"

Conveyor belts were smashed to pieces, machines were smashed to pieces, Stun was a rampage and Odd was just glad he wasn't the only one dealing with it. If he was, chances are 50/50 he'd either have won through the skin of his teeth or he'd be dead. Like horribly mangled kinda dead. As it stood now, he was mostly just being an annoyance as BYOB rushed forward and went toe to toe with the beast. All while Beckett was unconscious and strapped to his back. "Don't know what your beef is. I'm only sorry that it lead you here. Because there's nothing for you but.." One of Stun's claws came in to try and crush BYOB but the ex-soldier simply pressed his hand to the joints holding Stun's arm to his body.

*BOOM!*

"Death."

Stun reeled back, screaming in utter agony as his gigantic arm fell to the wayside with a massive thud. BYOB wasn't much better. Half of his entire outfit had been torn to shit by the explosion. So was his torso for that matter but that healed quickly enough. Knowing that he'd be a sitting duck with a wound like this and at this size? Stun began to shrink down clutching at where his arm had resided just moments prior. Sitting atop the rafters, Jean sighed. She didn't know this guy but she liked to think that during her brief time with the Crusaders, she'd come to know them and BYOB was a troubled man. One who needed help, not a hand leading him to terrorism. The man they were hellbent on murdering as a loose end seemed like he was in a similar rut. "...Sorry man."

Once he was back down to just a eight foot tall bug man minus an arm, Stun stumbled back from the Crusaders."Stay....back....I....I don't want to die.... " He whimpered and BYOB took a step forward, energy channeling through his left arm. "It's nothing personal, guy. Just something that needs to be done."

Father Death had deemed the whole matter beneath him. This was Odd's mess and far be it from him to clean this up. Watching the scene unfold with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Uh, isn't that Officer Whatsit?" Jacks noted, unanimously agreeing with MJ's singular remark. She had no clue as to what MJ had done but whatever it was, she acted with faith in the girl as she moved to exercising her own power. A flick of the finger and an adept visualization of what she aimed for saw the subtle influences of her power pervading the scene that unfolded below and in the next second, it appeared as if invisible hands worked to remove Beckett from BYOB's back. Albeit possibly roughly, as Jacks knew well Becks was more than durable and there was no time to waste leaving them strapped to the back of a living, breathing improvised explosive device.

Officer Vasquez saw an easier time of it, being lifted from the crane towards the ceiling with a strange shimmering effect around him. The same for Beckett.