Log:DEMON Church: Even the Basement has DEMON

2020/12/14 	 Night Marshal|Carpenter Grimm August

1

NOTE: AT THIS TIME, AUGUST IS STANDING ON A TRASH CAN LOOKING AT THE SECURITY BOX. GRIMM AND CARPENTER ARE ON THE GROUND LOOKING UP AT HIM I BELIEVE Suddenly, a doorway edges in sulfurous smoke and fire opens about 5m away from you all towards the wall that surrounds that church compound. Through the doorway come two gentleman dressed in dark red robes with inverted pentagrams stitched on the chest. They each carry bronze rods about the the size of billy cub, but few billy clubs glow with fiery nimbuses. One of the men also has a car fob in one hand which he's pressing as he steps through the hellish doorway. A hovervan down the alley 5m behind the doorway beeps.

Behind them you can see a large dimly lit room where there area about 5 other robe men armed with similar rods are keeping control over close to two dozen women and children. All of the women and children are shackled togthers in a rough line.

At the same time this is happening, you all hear some sort of commotion coming from the church compound.

August's hair stands on end and he gets the distinct feeling he should promptly exit the alley way as soon as possible. That feeling is confirmed when a literal cult of red robed kidnappers decides to exit stage sulphurous door right in front of them.

August looks over his shoulder to Grimm and then to Carpenter as he considers what he 'Forensic Specialist' should do- not what Slinger would do.

He gets down off the trashcan- assuming that playing bumbler might be a bit better at keeping Carpenter alive and his secret identity intact.

He saddles over to the pair and whispers, "Seems like problems are really starting to stack up in this alleyway."

He counts the women and children in shackles, as if it mattered. Even one would force him to intervene in some way.

Carpenter says to August, "The stakeout's going to have to wait." He draws his weapon and aims at the apparent cultists. "CBPD! Put down the weapons!"

Slinger counts quickly. "Well clearly- I mean. We've got a dozen females over the age of 13. Another ... almost dozen under 10?" He says. "I'll just back out and let you do your thing. I'm going to see if I can help- out of the line of fire. Boss said I can't get shot and I need a good review... so I'll be in the car."

He begins to back out of the alleyway, so he can sneak around the opposite way to see if he can get to those hostages while Carpenter has their attention.

He'll use his non-trademarked arachnid-sense to break line of sight and leap onto roof to skitter around and drop down behind the robed guys so he can dive in with the enshackled.

August counts quickly. "Well clearly- I mean. We've got a dozen females over the age of 13. Another ... almost dozen under 10?" He says. "I'll just back out and let you do your thing. I'm going to see if I can help- out of the line of fire. Boss said I can't get shot and I need a good review... so I'll be in the car."

He begins to back out of the alleyway, so he can sneak around the opposite way to see if he can get to those hostages while Carpenter has their attention.

He'll use his non-trademarked arachnid-sense to break line of sight and leap onto roof to skitter around and drop down behind the robed guys so he can dive in with the enshackled.

Grimm narrows her eyes as she flatly states, "They're DEMON brothers. Black magick cultists. Look out for the rods, powerful as blasters. And their robes protect them. Best to take them out hard."

The DEMON Brother without the key fob looks over at Carpenter's shout and yells back, "IT's the cops! Blast 'em! Get the slaves out of here!"

Grimm is sheathed in dark energy as the DEMON brothers shout. She's preparing to go on the defense if need be.

August does an inventory check. His bag is full of web-fluid packs and cartridges of clings but without his webslingers they're next to useless- and not reliable enough to depend on. On the roof he drops his bag, and cuts across to the hellfire threshold. He doesn't even glance at Grimm or Carpenter. He focuses on trying to look like a total goon doing this- since Slinger could not possibly mess this up.

He takes a breath and makes a jog forward before hooking back & dropping down- rolling the momentum away while pushing him to the gateway.

Deftly he pops his shoulders and gets over the hellfre- if only just. He feels the ehat certainly, or so he tells himself as he rolls to a halt amongst the women and children.

He pops up to his feet while squatting down to hush them- hoping to keep his entrance at least somewhat stealthy.

Carpenter doesn't open fire. Instead, he realizes there are enough of them that he wants to get into their midst to make it harder for them to open fire. He rushes forward and attempts to clock the driver with a strong punch.

The DEMON Brother is knocked down and back by the force of Detective Carpenter's left hook. He sprawls on the ground, stunned, but not out of the combat.

The other DEMON Brother outside spots Grimm in her blackness and, obviously, noticed Carpenter. He hesitates for a moment and then levels his brazen rod at the detective as he shouts 'For DEMON!'

Grimm stares as her brave, and perhaps crazy boyfriend charges head first to punch a DEMON Brother. But most definitely brave. She's at least not too busy swooning to sweep her hand towards the eldritch blast aimed at him. A black portal of darkness opens up between the pair and swallows the blast before shrinking back down to nothing.

The DEMON Brother in the back of the group in the basement shouts out, "Move! I can't hold it open forever, you dolts!"

he two Brothers in front each grab one of the front two 'slaves' and drag them over the threshold of the fiery doorway out into the alleyway. They use their off hands and keep their rods at the ready.

Two of the reamaining four Brothers are keeping herd on the 'slaves', but the remaining two level their brazen wands to try to take shots at the only person they can see: Grimm!

The eldrtich blasts miss but do tear up the alleyway a bit. A small hole is melted in the trashcan August stood on. Hopefully he's away somewhere safe and calling for backup.

August prefers to do the talking, but he's certainly capable of maintaining a stealthy demeanor.

He uses the opportunity to look around, keeping a finger over his lips- confident he's dealt with enough magic knowing Grimm to suspect that they could, in fact be anywhere after a doorway like that is opened up ignoring physical matter- and sometimes spatial relations.

(I need a milli to get my Beiring Straight.)0o. He thinks to himself as he takes the place in- and you thought he wouldn't be quipping in this caper.

He relies on his other senses to tell him if he needs to turn back to the hellfire hole, even turning to see if the shackles were locking them together or to the wall- or some manner of both. He tries to take in everything- knowing any detail could be the difference between life and - well who knows with the DEMON &#@he! What he needs is an Exit and a quick way to open these shackles. He isn't picky about the order.

From August's POV, you are in a large underground room. It looks like there are boarded over and sealed windows in here. There is a large cage set agasint one wall with a bucket inside with empty rings that probably held the long chain that ties all the 'slaves' toghether.

The 'slaves' are a mixed group with most of them being Afro-CCaribbean or Hispanic in appearance. But one of the teenage girls and one teenaged boy are dressed in the style of CB teenagers.

The rest of the room seems empty savce for some battered chairs around a card table near the only other door in the room. This door is barred from the inside and looks quite sturdy. One might asseum it's locked as well. The ceiling in about 7 feet tall and the room is about 10m by 15m in szie

Grimm is distracted a moment by Carpenter's fighting style. Part of her is just admiring how dashing he looks, like some pulp hero out of one of the old movies they watch together. But some part of her, under the surface, finds his punching style familiar somehow but can't place why. Maybe it's because he's wearing a long coat like those pulp heroes? She looks towards the Brother who fired at Carpenter. "You want to see what you're -really- serving?" she says threatening.

The Brother targetted by Grimm screams in terror and drops to the ground, obviously seriously shaken, but not unconscious. He drops his brazen rod as he falls.

Carpenter steps forward to try to drop the DEMON cultist that he stunned with his initial punch. The guy looked like he had already recovered, after all. He brings his foot up and stomps on the guy. "All of you DEMON lot...drop your weapons! You're surrounded, and won't be leaving!"

Carpenter strikes the cultist in the head, knocking his target unconscious. "They definitely have some protection of some kind. Magic?"

Grimm nods. "Yeah, black magic. Their robes are enchanted, so they're more protected than they look," she reminds him. "Their rods are going to pack a punch."

The Brother in the back of the group says, "Belphegor!" in solemn tone, then begins to laugh, his voice changing to a rich seductive roll. "Ah, this shall be fine, very fine," he says as he throws back his hood and opens his robe. This man has a face and body made for sin, his beauty obviously evil, but still, entrancing.

Grimm's jaw drops a little at the evil yet entrancing revelation. "...damn..."

The vast majority of the 'slaves' as well as all but one of the DEMON Brothers in the underground room look at the incredibly handsome man in the back with adoration and/or lust in their eyes.

August doesn't mind these poor frigthened people seeing him act just a bit unexpectedly- and with time working against him he does the onlything that comes to mind. From a squatting position he leaps up backflips in the air- aiming to bring his boots down on the back of the head of the first slaver in range. His goal is to- paradoxically, keep the enslaved where they are for now. At least here he can protect them through the narrow doorway while his allies draw the Brothers' mystical fire. Out there- well, he can't account for crossfire.

But here- in a darkened, underground room, the only thing he has to do is keep Colonial Bay's Meta-Crimes Detective from seeing him ninjaing about.

August executes a perfect backflip and stompout- all in one deft manuever. He uses the bounce to clear his target and land nearby- crouching down to hopefully remain a small target if the jig is up for him. He could have let the others deal with it- but there's jsut something about slavers that incites the most violent aspects of his gestalt personality matrix. Or maybe that's jsut a Daemon thing in general. He'll have to run a diagnostic.

In any event, he has the presence of mind to flash a smile for those still shackled up. Gotta keep those morales high.

The Brother, for all his magical prowess merely groans quietly from the sudden onset of unconsciousness.

The edge of his robes begin lay just within reach of the lapping hellfire.

August does the predator thing- moving at his aggressors within the room, bit pouncing side to side as he goes to make hitting him harder- then he attempts to pushkick him away and into the next guy. His thought is, he can play down some martial arts skills- but going full on Spyder is still out of the question.

August's martial arts prowess proves more than effective- which, frankly was what he designed this body to do. Low-key, semi-plausible exploits are his bread and butter, even as Tech Support.

He crosses the gap and then, his leg comes out from under him explosively impacting the nearest Brother.

The kick hits with enough force to lift his target off his feet and send him flying backwards into the other Brother.

He remains deadly quiet as he goes. Showing that though he doesn't weild the darkness he certainly has no problem remaining obscure- even in direct line of sight.

The Brother August kicked the first BRother into manages to impose his jaw in line with the back of the other Brother's head by turning his own head just in time. He slams back into the ground obviously dazed but not quite out.

Grimm focuses on the one she's already inflicted nightmares on. Maybe he'll reconsider his path in life.

The Brother whom Grimm already inflicted nightmares on now passes out as the assault on his mind continues. He's unconscoius, but twitching as if caught in a nightmare...or having a seizure.

The Handsome One smiles broadly and brightly, seemingly growing more handsome by the moment, and yet, somehow more evil as well. He says in a rich languid murmur to one of the women who he reaches out and touches on the bare arm, "My dearest heart? Would you please try to claw out that man;s eyes?" He gestures at August as he speaks with his other hand.

Grimm looks alert and warns Carpenter, "We're in trouble...that DEMON lackey just invited an actual demon spirit into him and has turned into a permanent host."

Carpenter nods to Grimm, but then puts on a BIG grin. He slips past the group, dodging and weaving...and actually vaulting one person's shoulders to get to the Handsome Dude. "I...have to meet you. You are so...beautiful." He looks as doe-eyed as possible until he's in arm's reach, and he goes to slug the guy.

The Handsome One smiles at Carpenter, seemingly enraptured by him. "My, such a good soul..."

Hitting the Hamdsome One still feels like tearing at a priceless painting, but Carpenter manages it nonetheless. On the other hand, a priceless painting doesn't feel like it made of bricks either. So, while it does rock back the Handsome One's head, the evil studmuffin just seems to suck most of it up. His eyes narrow in rage as he realizes he's been duped.

August can feel the ick coming off Mister Handsome and realizes why he's been avoiding attacking him- its soem kind of hex. Oh that does it for him. August's rage burns within him. He. Hates. Psychic. Bull$#!+. He almsot forgets about Doctor Vi's command not to get shot. He's pretty she wouldn't be thrilled about him having his eyes clawed out despite not technically being off the table.

Suddenly he's glad he left them shackled up. He'll have to chalk this up his dastardly good luck or non-trademarked archnid-sensory perception later. For now- he moves to the stunned one and punches him. One less bastard to shoot him in the back.

Two thirds of the 'slaves', older/younger, male/female, shout in surprise at the attack on the Handsome One.

The remaining Brother in the basement looks at all that has happened and makes a break for it out the fiery doorway. He runs like the wind getting out and 7m away from Grimm as he tries to get behind the hovervan.

The one 'slave' who the Handsome ONe gave the command to tries to pull herself towards August but is held back, for now, by the chains binding her to the others.

August doesn't pull his punches here. DEMON isn't to be triffled with and anyone working for a guy who's go-to plan is mind-duping his victims into loving them followed by immediately jumping to commanding them to gouge the Most-Dashing-Spyder-in-the-room's eyes out is not worth pulling punches for other than to keep from getting a body- and/or a wrap sheet.

He's had both. Not a fan of either.

Still he'd be lying if he said it wasn't satisfying to hear the CRACK of his fist with the side of the cultist's head follwoed by the sound of that same melon hitting the ground with nothing to slow its fall.

He doesn't even gasp- its jsut lights out.

August stands up and straigthens himself out while he decides what to do about the enslaved.

The vast majority fo the rest of the 'slaves' shout curses at Carpenter. "HOw dare you!' "YOu can't hurt him!" "Leave him alone!" "Batard! 

The teenaged girl who looks like she's from CB is not one of those shouting. Instead, she spits sometiong out of her mouth into her hand and leans down to work on the lock on her leg.

August tones it down a bit as things begin to fall their way.

He instead moves towards the enthralled - hoping to see who is who among them by staying just out of range, and see if there is a logical way to free the eye-rippers from the huggers.

As he moves he begins examining the locks to see if he can use hsi handy-dandy lockpick to free them while Carpenter and Grimm deal with the demon.

A few oth the enslaved try to get August's attention to get free, but 2 out of 3 of them are fixated on the Handsome One. The CB teenager is picking her own lock it seems, or trying to. And the one who was asked to claw August's eyes out is trying and failing to reach him still, but gettgin closer by pulling on others.

Grimm is amazed and slack jaws by Carpenter's athletics and vaulting, then sputters as she thinks he's under the demon's sway. Why doesn't he make doe-eyes like that at her?? When he sees Jack was faking all along, she grins and feels some relief. And also feels weird at how hot that whole act was. She clears her throat and focuses on the fight again. She starts stepping to the gate, fixing the fleeing guy with a look. "You. Stay."

The running DEMON Brother suddenly falls over his body paralyzed. He ends up on his back, staring slack jawed at the sky.

Carpenter takes another swing at the demon-possessed DEMON cultist, trying to put as much muscle as he can into a strong kick.

It's a brutal kick that Carpenter's lays into the Handsome One with. The kick hits him right in the breadbasket and knocks him back into the room nearly to the wall. But, as he tumbles back, the Handsome One turns the uncontrolled tumble into a graceful roll and ends up on his feet still at the end. He looks even more incenses than before and you can hear him grind his perfect teeth.

Carpenter is breathing hard after that. "I hope one of you can hit him harder than I can."

August thinks he has who's who down pretty well. He's even identified that the command seems to be targeted at that one and not these others.

He crouches down next to the girl working her own lock to help the person next to her first- if he's faster, then she can free herself easier and move on to the next one.

"Good job." He says to her as he pulls out his own lockpick kit. He whispers quietly, just loud enough for those in the immediate area to hear him.

"If you can go that want and let out... well everyone who isn't making googly eyes at him or ... pulling on everyone to rip my eyes out... I'd really aprpeciate it. I'll circle around the other way and do the same. We'll leave the rest for the police- who, are right out side."

You easily open the lock of the unchosen next to the teenaged CB girl. She doesn't respond verbally but does nod as she works on her lock. She's only as fast a normal human after all.

"Try to push upward and hold the triggering mechanism in place while you align the tumbler." August suggests to the girl before moving on. Having the confidence to do this under duress should be encouraged - and any immediate danger they might be in was just rocked between the legs by the Detective so he figures time is on their side.

The Handsome One looks around at the confused scene. He grins widely as he then grips the amulet at his throat and begins to chant in a grinding, harsh, yet almost hypnotic language. As he does, unbidden by him it seems, the aura about him lashes out at Carpenter, August, and the rest of the unchosen.

All of the 'slaves' who had not been under the control of the Handsome One stop what they are doing to gaze at him in adoration.

The little boy who August just free even starts to move towards the horribly beautiful once-man, but oh so slowly to you who are meta.

"Oh boy. Suddenly regretting tutor time." August says as he notices the change in demeanor as the enshackled become the enthralled.

August stops unshackling them and reaches out to grab the young boy before he can get to the slavering demon.

"My KIngdom for a net or something. I swear. Oh- I know. Guys- I know you love this dude. And I'm here to take you all back to his place. Right upstairs- but I can only take 5 people to live with him forever. Just you guys and him, so happy, sounds great right? Well- there's a trick. Only the 5 who can be the stillest and quietest can go to his promised ... you know. CUlty love fest thing. I'm not good enough to go- just to escort you all. So- who wants to go?" He asks, hoping he can use their impressionable state to his advantage.

Kids may be small and usually slippery but August manages to grab the kid. The kid seems to actually apprecaite it as he can now see the Handsome One even better.

Grimm teleports through the gate and alongside Carpenter. "Oh yeah, I can definitely hit him harder," she promises as she holds out a hand with fingers outstretched toward the Handsome One. "I can even go with something that'll make him really hurt." Energy coalesces and rather than darkness, pure golden light wreathes her hand before the searing light blasts towards the demon. It's merely an illusion of holy energy, but the mind makes it real.

The Handsome One screams as the apparent holy power slams into him, but he manages to keep his feet before falling to one knee and suppoting himslef with one hand. He seems barely conscious, barely aware now of his surroundings.

He does, however, manage to hold onto the amulet with his other hand.

Carpenter nods to Grimm, "Nicely done. Thank you. I'm not sure how many times I'd have to hit him."

A call comes out from the Enslaved. Its a familiar voice. "Hit him again!"

Carpenter goes ahead and steps forward to kick the guy again.

Carpenter strikes the cultist one final time, since it was clear he was still barely awake. He plants his foot, and kicks hard again, striking the possessed man and putting him out. He looks back toward the group. "That everyone?"

Grimm flashes a smile at Carpenter. "Anytime," she says before he knocks out the demon. She admires what a badass he is in the face of demons. "I mentally locked down another cultist who was trying to escape to the van outside."

A gasp of horror goes up from the 'slaves' as Carpetner lays out the Handsome One. There doesn't seem to be any unified action on their part as they variously try to move to help the Handsome One, cry out in agony as if they've been hit themselves, curse you all , or try to reach August to claw his eyes out in one case. As it is, the 'slaves' end up in a confuzed mass trying to pull in serveral directrions at once.

And as the Handsome One falls over, the fiery doorway flickers and fades from existence revealing a blank wall with only the scent of brimstone left behind.

August pops back up then, keeping his eyes on the enthralled- cutting across to eht demon-possessed hoping the control will be broken. "I think so- but they're under some kind of spell or something- I was breaking them out when they went all Salem on me." He steps back as one gets swipey. "Like that. I was hoping what I read in the Parapsych books would hold true here- but..." He nods towards the demon possessed then towards his flock of adoring slaves.

Carpenter looks at the wall. "And...we'll need another way out."

Grimm smirks at the question of a way out. "Your wish is my command, Detective," she says playfully. "Where to?"

Carpenter smiles. "Probably back to the alley to get backup to show. then we'll have to investigate the building."