Log:Powerless in Chinatown, Scene 2

Powerless in Chinatown 2021/02/05 	 Bane Chen Dark Horse Felix Kid Tengu Kihzra Lennox Union Gamma Magnitude Microwave Pickup Precision Silkworm Weakspot

2

Just before 3:30 last night, three persons in high-tech armour attacked an instance of One Man Army, when his patrol took him into an alley. OMA was rendered unconscious and stripped of his powers, which left just the one instance, the one where he was attacked. A tiny high-tech survellance camera showed the attackers where to strike then let off an EMP pulse to destroy nearby surveillance, and the three teleported in, made the attack, and teleported away again. The technology involved was cutting-edge, well manufactured and unmarked.

The heroes have, so far, averted any direct conflict between the Lee and Pride triad factions over this attack, though it's clear that the attack on their primary lookout has the Lee faction on edge... 

Chen has been working in the market all morning. She thinks back over that time as to whether there's been more, or less, activity by Pride's Triad goons than normal.

KT does the same- though when she thinks 'working' she means working the crowd, 'acquiring' pocket money for day to day operations. She tries to think of how many gangsters she, Tessa & Evan have managed to fleece.

Evan finally arrives but in his Felix persona. He's leaps down from a rooftop near a paor of girls, his attention on a hand held device. He adhsusts a dial as he looks down at it.

When the morning's investigations petered out, the two 6-person teams of Lees left the heroes again, presumably to try other lines of inquiry. It's now about lunch time.

Lennox has talked for a while with Immortal -- and, recognizing that accent, possibly Kihzra as well.

Chen turns to address the heroes, "Thanks for responding. This is potentially major. Pride's goon have access to ACRO weapons and even a few battlesuits. Time Lee has about twenty plus metas. If this turns into a war the results will be dreadful. We NEED to get to the bottom of this."

Dark Horse sees if he can access one of the local cameras to get a better feel for when the mini camera was planted in hte first place. It's possible that whoever it was...was caught on camera when it was planted.

KT continues acting as the unofficial face of #CD's line of investigation. She reverts from her Chen-copy back to 'Katie' in the meantime.

As they continue on she is certain Blinky is nearby and Evan would have noticed they weren't in the open area anymore so should be following along too by now. That leaves her with nothing to do but continue being Chen's backup.

She keeps an eye on Dark Horse since he seems to have a keen investigative mind- and kit.

Felix absently holds out a fist to dap 'Katie' as he focusses on the device in his hand. He makes various 'hmm' noise as he touches various buttons and turns in a slow circle.

Chen smiles as she looks at Kate-was-Chen. "Do I really look like that? Never mind. There's something I'd like to try but I'd need your help and it might be dangerous."

KT smiles at Felix's arrive and reaches out to meet his dap.

"Find something good?" She asks as he scans about.

As the morning's investigations show, no now-functioning cameras cover the alley. But DH realises that a couple of shop's security cameras cover the alley. If they've saved the recordings, he could be in luck.

Kihzra ends up chatting with Lennox in her own language! She invites Lennox to go along with her when that group moves off.

Union stays by Chen, to back her up.

Dark Horse heads over to the shop that has some security coverage of the alleyway to see if he can ask the owner to look at hte recordsing.

KT looks to Chen and says, "You do look exactly like that. Its a good shape." She nods and then quirks and ear at CHen's suggestion. "A little high risk reward huh? Well that sounds fun. I'm in."

The gray and black clad Felix mutters softly, "Well, I've got something...I think..." in response to KT's question.

Chen morphs into a One Man Army duplicate, then adds a haggard look and bags under the eyes. "I was wondering if seeing a pair of the guy who can only be one will get a reaction from Smiling Johnny White, one of Pride's senior goons."

The first shopkeeper refuses to let DH look at the recordings. Perhaps because he's under Pride protection, and worried about cooperating with someone he's just seen with Lee's men. The other shop, on the other hand, is very cooperative.

It's just as Dark Horse is about to be given a copy of the security recording when Felix receives a video transmission...

"Interesting Tactic. Surprisingly direct despite our obvious --" KT waves the thought away. "I hadn't even considered something like that. I'm in if only to see how its done." She adds a bit more excitedly before looking to Felix. "I didn't doubt you for a second. What'd you find, Felix?" She asks the grey-clad teen who she obviously has mroe than a passing familiarity with.

Dark Horse thanks the shop keeper for their assistance.

Chen holds on her idea to see what Dark Horse and the teens come up with.

Chen adds, "People keep using 'that' word... I don't know what it means."

Union says, "Which word?"

Chen chuckles, "Subtle."

Union says, "Like a cat walking behind somebody's ankles just when they're startled into stepping back?"

"Subtle is good." KT offers simply.

Chen nods, "That's not subtle. That's just sneaky tactics. Sneaky I'm good at."

Union smiles, "Well, I was pleased to meet you anyway."

Dark Horse takes a look at the video footage from teh security camera, trying to skim a bit to not take up too much time.

Felix says, "Alright, got a broadcast transimission, it's ending now. Image is shaky, probably from a hald held camera. Three opeolela re visible, all in dark-grey visored armor. Each has a differenet weapons, one is a dart gun. Guns are pointed at the cameraman. It's fading out, slowly. Makes me thinks its a natural ability but could be wrong. It's nearby and now!"

Union says, "Got a direction?"

"Well, looks like we won't have to worry about subtle or sneaky." KT says as a pair of wings sprout from the back of her leather jacket. She looks to Felix expectantly.

Felix spins in a circle again as he rapidly hits some buttons then points in a certain direction then darts z dozen strps to one side and repeats the actions. "That building over there!" He points to a building across Ming Street about 100m away. "Go!"

Chen nods to KT. "So it seems."

Union takes off running toward the indicated building.

Chen morphs into a grayhound and bounds away toward the indicated building.

KT's wings start flapping so she can get some lift and they she grabs Felix to bring him along. "And we're off!" She says excitedly.

Lennox, having been observing the young heroes from a second floor balcony where he has been speaking with two of the Chinatown Metas, excuses himself and goes down and across to where are the others are. "Find something?"

Chen can be subtle. She decides not to shout out loudy to the other heroes that the building has Tim Lee connections.

Dark Horse isn't entirely aware of what's going on outside. He's still working on dealing with the security footage. Or starting to do so, and didn't hear what was going on outside.

Felix shouts out. "We found them!"

Chen reaches the terrace house, down a narrow side street off Ming, before anyone else.

KT comes to a halt above and gently lowers the other teen(s).

Chen listens and sniffs for fear scent without slowing. If there's a closed door in the way... mmm... she slow to open it. It might just be reinforced.

Lennox watches the teens go bounding off, and considers that for a moment before turning and heading back into the building where Dark Horse is. "Hey," he says to the other man, "I think they found something."

KT's wings fold back into her sweet jacket after she lands gently then she moves to follow Chen, playing point defense for the other teens. She bulks up a bit to make for a better meat shield. Petite Katie would probably have difficulties otherwise.

Chen diverts her run to rum up the wall and go through an upstairs window.

Dark Horse looks over to Lennox, "Oh? What did they find?"

Lennox shrugs. "No idea," he admits. "You know teens -- hardwired for instant action. They went zooming off; we might want to be back up."

Chen cannot see anything amiss immediately but crashes through the window anyway. She be able to hear and smell better once in the building.

KT sniffs about but sticks to following Chen. "We've got company I think. So I hope youre on to something good." She says to the elder shifter as she pauses to turn around and stretch and arm down for Union & Felix to better get into the building via the entrance CHen made.

Felix flips into the building using Katie's arm as a swing. He rolls once he's in to one side to get out of the way of others.

Turns out this bedroom is the wrong room, but it's clear now that the sounds are coming from the room behind that wall....

Union allows KT to grab and pull her up through the window.

Dark Horse sighs at the news Lennox presents him with. "I got access to the security systems here. Do you think what they found out trumps that? Like...they found the shooters?"

Heroes & Heroines alike lifted into the building, KT returns to teh trail being blazed by Chen, nodding to the others to follow along. She whispers to the other teens, "I think Chen found something but not sure what. I don't sense anything weird."

Lennox shrugs. "Depends on what you're showing," he says, coming in to bend over Dark Horse's shoulder. "You have sound?"

Chen morphs into a sabre tooth tiger in mid run and goes at and hopefully through the wall. And roar, expecting the shock will freeze everyone long enough for Kid Tengu and passengers to arrive.

Dark Horse chuckles and says to Lennox. "No. Well, not from this distance. We won't pick out sound from the alleyway. We'll be lucky to get a good image."

Lennox mmms, frowning at the imagery Dark Horse has acquired.

This room is essentially a living room. A fat man is sitting in a comfortable armchair (indeed, he looks like he seldom leaves it), but is unconscious, with a dart in his neck. In one corner is what looks like a large (human-sizes?) cocoon. Three men in dark grey, visored armour are standing with their weapons trained on the door, and are completely taken aback by a sabretooth entering through the wall! They each have several guns of different descriptions; currently, each is holding a different type of gun.

Union follows Chen, diving through the hole in the wall, rolling, and striking out with one foot to kick the nearest guy.

The first guy goes flying across the room, dropping the dart gun he was holding.

Kid Tengu breaks into a run & shifts into Kid Tengu's normal, blacksuited & chitanous armored form. Its much more heroic than 'troublemaking teen fem' which has its uses- which almost never include intimidating gangsters.

Catching up to Chen, he takes the opportunity to stretch an arm out and grab the baddie with the dart gun to use as a shield against his allies.

KT's squeeze following up Union's massive strike is too much for the (former) dart-gun weilding menace.

KT rag dolls him about as he squeezes and then brings him close to use as a shield from the others - at leas tuntil he's certain his target really is unconscious.

Chen says, "Frightfully sorry old chaps. Tiger instincts are so strong. I'm afraid unless you drop those weapons I'm just going to have to give in to this beast's irresistable urge to rip your throats out and drink your blood. But it's entirely your ckoice. No pressure." This is said in David Banes' threatening role voice. "One. Two. What comes after two? Oh, never mind. It's clobbering time. Guys, gals, lets take at least one intact please. Alive or dead doesn't really matter for questioning. I know a mage who can make the dead talk. Although I suppose alive is a better choice. "

Seeing a sabre tooth tiger smile is a disconcerting sight.

The man grunts, but not much more.

The last man, finding one of his companions unconscious and the other held so he can't use his weapons, shouts, "Withdraw!" and hits a button on his forearm. All three bamf away!

Chen sighs, "I just hate it when that happens. How about you folks?"

Union nods, "Hard to question them when they do that."

Felix had been about to throw a steel string ball at that one perceptive armored man and puts it way with a sigh. He climbs through the hole and goes over to the fat man in the chair to check on him. "Well, good to know they can teleport each other. And, um, who or what is in that cocoon?"

Kid Tengu squeezes his hand as his shield vanishes from his grasp.

"I definitely dislike that." KT says with a frown.

"So who's Captain Fitness?" He asks, pointing over his shoulder at the darted man.

"What cocoo---oh. That cocoon. Weird."

Union indicates the fat mat, "If we can wake him up, we'll ask him."

Sounds downstairs indicate the arrival of some other people...

Chen turns back to Chen. "I think it's Microwave. No, that his name. Not his fav object. He's one of Lee's metas."

KT goes and begins to sniff about the cocoon to see what he can find of this weird anomoly.

Felix murmurs, "Someone should see who's coming as well," as he checks over the fat man in the chair. "I hope he's not fused to this thing. That's always gross in the vids."

Union picks up the fallen dart gun.

KT sniffs about. "Strange- it smells just like silk! I mean- that isn't weird by itself, considering what it is- but i smells liek there is a female hu-person inside." KT says aloud for the others. "So did she put herself in here or was she put inside?" He wonders aloud.

Chen says, "I think I know who's in there. Another of Lee's metas. Name of silkworm."

Felix says as he wipes off his hands after touching Microwave, not that he knows the guy's name, "Well, other than needing to lose about two people's worth of fat, he's OK. Out like a light, but not in any danger." He looks over at Chen. "Does this guy have a name?"

"Seems like a fitting name. 'Silkworm'. Not so sure is useful - but if it means she won't be trouble..." KT says with a shrug.

The door to the room bursts open, to reveal six angry metas...

Chen says, "They're alive and should be okay. I think we got here in time."

Pickup pauses as Chen says this. "What happened here?" he frowns. Better than attacking...

Felix looks over at the meta's who burst in, his gaze passing over them all, but lets Chen do the talking.

Union says, "Felix, if you're done checking on Microwave, maybe you could examine this gun for any helpful clues?"

Felix carefully moves over to Union and takes the dart gun from her with one hand while he gets a set of tools out of his bandolier with the other. "Arid, new toy..." he murmurs.

Gamma raises her hands, pointed at the heroes nearest Microwave and the cocoon. "Freeze!"

KT moves to stand defensively in front of Union & Felix while CHen does the talking. He bulks up a bit to show he means business.

Chen points to Felix, "You should thank him. He picked up a video transmission and determined it came from here. It showed three in battlesuit, one with a drat gun in gand. We rushed over here to protect anyone being threatened. Took two out but they teleported away.

"On a verbal command from the third one," Union adds.

Gamma seems appeased. "I received the transmission too. How are they?"

Chen steps back, "I'm not a paramedic. You need to ask someone else. Sorry."

Felix just continues to quietly and slowly examine the dart gun after Gamma's outburst. "Big guy is unconscoius. Not certain about, Silkworm, is it? Can we breech the cocoon without harming her?" He doesn't look up as he speaks.

Weakspot lurks in the background, watching the heroes.

Chen says, "I'm going to show you what the battlesuited guys looked like Please don't get trigger titchy." She morphs into a copy of the buttlesuit the attackers wore.

Gamma nods. "The ones I saw in the broadcast."

Kid Tengu remains still, his eyes watching the Chinatown Metas- his eyes occassionally drifting ot Weakspot & hanging there a bit longer than the others. His demeanor makes him think he's the most dangerous one of the bunch - especially if left to his own devices.

Bane speaks up. "Take them to Precision. Right away. Magnitude, you carry Microwave."

Union says, "We've recovered the gun Microwave was shot with, do any of you have forensic skills?"

Felix murmurs as he unscrews part of the dart gun. "Well manufactured, no obvious identifying marks or serial numbers. Well tooled but not mass produced I don;t think. Bit more penetrating power than regular dart gun. Hmn, more muzzle volvity or is the needle finer?..." He trails off as he examines the gun some more.

Gamma says, "No. No one here."

Union says, "Felix, we're going to have to move to another location. Can you pack that up?"

Felix shakes his head. "You'd think I would, Union, but, nope not something I've studied. I should work on that." He holds onto the gun for now, backwards with the muzzle pointed down. He then slips it into an empty bag he takes from out of nis backpack. "Like this, Union?"

"I've studied a bit of that- what are you looking for Union?" KT replies, keeping his eyes locked on the CT MEtas.

Union says, "Looks good."

Magnitude climbs out the window Chen entered through, grows to giant size, then sticks a hand back into the building to carry Microwave.

Union says, "Fingerprints - even partials - maybe even DNA."

Magnitude says, "Stand back - I'll take Silkworm in my other hand."

"Ah. Yes, well- that seems like a reasonable request." KT says as he steps to teh side so Magnitude can get to work.

He moves to begin checking for anything helpful now that it seems like the CT Metas aren't likely to shoot them in the back.

Felix murmurs, "Can one of you check to make certain Silkworn is OK before mving her?" he asks of the Chinese metas. Or let me if you can open her cocoon?"

Bane says to Felix, moving to get between Felix and the cocoon, "Opening the cocoon is not safe."

Felix nods. "Then by all means take her to someone who can." He then turns to watch KT.

Magnitude takes the cocoon too. There are annoyed honks as the giant disrupts Ming Street traffic while taking her comrades to get medical attention.

Union stands ready to accompany the Chinese metas, as requested.

KT executes his investigative methodology admirably. He may act like a goofball in front of others but its clear as he inspects things that his mind is adroit at combining diseparate peices of information easily.

He looks to the CT MEtas and says, "I bet he ws so busy monitoring radio traffic he didn't even hear them teleport in- though, I'd be surprised if many people could. Anyway. They shot him int he back ... here." He says, stepping into place and fiing a mock gun where Microwave was.

"That's why we got the emergency signal-" He looks to Felix and points. "It was all weird and wonky right? Fades out. That was the cocktail taking effect." He elaborates.

He steps towards where Silkworm's cocoon was and crouches. He begins sniffing about again.

"And here - I bet after they dropped your DJ, they tried to cut Silkworm out."

His fingers lengthen and extend, growing 10x thinner at the tip as he picks up individual silk fibers. "No guarntee on that, but..." He sniffs the silk. "Smells freshly cut to me."

Chen waits until KT is finished explaining. Then steps over to him. "You make a fellow shifter proud," she says, offering a hand.

KT smiles at Chen- well appears to anyway with that chitanous helmet on. "Thanks. Its hard following your act, so glad I could fill in the cracks." He says cheerfully as he takes Chen's hand and shakes it.

"What we need," says Gamma thoughtfully, "is a way to detect and to block their teleporting."

Chen nods, "So do I. I had one held in my tail and he just blipped away."

Union says, "I suspect it's controlled remotely, since the guy yelled "Withdraw!" right before they vanished. And because one of them was unconscious at the time."

"You know, Union- that is a really good point and it reminds me of something since I spent a little time around teleporters." KT says as he takes another lap around the room.

"And the thing about teleporting- once you can do it, is 'sticking the landing'. You know- targetting." He elaborates. "But look at this place. How could they get a safe targetting line to get in here- especially with Silkworm's napcubby & Tons-of-tunes in the room?" He asks rhetorically.

"So- what it sounds liek to me, is another point for 'Inside-Job'." He says firmly, turning his attentions back to the CT Metas.

Weakspot whispers something to Gamma, who frowns.

Union says, "Or someone who can see through walls..."

"Oooh. Now there is a fun ability." KT says, suddenly distracted- though not for any reason a human teen might be.

<> says Gamma sternly to her companions. Bane smiles disturbingly.

Weakspot says to the heroes, "Some of you have enhanced sense of smell? Tell me - can you smell any other humans who have been here lately? Anywhere in the room?"

Chen morphs to bloodhound and sniffs.

KT doesn't speak whatever that is but the tone and Bane's smile make him want to move in front of his squishier allies. He tries to be slick about it but now he expects to be attacked- so he is very clearly surprised when Weakspot asks for more assistance.

He cocks his head as if he doesn't quite trust it.

Chen sits, looking a puzzled bloodhound. Then gets nose to source and sniffs again. "This is ... weird. The areoma is very faint because, from what I can smell, there was somthing here. A living eye. No body. Just an eye."

The Chinatown metas look at each other. <> <&lt;I've never trusted him!>>

Union can only look puzzled, as she speaks no Chinese.

Gamma says, "Excuse us. We have some... urgent business to attend to. Thank you for your help."

Chen looks mournfully at Lee's metas. How else does a bllodhound look. "Inside job?"

Bane smiles cruelly again. "Even if not, it will be fun finding out."

Union says, "Does that mean you no longer wish us to accompany you? To meet this...Precision?"

Gamma pauses. "Pickup - you accompany them to meet Precision. Then send Magnitude on to join us."

Chen says, "We have two more to pick up before we go anywhere." She refers to Dark Horse and Lennox.

Pickup nods. "That is not a problem."