Log:To Catch a Bullet

2014/10/04 Bullet Enforcer Raven Joseph Quiet 1

Artists' Quarter

This district is bisected by Pennyroyal Lane, which runs southwest to northeast, winding down from Colonial Heights then continuing on the level to Golden Sands. And "artistic" flare permeates the whole district, but its nature varies greatly, from the truly (or pretentiously) artistic in the housing, cafes and galleries east and south of the road, through the showy, even garish, commercialism around Pennyroyal Lane, to the more suspect pleasures of the red light district in the north and east.

See, Bullet isn't really much of an investigator. She relies on being lots of places quickly to find info she needs. Better lucky than good? Well, not quite to that extent but.. she has started spending a bit less time hanging out with crowds of bystanders in case Gothette shows up again. She also spends more time with her speed mode on, to try to give her more time to react should the silent chick show up again.

Today, she's whipping through the city, a gold and white blur as she whooshes about and eventually comes to a stop on a streetcorner in the Artist's Quarter...

Hunter, however, is more of the investigator type. He's at home at his industrial-turned-residential artist loft in the Artist Quarter, sitting in his rolly computer chair in front of his computer. His homework and history book sit untouched on the side of the desk as he finishes browsing through MercNet (the mercenary version of Hero Net). And after asking a few of his contacts previously, the conclusion is pretty much as he figured. He sighs and leans back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head and pondering what to do next. How does one track down a speedster? Well, not by sitting around here. He lifts a foot to the edge of the desk and pushes off, sending his chair rolling backwards to his closet as the seat slowly rotates to face towards it.

A short while later, Enforcer is swinging from a grapple line and lands on a rooftop edge with a nice view of the street below.

Raven is following up another tip from the Coven. Supposedly there's a vampire in the district. As it turns up the tip is correct. But the result is different than expected. The vampire is known about by Spirit who vouches for her. So she's making her way back homewards at a disillusioned pace, flying through the sky in a highly visible fashion.

Well, overhead obvious fliers. Bullet spies that and vanishes, only to appear on a rooftop up ahead of Raven. See, she didn't get a -good- look at the flier in the distance but.. she didn't think the other woman -flew-. So it is that she ends up on that rooftop, staring and trying to make out details in the distance. God, if she could only fly!

Raven spots the sudden arrival of Bullet on a rooftop. Unable to make out who it is at the correct range she descends towards the figure, recognising Bullet when she's closer and giving a waves as she continues to descend and then lands on the roof. "Hello. It's Bullet, isn't it? Sorry, I'm dreadful with names."

From his rooftop vantage point, it's not hard to miss a gathering of heroes. And particularly the one he was hoping to find. No need to hide now, Enforcer steps forward, disappears in a cloud of smoke, and silently reappears in a dark cloud of smoke several respectful meters away from Bullet and Raven off to their side when they're not looking that way.

His gear today is a bit different to Raven (but a lot different to Bullet). Beneath the hood, the face is completely concealed by a matte black hardshell sealed mask with a black visor panel over the eyes. His voice sounds distorted through the mask, as small built-in speakers transmit what is said. The high tech gas mask covers his eyes, nose, mouth, and jaw, and stops above the brow line. "Just the person I was looking for," his head turns towards Bullet, his hands held up partially with palms forward to show he's not holding a weapon.

Seeing the approaching heroes in almost slow motion, Bullet raises a brow. She inclines her head and studies Raven for a moment, "Well, you speak, so that's a plus." she remarks as she lifts a hand and waves to Raven. "Yeah, Bullet's the name but..." she turns to face Enforcer, arms folding over her torso as she asks, "Does your nose ever itch in that thing?" she asks, a brow lifting on her forehead. "And you talk too, you workin' for someone or... am I just suddenly even more popular than ever?"

Enforcer smirks behind the mask. "I'll let you know," he folds his arms over his chest. "And you're popular enough that you got someone's attention. Just not sure whose."

Raven grins at Bullet's comments. First though she looks over at Enforcer. "What is that thing?" she asks pointing at the gasmask. Then she answers Bullet, "Pure random circumstance. I was heading home and spotted someone on a roof. Came down to see who it was."

"Gotcha." says bullet towards Raven. But then she's beside Enforcer and studying him. "What's it to you?" she asks. See, last time she saw Enforcer, it was in a hoodie and light mask. Not some costume and all geared up. She's not really sure -who- he is. Raven, she's maybe seen or heard a wee bit about. "You know this guy?" she asks towards Raven with a thumb jerked towards Enforcer.

"A precaution," Enforcer comments, his head turning to scan the area for any extra heat signatures as an additional precaution. When his gaze returns to Bullet, he lets out one laughing breath and offers an amused, "That any way to talk to someone who tried to help you?" That said, he unholsters his staff, clicks it so it auto-extends, then sets one end on the ground. The mask conceals the cheeky grin he's wearing as he stares at Bullet. He raises a single finger to the face vents in front and adds, "Shhhh." Dropping the finger, he glances about again. "It seems someone put a hit out on you, and this place is too exposed," he warns.

The day is a popular day for rooftops, but not all travellers congregate in such places. Most must use the walks and streets, while still others can travel wherever they wish yet may be unsuitable for rooftops. One likely example of the latter appears over the skyline to the southeast, rapidly gaining altitude and nearer before the altitude begins to decline in a ballistic trajectory as it continues to approach.

Upon landing in the Quarter, and utterly demolishing a very fashion-forward ultra-compact vehicle by further compaction, the projectile is revealed to be a rather bulky powered suit, robotic, or cybernetic individual. An individual who laughs deep and bellicose over amplified speaker. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Upon the right arm, and nearly dwarfing the limb, itself, is a massive, multi-barrelled weapon that begins to whine with increasing pitch as motors spin up the rotating array.

Raven says, "To be hinest I can't say I knoe him all that well. I've met him a few times and learned a degree of admiration for his abilities. But he's not what you might call the forthcoming type." She glances across, "Sorry, Enforcer. Calling it as I see it.""

"Do I look mad?" Enforcer says casually. Which he clearly doesn't, because his face is entirely concealed. 50/50 chances he does.

Enforcer's head pans down to the street below. "Well, then," he says in a clipped tone.

"Huh. And so.. you know him a bit and I've never.." *CRASH!* "Okay, someone just doesn't get it." she remarks as she blurs once more, skidding to a stop before the armored suit. "Guns? Seriously, just... a minigun? Is that all you brought?" she asks with a derissive snort. "At least -you- can speak."

Enforcer changes his focus. Rather than stare at the man below, he looks in the other direction to watch everyone's backs, his staff coming up with a quick spin before landing in a two-handed defensive grip. "He wasn't on the roster from what I saw. Which means...he's the backup."

Raven moves to the edge of the roof to look down at the Power Suited guy. "You seem to have an idea what's happening here, Enforcer. Care to share it with me?"

The large suit, which likely contains a large man if the tone of voice is any indication, emits a renewed laugh as the broad head dips to regard Bullet. "You must be the little flower, waiting to be plucked! You have a tongue of thorns, Little Flower..."

"Flower? Flower?!" asks Bullet. She shakes her head. "I'm no flower. You're just an idiot with overcompensation size issues if your appearance has anything to do with it." she remarks. "Now, you want to hand over your insurance card for the damage you just caused to that vehicle? Or are you really going to make me get my can opener and go after it myself?"

"Contract on Bullet; probably a hit or capture. She was already attacked once by a different mercenary named Quiet. This must be one of Quiet's friends, or a rival contractor," Enforcer explains with brevity, consideration the situation.

Raven nods to Enforcer, "Thanks. You're watching her back then? I'll help out with the guy in front if trouble starts."

Enforcer isn't going to do much good up here, so he disappears in a cloud of smoke...and stays hidden as he takes the fast route to the ground below somewhere a few meters behind the armored suit guy. But he stays on guard, given what happened with Quiet.

Raven looks at the spot Enforcer was. .oO(Okay, I'll watch her back and you go run away. Strange, I never expected that from you.) she thinks, unable to see Enforcer.

"Yes, Little Flower," the large one replies, still with a laugh, "and your soft petals do not frighten me." If she is his target, he has yet to take any violent action against her, nor does he appear aware of Enforcer's arrival.

It is then proven that Enforcer's instincts were correct as another armored figure ripples into view upon the rooftop recently vacated by all by Raven. This makes the smaller, feminine, and more familiar to some figure's choice of target rather simple. It is the firing of a ball that resembles wound wire at Raven that drops her cloak.

The weapon discharge is audible, and while the shooter may not be in immediate line of sight, Bullet can also observe Raven as she is surrounded in an uncoiling wire net that immediately re-closes. A net with which Bullet is somewhat familiar.

Raven is caught in the wire entangle. Caught by surprise.

"Oh, I get it. She needed backup. She realized she'd bitten off more than she could chew, so you're the muscle with a rock in place of a brain she brought with her to fail yet again." That said, she shakes her head and blurs once more, appearing beside Raven. "Isn't this the wrong target Gothiot?" she asks, changing the nickname yet again.

It may be little surprise that the 'Gothette' does not reply to Bullet's quip. Instead, she simply turns her weapon at Bullet and fires a similar projectile in her direction.

It's one of those... here it comes... here it comes, just before it hits, Bullet vanishes, says from right beside Raven, "Get you out in a sec or two.." and then she's back where she stood, just after the projectile flashes past there.

Enforcer bides his time while hidden. He's pretty sure Raven can get out on her own from what he's seen of her abilities. So he stays concealed to find a good time to strike.

Raven calls over to Bullet, "There's no rush." She seems to mean it too.

The large armored arm lifts the large column of barrels to point at the rooftop in Bullet's vicinity.

A deafening roar follows as rounds are sent over to and across the rooftop. Perhaps surprisingly, none of those present in the area of spray are actually struck. However, the stream of fire is continuous, chewing up the surface and generally filling the air with a large volume of flying projectiles of all sorts, making the terrain dangerous to say the least.

Raven is trapped in the wire net entangle. She can't move. But that's no great handicap for her. The gestures and incantations she usually employs are just for show. And she commands her summoned spirits with her mind not by physical means. So she ignores the wire net for now, and summons up a horde of spirits to drain the vitality from the poowersuited gunman.

The angle, commanding her spirits form on high, confuses Raven enough she cannot immediately direct them to the intended target.

Enforcer chooses now to attack. With Raven and Bullet by Quiet, it looks like it's up to him to keep the armored guy busy so he doesn't make their lives more difficult. He sprints forward from his hiding place, breaking from his stealthy cover behind the armored suit. He still tries to move quietly, staff in one hand and his other reaching for a flash pellet on his belt. He leaps up onto the trunk of a car, then on its roof, then leaps in a high twisting somersault over the big guy's head as his hand flings out and his staff jams down.

A flash pellet strikes the armored man in the faceplate and burns brightly as Enforcer lands three meters in front of him silently. This would be a perfect time for a quip, but he doesn't want to give away his position if he can help it.

With bullets smacking the place all around, Bullet watches one or two in their slowed down trajectories and shakes her head. "Seriously. You people must be truly stupid." And she's gone. She appears beside the heavily armored guy. "You missed." she remarks.

With bullets smacking the place all around, Bullet watches one or two in their slowed down trajectories and shakes her head. "Seriously. You people must be truly stupid." And she's gone. She appears beside the heavily armored guy. "You missed." she remarks. . o o O O (Oh, he's blind.) she remarks as she shrugs and grins, "I'm over here!" she yells, trying to draw the guy's attention via his ears.

Quiet/Gothette, vanishes from the rooftop and re-appears on the walk outside the building. She once more raises her weapon for Bullet, who she appears to hold the most interest in.

Now that Enforcer is visible and most targets have left the rooftop, the multiple barrels are turned in his direction and his vicinity is sprayed with a rain of tungsten-carbide slugs.

The mini-cannon peppers the pavement and destroys a broad swath of asphalt upon which Enforcer was formerly located.

See? Being short has its advantages, as Enforcer quickly proves. As the barrels start to light up, Enforcer runs straight at the barrel before executing a home plate slide right between the armored merc's legs. He leaps up to his feet right behind him.

See? Being short has its advantages, as Enforcer quickly proves. As the barrels start to light up, Enforcer runs straight at the barrel before executing a home plate slide right between the armored merc's legs, ending up on the ground right behind him.

Raven now has both in her vision. She tries again to direct her summoned spirits splitting them between the two opponents.

The large one... laughs as the spirits pass through the armor. "Ha ha. They tickle!" The other... makes no comment.

"Okay lady. You want it. You got it." remarks Bullet. She narrows her eyes and surges into a blur of motion, whipping past Quiet and ducking around a corner, and then another. Oh right, and lashing out as she blows past Quiet.

Quite brings a forearm up to counter Bullet's passing blow, a repulsive effect from the gravitics in the armor immediately exerting a strong counterforce. Fortunatly for Bullet, her sheer momentum is enough to just overcome the effect.

The repulsion effect does have an affect on Bullet. She stumbles briefly and does a perfectly executed roll to get back on her feet and continue her movement. . o o O O (Okay, time to work smarter, not harder) she thinks.

Enforcer gets up to his feet from behind the male opponent, drawing his staff back as he studies the back of his cybernetic looking armor. The spine is well plated probably, but there's usually gaps for flexibility along the lower and mid back, possibly around the kidneys. If he strikes hard enough, maybe he can make a dent. He draws his staff up and tries a focused thrust strike.

CLANK! The back is struck, though Enforcer may have well struck a tank or bank vault for all the visible impact. The armor does not so much as move. In fact the force may be more felt by Enforcer or his staff.

Enforcer stumbles back as he doesn't manage to even budge the armored man, but he stays on his feet. Striking an immobile target with that amount of force hurts his joints. He even lets go of the staff with one hand and shakes his wrist, visibly pained.

Raven summons more spirits to join in the attacks on the big guy and -Quiet-.

Having felt the impact she suffered upon striking Quiet, Bullet continues her motion out into the street where she bends and scoops up a manhole cover. . o o O O (CB Sewer Division is gonna hate me after today) she thinks as she reverses course and charges around the building, trying to do basically the same as before, but this time... hitting Quiet with the manhole cover and letting go as it impacts... conveniently swiping it between the assassin woman and the armored guy. Her hope is that if the cover is flung by the damage, it may strike the big guy too. But she continues on past as she says, "Meep Meep!" and ducks around one corner this time, not two.

Quiet is not faster than a speeding Bullet, as that would be copyright infringement. There is a much more satisfying CLANG this time and she is hurtled backwards. A graceful backflip allows her to land upon her feet, though she certainly felt that.

The big one was laughing, but now the "Ha"s have become "Ow"s. Raven has made her point, even from the confines of he net. He lifts the barrels to take a rather cheap shot at the bound girl to return the favor.

Raven calls down as the gun lifts to target her. "I'm tough. I can take this. Don't worry about me."

Raven is hurled 14m back across and up from the blast. The good news is the net is torn to fragments. The better news is she's still conscious and alert.

Quiet is not pleased by the difficulties with Bullet. Obviously, it is difficult to detain or more when one cannot strike the target. Moreso when she is not in immediate sight. Her rifle-like weapon reconfigures itself into a similarly large bore yet different appearance.

Enforcer sizes up the big guy and realizes there's really not much he can do to him without hurting himself. But he faced Quiet a little before. He may just stand a chance against her. He vanishes in a puff of smoke, and reappears in another cloud behind her, noiselessly. His fist winds up and he prepares to unleash a quick strike.

Quiet whirls when Enforcer appears behind her and fires the large-bore weapon at point-blank range.

Enforcer's hand comes down, Quiet's barrel comes up. Only it comes up faster and BLAM! Enforcer gets blown back by the blast and lands on his back, almost winded for a second. It hurts. A lot. But he needs to keep moving.

Enforcer groans slightly, then curls his legs inward as he plants his hands up by his head and kippsup. "Not my day," he mutters, clutching his side.

When she hears the giant blunderbus go off, Bullet narrows her eyes and skids to a reverse course once more. Dust is kicked up, and she comes around the corner, sizing things up at high speed. She skids to a stop before Quiet and shakes her head, "Super Genius you are not." she remarks as she lashes out with a hand... grabbing at the rifle. "Now give me that before you put someone's eye out with it Elmer."

When she gets her hand on the rifle, and then it isn't released, Bullet raises a brow and says, "Oh, we've been working out eh?"

Quiet does not wish to relinquish the rifle, and her own muscles, the augmentation of the suit, and localized gravitic assistance work to keep it in her grasp.

Raven casts a hurried flight spell, keeping it at minimal strength. Just enough to stablize her and keep her in the air as she maintains her assult on the big guy.

The swirling spirits are not the only flying things that the large one may now be seeing. The armor takes a heavy, stumbling step that crushes a section of curb while one large arm waves at the spirits. "Ay! Ze birdies! Sorry, myshka. Your distraction is over." He stabilizes his stance, lowers, and then launches himself upward in a powerful leap towards the bay.

Shrugging, Bullet remarks, "You want your shotgun so badly, keep it Mister Fuddy Duddy." That said, Bullet blurs once more, dashing to grab that manhole cover and bringing it back much the same way as she did earlier. "Guten Tag!" she yells as she goes for the strike, continuing to move back around that corner again. Damnable speedsters!

Quiet is once more smacked with the manhole cover and once more reels, though this time she is not moved any significant distance. Perhaps the counter to silence is large, heavy metal discs?

Though Bullet is likely out of sight, Quiet offers a parting hand gesture towards her last known. It is not a wave, but another, rather universally-known form of sign language. She then vanishes, re-appearing on the roof, but only for an eye-blink before she disappears from sight once more.

And when Bullet swings back around, picks up the almost destroyed manhole cover, and then looks skyward... she inclines her head, "Aw... didums go boom, fall down?" she calls quite loud into the sky.

Raven strengthens her flight spell so she can swoop down to where Bullet and Enforcer are. "If anyone hurt? Enforcer, you took a serious shot from the woman."

Enforcer brushes off his chestplate armor. "I'm fine," he says stoically. "Armor kept the worst of it out." He looks over to Bullet. "So who did you piss off?"

"To be honest? The way I talk? Likely half of Pennsylvania." says bullet. "But I have no idea what this is all about." But then she pauses and studies Enforcer, "Oh... you're Hoodie. This is a better look, definitely."

"Sounds about right," he says as he retracts his staff with a click and holsters it. "But most people won't waste that kind of scratch just to hire mercs of that calibur over a few insults."

"Sure, but... I have no idea what I may or may not have done to upset person or persons of the sort who could hire them. But... all I can hope is that I prove so frustrating that they give up the job." suggests Bullet as she stands by a -wrecked- car, holding a manhole cover that looks like it's almost bent at about a thirty degree angle."A bounty's still a bounty. If not them, someone else will try to come and collect," Enforcer's voice transmits through the speakers of his gas mask.

"Well, if I make it expensive enough, maybe I can bankrupt the person behind this eh?" asks Bullet with a smirk. "I mean, they didn't even lay a hand on me this time."

Joseph emerges from a nearby store (Lucky Finds) after the battle is over. He is dressed more casually than normal and is carrying a cloth shopping bag. The man looks around at the damage from the fight as he slowly shakes his head.

Enforcer just stares at Bullet. "They don't deliver, they don't get paid. Contract remains open for the next merc or bounty hunter."

"They all work that way? I've heard of the sorts who do like... part upfront and part afterwards." Bullet shrugs, "Either way, word gets out that nobody can do the job... others may not step up right?" Yep, she's not the most... streetwise person.

"Riiiight. Just put in a deposit up front with a mercenary and hope they just don't disappear with half without doing the job. Because they're such honest folk, trying to earn an honest wage," Enforcer replies dryly. "And there'll always be someone cocky enough to step up or trying to make a name for themselves. Undercut the rest."

"And... when word gets around how they treat their clients, how many more will they get?" asks Bullet.

"The mercenaries aren't the clients," Enforcer says as he tries to remain patient. He folds his arms over his chest and his right fingers drum along his left bicep. "If you want to believe they'll stop trying, fine. I won't try and convince you otherwise."

"I know that. I meant... the mercs... -their- clients." Bullet stops and takes a breath, her speed aura fading, "Look, street legwork isn't my forte', that much is obvious. So suppose you tell -me- how the great Hoodie thinks I should proceed?" she asks, grinning winningly.

Enforcer isn't won over by grins. His voice remains monotone, but patient as his fingers stop their drumming. "I've been telling you. Find the person who issued the contract. No client, no valid contract. And since I don't know whose hit lists you've gotten yourself on, and you can't tell me, I suggest you take a look at your career and think a little more carefully about who would want to capture or kill you."

Shaking her head, Bullet wonders aloud, "I have no idea. I've just... the usual here and there things. I've never been in on a lot of the big scale, large visibility hero things the others in town seem drawn to. I'm just.. fast y'know?"

Joseph wanders closer to the heroes as he says in his soft Colonial bay drawl, "Excuse me, but are either of you injured? If so, I can call an ambulance." He seems concerned but not overly so.

Inclining her head, Bullet looks down at her costume which is pretty much intact. Of course she has a nice biker jacket over it. "I'm fine. Hoodie here took a pretty solid hit but.. apparently he has armor on so should be fine, right Hoodie?" she asks, looking towards Enforcer.

Enforcer turns his hooded head to Joseph, blinking behind the mask's black tinted lenses as he recognized his teacher. He inclines his head once. "I'm fine," his grim voice transmits from the mask. Looking back to Bullet, and a sigh transmits. "I'll just have to dig deeper and try some shots in the dark, then. It'll be hard with no possible leads or starting point."

Joseph nods politely to the two heroes. IN a sincere tone."I'm relieved. Well, keep up the good work, sir, ma'am. Colonial Bay is lucky to have heroes like yourselves around." The gentleman then walks up the street towards Old Town humming a catchy tune.

Snorting, Bullet shakes her head, "Honestly, I'm thinking that I'm drawing these freaks here and this town might be safer if I was out in the middle of nowhere, living in a shack where I could see hunters coming a mile away."

"Well. Retirement may be an option." Enforcer doesn't sound like he thinks it's necessarily a -good- option. But it is one.

"More like... maybe I should do the bait thing. Make myself overly visible and draw them out so that we can put them down and maybe capture and question one of them. Only way I can think of to find out who hired them." says Bullet.

Enforcer listens and responds while remaining neutral, "So go it alone?"

"Not -quite- what I had in mind. I was thinking maybe find some friends to lie in wait and help ambush the ambushers." offers Bullet.

Enforcer glances at the damaged sidewalk they're standing on. With his gaze locked there, he comments, "Find your friends. I'll try to dig a little deeper on the contract details if I can." That said, he vanishes in a cloud of smoke. It's getting late and he still has homework he's been ignoring. Ms. Harim is going to kill him if he doesn't finish that essay.