Log:Day of the Shrinker

2008/02/18 	 Ellbeth Fist Variable 1

It's mid-afternoon at Hero Lane. Instead of the usual tourist traffic, the scene is crawling with police officers and roped off with yellow police tape. Immediately, it's obvious what's draws the authorities. There's a giant hole in the ground where the hero museum used to be.

Variable glides in from above, circling to get a view of the hole as she does so.

Fist arrives, told by a police officer about the unusual circumstances and making her way to the hole via rooftops mainly. Once she's in sight of the place she walks from the perimeter, waving awkwardly to the police.

From the air, it looks as if the building was simply removed, foundation and all. There's a roughly square shaped hole in the dirt, where the building used to sit.

Variable glides down to the ground, hoping that the police will be able to tell her more.

Variable thinks. o O (Who would do something like this?)

Alerted by Max's monitoring of the police radio calls Ellbeth hurries to the scene of the incident. Once there she gives some thought to departing again. Anyone who can walk off with an entire building should be treated with caution.

Fist moves her hand over where the building was, checking for the simpler answer of invisibility with the lack of apparent destruction.

Ellbeth seeks out the police officer in charge.

There's a police detective in a dark blue suit who seems to be in charge of things here at the scene. He waves to catch the heroes attention and walks over. He spreads open his coat as he puts his hands on his hips. "Helluva thing to do, huh?"

Variable says, "How did this happen? Did anyone see?"

Ellbeth says, "It is spectacular to say the least."

Fist nods slightly, obviously puzzled She nears Ellbeth, standing at her side.

"Lieutenant Martelli, Metacrimes." The detective says. "Thanks for coming so quickly. It must've happened in the middle of the night. We're still canvassing for eye-witnesses."

Fist picks up a small rock, dropping it down into the hole and listening.

Ellbeth looks around for any close circuit cameras that would cover the area of the missing building.

Variable says, "No noises or anything?"

The rock falls to the ground at the bottom of the hole as one might expect.

Ellbeth starts linking into the camera circuits and where the recording time is long enough plays back the removal of the building on her laptop.

Variable looks about and says, "When did people notice it was missing? First MagLev train this morning?"

Martelli says, "Not much by way of noises. A family on the farm over there says they saw a bright light in the middle of the night." He looks over to Ellbeth and follows her glance. "I'm still waiting on the lab tech to get me that camera feed..."

Fist leaves the questions to the other two, looking herself for some kind of traces of anything at the edge of the hole.

Variable nods and takes off again, fying into the hole for a better look but trying not to touch anything.

Martelli answers his PDA and says to the heroes: "Excuse me a moment." He takes a few steps away and begins to talk on the phone. "Yes, sir?"

Ellbeth laughs and shows the other heroes and Detective Martelli the recording she obtained from the camera. "Fortunately we are not looking for someone capable of walking off with the building on her shoulder.

Recorded Image: It looks like three men pull up in a van: two with masks, one with a costume. They back the van up to the front of the building. They open the doors in the back of the van revealing a giant mounted ray gun. They use the ray gun to blast the Hall of Heroes. Over the span of a minute, they zap it an reduce it to the size of a doll house, load it into the van, and drive off.

Fist looks almost adoringly at the result, seeming charmed by the effect. She wishes more criminals were like this. The world would be a much happier place.

Variable flies back to look at the images.

Martelli is a bit too distracted by the phone call to fully watch the video. "Yes, sir." "Got it." The conversation seems rather one sided, for a bit.

Ellbeth asks Max to check public sources for a match on the costumed villain.

Ellbeth hums tunelessly as Max presents the closest match he can find. "Mmm... The Shrinker. The MO matches but he was active around the turn of the millenium. Getting a little long in the tooth I would have thought." she muses out aloud.

Variable says, "He using a ray gun, so maybe it's someone else using the same technology?"

"The Shrinker?" Martelli asks, hanging up the phone. "The Mayor's Office just got an anonymous phone call with a ransom demand. $100 million for the safe return of the Hall of Heroes."

Ellbeth nods towards Variable, "More likely someone using his technology as our young friend here has suggested. The Shrinker would be a bit old by now I'd have thought. It's a starting point though."

Ellbeth asks Max to check on The Shrinker. When was he last active. Did he ever take on a protege, is it known where he is now, etc.

Variable says, "And we could try to trace the truck...."

"This is a real fine mess," Martelli says, sighing. He walks over to where the van was parked during the video footage. He calls over technician. "See if you can get me a match on these tire prints." Looking over his shoulder, he asks Ellbeth, "Let me get a copy of that video?"

Variable goes to where the men have walked as shown by the video and, shifting to a form which looks half-dog and is certainly quadupedal (albeit with functional hands) sniffs at the ground.

Ellbeth nods to the detective. "I can email you a copy to your PDA... In fact it's done."

Variable shakes her head and sighs. "It smells a lot like something electrical, but I can't smell much else."

Fist watches Ellbeth work with Max, unable to progress further with her own abilities.

Ellbeth says, "It seems The Shrinker ceased activity on his own. He also had a partner named Atlas. I'll ask Max if the whereabout of either are currently known. We can also try tracing the van through the city's traffic camera system."

Martelli gets pulled away by a technician, and they discuss the evidence gathered from here.

Ellbeth says, "Ah... This is helpful. It seems Atlas is living locally, in a senior community. A visit might be worth making."

Variable says, "What about the Shrinker himself?"

Ellbeth says, "Max hasn't found anything on him."

Variable says, "Oh.. Yeah, I guess it makes sense to talk to Atlas then."

Ellbeth converses with Max for a minute. "The van was reported stolen earlier today. There's no record of it passing traffic cameras other than here, which tells us something interesting in itself. That means the van didn't travel into the main areas of the city. So it went to one of the outer areas."

Variable thinks. "There's lots of roads through the woods here. And there's Route 9, of course. Maybe it went away from the city?"

Variable says, "Or - maybe they're even hiding nearby!"

Ellbeth says, "That's possible, and if Dancing Coyote here he could probably track it. I don't have any such skill. There seems little chance of following the van."

Fist looks to where the van drove off toward.

From the cameras at Hero Lane, the van looked to have come from Green Acres.

(And departed in that direction as well.)

Variable nods. "I'm not good at it either. I mean, I can smell as well as a dog maybe, but I don't have much practice with following things by smell."

Fist begins moving in the direction of Green Acres, having an idea of what the van looks like.

Ellbeth says, "I think I shall go and talk to Atlas. Would the two of you care to come along. Xing-Liu, we can drive via the route the van departed if you wish. It's possible they are careless enough to park the van somewhere in sight."

Variable nods, transforming back into human shape the better to fit in the car.

Fist pauses, turning toward Ellbeth with a mental prod.

Ellbeth nods to Fist, "Yes, you are welcome to come in."

Ellbeth smiles and nods to Fist. Then she gets Harry to fasten a spare blanket over the roof to protect the paintwork.

Variable sharpens her sense as best she can on the off chance they go by the van.

Fist rushes off, continuing on her previous course, waving. She takes to roofs rather than streets, to cover more visual area, and she remains in mental contact with Ellbeth for updates.

Ellbeth laughs, "Please get in, Variable. Harry, follow the roof hopper."

"Yes, Madame." Harry says.

Variable gets in quickly.

Harry begins to take the vintage automobile along the roads of Green Acres. For Fist, the trip involves more trees that roofs as she houses become further and further apart.

Ellbeth opens the rear compartment coolbox and gets out a pair of glasses and chilled fruit juice. "Would you like some apple juice, Variable?" she asks.

[To Ellbeth] Variable says, "Oh, thank you!"

Ellbeth says, "Harry, when we get the to end of this street stop please."

Variable looks all about, staying as alert as she can.

Fist fires off a quick mental word to Ellbeth, then heads toward a specific barn, staying out of general view of people and using obstacles for cover as she moves to find a window.

Variable says, "You've spotted something?"

Ellbeth waits until Harry has stopped the car before trying to scry into the barn. If she tries at this speed her perception point will be hurling along in pace with the vehicle.

Ellbeth says, "Possibly. There'd not usually any need for high voltage power lines of that capacity going to a barn. I want to take a look inside it."

Harry pulls over once he's a little past the place.

Variable looks carefully at the indicated barn.

Ellbeth begins scrying, starting the clairsentience just outside the barn and moving it inside in a search.

The home in question is a fenced in yard with a small home and a barn. In front of the barn, a couple of guard dogs roam the yard. One of the dogs stops wandering and stands, panting and alertly looking at Fist.

Variable says, "If you tell me what you see I might know what to turn into!"

Ellbeth nods absently while concentrating on the spell.

Fist sends the impression of friendship to the canine, desiring only to see and not to harm. She comes into full view of that dog.

One of the guard dogs continues to watch Fist approaching, staring, with it's tongue hanging out of its mouth.

Fist retains contact with the first dog to spot her, and focuses on the other to join it. Meanwhile she nears the first, pulling her gloves from her hands and kneels at the fence edge.

Variable watches Fist handling the dog without moving from the car: she seems to be doing a good job.

The other guard dog looks up at Fist. Both of the dogs trot over and behind to sniff at Fist's hand.

Ellbeth nods to herself, "That's it. The Hall of Heroes is on a table inside the barn. So are two rather strong looking men and someone wearing the Shrinker's costume." she tells Variable.

Variable nods. "Do they just look strong? Any sign of any weapons or anything?"

Fist sends distinct impressions of friendship, letting the dogs know her.

The dogs seem rather pleased to meet Fist, sniffing eagerly at her hand.

Variable says, "And do you think they have superpowers?"

Skysabre descends from the MagLev station.

Ellbeth says, "I would guess not in the case of the two muscular men given they are not wearing colorful costumes, but appearences can be deceptive."

Ellbeth says, "They do have guns."

Ellbeth chuckles and gets a plate from the cool box. A quick spell and the plate is loaded down with fresh juicy steak. "Can you take this to Xing-Liu. Approach carefully, she's talking to the guard dogs."

Variable nods, and shifts to a slightly different shape: still basically human but somewhat bonier beneath her costume.

Variable leaves the car and approaches Xing-Liu cautiously with the steak.

Ellbeth starts walking towards Fist but hanging back to let Fist and Variable get the dogs feeding before she gets too close.

Fist offers the impression that those with her are also friends. One is even bringing food.

The dogs stand alertly at the sound of Variable approaching, but seem to relax when they see what she's carrying. o O ( Meat! Meat! ) The dogs run up along the inside of the fence until they're by Variable, one of them giving a delighted woof.

Ellbeth thinks. o O (Oops.)

The dogs vie for Variables attention, standing up on their hind legs, and panting. o O ( Feed me! ) O o. o O ( No, feed me! )

Variable improvises. She tosses the meat to the dogs, about halfway between them, making sure it's close enough they'll be within her reach to get it.

Variable then tries to to touch each dog in turn as their attention (hopefully) is on the meat.

Variable thinks. o O (I'm sorry - I'm sure Fist had a better plan....)

The dogs go for the meat. Their distracted when Variable zaps the first one.

Variable quickly tries to touch the second dog.

Variable's anaesthetic touch knocks the dogs out while they're still going for the meat. "Sorry," she says quietly. "I don't think that hurt, but sorry if it did."

Fist looks surprised, but not distressed when the dogs are put to sleep. She hops over the fence, creeping toward the barn.

Ellbeth approaches now the dogs are quietened.

Variable makes sure the dogs are (a) ok but (b) not about to wake up, and then creeps toward the barn herself. Thoough keeping her distance from Fist, who is much better at creeping.

Fist reaches the side of the barn. All is relatively quiet inside the barn. Sounds like someone's watching the ballgame.

Fist looks for a window first, scaling up the side of the wall, finding handholds in seemingly impossible places. She uses the roof to better scout the barn's perimeter.

Variable sneaks closer.

There are windows high up on the barn's two-story structure. Inside, the barn is much as Ellbeth had described.

Fist tests a window, seeing if she can use it to gain entry in silence.

Variable heads for the barn doors.

The people inside seem to have no idea that they are being watched. Two men watch a television while Shrinker works on something at a workbench.

Ellbeth tries to move quietly up to a side wall of the barn.

Once Fist has a certain entry point, she hops down again to Ellbeth, and offers her a lift.

Ellbeth smiles but shakes her head. She point to herself and the side of the barn, and then to Fist and up at the roof.

Variable shifts into a long thin snakes and slithers through the gaps about the barn door.

Ellbeth thinks. o O (You can hear me?)

In slipping through the doorway, Variable accidentally knocks a rake to the floor. This gets everyone's attention. The men watching the game grab their guns and Shrinker stand up from his workbench.

Ellbeth thinks. o O (You can enter from the roof. Get the gadget away from the Shrinker and watch out for the guns. I'll enter through the wall here. Uh, did you see where Variable went? I've lost track of her.)

Variable slithers toward Shrinker as the presumed greatest threat.

The Shrinker picks up the device form the workbench and clicks it into his gauntlet. Another click and he shuts a small access panel over the device.

Stinger looks over. "What is that? Some kind of snake?" He reaches for his belt and pulls something out of a pouch he throws it at Variable and as the object nears her, it expands - or unshrinks rather. It's a giant weighted net.

Fist heads upward at Ellbeth's suggestion, sneaking in through the window and working as suggested to remove from the bad guys their toys.

Fist dives down from the window to the device, using it as cover and looking over what is visible for a way to shut it down. Mechanically inclined is not what she is. She relays what she sees to Ellbeth.

One of the two gunmen shouts, "Heroes, boss!"

Variable hisses and generally acts snakelike as she tries to work out what to do next. Getting out of the net isn't too hard, but for the moment she's probably safer if people assume she's just some sort of snake! Then again, now heroes have been announced...

Ellbeth thinks. o O (If it's operating better not shut it down. Otherwise the Hall of Heros might return to full size here.)

Ready to draw fire, Fist watches for nice thugs and villains who want to try to stop her.

One gunman steps around the device to where he might have a clean line of sight. He fires at Fist with a pistol.

The bullet enters Fist, who looks angry at the shooter. She acts, grabbing something hard and deflective to prevent more bullets from hitting her.

The other gunman moves over to a position to take a clear shot and he starts to aim.

Ellbeth hears the gunshot and proceeds immediately. Casting one spell she opens a portal through the side of the barn and steps inside. Taking in the situation she casts a Blindness spell between the villains locating it closest to the gunman aiming at Fist.

"Argh!" "Gaaah!" Both of the gunmen shout out, shielding their eyes.

Fist takes up her shield, rushing past the one who had shot her to remove his gun from him. The maneuver is open-handed, snatching at the gun and wrenching it smoothly from the hand.

The gun is taken away from the man, and kicked away by Fist. She turns, ready to use her shield.

The Shrinker reaches into a belt pouch. He drops a miniature motorcycle from his hand, and it expands to full size by the time it hits the ground. He steps on it and makes a break for the doorway, riding off. He leans over and tries to scoop up the Hall of Heroes in one fluid action.

Fist moves to intercept the Shrinker, rushing him to tackle off his bike.

Fist gets the Shrinker off his bike, sending the both of them off to the ground, and she rolls to her feet, facing everyone with her shield at her side. Not quite ready with it yet.

The Shrinker, from his back, tries to throw another expanding net at Fist, this time.

Variable attempts to shift to the humanoid clawed form she used against the Horde and cut her way out.

One of the gunmen is still blinded; he waits for his vision to clear.

The other gunman takes a shot at Ellbeth.

Ellbeth is relieved to find her mage robe protects her.

Ellbeth casts a Mage Shield as the first thing not having had time until now. Then she summons forth a Spirit Storm and commands the whirling shades to strike at the gunmen and Shrinker.

The whole interior of the barn is filled by many many flying incorporeal spirits striking at the appointed targets.

Fist makes her effort to break free from the netty thing, not liking her predicament very much.

The disarms gunman blinks as his vision finally clears. His focus closes on Ellbeth. He runs over and tries to punch her.

Ellbeth stands unmoved as her mage shield spell holds the punch at bay.

Shrinker gets up to his feet and grabs the Hall.

Fist tries to wiggle her way out rather than try to force her way out, able to bend and twist her body in ways that would hurt most people.

SLIP! Out comes Fist, ready for action.

Variable keeps trying to tear her way out of the net, now getting too tired to shapeshift her way free.

Variable's claws are ineffective.

The armed man tries to shoot at Fist now.

The bullet misses.

The other gunman gets into the van and starts it up.

Fist brings up the shield, not needing it for this round apparently. She waits for the Shrinker to make his next move, believing she might be able to delay him long enough for someone more apt to bring him to a stop.

Ellbeth continues summoning yet more spirits.

One of the gunmen drops to the ground, unconscious.

The air is becoming full of flying spirits, their ghostly wailing increasing in volume.

Fist moves to assist Variable out of her net, since the driving has stopped.

The Shrinker pulls another object from his belt pouch. It's a giant refridgerator and he hurls it at Ellbeth.

Ellbeth is knocked back and down by the thrown fridge but again her magical defenses protect her.

Waiting, Fist times her attempt to free Variable with Variable's movements,

Variable once again attempts to break free with her claws.

Variable, free at last of the netting, tries to do some good finally and dashes over to attack Shrinker with wicked-looking claws.

Stinger is knocked back. He drops the Hall...

Ellbeth climbs back onto her feet still summoning more and more spirits, the sound of wailing becoming deafening within the barn.

Ellbeth sees the Hall of Heroes heading for the floor and runs over to try and catch it before it lands.

Ellbeth drops onto her knees to grab the falling hall an instant before it hits the ground.

The other gunman is dropped, and the Shrinker slumps against the van. Dazed.

Fist pauses, not sure what to do at this point, since everything appears to be well in hand.

Variable puts her claws up against the supervillain's throat, just in case he tries something, and does her best to look scary.

Ellbeth gently lowers the Hall to the ground and holds onto it as the spirits continue to whirl and shriek."

The Shrinker collapses to the ground beneath the swarm of wailing apparitions.

Fist examines the high-tech thingies, now that all the ruckus has ended. With a momentary glow of her hands, she repairs the bullet wound she sustained.