Log:Phoenix Fire, Scene 4

Phoenix Fire 2007/05/20 	 Granite Jennifer Jessica Lorelei Psiforce Stone 4

The scene is a motel room on the outskirts of Colonial Bay. Room 106 is presently the abode of Raymond Tong, a fugitive criminal who's perhaps gotten in over his head. Tong is a young Chinese man, in his middle twenties. This location has been serving as a safehouse, a place to hide Tong from the man who's after him, Mr. Stone.

Jennifer chews on a mouthful of gum, "So what's the primary objective?" she asks Lorelei.

Lorelei says, "Get this Mr Stone. Bring him to justice for that girl's death. Bur more importantly, find out if the other girls are alive still - the other ones from the boat and the one from Ming St. And if so where they are, of course. So we need Stone in a shape, and preferably a mood, to talk."

Jennifer grins, "I'll handle the shape. You'll have to deal with his mood."

Jessica puts out a hand to Psiforce, "Hi. Don't recall if we've met before. I'm Jessica. My sister's Jennifer."

Lorelei says, "How are we going to do this? Stone's expecting us to hand over Raymond, but I don't really want to put him at risk. Not that he doesn't deserve it, but he has at least spilled his metaphorical guts, so it only seems fair to keep his literal ones intact."

Psiforce takes the hand, "Psiforce." he says, "Well, I probably wouldn't be the best at hiding who I am without help, or coming close to revealing things I have kept hidden." he looks at them, "I could try to make him see one of us as Raymond, or...an imaginary Raymond."

Lorelei says, "Good - that's the sort of thing I was looking for."

Jennifer says, "I imagine you'll want a chance to put the old hex on Stone before trouble starts if we can work it that way, Lorelei.""

Lorelei nods. "I'll try to do it subtly, though. Once they start drooling it's a bit of a giveaway, and the conversation isn't so good either."

Psiforce shrugs, "no guarantee." he adds. "I could stake out from outside, and get him before he enters and make him see what we want him to see in the room. I can get what I can see.

Lorelei says, "I can get what can see *me* mostly. So make sure he's not seeing anything other than me, please."

Psiforce cocks his head to the side, "Hide both of the other girls?" he looks a little confused and looks at the two girls.

Jessica says, "Jenn and I can kind of fade into the background anyway."

Lorelei says, "No - I mean, make sure you don't change what I look like."

Psiforce nods, "I won't change anything other than making an image of a tied and gagged Raymond. Simple and sweet, the easiest to do. I have seen his mug shots so shouldn't be that difficult."

Lorelei nods. "Simplest is probably best."

Psiforce nods, "Well I need to find a good place to hide where I can see those who enter, and into the room."

Later
The heroes lay in wait at the abandoned warehouse. Eventually the target appears to arrive in a dark sedan.

Jennifer nods, "Good job. We're ready."

Granite is busy hiding under a cargo tarp waiting for the sign to jump out.

Psiforce readies to slip the illusion in as soon as he sees the proper subject.

Lorelei nods and waits nervously, hearing the car approach.

The sedan rolls to at stop outside of the warehouse. Psiforce can see three people exit the car, leaving the driver in the idling car. By descriptions, it's Stone followed by two bodyguards.

Permission denied.

Mr. Stone waits out by the sedan. He motions for his two guards to head forward -- just the two of them enter the warehouse.

Psiforce takes a deep breath and prepares to get both of the bodyguards the with proper illusion, Raymond Tied up and Gagged not far from the girls.

The two bodyguards scan they surroundings carefully as they enter the warehouse. Once inside, they turn their attention to Lorelei and size up the twins as well. One of them nods to teh emtpy space were the illusionary Raymond sits. "So... you said you had something that belongs to us."

...one of the men says.

The twins chew their gum and openly eye up the bodyguards, and less obviously look for bulges under jackets.

Lorelei says, "And you said something about a finder's fee. Or your boss did. You're not him."

Psiforce breathes a sigh of relief as it appears to work, and lets the girls do their parts.

Granite watches from under the tarp waiting for something to happen so he can take out the getaway car if necessary.

The bodyguard says, "Yes, there's a finders fee. You can deal with me. We give you cash, you give us Raymond. It's simple."

Lorelei says coldly, "I don't like it when the arrangments change."

The bodyguard who's been speaking holds a finger to his ear. He speaks softly to himself.

The bodyguard looks over to Lorelei and nods. "Ok." Outside, Stone heads towards the warehouse.

Stone enters the warehouse. The bodyguard nods to him. "Sir."

Jessica blows a bubble with her gum until it pops.

Lorelei says, "That's more like it. Don't like doing business with someone who won't look me in the eye."

Stone says, speaking in a gruff voice. "Let's get right to the point. I like to know who it is I'm dealing with. You're not connected with any of the families, any of the organizations.

Lorelei, put on the spot, borrows from an otherdimensional self. "Go by Glam. And no, we're - private. Probably beneath your notice. Unless we have something you want."

Lorelei really wishes she had the slightest clue about dealing with organised crime. She hates this stuff.

Jennifer drawls, "Hey, girl's gotta make a livin'. Dixie's smart. She says we can have our own gang. Ain't that right, Dixie... Duh, you said no names. Sorry Dixie."

Lorelei says, "You're not exactly a public figure yourself, Mr Stone."

Stone says, "Independent. I don't independents. Harder to trust them." He begins to approach 'Raymond'. "How did you find him?"

Lorelei says, "That would be telling. Heard he was wanted, thought there might be money in it. We've got our ways."

Lorelei just tries to spin the talking out as long as she can. The longer before Stone catches on, the better.

Jessica giggles, "He got lonely. I knew he was worth money when I saw how scared he was. He could keep his eyes on me even when i was undressing. So I told Dixie." She says is a slow dumb voice,

[To Jessica] Lorelei says, "You shouldn't go telling people everything."

Stone says, "That's not what Terrence McGee said. He told me that Raymond was staying with him. At least until a group of capes came knocking. You wouldn't have happened to seen any metas lurking about when you found Raymond." He fixes his eyes on Lorelei closely for a moment.

Jessica says, "poses with one hand on a hip, "Nah. No capes on me." She giggles and steps forward a pace or two, "You wanna search me?" she smirks."

Jessica poseswith one hand on a hip, "Nah. No capes on me." She giggles and steps forward a pace or two, "You wanna search me?" she smirks.

Psiforce is watching closely from the roof, in case he needs to do something else.

Lorelei says, "What? Capes? Course not."

Stone's brow tightens as he watches Lorelei. "It's her," he says, glancing back to his bodyguards. The two other men begin to draw their weapons.

Lorelei takes a full recovery.

Psiforce takes a full recovery.

Jennifer ready themsleves to act watching the progress of the bodyguard's hands reaching for concealed weapons.

Lorelei puts her hands above her head - giving Stone a good look at her in so doing. She trusts the twins to handle the bodyguards. "Would you believe, independent *capes*?"

Stone's harsh glare seems to soften a bit as he looks at Lorelei. He growls in a deep guttural voice, booming a octave deeper than his speaking voice. "You won't get me that easily with your tricks, Lorelei..." And with that, Stone begins to grow...

Lorelei thinks. o O ([censored])

Lorelei thinks. o O (When will I ever learn? Stick to the stunning pose. That nearly always works.)

Stone's fit frame increases to monstrous proportions tearing apart the business suit that he wears. He's skin darkens, taking a deep burgundy color. Horns spring form his forehead as his hair grows longers and dark as night. By the end of his transformation, Stone appears nearly ten feet tall, musclebound, with a tail swishing behind him.

Jennifer groans, "Oh for heaven's sake. How about some originality for once? Another darn undefeatable demon/devil/whattheheck. Go away or I'll spank you."

The transformed Stone reaches for Lorelei -- and misses.

Lorelei says, "Hey! Keep your hands to yourself!"

The twins move so fast they literally blur to normal vision, closing on the bodyguards. As the weapons clear the jackets Jenn and Jess slap the guns out of grasping hands and take a pace onwards to snatch the flying pistols out of the air. "Uzi III's. 600 rounds a minute. Good Israeli design. Nice weapons." Jennifer says. The twins pop the clips, check the load and slip the clips back in all in the blink of an eye. Then they turn to face the bodyguards, "Leaving? Be a real good idea right about now."

The bodyguards are stunned; the twins remove their guns almost as soon as they brandish them.

Psiforce crashes through the skylight as he brings up his forcefield and hovers with his ability to fly. He shouts at the Demon, "Kneel, surrender and cry like a baby." he focuses his mind as he says this as he tries to manipulate his mind.

Stone looks up at Psiforce. He doesn't say anything, but at the same time he fails to fail to his knees.

Jennifer and Jessica have a small problem. They have the Uzi's but if they drop them the bodyguard might try to pick them up. They might break them but the clock is ticking and Stone the demon is threating Lorelei. So they both flip the selectors to full auto and empty the entire clips at Stone. Chance of hurting him, nil. Distracting, pretty decent. Emptying the weapons, 100%

Jessica and Jennifer laugh as they see the demon actually flinch a little. "Thanks for the lown of the guns, guys." they tell the two bodyguards.

Stone steps forward and slams his foot to the ground. Actually, it's a hoof instead of a foot and a shockwave of force rumbles across the ground towards Stephie and the twins, leaving the concrete floor cracked and crumbling in its wake.

Lorelei says, "Ow, playing a little rough? Really, you've got a good look with the muscles, and the deep red tan really suits but, but you're not my type!" For all that, she strikes one of her stunning poses in the direction of the demon, giving it all she's got, and hoping that's enough.

Jennifer stays on her feet and seems largely unaffected. Jessica would have been fine except the shock wave travels up a pillar and part of a roof beam breaks free and smack into her shoulder.

Lorelei is clearly rather rattled by the demon's attack, and her pose isn't what it should be.

The disarmed guards look unsure of what to do for the moment. One of them turns and runs for the exit of the warehouse, but it seems like he's more determined than panicked. The other bodyguard runs over to a fire equipment locker and grabs a fire axe.

Psiforce hovers where he is, and shakes his head, "surrender." he calls out again, and focuses his mind to cause a bit of pain.

Stone lowers his head and charges towards Jessica trying to stampede one of the twins.

Stone misses Jessica just barely, but he slams right into a pillar just beyond her in the middle of the warehouse floor.

Jennifer and Jessica split up so they cannot be attacked at a group and pulling energy whips out of jean's pockets they lash at Stone.

The dark whipping lashes of energy curl through the air and strike into the flanks of the Stone demon.

Lorelei does her best to support the twins with another stunning pose, thouugh now she's tiring she no longer puts as much into it.

The bodyguard with the fire axe returns and tries to level Jennifer with an overhanded swipe.

Lorelei is relieved finally to have done something which seems to have affected the demon! She breaks her pose to take a few steps backwards a the demon reels.

Lorelei thinks. o O (Maybe I should have had them drooling. More and more the direct method seems better than subtlety.....)

The bodyguard misses, as the hatch chips a gash in the floor.

Jessica isn't too worried about a fire axe but there's no point in getting these clothes cut up so she avoids the blow.

Psiforce sees the demonStone reeling and thinks quickly, he tries to focus his mind again and puts more into it, trying to take him out hopefully, while they still can. He hovers a bit as he tries to cause enough pain to send him even more reeling.

Psiforce watches the demon go down and is breathing hard, floating down to the ground. He looks at the others, "Did he get any of you? Can we tie him up?"

Jennifer grins, "Another day, another demon. Zap him again. That will keep him down." she says heading towards the bodyguard with the axe. Jessica goes after the other bodyguard.

Lorelei goes over to the guy with the axe. "Just give the axe to me," she says nicely, "And my friend won't have to hurt you any more."

The bodyguard's stance eases and he lets the axe fall to the ground.

Jennifer shakes her head ruefully, "I ask nice and he takes a swing at me." she jokes to Lorelei.

Psiforce looks at the demon and nods to the suggested words and attempts to focus his mind and cause pain again. OF course the Demon is down, but should still work and knock him further into temporary oblivion.

As Jessica leaves the building, she's met by the almost blinding light of the headlights of Stone's car. Barely visible is the silhouette of the bodyguard who ran outside, who hangs from teh window of the car armed with an assault rifle.

Jessica reaches out with an energy whip, not wasting time but not rushing into making mistakes either. In her mind it's almost Zen, things are happening so slowly. She can see the twitching of the bodyguards trigger finger, the movement of the whip lash towards him. The outcome is almost unimportant, only getting the technique right matters at this instant. Yet to an outsider it's all occcuring in a split second.

Jessica smiles as the rifle is drawn back to her hands in the coils of her energy whip. She doesn't say anthing, simply stands there looking at the bodyguard.

Lorelei picks up the fire axe, to be on the safe side. "There, that's better. Now, why don't you tell me all you know about Mr. Stone?"

The man asks, "Where should I start?"

Lorelei says, "What's with the whole demon thing, and why did he pay to have 10 virgins shipped in from Asia?"

Outside, the driver of the car starts driving away. He turns away from the warehouse and starts to drive off.

Jessica drops to one knee for sability, checks her sightline to ensure a safe downrange should she miss, and tries to pop a couple of tyres.

"If you work for Mr. Stone." The man says, "You learn not to ask many questions. The girls... we delivered them to the Phoenix building. That was the last I saw of them."

Lorelei says, "What about the tenth girl, the replacement? Did Mr Stone say anything about her?"

Psiforce steps over to the demon and after a few moments to recover his energy, makes an attempt to focus his mind and plumb into the demon's memories.

"He wasn't happy about it." The man says. "But we had a schedule to keep. Nothing much we could do."

Unconscious, Stone returns to his normal form.

Lorelei says, "Why was it a problem? What made the girls from Asia, well, more suited?"

"The girls from overseas... hard to track." The bodyguard says. "But you kidnap someone from Colonial Bay, someone's going to notice and start asking questions..."

The deep crack of an assault rifle barks out from outside the warehouse. "It's okay, everyone." Jenn assure Lorelei and Psiforce.

Lorelei thinks. o O (Well, that's true enough.)

Jessica slips the selector to singleshot and fires, popping one of the rear tyres of the car.

Lorelei says, "What about that demon form of his - I assume you knew about it, since you didn't act surprised. What can you tell me about that?"

Sparks fly as the rim of the blown out tire hits the pavement. The car continues to drive off.

Jessica shrugs, shoulders the rifle and returns to the warehouse door to stand guard in case the car returns, with reinforcements.

Psiforce stands over Stone, lost in apparent thought.

Psiforce gets a slightly disgusted look on his face, as he keeps trying to get more.

Psiforce shivers a bit as he doesn't stop needing the information before Stone wakes.

"I've only seen it once before," The man says, "Only when some needed to get disappeared. He's real good at that."

Lorelei glances over at Psiforce. She's not sure what to ask next, and hopes he's doing better.

Jennifer and Lorelei notice it -- there's an awful smell, like eggs gone bad. Wisps of smoke begin to rise from Stone's body.

Lorelei says, "Is that bad?....."

Jennifer glances at Lorelei, "Sulfer, smoke, brimstone. Oops."

Lorelei asks the man, "What's happening?"

Psiforce comes out of it and back away from the body, "Um, clear out."

Stone's body begins to melt away like dry ice, disappearing into foul smelling smoke.

Lorelei backs to the exit and encourages the man to do likewise.

Jennifer also withdraws.

The man follows Lorelei's advice. "I -- I don't know!"

Psiforce lifts into the air and heads for the skylight, trying to watch what is going on, "I would leave the building, just in case, explain in a few."

Lorelei heads just outside the door, but where she can look back in.

Stone melts away until there is nothing left, save the tattered remains on his suit, and a few tendrils of smoke.

Lorelei says, "Why do I suspect this is an escape, and not, say, a death?"

Psiforce floats, "Um, no...more like being sucked back into hell? He didn't want to go."

Lorelei says, "Well - that makes some sense, I suppose. But doesn't tell us much."

Psiforce nods, "I got a bunch, The girls were taken for a summoning ritual, they all died in the fire at the Phoenix building, Stone was there along with this asian business man and the flame with eyes. Stone banished the debris into some kind of vortex. I got symbols, faces, some writing."

Jennifer listens

Lorelei nods. "I had a horrible feeling it was something like that."

Psiforce nods, "Then there was chanting in Latin I think and Stone not wanting to go. I think it was a fail safe or something, there is the summoner and he did something to send stone back, maybe others."

Lorelei says, "What about this Asian business man. ANything on him?"

Psiforce shrugs, "Connect to Phoenix I think, I can do some checking with my contacts. I have his face. There was a man in robes and they might, or might not have been the same people. Might go to the site of the Fire, random chance of picking something up there too."

Lorelei nods.

Lorelei sighs. "So much for rescuing the girls.... I'd hoped..... Well, it was too late before I started......"

Psiforce nods and shivers, "Saw the fire, heard the screams." he nods, "Unfortunately didn't see enough for identifications." he shrugs a bit, "This isn't the end though, they summoned something and is at least 2 other out there, the summoner and the summonee."

This is a long, narrow corridor that has many doors leading off to the left and right. Each door leads to the staff offices of the Champions MUSH admins.