Log:Mayday Payday

2018/08/24 	 Jak Amara

1

Jak Fortune had plans to take Queen Amara Ogden on another trip sans-royal-retenue to some place new and exotic to open her mind to the world outside but was struck with a need to actually deposit cash into a business account he set up here in town for easy access to money.

Money he's spent already. So- here we join the Ridderfolk, standing in line waiting for Jak to see the teller.

There are approximately 2 two people ahead of them.

Amara is a little perplexed by this ritual. When she snuck away from her retenue, she didn't think it'd be for errands or lines. "It must be something really good or exciting to have to wait around," she comments, used to a culture of near immediate satisfaction. She glances around and notices the security guard, who is eyeing her some before looking away from her eye contact. She leans over to whisper to Jak, "Why does that man have a gun?"

"Well everyone around here seems to think so." Jak says, treading lightly as he tries to break the news that they aren't here for exploration or anything fun. At least not here specifically.

He rubs the back of his neck, as he's about to stumble his way through the news when Amara notices the armed security guard.

He looks over, half surprised as if he hadn't noticed him at all. "Oh- well, this is a Bank, so I guess his job is to protect the money. Probably a good gig in this town. 'Slide the weapon over, wait for metas'." He replies, perhaps a bit too loudly.

"Of, of course. Like the Treasury," Amara suddenly connects the two english words. She chuckles discretely at Venture's description of the job. "But if that's what he does, why even have him here?" she asks while matching his volume, which is none-too-discrete.

This earns both of them the stink eye from the Guard, who tries to puff up his chest and make it look like he has his eye on them.

Jak frowns a bit at the guard, thinking himself just having been honest- though, clearly not tactful. He purses mouth tightly as if pondering something as he turns back to Amara. "That's right. And I just need to make a bit of a deposit- so I'm not riding on your laurels everywhere we go. It won't take but a minute, as long as no one decides to put our man to the test." He chuckles and nods towards the Security Guard, though he's quieter this time. "He's here because he makes the customers feel safe? Or maybe always having a reliable witness on hand for when things go bad?" Jak offers, uncertain himself. He's pretty sure he knows two or three guys that would be more effective than Tubbs McKinnsley over there.

Amara is amused by Jak's sense of financial independence. "It's a Regent's duty to not only take care of their subjects, but to not inflict hardship on them. That's why I, hm, let you 'ride on my laurels'," she turns the phrase a bit. But with the thought of testing, Amara tries to be more alert. More vigilant. She looks towards the exits and the camera, taking note.

"Well, sure- alright. I can see that." Jak nods appreciatively. "Which is super arid. A lot of countries could do with that kind of thinking." He adds with a smile to his Regent. "But- I've been on my own a while now. Something about getting along on anyone else's dime, it rubs me the wrong way when it's not part of the deal. That's all." He tries to explain, though they had upbringings worlds apart so he has no idea how far that explaination will get him.

"As you wish," Amara says in a warm, possibly amused manner. Or maybe she's pleased. She waffles between formalities and informalities, often forgetting she's Queen now. But when she does remember, she often over compensates to fill her father's shoes. "And what exactly do you consider part of the deal?"

"Deal? You mean between us?" Jak asks, raising an eyebrow curiously. He wasn't sure there was a deal- he treads lightly once more. "Why do you think we need some kind of deal?"

He tucks a thumb behind his beltbuckle, rocking back to stand like a movie cowboy despite probably never having been on a horse in his life.

"I don't. You're the one who said it. I thought perhaps you struck a deal with me that I was unaware of," Amara states as she takes note of Jak's strange stance. He's been away from Riddersholm for so long, she's never sure what the outside world taught him. She nods to behind his shoulder as the line moves up some. "You've learned so much from these Outsiders. I thought I should check."

"Well, lots of lessons to be learned out here your Majesty." Jak says, not even a bit sarcastically. "Either way, nothing like that you need to worry about from me. We're just - umm, good friends- one of which has an unlimited frequent flier card to anywhere on Earth and one who's seen far too little of it." He grins at her, belying the ache in he heart that makes him think of the bombing of the SCEPTRE building just minutes after he found his small island home.

He looks away, feigning a glance at the teller ahead.

"Good friends?" Amara asks with a smile that reaches her eyes. One might think she was teasing if not for that. The lost son of Riddersholm certainly amuses her, and has proven useful and loyal as she gets used to integrating into the world at large. He has a unique insight that is valuable. But...yes. She does realize she counts him as a friend. He's been present at more than one occasion where she let her hair down and was just her real self. The self that doubts and wants to do what's best.

"Well, 'Traveling Companion' didn't feel quite right." Jak says with a wink. "So, yeah- Friends. Good friends." His tone is earnest and while originally getting in good with the Queen of Riddersholm was entirely self serving initially, now he feels quite protective over this young queen. And what's more, enjoys their time together even without there being a 'deal' on the table.

There is no doubt in Jak's mind that Amara will instantly recognize Angkor Wat after it was featured in so many movies over the preceeding decades. Some were documentaries, others action films and fewer but no less inspired were the few period peices, reimagining the world where the temple complex was built. Jak never was one for movies- not when his life was already pretty action oriented as it was. That combined with his constant relocations, he never picked up that particular penchant of the much more isolated Ridderfolk. Though who could blame either side when both had wonders of their own, easily worth exploring & being a part of.

"That's right. I'll bet you'll recognize it when we get there." He looks at his watch and twists a dial, moving the current time zone forward 12hrs. "Plus- its like 1 AM there, local time. So it should be tourist free." He adds cheerfully, looking forward to getting to use the upgrade to his sunglasses Amara gave him (nightvision).

Amara's eyes light up in recognition. "A private viewing, then?" she asks excitedly. It's moments like these that she holds on to to get past the grief of Riddersholm's Fall. The long road to reconstruction and rebuilding relations with the world is on her shoulders. But she needs these excursions to keep her head.

"Angkor Wat...I've seen it so much on shows and in movies, but I wonder...does it really look like that? Or is it all special effects?" she ponders, having a general distrust of what she sees from the outside world due to skepticism.

Jak nods. "That's right- in theory it will be just the two of us." He says with a grin, "So we can explore it to our heart's content." His tone is a bit eager himself and his mannerism match as he rocks from foot to foot. He enjoys seeing new places too- more than most, but there is something about seeing those things with his Monarch that gives an added depth to the splendorous sights.

He shrugs lightly before saying, "I dunno- never been myself. So you probably have a better picture of the temple complex than I do. But it's still a landmark after all these years for a reason. Though- I'm hoping its not all CGI. That would be disappointing."

"We'll just have to find out together," Amara says with infectious excitement. Never has there been someone so eager while waiting in line at the bank. She lifts up and down on the balls of her feet, bouncing as she waits. And waits. The bouncing slows a bit. "Hmm. Are we doing this bank thing correctly?"

"Sounds like a great time." Jak says as he waits for the older gentleman in front of them to finish, or perhaps the slightly chubby teenager making a depsoti of their Summer savings. Jak isn't picky, he just wants to get this show under way before his Regent, or worse- he gets impatient which he knows is a personality trait he's had for years now. BEing able to go just about anywhere any time you want in a society that already provides near instantaneous gratification will do that that to just about anyone.

He looks to Amara with a raised eyebrow. "Correctly? Oh yea- we just need to wait our turn. Hand over the cash, get a receipt to prove they received the deposit and then we're out. I know its old school- actually making deposits, but I had some old guy hand me a stack of old bills. I swear he had to have dusted these things off or pulled them from a time capsule." He laughs.

"Yes, correctly. We didn't even announce our arrival," Amara answers as if this were common sense. Regents, am I right? She's not used to waiting for simple things like banking. Or at stores.

She looks about to suggest or ask something else as Jak notices the sound of a very big engine revving up. It gets louder and louder. Or closer and closer. Then suddenly, there's the sound of breaking reinforced glass and concrete and that loud engine as a modified SWAT vehicle smashes in through the front doors like a battering ram.

Concrete chunks and glass flies everywhere, striking some of the patrons. A few chunks fly toward Amara and Jak, and the SWAT truck barrels for them as its breaks squeal.

"Well- yeah. If we announced our arrival everywhere we went, people could be waiting for us- or jump at the opportunity to do something stupid." Jak explains- and as if summoned by those words the sound of the engine growing closer catches his attention.

He turns towards the sound in time to see everything shatter.

Instinctively, Jak reaches out for Amara and attempts to teleport them out of the arc of destruction.

Jak doesn't need much time to make a difference, a split second will do- and that's all he has as a chunk of concrete passes right through the space he and Amara stood in. The concrete rubble rocks, rolls and boulders over patrons and employees alike- barely slowing down when encountering them. The sight and sounds incense Jak's usually calm demeanor, causing him to pull his sidearm the moment they're reconstituted int he corner behind a very large ficus.

Amara turns away and tries to shield herself from the rubble as Jak grabs her and 'ports her away to safety. From the bushy ficus, he can see the armored vehicle skid to a stop at the counter. The back hatch opens up and four armed men jump out. They look like professional mercenaries in their military gear, their faces covered by black balaclavas.

"Everyone line up over here and get down on the floor," barks the lead man as he marches towards the counters.

Venture teleports away from Amara, leaving her to summon her armor while he distracts these militant bankrobbers. So it is with a simple sidestep from behind the ficus - that crosses the lobby and ends up opposite Amara's position so their attention is away from her.

With his weapon already leveled all he has to do is align to his ironsights and squeeze the trigger. With so much destruction & the willful disregard for the lives and safety of others, he accidentally charges up some of that teleportation energy in his anger and lets that off too.

Jak's gun already glows as its pooled up, but this time the typically cool, faintly blue white light is turned up by an order of magnitude and yellow motes of light gather before following along with the tightly compressed hypersonic wavefront to strike their target in rapid succession.

He's knocked clean off his feet only to slam into the unlucky man behind him while simultaneously being quantumly entangled and shuffled yet not teleported away- the results of which are extremely painful and dangerous.

He shudders, twitching even as he lies on top his friend who seems to be unconscious.

Jak stands his ground, speaking furiously as he does so.

"How about you put your weapons down- NOW. I'm not giving third chances here today. Not after that entrance you idiots made." He thunders to the two remaining militant bankrobbers.

The last remaining merc looks at his body angrily. "Shit! You said no metas! You said the Sentinel and Starguard were occupied!" he curses.

"Shut up and shoot him," the Leader snaps as he raises his rifle to take aim at Venture. But Amara has armored up, and the quantum drive on her suit lets her act and move faster than the mercenaries.

She skids in front of Venture, shield arm up as the energy field pops up and expands from it like a massive tower shield as she moves to protect him from retaliatory fire. The mercs pull their triggers...

Bullets spark and pop off of her shield harmlessly. Amara looks over her shoulder and shoots Venture a grin. "Care to try that trick again on these two?"

Jak Fortune, the Lost Son of Riddersholm seems to have complete faith in his Regent as he doesn't even flinch when the guns are fired at him. Either that, or he's got every confidence in his own meager forcefield belt- though that would just be plain crazy.

Venture smirks and nods to the magnificent & majestic Amara, suited in the highest regalia of their beloved utopia. "Absolutely. No third chances." Jak says before vanishing once more- sliding quantumly to a position lining up the final two bankrobbers like a lesser man might align a shot in a game of snooker or billiards.

This time, he steps out and pulls the trigger- making sure that only the two men are aligned. Then he pulls the trigger- having enough presence to hold off on using his 'Ultimate Move'.

All in the span of one breath; Jak crosses the room, sights his target, anticipates for his seond target's position & possible movement and then fires his weapon in one smooth motion.

The pulse wave of hypercompressed sonic energy sends the first one careening into the last man standing faster than even Jak can track. He didn't bother turning his weapon down- not when those men entered endangering not just these innocent lives here today or his own, but his Regent & through her his entire country's present & future well-being.

These men deserve nothing less than a quick hand and the immediate destruction of their plans which he & the Queen delivered here today. He smiles as he turns back to Amara Ogden, proud yet not realizing his personal code has aligned so well with the knightly reasoning of his people.

His weapon whines as he spins it on his finger, holstering it even as the last man's body falls still.

With the mercenaries down, and Amara's shield up and proven to protect, the civilians behind her start to scramble out through the hole left by the armored vehicle. Others look to Jak in awe. One of the bank managers peeks over his desk to see the commotion before standing up slowly. "Th-thank you! Who are you heroes?"

Amara doesn't bother to answer. She focuses on stepping forward and using her free hand to help a fallen older woman who had fallen prone during the robbers' entrance.

Jak's cyan hair catches the light coming in just right, giving his already tangible presence a boost to go along with all that flair. His futuristic gunman look helps sell the whole package but its Jak that makes it all work.

He vanishes in a flash of tiny yellow motes that seem to resonate out of existence, only to reappear on top of the SWAT vehicle without any of that ragged anger or hostility. He even winks at one of the prettier women in the room with a knowing smirk before saying, "Why- I'm the Legendary Blackjack Fortune, thanks for asking." He pops back to Amara, leaning in to say, "I think that's our cue to exit. We don't need to deal with answer the same questions a dozen times over. They'll have the security footage."

As he says this, he finally gets a look around the room to see if there are any injured people. Priorities, amirite?

"I think so, too. But...your bank deposit...?" Amara asks as if this doesn't somehow mess up that plan. The woman she helps up quickly runs out as well.

As Jak surveys the mess, he sees most people look fine, just scared. The security guard that was giving them the stink eye is laying on the ground with his hands behind his head in total surrender still. But the guard is starting to realize something happened, as he looks up and around nervously.

"Umm- we'll just use an ATM across town." Jak says, opening his hands in a noncommital gesture as a grateful look overtakes his face. "Not the fastest, but it'll do in a pinch."

He puts his hand on Amara's shoulder pulling them straight to the roof in one easy leap. "Either way- we're going to look so badass on the news tonight." He adds with a chuckle once their position is resynced with the universe as he's willed. "I can hear it now, 'Blackjak Fortune and the Regal Mystery Knight avert bank robbery on payday tonight a 9.'" He looks especially pleased as sirens can be heard in the distance.

Amara is pleased Jak will take the attention and heat off of her in the news. "I imagine so after that. Stopping a robbery while the city's protectors were elsewhere. The Legend of Blackjack Fortune will continue to grow." She brushes her finger over her bracer. With a sudden glow of white light, her armor suddenly fades out of existence, leaving her Majesty in plain clothes again. "To the ATM!" she says as she raises a hand in the air, finger pointed to the heavens as she makes her decree.