It Happened at Westbrook

[Inkybus]

Capitol Hyatt Regency - Amaya "Melia" Sosa @Frozen Princess
"Do you have experience with driving services in this area?"

The metahuman asked, as she accompanied Rebecca through the streets, towards the pub rocking an old fashioned aesthetic. Once inside, the temperature evened out at a good, snug level and Amaya relaxed a little bit.

Rebecca got chatted up by a voluptuous woman, who was also curious about the black-haired young woman that accompanied the lawyer: so Amaya politely inclined her head and introduced herself.

"Amaya Stuart's my name. Don't wear it out.~"

She lied, pretty smoothly, pretending to be a bit friendlier than she usually was.

With that taken care of, she was ready to follow Shannon to a booth and sit with Rebecca.

Hijos de Renzo turf | an alley - Schro @MsBloom

A little shiver of anxiousness and excitement mingled and ran down his spine, as he felt the sixth sense of the metahuman that had accompanied Blair. With the affirmation of his two new allies, Schro nodded.

"I assume that to be the case. I did not have superhuman powers, before: now, I can dress like this and still strike fear in the heart of the Man."

By 'the Man', he meant the bigwigs that ran the whole Westbrook. Or maybe even further: it was hard to tell how high Schro was aiming, with the scarceness of his words and the mask covering half his face.

The bottom half grinned with glee, when the windshield of the stopping car got wrecked by his comrades.

"Well, that will speed up the process."

He mused out loud and moved, rolling to the side and off the dumpster, landing in a crouch behind the metal crate. It was obvious that he was using it for cover.

Because after the police got assaulted by unknown weapons, they were sure to radio in reinforcements with a few codes and get out of their vehicle, taking cover behind the metal doors while drawing their handguns.

Schro debated for a little in his own mind: should he tell his comrades to take it easy and do what they can to avoid deaths or…? In the end, he didn't: he picked up his crowbar and banged on the side of his metal cover, instead, yelling out for the boys (or girls) in blue:

"Get outta here, pigs. You're in over your head!"

Of course, his words would most definitely fall upon deaf ears- since this was the blessed US of A and unknown threats were met with hails of lead- which the enforcers of the law were ready to do, since their fingers were beginning to pull back the triggers.

 

[MsBloom]

Windy's bedroom 9:15 pm - 10:45 pm Loni @Frozen Princess (Windy)

Loni let out a deep sigh as Windy's fingers began to move between her labia. She had already been wet but she was soon dripping, coating Windy's fingers in thick creamy fluids, and while Windy explored Loni pulled her face close and began to kiss her passionately, sucking on her bottom lip and on her tongue. Her hands found Windy's breasts and eagerly, perhaps a bit clumsily, began to undo the shirt covering them. How often she had seen them on display when Windy was either getting dressed in the morning or undressed in the evening and wanted to touch them, feel their round and firm softness against the tips of her fingers, the palms of her hands. She moaned and nodded in response to Windy's question and then let her left hand slip down to help her get the trousers down enough for it to reach inside them, to touch Windy the way Windy was touching her.

Through the open door, from downstairs the two girls, had they not been so entirely focused on each other, would have heard the muffled noise of the tv and the clatter of Mr MacEnroe emptying the dishwasher.

As the passion between them grew Loni began to grind against Windy's fingers asking her in a low whisper to put a finger inside her and did the same to Windy, just the middle finger, slowly, gently, until the base of her thumb pressed against Windy's clitoris. Only then did she begin to move the finger inside, wiggling it back and forth, pressing and tapping against the roughly textured spot in the front wall while still using her right hand to caress Windy's breasts.

Before they heard the creak in the last step of the first set of stairs announcing that Mrs MacEnroe was on her way up both girls had had several orgasms and even tasted each other off of their own fingers. When Mrs MacEnroe appeared in the frame of the door they were lying on Windy's bed, facing each other, kissing quite innocently.

---

Blair & Alexa @Inkybus (Schro)

Not fearing bullets Blair spread their arms and walked towards the two cops as if daring them to shoot him.
"Go on then you fucking pigs," they said and smiled as the sound of sirens began to approach from all directions.
"Yea, go ahead," came the same voice but this time from behind the cops, followed by another burst of small projectiles that tore the blue and red lights on top of the car to pieces.
The cops first turned around and then ducked. They then both began to fire at Blair who was the only visible target and with the number of bullets they fired they had expected the androgynous person in front of them to go down but they just kept coming towards them.
"Not quite what you expected was it. Now get the fuck out of here."
A voice from behind them echoed the words and then the tires of the patrol cars were taken out, one by one.

The first back up car to arrive got a dose of shadowy projectiles as well, taking out their headlights and front tires.

 

[Frozen Princess]

Wrap up for Tuesday evening.

In the Capitol, at O'Flaherty's Pub in Little Ireland, Rebecca ordered the Shepherd Pie, and forgot exactly how much a serving from O'Flaherty was. The serving that came was enough for both of them. She also, out of respect for Amaya not being of legal age for alcohol, ordered them both sodas, suggesting Club Orange for Amaya, but getting the Club Lemon for herself. Shannon gently reminded her friend that in the pub, as well as in Ireland, non-alcoholic soft drinks were referred to as 'fizzes'.

Rebecca took Amaya up on pool, playing several games, with her only winning one on a lucky break, where she sunk the eight ball on the break. Rest of the time, she did pretty well, but usually found herself, if you'll pardon the pun, BEHIND the eight ball. They headed back, via Dryve (fictional Uber or Lyft) about midnight, so she could be up for her meeting in the morning.

Meanwhile, in the Westbrook suburbs, at quarter of eleven, Loni would be sent home moreso because of her curfew, and the MacEnroes wanted to get to bed so Mr MacEnroe could meet the contractors at the damaged Golden Spoon for repairs and so they could get back opened up and operational, although since there was electrical damage as well, the soonest they would be able to reopen would be about a month.

Wednesday morning 10:15 am

Capitol Hyatt Regency Room 710 @Inkybus (Amaya)

Rebecca sighed as she slid her card into the hall door and came in; she tossed card and her car keys on the dresser, the card going in what appeared to be the unused mint candy bowl. She glanced at Amaya. "Everything is good for your meeting Friday morning. Governor Fox seems to be 100% behind your contract and I seem to have smoothed over whatever and whoever had their feathers ruffled earlier. It looks like you'll only have to answer to whoever is governor, as the party, after I explained things, seemed to clear Westbrook Community Hospital as the only hospital you'll work at. Maybe all we do is sign the paperwork Friday after all."
She collapsed in a cushy chair by the bed. "Rest of our day, as promised, is ours. I just recommend going over any and all questions you may want to bring up Thursday, as planned." She glanced over, waiting to see what her client may want to do for their day off.

West Side Roast @Inkybus (Marko)

At the nearby college cafe, Olivia looked up as the door jingled, letting in, so far, the only other patron. "Morning." She greeted, after this customer (Marko) placed his order and the girl behind the counter checked if he was having his sandwich for there or to go, and checked again to make sure she got the drink order right before making it.

Olivia turned her attention back to the door, and not too long after, a limo with two small state flags flipping in the breeze, on each side of it pulled to a stop right in front of it, and the chauffeur came around and let out a middle aged man of medium tanned skin, salt and pepper hair and a gray mustache, dressed in a three piece navy blue business suit and dark brown shoes, who nodded to him before stepping in, jingling the door bells atop once again.

He looked around, before making tracks to Olivia's booth. "Duchess Nevrakis?"

"You must be Governor Nathan Fox. Yes, I'm Olivia Nevrakis. Pleasure." She shook his hand and waved to the seat in front of her. "Please, have a seat. Captain Hennessy just called, she should be here momentarily."

"If she had the same issues with traffic that I did, I'd say she'll be here in about five minutes. Have you eaten yet, Duchess?"

Olivia shook her head. "I was going to wait until you and the good Air Force Captain got here. I'm glad they serve breakfast sandwiches all day. They have something here called a B.E.L.T. Sounds right up my alley."

The Governor nodded. "Bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato. Your choice of cheese and bread. Wonderful idea."

As predicted, five minutes later, Captain Hennessy in her Air Force dress uniform entered and joined the booth. They could order their sandwiches, drinks, and talk about the hold up happening at the international airport, and the ramifications the mayor was causing by overstepping.

Westbrook High School @MsBloom (Loni, others?) 11:30ish

Windy had called Erin just before stepping into the cafeteria for lunch, with her lunch bag and thermos. As per school rules, she grabbed a tray, although she had brought her own lunch from home. Seeing Loni, she made a beeline right for her and sat across from her. "Hiya, girlfriend! Y'know, we never decided exactly how we're going to go about this, or if we're doing pet names, or anything like this..." She bit her lower lip and looked down at her insulated lunch container. "I had to call Detective Holmes. She wants to talk to me, but says I'm not in trouble. But that kinda just makes me worry more, y'know?"

Channel 3 Studios 11:30ish @MsBloom (Edith)

Sapphire rubbed her face and eyes after spending the last three hours doing research for the past meteors. She sighed, tossed her pen on the desk and glanced at Edith. "I'm getting bupkis regarding 2013 that we don't already know, but I did dig up an interesting piece on a supposed conspiracy theory from 1908. I'm surprised I found this, since apparently the story got squelched quickly back then. Check this out. Farm in Siberia, unexplained powers developed by a farmer's daughter. Read the article with sketchy details, and tell me if it's not eeriely similar to a gender switched superhero 30 years later." She handed the folder with the one page article in it towards Edith. "Did your friend from out east dig anything up on 2013? Please tell me she found SOMETHING."

 

[Inkybus]

Capitol Hyatt Regency Room 710 - Amaya "Melia" Sosa @Frozen Princess
The previous night had been a blast, with Amaya learning that no, Rebecca was not as experienced as she was in this sort of entertainment. She played normally, feeling that taking it easy could be taken as a slight against Rebecca and tryharding was just not her cup of tea for any game or form of entertainment.

After that, they returned to the hotel.

In the morning, after a hearty breakfast, Amaya talked a bit more with Rebecca about what to expect from the people she would work with. Not under- with. She would only be an employee by technicality, since Amaya was not going to let anyone dictate her times for working or otherwise doing things.

It was a simple contract, one that went 'if Amaya works an hour, she gets X amount of money'- oh, of course she would go through tests and the scientific process to determine that her power was not somehow detrimental to people, but she was definitely not going to let anyone walk over her.

"They didn't try to get more information on me out of you at all?"

Amaya queried, with a neutral facade.

West Side Roast - Marko

Marko responded to the people that greeted him in the same way, with a polite nod of acknowledgment before he moved to pick up his order. Then, he took a seat at the booth behind the duchess out of sheer coincidence, picking out the odd word out, though making no move to spy on or eavesdrop on the very influential people who might take umbrage to such an endeavor.

Hijos de Renzo turf | an alley | tuesday epilogue - Schro @MsBloom

The villains tore through the pigs like a heated blade through butter, leaving the law enforcement officers with bruises and broken bones. Thankfully, no one was mortally wounded, this time around.

After the first couple of cop cars that had come for backup, Schro warned Blair and Alexa that the coppers were sending a SWAT team their way and he decided to leave: he wanted to discuss the discount for the drugs with them if they accompanied him.

With that, he took his leave from the area, getting into an inconspicuous hotwired and stolen van, driven by one of his goons. There was space for both the steel-type superhuman and the shadow-aligned villain- if they felt like taking that out.

The police had too much on their plate to deal with a stolen vehicle. At least for the moment. And the helicopter was a ways away. A getaway would have been pretty easy, given how disabled the cops were at that time.

 

[MsBloom]

Edith: Channel 3 Studios @Frozen Princess (Sapphire)

Tuesday after the meeting at the Fratority Edith had spent some time alone, just her and her motorcycle out on the roads surrounding Westbrook and then in the evening she had actually been on a date, of sorts, with Jacinda, a college senior she had had an on and off relationship for a couple of years, nothing serious really, more like a Friends with Benefits kind of thing. They had then spent the night together and this was part of the reason Edith came in late on Wednesday morning, that and the fact that sometime during the night she had received and email from Ella with some deep dig stuff relating to other meteorite events she and Sapphire had talked about trying to tie in with the story in Westbrook.

"You mean Superman I assume," Edith commented after having browsed the article.
"That's not the whole story though. As you said I reached out to a friend and she sent me this," Edith said when Sapphire asked and finished her third cup of coffee that morning.
"This is about the event in Tunguska, or rather relating to it. It seems there were some strange reports of what appears to be metahumans in and around the area, and a few others from what is today Mongolia and Kazakhstan. There are also some events further west in Russia that might have been caused by some manner of Metahumans. That's not the most interesting part though. She also dug up something on a European diplomat whose name I remember seeing in the news feed, Olivia Nevrakis. Now please don't ask how my friend find these things out but ..."
Edith paused and walked over to the coffee machine to get another cup. Waking up after having barely slept seemed harder than usual, perhaps because she was not yet entirely sober after her date.
"It appears that eleven years ago when Ms Nevrakis was about fourteen she visited Chelyabinsk with her mother and well, no more than a few months later there was this."
Edith presented Sapphire with a new article in French with a head line that translated into English read: Young daughter of Duchess Nevrakis foils assassination attempt of King Liam II.
The article then went on to detail how the then fourteen year old Olivia Nevrakis had under mysterious circumstances managed to, single-handedly, taken out two assassins in plain view at a ball held on the bicentennial celebration of Cordonia's independence. Below the headline was a photo of a young girl with red hair that bore an almost uncanny resemblance to the photo of Olivia Nevrakis that Edith pulled up on her phone.
"I know I'm just the camera person but if you ask me you should interview her."

Loni: Westbrook High School @Frozen Princess

"Must be about the incident at your mom and dad's diner, right. I heard about it on the news, kinda scary to think I had basically just left when it happened."
Loni then pulled Windy in for a kiss. After last night she didn't care who knew they were dating or who saw them being affectionate in public.
"Last night was great though, right? I mean ... like wow."
Then as the two sat down at their usual table she took Windy's hand.
"Want me to come with, for support?"

Blair & Alexa @Inkybus (Schro)

Even with their powers of metallic skin and inability to feel anything but pressure Blair realised that once the WPD started gathering in numbers they too might actually be overcome, or at least cornered. Had they been certain beyond all doubt that Detective Holmes would arrive on the scene they might have stayed and kept fighting but since that was not likely, not unless they specifically asked for her, they decided to join Schro as he and his business partner made their escape. Alexa too got into the van under the cover of her shadow form.
"Looks like we really got their attention," she said as she switched back to her human form and sat down.

Instead of asking Schro to simply drop them off at the flophouse they went with him to wherever he was going because, as Blair concluded: "The flophouse would be the first place they would start looking for us."
They had then turned to Schro.
"And what about you? What is it exactly you can do?"

 

[Frozen Princess]

Wednesday 10:20am West Side Roast Marko (@Inkybus)

Olivia and Captain Hennessy brought the trays back over to their booth, and as the governor grabbed his breakfast sandwich, Olivia sat down and questioned, "So why IS the INTERNATIONAL airport essentially shut down and still crawling with Air Force? King Liam called me home for a face to face debrief."

Governor Fox wiped his hands on a napkin and took a drink of his coffee. "It appears to all boil down to the mayor and police commissioner. Apparently one or both have pulled some very important strings with the President himself." He shook his head. "You both are well aware of what transpired at the Golden Spoon Monday evening?"

Hennessy frowned. "So the brass, on order from the President, because of the mayor has shut down all flying? What's to keep that Wrecking Ball from hopping a bus, or steal a car and ride to another city, or even the Capitol and escape that way. Someone's not using the right organ if you catch my drift."

Olivia raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow as Fox chuckled. Fox spoke up. "Couldn't agree more, Fly Girl. This is a power play and power grab. What's worse is the commissioner has tied the WPD's hands. If we're dealing with real life supervillains, or at least one, since three civilians tried to intervene, what chance do us normal folk have? Especially if the POLICE commissioner is turning a blind eye to the real criminal and helping the mayor basically punish the rest of the citizens..." A nod towards Olivia, "or dignitaries."

Olivia shook her head. "Cordonia is actually younger than the States, as far as it's own independence from France. We even have some very old buildings that predate Cordonia, my castle in Lythikos being around since the 1600s. We didn't get that rich in architecture and traditions by being petty. Lythikos almost became it's own country. Yes, we have warlike traditions, Lythikos is probably the most bloodthirsty out there, but we learned our lessons when Cordonia fought for it's independence. If my ancestors had been as petty as the mayor and police commissioner are, there'd be no Cordonia. That section of land might very well be Lythikos. Word got around about my ancestor Luther, and the citizens rose up against him to crush his tyranny. The Nevrakis family has never lived that down to this day."

Elizabeth Hennessy raised her eyebrow. "So what are you suggesting, Duchess? An uprising? Against the mayor?"

"If the tyrannical shoe fits, Captain." Olivia said, scowling. "Same circumstances, different continent. We all know he's not doing this alone."

Fox shook his head. "And what's worse, I don't think the President is fully aware of what's happening here. Just what he was told. I do know the National Guard would be called in if the citizens revolt."

Elizabeth leaned back against the booth's back. "Even if there's proof of the mayor being a tyrant and the people are trying to take BACK their city? That would just add fuel to the fire, Governor Fox. It'll be a Civil War, that would start here, over a closed airport."

Olivia scoffed. "Even I see the fallacy in that, Captain, but what choice does the average citizen have? The papers have silenced the appearance of that human Wrecking Ball, and we only know about the Golden Spoon because it's a local landmark."

Fox nodded. "It's been here since the 50s. Established in 1952. It's right there on the cornerstone of the building. Not only are the papers silenced, but the TV stations are also under the same gag order. He's (the mayor) has also tried, and thankfully failed there, to silence the airport shutdown. That's gotten around by word of mouth. So then, ladies, knowing what we do about who's all being manipulated, how do we stop a power mad mayor and police commissioner? Ideas?"

Olivia and Elizabeth exchanged worried glances. Maybe this would be a good time for an interested third party to weigh in.

Capitol Hyatt Regency Room 710 10:30am Amaya (@Inkybus)

Rebecca sighed. "Not questions I wanted to answer without you present. They're pushing for a gamut of tests. Some sound unnecessary. I could recommend you allow only the medical physical and intelligence test. Governor Fox proved he's on your side, as he flat out vetoed mental evaluation, and his opponent, Dr. Emilia Quincy, who wants to sit in on Friday's meeting, concurred. She wants to give you the physical, and ask certain questions relating to your gift, and being she's a surgeon, I tend to think that's wise. Fox said he was ashamed of them for looking a gift horse in the mouth, and that's HIS party." She shook her head and rubbed her face. "The Governor has already said he might be busy Friday with something down in Westbrook, but he wouldn't divulge. Quincy, who's with the same party, has already agreed to be there, if nothing more, for the physical. This would be where, as we prepare tomorrow, for what questions you'll be willing to answer, and I do suggest, we call this a gift and not a power, for obvious reasons." She glanced over to Amaya to gauge her reaction.

Westbrook High School cafeteria 11:30ish Loni (@MsBloom)

Windy nodded. "Yeah just. Okay about half-hour after you and Zapper and Molly left." She admitted. She perked up, taking both Loni's hands, and smiled at the kiss, she blushed as last night was brought up, but nodded. "That was my first time. Ever. I'm glad it was with you, though." When Loni offered to be there, Windy looked like a smiling bobblehead on a bumpy road. "Please? That would be awesome! I have to meet her at District 3 because the Golden Spoon is closed. It's not an appointment, per se, but she's asked I be there by 3:00pm? School lets out at 2:30 so I think that's doable. Oh. Umm, can you drive us there? I mean, I don't like going that slow, but I'm not exactly approved for the road as a vehicle. She apparently heard how I took you to dinner. That patrol officer told on me, I guess, when he's the one who told me to take the street."

News 3 Edith (@MsBloom)

Sapphire looked over the articles, before adding them to the file. "That's interesting. That means there's three official languages in Cordonia. French, English and German." She looked at Edith. "You're going to be in the bathroom, and bouncing off it's walls you keep drinking coffee like that." She teased with a knowing smirk and twinkle to her eyes. She looked again at the article on Olivia. "I don't know what you know about Lythikan customs, but this doesn't sound too far out of the ordinary. Maybe the two singlehandedly, which could be just a media ploy to make a Lythikan native sound like a big hero. One telling sentence in the article makes me think propaganda and I quote, It's as if she wanted to singlehandedly change the commoner's view of the Nevrakis family name's history by foiling regicide. End quote. That was the third time that the writer had used 'singlehandedly'. Like it was a point that had to be made. A quick search of Lythikos training traditions would tell you that ALL kids there are learning defense and fighting skills at an early age. She would have been training since second grade."

Sapphire smirked. "However..." She raised an eyebrow as she tapped a forefinger against her cheek. "I do find it velly interesting about how soon after Chelyabinsk, and that she was actually IN Chelyabinsk at the time of the meteor. Definitely worth a second look, and she's one of very few nobles from that area of the world open to interviews. Within reason. Next question is, would she be willing to answer any follow up questions from something that happened over a decade ago?"

 

[Inkybus]

Capitol Hyatt Regency Room 710 - Amaya "Melia" Sosa @Frozen Princess
Her lawyer explained what she had done and agreed to as her legal representative and Amaya nodded along. After that, she responded without hesitation: "I trust that the test that remain after your discussion with them and I will be careful."

When Rebecca added that they should call it a gift, Amaya gave her a noncommittal shrug: "I don't really care if we call it an ability, a gift, a power, a curse or whatever. It won't change that I am able to do the things I do, just like the sky won't suddenly stop being blue. Well, most of the time anyway.~"

She smirked to herself: the message was crystal clear. She really could not care any less what her superhuman ability was called, since she could do that and there was no changing it. Especially because she couldn't use it on herself… now, if she were to get her hands on someone else with an ability that worked because of a biological alteration, well… that was a whole different story.

But it would ultimately not be the greatest effect, whether she shut down a metahuman's power with her own ability or they got shot with a bullet to the brain. Either way, that metahuman would not use their power anymore.

West Side Roast - Marko

"What happened at the Golden Spoon?"

Marko asked, having half-listened to what the group behind him had been speaking about: he took a bite out of the big chicken sandwich that he had ordered. He made sure to swallow every time before speaking, otherwise listening to what was being said: now that he had interjected, though, he half-turned until he was with his profile towards the group he'd been pretty much eavesdropping on.

Hijos de Renzo turf | umpteenth safehouse | tuesday epilogue - Schro @MsBloom

The van rolled along for a while, the interior unseen from the blue lights and the sirens blaring past them at speed. They would stay free for one more night, at the very least and Schro smiled to himself, as he got comfy on the crummy seat in the back of the vehicle.

"You are a pair of people who can survive conventional weaponry without any issues. And take on the law without a sweat: that should make the Man nervous!"

The cognito hazard pointed out, after Alexa commented on the response they had gotten from the police after their brutal brawling was underway. The lithe man tilted his head sideways and cracked his spine audibly once, before speaking once again: "It is probable that they will keep a lookout for you, if you haven't kept your identity a secret. I'll make sure to have a gal on standby to bring us something to cover you up when you want to go out."

Somewhere else, Ana had a small heart attack when she heard a voice despite her headphones being on: the disembodied voice told her to get a box of medical masks, two pairs of baseball or simple caps and a couple of XL unisex jackets ready.

"And now, to catch up on the very basics: I am Schro. Not my real name, obviously, but it is what I go by when I'm out and about as myself."

He lifted his right leg and laid it over his left, leaning back until his back was straighter.

"I have illusory powers, make people see what is not really there. Hear voices that are only in their mind. Additionally, I can hear and see through the minds of people affected by my power."

He did not reveal everything, since they only just met, but the big and broad strokes were there.

"And, I hope you will understand, I will not unmask myself just yet."

 

[MsBloom]

Su-Ji/Nefertiti @Frozen Princess (Ginger?)

First thing Su-Ji did after breakfast, which in her case meant almost a pound of crispy bacon and double that in pancakes and a plate of scrambled eggs that only just fit on the plate and for Nefertiti a bowl of left over smoked salmon from the night before, was to go see the dean again. This time to talk about installing cat doors to allow Nefertiti to move about freely.
"In all the doors?" the dean asked with a slightly worried look as he probably did some quick numbers in his head as to how much that would cost.
"Only the once she might have to pass through regularly, my door for instance, the door to the roof, the door to the yard, and a few more."

With that done she headed off to her first class of the day trying her best to ignore all the glances and looks she got from the other students. After a two hours long lecture on the inconsistency of memory she texted Ginger to see if she was free for lunch.

Edith: Channel 3 Studios @Frozen Princess (Sapphire)

Edith admitted that her knowledge of Cordonian history and Lythikan customs and agreed that it could of course be nothing but propaganda. Still she had never known Ella to be wrong or sloppy. If she had sent this it meant something. She informed Sapphire of this adding that if all kids learned defense and fighting skills at an early age then wouldn't the would be assassins also have learned the same skills and thus been a match to those of Olivia or made them stronger.
"There is only one way to find out if she is willing to talk about it though. We go see her," she finished her little speech.
"Let me just get the camera and hit the can first. Or if you think she would be more open to talking about it without a camera in her face then I could head back to the college and try to get some information from the metas there. I did recognise at least one of them as a girl who I met during her pledge, the feline one. And I think I remember her redhead friend as well."

Loni: Westbrook High School @Frozen Princess

Loni nodded and agreed to meet Windy outside the school at 2:30 and take her to the police station.
"If she wants to meet there it must be some kind of official meeting, maybe some follow up questions regarding what happened at your mom and dad's diner."

Blair & Alexa @Inkybus (Schro)

"There's really only one I'm interested in making nervous," Blair said.
"That bitch detective who showed up at The Golden Spoon just as I was leaving. We have a bit of history you see but that's personal."
"That was quite a display," Alexa said and smiled.
"And it's all over the internet too, X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. All possible angles. Not to mention that the video Channel 3 shot has leaked as well, in an edited version of course."
She paused briefly and looked from Blair to Schro.
"And as all those videos show there are at least three others who were affected by the meteorite, one of them more obviously than the others perhaps but what it means is that since all three of them tried to stop you we might have to deal with more than just the cops. As for a disguise," she added to change the subject and with a smirk looked down into her lap and when she looked back up her face was no longer her own but that of the young camera person from Channel 3 who had accidentally caught the whole spectacle on video.
"Whatever your girl can fix I'm sure I can top it," she said as a smile spread across her face.
"Only temporarily of course but that's enough time to vanish in a crowd."

"What we need is a plan," Blair said as Alexa dropped her mask and returned to her own, still rather new, looks.
"Something that will really put us on the map. Not sure what yet though but it has to be big."

 

[Frozen Princess]

Wednesday 10:40am

Capitol Hyatt Regency Room 710 Amaya @Inkybus

Rebecca nodded. "Yes, the physical is for after the meeting Friday, but I suspect the test of your intelligence, and mine as well, will be conducted during the meeting. They're sure to have many questions, which we can go over tomorrow. Today should be about me and my 'third cousin' having an enjoyable outing. There's museums, one art the other on history of the Midwest. Supposedly a whole section on the tri-state tornado, although that was one state east and down south of even Westbrook. Genesis in the state to our south." (This sets our state as Iowa, but let's refrain from pinpointing farther. At least this gives us a focal point.) Rebecca took a deep breath. "There's always the zoo, shopping and restaurants... A few malls. However you want to spend today, as long as we shelve talk of the contract, at least today."

News 3 Studios Edith @MsBloom

Sapphire nodded. "Of course, if both the assassins were Lythikan. That's another reason I said it was just to make a member of the Nevrakis family look heroic. The fact that your friend even found this article in the first place, is a testament to her abilities. King Liam no doubt buried this event soon after. The next thing we do is find Duchess Olivia Nevrakis, Lythikan Ambassador of Cordonia and follow up, since she can't leave via airport, and the mayor has us under a gag order regarding the Golden Spoon, if you've noticed, that MeTube video of the human Race Car, calling herself Velocity, has also been pulled. I got a hold of someone there." She handed over the paper, "They have to flag and demonetize any videos showing superhuman abilities by order of, get this... Our Police Commissioner! You can't even watch it unless you're over 18, when our heroine is obviously a high schooler." As Edith would read for herself, Sapphire continued, "The only way he or the mayor could do this, is if they know someone, personally, at the FCC, or a CEO at MeTube. This is bigger than both of us. Even the gag order can't carry weight without ties to the FCC. I think we need to talk to Erin again, and maybe her Captain at District 3."

"I hope we can catch either of them, at the college. It's nearly 11:00. They're surely at lunch by the time we get there. Is there any place other than the fratority house and the cafeteria they would likely frequent?"

The likelihood of Erin and Captain Fitzsimmons (NPC) not knowing wouldn't be nil, but the Captain at least, could have heard rumors. At this point, it was the only lead they had. They'd be farther ahead checking in with Ginger and Su-Ji at the college, first.

West Side Roast Marko @Inkybus

Hennessy, Fox and Nevrakis all turned to face Marko with a look of shock on their faces. The Governor found his voice first, although Olivia did clear her throat. "Young man, do you mean the news outlets that we have in this city, failed to convey to the public about a local business being a victim of a crime?"

Elizabeth Hennessy took a deep breath. "Nathan... I don't think I would have known if I hadn't been tuning in on the Air Force's police band radio that keeps us in contact with the local authorities. I think we're seeing the effects of, at least, a city wide media gag order."

Olivia Nevrakis raised both eyebrows. "What more proof is needed for this to be a tyrannical regime, Captain? Not even King Liam goes this far." She took a deep breath. She whispered to the two at her table. "The only time he ever silenced the media was after the assassination attempt on him a little over a decade ago. And that was only because it fast became a media circus. Anybody digging into that, could see how it spiraled out of control after a few days. Lies, innuendos and propaganda started running rampant, it wasn't journalism, anymore."(For Ella's (@MsBloom) benefit)

Elizabeth nodded and looked over again to the college student. She smiled cordially, "I'm Air Force. Code name Fly Girl, this is the State Governor, Nathan Fox. We could really use input on what to do about the mayoral situation."

The Governor even arose, giving a bow. "We appear to be at an impasse, son, especially if we're right about him trying to take control of things coming in and out of the city... Including news about what happened here. Please, join us and express your thoughts and views openly, especially how you're only hearing of the local business because we were talking about it."

Olivia Nevrakis nodded. "Duchess Nevrakis of the Duchy of Lythikos in Cordonia, at your service, please either join me, or the Governor. We value any helpful information to the current predicament. I'm unable to leave to go home, even after my king bid me."

Governor Fox sat back down as Captain Hennessy moved to the side to see which empty spot Marko would take, if either. One thing was now clear to both Fox and Hennessy, and maybe even Marko. Olivia Nevrakis was in a sense, being unlawfully incarcerated with this airport lockdown.

Westbrook City Hall @Inkybus (All are NPCs, move to your heart's content)

The Mayor hardly paid attention to Schro's "song and dance". "Am I supposed to be impressed with his singing, or fancy footwork?" He scoffed. "I'm impressed he don't fuck around. Get word out on the street, the mayor is interested in how he conducts business. I want the big brutes of a wrecking ball, too. We can use them to make the rest of the city bow to us. I want the whole city so afraid of lifting a finger for fear of something ELSE taken away, they'll do whatever we say. We've already shut up the media, and shut down the airport. Give this gang leader, and that wrecking ball their own area of the city, looks like the poor part of town. Show them a sign of good faith. You're the commissioner, tell the police to no longer patrol that area, we'll give that to the gangs to OWN. People and all.

"A part of that is in District 3, the rest is District 2." The commissioner stated. "In fact, the majority of District 2 is in those slums."

The Mayor smirked, and within an hour, with the okay of the city council who were already either terrified of going against the Mayor or in his pocket, the district was rezoned as Gangland, District 2 was dissolved and the part of 2 not in Gangland was rezoned as 3. There was a six block radius now unprotected by the police, by order of the mayor, with both Westbrook High School and the Golden Spoon right on the corners of the new rezoned area, on the right side of the tracks, so to speak.

The Olive Branch was issued to Schro and the supervillains, while the police had their hands even farther tied. Erin was running out of time to get a superhero team together.

Elizabeth's borrowed police band would be going nuts with the news of the rezoning, just as Marko would be talking with her, the Governor and the Duchess.

Westbrook College 11:00am Su-Ji @MsBloom

Ginger had made sure at least the roof patio door was left open for Nefertiti to get in and out. She had informed the other brothers and sisters, and so far, as long as they were in the room, they hadn't cared if the cat had popped in for a visit.

She met up with Su-Ji, after her visit with the Dean just to say hi and bye before their morning class. Two hours later, Ginger got Su-Ji's text. "Meet me at West Side Roast, I'm sick of cafeteria food. I'm dying for a pumpkin spice latte and a homemade sandwich. I want their messiest one, lol, the pulled BBQ pork with coleslaw on a bun. For once, I'm eating coleslaw with my hands, and mom can't bitch me out for it! I'm all the way on the other side of the quad. Place my order for me? I'll pay you back when I get there."

Would Su-Ji arrive as the police band went off with the newest move by the power mad mayor?


(Breaking to catch up this morning stuff, first)

 

[Inkybus]

Hijos de Renzo turf | umpteenth safehouse | tuesday epilogue - Schro @MsBloom (Blair & Alexa)

Blair and Alexa expressed the thoughts of revenge they held, against a detective woman in the force: Schro nodded his head slightly, indicating that he had understood their will on future action.

The supervillain informed the two: "I already have a detective assigned to find my home. I'll see who they assign for you, if any."

Alexa used her power to change how she looked: it was a strange thing, for Schro. He was looking out of one of Alexa's eyes, at himself and Blair, and he could feel the shadows like she could. And when she used her powers to drape herself in shadows, there was a tingling at the back of his mind.

"Are you able to change your clothes too? Most police reports are about what the suspect is wearing, so that patrolling officers that are re-routed to the last known position of the suspect can find them and bring them in."

Schro explained, before he looked to Blair: that was a good point they brought up.

"If you want to attract attention to yourself and try to get the detective to come to you, we could perform a heist. I've always dreamt of robbing a bank!"

Capitol Hyatt Regency Room 710 - Amaya "Melia" Sosa @Frozen Princess (Rebecca)
The schedule had been made, every appointment ready to go and the people they were going to meet, informed appropriately. The former nurse nodded her head once, then, and grabbed her wind jacket from where it hung on the backrest of a chair.

"I'd like to go to the zoo. After that, maybe we can grab a quick bite to eat and see a movie?"

Amaya wondered about what animals she could see today: it had been a while since she had been to one. And the last time she went to an animal shelter, ideas about how to biologically augment people had just rushed her like a waterfall into a huge river.

West Side Roast - Marko @Frozen Princess (Hennessy, Fox and Nevrakis)
The people who were talking in the adjacent boot queried if the news really hadn't been disseminated.

"I haven't heard of it. Did anyone get hurt?"

Marko went ahead and checked the internet: with his phone in his hand, he put in "Golden spoon attack" in the search engine. There were results, but they were not from any news outlet. Instead, it was a Cleddit post, where people wrote things concerning the city of Westbrook. The poster wrote about the attack of the Golden Spoon, but this one did not have pictures. Another user commented below, supplying a link to an image hosting site: sure enough, it was the front of the diner, which showed obvious signs of damage. There was the broken glass, scrap metal and broken bits of pavement as well as other junk of destroyed things littering the ground. Whoever took the picture also edited the picture with a picture-editing app, because all the people that were in the picture, surrounding the damage and such, had their faces cropped out, replaced by simple black squares.

After that, Marko's attention returned to the people who had spoken out. Since they were asking for him to join, he stood up: he was already talking with them and it was rude to just keep showing them his back.

Instead, he went ahead and took the first open seat that there was, closest to his booth. He had no preference for where he was seated, obviously.

"Marko Stojanovic: I'm a civilian studying at the nearby college."

He introduced himself: Elizabeth had set the precedent and it would be rude not to.

"If the mayor is trying to censor people and keep them in the city against their will, then suing him is probably going to get a huge payout against the government. It's a class-action lawsuit just begging to be served."

Marko pointed out, before taking a big bite out of his brunch.

"I could drive you to the next city over with an airport, if you want."

He told the Duchess, seeing the opportunity to help out a big shot for what it was. And he wasn't going to just let it pass him by.

 

[MsBloom]

Edith: Channel 3 Studios @Frozen Princess (Sapphire)

"Well there is this place just a block or so from the college where we used to go when we got tired of cafeteria food, West Side Roast. Great cheese steak sandwiches and mixed barbecue platters and all manner of really messy food."
Edith smiled as it was now her turn to guide Sapphire to her favourite dining spot in Westbrook the way Sapphire had on the day they first worked together.
"And they also serve a pumpkin spice latte to kill for," she added with a chuckle.
"We can take my bike, or one of the station's cars. It's all up to you. A car might be easier though if we're going to meet up with Ms Nevrakis right after and need to bring the camera."

Su-Ji @Frozen Princess (Ginger) @Inkybus (Marko)

Su-Ji responded to Ginger's text with a simple thumbs up and first went to the kitchen to make sure Nefertiti's bowls were filled with food and water though there was no sign of Nefertiti herself. Su-Ji figured she was probably on the roof acquainting herself with her new hunting grounds, or asleep in some elevated warm spot. She then walked to the West Side Roast diner with her headphones blasting Voodoo Dolly by Siouxie and The Banshees (an old British goth band she quite liked) and nodding her head in time with it.

Arriving at the West Side Roast she noticed Marko, the guy who had stood up for her when that guy had called her a freak on Tuesday, sitting at a table with three other people of which she recognised two as Governor Fox and some foreign diplomat who had been on the news not all that long ago. As he seemed busy she simply raised her left hand in a greeting gesture an smiled at him as she passed the booth on her way to the counter.
"I'll have a pulled barbecue with coleslaw on a bun, a cheese steak with extra cheese and steak, a Tandoori Chicken sandwich with mint chutney, a large fries and two Pumpkin Spice Lattes," she said and did her very best to ignore the looks she was getting from the man behind the counter as he stared at her rather obviously.
Perhaps he couldn't help himself as her new appearance was rather eye catching but still. She had not minded people staring when she appeared publicly in extravagant outfits and make up by choice. This was however quite different. This was permanent, at least she assumed it was, and, even though she had grown to quite like her new feline looks, not something she had chosen.

While waiting for the order she checked her phone to see if she could find anything about the commotion on Monday. Mostly she wanted to see if anyone had caught her on their cameras and posted it. There was nothing, or close to nothing. Just a wide shot of the exterior of the Golden Spoon with the faces of every person in the frame covered in the simplest of manners. There was however one that was easily recognisable even with her face masked. In the left corner of the photo there she was just after she had landed from her attempt to scratch the human wrecking ball, tail up. It was of course bound to happen sooner or later but she wasn't sure she liked the attention it would almost certainly give her.

Blair & Alexa @Inkybus (Schro)

"Nope," Alexa said after having changed back to her own appearance.
"But clothes can be changed right?"
She then smiled and looked at Schro to check his reaction to what she was about to reveal.
"And since I used to be a boy I'm sure I can still pass for one if I try hard enough."
While whatever had caused her transformation from male to female had granted her everything she had wished for since she first realised she was in the wrong type of body it had not given her more than a bare handful of breasts and those could easily be hidden with either a binder or a tight sportsbra.

"A heist sure sounds like a good way of getting some attention. We just have to make sure it is within that bitch's district to make sure it lands on her table," Blair agreed.
"Together we would be unstoppable. I mean just look what we just did to those cops. Let them send in their SWAT teams, helicopters and snipers and all."

 

[Frozen Princess]

Tying all the Westbrook things together. (Su-Ji, Edith) @MsBloom (Marko) @Inkybus

Sapphire thought for a moment. "Let's take the station wagon. We show up with the news van we probably won't get anywhere, even with the cat girl or her friend. We were in the station wagon when Erin called us to the fratority. They'll think we're on another PR run for her. Besides, since it's related to the news story, we can use company vehicles." She then smirked. "Wait a minute... West Side Roast? Didn't that used to be an overpriced Sunbrews (Starbucks)? Well, you probably won't know, I think it's been West Side Roast about five years now..." She shook her head, grabbed the keys to the station wagon, her blazer, and checked out the equipment, just in case, and drove them to the college area.

Meanwhile, as Marko moved over, and ended up sitting with the duchess, before explaining his idea, the Governor nodded. "Yes, brilliant. And there's plenty of sore passengers that originate here to make it viable in court, without using out-of-towners. However, have a big name, like you Duchess, couldn't hurt."

"I've got a lawyer friend who has had her share of class-action. A very straightforward and logical person, that works for Ricci and Associates. Linda Phillips." Elizabeth Hennessy offered. "If we try to go forward with this, I'll get in touch with her. It'd be the least I could do."

Duchess Nevrakis calmly ate the rest of her BELT, and listened. "King Liam would most likely send me back over here to get my private jet anyway, so you can name me as one of the litigants." She turned to Marko. "I accept, and as far as I know, besides Westbrook, the only other international airport in this state is in the capitol."

The Governor nodded. "Give King Liam my regards, Olivia."

"I'll pull strings with my fellow brass to have your private jet freed for use upon your return." Captain Hennessy nodded with a resolved look. "And Marko, we appreciate your input and help to get our dignitary home."

Ginger walked in at that moment and met up with Su-Ji. "Thanks, here's twelve, you probably saw my sandwich was just over eight, when most others are around six, shame everything keeps going up on us college kids. Ridiculous."

Scoops would come in not that far behind Ginger. She saw the governor with Air Force low brass and the back of the heads of the other two. "Well, this is a surprise, Governor Fox? Scoops Davenport Channel 3. Off the record, what brings you here?"

Fox met her eyes, and looked at his three table companions. "Preferably on the record, Ms Davenport. You are aware of what's been happening in your city, right?"

Put on the spot, Sapphire Davenport gulped, and found herself with a choice. Ruin her reputation by saying no, or admit she's under the Mayor's gag order about certain things going on. She opened her mouth and said, "I'm sorry, Governor, but we cannot speak about certain things on air. There's a gag order in place, that seems to originate all the way to the FCC. Example, if you're here about the airport, I won't be able to air it."

Captain Hennessy frowned and looking to her tablemates, giving a nod to Marko, spoke next, asking the obvious. "And the other thing wouldn't be what happened at the Golden Spoon Monday evening, would it?"

Sapphire blushed and looked down to her feet, looking like she was about to back right back out the door. Maybe right into Edith coming in?

Marko, since he would be with Olivia, with their backs turned to the entrance, would only see Elizabeth Hennessy and Nathan Fox exchange looks and nod, with the Air Force Captain, herself, mouthing bingo.

 

[Inkybus]

Hijos de Renzo turf | in transit to umpteenth safehouse | tuesday epilogue - Schro @MsBloom (Blair & Alexa)

"Precisely. I'll hand you a couple of jackets for now, but we'll want to prepare some for the future, where they can be easily reached and changed into. Trousers, skirts and the like, too."

The metahuman responded to Alexa's rhetorical query, without hesitation.

"Can you tell me more about the detective you want to humiliate? Do you have her name, description or information on her district?"

Time to think about and prepare a potential heist: Schro did not want to do this half-assedly. His introduction was a bit low-key at first, to get his bearings, so he intended to make this next outing much bigger. Much better. Let the infamy of this group spread throughout Westbrook!

A thin, sharp smile spread on his lips as ideas flashed in his mind and his left eye's vision faded, replaced with many scenes taking place in many different police locations. Oh, whoops, one of them was pounding his ladywife: a slight blush dusted Schro's cheeks and his smile faded as he skipped onto the next victim.

West Side Roast - Marko @Frozen Princess (Scoops, Hennessy, Fox and Nevrakis) @MsBloom (Edith)
As he went ahead and finished his meal, Marko noticed Su-Ji: she had just entered the diner as well and greeted him with a slight handwave and smile. The corners of his lips twitched up briefly and he nodded her way in lieu of greeting, in a similar non-verbal manner.

His attention returned to the Governor, when he spoke up about his thought. "I am sure you can approach companies as well with this: they probably have lost business, what with being unable to send representatives out with a quick flight to where they need to be to sign contracts or get other people to agree to contracts."

If there was one thing American and certain foreign corporations hated above all, it was people who messed up so bad that it would impact their bottom line. Of that, Marko was convinced.

"It'll be a few hours worth of driving, then: at least the highway is very well taken care of in our region."

Marko commented, when the Duchess agreed to his suggestion.

"You're welcome, though I must ask for an hour of patience so I can hammer out a deal with the guy I know for a rental car and drive it over."

That being said, the second-generation serbian took a glass of water and drained it within a dozen seconds: staying hydrated was and always will be important. He ignored the media, who were rendered speechless by the cheek of the big shots he sat with: a look to Scoops had Marko smirking a little. He did not expect to see her poleaxed expression, given how usually she was the one on the giving side- but really, she was in a very bad position, what with her dereliction of journalistic duty in favor of shutting up when her superiors told her to shut up.

The serbian requested Duchess Nevrakis' favoured phone number for this sort of situation, so he could give her a quick ring or send a message once he had the vehicle to drive her in the first place. Only then did he get up and leave to go visit his uncle's cab depot to get a car to drive the Duchess over to the neighboring international airport.

 

[MsBloom]

Blair & Alexa @Inkybus (Schro)

"Erin Holmes. That's the bitch's name. She was still in uniform when she saw how my family treated me just for being different, intelligent and well ... not as masculine as expected of a Bailey born with a penis. She promised she'd come back with the DCF but I guess she must have forgotten about it as soon as our farm disappeared from the rear view mirror of her patrol car."
Blair took a deep breath and seemed to think for a moment before adding they thought that she must be district 3 now since she had shown up at the Golden Spoon. They then gave a description of Detective Holmes.
"Isn't there a bank just a block and a half from the Golden Spoon. We could hit that perhaps," Alexa suggested as she was getting into the idea of stirring up even more trouble.
"First though," she said.
"Let's smoke up what we bought. I fucking need something to take the edge off."

Su-Ji @Frozen Princess (Ginger) @Inkybus (Marko)

"Sure. No problem," she said when Ginger mentioned the price of her sandwich and smiled as she added that with her new heightened metabolism she might need to either get a job on the side or pull off a jewel heist.
"I am Cat Woman hear me roar," she said imitating Michelle Pfeiffer from the 1992 movie and broke into a short burst of laughter.
"So fucking hot in that leather suit wasn't she?"
She then pulled up and showed Ginger a picture of the collar she and Nef had decided on before the arrival of Sapphire caught her eye, and close behind her Edith.
"It's almost starting to look like a gathering of the new superheroes of Westbrook and their PR team," she said and gave the two a nod.
"First though I am going to eat."

Edith @Frozen Princess (Ginger) @Inkybus (Marko)

With Sapphire driving Edith leaned back into the seat and closed her eyes for a moment waiting for the caffeine to start taking full effect. A smile spread on her lips as she began to realise that allnighters would have to be reserved for weekends unless it was for work. She also felt her bladder starting to fill up again which was why she, as soon as they walked in the door at West Side Roast, made a detour to the restrooms, only just managing to avoid bumping into Sapphire who seemed genuinely caught off guard.

 

[Frozen Princess]

West Side Roast (Marco) @Inkybus (Edith, Su-Ji) @MsBloom

Before he could get completely away, Governor Fox and Captain Hennessy both handed over business cards of their own, informing Marko to keep them in mind should a need for their services to arise, before leaving not too far behind Marko. Duchess Nevrakis, however, hung back, but not before telling Marko she'd be ready at the hotel she was staying in during her visit. She didn't give her room number, as she planned to be downstairs with her luggage by the time he could get there. She also told him to hold on to her number in case she could return the favor, just give her time to take care of what she had to at the Cordonian Palace in Europe. "Shouldn't take more than 36 hours, the most."

Having the Governor of the state, and an Air Force Captain (both NPC) on his side couldn't hurt Marko, at any rate!

Sapphire, noticing Su-Ji and Ginger, nodded to them, then made a motion to Edith, hoping to catch her, to pull up a seat with the college girls when she got out of the restroom. She sidled over to Olivia and started a conversation with the Lythikan.

Meanwhile, Ginger smiled about the similarities between Su-Ji and Catwoman. "I'd advise against following in her footsteps, Su-Ji, she's an antihero or rogue good. Besides, we're in real life, not a comic book or movie. I don't think the WPD would think twice of throwing you in with the regular criminals, no matter how much Detective Holmes or her captain vouch for you. We're already meta, having been affected by the meteor. Let's please not add to our problems." She took a bite of her pork and slaw sandwich. "You could rent yourself out for parties. Lots of kids love cats, cat-heroes, and such. You could make a legal killing. I'm thinking of trying to as a magician of sorts." She pulled and repelled the light tin napkin holder with her one hand. "I need to find something anyway. A lot of those 'clients' at the fitness gym are world class dicks. Both the males AND females. My supervisor is one of the female dicks."

After half-hour (definitely long enough for Edith to come in & involve herself), Sapphire met them at the table, as the duchess headed out to grab her luggage and ride to a working airport. "Well, that was informative. So... What are y'all talking about over here?"

Capitol. Zoo late morning, early afternoon (yet before 2:30pm) (Amaya) @Inkybus

Rebecca would take Amaya where she wanted to go, and would spend the rest of morning and early afternoon, there, including going to lunch, and getting souvenir cups from the Zoo cafe, The Beast-ro. She found herself rolling her eyes at the pun, but if asked, she would admit to Amaya she couldn't have done any better naming it. Rebecca had gotten an American Red Wolf cup with a blurb about how the species was critically endangered. "Did you get an endangered species cup, too, Amaya?"

 

[Inkybus]

Hijos de Renzo umpteenth safehouse | tuesday FINISH - Schro @MsBloom (Blair & Alexa)

Schro nodded at that and declared with no hesitation: "I'm going to keep eyes and ears open then. Shouldn't take long, then we can look for a suitable bank, jewelry store or shitty drive-through to rob and cast out our hook, line and sinker."

The trio of metahumans finally arrived at the destination set by the cognito hazard, who opened the rear door, smiling. Ana glared at him, but held out a bag with spare jackets and masks, just as he had ordered. "Good job."

His praise did not ease up the glare, and Schro took the opportunity to turn back to the others: "Let's do like the natives did, pipe passing around the fire and all. This is a brand new start."

The first part was obviously a joke: he would only pass around drugs and they could smoke leisurely: Schro would partake only very little, because he wanted to get started looking for information on the Detective. And with that, the new group of villains entered the safehouse, letting the driver drive off and dispose of the stolen car.

Capitol Hyatt Regency Room 710 - Amaya "Melia" Sosa @Frozen Princess (Rebecca)
Enjoying the zoo was easy, for an animal-friendly person like herself: the longest exhibit she stayed at was the one made for the african porcupines. She considered the quills for a bit, ideas that she hadn't previously considered now coming to mind for some reason.

After that, they went to eat and she got a cup about the equally critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle. "Oh- yes. I have this one about this oceanic turtle. I think it's a good idea to guilt-trip some people to give for a good cause."

West Side Roast - Marko @Frozen Princess (Hennessy, Fox and Nevrakis)
Naturally, Marko accepted the contact information he was given by both the Governor and the Captain. "I appreciate it: thank you."

The Duchess hadn't needed to give Marko specifics about her room: after all, he did not require to know that, to drive to any place she wanted to picked up at. He caught a cab and, as he drove, he went and phoned ahead.

Fifty minutes later saw him parking the car in the hotel's parking lot or garage: with a quick phonecall, the tinkerer informed the Duchess of his arrival. He would, of course, get out of the rental car to open the door so she could put the luggage inside: the car was a very average sedan, without any logos or embellishments. The perfect vehicle that could be used for many different things whenever rented.

 

[MsBloom]

Su-Ji / Edith @Frozen Princess (Ginger)

"Yea, as much as I do love a hot anti-hero, burglary might not be the best course of action but with my budget for food will likely burst if I am going to need to eat like this for the rest of my life then I will certainly need an extra income."
She pawed her ear and tilted her head to the side looking at Ginger, almost offended, when she suggested working birthday parties.
"Sure kids love cats and all but I mean what the hell am I supposed to do for entertainment, acrobatics, or just let them gawk and pet me?"
She scoffed but soon focused her attention on the two sandwichess in front of her deciding on the Tandoori Chicken first, which she gobbled down in just a few bites, barely chewing it and thus had finished it by the time Edith joined them.

It was unusual for such an experienced reporter as Sapphire to be rendered speechless the way Edith had just witnessed. She had however missed the comment, question or fact that had caused her boss to actually stagger with surprise, or if it had been shock. It didn't much matter at the time though. She was sure Sapphire would fill her in eventually.

Having washed her hands she then pulled up a chair, as requested by her boss, to the table at which Su-Ji and Ginger were already seated.
"I'm not sure it is entirely healthy to eat quite that fast," she commented as she watched Su-Ji almost inhale her food.
Su-Ji gave her a look while briefly chewing a large piece of her cheese-steak sandwich and then shrugged as if she didn't really care because she didn't really have much choice but to try keeping up with her increased need for calories.

Edith simply responded with a smile and glanced up at the menu printed above the counter, suddenly craving one of the seriously messy sandwiches that had made West Side Roast popular among the students at Westbrook College.
"I think I'll have myself an early lunch, or later breakfast."
She got back up and walked over to the counter just as Sapphire seemed to regain her and joined them.

She ordered herself a Mac and Cheese sandwich, one of the messier specials on the menu. By the time she returned to the table Su-Ji was done with her cheese steak sandwich and focused on stuffing her mouth with fries covered in melted cheese and ketchup.
"Ways to earn some extra cash," Su-Ji said between two large mouths full of fries.
"And apparently whether or not it is healthy to eat the way I now have to because of ... well ..."
She twirled her whiskers and smiled wide enough to show her fangs while shipping her tail and gave Edith a look across the table.
"So did Ms Nevrakis have anything interesting to say then?" Edith asked Sapphire, ignoring Su-Ji's look.


Blair & Alexa @Inkybus (Schro)

After having passed the evening smoking weed and planning their heist, (they would hit the Westbrook Financial Institute which was located just a few blocks away from The Golden Spoon which in turn put it right on the edge of Detective Holmes jurisdiction), with Blair ever so often interjecting their desire to humiliate Detective Holmes as much as possible in the process, they and Alexa woke up almost at the same time quite late. It was almost noon and having put on a bit of make up, and the jacket Schro had produced for them, a rather dull looking windbreaker of the sort you'd expect hikers to wear, Blair went out to pick up brunch for the three of them.

When they got back they asked Schro how long it would take for him to produce a getaway vehicle for them and possibly a gun for himself if he felt he needed one, Alexa certainly didn't and Blair felt like he certainly didn't.

 

[Frozen Princess]

West Side Roast just after noon (Edith, Su-Ji) @MsBloom

Ginger frowned as she continued to play with the napkin holder. "No, of course not, even I know cats don't like being petted unless they want it. Acrobatics, though is a good start. Some kind of way to get the kids on your side." She sighed as Edith made herself known.

As Edith was getting her sandwich, and Sapphire joined them, and heard what they were discussing, she chuckled. "When will people learn you don't criticize a cat's eating habits?" A glance at Edith like she knew who was responsible. "So, I learned, direct from the horse's mouth, that the press has everything backwards, and the assassination was clandestine, and not Lythikos nationalists. It wasn't even the King they were after. Not Ella's fault at all, it was that secretive. Olivia's mom was the target, which she didn't even know, and the attempt on the king was opportunistic in nature from the beginning. By showing her loyalty, and her mom showing her traitorous side, Olivia became the youngest duchess and the new Lythikan Ambassador to Cordonia. She's been an ambassador since then."

Sapphire stopped, watching Ginger continue to fiddle with her powers using the napkin holder, before she swiped it out of Ginger's magnetic field during the repel stage. "Knock it off, Magneto. I'm taking your toy away. That's highly distracting." She then cleared her throat and continued with what Olivia told her, regarding the duchess. "And thanks to Ella, we had the where and when right. Eleven years ago in Chelyabinsk, after the meteor explosion our good duchess, as well as other people in the radius of the town, found themselves with extraordinary powers. Many of which got the hell out of Russia, and into Western Europe once they realized they had powers beyond normal. A mass exodus into Germany, Belgium, France, Serbia, even Cordonia.

The duchess, herself... Well, think of a wonder woman with wolf abilities instead of deer, but with the same temperance you know from the comics, but with a mom who, according to Olivia, tried to exploit, or otherwise make Olivia use her powers."

Ginger pouted as her toy was taken and she got scolded by the reporter. "So... Like Zarda Shelton/Power Princess? I never really read much DC. I've always been a Marvel girl, mostly X-Men. Just ask Su-Ji."

Sapphire sighed and dragged her hand down her face. "Sure. Like Power Princess, then. The point is, she's one of you, from the most recent meteor before Sunday's. She's just been trying to stay below the radar. She was just outed with the assassination attempt, and the press started playing fast and loose with the facts, like they weren't bizarre enough without embellishments. Her king might know about her, most Western Europe may even have an inkling. She'd be relatively unknown here in the States."

"So since she's already affected from the 2013 meteor, she might not have passed out like the rest of us." Ginger stated.

"Unless they were napping, it was Sunday late afternoon, after all." Sapphire said calmly, "And yes I did ask. She didn't pass out from the meteor explosion. Her ears did ring though, non-stop, for several hours. She also got the sense of deja vu."

Heading to Capitol Airport about 12:30pm (Marko) @Inkybus

Olivia smirked as she saw the car. "Love it. Very nondescript. Last thing I need would be advertising trying to get home. Thank you." She nodded as the door was opened. Olivia would wait until they were on their way to the Capitol airport, before attempting to engage in conversation. She had noticed his accent. Sitting back in her seat, she asked curiously, "Are you from the old country, too? It doesn't have to be Lythikos, I would guess from the accent, Serb or Slav. It's very welcoming to hear in America, I assure you."

Capitol Zoo about 12:45pm (Amaya) @Inkybus

Rebecca and Amaya, after lunch, spent a little more time at the zoo, with Rebecca saving the big cat exhibits, her favorite, for last. They would spend as much time with the tigers as they had for Amaya at the African porcupines. "Bengal Tigers of India. I don't care what the common consensus is, These are the most majestic of the big cats, not the lion. Only lion I ever saw as majestic was Aslan, from Narnia." She leaned on the railing, watching them, and Amaya out of the corner of her eye.

Westbrook Police Department District 3 just before 3pm (Loni) @MsBloom

Detective Holmes sighed and showed the girls to her desk, and waiting chairs. "Sorry, things have been hectic since about 11 am this morning. The Cap has informed me, I'm running out of time, because, well, it's public now, there's a huge six block square radius we aren't even allowed in anymore. No warning to District 2, the residents of the area, nothing. We're scrambling as is, trying to accommodate and take in out of work officers. District 2 was dissolved as of that moment." She focused on Windy. "Look, kid, I don't have time to beat around the bush. We need you, and your race car speed, on our side, fighting for the police. We're trying to get a crack team of superheroes together, fully deputized, to prepare for the coming storm. We know of two villains with superpowers already. One wrecked your parents business, the other is causing hallucinations, and is part of the gang, that our mayor just willed six square blocks to, like that's going to appease them. He's also tied WPDs hands. No police car or patrol for that area anymore. We're going to need a speedster. A Flash or Quicksilver of our own to combat this. The Captain already spoke to your parents. They said the decision is yours. Know this: You don't join the heroes aligning with the police as a band of defense, you could very well be arrested for vigilantism. We're not playing, Ms. MacEnroe."

Windy looked at Loni. Then she looked at Holmes. "What about Sunset Street? That was district 2, do we belong to the gangs, now?"

"No. You've been rezoned to District 3. You're in our jurisdiction now." Holmes reassured her. "Are you in?"

Windy again looked at Loni. "How do we protect our loved ones? Or ourselves?"

Holmes sighed. "By the book. Which we will give every super that sides with us. Ms. MacEnroe, please. You know this is the only way. The circumstances have changed. Just since this morning."

Windy MacEnroe, code name Velocity, nodded. "Velocity's in."

 

[Inkybus]

Hijos de Renzo umpteenth safehouse - Schro @MsBloom (Blair & Alexa)

Schro went to bed in a timely manner: he had his own room in the safehouse, perk of being the big cat in charge of operations.

Blair and Alexa had their own shared room while the goons had their barracks or went back to their own homes. Outside of the gang, only lowlives knew of the gangsters that had taken up residence in this place and kept mum when civvies or police questioned anything.

Secrecy was the blanket of safety under which they could sleep. An unassailable fortress would come later.

Blair and Alexa were very insistent on doing this sooner rather than later, so Schro gave them a few options to go with to attract the attention of the police and, specifically, the detective responsible for that area in particular. The plan, as it was, consisted of the gang getting in the bank, subduing the guards and taking some hostages while a drill or Blair, depending on which was more effective, opened the vault or safe that awaited them inside.

Schro produced a basic set of weaponry: he took with him a burst and semiautomatic handgun firing 9mm bullets, as well as a fairly pristine combat knife. Other than that, his gear included zip ties prepared as impromptu handcuffs, duct tape, an epipen, smelling salts and the material to set up a drill to break the locks keeping the goods safe.

"There's a guy I can blackmail with a pretty new fourseater living nearby, that we can use as our getaway vehicle: it will be a cakewalk to abduct him and get his car. If we keep him in the trunk, we can also use him as a hostage for a smoother getaway. You know, on top of any hostages we take in the bank itself."

Capitol | Zoo - Amaya "Melia" Sosa @Frozen Princess (Rebecca)
"I prefer tigers over lions as well."

Amaya admitted, looking to the bengal tiger in the exhibit: it was a sight to see, although the metahuman was sure that seeing one free of captivity was probably even more so. Though it would also be dangerous, given how animals were territorial and did not understand humans merely passing through, without caring about prey or such. Not in this civilised age, anyway.

A mosquito landed on Amaya's jaw. A second and a half later, its nervous system was so scrambled that it fell into a coma it would never wake from naturally: she brushed the arthropod away with a quick swipe of her hand, apathetically.

Heading to Capitol Airport - Marko @Frozen Princess (Nevrakis)
"My uncle's business is to keep the cars as blank as possible for any needs the customers may have in renting one of them. Easier to place logos and such on and off when one is rented."

Marko explained the origin of the car and some of the workings of his uncle's business. It was not a widely-known car rental service, but it was a growing business nevertheless: that was all his uncle cared for and Marko had no objections there. One did what one had to, to live a fulfilling life.

"I was born here, but my father is serbian."

Unlike while he talked about his uncle, Marko's answer that included his father was curt. Poised and neutral, without elaborating at all: it was as though he disliked talking about that specific parental figure.

"Unpleasant overstay aside, what was the best thing you found in Westbrook?"

He asked, moving the conversation away from unpleasant thoughts; or hoping for such, anyway: he was not a mind-reader, nor was he particularly empathetic.

 

[MsBloom]

Edith @Frozen Princess (Ginger)

"But she was right," Edith interjected after Sapphire had stopped her report on the conversation with the Cordonian ambassador to take away Ginger's plaything.
"About her being a meta too I mean. And that's what matters. I wonder if she can track others from that event as well, maybe all the way to the states."
She then got on her phone while Sapphire continued and having typed most of the message into he encryption messaging app she then smiled as Ginger rejected the description of Olivia as Wonder Woman with wolf abilities in favour of the much less known marvel equivalent (sort of) though in all honesty Edith thought Wonder Woman's backstory as an amazon was quite a bit cooler (even if it somewhat bothered her that Diana had both her breasts when the mythical matriarchal tribe were known for cutting off one of their breasts in favour of becoming better archers. Then again she hadn't voiced that issue very loudly when she and Ella had watched the movie with Gal Gadot. It would just have been wrong to deprive her of one of those fantstic breasts after all. Having shot a few glances over at the diplomat she had concluded that the same was true for her.)

Su-Ji @Frozen Princess (Ginger)

Su-Ji had mostly focused on her food while Sapphire talked but did look up with a partially guilty smile when she mentioned napping. She hadn't exactly been napping but had definitely been on her way to falling asleep in the warm sun. She hadn't actually passed out though, not that she could remember anyway and mentioned this. Nor had her ears been ringing but perhaps that was because of the headphones blocking out much of the sound of the meteor exploding. And neither had Nef.

She mentioned this to Sapphire and quickly added that she had never before been anywhere near a meteor exploding. She then stopped to think for a moment while finishing her pumpkin latte.
"It is odd though because it seems that my cat was affected as well. I mean I've always talked to her and, as anyone does with a beloved pet, pretended that she actually replied though it was of course entirely my own assumptions projected onto her. Now though I actually understand what she is saying and she also seems to have a human level of intelligence and ability for abstract reasoning. My guess is that she is the reason I look the way I do now. It is strange though that I am the only one who understand her. Perhaps it is some kind of telepathic connection."

Loni: Westbrook Police Department District 3 @Frozen Princess

Loni had not said or done very much during Windy's conversation with Detective Holmes. She had basically just been sitting there next to her girlfriend holding her hand for comfort. Even if it was almost immediately clear that Windy was not in any trouble with the law, for speeding or anything else, it was still somewhat unsettling to be called in for questioning.

When she finally spoke it was to comment on the fact that Windy would need a special suit that could withstand the heat created by her speed.
"Preferably one that doesn't make you look like the Michelin Man."
She smiled as she imagined Windy in something tight fitting that would show off her curves.
"Maybe I should help Zapper and M design it, just to make sure they get it right y'know," she added after the two had left Detective Holmes' office.

Blair & Alexa @Inkybus (Schro)

The plan was simple which Blair liked, simple but definitely something that would attract attention. They pondered for a while whether they actually had the strength to tear open a bank vault but there was only one way to find out. They would certainly try. If nothing else it would be a sure way to make headlines and land the heist on that bitch's table, and if it didn't by default she would know it was them and make sure she involved herself, perhaps still thinking she could talk to them, reason with them.

And so not long before closing when the bank was almost full of customers the three of them walked in through the front door. Alexa almost immediately found a corner that was less lit than the rest of the bank where she began to gather shadow to make bullets from which she then fired at the surveillance cameras while Blair made a big show of themself by grabbing a pulpit and throwing it at the glass behind which the tellers were seated before holding his arms out at the sides while approaching the security guard almost as if daring him to shoot.

 

[Frozen Princess]

West Side Roast 11 (Edith Su-Ji) @MsBloom

Sapphire put her hands up in mock surrender. "I didn't say she wasn't..." And as Edith went on her spiel and pulled out her phone, in typical Lois Lane fashion with the same teasing expression and tone, she said, "Whoa, slow down there, Clark Kent! Breathe! I should be the one chasing the story that hard! Enjoy your sandwich!" She got up, "You girls are making me thirsty for a drink, I'm going up there for their other everyday's a holiday speciality. It's been a while since I had it." Sure enough, she came back with a warm eggnog. "Egg-licious and nutmeggy.Been too long, I missed this."

Sapphire took a gulp of her drink and shook her head. "Are you sure about that? Did you ask her?" Her reporter's instincts kicking in.She was in no means making fun of Su-Ji. Hell, she talked to her family dog when she was growing up.

Ginger shook her head."It's funny, I don't remember hearing any domestic animals carrying on after the explosion. There were a few seconds before I passed out in the park, near the sunflower garden."

Sapphire frowned. "Interesting. Most everyone in the newsroom outside the studio, were on their knees and in pain, right after." After taking another drink of her warm eggnog, she got right on her own phone. This after having teased Edith about it, but she just got her own lead. She had several emails written and sent in five minutes to several different doctors at different hospitals around the city, including Main General and Community, asking about who passed out and who only complained of ringing ears, and of possible earphones or earbuds that were among those with no ringing ears or didn't pass out.She didn't realize it, but she just accidentally stumbled upon another clue!

On the Road noonish to 2p (Marko) @Inkybus

Olivia frowned, picking up on the tone. She nodded, truly sounding apologetic. "Didn't mean to offend.. Have you ever wanted to see your homeland?Just you, never mind your parents." As Sapphire had learned, Olivia had her own parental issues, and even though she was now an ambassador, still did if she was being honest with herself.

She sat back as she thought about Marko's question. "This is a pretty decent state overall. Nice and landlocked like King Liam wants for his embassy. Pretty decent people, overall, also. I wouldn't even mind being the Cordonian Ambassador to America if he approves the site I found for him. I just need to warn him not to trust this current mayor. I know we have to play politics, but he's downright untrustworthy. And I'm a Nevrakis. My whole family history is full of untrustworthy people."

She would continue to try to make small talk all the way to the airport, and, almost as an afterthought even invited him to Cordonia with her, promising a tour of the capitol, knowing getting him in the palace wouldn't happen during her actual meeting with her king. If Marko knew anything about first class, it could be enjoyable...Except for the just over eleven hour flight to that part of Europe.


Capitol City About 3-3:30p (Amaya) @Inkybus

Rebecca had missed the mosquito making a move on Amaya, but did notice her swipe at her jaw. "You okay?" She made a face before swatting at her own insect, "Jeez must be after three, mosquitoes are getting active. I think we should start heading to the car. Since we've done the zoo and ate less than two hours ago, what do you say to a play? And I mean a live theatre one." As she pulled away from the railing she got on the live theater on her entertainment app."Shakespeare at the Park presenting Midsummer's Night Dream, Ensemble has Twelve Angry Men or Streetcar Named Desire, hmm Central has My Fair Lady and Retro has Oklahoma! Huh. Apparently Your Classic Dinner Movie Live is doing Rocky. Looks like those are our choices for live entertainment right now. All have curtain times around five to seven pm. Depending on if you want dinner and a movie, we'd only have one choice then... Rocky. The others don't come with a meal." She didn't add that the dinner theatre one (Rocky) was thirty extra dollars a head. The only free ones were Shakespeare in the Park and Ensemble. The musicals weren't too bad, depending on where in the theatre one wished to sit.

Westbrook Police Department District 3 4pm (Loni, many NPCs, Villain Trio - Bank) @Inkybus @MsBloom

Just after wrapping up with Race Car, who she now knew as Velocity, Erin nodded, smiled and shook hands with both girls. She then looked at Loni. "I don't remember seeing you at the Golden Spoon at the moment in question. Where you somehow affected, too?" At that moment, her mentor, a detective in his own right (NPC), stopped by her desk. "Answer her later. We need all hands on deck." Turning to Erin, he said, "All police hands. Your hero posse isn't deputized, yet. I'll fill you in as we head out. Grab your partner and let's dance."

Grimacing, and uttering her (apparent) catchphrase of "Mierda en un palo!", she started shooing the teen girls out the door of the station. "They keep switching me up, today I'm with Rainier (NPC). She yelled for him and grabbed her new hat, as her current partner of the day nodded, and grabbed his.

With the girls gone, she flew in the Captain's office, Rainier in tow. "What went down, Captain?!"

"That wrecking ball, and two others are holding up The First Bank of Westbrook on Hill Street¹, near the high school! Possible hostage situation developing with it!" Captain Kate Fitzpatrick (NPC) informed Erin and Rainier who exchanged glances. That was on THIS side of the new gang territory! They purposely came over here! Well... Shit on a stick, right Erin?

1-Shout out to classic cop drama Hill Street Blues

 

[Inkybus]

Bank in District 3 - Schro @MsBloom (Blair & Alexa)

The Three Terrors entered the bank and, obviously, drew the stares of everyone immediately: Schro had his costume on and in the same time as the guards drew their handguns, they became unable to see the villains. In fact, their mind hallucinated a goblin cackling as it sat on their shoulder and held the palms of its hands over the eyes of the armed guards.

"Free- what the fuck!?!"

The lead guard, who wanted to ask the three villains to cease their menacing walk immediately raised his hand and clawed at nothing: there was no way for him to remove the obstruction that blinded him and he was calm enough not to shoot blindly, lest he hit a blameless bystander.

Blair approached the second guard, who was aiming at her, when he also suddenly shook with fear.

Whoever was on cameras had already pushed the alarm button, before his world was also plunged into darkness. A silent, little hallucinatory gremlin on his shoulders, who blocked his eyesight just like every other guard, clawed fingers moving at all times with every jerk of his head.

With a drawn handgun, Schro raised his voice.

"Everyone be calm and lie down on your bellies with your hands behind your back! We're here for your money, not your lives but we are going to take both if you don't comply: please and thank you.~"

His voice was nothing special, but the way it gradually echoed and thrummed, as the minds of the hostages-to-be got addled by his power, promised extreme violence and cowed everyone into submission, meaning that the group could proceed with the second stage of the plan: tying everyone up with zip-tie cuffs and getting Blair to open the doors or the drill set up to do just that.

Capitol | Zoo - Amaya "Melia" Sosa @Frozen Princess (Rebecca)
When Rebecca asked if she was alright after the quick swipe at her face, Amaya nodded simply and then followed the lawyer to the car.

"I'm not too cultured, so I don't mind seeing something new to myself. My Fair Lady, I have not heard of before, except for that meme about the London bridge falling down. Let's go see that!"

She obviously had not been a literature buff, but she admitted as much. But, then again, she also had not gone rock-climbing or diving in the sea to see the magnificent coral reefs and all that…

Heading to Capitol Airport - Marko @Frozen Princess (Hennessy, Fox and Nevrakis)
"I have been to Serbia before, but I wasn't impressed. It is poor, but more so in a moral sense than a material one and I do not care for their international rivalry with the other balkan states."

The discussion turned towards the fact that the mayor was untrustworthy and Marko raised his shoulders in a shrug. He signalled with his blinker, as he went to overtake a semi that was going at a pretty leisurely pace.

"I don't see him getting elected again, trying to pull this kind of stuff: I admit that I am surprised that Scoops didn't tear him a metaphorical new behind with mainstream media. I thought from what I was told of her, that she was an uncompromising bitch of a journalist, who would clamp her jaws onto a scoop and never let go until she got to the bottom of it."

Again, he shrugged in a 'shows what I know' kind of way.

"Maybe the mayor drank some stuff that deteriorated his brain something fierce. Something in the water!"

He joked, obviously: it was just a nonsequitor meant to bring some levity into this heavy topic.

 

[MsBloom]

Edith @Frozen Princess (Ginger)

"I know you are and I know you will," Edith said and sent the message to Ella.
"But that doesn't mean you have to do it alone, right, get information where information can be found. And If there is anyone who can trace people affected by a meteor in some remote region of Russia all the way to the states, maybe even to right here in Westbrook, it's Ella. I've also asked her to dig deeper into the Roswell incident to see if that either generated metas or was a government project to cover up the existence, perhaps even import, of metas from other similar events around the world. I mean it wouldn't surprise me if the us military would start gathering up such people to start some secret black ops army or whatever."

Su-Ji @Frozen Princess (Ginger)

"Well she did protest when Ginger wanted me to take the name Kitty, said it was an insult to an adult cat to be called Kitty. First she suggested Goyang-I which means cat in Korean but then she eventually settled on Cheshire, y'know like from Alice in Wonderland. And last night she picked out her own collar for her student ID card now that she's the Fratority mascot. So, yea, I'm pretty sure."

Loni: Westbrook Police Department District 3 @Frozen Princess

"I had been there just moments ago though. I'm not sure if it's relevant but I sort of met this kid from school, Alex when I left. Like It must have been Alex. He's always been a bit of a femboy but I swear he had actual breasts when I saw him that morning as I left for cheer practice."
She had thought it odd but it had taken no more than a lingering glance at Alex's chest for her to realise that the protrusion on his chest were not just a stuffed bra, like he had at times worn to school before. They had been a nice pair of real breasts, small but real.
"I suppose I should perhaps say when I saw her that morning. Not that I can be sure what else was going on with her body underneath the clothes."

Blair & Alexa @Inkybus (Schro)

"What the Flying Fuck," Blair said as they saw the guard's rather odd behaviour, clawing in the empty air, rather than firing at them.
They shot a glance at Schro, whose powers they suspected was in play and turned to face the next guard in the same manner as they had approached the first. The result was similar and it was not without frustration they accepted that Schro had somehow blocked the guards from taking action, possibly by having them hallucinate something or other. Instead of continuing their plan to cause a commotion, that would be sure to draw the attention of the bitch-cop they so wanted to get their hands on and ruin, they walked up to the counter and smashed the glass windows barking at the tellers to hand over the money and then grabbed the last one, pulled him across the counter and told him to show them to the vault.
"See we're going for the big payout here and like y associate over there said, trying to be a hero will only get you seriously hurt."
They smiled and pulled the terrified bank teller close to their face.
"And don't worry about giving me the combination. I'm pretty sure I can get it open without. You saw what I did tho that pulpit, right. Just imagine how far I could throw you if you don't co-operate."

Not really having much to offer to the situation other than to help Schro keep customers, guards and employees in check Alexa remained in her corner where she had just about enough shadow to make more bullets if needed.

 

[Frozen Princess]

By 1:30, 2pm, the foursome had left West Side Roast, each with their own agenda.The heroes finishing whatever classes they had at college for the afternoon, and the reporters chasing their leads. Sapphire having dropped the issue with the cat, as from what Ginger had said, which was indeed interesting, it wasn't a trail she could really follow, and Su-Ji's couldn't even be followed through, either, without a translator. The next time Sapphire would even have a chance to follow up with Edith wouldn't be until late afternoon at News 3 Studios.

Meanwhile, the following things happened:

Capitol Airport 2pm (Marko) @Inkybus

Olivia had enjoyed the conversation with Marko. The young man wasn't afraid to speak his mind, and it was something she was well acquainted growing up in Lythikos. "The issue with some in power, my friend, is they find ways of staying in power. Even against the people's permission. Mayor Asshole strikes me as one of those. I could tell you a few horror stories of rigged elections in some of the European countries, that I personally know of, and as an ambassador to Cordonia, I'm aware of what you are saying in the Balkan states. As for your reporter friend. If she's a bulldog like you say, there's more than one way to deal with a gag order. It's called research. She's as good as you say, I guarantee she's got her head down, obeying the law, but her nose is firmly in the middle of some pile of research for when she can legally break the story. I know press in Cordonia like that."

As she pulled her luggage out of the car, she furrowed her brow. "Depending on what your major is, but especially if it's STEM, how would you like a week's vacation, all expenses paid, to Cordonia? We are a little more advanced, especially in engineering and technology, then the States. Our focus in science, though, is more along the medical route, like Switzerland. I can talk to your college while you ask your uncle. I plan on coming back here to get my plane and fly to Lythikos anyway. King Liam should be done with me in a few days. If nothing else, a weekend in Cordonia to study our engineering and technological advances." If Marko would be looking for an ulterior motive from Olivia... He wouldn't find it in her eyes or body language. She was sincerely looking to help him in his field of study as a thank you. One could even say... Olivia owed him one.

District 3 Police Department to First Bank of Westbrook, Hill Street 3:45pm (Schro, Blair, Alexa & NPCs) @Inkybus @MsBloom

Erin was both puzzled and pissed; it was not a good look for her. "With at least four banks in their territory, why the hell are they picking on the Hill Street branch?!"

The Captain raised her eyebrow."You're smarter than that, Detective. Why do you think? This isn't about wanting money..."

"It sounds almost personal. A vendetta. Maybe against the precinct itself." Erin frowned, causing Rainier to say, "Oh, hell."

Erin sighed. "They knew by taking a district 3 bank, they'd get our attention and us arriving.Add hostages and a hostage situation, it'd be practically the whole precinct.SWAT and all." Her eyes got big. "¡Mierda! We can't send everyone, Captain! It's a trap! We need the back up of the meta-civilians, after all! Deputized or no!"

"No. Send them a group text to watch the news. And for my announcement to the press. They canNOT legally help until I say, Erin. We go by the book. Just because the meta-villains started now, doesn't mean the meta-heroes can." The Captain growled. "Now, let's move out."

Erin sent the following text to Ginger, Su-Ji and Windy. The only members she had. Tune to the television and radio for a breaking event. DO NOT INTERFERE. WAIT for Capt Fitzpatrick's announcement. NOT BEFORE. After showing the Captain who told her to send the text to her as well, Erin sent it, not knowing her first text to her hero team would also be her last for a while.

When the police arrived, in force, including SWAT they would see the direness of the situation.

News 3 Studios & en route to Hill Street branch 3:45pm (Edith) @MsBloom

Sapphire heard the sirens leaving district 3, which was just a few blocks removed from them on 11th in district 1s jurisdiction. "Edith. Drop what you're following, grab two small cameras, with zooms, one for each of us, and let's go. Sounds like most of district 3 are going on a call. I smell a huge story. Damn the gag order, I want to do this live. We need to air this. The police know something I don't, and I don't like it!" They would be heading to the same place, but because of the Bank's closeness to the high school, they would park in the school's parking lot and use the zoom lenses.

-------------------------------------------------------------
While all of the shit was hitting the fan at quarter of four in Westbrook, things were going smoothly for Rebecca and Amaya in the Capitol. Depending on whether Marko took up the duchess's offer, he might be heading east in an airplane in first class at that, with the Cordonian Ambassador, or heading back into the tempest of Westbrook, and would be 15 minutes out on the state route.

Central Theatre, Capitol (Amaya) @Inkybus

Rebecca and Amaya, oblivious to Westbrook's woes, since they would have their own come Friday, would be choosing where they want to sit for the musical My Fair Lady, which would start at 6pm.

Rebecca was schooling Amaya on the premise of the show they, or rather Rebecca, was paying for tickets. "Eliza Doolittle is one of two protagonists, and the titular character. She's a flower seller whose Cockney accent interests our other protagonist, Professor Henry Higgins, a phonetician. He decides to rise to the challenge of molding Eliza into a lady via perfecting her speech and etiquette." A breath. "Personally, I'm glad you picked this of the two shows, it's actually more fun than Oklahoma! as you're about to see. I actually love the stage version better than the movie from 1964." She grinned. "Good choice."

 

[Inkybus]

Bank in District 3 - Schro @MsBloom (Blair & Alexa)

Schro asked Blair to take care of the guards, as he had no wish to go near them and disarm them himself: he busied himself with hog-tying the various civilians that had been in the bank and the employees that were out in the open. He searched these for hidden weapons and such.

Only the civilians that seemed the meekest, Schro left with their legs untied. He might have a use for moving them, later.

Blair happily intimidated the teller, who was so afraid that they quickly acquiesced and guided the strong metal-like metahuman towards the door that led to the room with a set of straight stairs leading down to the vault. This was a square door of reasonably blast-resistant metal, with titanium machinery set into the portal. More than two and less than three grown men could walk through the vault door shoulder-to-shoulder, width-wise.

Schro remained behind, with Alexa: together, they remained on overwatch, with the young gangbanger staying a bit away from the windows, so that noone had easy line of sight on him. Or an easier shot, for a sniper in a SWAT team. Though, of course, any snipers that stared at as much as a foot from him, would have his entire attention.

Capitol | Theatre - Amaya "Melia" Sosa @Frozen Princess (Rebecca)
Following their zoo visit, Amaya accompanied Rebecca to the theatre, blissfully ignorant of all the excrement hitting the metaphorical fan back in Westbrook. She sat with the delightful, young attorney and sipped from her water bottle.

"How old was Eliza when she first met Higgins?"

The black-haired woman reclined back on her chair, though her question was somewhat worried about something.

Capitol Airport - Marko @Frozen Princess (Nevrakis)
"I remember someone saying that 'when exposing a crime is treated as committing a crime, one is ruled by criminals': I think that they were absolutely right. But, as you said, the USA is hardly the only one where a number of crooks sit at the top."

The college student stopped the car and got out to help take the luggage out and close the trunk, before chatting a bit more with the Duchess.

"I am twenty one years old and happily independent: I don't need a guardian's permission for anything. I have a few tests I want to take in the near future: is this favor to come visit a standing offer for a time?"

Marko decided that he would not go immediately. And he wanted to test the Duchess and see if her favor extended for a while, though he had no intention of stretching it beyond reason.