Previously on With Great Power Quest: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=With%20Great%20Power%20Quest

>>4907855
>there are more important things, like finding Misfit and the survivors

>>4907855
>there are more important things, like finding Misfit and the survivors

>>4907855
>dive down and sort them out
if they're in the hospital they can't kill any paras

>>4907890
>>4907870
locked in

(I don't like the new captcha)

>>4907929
It took me like 5 tries to finally get a slider I could solve, but since I got the one they've been ok with no slider.

nvm it took like a dozen attempts to post this
new capcha suck

These guys could wait, it was more important finding the survivors.

"-went into the sewers," heard one of the militia guys say, "We going in after them captain?"

"Soon as we get organized, we'll have ourselves a freak hunt," the captain said, sliding back the bolt of his assault rifle. The captain was fitter than the others, if I had to guess from the camel pack on his back and the desert camo boots he was just out of the armed forces, or pretended he was.

The sewers though?

Thanks for giving me directions.

I moved quiet across the rooftops, keeping low so my shadow didn't catch their eyes. They seemed a gang of fuck ups though, half of them were wearing sunglasses at night. But a few had the kind of discipline meant they could be trouble.

Ghosting around the wreckage I found a manhole cover, still loose. Must have been Misfits idea, evacuate the building, get them down in the sewer where they wouldn't have to worry about potshots or rely on a police force with a loose concept of protecting and serving.

I slid the lid open, took a breath, then plunged into the stinking dark.

Maybe there were guys who preferred getting around by the sewers, but I'm not one of them. Fact is I hadn't even been in the sewers before and it was for good reason. Mostly the stink, but also the dark, the feeling of pressure of being underground. I'm not claustrophobic or nothing, but I understood claustrophobia when I got down there, looking for my way in the dark.

Turgid waters moved in streams. Calling it 'water' didn't seem right. It was sewage, with all that it implied. I groped along the wall, keeping my boots dry, not wanting to risk a dip in the unerground 'river system' of the Chicago sewers. The smell was worse than I expected to the point it was a blanket on everything else, that I forgot about it over time.

In the dark there was no real way to know where they'd gone, but I expanded out my hearing far as I could, while sparing my nose the same heightened experience.

The scurry of rats, their titters in the dark, came all around me.

Rats in the dark. One scurried out, rising on its hind feet in front of me, nose up. A yellow colored rat. Lemonade, one of Queen Rat's favorite pets.

Lemonade squeaked, then turned its head, pointing.

"After you," I said. The big rat bound down the way. I followed.

It took me around a corner and further up, squeaking.

Then as I took a next step something streaked out of the darkness toward my head.

>roll 3 x 1d100+25 dc 70

>>4907944
I know we're not an important board for 4chan traffic but I can't see this new captcha helping with participation

Rolled 36 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4907948
>>4907949
Speaking of

Rolled 73 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4907948

>>4907949
hopefully mook rolls it back soon

>>4907969
Based. And don't bet on Gook doing it.

Rolled 24 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4907948

>>4907969
pass

1- we need to use some of our boxing money to get some sort of bodycam or some shit, we need to show the world just how shit these people are, we're in the digital age so we literally have no excuse not to use it to our advantage

2-fuck this captcha

I ducked. It whirled over my head, cracking the wall beside me.

"Back villain!" Pratfall's white painted face came out of the dark, bells on her hat jingling, club in hand. She stopped her next blow mid-swing, with the grace to look embarassed. "Oh poop," she said, lowering it, "Sorry Hotspur. I saw you coming out the dark and thought you were one of those Militia bigots."

Lemonade squeaked, climbing up her leg to perch on her shoulder.

"Well I'm not," I said, hands up, lucky to have kept my skull in one piece, "But good thinking keeping an eye out, they're planning on coming down after you guys. Finish the job."

"Merely following the Misfit General's orders," she said, "The Lady of Loud Explosions has made sure to keep our coordinates covered lest we be pursued."

"Is everyone shot?"

Pratfall's feigned playfulness withered, and Xiang's somberness emerged. "Queen Rat's been shot," she said, "While we were getting the kids out of the playroom. A bullet in the hip is nothing to jest about. Least of all a high caliber one."

Fuck.

"The sewer is a bad place for a bullet wound," I said, looking from the sticky walls to the sludge gurgling past us.

"It isn't a preference to be sure," she said, "But in such a rolling storm, any port can be considered safe harbor. Vibes is keeping her sedated."

"Vibes?" I said.

She shook her head, bells jingling. "Yes, you don't know him. A new arrival. He's an empath of sorts, as I understand it he can manipulate people's brain chemistry."

"Let's not tarry in such a loomy place," she said, "There are people who would want to see you."

"There's people I want to see," I said, following the jester deeper into the tunnels.

We crawled through a filthy passage. I tried not to think about what squished under my hand, and emerged into a larger area. A camp of sorts had been set up, standing guard was Boomer. An old man in a cardigan was no one's idea of a bouncer but I knew better. His face was taut as he kept watch over the refugees.

It wasn't all para-folk, it never had been. Some families had found themselves homeless in solidarity with their changed siblings or children, and had been welcomed into Queen Rat's place all the same. She'd kept an open house, not discriminating, knowing a scared kid coming into their powers still needed family around them. Now those desperate people were in a worse situation, marked by clear distress. All their worldly posessions had been wiped out by the inferno started by the militia. It was enough to make me forget about the Governor for a second.

"Yo Spur!" Misfit got up where she'd been talking to a couple of guys outside a pitched tent. She had her skull mask on, and swaggered over. She went right in for a hug. "I was worried shitless about you, brother, you ok?"

"Fine," I said, returning the hug, "I saw Thunderchild. What the hell is he doing running with the Vanguard crew?"

She scuffed her boot. "Yeah, I tried talking him out of it, but Child's still angry you know. He been through some shit."

"Did you know what they were planning?"

She shook her head. "Not really, I figured it was something big though. Would have done something but I had my hands full with what was going on down here."

"Our comrade's anger has led him into violent company," Pratfall said, "Methinks the storm is just beginning with Nemesis on the hunt for revenge."

"If the governor dies it'll be even worse," I said, "How's Queen Rat?"

Misfit drew in a sharp breath. "Not great, Vibes is doing his best though."

She nodded to the tent.

Inside Queen Rat lay, her hip poorly bandaged. A slim Asian guy, maybe Vietnamese or something, held her hand. Her pupils had gone pin-prick small, she was smiling despite what had happened to her hip. The Vietnamese guy wore a patchy beard, he might have been in his twenties but it was a hard twenties. Didn't take a genius to know he was Vibes.

"She's sedated," he said, "Riding a high. I've turned off her pain receptors and switched on an endorphine rush." he looked up. "Oh hey, you're Hotspur. I've heard a lot of good things about you." He must not watch the news.

"It won't fix her though," he said, "She needs a doctor, a hospital."

Queen Rat's face had a drawn, gray tone. Despite her smile she was breathing hard, the ongoing trauma taking its toll.

"I can get her to a hospital or I can protect these guys," Misfit said, "I can't do both."

Goddamn it.

"Maybe one of us could go," Misfit said, "The other stay back, protect these people, maybe find somewhere safe to hole up."

>I'll take Queen Rat
>I'll stay back

>>4908025
>I'll stay back

She's been holed up down here a while already, let's give her a reprieve.

>>4908025
>I'll stay back
>Be careful.
I'm worried.

>>4908025
>I'll take Queen Rat

>>4908025
>I'll take Queen Rat
These people have heard of me but they trust you. I'm probably a little more discreet moving around the city than you, no offense

>>4908022
>Is everyone shot
I don't know how this typo happened but it should be 'is everyone okay?'

>>4908025
>I'll stay back
>>4908028 # >>4908032

>>4908058
>>4908032
>>4908028
locked in

"You get her to a doctor, I'll protect the fort," I said.

"You sure?" Misfit said.

I punched my palm. "Yeah, I'm pretty ready to split some militia heads," I said, "You be careful."

"You too," she said.

She squatted down next to Queen Rat. The old woman groaned as Misfit hefted her up into a fireman's carry, slinging her over her shoulders.

"You're with me Vibes," she said, "Keep the old girl comfortable."

"All right chief," Vibes said. We ducked out of the tent.

Mifit and Vibes hiked out with Queen Rat groaning, leaving the rest to me.

One look around told me these people couldn't stay here. Not just because it was a freaking sewer, but because they were isolated. If the militia swept through and gunned them down, who'd ever know about it? There was no getting a signal this far underground. Misfit had done the right thing booking out of Queen Rat's, but now if we stayed here we might as well have not bothered.

If only I had more para-folk good in a fight. There was Pratfall. Despite her goofiness I knew she could be relief on. From what I'd heard Boomer was solid as an emergency button, his super-sonic voice capable of blowing out the windows in a whole apartment block. The rest were a mix of kids or people like Vibes, their powers better for support than anything offensive. Aether, Thunderchild's girlfriend, checked on the kids, drifting across the ground a semi-transparent ghostly figure.

If Grit were here, or Shark. I'd even take the Vanguard Army's help. The Humanity First Militia weren't here to play.

The lion boy Owen and the four armed girl Jenny sat looking frightened in the arms of a woman trying to keep their spirits up while hiding her own fear.

It was a bad scene.

"Awaiting your orders oh Generalissimo!" Pratfall said, perking up straight with a snappy salute.

"We've got to get these people out of here," I said, "Any ideas?"

Pratfall swayed on her heels in thought.

"Somewhere on the surface where we likely will find help?" she said, "A lot of doors are closed to our kind, but maybe the University of Chicago? I doubt the militia would be much welcome there, or the city willing to let armed intruders invade its august halls."

"Not exactly a fortress though, is it?" I said.

"No," Pratfall said, "Perhaps we could find help in the...less than legal quarter?" she said.

I frowned.

"It's known the Outfit have one of our kind as a captain in their family," she said, "Maybe they'd be willing to help us?"

The fucking Outfit, the goddamn Italian Mafia.

It made a certain kind of sense though. The Militia was bold, but bold enough to run against a hard wall of wop muscle? Never mind Salamander in the bargain. It would make them pause in a way the University wouldn't.

But there had to be a better idea.

>go to the university of chicago
>seek help from the outfit
>there has to be a better option...(write-in)

>>4908105
I forget his name but, what about asking our favorite Biker outlaw for that favor?
>Call our Ninja loving Biker
Was his name Billy?

>>4908114
Sullivan

>>4908119
Why was I thinking Billy?
>>4908105
adjusting>>4908114
>Call Sullivan, and see if his crew can help protect our group for a bit.
I trust bikers over the mob any day, but if that falls through.
>Call Ms. Grant

>>4908121
>Why was I thinking Billy?
Billy Lonegran was the biker who betrayed Hotspur and Sullivan to the cartel

>>4908105
Sullivan's the leader of his gang now I think, worth a shot

>>4908126
THAT TRAITOROUS DUMBASS, now I remember why I thought of him. Thanks Bullpen.

>Call Sullivan, and see if his crew can help protect our group for a bit.

trying to think if Sullivan would betray us for money, his being relaible before abd I cant came up with a lot of options.

Also,

>Call Ms. Grant
but mostly because of our personal doctor, it IS dangerous but if misfit can bring him safe maybe he can agree, cant blame him if he dosent want to

>>4908105
>>4908143

Linking
(Also yay, new thread)

>>4908143
If we get his word to help us, come hell and highwater he'll follow through on it. We may need to offer him a chance to beat the shit out of us for a few minuets to sweeten the deal.

>>4908154
cant blame him, we have to remember to make a list of people we own. give them a fruit basket or something

locking in 'go to Sullivan and the Stunt Crew MC'

I bet the books will expect to be paid for help, that's kinda their thing. Better than dealing with the outfit though.

>>4908182
Fuckin autocorrect, meant to say bikers.

"I know a guy," I said.

I don't know how happy that guy would be to see me, but I knew him. Last time we'd had anything to do with each other had been at the madness of the New Year's Day War. We'd run against each other plenty of times, but helped each other too.

"If I wanted to get out to New Town, how'd I do it down here?" I asked.

"Leave it to me, sir, I'll find the way," Pratfall said, cart wheeling to a handstand and an upside down salute.

It was for the kids, her light-hearted antics. Before I knew who she really was I'd taken Pratfall for an idiot. Turned out she was a 'fool' in the original sense, working on a phD in a sober acadmeic life, using her antics as a way to bring some levity to the world. The kids could use some levity, and if her clownery did that I'd tolerate it.

I almost heard Ivy's voice behind my ear, 'You're a kid too, Eric.'

I shook out the voice. I had a job to do, and it was about keeping a bunch of innocent people from being ventilated.

"Aether!" I called the ghost-girl over. She drifted toward me, bright as a pearl but with clear black features. "Is it dangerous for you to keep watch? I don't want to ask anyone to scout if they aren't bullet proof."

"Bullet proof isn't the right word," she said, circling around me with a ghostly vapor trail, "More untouchable. Try for yourself."

I waved a hand through her and she giggled. It was like trying to snatch a handful of mist.

"If you're willing I could use your help," I said, "But if you think it'd be too dangerous, don't risk your neck."

"Keep look out for those militia types, sing out when I see them coming?" she said, "I could do that."

"Book when you do," I said, "We aren't camping here. Pratfall is working out the details, but I know a place we can maybe shelter."

"Sounds like a plan," she said, drifting off.

Half a plan at least. My guts cramped. I'd never been responsible for people like this before, and it had been a long night already. From the fine heights of Chicago's fanciest hotel to the literal stinking gutters, and the night wasn't over yet.

The little lion boy, Owen, stumbled over.

"Here," he said, offering me a juice box.

"Thanks kid," I said, tucking my mask down to have a sip. I was burning hard and burning out.

"Is Queen Rat going to die?" he asked.

I shrugged. No point lying to the kid.

"Are we?" he said.

"Not tonight," I promised. I pet the kid on the head. "You've got my word on it kid."

"Hotspur always keeps his word," he said, "Misfit always says so, and she's never wrong."

"I want to help," he said, "I can fight!" He bared his fangs and revealed thin claws from his fingers with a cub's growl.

I sighed. He was what, nine years old? Less?

"You want to help me, you can look out for the others," I said, "When we start moving we have to keep together. Can you do that?" He nodded. "It's not fighting, it's more important than fighting. Keep everyone together and moving in the right direction. Don't let anyone get lost or fall behind."

"I will!" his tail swished in excitement.

"Okay, you go do that," I said, "I think Pratfall's almost-"

But the echoing bark of gunfire broke out.

Shit.

Aether came flying through the far wall, startled.

"They're..." she said, "They're here. Gave them a bit of a fright!"

I nodded, cracking my neck.

Good.

"Boomer!" I called to the old man, "Let's give these guys a reason to hesitate."

His smile was cold with a mean joy.

I crawled into the mouth of the tunnel, sliding over sewage, Bommer climbed up behind me.

We locked eyes.

"Ready old man?" I said.

He nodded. He was ready.

Time to fight.

>roll 3 x 1d100+25 dc 75

Rolled 66 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4908209
Les fuck em up
Break my in 40 rolling streak pls dice gods

Rolled 54 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4908209

Last post for my night, hope is a 100

(good thread op)

Rolled 93 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4908209
fuck the captcha

>>4908236
nice, there's a strong pass

"Get everyone out of here, Pratfall, we'll be right behind you," I said before sliding out through the sewer mouth, Boomer right behind me.

We came down into some sludge. The old man was no warrior, I signaled for him to stay put while I moved ahead, listening for the Militia.

"Hey Caspar, where'd you go Caspar?" I heard the pig ignorance in his voice, calling out for Aether. "Come on, we just want to talk with you!"

Maybe they saw my shadow, maybe they saw nothing, but they let off a machine gun blast, scouring the wall, howling together. Must be at least four or five from the hooting and howling.

"Come on, freak, step on out," he said.

"Like a turkey shoot down here," another chuckled.

They howled and let off random machine gun blasts.

I came around low, running fast. Flashlights swept across me.

"Here we go!"

Poor choice of words.

Bullets tore through the air. I lunged out over the stream of gray water, boots landing on the wall. I ran up, up along the wall, up and over, bullets racing after me not bothering with 'lead time'. I was upside down above them. I crashed down onto a startled face, my fist crashing down on the dome of his head. As he fell I ripped the rifle off him and swung the stock into his neighbor's jaw, then rammed the barrel into the eye of the one behind him, right above his 'tactical' scarf.

A worse person might have pulled the trigger. Instead I ripped the barrel out, the mess of his eye coming with it. He went down screaming, grabbing at his ruined face. The gun I shattered over my knee.

Flashlights came down the other way. If they'd been seriously prepared they'd have night vision shit, if they'd been trained we'd have never seen them coming. But I guess they were a paygrade or two under someone like Houndmaster. They were a gang of suburban shitheads in love with their guns and with a hard on to use them.

Most of them at least. One came around the corner, and he took the corner the way I'd seen those black ops guys move. He didn't have a flashlight. I might not have seen him if I hadn't sharpened my eyes. He let a shot off and it nearly clipped my scalp. I moved fast, into the sewage, a controlled burst opening up where I'd been.

I landed in an unwholesome sludge. The stink by now had infected my costume, already foul with the stink of blood and cordite. I was up to my knees in sewage and I didn't want to risk touching my face.

It was the kind of perfume left a girl trembling.

He came up with the careful walk of a soldier, betrayed by the loud jagoffs following him.

I stayed low, waiting, knowing he was looking for where to shoot.

He raised a hand to get his guys to stop but they bungled in behind him.

The guys I'd left down groaned and whimpered behind me.

He cut his hand across his throat calling for silence. It took them a second.

They were idiots with guns but dangerous idiots, amped up on the thrill of the hunt.

They were ready to kill anything they came across.

I saw the disturbance in the sewage before they did.

When it exploded up around them their cries of horror were well deserved. He crowded the tunnel, hulking above them, looking down with a fixed grin and doll black eyes.

Never expected to see a shark in a sewer.

He snatched a gun off a man trying to shoot him, pulled him forward into his biting maw. The scream didn't last long, but was taken up by his friends.

"Evil walks here," Shark said through gore-stained teeth, nostrils flaring.

Gun fire errupted and I moved. Now it was as much a matter of saving their lives by dropping them before Shark could get to them.

"The putrid stench cannot be disguised."

He grabbed the smooth operator. The operator lost his grip on his rifle, drew a knife and started stabbing at Shark. It did him no good. No kicking or struggling was stopping the bite which tore open his neck and shoulder. Say this much, it was quick.

And they found enough sense to run, shooting wildly over their shoulders.

I grabbed Shark before he could pursue.

"Shark, that's enough," I said.

"Fire-Bearer," he said, nostrils flaring, "There was great evil done in the city tonight."

"Like every other night," I said.

"They make war on the children of the falling star," he said.

"They're a bunch of ignorant shitheads, but they're running, Shark," I hauled his arm back, power burning hard enough to draw it away.

"They will return," he said.

"They'll find me waiting," I said, "Shark, there are kids down here. We need to get them to safety."

Now a chink in Shark's armor. He looked down to me.

"Before they get back," I said, "We need to get them somewhere safe. I have a plan."

Shark tilted his head, unsettling eyes upon me.

"Then lead, fire-bearer, show me the way," he said.

I don't know what he meant by that, but I had his attention.

"Okay," I said, "Let's get out of here."

The sooner we were out of the sewer the better. Here's hoping the stink came off.

back tomorrow

>>4908254
AHHHH YEAH, SHARK BRO JOINED THE PARTY! Now we just need the rest of our crew and we can go Mini Avengers on some asses.

>>4908403
Shark is pretty much the hulk of the setting.

Unbelievably strong and mostly tries to do the right thing, but they're a ticking time bomb that's way too dangerous to have around most of the time, he's great but just too much to handle

>>4908254
shark pogging it

>>4908610
I dunno if he's as strong as all that, Semper Fi was beating him. Salamander probably could too as long as he isn't a bad matchup for her fire powers.

Boomer was tight lipped when Shark appeared but I saw the shock in his eyes. Anyone would be shocked. Shark's chest was washed with blood, bits of meat still hanging from his teeth. I still wondered if it could be called cannibalism. Shark was so far from a human being now it was hard to know, if he ever had been human to begin with.

"The militia are gone for now," I said, "But they'll be back soon enough. We need to dip."

Boomer nodded. We climbed back through to the para-folk camp, where Pratfall was organizing the evacuation.

"Well there's a toothsome smile!" she said on seeing Shark, "Our selachimorphic chum has arrived in our hour of need to make chums of our enemies. Well we would be a churlish lot to refuse any help offered, even of such primeval directness. Is it in bad taste to ask if our friends from the Humanity First Militia taste as bad as their fashion?"

Shark gave a small grunt but no answer.

"Are we good to go?" I said.

She nodded. "A course is plotted and set, Sir Hotspur. We should emerge somewhere on 87th street. From there we will follow you to the roguish enclave and hope this den of thieves will provide us shelter."

Everyone seemed ready to go, more or less. Owen and Jenny held hands as Aether circled up the other children, the families gathered with their lives on their backs. It was more a scene expected out of a Middle Eastern conflict than in the underbelly of Chicago, but these were wild times.

"You get a head count on everyone?" I asked Aether.

"Counted twice, we should be good," she said.

I loosened my face mask, nose wrinkling on the sewage stink.

"Well then, let's go."

>roll 3 x 1d100+20 dc 65

Rolled 37 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4909071
Boys

Rolled 97 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4909071

>>4909076
WOOOOO!
>>4909073
Just noticed my bonus was wrong.

this is looking good unless there's a critfail

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>4909071

>>4909076
pass

These bikerboys better help us, we have literally nowhere else to go.

Unless we deal with the mafia or...ugh, LIBERALS.

>>4909100
Slow suicide and please just shoot me now aren't nice options. But Sulli does owe us a One. And even he and Baby Girl have enough heart an soul in themselves to not turn away the kids at the bare minimum. They're very justified derision of authority and the fact there is a low authorized state sponsored hunt for kids heads getting taken should move them.

>>4909113
Do they owe us one? We did a favor for them, but I think that was repaying them for a favor they did for us first.

We stalked through the grimy tunnels, sloshing through waste water. Literal shit and piss with a refugee train of frightened people behind us. If anyone tells me the super hero life is glamorous, I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

I had point, Boomer had the rear. Pratfall kept behind me while Aether circled around, making sure no one got lost. Shark walked hunched over among the people. Normally he'd terrify the shit out of anyone, but in these circumstances having a walking nightmare on their side was more reassuring than anything else. A few gun shots echoed down the sewer but they were distant, the ping far off. Shooting at shadows or just as a flex.

I wondered how Misfit was doing, if Queen Rat would make it. There was no signal down here but I had to remember to call when we got to the surface. There was plenty of trouble waiting for our people on the surface. I couldn't blame it all on Nemesis or the Vanguard Army, but I wasn't going to forget the part they played. Putting out fires with gasoline.

The twists and turns down here meant I started losing track of where we were going. It was a good thing Pratfall had her head on. Our flight for safety had dulled even her humor, becoming a slogging treck through the foul stink. Rushing water sent alarm through the train, but it was always somewhere off in the distance.

"Here," the jester said, coming to a service ladder, "Up and out and we'll breathe the fresh perfume of fair Chicago once more."

I lead the way, pushing up the manhole cover, pulling up onto a city street. A car swerved, headlights washing over me with a car horn blaring. It missed me but I caught the ugly snarl of the driver. Couldn't blame him. I reached down and helped Pratfall up. She gripped my wrist, launched herself out to do a hand stand flip. Never one to walk when she could twirl I guess.

We got the rest out.

Shark stared up at me from the base of the ladder, black doll's eyes bright. There was no way he would fit through the manhole, but it was clear he had no intention of coming.

"Our paths will converge again, fire-bearer," he said, "There is still much wickedness to fight."

"You know you're not the only one to call me that," I said.

"Others see the written truth with eyes unclouded," he said.

"What does it mean?" I asked.

"It's for you to decide. The stars are converging and a road will appear. We all must choose our path."

He was a cryptic cryptid.

"Safe nights to you," he said.

"And you, Shark," I said, "You're more a human than you think."

"I am a shark," he said, and was gone into the darkness.

I looked to the band of para-folk refugees and their family. They were waiting for me to give the word, to lead them. My gut churned up again.

But there was no one else.

I got out my phone and called Ms Grant. Talking to an adult, now that might help.

"Hotspur?" her voice was breathless with worry, "Where are you?"

"Southside," I said, "In New Town, there was an attack, something I had to deal with."

"Word got back to me," she said, "The Committee are denying any responsibility but its bullshit. They've gone too far this time."

"What about the governor?" I said.

The pause on her end was troubled. "No word yet," she said, "Have you seen any of those terrorists since you left?"

"No ma'am," I said.

"Good, stay away from them. I'm not asking you to snitch...only stay away," she said, "This is a political bowl of shit. I can only imagine how much power the DPA will have tomorrow."

"Right now I'm dealing with a whole bunch of scared kids," I said, "Don't worry. I've got friends in low places can maybe help me out."

"Be careful," she said, "Watch your back. I'm doing what I can here."

"You too Grant," I said, "I'll let you know how things go."

"We're both ice skating up hill tonight," she sighed.

I hanged up, called up Misfit. It rang out. Sent her a text telling her where we were going and asking for an update. It had to do for now.

Starlight above was bright enough to get through the city gloom. It was a cold but pretty night, past midnight with frost slick on the streets. Everyone was cold eager to get warm.

Not far now, I thought, still uncertain of the reception we'd get.

The closer we got to the Stunt Crew hangout, the more the air started to thrum with heavy bass. Kelly's Bar was where I'd first met Sullivan and Baby Girl. It was where I was hoping to find them tonight. Hard club music boomed, underscored by the rev of bikes. Street lights and burning trash cans lit up the front of the bar. They lounged outside in their biker whites with groupies and hangers ons, Stunt Crew guys. Racing up and down the street, zippy little Japanese bikes buzzing like a mess of bees. Who knew what they were racing for. Money, bragging rights, whatever.

A lot of alcohol was being swapped around. Girls in leotards and gogo boots came out serving drinks, shivering in the cold.

Not a place for children.

I stepped forward onto the street, forcing a bike to veer off to the side, dropping out into a slide, the others circling back.

"Who the fuck?" a Korean with a peroxide cut said, getting up from his lawn chair throne scattering his girls. He drew a flashy pistol. "You got some kind of deathwish ass...hole..."

He saw me now in the light. I was spattered in blood and filth, maybe my bad mood was coming through too. He holstered the pistol.

Beside me Aether swirled up, pale and bright as the moon. Behind me the others circled up.

"Sullivan around?" I said, "Heard he was the boss these days."

"You want a word?" he said, all of a sudden a lot more polite. The other bikers looked on.

"I'm not looking for a whistling contest," I said.

The Korean clicked his fingers for one of the underlings, sent him running outside. When he did outstrolled Baby Girl with her cat walk strut, sword on her hip, clad in black among all the white with her hair cut short and bleached blonde.

"Hotspur," she said, "And friends."

"We're looking for sanctuary, Baby Girl," I said.

"You must have this confused for a church," she said, "It happens."

"Be flattered Baby Girl!" his Southern drawl came out before him. He stumbled out with a grin, "Plenty of folks would like to pray at your altar."

He hooked her hip and pulled her close, grinning in a way wasn't full of warm Southern hospitality. More the grin of a Southern lynching. The music went down to a dull throb.

"Now what leads this peculiar band to our door at this midnight hour?" he said, scanning past me.

"You watch the news?" I said.

"I've more on my mind than the comings and goings of the political class," he said, "But I'm not ignorant. Let me rephrase. What leads you to my door expecting anything but a firm 'go fuck yourself' Hotspur?"

"Not a way to greet a friend," I said.

"Well that depends on the friend," he said, "I take it you need someplace secure to hole up your little band of para-freaks to keep them from being hunted down. Somewhere might give even a hardened killer pause. You think I and my brothers can provide this looked for security. My question is do you think it will be give out of the goodness of my heart, or out of some shared sense of comradery with you?"

"I helped pull your friends out of a government hole," I said.

"And got my other friends shot up in your little war," he said, "As I see it we're square."

"So what can I do," I said, "It's not for me, it's for my people."

He thought about it. "Your people pull a lot of heat," Baby Girl said.

"Well why don't we fight for it?" he said, "One of yours against one of mine. If you win, you're welcome to stay. If you lose, you move on."

"Fair enough," I said.

"So who will it be?" he said.

>I'll fight
>Pratfall can fight
>Boomer can fight
>maybe we can do this another way

>>4909149
>I'll fight

wow ez pz

I was expecting to owe him another favor

>>4909149
>I'll fight

I think I know what's going on here, we came here with a whole slew of super-powered people perfectly capable of destroying them, and asked for a favor, he can't exactly refuse but he also can't appear weak infront of the gang, so he's telling us to play along and entertain the crowd and show them that he's "incharge"

>add-on to vote
>don't completely humiliate whoever is sent out to fight, make it look good

>>4909149
>I'll fight

>>4909149
I'll back this>>4909160

>>4909149
>Pratfall can fight
I bet he's got someone that can counter us

>>4909180
Possibly? But there is a very small list of people that could, unless he got a tricky one that just showed powers.

>>4909149
>I'll fight
No powers unless the opponent is a para

>>4909149
Adding this>>4909191
to my vote>>4909164
We keep it honest unless the got a big gun.

>>4909191
Fuck that, we can't afford to lose this fight. It's not about us.

>>4909191
Yeah no way, this isn't a basketball game or a boxing match. We're still in high school and there are lives on the line. Powers are a go.

>>4909191
I gotta agree, just make it look good we don't need to be honorable to put on a show

>>4909192
We're in uniform as Hotspur. Keeping it honest is using our powers. We're not competing as Eric against normal humans. This literally makes no sense.

locking in 'I'll fight'

"I'll fight," I said.

Whatever Shark had maent by 'fire-bearer', if it meant I had to decide what it meant, this had to be part of it. Fighting for the innocent and the helpless.

"So is it going to be against you?" I asked Baby Girl.

She smiled, stroking the hilt of her samurai sword.

"Oh no, we've tango'd enough by now," she said.

"We got another guy for you," Sullivan said, and pressing fingers to his lips gave a sharp whistle, "Yeti! Come on out boy."

Yeti?

Then a stomp came which couldn't be the music, the crowd of bikers got excited, and he came out.

It looked like every gang in town was finding some big para-freak asshole to add muscle to their crews. It looked like Sullivan had found his.

It was a sasquatch in denim, with cowboy boots and all. I don't know if I could rightly call it a para-freak or Big Foot come out of hiding with the Chicago Explosion to thank. He towered over me, bald on top but otherwise covered in brown hair that merged his neck with his chest. He grinned square cut teeth and had bright blue eyes didn't seem right in his tan ape face.

The great woodland ape smiled down at me. He was almost as big as Shark.

"Hi there," he said, "They call me Yeti."

Then he snorted, wound back a long hairy arm, and loosed it like a cannon ball.

I leapt back. The fist drove into the cement.

Sullivan grinned, chin on Baby Girl's shoulder.

"Everyone's got a freak," he said, "We got our own now too."

"Kick his ass Yeti!" the crowd started circling, calling out to their champion, telling him to do all kinds of foul shit to me.

All right.

I squared up.

"Let's dance," I said, cutting toward him with a jab.

>roll 3 x 1d100+20 dc 80

Rolled 61 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4909215
Let's see if my our luck holds

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>4909215
Let's tango

Rolled 98 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4909215
time to critfail and doom all these kids

>>4909219
Remember, make it look good!

>>4909221
lmao not quite a critfail

>>4909221
that's a pass

>>4909219
>>4909221
And another one bites the dust.

File: 1619623512778.jpg (245 KB, 571x781)

245 KB JPG

>>4909221
Nice critfail my dude

>>4909228
thanks I tried really hard

Rolled 4 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>4909215
Look this 100

>>4909232
Thank you for only rolling now.

>>4909236
Oof

I can't seem to go a week without getting into a fight with some new asshole.

I weaved under the clobbering length of his arm and threw a jab at his chest. Big Foot was faster than he looked though, and swerved around my punch, roping his long arm around trying to catch me in a grip.

"Flew in from Oregon," he said, "You Chicago types sure are friendly. Got a job and a place to stay days after getting here."

Chatty too. I ducked under his arm.

"Back home I always got hunters chasing me, its good to be in a town no one bats an eye."

I butted my head into his belly. It was like butting a cement wall. Of course, I could crash through a cement wall, so it still drove the wind out of him, even if it left me dazed.

He went to a knee. "Life's hard for a sasquatch trying to get by," he sighed, then kicked both feet out to me.

I leapt over, landing the opposite side of the circle. The bikers flicked knife blades out, rattled chains, trying to rattle me as their big man got up to his feet.

"You expect me to believe you're an actual bonafide bigfoot?" I said.

He frowned. "Bigfoot is a slur," then he swung in with both hands wheeling down, leaving pot holes where I leapt back from.

"A sasquatch then," I said.

"Well I'm not your mama," he said.

The world was weird enough, not too weird for bigfoot, sorry 'sasquatch' to be real.

Still, whatever truth to the myth of the woodland ape, I couldn't afford to lose.

"You ain't no boxer neither," I said, weaving under a loose punch and driving in a hard right, took him in the chest. I closed in with a combination, ducking his counters. It was a wild brawny fighting style I could believe he'd built in the back woods of the Rocky Mountains. Problem was this is Chicago, where people know how to fight.

When my knuckle took his chin he straightened out, footing lost, crashing hard a felled redwood.

He didn't stay down long though, and as he got up there was wildness in his grin, blood leaking over his teeth. He hadn't been fighting serious or at least not to kill.

"Come on," I said, skipping back, giving him room to get up. I wasn't a chump. Yeti seemed fair enough, I wasn't going to stick my toe in his ear. He pressed up, swinging to his feet in an ape-ish way, scuffing his cowboy boots.

"You sure are a tough cuss," he said, "But I wrestle grizzly bears for fun!"

He stomped his fists on the cement, chest puffing out, grin growing bigger, eyes growing big too.

I stayed loose, ready.

He shot both legs toward me again in a double kick, then grabbing the ground flicked himself up and over mid-air, swinging those booted feet up to catch me in the chin. Whiplash snapped my head back, but whatever the hurt I didn't fall. Fire burning in me kept me upright, my duty wouldn't let me fall. He swung in clobbering at me with those cannonball fists. Any one of them could have cracked open my rib cage.

But whatever strength he had his style was all loose. I swung in when the opening was there.

When he went down this time, he didn't get right back up.

The pain in my neck though dropped me to a knee.

"We done here?" I said up to Sullivan, his bikers pulling up Yeti, getting a shot of whiskey down his throat.

"Yeah, we're done," he said, offering me his hand. The outlaw pulled me up. "We'll look out for your people tonight, Hotspur."

"But only tonight."

He clicked his fingers for one of the waitresses.

"Get this man a drink!"

Despite my aching neck I hung my head forward.

At least now I could relax.

>time to head home, its past midnight, Dad would be worried
>wait down here until hearing from Misfit and Queen Rat
>let Ms Grant know where the para-folk were sheltering

I'll be back in a bit, got to deal with something

>>4909247
>wait down here until hearing from Misfit and Queen Rat
>let Ms Grant know where the para-folk were sheltering
No reason we can't do both

>>4909247
>wait down here until hearing from Misfit and Queen Rat
Can't leave them without a leader. Calling Grant is a bad idea, phones might be tapped

>>4909249
Don't go fighting any oversized monkeys

>>4909247
>wait down here until hearing from Misfit and Queen Rat

>>4909247
Seconding the miracle that is cellphones.>>4909250

I like Grant and trust her but honestly the less people that know where we're hiding paras the better

>>4909250
>>4909247
Support

(This captcha sucks man)

>>4909247
>wait down here until hearing from Misfit and Queen Rat
>>4909250
why though? she can't do shit for the paras

>>4909319
We need a more permanent lair for the rat pack. She might as well start looking for one.

>>4909320
not exactly her area of expertise

>>4909321
Do we know anyone whose it is?

>>4909323
no but ms. grant isn't our fairy godmother who can solve any problem with the wave of a wand either, we can talk with the paras including queen rat and misfit when they get back about the next play, queen rat knows pretty much everything about the underground parts of the city through her network of rats and a very long time spent in the city. if she's worth a shit as a leader she's got a backup plan in case these awful things that were very likely to happen happened

>>4909247
>Let mrs grant know

>>4909321
She’s the best fit out of people we know, hooked us up with a doctor and shelter. If she can’t do it herself she can probably find someone who can

>>4909329
If there's one thing I gotta agree with the other guy on, it's that she's not very good at looking far. Her shelter was the house of a pet journalist instead of a rent made through several someone elses, her scientist was a guy she knew from uni, her doctor something similar.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

okay Eric is definitely staying but I'll roll for calling Ms Grant

1 you call her
2 you don't

A girl in spandex brought me a glass loaded with ice and whiskey.

"Come on in and take a load off," Sullivan said, clapping my shoulder.

The refugees shuffled in. It was no kind of home, nothing fixed, but it would do for tonight.

I found myself at the bar, covering my face with a hand as I drank the whiskey through a straw. Honestly I'd prefer a can of pop but asking for something like that in a place like this? What the hell, I had nothing to prove. I ordered one.

Yeti climbed behind the bar, taking orders, fresh as if I hadn't cleaned his clock. He squirted coke into my empty glass.

"On the house there," he said, sliding it back. He had no hard feelings. Good.

"Are you really a sasquatch?" Pratfall asked, perching up on a stool next to me.

"Sure am," he said, "Grew up out over the Rockies with my mom's clan. It ain't like it sounds, just me and my full blooded cousins. We're a dying breed. One of the reasons I switched out was to find a mate. Had to come down from the mountains eventually. Got myself a haircut and some human clothes, washed the woods out of my mouth. Found plenty of prospects but nothing permanent."

"Your tale sounds false but your words seem true, hmm, tricksome aren't you?" Pratfall said.

He shrugged. "All I can say is I ain't like this from no star exploding," he said, "I learned English back in '87 when I met this one family, nice people. We got real close, close as family. I loved them to bits and they loved me. But they couldn't let me stay with them. Government started coming after me so they drove me out for my own good. Told me they didn't want me no more. It hurt because I believed them, I only realized later they did it to protect me. I'll never forget Goerge, Nancy, Sarah and Little Ernie. I owe them more than I can say."

"Oh bullshit, that's Harry and the Hendersons!" Pratfall said.

He grinned with a wink, pouring her a drink. "Got me on that one," he said.

The bass throbbed around me, bikers drinking. I was tense, how couldn't I be tense surrounded by people I'd beaten the shit out of time and time over? One of them was bound to hold a grudge. Half dressed girls danced on caged platforms above our heads. It was a wild place.

"You stink like shit," Baby Girl said, sliding in next to me.

"Yeah," I said, "Trying a new cologne, is it working?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Not on me."

"I heard your boy is the new boss," I said, "Weren't you trying to get out of the life?"

She sighed. "The life's like a fish hook, second you think you've got it out you find another barb to get hooked on. If we're going to be in it though, we may as well call the shots."

"Shots?" Yeti said, pouring one out.

"Do a body shot if you want," Baby Girl said, waving the shot glass in front of me. I blushed under my mask. "No you aren't that wild are you, boyscout." She chucked it back.

"So I was bouncing in the Pacific North West before coming to Chicago," Yeti was telling Pratfall. She was ears perked and paying full attention.

"Backwoods watering holes mostly. Had to keep my head down on account of 'Bigfoot' hunters, right. When I heard about the Chicago explosion though I thought, hell, no one will look at me twice out there. Everyone's a freak in Chicagoland."

"Parafolk is the preferred term," she said, "Freak is what guys like the DPA call us."

"You know what I call them? Goddamn sons of bitches," he poured her another free drink.

A couple of the waitresses were cooing over Owen. "Oh he's so cute!" they stroked his mane, squished his cheeks. The kid hated it, having pretty, skimpily dressed girls pawing over him.

"I'm not cute!" he protested with a cub's scowl, which only made them gush more.

He'd kick himself for hating it later.

Baby Girl punched my back. "Sully's ready to talk," she said, gesturing up to the gantry above us. He stood drinking, looking down on the dance floor.

I hiked off the bar stool. "Thanks for the coke," I told Yeti. He waved me away.

We met on the gantry.

"You should know something Hotspur," he said, "I'm telling you this as a sign of good will."

"What is it?" I said, tensing up.

"After your little trap the big gangs have gotten to talking, setting down a certain arrangement. Something to avoid another head on collision like that happening again. Something to control the trade in Chicago, keep the peace."

"Yeah?"

"Some of the underlings are calling it the Council of Crime," he said, "Thing is, I've got a seat on the table."

"Why are you telling me this?" I said.

"Because I don't think a thing like that can last," he said, "Too many egos, too many divided loyalties. And I might have a seat at the table but its a small seat. Guess who has the biggest ones?"

"The Outfit and the Cartel," I said.

He nodded. "Our first official meeting is going to be out in a lodge near Nebo, end of March. Everyone who is anyone will be there."

"I'm telling you this because you aren't a cop," he said, "And because I don't like any of those motherfuckers. Most of them have tried to kill me one time or another. So what you do with this information is up to you."

It wasn't selfless. He was using me to hit his rivals. I appreciated it all the same.

I saw her duck in, masked up, pacing forward. Misfit. She'd gotten my text. She swooped around looking for me.

Rather than take the stairs I leapt down. The bikers cleared a space.

"What's the word?" I said, grabbing her arm.

"She's in surgery," Misfit said, "Lost a lot of blood but they're hopefully. I got worse news though. The Governor's dead."

"Fuck."

A bad night just got worse.

Misfit went to the bar. Not that alcohol did much for her. I slumped down next to her.

She didn't blink at the sasquatch behind the bar, she took a beer, chugged a beer, then took another.

"Another thing, man," she said, "It's been on my mind all night. All fucking week. I got to say sorry."

"For what?"

"For what? Man, I made out with your ex. Dude I even did it after I said I wouldn't. Shit, I've been feeling awful about it all week. If you need to hit me or something to make up for it, go ahead. I got it coming. I just get dumb around pretty girls is all and...shit, I got no excuse. Do what you got to do."

She stuck up her chin, ready to take a hit.

>is that all? Shit Misfit, it's cool, I get dumb around babes too
>yeah, it wasn't cool you doing that, but I'm not gonna hit you
>go ahead and slug her

>>4909374
>is that all? Shit Misfit, it's cool, I get dumb around babes too
Also, she knows she doesn't want to get hit by Hotspur

>>4909374
>is that all? Shit Misfit, it's cool, I get dumb around babes too
Fucking captcha

I'll be back in a couple of days

>>4909374
>go ahead and slug her

>"don't really care about that, but if it makes you feel better"?

>>4909374
>is that all? Shit Misfit, it's cool, I get dumb around babes too
>"Exes are a fair game, Fit"

>>4909374
>go ahead and slug her

>>4909374
>go ahead and slug her

>>4909464
>>4909526
For what gain?

>>4909374
>>4909571
Flick her head!

Start doing this as a trade mark

>>4909374
>>is that all? Shit Misfit, it's cool, I get dumb around babes too

don't punch her, she'll think we're actually angry

>>4909464
>>4909526
>>4909571
>>4909680
I don't think she needs any more brain damage than she already has

>>4909374
>is that all? Shit Misfit, it's cool, I get dumb around babes too

we know that misfits chad energy cannot be restrained

Random thought: does this make Kaylee the only person in the city to fuck two of the handful of superheroes there?

>>4909833
I was specifically saying "superheroes", not "parahumans". There's a whole of 3 or 4 heroes: Hotspur, Misfit, Semper Fi, maaaaybe Grit.

>>4910352
Ah, well yeah, my point still stands though. I said villains probably fuck more, and baring Shark who, unless said otherwise, hasn't gotten laid, and we don't know about everyone elses love lives. And take Semper Fi off that damn list, she's lawful evil, not a drop of good in her. Grit might be neutral good though, he helps us out sometimes. We need to hang out with him more often.

>>4909374
>>is that all? Shit Misfit, it's cool, I get dumb around babes too

>>4909692
what if it fix her and she becomes booring? idk Im not a psicoanalist guy

What was the vote that got deleted?

>>4909374
Going support this>>4909680
>Flick her forehead.

the vote is locked in but I'll be back tomorrow

life's got a little busy on my end

>>4912661
Its cool, do what you need to man.

Say bullpen How does Erik hide his scars in school barhrooms and such?

>>4913903
I'm betting he doesn't go to gym, or uses a stall and changes before getting to gym. And passes off shin scars as parkour accidents.

I raised my fist and flicked her between the eyes.

"There, we're even," I said.

"Aw man," she said, rubbing the spot.

"It's cool, I get dumb around pretty girls too," I said, "It's sunshine on my shoulders dude, don't sweat it."

"So you're cool if I call her number or something?"

I shrugged. "You do whatever, life's too fucked not to enjoy it."

"I hear that."

It was way past late. Dad had wanted me home by ten. It was closer to two in the morning by the time I rolled in. Busy night. No one was waiting up. I washed off the stink of the sewer, blood, and gunfire before crawling into bed. I don't know what tomorrow was bringing but it was nothing good. Best I'd done last night was prevent a bigger tragedy. Best I could do tomorrow was try to get through it.

When was the last time I'd gone to bed with some kind of hope for tomorrow? Had to have been not that long ago but whenever it was I don't remember. Maybe not since Mom's cancer had taken a turn for the worse.

I went to bed with Mangy on my lap, and dreamed of red skies and warm, gentle winds.

News broke the next day. Illinois Governor assassinated. Queen Rat's home getting burned out was barely a mention in comparison. The president weighed in, foreign officials too. America wasn't the place where government officials were murdered like that, not often anyway. People were scared. Nemesis' face and name was everywhere. So were his comrades, including Thunderchild.

Last time he'd been framed, this time Child was guilty. I don't know what I could do for him. I don't know what I could do for myself. How the news was treating Semper Fi was sickening.

She was a bigger hero than ever. Even the picture of her half-naked and covered in Pyrokine's blood was being touted as one of a heroic, tired avenger struggling with the weight of her duty. Me, I wasn't mentioned at all, which suited me fine. Chuck Hayward got the credit for evacuating the building and in my opinion, more credit to him.

The worst was the para-folk community. It was open season, the government was talking about mass detainment and no one was disagreeing. Rewards were being put out for the fugitives, who had shot to the top of the FBI most wanted.

Talk was they'd have a state funeral or something for the governor.

Dad was quiet at breakfast but Carmen was angry and nervous.

"How can they do this?" she said, biting her nail, "Collective punishment is a war crime. It's both unethical and illegal."

"When did the government ever give a damn about ethics?" Dad said.

"It's not the government, its the people," she said, "Are they so scared they'll let innocent people get hurt?"

The look Dad gave her was the first time their age gap became clear.

"Some are," he said, "Others are burned out. You might be too young to remember, but protests didn't stop the Iraq war or change the banks. We tried, we threw rocks and started fights, we wrote petitions and we lobbied congress. It didn't work. We're so far away from the people who make the decisions, nothing we do touches them."

"But there has to be something!" Carmen said.

"We'll do what we can, when we can," Dad said.

I kept my head down, sucking up my breakfast, too tired to do more than get through the day in a mechanical, processed way. The only good news I got came in around lunch. Queen Rat had pulled through her surgery and was recovering. Doc Ramsey had her in care.

I sent Ms Grant a text. I needed a new costume after last night, or at least get the old one cleaned. I didn't want to carry the sewer stink around with me everywhere. I was on my way down to Luis' when I saw a crowd.

"It's time we deal with this menace."

He was a black guy in glasses with a suit and blue tie. He was literally standing on a soap box. A young woman was handing out stickers.

'Vote Alderman Bates For Mayor.'

"The para-folk have made a mockery of civil society. They endanger the lives of everyday people while tearing at the social fabric we take for granted."

Luis was hanging out the front of his shop, arms crossed and frowning, pork pie hat drawn low. Behind him D-Mark in a smock scowled.

"You see this shit?" Luis said with a point of his chin at the politician, "Rabble rousing crab bucket shit."

"Crab bucket shit goes a long way," D-Mark said.

"And this is the Democrat, you can imagine what the Republican is saying," Luis said, "Hey Rico, how you doing?"

"Good," I lied.

"Get a pop from the fridge, on the house," he said, turning back into the store, "I'm done listening to that jackass."

Unfortunately other people weren't, and the crowd was growing. Dignified church going grandmas in their sunday crowns and street types gathered together to listen to the firebrand scorch the earth of para-freaks everywhere with his rhetoric.

I chugged a coke. Sugar and caffeine helped me recharge.

"Late night?" Luis said, "You get laid or something?"

I sputtered the coke. "No," I said through the bubbles burning my nostrils, "I wish man."

He slid me a pack of twinkies getting to their expiry date.

"It's all fucked up," he said. I nodded, munching down. "But seriously kid, how are you holding up?"

>fine, I'm keeping it together
>honestly? all kinds of fucked up
>I don't know

File: 1625336574117.png (698 KB, 600x640)

698 KB PNG

>>4914250
>honestly? all kinds of fucked up

>>4914250
>honestly? all kinds of fucked up
My fuckin article is part of why Nemesis is doing this shit. Probably a great recruitment tool for him. Anything good deed I try to do bites me in the ass in and fucks up the world in new and exciting ways. Shoulda just stuck to protecting convenience stores from crooks.

>>4914250
>honestly? all kinds of fucked up
>Like a child actor

>>4914250
>honestly? all kinds of fucked up
not really sure I'm a net positive influence on the city anymore and my normal life ain't great either. tired of seeing people killin each other. I'm super strong and shit but lately I feel powerless

>>4914250
>I just want to help people man, but everywhere I put a fire out 3 more pop up in its place, I don't know what to do next

Just vent and go back to the people, we need to talk to queen rat about how we're going to protect the people and make them look good

>>4914276
>>4914270
>>4914268
>>4914265
>>4914252
I'll lock that in

I have to deal with something here so updates might be slow

"Honestly? All kinds of fucked up," I said, "My fucking article started this shit. I handed Nemesis the perfect recruitment tool. Feels like every time I try to do good I fuck it up or it gets turned around on me. I might have powers but I'm feeling pretty powerless. I shoulda stuck to beating up crooks robbing folks instead. Every time I try to do more than that feels like I make the world worse."

Luis listened without judgement, nodding along. His cat rubbed up against my leg, purring.

"Even my normal life is kind of shit," I said.

"Things will work out," he said, "One way or another."

I tried to believe him.

"I'm serious, kid. There's a horizon to this stuff, but when you're in the shit you just can't see it, you get blinded by everything else. Keep going though, you'll find it."

"That's the thing about horizons though Luis," I said, "You can never reach them."

"Bad analogy," he said, "You know what I mean."

Maybe. I thanked him for the food then went out.

I had a lot to think about.

Coming out of the store I was surprised by who I bumped into.

Dane. Just about the last guy I was expecting.

"Hey," he said, "Your dad said I might find you down here."

"What's up?"

He looked nervous, of course he would be with everything going on.

"We can talk, right?" he said.

"Yeah."

"Not here though," he said. I followed him around the block, down to a park. It was still too cold for family's to be back out playing, but not too cold for a corner boy waiting under a tree for a customer. We sat well away from him.

"This about the news?" I asked.

He shrugged. "That too," he said. He took his time before he talked. "I stopped eating two weeks ago," he said, "It started feeling uncomfortable. Drinking too."

"Okay," I said.

"I haven't needed a hair cut in six months," he said, "And...I...this is weird to say." Whatever his powers were they didn't stop him from blushing. "I haven't jerked off in months. I started wondering if I was gay or something but...no, it's like I'm dead from the waist down. I don't feel that stuff anymore. I don't feel hot or cold, not really."

Not something I needed to know.

"Sorry if this is weird to lay on you," he said, "I tried talking to Ivy about it but I was scared. I don't think...I don't think I'm ageing."

"You're Ivy's friend," he said, "Maybe you could tell her, only...I don't want to break up with her. I still like her, I still like-like her, its just not...the physical part isn't there."

"Does she know you're a para-folk?" I said.

"She knows I'm something, I haven't spilled it all," he said, "And now with this crackdown, and everything else. I want to...I want to be with her, but I know she deserves better, deserves a normal guy."

"What should I do, Eric?" he said, "You know about girls and stuff. More than I do."

>you should break up with her
>you should talk to her
>I have no idea and no opinion

>>4914305
>>you should talk to her

>>4914305
>you should talk to her
Look man, all you can do is lay all the cards on the table and see what she thinks.

>>4914305
>you should talk to her

>>4914305
>you should talk to her

>>4914305
>I have no idea and no opinion

Dane, I can't tell you what to do with your life, I can only say that people in relationships have expectations and needs, if you think you can be in this relationship without her or your needs being met...just do what you gotta do

>>4914305
Switching>>4914324
to this>>4914326

Also god damn that is a shit drawback for a power like his. At least he isn't a bloodsucking vampire?

>>4914305

>>4914341
shit forgot to post vote, fucking new captcha is fucking with me
>you should talk to her

We should figure out what the fuel for his power is, we fuel with food, misfit is booze, firechick is cigarettes or something

What is Danes fuel and how do we starve him?

Because if we can starve him we can probably get him back to a semblance of normalcy, it'll be a miserable experience, but his weirdass powers are not a boon right now

>>4914305
>you should talk to her

>>4914346
Sunlight? At least in theory? He can run without tiring or sleep, so maybe he needs physical damage to try and dent his regneration.

>>4914351
Too op, it's gotta be something that he consumes.

You ever play that game "infamous"?

Our powers (unless they're mutations and sometimes even then) need a fuel source to work, like in the game.

There's something that's fueling this guy that he's In constant contact with, we need to figure out what that is and starve him

>>4914358
Idk man sounds kinda dangerous, his powers are like a passive "buff" while ours are active skills to put it in video game terms. I don't think the rules are the same. I don't think he should get hit with a few weeks of starvation and no water if we do manage to shut his powers off

>>4914358
Plus we'd have to explain why we have such intimate knowledge of how paras work

>>4914358
But he just said he stopped eating, for two weeks at that. Not even drinking either.

No, I had 360 at the time and played Prototype instead, I know the series though.

>There's something that's fueling this guy that he's In constant contact with, we need to figure out what that is and starve him
That is a bold assumption on how his powers even work. We don't even know what Thunderchild does for his, or Grit and Pratfall. We might not even be able to starve him. His hair isn't growing either, so this isn't even regeneration like we have, that's just a healing factor. Its like its, self staining?
>>4914362
He already said he is starving himself because he doesn't feel the need for it.
>>4914363
We might just need to do it, because he might get caught in this new wave of paranoia.

>>4914362
His power is superstamina or to be more accurate from what he described "perpetuallity"

Meaning infinite, but nothing is infinite, we break gravity in our sneakers but we still need fuel, thunderchild breaks space-time but he still needs fuel.

This guy needs some kind of fuel, and it sounds like you're misunderstanding me, the fuel he has isn't food or water, it's something else we gotta stave him off of

>>4914373
Maybe being near electricity?

>>4914368
His powers seem to have put him in some sort of stasis. Not sure how he'd take in fuel. Maybe he's the exception?

>>4914373
Nah I get what you mean, I'm saying what happens if we shut off his powers (which I don't think we can do) and then he's a normal human who still hasn't eaten or drank anything for two weeks? He'd die.

>>4914376
From the symptoms, it seems his body is shutting down physical needs bit by bit. Whatever is going on, his junk shutting down might be reaching it's final stages...maybe he needs background radiation?

>>4914382
>>4914376
Nothing about Dane marks him as so unbelievably special that he is completely different from all other paras, or his fuel source something that can never be avoided

I'm just spouting a theory, but I'm basing it on what we currently know about paras and how they work, you guys are going to some weirdass extremes with your theories

We could ask him how he processes injuries, even small ones, like paper cuts. If he is frozen, he might be hard or impossible to injure but unable to heal

We're getting lost in the weeds here guys, he's asking girl advice not para advice. He sits awake every night thinking about this shit, if there's a solution he has a way better chance of figuring it out than we do.

>>4914305
>you should talk to her
>Tell her everything and let her make a decision. Trust her.
>if you think it might help somehow I could be there when you have this talk.

>>4914407
He probably doesn't know most powers require fuel, since he isn't a part of the para community and doesn't take anything in. So yeah, combining our knowledge and his time, we can feasibly come up with a way to manage his "gift".
And he really needs it, because if he doesn't age, his relationship with Ivy is going to get weird really soon.

>>4914407
Wrong!

Dane(good guy) is a dumbass teenager with no point of reference with other paras to figure out his powers, and he's so scared of being a "parafreak that he hasn't experimented with his powers, probably.

I mean, all the shit going on around him and this dude is still thinking with his unusable dick!(not that we're any better)

He's freaking out more about the girl than about how this shit will affect his life, his existence!

>>4914414
At least he isn't a Shota.

>>4914415
He tried working out going jogging and found out he can basically do it indefinitely if he wanted too. Pretty sure that was before he told us he stopped needing to breath, when he let us know he couldn't sleep. I don't remember if he tested if he had regeneration though.

>>4914419
Still, being a permanent minor is a huge disadvantage. If he was in his twenties abs reasonably fit, it would be a blessing, otherwise it's not a great power.

locking in 'talk to her'

sorry for the delay, got caught up with something took longer than expected

I felt a chill down my back.

"Talk to her," I said, "Ivy's cool. If you 'like her' like her you should put your cards on the table, let her know what's going on."

"She's cool, yeah, but she can be tough too," he said, "She's not easy to talk to about 'real' stuff. I tried talking to her about her family stuff one time and I thought she was going to hit me or something. And this, I don't know if I want to put more on her after everything she's been through."

"She's tougher than you're giving her credit for," I said.

"She's scary," he said, "There's times I swear she's never had an awkward moment in her life, like she always knows what to say or what she's about. Then other times she's a brickwall, not like she doesn't want to talk but literally can't. Just shut up and quiet and not giving me anything. Shit I wish I was more like you, able to talk to girls."

"You know how I start?" I said, he looked hopeful for the answer, "By talking to them." I clipped him up the side of the head.

Everything else he was talking about, that was worrying too. I hadn't heard of powers like his, couldn't start to figure out what he was about. Didn't get tired, didn't need to eat or sleep, didn't seem to age. What the hell even was that? But I felt awkward probing his secret without sharing my own.

"Ivy likes you." I knew she did and kind of hated him for it. "You deal with her straight and she'll do the same back."

"I don't...I don't want to break up with her, not really," he said, "But I can't figure out a way we can stay together. It isn't only about the danger, but the sex too. She's...you know, active like that. Not even like she likes it but like she needs it. I don't know. I didn't know girls could be like that."

I swallowed. This was getting into private areas I'd rather not be involved with.

Dane needed to talk. For whatever reason he trusted me.

"But there's the danger too," he said, "Shit's getting bad. I don't know what to do about it. I want to be left alone. All I want to do is stay in my room and play Apex or whatever. But it feels as if lines are being drawn and I'm expected to be on one side or the other. I don't know what to do Eric."

>...I can introduce you to someone, a woman named Queen Rat
>I don't know but you've got your friends, we can help you

>>4914482
>...I can introduce you to someone, a woman named Queen Rat

Para radicalization lets goooo

>>4914482
>...I can introduce you to someone, a woman named Queen Rat
Maybe you can get your powers figured out. A life without food, sleep, taste, or sex would be fuckin miserable. And the fact that it's escalating is no bueno.

>>4914482
>There's a wider community in this city, I can introduce you to them if you want. But they're in hot water and knowing them won't be easy. Being part of them even harder.
>There's also an easy way - to hide.
>It's up to you.

>>4914482
>You have me, you have your friends, we can help you. But if you think it might get bad, I can introduce you to Queen Rat in the meantime.
I also just realised that if Misfit stayed down in the sewers, she probably would have accidentally set off a methane explosion.
supporting this too>>4914490

>>4914489
>>4914490
lmao wtf I'm multitasking and on autopilot apparently

>>4914494
It happens.

>>4914482
>...I can introduce you to someone, a woman named Queen Rat
Is anyone opposed to telling him our identity? That's basically what this option is.

>>4914493
>>4914482
Supporting this, the fact that he doesn't know the full aspect of his power is definitely worrying, there's someone like him (the ghost girl) that can give him maybe some advice about how to live without human needs.

It is, a dangerous choice with the time they live in, but who knows, maybe Dan can become a medium between paras and normies in the futures

>>4914506
No need, maybe we can said it that we hear it from a third party, or just dont go into details.

>>4914506
We can introduce him through Natalie

>>4914511
He's not an idiot, he's gonna connect the dots anyway
>>4914520
Why give up her identity instead of ours? We know he's a para, it's mutually assured destruction if he suddenly does a 180 and decides to expose us for no reason. Also, fuck the new captcha

>>4914526
He already knows her. And if we introduce him to the Rat pack, he'll meet her eventually, probably very doon

>>4914490
>>4914487
>>4914506
locking in 'introduce Dane to Rat Queen'

"I know someone who could help you out," I said, "She runs a shelter for para-folk on the southside. People call her Queen Rat."

"Yeah?" Dane said, "How you know her?"

I tried not to squirm. "The girl I took to the school dance, she's connected down that way," I said.

"There's a story at school says you're half on the street," he said, "You know I don't believe the stories about you being, you know, a prostitute or whatever. Sometimes though its clear you've seen stuff, done stuff. I don't know how to put it. Kind of a gangbanger or whatever."

"Man, I'm too lilly white to be much of a gang banger," I said, "I just know people is all, from lots of different places."

"Yeah! Kind of a freak too, right," he said, "You think she can help me?"

I shrugged. "More than I can. There's a bunch of folks down there who can do a lot of things. Maybe they can help figure you out."

"It'll have to be tomorrow, after school," he said, "After I talk to Ivy. Maybe I should pack a bag. My parents, you know they don't know either. I've been good at hiding it." He nodded to himself. "But I think I need to...come out of the closet I guess. Be myself in front of the world. Dumb analogy right?"

"Metaphors don't have to be perfect to make sense," I said, knowing some of what he was feeling.

"See you tomorrow," he said.

"Yeah." If he guessed who I was he didn't say. I waited on the park bench a while, contemplating my own situation.

Sometimes it felt like there was no helping the world. It was set on its tracks, driving to a dead end fueled by corruption. Anything I tried to do to set it right just felt like more fuel on a raging fire. But maybe I could help someone out. One person. A friend at least.

Maybe I wasn't that selfless and I was thinking about Ivy too.

My life was constant crossroads and I couldn't see the right path. One way seemed to twist to darkness as much as any other, with no respect for right and wrong, with only laughing jackals all around.

The corner boy stumbled out from under the tree. He didn't look so good, ashy and tired. Groaning a little, a bad extra from a zombie flick, he stumbled toward the street. I got up as he went to his knees in the gutter. Something thick and black welled up between his lips. A thick black vomit gushed down into the gutter. When he was done he stayed kneeling, groaning. I waited for him to say something or flip out all zombie mode, but he just stayed there softly groaning.

His eyes were glassy. He blinked them out, something like a thought seemed alive in there.

"You okay?" I asked.

He got up, swaying. He swallowed, licked the film of black vomit from his lips. Zombies didn't do that. He staggered away.

Maybe he was having a bad trip or something. I watched him stagger down the sidewalk, ignoring the people out and around.

Weird.

I got up. It was getting cold, and I wasn't in the mood for head busting tonight.

Dark thoughts churning.

>>4914568
Oh god wait, is he planning on saying it out in school? Or just his parents? We may have fucked up here.
>That dude is either infected with zombie juice, or demon possession.
Shit, this is a bad day.

>>4914583
Or Haitian is a para who can possess people

I was looking forward to school.

My in-school suspension had been lifted, I was back in regular class with my friends. I had a plan to help out Dane. Rest had helped clear out some of the storm clouds in my head.

Until I got to school.

Squad cars were parked out the lawn, lights flashing, a big dark van parked out the front.

"What the hell?" Rufus said, coming up to join me, his girl Shonique under his arm.

"School shooting maybe?" Shonique said, a little nervous.

No. I saw him waiting by the front gate, his coat flicked back to show his badge, his vulture smile stretched.

Penderose.

Had he come for me?

No, not me.

They perp walked him out in cuffs. Detective Bohauer with a couple of cops. Bohauer had the grace to look ashamed.

Dane.

Coming up after them, shouting with a white hot fury, looking ready to start a fight was Ivy.

"Pig motherfuckers!" her voice was raw, her eyes burning with tears. Dane walked limp in their grip, head down. "He did nothing wrong! He's innocent!"

"Dane Malcheski is suffering paranormal affliction, and thus is being detained by the Paranormal Detainment Act," Penderose said with a self-satisfied smile, "The law was passed zero-six hundred this morning. The DPA has full authority to detain any and all paranormally afflicted people in Illinois pending a medical examination and registration. This is for your own good, Miss Chambers. Yours, his, and the for the great state of Illinois."

Dane didn't try to fight. If anything he looked dead around the eyes, beaten.

"Shit, they found out about Dane," Rufus said, looking ready to rush the cops.

They were getting him into the back of the van when Ivy tried to rush them. Penderose caught her under the shoulder.

"Dane, Dane, don't give up," she said, reaching over Agent Penderose for him, "Dane!"

The way she screamed his name tore at my heart.

>keep my head down
>fuck this, step in

I'll be back tomorrow

>>4914587
Or the Haitian is a magician who specializes in voodoo shit, like the Red Wizard and all that

>>4914588
>fuck this, step in
>"Penderose, you know what will happen if you give another soul to the meat factory, don't you?"

>>4914590
Or that, yes

>>4914588
sneak off, get in costume, tail the convoy, and bust him out a little further away from the school. then get him to the other paras.

>>4914588
this>>4914592"
Also this>>4914596
We call him out, but don't jump him immediately baring slugging the bastard if he gives us an excuse, its a flimsy protection of our identity. But it will have to work.
>>4914590
Maybe? We never did find out more about Haitian's situation.

>>4914588
>keep my head down

Go change quickly!

We can't do anything as Eric, but Hotspur won't hesitate to rip the fucking room off a cop car and run away with Dane!

DON'T BE EMOTIONAL, BE PROACTIVE AND ACTUALLY HELP HIM

IF "ERIC" INTERVENES WE'RE GOING TO JAIL, THIS IS A JOB FOR HOTSPUR

Fuck this captcha!!!

>>4914588
I'll switch this>>4914598
support for this intervene>>4914592
to this>>4914609

>>4914588
>keep my head down

I can support >>4914609

>>4914609
This. Damn though, shit really is fucked.

>>4914609
Shifting to this from >>4914592 too, it might be more useful.
Maybe don't even bother with the full costume, go for the old look in a pinch.

File: 1495327337935.jpg (995 KB, 2250x2250)

995 KB JPG

You know what's fucked up, someone that he told snitched, now usually I would suspect Kaylee because fuck that bitch but she's part of our mystical flame pact or whatever so it couldn't be any of them without us knowing, it wasn't ivy for obvious reasons but who else did he say he was going to "come out to"...HIS FUCKING PARENTS!!!THOSE FAGGOT MOTHERFUCKERS RATTED ON THEIR BABY BOY TO BIG DADDY GOVERNMENT, FUUUUUUUCCCKKKKKKK!!!

>>4914588
>>4914609
Support. Fuck this now is not time to be a spineless pussy, Dane is like the least dangerous parafreak we have seen. Some elite probably just wants to harvest his blood to stay young and in power forever.

>>4914647
That, or someone listened in through the zombie

>>4914248
>>4914250
You know who should run for mayor!?

DECORATED HERO AND LOCAL SUPER FIREFIGHTER CHUCK HAYWARD.

The position of mayor is open right now and I think that CHUCK HAYWARD (all capitals because he's a chad) should have it, ms.grant is already in office but let's face it, she's not a popular woman, she has a lot of enemies who will try to get in her way, but CHUCK HAYWARD is currently very popular, and though he might not be a politician current political climate and austrian bodybuilding superstars show that that shit isn't necessary to win the office.

When we next get the chance to meet our buddy CHUCK HAYWARD we should ask him to run for mayor, because if we don't put someone on that seat that's on our side than we're basically screwed.

There are 3 positions of government that a superhero NEEDS to be on friendly terms with to make a real positive impact on a city

1-Mayor

2-commisioner (currently impossible because cops are cunts here until proven otherwise, I hope we find an honest cop soon because we need to work with the police as a superhero, not against them)

3-district attorney

A successful superhero is tight with one or more of these people in power

CHUCK HAYWARD

>>4914609
>>4914588
Supporting this 100% let's gooooo

>>4914653
>>4914647
What if, and this is me just speculating, that dude rat dane out and got like that because of the fire thingy, maybe it affects people out of the path

>>4914721
If you're referring to the oath, I think it only applies to the people who swore it, not some rando corner boy

>>4914721
this>>4914727
Why would it affect some guy we don't know? That doesn't make sense.

>>4914647
He might have just walked in and told the principle, and they called Penderose on him on the spot.

>>4914609
locking this in

Fuck this. I wasn't going to let them drag Dane off to a gulag.

"See you in a bit," I told Rufus, dipping out.

I had to find a place to hide and clothes to switch into. My costume was all the way back on the west side, I wasn't going to be able to get there and back again in time to do any good. Luckily I saw Ayesha pull up in a beat up old Camero.

"What's up?" she said as I dived into the back seat. I pulled off my jacket, wound my scarf around my face.

"Loan me your jacket," I said.

"It's kind of girly," Ayesha said, slipping it off in the front seat. Didn't matter right now. All that mattered was I didn't bust Dane out in what I had been wearing. I popped up the white hood on the pink jacket, a cartoon bear flashing a peace sign on the back.

It really was girly.

"DPA snatched Dane," I said, "I'm breaking him out."

"Shoot," she said, then whipped a fearful look back at me, "Be careful."

I winked. "Never." And rolled out the other side.

Keeping low I ran across the road ducking into an alley. Then turning around measured the distance between me and the parked van.

I took a step back.

And leapt forward. The wind hissed around me, the street a blur below. I hit the roof of the van with a solid thud. It bounced on its chasis.

"Yo," I said, "Kidnapping children now Penderson? Maybe you want to take a shot at a real para-freak."

Penderose smiled up at me.

"Hotspur, good to see you," he said. The cops went for their guns. "No, there's no need for that," he snapped at them, "Our friend Hotspur has been granted a special exemption from the Paranormal Detainment Act for his valiant efforts to detain the terrorists who murdered the governor. You can thank me another time, Hotspur."

"You're a real swell guy, Penderose," I said, "Sorry if I don't write you a love letter."

Ivy looked up at me with hope and fear, held back by a cop.

"So are we going to do this the easy way, or the fun way?" I said.

"Obstruction of justice is a bad look," Penderose said.

"This ain't justice," I replied.

Penderose drew a deep breath, then smiled.

"Let's do this the fun way," he said.

The cops drew their nightsticks.

"Really?" I said down to the porky pigs circling the van, "Okay, bet. Let's do this."

-

roll 3 x 1d100+25 dc 60

Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>4915869
Pls don't critfail

Rolled 27 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4915869

Rolled 90 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>4915869

>>4915885
pass

CHECK HIM FOR WIRES OR SOMETHING BEFORE WE TAKE HIM TO THE PARAFOLK!

I'm sorry Bullpen but you've got me paranoid as fuck right now.
I love this quest but it's definitely beginning to get a bit "much"

>>4915869
>"Obstruction of justice is a bad look," Penderose said.
Oh no! My stellar reputation! Anything but that!

>dice when DC is effectively 35
lmao get fucked normie cops take a 90
>dice when fighting serious enemy and lives are at stake
best I can do is 60

I dived down on the cop forcing Dane into the back of the van.

Detective Bohauer backed off, her hands raised.

"I don't need a concussion," she said.

The cop who took a swing with his night stick didn't agree. I swerved around the baton, drove a hard jab into his face, ruining his nose. grabbed him by his vest and shoved him into the cops coming up the other side.

If there's one thing I was learning its most cops don't know how to fight. If they can't reach for their gun or mob you, they don't have a lot to draw on.

Me, I know how to fight.

I leapt off the side of the van for a superman punch that left another knocked out cold. Swung a hammer fist caught another on the chin.

Power rushed through me as I drove my forearm into a cop's raised arm before he could bring the nightstick down. Drove my forehead into his.

Of course when a cop was pushed into a corner...

"Hey!"

The only thing kept me being shot in the back was the girl who grabbed the cop's arm before he could draw his sidearm. Ivy wrestled with the bigger cop until he shoved her off, drove a punch into her gut. She doubled over. He loomed over her, ready to give her another.

Rage was a nail in my head.

But before I could step over a black figure launched herself on the cop's back, wrapping his neck in a lock.

Ayesha breathed fast and hard, face bright with fear, but it didn't stop her locking her arms around his neck. The cop stumbled back, started to choke out, trying to whip the little black girl off his back. It wasn't any good, she cradled him to the grass, choking him out in a jiu-jitsu hold. She lay panting in terror under him, surprised at herself.

Training came in handy. I grinned with pride behind the scarf wound around my face.

So did mine. Distracted for a moment I almost got my head split but ducked in time, swung a haymaker around took the cop off his feet.

The lawn was littered with downed officers. Only Penderose and Bohauer were still standing.

"You need better goons, Penderose," I said.

"We're working on it," the vulture replied.

I grabbed Dane by the cuffs. He was shaking, paler than usual. Looks like his powers didn't stop him from feeling fear, or from sweating. I busted the cuffs from his wrists.

"You think you're helping him?" Penderose said, "All you're doing is making him a fugitive."

"Better on the run than in a torture lab," I said.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Penderose said, "We want to help the boy. We can help you Dane, help you figure out what you are, in a safe environment, with the best scientists and medical professionals in the world." He went from talking to me to appealing to Dane. Frightened, nervous Dane. "You can run, you can run a long time. Your life can be a race against every federal instution in the country. Living off the grid, living under hedges and in abandoned factories. Living with the rats. You can run but its a race you can't win."

"Or you can come with us, get the help you need. You aren't a criminal, Dane, you won't be a prisoner. It's medical quarantine, for your safety and everyone else's. Until we can figure out what is going on with you, and when we do you can go home. Back to your parents."

Dane swallowed. He looked to me with large eyes, my busted knuckles, my disguise thrown together. He looked to Penderose in his coat and suit, his smile practiced.

"Back to your girlfriend," he said.

Dane looked to Ivy, her face bright with fear.

>don't listen to him Dane, the man is a liar
>maybe he's right, Dane isn't built for street life
>do what you got to do Dane

>>4915923
>do what you got to do Dane
but talk to your fucking girlfriend first

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27 KB JPG

>>4915923
>don't listen to him Dane, the man is a liar
Please dane let the evil woman put her mind control worms inside you it's for your own good

>>4915923
>don't listen to him Dane, the man is a liar
>I've seen his "scientists", I've talked to their victims. They torture you, they put worms into your body, they cut you up and then restore your body,only to repeat it the next day. Your body might come back to your parents and Ivy one day, but you won't.

>>4915923
>tell him what you saw in the last place they were keeping parafolk. Tell him about the worms.

>>4915928
supporting this

>>4915931
>>4915929
>>4915928
>>4915927
locking that in

"Don't listen to him, the man is a liar," I said, "I've seen their 'scientists', I've talked to their victims. They torture you, put worms in your body, they cut you up and put you back together, then repeat it all the next day. Your parents might come back to your parents, to Ivy, but you won't."

If he was scared of running he was more scared by what I said. Penderose scowled at me.

"I know people who can help," I said, offering him my hand.

He looked to Ivy. "I'll come back," he said.

"I know," she said. And to me her eyes said 'thank you'.

I grabbed Dane's hand and pulled him up onto my shoulder.

"Run and hide, you won't get far!" Penderose yelled as we took off.

Dane made a nervous squeak as we launched up into the sky, the ground disappearing under us.

We came down a block away.

I reached into his pocket, grabbed his phone, and threw it as far as I could, then padded him down for any kind of bug or tracking device. I found something, about as big as an earphone bud, tucked into his pocket. It joined the phone.

"How am I supposed to call my parents?" he said.

"You don't," I replied, "How'd the DPA find out about you?"

Dane shook his head. "I don't know, when I got to school this morning a teacher took me straight to the principal's office. They were waiting for me there."

"Who knew?" I said.

"Some friends at school but no one else," he said, "I'd only just told my girlfriend."

He frowned at me.

"Isn't that Ayesha's jacket?"

Ah.

"Hey do you...are you a student there too? Do I know you?"

He was getting angry. Who could blame him?

"I knew it," he said, eyes widening in realization, "I always suspected...its you isn't it Chad? Its always the nerd, acting like a nobody geek in class but secretly going around town fighting crime. Fess up. It all makes sense now."

>Y-yeah its me, Chad
>Chad? Seriously? It's me, Eric
>don't worry about who I am

>>4916037
>Chad? Seriously? It's me, Eric

>>4916037
>Chad? Seriously? It's me, Eric
>What am I? Chopped liver?

>>4916037
>Chad? Seriously? It's me, Eric

Damn Dane, you really are stupid.

>>4916037
>>Chad? Seriously? It's me, Eric
spider-man isn't real

>>4916037
>Chad? Seriously? It's me, Eric
Come on, the scarf can't muffle the voice that much

I'm having second thoughts now. He might be a mole or a sleeper. He'd have to be a hell of an actor for that but the DPA appearance doesn't add otherwise.

>>4916037
Add on to my vote>>4916043
>How many other people think is Chad?
>Check his shoes and behind his ears for more bugs before saying our name.
>Ask if the put a chip on him too.
>>4916057
He's so in the dark on everything, I doubt he is a mole. On purpose.

>>4916062
>>4916037
Support

>>4916045
Changing my vote to

>>4916062
You see Bullpen, you see what you've done to us!

>>4916037
>Chad? Seriously? It's me, Eric
Lmao what a guy

>>4916062
supporting this

>>4916062
Yep, changing >>4916048 to this

>>4916037
>Y-yeah its me, Chad
chad thundercock, that is

>>4916062
paranoidanon you gotta chill

>>4916090
Are you implying Penderose wouldn't do that?

>>4916039
>>4916043
>>4916045
>>4916046
>>4916048
>>4916062
>>4916070
locking in earlier than usual because I have to do something over here

Penderose already knows who we are. Don't fall into the excessive paranoia trap anons, it'll make this quest way less fun

>>4916101
It ain't for us, its for where we have everyone else hiding at.

>>4916097
>>4916085
Can't blame him

"Chad?" I said, "Seriously?"

I felt behind his ears and kicked at his shoes for any more listening or tracking devices. "Fucking Chad," I muttered, "Captain Overbite?" When I was satisfied I unwound the scarf from my face, enough to let him see.

"It's me, Eric," I said, "How many people think I'm Chad?"

"Oh," he said. "Eric, right." Then, "Oh, oh fuck you!"

He took a swing at me. It wasn't much of a punch.

"All this time you were a freak too?" he said, "I told you my secret and you just nodded along letting me think you were normal."

"Easy Dane," I said, "Look, I'm not just a parafreak, I'm a super hero too. I can't go blurting my identity out to everyone. You saw what happened down there, now add gangsters and terrorists to the mix."

"Whatever man," he said, then gave a sharp laugh, "You know, now that I think about it, it's so fucking obvious. Too obvious. I thought you were just one of the nicer jocks, maybe a bit rough around the edges, but you're a goddamn super hero."

"It isn't all its cracked up to be," I said.

"Bet your dick works though," he said more than a little resentful.

"You can thank me for rescuing you anytime you're ready, pal," I snapped back.

"Thanks!" he spat back.

We stood on the rooftop in an angry silence.

He sighed, the tension easing. "No, really. Thanks Eric," he said.

"Hotspur," I said, "Eric isn't a name you should be saying. Penderose already suspects me."

"Hotspur," he said, "Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet," I said, "Your life is about to become real uncomfortable."

"Yeah, so what's the plan. Same as yesterday?" he said, "Take me to this Queen Rat, have them put me up?"

"We'll make you scarce some how," I said.

>call Ms Grant for help, she had to have organized a safe house by now
>call Queen Rat's people, I need to check in with them
>left brain idea, but maybe Shark's island?