Shock and Flaw (IC)

[Supercape]

GM

The Spider's flesh sizzled slightly, and all eight legs twitched. In so twitching, it slipped and slid off the ambulance into a heap by the side.

It's horrible multiple eyes were black and impenetrable, but Voltage somehow got the impression that the ghastly arachnid was glaring at him.

The back of the ambulance opened, and Doctor O'Flannagen poked her head out.

"What's that awful smell of ozo...Oh!!!!" she remarked, at the smell of ozone.

"Get it! Get it! It's a spider!!!" she shrieked at Voltage, as the beast started to clamber to its legs once more.

[Thunder King]

One of the many disadvantages to being super smart came to mind. Her comment about 'it's a spider' sent thousands of possible snarky, sarcastic comments through his head. He shook them out of his head and concentrated on taking out the massive spider in front of him.

With a surge of energy, Voltage filled the air with the sound of crackling electrical current. The sheer volume and power of the strike sending the spider staggering back as the current filled it's body.

He was sure he could defeat the monstrous beast now.

[Supercape]

GM

The power of Voltage was too much for the creature to bear - lightning coursed through its body and down all eight of its hairy legs, ending in sparks that danced in a web to the ground. The creature twitched, then convulsed in one huge spasm, before lying still - bar on leg that insisted on an epileptic vibration for several seconds.

A horrible smell of burnt spider filled the air.

"Another one?" gawped Doctor O'Flannigan, quite shocked, and whiter than her pale, red headed flesh normally looked.

"I hate spiders!" she shouted, a shudder travelling down her spine. "Let's get out of here...now!" she ordered the driver.

Unfortunately, it was not that easy. The traffic had piled up on the overpass, horns were being beeped, and the webbing still clung from lamposts and buildings, blocking the route. They were a hairs breadth away from gridlock.

Down on the spider, Voltage could see the same electronic device that was present on the flies.

[Thunder King]

Voltage growled at the traffic. This was getting worse, and more annoying at that.

"Make sure you're all secured in there!" He said, landing on top of the ambulance.

He'd yet to truly use this power on this scale. He had tested his limits before and knew this ambulance was more than light enough, but still, it was going to be interesting.

"I'm going to carry the van over the traffic!" He shouted to those inside. "It should be a smooth ride, but no guarantees."

Standing on top of the ambulance, he closed his eyes. The large vehicle began to twitch, and then lift into the air, slowly at first. Once he was comfortable with moving it, he moved it a bit faster, carrying it over the traffic jam completely.

He intended to set it back down as soon as they cleared the jam. He couldn't afford to be attacked by the flies while the ambulance was in mid air.

[Supercape]

GM

"Sweet Sliced Salami!" yelled one fat Italian, leaning out of a delivery van as Voltage and the ambulance flew overhead.

"Hey, Voltage! whata the deal? I got a business to run too ya know? Howsa about giving me a break and flying me too? ah...shoot!"

He punched his steering wheel, hitting the horn.

"Damn preferential treatment!" he muttered "flying ambulances but not hard working pasta delivery services!"

With Voltages three dimensional transport, it was only a matter of time before the ambulance was delivered to the next hospital. Doctor O'Flannigan popped out of the ambulance as it landed, quickly taking control of Spiderbite's transfer.

"Could have been a bit smoother, but we got some breathing space, and for that, you got my thanks" she said, running her hands through her hair with just the edge of seductive mannerisms.

"Well, I guess this is where we part company. I'll do my best to keep this lowlife alive, although I have to wonder sometimes if its worth risking our lives for. In the mean time, I hope you go get the crooks who are after him. Thanks, handsome..." she concluded, looking away, briefly.

"Here's my number" she said, quickly passing Voltage her professional card before scurrying off to help with the medical care.

She looked quite pretty.

[Thunder King]

Voltage nodded, quite out of his element. It was nice to see that he didn't have to deal with Spiderbite anymore, but, it wasn't the end of his case with the thug's employers.

"Here's my card." Voltage said. "It's an email that I can reach. Don't worry, it's heavily encrypted. If you figure anything else out about this, let me know alright?"

With that done, he took off, high into the air. He levitated over the city and used his enhanced memory to grab all he could from the laptop, trying to remember any important or pertinent details about who was doing the experiments, or where they were.

He cross referenced the data, performed searches, and, in general did his best to search the internet for information on what he needed to know.

Who was responsible, and where were they? It was time to shut them down.

[Supercape]

GM

The web of electronic purchases, companies, transactions, sub-contracts, and in at least one location, carefully hidden corruption was an entangled mess. It would have taken days to disentangle.

But days, Voltage did not have.

And neither did he need them. For his superhuman intellect could soon discern a pattern of various complicated sub components that would be needed for the devices he had seen. There was nothing there which was illegal, or could even be used to prove wrong doing. Merely that a certain Mr. Archie Avetti, had (through a smokescreen) ordered all the rare components that would be required, to a house in Kingston.

Archie Avetti! the very man who had walked into his shop asking, in ominous tones, about Spiderbite!

[Thunder King]

It didn't take a superhuman intellect to realize it would all trace back to him. After all, why come to the shop looking for the computer.

Almost instantly, he fired off a series of emails to various police officers, anonymous tips with loads of evidence. The entire case laid out before the police force. He showed the connections between paperwork, whatever types of smokescreens these people were using fell apart.

With that done, it as time to go on the hunt.

"I'm coming for you..." Voltage said, readying himself to fly. And, like a thunderbolt of vengeance, he streaked across the sky towards his target.

[Supercape]

GM

Wellspring Close...

Mr. Avetti, esq. LIved in a residence that was somewhere between mansion and large house. It was a big, extravagant dwelling, probably eight or nine rooms, with a gate, drive, garage and small garden. There were some reasonably functional security devices - camera's locks, alarms around the perimeter and in the house itself.

Mr. Avetti was clearly a wealthy man, probably a millionaire (the four classic sports cars on the drive gave a little clue to his wealth), without quite reaching the heights of the mega-rich.

There was nothing that could impede Voltage from breaking in - although he might very well be seen doing so, with the perimeter camera's. Fortunately, Voltage could spy no guards - at least on the outside.

[Thunder King]

Voltage was going to do what needed to be done, but he wasn't stupid enough to do so by charging in blindly. First, he found the computer network of the man's house and wormed his way in. After that, he accessed all of his cameras and security devices, ensuring that he knew where all of them were, and where any guards might be.

After that, he seized control of the cameras and put them on a continuous looping feed. They would replay a short sequence, wherein nothing happened. Over and over again, in and endless, eternal loop.

Once that was taken care of, it was time to deal with the man.

[Supercape]

GM

The hacking and manipulation went flawlessly. In a moment, the work was done.

There were, it seemed, only two men inside the flat. Both looked like rather bored goons, yawning and helping themselves to coffee and biscuits. Voltage could see they posed no real threat to him.

What was more interesting were some stairs to the loft of the building, which looked like it had been heavily converted. Massive thick power cables stretched up to the conversion. Unfortunately, no camera's did. Whatever was going on up there, by whoever, wanted that part of the building to stay strictly off the grid.

Scanning the camera, it was obvious that Avetti lived here, one could tell from the bedrooms. At least two other bedrooms looked freshly "lived in", guests or residents at the building.

[Thunder King]

It wasn't much work teleporting to the two thugs and knocking them out with quick blasts. He was quite nervous about the area up ahead. He couldn't see into it, and he'd have to be careful.

He flew somewhat slowly, floating towards the blank spot. His mind went over all of the various things that could be going on, but one thing stood above the others; this was the source of the bugs, and possibly the source of everything else. He flew forward, guarded cautiously against all feasible possibility.

[Supercape]

GM

The two thugs had fallen to the floor, out cold, with hair standing on end from just the power of Voltage.

The loft was partially boarded up, bolted from the inside - but some wood and iron could be melted and shattered without effort by one mighty blast from the electrical hero. It would prove no obstacle. Power cables - thick ones - streamed into the loft through drilled out holes. The loft was clearly not built to be a laboratory, but somebody had done a pretty good job of converting it into one.

Beyond the trapdoor, up into the loft, Voltage could hear some murmurings...voices, although quite how many and who he had no idea.

[Thunder King]

Bending down towards the cable, he sent small electric pulses through it, trying to get a clear picture of what lie in the rooms beyond. It was tiring and difficult using his powers in such a way. Normally, he was not used to such carefully controlled electric pulses.

Bit by bit he tried to get a better image, filtering sounds, voices, seeing if he recognized any of them. This was quite difficult, troublesome, even. He was struggling. He needed the information before the careful effort wore him out.

[Supercape]

GM

There were three voices.

The first was the rumbling deep voice of Mr. Avetti, a voice Voltage remembered well.

"So, this here is really going to do the business, is it? like with those insects?"

"Yes, that's the...plan..." came the second voice, an older male voice that Voltage could not recognise. "One flick of this switch and our test subject here...he should respond the same way..."

"Pl..ease...let...let...let me go! I changed my mind..." came the third voice.

It was Sam Morgan!, the brother of Voltage!

"Shut up boy!" responded Mr. Avetti "you went hanging round my boys, wanting the wild life, didn't you? even got yourself into a spot of trouble with debts, with the police....well, I saw a bit of potential, that's true. And now, you get your chance to be a superhero! working for me, of course!"

He paused melodramatically.

"Supergiantboy!" he said in an operatic tone "Largest Hero in Freedom...working for yours truly, of course...just like those flies and creepy crawlies!"

[Thunder King]

Voltage narrowed his eyes. They had his brother. Voltage didn't care that his brother had gotten into trouble, all that mattered was getting him out. He knew that there was a chance Sam might need to be dealt with. If that's what it took, so be it. Voltage was angry, frustrated, and had been dealing with these people for long enough. It was time to finish it.

A single, concentrated blast was all it took to tear the door off of the frame and send it flying into the room.

He flew in after it and stood levitating, arms crossed.

"Supergiantboy? That's the lamest superhero name I've ever heard."

[Supercape]

GM

Avetti Gasped as Voltage burst into the makeshift laboratory, drawing out his gun.

"How did you track us down here?" he yelled, angry at the world. "You screwed up this day enough already, hero! but this time, I got something for you...hit it!"

On order, the scientist threw a giant Iron switch, unleashing huge sparks of power right into Sam, who writhed around and rolled his eyes. The procedure, whatever it was, was far from perfect...a shockwave of electricty arced through the loft, followed by a dimming of the power.

Then, Sam grew. Still convulsing from the procedure, his body broke through the roof, and the floor boards, with walls, ceilings, floors all getting pushed aside or pulverised. His giant head smashed through the roof and he stood towering over Avetti, the Scientist, and Voltage. He must have been fifty feet tall by the time he stopped growing, his hair on end and his body quavering.

"Get him!" shouted Avetti, reeling from the blast but pointing at Voltage.

[Thunder King]

Voltage stared at the man. This man, a gangster, a user of people. He was going to go down, no matter what. He channeled raw electric power into his hands and sent a bolt of silvery energy straight at Avetti, hoping to knock him unconscious. His mind turned over what he saw in his head. His brother looked like he was going to attack him. No matter, once this business was over with Avetti, he'd deal with his brother afterwards.

[Supercape]

GM

Avetti looked up, cross eyed, at Voltage as the master of electricity rained down pure power on to him. He started to move, but was to shaken to get far before he was hit with the lightning. His body convulsed, arcing with sparks and power, his hair standing on end, and his body shaking, before he dropped on to his hands and knees.

"You'll pay for that, you swine!" he cursed, muttering something faintly in italian, before grasping his gun.

"Stamp him into the earth, Supergiantboy!" he yelled, shaking his head and its tattered hairs.

"Raaaargh!" snarled the enraged, fifty foot Sam, clumsily shaking off some of the house and stamping, unsteadily, on the ground.

[Thunder King]

Voltage fired off one last blast and watched as Avetti slumped down, knocked out. With that done, he flew as fast and as far as he could to get away from Sam, and kept an eye on him.

"Sir!" He shouted as loud as he could. "The man responsible for your transformation is unconscious. Please stop this rampage. I don't know if you're going along with him, but I can promise you will be protected from charges if you cooperate and calm down. We can get you shrunk back to normal if you want it! If you cooperate with the police, I'm sure they'll drop charges in exchange for evidence against Avetti and his gang Please calm down!"

[Supercape]

GM

Poor Sam, or Supergiantboy, looked shocked, in more ways than one. Lingering electrical arc's sparked off his body.

"Wha....What are you talking about?" came the deep boom of his giant voice.

He shook his head, his hair standing on air and lit up with electrical bolts.

"I...I..." he said, before a sudden discharge at the back of his neck, causing him to wince.

"Smash!!!!" he roared, picking up a huge cross beam from the shattered remains of the house, and hurling it like a spear, with giant muscles, through the air straight after the flying Voltage.

The poor scientist, picked himself up from the rubble, took one look at the situation, and headed off to the drive, as fast as he could carry himself!

[Thunder King]

"Gah!" Voltage shouted, dodging out of the way. "Sir, the bad people have been beaten." He said, holding his hands up. "If you come along quietly, we can leave, get you shrunk back to normal, and get the bad guys arrested."

"We have charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, and probably some illegal arms dealing and drug trafficking too. This guy's going away for a very long time, probably the rest of his life. You don't have to though! I'm sure you can help the police and get any charges you might have had dropped!"

He couldn't afford to be nice forever, if Sam didn't calm down soon, he might have to knock him out and then go capture the scientist and make him shrink him. It was worth a try, though.

[Supercape]

GM

With a roar, and an explosion of electricity from the nape of his neck, Sam charged. His huge size and mass meant all obstacles crumbles and shattered before him. His feet cut through the cars and walls of Avetti's mansion like paper, and the street cracked under his feet.

Cars flew through the air as he collided with them. Power cables and telephone lines entangled him then were ripped solidly out of the ground as his continued his charge. A fie hydrant cracked and flew as he turned a corner. Car alarms sounded throughout the block, as cars screeched to a halt and reversed rapidly seeing the giant lumber through Freedom City.

As Sam reached Voltage, the Scientist scrambled into one of the few remaining cars, and ignited the engine.

[Thunder King]

"I have to stop him..."In a desperate gamble, Voltage unleashed a blast of electric energy as hard as he could, and it did nothing. The blast didn't even look like it worked at all.

"No..." He said, lowering his head. He tried his best, fired the most power he could, and it didn't do anything. His mind raced. There had to be another solution. There just had to be...how was he supposed to stop him? He couldn't just fight him, that wasn't going to work.

He'd have to try something else...

[Supercape]

GM

With a mighty leap, and a mighty swing, Sam's enormous fist crashed full on into Voltage.

This time, the hero could not move out of the way fast enough, he was caught full on by a haymaker from his brother - all one hundred feet of enraged brother!

....

....

Calling all units! Calling all units! The giant is heading down Pikehead Street! Its...Its...Enormous! Try and head him...aaaggghh!

zzzt...

crackle....

As Voltage came round, he tuned into the radio...he could not tell how long he had been out, but the Radio Signals from the police were screaming in his pounding head.

Around him, he could see a small crater and debris. He had been knocked clear through the sky, where...he could not tell, but his landing had been enough to cause some local damage...