Birthday at the Park (IC)

[alderwitch]

"Everyone here is too tired. Unnaturally so. I don't think they're threats but they might be victims. If Mark saw someone in the water park, I think its worth checking out," Alex agreed quietly. She leaned into Mark's steadying presence and closed her eyes. It went without saying that she'd send her senses over there first. As she tried to get a look over at the waterpark she also added, "I brought a costume this time."

[quotemyname]

"I thought you would never ask!" Eddie patted the bag that he always kept at his side. The extra bits of clothing that made up his makeshift costume were stowed away there. "I'll go change. I'll start scanning the airwaves while I am at it, but things are pretty quiet so far so I don't know if there will be any action." With that he quickly ran off to a nearby set of public bathrooms.

[angrydurf]

Mike looked around at everyone like they were out of their minds they all not only had costumes now but were bringing them on any outing.

"Uhmm," He said somewhat confusedly, "What gear?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"Not all of us are bullet-proof," said Mark gently to Mike. He hugged Alex lightly. "In fact, I think I'll go change right now. Be right back." Mark ducked into a private corner between two booths to change, taking advantage of a space that was usually in use by carnies to smoke or tourists to litter to exchange his clothes for his armored costume and gear. Luckily, as usual, he'd thought to bring almost everything along with him!

[Ecalsneerg]

"Don't worry, Mike!" grinned Geckoman, as Chris pulled his orange goggles from his pocket. "Even if you had brought gear, you couldn't look half as smexy." With that he bounded off to put his costume and belt on, both cunning concealed under his jacket or in his pockets.

[Cyroa]

James looked around, apparently missing the cues, as the others explained an got ready. He shrugged and slid on his sunglasses. "Good enough for me." He looked over at Mike. "He really thinks he looks good doesn't he? Well, he is a little nuts," he added with a grin.

[Electra]

Erin, disdaining the need for a costume, began walking over in the direction of the waterpark, looking for whatever it was that Mark had seen. She wasn't good at reading random passers-by, but maybe everyone did look a little more tired than they should've been, even after a day in the park. In any case, if there was something out there, it was better to confront it head-on than to wait for everyone to get their playclothes on.

[quotemyname]

Breakdown swooped back towards the group. He spotted Erin making for the water park and touched down next to her. "I didn't miss anything did I?" He hoped that since he had been the first to leave and get his uniform on he wouldn't miss any of the action.

[angrydurf]

As the others rushed off to change Mike shrugged and stepped up as quickly and quietly as he could to catch up to Erin.

"So should one of us check the other entrance? Make sure they aren't just running off?" He asked. Tactics and direction were usually left to Mark and Alex but he figured consensus could at least make up for some lack of skill. He eyed Erin questioningly it sounded like something Mark would suggest but he wasn't about to go off witho ut at least some one knowing what he was doing if not conferming it was a good idea.

[Electra]

Erin nodded at Mike. "Yeah, and see if you notice anything along the way. Let Alex know if you see anyone, or if anyone looks like they're trying to get out. Stay low if you're going to fly," she added with a glance at Eddie, "there's no reason to make a big deal of this if we're wrong." She approached the fence to the waterpark, looking through to see if anything was moving on the other side.

[angrydurf]

Mike decided against flying and instead ran over to the back gate hopping fences when needed to get quickly to the back gate.

Once there he carefully watched for any more unusual activity. He focused and thoght to Psyche 'I'm watching the back gate I'll let you know if I catch sight of anything.'

[Cyroa]

Psyche let her senses extend into the water park, perhaps hoping to find nothing amiss. Any such hopes were ruined as she observed...

The waterpark was laid out in a large half circle, with the flat side containing both gates. With Phalanx covering the other, there were really no public ways out beyond emergency exits and the like. From this entryway, where additional lockers and concession stands were located, the watery fun expanded outward. To the left, and taking up a rather large amount of space was the giant wave pooling. Normally the crashing waves would playfully batter water goers but now, with the park closed, it was simply a massive and still pool. To the right were sprayers, landings, small pools and various other watery entertainments designed for those who were younger and didn't mind such sprays or those who didn't want to step in more than two feet of water. As expected, the various jets and streams were currently silent. And in front there were multiple larger pools, the dumping grounds for the massive and numerous slides that towered above them. The stairs up for those slides lay around the pools. All of this seemed rather normal and expected.

The unexpected part wasn't hard to miss either. Scattered near the center pool and stairs, several dozen people were slumped and laying haphazardly in the area. Most were dressed in the clothes of the water park though there appeared to be a few park goers in the mix as well. Far above, on the highest large landing 13 figures in long cowled robes gathered. One the flooring, strange lines and symbols glowed with a rather eerie but pleasing light.

[alderwitch]

Alex blinked and then with an actual physical twist of her body, yanked her senses away.

"Okay, I'm not sharing what that looks like. Yicky. They've got some sort of pleasure-thrall aura thing that they're doing. There's about thirteen guys in spooky robes and a whole lot of unconcious people. Even just ghosting my brain over, I was almost sucked into their little spell. It's nasty." She repeated the comments on down to the link with Mike, even as she shucked off her jeans and overshirt. She was still wearing her mom's old costume, a fitted leather-like leotard in red with a short white skirt. Alex stamped her feet into the boots before putting on her gloves and mask, "So, you should all be prepared. There's no other real exits besides the one that Mike - I mean Phalanx - is at."

[Cyroa]

James nodded as he listened to Psyche's report. "So, anyone got something specific by way of a plan," he asked. "Or we going with the 'get em' approach? I'm good to go either way," he said with a grin.

[quotemyname]

While Breakdown was certainly capable of coming up with a scheme on his own, he knew that the ones developed by Edge and Psyche were infallibly better. For now he was content to play follow the leader. "I think we should wait until Edge is here to come up with a plan. We are probably going to need him."

[Ecalsneerg]

"Cut off the head and the body dies," grinned Geckoman as he appeared in full costume. "If they've affected people's minds, can they really keep affecting them after we punch them about a bit and leave them unconscious for the cops to lock up? I say we sneak up while they're plotting and cackling, and deliver a swift falcon punch to the nads."

[Electra]

"Somebody who's got a phone should call the school for backup," Erin said, looking over in James' direction because she knew he had a cell phone. "We can't wait, but if we do get into trouble, at least someone will be coming. James and Mark can run around to the other entrance and come in that way, Chris, Alex and I will go in from this door, and Eddie and Mike come in from overhead. If Alex can keep us coordinated, we might be able to hit hard and fast enough from all directions that they won't be able to catch us in the field, or whatever it is. If anybody starts feeling weird, say something." She looked around for comments on the plan.

[Avenger Assembled]

"If we're lucky, the field won't affect us as badly as it does the civilians," said Mark, looking around at the other kids. "We're superheroes, we can handle that kind of stuff. Hitting them from all sides sounds like a good idea, anything to keep them confused. There's one more thing; I think we should target somebody with taking out whoever the leader of the cult is. When my dad and the Black Avenger fought the Scions of Sobek in 1971, they took out the top guy and the whole pyramid went down like a box of cards." He nodded at that. "So if you see anyone important, hit them hard. Everyone ready?"

[quotemyname]

"We are the angry and the desperate,

The hungry, and the cold,

We are the ones who kept quiet,

And always did what we were told.

But we’ve been sweating while you slept so calm,

In the safety of your home.

We’ve been pulling out the nails that hold up

Everything you’ve known."

"Yea, man. Let's do this!" Breakdown slipped the headphones on over his ears. He regretfully switched off "Prayer of the Refugee" and put on something a little more relaxing. He let the jazz music flow through him. Then he took off to the air without another word. I'm going to need quite the head start if I plan on keeping up with Phalanx! He thought to himself as he soared up over the park.

[angrydurf]

Mike nodded unconciously as Psyche relayed the plan to him, 'Got it,' He replied, 'I'll head in as soon as Mark and James get here.'

He kept a carefull watch on the gate while he waited for Edge and Hellion to arrive. As he saw eddie head up into the air he glanced nervously around. Eddie had just made himself a big target he hoped Hellion and Edge got here soon.

[Electra]

Erin waited a few moments for everyone to get into position, nervously watching Breakdown climbing into the sky, then nodded to Alex. "All right, tell everybody, go now! Fast as they can, from far away if they can." Even as she spoke, she was vaulting over the fence. She hit the ground running, but went only as far as the nearest garbage can. It was very unpleasant, still full of the day's uncollected trash, but that didn't matter. A quick jerk had it pulled free of its moorings. Orienting herself on the ledge Alex had described, Erin leapt straight into the air, up above most of the other slides. At the apex of her jump, she used a footballesque spiral throw and launched the trash can at the cluster of figures.

[Cyroa]

The heavy can flew directly at one of the robed figures. As it reached the landing, it seemed to slow rapidly but still managed to slam into the figure. He staggered back several steps dazed as the others continued their chanting...

[Ecalsneerg]

Geckoman ran up to the fence and quickly moved up it slightly, bending his knees to prop himself up near the top so he could aim and fire. Extending one arm and flicking his wrist, his zappers started sparking.

"Stupid cultists! Taking my Maverick away from me!" shouted Geckoman, before flicking his wrist once more and sending a small bolt of electricity flying at the back of a cultist's head.

[Avenger Assembled]

"C'mon, team!" Edge yelled as loud as he could, trying to both draw the attention of the cultists and cheer on his teammates to greatness. He used his zip line to get to the top of the fence, trying to get a better view of the situation. "Let's show them what Young Freedom can do! This is Freedom's park! And that means free minds, free souls, and free bodies! Let's overthrow these tyrannical cultists! Wander and Geckoman, hit 'em again! Phalanx, give 'em the Liberator Special! THIS IS FREEDOM CITY!"

[Cyroa]

Those cultist on the landing didn't even acknowledge the sudden arrival of the heroes, though the one who'd been hit shook his head and moved back to take his position once more, swearing all the while. However, below the landing, the unconscious citizens stirred. The all slowly and awkwardly stood and began shambling towards the heroes. Their movements were slow and not particularly smooth and their faces were blank though they all had slight smiles on their faces. But there were an awful lot of them...