Banking On It [IC]

[Sandman XI]

When Edge fires his grappling gun Quark pulls a box about the size of a ring holder out of his messenger bag. Opening it there is a small sphere in it. Dropping it out into his hand the sphere begins to envelop in a black film like substance. It is blacker than black, almost like a hole in the universe. When it is done, he looks like he has transformed into Dark Star. "I'm following you," he says floating up towards Edge, "just in case you need any help."

[Moira Morley]

Seraph looked up at Edge as he climbed the wall. Then the nerdy kid flew up after him. She would have to stay down here with Breakdown. "Be careful up there, baby," she waved at Edge.

She smiled at Breakdown, "Looks like we're gonna have to wait"

[angrydurf]

Phalanx knew well enough that Marks plans were chancy but usually worked so he waited on marks signal as he listed off what he was able to see before mark had hied off to put his plan in motion, "Stick as close as you can." He said to the others still with him, "I'll try to keep you covered."

[quotemyname]

You know, Breakdown thought over the channel to Edge's radio, It would be nice if just this once you'd give me a heads up as to what you're planning. That way I'll know ahead of time what songs and powers to use. He was always irked by the fact that Edge would pull some crazy stunt, and he was left to react to the situation. More often than not, things worked out, but for those chancy times like this when their reaction time was quite probably a sensitive part of the equation, he thought he might like to know ahead of time.

Not that he thought that suggestion would make any difference to Edge at all, You know, just this once?

[Avenger Assembled]

"Okay, fine," said Mark. "I'm going to make all their guns not work anymore. If it doesn't work, you'll have to move in really fast and stop the bad guys before anyone innocent gets hurt." And with that, Mark concentrated carefully, reaching out to tug at the strands of fate and chance the way he'd only recently learned how to do. "Breakdown, you remember in history class when they told us about the first time somebody tried to kill the President? And the President lived because both the guy's guns jammed in a one in a million chance?" Mark closed his eyes, and then opened them wide, spreading his hands. "What are the odds that every bad guy's gun fails at the same time!?!"

[quotemyname]

"With you around, man, I'd say the chances were pretty good." Eddie smiled as he gazed up at the building where his friend had climbed. "Yea, that plan sounds like solid gold. It's so simple, how can it fail?" Eddie started dialing in something on one of his iPods.

"You want me to move in fast? I can do that. I might need a way in, though." Eddie glance up at Phalanx. "You want to make us a door, big guy?"

[Ecalsneerg]

Phalanx could see six customers on their knees on the floor, handcuffed and on their knees. Behind each one stood a thug holding a pistol of some kind, as two more of their friends hurriedly bagged up bundles of notes. A final gang member was gathering up wallets and purses from the customers. The staff were nowhere to be seen, however... From above, Edge and Quark could see much the same thing, only the two thugs bagging up money were nowhere to be seen.

None of them seemed aware that their guns were going to fail when they attempted to fire them.

[Sandman XI]

Quark Star, thinking quickly, dives down to the scene. An up close and personal look gives fim the full picture. The people's fear. The two robbers. There seems to be no bank workers around. Odd. He has to think quickly. Several hundred scenarios run through his head in a split second. The thugs quickly find their guns are jammed before Quark Star shoots the closest one.

[Ecalsneerg]

One thug flies into the wall even as his friends find their guns failing to shoot, looking at each other incredulously. "Holy hell! She didn't warn us about that!" exclaimed one.

Outside, Geckoman gestured to the bank. "Sounds like it worked. Who wants point?"

[angrydurf]

Phalanx shouts, "On it. I'll try and take out the ones holding the hostages." And speeds toward the bank a blur of blue and gold. Flying through the doors he makes a beeline for the thugs guarding the customers. He Slammed into the nearest one trying to knock the lot of them away from the hostages even without working guns they could be dangerous at that range.

[Ecalsneerg]

Phalanx barreled into the thugs, who stood no chance. Soon, the hostages sat amazed at the ring of unconscious men around them while their three buddies at the side gaped in horror.

[quotemyname]

[groove]20816653[/groove]

"Good start Phalanx!" Breakdown called out. His music had already begun blaring the speed metal as generated by the Dead Kennedys. His friends blinked, and suddenly, Breakdown was gone. Phalanx saw him standing next to one of the thugs he hadn't gotten to. "Surprise!" He called out as he slammed his fist into the Thug's stomach.

"I got the rest, Phalanx," Breakdown told the airborne hero as he dashes to the next Thug, hammering him on the back. The third thug never saw Breakdown coming, and got a knuckle sandwich in the jaw for not paying attention. Standing over the bodies of the thugs, Breakdown clapped his hands together, dusting them off. "It's rough in Freedom, but hey, that's the life!" He smiled big. It felt good to be getting back into the swing of things with his friends.

[Ecalsneerg]

As Breakdown downed the last thug, Geckoman leapt from the street outside, through the windows and towards his friend in a shower of glass which supposedly unfazed him. Landing with a smirk, he launched a powerful blow towards the musical master.

Unexpectedly, it landed in the small of Breakdown's back with the bone-crushing force of someone much stronger than Geckoman was known to be.

[Avenger Assembled]

Edge made a rapid leap of logic, the only kind he ever made. An evil shapeshifter has replaced Geckoman! He fired his grapple gun at the bank and swung over, calling out, "Seraph, follow me!" Once there, he flew through the window just after Geckoman, landing moments after the powerful blow on the unfortunate Breakdown. "You've just cashed your last paycheck, Grue!" He spat at the false mimic of his friend, before concentrating on him and shouting, "Luckily, I think your time has RUN OUT!"

[Ecalsneerg]

The clock on the wall crashed into the head of Geckoman, creating a crackle and a short burst of smoke. With a fwooooooom, the outer layer just faded, revealing a mechanical apparatus underneath, heavily armour plated and with red eyes glowing in a featureless steel mask.

"Well-played."

[Moira Morley]

Seraph gasped! It was a ruse! But how did the robot get Geckoman's stuff? And his knowledge? Something was not right here. Not right at all. She rushed over to breakdown and laid a healing hand on him. The psionic energy washed over him. curing him of aches and pains brought on by the robotic injury.

[Sandman XI]

Quark Star shakes his head. A robot? Really? How did this ruse get so far? Quark Star quickly examines the scene again. Was it Geckoman turned into a robot or a robot clone of Geckoman? Whatever it is, it needs to go down. Quark Star over estimates the position of Geckobot and misses it. Damn miscalculations. He will have that mechanical contraption yet!

[quotemyname]

"So, you're just going to stand there and pretend like nothing's wrong?" Breakdown asked the robot, wincing from the pain. He was relieved when Seraph made the pain pass away.

"You've been impersonating one of my best friends and teammates. But for how long?" Breakdown stuck his hands out in front of him,

Sunspots cast a glare in my eyes

Sometimes I forget I'm alive

"Too long!"

[Ecalsneerg]

Breakdown sent the robot flying down in a shower of sparks to the floor, metal clanging. The mouth still moved incoherently, but rather than a modulation of Geckoman's voice, the sounds it made were chilling.

A woman screaming and gunfire echoed through the bank from the robot's mouth.

[Avenger Assembled]

"It's an evil robot!" Mark boomed. "But we'll soon deal with that!" He concentrated on the robot, its internal components collapsing more and more as the sheer power of bad luck poured through its every inner working. "You can't handle the power of the Breakdown of music and the Edge of reason!" Mark shouted, pointing his finger at the bad, bad robot.

[Moira Morley]

Seraph loved when mark was all heroic like that. She cheered him on in her mind. Now she had to do something to follow him up. Everyone was perfectly healthy she noted with a quick scan. That robot had to be dealt with! She reached down deep inside of herself and began emanating a rusty color from her hands. "You have six seconds before I come over there and turn you into a pile of corroded junk! What did you do with our Geckoman?!"

[Ecalsneerg]

Seraph's threat fell on deaf ears, as the Geckodrone leapt unscathed through Mark's attack, landing beside her boyfriend with a fist ready to punch his face... and then promply fell over. Rather than the approximation of Geckoman's voice it had previously used, instead its mouth seemed to be making the sounds of gunfire and a scream. Faintly, in the background, Chris could be heard shouting angrily, but his words were indistinct through the static.