Gangbuster A Go IC

[ex3lev3n]

Novermber 5, 10:30PM; outside of Dominico's Pizzeria

Dominico's was a favorite spot for locals looking for a quick slice, tourists too broke from their time spent on the boardwalk to pay for a sit down meal, and extortionists looking for a quick pay day. Tonight, a crowd of teenagers had gathered to share a pie and talk about plans for winter break.

Calliope had heard that the Tartaglione Family had a strangehold on the Boardwalk extortion racket, and thanks to the efforts of some of Freedom City's heroes, they had taken a blow to their organization. Hoping to make up their losses quickly, they've slowly migrated to areas of Southside, and word on the street was that tonight they were going to hit up Dominico's.

[Shockwasp]

"Kris, you're still reading that Centurion comic? I thought you'd have finished it by now!" The girl's friend raised an eyebrow, taking a bite out of her slice of pizza.

"I have, but," The sixteen year-old Kris replied, looking up from the colorful pages to reply to her friend, "I mean, the guy's incredible! Isn't he?"

"Sounds like someone has a crush."

"Do not!" She ignored the sound her friend made in response. "Ok, maybe a little, but can you blame me?"

"All right, fine, whatever. But would you at least put the comic down long enough to eat your pizza? It's going to get cold."

Time is a funny thing. Seven years ago, Kris was a cheerful teenager with an obsession with comics, spending her days in this very restaurant, reading about the heroes that protected the city and the world. Six years ago, she awoke in a hospital bed to the knowledge that some of the greatest heroes she'd every known were dead, and it was a miracle she wasn't as well. Three years ago, she was shaken from her stupor by another brush with death, and four hours ago, she had put on her new mask for the first time. Things had come full-circle. She could only imagine what would happen in another seven years.

There wasn't time to think about what-ifs, though. Calliope crouched on the roof of the small pizzeria, keeping an eye out for the Tartaglione thugs she'd heard were coming. Of course, now that her mind was off of the past, there was nothing distracting the girl from how high up she was. It's only ten feet, Kris... It's not that far. Even if you fall, as long as you land on your feet... She swallowed hard. ...just make really sure to land on your feet...

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

Calliope didn't have to wait long before she spotted a black four door sedan pull into the parking lot of Dominico's. Two large, obviously Italian men in nice black suits exited the vehicle. One lit a cigarette as the other peered in through the plate glass window of the pizzeria, then shrugged back to his accomplice and pulled out his own cigarette. No doubt they were going to wait for the crowd to thin out inside before going in.

[Shockwasp]

There they are. They didn't seem to be in much of a hurry. Good, that meant that she could take her time getting down from here. Slowly, carefully sneaking along the flat concrete roof of the building, Calliope dropped down into the dark alley beside, and began to consider her options. If they've got guns, I'm going to have to be really careful about this. Even if they didn't, it was two large mob thugs against one girl in tights. Gripping the shield on her arm, she swallowed, trying to keep calm, and watched the men for a bit longer.

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

The two mooks joked with one another as they stood by their vehicle and smoked. Calliope overheard them agree that they would go inside, clear out the kids, and take old man Dominico's cash drop when they were done with their cigarette. They also commented on how frikkin' cold it was tonight, and what they were going to do to warm up when this was over. "Lewd" and "cheuvenistic" didn't even scratch the surface.

[Shockwasp]

Well, thanks for strengthening my resolve to beat the tar out of you guys. Calliope grimaced at their conversation, honestly rather disturbed by the knowledge that this was normal for Tartagliones. As she waited, a plan began to formulate in the girl's head. She shifted her weight slightly, and readied herself for what was to come, lifting her shield above and behind her, aiming for the farther-away of the two thugs. Calm down, Kris. You can do this. It's not like last time. You're ready. You can do this. It's not going to end like last time. ...I won't let it.

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

As the joking continued, one of the leg breakers nudged the other one with his elbow.

"Ta hell with this, man, it's cold!" he said as he tossed his half-finished cigarette away. His partner nodded and followed suit, ready to get paid. They were completely unaware that they weren't alone...

[Shockwasp]

They were moving sooner than Cal expected, and it quite nearly threw her off. No, don't let them get away! Recovering from her momentary surprise, the young vigilante hurled her shield at the farther of the two thugs, and ran at the one closer to her, dearly hoping that he didn't have fast reflexes.

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

Callipoe's shield hurled through the air, striking the mob goon square on the head, knocking him cold. His associate looked to his friend's fallen form, then to the golden disk that clattered to the ground. Unsure of what to make of it all, he went to pull his gun from inside his suit's vest when a green and gold-clad heroine rushed him from the shadows.

[Shockwasp]

Yes, it's working! Not giving her opponent a chance to get out his gun, Calliope closes the distance, and puts all of her weight onto her front leg, throwing her meager bodyweight into a punch, aimed for the large mobster's jaw. "Tell your boss Calliope says hi!" Unfortunately, she did not seem to account for how tall he was, and her arm is not long enough to reach all the way up to his face from where she is! Ohhhh crap.

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

The startled goon caught Calliope's punch right in the mouth, and he staggered back a step. Wiping a line of blood from his lip with the back of his hand, he eyed the young heroine with malice.

"Yeah, ok, bitch, I'll let him know," he replied as he pulled an automatic pistol from his coat and fired at the new hero!

[Shockwasp]

Calliope had hit, but the thug was still standing. As he pulled the gun from her coat, a sick, bubbling fear began to well up inside of the girl. Off-balance, and at point blank range... there was nothing she could do to get out of the way. He was going to shoot her, kill her, and there was nothing she could do about it. A million thoughts raced through her head in one moment. She'd failed again. It all ends right here. Like this. My first night out and I'-

BLAMCLANG

The sound of gunfire interrupted Calliope's thoughts. But, instead of the piercing pain she'd expected, the girl was knocked back, a barely-perceptible dent present in the center of her breastplate. She looked down, and ran her fingers over the cold metal. It'd saved her life, there was no doubt about that. Don't waste time, Kris! Her training kicked in before her mind had even finished processing what had happened. Moving entirely by instinct, she grabbed the gun in the thug's hand, and struck at his wrist with her other hand, attempting to deprive him of the weapon that nearly killed her.

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

Calliope struck the goons wrist, the pain causing him to release his grip on the pistol. With his weapon in the hands of his opponent, fear played across his face.

"What'ya gonna do? Shoot me?!" he roared he lunged at Calliope with a powerful haymaker, though his attack was easily sidestepped by the lithe heroine..

[Shockwasp]

Calliope felt the thug's heavy fist graze across her cheek as she rolled with the punch, her martial arts training, and her preparation, once again saving her life. The levity of the situation drove all the worry and doubt from the girl's mind. She was in the zone, and this brute was going down. Releasing the clip from the weapon and tossing both aside, Calliope brought her left leg back, and took a more defensive stance. Coyly, she stretched out one arm, and beckoned the thug with two fingers.

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

The big man in black saw the gun and magazine tossed aside, and decided against going to retrieve them. His opponent was fast, and she'd probably intercept him before he got to them. But whatever, she was just a chick in a costume right?

Putting his hands up in a basic boxing stance, he circled around Calliope, testing her defense with a quick jabs.

[Shockwasp]

Just a chick in a costume ...with a year and a half of judo training. Stepping to the side of the thug's punch, Calliope grabbed his wrist, and used his own momentum to hurl him bodily to the ground, quickly following him and locking his arm behind his head. He was helpless now, and she could wait at her leisure for the cops to arrive. Still, she'd never known criminals to give up easily in the comics, and she doubted real ones were any different. So, Cal shifted herself slightly, and prepared to knock his head against the pavement once or twice if he became too much to handle.

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

With the extortionist laying belly down with his arm locked behind his head, Calliope had time to notice the crowd inside Dominico's huddled against the window, watching the events unfold. Most stood and watched silently, but a few were cheering her on behind the glass.

"Get offa me!" the goon shouted in protest, squirming futilely under Calliope's grip. In the distance police siren's wailed.

[Shockwasp]

Breathing heavily, Calliope slowly slipped out of the 'zone', and began to return to her normal self. Well, her normal self, plus a pounding heart and a stupid grin. Looking back at the sound of cheering, the young woman saw the crowds watching her, and waved with her free hand. It's actually happening! I'm a superhero! She felt like she could fly! She didn't try to, of course, not with a gangster held underneath her. The sounds of the police sirens made the heroine look up, and see the flashing red and blue lights coming down the street. "Wow. That's a pretty good response time. I'm impressed." She looked down again. "Remember to tell your boss I said hello."

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

A pair of police cruisers pulled into the parking lot, doors opening with three officers remaining behind the open doors with their weapons drawn while a forth rushed over to Calliope with a pair of handcuffs.

"Nice job, ma'am," the young (and attractive!) officer said as he knelt down and slapped the cuffs on the mook, his fingers brushing against Calliope's for a second as they switched grips on the mobster's wrist. Another officer came over to assist, the goon cursing all the while as he was read his rights.

When the threat was being hauled into the back seat oi a cruiser, the patrons of Dominico's came out to see their savior up close.

[Shockwasp]

Calliope stepped away from the successfully criminal, wiping her hands. A light blush came to her cheeks and she smiled modestly. "Please, call me Kr- er, Calliope." The superheroine looked at the crowd, and the criminals being dragged away, and... and the gun lying on the pavement near her feet. Her attention suddenly returned to the dent in her breastplate, and just how close she'd come to dying. "E-excuse me for just one moment..."

Stepping past the officer and running into the alley, the heroine tripped over the curb, stumbled, and caught herself on a trash can. Grabbing it in both hands, she coughed once, then again, and all the fear and worry and dread that Calliope had pushed down so she could function came back up, burning the whole way.

~~~

Calliope wiped her mouth as she walked out of the alleyway, and took a deep breath, heading back towards the police and pizzeria patrons. "Is everyone alright?"

[ex3lev3n]

GM POST

Calliope was all but swarmed by the diner's of the pizzeria upon her return from the alley.

"Who are you?", "Can you fly?", "Can I have your autograph?" It was all very surreal.

The heroine saw the young officer greet a plain clothes detective who must have arrived on scene during her... moment... and pointed her way.

[Shockwasp]

Calliope did her best to answer the questions she was swarmed with. "My name's Calliope, Lady of Green and Gold." "No, I'm afraid I can't fly." "Oh, of course! And, um, who is this to?" She was still a little light headed, though, and honestly, the appearance of the detective was a welcome excuse to slip out of the crowd for a moment. "Excuse me, I'll be just a minute."

She approached him, stealing a quick glance over his shoulder at the officer before returning her attention to where it should have been. In the comics, they always greeted the detective by name, but she didn't know his name, so she was a little stuck. "Um... Calliope." She introduced herself, holding out her hand awkwardly.

[ex3lev3n]

GM Post

"Detective Barnes," he replied, shaking Calliope's hand. He was of average height and weight, with a salt and pepper crew cut and square faced lined by years of work on the street. "You nabbed two of Tartaglione's men tonight. You should be proud."

He nodded towards the group of gawking teenagers and added, "When you get a chance, Officer Dugo here will take your statement. By the way, that was quick thinking, calling the station before you took these guys on."

[Shockwasp]

Calliope lowered her arm, taking a mental note of the detective's name. Barnes. Barnes. Barnes. Got it. "Thank you, Detective." And once again, she could rely on her comic book knowledge. Though the "I was just doing my duty" line that she was 'supposed' to say at this point felt a bit too cheesy for her. She simply nodded, and qui-Wait, I didn't call the.. "Oh- um, thank you, Detective."

Someone called the police? Couldn't have been anyone inside the restaurant. Had to be... someone who knew the hold-up was happening. "Wha- um...." Don't ask what you said. That's stupid and sounds suspicious.- "What did I... I mean, was I right about everything? I-If I'm misinformed, I'd rather find out now than later." Not technically a lie, I suppose.