Deja Vu

[Barnum]

Grim's search quickly turned up a cheap disposable cell that still had a few minutes on it, not that she'd need them to dial 911.

Nightrival's examination of the drugs revealed them to be ordinary Heroine. Not that an entire pallet of Heroine was ordinary, even for Freedom City, but as bad as heroine was, it was tame compared to the kinds of poisons that frequently made their way through the City of Heroes.

[Barnum]

Grim's search quickly turned up a cheap disposable cell that still had a few minutes on it, not that she'd need them to dial 911.

Nightrival's examination of the drugs revealed them to be ordinary Heroine. Not that an entire pallet of Heroine was ordinary, even for Freedom City, but as bad as heroine was, it was tame compared to the kinds of poisons that frequently made their way through the City of Heroes.

[Shadowboxer]

"Thanks for having faith in me; I'm not used to adults sayin' nice things to me, so...thanks, for everything. It's a nice change of pace."

"Jus' don't go tellin' everyone that," he replies, rubbing a pinch of the powdered substance between thumb and forefinger. "Remember tha' street cred we were talkin' 'bout? Heh."

Nightrival drops the package back inside the pallet. "It's dope. We're lucky it ain't Zoom. Let's get outta here 'fore th' cops show up. I got some thinkin' ta do, and questions ta ask."

[Shadowboxer]

"Thanks for having faith in me; I'm not used to adults sayin' nice things to me, so...thanks, for everything. It's a nice change of pace."

"Jus' don't go tellin' everyone that," he replies, rubbing a pinch of the powdered substance between thumb and forefinger. "Remember tha' street cred we were talkin' 'bout? Heh."

Nightrival drops the package back inside the pallet. "It's dope. We're lucky it ain't Zoom. Let's get outta here 'fore th' cops show up. I got some thinkin' ta do, and questions ta ask."

[Heritage]

"Jus' don't go tellin' everyone that," he replies, rubbing a pinch of the powdered substance between thumb and forefinger. "Remember tha' street cred we were talkin' 'bout? Heh."

Nightrival drops the package back inside the crate. "It's dope. We're lucky it ain't Zoom. Let's get outta here 'fore th' cops show up. I got some thinkin' ta do, and questions ta ask."

The young vigilante nods and grins as she calls in the report, disguising her voice slightly not by any use of powers, but by simply adopting a bad Southern accent and a somewhat higher pitched voice.

"Thank you, m'am." When she finishes the call, she spins and whips the phone like a fastball right at the wall, smashing it to pieces; she thrusts both fists in the air like she just won the pennant before turning back to Nightrival with a sudden look of sharp regret. "Oh crap, should we have kept that?"

[Heritage]

"Jus' don't go tellin' everyone that," he replies, rubbing a pinch of the powdered substance between thumb and forefinger. "Remember tha' street cred we were talkin' 'bout? Heh."

Nightrival drops the package back inside the crate. "It's dope. We're lucky it ain't Zoom. Let's get outta here 'fore th' cops show up. I got some thinkin' ta do, and questions ta ask."

The young vigilante nods and grins as she calls in the report, disguising her voice slightly not by any use of powers, but by simply adopting a bad Southern accent and a somewhat higher pitched voice.

"Thank you, m'am." When she finishes the call, she spins and whips the phone like a fastball right at the wall, smashing it to pieces; she thrusts both fists in the air like she just won the pennant before turning back to Nightrival with a sudden look of sharp regret. "Oh crap, should we have kept that?"

[Shadowboxer]

"Oh crap, should we have kept that?"

"Not unless ya wanted to hit one o' these guys with it. Then again, the cop's could've traced all th' calls from it; I'm sure there's others."

Nightrival takes out the lighter and holds it in his hand, staring at the flag embossed on its surface. Who are ya really, he wonders, thinking of the African in their last encounter in warehouse, and where are ya hidin'? Just what is yer connection ta King? He bounces the lighter in his hand and silently ponders.

[Shadowboxer]

"Oh crap, should we have kept that?"

"Not unless ya wanted to hit one o' these guys with it. Then again, the cop's could've traced all th' calls from it; I'm sure there's others."

Nightrival takes out the lighter and holds it in his hand, staring at the flag embossed on its surface. Who are ya really, he wonders, thinking of the African in their last encounter in warehouse, and where are ya hidin'? Just what is yer connection ta King? He bounces the lighter in his hand and silently ponders.

[Heritage]

"Not unless ya wanted to hit one o' these guys with it. Then again, the cop's could've traced all th' calls from it; I'm sure there's others."

Grim nods as she continues to survey the scene. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right." She moves from unconscious thug to unconscious thug, dropping down to a crouch as she peers closely at their faces. "I'm not sayin' I'm up for it yet, but one of these day I think you should send me undercover, y'know? Into the belly of the beast and all that."

She adopts a sort of composite look, incorporating various features she's gleaned for the various hoodlums into a sort of generic goon: a lean vicious face with greasy hair and two day's beard stubble, wearing a leather jacket, well-worn jeans and dirty hi-tops. Her voice is nasal and ingratiating.

"How ya doin'? Johnny Peshtigo, just rolled in from Atlantic City; you lookin' for some muscle, I'm your guy." 'Johnny' grins and chews a mouthful of imaginary gum. "Whadya think, boss; one of these days, you, me and a wire got a date?"

[Heritage]

"Not unless ya wanted to hit one o' these guys with it. Then again, the cop's could've traced all th' calls from it; I'm sure there's others."

Grim nods as she continues to survey the scene. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right." She moves from unconscious thug to unconscious thug, dropping down to a crouch as she peers closely at their faces. "I'm not sayin' I'm up for it yet, but one of these day I think you should send me undercover, y'know? Into the belly of the beast and all that."

She adopts a sort of composite look, incorporating various features she's gleaned for the various hoodlums into a sort of generic goon: a lean vicious face with greasy hair and two day's beard stubble, wearing a leather jacket, well-worn jeans and dirty hi-tops. Her voice is nasal and ingratiating.

"How ya doin'? Johnny Peshtigo, just rolled in from Atlantic City; you lookin' for some muscle, I'm your guy." 'Johnny' grins and chews a mouthful of imaginary gum. "Whadya think, boss; one of these days, you, me and a wire got a date?"

[Shadowboxer]

"I'm not sayin' I'm up for it yet, but one of these days I think you should send me undercover, y'know? Into the belly of the beast and all that."

Nightrival pauses.

"I think," he replies deliberately as he strokes his chin, "I think that's th' best idea I heard in awhile."

He watches Grim shapeshift into her new form, looking her up and down. He nods his head in sastisfaction. "I like it. I think with some coachin' we can get ya on the inside."

Outside, the wind eases into a hoarse whisper. Nightrival knows that spring will soon arrive in Freedom City. Trees will bloom green again and flowers will raise out of the earth, draped in their brilliant colours. The cold wind that pierced his flesh vanishes for another year and is replaced with drowsy orange sunlight. The Southside will witness firsthand the changes that will sweep away the gray and damp and frost from the streets.

"We've been on th' defensive fer too long," he continues. "Yer goin' ta be our first strike inta enemy territory." Nightrival examines his charred shoulder. "Tonight, we declare war."

Multiple sirens loudly wail in the night as the police cruisers race towards the parkade.

[Shadowboxer]

"I'm not sayin' I'm up for it yet, but one of these days I think you should send me undercover, y'know? Into the belly of the beast and all that."

Nightrival pauses.

"I think," he replies deliberately as he strokes his chin, "I think that's th' best idea I heard in awhile."

He watches Grim shapeshift into her new form, looking her up and down. He nods his head in sastisfaction. "I like it. I think with some coachin' we can get ya on the inside."

Outside, the wind eases into a hoarse whisper. Nightrival knows that spring will soon arrive in Freedom City. Trees will bloom green again and flowers will raise out of the earth, draped in their brilliant colours. The cold wind that pierced his flesh vanishes for another year and is replaced with drowsy orange sunlight. The Southside will witness firsthand the changes that will sweep away the gray and damp and frost from the streets.

"We've been on th' defensive fer too long," he continues. "Yer goin' ta be our first strike inta enemy territory." Nightrival examines his charred shoulder. "Tonight, we declare war."

Multiple sirens loudly wail in the night as the police cruisers race towards the parkade.