The Serpent and the Devil (IC)

[Scuffles]

Glow gave Smith a faintly amused smile. "We might have applied some pressure to get things back on the right path," she allowed. "These people suffered some pretty awful things, they deserve their due process and the chance to prove that they really are refugees."

She glanced at Heraldo for a moment, then continued. "I have a feeling that some people might not be all that happy about it though. There was definitely an interest from someone in getting them deported. We need to know a little bit about what's going to happen now. Will they be moved or will they be staying at this facility?"

The young heroine looked around a little. "I have to admit this place looks pretty secure, we might be worrying about nothing?"

[Supercape]

GM

Smith replied, with some enthusiasm, caught up in Glow's own passion.

"They will stay right here, miss. At least, until some legal suit tells us otherwise. Fed, watered, medical care. Some of them, well, after what happened to them, they are a bit screwy...I mean, they have some mental health issues..." he corrected himself. The man may not have been totally politically correct, but he still had his heart in the right place.

"Anyway, to be honest our systems are more about making sure they don't run off than protecting them from an attack. We have a few armed guards, the fences, a few locked doors. But if somebody was to make an attack on this place, in any numbers, we wouldn't be able to hold them off. We are set up to stop rioting, and stop any escape plans. It works well enough, but we aren't the army..."

[Ari]

"Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Smith" EL Heraldo said earnestly to the man "that helps us more than you know"

Lightening up with a cheerful smile he went on "We are glad to assist in this matter, and indeed we would be quite wrong to ignore it, these people are our responsibility too after we rescued them! " his smile faltered when Tyrone mentioned that some of the prisoners were having difficulties that went beyond the flesh. "I'm sorry we couldn't have gotten them out quicker. Can they be cured?" he asked anxiously. Upon the answer he nodded quietly, saying "Thank you, Mr. Smith. If you will pardon us, we'll go ask them some questions about their departure" he bowed slightly to the officer and made his way back to the rooms where the two had contacted the refugees from the terror of El Sierpe.

When they had reached the door he called out to the people inside in Spanish "<We've returned, you won't be leaving any time soon! Listen, this is important: what can we expect from El Sierpe if he tries to capture you all again?>"

[Supercape]

GM

" "<We've returned, you won't be leaving any time soon! Listen, this is important: what can we expect from El Sierpe if he tries to capture you all again?>"

The refugee (the same woman as before) looked at El Heraldo with something akin to cautious hope, now that their deportation had been at least delayed.

"His a viscous man! Everyone fears El Sierpe!" she whispered, as if the walls could hear her.

"He will want revenge, for us escaping, for us talking...and not in a good way. He will give us over to the Devil Doctor once more, for his...experiments...." she hissed, shuddering as she remembered the ship she had tried to make away on, only escaping thanks to Glow and El Heraldo's heroics.

"He will come for us, I do not know how, or when...but come he will! you must protect us!"

Behind him, the armed guard yawned deeply, and shook his head, trying to stay awake...

[Scuffles]

Glow greeted the refugees with smiles, but then had to turn the conversation over to Heraldo.

Maybe I should get him to teach me some Spanish? It would sure be helpful even if I just learn a bit!

Unable to contribute much to the conversation Glow wandered away from the bars a little to inspect the facility. While she was no expert it certainly appeared to be pretty secure. The young heroine went over to the tired looking guard and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," she asked. "You guys look like a pretty impressive security crew! Can you tell me a little about how you run the place? I bet you have pretty much no problems here ever right?"

[Supercape]

GM

"You guys look like a pretty impressive security crew! Can you tell me a little about how you run the place? I bet you have pretty much no problems here ever right?"

The Guard was about to drop of when Glow interrupted him.

"Hmmm...wha....oh...yeah, we take security very seriouzzzzzzzz" he muttered, before falling asleep on his feet. With a start he woke up for a few seconds.

"Feel so sleepy, cant stay awaaaaaaa" he muttered again, before leaning into the wall behind him and sliding down it, to collapse in an unrousable heap on the floor.

Behind her, Glow could hear the sound of the young woman she had been talking to snoring away happily.

In fact, everywhere in the camp, came the sounds of people dropping and sleeping. And then, the sound of a helicopter approaching...

[Ari]

El Heraldo for his part didn't at first pay much attention tot he yawning guard, focused as he was on the words of the refugee woman, and was doing his best to ignore the irritating whirring noise in the distance. Nodding along with a slight impatience he asked her "<He will not give you up? Alright then, do you know how he attacked...hey!>" he exclaimed in surprise as the woman collapsed to the ground and began to drone peacefully "Glow, she just dropped and fell asleep, the he-" he turned and saw Kristin standing before the unconscious guard, and realized with a start what that thrumming in the air above was. "They're coming from the sky!" he cried furiously, drawing the Banner and leaping over to a nearby window to see if he could get a glimpse of the helicopter "Glow, how do we do this? I think we should catch 'em off-guard and just charge them"

[Scuffles]

Whoa, that's not good! the Aussie teenager thought as she knelt next to the suddenly sleeping guard. I bet that damn scientist has something to do with it.

"Wow that was fast," Glow exclaimed as she dashed over to the window and peered out. "The call can't have gone in more than like an hour ago and they're already coming. They must have someone way the hell inside!"

She turned to Heraldo, green light already reflecting a off the walls a little as she wrapped a defensive barrier of mental energy around herself. "They might not be expecting us though! Let's give them a nasty shock hey? Think you can bust up a helicopter?"

[Ari]

"You bet I can! Let's go show them what we can do!" exclaimed El Heraldo, an aura in the shape of an unfurled flag coalescing around him, and lifting him into the air. "Onwards!<Para Victoria o la Muerte!>" he cried, in an odd double-voice than mingled his own with that of an ageless and stern woman's. With that, he soared in a flash and blaze of light through the halls, the Banner of Victory clutched in his hands, ready to bring the hammer down on whoever had come to steal away the refugees!

[Supercape]

GM

As El Heraldo soared out he heard, and then saw a large military helicopter arrive.

Greeting them was a man who was dressed as a cook?

There were several paramilitary thugs in the helicopter, including one mounted what looked like a mounted machine gun. El Sierpe was clearly not short of resources.

The thugs were not common hired goons, either. They may have looked rough and ready, but they were well armed, and tactically aware.

And El Heraldo made quite an entrance, greeted by first shock and then assault rifle fire...

[Scuffles]

Glow dashed out the door behind Heraldo and ground to a skidding stop as she saw the heavy machine-gun attached to the side of the helicopter.

Oh hell no!

She squared her shoulders and thrust her hands out in front of her, then unleashed a wave of telekinetic force. The helicopter rocked with the impact and then slowly began to tilt onto one of its landing struts. Glow gritted her teeth and applied more pressure, tipping the helicopter further.

A final mental shove sent the teetering machine over. One of its rotor blades snapped as it hit the ground, then the body of the helicopter crashed onto the ground, leaving the side-mounted machine-gun pointing harmlessly straight upwards.

"Okay, I know I said you should break the helicopter," Glow yelled to her airborne friend. "But it looked at me funny!"

[Ari]

Subito had begun gathering himself for a charge against the side of the chopper as the bullets whizzed past and onto him, only to watch as it was thrown to the ground by his telekinetic teammate.

"You always get the cool attacks!" El Heraldo complained laughingly "Worry not, fair damsel!" he added, drawing in a breath "I'll take care of these..SMALL FRYOUgh!" he bellowed, a raging blast of air storming from his mouth and slamming into the soldiers(and...the cook? Why in the heck is the cook the traitor?) like the fist of Zephyrus himself, blowing any loose debris clean off the roof, not to mention the luckless cook's hat!

Without waiting to see what the result was, El Heraldo swooped down onto the roof and landed with a metallic thud of his Banner on concrete, glowing with a golden light, standing ready to bring the hammer of justice down on whoever had come to steal away the refugees!

[Supercape]

GM

The lungs of El Heraldo blew the soldiers onto their backside, straight into the upturned helicopter. It was most fortunate for them that the rotor had stopped spinning when Glow upturned it.

"Get him! Hes the one!" said one of the men, spitting out a half chewn cigar and bopping El Heraldo with the but of his rifle.

His friends were not far behind, and between them they subjected the hero to a barrage of clubs and butts, smashing and crushing the hero...if it were not for his fabled resilience!

The first goon frowned as the barrage of rifle buts completely failed to faze the hero. He stepped back, took careful aim, and landed a powerful blow right on El Heraldo's temple!

[Scuffles]

Glow winced as the soldiers crowded around Heraldo and set upon him with their rifle butts. She knew however that he was probably harder than the weapons and that her concern was likely unwarranted. Her gaze fell on the cook as he tried to avoid the fighting, and her eyes narrowed in anger.

"Don't you move a muscle!" she yelled at him. "I'd like a word with you!"

The soldiers were a more pressing concern however, and she turned her attention back to them, her powerful mental grip stretching out as she tried to yank the weapons out of their hands. The swirling melee surrounding Heraldo was much too chaotic, and the telekinetic growled in frustration as she failed to get a hold on any of the rifles.

[Ari]

El Heraldo felt the gun butt slam into his head, staggering backwards from the sheer power of the blow, shaking his head as he briefly saw double of everything. "Good hit," he said crisply as he regained his composure, and glared at his attacker "but I have the strength of the nation of Puerto Rico behind my blows!" he shouted, leaping forward and slamming the would-be kidnapper across the head with his fists clenched together. As the man fell, he spun in midair to bring his booted heel into the ribcage of a hapless goon standing behind him and remained in the air, darting and striking with fist and foot, knocking the gang of soldiers unconscious and sending them insensible to the roof.

Dusting off his hands, he saw the cook had escaped the melee. "I'd listen to what the lady says if I were you" he said cheerfully "she's not as nice as I am" he stopped to consider that for a moment, looked chagrined and shrugged "Yeah, that sounded way cooler in my head" he admitted to Glow sheepishly.

[Supercape]

GM

The cook gulped, looking at the strewn men, and the upturned helicopter.

"Hey...hey! I didn't do nothing! I just...I just put something in the food. I didn't know what it was. I didn't know who they are. I dion't know nothing! Please! you have to believe me!" he said, falling to his knees and crying crocodile tears.

"I gotta wife! I got a family! please! don't kill me! I beg for the mercy!" he wailed, falling still further to his hands and knees.

"El Sierpe told me to do it..I had to do it. I don't know anything about El Sierpe, the crime lord in Mexico who deals drugs!" he shrieked, panic riddling his body!

[Scuffles]

"Hey!" Glow protested, but then she shrugged, turning towards the trembling chef with an vicious look on her face. "He's right though!" she decided. Green light spread around her as she played with her powers to make herself seem more frightening, even tugging at her clothes and fanning her hair slightly as she advanced on the man. "I am not going to tolerate you putting these people and the guards you work with in danger!"

She crowded forward until she was mere inches from the terrified man as she continued. "I think you know exactly who El Sierpe is. I think you know exactly where that helicopter full of soldiers came from!"

Her voice dropped as she took her best shot at a menacing whisper. "And I think you're going to tell us right now before I get really angry!"

[Supercape]

GM

The cook gulped.

"El Sierpe! that is his only name! the only name we know of anyway, and it suits him. He is a snake! Some whisper he has actual snake blood in him...and it may be no lie, for he acts like one! Poisonous, lying, and dangerous! Nobody crosses El Sierpe and lives!"

He loosened his collar, sweating not just from the heat. He was breathing heavily, panicking just thinking about the drug lord.

"He lives in the mountains, high above the village Altavista Pena...where the people here are from...he rules the hills, guns, drugs, mercenaries. And then there is El Diablo, his 'cook', who they say experiments on people!"

He loosened his collar still further.

"El Sierpe, he has contacts throughout Mexico, and even into America. He is not to be trifled with!"

[Ari]

Subito scowled at the mention of 'snake blood' "There have been a lot of schemes by the Serpent People lately" he commented to Glow "Maybe they're getting desperate? Anyway, you" he pointed at the cook with the banner "How were you contacted by El Sierpe's men? Why did you put that stuff in the food?" he slammed the butt of the flagpole onto the hard roof before leaning on it, glaring down at the chef, "And why, in all of this, did it seem like such a good idea? I'm serious, how did that happen?"

Hearing more about what El Sierpe did at least gave him an idea of the scope of their enemy, which did wonders for not making him seem like an all-encompassing evil they could never beat. "We" he said, gesturing to himself and Glow "defeated El Diablo on his ship when he was capturing and tormenting people who were trying to escape him, people being kept here right now, alive. If anyone, we can beat the boss along with his underlings! He is not to be treated lightly? Well neither are we!"

[Scuffles]

Glow wasn't finished with the traitorous chef quite that easily.

"That helicopter," she yelled, pointing at the toppled machine. "Did not come here from Mexico. It can't have! There was no need for this raid until like an hour ago and they sure got here fast! There's a base in Freedom City and you're going to tell me where it is or I'm going to see how far I can throw you!"

"And then," she continued, grabbing the man by the front of his apron "You're going to cough up the antidote for whatever poison you drugged everybody with!"

[Supercape]

GM

The poor cook gulped, and looked away - at the helicopter that lay on its side, and at the unconscious goons who had tried to "clean up"...

"It's not in Freedom City!" he explained "..it's a house, on the coast, twenty or thirty miles south, a beach mansion...he rented it, I think. Heavily guarded, its own helipad...that's where they came from..." he blubbered, words spilling out of his mouth like tears from a baby.

"Please...let me go! I'll give the antidote!" he pleaded, crying, falling to his knees and begging for mercy.

"You got to let me go! or the Sierpe! he will kill me and my family!" he waile, his body convulsing with fear.

[Ari]

His heart softening at the cook's words, Heraldo bent down and laid a comforting hand on the sobbing man's shoulder, saying gently "We will both make sure to keep anything from happening to your family, I promise. Now, I'll go with you to make sure you give out the antidote after Glow and I take care of those guys" he gestured to the knocked-out men around the downed helicopter "and call the cops about 'em, okay?" he looked up at Glow, adding to her "Can you help me wrap some bits of that chopper around those guys? Shouldn't be too hard for me to pry some of it off" so saying, he got to his feet after a parting gentle squeeze of the man's shoulder, and began walking briskly on his short legs towards the fallen minions of El Sierpe.

[Scuffles]

Glow chuckled just a little as she nodded in the direction of the building.

"We're standing in front of a detention center and you think we need to rip bits off a helicopter to tie these guys up with?" she asked with a grin. "I'm sure there's a bucket full of handcuffs in there somewhere. Oh, and jail cells..."

She paused to let the teasing (though sensible) jibe sink in for a moment, then smiled again. "How about you take him inside and get the guards back on their feet? I should be able to drag the gunmen inside all at once!"

She turned away and jogged over towards the scattered men that Heraldo had disposed off, letting her mind stretch out towards them one at a time, securing each one in turn with a careful telekinetic grip. The unconscious men slowly floated off the ground, each surrounded with a fluorescent halo of light as Glow started to pull them towards the main building of the detention center.

[Ari]

El Heraldo shrugged. "I did not think of that, but that does seem more practical" he confessed blandly "But I don't think it's right. It would have been far grander to pull that thing to pieces and bind these men with the very tool they would have used to imprison others. They don't deserve to be in the same house as the refugees" shouldering the Banner he gently but irresistibly put an arm around the waist of the cook, bringing him to his feet and beginning to carry him to the entrance. In an amicable manner, he said to the chef "I will accompany you to the kitchen, and help serve out the antidote. We cannot be too careful, you know?" he said with a frown.

I wonder if Ms. Maher is a vampire? he pondered idly.

[Supercape]

GM

As Glow and El Heraldo marched the soldiers to the cells of the Immigration centre, the helicopter pilot, his arms cuffed as he was slung over El Heraldo's shoulder woke up.

He grunted and groaned at first, his head clanging from the pounding he had received from the two heroes. His vocalisations coalesced into words with time, a deep grinding voice with a noticeable accent.

"Haha! We will be out of here tomorrow!" he laughed, as he was slung into the cell.

"El Sierpe, he will be gone! poof! if we do not return, he go back to Mexico! And then, lawyers get us out of here! Haha!"

His face was one of defiance.

"You never catch El Sierpe now! He is probably on his way to Mexico as we speak!"