ic Winter Wonderland

[Thevshi]

Synapse should probably have been surprised when Doctor Zero turned his weapon on Blonsky and fired on the Russian coach, but she was not.  Eliminating a witness that knew too much about the plot Doctor Zero was engaged in seemed little but par for the course for the egomaniacal ultra-Communist. 

 

Although not nearly as fast as Zero, the Englishwoman was able to run up next to the smashed window, to where she could still see the fleeing villain.  Having failed with her prior attempts at mental blasts and telepathy, she chose to try a different ability this time, as she reached once more for Zero's mind, this time seeking to take direct control over it, just as she had done to Blonsky on the ski slopes.  But as with everything else, Zero's incredible willpower shook of the attempt with relative ease.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow dropped to a knee to quickly check Blonsky for shock and the essential ABC's of emergency aid.  "He's in a bad way.  But, he's not going to check out any time soon.  Blonsky's holding for now, but the man does need a doctor.  I'm not going to let his attacker get away with this though."  Erick reached forward for his escrima sticks.  Quickly recovering his weaponry before sprinting after Zero .

 

Rolling forward Foreshadow would take to the air twisting his body and diving through the window in hot pursuit.  His fall was more reliant upon grace and technique, softening his own landing by rolling on the ground below taking some parkour cues before chasing off after the lumbering man.  He couldn't match Zero in raw speed.  But in terms of maneuverability, for sure Erick had the edge.  Preparing himself to ready the propelled swing line inside of his weaponry.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Doctor Zero was already on the move, running like a panther up the stairs. He still had his gun in his hand, a faint white mist blowing behind him from the barrel. 

 

He turned around a moment, and looked at Synapse for a moment. 

 

"I never forget a face" he said, with a smile. "You have a strong mind, don't you, yes? You are the one that has been poking in my head? Well, I am Russian, woman! I have been trained to resist mind probes and scans, just as much as interrogation. The Cold War was awash with psychic experiments on both sides! I was party to them myself!" he said, full of confidence. 

 

"You lovers can wait for another day. Another day, any day, any time, any place...and I will be there, stepping out of the shadows! hahahaha!"

 

And then he was up, up the stairs to the roof like a bolt of red. 

[Thevshi]

Synapse met Doctor Zero's gaze unblinking, the mask of her costume at least providing her some alight anonymity, although she certainly did not put it past the doctor to be able to figure out who she might be.  "Not unless we find you first."  She commented coolly, realizing she had little chance of catching up with him as he took off up the stairs at great speed.

 

Instead, the Englishwoman turned and walked back towards the center of the room, moving to the medical bed that was located there.

 

"So, you are the Sleeper I take it?"  She said as she moved up near the bed, trying to use her powers to shield her mind as she did so....

[Supercape]

GM

 

The sleeper looked half asleep. 

 

His eyelids fluttered as he looked at Synapse. 

 

"What? Yes, I am the sleeper" he said with an enigmatic smile. 

 

"As you can see, this body is soon to sleep, forever...but my mind...yes my mind is ever alive, and alert. You...yes, I can feel it...you play with minds like I do, don't you? Like strings, like puppets, everything and everyone is your plaything, yes, yes..." he said, coughing slightly. 

 

 

He was hooked up to various drips and tubes, and his body looked worn and emaciated. His hair, what little there was of it, was falling out, and grey and dry. His skin looked like it hung of it him, worn and old. 

 

"For more than fourty years I have played and planted my seeds. A revolution for the glory of mankind awakes. And I will  not miss it...come, child, let me show you..."

 

He offered out his hand, barely able to support its own weight, and limply raised it to Synapse. 

[Brown Dynamite]

Attaching both halves of the Escrima sticks together Foreshadow would aim up at the skylight.  Pushing a small pressure sensitive button near his thumb grip he would make care to take careful aim.  Suddenly a grapnel line would shoot forth propelled with tremendous speed.  Glass shattering from above.  Foreshadow would push the button again and with the same burst of speed his end of the staff would propel him up attempting to reconnect itself.

 

Not seeking to waste any time Foreshadow would further accelerate by bounding off various rustic railings.  Flipping through the air as if he were rappelling through reverse.  Until finally the psychic vigilante was soaring above Zero.  Outstretching his legs he would come down attempting to perform a mule kick that would have slammed Zero headfirst to the ground below.

 

But Zero had a keen eye.  Pulling back just in the nick of time.  Instead allowing a metallic clack as Foreshadow's boots hit the ground harmlessly.  "Now, where are your manners?  A host always allows the guest to leave first.  I think I have some complaints to raise about my service here tonight."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"You are fast, strong even. An olympian on any other night. But this is a very different Olympiad, and a very different night" replied Doctor Zero. 

 

He crouched, then sprung backwards, flipping himself mid air, sailing onto the roof of the next building, a clear twenty feet away. 

 

His strength, his speed...no human could ever do that. He may not have been as strong as Centurion, but Zero was obviously the product of something other than mere human genes and training. 

 

Again, his gun was in his hand as he landed, and, almost casually, he fired another beam of bright cold light, straight into Foreshadow. 

 

"So, American, you do not know my every move, do you? You are no match for Zero! You are but a man!"

[Thevshi]

Synapse looked at the emaciated man lying before her, her eyes somewhat cold as she considered him, and his words.  "Well, I tend to leave others' minds to themselves, unless they've been naughty and are in need of a time out.  Like Blonsky and the others caught up in the little scheme you and the Doctor have unleashed on the games."

 

When the Sleeper held out his hand, with a fair amount of effort, offering to show her his plans, the Englishwoman was hesitant for a moment.  Opening herself to another mentalist could be fraught with risk, but at the same time, getting an idea of what the Sleeper might be planning was a hard opportunity to pass up.

 

"Funny how the lofty goal of something for the glory of mankind is so often tainted by one's own world view."  She commented, reaching out to take the frail hand, while readying herself to mentally fight back against the Sleeper if needed.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow extended both ends of the staff.  Vaulting himself the prodigious distance.  He knew he could have otherwise made the distance with a jump on his own.  But there was another reason for his method of travel.  As he was coming down Foreshadow jolted the staff forward like a pool cue.  Attempting to strike Zero in the head.

 

Zero was quick on the update.  Using his monstrous strength to catch both the staff and man.  Slamming them both back down to the ground directly.  Foreshadow making sure to use his catlike reflexes to remain on his feet.  Recovering his staff immediately after.  "I'll take being a man over a fool willing to give up his humanity for some lofty ideals of communist paradise."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Your bravery is impressive, Capitalistic Dog" said Zero, taking a step back. "You have will, as Nietzsche would say. Yes, the triumph of the superman over the man. Perhaps you are not so different from me after all..."

 

"Not so different, but still beneath me" he said. He took another leap backwards, a clear twenty feet across the rusted metal and crumbling concrete of the old warehouse they where atop. 

 

"On another day, you would join the lofty Communist cause. You would help bring man to a new era of happiness, peace and prosperity. Like Socrates, a world lead by Philosopher - Kings. You could have been one of them. But no, you chose decedance and chaos...."

 

Another blast from his gun. White and frosted, glittering like diamond, the beam encrusted Foreshadow, crawling over his body, quickly forming an icy shell...

[Supercape]

GM

 

Meanwhile....

 

The old mans hand brushed Synapses...

 

The effect was palpable, like a wind, or a bolt of lightning, running through the soul. 

 

The Sleeper....

 

Synapse could feel him. He was powerful, no question, his psychic abilities could crush a lesser woman (or man). But he was not as strong as Synapse. Older, more experienced, even wiser, but not as strong as she was. 

 

She got images. Flashes of his life, working for the KGB. Pairing up with the Doctor, a genius biochemist. Flashes of their work. 

 

Flashes of Crab! The withered, frail British Psychic who helped set up the Vanguard. Carb was imploring a number of senior government officials that the Sleeper was everywhere, everyone, that nobody could be trusted...

 

The sleepers hand - or was it his hand? he seemed to have so many different ones - signing a British memorandum on Crab's paranoia...

 

Images, images. The Doctor working on Darwin-X, the experimental mutant virus. No survivors, bar one...

 

More images. KGB briefings on psychics in Europe. The awful power of Headcase, rumours of a

 

More and more they came, faster and faster, till she thought she would black out...

 

Soviet Agents, placed everywhere. An placed in the USA, ready to go nuclear...the mark of the Sleeper upon him...

 

The fall of the Soviet Republic....the Doctor and the Sleeper going underground....

 

Comrade Frost...

 

Her father, her sister...what? how could he know? The Sleeper studying the files on her, and her sister....

 

The Sleeper knew everything. He could plant a seed in anyone's mind, a secret seed, undetectable, untraceable, a seed that the victim would not even be aware of. And then...bam! It would fruit, and the Sleeper would be in control once more. 

[Thevshi]

Dee had to struggle to keep from collapsing as the various images provided by the Sleeper began whirling through her head.  Luckily her mind tended to be much quicker than the average persons to begin with.  She too mental note of the various individuals named, events she saw, things she would need to go over with the Ministry of Powers and likely MI6 at some point later. 

 

She felt a feeling of hot rage come over her as she caught glimpses of her sister, and the Sleeper studying both Susan's file and her own. 

 

The Englishwoman then broke contact with the Sleeper, smirking slightly at the elderly man.  "I could almost admire you for getting the better of Crab.  Except you are just like him.  Maybe even worse."

 

"A lifetime of scheming and plotting, and what has it gotten you?  Hiding away in a decaying building.  Whatever the case, this little scheme is at an end, and I am going to do what I can to root out as many of the others you have lying about as I can."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"You will try, I am sure" coughed the old man. 

 

"Better men than you have tried. You know the man called Headcase? or Crab? You think I am a monster compared to him? That hurts, especially coming from you.The world should be afraid of me, for I am a bad man doing bad things. The world should be terrified of Crab. For he believes he is a righteous man doing good"

 

"Yes, I am old, I am weary. I have seen the spinning of the world and its politics. I believe in socialism, I believe in communism. But I know my path has been dirty, and dirty are my nails from the scrabbling I have done. Crab has no such doubts. He is the victim, his is the righteousness"

 

He coughed again, violently. 

 

"I am weary, I am old. And this body is getting a little worn out..." he said, almost apologetically. "But my seeds are forever!"

[Brown Dynamite]

When the cool Russian air bristled against his flesh Foreshadow didn't even feel it.  Adrenaline gave a surge of warmth.  His mind clear, and purpose set.  Foreshadow shot his leg up giving a clear view of a crisp kick coming towards Doctor Zero's jaw.  Only the kick never connected.  Instead he pulled his leg straight down and performed what is known in Gymnastics as the Illusion turn.  Akin to a standing contortion esque cartwheel it prepared Zero for an attack from below.

 

So he didn't see the strike from above coming.  When Foreshadow swung his leg down, so too did his arm swing up.  The first strike of the escrima stick connected.  It wasn't alone.  A second one hit his side as his body was beginning to buckle.  Finally he crouched forward and both staves came at him.  Each taking a temple on the man's head and striking with full force.

 

Finally Zero began to stumble back.  Clearly rattled by the blows.  Foreshadow smirked twirling an escrima stick in each hand.  "Don't take it to personally.  You're only human."

[Supercape]

GM

 

Doctor Zero dropped to one knee. Not without a fight. He slumped, his face gritted. His eyes focussed, ignoring the cobwebs in his head. 

 

"Only human. Yes. But there is no Only about it, my friend. None at all" he said, through gritted teeth. He bowed his head, and then with sheer force of will, stood up again. 

 

"God is dead. Behold the superman" he quoted, once again upright, bringing his fingers into his palms, clenching his fists. 

 

"Humans are evolving, my friend. I should know. Stronger, faster, smarter. Your Freedom City is full of costumed marvels, throwing lightning bolts, flying through the air, and lifting freight trains. What then, the place for man? Like all your country, the world lies in the hand of the elite. For me, however, I serve the human race. And will elevate them!"

 

"Do you not want such power? Do you not want to be stronger? faster? I have the means. A viral agent, that will evolve mankind. Not yet perfected, but it has shown " he finished, before once again bringing his fists up. 

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow ran forward jumping onto Zero's shoulders while he was upright.  Using it as a launchpad before taking to the air.  Flipping around in the air it looked as if Foreshadow was putting on a performance.  And for all intents he was.  His body danced through the air effortlessly.  Riding the momentum to come crashing back down onto Zero.

 

And he came down hard.  Striking him again on the side side of his head. Rolling back to an upright position afterwards.  "You think you're the first to push your next step of evolution shtick.  Please, I've heard this spiel before. Really it's not you it's me.  Little secret, I'd put money that between the two of us only one knows how this plays out.  And sorry, it's not looking good for you."  Foreshadow made sure to take note of the viral agent.  Thinking it something that sought looking into.

 

Foreshadow then waved Zero over invited to come at him again.  "You want to help humanity?  How about not trying to push your agenda?  More importantly, the unnecessary collateral damage is a no go.  If it wasn't for the fact that your experiments thus far had an expiration date, you'd might get off with only one broken rib today.  But I'm aiming for a set before we get the collars on you"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"I am disappointed, American. For all your strength and skill, your mind is still constrained by lower, base morals. Would you kill one person to save ten? to save a hundred? For a man of your abilities, inaction is as guilty as murder" he replied, with a smile. His eyes shone blue once more. 

 

"But enough! my plans with Blonsky are ruined. And I cannot salvage them by your defeat. The experiments provided useful data, and it to this I must attend. Good bye and farewell, American! The Sleeper is watching!" he laughed. 

 

He backflipped into a run, faster than any olympian, and finished with a mighty leap, close to a hundred feet, which ended with a nose dive into the cold cold waters of the river. For all his arrogance, Doctor Zero clearly had something to be arrogant about!

[Thevshi]

Synapse sneered slightly at the Sleeper's reply.  "I believe the operative word in your statement is 'men.'  And 'better' is likely a adjective heavily subject to personal qualifications as well.  We will just have to see how well I do."

 

"And as to whether you are Crab is the worse monster, I am sure it could be a very lovely discussion on semantics and philosophy, but I really have better uses for my time."

 

With that the Englishwoman walked away from the medical be, moving over to check on Blonsky while she waited for Foreshadow to return.  As she did so, she began to wonder just how long she should wait before she should consider trying to follow after and make sure he was alright.

[Brown Dynamite]

Foreshadow was dedicated enough to chase after Zero.  Even into the freezing river while he was exhausted.  He considered pursuing.  But, he knew his limitations.  And the fact was Zero had escaped his grasp much to Foreshadow's chagrin.  Taking solace in the fact that at the very least his plans had come to a close. 

 

"I'm going to bring that madman to justice."  With the close of the investigation his body decided to let him know how tired that workout was.  He yawned out and began to double back.  Using his swingline to ascend back onto the previous roof.  And descend afterwards.  Foreshadow's route avoided going back down the stairs and instead circled back to meet up with where Sergeant K was pulling security.  At the very least the Sleeper wasn't going anywhere, and with that K's sovereignty all but guaranteed wherever he wanted.

 

"Miss me?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

K was stomping his feet outside the car, smoking and cursing under his breath. 

 

"Yes, sure, American. I be missed you liking a head in the hole" he said, flipping his cigarette away. The night air was cold and he was tired.

 

"But you are being passport to the America? I helping you with deep secret Communist plot? My life is in the dangerous now. The Sleeper, the Doctor. These men are being the mythology in Russia. The Dangerous men. Eyes being the everywhere...."

 

His eyes shifted left to right and back again, trying to spot the shadows in every corner. Spotting shadows was not difficult, with the pain light of street lamps. 

 

"Not the safe for me in Russia now. Word be getting out and..." he cut an imaginary line across his throat.

 

"Where is the woman one?" he asked Foreshadow, trying to see if he could see Synapse. 

[Brown Dynamite]

"The lady's Inside.  With your meal ticket.  One living myth is still out there.  But, the glorious Sergeant K will have the honor of taking credit for bringing in the Sleeper.  Granted he looks like an old man that belongs in a retirement home, but take the win.  First priority is getting Blonsky some medical attention.  The Doctor left him a present before escaping."    Foreshadow responded.

 

Already walking back towards the building without waiting for K to oppose the course of action.  He could only leave Dee waiting for so long.  She was likely safe and sound, the Sleeper looked as if he could be defeated by a staircase.  But that didn't mean the room he left her in was the most inviting around.  Unless old Soviet decrepit buildings were her thing.

[Thevshi]

Dee was standing in the center of the room when Foreshadow and Sergeant K reached the room, having done what she could to make Blonsky comfortable, which had including wrapping around him a heavy wool blanket she had found to one side in the room.  She glanced over at the pair as they entered, giving a small frown that was almost a pout. 

 

"I take it the good doctor managed to slip away?"  It really was a rhetorical question, as she did not need telepathy to know the answer.  "Well, the Sleeper is still here with us.  Just be sure no one touches him."  She added, turning to look over towards the medical bed once more.  "Otherwise he can attempt to take control over them, and they would never even know it."

[Brown Dynamite]

"Yeah he got away.  As soon as the fight started turning on him, Zero decided to go for a swim."  Foreshadow looked down at Blonsky.  It had been an odd few days.  From chasing Blonsky to preventing him from killing Dee's brother, to now doing everything in their power to keep him alive.  They wouldn't be catching up over coffee in the future that much was certain.

 

"Got it.  No touchy the half dead criminal mastermind."  Foreshadow waved a hand in front of the Sleeper.  "So as much as I don't mind talking about him as if he's not in the room.  I'm assuming he'll need special arrangements to be hauled out of here.  I don't mind going dutch, but next time we split the bill.  How about we go someplace with more ambiance?"

 

He then walked over to Blonsky.  Dropping to one knee to better keep up with how he was faring

Edited August 29, 2014 by HG Morrison

[Thevshi]

"Well, whatever special handling is used will be up to whomever our friend calls in to take the Sleeper into custody." Synapse replied as she jerked a thumb toward Sergeant K. "But they certainly need to do something, otherwise this will have all been for nothing. Problem will be keeping him though, who knows how many out there have been compromised by him, allowing him to control them to get him free." She then added.

It might prove all but impossible to hold the Sleeper, but Dee hoped they would be able to for at least awhile.

She then turned back to Foreshadow, a playful smile on her face. "After we arrange things to get K safely out of the country, I can think of a number of places with better ambiance."

[Supercape]

GM

 

The next afternoon, at the airport. 

 

"So this is the goodbyes, American! I am being the thanks for all your help. It was the hell of the ride, yes? One I hope be the tell my grandchildren, as long as the KGB do not me shoot!" he said, with a finger pointed at his temple and the cock of the imaginary gun. 

 

"Ah! England! It is not as the sexy as the United States, I know, but it will be doing! I will be the enjoy beer and chips, yes? And maybe some football too?"

 

It was indeed a time for farewells. Dee and Erick could both easily pull a quick flight back to their home countries, and Dee could arrange some kind of amnesty for K with her connections, both with her family and the Ministry. 

 

And so, planes departed with heroes onboard, leaving behind some overblown steroid using athletes, Blonsky in hospital (Expected to recover), Doctor Zero on the loose, and the Sleeper in Custody...

 

...

 

Elsewhere...

 

"Prisoner for transfer to special circumstances detention" barked one of the two guards who escorted the Sleeper, still tied to his medical bed, to a cold Siberian prison. 

 

"Who is it this time? The Centurion? Velocity?" sighed the man at the desk controlling the entrance. 

 

"The Sleeper" barked the guard. 

 

The man at the desk looked blank for a fraction of a section, before smiling. 

 

"The Sleeper you say? I seem to remember him..." he replied, slowly reaching for the gun under his desk...

 

~ Fin ~