Location: Rooftop.
“. . . scientists theorize that house cats bring dead birds and mice to their owners because they think their owners aren’t capable enough hunters to feed themselves.”
- Unknown
Phantom watched as the half-man half-beast creature dashed from the bar like a cheetah and then scaled the building across the street like some giant primate. As he watched the creature leap from a nearby fire escape to the rooftop, the ‘Ivory Vigilante’ marveled at its speed and agility but remained steadfast in his desire to get his hands on Det. Hill. Before giving chase, Phantom decided that the best thing to do was to watch the sides of the building for movement and peruse the creature from the ground. After a couple of moments had passed; and not seeing anything emerge from the building’s rooftop, Phantom had come to a puzzling conclusion – the creature had stopped on the rooftop. As he ran across the street towards the building Phantom couldn’t help but think to himself, “Why had it stopped? Could this be a trap? How could it be a trap – nobody but Ebony Angel knew I was coming here – could this be Angel’s doing? Could Angel being working against me?”
As he scaled the building like a skilled hunter navigating a dense urban jungle, ‘The White Widow-Maker’ saw a pair of pistols fall from rooftop above him as if they were thrown over the side. Finally cresting the top of the building, what Phantom saw next gave him good reason to pause. Lying on the ground before the large bestial creature that had taken him was Detective Hill . . . and he was bleeding like a dead mouse. On the far side of the roof, the Man-Beast snarled from the darkness, “So, you’re the holy terror who’s got the underworld afraid of their own shadow? You’re smaller than I thought you’d be . . . slower too.” ‘The Armored Avatar of Vengeance’ just stood there in silence and assessed the situation before him as the Man-Beast spoke once again; but this time the creature’s voice was deeper and more menacing as if he were issuing forth some kind of warning, “Heh . . . wait till they get a load of me.” Sensing that he might lose his chance to get his hands on the corrupt police officer; in a dark and inquisitive tone Phantom asked the Man-Beast, “So is that what this is all about? You try’n to make a name for yourself?”
Man-Beast replied he was only using him to find him.
As the creature responded, Phantom began to slowly maneuver himself around the rooftop searching for a solid vantage point from which to launch a counter-attack if he needed to. Concerned that ‘The Obsidian Beast’ before him might just be toying with him and whisk Detective Hill away at any moment, Phantom decided to cut to the chase, “So what are we do’n here? You gonna hand Hill over to me or are we just play’n some kind of sick game of cat and mouse?”
Man-Beast replied he didn’t play games and asked Phantom if he liked being the mouse?
- Unknown
Phantom watched as the half-man half-beast creature dashed from the bar like a cheetah and then scaled the building across the street like some giant primate. As he watched the creature leap from a nearby fire escape to the rooftop, the ‘Ivory Vigilante’ marveled at its speed and agility but remained steadfast in his desire to get his hands on Det. Hill. Before giving chase, Phantom decided that the best thing to do was to watch the sides of the building for movement and peruse the creature from the ground. After a couple of moments had passed; and not seeing anything emerge from the building’s rooftop, Phantom had come to a puzzling conclusion – the creature had stopped on the rooftop. As he ran across the street towards the building Phantom couldn’t help but think to himself, “Why had it stopped? Could this be a trap? How could it be a trap – nobody but Ebony Angel knew I was coming here – could this be Angel’s doing? Could Angel being working against me?”
As he scaled the building like a skilled hunter navigating a dense urban jungle, ‘The White Widow-Maker’ saw a pair of pistols fall from rooftop above him as if they were thrown over the side. Finally cresting the top of the building, what Phantom saw next gave him good reason to pause. Lying on the ground before the large bestial creature that had taken him was Detective Hill . . . and he was bleeding like a dead mouse. On the far side of the roof, the Man-Beast snarled from the darkness, “So, you’re the holy terror who’s got the underworld afraid of their own shadow? You’re smaller than I thought you’d be . . . slower too.” ‘The Armored Avatar of Vengeance’ just stood there in silence and assessed the situation before him as the Man-Beast spoke once again; but this time the creature’s voice was deeper and more menacing as if he were issuing forth some kind of warning, “Heh . . . wait till they get a load of me.” Sensing that he might lose his chance to get his hands on the corrupt police officer; in a dark and inquisitive tone Phantom asked the Man-Beast, “So is that what this is all about? You try’n to make a name for yourself?”
Man-Beast replied he was only using him to find him.
As the creature responded, Phantom began to slowly maneuver himself around the rooftop searching for a solid vantage point from which to launch a counter-attack if he needed to. Concerned that ‘The Obsidian Beast’ before him might just be toying with him and whisk Detective Hill away at any moment, Phantom decided to cut to the chase, “So what are we do’n here? You gonna hand Hill over to me or are we just play’n some kind of sick game of cat and mouse?”
Man-Beast replied he didn’t play games and asked Phantom if he liked being the mouse?
Leaning over the prone and injured police detective, Phantom looked Hill square in the eyes and said in an ominously throaty tone, “I’ve got a few questions for you . . . depending on how you answer them will determine what I do with you.” Before he can say a word Phantom grabbed the wounded man by the lapel of his jacket, pulled him to his feet and then threw him against a nearby chimney stack. As Hill scrambled to maintain his footing Phantom asked him, “Where do I find Trickshot?”
After a brief cried of pain, Detective Hill replied, “He has taken up with the Nicotines. You should be able to find them at their safe house.” Detective Hill provided the address.
Nodding his head very gently as if he were satisfied with his answer; Phantom asked his next question, “How many other Moonlighters are there and what are their names?”
A weak smile crosses his face, Hill said, “We own the Foundry precincts and are without number. No names only badges.”
Phantom just stared at Detective Hill silently as he reached out and grabbed his hand firmly. Pulling his combat knife quickly from the confines of its sheath, the remorseless vigilante placed the edge of the cold blade along the inside of Hill’s pinky finger and issued a sincere warning with his gaze. Hill instantly understood his capturer’s intent – answer the question or lose the finger.
Detective Hill quickly gives the names of 8 Megalopolis PD officers. The Phantom had not heard any of their names before.
As the corrupt detective finished telling Phantom all he knew about the Moonlighters, Phantom turned his head slowly in Hill’s direction, squints his eyes slightly and asked him one last question, “Where do I find the Buzzard and who is he?”
Silence is the only reply heard. Phantom could see fear in Detective Hill’s eyes but there was possibly greater fear of Buzzard than there was of him.
In the blink of an eye, Phantom pulled the blade of his combat knife quickly across the knuckles of Detective Hill’s hand and removes the smallest of his finger from his hand. Blood begins to spray forth from the veteran police officers hand as he started to scream and tried to bend over in agony. Phantom quickly shoved him back up against the brick chimney and shouted out over Hill’s screams, “You only got nine left . . . do you wanna see how far we can take this or do you wanna start answering some questions?”
“If you are going to kill me do it now! Buzzard will kill me and my family so either way I am dead!”
The sound of police car sirens in the distance were beginning to grow louder – they were getting closer. Phantom knew it would only be a matter of time before the street below was filled by a sea of police cruisers and uniformed officers, but there was still one last thing he needed to do – he needed to send a message. Grabbing Hill by his neck, ‘The Ashen Death-Dealer’ dragged the detective over to the side of the building and pinned his back against the short wall that lined the perimeter of the building’s rooftop. Still holding the squirming police detective tightly, Phantom looked down at the crowd that had formed in the street below and shouted out to them, “Tell The Buzzard and his Moonlighters that they're finished . . . if I see a dirty badge, I'll kill the son of a bitch wear'n it . . . tell 'em that their time of reckoning is here . . . tell 'em that I'm come'n . . . and Hell's come'n with me!” With that Phantom pushes Detective Hill backward and over the edge of the building. Hill screamed and flailed his limbs about wildly as if grasping for some kind of ethereal rope or life-line, as the crowd below gasped in horror as they watched the man start to fall. A split second later the detective landed on something solid, stunned and confused he looked around frantically to see what could have stopped his decent. Turning his head quickly from side to side, the wrought-iron landing of a fire escape suddenly comes into full view. With his heart still beating a mile a minute, the injured detective looked back up at the edge of the rooftop and saw that his would-be killer had disappeared into the night.
The sound of police car sirens in the distance were beginning to grow louder – they were getting closer. Phantom knew it would only be a matter of time before the street below was filled by a sea of police cruisers and uniformed officers, but there was still one last thing he needed to do – he needed to send a message. Grabbing Hill by his neck, ‘The Ashen Death-Dealer’ dragged the detective over to the side of the building and pinned his back against the short wall that lined the perimeter of the building’s rooftop. Still holding the squirming police detective tightly, Phantom looked down at the crowd that had formed in the street below and shouted out to them, “Tell The Buzzard and his Moonlighters that they're finished . . . if I see a dirty badge, I'll kill the son of a bitch wear'n it . . . tell 'em that their time of reckoning is here . . . tell 'em that I'm come'n . . . and Hell's come'n with me!” With that Phantom pushes Detective Hill backward and over the edge of the building. Hill screamed and flailed his limbs about wildly as if grasping for some kind of ethereal rope or life-line, as the crowd below gasped in horror as they watched the man start to fall. A split second later the detective landed on something solid, stunned and confused he looked around frantically to see what could have stopped his decent. Turning his head quickly from side to side, the wrought-iron landing of a fire escape suddenly comes into full view. With his heart still beating a mile a minute, the injured detective looked back up at the edge of the rooftop and saw that his would-be killer had disappeared into the night.
After the police cars arrived, a SWAT van pulled up as well. The Megalopolis’ finest quickly retrieved Detective Hill as the SWAT team set up a defensive parameter around the Champs Sports Bar and Grill. Soon Police Chief Ravage arrived. He directed the efforts of the police investigators that were video recording the testimony of the witnesses of the ‘White Widow Makers’ and ‘Hairy Beast” which had kidnapped Detective Hill. He told the CSI squad to check the alleyways for evidence for their entryway into the sports bar. The Police Chief made sure the SWAT Commander understood SWAT was to provide protection for the investigators. “No one is chasing after Vigilantes tonight. We still don’t know enough about either of them to start a manhunt yet.”
A plain clothed detective lead one of the victims toward Police Chief Ravage. The Chief smiled when he recognized his old friend, Father Lonnigan. What the priest said removed the smile from his face.
There had been another kidnapping. A reporter named Jones was still missing.
<Due Date: April 14th, Actions? Replies?>
Current Conditions:
Phantom Hit Points: 23 Power Points: 50 Invulnerability: 5
Mossberg 590A1 Combat Shotgun - Flexible Baton Round: 9 Rounds
Ammo band on Shotgun: 9 Flexible Baton Rounds
Left; FN Five-Seven Pistol: 20 Rounds
Right; FN Five-Seven Pistol: 20 Rounds
4 extra magazines: 20 Rounds each
ABC-M7A2 Tear-Gas Grenade: 4
M50 Joint Service General Purpose Mask
Gerber Mark II Combat Knife
Man-Beast Hit Points: 34 Power Points: 67
---------------------------------------
Red Hawk
Hey Guys
That was a great set of issues. The intensity in Phantom has really stepped up a couple notches and if Wraith had a few more HP he'd be "player" on the New Crusaders. Keep up the good stories.
Just beginning to get a handle on Red Hawk. Off to see Ms. Stitch I guess :)
Thanks tons Tom
John
---------------------------------------
Phantom
I agree - absolutely great stuff all around!
As for Wraith - for some reason I thought a re-vamp/power-bump was
already in the works and that he was already headed over to Crusade, or
was that just a pigment of my imagination? =/
- Kev
P.s. Yeah . . . I know . . . I said pigment =P
---------------------------------------
Phantom
Tom,
Seeing how fast he moved, would Phantom be under the assumption that 'the creature' that snagged Hill is long gone by now? I ask because the way it was worded . . .
"Undeterred Phantom followed the others through the shattered window. Quickly he realized his new opponent was faster than him. Since he couldn’t catch him on foot and the creature was already out of his shotgun’s range he pulled out his pistol and fired."
. . . it sounded like he knew the chase was over even before it began and that his feeble attempt to shoot 'the creature' was the last ditch effort of a desperate man. If he is assuming that they're both long gone, Phantom will be forced to get 'creative'. By 'creative' I of course mean having him march back into the bar and start breaking peoples fingers for info . . . or something equally violent along those lines ;)
- Kev
---------------------------------------
GM
Kev,
That is one way to read it. Instead of desperate action I saw it as logical combat action of "If I can't out run him then I will shot him with the weapon I have to stop him."
If it didn't read that way, I am sorry it was what I was trying to convey.
All your instructions stated that Phantom would attack Hill or Man Beast so I played it out as best I could with Man Beast on top of the Roof of the next building and still in sight of Phantom but Phantom's movement not enough to reach him this turn.
If you want to rewrite to make the shot in more positive combat action instead of that as a desperate one, that is fine.
Phantom is welcome to enter the bar next turn and get creative.
Regards
Tom
---------------------------------------
Phantom
Sorry for the misunderstanding, Tom - perhaps 'desperate' was the wrong word to use. I said 'desperate' because I was thinking of it from Phantom's perspective - he wanted Hill alive so he could question him ( thus all the non-lethal weaponry ) and firing on him and Man-Beast like that with his pistols could put his chances of doing that at zero if he were to accidentally hit him ( like he did lol ). Personally I would have let him go and just hunted him down later - a live lead that I can reach out to later, is better than a dead lead that I can never follow up on. Don't get me wrong though - you did the best with what I gave you - if anyone is to blame here for anything, it’s me. I wasn't able to get you what you needed in the very reasonable time frame that you had clearly specified, so the only person I have to blame is myself if something didn't go the way I envisioned it.
As for Man-Beast and Hill still being on the rooftop of a nearby building - are you sure Phantom can see them? Are they moving away or did they stop? If Man-Beast is as much of an animal as Jeff has already described him as being I would image that he would be dragging Hill off to someplace much further away - but I could be wrong on that so I figured I would ask. I ask; because if Phantom can see them and they're not moving, then Phantom is going to go after them. However if Phantom is watching them disappear into the distance then he's just gonna march his ass right back into the bar and find out who the heck that guy was that Hill was talking to and track HIM down - time to get medieval on someone's ass! >:)
How dare he steal the guy that I was rightfully trying steal first - he was mine - I saw him first! Go get your own corrupt police detective, Man-Beast!! lol ;)
Oh, and don't worry about that 'rewrite' business - I gave you a sow's ear to work with and you turned it into a silk purse - great job, Tom! =)
My thanks again for all the understanding and leeway you've both given me these last couple of weeks.
Talk to you guys later,
- Kev
---------------------------------------
Man-Beast
OOC: Great issues this month, Tom!
Did Man Beast see/recognize Phantom as the Foundry's white widow maker?
Thanks,
Jeff
---------------------------------------
GM
Phantom no longer sees Man Beast and Hill at the edge of the roof but his combat senses let know that Man Beast can't have left the roof yet (Game terms he is out of movement at last turn when he made the roof). While he can't see the roof top, the Phantom is in position to see the Man Beast jump to the next rooftop so he will know if Man Beast leaves it.
Best
Tom
---------------------------------------
Man-Beast
OOC: Kevin, the Man Beast is staying on the roof!
IC:
The Man Beast sniffed the air and watched the direction from which it came as it stripped pistols off Hill’s unconscious body. It threw the pistols off the rooftop, away from the bar, and waited for the white widowmaker to come.
Scientists theorize that housecats bring dead birds and mice to their owners because they think their owners aren’t capable enough hunters to feed themselves.
As the Phantom boarded the rooftop, the unconscious, bleeding Detective laid at his feet like a dead mouse.
On the far side of the roof, the Man Beast snarled from the darkness, “So, you’re the holy terror who’s got the underworld afraid of their own shadow? You’re smaller than I thought you’d be. Slower too.
“Heh... Wait til they get a load of me.”
[Reply Phantom?]
OOC:
Man Beast’s action is to evade as he talks to the Phantom.
He’ll use his animal senses to detect the Phantom’s emotions.
Thanks.
Best,
Jeff
---------------------------------------
Phantom
OOC:
LOL Nice Jeff - never knew you had such a sharp tongue! I've always loved seeing people take 'a shot' at someone ( i.e. Phantom in this case ) by saying one thing and meaning something ENTIRELY different lol - two points for you sir lol ;)
Based on your response I'm going to rewrite the response I had already written-up - I have a bad feeling that Man-Beast and Phantom are about to get themselves into a heap of trouble.
Bad Kitty!!!
- Kev
---------------------------------------
Man-Beast
OOC: Thanks.
I don't get to use it that much in four-color Vanguard.
Best,
Jeff
---------------------------------------
Phantom
Street Patrol: Phantom/Man-Beast: Issue 2: He Will Help Me!
> PHANTOM’S IC RESPONSE <
“. . . scientists theorize that house cats bring dead birds and mice to their owners because they think their owners aren’t capable enough hunters to feed themselves.”
- Unknown
Phantom watched as the half-man half-beast creature dashed from the bar like a cheetah and then scaled the building across the street like some giant primate. As he watched the creature leap from a nearby fire escape to the rooftop, the ‘Ivory Vigilante’ marveled at its speed and agility but remained steadfast in his desire to get his hands on Det. Hill. Before giving chase, Phantom decided that the best thing to do was to watch the sides of the building for movement and peruse the creature from the ground. After a couple of moments had passed; and not seeing anything emerge from the building’s rooftop, Phantom had come to a puzzling conclusion – the creature had stopped on the rooftop. As he ran across the street towards the building Phantom couldn’t help but think to himself, “Why had it stopped? Could this be a trap? How could it be a trap – nobody but Ebony Angel knew I was coming here – could this be Angel’s doing? Could Angel being working against me?”
As he scaled the building like a skilled hunter navigating a dense urban jungle, ‘The White Widow-Maker’ saw a pair of pistols fall from rooftop above him as if they were thrown over the side. Finally cresting the top of the building, what Phantom saw next gave him good reason to pause. Lying on the ground before the large bestial creature that had taken him was Detective Hill . . . and he was bleeding like a dead mouse. On the far side of the roof, the Man-Beast snarled from the darkness, “So, you’re the holy terror who’s got the underworld afraid of their own shadow? You’re smaller than I thought you’d be . . . slower too.” ‘The Armoured Avatar of Vengeance’ just stood there in silence and assessed the situation before him as the Man-Beast spoke once again; but this time the creature’s voice was deeper and more menacing as if he were issuing forth some kind of warning, “Heh . . . wait till they get a load of me.” Sensing that he might loose his chance to get his hands on the corrupt police officer; in a dark and inquisitive tone Phantom asked the Man-Beast, “So is that what this is all about? You try’n to make a name for yourself?”
[ Reply Man-Beast?]
As the creature responded, Phantom began to slowly maneuver himself around the rooftop searching for a solid vantage point from which to launch a counter-attack if he needed to. Concerned that ‘The Obsidian Beast’ before him might just be toying with him and whisk Detective Hill away at any moment, Phantom decided to cut to the chase, “So what are we do’n here? You gonna hand Hill over to me or are we just play’n some kind of sick game of cat and mouse?”
[ Reply Man-Beast?]
( OOC: If Phantom gets the opportunity to talk with Det. Hill )
Leaning over the prone and injured police detective, Phantom looks Hill square in the eyes and says in an ominously throaty tone, “I’ve got a few questions for you . . . depending on how you answer them will determine what I do with you.” Before he can say a word Phantom grabs the wounded man by the lapel of his jacket, pulls him to his feet and then throws him against a nearby chimney stack. As Hill scrambles to maintain his footing Phantom asks him, “Where do I find Trickshot?”
[ Reply Tom/Detective Hill?]
( OOC: If Det. Hill gives him a straight answer he’ll continue with his next question – see ‘Question #2’ below. If he gives him a ‘smart-mouth’ answer or refuses to answer at all – see ‘Smart-Mouth Response’ below. )
Question #2
Nodding his head very gently as if were satisfied with his answer; Phantom asks his next question, “How many other Moonlighters are there and what are their names?”
[ Reply Tom/Detective Hill?]
( OOC: If Det. Hill gives him a straight answer he’ll continue with his next question – see ‘Question #3’ below. If he gives him a ‘smart-mouth’ answer or refuses to answer at all – see ‘Smart-Mouth Response’ below. )
Question #3
As the corrupt detective finishes telling Phantom all he knows about the Moonlighters, Phantom turns his head slowly in Hill’s direction, squints his eyes slightly and asks him one last question, “Where do I find the Buzzard and who is he?”
[ Reply Tom/Detective Hill?]
( OOC: If Det. Hill gives him a straight answer see ‘One Last Thing . . .’ below. If he gives him a ‘smart-mouth’ answer or refuses to answer at all – see ‘Smart-Mouth Response’ below. )
Smart-Mouth Response
Phantom just stares at Detective Hill silently as he reaches out and grabs his hand firmly. Pulling his combat knife quickly from the confines of its sheath, the remorseless vigilante places the edge of the cold blade along the inside of Hill’s pinky finger and issues a sincere warning with his gaze. Hill instantly understands his captures intent – answer the question or lose the finger.
( OOC: If Det. Hill gives him a straight answer he’ll take the knife away from Hill’s hand and repeat the last question that he asked. If he gives him a ‘smart-mouth’ answer or still refuses to answer – see ‘Tough Guy’ below. )
Tough Guy
In the blink of an eye, Phantom pulls the blade of his combat knife quickly across the knuckles of Detective Hill’s hand and removes the smallest of his finger from his hand. Blood begins to spray forth from the veteran police officers hand as he starts to scream and tries to bend over in agony. Phantom quickly shoves him back up against the brick chimney and shouts out over Hill’s screams, “You only got nine left . . . do you wanna see how far we can take this or do you wanna start answering some questions?”
( OOC: If Det. Hill seems to be willing to talk after this, Phantom will rip the sleeve off of Hill’s shirt and wrap it around his bleeding hand as a bandage. Once he finishes bandaging his hand Phantom will repeat the last question that he asked. On the other hand - If Hill gives him another ‘smart-mouth’ answer or still refuses to answer – see ‘One Last Thing . . .’ below. )
One Last Thing . . .
The sound of police car sirens in the distance were beginning to grow louder – they were getting closer. Phantom knew it would only be a matter of time before the street below was filled by a sea of police cruisers and uniformed officers, but there was still one last thing he needed to do – he needed to send a message. Grabbing Hill by his neck, ‘The Ashen Death-Dealer’ dragged the detective over to the side of the building and pinned his back against the short wall that lined the perimeter of the buildings rooftop. Still holding the squirming police detective tightly, Phantom looked down at the crowd that had formed in the street below and shouted out to them, “Tell The Buzzard and his Moonlighters that they're finished . . . if I see a dirty badge, I'll kill the son of a bitch wear'n it . . . tell 'em that their time of reckoning is here . . . tell 'em that I'm come'n . . . and Hell's come'n with me!” With that Phantom pushes Detective Hill backward and over the edge of the building. Hill screams and flails his limbs about wildly as if grasping for some kind of ethereal rope or life-line, as the crowd below gasps in horror as they watch the man start to fall. A split second later the detective lands on something solid, stunned and confused he looks around frantically to see what could have stopped his decent. Turning his head quickly from side to side, the wrought-iron landing of a fire escape suddenly comes into full view. With his heart still beating a mile a minute, the injured detective looks back up at the edge of the rooftop and sees that his would-be killer has disappeared into the night.
> PHANTOM’S GOAL(S) <
Phantom wants to get the information that he came for. He wants to know about Trickshot, The Buzzard, and The Moonlighters.
Phantom also wants to scare the other Moonlighters with his last little 'stunt'. he figures if he can get them scared and afraid that they may try to hunt him down . . . saving him the trouble of finding them himself ;)
> PHANTOM’S OOC RESPONSE <
Since Man-Beast is still a complete ‘unknown’ to Phantom; as an experienced soldier, Phantom is fully prepared for the possibility that Man-Beast is just baiting him into an ambush. If Phantom does think that Man-Beast is going to attack him, he’ll try for torso shots using the baton rounds already loaded into his shotgun.
If Hill tries to make a run for it while Man-Beast and Phantom are talking, he will not hesitate to shoot Hill in the back with the baton rounds already loaded into his shotgun.
Hopefully I didn't miss anything - if I did let me know.
Tom, feel free to modify anything I wrote to make it fit better into the next issue - I wrote as a narrator simply to better express my/Phantom's intentions and desires.
Talk to you both soon,
- Kev
> PHANTOM’S IC RESPONSE <
“. . . scientists theorize that house cats bring dead birds and mice to their owners because they think their owners aren’t capable enough hunters to feed themselves.”
- Unknown
Phantom watched as the half-man half-beast creature dashed from the bar like a cheetah and then scaled the building across the street like some giant primate. As he watched the creature leap from a nearby fire escape to the rooftop, the ‘Ivory Vigilante’ marveled at its speed and agility but remained steadfast in his desire to get his hands on Det. Hill. Before giving chase, Phantom decided that the best thing to do was to watch the sides of the building for movement and peruse the creature from the ground. After a couple of moments had passed; and not seeing anything emerge from the building’s rooftop, Phantom had come to a puzzling conclusion – the creature had stopped on the rooftop. As he ran across the street towards the building Phantom couldn’t help but think to himself, “Why had it stopped? Could this be a trap? How could it be a trap – nobody but Ebony Angel knew I was coming here – could this be Angel’s doing? Could Angel being working against me?”
As he scaled the building like a skilled hunter navigating a dense urban jungle, ‘The White Widow-Maker’ saw a pair of pistols fall from rooftop above him as if they were thrown over the side. Finally cresting the top of the building, what Phantom saw next gave him good reason to pause. Lying on the ground before the large bestial creature that had taken him was Detective Hill . . . and he was bleeding like a dead mouse. On the far side of the roof, the Man-Beast snarled from the darkness, “So, you’re the holy terror who’s got the underworld afraid of their own shadow? You’re smaller than I thought you’d be . . . slower too.” ‘The Armoured Avatar of Vengeance’ just stood there in silence and assessed the situation before him as the Man-Beast spoke once again; but this time the creature’s voice was deeper and more menacing as if he were issuing forth some kind of warning, “Heh . . . wait till they get a load of me.” Sensing that he might loose his chance to get his hands on the corrupt police officer; in a dark and inquisitive tone Phantom asked the Man-Beast, “So is that what this is all about? You try’n to make a name for yourself?”
[ Reply Man-Beast?]
As the creature responded, Phantom began to slowly maneuver himself around the rooftop searching for a solid vantage point from which to launch a counter-attack if he needed to. Concerned that ‘The Obsidian Beast’ before him might just be toying with him and whisk Detective Hill away at any moment, Phantom decided to cut to the chase, “So what are we do’n here? You gonna hand Hill over to me or are we just play’n some kind of sick game of cat and mouse?”
[ Reply Man-Beast?]
( OOC: If Phantom gets the opportunity to talk with Det. Hill )
Leaning over the prone and injured police detective, Phantom looks Hill square in the eyes and says in an ominously throaty tone, “I’ve got a few questions for you . . . depending on how you answer them will determine what I do with you.” Before he can say a word Phantom grabs the wounded man by the lapel of his jacket, pulls him to his feet and then throws him against a nearby chimney stack. As Hill scrambles to maintain his footing Phantom asks him, “Where do I find Trickshot?”
[ Reply Tom/Detective Hill?]
( OOC: If Det. Hill gives him a straight answer he’ll continue with his next question – see ‘Question #2’ below. If he gives him a ‘smart-mouth’ answer or refuses to answer at all – see ‘Smart-Mouth Response’ below. )
Question #2
Nodding his head very gently as if were satisfied with his answer; Phantom asks his next question, “How many other Moonlighters are there and what are their names?”
[ Reply Tom/Detective Hill?]
( OOC: If Det. Hill gives him a straight answer he’ll continue with his next question – see ‘Question #3’ below. If he gives him a ‘smart-mouth’ answer or refuses to answer at all – see ‘Smart-Mouth Response’ below. )
Question #3
As the corrupt detective finishes telling Phantom all he knows about the Moonlighters, Phantom turns his head slowly in Hill’s direction, squints his eyes slightly and asks him one last question, “Where do I find the Buzzard and who is he?”
[ Reply Tom/Detective Hill?]
( OOC: If Det. Hill gives him a straight answer see ‘One Last Thing . . .’ below. If he gives him a ‘smart-mouth’ answer or refuses to answer at all – see ‘Smart-Mouth Response’ below. )
Smart-Mouth Response
Phantom just stares at Detective Hill silently as he reaches out and grabs his hand firmly. Pulling his combat knife quickly from the confines of its sheath, the remorseless vigilante places the edge of the cold blade along the inside of Hill’s pinky finger and issues a sincere warning with his gaze. Hill instantly understands his captures intent – answer the question or lose the finger.
( OOC: If Det. Hill gives him a straight answer he’ll take the knife away from Hill’s hand and repeat the last question that he asked. If he gives him a ‘smart-mouth’ answer or still refuses to answer – see ‘Tough Guy’ below. )
Tough Guy
In the blink of an eye, Phantom pulls the blade of his combat knife quickly across the knuckles of Detective Hill’s hand and removes the smallest of his finger from his hand. Blood begins to spray forth from the veteran police officers hand as he starts to scream and tries to bend over in agony. Phantom quickly shoves him back up against the brick chimney and shouts out over Hill’s screams, “You only got nine left . . . do you wanna see how far we can take this or do you wanna start answering some questions?”
( OOC: If Det. Hill seems to be willing to talk after this, Phantom will rip the sleeve off of Hill’s shirt and wrap it around his bleeding hand as a bandage. Once he finishes bandaging his hand Phantom will repeat the last question that he asked. On the other hand - If Hill gives him another ‘smart-mouth’ answer or still refuses to answer – see ‘One Last Thing . . .’ below. )
One Last Thing . . .
The sound of police car sirens in the distance were beginning to grow louder – they were getting closer. Phantom knew it would only be a matter of time before the street below was filled by a sea of police cruisers and uniformed officers, but there was still one last thing he needed to do – he needed to send a message. Grabbing Hill by his neck, ‘The Ashen Death-Dealer’ dragged the detective over to the side of the building and pinned his back against the short wall that lined the perimeter of the buildings rooftop. Still holding the squirming police detective tightly, Phantom looked down at the crowd that had formed in the street below and shouted out to them, “Tell The Buzzard and his Moonlighters that they're finished . . . if I see a dirty badge, I'll kill the son of a bitch wear'n it . . . tell 'em that their time of reckoning is here . . . tell 'em that I'm come'n . . . and Hell's come'n with me!” With that Phantom pushes Detective Hill backward and over the edge of the building. Hill screams and flails his limbs about wildly as if grasping for some kind of ethereal rope or life-line, as the crowd below gasps in horror as they watch the man start to fall. A split second later the detective lands on something solid, stunned and confused he looks around frantically to see what could have stopped his decent. Turning his head quickly from side to side, the wrought-iron landing of a fire escape suddenly comes into full view. With his heart still beating a mile a minute, the injured detective looks back up at the edge of the rooftop and sees that his would-be killer has disappeared into the night.
> PHANTOM’S GOAL(S) <
Phantom wants to get the information that he came for. He wants to know about Trickshot, The Buzzard, and The Moonlighters.
Phantom also wants to scare the other Moonlighters with his last little 'stunt'. he figures if he can get them scared and afraid that they may try to hunt him down . . . saving him the trouble of finding them himself ;)
> PHANTOM’S OOC RESPONSE <
Since Man-Beast is still a complete ‘unknown’ to Phantom; as an experienced soldier, Phantom is fully prepared for the possibility that Man-Beast is just baiting him into an ambush. If Phantom does think that Man-Beast is going to attack him, he’ll try for torso shots using the baton rounds already loaded into his shotgun.
If Hill tries to make a run for it while Man-Beast and Phantom are talking, he will not hesitate to shoot Hill in the back with the baton rounds already loaded into his shotgun.
Hopefully I didn't miss anything - if I did let me know.
Tom, feel free to modify anything I wrote to make it fit better into the next issue - I wrote as a narrator simply to better express my/Phantom's intentions and desires.
Talk to you both soon,
- Kev
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