Tag: superheroes

Revengers Mission #1: The Exciting Conclusion!

Welcome back for the third and final installment in our Revenger Mission One series! Last time, our heroes Atrum Auditor, Erotica Girl and Styka arrived on scene at the city docks to witness a meeting taking place between Councilman Jeff Harlan and crime syndicate boss Joe “The Stare” Keithly. It was meant to be a simple surveillance and capture operation, but it soon went south.

First, Keithly showed up with some hired muscle, ex-military men who had been enhanced to give them telekinetic powers! Then, the team noticed a psychic presence in the area, which appeared to be coming from someone other than the men under surveillance. Something was seriously wrong…

And then, Captain Smackdown and Panacea, fresh from another mission, arrived on the scene hoping to break the tension with a little distraction ploy. Panacea was ready to fly, and the Captain ready to lay a smackdown with his heavy artillery. Everything seemed to be ready to go, until another unexpected surprise happened…

*               *               *

“Ready?” Smackdown said. Panacea opened her door and looked at the ground, speeding precariously fast. “Go!”

Without hesitation, she stepped from the cabin and took to the air. Her arms outstretched, her legs trailing behind her, her body picked up flight and she soared to within fifteen meters of the ground. The entire docks became visible to her as she ascended above the roofs of every warehouse in the area, spotting all the commotion which was taking place around them.

And that’s when she noticed another vehicle coming in from their flank. A hardtop roadster with a lot of pickup, and filled with several armed men from the look of it.

“Captain!” she said into her link. “We’ve got company!”

“More?” he cried. “Where are they coming from?”

“From the north. They look like they’re moving to intercept you.”

The GT slowed and began to arc right on the gravely surface. Small stones were kicked up and the wheels began sliding sideways. The other car was drawing nearer, but was a good few hundred meters away from intercepting Smackdown. She spotted a junction where she could intercept them herself.

“Captain, you keep going for the docks. I’ll take care of these men.”

“You sure?” he said back, but already he was straightening his wheels and proceeding on course to the rallying point.

“Trust me,” she said, echoing his earlier statement. “They won’t know what hit them.”

The Captain hit the gas and the GT flew off. Panacea aimed herself towards the warehouse junction and added a little speed of her own. The cold, wet air whooshed by her ears, and in no time, she was directly above her landing zone. The car was speeding along towards her, the drivers unaware of the person floating above.

She plummeted downward and nailed the three point landing. She had just enough time to see the look on the driver’s face as the headlights reflected off the blue and gold of her uniform. Everyone in the car yelled, but their screams came to an abrupt halt when Panacea’s hands landed on their hood and stopped their car dead in its tracks.

She gave them a few seconds to recover, the driver shoving the airbag out of his face and seeing that she was still there, her hands now fixed under the bumper of the car. The passenger was quicker to respond, stabbing the air bag with a switchblade and bringing his submachinegun forward.

“You boys play nice!” She said, tossing the car up and down a few times to get their attention. They hollered as one, the ones in the back bouncing up and down in their seats. The driver began to scream for her to put them down; but unfortunately for him, the passenger still hadn’t learnt his lesson.

“I’ll kill you bitch!” he yelled, taking aim with his HK. Panacea frowned and tossed the entire car over. Their screams pitched as the car went up, paused in midair as the rear bumper landed on the ground, and then came crashing down, roof first. Glass exploded and flew in all directions, the screams subsiding and becoming a dull moan.

She was sure to check on them before carrying on.

“You boys okay?” she said, looking in the driver’s side window. All were hanging from their seat belts, the concussive force having knocked all air and sense out of them. But they were alive, and unbroken…

“Good! Now if you’ll excuse me, we still have your friends to deal with.” She put her finger to her link and signaled the Captain. “All clear, Captain. See you at the docks.”

The GT’s lights picked up the two cars parked in the distance. He was less than fifty meters from them now, and the locals weren’t taking too well to the disturbance. Kiethly and ran to the other side of the vehicle while his men took up positions around him, the Council doing the same with his car. None of them seemed willing to attack until they knew who they were dealing with though…

Slamming on the brakes and bringing the vehicle in for a tight turn, Smackdown exited the vehicle and placed his weapon on the roof. He aimed for the first of Keithly’s men. They had lost the element of surprise, and they couldn’t hope to take “The Stare” down seperately, but they still had one card to play…

“Evening gents! Sorry to interrupt, but the Councilor wasn’t counting on you showing up heavy.”

From behind the car he was using as a shield, Keithly stood and looked at Smackdown incredulously. He then sent that same look over to the Councilman.

“Who the hell is this, Councilor?”

Harlan looked just as confused as Keithly, though in place of anger, his face carried a sudden sense of fear.

“I don’t know… Who the hell are you?”

“It’s alright, Harlan, we don’t need to pretend anymore. We’ve got this goon and his men surrounded. Just let us take them down and be done with it.”

“Who-the-hell-“

“What? You didn’t think the honorable Harlan was going to cowtow to your interests forever, did you?”

Smackdown smiled at Harlan and gave him a wink. The Councilor’s face began to go white just as Keithly’s face turned a bright shade of red.

So far, so good, Smackdown thought. He had them right there he needed them to be, which was turning on each other rather than working together against a common threat.

“Harlaaaan! What the hell are you trying to pull?!” yelled Keithly.

The Councilman began stuttering a long string of denials and incomprehensible babble. He looked very much like a deer caught in the headlights, suddenly frozen and very much afraid for his life. A shootout looked about ready to happen, but Smackdown had other plans in mind…

He placed his finger to his ear and issued the go order.

“Atrum, NOW!”

Keithly’s thugs all reached for their temples and began to scream at the same time. Between Auditor, Erotica and Styka, they had been hit with a psionic wave powerful enough to stun a an army of ex-military goons. Smackdown used the time to put some bullets in their direction.

The first fell as the bullet struck him clean in the forehead, breaking the skin but leaving his skull and brain matter unharmed. He took aim for the next, but the goon quickly recovered. The bullet had left its chamber but stopped in midair, the man at the other end smiling devilishly.

“What the-?”

“Captain!” Auditor yelled through the link. “We’ve lost control. That other mind we sensed, he’s still here and he’s jamming us!”

“Shit!” Smackdown cried. “Okay, we do this the old fashioned way! Atrum, Styka, Erotica Girl, take out those two goons!”

A series of boots hit the ground on the other side of Keithly’s car. He spotted the three superheroes arrayed in front of him and shoved his goons in their direction. The men drew combat knives and assumed an ready stance, knives at the ready and their minds poised to stop anything our heroes threw.

Erotica, Styka and Atrum all looked at each and smiled. The men charged with their knives, and hit nothing but air.

“What the-?” said the one, and then was caught by a boot to the side of the head. The second began to back off, but was hit from the other side an elbow to the jaw. Both fell to the ground and looked up to see two women standing above them. The one was dressed in her usual smockery of a vest and tank, and placed her thick-soled boot into the man’s face.

The other looked up and spotted a woman dressed in some sensual leather. For a moment, he thought he might be dreaming, and smiled to reveal his bloody teeth.

“Keep dreaming,” Erotica girl said, and lept onto his chest to deliver a boot smack to his skull.

Seeing all this unfold, Keithly broke and tried to make a run for it. He made it to the edge of the nearest warehouse before Auditor, the only one who had yet to reappear, did so in front of him.

“Going somewhere, Mr. Stare?”

Keithly cried out and tried to dash in a different direction, only to be stopped in his steps yet again. He doubled back and dashed again, but found the same face standing in front of him once more. Again and again, he tried to run in a different direction, only to be stopped short by the man dark hat with the shit-eating grin.

“You can’t run, you can’t hide. Give yourself up.”

Keithly didn’t listen and continued to dash around in panic. Auditor sighed and continued to block his path, again and again, until finally he threw his fist up and close-lined the mob boss, sending him to the ground. Stunned, he looked up in time to see Auditor stare down into his eyes to issue some final words…

“You’re secret is out, Stare. And now the world will know all about you…”

Keithly’s eyes drifted shut and his head fell sideways.

Looking up from his spot behind the car door, Smackdown surveyed the scene and nodded approvingly. All hostiles were down. Except the Councilman…

He looked to Harlan’s car and saw no trace of him. He cursed as he realized the SOB had slipped away in the confusion. His finger quickly went to the link in his ear.

“Panacea! Are your airborne. I need you to get eyes on the Councilman and take him down. Bring him back, Panacea! You hear me?”

“Already here!” she announced, though not through the comlink. Landing just meters away, she held the Councilman in her hands. The man looked especially disheveled, having been plucked from the ground while running and carried through the air. His hair a mess and his eyes as big and white as dinner plates, he looked very much prepared to listen to reason…

“Ah, good job,” he said to Panacea. She smiled and nodded in return, and let go of Harlan. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground, though he remained very much conscious.

Auditor, Erotica and Styka joined them next to the Councilman’s huddled body. Smackdown turned to them, casting a quick look in the distance.

“Any sign of that mind you made contact with?”

Auditor closed his eyes and reached out. He shook his head. “No. Whoever it was, he or she is gone now.”

“How about you?” he asked the girls. Both did similar sweeps with their minds and found nothing. “Damn. I guess our friends here brought in more muscle than we could see.”

“They can’t have gone far,” said Styka. “I’m sure we could find them.”

Smackdown looked to Harlan and shook his head. “Nah, they’ll be another time. Right now, we still need to get Mr. Right Honorable to start talking. And I think I know just the way…”

Stepping up next to him, Smackdown kneeled to address him as the others took up positions around him. On one side, Erotica girl and Styka stood over him, their ensembles and bloody boots quickly drawing his eye and producing mixed emotions. He was used to beautiful women standing over him, but not like this.

The sight of Panacea and Auditor on the other side was equally confusing, awe and fear mixing in the same instant. And to make matters worse, Smackdown was now mere inches from his face, his gun smoking in front of him.

“Now, Mr. Councilman… what shall we talk about? Shall we start with your history of working with the mob, or shall we skip ahead to all that’s gone down here tonight?” Harlan frowned and tried to summon up a response, but couldn’t find the words or the clarity of mind to do so. Smackdown continued…

“On the one hand, Keithly and his goons here are out cold. But on the other, we can expect his lawyers to have him out of jail while he awaits trial, where he will surely try to even the score with you. Thanks to me, he thinks you arranged this whole thing, and nothing you could say would convince him otherwise.”

Harlan began to pant heavily and closed his eyes. Tears began to form there, followed by low moans and sobs. Smackdown cleared his throat and looked away. The sight of a grown man crying, in public no less, was not something he was comfortable with.

“So… really, you’ve got only one choice. You announce that your stepping down for health reasons, you go into witness protection, and you tell the DA, the FBI, and anyone else who wants a piece of Kiethly everything you know about him. You take a deal, you spend the rest of your life in another state, another country; wherever. I think you’ll agree, it’s better than the alternative…”

Harlan looked up at Smackdown in time to catch the hangman’s gesture he was doing. Everyone knew Keithly’s favorite way of punishing snitches was to leave them hanging from a meat hook, usually in the vicinity of the docks. Harlan quickly nodded and dropped his head again. In the distance, the sirens began to get closer…

“Ah good, that’d be the cleanup crew waiting to come get you,” Smackdown said, standing. “You be sure to tell them exactly what I told you. Because trust me, even if you could find a way to protect yourself from Keithly, there’s no way you could stay clear of us.”

Smackdown turned to leave, the rest of the squad doing the same. Harlan finally found his voice and issued in their direction.

“Who are you?”

They stopped. Smackdown and the rest turned as one.

“We’re the Revengers,” he said. “Tell your friends about us.”

Revenger Mission #1 Update!

Welcome back Revengers, Captain Smackdown here! We’ve had a crucial update from our agents in the field, who at this moment are in crisis dealing with our very first mission. Based on Atrum Auditors report, what began as a simple surveillance mission escalated when the target – mobster Joe “The Stare” Kiethly – showed up with some unusual muscle. Enhance ex-military men who were given telekinetic powers!

On top of that, reports from the field emphasized that there was another there, a mind that was searching and making contact with Atrum Auditor, Erotica Girl and Styka. A telepathic presence in the region is most disturbing. Either Kiethly’s men are more than they appear, or there’s someone else watching the show. In either case, your Captain is proceeding to the scene with reinforcements! Here’s how it went down…

*                     *                    *

The GT’s engine reached a crescendo of noise. From the passenger seat, Panacea looked anxiously at the Captain.

Strange, he thought. Weren’t immortals the ones who had the least to fear from death? And yet, she looked more nervous than he felt.

They reached their turn and the Captain spun the wheel, bringing them into a slight slide that almost put them up against the nearby brick wall. Panacea grunted as they took the corner and decided to say something as soon as they straightened out again.

“Is there a game plan?” she asked. “I mean, other than to go charging in?”

“Of course there is,” Smackdown replied. “I just haven’t thought of it yet.”

“Oh…” she said. “Lovely.”

Another hard turn. The smell of the docks began to pour in through their open windows. Tar, brine, and the undeniable smell of rot and decay. They were on a long stretch now that passed lengthwise between two red brick warehouses. Smackdown used the opportunity to fetch his weapon from the backseat, which had been resting on the floor until this point.

“Do me a favor…?” he said to Panacea and handed it to her. “Grab that drum on the backseat and load it for me.”

Panacea was momentarily stunned by the appearance of the weapon. The membership agreement stipulated that it lethal force was out of bounds, but the weapon she was now holding seemed to contradict that piece of fine print. Still, she did as she was told and fished around on the backseat until the spherical magazine presented itself. Grabbing it and bringing it forward, she stared at the two pieces and asked for help.

“Um, how am I…?”

“Just slap the drum into the bottom and pull that lever on the side,” said the Captain. Panacea obliged, and then held it up in her hand. Heavy, by normal standards, and grissly looking. She looked sideways at Smackdown. He noticed and flashed a defensive frown.

“Rubber bullets… I swear!”

“Alright…” she said warily, then placed it in the backseat.

The engine revved harder. Smackdown looked ahead and yelled a word of warning. “Bit of a bump up ahead. Hang on!”

She looked just in time to see the pile of lobster traps and loading crates. Her yell came too late to stop him. They hit it with a hard thud and picked up some air. The landing was even harder. They came to skidding halt on the other side.

“Sorry. GPS didn’t mention that obstruction.”

Panacea looked at the dashboard. Did this vehicle even have a GPS, or was that some kind of dry witticism on the Captains part? Either way, she wasn’t any happier about it.

Smackdown placed his finger to his earpiece.

“Atrum? Can you hear me?”

Auditor voice came in in low, hushed whispers. “Read you, Captain. What’s your position?”

“We’re less than a minute away. Has anything changed on the scene?”

“Well, we still haven’t found the source of the psychic presence. But it doesn’t seem to be coming from our guests or their hired muscle. Keithly’s goons are holding their spots and letting the him and Councilman talk.”

Smackdown nodded. That sounded like good news, but it pointed towards something more frightening. He removed his finger from his ear and began to look precariously out his side window.

“What’s wrong?” Panacea asked.

“I think we got more company than we think,” he replied. He placed his finger back to his ear. “Hold your position. We’ll be coming in hot. As soon as we arrive on scene, I figure we’ll have a second or two before those goons try to turn their powers on us. Then I want you and the girls to start jamming them, and let’s pray they don’t have psychic defenses we don’t know about.”

“You got it,” Auditor replied.

“So… we got a plan?” Panacea asked.

“Yeah…” Smackdown looked at her outfit. “You’re CV said you could fly, that still true?”

“Yes,” she said irately. Superpowers didn’t exactly have an expiry date.

“Good. Cuz when we get to the scene, I want you to jump out that door and get in the air. I’ll provide covering fire for you. Our friends on scene should take care of the rest. Okay?”

“Okay!”

“Good. Now hand me that gun.”

She grabbed it and passed it to him, warily as always. He noticed the way she was looking at it, like she had a serious issue with firearms. He repeated his earlier assurance.

“I swear!”

*                    *                    *

Tune in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion to the Revengers first mission!

Revengers Mission Report #1

My thanks to all Revengers who reported in to take part in our first round of missions. My favorite response was the following report, as filed by Atrum Auditor (aka. v1rgilmdm of the 8bitbeerblog). The following is his account of the Harlan/Keithly surveillance. The following transcript has been edited for content, but appears here otherwise unabridged:

After hearing about the meeting between Councilman Jeff Harlan and Syndicate Boss Joe “The Stare” Keithly, Atrum Auditor put together his team to expose the truth. After first recruiting Erotica Girl a kick-ass heroine with enhanced strength and the ability to go invisible, Justyka was also recruited for this sensitive mission. As a fellow telepath that can fly and also render herself invisible, she would prove to be indispensable.

This team is optimized for covert, undetectable operations. The team meets at the docks as the sun sets, to survey the area and set up camera and bugs before the illicit meeting starts. Erotica Girl goes invisible to keep watch as Atrum Auditor teleports from shadow to shadow, planting listening devices and video cameras. Meanwhile Justyka plants cameras with night vision and infrared up high on burnt-out lamp posts, a building corner and a crane.

“Ok, this is eyes and ears only. We stay for the meet, record everything and then waylay Keithly until the police can pick up Councilman Harlan,” Atrum reminded the group.

“I still don’t understand why we don’t just take out Keithly and his scumbags out now,” Erotica Girl complained.

“It’s not our place to act as judge and jury,” Justyka replied.

“A win for the police will look good for all of us,” added Atrum. “Just think of it as community block watch or whatever. We set ‘em up, the police knock ‘em down, we all look good”.

“Fine. Whatever,” Erotica Girl rolled her eyes. “What time did your guy say this meet was happening?”

“Twenty-three hundred hours sharp. Keithly can’t abide people who aren’t punctual,” Atrum supplied.

“Great. Just three more hours to kill. What’s the plan to distract Keithly until Harlan get’s arrested?” asked Justyka.

“Well, I -uh… I was thinking Keithly owns this warehouse by the dock here, we could start a small fire and that should cause a distraction. Keithly will probably send his goons to save anything important, leaving him free to have an intimate talk with us. But I’m open to suggestions,” Atrum said, revealing the limit of his ability to organize.

“I say we knock the mob meatheads out and take Keithly on a cruise out in the bay. Maybe with a free pair of cement shoes,” Erotica said with a wicked grin.

“Why don’t we call that plan B?” Justyka mediated.

After testing the video recorders’ night vision and infrared feeds and the audio recording levels, the heroes settled in for their stake-out. Erotica Girl posted herself at a neighboring warehouse, invisible, so that she could be close at hand in case any surprises popped up. Atrum found a spot underneath the dock amidst some ropes and old lumber where he could watch the feeds on his hand-held, but still be within easy teleportation range. Justyka flew up to the crow’s nest of a nearby boat so she could see any traffic by land or sea for miles.

I see a black town car approaching the docks from the East, Justyka broadcasted over the trio’s telepathic link.

Copy that. I have lights, Erotica Girl confirmed mentally.

Stay sharp, and give me descriptions of any unknown parties, Atrum Auditor responded.

Another vehicle approaching. A yellow taxi looks like, Justyka reported.

Yeah, what’s the Councilman thinking? Bringing a civilian? asked Erotica.

They are exiting the car now. I have 5 thermal signatures on camera. Atrum broadcasted visually.

Looks like Keithly brought a couple of heavies. I recognize them from files that have come across my desk. Ex-military enhancement project: codenames Hammer and Spike. Enhanced strength, with Psychokinetic powers and Black Ops trained, Atrum added, as the information flashed on his hand-held.

I feel… A mind above us… Searching. Crap! Erotica! What’s your position? Justyka asked, panicked.

Uh..guys? We might want to call the Captain for back-up. Erotica Girl suggested.

Indeed. Came an amused unfamiliar thought-voice.

*                     *                     *

Not bad, huh? As you can plainly see, tension is mounting and it seems the mission has taken on a sinister edge. Well, more sinister, since it already involved mob bosses and corrupt councilmen. And it seems some additional forces are being called for. As such, I, Captain Smackdown, am pledging to arrive on scene with backup! Panacea, Dark Angel, are you with me?  Looks like our take down of Billy Bob will have to wait another night! Inferno, rendezvous with us there! And dammit, answer your phone!

Revenger Homework Assignments

Thank you Revengers for getting back to me in a timely fashion. It seems the city has many problems that are just crying out to be dealt with. And as I said before, it’s hard to know where to start. But it seems our members and their sources have provided several possible suggestions, three to be exact. Ordinarily, I might be inclined to ask that we decide together which one merits the most immediate response.

However, since they are all worthy, and no single one would require the full weight of our numbers, we can afford to divide our resources this time and take them down simultaneously. And as it happens, the timetable on these missions appears to provide a little flexibility, since some need to be dealt with sooner than others.

Behold our first three missions, numbered based on their immediacy, but not order of importance. Within each, you will find a mission profile and assignments, which will be given out based on abilities but largely open to volunteers. Those who have brought the assignment to our attention will usually get first crack, but priority must be given to who can be most affective in any given situation. And if you’re not picked the first time around, don’t worry. We are all on the roster and shall be given the chance to show the world of crime and corruption what we got!

Mission 1: Corruption at City Hall
Source: Atrum Auditor

Profile: It seems that a certain city councilman named Jeff Harlan has a reputation for corruption. However, after multiple investigations, nothing has ever stuck to him. Witnesses and evidence against him have a way of disappearing, and it’s widely believed their is a mob connection in that respect.

But we may have finally found a break. Tonight, a meeting with syndicate crime boss Joe “The Stare” Keithly is scheduled to go down at the docks, with the intent of discussing a new building project on the East Side. Atrum believes that Keithly is looking for more real estate to expand his methamphetine operations, since most of the hard drugs in the city come from the outside. If he can build his own network of labs, he will be in a position to control meth production and distribution, making him all the more powerful and the people of the city helpless in his hands!

Aims: The meeting needs to go down, and evidence collected on the Councilman. That evidence needs to finds its way into the hands of someone honest at the DA’s office. Then, we need to take down Joe Keithly and make sure he understands that his policy of intimidation and disappearances is at an end. I was thinking something dramatic, like his own methods which often involve feeding people to the fish. Let him dangle above a shark tank up to and until the point where Councilman Harlan is safely behind bars, and maybe, just maybe we’ll let him walk out on his own two feet. But of course, be creative, just know that no one dies…

Assignments: Atrum, since this is your show, you will be responsible for watching over the meeting and making sure we got audio/video on the whole thing. We’ll need at least two people to join him and make sure the take down goes smoothly. Keithly doesn’t travel alone and can be expected to have two or three armed men with him. Remember, we only need to scare the bejeezus out of him and make sure he’s sidelined until the Councilman is arrested. Volunteers?

Mission 2: Pimping Aint Easy…
Source: Panacea

Profile: It seems this mission presents the opportunity to not only avenge some deaths, but prevent many more. Panacea recently discovered two young girls left in an alley to die, strung out on drugs, and willing to provide some rather interesting information. It seems that Gus Darby, a respectable businessmen, just opened a new high-class restaurant on the waterfront. It’s the kind of place there the rich go to network in person. Deals are made over some of the best food and drink in town.

However, it is also rumored that Gus himself is doing some business in here, with notorious pimp Billy Bob! And it would seem that the two of them have a good racket going, using prostitutes to gain leverage over the powerful and influential. Unfortunately, Billy Bob’s competition seems to think that he’s got an unfair edge and needs to be taken down. A turf war could be in the winds…

Aims: Scum and villainy do not do our jobs for us! That’s why it’s up to us to take down Billy Bob and his crooked pimping empire. I suggest we find him in his den and enter full force, taking out his body guards and hired muscle in the process. Once we’re done that, we’ll make sure he understands that his days of doing business with Darby are over, but not before he hands over all the information he has on the city’s powerful elite. You never know, might come in handy…

Assignements: Panacea, I think you’ll definitely want to run point on this one, as we’re likely to find several girls in need of help once we bust up Bob’s operation. Call me crazy, but I also imagine you’re itching for a shot at him and his henchmen. I will back you up with Inferno, who’s skill will come in handy so we can set his place ablaze when we’re done clearing it. Perhaps we’ll stop by Gus’s restaurant and put a little show for him too after.  Two more volunteers for some added muscle and showmanship ought to do it. Any takers? Take down a vicious pimp people…?

Mission 3: Attorney’s Office For Sale?
Source: Judgement

Profile: It seems we have a wealthy business tycoon who’s been getting cozy with a certain woman in the DA’s office. Were not entirely sure what the nature of this relationship is, but odds are good they aren’t exactly dating!  Then again, perhaps they are, and this is said businessman’s way of finding out what’s going on within. Either way, it almost surely points towards manipulation, coercion, bribery, and/or blackmail.

Aims: This city and its justice system are not for sale! I want surveillance and some answers, so feel free to find this young woman and lean on her a little. We need to know what this corporate bigwig has been asking of her so we can know what to do with him. If there’s a relationship between his office and the DA’s, we need to sever it immediately.

Assignments: Judgement, I can think of no one better to head this one up. And since Veiled Tsunami shares your passion for justice and anti-corruption, I would like her to accompany you. Let these people know that we’re watching, and we won’t tolerate conspiracies of silence or

Alright! We’ve got our assignments, now let’s get it done. And remember people, be careful out there 😉

Calling All Revengers! Join Me!

It is time to make our presence felt! The inner city calls out for justice, its people cocooning in their homes, afraid to walk the streets, the schools libraries and halfway houses rotting from neglect. The police are corrupt, indifferent and ineffective, and so it is up to us to restore hope. This we can do, but it will take time, commitment, and plenty of dedication from each and every one of us. We need to start somewhere, but no single target exists.

Therefore, as your leader, Captain Smackdown, I am calling on all Revengers to take up the challenge and help reign in the evildoers who are out there! Find a pusher, a dealer, a pimp, or a cop on the take. Squeeze them for information, and don’t be afraid to lean on them hard. Threaten their very existence, if necessary. Beat them to within an inch of their life if need be. Just let them know that we are out there and we are taking no prisoners!

But at the same time, be sure to leave no stone unturned. There are plenty of sources in the inner city who are ready to talk. People see things, people hear things; all kinds of things. Men, women and children, prostitutes, users, and even honest cops know things. Things they would like to share, but might be too afraid to do so publicly. But they will talk to us. Between them and the evildoers who speak to save their wretched lives, we ought to learn plenty on how criminal networks work and who is up to what.

When you’ve learned something, report back so we can pool our information and find out just who’s in charge. We need to know just how deep the infection goes, and which people need to be excised so things can start to get better.

A storm is coming! It’s name… Revenge! Join me in making it happen!

The Revengers Take The Field!

So… now that we’ve got a justice league ready and in place, we need a mission. Some suggestions have been made, some preliminary ideas spit-balled, but we should have some kind of consensus before we move! So to break things succinctly, I’ve taken the liberty of compiling our possible super-hero missions into the following list:

  1. Fight Crime: It has been suggested, largely by me, Captain Smackdown, that we address the growing concern of crime and violence in the inner city. People are crying out for help, wanting an end to the cycles of gang violence, drug dealing, prostitution, and intimidation. The police are largely ineffective, due to indifference, disillusionment and the vagaries of the law which prevent them from doing what needs to be done. Witnesses do not testify, and those who agree to soon wind up dead. What’s more, efforts to gain the people’s trust are hampered by incidents of police brutality and corruption that make them turn a blind eye. But we, the Revengers, are a force apart. We can go where the law cannot, find the evil-doers and bring them to justice! What’s more, we are incorruptible and cannot be bought! So we shall find the pimps, pushers, crime bosses and dirty cops, and make them all pay!
  2. Fight Criminal-Networks: This plan is a little more grandiose than taking down the scum in the inner city. For alas, all criminals and crime bosses are able to do what they do because of a large network that supports, funds and equips their activities. Drugs are being shipping in from around the country and abroad, drug labs operate all around town, and guns and explosives are brought in with the help of arms smugglers. At the top of these networks lie the worst kinds of criminal, the well-dressed, well-spoken sociopaths who make millions off of the suffering and deaths of others. They think themselves untouchable, but we will show them just how vulnerable they truly are!
  3. Fight Corruption: City Hall is a morass of decay and abuse of power. The Mayor is largely impotent, the Police Commissioner struggles to do his job, and much the elected representatives and appointees are on the take. We need to send a message and to do it now! Take down the bastards who have been getting richer off of a city in peril and make sure that all know that the people’s representatives are not for sale! What’s more, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that those in power are there because of voter fraud, smear campaigns, graft, cronyism and campaigns of intimidation. Ferreting out the individuals responsible and busting up their network of influence is paramount to straightening this city out!
  4. Fight Villains: As Police Commissions Jim Gordon once said: “What about escalation?” The presence of superheroes in the city prompts criminals to reach out to private “specialists” who, like us, are in the habit of concealing their identities and not playing but the usual rules. Their methods are unorthodox, and their aims rather grandiose, but they are very dangerous nonetheless! And unlike the criminal scum that hire them, they are not concerned with things like money. For them, it’s all about power, fear, and watching the world they so richly hate burn! And therefore, they must be stopped before they can make their maniacal visions a reality.

Well, that’s my list of ideas. Got any more, feel free to add them. But then again, after grouping the possibilities like this, we might consider tackling the problems of our beloved city and our world in this precise order. Let’s start small, work our way up to the big fish, take out the enemies within, and then be forced to confront the arch-nemeses that will make us question the very nature of what we do. Perhaps I’ve internalized all these superhero movies and comic books and outlined our group’s ongoing agenda without even knowing it 😉

The Revengers Are Complete!

Alright! At long last, the Revengers are complete. All thirteen members are registered and accounted for, and so we area ready to start battling crime and corruption in the big city! Yes, I know… twelve isn’t exactly a round number, but unless the makers of Craps have lied to me, its lucky! So without further delay, here is the remainder of the Revengers starting lineup. Behold!

Dark Angel:
Alter Ego: Nina Dee – Publisher, attempting to claw her way to the top. (plus part-time barista at the local Cuppa’ coffee house)
Abilities: Mad Fighting Skills; Ability to Fly; Regeneration
Appearance: Black wings, bustier, skin-tight pants, elbow-long gloves, long blonde hair, clawed fingers and feet, and a bamboo staff
Backstory: Nina was living abroad in Tokyo when she became involved with a Yakuza arms dealer. Unaware of the deeds committed by this man, she was blinded to the wrong doing taking place around her. Until one day, when she realized a mass killing had been carried out using weapons he was shipping. When she confronted him about it, he shot her and left her in a shallow grave. While lying there, she experienced an overwhelming sense of rage, and the souls of the children reaching out to her. A horrific metamorphosis took place that not only saved her life, but transformed her mind, her body, and her soul for a single purpose – Revenge. Rising from her grave a new and malformed creature, Nina vowed to never allow the innocent to suffer at the hands of the greedy and uncaring again, and to never touch a weapon forged by the hand of man.
Catchphrase: “You’ll pray to this Angel, but the only thing I’ll save you from is your next breath!”

Freedom Fighter:
Alter ego: Carolyn Page, lover of man, beast and the epic discovery of joy.
Appearance: Blue, red and gunmetal grey ensemble with a hint of feathers, ribbons, brooch insignia, powder gray ankle flight controls, fiery sword.
Abilities: Ability to Fly, Mad Fighting Skills, Super Strength
Backstory: Page emerged from the wilderness back in June 1765 and has remained a force for joy and justice ever since. Her immortality is as mysterious as she is, as is the origin of her signature move, the high kick. To those seeking to know her past and why she fights injustice and hate with as much verve and dedication as she does, there remains only her bright smile and her enduring motto…
Catchphrase: “Freedom Fighter Flies for Freedom..!”

Pax:
Alter Ego: Lance Schubert, non-violent activist, writer
Appearance: High-tech suit, form fitting and temperature sensitive. In extreme heat, turns white, in cold, black.
Abilities: Teleportation, Healing, Elasticity
Backstory: Lance woke up one day in the hospital, the sole survivor of a collapsed California high-rise. Everyone he knew or cared for died in the fall, but his new abilities gave him a sense of purpose. And so he headed east and things started happening to his body. In addition to being able to go from one place to the next without moving, he could bend his body in ways that no human body could, and heal instantly when hurt. With his newfound abilities, his non-violent activism found new expression, as a means of stopping evil-doers without inflicting harm.
Catchphrase: “I will ease the pain.”

Calling All Revengers!

Hello to all members and all applicants! As I’m sure you’re all aware by now, the Revengers have come together and been declared an official force for justice and crime fighting. However, we still await the paperwork of a few standouts, people who have yet to fill out their bio work, submit photos, and provide other details. I hate to name names, but we’re all anxious to begin fighting crime and doing good in the community. And we’d hate to do it without a full compliment.

So, the following people need to submit the following info to HR forthwith:

Joaco (aka. Joaquin Barroso) – backstory and catchphrase

Pax (aka. Lance Schaubert) – backstory and catchphrase

Typos (aka. Greentree) – Alter ego, backstory, appearance, catchphrase

And please note that pictures are not a problem. Just let me know what you’re costume is and I can design a profile pic for you. Or, if you want to do it yourself, just follow this link and tinker til you like what you see: http://marvel.com/games/play/31/create_your_own_superhero

Looking forward to hearing from you and completing our justice team! Soon, we should choose our first mission. My colleague, Veiled Tsunami and I were talking, and we figured our first mission should be to take down this cities drug peddlers. However, the floor is open to suggestions. We could always do something socially conscious, like clamp down on polluters, political corruption, or even take down a mass murderer! We’re the Revengers, we can do anything so long as its (technically) within the law and reason… sort of.

The Revengers Starting Lineup!

Happy Halloween everybody! In honor of this momentous occasion, I have decided to release the starting lineup of the Revengers! And here they are, a new superhero team to save the day, and with none of that sissy Avenger stuff neither! No, these are the Revengers! A dark justice league for the new era, taking on the scum and villainy of the world, and doing it Revenger-style!

Atrum Auditor:
Alter ego: Kevin Roussy, beer advocate
Appearance: Black slacks, black button down long sleeve shirt, combat boots, utility belt.
Abilities: Telepathy, Teleportation, Precognition
Backstory: Atrum Auditor was the product of a corporate warlord’s mistress and genetic manipulation. He was raised in secret to be a master at corporate espionage, but defied his father to go rogue and began using his powers for justice instead of peersonal gain. Now, he seeks the world secrets, releasing government and trade information to the public in order to manipulate public perceptions. To what ends, no one really knows for sure… All they know is, if it’s a secret, it won’t be for long!
Catchphrase: “No More Secrets”

Bonfire:
Alter ego:  Victor, movie critic
Appearance: Black and grey skin-tight top, red pants, grey and balck mask. Nuclear emblem on the chest, golden cuffs and flaming hands.
Abilities: Fire control, Telekineses, Healing
Backstory: As a teenager, Victor I was identified by a Corporation as a Level 5 mutant. They sent men to his home to abduct him, and during the course of the abduction a Superhero came to interrupt their plan. In the ensuing battle, Victors home was destroyed and his brother paralyzed. The Superhero’s code of conduct prevented him from killing the principle leader of the group before he injured Victor’s brother, and then as the police were taking him away he was able to escape and killed my mother. From that moment on I vowed revenge against that man and the Corporation, but knew I could never be entirely on the side of the angels. Because in the end, I planned to murder the man who destroyed my family.
Catchphrase: “It’s your time to burn!”

Captain Smackdown:
Alter ego: Matt Williams, mild mannered educator/writer
Appearance: Molded armor suit, dark gunmetal grey, fist logo on the chest, utility belt with tons of guns, smoke grenades, incendiaries, and assorted gadgets. Cigar in mouth, eye patch over one eye. Expressions range from shit-eating grin to a scowl
Abilities: Mad Fighting Skills, Gadgets, Guns
Backstory: Once an educator with inner city youths and part-time writer, Matt was traumatized when a student of his was murdered in front of him and he was left mortally wounded. Saddened, angry and broken, he joined a private security firm and learned the art of weapons and tactics, but soon became disillusioned with their methods. Realizing that the world was full of evil and that the line between right and wrong was something one could easily find themselves on the wrong side of, he began trekking across the world, learning martial arts and philosophy in East Asia before returning home to fight crime on his own. After many years of battling scum and criminals in the streets, he rose to become head of a new order for fighting evil wherever it reared its ugly head. The Revengers!
Catchphrase: “Here comes the Smackdown!”

Erotica Girl:
Alter ego: Casey Sheridan, bookish, shy librarian
Appearance: Black and purple skintight suit, zipper in the front leading up to partially exposed cleavage. Mask, half black and half purple, thigh-high black leather boots.
Abilities: Invisibility, Mad fighting skills, Super strength
Backstory: Casey was given a formula by a Crime Kingpin, a man who, before becoming a Crime Kingpin, worked in a lab for a company that developed organic weapons for the government. After his lab partner caused an accident and left him for dead, Mr. Kingpin declared vendetta against him and developed a formula to change his lab partner’s girlfriend (Casey) into a super villain. Since she was super hot and erotic, he gave her the name Erotica Girl
Catchphrase: “Feel the love!”

Judgement:
Alter ego: Rami Ungar, student and freelance writer
Appearance: Long white hair, black skin with gold designs, yellow-orange eyes, super-sharp teeth. A pair of pants that somehow survive the transformation
Abilities: Absorb Energy, Energy Blasts, Telekinesis
Backstory: One day, he fell in love with a girl whose father was a police investigator. Her father got too close to something that involved an unknown corporation working with a terrorist group. He was murdered for his troubles and his daughter left disabled. He took her in and tends to her as his alter ego. But as Judgement, he fights corruption within the corporations, government, and anywhere else he sees it going unchecked.
Catchphrase: “Feel my wrath!”

Styka:
Alter ego: Kristy Halseth,
Appearance: Jeans, Tank top, Leather jacket, Doc Martins.
Abilities: Flying, Invisibility, Telepathy
Backstory: While browsing a fine jewelry store, Kristy witnessed an armed robbery that went horribly wrong. During the commission of the robbery, the criminals caused an explosion that killed half their crew and the store. Taken as a hostage by the part of the crew that managed to escape, they took out their anger and frustration on Kristy and left for dead. When she woke up in hospital, she realized she could read minds, avoid detection, and even levitate and fly about. In her search for the the people who nearly killed her, Styka discovered that one of the city’s crime bosses had been responsible for the robbery. His orders were to kill the hostages but the robbers were as incompetent at that as they were at following the plan he had ordered. Her vendetta against her attackers became a vendetta against his as well.
Catchphrase: “Justice is on the way!”

Panacea:
Alter ego: Phyllis Moore, mild-mannered fantasy-fiction writer
Appearance: Indestructible close-fitting fiber suit, toga skirt, and a concealing mask. When Panacea, her air changes from blonde to burgundy
Abilities: Flying, Acrobatics, Healing
Backstory: Phyllis was on vacation in India when a terrorist attack blew up a nearby chemical factory. She wasn’t close enough to be killed, but was exposed to the chemical traces picked up by the winds as she fled. She leapt over obstacles, climbed up walls, and ran across rooftops. It first, she thought her abilities came from years of yoga and marathon races, but as she ran faster, she noticed that she could even fly. After everything had settled, she returned to see the horror of the wounded and dying and became furious. But instead of retaliating against those who committed such acts of terror, she decided to undo their hate by healing the wounded and loving them back to health.
Catchphrase: “Stop the hate!”

The Veiled Tsunami:
Alter ego: Hawa Ali, mild-mannered nurse
Appearance: Chocolate brown leather duster over Black jeans, black T, and a black hijab. Black combat boots and black shades of well.
Abilities: Alien Technology, Super Smarts, Telepathy
Backstory: Hawa grew up in New Haven Connecticut, two blocks from Yale University. She never knew her mother, but her father was a university professor and scientist named Dr. Eesa Ben Ali. His work in human mutagenics was quite controversial, due in part to the fact that Dr. Ali shared a name with another man on the NSA’s terror watch list. He was on the cusp of creating a substance that would successfully, and without adverse effects, create the first human with super capabilities. Unfortunately, his work was cut short when a disgruntled student – Calvin Cur – broke into his lab and tried to take him prisoner. When his daughter interfered, Cur shot her and sent her falling into some of her father’s lab equipment. The serum spilled on her and ran into her wound, and Cur shot her father shortly thereafter and fled. Hawa was changed, and from that point onward, was known as the Veiled Tsunami, seeking out injustice and looking to avenge her fathers death, all the while trying to unlock the mystery of what she has become. For it is rumored that her father’s serum contained alien blood that was retrieved by the government, and remains kept in some secret facility somewhere…
Catchphrase: “You won’t see me coming but I will blow you down.”

FYI, still waiting on key details from Freedom Fighter, Joaco, Pax and Typos. If you want to join, you gotta file the requisite paperwork. I guess that doesn’t sound too superhero-y. But hey, you wanna play in the big leagues, you gotta pay the big dues! Happy Halloween Everybody!

Calling All Superheroes!

Attention to all those who signed up to become part of the New New Justice League/The Revengers. I am still waiting on some people to complete their bios and their profiles before I can complete our superhero registration form. Yes, they make you fill these out if you want to fight crime or commit them, it’s like a union thing or something. We don’t want to be scabs now do we? If we don’t register soon, they’ll blackball us from all the parties and we won’t be notifications for important seminars, webinars and retreats.

So… please submit your paperwork to HR in a timely manner so I can get out squad up and running.

Okay, seriously though, this is actually been pretty cool! People have come forward to create superhero identities which I think might actually work, and I wouldn’t mind putting them all together and seeing if we can’t create a serial from this or something. Sure, many of our characters are all slightly comedic and satirical, but that’s okay. People like a good comedic rip-off of their old favorites! So to commit to this enterprise which I started as a sort of goof, I am hoping people can finish their characters by making sure they’ve taken the Superhero Challenge parts two and three. If not, I shall be forced to pencil in your details, and I will not be gentle! I will be cliched, humorous, and even a bit tongue-in-cheek.

And I should also mention that in the spirit of things, I have created my own character. Captain Smacdown is his name! Here are his specs, as they will appear in the final installment of our Superhero Challenge, once all characters are registered and complete:

Captain Smackdown

Alter ego: Matt Williams, mild mannered educator/writer/blogger
Appearance: Molded armor suit, dark gunmetal grey, fist logo on the chest, utility belt with tons of guns, smoke grenades, incendiaries, and assorted cool gadgets. Cigar in mouth, scarred cheek, eye patch over one eye. Expressions range from shit-eating grin to a scowl.
Abilities: Mad Fighting Skills, Guns, Gadgets
Backstory: Once an educator with inner city youths and part-time writer, Matt was traumatized when a student of his was murdered in front of him and he was left mortally wounded. Saddened, angry and broken, he joined a private security firm and learned the art of weapons and tactics, but soon became disillusioned with their methods. Realizing that the world was full of evil and that the line between right and wrong was something one could easily find themselves on the wrong side of, he began trekking across the world, learning martial arts and philosophy in East Asia before returning home to fight crime on his own. After many years of battling scum and criminals in the streets, he rose to become head of a new order for fighting evil wherever it reared its ugly head. The New New Justice League/Revengers!
Catchphrase: “Here comes the Smackdown!”