2013.08.18 - What Makes A Hero

The day is just now turning to dusk, though a big argument has been going on for about forty-five minutes now outside of a warehouse turned restaurant. An power lines truck backed up into the warehouse and knocked one of the walls partially down. The place moved everyone to the other end of the restaurant as one area is club-like and the other side is more like shared dining. The people are in the shared dining area right now. The cops are likely taking their time in arriving too, along with the fire company.

The fact they did not evacuate immediately is very bad, but the place did not want to lose the money. No inspections yet, so no one knew of the issue with the wiring that was damaged due to the drive-in. The smoke wasn't even really noticeable when it began, and then it began to burn, and the high glossy wood inside the club-like area is quick to catch.

In reality, Leo should not be out and about right now, least not the way he is. He wears casual, but stylish clothes, the clubbing type though his normal over shirt is replaced with a black hoodie. He restrains himself from flying and instead is just running across roof tops, taking impossible leaps before landing on his Gucci booted feet quietly. A very richly dressed freerunner to say the least.

Captain America is riding through the city on his motorcycle. His shield is tucked in front where it can offer some protection, but low enough that he can see over it. He turns a corner coming towards the docks thinking to do a once through as he tries to relearn a lot of his city once more. As he moves through the area, he slows down at a stop sign and then pauses. He can smell smoke. He glances around him until he sees the tell tale glow in the darkening sky. He revs the bike back up and is quickly heading towards the scene, radioing in that a fire is starting down at the docks.

People are starting to panic, but often the smoke is just a warning sign, and the fire is already spreading fast. Most of the people in the dining area got out, but...a lot of the help staff in the back were still trapped. The police are at least responding to Captain America, and get the address, promising immediately response to a fire. Fires in the city, can be deadly to say the least.

Leo is pausing on top of a roof, watching the flames lick the building. Something...bugs him about it. He finally shakes his head however, and seems about to turn away until his head tilts a bit. Coughing, crying...something heavy and metal falling to the ground. Leo winces. He has never heard sounds like this before, usually blocking out external sources to a point so he doesn't get overwhelmed. He waivers, finally moving to leap down into an alleyway, before he darts across the road.

As Captain America races toward the building, he can see a dark clothed figure in faded blue jeans suddenly dart across the road not that far ahead of him toward the building, moving past the crowd of people growing in front of the building, toward the narrow alleyway between the buildings on the non-burning side. Not a normal action for someone 'sane'.

Captain America pulls up and is off his back quickly. The shield immediately goes to his arm even as he heads towards the cops and firemen that had been there for the initial accident. "Gentlemen, we have a situation quickly mounting. What can you tell me about what is inside?" He nods as he hears about the waitstaff inside. "I have called the situation in so we should be getting back up now. I'm going in to get those people out of there. See to the injured out here and set up a line to keep the rubberneckers from getting to close to the smoke." Before the police or firemen can argue or even hand him an air mask, Cap is heading into the building. He crouches low to keep under as much smoke as he can. He had spotted the figure, but then, there are always those sort of figures in the city these days. The trick will be if he is friend or foe. "Hello!" he calls out over the growing noise of the building fire. "I'm here to help!" Cap makes his way deeper into the building heading for the back and the people that are supposed to be there.

There are sounds in the back, cries of help. "Help! There is a beam!" And Cap will find it blocking the door in the back to the staff area. While Captain America went into the front, Leo went to the back.

Leo studies the situation. A large introduction of oxygen could make the fire worse, so something small would be best. He avoids the wall and anything overly dramatic, as that would make the situation worse anyway. He tests the back door, locked. But then with a firm tug, the back metal door is suddenly ripped off its hinges. Captain America can likely hear the sound clearly even over the crackle of the fire and crumble of the wooden building about him as the already structurally compromised building starts to fall.

If Captain America feels the door, he may notice some heat, but opening it is...not possible for normal means, it will require a type of force as a beam is blocking its lower section and it opens inward.

"I hear you. Help is here. Wet some towels, put them over your face, and get low." Captain America calls through the door. He reaches out and runs a gloved hand along the closed door. He can feel some heat and thumps on the door to find just where the beam starts. He nods slightly to himself and then swings his shield at the higher part of the door. Between the growing heat and the unyielding nature of the shield, he begins to break through the upper half of the door. Soon there is room enough for him to squeeze through the door and get to the other side over the beam. He is hit by the smoke and is coughing violently as he clears the door and gets as low as he can, searching for the trapped people, and to get his lungs some air that is as clean as possible.

The people are wetting some hand towels and holding them up to their faces. Three women, four men...all wearing cook uniforms. This was the kitchen, and it is a mess as some of the beams have fallen down - some were just decorative, but are still very dangerous obviously. The smoke is heavy here and filling almost half the room. There is a crash behind Captain America as some of the actual support beams fall down.

That is just part of his visual though. To the left of him is a beam with fire on it, and a figure wearing a black hoodie and faded jeans. Smoke seems to be escaping a back door beyond the beam. The young man pauses at the visual of Captain America, as if he might...have been caught doing something 'bad'. But whatever caused him to pause in the moment, he shakes it off. He shifts his voice, causing it to sound slightly unnaturally deep for someone as young as him, "I can move the beam, but I can't do that and get the people out. Your exit out front is long, and currently blocked as well." His tone is calm and logical sounding, not panicked. There are no comforting words for those on the floor.

Coughing and crying, "Help us," a woman wheezes through a wet towel, as the man that was wetting them crumbles to the crowd gasping as another person hands him his wet towel and rises to wet the last wet towel...one per person now. Well, they a panicked, but some of them are caring for the others still. Good to see the human spirit in tact.

Captain America moves quickly towards the cooks and checks the person that just fell. Airways are clear, and being on the ground will actually help a little, but got to get him out of there. His blue eyes check each of the others. "I'm here to help. Everyone get a grip on each other. The smoke is going to get worse and we don't want to lose anyone." He makes eye contact with each of them, holding his gaze for a beat, before moving to look at the next. "I'm getting all of you out of here. I promise. I don't leave until all of you are safe." His voice is steady and strong despite the growing fire around them.

After dealing with the cooks, he turns to regard the mysterious person standing there. His posture is guarded and tense with his shield held up slightly in case of attack. "If you can move that beam, I'll guide the people out. Who are you though?"

A quiet moment, then a, "I'm not allowed to say yet. I promised to keep myself secret for now." But apparently...it's only for a limited of time. But the figure then moves, and who knows if Captain America would even notice the expensive boots the young man wears or if he would see importance in it. But he slips down low, wedging an arm beneath the beam. He starts to push, moving it upward, but it slips a bit. The young man curses beneath his breath. He...can't hold back. That hesistation again.

The young man doesn't turn his back though, he just starts to lift again, this time the beam moving in an even manner rather than a 'lifted' manner (one side higher than the other). There isn't really a place to safely 'throw' the beam, so the young man takes a deep breath when his head is still low enough to get some 'fresh air', and then lifts it high. His upper body is completely crowded in moving dark grey smoke as the ripped off back door is only airing it out so much. Still, it gives a full escape path, you only have to 'duck'. Still, the fire crackles overhead, still spreading dangerous.

Fire engines can be heard out front as hoses are being hooked up and emergency response teams are scrambling to wet down the nearby buildings to prevent the spread of the fire.

"Alright. Lets move it, people." Captain America starts getting the cooks moving. He gets the first one up and as each goes by is making sure they are holding on to each other. He catches hold of the last one and moves his way up the line so he can get to the front and lead them out. They duck beneath the lifted beam and quickly they are heading outside. He counts each one as they leave to make sure all made it. Even as the last one is out, he turns and heads back into the fire. One, to see if the mysterious man is still there, and two, to make sure there is no one left. As he heads back into the kitchen, a prep table made of a massive butchers' block suddenly cracks as it lights up and falls, striking at the gas line leading into the fryers. Captain America has a moment to yell, "Explosion!" hopefully loud enough that the good Samaritan will here him just before he gets the shield up in front of him. As gas hits the fire, there is a loud BOOM! The force is like a giant hitting him with a massive pillow. Cap goes flying backwards. He caught most of the force on the shield, but it was strong enough still to lift him off his feet. He is thrown into a reach in fridge ten feet behind him and still dents the door with the impact.

Leo keeps track of them as well, blinking his eyes so they moisten and heal more rapidly. The smoke...hurts, but the damage heals quickly. Still, once everyone is out, Leo is putting the beam back into place. Just as Captain America makes his yell, Leo is realizing what is happening. He is...gone.

Well, at least until Captain America is looking around and then he sees the young man, rolling about, patting out the fire on his clothes which now has holes on him - and yes, he is suddenly behind and a bit to the side of Captain America - and looking...alright. Well, if you count the loud curse, and a, "My boots!" They are....mostly melted and he moves to get them off his feet which...socks are ruined, and he pulls them off, throwing them down in a bit of a fit...but he is very perfectly fine if he can display that little fit over his very expensive boots.

"Sorry about the boots, son," Cap says as he slowly gets up from the impact with the fridge. "Those things melt like butter in a fire." The heat is making Cap squint his eyes now as he looks around. The fire is raging after the explosion. It has cut off the way back that Cap had lead the trapped people out. "Is there anyone else in here that you have seen?" His eyes notice the lack of harm on the young man's body. So he is a tank. Good. See if he can help look into places that Cap can't get into right now. "We need to do one more sweep before we can't be in here any longer."

There is a stiffness to Leo's demeanor suddenly at the word 'son'. Bits of blonde hair is sticking out right now from the 'holey' hood. Smoke covers just how golden it is though. "Ya...let's just try to keep me from getting indecently exposed while doing it." He forgot to deepen his voice as much, teenage sarcasm coming out. But he then lowers himself down and squints as he looks about. He then points, "You will have to move fast, the fresh oxygen will likely make this place burn faster than a match stick. But I can make an exit through the wall there." He will try to keep it as small as possible to still permit Captain America through. "That wall has collapsed the least so would be most stable, but no promises," he warns. Thus the warning to be fast. "Firefighters aren't trying to save the building really, just trying to save the buildings beside it right now." His throat feels bit a raw right now, and it at least edges his words from their natural sound.

"Agreed," Cap nods with Leo's assessment about not saving the building. It is way too far gone to try and pull it back now. "We go hard and fast. One good hard look to make sure no one else is here, and then we get out before we burn up." He follows as Leo moves to break through the wall. His shield is held over his head to deflect any falling debris as they go into the wall. "Is anyone else in here?" he calls out as loudly as he can over the roaring flames. He tries to be loud, but the dancing crackles pull the wind and breath from him as quickly as he calls out to find anyone.

"No one alive, but I didn't see any bodies either." A logical answer, without any real emotional inflection in Leo's voice, but perhaps Cap can take some assurance from it. He studies the wall, eyes scanning it. He worries about...over doing it, and then not doing enough. His TTK to spread his force out is going to be his best bet though. This...isn't like the programs, this was 'real'.

Leo's bare fingers twitch, but he finally reaches out to touch the wall and...seems to concentrate. Cracks start to appear as he sends out short vibrations to spread out the force to start creating a 'door sized' hole that is not perfectly shaped however. Sweat is dripping down his face, though only part of a cheek is visiable. It isn't the heat, it is the sheer concentration to restrain his powers. "Got it...I'm going to push it out. Run as soon as it breaks." He doesn't think to give assurance to Captain America that he would be fine, the thought never even crosses his mind.

Still, how many can say they have seen a Luthor 'tone it down' to 'avoid notice' and 'lessen property damage'? Well, Captain America gets to see it first. Suddenly, the cracked edges start to reveal lightly and the pieces of the way explode outward. A rush of oxygen and fresh air comes in, just as the fire starts to rush toward the "barely enough room to move without melting" section that Captain America and Leo are at.

Captain America steps forward as the 'door' opens. The shield is held in front of him. The back-draft rushes forward with a blast of fire, but Cap is able to deflect it off of his shield. After the blast, he moves through quickly scanning around him. They have gotten into the front of the house and near a waitress station. No one is there and plenty of evidence of quick exits as well as the fire just eating the fresh varnish off of the paneled wood on the floor and table tops. The smell is awful and worse than it was in the kitchen. Cap uses his free hand to cover his nose and mouth except to call out for anyone alive. He moves quickly doing a through search as he can.

Leo moves from the other room with super speed once Captain America is out, patting more fire out on him. "Son of a...," what language! Still, he scowls when Captain America keeps calling out. The fire is spreading very fast now, though with another crash as more roofing caves down, there is...night sky? Leo apparently has had enough.

Leo moves over to Captain America and grabs your arm, "There is just us! I have super hearing. Don't freak, hold your breath." And then when Leo moves, he has a hand under each of Captain America's arms and leaps. He goes straight up, in a...powerful jump or 'flight'. He isn't about to burn any further that he will embarrass the Luthor name, so Cap is just going to have to leave with him.

Captain America will feel the rush of heat and air, the press of the heavy smoke and then...the smoke thins, the heat lessens, and then the scenery 'tilts', before he finds himself gentle set down about five buildings down from the fire, almost the end of the block - on the roof. Leo lands behind the Cap and steps back, "You really are crazy. You aren't fireproof or smoke proof." He doesn't know if he should be impressed or shocked by the sheer insanity the man just displayed before him. And the guy revealed himself even more powerful than he let on inside the building.

Captain America is quiet during the flight out and then the landing. "Doesn't matter. We had to make sure no one else was in there. We were the only ones able to do it. No one else would have gotten there in time." He studies Luthor for a few moments. "Putting on a costume, picking up a shield, flight, crashing through walls. These things don't make us heroes. It is how we protect others that does that. Our actions speak louder than any grand speech."

"But a dead hero, is just a memory Captain America," seeming to know who you are. "A living one can fight another day. There are bigger battles out there than just a burning building. You did a good deed, but I swear to you, no one living was left behind, and I saw no dead."

Leo starts to step back, but pauses, "Can...you not really mention to anyone I was there? It would be...appreciated. I'd owe you," the voice says. Blonde hair, though sooty right now. Dirty clothes, bare feet, the holes show soot covered flesh, but unmarred by burns. He looks...uncomfortable a bit, and watchful. Thankfully it is dark, because the hood isn't shadowing much with a chunk of it burnt away.

"There will always be more heroes. There will be another Captain America." He looks back towards the building and gestures towards the fire fighters tending to the rescued and making sure the fire didn't spread. "Look right there. Heroes." He looks back towards Leo. "We owe it to the people to do everything we can. We run, swim, fight, do with everything without holding back." He offers a small smile. "It is the least we can do." He regards the young man and the spotty outfit now and then nods. "Of course. You wish to remain anonymous. I can respect that. Thank you for the help, young man."

Leo shoves hands into his jean pockets, though there are holes in them, he doesn't complain. "Ya, got to respect a parent's wish. In time, it will change, hopefully soon." The young man doesn't seem to sound too fond of the requirement for patience. "I thought it better to keep a low profile, and a big show would have just brought the building down faster anyway." A practical answer yet again. Still, "I like cops more for some reason," when he points toward the fire fighters. And perhaps the wicked grin will be missed in the growing darkness even with the artificial illumination from street lamps. "Maybe it's the handcuffs." Alright, he's teasing now.

Still, Leo says, "I'll think on your words though, carefully," his tone more serious this time. "And I will pay you back, somehow." And Captain America may realize later just who he had in his 'debt', and all he had to do was be 'nice'.

"I understand. Stay safe, and I am sure we will run into each other again." Captain America reaches into one of the small pouches along his belt and pulls out what looks like a business card. "This is my Hotline. It is run by volunteers, but helps me get where I am needed as fast as possible." He offers the card over to Leo. "If I don't respond, others like me will get the message."

Leo moves forward to accept the card curiously. His are burnt up anyway, even if he wasn't keeping his identity a secret. He studies it, memorizing it, and nods. He then pauses, reaches for his phone and checks the casing before he winces. Not looking good. "Ah...man...going to get scolded." He busted what looks like a very complicated and expensive phone. But he finally says, "Umm...thanks." He thinks that is the proper term here. "I'll likely see you again soon." And then he is gone, just a brief rush of wind, and...gone.