2014.01.29 - Bagging the Bagman

Metropolis: O 13 Hundred Hours : Financial District last reported location of target Victor. Enemy contact established: Target is unknown mutant, documented information classified or incomplete. Reported teleporter and unknown energy property manipulator. Proceed with caution. Orders avoid if forced to engage... capture.

"Avoid? Fuck that. We're not out here to sight see." A voice cuts through the static distorted transmitter of one of the agents.

"Didn't catch that. Say again, over."

"Fuck that and fuck this status. I'll over your face. I want some action." The young blonde woman is visible to the watcher through a scope, the red lens shifts colors hopping through visible frequencies until stopping once more on a standard setting with a sepia color; the zoom enhancing so Illyana Rasputina's face is visible, "Mm, you're a pretty little doll aren't you." Dry lips are licked as a finger hovers over a trigger, "Detain... tch, no fun."

"You are falling off of mission parameters. We are here to survey only. Do not engage, over." The disembodied voice of another agent rings through the sniper's headset.

"I said fuck you, over and out." Enough of this. It's time for some fun and his target is in sight, an exhale and the man waits until his cybernetics take over his lungs ceasing function as his body goes perfectly still even his optics are replaced by advanced systems as he can now hear the mutants heartbeat, her voice and he swears her thoughts or that's just his own insane imagination compensating for the lack of noise beyond the din of traffic and the occasional gust of wind. "Time to play my pretty doll."

Street Level: "Illyana, you are being watched. I have detected several foreign signatures not commonly in our 'neck of the woods" Void seems to struggle using the phrasing as if she is testing out how it sounds coming out of her. "As you know this entire district is webbed in our surveillance systems. I have been monitoring it more frequently due to an unusual amount of traffic the past month." By unusual she means alien technology that is advanced enough it draws concern. "It was infrequent and only a curiosity until now. It would seem there are several such signatures nearby and I believe one of them is locking some form of targeting array on you as we speak. Perhaps you should return to the Tower today." No morning walk for you.

It's 40 degrees and overcast in The City today, and Illyana has conceded to the weather by putting on a pea coat over her business-style attire that she wears to blend in as a Halo employee. It's certainly a far cry from her preferred black on black with lots of leather.

Hearing Void's voice come over the comms, she gives a slight tilt of her head as she listens, ice blue eyes flicking up and sweeping as the meat of Void's message comes across through the rest of the detritus. As the assessment is upgraded from 'watched' to 'targeted', the blonde doesn't dwell on who might see the flare of her powers. She opens a stepping disk right above her head and pulls it down so it swallows her fast enough to make it seem like she's blinked out. A heartbeat later she appears on top of one of the building she'd been standing at the base of in her white-cloaked costume.

"Next time, lead with 'duck' or something would you?" Illyana complains to the AI. "Where's my watcher?" Her tone has an edge to it that's not normally there. She's used to magic and demons. Someone targeting her means some kind of gun. Something she's not so great at dealing with. She doesn't bounce bullets like a certain Kryptonian.

The orange flare up of energy touches down where Illyana /was/ scorching cement and bouncing up off the ground around where it had touched down small bits of what was snow has turned to glass the beam hits ground ricochets up like an L and fires off in to the City sky. Still going.

"I am unsure. It would seem your attacker is masking their presence somehow. This technology... A moment." Absolute silence as Void goes in to think mode. "You can of course follow the trajectory while I try to give you a more accurate reading." Void's voice continues on in an almost condescending tone or perhaps it's just due to her wording, "270 meters east of your location. Do you require assistance? You are near enough to the Towers I can send a security patrol or one of your team members."

"I told you not to fire, Triggerman. You're in direct violation of my orders and you just blew our cover." A chiding voice growls at the cybernetic sniper.

"And I said fuck you. Bitch teleports fast, how did she know I was here?"

"Unsure but you need to get out of there before you jeopardize the whole mission more than you have. Don't make the rest of us come clean up your mess. You won't like the outcome."

"Stuff it. I got this." Unaware Illyana is still anywhere in proximity the man kneels down drawing his worn poncho like covering over his shoulder and begins dismantling the energy rifle he just used, breaking it down with an experts quickness. "Bitch is probably back in their tower anyways. Bet she pissed herself."

"Sorry, I was a bit busy getting out of the way to see what was headed my way." Illyana replies back to Void, her sarcasm definitely on purpose. Blue eyes narrow as she gets a look at what happened where she *was* standing. "What in Hades...?" That certainly wasn't a normal bullet! "Security patrol? Please." She should call for help. She really should. But that's not really in her nature and Void knows that. One of the demon queen's flaws. Hubris. "And I hate it when you use meters." Illyana mutters as she summons another stepping disk to teleport her east at Void's direction.

"They're enroute." Void informs her.

Triggerman is actually humming Jingle Bells to himself when Illyana appears near his location, soundless as she is the man still looks up. "Fuck me, she is on me!" The disassembled rifle is tossed out of his hands and he is springing in to tumbling roll. Mid maneuver two blasters jump in to his palms and take aim on Illyana opening fire with both, blue and yellow white energy pops firing off in rapid succession. The rooftop suddenly looks like a combat scene out of Star Wars.

The man is fast enough that Illyana's bringing up a pair of portals in front of outstretched hands like shields before she can even get a word out to Void: "That wasn't a *request*!" She bites her tongue before she calls Void a Dumb Machine. Void has feelings. Kind of. Maybe. She thinks, anyway. The portals are linked, so what goes in one comes out the other to redirect the fire headed her way. Which just means twice the flashy!

"You know what I hate more than Holiday Cheer? People *shooting at me*." Magik informs the cyborg.

"Something you need to get used to. Word is your crew is about to have a lot of people shooting at them reeaaal soon." The metallic inflection in the man's voice announces his unusual origins. Behind those two blasters two more arms pop out, smaller ones at the ends of each is just more pistols. "They call me Triggerman sweet cheeks, what about you?"

Zzotzzotzzotzzot

More shots fire all of different colors. Even as she deflects them in all directions. Definite light show now.

Void's shimmery coated body materializes on a rooftop adjacent to Magik and her attacker, four men clad in Halo stylized security armor and weaponry leap out and take cover. Their voices suddenly queued in to the chatter of the comms, "Bravo team ready. We have your back, Miss Rasputina."

Elsewhere... A face turns towards a shadowy set up of cables and wiring, something dark lurking inside of it. The cables writhing and moving as the man speaks to whatever it is. "This situation just escalated. What do you suggest?" A pause. "Kill the humans. Capture the mutant."

As more fire is headed her way, Illyana's hands move, the portals moving with them. One is turned away and the other brought front-and-center as it grows in size to give her better cover and completely blocking her from vision. The other portal disappears while the mutant herself teleports away under cover of that original portal so she can teleport in behind of the shooter. "Me?" She waits for his head to come around before leading with her left fist. "They call me Magik." Getting in close, given that she doesn't have the physical talents of others on her team isn't the best idea. But damn if she doesn't do it every damned time. Not to mention she's gonna queer her backup's sightlines. "Tell me someone's got something to shut down this toaster."

The men issued to assist Illyana are well trained and highly capable yet they are only human. Not super soldier cyborgs like the man who they are currently facing. Thankfully their technology is on par with the attackers and their armored bodies absorb several rounds without destroying the men and women inside. Triggerman is proving to be nothing at all human in the sudden acrobatic display of movements he undergoes, his gunshots still firing off rapidly as he dodges Magik and her comrades assaults. Those portals causing even more confusion and casting the majority of Triggerman's shots in to harmless target missing discharges. "Magik, huh? Please please tell me that has something to do with your bedroom habits."

"Triggerman, stand down and retreat. You're a disgrace." The internal voice chides the cyborg again.

"Blow me." Is the clipped response, "I am just now having fun. What about you, Magik? You having fun?" The gunman's body doubles in on itself in a bizarre inhuman crunch that has all six limbs stretched around him making him look like a spider before he launches heavenward then spins like a top, shots firing in all directions a feminine cry escaping one of the armored Halo security experts as a blast cuts through her neck and out the other side. One down and Triggerman is still spinning like a top in the air spitting fire out like something out of the Fourth of July.

"Someone's a little too obsessed with something other than the damned fight." Magik replies, her tone edged in sharp annoyance as his superhuman reflexes allow him to easily evade her punch. "Void, he's in communication with someone." She says into her own comms as she figures he's not talking to himself. She duks down as another portal blossoms open to shield her from the rain of fire even as one of the Halo enforcers is cut down. "Get them out of here, or we're gonna end up with more bodies!" She yells. "In any of the team around?" Most people would call for the bigger guns *before* someone got hurt, let alone killed. Raising her voice to answer Triggerman, "You don't wanna see my idea of fun, squidboy!"

"You requested back up, Magik." Void reminds her. "These /are/ the men and women who were on hand."

"Get Rodriguez out of here." Commands one of the men as he motions the woman back who had fallen, another of the Halo SecForce members covering her neck and hauling her backwards. "We're not useless, ma'am. We have your back." The security head's pride obviously wounded as they maintain cover fire. Even as he speaks another SecForce member falls to their back clutching their hand, screaming as they've obviously lost all fingers but their thumb.

"Superboy is incoming. Do you require more aid?" The Entity asks before speaking further, "They seem to have a scrambling device that is keeping me from transporting the clone or others in. Very strange indeed; the technology is crude but effective, impressive almost. Spartan will be amused. I am aware there are others, however and have begun disrupting thier own communications. This one is cut off from his team."

"But I do. Stop hiding behind those whatever you call thems and come out here. Gimme a smooch." More taunting as the cyborg skitters across the ground firing, looking very reminiscent of a cockroach. "What the heck did you do? I can't reach my crew. That isn't fair at all."

"Sarcasm, Void! That was *sarcasm*!" Illyana grits her teeth, knowing she's going to go another round with SecForce. They already don't like her. Which hey, she's used to, but still. She'll work on smoothing feathers later. "And if I were retreating that would be great, but I want to know who sent this idiot!" Another flash and Illyana teleports herself to another location, looking to lure Triggerman further from the security team and keep him having to look for her. "Don't call him that!" Illyana says, tone still sharp as she calls out to Triggerman again, "Oh yeah, because you're just gonna stop shooting if I stroll on over."

"Yes. I recall Superboy dislikes being reminded of his particular origin. Halo SecForce members are being recalled." Void is no fool she understands what Magik is doing in trying to bait the Triggerman away from the remaining security troopers. "Your margin of survivability has just diminished greatly now that he is entirely focused on you once again. I suggest you stop toying with him and just destroy him. Superboy will not be here in another two minutes and forty three seconds. You unlike your opponent will tire."

"Aw where are your goons going? This means it is just you and me? I think I'm developing a crush. Come get some sweetness." Zzot zzot. More laser shots. The cyborg does at least ignore the retreating Halo personnel until that earlier command figure pops a shot off at the back of the Triggerman hitting him on one of the small arms causing it to snap off. A cry of pain explodes from Triggerman before he spins away from Magik and begins unleashing a salvo of fire at the Halo troopers. "Cocksucker!" Magik is now ignored.

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Void!" Magik yells back at the AI. Void isn't someone she can at all connect emotionally with, which means that she stays on the list of people Illyana really doesn't give a flying fig about. "Also, update your damned files. I can go all day long if I need to." Mostly because she can pop off to Limbo and take a break. But she's not going to mention that. Magik keeps moving, mostly to keep Triggerman's attention. Her cloak has some scorched holes in the edge where it trailed behind and didn't have the benefit of her portals as shield.

When the Bravo Team's commander takes that parting shot and grabs the bad guy's attention, she spits out a curse. They are SO gonna have words later. If he lives. Maybe even if he doesn't. As Triggerman unleashes a Lucian-worthy barrage Illyana's eyes flare to white light. "Hey! A girl likes to know she's got your attention!" Arms lift and a pair of portals open on each side of Triggerman, spilling out demons. Lots and lots of slavering, hungry demons.

"You're welcome." Void replies in a curt manner before Magik is met with absolute silence. The AI is either concentrating or busying itself with another task or simply doesn't have a retort perhaps she is even updating her files.

"Hold on to your panties little girl. I'll be with you in a minute--ARGH what the fuck are these!?" Lucian would look like a pea shooter right about now compared to the sudden onslaught of fire that spits out of Triggerman; blasts in all directions as the cyborg goes all Equilibrium Gun-Fu on some demons, marvelous to watch really; especially with those amped out reflexes and cybernetic targeting computers. This is one of those points in times mass numbers win out over sheer talent and badassery. Especially when those mass numbers include demons from Limbo and their rows of sharp teeth and pointy claws. Thrashing kicking and fighting is soon transpiring as the Hellish denizens of the otherworld begin to peel mechanical limbs from the shooter.

Above a crack boom is audible as the sound barrier pops again for the umpteenth time as Superboy accelerates in short leaping to flying bursts across the landscape visible only in spurts as he makes his way towards Illyana.

Elsewhere... Distorted Communication Systems: "Zhis Tzam Crimson Zzztgerman Zzown, orderszzt?" The man in the suit reclines back and exhales only to glance at the mass of black cables and machinery behind him, dim small blue lights turning to a red then blinking out as if something just shut down. "Withdraw. Leave him." Turning around the man in the suit stares at the wall, "I hope this went according to your plans." Silence. There is no reply for the man in the suit from the black creature in the wall. The Suit just smiles a little as if pleased with himself before turning back around to look at a monitor that is slowly zooming in on the scene above the rooftops; lingering upon Illyana then panning over to Void then Superboy and back again. "Cancel Mission Vector for now and standby for new mission parameters."

The City... Superboy's thundering halt brings him a slide across the snow the flannel shirt he is wearing tattered and ripped through as are his jeans in places. Obviously they didn't survive the trip from Smallville to here; his breathing irregular as his chest rises and falls. "I'm here. What is going on?!" Either on command or perhaps they got carried away all that is left of Triggerman is some meaty chunks wrapped around a mechanical carapace and limb workings. Cleaned to the bone one could say.

There's a reason that Illyana doesn't throw her demons around willy-nilly. They're... excitable. And somewhat overenthusiastic when given even the hint of the go-ahead to take someone down. As the knot of demons starts to break up (mostly into smaller groups with their 'prizes' of bits of Triggerman) Magik strides over towards them. "Spit and Hades." She snarls, her temper making some of the demons duck and cringe even if her attention isn't on them. "Someone save me his head so I can try to get some information from his shade!" Her eyes are still glowing-white as her temper and with it her power, rides her. She's a few steps away from her demonic nature slipping free and wrestling with that takes up a lot of her attention.

Superboy's arrival has her head snapping his way, the attention of those all-white orbs so much worse than the icy blue. The latter, one can catch glimpses of what's left of her soul. This.. there's nothing soft there. No compassion or mercy. "Someone was trying to kill me." She says, her tone clipped.

"Kill you? Just randomly? Who is that stupid and what is that!?!" Kon points at the bits and pieces being carried off by the demon spawn. "Don't tell me that was a person!?" Gross and wrong also extra gross. The edge in Illyana's voice keeps Superboy from getting preachy or judgmental but it's obvious he is a little taken back; not surprised no, he has been to Limbo one of his first encounters with Illyana Rasputina was in her realm traveling alongside the likes of the Darkness.

Void standing near the edge of the building lifts up one hand and waves it in the air as if she just did a Jedi mind trick on what remains, "Please have your creatures leave something behind for me to analyze. The technology the assassin was using is very familiar."

Later, when she's not in a temper, Illyana will take Superboy's words much better. But not now. His obvious shock both pricks her temper and reins her in. The white glow fades from her eyes, leaving a hard, icy blue behind. "Well it's not like I could wrestle him or something." She snaps with just the faintest hint of defensiveness. And Kon *only* gets that because he matters to her. So his *opinion* of her matters to her. "Get back here!" She snaps as some of the demons are trying to slink off. She points at her feet. "Head! Torso!" When those are reluctantly given up, she lifts her hands and teleports them back to Limbo. "It had fleshy bits. I think the jury's out as to if it was actually a person." Illyana mutters, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Bleck." Conner lets out as the torso is drug over a small poodle sized demon bouncing across the ground behind it latched to the end of an intestine. "Assassin?" Superboy's features soften a bit as he realizes what /could/ have been the scenario if this person was really trying to kill Illyana. "I'm glad your okay." He says somberly. Perhaps he is just feeling the levity of what they do for a living a little more with the death of Jon Kent and the recent events Rose has been put through. "Daemonites?"

"No." Void answers quickly before anyone else can. Behind her Bravo team is transported back to the towers where they can undergo medical attention. "Not a daemonite."

The set of Illyana's shoulders eases a bit as Conner says he's glad she's OK before asking after any real details. She gives him a slight nod. "I hope we'll be able to say the same of Bravo Team." Humans don't regrow fingers. At least she's just got to replace her cloak. Illyana pushes back her hood and rubs at the back of her neck with a quiet exhale. "I was just headed out to get some coffee. If Void hadn't picked up whatever he was using to target me, he'd have left a crater where my brain is." So, if he'd been all low-tech... Bye bye blondie.

Somewhat belatedly, Illyana frowns over at Conner. "What are you wearing?" "Thats a plus then. Good job, Void." Conner says to the Kheran tech entity that is now departing with a piece of the cyborg. More left behind for some of Illyana's witchcraft as well. "Perhaps you both should return to the tower as well." Parting words and Void disappears.

Conner looks down at himself then frowns, "You just about got dead-ed and you're worried about what I am wearing? Tch. I was at Cla- at home with family this is easier for work around the farm." Not really, it serves no real purpose other than fitting in and being homely looking which being around and helping Martha as much as he can is what Conner intends on doing. They are after all the closest thing to family he has aside from Clark, Krypto and Stormwatch.

Illyana Rasputina sweeps her cloak aside as she drops down into a crouch, lifting Triggerman's head with one hand. Blood and oil drip down over her glove to join the puddles of the stuff on the rooftop as she looks into the now-empty eyes. Guess there was more meat than tech inside the guy's skull if Void left it. She's quiet for a long time, but when she speaks the reason for the silence was perhaps not pondering her would-be assassin. "I'm sorry I pulled you away from family time." She doesn't know about Conner's loss, given he keeps that side of things quiet. Her glacial gaze shifts from the head in her hands to Conner's face. "I almost get dead-ed practically every day. It's part of the job description."

A curl up of Conner's lips is the only bit of distaste he shows for her clutching the skull in all of it's nastiness. Once again gross. "It's fine you can just take me back so I don't ruin more clothes I got for Christmas." The look on his features passes away and he smiles slightly, "I suppose you're right. It is in our job description just still assassins and targeting us here? That is hitting pretty close to home." Like literally a stones throw away. A normal person's throw. "Let's go. Void is probably waiting for that and I need to clean up before I go back to Smallville. Looks like the New Year is already ringing in, huh?"

Illyana Rasputina hefts the head a bit (they're heavy y'know) as she stands, taking a step in closer to Conner. "I'd fix your clothes for you but it's got 'small town boy' written all over it. What I'd end up putting you in would give someone a heart attack, I'm sure." Conner knows by now that she can't help the darker twist her magic takes. "If you think you're safe, that's when you're most likely to get dead." Such wisdom from the demon queen. "I dunno about you, but I'm not liking what's coming." She says as she looks up at him as a portal opens at their feet to sweep them away, leaving a mess strewn across the rooftops of gore and blaster fire.