2015.02.13 - Special Delivery at the Temple of Doom

It is a rather bad night in New York. Snowing, freezing, just nasty. Normal folks, people with common sense, stayed at home. Nate Grey, of course, didn’t, but even he is having second thoughts. Maybe he is getting soft.

But the MGH is back to the streets. It has been for a few weeks. It usually comes from Mutant Town, but not this time. This time it comes from some people Nate had been watching for. Intergang again, he is almost sure. Now he has a headache from going over so many minds during the afternoon, trying to find the point of origin, or the lab, where they are manufacturing the drug. It brought him to... a church near the East River? Looks like it is Intergang.

The fact that MGH has been hitting the streets again under normal circumstances isn't something that she'd investigate. Let alone by herself.

And yet... Here Laura is. On the roof of a nearby. Looking down towards the church in question. Scowling. Her hands curled into fists, but her claws aren't out. Not yet anyways. In fact, for the time being, it's as if she's watching, and only watching.

Drug traffic is not something Nate would bother with most of the time either. But Intergang? Every time he finds something about Intergang it gets weirder, and creepier. There is something very wrong with Intergang, and them having an alien weapon trafficker selling them dangerous weapons has become almost anecdotic.

It is late at night and church is closed. But there is no doubt the MGH sellers got their stuff here. From burly men with cheap suits and weird accent at the back of the building. So that is where Nate goes. He can sense not one inside the church so he breaks the lock of the back door and steps inside.

Laura can see a gargoyle-like creature on the top of the church; he/it has definitely seen Nate and stalks him, halting only when he goes inside. Nate didn’t seem to notice this creature.

As she stands there, mostly hidden by the shadows, Laura frowns. Especially as she notices that... Thing move.

Sure she saw Nate, but for the most part she paid him no mind. After all, Nate is rarely a threat, and not one that Laura would consider. But that unknown thing? Yeah. That's a potential threat. Thus as it goes after Nate, the clawed clone moves, and jumps off the side of her building, landing in a crouch, before she moves, sticking to the shadows, to try and enter the cathedral as well, but keeping that gargoyle or whatever hopefully in her line of sight.

Whatever that thing is, it stand still now, almost blending with the church’s stone. When the wind changes and it brings Laura scents from up there, she can smell nothing strange, as if the creature had no scent. But at least the cautious approach has kept her out of its line of sight. Until now, that is. Because to go inside using the same door Nate used, she would expose herself.

Perhaps exposing herself is part of the game?

Maybe?

Or maybe not.

Either way though, Laura tries to remain stealthy. For the most part. Because yes, as she reaches the entrance that Nate used, she does end up exposed. At least for a little while. But once she's inside, the clawed clone tries to slink back into the shadows.

The door to the church is closed. Perhaps Nate used telekinesis to go inside? Regardless, it is closed now and it is looks like a good security door, the kind that would deter most petty criminals trying to steal the alms box of a humble church. This is not a good neighborhood, too close to the Suicide Slum.

It would take Laura a minute to pick the lock, a few seconds to claw through it. She is not allowed even two seconds. The creature on the roof jumps down, unfurling bat wings as it dives, and tries to grab and carry away the brunette girl. No scent, almost not a noise. Surprisingly stealthy for what looks to be 300 pounds of flying reptiloid monster. It looks like the gargoyles decorating other temples Laura might have seen in New York, but this one is not just for decoration!

Meanwhile, inside the church, Nate explores the aisle, frowning in confusion. Everything seems completely normal. Typical Christian church, not rundown, but certainly not great either. They have some lights on, so he can see pretty well. The problem is this has nothing to do with the memories of the gangers had about the church. A much darker place. Alright... he is going to try to find the priest office.

Half a mile from the church, Croyd receives Nate’s telepathic message. Nothing to report, really. The church looks so normal maybe they got the wrong place.

Lunair kind of resembles a militarized penguin. Long, winter clothes over body armor. She's following along behind Croyd, then. Quiet, and alert - almost like a faithful watch dog.

Maybe its how silent it moves. Or maybe it's the lack of scent. But whatever the reason is, Laura Kinney is grabbed before she even has a chance to either pick, or claw her way through that lock!

And yet, even as she's hauled up into the sky, X-23 remains silent. Oh sure, she looks slightly pissed. But odds are that's mainly her calling herself stupid for being caught like this. But instead of letting her anger control her, or struggling with her arms to get free, there's a *SNIKT!* as her foot claws pop out. That is before she tries to lean as far forward as she can, quickly snaps and tries to shift her weight back with a sudden movement, and then kick up. In theory if this works, she hopefully will throw the gargoyle like creature carrying her off balance just enough to drive those claws into it. Hopefully in a place like its shoulder or even its head or face.

Of course she hasn't noticed the newcomers just yet...

Inside the church, Nate turns to glance to the door. He felt something outside, a familiar mind most likely. Before he can investigate, though, there is a shuffling sound behind the altar, and a robed man appears. “You. Again,” says the robed man, his voice hoarse.

<< Got something guys, >> sends Nate to Croyd and Lunair. << A robed goon, but I can’t feel his mind. Gotta be one of the Intergang priests. >>

“Yeah? Have we met before?” Asks Nate, walking towards the robed man.

Outside, the gargoyle has grabbed Laura with a steely grip, holding the young woman by the waist, a powerful claw digging razor sharp talons on her shoulder, rendering flesh a muscle and threatening to snap the bone like a twig. But Laura turns suddenly, breaking the grip on the shoulder (losing a good deal of skin along the way) and managing to put his side against the monster, her claws scratching its face and rendering the stony shoulder. Sparks follow the deep cut on the creature’s body, revealing metal and plastic instead of flesh and blood. It is some kind of robot.

Croyd has actually been in the van about a third of the time, using his Clairaudience to listen in on the church as well as the van, while using his temporary powers to his material gain, the world's only teleportational delivery service, payable only in Bitcoin, any pizza you want, from anywhere in the world, as fast as you can say the right words to order it. Limited time only.

So he was in McMurdo station when he heard Reverend Ugly challenge Nate again, and dropped off the Pizza from Italy in Guam before blipping back to New York to drop off the Coconuts he'd picked up in Tahiti and hardened into near diamonds as he dropped from the roof right on top of Reverend Ugly, before teleporting back to the van and asked, "Can I have a Bazooka?" Note: He only dropped the rotten hardened fermented Pineapples. He cannot guarantee impact. That's a different power set.

Pain is something that Laura is use to. It is something she grew up with. Thus the talons ripping into her do not slow her down.

Nor do the sparks that appear after her claws impact with the gargoyle. Instead, She tries to throw her weight again, trying to cause the robot to hopefully fly into the building. Or maybe even a highly placed window.

At the same time she tries to kick upwards again with her foot claws, again towards the face, while at the same time, there's another *SNIKT!* as her hand claws pop out. Once out, X-23 tries to twist her wrist to stab the robo-goyle in the side.

Lunair is near Croyd. She's watching out for anything that might try to bother them and their van. She pauses. And then a nod. Lunair will give Croyd a bazooka, as per request. She smiles up at him, more than a little amused. Even though this is completely serious, his glib mannerisms kind of make her giggle, pineapples and all. Still, she's quietly concerned. "Anything else?" She asks. "I don't see anything out here," She peers out windows as she can.

The robed man with the hoarse voice chuckles at Nate’s words. "I have watched you from afar. You and your pathetic friends have interfered too many times some promising Intergang operations in this city. This ends now."

The inside of the church begins changing as the man finishes talking. The lights dim, the decor becomes more baroque, and sinister. Depictions of saints and statues become evil-looking men and gargoyles. The polished wood floor becomes cold stone tiles, and there are bloody spots all around the altar, where now there is an inverted cross. A greenish mist rolls over the floor, no higher than ankle level. “Nice trick,” comments Nate, apparently unimpressed. << Crap. There was some kind of illusion. Don’t think it was psionic, I felt nothing. You got this, Croyd? >>

Croyd appears, disappears. Nate rolls his eyes at his stunt. << Next time do that with hand grenades... no, wait. I want this guy alive. >>

Just then Laura and her gargoyle, the robot with the face badly slashed, crash through one of the stained windows, high on nave. The damaged robot beats the wings clumsily, hits a column and then crashes against the floor. Nate spots Laura just in time to try to grab her with telekinesis before she hits the stone. "What are you doing here?!"

Croyd says, "<< Er....well....I am bringing in Lunair, but I'm like...not telepathic this time around....I can teleport, listen in, and do things with matter...but I'm coming right ba...HOLY COW! THAT BASTARD PUT UP A TELEPORTATION BLOCK! How am I supposed to deliver pizzas while we're fighting? This guy could cost me hundreds..." >> he takes out his smart phone and tweets, "BRB, on break" on #Teleportingpizzaguy's twitter. Then he takes out some shaving cream and sprays his face and hands while carefully leaving two holes to breath in his nose and eyes to see....then he hardens the shaving cream.

"Stuff just got real in there Lunair..hey, that rhymed...can I do it again? Say the word just when....hmm....different power set....anyhoo, let's go pilgrim!"

Then he runs out of the van in fully hardened Hawaiian shirt and shaving cream kevlar armor, bazooka in hand!"

"Saving you."

Maybe that isn't what Laura was originally here to do, but after crashing through the window, flinging off her gargoyle-bot attacker as it crashes through those columns, and then being caught by Nate's TK, just what else can the clawed clone in black say? That is besides, "Drop me." After all, once she hits the floor, she can get a good sniff of that the green gas that's down on the ground. Thus, in turn, she lets out another two words.

"Poison gas."

That is as she lowers herself into a more battle ready stance for the moment as she eyes the changed decor, trying to figure out which way an attack may come from next. Of course if she noticed that brief teleport (which she may not of due to her struggle with the gargoyle at the time) she doesn't comment on it. Not that she wouldn't mind the backup mind you. Especially backup that's on good terms with Nate.

Lunair looks amused, and a bit worried. "What's going on?" Unless they b-mail her, she's definitely out of the loop. And then Croyd puts shaving cream on his face and - stare. She opens her mouth, closes it. "Well, okay. And totally," She looks even MORE amused, a wry smile. "Okay. Do they want them alive or dead?" Because that's going to determine the firepower she brings. If alive, then she'll bring the staff and some annoyance weapons. If dead, well. Only her railgun~ And maybe some grenades.

The robed man snorts in annoyance at the multiple interruptions of the planed villainish monologue. "You brought friends, how drool. I will take great pleasure in vivisect them. Or... was that the Sleeper? Good. Very good."

Laura’s statement brings a glare from the shadows under the robe. "Indeed. I poisoned you the moment you stepped in the church. You will be unconscious in seconds. Meanwhile, my pets will keep you busy." The gargoyle statues, four of them, jump down, surrounding Laura and Nate.

<< Wear gas masks when you come here. Looks like this was a trap >> projects Nate. Then he blasts the closest gargoyle with a telekinetic blast. Which is hardly as strong as usual. Maybe because he starting to see double. "Mouse, get out here."

Croyd puts some more shaving cream on the mask he's already wearing it but softens it to make it even more gas mask like. He kicks open the door and looks for the first bad guy he can see and shoots him with the Bazooka!

He teleports his voice through the shaving cream to Lunair and says,"I think we want the priest dude alive...and Nate is generally not THAT blood thirsty but I for one hate these guys, they're Intergang....That's why I'm going in disguise! They'll NEVER recognize me!" Not, per se, that they'd recognize him anyway since his appearance changes every time......

Oh bother. It's never as easy as it seems, is it? At least Lunair's armor filters the air. If there's a spare gas mask around, she'll bring it along. "I see. They are pretty unpleasant," She agrees quietly. Lunair's going to railgun some of the goons and underlings unless stopped. "I guess tranq darts might work," She considers. Or the ole pixy dust. But she's backing Croyd up with fire power.

And Laura's one words answer to Nate?

"No."

Of course then the door is kicked open, and well... As the Bazooka is fired in one direction, the clawed clone charges towards a gargoyle that's coming from another direction! All though as she attacks, she does smile, ever so slightly at the sight of Nate's backup. Even as she makes a sweeping motion with the claws of her right hand towards the neck of what she's attacking.

The robed priests laughs when Croyd bursts in. "Come, Sleeper, come! Intergang wants your blood!" The bazooka shot nails one of the gargoyles, along a good number of the church pews, but although the robot is knocked down, it stands up almost immediately, looking only somewhat scratched.

Laura’s adamantium claws are much more effective. Whatever super-strong, bazooka-proof alloys they are made off, they are still no match for adamantium. A few slashes and the gargoyle joins its first partner on the floor, in pieces.

But that still leaves three, one is charging Croyd, another jumps for Laura, and the last one is trying to punch the hell out of Nate. The psion keeps it at bay with telekinetic shields, but they are getting weaker as the poison take effect. Another blow, and he goes flying, barely able to move.

Croyd has a lot more effective powers now than he did the last time. Funny thing about Churches....

Churches, especially like this one...especially in New York...have basements....

Croyd's eyes light up and the floor is dramatically softened in front of the charging Gargoly. But, Croyd, you say...don't Gargoyl's have wings?

Why yes Timmy, yes they do...but you know that awkward moment where they have to take off to avoid falling through the floor?

That's the perfect time to shoot at them again with the bazooka...only this time the shell is hardened to the hardness of a sapphire....

"Well, that's annoying." They're bazooka proof. Which likely means EMP-proof, too. Lunair is a bit miffed, but maybe - ol' Tesla has a trick she can borrow. That's right, it's time to get ELECTRICAL. She's going to zap the nearest gargoyle and try to move towards Nate. "Hang on-" She's hopefully got a spare gas mask if one was left in the van. It's less dramatic, but she's definitely got more of a light show. Zzzzzzzt/

The robed man cackles in glee but loses his good mood when Laura destroys one of the robots in seconds. Also, why is the poison doing nothing? He seems to fidget with something invisible and snorts. "Oh, you are that clone woman," he spats. "I’ll deal with you myself," he advances on Laura, suddenly feeling far more menacing to the young woman. Waves of fear and loathing emanate from the robed figure. "Surrender to Desaad, little girl. I can be a good master for lost souls. And you were born to obey."

With Nate down, the robots try to reach Croyd and Lunair. Croyd weird tricks with the floor and then the super-hard projectile (too hard to explode, but it knocks down one of the gargoyles for a few seconds) slow them down. Lunair electrical discharge definitely causes some damage to their systems, they jerk and stumble clumsily, but recover when she stops firing.

This isn't right. Lunair shakes her head. "This isn't going to work. I'll use the railgun and follow your fire. We're not going to take out anything this way." Disable, annoy, slow, yes. But end this fight, no. With Nate down, this is going to be way more difficult. She looks annoyed at the priest man. "That is SO sexist," She points out to the robed man. And that is just so wrong and creepy! Poor snikty lady!

Nevertheless, Lunair is going to fight more tactically. If Croyd softens one, she follows it with the railgun.

Croyd says, "Oooooooooooooh...yeah that's totally a good idea..." wait...was he getting sleepy? Good lord he'd need to start doign something about that...and soon. But first to finish here. He uses his laser eyes on Gargy #1 and Gargy 2 in a wide beam, trying to hit both and soften em ala Mrs Butterworth. Apocalyptican steel can instead become tinfoil."

"No."

Once again, it's a one word answer. Of course as he shifts his attention towards her, Laura shouts, "I was created to kill. To be a weapon." as she lunges towards Dessad, clawing like a mad woman. Or that's at least how it might look. After all, there's a swipe towards the hooded guys face with one claw, while the one lashes out to a spot that's.... Lower. Like in between the legs lower.

And yet, as she does that, she still tries to keep track of the other fighters. Especially her apparently Allies. And Nate's fallen form...

Thanks to Croyd’s powers the railgun begins to poke holes in the super-hard armor of the gargoyle-bots. And just in time, as the machines were almost on top of the pair.

Laura resistance makes the robed man growl. But her claws... find nothing. This ‘Desaad’ is just a ghost. No, the lack of scent and Laura’s super-human senses reveal the truth. He is a sophisticated hologram. As good or better anything the Danger Room could create. And that means someone, perhaps the real Desaad, is projecting those rather strong empathic signals from a remote location.

"My gargoyles. You... insects! You fools! You will pay for this insult!" He shudders with rage. But as the last robot stops moving, he fades into nothing. The church goes silent for a second. Then all lights go red, and the whole building burst in flames.

Croyd blips out of existence for a moment and then returns in a flash holding a fire extinguisher in one hand that he uses to put out some of the fire between himself and the door. He bends down and picks up Nate, still retaining his super strength and begins to move to the door. "Let's bolt!" As he reaches the hole he made in the floor for the Gargoyl, he hurls Nate like a football, teleports onto other side of it and catches Nate that he passed himself.

"I-" Okay, he just threw Nate like a football. Lunair's expression is one of abject horror and surprise. He'd better catch! Nevertheless, she's going to sprint for it, keeping her head down. Wait. Snikty lady. "Miss? Please, hurry! Are you okay?" She asks, skidding around a pew, and making her way outside. It's not easy - there's that hole, and trying to follow Croyd's extinguished path otherwise.

Sure Desaad may be a hologram. But the fact that he knows about her... And wants her to join him, puts a nice, big crosshair on him in regards to Laura. The fact that he poisoned Nate apparently is extra icing on the cake for her to want to take him down, if she ever gets the chance that is.

For now though, as flames start to erupt, and Croyd shouts to get out of here...

X-23 lands. And starts to stand up. And she turns to leave. But she doesn't rush. Nope. Instead, she takes what at first glance may be casual steps, but in actuality they're measured. To make sure that the ground is stable as she walks. After all, between that hole, and the battle, and most importantly, the fire weakening the church, one wrong step and she could fall through the floor. Of course that means by the time she reaches the door, she gets to do a nice and slow badass walk out that door too!

Outside people has started to come. The church is covered in flames, even the stone walls seem to be burning. It is impossible and creepy. It is not even the same building most of the neighbors remember seeing every day, it looks like a burning twisted mockery of a Christian church.

The firefighters are quick and still arrive too late. It crumbles into a pile of scorched rubble supernaturally quickly, leaving absolutely nothing. No advanced tech, no MGH remains. Just ashes.

Nate begins to recover once taken out of the church. He will still need several hours of rest and some medical treatment at Halo. Whatever poisoned him left no traces, but shocked his body pretty badly.

Croyd says, "You gals alright?" He calls a Taxi to take Nate home. He takes out his smart phone and tweets, "Pizza service to resume shortly....stand by...." and looks at Nate with some concern."

Croyd pops a pill since he's being dumb. He takes out his nifty Stormwatch (yes, he insisted they give his com in the form of a Dick Tracy Style watch) "Croyd to Void, Croyd to Void Over. Roger dodger we have a down town emergency. Repeat, The Big Cheese is on the floor. Request Halo Hello. Over."

Lunair was going to Croyd, looking more than a little worried about where he's going. She was taking a little longer to get out. "Hey, wh-- you got it." Beam. Good job, Croyd.

Laura Kinney just eyes Nate. That is before she pulls out her own X-communicator. She even starts to say, "This is X-23. Nate Grey down. Send Blackbird. Location..."

But then she catches what Croyd is doing and well...

"Cancel."

And the communicator is put away. Of course as she puts it away she eyes Croyd and Lunair, before saying one word. More of a question actually. As if to confirm something. "Stormwatch?" is said as she motions at the other woman and the pizza delivery guy.

"Croyd, you really need to learn how to use the Halophones and... the whole communications stuff," croaks Nate, trying to stand. "Nevermind, Void is here."

Indeed she is. The silver-clad woman looks at the group for a few seconds and then teleports them to Halo in a flash of light. Nate to the medbay, the others, with her, to the War Room. "Report, Lunair. What happened?" She speaks coolly, with a very faint Russian accent.

Wait. Lunair? The socially impaired bioweapon? Okay, never mind. She's going to try. She looks a bit alarmed by all of this, then promptly gets teleported into the War Room. No fighting in the War Room!

"Euhm. Well. They were investigating a church. I stayed with Croyd in the van, listening in as Nate investigated..." And she will give details as best as she can.

Croyd notes how Void does NOT ask him to report. He should totally be offended and....is that an order. "Back in a sec." He goes to Australia, picks up a pizza and delivers it to Greenland. Poof, he's back. "I used it...I just...forgot about it. This is the part of the cycle where I" he yawns, "Get a little slow." He takes a 'vitamin'.

Laura Kinney is taken along as well!

And she doesn't even blink as she's teleported. Instead, she just sort of stands there, in the war room. Sure she retracts her claws. For now anyways. But she still remains on guard. Even if to the casual observer she might look like some sort of living statue.

Void listens impassibly to Lunair’s explanation. Then she nods. "Intergang keeps surprising us with the scope of its technologies and operations. Very unfortunate, we need to be more cautious." Something she has tried to tell Nate and the others a few hundred times already. "I can’t find traces of poison in Nathaniel’s body, but he is exhausted. I will keep him in observation for twenty four hours." She turns to Laura. "Miss Kinney, a pleasure to know you. I have granted you visitor access to the building. Feel free to remain for the night - I am sure Nathaniel will want to talk with you in the morning." Looking at Croyd and Lunair again, "please, show her our installations. I need to depart." Void nods, and then flashes out.

Lunair does her best. She nods. Poor Nate. She looks to Laura, too. "Um, sure thing. See you!" She waves to Void. She's well mannered, but this whole thing has left her a little dazed and singed. "I guess we can check on him in the morning or something." Pause. Right. Tour guide duty. "Sure, we can um, show you around. I guess the important stuff first would be good." She considers. Like where she can eat, sleep or punch things at.