Burning Treads, The Demon of Los Angeles!(open)

Voltage rolled his eyes as the guy went off. He really had no reason to be so angry. It's not like either he or the skeleton-lady were out of line for chastising him. He genuinely seemed like he had betrayed the both of them. And he was treating the whole scenario like a big joke. Of course, he was determined that he had the safest course of action, and the both of them had just ruined everything. Yeah... Classic case of an arrogant asshole who just can't do wrong. So... Him, basically.

"Well, sorry I can't read minds, pal. Didn't mean to ruin your plan." He crossed his arms. "Believe it or not, guys like us aren't gonna wait for a miracle to save us from these kinda things. You should've expected the fire and the lightening bolts." He added with a shrug. He let out out an audible sigh as he learned the guy had no idea where the kingpin of this operation was, or even who. With this, he immediately started looking around. One of these guards still had to be conscious. At least one.

"Ah, here we are!" He exclaimed, walking over to one of the goons he had recently downed before the ninja dropped in, who was crawling away with a slight groan. He grabbed him by the back of his collar, picking him up to his feet. "Not so fast, buddy... It's interrogation time." He dragged the guy over to a shipping crate, slamming his face into the side of it, likely breaking his nose, as well as some teeth before turning him around, slamming his back into it. As he turned him, two streams of blood trickled from his nose, his lip visibly busted.

He looked back at his uneasy allies, raising a brow. "So... Which one of you plays bad cop?" He looked at her, immediately feeling stupid for even asking that question. He looked back at the goon, who just shook his head and spat at them. "Piss off!" He growled. Voltage pressed two fingers to his neck, giving him a strong jolt. The guy screamed loudly, convulsing in place. "Keep that up, and I'll be doing that pretty often. I'm like a human taser, dude."

Penny could literally feel the blood boiling in her veins as the mercenary spoke. So he thought his plan was better, it wasn’t, his plan only served to put these poor people in further danger and then to offer up the other two heroes as offerings to the mob boss just to cover his own ass. Truly this was the sign of a real mercenary. “So long as the money is good, fuck the consequences right?” she said turning away from the mercenary to face the speedster who had gone on to interrogating one of the few thugs that had been fortunate enough to live through the onslaught.

She glanced back over her shoulder as the man talked about how he was ready to die. It was these words that almost pushed Penny over the edge, as she knew what it was like to actually be on deaths door. People loved to talk about not fearing death, all in an effort to play up how tough they were, it made Penny sick. “You aren’t ready to die. The fact that you said you are, is the proof.”

She took the anger that had built up within her from hearing the mercenary speak and decided to focus that built up aggression to intimidate the thug. After receiving a jolt to the neck from Voltage, a flaming skeletal hand slammed into the side of the shipping container just a few inches from the goons head. Penny’s hollow eye sockets stared at the man, it didn’t take muscle tissue or skin to know that Penny was angry and if she didn’t hear any useful information out of the man’s mouth she wouldn’t hesitate to roast him from the inside out. “I’d listen to my friend cabron, otherwise things are going to get a little heated.”

Dire heard their volley of disapproval, but didn't necessarily care to let it piss him off any more.
He saw the flaming skeleton lady wasn't gonna have much more of it, and was NOT ready to fight her.
"You understand how long it's been since I've actually went through with a job for money? I'm practically broke from playing the hero all the time... Note I said I PLAY, not that I am one."

Dire just couldn't get one the same page with this woman, how could she know if he was ready to die? She didn't know how depressed he really was.
The only reason he plays the hero and doesn't go around blowing shit up is he's chasing a childhood dream his own way.
He knows he's not a force of righteousness, he has to kill people just to stay alive for Christ's sakes.
He didn't need reminded he was evil as the devil who made him this thing wanted him to be.
"You don't know what I've been through, and I have no clue what you've been through. So let's not poke at each other's no no squares. Sound good, babe?"

He saw the two heroes play good cop bad cop on the mercenary, as if he was truly scared. Mercs usually don't tell until-
"Ding!" He said aloud when an idea popped up into his head.
"Sorry, guys. I'm gonna break interrogation protocol."
He squeezed between the heroes saying, "Hey, look! We made a merc sandwich!"
He pulled one of his kunais out of his belt, lifted the man's hand, and stabbed it through his hand making it stuck to the container behind him.
"Now, these two gave you THEIR way of killing you, now let me give you mine... I will cut off all of your fingers and toes, then slit your wrists and make you drink your own blood. All very slow and not pleasant ways to go. Or you can just give up your boss, and we'll all be fine..."
The man pondered for a moment, probably thinking of who would kill him and who wouldn't.
"I swear to God, make me wait any longer and I'll start slicing."
The man hurriedly said, "Salzéz..."
Dire's head snapped down to the man suddenly.
"Who?"
"Salzéz."
Dire drooped his head in frustration, then punched the guy.
He stood and contemplated what he was going to tell the two.
He was in no way trying to protect the man that was named, he was trying to protect the three of them.
He decided to put on his joker face for now, "One more thing: who was more intimidating? "
The man nodded to the skeleton lady, "Her by a landslide. I was about to talk, but you added your two cents."
Dire's eye twitched.

He stepped away from the man, expecting the two to follow.
"Okay, first of all guys... I would like to say I'm sorry for bailing and possibly putting everyone in danger. I wasn't trading you in for a bounty, I genuinely was coming back. Allow me to tell you now the we're all on the same page, I know A LOT about this guy. Enough to know we don't want to mess with him. I will go after him if you'd like, and I'll give you a promise I'll find him. Because I assume you all have things to lose, and he WILL attack them."
He paused.
"Seeing as you're the two types that you are, you aren't trusting me to do the job and are gonna come with me. Right?"

((OOC: I'm sorry for taking over the guard without permission, I was trying to keep the flow going, if anyone has a problem with me doing so I can edit and redo that reply))

Voltage couldn't help but wince as the goon's hand was impaled to the crate by his tense ally's blade. "Well,
that was a little overkill, don't you think?" He asked. No joke... Hell, the guy was already looking like he was about to piss himself, due to Penny's skeletal fist smashing the crate right next to his head. Was it truly necessary to maim him, too? Not that he cared too much about the thug's pain. After what he saw today, he didn't feel too guilty about hurting any of these guys.

When the kingpin's name was finally given, Voltage let out a sigh of relief. Luckily this guy was conscious, or they'd be twiddling their thumbs with no leads. He couldn't help but look down at his costume in defeat when he learned that he wasn't that intimidating. "Is it the neon suit? Maybe I should add some death spikes..." He murmured. He flinched as Dire knocked the guy's lights out for good measure, scratching the back of his head. "Alright... Salzéz. Certainly sounds like a bad guy name, doesn't it?" He asked rhetorically, walking away from them as he looked up at the night sky.

He looked back at Dire as he started giving his little speech and apology, as well as revealing that he knew a thing or two about their target. Well, that made both finding who their target was and where he was very easy. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes however, when Dire insinuated that he back down and leave it to him. He was right, though... He did have a lot to lose. An entire multi-billion dollar enterprise, to be exact. However, that wouldn't stop him.

"Sorry, man... It's not that I don't trust you, but this is my concern just as much as it is yours. All of these people, locked in cages... They're citizens of my city. Innocent people who were kidnapped by those who will do it again in a heartbeat." He began, turning towards them both with a confident posture. "My whole life's been built on cleaning the planet for generations to come... Well, it starts here. I'm tagging along, and I'm making damned sure these assholes can't hurt anyone else."

Penny watched the merc interrogate the lone surviving thug, with an unamused expression plastered to her face. She already knew she was intimidating, she was a flaming skeleton for crying out loud, yet despite all the efforts Volatage and Penny had begun to put into effect, it was the merc that pulled the information out of the man instead. The name was unfamiliar to her and from the looks of it Voltage as well. On the plus side the merc knew who was behind everything just by hearing the name, and that was good enough for Penny.

The enigmatic blonde let out a small chuckle as Dire tried to warn them about this Salzez fellow. With a small snort Penny’s crystal blue eyes stared right into the merc’s. “Hate to break it to ya pal, but not much can intimidate a demon.” It was the first time Penny had referred to herself as such, and to be honest she wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it. Sure she was Arcadia’s champion and her soul had all but been sold to the most devil like being she had ever met, but she was still flesh and blood.

Shrugging it off, Penny turned to face Voltage as he mentioned his neon suit. She half nodded with a sly grin on her face. “That’s not a bad idea, a few spikes here or there would really pull together the whole suit.” she said before cracking a smile. With the three of them certainly gung ho about meeting with the man behind this human trafficking operation, Penny turned back to the merc. She knew every inch of this city like the back of her hand, she had grown up here her whole life, so there wasn’t a building she didn’t know how to get to. With that in mind all she needed was an address and with the snap of her fingers she could wisk them all right to Salzez’s doorstep.

“Look just give me the address and I can get us there faster than he could probably run there.” she said tilting her head in Voltage’s direction. “No offense but when you see what I’m talking about you’ll agree….maybe.” and with that she waited for the merc to giver her a location so they could really get the night rolling.

Dire chuckled a bit when the woman said she was a demon.
Of course she is.
"So does that mean we're like... Step-brother and sister or something? Because I guess you could pass as my mean older sister."

Then, regarding Voltage's question about the spikes with: "Hell yes! I agree with blonde babe over there. Spikes would TOTALLY make it better. Maybe add a black leather jacket too. Give it a more amateur feel."

He cracked a half smile, he was gonna enjoy taking down Salzez. He hated that guy. He tried to eat him.
That reminded him...
"Well, now that you're both on board... I should tell you that he likes to eat people... I think... Maybe he was joking... Anyways... Hey, sis!" He looked to Penny, "You know where Warehouse 69 is?"
He was referring to the old warehouse across town that used to be used as a drug running ring.
Now used for whatever Salzez uses it for.

Conner considered the idea of spikes on his costume for a long time, before finally shaking his head. "Nah.
There's a certain charm that comes with being a walking OPEN sign." He jested. When she mentioned her getting there faster than him, he just scoffed. "Really? Lady, no offense to you, but I'm literally a living bolt of lightning.
I could leave you both in the dust." His eyes widened when he realized what he was insinuating, that being a race, and he sighed. He really hoped she wouldn't decide to challenge him to anything.

As Dire went on about Penny passing for his sister, he couldn't help but make a weird face. "I think I've found something we have in common. Making normal situations very awkward comes easy to you, doesn't it?" He asked. Even with that, he looked between the two of them, looking for any slight resemblance. "For one, you're kinda ugly, and she's pretty good looking, so..." He teased him. "No offense, of course. We can't all be beautiful." He put his hands up in defense.

Penny cringed as the merc tried to make a relative connection between the two. “Yeah, I don’t think so. And thank goodness for that. Also call me babe one more time and I turn you inside out!” she said, shaking both her head and her finger in the man’s face with a slight smirk. Penny couldn’t believe the situation she found herself in this time. Tonight was supposed to be a simple night. She was gonna show up at the docks, cave in a few heads, free some people, and learn the whereabouts of the jack ass behind the whole thing.

Despite a few shortcomings and rather inconvenient interference, everything had relatively gone to plan. She had indeed roasted a few baddies, freed the people they were trying to sell, and found out not only who the man behind the operation was, but also where he was located. Penny’s crystal blue eyes snapped over to voltage, smirk still on her face. “Living lightning bolt huh? So calling you Mr. Lightning earlier wasn’t to far off then. Look you may be fast, but I don’t think you’re this fast.” and with that Penny held out her right hand which then turned skeletal.

With the snap of her bony fingers, a spot several feet away from the group went up in flames, quickly revealing a portal to their destination. “Like I said, much quicker. Now if you two ladies are ready to bring down this human piece of filth, I’d kindly advise you to walk through the fiery circle of doom.” Penny gave a slight bow and waved the two men on.

Dire gave a grin when the portal opened.
Demonic or not, the hellish portals were still cool.
He looked to the blonde with an impish grin.
"Thanks for the hole, babe."
He emphasized "babe" in a playful way, only because she told him not to.

When he stepped through, it was almost like appearing back on the docks.
It looked almost identical to the one they were just at, but this one was labeled with a 69.
He scoped the situation out- first come first serve right?- he saw the place to be guarded, but not as heavily as the other one.
He knew it was the place because he's worked with him before.
He hated to admit it, but it was true.
He stood ready for the others to come through.

Voltage scoffed, crossing his arms as he waited for her to demonstrate her speedy method of transportation. "Look, look, sweetheart... It's okay to admit defeat-" He paused as she opened the fiery portal, his eyes wide and his body frozen in place. He blinked, unsure of what to say. "Uh... Alright, I guess you might be a bit faster than me..." He admitted, scratching the back of his head.

He couldn't help but roll his eyes at Dire's continued attempts at flirting, watching as the hooded man went through the portal. He glanced at Penny, hesitantly stepping towards the portal. "So... This doesn't lead into Hell, right? Just the warehouse?" Well, depending on what this guy they were taking down was like, the two may have not been far off. Sighing, he ran through, closing his eyes tightly.

He tripped as he went through, landing hard against the asphalt with an oof! He opened his eyes, getting up and dusting himself off as he looked up. Sure enough, here they were, at the warehouse Dire mentioned. It may have just been the knowledge of who was inside, but it looked pretty spooky. "Alright... No imps? No Satan? We good?" He asked, looking around in a circle.

If Penny’s bones weren’t unbreakable she’d have most definitely shattered a few teeth with how hard she was clenching her jaw shut. If they all weren’t in this little endeavor for the same reason she most certainly would have ran her hand through the mercs chest and ripped out his heart, or roasted him from the inside, she wasn’t quite sure which method she enjoyed better. When Voltage asked about the flaming portal leading to hell, Penny let out a small chuckled and motioned for the man to walk through. “See for yourself.”

After both the hooded man and Voltage had stepped through the portal, Penny followed behind them. Upon her initial glance the outside of the warehouse looked pretty lightly guarded, especially for the supposed hideout of the leader behind this human trafficking ring. She nonchalantly stepped over Voltage as he picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off. All Penny could think about was ending the lives of everyone involved with this scumbag and his operation. She wouldn’t allow this kind of thing to continue in her city, especially when the cops wouldn’t do anything about it.

Penny looked over at the two men accompanying her “So…..Is there like a back entrance or something we can sneak in through, do we fight our way in, or do we go with my personal fave and just burn the whole place to the ground with everyone inside?” She didn’t want to be standing around any longer than they needed to. Even with the light security, it was only a matter of time before they were spotted out in the open like they were. They needed to decide how they were going to get in and fast. The sooner this guy went down, the better.

Dire twiddled his thumbs as he thought about the best option.
"How about all three?" He made it obvious he was joking, but he did like the idea if he didn't want to get the satisfying kill at the end of this.

"Okay, so if he's there, he'll most likely be in the back. Eating. People." He paused and cleared his throat.
"So if we sneak, we CAN NOT alert anyone of our presence. He's prepped to catch and fight heroes... Also mercs. Superpowered mercs. So sneaking is probably the best option. No possible way we could teleport. I haven't been here in years, so I wouldn't know where to go."
He looked to the two hopefully. He hoped he was helping them out and not hindering them.

Voltage listened to her tactics she had laid out, curling his nose slightly at the last one. "Ok, I'm all down for 1 and 2, 3 might be a deal breaker." He told her, counting on his fingers. "Have you ever, oh, I dunno...
Thought to yourself, 'Hmm... Maybe I shouldn't kill people today!'?" He asked next, crossing his arms at her. He was getting fed up with this murderous attitude she put on almost all the time., and he made it very evident.

"Look, sorry I'm a bit of a do-gooder, but I just don't believe that death is something that we should be deciding for people. Scum or not, that's the law's job. I respect the law, do you not? Believe me, if this guy is who ninja-man says he is, capital punishment will get him. For now, let's just make the L.A.P.D.'s job a little easier. Alright?" He asked, trying to be a little bit more reasonable and civil with her. After all, he didn't want a fight right before they would be going in to take care of this guy.

Voltage turned to dire as he made his case, one which made him nervous. Those comments before about the neon suit made stealth a pretty difficult aspect of the hero lifestyle for him. If they were going stealth, he'd need to put away his powers. That was the only way his costume wouldn't attract attention. "Alright... We can't be seen. Got it. Well, I hope you guys don't mind fighting with an everyday Joe in spandex!" He said. Taking a deep breath, the neon lights of his suit fizzled out, and suddenly, people could touch him without receiving a static shock, or worse. "Ok... Batteries are charging, I'm now completely inconspicuous, we ready to make some heads roll?"

He quickly turned to Penny. "Figuratively! Figuratively. Psychopath..." He grumbled the last part under his breath, turning back to Dire.

Penny scoffed at the idea of this guy being as scary as the merc made him out to be. He may have been prepared to fight anything that came through his office door, but he wasn’t ready for the entire wrath of Arcadia to come crashing down on him. Her hand tightened into a fist as she cursed her rotten luck. If she hadn’t been teaming up with these two, she would have done things her way. She would have burnt the building to the ground and reduced the boss and his goons to ash.

Her teeth ground against each other as she continued to get a lot of sass from Voltage for the way she did things. She quickly turned to him with a look of irritation on her face “You’re certainly making a strong case against it!” she spat, in response to his remark about her pension for killing. Her way of dealing with criminals was far more efficient than beating them up and feeding them into the defunct justice system. Doing things Voltage’s way would only guarantee that the thugs would just end up back on the streets days later, doing the same shit they got caught for in the first place.

These people needed to be taught a lesson, they needed to be made an example of. If people were going to continue pulling off crimes in Penny’s city, then they’d better be aware of the consequences. As the two men began to lead the way, Voltage looked back over his shoulder and made one more snide comment. As he turned his attention forward, Penny raised a hand and caused it to go ablaze. “We could always start with yours pendejo” she mumbled under her breath before lowering her hand back to her side and relinquishing the flames.

Dire whistled through a chuckle.
"The tension is... Well tense. You could cut it with a butter knife."

He mock bowed and waved his hand towards the storage tank.
"Ladies first."

Conner couldn't help but roll his eyes as he heard the crackle of the flames coming off of her hand behind him. She was scary, that was for sure. Still, he could probably take a fiery skeleton, if nothing else. Fire wasn't far off from electricity, anyhow. Except the demon-portals... Those were a lot different.

"Y'know, I'd be a lot more frightened, but the Spanish and Latin-American thing you've got going on is still a little too sexy to have me shaking. Sorry." He teased in a bit more of a lighthearted fashion. Nudging Dire, he pointed a thumb towards the warehouse. "Y'know what, let me go scout around while you two do your thing. I'm gonna see if there's a generator I can screw with. It's gonna be mighty hard for these boys to fight in the dark."

It'd also make it plain and obvious that the thugs weren't alone, and who knows what Mr. Cannibal would do in that situation. Still, before anyone could really protest, the neon lights on his suit powered back to life as sparks shot from his feet, flying just feet above the ground as he circles around the warehouse, low enough to evade the windows near the top of the structure, which were few and far between.