One's moral compass (Kool-Aid/Pinnacle)

It was once again a late night for the teen renegade known as Kool-Aid, who was currently alone in his vigilance of the wider world. He'd been given some information about a human trafficking ring, from someone who'd he'd saved previously. They had family coming over who'd been caught up in the same type of thing she had and Kool-Aid offered his assistance to help save them and all those taken by this ring, the information was sound but Kool-Aid wanted to check it out before he went full force into the place. He was sitting across the road on another building surveying the warehouse across the road from him, he hoped his white attire didn't make it to easy to see him but he needed a little more information.

He'd been there a while and had spotted several people coming in and out of the entrances who didn't seem to fit with the usual worker type, plus he'd done his research and the place wasn't actually actively open for business. So all these people were not even remotely legitimate in any sense, he'd used his parkour skills and made his way over to the building using various equipment and devices that laid around to make it to the roof. It wasn't all that guarded, for a country that so many heroes these traffickers weren't very smart in their security. Kool-Aid looked through the skylight window, one that was cracked open which allowed him to hear what was going on as well.

They were looking at two open shipping crates that had armed guards station at them, Kol-Aid knew from previous experience that those would be where the people would be and the higher up people were looking into them making jeers and surveying their "product" only caring about the state of their being if it affected the final sale not whether they actually needed food or water. Kool-Aid had a hard time holding back from the disgrace of human nature, having already opened several packets of Kool-Aid ready to tip them into the building to be used for his initial assault.

Night had fallen in the city, but for Pinnacle and his enhanced vision that gave him a full view of the Electromagnetic Spectrum, it seemed to him to be as bright as ever.

There were so many colors that the rest of the world missed out on... At times, it would make Pinnacle feel sorry for everyone else if he thought about it too much.

But the night and its beauty would have to wait. Pinnacle was, after all, on a mission for ECLIPSE.

It wasn't difficult locating the man he was after... His white suit practically blazed with light beneath the glaring gaze of the moon, and his unassuming frame belied his genetics and aura, which were much more powerful than said frame would show.

And indeed, his genetics were powerful. In fact, he recognized markers for a sort of invulnerability mixed into them. He had seen these markers and variations of them many times over. It was almost a staple of the metahuman world. That said, he also noticed markers that he had never seen before. At least, they were barely recognizable. It was some sort of power to externally manipulate something... A "somethingkinesis" if you will, but for what, well that was currently unknown to him.

Well this should be interesting. He thought, floating behind a nearby building and gazing through it to examine the man before him. A child, really... The boy was genetically in his preteens or so, and he bore no genetic marker that spoke of immortality and the like, so Pinnacle presumed that his physical appearance matched his age.

Still, for his age, his neuroanatomy was that of a genius. Likely in the 5/7 range according to the International Supers Organization intelligence ranking system. His muscles, though slight, were toned, implying that he was fairly physically active as well.

The boy was not the only thing of interest nearby, though.

Pinnacle was also here for the human trafficking ring that he could see was being run from inside the nearby warehouse. Indeed, he had spotted it long before approaching the boy, his sight, expanded as it was, made it difficult for him to miss anything, let alone these loud, obnoxious men that taunted and jeered within its walls.

Presently, the boy began to parkour his way over to the warehouse nearby. Confirming Pinnacle's suspicion that he had come here to stop the ring of human traffickers as well.

The Silver Scion sighed to himself, noticing the electrical activity in the boy's brain and the adrenaline in his blood. He was certainly not here to simply observe this ring. However he intended to do so, he intended to stop this ring in its tracks, and Pinnacle presumed that his methods, being that his mind, spirit, and body were in such a state, would not be without their hostilities.

Thus, he floated in complete silence through the air until he had landed with all the force of a hummingbird feather next to the young man, observing that he had begun to open some packets of Kool-Aid.

Is that... It can't be his external manipulation power... He thought. ... But just in case it is... He thought to himself, incorporating those particular genes into his own temporarily.

Now, if he does try to go too far... I should be able to stop him...

And with that, he tapped the man on the shoulder...

Kool-Aid sighed as he wondered what his entrance strategy would be, he couldn't come in all blazing despite his feelings about all this wanting him to do so. As he got close to the window, ready to pick his targets or better yet protect the innocents first. As they'd become hostages or targets once he was noticed, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Kool-Aid jumped, knocking two Kool-Aid sachets into the open window thankfully it was only the powder and not the containers themselves.

He turned around to see a hooded guy that looked like he belonged on a Canadian video game, signs a little then remembering the Kool-Aid he grabbed control of the powder and stopped it from falling. Thankfully it hadn't gotten too far down, he brought back up and had it form around his wrists before slowly closing the opening window so they weren't heard. "Sneaking up on someone whose attempting to remain stealthy isn't wise, what if I made noise and alerted them.

Those innocents down there could've been killed, so there wasn't any evidence and I won't have that. Now who are you and why are you interrupting me, can't a guy observe and take down a trafficking ring without being interrupted" expressed Kool-Aid at a low enough volume not to be heard by those below but enough for mister hood before him to be able to hear. His tone was partially calm with a slight amount of aggravation which calmed down near the end of his words to sarcastic humour.

"Quantum State Translation coupled with Merkavic Channeling." He replied to the young man before him in a normal voice, not bothering to whisper. "No one can hear us at all. Even with super hearing, there are no sound waves to hear, they do not escape the invisible bubble around us before I store the energy of their vibrations back into myself. Stealthy as can be."

He eyed the man before him. Though he was just a boy, his eyes bespoke of an intensity and maturity beyond that of his frame.

He spoke after a moment: "Son... I've taken down many rings like these in my time... I've both seen men die, and I've seen the men that killed them... Do you mean to tell me why you have the look on you of the latter?"

Most wouldn't understand what the man had said but Kool-Aid wasn't like most people, even though the man went on to explain things anyway. "You didn't need to explain things, I'm well versed in many pursuits" replied Kool-Aid as the powder that he'd called back continuously flowed in a circle around his wrists slowly.

Kool-Aid gave the man a glare that showed not just a hint of angry bit more then a tinge of his honour being questioned, though he wasn't a registered hero he was nothing like his grandfather. Who had not only ordered the death of people but talked men, women and children into committing mass suicide. If he could scrub his genes clean free of the man, he would in a heartbeat.

"Don't assume, based on something akin to facial structure. I'm disgusted by the actions of those below, but I don't take lives. That's for villains and criminals, and you assault my honour by claiming otherwise" expressed Kool-Aid who'd come right up to his person and looked right at him as he said those words.

He then turned around and looked back into the warehouse, thankfully they hadn't started selling the girls nor were they wanting to test them out. "So big guy, what's your business and can we work together to help these people and get these guys in jail or is this your way of showing me I'm in your district or some such. I don't care if I am mind you, I'll do what's right regardless but please do state your business before sunrise if you could" added Kool-Aid knowing that at any moment the girls below could be harmed in more then just a simple bullet to the head.

Israel nodded with a slight sigh of relief before very gently causing his feet to leave the roof behind and floating into the air in the lotus position, his elbows resting on his knees.

This boy... This man... He really was versed in many subjects if he understood what merkavic channeling was. Plenty of intellectuals of the world had no idea what a merkavah even was.

"Not at all, young master. I wouldn't dream of wrongly insulting your honor. My sincerest apologies." He replies honestly, straightening out and bowing in genuine respect.

"I'll simply watch, if you don't mind. Perhaps you may benefit from my help and I from yours?" He says matter-of-factly. (There is no patronizing in his voice.)

The man went into lotus position as he continued he didn't seem to be much of a speaker, only commenting at best two full sentences but that's fine. "Thank you for your understanding" he replied to the man's comments on insulting his honour and even bowed so out of respect he bowed back.

"I have no issue with working together, people can't move forward without help from those around them" he coined as he turned back towards the window and opened it once more but this time. He made it large enough for him to slip into, he looked back at mister hood "Wish me luck or join in, the time is now" added Kool-Aid

Pinnacle nodded, phasing through the roof while sending a band of "cloth" from himself down to wrap around each individual who had met with such terrible fates as to have been taken by this human trafficking ring.

Each cloth would project its own merkavah, through which the energy from bullets and other projectiles sent in their direction would be stopped dead. Even the kidnappers themselves would be powerless to enter the bubble without having their own energy of motion drained, freezing them in place.

This was a necessary precaution since he was making himself known to the men.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen." He said as he floated down, hands clasped behind his back. The men were now no doubt looking up at him in surprise or perhaps alarm or a bit of both.

He breathed in before continuing. "It's good to be free, isn't it?"

Kool-Aid had dropped from the high ceiling with a simple drop and a slight pose as he landed, his invulnerability making it so he wasn't hurt from the drop and as he stood he observed Pinnacle's actions. Which kept the innocents from being harmed and probably more effective then his Kool-Aid would be.

But that wouldn't mean that he wasn't going to do anything, using the other open packets of Kool-Aid he had already opened above and which hadn't been circling his wrists. Kool-Aid had the powder and Crystals flow along the ground and set up near the feet of the crooks, they'd make small little objects that looked either simple or trap like.

Nothing lethal and would likely only be noticed if the crooks tried to make a run for it, the powder around his wrists was ready for it they decided to attack instead. "Yes, home of the free and land of the brave they say. Now these people, fresh to our shores deserve to live that life don't they. Now the only question you need to ask yourself is this, do you want to go to jail the easy way or the hard way" expressed Kool-Aid as he waited in a ready pose which ever side they choose to take.

The men looked up in alarm and aimed at Pinnacle, but their apparent leader motioned for them to hold their fire.

Shortly thereafter, the man known as Kool-Aid leaped down and landed, adding to the words that Pinnacle had spoken and posing a question to them.

"Do you want to go to jail the easy way or the hard way?"

The man that seemed to be in charge scoffed but did not dignify the young man's question with a response, instead signaling for his men to open fire on the two of them.

The bullets that headed towards Pinnacle stopped short in the air before him as he kept his hands behind his back, shaking his head in disappointment.

"What a rude reception." He said, tsking, before sending a few more of his "cloth" bands into the chests of the men that were closer to the captives, shocking them to unconsciousness.

He left the majority of the men to the young hero at his side, confident that he could handle the men, whose bullets did not seem to harm him in the least.

"GAS!" The thug leader called. "HIT THEM WITH THE GAS!"

As he called this out, some of the other men scrambled to a nearby crate and took out grenade launchers, presumably with some kind of gas-grenade munitions, took aim, and fired...

"Hard way it is then" replied Kool-Aid with a sigh as they opened fired on the two of them, he didn't know if the other guy had invulnerability but he was unharmed all the same as Kool-Aid just stood there as the bullets did nothing to him. Kool-Aid sent a couple of blunt powder missiles at some of the guards, knocking them on their arses but leaving them otherwise unharmed.

Just as he was about to take a couple more shots, the big wig in charge said to gas them "Pinnacle, are the victims safe from gas in your little protective bubbles" questioned Kool-Aid who knew he had a chance to protect himself while they did not. Using the Kool-Aid powder that had fell to the floor from his missile attacks, the young man himself morphed them into four small snakes.

Which went after those with the weapons, slithering across the floor mostly unnoticed by the villains. Once they reached their targets, they bared their fangs and attempted to bite them on the legs. They didn't have any venom but the shock might be enough to make the men drop their weapons, if all went to plan then the gas wouldn't be an issue. If not Kool-Aid would cover himself in a dome of crystallised Kool-Aid or if Pinnacle's protection didn't help the victims, he'd instead cover them and hopefully hold his breath to get past the gas.

Pinnacle nodded, then, as the gas began to spread, he sent a message directly to the young man's mind: "I'll absorb the finite matter from the gas and give them a re-breather system. It's knock-out gas. I can see its composition. My guess is that they used it to gather their captives in the first place." He said.

The men that fired the gas went to put on gas masks as the vaporous mass began to expand and creep throughout the warehouse.

"Oh no. I think you should take a deep breath and enjoy this aerosol you've provided us with." Pinnacle said, breathing in the gas, apparently unaffected. "Aaaah. It's got quite the refreshing scent to it." He added, before motioning slightly as the masks were yanked from their hands.

The men began to sputter and cough before falling to the floor unconscious... But not the leader, who stood unaffected in the gas.

"IDIOTS! Do I have to do everything MYSELF!?" He bellowed into the hazy room.

Pinnacle was full of surprises, going so far as speaking into his head directly which Kool-Aid found a tad invasive and annoying but right now that didn't matter. Hearing the words, Kool-Aid gave himself a dome of protection but instead of using a solid Kool-Aid mix he used the crystal form which allowed him to watch the action.

Once the others were down, Kool-Aid made use of powder he'd been trying to use before as the boss somehow unaffected by the gas. Started commenting about having to do things himself, it seemed he had powers of his own which included an immunity to the gases used. What they didn't know was that he could control and produce gases as well "Let's see how you bastards deal with this" yelled the boss man.

He used a hand each and sent gas at both Pinnacle and Kool-Aid both, for Pinnacle he sent a stream of highly volatile hydrogen gases. Ready to cause explosive problems for the powerful man, as the boss man let it touch the oxygen near Pinnacle's location. While Kool-Aid who'd shed his dome, ready to fight again got a dose of Methane sent in his direction. Which was on par with Hydrogen's explosive qualities and was also quite toxic to breath in, though the smell would give away to Kool-Aid what it was.

It didn't help that the man had control of the substances, so waiting it out wasn't going to work so Kool-Aid had to think of another way. Using the Kool-Aid crystals on the floor, he constructed an armour for himself and encased himself in it. This would allow him more time as he bent on one knee and tried to access the Kool-Aid snakes he'd created earlier and had them target the boss man. Aim for his legs and bite them as hard and as badly as he could, that way the man's concentration might be broken and give them a chance at victory.

While Pinnacle could have halted the gas in the air with his Merkavic Channeling, he chose instead to phase his body, a process that would be invisible to the eyes of the man before him, but which would allow the gas to pass through him harmlessly, though its volatility did have some effect on the oxygen around his immediate location.

Pinnacle stood in the air for a moment before responding: "...Was something supposed to happen there? I feel like you expected something to happen there."

Normally, he wouldn't taunt his opponents in this manner, but Israel had a special dislike for human traffickers. There was this, and the fact that he wanted to distract the man from the Kool-Adders™ that were about to bite his leg.

The plan apparently worked, as he was glaring so intently at Pinnacle that he seemed to entirely miss the powdery snakes at his side and they sank their crystalline fangs deep into the flesh of his legs.

The man howled in pain and a whirlwind whipped up around him, tossing about the snakes and hopefully, for his sake, flinging them off of him as well.