We Now Interupt Your Regularly Scheduled Life

Life had finally settled down for Ben. It was by his own design really. The world around him was still corrupt, still vile and intolerable but that hatred had begun to be replaced with another. He couldn't quite place what to call it. It wasn't fear or cowardice, nor was it apathy. As best he could imagine he thought that maybe it was the same feeling that a slightly above average college sportsman feels stumbling into the pros. At one time he had been confident in his abilities but he'd had enough broken bones, concussions and close calls to realize that he was out of his league, playing with fire. Somewhere along the way that little nagging voice in the back of his head telling him that he was going to get himself killed pulled him back from the life of a vigilante. So he packed it in, stashed Elysium and his outfit somewhere safe and doubled down on his everyday life.

As it turned out he'd been neglecting relationships, finances, basically everything that didn't involve his one man crusade. So, when he returned in full swing he had been amazed at how easily he fell back in and repaired the damage done. His work especially seemed to improve which brought him more legitimate travel opportunity. And that's what brought him to LA today. An ADA conference was being held in the city. Most of it would be boring but Ben was looking forward to it none the less. Since dropping his Veil persona travel had become a pleasant thing to look forward to instead of a high stress activity. So as he cleared the scanners and check points, flashed his badge and entered the large convention center he breathed a deep satisfied sigh. Life, it seemed, was good.

Life was never settled for Victor. So long as his family could operate as it did without real interference he didn’t feel right sitting at ease, even if Austin had been getting on him to do that. Something about this vigilante thing being too dangerous for him, though that just sounded like the usual concerned chattering that came from him. Not that it stopped him from helping him out when the time called for it. He made a good person behind the chair if nothing else. ”An attack on an ADA conference? You are aware of how stupid that sounds right?” The dark haired male question, hitting a few keys on their laptop and then looking up at him with that came unimpressed look in his eyes.

Victor rolled his eyes, turning to him and shrugging. ”Something tells me everything sounds stupid to the boy genius. Doesn’t mean it’s not happening, ”

”Lucky I’m even helping you Vic. I’m pretty sure someone wants to break my knee caps for all the hell you cause.”

”That would make the two of us,” He slipped on the skull like mask, feeling the fabric inside brush over his flesh. It was comfortable enough, considering he had to wear the thing while working. Didn’t want to end up wearing something that didn’t breathe at all, otherwise he had the feeling he would just have a hard time…well breathing.  Not that he was too worried about the concept of breathing or anything like that. They were more interested in making sure no one got hurt in a small time dental conference, because who would ruin a thing about mouth health?

Well the answer was one of his brothers short sighted underlings. They thought they get go up in the world by impressing him with enough drugs to improve their profit margin slightly. Well, it might have worked but they were dealing with someone who had his own way of getting information. The plan sounded stupid but understandable enough to see why someone would go about acting it out. Scouting the exterior of the conference was his first step, watching anyone that might have looked out of place. Well, that meant not being in costume to avoid anyone seeing him and doing the u7sual human thing of overreacting.  

That didn’t mean his suit was far out of reach.

Nothing looked out of the ordinary from his preliminary looks but then again he was assuming he wasn’t dealing with absolute idiots.  It took around an hour for Victor to notice something was off, though not off enough to really act immediately. That would have just looked even more suspicious. Might have been he recognized one of the faces going into the building, badge and everything which was well, telling enough. Not that he doubted they managed to get a couple on the inside with security, because even idiots could do a lot with enough resources. He didn’t have such a badge, which meant being a little more creative, though for now he let himself watch from a distance until something happened.

Time passed slow of course but eventually the even of something happening came about. Seemed like nothing would happen, that being until the small earpiece he kept in came to life and a voice came in on from the other side. ”Remember how you told me to keep an eye on things through surveillance, which I again remind you is probably very illegal?”

”Yeah, I remember that.”

”Well I broke through one of those cliché looping things they do with cameras and definitely something fishy going on. Pretty sure I saw like I dunno, gun being pointed in someone’s face. ” The sound of a gunshot now audibly rang through the air. ”and they blew out a security guards kneecap. Poor guy, well you should do something about that hero.” He grumbled under his breath and pulled on his mask, feeling the shift to smoke come over him and zip across the street before anyone could really do anything about. He was now smoke afterall, slipping through any opening in the building he could and moving until he came on out through into a hallway.

The smoke took on human form and he realized he was probably in one of those back hallways, though luckily he was still in full costume. ”You’re somewhere in the back, though I’m pretty sure you guessed that. Most of the shitshow they started is taking place in the main hall, though you’re not too far off from what I assume is the looting. Do whatever you want though V..Geist.” With that mention he grasped the batons strapped to his lower back and prepped to move. Something told him he had to stop them stealing whatever first.

Not that Ben was expecting trouble, but the convention going on without incident was a welcome relief. No matter how many events he attended the total lack of excitement was a breath of fresh air. For too long he'd seemed to run in to trouble. Assassins tried to kill him in broad daylight, superpower menaces picked fights right in front of him, it had been a constant for so long. Clearly you're just cursed  that ever-present nagging voice in the back of his head would say. He'd correct of course that he often sought out the danger, it wasn't surprising that he found it. Yea and that was a great idea... That voice never left, but it bothered him now about simple things, not matters of life and death.

So as he strolled the large rooms of the convention center he took in the sights. Vendors displayed new products, touted the virtues of new medical treatments and surgical techniques. Pamphlets were passed out to similar ends. Every now and then a booth would have some sort of gimmick, a game, a prize give away. It was awkward in a cute sort of way. And they got the job done to draw his attention despite the cringe it could cause in him.

"Nice watch" one of the vendors for a local anesthetic remarked as Ben reached out to pick up a pamphlet. Oh good, you know you're surrounded by people that recognize the tech you've got in that thing right? he scolded himself. Despite stepping back from the life he hadn't hung up every gadget in his arsenal. The wrist mounted dental lasers were small and convenient. He'd already concealed them in a watch and wristband, they passed things like airport security and they were non-lethal. Most importantly they made Ben feel less naked. You don't live a life like his and make the sorts of enemies his alter ego had and not keep some form of protection.

"Thanks, it was a gift" he remarked quickly before shuffling off into the crowd as fast as he could without looking suspicious. Smoooooth, don't worry I'm sure they bought that. He shook his head, trying to shake loose the intrusive thought but a loud bang somewhere in the building did that for him. Gunshot... he thought, his body crouching down before he even registered what it was doing. Get somewhere safe now, gotta get our bearings here, can't panic he ran thought exit plans in his head as the crowd around him erupted in to panic. A cacophony of screams and panicked shouts erupted in the hall and Ben slipped his way through the crowd before the tide of moving bodies could overwhelm him. He picked the first door clear of people and slammed it behind him, pressing his back to it.

A sign on the wall across from him clearly displayed in big block letters "EMPLOYEES ONLY". Alright now what smart guy? His brain was going crazy. Was it a mass shooting? No, there had only been one gunshot, likely a warning, so there was some other goal. But what? If you're gonna do something maybe take care of that appearance yea? Or you could out yourself right here and now as The Veil, I'm sure that would go well. For once he agreed with his anxiety, stripping the button up shirt off his back he fashioned a sort bandanna over his mouth and nose. Then he produced one of two pairs of dental lab safety glasses from his back pocket and placed them over his eyes. Lot of good that's going to do you against bullets.  

It was only at this moment that he caught sight of the smoke down the hallway congealing into solid human form. Metahumans, yep, you're fucked his inner monologue taunted. He had to admit it was bad. No suit, no gas, large crowd of civilians, he was pretty much out of options. And judging from the gear this person was ready for a fight. Looking around and seeing no one else yet in this access hallway Ben thought it best to face the threat head on, at the very least he might delay their advance on the crowd on the other side of the door.

"Hey!" he called out to the skull masked figure, standing up tall and trying to sound as authoritative. Yea introduce yourself to Skeletor, I bet he just wants to be friends...Raising his right hand he aimed his wrist mounted lasers towards the person's eyes, prepared to fire if they became aggressive. "What's your game here?"

Things seemed like they were going fine all things considered, though he was rushing into a building with armed men likely wanting to shoot him full of holes. Well they were going to find themselves disappointed in the shooting him department. Could have gone well until he came mask to mask with someone pointing their wrist at him, though something told him that was some kind of threat. Were they holding an invisible weapon of some kind? He called out to him in a tone that sounded like he was probably trying to intimidate him and it sorta worked.

”Want me to turn some turrets on him? Because I can’t do that and there are no turrets for me to shoot him with,’ The voice in his earpiece quipped, though Vic was hoping his oracle was not just following him to watch him fail.

”Well you got someone probably trying to shooting up a place with a bunch of dentists and I’m tryin to stop that,” Was his response to the question about his game and what it was here in particular. ”who exactly are you? No offense but you’re basically just pointing at me,’ What exactly was he hoping to do? Geist held the two weapons in his hands, prepped to defend himself if he had to but if this person had similar  ideas then maybe he wouldn’t be alone in that whole thing.

”Be careful there Vic. Don’t know what this guy you’re talking to can do but  might be dangerous…maybe.”