Golden Age Heroes

(you are spamming Slam, you could have just as easily took your own advice and PMed, if you thought that I did something wrong. But you chose to do it publicly.My character was giving inner monologue that is relevant to the story, he's a detective. You should stop now, you are only making yourself look as immature as I believe you to be.)

The Crimson Shadow nodded as Tobias grabbed at one of the thugs feet and did his best to help. They wouldn't have to make it too far, The masked vigilante had parked his car just on the other block. The would load him into the trunk and then set off to the abandoned air strip.

The ride wasn't long, but long enough for the red masked hero to ask his new friend some questions; " Sooo, where'd you get that book anyway? Do you know what it is, from what I can guess it looks pretty old." The Crimson Shadow asked as he cruised the back dirt roads. He had the pedal pegged and was driving very fast, though he often took his eyes off the road and started down at the boy. It was an unnerving act to anyone that wasn't an experience fighter pilot. To the Crimson Shadow this car drive was as exciting as a child's amusement ride. What looked reckless to others was barely enough to elevate his breathing.

As they arrived at the air field he spike the cars brakes and spun the vehicle around backward and into a hanger. The huge buildings door barely opened enough to allow the skidding car entry before returning to it's closed position once again. The Crimson Shadow looked down at the boy to try and get a feel for the excitement the young lad must be feeling.

The lights of the giant building come on automatically, another sly innovation to someone who had never seen that sort of technological marvel before. Inside was a large tarp covered mass that could only be a WWI bi-wing fighter plane. The Crimson Shadow popped the trunk and lugged the now conscience and struggling Thug out of the trunk and over to a chair that was bolted to the ground. He spent the next couple of minuted binding the thug down before finally squaring off in front of the now blubbering criminal.

The menacing visage of the Crimson Shadows masked face came in close, almost nose to nose. His unblinking stare glaring at the criminal yet not saying a word, until finally whispering in his gruff hero tone; "Who do you work for?"

((Not spamming. Learn words before you use them. I didn't point out flaws with your posting(though I've caught myself facepalming a couple of time looking over this), so I didn't really need to PM you. This isn't something that should have been carried on or even complained to another admin about. You should have just took it in stride like the adult you are, taken some advice that wasn't even criticism, since you think everyone should accept your without being offended, and I was a lot nicer about it. If you can't tell the difference you need help.))

After Tobais helped out with the thug, he jumped into the car passenger seat, he had never rode in an automobile before. He always rode in horse-drawn carriages. Tobais slammed the door after him, it was not to be rude, but because he did not know how to shut a car door properly. Tobais set the book down on his lap. Waiting to see how this automobile worked. When the Crimson Shadow slammed the door and turn on the car, the noise thrilled Tobais. Of course it would. It was similar to the feeling of a kid listening to a train whistle, or a low flying airplane. The young were always fascinated with the works of the old. Tobais was not scared of the fast or reckless driving, mainly because he had nothing to compare as "Safe driving."

Halfway through the trip, the crimson shadow said to Tobais, "Sooo, where'd you get that book anyway? Do you know what it is, from what I can guess it looks pretty old."

Tobais looked at him, the book, then at him again, "Um, oh, uh My parents owns the library." Tobais did not tell him the details. It was not from laziness or an intent to lie, it was a lack of experienced charisma.

Soon they came to an airplane hangar. Tobais heard the squealing of brakes and the doors of the hangar opened. Suddenly the car jerked to the right, making both tobais and the book almost spill into the crimson shadow's lap. Tobais tried to recover the book but failed when the overwhelming smell of burnt rubber made him choke. The crimson shadow got out and popped open the trunk, dragging the man to a chair. Tobais looked out the windshield and saw the bi-wing plane. Tobais was amazed he only saw these things as tiny dots in the sky every once in a blue moon. He wanted to see this a bit closer. He fiddled with the door. unaware of how to open it. But eventually, he found the latch to open the door. Tobais ran to the plane, an uncountable amount of "wows" and "Cool" spilling out his mouth. This plane distracted him to what the crimson shadow was doing.

The book was abandoned in the car.

The crimson Shadow watched as his new young tag-along rand toward the bi-plane. He would have taken time to show it off to the lad himself, if there weren't more pressing matters. He heard the boy say something like 'Cool' and wondered what the chap was on about. 'Must be some new turn-a-phrase the kids say' he thought to himself.

"Mind the Tarp Toby, You can pull it off if you undo the straps, That there is a real, live German Dog-fighter I restored after the war. Have a look but mind your hands."

"llllook mmmister....I don't know squat...Ye hear me....I am a dock worker, thas it, the rich fella in the fancy blacked-out car paid me to dress up fancy and offer them lady's a night out on the town! Thas it, After them Who-ers get in the car my task is complete...I walk away....thas all I know....OK?" The thug whimpered, still groaning from the bean bag mini projectile he'd been shot with. The impact from a normal less-than-lethal round was bad enough, but because of this small round's surface area it had surely caused some internal bleeding and he coughed up blood to prove the point.

"Horse Manure! Who was the rich man?" The Crimson Shadow growled as he pushed his thumb ever so lightly against the welt on the man's stomach. The Crimson Shadow watched as Toby made a run for the airplane, he was about to scold the boy, but then figured 'what harm could it do?' and let the boy explore. There was little trouble the lad could get into, anyway; the plane hadn't any fuel. The double machine guns were unloaded as well, he smiled under his mask at that, any young boy couldn't help but be in awe of those. With that he turned his face back to the thug.

"Honest to God, Sir....I never saw him, he wears a black hood over his face. Even when I first met him, he was wearing it. I just figured he was another high class socialite with a taste for dirty ladies....He paid good money and my family is starving!" The beaten thug pleaded.

"I know there was something...think harder!" the Red scarfed vigilante demanded as he pushed his balled thumb against the swelling welt.

"AAAArrrhhh..........No....nothin....except....wait......a ring, yeah he had a ring on his hand. I thought it was strange because people don't usually wear rings on the outside of gloves but this fella did. .....It was a big one, but not gold....Silver....It had a crest or something on it, you know like a family shield. But that's it...ok....OK?" The thug whined, huffing from the extortionary tactics.

"A ring you say? Could you draw it...could you make a rough sketch of what you saw?" The Crimson Shadow pried.

"Jeebus Mister....I am a dock worker...not no artiste....." The broken man brayed.

"I suppose you'll just have to make do.....won't you?" The Shadow quipped menacingly. He reached down and untied the fellows hand. On a pad of paper on the table next to him the brawny dock worker scribbled a rough sketch of a Griffin holding a Snake with the all seeing pyramid eye symbol for a crown atop the lion's head. I was barely legible but the thug described it as he drew. The Thug wasn't so sure, of it's exact appearance but reckoned that it was close enough.

"Young Master Toby....Have you any questions for this unwitting accomplice or shall we bag his head and put him back into the trunk?" The Crimson Shadow asked jokingly.



.

Tobais barely paid attention to the Crimson shadows comment sbout the plane. Tobais would not get in it, although he was curious enough to get in it, the idea of actually flying it ten thousand feet in the air scared him. He put his hands on it, feeling the cold steel of the cockpit hull. He did not pay attention to the small torture fest that happened behind him. Tobais did not need to see the events there, he was only 12 years old. That would mess with his mind very badly. Tobais instead looked at the ropes that tied down the tarp. He fiddled with it but it was tied too tight for him to pull apart. Just as he was about to loosen it the crimson shadow said.

"Young Master Toby....Have you any questions for this unwitting accomplice or shall we bag his head and put him back into the trunk?"

Tobais spun around blushing, but trying to put on an innocent look. "Uh no not really." He said with his hands behind his back.

The Crimson Shadow eyed Toby, he thought it was strange that a boy of his age lacked the curiosity to actually turn down a chance to sit in such a fascinating peace of technology, but chalked it up to the next generations changing tastes. Maybe fighter planes had lost some of their intrigue to the youth of today.

After hearing the lad dismiss the offer to help question the thug that had tried to drag a lady into a scary looking car, The Crimson Shadow thought about it. The boy was probably still terrifed and having this figure out in the open was probably putting the child off. He snatched a black burlap bag out of his trunk and placed it over the thug's head. The man was a bit scared thinking he was about to be killed himself and gave a small struggle.

" Settle down old chap, You've been punished enough tonight, I think we'll drop you off at the Bobbies station and let them sort you out. " With that the Crimson Shadow squatted low and heaved the large man up on to his shoulder. He grunted under the stress but managed to stow the thug back into the trunk. He slammed the trunk lid and turned to regard the young boy.

"Tobias.....that's right isn't it? You said your name was Tobias? Come over and have a seat lad....Let's talk a bit." The Detective asked. He walked over and sat back down in the seat he'd had the thug tied down to and patted the chair next to him.

"Come here lad....Have a spot of tea...." He said, and then did something surprising he pulled his red scarf down and exposed his face. It was a sign of trust, and even the Crimson Shadow himself was a little surprised at himself that he'd done it. But there was just something about the brave lad that made it ok.

"Let's talk for a spell....Why don't you try and tell me a bit about yourself, and where you really got that book..."
He grinned, but a calming one. Over the next hour he would hear the lad's tale. They would talk about many things, including the fact that Tobias would have to keep the Crimson Shadow's Identity a secret, and the amazing tale of a mystical tale on how he'd come into possession of his Magic Scarf.

Tobais was embarrassed when the detective called for him. He felt like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The detective believed tobais when he said he did not have anything to say. He was too embarrassed to say so. He did have an interest in the plane, but he lied about it. After all, he was only 12 with a stranger who was aggressively friendly to say the least. Like a bully that stands up for Tobais in times of trouble. He did not want to get in trouble, so he hid behind the 'i'm not doing anything' lie.

"Tobias.....that's right isn't it? You said your name was Tobias? Come over and have a seat lad....Let's talk a bit. Come here lad....Have a spot of tea....Let's talk for a spell....Why don't you try and tell me a bit about yourself, and where you really got that book..."

The detective sat down in a chair, patting the one next to him. Tobais hurried to sit down, just like any other kid would. He took off the scarf, revealing the rest of his face. A rather calming face for such an aggressive man.

Tobais was not the most charismatic boy, but he told him a underdeveloped explanation of how his family were librarians and how he came across this book.

(you make it sound like you wanna do a "Next day" thing)

The Crimson Shadow smiled as he listened, the boy spoke clearly and didn't show the tell tale signs of lying.

"Tobias.....Have a look at this symbol, I know it's poorly drawn but you heard that thug explain the insignia he saw on his employer's ring. I want you to think....Have you ever seen this symbol before?" The detective tapped his finger on the scratch paper rhythmically as he talked. He patiently waited for the boy's answer, once the boy answered he calmly started in again.

"Well I have seen this symbol Toby....In, fact quite recently.....Do you know where?.....Why don't you run over an fetch your ancient tome from the seat in the automobile Tobias.....I think you'll find something very interesting about a quarter of the way through the first chapter. " The Crimson Shadow sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest and his feet on the floor and waited for the lad to investigate a book. The Detective had seen that symbol when he'd first taken the book for the boy and flipped through it.

The Crimson Shadow already knew the answer to his own question, but this was a part of the play. Whom ever this boy was, or his family is, they were linked to the recent killings here in London, somehow. He was sure the boy was innocent of any wrong doing but further investigation would reveal more about the lad's family. It would probably turn out that they were also unwittingly connect but if they knew anything about the symbol in the book, then they could help cracking the case. It would seem that he and this scrappy young lad would be spending some time together after all.