The new drug

(( I suggest we skip WakaFlocka this round, he's clearly not going to post anytime soon, and It would be lame if the quest were to die just because one out of four stopped posting ))

Frankie nodded his head to the guy in the yellow and black suit before watching him float up and over the lip of the ceiling. As soon as he was out of view, Bones carefully concentrated on the tips of his finger where a small energy ball formed. He turned his hand and the ball stayed firmly at his leather “finger” tip. With a small press of his hand he pushed through the wood frame to the other side, where the lock began to burn through. Frankie kept watch however, eyeing the scientists to try and get a firm idea of just who the culprit could be. With a gentle push the lock broke and the window moved forward against a gentle push. He waited patiently for a moment, glancing up at the upper floor for the Cape. He finally saw him waving his hands which would have made Frankie smile if he had muscles for it.

The window opened under a gentle push. Frankie used the distraction of the goon in the car to slip through it. Instead of dropping like a stone, however, he gripped hold of the ledge and lowered himself down. If anyone looked straight at him, he would have been left in the open like a duck. Except everyone seemed far too busy concentrating on the guy with the gun. Frankie let do and dropped silently behind a crate, crouching down and adjusting his hat as he did so. His Tommy gun rested happily against his lower spine and pelvis and his Mauser swung comfortably next to his ribs.

”Alright, Alright... One thing down, hopefully without anyone seeing me.”

He held his breath however, peeking around a corner and trying to spot if anyone had spotted him or not. If they did, he’d have to kick his way out and pull a gun and see how things end up. Sure, it sounds dangerous, but he was about 95% sure that when he pulled a gun and began pulling on the trigger he wouldn’t hit someone innocent. 95% sure.

Black watched his new boney companion slip in seemingly undetected through the warehouse window. All of the action on the other side of the building had kept the eyes of the enemy off of him. Following his lead Black pulled himself over the railing and fell down to the open warehouse space below. Landing gently on a shipping container that rose high enough up from the floor so that he would not be spotted he crept slowly across from he was able to get a better look at the situation he had entered the warehouse to rectify.

Nearing the edge of the container he slid down to a prone position. He wanted to avoid being seen. Although he was not too worried about it, the sun was almost down and the warehouse’s lighting was not the greatest. Many of the overhead lamps that hung above their heads had shorted out or were just plain broken. He was fairly certain that he could remain unseen as long as he restricted his movements and kept quiet. Methodically pulling himself along the on his stomach he peered down to the activity below him. He could see where the hostages were working; a table filled with chemical and other equipment was sitting underneath a bright lamp. He had no idea what he was dealing with but it seemed quite sinister. Black contemplated just destroying whatever they were working on, but he was concerned that it would put the hostage in harm’s way. He had to find a way to locate and neutralize his treat before taking on the sick creation that was cooking up on the table.

On the other hand… he said thinking to himself. I’m sure that his guy isn’t going to want me to destroy whatever it is he went through all this trouble to get. He just may reveal himself to try to stop me. Watching the stand off he weighed his options. “Worth a shot” he whispered “and it’s a hell of a lot better than me laying here wait for something better to happen” Pulling himself upward he leaped from the container. Gliding through the air quickly he landed next to the work station. Facing the group of scientists who he was sure on of was his enemy he shouted across the room. “He bro, you can stop hiding out like a bitch and show yourself or…” he said cracking a cocky smile and raising his arm to toward the table. "I can blow your little science project here to kingdom come.” Small currents of electricity rose to the surface of his arm running down toward his hand gaining power as they went. Once they reached his hand the held there running across the tips of his spread finger.

((Wakaflocka, if you're still active, PM me.. until then, we're skipping you ))

"Wouldn't do that if I were you..!" Canni teased, pulling up the detonator while his disguised form dissapeared within seconds. "Or rather, please do that.. but be prepared to witness theese poor innocent scientist blowing up in a very.. lethal fashion."

Being overcome by the urge to interfere the situation, altough he didn't actually think the superhero, who obviously wielded eletricity as a weapon, would actually go trough with destroying the drug. Still, it wouldn't hurt to make sure now would it? If shit hit the fan, Canni could still come out on top.. after all, it was just two against one, equality at it's best! The dipshit who crashed his car trough the wall, and the eletricity controlling idiot, would not be likely to pose any real threat to Canni's well-being. Or so he thought.

- 4 rounds until the drug is developed -

Bones ground the bottom his palm into an eye socket as he heard the Cape in the black and yellow call out the mad man pretending to be one of the scientists. That was as dumb as the guy in the car crashing his way through a wall and pulling out his guns. But he was pleasantly surprised when the villain actually decided to lay his cards on the table and just tell them what he was doing. Or at least give them a little bit of an insight. Bones leaned out oh so slightly as the voice replied to the cape, claiming it had a detonator that would turn the scientists littering the warehouse into a splatter of blood. Interesting. The guy wasn’t probably the smartest in the world, so if Bones could simply get close to one of the scientists and take a look at the device...

Bones glanced at the Cape, and the back of the Villain. He waved a hand back and forth slightly, to try and get the attention of the guy with the electricity. For a moment, he really wondered how he was going to mouth the phrase “Keep him busy and looking at you!” without a mouth or cheek muscles or... anything. Still keeping himself out of sight he pointed at the Villain and then violently gestured somewhere else, away from the scientists. At the very least he was hoping that the Cape got the hint that Frankie wanted some kind of room to work.

With that done, and with the Scientists about as aware of Bones as the Villain, Frankie decided to try and wrangle one of the hostages away. In his mind he was already making a dispersion plan. Simply, he would work on the first and show him how to do it. The Gentleman or lady would move over to a second one and do what he had been shown, severing the detonator from the explosive itself. And then the two of them would multiply to four, and then there would only be one left over scientist and one knocked out on the floor. They were meant to be working, and the villain was distracted, so if they worked quickly and inconspicuously enough they’d all be safe from the mad man with the detonator.

And then Bones figured he could get the cape to distract him, allowing Bones to creep up on him and knock him out with the butt of his Tommy Gun.

But first... Bones leaned out from behind the crate and selected the nearest scientist. Then, carefully making sure that the Villain wouldn’t somehow snap around at the smallest sound, he took a loose bit of wood from the crate and tossed the thing over his shoulder, at the man’s head. The bald guy felt it and looked around in confusion, to spot a crouched and grinning skeleton half hidden by shadows. The guy handled it a lot better than Bones hoped. He blinked in surprise before his eyes bulged in shock. Well, tough... Frankie though, as he beckoned him over, glancing at the villain. With a shaky step, the guy slowly inched towards Bones.

Black smiled as the man revealed himself. “Wouldn’t do that if I were you” he said menacingly toward Black, like he hadn’t heard that one before. The man who Black was sure was about to follow up his statement with more of the generic villain speak, pulled out a small device. As he did this he shifted his form something Black was not really expecting. No longer a scientist the true villain stood before him he then gave and evil chuckle “Or rather, please do that… but be prepared to witness these poor innocents scientist blowing up in a very…. Lethal fashion.” Black nodded his head still holding his hand out toward the table. He watched the man hold the detonator gently in his palm waiting for Black to make a move.

Black was about to respond as he saw his skeletal partner sneaking around behind the man Black watched him out the corner of his eye careful not to look at him directly. Black made sure not to move his head so he wouldn’t give away the bone man’s position. He only moved his eyes slightly which thanks to his mask were obscured to everyone. The skeletal man started to swing his arms back and forth trying to get his attention. He was motioning them violently toward the villain, and then away from where he was. Black got the message keeping his eyes trained on the man in front of him as the other hero pulled the closest scientist away to hopefully defuse the explosive device.

“Well then” he smiled holding his ground against the man. “It looks like we have ourselves a little standoff here doesn’t it.” He laughed he hoped that he could egg this guy on long enough to keep the detective out of sight long enough to do his thing. "Look at you hiding behind these poor people, it’s not like I’m surprised though you villains are normally quite cowardly.” Black shook his head giving his most convincing fake laugh. “I mean honestly you did kill all of these ware house workers didn’t you why don’t you just do the same to me. I’m right here come get me.” Black looked across the room to the man hoping to draw out the violent response he was looking for.

"Hiding? You're mistaken, I'm not hiding, I'm waiting.." Canni responded, grinning widely as if he had everything under controll, which he certainly thought he did. He was completely unaware of the third hero in the room who was currently getting one of his precious scientists towards his location, and as such, had great confidence in his own succsess at this point.

"But you're right.. It would be unfair to leave you alive where so many others have perished, so I will grant you your wish of.. well, torment! Gahahahaha!!" He let out a heart-wrenching laugh as he moved his detonator up above his head, opened his mouth and swallowed it. He manipulated his cellular structure so that the detonator would merge down into his jaw (not possible to see from the outside), with several finger-like tendrils holding on to it. He needed both his hands for what was about to come.

He made a quick, shifting motion with his arms as they grew longer and thicker, reaching down to the floor, covered by thick brown fur. Five huge claws were formed from his fingers, as black as they were sharp. From the perspective of an outsider, it would seem as if his fur coat simply merged togheter with his arms and grew longer. Without a word, Canni launched himself forward, his long arms sliding along the floor behind him, tearing it up as he ran. He reached the current location of BlackOut, sweeping his right arm horizontally to the left with great strength, probably launching him across the room if it were to connect. If he missed, he would spin around, following his right arms trajectory, and smash his left arm downwards vertically as soon as his left side faced BlackOut.

- 3 rounds until drug is developed -

As the scientist lowered onto his knees and slipped behind the boxes, Frankie patted the guy on the shoulder blades and pushed him onto his rear so he’d sit quietly. Bones was about to turn around and try and do his best with the explosive charge on the man’s belt but he stopped when he heard the Cape and the Villain chatting. Bickering like little kids. Well, on one hand that was good. It made the Villain make mistakes, but that was also a bad thing, if he decided to just pop the trigger on the detonator and blew the six men and women to smithereens. As he watched, the Villain did something, well... Odd. He lifted the detonator and dropped it into his mouth like it was a tasty snack, his throat barely bulging as it slipped out of sight. That was definitely odd, but it wasn’t the oddest thing. The guy changed the very shape of his arms, the length of it stretching down. A bunch of claws burst from his fingers and it looked like his fur coat became a part of his skin.

Well. That was disturbing.

As the monster-man launched his self forward, a hand rocked Frankie’s skeletal body back and forth. He turned around and the sweating, baldhead scientist looked worried at him. Frankie pressed a finger to his grinning teeth and opened the man’s coat, locating the explosive device strapped to the man’s chest. Well, it wasn’t that complicated at all. Bones leaned forward and held the device in his hand, running his gloved fingers over a number of wires and the amount of explosive carefully. Yeah, this was easy. A few snips of the wire running from the wireless device to the charge without the booby-trap going off would do the job.

Bones concentrated on the tip of his finger and a small blue energy ball formed, burning away silently. Frankie plucked the wires between thumb and forefinger and he took what sounded like a deep breath. With a gently movement of his hand the energy slipped through the wire and the bomb went into a dormant state. Bones was able to pull the bomb free gently and drop it to the floor carefully, the charge and explosive compounds now inert without the wireless signal. ”Okay.” He whispered quietly, looking the scientist in the eyes. ”You see the wire I cut?” The man looked down and nodded his head in a rather frightened fashion. ”Go show the others how to do it, but point one of the other men or women over here. I’ll do one, you do one and then we both finish the last two. Just make sure you look inconspicuous about it.” The man nodded and then moved out from behind the crates, just as the fight got into swing.

The man scuttled off to two of his colleagues and indicated one of them move over to the crates, rather quietly and rather effectively in Bone’s opinion. As he watched the man worked quickly and silently before Frankie’s vision was obscured by another person. Frankie went to work.

“I will grant you your wish of… well, torment!” Black was glad the man took the bait. As long as he kept him busy it should allow the other hero to defuse the explosive. Black watched at the man dropped the detonator into his mouth and did god know what with it. If that was not odd enough he began to shift forms again. This time he bulged grotesquely and arms grew gaining length and bulk hang just above the floor. From the tips of its finger claws burst forth; they were long and looked quite sharp. Brown fur had also sprouted up across his arms. This transformation left Black face to face with a very hideous beast.

Black stared with side eyes his mouth hanging open slightly. “I can honestly say I was not expecting that.” As the words escaped his mouth the beast launched itself across the room hurtling toward him at great speed. Black managed to side step the creature, barely avoiding the wild sweeping motion of its massive arm. The beast came right back with a second attack, but Black was already on the move. Jumping backward he landed on one of the many large crates the stood around the floor of the warehouse. “Damn, he’s fast” Black muttered to himself looking down to see three decent sized tears across the front of his suit where the villains claws must have just grazed him. He then glanced at the gouge in the concrete floor that the monster had made as it dragged its large disgustingly muscular arm across the floor. “And strong.” The piles of corpse that’s littered the building began to make sense as he realized the full capabilities of fearsome beast that stood before him.

Leaping from the crate Black flew upwards stopping a couple of feet short of the ceiling of the building. “Was that the best you can do big fella?” he yelled mockingly down the creature. "The whole thing about you granting me my wish of torment had me expecting something a little better.” He gave an exaggerated sigh and shook his head. Black looked away from the creature for a second seeing the sweaty, bald, and nervous looking scientist that went behind the crates with the skeletal man quietly emerging. The man quickly and covertly moved across the room making sure to stay out of the monsters gaze. He reached two of the other captive scientists sending one behind the crates and then working on the explosive device of the other himself. He showed them how to do it themselves clever Black thought to himself returning his mind back to the task at hand. “Alright let’s see if you can do a better job at “tormenting” me this time.” Black laughed motioning for the beast to come after him. He was sure that this faux mockery would keep the beast coming after him long enough to allow all of the explosives to be disarmed. “Just you wait you big son of a bitch” he whispered as clenched his left fist and started charging an attack. “I’m saving this one for you.” He felt the electricity push to the surface of the arm and smiled as the attack continued to gain power.

"I was going to say that your abillity to run away is very impressive, but it's not actually so." Canni stated, "I understand you want more torment than you believe I can offer, so I will do my best to abide to your wish!". Canni was still confident that he could take the guy out in a fight, but the super's speed and dodging abillities could prove to be a pain in the ass, and he wasn't prepared to use it just yet.

The drug wasn't quite ready yet, he could tell, but it wouldn't mean it didn't work would it? At least Canni didn't think so when he found the scientists no longer neccesary for the completion of the drug, he'd probably be able to finish the last bit with his biokinesis. He turned away from BlackOut and walked towards the scientists who were busy working on the drug as if their life depended on it (which it did), planning to use them as explosive projectiles on the guy who refused to be hit. "Wait a minute.." Canni mumbled loudly, "Why is there only two of you here? Where did the rest go!?", the scientists started sweating like madmen, unable to answer the question.

It was obvious that someone else had taken them when Canni wasn't looking, perhaps using some sort of teleportation power? Canni was unsure, but he didn't assume that whoever had taken them had defused his bombs, and even so, it wouldn't be that much of a loss at this point. Without looking at the two remaining scientists, he picked up a small vial filled with yellow liquid, stared at it for a second before swallowing it, storing it next to his heart. The whole process went very quickly, and simultaneously as his next action.

He quickly grabbed ahold of the two remaining scientists, "You wan't torment!? You got it!" He screamed as he threw them both towards BlackOut with great speed, enough to kill them both on impact, but that wasn't what was going to kill them. As they came close (or even if they didn't), Canni pressed the detonator with tendrils inside his mouth, and all the remaining bombs that weren't yet defused, exploded!

- BOOOOOOOM -

- Drug's developing was halted at 8/10 completion -

Bones half listened as the third scientists crawled down behind the crate. Now, it was an easy process of opening the guys coat and cutting the wire, with his finger. He made sure that the guy saw what he had done and then pulled the explosive from his belt, putting it on top of the small amount that had already been gathered. As he watched, one of the other scientists moved over to the guy knocked out on the floor and neutralised the bomb on his belt. Frankie glanced to the two scientists left anxiously working away. One of the gentlemen already defused bent down and helped the knocked out man from the floor, able to snip the wire with a scalpel when no one was looking. And then everything went downhill. When the villain wasn’t looking, they pulled the explosive off their belt and dropped it onto the ground, before making a not too subtle dash for the hole in the wall made by the lunatic.

Frankie put his face into his palms and growled to himself, before he picked up the two charges of explosive and spotted the two others located on the floor. Four bombs. Good, if he could trick the Villain somehow he could use the bombs against him. A couple well placed shots and a trap will knock the villain out at the very least, or... Well, he’d come that bridge when it arrived. Pocketing the bombs, he swung his Tommy Gun around his waist and grabbed the two handles, intent on crawling out of his hiding spot to save the last two scientists.

As he lent out of his safety place he bit back a shout. The villain lurched forward and grabbed the two remaining people, lifting them up from the floor. They screamed out in terror, kicking their legs and arms, before the Villain threw them as hard as he could through the air. The detonator was pressed and they... Bones looked away, banging his head against the crate and hissed under his breath as he heard the explosion. Two people. Dead. A warehouse full of dead workers. If they let this creep get away, it would be the worst thing ever.

Determined, he quickly tried to formulate a plan. If he slotted some bombs around the crates and stood on top of one of them, he’d just have to taunt the guy forward and jump out of the way before he collided with the crates. A well placed shot and the Villain would be thrown out or blown to bits, although it was probably likely that the guy had a pretty strong constitution and would at best be disoriented enough for the Cape and him to deal with...

Bones moved silently along behind the crates, crawling towards the two bombs. When he was in reach, he pulled them to his body and slipped them into his pockets, except for one. He skulked out from his hiding place, dropping the bombs in a small circle around his body before flexing the magical shield around his body and charging it up. It would be enough to protect them against the fire made, but the shockwaves might break a couple of his bones...

”HEY! Big and ugly!” He shouted loudly, pulling up the Tommy Gun and taking aim straight at the things chest. ”Come get me, you big hairy fuck.”

Black watched as the beast lifted the vial of green liquid over its head and swallowed it as he had done just moment before with the detonator. Black watched as he then lifted the two remaining scientists up and flung then at him. The men speed at extraordinary speeds and as they got close he could hear a faint beeping noise coming from the explosives inside of their coat. Black stared at their terrified faces pf the men for a moment before dropping from the air and landing on the ground below. He hit the floor and covered his head with is arms as the explosives went off above him.

“Damn” he grunted slamming his right fist against the bare concrete floor of the warehouse. His left arm was still flexed pilling electricity from his body prepping his attack. “I got to stop this guy before he hurts anyone else" he said to himself. He had had his fill of senseless violence for the day and he was ready to take this monster out. Unfortunately as bad as he want to destroy this fuck immediately he was not quite ready yet. He needed to buy more time.

“HEY! Big and ugly! Come get me, you big hairy fuck.” Black looked up and grinned slightly as he watched the other hero standing tall and pointing his gun at the beast. Perfect timing Black thought hoping the bone man could hold off the freak just long enough for him to finish it. Black stepped back allowing the hero to do his thing while continuing to charge his finishing blow hoping it would be enough to put this asshole down.

Canni turned towards Bones, suprised that there was more heroes present. It was somewhat comforting to know that the heroes didn't have any teleporters on their side, since that would have proved to be somewhat of a challenge towards his next action. There was no point trying to fight two heroes at once, especially not when one of them is armed.

He had acomplished what he set out to do. The drug was basically completed. Sure, some nasty side-effects could occur upon injection, but it wasn't like he was planning on using it on himself, so why bother with the details? Drug addicts will accept anything you give them, and even pay you for it. A wide grin found it's way onto Canni's face, theese guys couldn't actually touch him if he were to do... Something they wouldn't expect.

"You got me, I give up." Canni said, and placed both his hands on his head as they reverted back to normal.

Bones grimaced as he hooked his shoulders down, knowing that whatever he was doing was incredibly stupid and would probably end up with him in a sack being ferried to the nearest bone yard. Now all he needed was the big thing to come straight at him without thinking. And then it said something that actually surprised him. “You got me, I give up.” Frankie was so surprised that the barrel of the Tommy Gun slipped down and pointed at the ground. What the hell? The guy murdered a warehouse full of people and two prominent scientists, and now he simply wanted to give up and let the cops take him away? Something inside of Frankie burned as he thought about Mobsters in his previous life that had used a similar technique, surrendering almost immediately. They were guys who would pay off the next lawyer and jury and be out within a day. They were the kind of guys who would execute people in front of their families and throw hundred dollar bills at them.

They were the kind of guys who invited you out into the sticks and then spent an evening cutting you up with serrated blades.

And for a moment, the anger he felt at being murdered so brutally resurfaced. The anger at every single life wasted just so this man could do something with the medical and scientific equipment. Frankie lifted the gun, slid back the safety and softly squeezed the trigger, expecting the gun to go off in a cloud of smoke and shells within a moment, turning the surrendering man into a fine red mist. But something stopped him; he winced and flipped the weapon around his back, resting the barrel of it along his hips and against his spine. ”Watch him!” He shouted, stepping over the explosives and marching across to the tables filled with scientific equipment, determined to find out just what the damn monster wanted.

He sifted through the chemicals and biological agents, his still grinning bone face seemingly exuding anger. With a shaking hands he picked up discs of glass and test tubes and Bunsen burners... The anger surfaced again and he put his hands on the expensive equipment, dragged it along the table and sent it sailing over the side of the table. ”What were you forcing them to make?” He shouted, marching forward, his hand outstretched and pointing into the villains face. ”What was the point of all this?” He knew there was a reason. There had to be a reason. Why would he spend so much time kidnapping the scientists and getting the equipment set up for the damn team?! Something Frankie had missed was bugging him and it wouldn’t go away if they simply turned the schmuck in, because in less than a day he would have got his ass out of prison again!

”You better start talking...” He growled, swinging the gun around and pointing it square the guys chest. ”Because if you don’t, I’ll be sure to tell the nice men and women of the NYPD you put up a bit of a struggle.”

“You got me, I give up” The monster put his hand above its head as it shifted back to its original form.

Black knew better than to trust any thing that came from the mouth of someone like him. Nothing was ever what it seemed and this would be no exception. The skeleton slid his gun around his back after a brief moment where Black thought he was about to kill the man. Honestly he would be alright whit that outcome the scum bag killed more than a few innocents today and adding his corpse to the pile would be a fitting demise. "Watch him" the other hero snarled walked to the table where the scientists had been working earlier.

“My pleasure” Black smiled stepping in front of the man. Black stared down to the villain he was much taller than him. He figured he had him by at least a half a foot. His left arm his had violent waves of electricity swirling around it. He ready to put this fuck down the moment he got a chance. Black watched out of the corner of his eye as the other hero shuffled though all of the equipment on the table searching for a clue as to what the man was concocting.

The hero turned back to the man. “What were you forcing them to make?” The skeleton stepped forward toward them and Black stepped to the side out of his way. ”What was the point of all this?” he yelled angrily.

Black stood running the events that had taken place through his head. What was the point of this? he thought I made no sense for him to go through all this trouble and then to just admit defeat. There was something he was missing. Then like a bolt of lightning it struck him… the vial. The green liquid the monster had swallowed just before killing the remaining scientists. “What was in the vial” Black said calmly staring into the eyes of the man. “The vial you swallowed what was in it and what did you do with it.” Black looked up and down the man’s body. He was sure his freaky shape shifting body had hid it once it was inside. Black figured that if he could shift the outward make up of his body then why he wouldn’t be able to do it the same to his insides.

“You better start talking...” The other man said reaching for his gun and bringing it up the barrel aiming at the villain’s chest. “Because if you don’t, I’ll be sure to tell the nice men and women of the NYPD you put up a bit of a struggle”

Black smiled raising his left arm to the man’s face his fingers spread as the electricity he had been building up prepared to be fired. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind” he said to the other hero. “He’s killed what, a few dozen innocent people today? That’s definitely grounds for a lethal injection.” Black turned his head back to the man and raised his eyebrow. “We'd just be speeding up the process.”

Had ticked them both of, they were clearly angry at this point, and it suited him just fine. What's the worst they could do? Knock him around a bit? Oh dear, yes, that would make him think twice about his evil ways.. And now they started asking questions about his innocent little project they so rudely interupted, expecting him to answer them were they? They barked and threatened, said the police wouldn't mind if they told them he put up a struggle! Well now, they were willing to cross the line! That would be absolutely priceless! An extra cherry on the cake, a sunny day to contrast the regular gray week. Yes, that would be quite nice.

"Do your worst.. Not gonna tell you anything! I know my rights, and I know that you can't touch me! Stupid idiots, flashing your guns around like you're so big.. Look at my face, do I look scared? Not at all, there's nothing you can do.. Give up, go home, do whatever it is you do in your sad and lonely spare-time.. Regret the side you're on, and the laws you have to follow, for the rest of your miserable lives."

A speech designed to provoke, Canni was satisfied, and he let it show.