Wrong Place, Wrong Time (Shauna)

The warehouse had been empty for months, but at nearly midnight a semi with no company name pulled into it's parking lot.  Three men step out, a large bald black man in a leather jack. He looked like he was in his late thirties, career criminal no doubt. Another man, taller but shoulders not as wide, unkempt brown hair falling haphazardly around his pale face. A third, young with thin dreadlocks hanging above his shoulders. A rookie, Victoria could tell by the anxiousness as he waited with his compatriots. She already knew what was in the truck, a dozen clockwork robots. Mindless husks, given only enough mind to carry and shoot a weapon. Victoria reached into her coat pocket and retrieved a pack of menthol cigarettes. Placing one to her lips and lighting it, before standing up and walking out from behind the big green sub-station that had kept her hidden.

The smell of menthol and the clicking of heels made all three men's heads turn. Into the dim light of a nearly full moon a woman approached them. Standing at an even 5 feet, dressed head to toe.  Dark brown heeled boots clicked awkwardly on the asphalt, traveling up her legs and disappearing underneath a pink dress that only showed itself when the wind picked up the white and teal jacket fastened securely around her petite waist with a large buckled belt. The cigarette she smoked was held between the fingers of a black leather glove, and a large blue ribbon fastened the neck of her jacket. The only part of her pale and flawless skin that showed was her face, framed by blonde hair that fell around her shoulders.  Large blue eyes looked out innocently at the group of men as the cigarette was raised to thin lips that gingerly blew thick grey smoke out.  "I'm sorry." She said in a soft lilting voice. "I thought this place was closed down. Just looking for a quiet place to sneak a cigarette. Told my boyfriend I quit, he'd be oh so disappointed. I'll get out of you boys' way." The men exchanged confused looks as she began to walk past them until the brown haired man pulled a glock, pointing it between wide blue eyes.  "Sorry lady, wrong place wrong time." It looked like an ugly end to the evening, but the older bald man stopped him with a hand motion. "Pretty girl like this, she's worth more alive. I know guys up in Chicago that'd pay top dollar." He looked at the younger man and jerked his head towards the cab of the truck. "There's some rope under the seat. tie her up."  The brown haired man kept the gun trained on the visibly frightened woman as the boy dutifully got the rope and tied her hands behind her back. Victoria could tell without seeing it that he was tying a shoddy knot.  Poor kid probably didn't think he was signing up to be an accomplice in human trafficking. When he was done Victoria was pushed hard against the trailer of the truck, falling down on her butt. "Watch her. We'll deal with her after we get rid of this weird shit." The older man ordered the young one, and he dutifully stood beside her, unwilling to look directly at her. He pulled a handgun out of the back of his pants, clean and black, unused by Victoria's judgement. The other two men returned to watching the entrance of the parking lot, watching for whoever was coming to purchase their strange inventory. "Probably one of those egotistical super-villain type. Who else would by shit like this?" the white man muttered indignantly. "Hate dealing with those types I just hope he's not powered, Those freaks scare me man." The bald man didn't reply, but kept his eyes fixed on the parking lot's lone entrance.

Up on the roof of the warehouse, out of sight, Shauna was taking in the whole situation. She usually avoided dealing with street crimes, but this activity had been going on awhile now despite numerous calls to the local police. Her friend from here in Atlanta, another retired superhero, gave her the tip about the warehouse, while said super friend would be visiting the police station with her Raccoon friends.

Shauna shifted between standing, kneeling and sitting, as she collected all the information she needed to act. Her penetrating vision revealed all, such as the two seasoned looking gentlemen and a greenhorn, armed, all guarding a truck carrying killer drones, likely to be sold to a rich client. Shauna decided to wait to see who was buying, so she could kill two birds with one stone.

As the minutes ticked by, the Sun Queen adjusted her combat suit out of habit, checking all the readings, all the equipment at optimal performance. Her attention was diverted when the situation changed, and a young lady just happens to walk into this situation. After a confrontation, she was promptly captured.

This buy-bust just turned into a hostage situation. Shauna's Particle Drive slowly lifts her off as she moves to a better location.

The SUV carrying the buyers arrive, parking on the roadside rather than the lot. From it came a tall lanky man wearing a gas mask and a military uniform, escorted by a tall lady. Both were east Asian, and the military uniforms were recognizable by Shauna's military experience- these people were North Korean!

"Good evening my american friends. As per our agreement, a demonstration before purchasing." The taller man spoke in a soft, sinister way, showing his command of English without a hint of any Asian accent. His companion, the female soldier, remained quiet. She looked to be the muscle, but her artificial, Kpop looks garnered attention from the males - chiseled features, pale flawless skin and glamorously curled hair. She also carried an AK-74, and looked ready to use it.

"Dude, we're selling to the North Koreans?!" The rookie asked, demonstrating a very American reluctance to sell to commies but he was quickly shushed.

"Shut up, don't say a fucking word or the Popstar'll fill ya full of lead." The more seasoned seller silenced the rookie, seeing as these clients were very, very touchy.

The deal begins to go underway, and Shauna positions herself for the perfect rescue. She peeks around the warehouse's perimeter wall, ready to hop into action...

Victoria was a woman who rarely felt surprise, but she certainly didn't expect North Koreans. It meant things might be simplified, at least. As a nation North Korea didn't have a wealth of metahumans, and bullets weren't much of a complication for her. She began untying the knot holding her wrists bound as the buyer asked for a demonstration.  The bald man opened the trailer door, outside of Victoria's view.  Inside stood a dozen humanoid metal frames, interlocking gears visible through exposed joints. Steel chest plates covered metal orbs that contained a beating human heart. It was  a simpler version of the very design that secretly rested under Victoria's own false skin.  Eleven of the twelve constructs held assault rifles, their shiny and modern design a stark construct to the gears and wires of the mannequins holding them.  "Number twelve, step out of the truck."  

The unarmed one stepped out into Victoria's view, the number twelve painted onto its forehead. The others remained motionless, like statues.  The Korean man smiled and the bald man gave another order for number twelve to bow, but it was ignored. The metal spheres that passed for eyes turned, followed by the head.  Telescopic lenses were focused, without a doubt, directly at Victoria's face. "That's...definitely not good."  she commented, to the confusion of the boy guarding her. The bald man repeated his order, louder, but Twelve responded only by emitting a strange series of clicks and pops. "Poor child, not even given a voice." Victoria mumbled under her breath as she began to stand up. She could hear the others in the trailer moving, with a purpose, eleven pairs of feet. They marched out like soldiers, ignoring everyone except Victoria.  One with the number ten emblazoned on it's head raised its head raised its weapon at Victoria. "Hey hey, what the hell's going on here?" The young boy said, making the unfortunate decision to step in the space between Victoria and the approaching "army". Three shots rang impossibly loud through the night The young boy fell to the ground with a wet sound, followed by car doors slamming as the buyers tried to begin an evacuation .Victoria noted the exit wounds on the boy; they had armour-piercing rounds. It seems Victoria had been expected here all along. Under her breath, she cursed her own foolishness as the constructs turned their attention to her, weapons raised.

The machine soldier murders the young dealer in complete silence, save for the blaze of gunfire. The North Korean Kpop Commando (yes, they are a thing now) was about to intervene, when her officer stops her with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Wait. Let's see what these toys can do." The crimson coated colonel said with a sadistic grin, as he watches the machines march in perfect unison, acting as one to deliver a hail of bullets.

In a flash of green energy, the assault rifles' barrels one by one glowed white hot in an instant, then turned to molten slag in their clockwork hands. The others turned their attention towards the newcomer but it was as if the barrels melted away like butter. The Automatons were thus disarmed.

The source of the energy garnered the attention of the N.Koreans and the automata, who discard their now useless and potentially self-hazardous weapons. Shauna had emerged from the corner, eyes ablaze with emerald energy.

Rather than be intimidated though, The display of such power combined with such practiced precision impressed the officer. "An american superhero! Very intriguing, energy-projection based ability of such fine degree of control... very rare. My dear, I must know! Who are you?"

In a further display of power, and of initiative, Shauna slowly rose off the ground and jumped over to Victoria's side in a single bound, a trail of green particles behind her. "Don't be afraid, I'll keep you safe." She says softly, reassuring Victoria.

"You're not welcome here." Shauna is stern, and gives them nothing, standing strong to guard Victoria.

"Not very talkative a superhero. No lectures? No moralizing?" The officer asked, still very confident of himself and his soldier.

The Commando female spoke up, unafraid of the metahuman despite the display of power. "I can take her."

"No. Not here. We do not have the upper hand." The officer said, looking to his escort. He spat in Shauna and Victoria's direction.

"Destroy them." He commands the unarmed automata, as he and his bodyguard quickly depart the scene.