Quick Shot Kid/A Mother's Love
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
Contents |
Story
Introduction
Adrian
The wedding had been magical. It was small, and brief. No presants had been exchanged and there had been no reception, but the people who had come had been friends. She was greatful for them all and for her new husband. The night after had been magical as well. Married life felt good to her, and she was greatful to have the man she loved most.
They intended to have a child later, so that it wouldn't interfere with their work as heroes. For Missy, though, that became second thought. She felt it in her very being that it was time for her. After all she had been through, lost and gained, she knew she was ready and that he would be the man to make it true. He agreed.
Prophesy
The Liberty FORCE were having trouble. Their members were disappearing, and that included Missy's mother, Cassie Blaze. When they returned, from the future of all places, Missy was beside herself. She wanted to help, but the option wasn't available to her. Still, she went to her mother, and received a shock. The woman was so close to the woman she new, but there was so much changed as well. Cassie took her aside and told her, knowing that none of what she said would come to pass, of her child.
"You died. You, Adrian, Terra, even Anna, you all died trying to protect him. They took him away and raised him. He's so strong... looks like you, but has his father's size. I can still feel him, his mind is so powerful. I'm proud of him, in a way. His name is Morgan, and he'll be coming soon."
Missy knew she was right. When her and Adrian had realized she was pregnant, it had occurred in her Mindscape. They had felt a third presence as if it had been right on top of them, and it was strong. Her son would be a telepath, like herself and her husband. She couldn't deny it any longer, if she were going to protect him she would have to train and become strong. She would have to train him as well. No one was going to take him away from her.
Worry
Her life felt like a ruin. Her husband was dead, and the only thing she had left of his was the child he'd left inside her. She wanted him back, but their son was what mattered now. She had to protect him, and be strong for him. She couldn't let him down, but that meant continuing her work as a hero. She knew that if she failed to protect the people she couldn't look him in the eye and expect him to be the hero she knew he would be. She also knew that if she went out, and faught, that it would be dangerous, possibly even fatal, and she needed to protect him. She wasn't important, but he was everything, and if she lost him she didn't know what she would do. She didn't have an answer, but she hoped one would come soon.
The Bank Heist
Gray Abductor
Kings Row
Police sirens wail as they tear through the streets heading towards the shattered remains of a tenement building. As they near the site the lead car is met with a barrage of laser blasts that send it careening up and onto the side of the road with a loud crash. Ahead of them several robots, about 4 feet high, lay out a spread of fire sending pieces of concrete from a building raining down on the the cowering citizens below.
Several more robots, larger ones, appear from the wreckage followed by Apollo. He surveys the destruction his robots have laid down as another blast blows out several windows on the top floor and echos down the street. More emergency vehicles arrive but keep their distance. Apollo unslings his Pulse rifle with a grin and leads his robots out into the street.
He listend Police band traffic through a scanner inplanted in Apollo's mind. Several heroes had been contacted and where on their way.
Meanwhile...
There was alot of commotion at the bank. Wispered murmers of a bombing a few blocks away had everyones attention. Several people were glued to a courtesy television in the lobby. A slight gravity distortion made its way through the foyer. Difficult to see by all but the most keen obsever it walked through the foyer takeing care to give the guards a wide berth.
It paused briefly as the crowd let out a gasp as another explosion was displayed on the television. It smiled slightly but moved on its way. Silently it made its way to a secure corridor Several gaurd were on alert due to the chaos outside. As it tried to slip past the distortion caught the eye of one of the gaurds. "What is that?" he wodnered allowed and approached the distortion his coworkers following behind.
The guards scream of pain filled the hallway as his mind was blasted with such force that it drove him back into his companions. The gaurds still on their feet trained their weapons on teh now visible Gray Alien. They did not have time to fire however as Gravity turned itself inside out.
Guards parted to both sides of the hallway pinned to the walls and ceiling. With a flash of light it step forward into the chaotic vortex and reappeared into the vault room. Before it was the vault and a sole gaurd stunned by the chaos in the hallway and the quick advance of the villain.
"Stop!" The gaurd cried through a shakey voice and lifted his weapon. Again the Gaurd was unable to fire As Graity upended him causeing him to impact the ceiling and floor. A smaller vortex appeared and sucked the gaurd back past gray and into the hallway outside. Then, with a tremendous shriek of metal, The vault snapped free of its hinges and crashed into the entrance blocking access in or out of the vault.
It turned to survey the contents of the vault. The money that lied before it held no real value to it but it was important for his boss. Alarms began to sound and Gray turned back to the blocked entrance as the gaurd began to shout from the other side. It was time to leave. Lifting his arms two large sacks of money floated from their resting place and took position behind the alien.
It turned once more towards the door then closed its eyes. Behind it cash boxes began to pull themselves from their shelves along with larger, more solid safes. They began to pound at teh support beams in the room causeing them to buckle and crack. It stepped back into the vault as Gravity began to intensify to such an extreme the supports could no longer hold the ceiling up and it crashed to the ground. Satisfied It exited the vault and began to hover to the roof, it's loot floating behind.
It prepared to rise through the hole with its loot floating behind. A voice shouted from above "Stop right.. please" and Missy Kincade as Quick Blade Kid dropped to the ground. Not fully sure of herself she looks to the thing that shone to her like a beacon. "Put down th'money an step away."
It turned and regarded its new threat with mild disinterest. It seemed they saw through Apollo's ruse. A cursory glance at her mind confirmed it. Her thoughts were full of the short breifing she had received minutes ago. It made no move to stop the hero it simply stared at her, into her, with its large unblinking eyes. She couldn't see all that, as her eyes were bound in cloth to block her vision, forcing her to reply on her telepathy to be used as a second sight. She actively scanned the area and was easily able to home in on its mind, it was stranger then any she'd ever felt, but it was also stronger then most and it was bright like the sun as if it made no attempt to block itself. She wished she'd trained more, she might have been able to fight on that level, but that wouldn't happen today, "Um.. p-please.. Ah don wanna have t'hurt ye."
Suddenly she looked up, and jumps back having had the notion there were robots on the roof about to decend on her. It smirks as she reacted so easily to it's manipulations. She gritted her teeth and pulled she sword from her back, holding out in front of her and pointing it at the creature, "S-sir.. p-please.. step away from the money an lay down on th'ground.. ah won ask again." As she waits she holds her hand to her chin and chants a brief incantation, summoning the powers of the netherworld to wrap around her and protect her.
It narrowed it's eyes as she raised her defences and took a quick glance upwards. As it brought it's eyes back down it shifts the gravity about it, causing light to bend and distort before vanishing in a flash of light. Thanks to her blind fold, Missy was unable to take note of this, she just noted that his consciousness was there in front of her and then it wasn't.
"Alright then..." she said as she turned, feeling for its mind in the room. It watched her from its concealment near the vault examining her thoughts as she tried to decide how to deal with it. Locating it, she hesitated, it didn't speak and its mind was like nothing she'd ever felt, but she knew it had to be done. Biting her lip she raised her sword and charged. It ducked back, the sword coming down uncomfortably close. It sent an image at her like a flashbulb, momentarily blinding her. As she flinched away it amplified the force with it's mind sending her flying violently accross the room.
She crashed against the wall, wincing and instictively craddled her belly, trying not to think about her worry. Scrambling back to her feel she rushed back at the thing, swinging hard. It watched her move, examining her mind. Again it glanced up looking for signs of escape, but its helicolper was still nowhere to be seen. It side stepped before the blow hit and teleported across the room and out of her range. She stumbled as she losed the image of the creature in her mind. She looked around nervously, jumping to a ledge she hoped was where she thought it was and, landing well, turned back and forth.
It was annoyed that it didnt have more time to play with this human. Her emotions seemed to come eagerly to the surface. It lifted its hand and, taken advantage of her momentary confusion, it turned gravity inside out on top of her. The weight of the world came crashing down and soon after it reversed gravity twice then sent a pile of rubble towards her. She shuddered and winced, curling up into a ball to protect herself and the thing inside her. Struggling to her feet she caught a gleam of its mind again and charged. It reached out to pull yet another pile of rubble on top of her but stopped. In the corner of its mind it saw what she was protecting and was facinated. It regarded her absently as it began to plot, forgetting the money and even its own safety. Rendered defenseless by its own interrest, it was driven into the floor as Missy slammed into it bodily.
Snapping back to the action thanks to the jarring wakeup call, it realized its gravity well had disapated as it thought. Panicking it teleported away again. Missy swung her sword randomly in frustration, hoping that it would connect, but knowing it wouldn't. It regarded her cautiously. As she rounded to charge it again, it blasted her mind with a psychic scream the followed by assaulting her mind with images of her child.
She saw a group of Skulls holding her back while another punched her in her gut. She screamed and willed herself back to reality. She began to charge at the alien once more.
She saw herself strapped to an examination table. A Mortificator was pulling her unborn baby from it's womb. She staggered, again having to shake the image off even as tears began to fill her eyes.
She saw a doctor tell her the child was deformed and had to be aborted out of mercy. She saw Ward scold her for takeing the child into danger. She saw the child's father screaming at her before leaving. At the last image she flared, sending back a psychic burst, blocking her from the false images. The child's father was gone, none of this was real. So much of its concentration went into the attack that it wasn't even aware as she barreled into an, forcing it to the ground, its strange skin bressing into her bare hands, and her blunt sword pressed to its throat.
It looked into her mind to find what turmoil it had done and what further it could do. It knew anger. It knew she was furious at it, but all it felt was cold determination, even as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks from under the blindfold. It was time to leave. One more image it presented to her, the babies father rebuking and leaving her for losing the child. Try as she might, she couldn't push the image away, her own anxiety taking it and twisting it into truth. She was so stunned she loosened her grip slightly and the creature teleported away.
The last image was one of hope, she saw her child bundled in a blanket. The child cooed softly and Missy grinned down at it. Tears of joy flooded her eyes and she told a nearby man "Thank you".
The man was dressed in black save for a red tie and jacket. A red reticle covered his right eye and small patterens of circuitry could be seen running across his deformed face. His jaw juted out and two small tusks protruded from the sides. His brow arched down menacingly but still, the man smiled back. "Et vas my pleasure."
She cuddled the child close and suddenly the pain from the previous image was gone. Shortly thereafter the image was as well. Cold wind swept down onto her as the Helicopter pulled away causeing her to huddle against herself. She looked up, the snapped back into reality, slamming her sword down, easily piercing into the soft tiles and weakened floor, "What? N-no..!" She had lost the thing, but as she looked to the bags a wave of relief washed over her. She had saved the money at least, she just hoped it was enough to take care of the damages the creature and partially herself had produced.
The Classic getaway
Ward's Advice
Missy stood panting. She hadn't stopped the badguy, but she had saved the money, which was equally important. Now all she needed was some back up and an exit. Her sword stood upright in the floor where she had inserted it in her sudden anguish. She just stared at it for a while. Then he was there, stand proud, her leader and friend, Ward Gilbert. He was wearing his Burning Warden suit, occational flames gushing off him, and he looked worried.
He'd brought her bow with him for some reason and passing it off told her of his battle with Apollo and that he thought the man would soon be heading here. Her mind was a million miles away though, still imaging the thoughts the creature had shown her. She knew she would have to talk to Ward about them soon, but that was before the man dropped through the hole in the ceiling, onto the floor and looked around.
She gasped audibly, and when Ward turned toward her, she was deathly pale. "What is it?" he asked with concern. "That's him, I saw him in a vision. The creature I fought off, it showed me that man.. saving my baby." Ward's face turned in confusion then screwed up in anger and concern, "That man is dangerous, Missy. He is a criminal of the worse kind. You can't trust him, not at all. Stay away from him Missy. Apollo Ronvenski is not a man you ever want to be involved with."
Death From Above
The Deal
Pocket D
She knew she shouldn't be doing this, that she was ricking her life and worse, the life of her baby, but she felt she had no other choice. Missy had spent the last month scouring every resourse United Paragon had available to them, trying to find a way to protect her baby. She had spent that whole time staying away from hero work, and she knew she couldn't stay away any longer. In the end she had searched out all the information she could on Apollo and his group, the Final Order and decided that it was worth the risk if it could work.
Apollo stood at the bar with his man Kephkael. She approached them both, trying to seem confidant, but she was sure it wasn't in her. To her surprise he remembered her immediately, including some information she felt he probably shouldn't know. She wasted no time pleading her case, telling him why she had come to him of all people, even after being told she shouldn't. He was unimpressed and he felt no shame in telling her so.
Missy felt a crushing force on her at the realization that he wouldn't just help her. She couldn't say why she thought that the little gray creature might have been truthful in it's vision to her, but she had bet everything on this. It was plain on her face and in her posture that she was utterly defeated by his simple denial. So when he continued with an offer, it was like the richest most wonderful ray of hope she'd ever heard. All she had to do was save some people, a job she was especially suited to in her line of work. Rikti had abducted some of his men, and all he wanted was for her to find them and save them. In addition she was to be sure to sercure a package that one of the people was supposed to be delivering, and bring it to another of Apollo's men.
If she agreed he would assist her, and she agreed without hesitation. In order to ensure her success and as such the continued purpose of her request, he injected a substance into her. He didn't wait for her agreement or even acknowledgement before flooding her system with nanobots. As was their purpose they travelled through her body to her womb and encased it, reconstructing the biological organ into a technological system designed to protect its occupant from nearly any external anomaly. It would even go so far as to teleport the baby, akin to the standard mediports, to an external location in the event of host death or catastrophic failure senarios. He told her that it was a system he had used many times previous with women, of less then respectible repute, in his employ.
Rikti
Having several contacts that investiaged the Rikti, it had been a simple job to locate the group she was looking for. It was an equially simple job to make her way through their base and free the prisoners. Cloaking her movements in the shadows of the Nether, she moved quickly through the caverns they were inhabiting. Since the job wasn't officially sanctioned she had decided it was alright to would be alright to bring her full arsinal, and doing so proved to make the rescue that much easier. Her sword blazed and her arrows flew, and she made sure to attach a zigport beacon to each alien, setting it to teir three meta so they would be sent to the lower level extra secure facilities.
She counted the personel as she moved through the base, knowing that somehow the courier would be in the deepest chamber, probably under heavy guard. She was, of course, proven right. It was a huge room, and there where several patrols moving through it. She saw the base leader gloating over the man, who cringed in fear. She couldn't understand what he said, but it seemed he knew who Apollo was and that he had taken something important to the man.
Without waiting time, Missy drew her bow, ready for a long shot. Letting it loose she was already pulling the next arrow, this time from her tricks. A small cylinder was on the end that when ruptured would spray a thick layer of oil across the floor. She placed the shot such that the outer edge was mear inches from her feet. She could see that the Rikti had already made her position based on that first shot and where moving toward her, but she wasn't worried, her third shot already in hand. As the shaft punched into the rock, right at the center of the slick, the device went off, releasing a high pitched whine in waves designed to damage and weaken any sort of armor in range. She could see it working at the Rikti leader entered the puddle of sludge she had set there. This was it, her last shot, as soon as she drew back the head ignited in flame and she sent it straight into the middle of the puddle. Instantly the floor was a ragin inferno of flame. She knew that it would only bother the giant alien a bit, even with the structural weakness caused by her sonics the flame could only hurt his armor, not the Rikti inside. She dropped her bow and pulled her sword up and over off her back, tossing it back and forth in a taunting manner, knowing that the creature could only barely even make her out. It was having trouble, she could tell, even burning away from fire the oil was slippery and it was having trouble keeping it's feet in line. Add to that its position in the middle of a twenty foot diameter circle of fire, in a dimly lit cave, trying to reach a girl shrouded in mystical shadow, it was really no wonder. Still it managed, if slowly, and stood before her just as the fire went out.
She smiled and let out a shriek, raising the sword over her head and bringing it down so hard that the shock of it just moving through the air dropped the big warrior on his back. Without even skipping a beat she lunged forward, this time dragging the sword forward and up, taking the thing in its back and propelling it up in the air. Before it had even landed she was bring her sword down again, pressing the assault and slamming it hard back at the ground even as it was pushed against the blow to regain it's feet. She jumped and spun, slicing a clean arc all the way around her before slashing down on it a fourth time. She could see the sonics had done their job, in no time she had reduced it's armor to ruin, and it hadn't even pulled it's blast sword on her yet. She told the leader that if he submitted she would send him to jail holding any further beatings, else he would be go unconscious, but in either case he was going to jail. With little surprised the huge Rikti responded by pulling the enormous sword of his rank and lunging forward. She didn't wait, as soon as she saw the movement she was lifting her own sword again and, seeing the gaping chink in his armor, placed her over hand blow right in it, dropping the Rikti boss to the ground, still but for its slow breathing.
The man thanked her profusely and, upon learning where she came from, agreed readily to hand over the package. She let him on his way and tapped her recall transported, leaving the Rikti base for good, and signaling law enforcement to it's location and informing them it should be mostly clear and safe for their entrance.
Full Throttle Smash
The Disk
After receiving the disk from Full Throttle Smash Missy immediated rushed back to the Unioted Paragon base. With Greg's advisement she used a laptop that had been provided for her and turned off all network access, just in case. Booting up the disk, she was given nothing more then a message.
- If you are reading this then you have delivered the package I requested. I am pleased you have delivered the package in an expedious manner and I hope your cybernetic womb did not cause you any trouble while fighting the Rikti. I am pleased to tell you the telemetry I am receriving indicates your baby is in good health. There are also no defects present on you unborn fetus.
- On to business. Installation of the device has now been paid for with the safe delivery of the package. For continued support I will require more tasks as they spring up. Over the next few weeks My Associate, Sergei Patrovich, whom you may have just met, will transfer data regarding new missions I need for you to complete. The completion of these tasks is all the payment I ask in return for the continued use of the cybernetic womb. I look forward to our continues colaberation.
- On a less pleasant note, should you find you are unwilling to perform the tasks I will have for you in the coming months, I will have to 'terminate' comtinued activites in the Cyber-womb. A regretable development, but one I am sure you can understand. Any hero who could have bested one of my most trusted Lieutenants should have no difficulty with these tasks. Especially when you are as rich in friends as you are.
- Sincerly
- Apollo Rovenski
Tears streamed from Missy's eyes as she read the message. There was no veiled threat there. He stated it quite clearly. Compliance or termination. She had been so foolish, she had thought the job would pay for his help and all of it, but now she was in his pocket, with no way out. She could not endanger her Morgan, not under any circumstances.
Sergei Patrikovich
Singing in your head
Warburg
Double Trouble
Missy sat in a booth in the Pocket D idly playing with a small throwing knife. She was getting excited by the growing anticipation of meeting her doppleganger. Both Apollo and Sergei seemed to approve of her participation in this meeting, and she expected it to be fun. She'd spent the last day perusing the database in the Final Order control room, reading everything she could about the United Paragon. Her double, the demure and innocent Missy, was her exclusive target of inquiry. The two, it seemed had spent exeptionally separate lives.
Missy, who she thought of as Missy B, had lost both her parents, while she had known hers up until being flung into this backwards dimention, most likely because of something Antimatter had been doing. Missy B's mother had died at birth, and as such had no influence over her daughter, while her mother, and her exceptional interest in her ancient ancestry, had brought a fair amount of Japanese culture into her life. Missy B had spent all of her life on her father's stupid little ranch in the middle of nowhere, while her own mother had insisted they move back into the city to raise their child, and run their joint company in civilization. Missy B spent her entire life working for ever little bit she had, and ultimately having nothing, while she had been given anything she could ever want, and catered to endlessly, and ultimately also had nothing.
They were the same person, in every way identical, short of a minor temporal detail. Missy B having aged, seemingly years over night, due to an unfortunate stop in the spirit world. An adventure Missy would gladly forgo is she could help it. They were complete strangers and in every way opposites. Missy knew she would enjoy this, even if she only spent her time messing with her double it would be time well spent.
Collection Agent
Missy didn't like the idea of this dimentional double following her around, but she assumed she should probably be used to it by now. Her sister Anna was more or less her twin, so why not another one? But this girl, this End Shot Kid as she called herself was every bit Missy's opposite. Where Missy was shy and reserved, this one was outgoing and to some degrees obnoxious. It was bad enough that she was being forced into this, forced into everything, into servitude to this Apollo, into doing this jobs that were becoming more and more criminal. This was a crime, there was no other way to view it, she was about to kidnap a person, his whole family in fact, and bring them as trophies to that russian mob boss. She was almost certain that was what he really was. But she had to do it, to protect her baby. If she didn't do it, there is no telling what might happen to him, or even her.
Missy didn't like the idea of having to follow this dimentional double, but it was what Sergei said and she was interrested in her, so why not. Still this girl, this Quick Shot Kid as she called herself was in every way Missy's opposite. Where she was energetic and outgoing, this one had a stick up her butt and was seriously depressing. She wasn't overly happy with the idea of a kidnapping either, she avoided these jobs as best she could because of an annoying tendancy of showing up at the appointed time with a corpse rather then a prisoner. She would just have to be careful this time, and hope little miss pitty party could handle her end.
Quick Shot had arrived at the appointed location just on time, having called her double to set up for the job. She didn't know how she would get there, but she assumed it would happen, otherwise this was all for naught. It seemed logical that there would be an arachnos raid on the Zig because Sergei had said arachnos would take the captives, and she felt bad for not warning anyone, but she couldn't risk the job being foiled due to her actions, not for the conciquences of failure. When End showed looking chipper as ever her heart dropped, realizing she would actually have to go through with this.
End Shot had arrived at the appointed location just on time, hopping a ride on one of the arachnos fliers as it made one of it's semi-routine stops by the Zig to find any new "recruits." It really was sad how easily arachnos was able to move and break through all defences, even after over a year since they implimented the chosen one, or whatever project. She hoped to take the same ride out with a slightly heavier load, she could handle leaving her guards behind to find their own way back if needs be. Quick looked a mess, but she didn't much care, as long as she got things done.
Doctor William Bradshaw sat calmly at the dinning room table with his wife and two children eating a well cooked meal. His work was progressing well but there were some slight delays. The insisent demands of this Rovenski character had also been agrivating him. He didn't know the man, but her certainly wasn't a collegue and Bradshaw so no need to do more then shred the letters and be on his way. William Bradshaw was marginally well off, he may live in Brickstown rather then Founder's Falls, but he was still able to acquire an apartment with an adjavent roof patio. As he looked out the curtained glass patio doors that led into the dinning area something caught his attention. He thought he saw movement, but passed it off as simply a stray cat.
He barely had time to see the light off the sparks before the arrow crashed through the glass door and imbedded itself in his wooden table. His wife dropped her utensiles as she jumped back, while his young son and daughter started screaming. It was barely even a second before the flash blinded him and he heard the second crash of glass. When the light flooded the room he jumped back as his wife had innitially, but he pushed harder and the chair gave out, dropping him down onto his back. As he clutched his eyes crying in agony, he realized he was covered in a sticky sudstance, very sticky, in fact, and had trouble pulling his hands away. He didn't have time to pnder this new and terrifying eventuality as a third arrow thunked into the table and and electric charge shot through his body causing him to spasm and pass out.
When he finally came two he found himself bound at wrists and ancles, in what seemed to be a net, blindfolded, and gagged. It also appeared that he was being carried, and from the muffled cries of his children and wife they were all together. He then heard two more voices, both female. If they weren't coming from two different locations he would have believed the girl was talking to herself because the voices were in every way identical, down to their southern accent.
"That went better'n ah expected. Seems we do pretty good work t'gether. Ah can take it from'ere. No need fer ye t'get yer panties all up in a bunch about any more o this."
"P-please, be careful with im. H-he's s'posed t'get there in one piece. Ah.. ah hope Mr Apollo's pleased.. ah.. tell im that ah'll need time b'fore ah'll be up t'any more "missions" o this sort. Ah.. ah hope that's alright with im."
"Yeah sure, ah'll tell im. Ah have t'say, fer a hero yer pretty quick t'accept some pretty dirty jobs, ah dunno what he's got on ye, but it must be good."
"G-goodbye.. ah.. ah really hope we don meet again"
With that the more hesitant voice disappeared and Mr Bradshaw felt that they were being moved.
TBA
Cast
(To be ordered by order of appearance)
Quick Shot Kid
Gray Abductor
Burning Warden
Apollo Rovenski
Kephkael
Bright Arrow
Full Throttle Smash
Sergei Patrikovich
End Shot Kid
