Child's Play

[Animala]

[i]So we're waiting on an ice...zombie?[/i] Lauren sent over the channel. [i]Guess it's going to be hard to avoid showing off if we have to fight something like that[/i]

[BrainWalker]

Max was both excited and bummed about the APC. On the one hand, it was a big, badass, heavy-duty piece of top-of-the-line technology, and the all-digital interface was pretty sweet... but one thing it definitely was not was sporty. This thing handles like a brick in sand. Probably for the best, though. It would be a lot more difficult to avoid showing off in something more nimble, and an escort mission is probably not the best time to hot-dog. Still, that urge is going to have to get satisfied sooner or later...

Max had been particularly amused by the idea of changing radio stations with his mind. He was actually scanning several stations in his head, with the plan to mix two together for some home brew Radio DJ action, but it was turning out to be harder than he thought. He just couldn't find songs currently playing that didn't suck, and might also mix well. Plus, without the ability to control tempo, when songs start or stop, and without any of those cool DJ sound effects, it wouldn't be the same.

But since he was already scanning radio stations, he had heard a couple of weather reports, and none of them mentioned anything about winter weather.

Yeah, radio mirrors what the local TV stations are saying; no reports of winter weather. Seems like we might be getting a special message from our time-and-space-bending friend. Hijacking a weather report on a foreign channel no one would check for accurately local weather anyway, a channel that just happens to share her number? Pretty slick.

Ummm, so I don't think we planned for ice-zombies back in the meeting room. Maybe we should do that? Personally, I'd suggest we split into two teams: possibly not difficult since we're already in two teams. We'd have team "Get our VIP the Hell out of here" and team "Keep scary thing away from our VIP." Names tentative.

And maybe we should have someone on the lookout for changes in the local weather patterns. Even if it's just temperature changes. Can we do that?

[Kelne]

Well, she'd been speculating about game-changers earlier. An ice-zombie certainly qualified. Which meant that the mission had gone from a pleasant little outing to some serious trouble in the making. Because there was no way Winterstorm showing up now was a coincidence. Just how did one deal with zombies, anyway? The movies would have her believe they'd only go down to a headshot or fire, but let's face it, zombie movies weren't exactly based on reality. ... Were they?

Emily resisted the urge to put her foot down. That wouldn't help anything. I think we might have to break out the heavy artillery, she sent, Which means Darren's kit, really. And wouldn't he be jumping with joy at a chance to cut loose. So, the boys on the fighting team and the girls covering the VIP? Running away didn't exactly appeal to her, but somebody had to stick with the VIP, and she had a sneaking suspicion it wouldn't be as simple as one team running while the other stayed and fought.

[ChristianC]

Alexis blinked in confusion at Max's statement, then a slight light of understanding dawned on her.

You mean, Th... She's giving us this information? She looked around, even more nervous about what might happen. Thirteeen wasn't a liar, just... really difficult to get facts out of, and if she said...

We should get someone together with the VIP. If our vehicles are stopped, someone needs to protect... uh... him/her. I can volunteer for that, I'm not much use in a fight but I can run up to 40 miles per hour, and I think I should be able to hold one person.

She nodded to the others, But do we have the time? It's just rain now... should we stop and move things around, or just speed up and hope we get far enough along until... well... the worst happen?

[Besyanteo]

Slow down there guys. There's a reason I suggested Lauren in the event someone needed to board the VIP's vehicle: They don't know about us specifically, which means the driver isn't expecting us, and might swerve. Lauren has the XLR8 system and can recover from a missed boarding attempt, and possibly catch up and try again. She also has melee combat training, which would be the only valid means of attack in a situation where the vehicle needed to be boarded. I don't know that anyone else in the front car would be able to do that job.

He paused to consider the statements of his other brothers and sisters.

We should prepare and stuff, but no one show yourself unless it becomes really necessary to do so. If Winterstorm shows up before we get back to D52, we'll go with Emmy's suggestion. Darren and Silvie, make sure you're locked, loaded and waiting in case a target shows up, or one of us puts one on your display. Sam... I see you already are. Great. Otherwise everyone basically stick to the original plan for right now. Sound good?

[NebulaQueen]

On it! she said. But wait, why would Project Winterstorm be after our VIP?! I mean...it's not like they have anything to do with this, right?

[Besyanteo]

We don't know if it does or not, really. There was only enough of that file left to paint a very ugly picture of what project Winterstorm made. There was nothing left about who made it, why, or who they were involved with. We don't know who the VIP is, either. In any case, why isn't important right now, is it?

[NebulaQueen]

Okay, okay...so uh, Darren can try and drive 'em off with his guns, and then I can come in if they get too close, right?

[Besyanteo]

Enzo caught himself nodding before he replied over the comm:

That's pretty much the idea, yeah. Darren is general offense while you're defense. So long as you can drive an enemy away from the VIP vehicle, we should be golden.

[NebulaQueen]

...you know, it's sorta like those online games, she said thoughtfully. Like, Darren's the DPS - the guy who does a ton of damage, and I'm the tank! ...well, not a tank tank, but you know, the person who makes sure nobody else gets hit!

[BrainWalker]

Max chuckles.

Nerd.

[Shinigori V2]

Mission: 04- Highway Patrol
Deck City: Highway One (Inner Circuit)
July 20th, 3756
10:15 PM

The first forty-five minutes is entirely uneventful, as the small motorcade makes it's way over the city on the highway, with little to entertain them except the radio and the occasional crack of thunder. Exits one, two, three, four, and five are passed safely and without incident, other than the honking from the cars waiting to get on. Now, they've got seven to go, and everything's looking smooth.

The motorcade passes exit six, and that's when things get interesting.

Vrrrrrn!

Even with the pouring rain and lightning, the sound breaks right through the APC's armored plating, and every Wunderkind hears it perfectly.

Vrrrrrn!

The revving of a powerful motor cycle engine.

Behind them, from atop a building overlooking the highway, a single headlight streaks through the sky, coming to a hard landing behind them on the highway. In the streetlights, they see the rider. They're small, for an adult. But their sword certainly isn't.

That's right: Whoever's joined the motorcade is driving with their left hand, their right hand holding aa sword easily a large as any of the children to the side, occasionally letting it drop enough to spark on the highway. The cyclists face is obscured by their skull-patterened helmet. Safety must be a priority when you're ramping your motorcycle off of a rooftop.

The cyclist is about 50 feet behind them, but catching up fast. Darren and Sam have enough time for one shot a piece before the cyclist is on them.

[Idran1701]

Reacting almost faster than even he notices, Sam gets his rifle in position. He can tell straight off that this person's the one going after their VIP, and he's not about to wait to let them try. Not worrying about protecting himself from inside the turret, he just fires straight away, keeping with normal rounds for now.

Bracing the rifle in the turret for +1 Acc (not bothering to Aim for the full round), and making an All-Out Attack - Determined against the motorcyclist for +1 to hit.

[ChristianC]

Alexia looked over at the approaching motorcyclist and held back a yelp of surprise. She closed her eyes for the barest micro-second, but enough for her mind to quickly count "One, two, three, four, five." and then she opened them once more, instantly marking the driver of the motorcycle as she shifted around to make it easier for Darren to move around.

This might be a distraction, a single motorcycle against two APCs and us inside? Keep your eyes on the road ahead, we might need to get off it quickly


(OOC - Maybe I missed it, but who's driving the girls' car?)

[Besyanteo]

Enzo starts at the sound, but has recovered himself by the time the bike hits pavement. He will attempt to analyze the bike and it's rider as best he can from inside the APC, lookin for apparent weak points, areas that appear to be modified to be tougher than one would expect, etc, to his brothers and sisters. He'll also alert Janet to the relative position of the hostile, constantly updating.

[Spleen]

Darren stared out at the motorcycle with Alexis's mark. History time, he sent. Hope someone's gettin' me and Sam on video, 'cuz this is where the Wunderkind get their first kill.

Click! Click! One rocket was armed in each of Darren's rocket pods, with two more in reserve in each of his shoulders.

His targeting system picked up the data from Alexis's mark and calculated the trajectory.

Rocket armed. Accepting trajectory.

Fire!

PSHOOOP! The rocket was propelled out of Darren's right pod by the pod's built-in electromagnetic catapult system. When it reached the timed "safe distance" from the Darren, the rocket's propellant surged to life, bearing down on the motorcycle with a high-pitched scream of shooting gases.

[Shinigori V2]

The Wunderkind scramble to react, Alexis (With some assistance from Enzo) marks the cycle, as Sam shoots. Enzo notices that the wheel shaft in the front must be reinforced, as the bullet bounces off, doing absolutely nothing.

Darren's rockets fire, and fly towards the bike. In response, the driver jerks, as if surprised, and then waves their hand.

The rockets then seem to coat with ice in mid air, going dead and just dropping to the ground...Before exploding just as the cyclist rides over them.

Even before the smoke clears, thanks to Alexis's mark, they can see the driver continuing towards them, delayed but not harmed.

(Sam misses, Darren gets a weak hit and buys one more round for the two of them as the cyclist has to recover)

[Besyanteo]

Enzo tries to locate the gas tank visually. If he can mark it for Sam and get him to use an incendiary round, this whole thing could be overly very quickly.

[Shinigori V2]

Enzo scans the bike, as Janet updates him on it's specifics:

It's a Wildraubtier, an Imperial motorbike company, known for being very well built and reliable, but also very expensive. The gas tank is going to be impossible to shoot from this angle, being under the rider's seat...

Top speed is more than twice that of both the APCs and the Limo, but fuel capacity is a known issue on the most recent model.

[Kelne]

Okay, that had been unexpected. Emily had really thought the rocket would do the rider in. She supposed that trick with the ice proved it was Winterstorm. The mere fact she was riding a motorbike kind of drove home that she was a seriously non-traditional zombie. At the moment, there wasn't much she could contribute to the fight, but she did try to set the APC up to sideswipe the bike if it attempted to pass.

[Idran1701]

Frowning, Sam reaches for the magazine, swapping ammo as quickly as he can manage.

Switching to incendiary rounds, 3 rounds to swap.

[BrainWalker]

Darren, you know you can record your own video, from your point of view, right?

Max wasn't sure what else to say. The icebitch cometh, but on a Wildraubtier? Shit. That's serious business. They're not the fastest bikes, but even the beefiest Wildraubiter is still more than capable of running circles around this armored tub. She could respond to any maneuver he could try before he was even halfway through it. Especially if she decides to ice the road. The only advantage he really has is size, but it would still be hard to crowd her out on a 4-lane highway.

This is bad. This is going to require thinking if...

Wait, what the Hell? This is a vehicle situation, and Max is a pilot-class!

Hey, what's our current distance from the target? If she gets within 30 feet I can try to take control of her bike and give Sam, or Darren I guess, a clear shot at that gas tank. Failing that, assuming our top priority is to keep the target away from the VIP, we might be able to use both APCs to block the highway. With four lanes, I'm not sure if together we'd be long enough to crowd her out. I don't think I could block her by myself for long, especially if she decides to ice the roadway.

[Besyanteo]

Let's go with your first plan, Max. She has to get by use before she can reach the VIP anyway, so she almost definitely has to pass within 30 feet. That said... Keep shooting, Darren. Hold her off as long as long as you can, though blowing up is definitely preferable right now.

Enzo tried to calculate the best timing and angle for Silvie to fire at to lend Darren some aid, if that would even be possible from her position.

[ChristianC]

Alexis wanted so badly to help out, but she knew this wasn't a task she was going to be useful at as anything more than backup... but backup was important too!

She watched as Darren and the others fired at the bike, wondering if there was anything she could contribute with...

Max, if you can't control the bike, do you think we could physically take control of it? I'm not much use in here anymore, but I could try to jump onto the bike and steer it away for Darren and Sam to get a clear shot

Her eyes were narrowed little as she considered it.

I can do it, I just need to get off before anyone shoots it.

[BrainWalker]

Max isn't sure how to respond to Alexis.

Umm, that is technically possible, but there's no fancy techno-magic to it. You'd have to wrestle control away the old-fashioned way. We don't know enough about what this chick is capable of to risk something like that. Maybe you'd be strong enough, maybe not. Maybe she could freeze you in mid-jump and screw up your trajectory. Maybe she could freeze you to the bike and keep you from getting off. Too many maybes. Too risky.

Actually, if she could get real close, maybe Max could think of some kind of technical weakness to exploit that couldn't be done from a distance? But even if Max was able to think of some fine mechanical weakness, it would be hard enough to manipulate in combat, much less dictate to someone less mechanically inclined what to do.

Nonetheless, Max tries to remember anything useful he's learned about Wildraubtier hogs.

[Kelne]

Maybe if we jam her brakes on rather than trying to take full control? Emily asked, That ought to send her skidding, and we still have to drive our own vehicles.

[ChristianC]

Alexis nodded to Emily and Max's input, that was along the line she'd been thinking... just... disrupting the bike, veer it to the side, or hitting the breaks... 'course, she hadn't considered what could be done to her before she'd hit the bike though.

I guess you're right, Max, but if we're doing it, I'm the one who should. You guys are far more useful what-ifs than I am...

She felt a twang of nervousness in the pit of her stomach, but shook it off, focusing instead on her mission and the odds against them.

They could cause some damage with that sword, we don't know what it might be capable of against our cars. I might be able to catch up with you guys if I can topple her bike, I can fight decently on my own, and if it's just about pushing over her bike...

She thought about the best way to do it... maybe she could...

No, if Max didn't want her to do it.

Whatever we're doing, we need to decide fast. We're wunderkind, we're meant to handle all this stuff.

[BrainWalker]

Well, Em, it's not like I was planning to make it do donuts or a wheelie or something.

She's closing in; that's inevitable. Like Enzo said, if she gets through Darren's fire, I'll set this tub to coast for a minute and try to her bike, giving Sam a clear shot to take it out. That's plan A. If all that doesn't work, other plans from this point fall into the category of "plan B".

[Idran1701]

Zoning out from all the chatter going back and forth, Sam recenters his rifle. Taking an extra second to line up the motorcycle's tire in his sights, and focusing on the targeting feed from Janet and his own systems, he fires off a round into its wheel.

Taking a second to Aim (+Acc: +5), bracing the weapon (+1), and making an All-Out Attack - Determined on the following round (+1).

[Shinigori V2]

Sam lines up his shot, counts, and fires.

The tire on the bike shreds, then explodes outright. The bike flips forward, crashing and sparking against the ground wildly, flipping end over end as it finally skids to a stop, falling further and further behind.

However, the driver is a different story.

As the tire shreds and explodes, the driver quickly shifts herself, and as the bike flips, they use that to catapult themselves onto the boys APC, being the closest one at the back of the caravan.

As the cyclist lands, there's an awful noise of steel bending and the APC's armor buckling from the sheer force of the landing. Using the window in the turret, Sam can see that the driver has landed completely unharmed on the APC, sword drawn and standing upright, despite the slickness of the armor and the wind from the storm and the movement of the car.

This could be bad.

[BrainWalker]

"Shit!"

Well, there goes plans A and B. Good thing nobody tried to get physical with her. If she's able to dent that much armor that easily...

Well, she's on top of the APC right now, and that's no good. What's the best way to get her off? If this thing wasn't so damn thick he could roll it, and with her on top that would certainly do some damage. But it IS thick.

Well, the only thing left is to stop.

Brace for impact!

Max applies full pressure to the brakes, and angles his tub towards the right retaining wall, to aid in the rapid deceleration process.

[Besyanteo]

Enzo grabbed ahold of his seat while sending frantically to the girls' car.

Get the VIP car out of here!

[Shinigori V2]

The boys APC angles for a wall, slowing rapidly and sending it's contents sprawling. At the same time, the boys hear a crunching noise, as the assailant's sword cuts through layers of armor with ease, puncturing about a foot into the inside of the APC, before suddenly coating itself with ice and wedging into place.

There's a loud crash as the APC slams into the highway barrier, still moving 30 miles an hour or so. The wall crumbles a but, and the APC gets wedged atop it...But the boys all hear a rolling thud as whoever was on the roof is thrown rolling across the top of the vehicle, coming to a stop on the hood.

Max gets a message as his link to the vehicle dies- Heavy structural damage sustained. Vehicle disabled.

---

The girls and the VIP keep moving, but don't get far before Janet speaks into their heads via their connection.

New orders! she shouts via the link, Neutralization of the attacker and recovery of the boys is the top priority! Confidentiality is secondary, don't worry if you're seen, just take down that...Thing!

[Idran1701]

Holding firm through the crash, Sam darts for the exit as soon as the APC comes to a stop. He's quick out the door, weapon ready, and the second magazine fastened to his belt. Once he gets far enough to the side to have a good sight line to the enemy, he drops into a crouch and takes a shot, using the bulk of the vehicle as cover from whatever ice attacks she might have.

(First round, moving out; second round, crouching and firing.)

[Animala]

Lauren's mind was racing. Strong and tough, so a head-on attack probably made sense for...her? It? But...

She switched to the link. What about the VIP? You don't need to have a giant sword or superpowers to hurt ordinary people. This could be a trick!

[Kelne]

Emily wasn't having any of this doubt stuff, and slewed the APC into a handbrake turn, ending with it still a fair distance down the road but at least facing the right way. Make sure control gets them a fresh escort, she sent, unbuckling herself. Maybe it was the wrong call, but she wasn't about to disregard orders telling her not to abandon her friends.

[BrainWalker]

"What? Come on you hunk of junk!" Max smacks the terminal in front of him. "What kind of armored behemoth are you?"

So what if some crazy chick cut a hole in the roof and they ran into a wall? This thing was designed for war, wasn't it? Max pokes around in the terminal and tries various things, but it looks like the APC is wedged into the wall, and the engine cut off since there's nothing it can really do.

Damn. Well, at least she's off the roof. Max looks back to see how everyone weathered the crash, and sees that crazy runed sword poking through the roof.

"She's disarmed!" Although he's certain she's plenty dangerous without it, it would probably be best if they could limit her ability to kick their asses as much as possible. "We should keep it that way."

Max decides to see if he can pull the sword in further, although he's pretty sure since it's both wedged and frozen into place, it's not going to budge without serious effort. Which might actually be a good thing.

[ChristianC]

Hoping that the driver of the VIPs car would spot them hitting the brakes, Alexis unbuckled herself, slid out of her chair and through the hatch to the roof, moving with surprising speed and determination.

We can't let the VIP leave unprotected, they might have someone waiting down the road.

With that she was outside, rain beating against her face and the wind gripping her hair... but she had no problem standing, she was made of some kind of adamantium alloy, this rain was just... annoying.

Make sure she doesn't get back to the boys' car, she might grab for her sword again...

She skipped down from the car and raced up to the VIP, tap-tapping the window while still keeping her eyes on their enemy.

"You need to wait here," she shouted to the driver, "only leave if we're losing." She wasn't stammering, but then again, she wasn't thinking about much else behind the fact that their enemy had just sent her sword through the roof of the car, and was now going to stand against them... With a soft hiss her index and middle-fingers melded together, forming two narrow, sharp blades.

Darren, if she's down, give her all you can!

[Spleen]

Darren dashed out of the car, painfully aware that the only armament he possessed had only five more shots to it, and clambered up onto the roof.

Aim a little right, Sam, I'm gonna try and make the bitch roll into your shot.

He fired another rocket from his shoulder, making sure it went a little wide so the obvious response would be for the marked enemy to roll out of the way of the explosion and into an area where Sam had a clearer shot.

[Shinigori V2]

As Darren fires, the assailant gets to her feet...And quickly whips her helmet off, throwing it towards the rocket. The rocket hits the helmet, and explodes prematurely- Though shards of plastic from the exploded helmet aren't really that big a deal when your body is made of a metallic alloy.

However, now that she's standing again, on top of the APC, which itself is wedged under a street light, they can get a good look at her, at last.

Her shoulder length hair is a dull, unnatural blue, and very well kept, likely the highlight of her looks otherwise. She's wearing ornate motorcycle leathers, black with a blue design of some sort of ice dragon across the jacket, and down onto the pants.

The real alarm here is her skin. She's a light blue color, with icicles hanging off of her ears, her chin, and some on her nose. Her eyes glow an icy blue, and she falls into a fighting stance. "Done, done, the time of man." She says, as if reciting something. "So says the angel, Ettezan."

She takes a look at her two assailants, and falls out of her stance quickly. "...Wait, what? Kids. You're fucking kids. Seriously? This has to be a joke."

---

Max pulls on the runeblade, and gets it a little more firmly wedged into his vehicle.