2012-07-23 Unexpected Hero

New York city on an average afternoon. There's a little cloud cover but no threat of rain just yet. At least... with certain Thunder Gods running rampant, that might not really mean much. But the mayor of New York held a press conference to play up one of the more recent PR things he was doing, and Perry (after two or three Great Caesar's Ghosts over what the Mayor was -doing-) sent Lois to at least get -someone- at the press conference. Of course, he sent Lois because when he yoinked his office door open and looked for someone, she was the only one who wasn't on lunch break at the time. Company chopper and all today... 
So, the press conference came and went, and was rather uneventful. Then came the next problem... taxicabs after a press conference. It was going to take some time to get one since EVERYONE was trying. So it was that Lois ended up deciding to walk a bit to find a taxi back to where the chopper is at. Of course, as it works in New York, the nice and not so nice neighborhoods can be like... a block apart. Walking past an alleyway between two stores, Lois picks up a couple tails. Not that she'd miss it. She's likely been in situations like this so often that it's become almost normal to her. But three guys are walking just a bit faster than her, dressed in leathers and the whole badass look. Bulges of weapons show under their jackets too. But they're behaving not like they're chasing... more like they're herding. Accross the street, Stonewall had just come out of a quick shop after finding that his debit card was declined yet again. Stupid bank! Rawr! They should... hey, what are those guys doing following that pretty lady? They're -obviously- up to no good....
Stonewall frowns. But then to be fair, he's always frowning. Jerry stands out in a crowd, always has, he's seven feet tall and weighs in over three and a half bills of solid muscle. He's never been the sort built for 'fitting in'. He's learned to deal with it.
Glancing over her shoulder she notes the guys, Lois dips her hand into her purse, using hte motion to gets her cell and pulls her purse to the safety of in front of her. She seems to tap the screen a little TOO quickly to really have dialed anything, but she still puts it to her ear and starts talking.
"Hey, Kent. Yep, all done in New York. Dud of a press conference. I'm on my way back now. Shouldn't be too much longer. Trying to find a taxi in this town is retarded, but at least none of them have tried to run me over yet," Lois is saying in a voice a little too loud. It's like she's trying to give off that 'people are expecting me and so you shouldn't try anything, oh and by the way, I'm talking to a GUY, so.. yeah.. please don't Lois-nap me?'
Stonewall frowns. But then to be fair, he's always frowning. Jerry stands out in a crowd, always has, he's seven feet tall and weighs in over three and a half bills of solid muscle. He's never been the sort built for 'fitting in'. He's learned to deal with it. It's why he feels comfortable keeping pace with the group, though on the other side of the street. This is New York and these are his streets. Not as in he's the boss, but he's lived her long enough, worked within the right circles, he knows people. Mostly, he knows the people to avoid... and he's pretty sure that chick is being followed by a group of them. He stops mid step. Wait. His brows knit. This isn't his problem. Nope. He doesn't even know that lady!
As predicted, the three behind Lois are simply making sure she watches them and not up ahead of her. She's good enough to realize this though, so when the musclebound goon steps out in front of her and says, "Heya girly. Where are -you- goin'? Phone, purse'n whatever y'got in those pockets." Now the kicker, this guy looks -just- like the guy who's been making things difficult for one of the few friends Jerry has. He was described to a tee, down to the tattoo on his cheek. There's a link, and a reason... from all reports the guy's some sort of low level superhuman, but he must think he's the god of the streets. He steps towards Lois, raising a hand as if planning to grab her... her purse.. or something.
CRAP! Lois's footsteps halt in an instant, not having realized the guy was going to step out in front of her until that very last moment. It lets her not run into the guy, but puts her literally up into his face. She pulls the phone from her ear, and tightens the grip on her purse. She's got her hit in there. Safety's on, so if she needs to whack the guy... 
"Outta the way, ya big lug. I don't have a thing for you," Lois says.
Jerry pauses. Tyson. Great. Complete with his stupid facial ink that marks him to everyone in the borough. Stonewall isn't worried. Everyone knows Jerry's tough, strong, but no one's sure if he's a meta or not, he's been careful, keeping his powers quiet and blaming anything nearing superhuman feats on steroids and constant working out. With his build no one questions it. Still... There's no way the lady knows Tyson or the danger, and there /is/ that standing bounty... He could use a favor from Ramon. He needs more work, rent is due in a week. Stonewall begins to cross the street, heading straight for the group of men. As was stated, he's not built for stealth so he doesn't even try, he walks, not quickly but not slowly, towards the knot of them, his expression dark.
The first sign that there's -anything- going not according to plan here for the guys... it's the honking of cars that skid to a stop as Jerry goes by. Mike and Leroy, two of the herders... don't really notice it, but Damon there, he glances to his left and then back forward... and then does a doubletake as he sees the -size- of the guy approaching, "Hey guys, um..." he says as he elbows Mike. They shrug it off and approach Lois from behind, trying to basically pen her in. Tyson chuckles darkly, totally focused on the lady and her stuff, "You can give it, or I can take it. Guess which one hurts less." he remarks, balling up a hamhock of a fist and pulling it back threateningly. "Guys!" says Damon again, and Mike shakes his head, giving Damon a quick glare, "Cut it..." and he cuts off as he sees Jerry approaching over Damon's shoulder. "Shit." he adds. "Company Tyse..." to which the boss says... with total eloquence, "Huh?"
Huh?: All the openning Lois needs. These guys are bad news, and the reporter's had /some/ self-defense classes. So, stepping into Tyson, Lois seeks to drive her knee into his gentlemen bits, to double him over so she can step over/past him and away from the goons behind her. Step two? No idea. Step one might not even work, but they're spooked by whatever is coming, it's probably a good idea to monopolze NOW and then find a convinent wall to put her back to to let the real 'hero' do his thing. Damsel? Sure. Damsel who sometimes makes things worse? You betcha!
Stonewall ignores the cars. This is New York, yeah, and generally they don't stop for pedestrians, but they do tend to stop for giants. It's a rule, likely one where in the potential damage to the vehicle vs need to get somewhere are weighed and come out in Jerry's favor. He continues to march towards Tyson, his gaze a constant intimidating glare locked on the other thug's face. His posse aren't even offered a cursory glance. "Hey Tyson. Ramon wants a word." Jerry has a voice to fit his size, deep and rumbely, the sort anyone standing close to him would feel in their chest as much as hear with their ears. He quirks a brow when the lady throws a knee. Huh. She's got fire.
The knee comes up into Tyson's Daddybags, and sure.. he's tough. He's almost bulletproof, but those are his dingleberries! Tyson looks towards Jerry as the deep bass voice calls out and he's about to come up with a witty retort when all that comes out is a bit of a squeak thanks to Lois's .. so called 'plan'. The other guys are just as stunned, but less by pain than by the confusion of having a 'victim' fight back. Nobody fights back when Tyson is in his intimidating mode. But they recover a bit quicker than he does and they start to move past Tyson to try to contain the mark, leaving Tyson to handle Tiny over there. -They- sure as hell have no intention of even making eye contact with Jerry right now. But the three of them figure they can handle one girly.
The first thought that runs through Lois' head as she hears Jerry's voice is: crap, another one! The second thought that runs through her head as knee impacts Tyson's Butterball is: omg i'm so glad that worked! And Lois runs for it! Or tries to anyway. She is in a knee-length skirt and three inch high heels, and has to try to scurry OVER Tyson. It means that she just gets past the big guy when the first goon is in easy arm's reach. Odds are still 4 to 1 against the ballsy reporter, not in her home town where a well-pitched squeel often calls down a certain Boy in Blue. Lois' mind is telling her she's on her own.
Stonewall isn't a hero. It's why he doesn't wait for Tyson to fully recover from his um... issues, before he brings his knee up viciously towards Tyson's still bent over face. Stonewall has to be careful, he always has to be careful, that he doesn't really hurt the guy, so he holds back significantly. No good to walk around punting the heads from people, that's the sort of thing that gets you a reputation.
IT's a good thing... well good for Tyson, that he's rather tough. The knee strikes him in the forehead and he's still conscious afterwards. Not by much, but he is flung back and impacts the wall with a force that shakes the wall itself. The three guys are distracted all of a sudden as their boss is rag dolled. This gives Lois another break... as they all almost like it was synchronized... look at their battered boss. Damon mutters, "Tyse?" questioningly even as Leroy decides that he's had enough. He becomes a threat to himself and everyone else nearby as he turns and draws a pistol out of his pocket, pointing it at Jerry and pulling the trigger as fast as he can.
When the hands don't close on her, Lois thinks she's home free. And then the gun shots ring out. With a shrill sort of skriek, the reporter drives behind that there lamp post! She skins her knee a bit, but covers her head with her arms like a champ!
Stonewall balls a fist and rams it home into the gut of Tyson while the other man is still a bit stunned from his impact with the wall, this is followed up by a quick elbow to the back of his head as the thug once more bends over. Jerry fights dirty. He honestly doesn't even notice the bullets until the sound of the gunfire clues him in and he turns to face Leroy. Bullets and their various fragments litter the concrete around him, and his black shirt now sports a dozen or more uneven tears and rips. Stonewall's eyes narrow to slits. A pair of quick steps takes him to Leroy where he reaches out as if to grip the still smoking gun in his hand. "Stop."
Of course, one of the ricochets strikes the lamppost, and another strikes Damon in the shoulder. "Ow!" the guy calls out. Mike smacks Leroy upside the head and then gives the guy a shove towards Jerry, "Fuck this." he mutters, "I'm out." he says before turning and trying his damndest to run for his life and get out of there. Damon's on the ground, clutching his shoulder, as Leroy just stands there, gun not empty, but still staring dumbly at Jerry and no longer pulling the trigger. Not quite what he expected to have happen here. Tyson's not moving... and Leroy finally gulps and asks in a very small hopeful voice, "Vest?" 
You know. That's a fairly distinctive sound: bullets stopping on someone's back and chest, only to fall on concrete. Even that ricochet is so wonderfully familiar. Lois opens her eyes as Mike cuts and runs. Her violet gaze finds Damon down before tracking up blue jeans to gape faintly at Jerry the Stonewall. Not exactly who she was expecting. After all, wasn't he one of the goons? She was all but certain that shriek... She spies those tears in Jerry's shirt, the skin beneath, and her lips part in light wonder. Supers, everywhere.
Stonewall's hand closes around the gun which eloquently says, 'Crunkle' to display it's displeasure, followed by a shriek of pain from Leroy, who's hand was still holding onto the now twisted lump of metal and shattered polymer. He uses his grip on the mans 'gun hand' to pull him in closely, looming over him and casting a shadow like a sky scraper, "Venom." he says simply, answering the thugs question. Everyone knows about Venom, it's crazy hard to get, crazy expensive, but everyone knows it can make you a super for awhile, or you know, kill you. It's the best lie Jerry could think of at the drop of a hat. Leroy is released to cradle his mangled 'gun hand' and his gaze now falls on the cowering woman. He's certainly bigger then Superman, and he lacks that... wholesomeness that Supes carries in spades. There's menace in this man, violence, anger, he does not leave one feeling safe when his shadow falls around them. "Up." he says simply, apparently he's big into monosylabic statements.
The rest of the guys, either stay down or clear free.
Lois gapes up at the behemoth, eyes growing wider as he addresses her. She's heard of venom, of all the nasty-bad that comes with the stuff, but coming face to face with a user is just... scary-bad. At his order, the reporter picks herself up, ignoring the stinging of her skinned knee (this is why she doesn't wear pantyhose), and gulps faintly. "Thanks," she squeaks softly, voice filled with question.
Stonewall eyes her up and down with a gaze that really couldn't be less sexual. His assessment feels more like a predator eyeing prey then a man eyeing a woman. "Pants suit, flats." he suggests helpfully, noting the complete incomprehensible lack of utility in her out fit. He holds out his hand, "Purse."
The phrase 'out of the fire' seems a little tame right now. The feeling of being looked over like a piece of meat is certainly unsettling and has Lois taking a half step back. His suggestion, however helpful, does not stand up against the implied threat brought on my his final word. Lois tightens her hand on her purse, unwilling to give up the items of her livelihood without a fight, clearly. She tucks her phone hand behind her, taking another halfstep back, inching away from the lamppost. Can she figure out her iPhone blind?
Stonewall's eyes narrow and he reaches out with a hand to the lamp post she was so recently hiding behind. A flick of his finger sounds like a gong and the bulb atop it's now swaying stem shatters in a crack of glass. "Purse!" he growls firmly, the implied threat obvious. Simply put, she's not as sturdy as a lamp post and he and finger flick all day long.
Alright. Let's take a moment to weigh the options: hand the guy your purse (has your pen, your notes, your wallet, your handgun, your house keys, and your very favorite color of lipstick), continue trying to delay while dialing who knows what on your phone (not the safest choice), draw the handgun and fire (yes, because that worked /so/ well for Goon #3!). One more halfstep, and Lois choses door number four: cut and run! Ballsy, stubborn, in your face, Daily Planet reporter turns and runs for it; her phone and her purse in her hands. Where's a hero when you need one!?
Stonewall watches the woman, in her skirt with her heels run away and he shakes his head ever so slightly, "Tourists." he mutters under his breath. His plan worked, he just needed her gone. He bends over and quickly pulls the wallets from the two downed men and then turns to walk down an alleyway. Leroy fired a half a clip, and in New York that gets a quick police responce. Not seconds, but certainly only a few minutes. It's time to not be here anymore... Luckily the neighborhood knows Jerry, and people down here? They don't talk to cops, and he's pretty sure the reporter didn't get her phone around to take a pic so... he thinks he's clear? No matter. He pulls the cash from the wallets and then tosses them into a storm drain as he passes. Hrm. Now to go see Ramon and pick up on that favor he's owed.
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