2012-11-27 Big Game Hunters III

Twice, Tasmanian Devil had encountered a certain group of hunters. First when they attacked him in Metropolis and again when he caught them attacking Wildcat Jr. in New York City. He's been looking for them ever since, getting help from Justice League resources. These hunters were dangerous criminals after all. And yesterday he got word of where the hunters meet. A mansion located out on St. Martin's Island served as the meeting place for the group. Taz set out to investigate and managed to overhear a disturbing bit of information. The club was going to move on from hunting rare animals to focusing entirely on hunting mutants and metas after their encounters with Taz and Wildcat. So Taz called in backup from the League with plans of busting up the group.
Of course, not all plans work out. Before back up arrives, Taz gets discovered and the silence of the forests is destroyed by the sound of an explosion. Standing on the steps of the mansion, one of the masked hunters is reloading his rocket launcher as Taz ducks behind trees to avoid some gunshots from more of the hunters coming out of the mansion. It's going to be a noisy evening.
Hunting mutants is a great way to draw lots of attention. One way or another, word always gets around. Lately, the Brotherhood's presence has been growing stronger every day within virtually every major city in the country and beyond. Eyes and ears are everywhere, forming an informational network which is very difficult to avoid. Even less so when ordnance such as rocket launchers are involved. Normally such matters wouldn't register quite so high on Mystique's radar, a couple of guys in the greater Metropolis area aren't likely to get far, one might think. Repeat offenders, however... What can she say? It's a slow day. It may end up being a small victory, but sometimes it feels so -right- to put the fear of mutantkind into the gene trash that makes up the majority of the population. She's going out of her way today, both to look after a metahuman and to see to it that the regular humans get put back in their place in as bad of a way as possible.
Sentinel isn't backup. At least, he wasn't intending to be and since he's not a member of the Justice League, he had no idea something big was going down. Instead, business down in Metropolis, he was getting read to return home and heard the explosion as he was flying overhead. Not quite sure where it originated, he flies lower and circles, looking for smoke, fire, men with rocket launchers... Who knows.Kyle's developed an annoying flying habit lately. From whom he learned it is questionable, because no one else /flies/ like he does. Rooted firmly to a glimmering disc of energy, the Green Lantern stands as comfortably as if he were on an immobile surface- which happens to be flittering across the landscape with incredible velocity. It's hardly a dynamic fistpunch, like Superman favors.
<Taz, this is Kyle,> he says into their transponder. He grins. <At dawn, look to the east! Hey, do I sound like Gandalf on this thing?>
The glow of the Green Lantern becomes a beacon of shimmering emerald, coruscating through the night sky. Kyle's arrival is spectacular, a shimmering mid-range note resounding through the forest as if someone had struck an emerald bell.
"Lay down your arms," he thunders, all trace of humor gone from his voice. The words roll across the mountains like a thunderclap. "Surrender, and I will show mercy. Fight, and you will face the wrath of the Lantern."
Smoke's definitely easy to see, rising from the crater and burning tree the first missed rocket shot created. Taz is just hefting up a log and sending it flying at two masked hunters with semi automatics when he hears his backup respond. <Not in the least bit, Lantern. Points for tryin' though, mate,> he responds over the transponder.
The arrival of the Green Lantern brings a moment of silence before the man with the rocket launcher fires on Kyle. More hunters are coming out of the mansion now, all armed and apparently ready for a fight. Weapons range from guns and bows and arrows to explosives and swords. This is an odd group for sure.
What's all of this green light coming from, now..? Oh, lovely. A Lantern's already on scene. Well, that interferes withMystique's plans slightly. No matter, if it's one thing she is, it's adaptable. A quick glance around the immediate area is all that she needs before becoming Officer Jennifer Elliot, dirty blonde hair done up in a ponytail and a 9mm service pistol at her side. She gets tired of having to hide that weapon inside of herself all the time. In a flash the Metropolis Police Department is on the scene, running in quickly to 'help contain' the situation.
Another large-sized tree makes for a good spot of cover as Officer Elliot dives into a crouch behind it, pistol in her hand as she picks out a target from the hunting party. "MCPD, drop your weapons!"
Is it still a felony when she's helping them do their job?
Green glow. Bell like tone. Thunderous words. Ostentatious. Sentinel pays attention to the news of course so is aware of the Green Lantern. And him, along witht he smoke, is a sure indicator of where he should be. "Does anyone ever surrender before they get beaten down?" he asks rhetorically. Chances are no one'll hear him anyway. Unlike Kyle, he just flies without any props and comes to a stop several dozen feet above the mansion yard. "Consider yourselves outnumbered." he calls down. Two plus one cop to what? A couple dozen? No contest.Kyle makes a single, almost imperious gesture, one hand still loose behind his back. The rocket detonates in mid-air, and bullets and arrows are visibly deflected well ahead of their intended target by tiny flashes of green light.
"This is your last and only warning," Kyle thunders again. "Watch the example of your brethren. Surrender now for justice, or face execution."
Coalesced in green energy fields, a few men are ripped from the ground- and, screaming, are broken, graphically, their shattered forms left hanging limp in the sky.
Anyone bothering to do a headcount would realize that there's not a single less individual alive now than had been a moment before- but Kyle's illusory display certainly seems as if it should strike fear into the hearts of the less stalwart rent-a-thugs.
Taz steps out from behind his cover in time to deliver a haymaker to a hunter with a sword that was running his way. Glancing around at his reinforcements, the fuzzy leaguer grins. "Gotta say I like these odds. Let's show 'em why they should surrender," he flashes a grin Sentinel's way. He heard him, enhanced hearing and all. Kyle's display gets the big aussie scrunching his face in disgust. Sure he can tell it wasn't real but its still a nasty sight. Of course it's the cop that has his attention quickly. "Bloody hell," he mutters, running to assist her.
A few of the newer hunters are pretty shaken by the Green Lantern's display. They don't surrender though, instead they turn tail and run for the mansion. Others, including Mr. Rocket Launcher just keep shooting at Kyle and now Sentinel too. A few more are ignoring Officer Elliot's order and are shooting at her with rifles and arrows.
Alright, the light show and special effects might be impressive, but -really?- These guys are lugging around enough weaponry to start their own war, and the Lantern thinks that they're going to simply give up? Mystique is already planning on them ignoring her own warning, preparing for them to attack her general direction. It's part of the plan. Misdirection. She's in the middle of this now, it's time to have a little fun. The meta that's rushing toward her direction is unexpected, but one learns to work with their environment. Trying to catch a metamorph is like trying to catch the wind in your palm.
In the confusion, she disappears. Officer Elliot is gone, a figment of the imagination. Moments later, taking her place, is an exact duplicate of one of the hunting party's own, standing amongst their numbers. The copied man is all too quick to jab an accusing finger at his own twin. "Hey, one of those mutie freaks is playing tricks on us! Get 'im!" Mysti doesn't need to do any of the fighting, all she has to do is stir up some panic and allow the human machine to run itself out of control.
Execution? Sentinel ignores the men on the ground now in favor of studying the Lantern. He might need to rethink just who the target here is. And he's about to do just that when those 'people' are 'killed' but realizes they weren't real before he attacks Kyle. "Not wise, guy." he snorts and shakes his head. "And neither is that." he tells the ones on the ground and a large green energy net flashes out of his ring and floats down toward the so-called hunters, including the rocket coming his way.Kyle rolls his eyes to the sky- though, blazing white pools of light don't really 'roll'. But he does look a bit exasperated as no one really 'surrenders', though a few run screaming through the woods.
"Nets, huh? Kind of old school," he calls at Alan. With a flick of a wrist, spinnerts of light cast out from his fingertips, enveloping anyone on the ground. Tiny snapping and cracking sounds resonate from firearms and rocket launches in a cascade, individual and critical components finding themselves ruined by the force of his will at work. The spinnerets work like spidersilk- drawing tighter, the harder the men (and disguised woman) on the ground who are entwined resist.
Taz is momentarily confused by the sudden lack of an officer. He can't even pick up a scent that makes sense. He gets distracted away from that mystery by the chaos Mystique is causing. Brawls and close-range gunshots break out and Taz finds himself pulling people apart before they can kill one another. He's also got to deal with them trying to kill him of course, taking some strikes from a few weapons. Nothing that won't heal but it still hurts. And then there's energy nets and webs at work. Taz ends up caught along with the majority of the hunters. Hard to avoid it when he's getting dog-piled.
That's not the end of things though. The sound of an engine flaring to life is heard before the garage doors open. Of all things, a TANK rolls onto the driveway treads and all. The turret swings and the cannon aims before firing on the flying emerald figures.
Mystique's plan probably would have worked, if it isn't for the intervention of a certain Green Lantern. What..?! HEY! -Crud.- Not much time left to act in. Find her window, wait for the right moment, and snap--there's Officer Elliot, now entangled right along with the rest of the hunting party. "Sir, you are obstructing a police officer, release me at once!" She can care less if her sidearm gets torn to pieces, like any piece of technology it's disposable and easily replaced. Being snagged by green energy, -that's- a much more pressing issue.
The tank, that's also a much more pressing issue. "Let Me Down!"
A tank? Seriously? A rectangular block of green energy appears in front of the shell and it gets stuck about halfway in just like those ballistic tests on CSI. It then sails down toward the tank and sticks itself over the end of the cannon. "Who the hell are these guys?" As for the pistols, rifles and machine guns, he just ignores them and whatever bullets happen to hit him and go flying off."The Green Lantern appreciates your cooperation. Don't bother struggling. The web will just get tighter. You might asphyxiate." Kyle grins, then turns his attention to the tank. He and Alan move to interdict the round almost simultaneously- Kyle growls as Alan beats him to the punch, then changes his actions. More spinneretes weave into the tank, seeking out fuel lines, power units, all the thousand of tiny things that can break so easily on a complicated machine. "Tank's taken care of," Kyle calls, locating Taz with a casual ease and projecting his voice. "What else we got? ....uh, more specifically, what are we doing here? And who's this yahoo, what with th' lightz 'n stuff?" he asks as he glides towards Taz, jerking a thumb in Alan's direction. "Copycat Lanterns now, and I missed the news release?"
A lot of those hunters aren't listening to Kyle. They're fighting and hurling every manner of insult and slur the Lantern's way as they lose weapons. A few more thugs start opening fire on Sentinel from the mansion windows.
Whoever's inside that tank is apparently pretty surprised. Someone pops the hatch and pulls the pin on a grenade to throw. The webs from Kyle get to the tank first. As the tank starts breaking there's yelling from inside. The people in the tank start scrambling out of it before explosions start going off. Hopefully someone shields from the shrapnel.
Taz glances up when he hears Kyle. "There should be people inside. Stopping a bunch of heavily armed psychos and poacher...and I dunno who the handsome blond is but you could always ask him, mate."
Mystique just has to sigh in exasperation, yelling out "Is -anyone listening to the police officer?!- Let me go at once!" It's hard for one voice to be heard over everyone else yelling and screaming and attempting to blow up a fair sized chunk of the city, but she's -bored,- darnit! You don't go interrupting this woman's fun! Of all the nerve... Darned super-powered beings, swooping in like they own the joint.
"I heard that." Sentinel says, frowning at Kyle. "I am not a Lantern or any version thereof!" He might say more but he finally pays attention to Officer Mystique and whatever small patches of netting that cover her and/or Taz fade away into nothing. "Have you called for backup yet?" he asks her.Kyle shakes his head. "Whatever, man. We got bigger problems. Look- can you handle this?" he asks Alan and Taz. "We need someone on air patrol. I'll feed you biometric data as needed. If I see reinforcements or catch something weird, I'll let you know. Holler if you need me down here." He gestures vaguely at Mystique, releasing the cop, then simply accelerates skywards on a disc of green light, kind of anticlimatically.
Taz stumbles as he's let go, looking up at Kyle. He blinks as his teammate goes flying into the sky. "Thanks for the hand, Lantern!" he calls, nodding. Looking towards Officer Mystique, Taz is curious about her answer to Alan's question too. "Back up would be a good idea. I overheard some of these guys talking about plans to start hunting people on purpose instead of just out of stupidity. Pretty sure there's plenty of jail cells that need filling with these idiots," Taz remarks.
Success..! Freedom! More or less. Mystique/Officer Elliot easily returns to her feet, her hands now free to fall upon her hips. The Lantern's taking off, which means her attention gets to focus on Sentinel more than anyone. "Of course," she informs him. "Not that it appears to be needed with the way you people took over the situation," she states in a half-accusing tone. Sure, they cleaned up things quickly but it hadn't exactly been a clean operation. She's overly critical of these things by nature.
In reality, she never radioed for backup. Her radio isn't even real, it's a very convincing replica but it's missing certain key components that allow it to work, like a battery. Her power isn't limitless. Also, she's now the primary focal point for these two. Being in the spotlight is generally not such a great thing with her. "I don't know what your buddy did back there," she says while thumbing back to where the Lantern disappeared to, "but it did something to my radio. If you both have the situation under control, I need to re-establish contact with the others, pronto." Acting, it's a thing that she does.
"We'll definitely police here to take them away. If nothing else, almost all these weapons have to be illegal." Not to mention the tank! Sentinel lands on the ground and looks to Taz. "More inside you said?"
Taz shifts a bit, ignoring the fact that he's bleeding from a few small wounds. "As much good as we did, I don't exactly have the means to confine or transport all these guys," he says to the Officer. "So the police are needed. The Justice League works with law enforcement after all," he says, smiling. Alan gets a nod. "Pretty sure they're not the fighter types though or they probably woulda come out this way," Taz remarks, offering a hand to Alan. "Tasmanian Devil. Pleasure to meet ya."
Bingo, that's Mystique's cue to get the heck out of Dodge. It was fun while it lasted (though it should have been a lot more, she wanted to see those guys tear one another apart!) Her excuse regarding the radio does the trick, too. "Right, just--do what you guys can for now, alright? I'll get the word through." With that, she starts off in a run away from the scene. Rocket launchers and a -tank- had been involved, even though she's not planning on telling the actual police force about what went down it's only a matter of time before the cavalry shows up. They won't have long to wait. Just a bit longer, perhaps, than they would have otherwise.
Taking the hand, he says "Sentinel. Pleased to meet you. We'll do what we can, officer." Which is actually quite a lot all things considered. Such as the very large net that flies up then settles itself over the entire mansion. No one will be getting out through any doors or windows now.
Taz nods. "We'll keep things handled until the rest of the police get here," he says. Alan's display of power gets a whistle out of the furry aussie. "Dman...seems some days like I got the short end of the stick when it comes to powers," he laughs. "Hopefully this is the last we'll have to see of these criminals."
"I think I read some news reports about them." Sentinel turns to study the men trapped by the nets and webs. "If these are all of them, they should be quite finished. But there may be more elsewhere."
Taz nods. "There should've been a report alright. A certain Ms. Lane was around when these guys came after me," he remarks, examining some of the men as well. "If there are, I'll just have to track 'em down and make sure they join the others in prison."
"If you do, let me know." Sentinel says and withdraws a business card. There's just his name and below that a phone number. It's as untraceable as paying cash to attorneys in the Cayman Islands to arrange a voice mail number can get. "Or if you run into any other problems you need an extra hand with."
Tsz smiles as the card appears, accepting it with a nod. "Thanks, mate. I'd offer ya my card but I don't have one. Or pockets to keep any in," he grins, in a pretty good mood. "Same offer to you by the way. I ya need a hand or a claw, I'll be happy to lend it."
"But I can reach you through the Justice League." Sentinel says. "That makes things simple." Eventually the police do show up and he stays till everyone is rounded up and carted off. Once his nets are no longer needed, he flies off.
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