2012-11-30 They want to play Centerfield

Friday night in the Bronx, and John Jones coming out of a tenement building, head down, hands in pockets. His face shows the faint frustration of a detective who is not finding the kind of leads he might want. That is, of course, until he sees the flash of light from the direction of Yankee Stadium. Martian senses are immediately directed towards the incident. Is it just some kids messing around with flares or is it something more serious?
One of those people that's been lured over the light happens to be Norman. It's not like he was out looking for trouble, but he had some errands to run in the area, and he's not smart enough to avoid bad things when they happen. So there he is! He's at least a little cautious as he moves down the street, slowing and eventually coming to a pause as he comes upon the scene. He seems, for the most part, dumbfounded.
"Are they-" He flounders a little. That looks unlawful!
The Guys at the gates haven't noticed anyone yet, they are dreaming of all they money they are about to get, or think they are going to get anyway. One of them starts to speak, "You know I was watching TV the other day, and they said a Babe Ruth signed ball was sold for at least 100 grand. I bet they have at least 10 of those things in the stadium man!" Okay they aren't the smartest criminals in the world, but that was obvious by the fact that they are breaking into Yankee stadium of course. Finally they have managed to get through a section of the gate they were using the thermite one. And the same one speaks again, "Told you guys they could do it. They don't even keep security around that much in the off season!"
Ragman was watching from the parking garage across the street from the stadium and just shakes his head. They aren't super evil so the suit doesn't want their souls but hey they are breaking into Yankee Stadium he's gotta stop them for that at least. So he does what any good hero will do. He leaps down off the top of the garage and lands heading on over to the criminals.
Oh for. J'onn is tempted to leave the criminals to Ragman. He doesn't know the guy, but he's betting he can handle a few crooks who are incompetent enough...sigh. He'd better go help, although he doesn't change yet. Rather, he changes course...he's got to get out of the sight of the peering housewives behind the windows. He knows they're there...three or four of them. He can sense their mind.
Norm hasn't spotted Ragman or J'onn quite yet, enraptured as he is by the heist in motion. He seems to be trying to process exactly what he should be doing in this situation. Eventually, he decides on the most direct route. The man shuffles along to the gates, clearing his throat rather audibly from a few feet behind the thugs. He probably looks fairly ridiculous, with a giant coat over huge shoulders and arms hidden from view. "Um." Pause. "Excuse me. Can I, uh, interrupt you for a second?"
The Criminals stop and look at the guy who is trying to interrupt them. "Oh who the heck are you supposed to be?" Says the guy who speaks for them, it seems that only one has enough brain power to actually talk. "Man you know we gangster right?" Gangster like the Backstreet boys maybe, closer look indicates they are just wannabe criminals it seems. But they stop and just look at the person that approached them.
At that moment Ragman approaches from behind them, his outfit mostly hidden in the shadows. "You know there really isn't much in the stadium this time of year to steal, right?" Seriously he can't comprehend why someone is trying to steal from the stadium during the winter.
Better idea. As soon as he's out of view, the private investigator disappears. Literally fades from view. Silent and invisible, he makes his way towards the scene. Two people taking on the wannabes. It should be enough, but if it isn't, he'll start knocking some heads together. Not something he's ever really been above, that.
"Oh. Uh. Yes. I-I see that. I'm Norm, hello." Norm sounds about as awkward as this conversation is. He rocks back and forth, taking a moment to choose his words before he begins, "You know this is a bad idea, rig-" And then Ragman appears. Even Norm gives a little start, before he nods. "Right! Right. You know, like, even though this place isn't being guarded it's a major landmark, right? With things like cameras, and an alarm system, and support staff, and janitors, and stuff like that? Do you really think it's a good idea to rob it?"
The Criminals just start looking between the two guys, eyes going wide at the both of them. "Uhm...man they gotta have valuable stuff in there. Man that Babe Ruth guy played for them, and the other guy who got sick...Lou Gentry! We gonna take that shit and sell it man, and we'll get bank that way!" He looks so confident when he says that one as well. They haven't done anything yet, cause well they didn't bring any weapons with them or anything so they have no idea what to do.
and at this moment Ragman just can't help himself and starts to laugh. Yeah he does the whole turn his head and puts it in his arm thing as he does so. But yeah he is laughing at them.
Okay. He's definitely not needed here. Except that, every so often, J'onn J'onzz has impulses that are only Martian, as it were. He materializes behind Ragman and Norm...in the perfect form of...you guessed it. Babe Ruth. Oh, and ONLY the criminals can see him. Well, Ragman, given his senses, probably knows there's somebody there. Martians do, after all, have souls.
Norm is oblivious! Which is probably a good thing, since he'd probably be way too distracted to keep trying to convince the group of punks that this is not the best plan. "Seriously? Is that, like, seriously a thing you think is going to happen?" He'd facepalm, if he could do it without poking an eye out. He takes a deep breath. "Well. As someone who is....intelligent, I guess, I would advise to you not do this. That would be my advice." He shakes out his sleeves when he does that, revealing the three-pronged claws that happen to be his hands.
The 4 criminals just look at the figure that only they can see, or it seems they are the only ones that see it. And at that well they just run cause this just got way too freaky for them. And if the person is observant they will notice that a wet spot starts to form on the speakers pants. Yeah they weren't expecting the ghost of Babe Ruth to show up. Now they could be cursed or something like that!
And Ragman was still laughing a little. Finally getting himself under control he does start to sense something, but well can't place his finger on what it is exactly. Hey maybe it really is a ghost! He doesn't know anything about them. "Man I didn't even get to ask them who they were planning on selling the stuff to."
"If they had had a plan, they would...to be honest, a fence would probably have told them not to be so stupid," says the disembodied voice. Of Babe Ruth. Before the Manhunter fades into existence. "Had they had useful information, I would not have scared them off."
Norm seems vaguely taken aback. "I thought I'd have to actually do something, at least." His metallic pincers are given a few click-clacks together, and then he allows his sleeves to cover them again. He turns to Ragman then, opening his mouth to speak, and then immediately shutting it when he pivots to spot the ghost of Babe Ruth. Norm recoils, letting out a startled, "Aaa!" And then there's an alien there, which really is just as strange as before. "Aaa-aa?" Now he just looks confused.
Ragman glances at J'onn when he appears. Cool thing about masks that cover the entire face you can't tell when the person wearing them is making a holy shit type facial expression. He stares at Manhunter, "Uhm thanks for that I guess." He just wanted to point out how stupid their plan was all along to them, really.
"I am afraid..." Then he actually grins. "I couldn't resist." With that, he waves and starts to lift off. "But it seems I am needed back at the Hall." How he knows is an open question...in-ear comm? Telepathic call? Certainly nothing either of them would have heard before he streaks off northwards.
"Oh. Okay. Thank you?" Norm sort of awkwardly waves as the Martian speeds off. Then he immediately sets to complaining. "So that was just the ghost of Babe Ruth given physical form, or an alien. An alien that just...stopped a robbery and then flew away. This is just what my life is like now. These are the kind of things that happen." Norm's hands half-rise in an exasperated motion, and he turns to cautiously inspect the costumed man remaining. "Are you human? Under that? I'm going to be upset I'm the only one."
Ragman looks at the guy for a moment and well decides to make things at least a little easier for him. "Yes I am human." He's human and he wears the souls of the eeeeeeeeevil as clothes! He just leaves that part out cause Norm doesn't look like he can handle that part of it. "But well I suggest you leave before the cops get here. They may blame you for the act."
"Oh. Well. That's good." Norm is awkward enough at talking to normal people, let alone ones dressed in scary rags. "Oh! Yes. Yes, I should do that. Yep." The man begins to shuffle, making a circle before he adds, "Thanks for the help. That was pretty cool of you. I'd better get going." And he goes, scooting off quickly at the mention of police.
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