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SEVERAL MONTHS AGO:
'You see what I'm saying Ricky? These mutant bitches, they're all talk and no hops.' Large Larry speaks with a gesture, flapping his suit coat behind him with a gun tucked within his belt. His shirt, (read: blouse) stretches against his skin, his undershirt showing beneath all due to his oversized belly and his poor choice of clothing. Larry could look handsome, if it weren't for the double chin that wiggles and the pimples that sit upon his face due to his bad dietary habits. All which Raven herself could smell. The oils on his skin. The lingering smell of sweetness that even though he showers? Still shines through when he sweats. If she had the imagination, it would be of him wearing chaps and a hat reminiscint of the Twinkie Man.
Pretty Ricky was the silent one. The one who lorded over the table of instruments, implements of doom that would allow a person to talk under the most stressful of circumstances. A miniature scythe was toyed with, the silver gleaming in the overhead light of the dilipitated building, a light which swings as it would which brings about the very visage of her.
Tied to a chair. Legs upon legs. And a slight shake of her head as she begins to laugh.
'What's so funny you fucking blue bitch?! EH!' The italian takes a step forward to give her a nice back hand across the cheek, which causes her neck to snap towards the side.
"You see, I made a deal that I wouldn't kill anyone for at least a week." She pauses, working her jaw around as she bundles up her lips and spits. A tooth bounces upon the concrete, which causes Raven to frown. "But I suppose it's an addiction I'll have to feed.."
Cue the warehouse, packed with screams. The imaginable horror of what Raven had done leads to…
NOW:
It was a daring move. Raven walking out in the open, surely she wore clothes befitting of her skin. A nice black coat to fight of the elements, fur decorating the edges. Black shoes that make her taller than what she seems, her skin, blue.. eyes yellow, look through the throngs of people who either huddle close together and avoid her path as she walks along with Lorna. "There is something to be said about wearing the natural skin while out in the open." She says to the young girl. "Never be afraid to show who you really are. Unless you're outnumbered. But you have a power which that most cannot compete with. I suppose my brother has told you to use with discretion."
While the two women walk, someone.. or something followed behind them. And up ahead, three regular seeming cars waited near the end of the second block, watching.
"But discretion is not the name of the Brotherhood's game. We are mutant. And we are proud of that fact."
*
ROLL: Raven +rolls 1d75 for a result of: 26
*
Lorna bit her lower lip, "My father said it was wise that I kept my hair dyed.. it's naturally green. But.. he keeps telling me to leave it undyed.. I just.." She grimaced, reaching up with a mittened hand to tug at her still brown dyed locks.
"I don't want to draw attention to the fact I'm different. Not all the time. I still want to get my degree and graduate.." There were bruises along the side of her face, healing but still there along the line of her jaw and up to her temple.
A glance was spared in Raven's direction briefly, hesitant almost. "I .. I was going to ask my sister to give me a charm to make it switch back and forth though.. I'm.. I'm getting better with my powers and I guess, if I can defend myself then it's .. well, I guess it's different?"
*
Able's recently restored and upgraded DeSoto rumbles throatily as he pulls it into a streetside parking spot. A phone call at the clinic brought him out for a post-mugging patch job for a minor celebrity who didn't want to be caught carrying drugs and an unlicensed weapon. As a precaution, the doctor has his sidearm strapped on under his suit and overcoat, though thankfully he hasn't needed it.
He's parked alongside a corner news stand, where he purchases a paper and a bag of peanuts. After exchanging pleasantries and handing over his money, he tucks his snack into his pocket and the paper under his arm. His only sign of surprise when he spots the two women crossing his path is a slight widening of his eyes, but he doesn't hesitate to tip them a cordial nod as he pauses to let them pass. Rather than fearful or apprehensive, it's a gentlemanly gesture.
*
"Your father is a barbaric ninny who only cares about what's 'In fashion' for now. Wearing princesses. In fashion. He does not have to deal with the fact that there are others who cannot so easily pass amongst the lot. Only what he himself could get his hands on that makes -him- look good." Raven's word about Magneto were never kind, even Charles for that matter. Though she does stop near a stand, her body soon turning to face Lorna as she watches the girl stumble over her words.
"Your degree, whatever that is, will not help you in the long run." She murmurs quietly, taking a slight lean as her gloved hand reaches to tug her red hair over her shoulders. "It will not teach you the basic necessities of how to live in this world that we've so come to hate. How to fall properly when shot.. how to properly time your gift so that you do not get sandwiched by two moving cars.." Her eyes look towards the figure behind her, brows lowering into a slight knit. "How to spot someone trailing you three clicks back."
And if Lorna had thought about turning to look, Raven quickly shakes her head. "Don't. Lets walk. We need to get you out of here."
There was a little saving grace, a gentleman from not too far off offers a tip and a cordial nod, one which has Raven thinking twice about continuing on. "Follow my lead."
With a turn, she approaches the gentleman, the good doctor, with a smile. "Pardon me, Sir. I.. couldn't happen to notice that you've a vehicle in your possession? I'm.. just asking, you see.. I have an issue with my ankle and I couldn't stand to walk any further.."
The large man was closing in, and yet even though he was shrouded in darkness, the glow of his red eyes were starting to light up like a beacon in the night.
"We don't stay too far, I'll pay you handsomely!" Cue the smile of the blue devil of a woman. A smile that was innocent and brilliant all at once. Though her yellow eyed gaze does shift to the left, a sense of urgency drawn upon her features. "Please?"
*
Lorna flushed, crossing her arms over her middle. "Miss Crystal is really very nice.." She mumbled, her father had bragged that he was going steady with the Princess so she really couldn't defend against that part. But still. Her cheeks heated and she toed the side walk as they moved.
"My degree is on geophysics and it's helping me to understand my powers. What they can do in the future. Magnetics and magnetism has a lot more uses than just moving things that are iron, Raven. And I'm learning about the theories and how it might shape the Earth. When my father is around, I can sense magnetic field of the planet, down to the crust and feel the plates shifting. It's.." She broke off as Raven spoke about them being tailed and she turned pale. The other woman definitely having to catch her from turning to look.
Her teeth worried away at her lower lip as she fell silent, trailing along after the blue skinned woman as she burrowed deeper into her winter coat. Even as she spread her senses outwards to feel the shifting of metal around them in a more intent manner.
*
There's a pause from Able, but not for argument. That sense of urgency isn't lost on him, subtle though it may be. He considers both women briefly, then nods and crosses the sidewalk to open the rear passenger's side door for them. A gentle hand guides the injured woman toward the vehicle. "No, no payment," he defers.
Normally he'd linger to close the door behind them, but his gut leads him back to the driver's seat. His gut and a telltale red glow. He hops in and tosses his paper on the dash, then turns over the car's beastly engine and revs it to life. A quick adjustment of the mirror brings the backseat and open door into view. "I get the feeling you're in a hurry, ladies. Where to?"
*
Well, now that Raven had gotten a little lesson at how deep Lorna's and Erik's powers went, she files that little information in for later. Now, the getting was good. The good doctor was roped into taking the ladies where they needed to go, and with a grateful smile and a hand upon Lorna's shoulder, she breathes relief. "Get a move on.."
For when the man nears, he could see that they were about to make their escape, the red glow within his eyes intensifying as his meaty hands withdraw from his pockets, clenched into fists, his large held tilted back as he lets out a cry..
"RAVEEENNNN!"
It was a terrible racket of noise, one that shakes the lids upon the metal garbage cans and causes them to topple over. Many cars were bounced and jostled, and people who were housed within those cars fell into the trap of fleeing instead of fighting.
Tires squeaked against the pavement as Raven quickly hops into the passengers seat. "WESTCHESTER. NOW." Lorna.. had better be inside..
The cry of the man causes the two vehicles blocks away to light up, the men within, all dressed in black with their hairs slicked back, cherry red cigarettes a burn as they begin to load their pistols and tommy guns with as much ammo as they could muster. This was revenge. This was all for Pretty Ricky and Large Larry, and for what she did to them a few months back.
'Let's go boys! That's our cue! Light that bitch up and whoever she's got with'er!'
*
Lorna settled into the car easily, without complaint or question. Her heart picked up pace however, as the noise outside picked up and metal shook. She squeezed her eyes shut, exhaling a breath as she drew her magnetic field closer around them, her fear making it easy to draw on her powers, finding them just at the surface of her skin.
The shout for the blue woman had her eyes flashing open and toward Raven, her brows lifting upwards as she swallowed down a lump in her throat. "Do I want to know why?" She whispered, her brows pinched. Then her head snapped up to peer down the block. Her senses rioting at the guns and ammo. Her hands curling into fists on her lap.
"They've got guns Raven. And.. uhm.. a lot.. a lot of bullets." Her voice quivered. She had never blocked that many bullets, nor any aimed her way before.
*
With the flurry of activity to spur him on, Able needs no further urging. He drops the DeSoto into gear and slams on the gas, screeching out of his parking spot and sliding into a narrow gap in the rightmost lane. He glances up at the rear-view and makes eye contact with the more vocal and blue-skinned of his passengers. There's a crooked smile, then his eyes are back on the road.
The engine coughs and growls as the doctor speeds up and changes lanes again. At the same time, he unbuttons his coat and loosens his sidearm in its shoulder holster. "Under the circumstances, I might reconsider taking payment," he quips.
*
And the circumstances were right. As Able takes off into the main lane, the larger man behind them takes off. It was clear that he was not going to catch them, but he ran either way, out into the middle of the street, intercepting a vehicle driving the other way as the passengers stop to witness the horror that was the behemoth of the man before them.
"RRRRAAAAAAHHH!" He hollared out, his mouth extending and chin dropping low, a vile liquid building up within the back of his throat as it begins to spill out in front of him. The couple were lucky, they had just missed a touch of the corrosive liquid, something that would have made their lives a living hell if they were caught in the mess.
But once they were gone, he packs himself into the car, speeding off and around the corner, intent on cutting them off of the pass.
Lorna's words cause Raven to shake her head with a grin, pushing herself up so that she could get to her knees, the coat she wore immediately shucked off to reveal her own array of weaponry, "That's something we can talk about later.."
The DeSoto zooms past the cars that lay in wait, and soon they join the chase.
There were four men to each car; one driver and three gunners, the back two immediately rolling down the windows using the rotary, their hats tossed to the floor as they immediately hang out the back. There were no words, for who suffers themselves dialogue during a chase! The men immediately points their guns towards the back of the DeSoto, unleashing a hail of bullets in their direction.
"Get down!"
Raven immediately sinks into the seat, drawing her own pistols to keep them aloft. She heard Lorna before the guns started.. but now?
"Lorna, if you're going to do something, do it now!"
*
Lorna was shaking with the need to do something, but everything was happening so fast. Her eyes squeezed shut as her senses rioted with the swell of her emotions and she released a shuddering breath. She wasn't her father, he could propell cars and steer them with ease. Could push bullets away without so much as a gesture.
But perhaps she didn't have to be her father. One large car? She could move that, rather than try to deflect the bullets, and hope that they were all iron based alloys, she did something utterly different.
Even as Raven yelled to get down, Lorna had her eyes closed, sinking her hands deep into the seat cushions and pulled.
With a sharp lurch the car bounced, once, twice and was suddenly lifted into the air. Flying up and off the road and directly into the sky with a dizzying lift that had Lorna breathing hard as she tried to steer it away from the buildings that reached up into the sky that was New York City.
*
There's a great deal of weaponry being displayed on both sides. Rather than comment, Able just raises an eyebrow and lets out a low chuckle. He's awfully relaxed, considering the circumstances.
A quick brake-shift-gas takes the car around a truck parked at a red light. Able doesn't stop; he swings them out into oncoming traffic, which is blessedly light. After a few angry honks and one thoroughly brandished middle finger from other motorists, the DeSoto has escaped (barely) unscathed and scoots back onto the proper side of the road.
That's when he's relieved of his burden, which, frankly, is a relief. He coughs into his fist and lets go of the wheel, but only so he can draw a burly, high caliber revolver. "Well…" he muses as his car is lifted off the ground, finally showing a bit of surprise on his face. "This should be good."
*
Well, she did ask Lorna to do something. Something like deflecting bullets, commanding them to rise and fall upon the concrete like rain in their path. But this? This was completely different, in fact it calms her down just enough for her to look into the backseat where the girl was, then towards Able who.. well, was uncharacteristically calm. "Just who are you?" She asks of him, though that question wouldn't get an answer, they were in the air and he pulled out a gun… may as well just light them up from above!
The poor sods below were already swearing at themselves, one man in the back banging upon the drivers seat, while the drivers themselves look into the air to see the bottom of the car.
'Shoot the gas tank! It's like a flying bomb!'
'It doesn't work like that, asshole!'
Mean while, the large man in the car wheels around to join the other two, his big, meaty hand banging upon the steering wheel as he unleashes a slew of profanities.
'Shoot it anyways! We'll probably get lucky!'
Which is a shame, for Raven had the same idea. It was her turn to wheel down the window, and soon she hangs herself out and begins to rain down bullets towards the two cars.
It was a clear and reckless mess, while they shoot up, Raven herself shoots down. The cars weave in and out of traffic, the horns themselves honking and creating a mess of a racket. But this? This was fun!
*
Lorna was struggling to keep the car aloft, her eyes screw shut and her hands clenched into the fabric of the cushions as she breathed shallowly. She'd never done this before while she was inside the car. Sure, she'd lifted a car or two. Watched her father speed his car along the highway without any power at all.. but this? This was new and terrifying and she was so close to losing it at any moment.
Sweat beaded up on her forehead and she strained to push them beyond gun range and speed the flying vechicle around obstacles and away from those trying to shoot them. She could control one thing well, and this was her one thing.
At least there wouldn't be people taking pictures of her flying.
That was hoping that noe one tried to shoot them down from the government's side of things. What did a flying car rate when it came to no-fly zones?
*
"Me?" Able spares another glance at the mirror before he answers Raven's question. "No one of consequence."
He's smiling as he roll-roll-rolls down the driver's window and leans out. He's only got six rounds, but he makes good use of them. Each shot is carefully aimed and measured before he commits. When he's emptied his weapon, he slouches down to minimize his silhouette and ejects the spent shells. One by one, he reloads the old Webley's chambers. "Don't suppose you ladies would care to tell a fella why he's floating through the air and taking fire, would you?" he queries as he finishes arming is revolver and draws back the hammer. "This is… somewhat irregular."
For the DeSoto's part, it's holding up well. Able was wise to have it reinforced during its most recent round of repairs. Smaller caliber rounds *ding* and *ping* off of the exterior panels and the undercarriage. Every so often a larger bullet will blast through the outer skin and *THUNK* against a steel insert. A lucky shot smashes through the windshield and comes within a hand's breadth of taking Able's head off, which prompts a round of cursing, mostly in German.
*
"You're doing good, Lorna!" Raven calls out, taking on a few shots of her own until the gun itself was emptied. She tosses it back into the car, finishing off with the second one, the richocet of the bullets themselves knocking and shredding deeply into her left arm. But it was of no consequence. She turns and lowers herself into the car, sliding against the seat in time for the bullet blast to shatter the window, which draws out a deep wince. It was an apology, but one that went without sound.
"Long story." Again she grunts out, her hand smacked against her shoulder to keep the bleeding in tact, her side.. slightly torn to ribbons bled as well, but it just only sought to make her.. well, slightly angry. Her blade was taken from her hip, and with a roll and a toss out of the window towards the car, she rolls back inside to roll up the window as if it would stop the bullets from raining in..
And yet, thankfully all of the gunfire that Able and Raven had put down had desirable affects. Their weaving in and out of traffic was one cataclysm, the well aimed and true shots from Able sends a high caliber bullet soaring through the front window of the first car, through the chest, out the seat and into the groin of a gunner.
The howls were sickening, for once the driver was stuck, the car swerves to the left and begins it's flip down the street, the second car smacking into another.. and the third with the large man skidding to an emergency halt.
The chase was over for now.. and it wasn't clear who was dead.. but what -was- clear? They got away, in a frickin' flying car!
So cool..
*
Lorna managed to at least steer them away, out of the city as best she could. The speed in which the car was propelled through the air was likely faster than they could have possibly reached via the roads while traffic, stop lights and silly things like turns had to be obeyed.
Still, there were limits that the young mutant had yet to pass, and flying all the way to Westchester, it would seem was one of them.
As soon as there was a clear space to touch down, away from other cars and away from those that were trying to shoot them, Lorna took the chance to set them down. It was unlike that of a plane, requiring no need to slow over a long run way. Magnetism was utterly under her direction and she set them straight down.
The car jolted with the landing, perhaps with a little more force than strictly required, but it was clear by the sharp pants that Lorna was exhaling that she was exhausted.
Sweat matted the back of her neck and her bangs to her forehead, and she was breathing hard. She looked pale, and couldn't stop shaking as she sat there, ram-rod straighten and clutching the seat's edge with a white knuckled grip. She looked more likely to throw up than to stand under her own power any time soon.
*
Once they've made their escape, Able huffs out a breath and stows his sidearm. It doesn't take long after they've touched down for him to shift back into medic mode, which is what has him eyeing Raven critically. "You need proper medical treatment. Your friend doesn't look much better. I'll take you to my clinic in Brooklyn. Once you're both upright and not making any more messes on my upholstery you can do what you want."
The doctor's brisk, no-nonsense tone isn't rude, just direct, especially when paired with another of the small, amused smiles he's been displaying. Since no one seems in any condition to argue, he steps on the gas and takes them back toward familiar territory.
*