1965-04-29 - Last Stop
Summary: A collection of strangers on the subway find themselves faced with sudden danger.
Related: None
Theme Song: None
robbie negasonic julie jaguar frank-castle 


The last car on the train to Queens in the early evening. Evening has just fallen outside, spring beginning to spring up above on the streets. Down below, though, things always remain the same, outside of what people are wearing.

The car rattles along at a steady clip, about eight minutes out from the next stop. It's not the best train - plenty of graffiti, questionable hygiene, a few people on the car who might hav eslept there a time or two. Life in New York, nothing unusual.

If something sounded like gunshots coming from the car up ahead, well…that's probably just something with the train…right?


The two men in the severe suits look out of place. Brazilian businessmen, perhaps, on the wrong train.
The college girl looking around excitedly is a sharp contrast.
She has NEVER ridden in a subway before! These cars are covered with graffiti, yes, but nothing here that would look out of place in a Rio favela. She is looking up at the map overhead, counting off the stops. She is intrigued by the network of tracks and connections. The cable cars in Rio certainly do not move so…
Then the sounds, muffled but distinct, can be heard and Carlos looks to Rodrigo. Rodrigo nods, grasping the girl by the shoulder and pulling her down as Carlos pulls a pistol. He keeps it by his side, but it is in hand.
Dammit, their first day here with A Princesa and this happens!


Robbie Reyes was just sitting in the train, taking it because his car was at home and he was working on it. So…there's that. Otherwise? He's just keeping to himself, not an uncommon sight amongst people in New York. Robbie was just sitting there, wearing his black and white leather jacket, his hair having grown out to come down to his shoulders. He flicks his keys into his hand to help pass the time and to help him focus.

Until he hears those shots.

Waisting no time, he simply sighs before standing up, zippin up his jacket and starting to move out. Eyes forward towards the gunshot sounds, his irises seem to dance with hellfire, but he does't turn to the Rider.

Not yet.


Julie is sitting by Ellie, seeming fairly relaxed, going on about something or other. "So, here we were, going all the way to Queens for a few sacks of…" The girl's speech, New York Italian-accented, pauses as there's some rather suspiciously-bang-bangey sounds and… various reactions, eyes sliding over the suits with the gun, and then she's like, "Every time I go to Queens, it's something." She smirks.


Ellie is sitting on the train, leaning against the wall and looking out the window as Julie chatters on with her story. Julie is very comfortable with talking, in almost any situation. Ellie is not. Therefore, the time they spend togetherwhich is considerable, if she's askedis usually thus: Julie talks, Ellie (half)listens, Julie waits for a response for a minute, then moves on. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Therefore, when the gunshots ring out, she lifts her forehead from the glass, her hoodie pulled up over her buzzed hair, and looks in the direction of the disturbance. Why /are/ they going to Queens, again? Ellie can't remember, right now. But, you know, she's not about to ask. There's already something more interesting brewing. Her glittering dark eyes take in the characters of note—the businessmen with guns, the girl they're protecting, the guy in his leather jacket who's starting to move through the traincar. "Be ready," is all she says to Julie. Things probably won't go sideways, but it never hurts to be prepared.


The door at the front of the car bursts open to reveal two young men. One is drenched in blood, being carried on the shoulder of his fellow. Behind them, a massive figure shoves them in deeper and a thick-necked mutant youth with thick, lizardlike skin shoves in, a huge tail swinging behind him.

"Roughneck, you hold the door, man, aw shit, I think Tommy's gonna die, man, aw shit, he's comin', he blew Clunk's head straight the fuck off, oh shit," the one carrying their friend says. Another two gang member (they all have matching jackets) come in next, slamming the door shut, covered in sweat. One has a large revolver while the other has eyes glowing like coals, "Get these squares in the back, man! Shake 'em down!" yells Fire Eyes, "I got this punk!"


Rodrigo pushes Maria under the seat. "Cede as orelhas, fecha os olhos!" He says curtly. The girl nods, then closes her eyes and claps her hands over her ears, as instructed. This was to protect her eyes and ears from dangerous events.
Dust in the eyes. Loud shots. Tear gas. Concussion from a possible explosion.
The truth…
Rodrigo puts his hand on his own holstered weapon, watching the three figures. Moving…no, fleeing. Running from someone…


Robbie looks to Ellie and Julie. "Keep your heads down." because bullets and he's pretty keen in assuming that they can't get back up from a bullet to the head. With that in mind, he turns to see those two men burst in out of the blue, tilting his head at the trio. "Right, lets all calm down." he says then, looking at the three. "We can all be civil, yea? I'm assuming you three have someone after ya?"

Robbie seems to be attempting to read the situation as best he can.


Julie smirks to the hooded girl, wiggling her fingers in response, as the mutant guys burst in. "Aww, just peachy," she sighs. Holds up her hands in a conciliatory gesture that happens to point one right at that revolver. …some little Vrrrr sound adds to the general train and chaos noise, mutant power applied to stop that revolver's cylinder from moving. "Ay, ay, boys, maybe everyone oughtta just cool it a minute, I think your pal's really hurt and those mooks back there is packing iron, too." She does eye a spot by the doors that might afford some cover, come to that.


Ellie's eyes flick to Robbie as he instructs her to keep her head down, and arches a brow. She's not used to others stepping in and attempting to be protective of her. She isn't leaping out into danger's way, though. She's content to sit next to Julie and see how things unfold. However, there's a certain light in her eyes that might strike a person as 'ominous,' or dangerous. She doesn't appear to be scared… She looks more like she's anticipating something exciting happening. She does take in the scene as the other gang members pile in, assessing the danger level based on what she can see. At least two mutants in, now. One that doesn't appear to be a mutant…with a gun. Julie can make quick work of that, before it becomes an issue. Negasonic just isn't concerned, here. She watches. Silently. Like she does.


The punk with the pistol points it first at Maria's bodyguards, then at Robbie, rapidly moving his hand back and forth between them. His eyes look a bit crazed, a combination of fear and narcotics putting him the edge, "Do not test me today, motherfuckers. Empty out your wallets and purses and shit, then move your asses to the back of the god damn car, NOW!" he shouts.

The wounded man is laid on one of the empty benches, his breath rattling in his lungs and blood spilling down beneath him already. Anybody with any knowledge could see it was a gutshot, deep and bad. The kid probably didn't have long to live.

Then, up ahead, there's a sudden boom, the kind that rattles the windows and the sound of screeching metal. The car lurches, starting to come eto a sudden stop and likely throwing people off balance. Somehow, they've become disconnected from the main train. Possibly by an explosion of some sort.


Maria is pushed into the far corner of the car, still laying on her belly, still with eyes closed and hands over ears. Rodrigo conceals her with his own crouched body. Carlos, on the other hand, grabbed a metal bar and was standing firm, smiling at the guy with all the confidence diplomatic immunity can provide.
Just a few steps closer, and the punk is going to grow a third eye.


Robbie looks at this guy as he looks to the ladies, before he just takes a sigh. "Okay buddy." and he'll actually throw a jab at the man with blinding speed with the intent of knocking him into the back wall. "This ain't a heist." he cracks his neck then as he watches everyone there.


Julie has an uncanny sort of way of not-being-thrown-off balance, just shifting her weight as the train car lurches. "Cripes, who'd these guys cheese off up there?" she murmurs, just… hanging onto that gun. She reaches into a pocket, slowly, still playing it conciliatory while everyone's pointing guns… And produces a yo-yo. It's a nice one, at least, machined metal of some kind. Here's where she does duck a moment, as fists start to fly. hand still held out toward that revolver.


When the thug starts whipping the gun around, his eyes bulging and sweat pouring off of his face, Ellie's eyes narrow. His demands delivered, she smirks gently, not moving an inch. It's not like she carries anything on her, except enough change for subway fare. And, if he wants to try to wrest that away from her, she'd love to see him try. …Of course, when the train begins lurching to a halt, Ellie has enough of a warning from the initial jerk that she does her best to brace her body against the wall with her feet and grips onto the bottom of the seat to keep herself from being flung off. She does kind of bump up against Julie, but she rights herself quickly as Julie draws out her yo-yo. Ellie, still, bides her time. No need to add to the mess, if someone else wants to step up to the plate.


The punks aren't as well prepared for the sudden stop as the occupants of the car seem to be. Startled, the gunman finds himself getting clocked by Robbie, stumbling backwards and falling into one of the poles in the middle of the lane as the center of gravity shifts. The revolver goes tumbling to the ground and skids down to the floor in front of Julie and Ellie

Outside the windows, bright flares of light int he darkness as sparks fly up from the tracks, the ruined car in front of it dragging them all to a slow stop. The lizardman leaps forward and tries to tackle Maria's bodyguards, claws outstretched as he attempts the maneuver.

The door at the front of the car rattles as gunshots pierce through the glass, hitting the fire-eyed ganger in the shoulder, "FUCK!" he cries.


Carlos sees the guy coming right at him, all sharp fangs and long claws.
<Keep her safe, Carlos,> The Man had said.
Carlos falls back a few feet ahead of those clawed hands, his back hitting the ground, and clearing the field of fire for Rodrigo.
Both men pulled Browning Colt .45 ACP pistols, and suddenly gunfire fills the compartment—Carlos firing into the belly from below, Rodrigo firing at the head and neck, shots not quite in concert…


Julie is caught a bit flat-footed as the lizard-guy rushes the fellows with guns, about all she can do is yell, "No! Dammit!" Ellie might guess that one reminds Dizzy of her iguana-tailed protege in shop class Iggy, by the look of anguish that crosses her face as the shots boom out at the fellow. She looks over to Negasonic, beckoning her to follow as she moves to to duck behind the partition at the car's doors. Whoever's shooting through *there* could be the next problem. "Ay! Ay! Enough with the guns, already!"


Ellie does duck out of the way with Julie when bullets start popping through the outer glass, but it's mostly because she's not sure from which direction all of these bullets are flying. She takes note of the gun that's nearby and gently nudges Julie with her elbow, "Dismantle it?" she says under her breath while nodding in its direction. She doesn't know what else is coming, but putting one gun out of operation is better than leaving it as a potential weapon to be used when everyone else forgets about it.


Robbie simply watches as lizards lunge and bullets start to fly! While he just stands there and takes the hits…it's pretty clear that he's bene shot three times. But does he go down? Not even a little bit. Not even to a knee. He stands there, and he growls softly. "I'll be right back." fire dances in his eyes as he growls, the flesh starting to melt off of his skin until only a bare skull remains…

and it becomes wreathed in Hellfire.

The Ghost Rider had arrived as it starts to get moving again, just forward…bring on the fury.


Fire Eyes lets out a howl and, indeed, lives up to his appearance as he unleashes a massive gout of fire from his eyes, blasting the doors off the front of the car as he's left bleeding.

The punk cradling Tommy's dying carcass in his lap watches Robbie's transformation and just starts screaming hysterically. Roughneck takes the shots from the bodyguards, snarling as they hit him but don't quite punch through his leathery hide. He lashes out, trying to slash at the guards and attempting to wrap Maria in his oversized tail.

And from their crouching position, Ellie and Julie can see the approach of the figure on the other side of the door, backlit by the fire blown in his direction, face in shadow, the gleaming, bone-white emblem of a death's-head skull printed on his chest.


Carlos is loyal to the end, and The Man would honor him.
That is his last coherent though before the claws slash at him. Rodrigo sees Carlos give up everything and then he yanks the rear door, yelling, "CORRE!" as he tries to block the humanoid crocodile's path. Maria tries to make for the door, to get out, to run as fast as she can. To be anywhere but here.


Julie is a bit stunned by… Well, Robbie's transformation, there. She takes the revolver in hand, then, opening the cylinder and dumping out the bullets. "Something like that, I guess. She hefts the thing in hand, murmuring 'Sorry, brother,' in Italian, and straightens somewhat to chuck the thing rather hard toward the back of lizard-guy's head, with a Vrrrrrrr of rather implausible-looking spin-stabilization. But how hard's the guy's head, being the outstanding question.


Ellie gives Julie a look as she picks up the gun and casually unloads it. "Yeah, something like that," she says flatly. Clearly, she was thinking of Julie's ability to wreck the inner workings of guns and whatnot. But, this works, too. She turns her gaze back to Robbie-who-is-now-Ghost-Rider, which she finds fascinating. Flaming skull head? Very interesting. She simply watches as things progress, figuring she'll hold back instead of adding to the fray, unless it becomes necessary. This is all a bit intense, with the arrival of the man with a skull on his front, as well…and the flaming skull person… "Lotta cooks," she mutters quietly. Maybe Julie heard her. Maybe not.


The Ghost Rider starts moving and he looks at the man screaming at his transformation, perhaps hoping that he'll pass out from the terror. But as the Rider starts to move…it pauses, and it turns to see The Punisher coming en route. With a growl, the Rider moves forward to take care of the task at hand, it's chain falling into it's hand, clearly it was wrapped around his wrist, and it ignites in it's hand.

"Guilty." it says in it's dark voice, unleashing the hellfire chain on it's enemy, which is the lizard man. attempting to burn it alive.


Frank Castle might not have expected to see a figure such as the Ghost Rider intervening, but isn't entirely surprised. The whole town's full of freaks and circus people anymore. Frank ducks low at Fire Eyes firing another blast at him, cutting loose low with an automatic pistol and catching him in the thigh and sending him screaming to the ground in pain from the high impact round.

Roughneck slices through one of Maria's guards, pinning the other under a claw and looming over her, Julie's thrown gun bouncing harmlessly off his thick hide. His stank breath hits the protected girl in the face when suddenly the beast arches, letting out a high-pitched howl as the Rider's chain connects, hellfire searing at it body and soul.

Tommy's died in his friends arms across from Ellie and Julie, the other punk cradling his head and crying in fear and horror at the mayhem around him.


Maria smells the creature over her, and a thousand rumors about underground sewers and giant crocodiles fill her mind, and her fragile nerve breaks. She bolts from the rear of the car amd out into the tunnel, scraping her hands on the roughened stone before getting up and running. She does not look back. There are a thousand nightmares back there, and she wants no part of it.
Rodrigo is whispering Hail Marys when the grip on his body loosens when the chain bites into the thing's armored hide. Armor-piercing. They need armor-piercing rounds, he thinks as he crawls towards the exit, getting away from the mayhem, and hoping to catch up to the girl and spirit her away. Getting her away is first. Damage control and perception control is later.


Julie ducks again as more gunfire follows her throw. "Got that right," she says to her friend, there. "Looks like we got the skull-head brigade vs the robbers that don't know when to quit." She starts waving her hand around by the doors they're hiding in front of. She finds the opening mechanism, and starts turning the motors to open the doors, then starts repeating the process for the other ones by the hapless passengers. "Hey!" she calls out, as if surprised. "Don't step on the third rail, but time to beat feet!" She's got no idea what the 'skull guys' might have in mind for the rest of the passengers, after all. She gives the last mutant kid not-shot a look, and says, "Could be time to clean up yer act, there, buddy."


The Rider saves Maria apparently, but it doesn't stop there. The Rider swings again, attempting to wrap the chain around the beasts neck and pull it towards him, though he'll also try to snap the creature's neck in that same instance. Though it's also keepin' an eye on the Punisher…not sure what his instance is…in fact, the eyes of the rider, when judgement is involved…can't pin down where this guy is innocent or guilty. He's murdered, but they were all murderers, gang bangers, drug dealers…the scum the Rider hunts. and he doesn't feel regret.

a tough decision.


Frank walks in through the opened door and stands over the fire-eyed young man. There's a hiss of insult, an attempt at a verbal jab, but it's cut off by the harsh report of Frank's pistol finishing him off, splattering the kid's brains on the floor.

He narrows his eyes as he considers the Rider and then glances aside at Julie, "Might wanna run yourself, girls," he says, unable to see the young woman as anything more than potential victims in the moment. His Theresa would be nearly Ellie's age now.

Maria's bodyguard scoops her away and out of danger as Roughneck thrashes until his neck snaps from the inhuman strength of the Rider, crumpling to the ground as the two creatures of vengeance are left staring at one another, with only Tommy's friend left alive and cradling his dead friend.

The boy promptly faints.


Maria makes it to the next platform, shuddering uncontrollably. She huddles in one corner before Rodrigo makes it up. He already has the phone call planned by the time he reaches her, and he also knows just what to say.

"It was a robbery gone wrong, Maria. That's all."
"I saw a crocodile…'
"You saw a man in an alligator-skin jacket. That is ALL you saw, Maria!" Rodrigo's voice is hard and low, like her father's, and she nods mutely.
She didn't see the rest, and that was fine with Rodrigo. They just had to keep her believing what she was told for another month.
And then it would be over for her. She would be a dutiful wife to the Carvalho boy, and there would be no more possibilities.
Not ever.


Julie looks around, lip wrinkling at the general mayhem and murder, then to Frank again a moment, hand clenching around that yo-yo. Looks over to Ellie, again, "Awright, let's get these people outta here," she says, offering a hand down to track-level once out.


The Rider watches as the lizard man falls lifelessly to the floor and the Spirit of Vengeance shifts it's attention to the Punisher, and it growls lightly, walking towards him and looking him in the eyes. as if stating it's territory and it's intent in one go.

Eyes fall upon Frank before it simply moves past him, the flames going out and the msucle and flesh regrowing over his head, revealing Robbie Reyes. With a small gasp because it's not exactly a painless experience.


Frank Castle shakes his head as the Rider resumes human form. He looks at the kid holding his dead friend and considers for a moment. He almost finishes him off but, rarely for Frank Castle, has a moment of pity.

"Change. Or die." he says to the punk, leaving him to deal with the aftermath.

Maria is safely carried away, to whatever her future holds. Ellie and Julie can make their way back to Xavier's and have a story to tell. Robbie…well, Robbie probably hasn't seen the last of Frank Castle. Or vice versa.


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