2018-01-23 - Signal Man Gets His Lights Put Out

Ted Grant is working out on the new strength training station. You still need a spotter but the spotter need only touch a button to arrest the weights and pulleys. Ted is trying mightily to lift 300 lbs from a prone position when a cacophony of horns begins playing and drawing closer. "Tell them to stop blowing their horns ... I can't concentrate ... is it those Flat Earthers marching again? Oh for ..." He grits his teeth and finally manages the weight slipping the pulleys onto their braces and leaping up. "Man can't get a little exercise ... write someone ... send Joan to slap the mother sons ..." He goes to look out the door. "Ya horns work! Try your $&*@ lights!" Oops. Sorry ladies.

Adelah decided to take advantage of the membership she had here and had a working regiment that she intended to try, but...well, diplomatic work to precedence often and she had to rewrite her schedule far too many times to eliminate the gym, much to her chagrin. Yet, finally, she was here able to practice and get in the workout she needed, exercising the entirety of her body with specific sets meant to work out as much as possible.

She was engrossed in her routine, ignoring the horns going off outside. She needed to use this time properly or else it'd be time lost. That was unacceptable. Every minute had to be accounted for in some form.

Todd has never been the sort to worry much about decorum. So it'll be the shadows he uses to get into the gym. And he stays flat as he approaches where Ted is... and while he addresses him! Apparently he hasn't learned not to do that. But he IS being quiet, so there's that. Maybe Ted won't utterly murder him.

"Ted? Just got an alert from Gotham Central. It's Signal Man." Needless to say, he feels responsible for it, since Signal Man got out on what Todd views as 'his watch'. So yeah, he's going to be a little concerned about this.

Ted Grant jumps a little at the voice in his ear. Then again he did hang with people who did similar tricks all the time. "Suit up. Meet me outside," he whispers. He turns to the gym members and says, "Folks we have a nutcase name of Signal Man coming our way. I want you all to stay here inside and away from the windows. I'll be back in a bit. Thank you!" He bullets to the JSA section and through the security door which is apparently not secure against Todd. Good to know.

Adelah frowned. "Signal Man?" She questioned aloud, though mostly to herself. She imagines other gym members may be used to this information, being in Gotham and all, but she is no ordinary person. "So, we're expected to stay here and remain calm. Fair enough..." She rose up from the weight set she was using, allowing them to gently fall back into place. She wasn't pressing as much as Ted was, but she wasn't a pushover.

With her breath settling, she went to use the facilities so she could suit up herself. She wasn't going to sit around and allow some person described as 'Nutcase' roam around.

Obsidian will be waiting when Ted makes it outside. This time he's three-dimensional. "The alert said it was a payroll robbery at a Marquee Factory proceeding, Abram's Avenue north." Just enough to give directions. He isn't aware that Adelah's going to be accompanying them... then again, that's probably the way she wants it, so...

Ted Grant may not be as technically proficient in the martial arts as the Dragon or Orphan. He has some tricks of his own and one of these is the art of quick change. How quick? Very quick. He brings the Cat-o-cycle out. Well the name was cool back in the day and he honors tradition. The bike roars as he starts the engine. "You flying? Go on ahead and try to screw their getaway up. Leave something for me."

Then he takes a breath and says what he never got a chance to say before because ... Sanderson Hawkes is an ass about some things. "Let's make some Justice!!" It feels good.

Adelah had changed up cloaked herself, not wishing to cause a stir with all the people in the gym and quietly found a back way to exit, making sure it was secured before leaving the building. It did need to stay locked down and safe for those still inside.

She made her way to the top of the gym and listened for any information regarding where the crime was taking place at, picking up on police radio transmissions to find her way.

Obsidian nods to the instruction from Ted. "Be careful," he says simply, and then lifts off, floating up into the air like a scary balloon. And then he makes towards the site of the robbery.

As for the scene itself? If they're getting away in cars, the easiest way to mess that up would be to pop tires. Which he should be able to do by sinking into the road in front of the vehicle(s) and then extending shadowy spikes out of the ground RIGHT before they're about to run over the spot.

Obsidian discovers the reason for the horns. The traffic lights are completely screwed up creating a mammoth traffic jam in the Narrows section. As for the escape? No mere car, a flying ;platform that of course is painted to look like an 'Exit' sign. Ted is trying to wind his bike through the stopped cars and finally climbs the sidewalk to make better time. This not as unheard of as you'd think in this area and raises few eyebrows.

Two minions wearing a Stop sign shaped pendant and a 'Walk' pendant notice Obsidian and begin shooting at him raising an alarm.

Adelah was able to find the intersection in good time, the horns having been enough of an indicator of the location, but she wished to be certain on confirmation. Traffic was something common around major cities, however the problem wasn't as drastic in Wakanda.

Once on location, she noted all the flashing lights and confused drivers around here. Her first thought was how superior the Wakandan system was for managing these things, secondary, how much she hated the systems here, third...these people should probably be helped.

She drops down to ground level, walking through the traffic in her suit to approach some of what appeared to be the perpetrators who had already began shooting at Obsidian. In response, she held her arm out and charged a compact blast to fire at one of the minions, hoping to knock them out and minimize their wanton shooting and endagering of civilians.

('No, of course they couldn't be using cars. That would be too easy,') Obsidian thinks. The next thing he thinks is 'ow', because he's being shot at, and a handful of bullets hit their mark! Fortunately Obsidian's shadow form is a tough enough that this doesn't take him out completely. It hurts, though! He makes a 'barrier' of shadow around himself, partly to absorb the shots (shadowstuff is liquidy). And partly because... well, now he can try to line up for a bowling-style strike against the guys shooting at him. Of course he can't not sass in the meantime. Bad one-liner away -- "This should be right up your alley!" He's approaching from the side, so Adelah's shot shouldn't hit him. Unless she tries, because that was really bad.

Ted Grant hollers, "That doesn't even makes sense! I don't get it! You call that banter?"

One of the minions get singed by Adelah's beam and loses his footing as the flying sign changes to display ... Danger! Signal Man gives the controls to another minion And turns to face Obsidian sneering. "Shadow powers? I designed this beacon lantern to induce seizures, but maybe it'll work on a shadow!" He aims the beacon at Todd and begins signaling rapidly "..-. ..- -.-. -.- --- ..-. ..-." The lantern casts brutally harsh beam at Obsidian.

Ted meanwhile sees a truck blocking the intersection in front of him and he says something similar to the morse message as he leans over. The bike's engine guards strike sparks as he slides under the trailer and then right the bike. Gaining. Gaining. Todd and the scorpion lady slowed them a bit and with all that signal technology the platform wasn't the fastest.

Fruit stand! Why is there a fucking fruit stand in the middle of winter!

Bananas everywhere.

Adelah continues her efforts by alternating between high and low ground, firing shots in an effort to disorient the minions down below. She has to be careful, however. At the rate they're driving, she doesn't want to fire any misshots towards anyone.

She takes note of all who are present, discerning the differences between minion and boss.

She observes the lantern in the hand of Signal Man and winces. That is a strange pattern for something made to induce seizures. Effective, but...why that pattern? "Mind yourself!" She called out to Obsidian, though she imagined he was already well aware that beam was on the way towards him.

Honestly it's not the message contained in the beam that's the problem. It's the beam itself. See, Obsidian is a shadow. And that beam is incredibly strong. While it's not exactly a laser, it's still a light. And shadow doesn't like light. He kept his shadow barrier up in response to Adelah's warning, and he'd been about to reply to Ted when suddenly he realized it burnt through his barrier. "Augh!" he yelps, turning to the side enough that the beam passed him by. Not before hitting him, mind, but at least it's no longer boring into him. Quickly he sinks back into the ground, turning 2D again, and makes for the location of Signal Man. He's trying to keep from getting hit again, and figures if he's a flat shadow he'll be more difficult to aim at.

Ted Grant gets his footing back and continues the chase pulling out of the fruit salad. He avoids running Todd over, not sure if that will hurt. He also avoids looking at the lantern directly.

The Signal Man is having a grand time barely standing on the bobbing weaving platform as another scorpion blast or whatever hits its rear end and the vehicle pitches downward. "Uh Mr. Signal Man ... the bench girl wearing a sign saying Soft Shoulders yells ... hang on we're going to ..."

Crash. Yet another tractor trailer. The sign clips the edge of itcruc=shing the sheet metal and bouncing off to skid along the street striking sparks and now reading 'Tilt'. His gang of three lie on various stretches of pavement. The kook himself, lantern still in hand gets up to face Wildcat and promptly gets almost sideswiped and totally left hooked and knocked cold.

"That business with the lantern ... is it ironic or is it just me, Obsidian?" Wildcat asks.

Adelah begins to slow down and look towards the crash scene. She finds her way back down to ground level, witnessing the end of Signal Man. That left his goons which she was more than willing to handle. "I've run the signal through some programs and determined it contained a...distasteful message," she remarked to them. No sooner than she finished her statement, she fired off a round at one of the henchmen to keep them knocked out and unable to escape elsewhere. "Obsidian," began. "Are you well after taking that blast?"

"Ironic how?" Obsidian inquires as he takes shape out of the ground again. There's a smirk. "I'm a shadow, shadow doesn't like light, and lanterns carry light. It makes sense." As for the message itself? He may not have been thinking about the message. Or maybe he doesn't know morse code. Most of his abilities are self-contained, and he doesn't make it a point to carry a lot of tech with him.

Adelah's words, though, get a frown. "Wouldn't surprise me. These guys are pretty 'distasteful' overall anyway." He'll pick up the (hopefully) knocked-out goons. Of Ted he inquires, "Back to Arkham for him, I hope."

Ted Grant nods fishing around in his back pocket till he finds his phone. "Yeah, Arkham for him. Goons will probably get off light saying he mesmerized them or something. Hey ... Signal Man ... can we get a selfie before we take you in?" Signal Man is shaking his head vigorously and after a moment says, "Can I keep my mask on?"

"Of course. I'm obliged." Ted grabs the crook around the shoulders and looks to see who'd join him ...

Adelah decides to pass on the selfie. She'd prefer to let others do that. "I have noticed that this criminal is one of many that has recently broken out. Do you know if this includes any other names we should be aware of?" She inquired of Ted. "If this many escaped, I imagine there may be others of significance who may have escaped as well. So far, all reports point to ones like Signal Man."

Obsidian doesn't seem to be much interested in joining a selfie with a guy who just near bored a hole through his chest. "Thanks, I'll pass," he notes. No telling what that loser's got in his pockets, up his sleeves, or anywhere else. Obsidian looks a bit uncomfortable at the mention of the escapees. "Solomon Grundy almost escaped, and he can sometimes tank a full squad of heroes on his own. Unfortunately he caused enough damage that, while we were stopping HIM, a bunch of others got out," he explains. It probably goes without saying that he's going to be one of those helping to re-capture the escapees.

Ted Grant takes his selfie with the crook. Signal Man gets the joy of a wrist lock and Ted shakes a wicked looking switchblade out of the man's hand and kicks it away. "You know better than that ... and what does a knife have to do with signals? I was just getting to like you. Crap. Down on the curb. Now. Hands on your head. A knife ... " He puts his foot on the man's neck this time a little perturbed.

Wildcat turns to ... the person he doesn't know. Though might he?

Wildcat extends a hand and says, "I'm Wildcat. Thank you for joining us in stopping the Signal Man and his gang. I don't think we've met professionally."

"Solomon Grundy," Adelah nodded. "I see, but since he's been stopped, all we have are those on the printed list..." Adelah brought up the list in a holographic interface projected from her wrist. She scrolled through it with her finger and drew a line through Signal Man. "Trying to get in a last strike. Dishonorable. Learn to accept your defeat when it is upon you," she scolded the man. Dismissing her projection, she extended her hand to Ted saying, "Pleasure to meet you Wildcat. More officially, at least. I never had the distinction of meeting you on the battlefield in the times that I have been in service. I am Serqet," she offered cordially.

Obsidian nods when Ted shakes a knife away from Signal Man. "See? That's what I mean. Can't trust any of these guys to not pull a fast one," he notes. And yeah, Signalbutt can just get his neck stomped on. Todd is not getting close.

Adelah's mention of the list gets a nod. "Yeah. There are a bunch still out. I'd appreciate any help." He knows Serquet, at least in this capacity, so he stays quiet as Ted and she get acquainted.