2014-07-11 - Something's Not Right

New York's Public Library is a hub for information, learning and reading. It's one of the more iconic libraries of the world. Sometimes police will respond if someone gets rowdy or stay past closing, and that's what tonight looked like. One office goes in to respond to a call about a person refusing to leave a computer station. A good half hour passes before dispatch sends another unit. The first officer didn't check in and it's probably nothing, but best to stay on the side of caution. Another half hour passes and the second unit doesn't report it. Worried, they send in a third unit, they advise caution and warn the officers to be ready. Again, no reports.

Police barricade off the building. For some reason seven officers haven't come out. Five more cards join the fray. A pair are trading information. Questions like, "Should we send in swat?" "What about snipers?" are common in this exchange. The superior doesn't want to send anyone or thing in until they know what's happening. Since the rise of the superhero sometimes it's unless to send in swat, especially if it's some creature from another dimension doing only God knows what with them.

Three uniformed officers are holding back the small crowd, with the aid of tape and barricades. Another officer is talking with a city official, "What do you mean the building has no water?!" the officer asks with a puzzled look on his face. Every cop out there is simply confused. None of it makes sense to them. Even with it being near eleven p.m. with the disappearance of many officers no one wants to dare utter the phrase, "They only come out at night." That cute little phrase is used to described odd sights like a man in a speedo rollerskating while walking his dog. Whatever is in the library is neither cute nor odd. It's downright scary. Add in the fact no one knows what it is, makes that very same thing even scarier. Heroes could see the large gathering and hear the reports if they have access to com channels or police scanners.

Peter was supposed to be home. In bed. Asleep. Thinking of sheep leaping over fences. Not out scrambling to do research for a paper that he had been late in finishing because he had been out on patrol. So what had supposed to been a night of sleep had instead turned over to scrambling to get over to the library with his home's Internet down and not being able to get online anywhere nearby.

Upon seeing the massive police blockade over the place, he had raced over to a alleyway nearby, and come out over in webs. From there, it had been a few quick leaps and flips past hte blockade, and sneaking over into the library from afar. Otherwise, thinking oO(This is a really bad time to be thinking it's the thirtieth anniversary of 'Ghost Hunters' right about now.)

An owl hoots overhead.

A miniaturized recording device around the bird's neck feeds data regarding the library back to the owl's owner... Doctor Mid-Nite. The man himself stands atop a nearby building in cloak and cowl, hoping for some hint as to what is going on. With a grappling-hook assisted leap, he lands upon the library building itself, and signals Charlie (the owl) to make another pass overhead.

Cyberdragon perches on the top of a building nearby the Library. He had been on his way home to get some sleep, but sleep is for the weak? Nah not really Cyber has been hanging out at night more often now that school is mostly out for the summer. Looking down as if he was some sort of gothic gargoyle. He can hear the reports and the talk of no water at all has him rather unnerved. With no water in the Area, if someone dropped a lit cigarette. The whole place could go up in flames. Alone with people still inside. So for the moment Cyberdragon swoops down, for those with good night vision could see him gliding down to the back of the building hoping to slip in through a window that was open. His flight as silent as any owl. Finding an open window Cyber works to slip inside one of the back rooms carefully.

Molly Hayes is walking with Nico to the Library. "No, Nico... it's not stupid. It's super duper smart. We break into the library and I call up Leapfrog then they can get my library card stuff wiped clean. I took out that Harry Potter book back before we found out about our parents and it's probably a zillion years overdue!" She pauses when they get to the library where Molly was walking to, when she sees all the police there. "Oh cmon.... this is a totally overkill for protection from overdue library books!"

Nico says, "I'm not talking about the library book, Mol, I've been trying to tell you about oh never mind anyway." She breaks off as they both spot the police lineup and pauses, eyes widening a bit. "I...don't think we're going to get in the normal way, uh, think there's a back door?" She starts urging Molly to come with her around the back.

The owl does a swoop and nothing likes out of the ordinary. Information picked up does shed a little more light on the situation.

"What do you mean someone stopped water flow to the building?" the cop talking to the city official asks.

"Just that. It's not showing up on the grid anymore. Hasn't for the last hour," the official replies.

"Still no sign from the seven?" one cop asks his partner.

The partner shakes his head no, "Not a peep."

Spider-Man tries slipping into the building before an officer calls out, "Spider-Man stop!" Instead of shooting at him or trying to cause trouble the cop flags down the wall-crawler. Sadly, he's already inside, but maybe the cires could have been heard.

The crowd gains a few more people taking in the sights. Yes, if Nico and Molly try the backdoor they are met with only one cop. Someone that could easily be subdued if they -really- wanted in.

Charlie flies back without a hitch. The chatter is reported back to Mid-Nite, but aside from Spidey jumping past everything to get into the building...nothing stands out except for the cops trying to flag down Spidey. Cyberdragon has similar findings. Nothing stands out on any readouts or scans his suit could be doing. Aside from the wall-crawler and crowd, there's nothing that sticks out.

Stepping into the library nothing looks out of the ordinary on the inside. Most of the lights are out. If he keeps going forward it's going to be in the dark.

Managing to sneak up and over inside (well less sneak, they did catch sight of him), Spider-Man sighs "You know, I feel like I'm gonna end up like the guy who suggests they split up in the slasher movie to find help.." Crawling over along inside, and heading in through th ewindows, Spidey went on, crawling along the ceiling, "And honestly, how long before Jameson blames me for whatever happens here tonight?" Musing to himself. "I should start a betting pool but given I'm talking to myself, no one'd be around to take me up on it."

Mid-Nite activates his personal com.

"Nite-Watch... it's the Doctor. Are you receiving this? I'm all but going in blind -- no, that was not a pun. Puns are bad for your health... Wait. I'm not alone."

Switching off the com, Mid-Nite turns on the ball of his foot and looks upward, spotting the arrival of Cyberdragon. "No time for another introduction..." he murmurs, and he makes for a window he can open to slip within the quarantined building. Once inside, he activates his sonic-imaging sensors in his cowl to get the layout of the area.

"There are times I wish you could see infrared like the predators can." Cyberdragon's senses adjust to the darkness gathering and focusing on what ever electrical aura is in the place, and amplifying what little light there is Cyberdragon has a general view of the place. It is still dark for him but it's better than nothing, for him imagine a half dead flashlight lighting the area up with dim light.

Dropping to his hands and feet, Cyberdragon's arms elongate and the feet adjust allowing him to move with a relatively comfortable quadrupedal stance.

Moving out of the room Cyberdragon peers around hallways with his head. Thankfully John's head is in the Neck so he's not in danger if something /blows/ his head off.

But Cyber freezes as his body does pick up something similar to a bat's echolocation, holding his position as he attempts to focus in on the location exactly.

Molly Hayes blinks when Nico actually is finally on board with the whole 'break into the library to change the records on an overdue Happy Potter book'. She wanted to call it Operation Raise Dumbledore' but Nico said no on that. "Okay, we need to do this all stealthy like. Like ninjas. I should be a ninja. Hey Nico do you think I'd make a good ninja?" she asks as they go around to the back of the library.

Nico doesn't know about the water issue and honestly isn't much of a fan of municipal engineering to start with. She accompanies Molly to the back door, spotts the guard, and whispers "Think you could distract the guard like a really strong ninja? I don't want to hurt him, maybe make some noise. Over there." She points across the way, someplace. "Toss something over there, we can maybe ninja by when he's not looking."

Molly Hayes nods and salutes. "Gotcha Nico!" Then runs off somewhere.

Then there's the sound of a crash and the sound of crackling, like something was burning.

Across the block there is a car which exploded when Molly threw a manhole cover at it, which tore through the back of the car, causing a spark which set the gas tank on fire, which set the whole car on fire.

And Molly runs back over and whispers very hurriedly. "I threw the thing too hard! I'm a terrible ninja!"

Spidey slips through the window and his Spide-Sense goes off when he's inside. About a minute later Dr. Mid-Nite moves in. Coincidence? The cause? Hard to say. Either way Spidey senses are pounding away like a two year old wailing away at pots and pans with large spoons. Dr. Mid-Nite sees Spidey thanks to the night vision. Outside of that nothing is out of the ordinary. The front desk is empty, usually the information and greeter can be found here. Rows and rows of books shelves look relatively undisturbed. The only thing that appears out of the ordinary is a light in the distance toward the back. Anyone could easily guess what this light is if they've watched television or surfed online late at night without a light on. The soft glow is definately coming from a screen of some kind. As the heroes inside push forward suddenly a large explosion shakes the building a little. Something major has happened behind the building.R

Cyberdragon pushes through the window and the guard turns to yell, giving the younger duo the means to slip in...if Molly hadn't wandered off. As the car explodes thanks to the "distraction," the cop in the back starts running while radioing it, "Explosion near the back of the library! Repeat, explosion!" Yes, the coast is completely clear now. Both can slip into the back without a problem to return the overdue Harry Potter book. As they push forward a door opens up to a computer lab. One of the computers is on but no one is in front of it. The place looks practically deserted.

The suit presses onward and stops suddenly as a LOUD rumble originates from outside, it can be heard from the front too, but it's much louder to Cyber since he's in the back. Could the explosion be connected? Again, hard to say. Now the cyber-suit wearing hero, rush toward the weirdness or rush toward the explosion that just happened outside.

Placing her right hand firmly in the center of her face, Nico re-evaluates the plan. Twenty dollars tops to pay the late book fine. Thirty thousand dollar car. She says around her fingers, "Hav to gif you credit," removing her hand at that point to make talking easier. "You know how to round up. What the hell, in for a penny." Whatever the heck that means, she thinks as she urges Molly to keep low and walks in the back door to the obviously problematic library. "Bathroom's on the right."

Going through the library, Spidey hears the faint sounds of the explosion and winces, "I hope that.." Half tempted to go back and see what it was, but after a few more moments of silence and just hearing faint yells he considers it's something the police can deal with. The complete silence over in the place, the cobwebs over as he crawls along the ceiling then are making him alomst creeped out.

"Now is not hte time Nerd Boy to start going on what horror movie plot this is the closest over to. And honestly I'm probably going to slide down, not notice anything, and then notice I'm next to a dead body or that really creepy librarian in three, two, one.." Dropping down to the ground silently as he can.

Molly Hayes whispers to Nico as she heads in all stealthy-like with her. "Nuh uh. It's like 50 cents a week for late fees and it's overdue like 3 years and that's... um..." She pauses in the dark, supposedly abandonned yet mysterious library. "How many weeks are in three years?" She thinks for a bit, crouched down low. Since she's a ninja. A bad ninja, but a ninja. "It's like a lot of weeks, and so it's like.... 50 cents times a lot of weeks. See this is why I need a calculator, like my idea for having a calculator on a watch. I wonder why no one's ever made a calculator on a watch. Those would be awesome."

Molly's a ninja with a remarkably short attention span sometimes.

The explosion causes intense feedback through Mid-Nite ultrasonic software, and he bites back a grunt of pain as he hastily deactivates the system. He is only partly successful in stifling the tight outcry, but nevertheless, he puts out a hand near the wall and stands to his feet. Spider-Man's monologue elicits an extra look of curiosity from the doctor just as his personal com signals him again.

"No," he whispers. "I'm fine -- it came from outside... Charlie's sending me the feed now... an automobile... I know they don't just spontaneously combust -- yes. Even Pintos. Trying to run silent, here, Nite-Watch -- let me know when you have more data on the water-supply. And the power-grid." He frowns and (finally) heads further into the library on silent footsteps -- glancing at talkative one in red and blue tights, the strange cyborg approaching through another window, and the mysterious computer-monitor all in turn.

Nico says, "I don't know, I don't math. You know that. Uh, fifty-one weeks a year, not counting that week Mom took us to the gardens because ugh," she trails off with that thought, shuddering as she tries to remain ducked behind a bookshelf. "There's a calculator on the shelf there, it's a library and why is it so damn dark?" She finds a lightswitch and tries to flick it on.

The Explosion does catch Cyberdragon by surprise lifting his head up to focus on the sounds outside. Rule of villain attacks in New York is similar to the rule of gun shots. If you hear only one, it's a minor issue, it's when you here several in rapid succession that you need to worry about.

After not hearing much else follow it Cyberdragon moves on creeping down the hallways as Cyber says, "Ok, old library, lots of knowledge, good place for a demonic Sacrifice."

The Cybersuit constricts around John inside firmly but not uncomfortably. It's Cyber's way of telling him to shut up and don't jinx them. Creeping down the Hall Cyber keeps note on the sounds that are pinging around his location pretending to be unaware of them incase who ever it is tries to ambush him from behind. Heading down to where he can sense some sort of active electrical field Cyberdragon will home in on the location of the Computer lab. Thankfully with the majority of the place powered down, the field allows him to see the hotspots so to speak.

Of course When Mid-Nite shows himself around a Corner he and Cyberdragon are more or less looking at each other. Baring his teeth and flexing his claws, his wings flare some as his tail lifts up similar to a scorpion's tail. A predatory growl comes from the quadrupedal Cybernetic dragon.

In a soft voice as Cyber starts to approach Doctor Mid-Nite Cyber asks, "And Pray tell who might you be? Little late for returning a book me thinks. Especially in that outfit I think." While aggressive he is not hostile yet.

Be careful what you wish for. Spiderman drops down and he has the displeasure of stepping in something that doesn't make much of a sound, but could easily be felt. One glance downward would show blood pooling. It's flowing from a neckwound on the righthand side from one uniformed police officer. To any medically trained personal they could see theright common cartoid artery has been cut. In other words: a kill shot. Pulling out the cause is equally disturbing. It looks like a very well crafted shuriken or double bladed throwing knife. In the center is a weird symbol of two eyes and a nose.

The light is still away and there's many book shelves, to the left and right, and straight ahead are what look like to be study coves, maybe hubs for personalized computers. Two small things are moving forward and aren't exactly the quietest when they talk about library fees. At this same time someone just popped out of stealth. Ambush? Conicidence. The Spidey senses are still going off like a loud drum being beat on by a heavy metal drummer.

If the duo happen to turn their heads just right, like people do when they browse, they could find something rather...disturbing. However, there's a lot of commotion near the front. Spider-Man and Dr. Mid-Nite, oh my.

Cyberdragon is going through the back and look around. He can pick up six pings with his sight. Two at the front. Three in the middle, one is very feint looks to be hidden between two bookcases. One is in the back toward the shadows.

Spider-Man whirls around then upon seeing the bodies, "Oh Sunnuva I knew I shouldn't have said that out loud. And why does Karma always have ot come back and bit eme when I know strongly that this is the exact course of action saying that sorta thing out loud is gonna get me?" Spider-Sense buzzing, glancing over at hte body, taking in the knife wounds..

"Ninjas, why did it have to be ninjas? Now that I've said that they're oging to be creeping along from the ceiling, out of the walls, and then we're going to have to face an extended narration of what they're here and there's gonig to be a big fight scene. And me without Beatrix Kiddo at my side."

"I might ask the same of you, cyborg -- " Mid-Nite starts to reply, but data streaming into his cowl draws his attention elsewhere. "I don't have time for this," he mutters as he turns his cowled visage in Spider-Man's direction. The doctor grips one of his blackout-bombs -- a small, spherical device about the size of a large marble -- activates it and drops it to the ground, letting the air in the room condense into a thick, inky fog. He triggers a singular sonic pulse through the the atmosphere for a 'snap-shot' of images behind bookshelves, through some of the thinner walls etc... and rolls sideways in the direction of Parker and the corpse. At least Spidey he recognises from the news.

"Doctor is in the house," he whispers in Peter's direction, even as he takes a reading on the corpse's time of death. "They're close."

Cyberdragon has to recoil from the ink bomb. Baring his teeth he will move away from the Blackness. His vision is clouded, but can still perceive the electrical areas of the place. Cyber listens and hears the Doctor as he will move back, unless Spider-man attacks the guy with the ink bomb, Cyber holds his attack. Sensing the one hidden in the shadows, prepping for an attack, Cyber forms armor plates over his body. hard and unyielding as he goes to investigate the one hidden in the shadows.

Glancing down the left side Molly and Nico will see something horrific between two book cases about two rows down from the front. Two uniformed offices are on the ground. Both are bleeding heavily. Crimson has stained the floor from the sheer amount of blood. Looking closer both are dead. The closest one has his throat cut, practically ear to ear. A deep stab wound is in their heart. Anyone trained in human anatomy would know the wound directly lines up with the location of the heart. The officer a few steps down has been stabbed through the wrist, the cause went through bottom and exited through the top, completely. Their right lip has a huge cut, half of a scillian smile, and a stab going to the common catoid artery on the lift side. Both officers wounds are either kill shots or meant to cause serious bleeding. The book cases further down are tipped over in a domino effect. Clearly there was a struggle. Looking between the book cases people will find two bodies, clearly dragged to their position thanks to blood trails found in the carpet, resting hidden between some.

Spider-Man looks over at the bodies, and then quips, "Well, he's dead Jim." Looking over, "You're not named Jim now are you? And if anyone goes Ruh Ruh Raggy (other than me that is) I'm going to have to take your joke liscence away from you." Spider-Sense buzzing madly then, "And we're at the point of thing where we're going to see a doll and out of a loudspeaker a voice is gonna say 'I'm going to play a game now' isn't it?" They never should have let Arcade move beyond the VHS era..

Coming on the remains John almost gets Sick. But Cyber helps him settle down as he inspects the bodies. Doing his best not to disturb them, but his first priority is checking for a heart beat or pulse. If so they might be able to be saved. He continues to the isolated Ping in the electrical field. Before he gets a notion to head back over towards Spiderman, and Mid-nite. So when the Smoke clears he will inform them "Save the Smoke bombs seems we are here to help, I have three pings in my sight. Two in that direction." And he points to the two he can perceive Cyber, then points in the direction an isolated signal. "One it seems over there." and points to the isolated location.

Nico turns her head a bit and stops cold. She swallows as well as she can, and suddenly interposes her body between Molly and the completely unnecessary sight to her right, wrapping Mol in her arms as well as she can. "This way Mol, I saw a calculator over here and I think someoneleftsomething just come on please." In her head, as she tries desperately to get Molly not to look and not to throw up herself she's thinking, oh god, just this once please Mol do what you're told.

As the fog of the blackout bomb spreads across the area around him like a blanket, Mid-Nite backs further from the cyborg toward the only person (thus far) he remotely recognises in the library. "My name is Doctor Mid-Nite if you must know," he tells Spider-Man with just a hint of reproach. "And I'm sure I don't know to what 'ruh roh' is referring." He scans the body again, then the room. "Hmm. A ninja, in the library with a shuriken... a candlestick would have been more poetic. Nite-Watch -- " He activates the com again. "I'm sending you an image -- try and identify the markings on this weapon and get back to me. Mid-Nite out." He glances back at the cyborg, warily, but is content to leave the strange person be -- since he arrived too late to have been the cause of death.

Coming on the remains John almost gets Sick. But Cyber helps him settle down as he inspects the bodies. Doing his best not to disturb them, but his first priority is checking for a heart beat or pulse. If so they might be able to be saved. He continues to the isolated Ping in the electrical field. Before he gets a notion to head back over towards Spiderman, and Mid-nite. So when the Smoke clears he will inform them "Save the Smoke bombs seems we are here to help, I have three pings in my sight. Two in that direction." And he points to the two he can perceive Cyber, then points in the direction an isolated signal. "One it seems over there." and points to the isolated location. ((Repose proper order))

Molly Hayes was just about to look down where the murder scene is, when Nico gets in the way. "Really?" she asks. Then looks at Nico like she's hiding something. "Waiiiit a second. Are you trying to keep me from seeing something?" She pauses. "It's like... pornography down there right? Or grown up books?" She peers at Nico. "Totally not into that stuff. I once saw one of the magazines Chase keeps under his bed and it was just gross." she says as she's led away by Nico to wherever the 'calculators' are.

The inkbomb and the sonic pulse reveals a lot to the doctor. Sonics bounce off of six bodies of a uniformed police officers. Three have been discovered already thanks to Spider-Man stepping in the blood trail and the "adult magazines" Nico is trying to keep Molly from seeing. Sadly, Nico is going to have to work double duty because if she truns around the fourth will be waiting on her. And if she doesn't keep up the charade and stay close, Molly could very well see it too along with the body next to it. Today is not a good day to bring a young and impressionable girl to the library. That body has a blade sticking out of his eyesocket and just over his chest. The symbol from the previous recovered weapon waits embedded in this one too. Obviously the same source.

The body next to that corpse is actually alive. It's slumped against the book case, like he's sitting. Signs of a struggle linger in this row too as the book case is pushed over. Slowly the chest rises and fails. His lips have been sliced open into a full scicillian smile. Blood pours from a slice in their Femoral artery on the right thigh. This body body actually pings on Cyberdragon's systems because they have a barely detectable pulse as they cling to life.

Toward the back something moves out of the shadows. Whoever it is does indeed ping on the sonics of Dr. Mid-Nite, Cyberdragon's augmented sight and causes Spidey's Spider-Sense to go off a third time tonight. Quietly the person speaks while clicking on the computer, "You make the worst heroes I've ever seen," the voice is male, neutral and lacks most emotion. It's hard to make out the person, thanks in part to the blackout bomb plus what they're wearing. A long dark brown overcoat hides most of their frame. Shadows help conceal whatever is worn underneath. Shadows caused from a hoode, probably connected to a hoodie, that's two sizes too big conceal most of the person's face. "I've been in the room the whole time and you've done nothing but talk." Quietly they look toward the direction of midnight for a brief moment, "Nice sonic trick." Calmly the person stops what they're doing and pulls the plugs out from the computer. They look toward the group, "I can always add a few more to the count. Some C-Class heroes and two kids won't be missed that much anyway..."

Spider-Man is first surprised over by Nico, and quickly grasps over the point of - hey little kid. Quickly, Spidey goes, "Oh, hey. you're hte girl with the hats that likes beating up ole grump and sourpuss right? The guy that smells like armpit hair and beer?" Trying to help keep her distracted and away from the bodies, even as his Spider-Sense buzzed dangerously in the background. Trying to put ona brave face then even as the smell kept on going. Figuring that it wasn't buzzing at anyone else present, so they were probably just like him - trying to sneak in and play Scooby Doo.

THen his Spider-Sense goes off over again, "Hey, I resent that! I'm proud to be a D Class hero! And really, cloak? Look, if I'm going to stop someone doning random sacrificial murders I'mg oing to insist that they not be a bad guy who plays too much Dungeons and Delvers. I mean, you're already at the point where you're narrating how we would've gotten away with it if not for you kids and your meddling dog."

Mid-Nite scowls.

Not that anyone would really see it.

His infrared vision registers every living body in the room, as well as those only recently deceased. Upon spotting the only surviving police officer, the doctor pulls out what appears to be a raygun of some kind, and fires a concentrated beam of intense light in the direction of the shadowy gloater -- a distraction, if nothing more, and his only answer to the figure's jibes.

Mid-Nite makes a break for the dying officer, a hand adjusting the controls on his gauntlets. "Out of my way!" he exclaims to everyone and no one in particular.

Cyber as he moves over to the Body that is still alive. And realizes what has happened, He will locate the Area the blood is coming from and then pushe his claws into the wound. Actually the Claws change shape and form a seal, attempting to close the artery without cutting it off. To reestablish the blood flow as he listens to the guy talking and with a snarl. "Guys I have an officer still alive here. I can't leave him or he isn't going to make it Faint pulse. Femoral artery on the right thigh." Cyber just got taken out of the game as he tries to get the guy checked out. His free hand wraps around the officer's neck like a neck brace to hold his held in place. Proving there are no other major cuts Cyber will get the Guy on his back very carefully so what little blood he has can be pumped through his heart easier. Cyber extends his wings to act as an armored Shield of sorts. Cyber will do his best to shield the officer and keep him stable. Thank GOD Cyber is a shapeshifter and read up on human anatomy. Cyber does his best to use his material as a form of artificial stitching. "Come on officer Stay with me now."

Cyberdragon says, "Spider-man Do be so kind as to take this lunatic down for us?"

Nico eyes the area ahead, trying to steer Molly away from the corpses, and suddenly, safety! She sees an enemy! Way better right now than looking around. "Mol, I think that dark guy's the evil ninja, think you could punch him in the butt or something?" She starts rooting around in her pockets looking for something. "Just be careful, he looks like Cloak but with worse deodorant."

Molly Hayes hears Spider-Man's voice when she's stumbling around in the dark library, looking for the calculators to figure how much her overdue library book will cost, then says, "Waitasecond, I can just call up Leapfrog and ask - he's good at math right, and then -" She turns around. "Who's that? The librarian? I didnt do anything I swear! I was going to return the book but it's really long and I left it in Malibu!" She squint a bit while her eyes are adjusting to the darkness, then whispers to Nico, "Hey... is that Deadpool or Spider-Man? I can see the general shape."

Then hears the other voice and another figure in the darkness. Fortunately, Nico lets her know that's a bad guy. Which means probably the library's enforcer against overdue books. And Molly bravely...

... runs away.

Followed by the bookshelves being shoved over into where the evil ninja shadowman library security murderer guy is standing.

What is not expected are the books shelves to be flung like that by a child. The person looks like they're crushed. Upon a closer look people will see Molly only got the coats which are flung into the book case's path. A classic misdirection. The figure reaches down to his belt and polls out a small orb. He tosses it toward Cyberdragon and Mid-Nite who are working on the cop.

Between the suits capabilities and Dr. Mid-Nite's medical knowledge they can tell the officer needs a blood transfusion, STAT. Oxygen will also help stabilize the patient. The small orb rolls toward them but doesn't come close to hitting them. It rolls to a stop one to two feet away from them. Honestly they could taunt the guy for not calculating his throws properly except that's where he wanted to go. When the orb stops a sudden flash of goes off alongside a "Bang!" Anyone looking at the ball would be blinded by the light that only a flashbang grenade can bring. How do you blind a guy using the darkness to his advantage? Show him the light.

That's the point of the snappy and wacky banter. Spider-Sense buzzing as Owlman leaps, Spider-Man dodges out of the way, "Owlman? Owlman? Look, I'm sorry but I'm going to have ot personally list you as a Q-Lister, and this comes from someone who regularly brawls a guy called Vulture. I mean, who's supposed to be your sidekick? The HOot? Do you drive the owlmobile? What's your stance on how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?" Spider-Man is in his element now, trying to keep the madman busy and coming after him.

"And really, what's the point over of this supposed to be? Are you teamed up with Arcade? Because honestly your monologue sucks. And I say thsi as a guy who has faced off with ninja ducks, a guy with a killer amusement park, and seen the Fantabulous Fly at Fenway Park." Spider-Man goes to whip out a webline over if he can at Owlman's chest, if possible as the two went past one another enpassant to try and yank Owlman along and whip him hard over inot the ground.

"Out of the -- ah!" Mid-Nite skids to his knees beside the downed police officer, and realises then what the cyborg is doing to stabilize him -- just as the world goes dark from the flash-bang. "Holy Mother of God," he curses darkly under his breath; then his mood brightens slightly. As Cyberdragon moves to accommodate the doctor (and shield him from the stun-grenade), blood spurts from the officer's newly opened artery. Mid-Nite presses a finger to the wound, coating it with something, and then moves on to do the same for the vicious mutilations done to the officer's face.

"Thank you, cyborg," he mutters when the bleeding is finally stopped. To the officer's face he affixes a small oxy-rebreather, and injects something into his neck. He murmurs, "Hello. I'm Doctor Mid-Nite. I'll be looking after you for the remainder of your stay. And /stay/. Hang in there." He glances back under the crook of his arm in the direction of Cyberdragon and Spider-Man, and continues murmuring encouragement to his patient.

The Cyber-Suit will keep track of the madman, and the Sphere Thrown in his direction Cyberdragon shifts himself to use his wings to shield himself, the officer, and the Doctor. Problem is he is expecting some sort of powerful explosive so Cyberdragon tries to move to place himself directly in front of the blast. When the Flash goes off, Now Cyber needs to worry about the flash bang starting a fire in a place with no water for the sprinkler systems.

He allows the Doctor to work as he needs wanting to be freed so he can assist Spider man on dealing with this lunatic. The word OWLMAN gets his focus as he will note his costume and the details he can for later identification.

Allowing the Doctor to work, Cyber will pull back when the Doctor tells him to. "Let me know when I can go and tackle this psychopath."

Nico has no idea what to do. She stands there when a knife is thrown near her and ducks instinctively, not moving to get hit like an idiot would. She stays down even, keeping her head out of the line of fire. She does, however, try and get ahold of the knife while she's trying to find out where Molly went.

Grabbing the thrown knife, she holds it close and searches for her teammate. She has no fervent wish to capture the bad guy. 'Mol?' she whispers, moving around bookcases and looking for the area with the most carnage. Usually a good sign that she's nearby.

Molly Hayes is standing where she had pushed over all the bookshelves before Owlman escaped. "I am so gonna lose my library card."

Webbing lashes out toward Owlman and connects. Spider-man flings Owlman but as he is about to hit the ground he swipes across his chest with an arm. Owlman's gloves have blades at the end of them and he cuts through the webbing. Falling he rolls into the fall taking no damage from it even as he hits the ground. Rising up slowly seeing Cyber's shield slowly go away an idea comes to the villain. The sprinklers were disabled as a last resort to keep the computers running. What he did not count on was the effect they could have. Smiling Owlman tosses more orbs toward any downed bookcase he could find. The great thing about paper books and their wooden cases...the kindling. Spider-man's senses go off with each toss.

The patient being worked on by the two medical heroes stabalzes a little bit. His vitals improving but he still needs a team of doctors to make sure that -stay- isn't temporary. Thankfully between Cyberdragon's equipment and Mid-Nite's guidance the cop is staying alive far better than he would have with the basic medic kit in the library.

Seconds tick by after Owlman stops throwing things when a cacophony of "Booms!" start going off in succession. It sounds more like gunfire than explosions, but flames start to consume the inside of the library. Fire starts to consume the floor and anything else nearby the explosion. Molly and Nico can see the flames getting closer to the whole group. It's easy to guess the girls are becoming more scared between dead bodies, daggers, explosions and now fire. To make matters worse the fire alarms go off, the sprinklers turn on, but no water comes out. This fire is only going to grow.

The light from the flames causes Owlman to be seen for the first time. He's wearing a dark blue costume with bits of light blue. A cape matches the dark blue and has a fathered like layering and pattern. His helmet gleams an orange hue as it's pretty much just reflective metal. "The children, the patient, or me. Make your choice Spider," Owlman gives the ultimatum to Spider-Man. No one hero could make sure everyone is safe and take down the villain right. There's a man clinging to life and two young ones that just wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Owlman stands still and just watches the hero make the choice.

To make matters interesting he pulls out a grappling gun and points the gun at Molly "Who can save her first?" Yes, he's fully aware Molly is the one that tossed those shelves.

The smoke and the fire and the fact that the fire suppression system is not working definitely has Spider-Man tense. Spider-Sense blaring, Spider-Man glances over at Owlman calmly, and makes the only decision he can, "You want a hostage, take me. Let the rest of them go." Calmly in a fighting stance now. "But you agree to let them all get out safely in return." Calm. NOt rusting of the villain the slightest. But at this point, he has no other choice then but to offer himself.

Then halfway grinning behind his mask he goes quietly, "And otherwise you risk me telling her over about all the very evil things you're going to do to her hat." He's taking the choice then. And hoping the pair of smart girls get the cue.

Mid-Nite looks up from his patient at the cyborg, and then across at the heat signatures of Spider-Man, the two girls and Owlman.

It doesn't help with the explosions and fire start interfering. "The children," he tell Cyberdragon. Then he frowns, incredulous. "Children?!" At that point, the police officer stops breathing and the doctor has to turn his attention away from Spider-Man and the girls. He cannot help them.

"He's in defib!" he mutters intently and rips away the officer's uniform (one of those moments to be grateful for A39-assisted strength). Mid-Nite adjusts a setting on the rebreather, and channels an electric shock through his gauntlets.

"Clear!"

For the next several moments, Mid-Nite concentrates on alternating between defibrillation and CPR to bring his patient back from the brink of death.

With hope.

As the fires start and the situation grows. Cyber's worst fear comes to pass. The Orbs moving into the books he watches them explode and start fires. Watching Owlman and getting a good look at him. Cyberdragon looks at what is behind Owlman incase he ducks opens up his jaws as there is a brief flash of light as Cyber will not use killing force. Owlman doesn't know that yet does he?

"Get out of here before I decide to make you into a Fried Chicken. Spider-man Let him go, we'll get him another time, Get those fires out before this place goes up like a barn!" Looking at Owlman Cyber is charging up a serious blast, Lining it up a shot to the chest. Cyber is giving Owlman a chance to escape, if Owlman presses his attack Cyber will retaliate.

Nico does something finally. She sees the fire and Owlman aiming at Molly, threatening, and stops cold. She drops to her knees and nicks herself in the process. A drop of blood falls from her hand to the floor, and she gives a half-smile, hidden behind the books as she is, and words force themselves from her lips.

~When blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge.~

Staying down where she can't be seen, she's finally got a tool to work with, and mumbles "Municipal engineering," as she holds her staff, driving enough mystical force outwards to get the sprinklers working post-haste, and she adds, "Mol, plan three!" in a louder voice.

Molly Hayes looks over at Nico. Plan 3... what's Plan 3. Probably the same thing as all plans.

Molly lifts one of the bookshelves she knocked over, and throws it at Owlman by the wall like it's a cannonball from a cannon.

Because all plans that Molly have tend to be either 'punch the person' or 'if person is not close, throw something at the person.'

On the inside Owlman just keeps his aim on Molly. He's unmoved by threats and doesn't turn his attention toward Spider-Man. The noble sacrifice is noted, but only when Spider-man takes action, if any, will he earn some respect from Owlman. The only thing that does move him is the flying bookcase. An easy and expected dodge.

Water washes down over the flames causing a "Pzzt" noise. Nico's action worked! Flawlessly too.

Luckily the patient is still breathing and fine with Dr. Mid-Nite. Even as Cyber leaves, the patient is still holding on.

People from the outside start to scream as an orange color starts to rise on the inside, long before the sprinkler systems kick in.

Police yell into radios, "Need Fire down here stat!" Fear starts to overtake the crowd. The only thing they know about what's going on inside the library is the fire. No heroes have come out. All looks lost. The sprinklers turn on without a hitch. Water rains down and begins to snuff out the fire.

Slowly, cheers rumble from the outside, but not because of the sprinklers. People are careening their necks upward. "It's him!" "He's back!" Hope rushes over the people like a Tsunami. "LOOK UP IN THE SKY!" one cries out at the top of his lungs. People haven't been this happy in ages. People think the red and blue streak in the sky is coming from outerspace. Sadly, it's coming from a lot closer.

The front wall practically breaks open and the streak stills. People are cheering and it's infectuous. "Superman will save us!" one person yells. Who's facing the heroes -isn't- Superman. Sure, the guy looks the same from the back but the front there's some differences. The costume is blue, with bits of red, a matching cape, and it has a symbol that's red and yellow across the chest. Instead of an "S" there's a "U." Ultraman isn't here to save anyone's day and the look in his eyes toward everyone in the library shows it. His blue eyes burn with malice, hatred, and a cold brutality Starfire could tell everyone all about.

Calmly Owlman says to the new entrant, "Took you long enough," his gaze does not leave the group. "I have the location. Shoot the spider, leave the rest."

Those blue eyes turn solid red with energy and they look directly to the children instead of Spider-Man. All it would take is just a little focus and "Pop!" no more children. They're weak and do not deserve to be standing. A deserving warrior wouldn't cower away from the fire, like Nico's kneeling had indicated. That is why Ultraman starts to push more energy to the eyes, they burn brighter as he does.

"Kal! We've got the location. The Syndicate waits," Owlman yells and steps in front of Ultraman's vision. All of that energy disappates and Ultraman's eyes turn into their regular blue again. The red and blue villain glares at Owlman, but grabs him anyway. He flies off with Owlman in tow. Those children's faces would be remembered. They would be two of the first to start an endless pile of corpses.

The crowd look stunned one woman even cries out, "Don't leave us Superman!" The pair don't return and leave the heroes to explain what happened at the scene. There's bigger fish to fry.

There's something warped, twisted, and inhuman about that thing. Spider-Man might have never met the Man of Steel face to face or even teamed up with him. But even Spidey can tell there's something infernal about him. As Ultraman flies on in, Spider-Man only has the time to yell over at the others, "Get out of.." Right as the glowing bright beam building up in his eyes has Spider-Man's spider-sense buzzing the greatest it's been since the Crisis, the event where all the heroes were kidnapped to both worlds, and he moves in slow motion, eyes widening, each second feelig like it was passing over in years then. Knowing that this will likely be the last minute of his life. Of any of thier lives then as he goes to brace himself for a leap.

It's over. All too soon. As he hears the yell from Owlman and hte two goto leap up and leave. Spidey tenses. Then as the two bolt away, he feels his shoulders slump in a way. Whatever today is, it definitely doesn't count as a win.

But with one for the books, he has to muse with one final quip, "Uhm, just sorta noting here but calling what is likely your supervillain crime family the Syndicate really, REALLY sucks as a bad guy teamup name." Webline shot, sling away.

Cyber will spot the U on Superman's chest and instantly recalls the fight down town when he was kicked in the Chest and had his ribs broken from when all those dimensional portals opened up in New York. His ribs ache and burn. When The fires are put out by the sprinkler system Cyber will return to the officer as Captain Underpants as he was called leaves the scene. Coming to the Doctor. "If we can get him Stabilized I can fly him to the Hospital." He says to Doctor Midnight.

Mid-Nite crouches over the police officer to shield the man as best he can when the not-Superman shows up. Coughing into the dust but ignoring the water spraying over his cowled face, he peers up and out through the hole -- keeping silent throughout the exchange between the villains. The doctor looks up at the cyborg and pauses.

"Do it. I'll remember you, cyborg -- but I'd like to have something else to call you than that. My name's Mid-Nite." He suddenly looks away as if staring at something directly in front of him, and then gives a shallow nod.

"Did you get all that, Nite-Watch? Good. Forward a copy of the footage to Wildc -- oh. Thank you. ...I'm aware of Charlie's condition. I'll try to warn him next time about flying too close to streaking super-villains. Mid-Nite out." He looks back at Cyberdragon and nods again, standing up.

"Take him."