Pysborg V. Lizard

December 19, 2015:

Stylus has been tracking someone connected to the 084's … trouble ensues

South Brooklyn - New York

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

SHIELD IT had identified one Sian Church as a contact in common with three people detained in relation to the 084's that have been appearing in and around New York. Reginald Darrow, aka Stylus or Greatest Spy In The World (as Jemma had come to think of him after their one and only meeting), had been assigned to tail the woman several days ago. In general, she's been doing nothing unusual and has a fairly regular routine.

Today though, that routines changed dramatically and he's reported back to SHIELD … whatever she's doing, people in the area are getting angry and starting to riot.

A pattern that is familiar to SHIELD.

"Stylus, Agent Renman, we're despatching a response team to your location." Comes the instruction from SHIELD HQ.

Jemma had asked Dr Sue Storm to visit so she could discuss a project she's working on. Which is why the two women are now arriving on site, in a SHIELD vehicle and are making their way to the Agent in charge.


Reginald "Stylus" Darrow has apparently aged about thirty years. He's slumped tremendously, and his thick, coal-black hair is thinning and significantly greyer. Instead of a suit and tie he's wearing a plain white t-, slacks up to his navel, and suspenders. And he's shuffling around in front of a storefront, swinging a broom back and forth across the sidewalk.

Also, he looks vaguely Chinese. It's not just prosthetics— it's the way he ducks his head at customers walking into the shopette, bobbing with every syllable he utters. He even shuffles when he walks, the image of someone's aging and decrepit uncle.

"Yes, very bad, very bad," 'Stylus' says, speaking into his watch while sweeping the pavement in front of the 'family' grocers. "Lots of people moving. Oh, hello, nice to see, come in please," he says, inviting a pair of visitors into the store, smiling earnestly.

"Lots of movement on the ground here," he says calmly, looking totally unobtrusive while continuing his 'chores'.


"Now these 084's are what again?" Sue asks Simmons as she steps out of the car, shrugging out of her jacket and leaving it folded neatly in the back seat. She's always ready for these sorts of things - the Fantastic Four are professionals, after all - but it's always good to have some background information in place.


Agent May is, once again, the agent in charge. That is usually the case when something potentially WAND-related anymore. She's listening in on Darrow's feed when she sees Simmons and Storm arriving, and beckons them over. "Acknowledged, Stylus." She almost tells him to not overdo it, but really… he isn't. She's got an uncle that would likely be insulted by the accuracy of Darrow's 'impersonation'.


Agent Lewis is, once again, the agent NOT in charge. She just stays where May put her, monitoring the stuff that needs monitoring.


The crowd is getting rowdy, emotions starting to boil over. Something will need to be done to contain and control that.

Stylus can see Sian from his position, she seems to working on something … something he couldn't see before the woman started working on it. It's a silver device, about the size of an ashcan … May and Jemma will at least know what that is.

"An 084, Dr Storm" Jemma explains as they make their way over to May "Is an Unknown Device or Object. In this case, we've recovered several devices over the last several weeks. We believe it might be alien tech but… I'm still investigating."

Darcy will see a group, male, female and child … possibly a family … getting jostled by the crowd. She should be able to help them to safety, if May doesn't have an assignment for her.


Reggie starts singing softly in Cantonese, stepping into the perimeter of the shop as everyone begins the retreat into their homes and businesses. Shopkeepers, sensing the impending storm, roll down heavy security gates and lock doors to protect themselves from potential rioters.

The doddering older fellow stands aside when people are ushered out but with apologetic smiles and obsequious bows, prevents anyone else from coming inside.

"She has some kind of metal cylinder," he chants between verses, speaking into the watch propped atop his broomhandle. "It might be a bomb— it's being armed as we speak."


"Interesting," Sue muses, rolling up the sleeves on her dress shirt to reveal the blue sleeves of her uniform beneath them. "And what sort of effects have they had so far?" she asks, pulling a ponytail holder out of her pocket and twisting her hair back out of the way. "Area effects?"

As she speaks, she searches the area for the person who was under surveillance, measuring the movements of people and looking for places that can be protected with the smallest force field possible.


Melinda May actually straightens a bit further and Darrow's words. "084 confirmed, Simmons. Get the dampeners deployed, immediately. Lewis, assist Simmons." She looks at Sue, then at Simmons again. "Dr. Storm, if you could assist, we'd appreciate it." And Simmons can likely tell the significance of May addressing the blonde woman in so deferential manner. "Stylus, get as many civilians clear as you can. This is about to get ugly."


"On it, Boss. Yo, Teconderoga, there's a family at your nine that could use a hand with evac. Munchkins should not be near explodey things," Darcy says into her com-piece as she hustles to get to Simmons. "Tell me," she asks shortly, ready to do whatever is asked of her with whatever OMGScience! thing she's handed


Sian is still fiddling with the device and the more she fiddles, the angrier the crowd gets. Around Reginald, fights start to break out and he finds himself the attention of a /really big/ guy who comes at him swinging. He's going to have to get through him to the rest of the crowd to start evacuating.

Opening the case that she's carrying, Jemma answers Sue as best she can. "Depends on which ones we're dealing with." Does that mean that SHIELD has multiple 084's? It sure does. "Our agent onsite says this is a silver cylinder and it either means a portal will open or … judging by the response of the crowd, Psyborg technology, designed to mess with peoples emotions. This type of effect …" Simmons ducks as a soda can flies towards them. The crowd is truly getting restless. "means the device is malfunctioning… I can explain more later."

In the case is are three pylons, each about three foot long. "Agent Lewis, Dr Storm, we need to set these out to form a triangle, it will dampen the effects of the phsychic field." Looking at Darcy, Simmons thinks for a moment … and hands the woman the 'backpack' that she's carrying. "Put this on too, Agent Lewis. If a portal open, point the wand at it and press the button. Just …. it has a kick to it, so be careful."

Handing one pylon each to Sue and Darcy, Jemma explains how to activate them … it's a simple process, the hardest part is getting them positioned and the three women are going to have to work through the angry crowd.


"I'm happy to assist," Sue nods to May with a small smile, going quiet to listen to Jemma explain what they're dealing with. She's smart enough to pick up the details quickly, taking the cylinder and resisting the urge to inspect it for how it works. Even if she really wants to.

"I can do that," she nods to Simmons. "Let me know if you think cutting the source off will help," she adds, looking toward Sian. "I could put a field around the main device." She's already going invisible, though, preparing to move through the crowd.


Once Simmons and Lewis are moving with Storm to get the pylons deployed, she abandons her 'command area' and rushes out to help Darrow get innocents clear of the rioting, especially that family with the small children. She's still favoring her right arm a little bit from an injury several days ago, but she refuses to let that keep her from protecting the family. If that means she takes a few hits from rioters, so be it.


Darcy takes the backpack and the science thing and the instructions…. Really, this isn't as bad as someof the crazy doo-hickeys Jane had her set up. She nods and starts toward her assigned location. Oh what she wouldn't give for her skates, maybe. She pauses briefly before heading out, taking the moment to survey the area and her best likely route before taking off in a sprint.


Reginald winces and leans against his broom, then reaches a hand out to rest a palm against the doorway. "I… there's something wrong," he grunts, eyes fluttering. "I'm feeling very peculiar. If you've a solution in hand, I'd appreciate it," he says, voice strained despite his relatively cultured tones.


Simmons moves off as well, with a SHIELD TAC agent to cover her. At her hip is an ICER Pistol, but she'd really prefer not to use it. Dodging the angry people in the crowd, getting jostled and steadied by her escort, she finally makes the location she needs to be in and sets the pylon on the ground.

May is doing an admirable job of clearing the rioters and civilians. Some are fiesty and decide that the pair make good targets, others are easy to move on.

"Perhaps, Dr Storm." Jemma speaks to Sue through the communicator she's lent her. "We've not tri—-" before she can finish, a portal appears and three Psyborgs step through - and then it closes.

Looking at Sian, a voice sounds out - is it audible or is it in each persons head? Citizen. You are in contravening the Overlords laws. Cease and Desist or face level one supression

Sian looks up from what she's doing, a sly smile crossing her face… and a ten foot lizardlike thing lunges at the nearest Psyborg, claws raking trying to grab something….


This is very unusual. Invisible, Sue ducks and weaves through the crowd to get her cylinder in position to decrease the stress on the rest of the team. "I'm going to try isolating the source," she says quietly once she sets the cylinder down, staying near it to keep it from getting kicked away.

Her focus, though, is on Sian. Reaching out a hand, she carefully forms a dome of force around Sian and the source of all of this, trying to cut it off.


Someone bumps into Reggie. It's not an 'oh, excuse me'— it's a deliberate shove. "Move, you old fart!" a woman barks. She's not much taller than Reggie, and carries herself with more muscle. She shoves him again.

Second by second, the riot's tension increases, and more angry mutters and shouts can be heard. Reggie staggers and catches himself, eyes screwing shut as he tries to comport himself.

"I said move, goddamnit! Get outta my town!"

Reggie suddenly shoves her back, surprising her with his strength. "No, you move! You leave! I stay, I live here long years!" he snaps. Despite the vein fluttering in his neck, in barely restrained rage, he's still staying in character— though the beat of the psyborg device is affecting him as much as anyone else.


Melinda May does end up having to 'put down' a few of the rioters, but she's able to do so in a way that doesn't make it LOOK like she's disabling them. More like they're fainting in her presence, and she ends up having to help them settle to the ground instead of just falling. Of course, anyone SHIELD-trained would know better.

She's just managed to get the family with the small children safely ensconced inside a building when the Psyborgs arrive and a giant lizard thing leaps toward them, and Darrow starts to lose it. She dodges a few other rioters to get up in Reginald's face. "Stylus, get it together." How she's able to withstand the effects of the cylinder…


…is because she's the Ninja Nanny! Ninja Nannies are NOT HUMAN!!

Darcy has to shoulder check more than one rioter, effectively bowling them over, on her way to her required spot. Without delaying to look around, the once science intern crams her pylin into the ground and flick through the turn-it-on procedure.

"I think it's on, Simmons," she calls into her comlink, purple eyes now scanning the crowd and HOLY FUCK BALLS WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE THINGS@?!?!?! Purple because she's wearing her For-Derby-Bout Contact Lens. Perscription AND colored. Darcy spoiled herself once upon a time.


Reggie gives May a wincing glance, trying to fight off the effects of the cylinder. "I'm… there's something quite wrong here," he gasps. The younger woman goes to shove Reggie again. He neatly evades her hands with a shift of his head, and steps on her foot to pin her in place. His hands flail in a pair of quick, decisive slapping blows, and the girl slumps to the ground poleaxed.

He staggers a pace, blinking rapidly, and visibly tries to shake it off a few times.

"Bugger. Shouldn't have done that," he laments to May, hands starting to shake erratically. "I think I'm going to be very sick soon," he says, staying in character even as the warping mental effects wash over him. "I think you should go 'way before I do something regrettable."


The Psyborg that the lizardlike creature attacked, ignites a plasm sword and swipes at the creature, but it's impossible fast, dodging away, something clutched in its claws.

Everyone present feels a pressure at the back of their of brains, a psychic compulsion from the Psyborgs … three TAC team members close to the techo-organic beings simply drop to the ground, unconscious…

Then Simmons activates her pylon and with a 'hum', the psychic dampening field goes up.

The effect can be felt immediately, the pressure from the device abating, the rioters slowly calming. Most importantly, the psychic compulsion from the Psyborgs is lessened considerably and will stay so whilst they remain in the field. But that doesn't stop them turning with plasma swords alight and plying them with great effect on the SHIELD TAC agents, May, Reggie and Sue (who's near enough to them that they can see she's a mutant).

Sue's effort does shield the device and Sian, which is probably a good thing. Sian is unconscious on the ground … Where did that Lizardlike thing come from?


Sue goes visible at the psychic pressure, forgetting herself long enough to be spotted by the Psyborgs. When the devices are turned on, dampening the pressure, she lets out a breath. In a lot of ways, Sue isn't necessarily the most dangerous of the Four. She usually uses her powers for defense, or to lessen collateral damage. But an angry Sue doesn't always think about that.

"You…are trouble," she informs the Psyborg nearest to her, forming a bubble around it and lifting it into the air only to slam the bubble back down on the ground. Bad hamster.


"Get clear, Darrow. Now." May pulls her sash whip and abruptly launches it at the Psyborg trying to target Reginald and her, intending to distract the thing and get it to turn away from the reeling SHIELD agent. The mental pressures easing off helps a LOT, and if the silk and metal weight weapon hasn't been sliced yet she launches it at the Psyborg again, aiming for its face. The lizard… isn't attacking anyone at the moment, and she somehow missed that it's carrying something.


As the waves of unhappy mojo from the cylinder and the pressure from the psy-duck wannabes combine then are suddenly lifted from Darcy's mind by the affects of the pylon, the junior SHIELD agent staggers back a step, blinks once, then collapses to the street from the mental stress of the moment. Girl down. Please collect after all lightsaber weilding iguanas have been defeated. Thank you.


Reginald gasps as if a great weight leaves him, and almost crashes to the ground. He's nothing if not redoubtable, though— the fellow shakes off May's advice. "I'm- I'm fine, it's clearing," he exhales, struggling to his feet. "This isn't my fight, though— have fun, dear," he wheezes after May, shuffling around in his slippers and shouting at people incoherently in Cantonese.


Sue's trapped a Psyborg and 'bad hamstered' it … it's dazed. It will need to be restrained and Jemma has been working on a way to disable their connection to the 'network'.

A portal opens and the remaining two Psyborgs, one with a nasty gash to its face, step through, disappearing from sight.

With a flash, the portal closes, leaving confused and distraught rioters on the street, a 'hamstered' Psyborg and an unconscious woman … and yet again, more questions than answers.

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