Kevin thought about Lois's suggestion but finally shook his head.  "I think it'd be too much.  Spidey works because he comes off as less dangerous than he actually is."

Kevin gestured at Bloodrager and Clockwork Knight.  "These two look scary dangerous.  Them showing up even apparently against Spidey would likely panic the Hammerheads into killing the money.  Uh, sorry.  Crook term.  Panic them into destroying the info we want to find.  Even Spidey is a plan B.  I'm counting on the Tongs showing up to be our violent distraction.  When that happens, Spidey, Knight and 'rager will have their hands full preventing collateral damage.  AKA keeping the poor unlucky bastards who picked that place to gamble in from getting shot to shit in the crossfire."

"What about you?  Any thoughts?" Kevin asked Taskmistress.  "I know your memory situation is a little... unconventional, but what do your, I dunno know, instincts tell you about whether or not this'll work?"

In reply to Mortis (msg # 18):

Bloodrager shook his head no. "Not Hurry Pooper. Am Barbarian class, but also cleric and Russian. Cleric is divine spellcaster, Lois. Good healing, but that is not everything clerical magic do. Detect poisoned drink, identify poison someone suffering, wrap enemy fist in extra distance so it not hurting you so hard, see in smoky air, clean dishes, make taste invisible, make better hole in wall without harm wall, make small fire, prevent water from boiled, create more time do think in, many small cleric spell." His ring was quite dim when he started speaking, but grew to a moderate brightness towards the end of his list.

"I don't know who henry Peter is but I'd trust big guy's magic over Henry's any day." she then looked at Darkstar. "It's certainly a plan that is happening. And it's great that a fellow Amnesiac with a head of titanium  warrants a whole big expedition involving all of us. it's certainly not a task that could be preformed hy one covert operative." she remarked.

William looked back to Darkstar
The plan sounds good Kevin, Everyone has their tasks set out. I have nothing to add. But will be keeping an eye on everyone.
Not adding anything to the plan letting Kevin take the lead on the field work. All the positions were covered and having Spidey draw most of the crew out of the casino to avoid issues was a good start.

Looks like everyone knows their roll for tonight. Jocasta has not been able to pull out too much information on the Maggia, Besides the obvious under dealings, So far pretty basic weapons dealings and drugs along with their book keeping and Fudging of accounting numbers. Which is no real surprise. But seems that Hammerhead is well organized with thugs beneath him. Some of the money laundering would sort of make sense for the labs but it seems that the amount they are laundering is way too much for a simple lab.   So be on guard when you go there and make sure to be aware of your surroundings. He added knowing the lab was being used for other things then drugs but the higher costs could be used for weapons tech. There was no way of knowing if there was any other successes in the Sovereign Six project.

"I will rerun combat simulations in my mind using modern information. There are many new weapons since I was active in combat. Patience is a virtue that I have no shortage of". 

"Good on that, CK," Kevin told the... being.

"And yeah, you're right," he said to Taskmistress.  "You could have done this all by yourself.  I probably could have too.  That said, training and simulations aside, there's no real substitute for actual experience working as a team in the real, unpredictable world, even if it's on a job that we both agree should be a bit of a cakewalk."

"And who knows?  It might turn out that we're walking with cakes that have C-4 in the icing," he told her in a mock-encouraging tone. "Hope for the best, but figure to plan for the worst."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:10, Tue 04 Dec 2018.

In reply to Darkstar (msg # 20):

"You'd think these bad guys would know by know to step up their game when they see me," Spider-Man interjected. "But it always turns out to be something like, 'Get the freak in the tights! Always works out for me in the long run."

"Superpowers, skills and resources are great, but in the end nothing really substitutes for the bad guys being dumb," Kevin agreed as Spidey spoke.

As the team got ready for tonight Jocasta informed them to be prepared as tonight just so happen to be the 10th anniversary of the Casino and it was going to be a big night and they were celebrating with a 25 million Jackpot at the black Jack tables.

The team arrives at the casino and as Jocasta had predicted it was an extremely busy. Lucky break or fate it’s hard to tell but with tonight’s venue for the casino security has been beefed up quite a bit.

It looked like a few live bands were to perform tonight a couple of note were Alisson Blaire and the Light storm who were up and coming band with a current of chart toppers and they were gonna open for Special guest KISS.


Hammerhead was usually anything but subtle and although it was not ever proven he was Maggia (to the general public anyway, however this was probably one of the worst kept “secrets”.)
It looked like tonight he was making it very clear of the association to them. The lights that flashed and strobed on the roof and around the casino were bright and colorful. The name Hammered Slots shone bright on the LED display out-front.

There were many guards in and around the building and it was easy to tell they were the Maggia associated thugs as they all wore the standard white face mask and 3 piece suits which was known as the signature dress code for the standard enforcers.
Many of the rich seemed to have come out to play as there was a long line of Limo’s at the entrance. While the  “normal “ Folk were all lined up behind the roped off sidewalk which seemed to stretch almost 2 blocks down pacific ave.

William had arranged a limo Aurora,  Mortis and Darwin, Along as a nice Lambo for Kevin and Emma and they were a few cars behind the main entrance.
The others started arriving into their assigned positions near the casino.

Location of Casino (I know it says Caesars) .: https://www.google.ca/maps/@39...7i13312!8i6656?hl=en


ooc: I am going to try to push us along but this will be at a very slow pace. Keep this in mind as you posts.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:06, Wed 12 Dec 2018.

"I think I love this car," Kevin told Emma.  "I'm pretty sure I want to marry this car and have its children.  Though you don't look so bad yourself.  Me either."

For the occasion, Kevin had gone with a slightly anachronistic 40s-style "zoot suit" tuxedo.  https://tuxedowholesaler.com/m...th_d_zoot-suit-2.jpg

"All right everybody, stay tight.  Almost showtime," he told the other through his commlink.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 05:48, Wed 12 Dec 2018.

Alison was a little bummed that she wouldn't get to partake in any of the roaring 20's dress up.   But, going plain clothes didn't have to mean plain clothes.
On her way back from Vermont, she'd stopped at a store not too far from the taskforce HQ, and purchased something for the evening.

https://tinyurl.com/y7rpwsnd

Not that she could really afford it.   But, damage had already been done, and hopefully things would change soon.

"That looks fabulous on you, dahlink," she told Lois, regarding the fringe flapper dress she was wearing.

"Are you sure you're up for this?    I mean, being able to kill with a wave of your hand puts you at an advantage over a guy whose 'power' is a really hard skull.  But, obviously his flunkies will all be armed.   I know you're a smart cookie, but you'll be careful, yes?"   

Lois didn't seem to be overly nervous.  She'd been to parties and events before... the only difference here was the possibility of danger.  Shrugging off Alison's (very sweet) concern, she nodded in a resolute manner.

"I'm good.  Charming a gangster sounds a lot safer than running the security gauntlet.  I don't even have to get any information from him.  But I will be careful all the same.  I like your outfit too..."

Otherwise Lois kept her eyes open.  Despite the Anniversary, someone had pulled a lot of strings to get so many people into the casino.  There would probably be the usual social butterflies but the jackpot would mean quite a few gamblers as well.  Music fans might also be in attendance to see some of the acts... KISS and Alisson Blaire's band would certainly get some attention.

"Just come running if I say 'Vegas', ok?  How about you Dee Dee... are you comfortable?"

Deedee popped her head up out of the handbag and yipped, the little chihuahua panted happily and her tail could be felt tapping against the inside of the bag.

It may not be glamorous or anything, but it was something she could pull off easily. She could work as a distraction if needed, running about. Or Lois could easily pass her messages since people tended to talk to their pets all the time.

Plus with Lois walking around, Deedee could easily get everyone's scents for future use. Plus with her animal senses, if anything was going wrong from another avenue she might be able to pick up on it to alert them.

As Darkstar flirted with her she just gave a polite smile listening instead to Anni in her head. The mission should be excessively simple to the point she expected Darkstar's plan was more for his own entertainment than actual intelligence gathering. Still she was prepared. Her little black number accentuated her look giving her the mysterious dangerous look. She also had a couple glass fiber composite blades hidden on her person undetectable by metal detectors. She watched the scenery pass by as they drove her mind going over the plan.

"Thank you.   Vegas it is," she affirmed.  "Of course, Dee is with you too.   A chihuahua suddenly changing into a berserk gorilla may take the fight out of many of them."   

Alison was of two minds regarding this whole affair.    On the one hand, as a mostly untrained operative, she had no real desire to get in over her head.   Yet, there was also a side of her that wanted to be able to cut loose, test the limits of what she could do.     Maybe this would be the opportunity, maybe not.   She had to be a team player, first and foremost.     Absurd as Hammerhead might sound, she didn't doubt he and his men could prove dangerous, if they were organized well enough.

Spider-Man waited for the others, perched on top of a nearby flagpole that was far enough away from the club that the guards didn't see him. "They could at least try to hide the fact that they're Hammerhead's goons," He said before speaking to his communicator. "I'm in position. I'll wait until everyone is ready before I say hi to the security."

Hidden in the assigned alley (with a bit of teammate help to make sure he was in the right one), the fur clad, red-skinned barbarian eyed an interesting tree hanging over the wall from someone's back yard while he waited. Hearing Spiderman over the 'magic amulet', he tapped his to respond with a quiet "Am here. Awaited signal."

His ring was glowing fairly brightly, but a baseball glove covered that hand to hide the light for now. His sword was not in evidence, as he could summon it at will, but he had the Belt of Genre Change buckled around his waist in case it would be useful.

"Give it a good while, Spidey," Darkstar told him on the comms as he and Taskmistress/Emma approached the door.  "You're Plan B, remember?  I'm expecting the Dragon Tong to show up to this party.  Let them have their chance and be ready to corral civilians out of the crossfire."

As Darkstar and Emma arrived at the door they saw the valet open the door to the limo It was the others that were right behind them, The guards with the white masks watched as Kevin and Emma entered followed not far behind by  Alison, Lois and presumable Dee Dee.

As you enter the Casino the sounds of Bells, slots, and merriment can already be heard. As you walk in you can see the coat check counter which also had 2 more of the Maggia guards parked on each side, The tall blond at the coat check was busy with a couple people before you as she took their things and assigned them a ticket. Once you all pass the coat check you enter the large glass doors into the casino itself,  People were already in full swing of gambling. The smell of alcohol was strong in the air, and smoke from various cigars.

The place was pretty packed already and having seen the line outside it was going to get pretty packed here.




Ooc: Ok have some fun with gambling, I won’t be able to follow up for a bit, things have been stupid busy I’ll try to get a map up of the casino but just enjoy some Role play for now.

Kevin had to give Hammerhead credit for both authenticity and discretion.  The slots machines were clearly vintage and the metal detector they'd walked through was completely concealed by the door frame.  He'd only detected it because of a trick Andru had taught him about rare-earth metals.  A while back he'd had a surgeon implant those kinds of magnets into his pinkies, allowing him to effectively feel magnetic fields.  As security had become more concealable and electronic, the implants gave him a leg up in detecting it.  Even better, the implants themselves were too small for the metal detector to sense.

Hitting the Dragon Tong cash stores had netted north of a 100K of which 50K was being deployed here.  Lois had 20, while he, Emma and Alison each had 10.  Kevin steered himself and Emma toward the cashier buy some chips, deciding to go ahead and get 8,000 in chips for himself.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:33, Fri 07 May 2021.

"So how much do you want me to win?" she asked their team leader with the slightest of shrugs. With her gifts she could be cleaning this place out within the hour. The house only won if you couldn't anticipate it. Recognizing ticks, memorizing strategy, and observation would leave her in a place to make a splash if necessary.

Lois took in the place and like Darkstar had to give Hammerhead props on an impressive casino.  The vintage embellishments, the well hidden security, all the usual services... it came together to make the place professional and fun.

Lois made sure Dee Dee had plenty of open air.  She'd chosen a handbag that would be the most comfortable for her shape shifting friend.  There was even extra padding in it.

She didn't rate herself a terribly skilled gambler, so Lois looked to the Roulette tables as she exchanged some cash for chips.  Given that her task was to distract Hammerhead, Lois selected the table that was closest to his current position.  She then began making small bets and trying to look like she was having a great time.

"Figure we'll both lose slowly for now,"  Kevin told Emma.  "We don't want to attract attention by winning, especially winning big, but we also don't want to run out of money either."

Alison was likewise impressed with the authenticity and detail of the period that the casino was seeking to emulate.   Hammerhead might be an unscrupulous, flat-headed bastard.   But hey, at least he was helping his patrons have fun!

She made no immediate moves to gamble, but instead opted to first circulate and observe.    Now and then, she shifted to a super-speed perspective, and watched certain interactions and people in slow-mo, to be able to take in more detail.

Near one of the tables, she struck up a conversation with a guy who was plainly striving for a Great Gatsby sort of look, and who seemed friendly.    She made small talk for a time, until her phone rang.   It was Jason...and she sent the call to voice mail.    Not now!    Though she supposed she could use the message as a reason to later step outside, if the need arose.

*******
Inside the casino
*******
As the group spread out into position in the casino they could observe that the northern wall past the slots and gambling tables seemed to be the most secure. Hammerhead was standing near a door speaking to a seemingly normal looking fella, He looked pretty buff and clean cut and a very slim brunette both nodding to something Hammerhead was saying. The Door behind them opened slightly and the 3 turned to the figure standing behind was wearing what looked like a lab coat, Hammerhead seemed very upset his hand pointing to his suit then to the casino and finally both arms raised in frustration and slammed the door shut, as if he was angry that the guy dressed in the lab coat was making himself visible.

He pointed a stern figure at the Buff Guy who in turned raised his arms in a “calm down” reassuring gesture and headed into the door with the lab person. The brunette stayed next to the door with Hammerhead.

There was suddenly a slight commotion that was starting in the front of the casino. The commotion suddenly turned into a few screams and confusion as a faint explosion could be heard along with a flash of fire….

Hammerhead grabbed his radio none to pleased starting to make his way to the front.



*******
Outside the casino
*******
The Outside crew was busy watching their selected sections.
From Bloodrager’s and Clockworks area, they could hear the hustle bustle of the crowd that was near the casino. That noise was interrupted by the sound of Motorcycles passing near you and heading for the casino.

From Spidey’s vantage point and a slight tingle of his spider sense he was able to see 4 ninja motorcycles fast approaching the casino, there were 8 members of the Dragon clan, 3 of the passenger are holding fairly large sub machine gun the one on the first bike was holding a Molotov Cocktail, As they rode by the front of the building they prep for their attack as the 2 doormen spots them and call for back up.

One of the Maggia tried to radio for help Trouble at the front entranc… He wasn’t able to finish his sentence as one of the Tong gang members shot him down, continuing to spray bullets above the crowds heads causing instant pandemonium outside the front entrance.
The Maggia team jumped into motion in an attempt to stop the Tong gang as one of the Maggia soldiers opened fire and hit one of them in the back causing him to fall off the motorcycle. The other Bikes stopped and turned to face the Maggia, It was looking like a showdown was about to happen.